mc.prey-第46节

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a　final　heave；　got　him　standing。　I　kept　my　hands　under　his　armpits；　we　were　in　a　kind　of　crazy　lovers'　clench。　Charley　was　wheezing。　I　looked　back　to　the　glass　doors。
　The　doors　didn't　close。
　The　air　was　getting　blacker　all　the　time。　I　looked　to　Mae　and　Bobby；　and　they　were　frantic；　holding　up　two　fingers；　shaking　them　at　me。　I　didn't　get　it。　〃Yes；　there's　two　of　us　。。。〃　What　was　wrong　with　the　damned　doors？　Finally　Mae　bent　over；　and　very　deliberately　pointed　with　one　finger　of　each　hand　to　her　two　shoes。　I　saw　her　mouth；　〃Two　shoes。〃　And　point　to　Charley。　〃Yeah；　so；　we　have　two　shoes。　He's　standing　on　two　shoes。〃
　Mae　shook　her　head。
　She　held　up　four　fingers。
　〃Four　shoes？〃
　The　pinpricks　were　irritating；　making　it　difficult　to　think。　I　felt　the　old　confusion　begin　to　seep　over　me。　My　brain　felt　sluggish。　What　did　she　mean；　four　shoes？　It　was　beginning　to　get　dark　in　the　airlock。　It　was　being　harder　to　see　Mae　and　Bobby。　They　were　pantomiming　something　else；　but　I　didn't　get　it。　They　began　to　feel　distant　to　me；　distant　and　trivial。　I　was　without　energy；　and　without　care。　Two　shoes；　four　shoes。
　And　then　I　got　it。　I　turned　my　back　to　Charley；　leaned　against　him；　and　said；　〃Put　your　hands　around　my　neck。〃　He　did；　and　I　grabbed　his　legs　and　lifted　his　feet　off　the　floor。　Instantly；　the　door　hissed　shut。
　That　was　it；　I　thought。
　The　blowers　began　to　blast　down　on　us。　The　air　rapidly　cleared。　I　strained　to　hold　Charley　up　and　I　managed　until　I　saw　the　second　set　of　doors　unlock　and　slide　open。　Mae　and　Bobby　hurried　into　the　airlock。
　And　I　just　fell　down。　Charley　landed　on　top　of　me。　I　think　it　was　Bobby　who　dragged　him　off　me。　I'm　not　sure。　From　that　point　on；　I　don't　remember　much　at　all。
　
　NEST
　
　DAY　6　
　6：18　P。M。
　I　woke　up　in　my　bed　in　the　residential　module。　The　air　handlers　were　roaring　so　loudly　the　room　sounded　like　an　airport。　Bleary…eyed；　I　staggered　over　to　the　door。　The　door　was　locked。　I　pounded　on　it　for　a　while　but　nobody　answered；　even　when　I　yelled。　I　went　to　the　little　workstation　on　the　desk　and　clicked　it　on。　A　menu　came　up　and　I　searched　for　some　kind　of　inter。　I　didn't　see　anything　like　that；　although　I　poked　around　the　interface　for　a　while。　I　must　have　set　something　off；　because　a　window　opened　and　Ricky　appeared；　smiling　at　me。　He　said；　〃So；　you're　awake。　How　do　you　feel？〃
　〃Unlock　the　goddamn　door。〃
　〃Is　your　door　locked？〃
　〃Unlock　it；　damn　it。〃
　〃It　was　only　for　your　own　protection。〃
　〃Ricky；〃　I　said；　〃open　the　damn　door。〃
　〃I　already　did。　It's　open；　Jack。〃
　I　walked　to　the　door。　He　was　right；　it　opened　immediately。　I　looked　at　the　latch。　There　was　an　extra　bolt；　some　kind　of　remote　locking　mechanism。　I'd　have　to　remember　to　tape　over　that。　On　the　monitor；　Ricky　said；　〃You　might　want　to　take　a　shower。〃
　〃Yeah；　I　would。　Why　is　the　air　so　loud？〃
　〃We　turned　on　full　venting　in　your　room；〃　Ricky　said。　〃In　case　there　were　any　extra　particles。〃
　I　rummaged　in　my　bag　for　clothes。　〃Where's　the　shower？〃
　〃Do　you　want　some　help？〃
