mc.prey-第37节

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n　its　back；　laid　open　the　carcass。
　〃Jeez；〃　Rosie　said。
　I　was　startled　to　see　that　the　exposed　flesh　was　no　longer　smooth　and　pink。　Instead；　it　was　roughened　everywhere；　and　in　a　few　places　looked　as　if　it　had　been　scraped。　And　it　was　covered　by　a　milky　white　coating。
　〃Looks　like　it　was　dipped　in　acid；〃　Charley　said。
　〃Yes；　it　does；〃　Mae　said。　She　sounded　grim。
　I　glanced　at　my　watch。　All　this　had　occurred　in　two　hours。　〃What　happened　to　it？〃　Mae　had　taken　out　her　magnifying　glass　and　was　bent　close　to　the　animal。　She　looked　here　and　there；　moving　the　glass　quickly。　Then　she　said；　〃It's　been　partially　eaten。〃
　〃Eaten？　By　what？〃
　〃Bacteria。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　Charley　Davenport　said。　〃You　think　this　is　caused　by　Theta…d？　You　think　the　E。　coli　is　eating　it？〃
　〃We'll　know　soon　enough；〃　she　said。　She　reached　into　a　pouch；　and　pulled　out　several　glass　tubes　containing　sterile　swabs。
　〃But　it's　only　been　dead　a　short　time。〃
　〃Long　enough；〃　Mae　said。　〃And　high　temperatures　accelerate　growth。〃　She　daubed　the　animal　with　one　swab　after　another；　replacing　each　in　a　glass　tube。　〃Then　the　Theta…d　must　be　multiplying　very　aggressively。〃
　〃Bacteria　will　do　that　if　you　give　them　a　good　nutrient　source。　You　shift　into　log　phase　growth　where　they're　doubling　every　two　or　three　minutes。　I　think　that's　what's　happening　here。〃
　I　said；　〃But　if　that's　true；　it　means　the　swarm…〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　it　means；　Jack；〃　she　said　quickly。　She　looked　at　me　and　gave　a　slight　shake　of　the　head。　The　meaning　was　clear：　not　now。
　But　the　others　weren't　put　off。　〃Mae；　Mae；　Mae；〃　Charley　Davenport　said。　〃You're　telling　us　that　the　swarms　killed　the　rabbit　in　order　to　eat　it？　In　order　to　grow　more　coli？　And　make　more　nanoswarms？〃
　〃I　didn't　say　that；　Charley。〃　Her　voice　was　calm；　almost　soothing。　〃But　that's　what　you　think；〃　Charley　continued。　〃You　think　the　swarms　consume　mammalian　tissue　in　order　to　reproduce…〃
　〃Yes。　That's　what　I　think；　Charley。〃　Mae　put　her　swabs　away　carefully；　and　got　to　her　feet。　〃But　I've　taken　cultures；　now。　We'll　run　them　in　Luria　and　agerose；　and　we'll　see　what　we　see。〃
　〃I　bet　if　we　e　back　in　another　hour；　this　white　stuff　will　be　gone；　and　we'll　see　black　forming　all　over　the　body。　New　black　nanoparticles。　And　eventually　there'll　be　enough　for　a　new　swarm。〃
　She　nodded。　〃Yes。　I　think　so；　too。〃
　〃And　that's　why　the　wildlife　around　here　has　disappeared？〃　David　Brooks　said。
　〃Yes。〃　She　brushed　a　strand　of　hair　back　with　her　hand。　〃This　has　been　going　on　for　a　while。〃　There　was　a　moment　of　silence。　We　all　stood　around　the　rabbit　carcass；　our　backs　to　the　blowing　wind。　The　carcass　was　being　consumed　so　quickly；　I　imagined　I　could　almost　see　it　happening　right　before　my　eyes；　in　real　time。
　〃We　better　get　rid　of　those　fucking　swarms；〃　Charley　said。
　We　all　turned；　and　set　off　for　the　shed。
　Nobody　spoke。
　There　was　nothing　to　say。
　As　we　walked　ahead；　some　of　those　small　birds　that　hopped　around　the　desert　floor　under　the　cholla　cactus　suddenly　took　to　the　air；　chittering　and　wheeling　before　us。　I　said　to　Mae；　〃So　there's　no　wildlife；　but　the　birds　are　here？〃
