mc.prey-第44节

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nd　I　saw　spots　before　my　eyes。　Mae　was　coughing　weakly；　her　breaths　shallow。　I　had　the　feeling　she　wouldn't　survive。　I　trudged　on；　putting　one　foot　ahead　of　the　other。　Somehow　the　door　loomed　in　front　of　me；　and　I　got　it　open。　I　brought　Mae　into　the　black　outer　room。　On　the　other　side　of　the　glass　airlock；　Ricky　and　Bobby　Lembeck　were　waiting。　They　were　cheering　us　on；　but　I　couldn't　hear　them。　My　headset　was　back　in　the　car。　The　airlock　doors　hissed　open；　and　I　got　Mae　inside。　She　managed　to　stand；　though　she　was　doubled　over　coughing。　I　stepped　away。　The　wind　began　to　blow　her　clean。　I　leaned　against　the　wall；　out　of　breath；　dizzy。
　I　thought；　Haven't　I　done　this　before？
　I　looked　at　my　watch。　It　was　just　three　hours　since　I　had　narrowly　escaped　the　last　attack。　I　bent　over　and　put　my　hands　on　my　knees。　I　stared　at　the　floor　and　waited　for　the　airlock　to　bee　free。　I　glanced　over　at　Ricky　and　Bobby。　They　were　yelling；　pointing　to　their　ears。　I　shook　my　head。
　Couldn't　they　see　I　didn't　have　a　headset？
　I　said；　〃Where's　Charley？〃
　They　answered；　but　I　couldn't　hear　them。
　〃Did　he　make　it？　Where's　Charley？〃
　I　winced　at　a　harsh　electronic　squeal；　and　then　over　the　inter　Ricky　said；　〃…not　much　you　can　do。〃
　〃Is　he　here？〃　I　said。　〃Did　he　make　it？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃Back　at　the　car；〃　Ricky　said。　〃He　never　got　out　of　the　car。　Didn't　you　know？〃
　〃I　was　busy；〃　I　said。　〃So　he's　back　there？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Is　he　dead？〃
　〃No；　no。　He's　alive。〃
　I　was　still　breathing　hard；　still　dizzy。　〃What？〃
　〃It's　hard　to　tell　on　the　video　monitor；　but　it　looks　like　he　is　alive　。。。〃
　〃Then　why　the　fuck　don't　you　guys　go　get　him？〃
　Ricky's　voice　was　calm。　〃We　can't；　Jack。　We　have　to　take　care　of　Mae。〃
　〃Someone　here　could　go。〃
　〃We　don't　have　anyone　to　spare。〃
　〃I　can't　go；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　in　no　shape　to　go。〃
　〃Of　course　not；〃　Ricky　said；　turning　on　his　soothing　voice。　The　undertaker's　voice。　〃All　this　must　be　a　terrible　shock　to　you；　Jack；　all　you've　gone　through…〃
　〃Just　。。。　tell　me　。。。　who's　going　to　get　him；　Ricky？〃
　〃To　be　brutally　honest；〃　Ricky　said；　〃I　don't　think　there's　any　point。　He　had　a　convulsion。　A　bad　one。　I　don't　think　he　has　much　left。〃
　I　said；　〃Nobody's　going？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　there's　no　point；　Jack。〃
　Inside　the　airlock；　Bobby　was　helping　Mae　out　and　leading　her　down　the　corridor。　Ricky　was　standing　there。　Watching　me　through　the　glass。
　〃Your　turn；　Jack。　e　on　in。〃
　I　didn't　move。　I　stayed　leaning　against　the　wall。　I　said；　〃Somebody　has　to　go　get　him。〃
　〃Not　right　now。　The　wind　isn't　stable；　Jack。　It'll　fall　again　any　minute。〃
　〃But　he's　alive。〃
　〃Not　for　long。〃
　〃Somebody　has　to　go；〃　I　said。
　〃Jack；　you　know　as　well　as　I　do　what　we're　up　against；〃　Ricky　said。　He　was　doing　the　voice　of　reason　now；　calm　and　logical。　〃We've　had　terrible　losses。　We　can't　risk　anybody　else。　By　the　time　somebody　gets　to　Charley；　he'll　be　dead。　He　may　be　dead　already。　e　on　and　get　in　the　airlock。〃