　〃No；　I　do　not　want　some　help。　Just　tell　me　where　the　goddamn　shower　is。〃
　〃You　sound　angry。〃
　〃Fuck　you；　Ricky。〃
　The　shower　helped。　I　stood　under　it　for　about　twenty　minutes；　letting　the　steaming　hot　water　run　over　my　aching　body。　I　seemed　to　have　a　lot　of　bruises…on　my　chest；　my　thigh…but　I　couldn't　remember　how　I　had　gotten　them。
　When　I　came　out；　I　found　Ricky　there；　sitting　on　a　bench。　〃Jack；　I'm　very　concerned。〃
　〃How's　Charley？〃
　〃He　seems　to　be　okay。　He's　sleeping。〃
　〃Did　you　lock　his　room；　too？〃
　〃Jack。　I　know　you've　been　through　an　ordeal；　and　I　want　you　to　know　we're　all　very　grateful　for　what　you've　done…I　mean；　the　pany　is　grateful；　and…〃
　〃Fuck　the　pany。〃
　〃Jack；　I　understand　how　you　might　be　angry。〃
　〃Cut　the　crap；　Ricky。　I　got　no　goddamn　help　at　all。　Not　from　you；　and　not　from　anybody　else　in　this　place。〃
　〃I'm　sure　it　must　feel　that　way　。。。〃
　〃It　is　that　way；　Ricky。　No　help　is　no　help。〃
　〃Jack；　Jack。　Please。　I'm　trying　to　tell　you　that　I'm　sorry　for　everything　that　happened。　I　feel　terrible　about　it。　I　really　do。　If　there　were　any　way　to　go　back　and　change　it；　believe　me；　I　would。〃
　I　looked　at　him。　〃I　don't　believe　you；　Ricky。〃
　He　gave　a　winning　little　smile。　〃I　hope　in　time　that　will　change。〃
　〃It　won't。〃
　〃You　know　that　I　always　valued　our　friendship；　Jack。　It　was　always　the　most　important　thing　to　me。〃
　I　just　stared　at　him。　Ricky　wasn't　listening　at　all。　He　just　had　that　silly　smile…and…everything…will…be…fine　look　on　his　face。　I　thought；　Is　he　on　drugs？　He　was　certainly　acting　bizarrely。
　〃Well；　anyway。〃　He　took　a　breath；　changed　the　subject。　〃Julia's　ing　out；　that's　good　news。　She　should　be　here　sometime　this　evening。〃
　〃Uh…huh。　Why　is　she　ing　out？〃
　〃Well；　I'm　sure　because　she's　worried　about　these　runaway　swarms。〃
　〃How　worried　is　she？〃　I　said。　〃Because　these　swarms　could　have　been　killed　off　weeks　ago；　when　the　evolutionary　patterns　first　appeared。　But　that　didn't　happen。〃
　〃Yes。　Well。　The　thing　is；　back　then　nobody　really　understood…〃
　〃I　think　they　did。〃
　〃Well；　no。〃　He　managed　to　appear　unjustly　accused；　and　slightly　offended。　But　I　was　getting　tired　of　his　game。
　〃Ricky；〃　I　said；　〃I　came　out　here　on　the　helicopter　with　a　bunch　of　PR　guys。　Who　notified　them　there's　a　PR　problem　here？〃
　〃I　don't　know　about　any　PR　guys。〃
　〃They'd　been　told　not　to　get　out　of　the　helicopter。　That　it　was　dangerous　here。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　have　no　idea　。。。　I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃
　I　threw　up　my　hands；　and　walked　out　of　the　bathroom。
　〃I　don't！〃　Ricky　called　after　me；　protesting。　〃I　swear；　I　don't　know　a　thing　about　it！〃　Half　an　hour　later；　as　a　kind　of　peace　offering；　Ricky　brought　me　the　missing　code　I　had　been　asking　for。　It　was　brief；　just　a　sheet　of　paper。
　〃Sorry　about　that；〃　he　said。　〃Took　me　a　while　to　find　it。　Rosie　took　a　whole　subdirectory　offline　a　few　days　ago　to　work　on　one　section。　I　guess　she　forgot　to　put　it　back。　That's　why　it　wasn't　in　the　main　directory。〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃　I　scanned　the　sheet。　〃What　was　she　working　on？〃
