mc.prey-第41节

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ickly　as　it　had　e。　Sunlight　poured　in　again。
　Nobody　moved。
　We　waited。
　Moments　later；　the　window　in　the　west　wall　turned　dark；　in　the　same　way。　I　wondered　why　the　swarm　didn't　enter。　The　window　wasn't　airtight。　The　nanoparticles　could　slide　through　the　cracks　without　difficulty。　But　they　didn't　even　seem　to　try。　Perhaps　this　was　an　instance　where　network　learning　was　on　our　side。　Perhaps　the　swarms　had　been　trained　by　their　experience　at　the　lab　to　think　doors　and　windows　were　impermeable。　Maybe　that's　why　they　weren't　trying。
　The　thought　gave　me　a　hopeful　feeling　that　helped　counteract　the　pain　in　my　knees。　The　west　window　was　still　dark；　when　the　north　window　over　the　sink　turned　dark　again。　Now　two　swarms　were　looking　in　at　the　same　time。　Ricky　had　said　there　were　three　ing　toward　the　building。　He　hadn't　mentioned　the　fourth。　I　wondered　where　the　third　swarm　was。　A　moment　later；　I　knew。
　Like　a　silent　black　mist；　nanoparticles　began　to　e　into　the　room　underneath　the　west　door。　Soon　more　particles　entered；　all　around　the　door　frame。　Inside　the　room；　the　particles　appeared　to　spin　and　swirl　aimlessly；　but　I　knew　they　would　self…organize　in　a　few　moments。　Then　at　the　north　window；　I　saw　more　particles　flooding　through　the　cracks。　Through　the　air…conditioning　vents　in　the　ceiling；　still　more　particles　rushed　downward。　There　was　no　point　in　waiting　any　longer。　I　got　to　my　feet　and　stepped　from　my　hiding　place。　I　shouted　for　everybody　to　e　out　of　hiding。　〃Form　up　in　two　rows！〃　Charley　grabbed　the　Windex　spray　bottle　and　fell　into　line；　grumbling；　〃What　do　you　think　our　fucking　chances　are？〃
　〃The　best　they'll　ever　get；〃　I　said。　〃Reynolds　rules！　Form　up　and　stay　with　me！　Let's　go…now！〃
　If　we　weren't　so　frightened；　we　might　have　felt　ridiculous；　shuffling　back　and　forth　across　the　room　in　a　tight　cluster；　trying　to　coordinate　our　movements…trying　to　imitate　a　flock　of　birds。　My　heart　was　pounding　in　my　chest。　I　heard　a　roaring　sound　in　my　ears。　It　was　hard　to　focus　on　our　steps。　I　knew　we　were　awkward；　but　we　got　better　quickly。　When　we　came　to　a　wall；　we　wheeled　and　headed　back　again；　moving　in　unison。　I　started　swinging　my　arms　and　clapping　with　each　step。　The　others　did　the　same。　It　helped　our　coordination。　And　we　each　fought　our　terror。　As　Mae　said　later；　〃It　was　step　aerobics　from　hell。〃　And　all　the　time；　we　watched　the　black　nanoparticles　as　they　came　hissing　into　the　room　through　cracks　in　doors　and　windows。　It　seemed　to　go　on　for　a　long　time；　but　it　was　probably　only　thirty　or　forty　seconds。　Soon　a　kind　of　undifferentiated　fog　filled　the　room。　I　felt　pinpricks　all　over　my　body；　and　I　was　sure　the　others　felt　it；　too。　David　started　moaning　again；　but　Rosie　was　right　beside　him；　encouraging　him；　urging　him　to　keep　it　together。　Suddenly；　with　shocking　speed　the　fog　cleared；　the　particles　coalescing　into　two　fully　formed　columns　that　now　stood　directly　before　us；　rising　and　falling　in　dark　ripples。　Seen　this　close；　the　swarms　exuded　an　unmistakable　sense　of　menace；　almost　malevolence。　Their　deep　thrumming　sound　was　clearly　audible；　but　intermittently　I　heard　an　angry　hiss；　like　a　snake。
