mc.prey-第58节

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　〃Jack；〃　she　said。　〃Maybe　you　don't　want　to　look　at　this。〃
　〃What？　Why　not？〃
　〃It's；　uh　。。。　maybe　you　don't　want　to　deal　with　this。　Not　right　now。　Maybe　tomorrow。〃　But　of　course　after　that；　I　practically　ran　around　the　table　to　see　what　was　on　her　monitor。　And　I　stopped。　What　I　saw　on　her　screen　was　an　image　of　an　empty　corridor。　With　a　time　code　at　the　bottom　of　the　picture。　〃Is　this　it？〃　I　said。　〃Is　this　what　I　shouldn't　deal　with？〃
　〃No。〃　She　turned　in　her　chair。　〃Look；　Jack；　you　have　to　go　through　all　the　security　cameras　in　sequence；　and　each　one　only　records　ten　frames　a　minute；　so　it's　very　difficult　to　be　sure　of　what　we're…〃
　〃Just　show　me；　Mae。〃
　〃I　have　to　go　back　a　bit　。。。〃　She　pressed　the　back　button　in　the　corner　of　the　keyboard　repeatedly。　Like　many　new　control　systems；　the　Xymos　system　was　modeled　on　Internet　browser　technology。　You　could　go　backward　in　work；　retracing　your　steps。　The　frames　jumped　backward　until　she　came　to　the　place　she　wanted。　Then　she　ran　it　forward；　the　security　images　jumping　from　one　camera　to　the　next　in　rapid　succession。　A　corridor。　The　main　plant。　Another　angle　on　the　plant。　An　airlock。　Another　corridor。　The　utility　room。　A　corridor。　The　kitchen。　The　lounge。　The　residence　hallway。　An　exterior　view；　looking　down　at　the　floodlit　desert。　Corridor。　The　power　room。　The　outside；　ground　level。　Another　corridor。　I　blinked。　〃How　long　have　you　been　doing　this？〃
　〃About　an　hour。〃
　〃Jesus。〃
　Next　I　saw　a　corridor。　Ricky　moving　down　it。　Power　station。　Outside；　looking　down　on　Julia　stepping　into　the　floodlight。　A　corridor。　Julia　and　Ricky　together；　embracing；　and　then　a　corridor；　and…
　〃Wait；〃　I　said。
　Mae　hit　a　button。　She　looked　at　me；　said　nothing。　She　pressed　another　key；　flicked　the　images　forward　slowly。　She　stopped　on　the　camera　that　showed　Ricky　and　Julia。　〃Ten　frames。〃
　The　movement　was　blurred　and　jerky。　Ricky　and　Julia　moved　toward　each　other。　They　embraced。　There　was　a　clear　sense　of　ease；　of　familiarity　between　them。　And　then　they　kissed　passionately。
　〃Aw；　shit；〃　I　said；　turning　away　from　the　screen。　〃Shit；　shit；　shit。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Jack；〃　Mae　said。　〃I　don't　know　what　to　say。〃
　I　felt　a　wave　of　dizziness；　almost　as　if　I　might　collapse。　I　sat　down　on　the　table。　I　kept　my　body　turned　away　from　the　screen。　I　just　couldn't　look。　I　took　a　deep　breath。　Mae　was　saying　something　more；　but　I　didn't　hear　her　words。　I　took　another　breath。　I　ran　my　hand　through　my　hair。
　I　said；　〃Did　you　know　about　this？〃
　〃No。　Not　until　a　few　minutes　ago。〃
　〃Did　anybody？〃
　〃No。　We　used　to　joke　about　it　sometimes；　that　they　had　a　relationship；　but　none　of　us　believed　it。〃
　〃Jesus。〃　I　ran　my　hand　through　my　hair　again。　〃Tell　me　the　truth；　Mae。　I　need　to　hear　the　truth。　Did　you　know　about　this　or　not？〃
　〃No；　Jack。　I　didn't。〃
　Silence。　I　took　a　breath。　I　tried　to　take　stock　of　my　feelings。　〃You　know　what's　funny？〃　I　said。　〃What's　funny　is　that　I've　suspected　this　for　a　while　now。　I　mean；　I　was　pretty　sure　it　was　happening；　I　just　didn't　know　who　。。。　I　mean　。。。　Even　though　I　expected　it；　it's　still　kind　of　a　shock。〃
　〃I'm　sure。〃