　Ricky　shrugged。　〃Beats　me。　One　of　the　other　files。〃
　　
　/*Mod　pstat_do*/
　Exec　（move｛？　ij　（Cx1；　Cy1；　Cz1）｝　）/*init　*/
　｛　ij　（x1；　y1；　z1）｝　/*state*/
　｛　ikl　（x1；y1；z1）　（x2；y2；z2）　｝　/*track*/
　Push　｛z（i）｝　/*store*/
　React　　/*ref　state*/
　？1　｛（dx（i；　j；　k）｝　｛（place（Cj；Hj）｝
　？2　｛（fx；（a；q）｝
　Place　｛z（q）｝　/*store*/
　Intent　　/*ref　intent*/
　？ijk　｛（dx（i；　j；　k）｝　｛（place（Cj；Hj）｝
　？x　｛（fx；（a；q）｝
　Load　｛z（i）｝　/*store*/
　Exec　（move｛？　ij　（Cx1；　Cy1；　Cz1）｝　）
　Exec　（pre｛？　ij　（Hx1；　Hy1；　Hz1）｝　）
　Exec　（post｛？　ij　（Hx1；　Hy1；　Hz1）｝　）
　Push　｛　ij　（x1；　y1；　z1）｝
　｛　ikl　（x1；y1；z1）　move　（x2；y2；z2）　｝　/*track*/　｛0；1；0；01）
　　
　〃Ricky；〃　I　said；　〃this　code　looks　almost　the　same　as　the　original。〃
　〃Yeah；　I　think　so。　The　changes　are　all　minor。　I　don't　know　why　it's　such　an　issue。〃　He　shrugged。　〃I　mean；　as　soon　as　we　lost　control　of　the　swarm；　the　precise　code　seemed　a　little　beside　the　point　to　me。　You　couldn't　change　it；　anyway。〃
　〃And　how　did　you　lose　control？　There's　no　evolutionary　algorithm　in　this　code　here。〃　He　spread　his　hands。　〃Jack；〃　he　said；　〃if　we　knew　that；　we'd　know　everything。　We　wouldn't　be　in　this　mess。〃
　〃But　I　was　asked　to　e　here　and　check　problems　with　the　code　my　team　had　written；　Ricky。　I　was　told　the　agents　were　losing　track　of　their　goals　。。。〃
　〃I'd　say　breaking　free　of　radio　control　is　losing　track　of　goals。〃
　〃But　the　code's　not　changed。〃
　〃Yeah　well；　nobody　really　cared　about　the　code　itself；　Jack。　It's　the　implications　of　the　code。　It's　the　behavior　that　emerges　from　the　code。　That's　what　we　wanted　you　to　help　us　with。　Because　I　mean；　it　is　your　code；　right？〃
　〃Yeah；　and　it's　your　swarm。〃
　〃True　enough；　Jack。〃
　He　shrugged　in　his　self…deprecating　way；　and　left　the　room。　I　stared　at　the　paper　for　a　while；　and　then　wondered　why　he'd　printed　it　out　for　me。　It　meant　I　couldn't　check　the　electronic　document。　Maybe　Ricky　was　glossing　over　yet　another　problem。　Maybe　the　code　really　had　been　changed；　but　he　wasn't　showing　me。　Or　maybe…
　The　hell　with　it；　I　thought。　I　crumpled　up　the　sheet　of　paper；　and　tossed　it　in　the　wastebasket。　However　this　problem　got　solved；　it　wasn't　going　to　be　with　puter　code。　That　much　was　clear。
　Mae　was　in　the　biology　lab；　peering　at　her　monitor；　hand　cupped　under　her　chin。　I　said；　〃You　feel　okay？〃
　〃Yes。〃　She　smiled。　〃How　about　you？〃
　〃Just　tired。　And　my　headache's　back。〃
　〃I　have　one；　too。　But　I　think　mine's　from　this　phage。〃　She　pointed　to　the　monitor　screen。　There　was　a　scanning　electron　microscope　image　of　a　virus　in　black　and　white。　The　phage　looked　like　a　mortar　shell…bulbous　pointed　head；　attached　to　a　narrower　tail。　I　said；　〃That's　the　new　mutant　you　were　talking　about　before？〃
　〃Yes。　I've　already　taken　one　fermentation　tank　offline。　Production　is　now　at　only　sixty　percent　capacity。　Not　that　it　matters；　I　suppose。〃
　〃And　what're　you　doing　with　that　offline　tank？〃
　〃I'm　testing　anti…viral　reagents；〃　she　said。　〃I　have　a　limited　number　of　them　here。　We're　not　really　set　up　to　analyze　contaminants。　Protocol　is　just　to　go　offline　and　scrub　any　tank　that　goes　bad。〃
　〃Why　haven't　you　done　that？〃
　〃I　prob