　But　they　did　not　attack　us。　Just　as　I　had　hoped；　the　programming　deficits　worked　for　us。　Confronted　by　a　cluster　of　coordinated　prey；　these　predators　were　stymied。　They　did　nothing　at　all。
　At　least　for　now。
　Between　claps；　Charley　said；　〃Do　you　believe…this　fucking　shit…it's　working！〃　I　said；　〃Yes　but　maybe…not　for　long。〃　I　was　worried　about　how　long　David　could　control　his　anxiety。　And　I　was　worried　about　the　swarms。　I　didn't　know　how　long　they'd　just　stand　there　before　they　innovated　new　behavior。　I　said；　〃I　suggest　we…move　toward　that…back　door　behind　us…and　get　the　hell　out。〃
　As　we　wheeled　away　from　the　wall；　I　angled　slightly　toward　the　rear　room。　Clapping　and　stepping　in　unison；　our　group　moved　away　from　the　swarms；　which　thrummed　deeply　and　followed。
　〃And　if　we　get　outside；　then　what？〃　David　whined。　He　was　having　trouble　staying　in　sync　with　the　rest　of　us。　In　his　panic；　he　kept　stumbling。　He　was　sweating　and　blinking　rapidly。　〃We　continue　this　way…flocking　this　way…back　to　the　lab…and　get　inside…are　you　willing　to　try？〃
　〃Oh　jeez；〃　he　moaned。　〃It's　so　far　。。。　I　don't　know　if　。。。〃　He　stumbled　again；　nearly　lost　his　balance。　And　he　wasn't　clapping　with　the　rest　of　us。　I　could　almost　feel　his　terror；　his　overwhelming　urge　to　flee。
　〃David　you　stay　with　us…if　you　go　on　your　own…you'll　never　make　it…are　you　listening？〃　David　moaned；　〃I　don't　know　。。。　Jack　。。。　I　don't　know　if　I　can　。。。〃　He　stumbled　again；　bumped　into　Rosie；　who　fell　against　Charley；　who　caught　her　and　pulled　her　back　to　her　feet。　But　our　flock　was　knocked　into　momentary　disarray；　our　coordination　gone。　Immediately；　the　swarms　turned　dense　black；　coiled　and　tightened；　as　if　ready　to　spring。　I　heard　Charley　whisper　〃Oh　fuck；〃　under　his　breath；　and　indeed；　for　a　moment　I　thought　he　was　right；　and　that　it　was　all　over。
　But　then　we　regained　our　rhythm；　and　immediately　the　swarms　rose　up；　returned　to　normal。　Their　dense　blackness　faded。　They　resumed　their　steady　pulsing。　They　followed　us　into　the　next　room。　But　still　they　did　not　attack。　We　were　now　about　twenty　feet　from　the　back　door；　the　same　door　we　had　e　in。　I　started　to　feel　optimistic。　For　the　first　time；　I　thought　it　was　possible　we　really　might　make　it。
　And　then；　in　an　instant；　everything　went　to　hell。
　*　*　*
　David　Brooks　bolted。
　We　were　well　into　the　back　room；　and　about　to　work　our　way　around　the　freestanding　shelves　in　the　center　of　the　room；　when　he　ran　straight　between　the　swarms　and　past　them；　heading　for　the　far　door。
　The　swarms　instantly　spun　and　chased　him。
　Rosie　was　screaming　for　him　to　e　back；　but　David　was　focused　on　the　door。　The　swarms　pursued　him　with　surprising　speed。　David　had　almost　reached　the　door…his　hand　was　reaching　for　the　doorknob…when　one　swarm　sank　low；　and　spread　itself　across　the　floor　ahead　of　him；　turning　it　black。