　I　was　taking　stock　of　my　body；　feeling　my　breathing；　my　chest；　my　deep　fatigue。　I　couldn't　go　back　out　right　now。　Not　in　the　condition　I　was　in。
　So　I　got　into　the　airlock。
　*　*　*
　With　a　roar；　the　blowers　flattened　my　hair；　fluttered　my　clothes；　and　cleaned　the　black　particles　from　my　clothes　and　skin。　My　vision　improved　almost　immediately。　I　breathed　easier。　Now　they　were　blowing　upward。　I　held　out　my　hand　and　saw　it　turn　from　black　to　pale　gray；　then　to　normal　flesh　color　again。
　Now　the　blowers　came　from　the　sides。　I　took　a　deep　breath。　The　pinpricks　were　no　longer　so　painful　on　my　skin。　Either　I　was　feeling　them　less；　or　they　were　being　blown　off　my　skin。　My　head　cleared　a　little。　I　took　another　breath。　I　didn't　feel　good。　But　I　felt　better。　The　glass　doors　opened。　Ricky　held　out　his　arms。　〃Jack。　Thank　God　you're　safe。〃
　I　didn't　answer　him。　I　just　turned　around；　and　went　back　the　way　I　had　e。
　〃Jack　。。。〃
　The　glass　doors　whished　shut；　and　locked　with　a　thunk。　〃I'm　not　leaving　him　out　there；〃　I　said。
　〃What're　you　going　to　do？　You　can't　carry　him；　he's　too　big。　What're　you　going　to　do？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　But　I'm　not　leaving　him　behind；　Ricky。〃
　And　I　went　back　outside。
　Of　course　I　was　doing　exactly　what　Ricky　wanted…exactly　what　he　expected　me　to　do…but　I　didn't　realize　it　at　the　time。　And　even　if　somebody　had　told　me；　I　wouldn't　have　credited　Ricky　with　that　degree　of　psychological　sophistication。　Ricky　was　pretty　obvious　in　the　way　he　managed　people。　But　this　time；　he　got　me。
　　
　DAY　6　
　4：22　P。M。
　The　wind　was　blowing　briskly。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　swarms；　and　I　crossed　to　the　shed　without　incident。　I　didn't　have　a　headset　so　I　was　spared　Ricky's　mentary。　The　back　passenger　door　of　the　Toyota　was　open。　I　found　Charley　lying　on　his　back；　motionless。　It　took　me　a　moment　to　see　he　was　still　breathing；　although　shallowly。　With　an　effort；　I　managed　to　pull　him　into　a　sitting　position。　He　stared　at　me　with　dull　eyes。　His　lips　were　blue　and　his　skin　was　chalky　gray。　A　tear　ran　down　his　cheek。　His　mouth　moved。　〃Don't　try　to　talk；〃　I　said。　〃Save　your　energy。〃　Grunting；　I　pulled　him　over　to　the　edge　of　the　seat；　by　the　door；　and　swung　his　legs　around　so　he　was　facing　out。　Charley　was　a　big　guy；　six　feet　tall　and　at　least　twenty　pounds　heavier　than　I　was。　I　knew　I　couldn't　carry　him　back。　But　behind　the　backseat　of　the　Toyota　I　saw　the　fat　tires　of　a　dirt　bike。　That　might　work。　〃Charley；　can　you　hear　me？〃
　An　almost　imperceptible　nod。
　〃Can　you　stand　up？〃
　Nothing。　No　reaction。　He　wasn't　looking　at　me；　he　was　staring　into　space。
　〃Charley；〃　I　said；　〃do　you　think　you　can　stand？〃
　He　nodded　again；　then　straightened　his　body　so　he　slid　off　the　seat；　and　landed　on　the　ground。　He　stood　shakily　for　a　moment；　his　legs　trembling；　and　then　he　collapsed　against　me；　clutching　me　to　hold　himself　up。　I　sagged　under　his　weight。
　〃Okay；　Charley　。。。〃　I　eased　him　back　to　the　car；　and　sat　him　down　on　the　running　board。　〃Just　stay　there；　okay？〃
　I　let　go　of　him；　and　he　remained　sitting。　He　still　stared　into　space；　unfocused。
　〃I'll　be　right　back。〃