　〃Seems　to　be　that　way。〃
　The　flock　wheeled　and　came　back；　then　settled　to　the　ground　a　hundred　yards　away。　〃Maybe　they're　too　small　for　the　swarms　to　bother　with；〃　Mae　said。　〃Not　enough　flesh　on　their　bodies。〃
　〃Maybe。〃　I　was　thinking　there　might　be　another　answer。　But　to　be　sure；　I　would　have　to　check　the　code。
　I　stepped　from　the　sun　into　the　shade　of　the　corrugated　shed；　and　moved　along　the　line　of　cars　toward　the　door　of　the　storage　unit。　The　door　was　plastered　with　warning　symbols…for　nuclear　radiation；　biohazard；　microwaves；　high　explosives；　laser　radiation。　Charley　said；　〃You　can　see　why　we　keep　this　shit　outside。〃
　As　I　came　to　the　door；　Vince　said；　〃Jack；　you　have　a　call。　I'll　patch　it。〃　My　cell　phone　rang。　It　was　probably　Julia。　I　flipped　it　open。　〃Hello？〃
　〃Dad。〃　It　was　Eric。　With　that　emphatic　tone　that　he　got　when　he　was　upset。
　I　sighed。　〃Yes；　Eric。〃
　〃When　are　you　ing　back？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；　son。〃
　〃Will　you　be　here　for　dinner？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　not。　Why？　What's　the　problem？〃
　〃She　is　such　an　asshole。〃
　〃Eric；　just　tell　me　what　the　problem…〃
　〃Aunt　Ellen　sticks　up　for　her　all　the　time。　It's　not　fair。〃
　〃I'm　kind　of　busy　now；　Eric；　so　just　tell　me…〃
　〃Why？　What　are　you　doing？〃
　〃Just　tell　me　what's　wrong；　son。〃
　〃Never　mind；〃　he　said；　turning　sulky；　〃if　you're　not　ing　home；　it　doesn't　matter。　Where　are　you；　anyway？　Are　you　in　the　desert？〃
　〃Yes。　How　did　you　know　that？〃
　〃I　talked　to　Mom。　Aunt　Ellen　made　us　go　to　the　hospital　to　see　her。　It's　not　fair。　I　didn't　want　to　go。　She　made　me　anyway。〃
　〃Uh…huh。　How　is　Mom？〃
　〃She's　checking　out　of　the　hospital。〃
　〃She's　finished　all　her　tests？〃
　〃The　doctors　wanted　her　to　stay；〃　Eric　said。　〃But　she　wants　to　get　out。　She　has　a　cast　on　her　arm；　that's　all。　She　says　everything　else　is　fine。　Dad？　Why　do　I　always　have　to　do　what　Aunt　Ellen　says？　It's　not　fair。〃
　〃Let　me　talk　to　Ellen。〃
　〃She　isn't　here。　She　took　Nicole　to　buy　a　new　dress　for　her　play。〃
　〃Who's　with　you　at　the　house？〃
　〃Maria。〃
　〃Okay；〃　I　said。　〃Have　you　done　your　homework？〃
　〃Not　yet。〃
　〃Well；　get　busy；　son。　I　want　your　homework　done　before　dinner。〃　It　was　amazing　how　these　lines　just　popped　out　of　a　parent's　mouth。
　By　now　I　had　reached　the　storage　room　door。　I　stared　at　all　the　warning　signs。　There　were　several　I　didn't　know；　like　a　diamond　made　up　of　four　different　colored　squares　inside；　each　with　a　number。　Mae　unlocked　the　door　and　went　in。
　〃Dad？〃　Eric　started　to　cry。　〃When　are　you　ing　home？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。　〃I　hope　by　tomorrow。〃
　〃Okay。　Promise？〃
　〃I　promise。〃
　I　could　hear　him　sniffling；　and　then　through　the　phone　a　long　snarff　sound　as　he　wiped　his　nose　on　his　shirt。　I　told　him　he　could　call　me　later　if　he　wanted　to。　He　seemed　better；　and　said　okay；　and　then　said　good…bye。
　I　hung　up；　and　entered　the　storage　building。