　The　moment　David　Brooks　reached　the　black　surface；　his　feet　shot　out　from　under　him；　as　if　he　had　stepped　on　ice。　He　howled　in　pain　as　he　slammed　onto　the　concrete；　and　immediately　tried　to　scramble　to　his　feet　again；　but　he　couldn't　get　up；　he　kept　slipping　and　falling；　again　and　again。　His　eyeglasses　shattered；　the　frames　cut　his　nose。　His　lips　were　coated　with　swirling　black　residue。　He　started　to　have　trouble　breathing。
　Rosie　was　still　screaming　as　the　second　swarm　descended　on　David；　and　the　black　spread　across　his　face；　onto　his　eyes；　into　his　hair。　His　movements　became　increasingly　frantic；　he　moaned　pitifully　like　an　animal；　yet　somehow；　as　he　slid　and　tumbled　on　hands　and　knees；　he　managed　to　make　his　way　toward　the　door。　At　last　he　lunged　upward；　grabbed　the　doorknob；　and　managed　to　pull　himself　to　his　knees。　With　a　final　desperate　movement；　he　twisted　the　knob；　and　kicked　the　door　open　as　he　fell。
　Hot　sunlight　flared　into　the　shed…and　the　third　swarm　swirled　in　from　outside。
　Rosie　cried；　〃We've　got　to　do　something！〃　I　grabbed　her　arm　as　she　ran　past　me　toward　David。　She　struggled　in　my　grip。　〃We　have　to　help　him！　We　have　to　help　him！〃
　〃There's　nothing　we　can　do。〃
　〃We　have　to　help　him！〃
　〃Rosie。　There's　nothing　we　can　do。〃
　David　was　now　rolling　on　the　ground；　black　from　head　to　toe。　The　third　swarm　had　enveloped　him。　It　was　difficult　to　see　through　the　dancing　particles。　It　looked　as　though　David's　mouth　was　a　dark　hole；　his　eyeballs　pletely　black。　I　thought　he　might　be　blind。　His　breath　came　in　ragged　gasps；　with　little　choking　sounds。　The　swarm　was　flowing　into　his　mouth　like　a　black　river。
　His　body　began　to　shudder。　He　clutched　at　his　neck。　His　feet　drummed　on　the　floor。　I　was　sure　he　was　dying。
　〃e　on；　Jack；〃　Charley　said。　〃Let's　get　the　fuck　out　of　here。〃
　〃You　can't　leave　him！〃　Rosie　shouted。　〃You　can't；　you　can't！〃　David　was　sliding　out　the　door；　into　the　sunlight。　His　movements　were　less　vigorous　now；　his　mouth　was　moving；　but　we　heard　only　gasps。
　Rosie　struggled　to　get　free。
　Charley　grabbed　her　shoulder　and　said；　〃God　damn　it；　Rosie…〃
　〃Fuck　you！〃　She　wrenched　free　from　his　grip；　she　stamped　on　my　foot　and　in　my　moment　of　surprise　I　let　go；　and　she　sprinted　across　the　shed　into　the　next　room；　shouting　〃David！　David！〃　His　hand；　black　as　a　miner's；　stretched　toward　her。　She　grabbed　his　wrist。　And　in　the　same　moment　she　fell；　slipping　on　the　black　floor　just　as　he　had　done。　She　kept　saying　his　name；　until　she　began　to　cough；　and　a　black　rim　appeared　on　her　lips。
　Charley　said；　〃Let's　go；　for　Christ's　sake。　I　can't　watch。〃
　I　felt　unable　to　move　my　feet；　unable　to　leave。　I　turned　to　Mae。　Tears　were　running　down　her　cheeks。　She　said：　〃Go。〃
　Rosie　was　still　calling　out　David's　name　as　she　hugged　him；　pulled　his　body　to　her　chest。　But　he　didn't　seem　to　be　moving　on　his　own　anymore。
　Charley　leaned　close　to　me　and　said；　〃It's　not　your　fucking　fault。〃
　I　nodded　slowly。　I　knew　what　he　was　saying　was　true。
　〃Hell；　this　is　your　first　day　on　the　job。〃　Charley　reached　down　to　my　belt；　flicked　my　headset　on。　〃Let's　go。〃
　I　turned　toward　the　door　behind　me。
　And　we　went　outside。
　　
　DAY　6　
　4：12　P。M。
　Beneath　the　corrugated　roof；　the　air　was　hot　and　still。　The　line　of　cars　st