　I　went　around　to　the　back　of　the　Land　Cruiser；　and　popped　the　trunk。　There　was　a　dirt　bike；　all　right…the　cleanest　dirt　bike　I　had　ever　seen。　It　was　encased　in　a　heavy　Mylar　bag。　And　it　had　been　wiped　down　after　it　was　used。　That　would　be　David's　way；　I　thought。　He　was　always　so　clean；　so　organized。
　I　pulled　the　bike　out　of　the　car　and　set　it　on　the　ground。　There　was　no　key　in　the　ignition。　I　went　to　the　front　of　the　Toyota；　and　opened　the　passenger　door。　The　front　seats　were　spotless　and　carefully　ordered。　David　had　one　of　those　suction　cup　notepads　on　the　dashboard；　a　cradle　for　his　cell　phone；　and　a　telephone　headset　mounted　on　a　little　hook。　I　opened　his　glove　box　and　saw　that　the　interior　was　neatly　arranged；　too。　Registration　papers　in　an　envelope；　beneath　a　small　plastic　tray　divided　into　partments　containing　lip　balm；　Kleenex；　Band…Aids。　No　keys。　Then　I　noticed　that　between　the　seats　there　was　a　storage　box　for　the　CD　player；　and　beneath　it　was　a　locked　tray。　It　had　the　same　kind　of　lock　as　the　ignition。　It　probably　opened　with　the　ignition　key。
　I　banged　the　tray　with　the　heel　of　my　hand；　and　heard　something　metallic　rattle　inside。　It　might　have　been　a　small　key。　Like　a　dirt　bike　key。　Anyway；　something　metal。　Where　were　David's　keys？　I　wondered　if　Vince　had　taken　David's　keys　away　on　arrival；　as　he　had　taken　mine。　If　so；　then　the　keys　were　in　the　lab。　That　wouldn't　do　me　any　good。　I　looked　toward　the　lab　building；　wondering　if　I　should　go　back　to　get　them。　That　was　when　I　noticed　that　the　wind　was　blowing　less　strongly。　There　was　still　a　layer　of　sand　blowing　along　the　ground；　but　it　was　less　vigorous。
　Great；　I　thought。　That's　all　I　need　now。
　Feeling　new　urgency；　I　decided　to　give　up　on　the　dirt　bike　and　its　missing　key。　Perhaps　there　was　something　in　the　storage　shed　that　I　could　use　to　move　Charley　back　to　the　lab。　I　didn't　remember　anything；　but　I　went　into　the　shed　to　check；　anyway。　I　entered　cautiously；　hearing　a　banging　sound。　It　turned　out　to　be　the　far　door；　banging　open　and　shut　in　the　wind。　Rosie's　body　lay　just　inside　the　door；　alternately　light　and　dark　as　the　door　banged。　She　had　the　same　milky　coating　on　her　skin　that　the　rabbit　had　had。　But　I　didn't　go　over　to　look　closely。　I　hastily　searched　the　shelves；　opened　the　utility　closet；　looked　behind　stacked　boxes。　I　found　a　furniture　dolly　made　of　wooden　slats　with　small　rollers。　But　it　would　be　useless　in　sand。　I　went　back　outside　under　the　corrugated　shed；　and　hurried　to　the　Toyota。　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　try　to　carry　Charley　across　to　the　lab　building。　I　might　be　able　to　manage　it　if　he　could　support　part　of　his　own　weight。　Maybe　by　now　he　was　feeling　better；　I　thought。　Maybe　he　was　stronger。
　But　one　look　at　his　face　told　me　he　wasn't。　If　anything；　he　appeared　weaker。
　〃Shit；　Charley；　what　am　I　going　to　do　with　you？〃
　He　didn't　answer。
　〃I　can't　carry　you。　And　David　didn't　leave　any　keys　in　his　car；　so　we're　out　of　luck…〃　I　stopped。
　What　if　David　were　locked　out　of　his　car？　He　was　an　engineer；　he　thought　of　contingencies　like　that。　Even　if　it　was　unlikely　to　happen；　David　would　never　be　caught　unprepared。　He'd　never　be　flagging　down