　The　interior　was　divided　into　two　large　storage　rooms；　with　shelves　on　all　four　walls；　and　freestanding　shelves　in　the　middle　of　the　rooms。　Concrete　walls；　concrete　floor。　There　was　another　door　in　the　second　room；　and　a　corrugated　rollup　door　for　truck　deliveries。　Hot　sunlight　came　in　through　wood…frame　windows。　The　air…conditioning　rumbled　noisily　but；　as　Mae　had　said；　the　rooms　were　still　hot。　I　closed　the　door　behind　me；　and　looked　at　the　seal。　It　was　just　ordinary　weather　stripping。　The　shed　was　definitely　not　airtight。　I　walked　along　the　shelves；　stacked　with　bins　of　spare　parts　for　the　fabrication　machinery；　and　the　labs。　The　second　room　had　more　mundane　items：　cleaning　supplies；　toilet　paper；　bars　of　soap；　boxes　of　cereal；　and　a　couple　of　refrigerators　filled　with　food。　I　turned　to　Mae。　〃Where　are　the　isotopes？〃
　〃Over　here。〃　She　led　me　around　a　set　of　shelves；　to　a　steel　lid　set　in　the　concrete　floor。　The　lid　was　about　three　feet　in　diameter。　It　looked　like　a　buried　garbage　can；　except　for　the　glowing　LED　and　keypad　in　the　center。　Mae　dropped　to　one　knee；　and　punched　in　a　code　quickly。　The　lid　lifted　with　a　hiss。
　I　saw　a　ladder　that　led　down　into　a　circular　steel　chamber。　The　isotopes　were　stored　in　metal　containers　of　different　sizes。　Apparently　Mae　could　tell　which　they　were　just　by　looking；　because　she　said；　〃We　have　Selenium…172。　Shall　we　use　that？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　Mae　started　to　climb　down　into　the　chamber。
　〃Will　you　fucking　cut　it　out？〃　In　a　corner　of　the　room；　David　Brooks　jumped　back　from　Charley　Davenport。　Charley　was　holding　a　big　spray　bottle　of　Windex　cleaner。　He　was　testing　the　squeeze　trigger　mechanism；　and　in　the　process　spraying　streaks　of　water　on　David。　It　didn't　look　accidental。　〃Give　me　that　damn　thing；〃　David　said；　snatching　the　bottle　away。　〃I　think　it　might　work；〃　Charley　said　blandly。　〃But　we'd　need　a　remote　mechanism。〃　From　the　first　room；　Rosie　said；　〃Would　this　work？〃　She　held　up　a　shiny　cylinder；　with　wires　dangling　from　it。　〃Isn't　this　a　solenoid　relay？〃
　〃Yes；〃　David　said。　〃But　I　doubt　it　can　exert　enough　force　to　squeeze　this　bottle。　Has　it　got　a　rating？　We　need　something　bigger。〃
　〃And　don't　forget；　you　also　need　a　remote　controller；〃　Charley　said。　〃Unless　you　want　to　stand　there　and　spray　the　fucker　yourself。〃
　Mae　came　up　from　below；　carrying　a　heavy　metal　tube。　She　walked　to　the　sink；　and　reached　for　a　bottle　of　straw…colored　liquid。　She　pulled　on　heavy　rubber…coated　gloves；　and　started　to　mix　the　isotope　into　the　liquid。　A　radiation　counter　over　the　sink　was　chattering。　Over　the　headset；　Ricky　said；　〃Aren't　you　guys　forgetting　something？　Even　if　you　have　a　remote；　how　are　you　going　to　get　the　cloud　to　e　to　it？　Because　I　don't　think　the　swarm　will　just　e　over　and　stand　there　while　you　hose　it　down。〃
　〃We'll　find　something　to　attract　them；〃　I　said。
　〃Like　what？〃
　〃They　were　attracted　to　the　rabbit。〃
　〃We　don't　have　any　rabbits。〃
　Charley　said；　〃You　know；　Ricky；　you　are　a　very　negative　person。〃
　〃I'm　just　telling　you　the　facts。〃
　〃Thank　you　for　sharing；〃　Charley　said。
　Like　Mae；　Charley　was　seeing　it；　too：　Ricky　had　dragged　his　feet　every　step　of　the　way。　It　was　as　if　Ricky　wanted　to　keep　the　swarms　alive。　Which　made　no　sense　at　all。　But　that's　how　he　w