　〃I　never　would　have　figured　Ricky；〃　I　said。　〃He's　such　a　。。。　I　don't　know　。。。　smarmy　kind　of　guy。　And　he's　not　a　big　power　guy。　Somehow　I　would　have　thought　she'd　pick　someone　more　important；　I　guess。〃　As　I　said　it；　I　remembered　my　conversation　with　Ellen　after　dinner。　Are　you　so　sure　about　Julia's　style？
　That　was　after　I'd　seen　the　guy　in　the　car。　The　guy　whose　face　I　couldn't　really　make　out　。。。
　Ellen：　It's　called　denial；　Jack。
　〃Jesus；〃　I　said；　shaking　my　head。　I　felt　angry；　embarrassed；　confused；　furious。　It　kept　changing　every　second。
　Mae　waited。　She　didn't　move　or　speak。　She　was　pletely　still。　Finally　she　said；　〃Do　you　want　to　see　any　more？〃
　〃Is　there　more？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　don't　know　if　I；　uh　。。。　No；　I　don't　want　to　see　any　more。〃
　〃Maybe　you　better。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃I　mean；　it　might　make　you　feel　better。〃
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　I　said。　〃I　don't　think　I　can　take　it。〃
　She　said；　〃It　may　not　be　what　you　think；　Jack。　At　least；　it　may　not　be　exactly　what　you　think。〃
　It's　called　denial；　Jack。
　〃Sorry；　Mae；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　don't　want　to　pretend　anymore。　I　saw　it。　I　know　what　it　is。〃　I　thought　I'd　be　with　Julia　forever。　I　thought　we　loved　the　kids　together；　we　had　a　family；　a　house；　a　life　together。　And　Ricky　had　a　new　baby　of　his　own。　It　just　was　weird。　It　didn't　make　sense　to　me。　But　then；　things　never　turn　out　the　way　you　think　they　will。　I　heard　Mae　typing　quickly　on　the　keyboard。　I　turned　so　I　could　see　her；　but　not　the　screen。　〃What're　you　doing？〃
　〃Trying　to　find　Charley。　See　if　I　can　track　what　happened　to　him　over　the　last　few　hours。〃　She　continued　typing。　I　took　a　breath。　She　was　right。　Whatever　was　going　on　in　my　personal　life　was　already　well　advanced。　There　was　nothing　I　could　do　about　it；　at　least　not　right　now。　I　turned　all　the　way　around　and　faced　the　screen。
　〃Okay；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　look　for　Charley。〃
　It　was　disorienting　to　watch　the　camera　images　flash　by；　repeating　in　sequence。　People　popped　in　and　out　of　images。　I　saw　Julia　in　the　kitchen。　The　next　time　I　saw　her　and　Ricky　in　the　kitchen。　The　refrigerator　door　was　open；　then　shut。　I　saw　Vince　in　the　main　plant　room；　then　he　popped　out。　I　saw　him　in　a　corridor；　then　gone。
　〃I　don't　see　Charley。〃
　〃Maybe　he's　still　asleep；〃　Mae　said。
　〃Can　you　see　in　the　bedrooms？〃
　〃Yes；　there　are　cameras　there；　but　I'd　have　to　change　security　cycle。　Ordinary　cycle　doesn't　go　into　the　bedrooms。〃
　〃How　big　a　deal　is　it　to　change　the　security　cycle？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure。　This　is　really　Ricky's　area。　The　system　here　is　pretty　plicated。　Ricky's　the　only　one　who　really　knows　how　to　work　it。　Let's　see　if　we　find　Charley　in　the　regular　cycle。〃　So　that's　what　we　did；　waiting　to　see　if　he　appeared　in　any　of　the　standard　camera　images。　We　searched　for　about　ten　minutes　more。　From　time　to　time；　I　had　to　look　away　from　the　images；　though　it　never　seemed　to　bother　Mae。　But　sure　enough；　we　saw　him　in　the　residential　hallway；　walking　down　the　corridor；　rubbing　his　face。　He'd　just　woken　up。　〃Okay；〃　Mae　said。　〃We　got　him。〃
　〃What's　the　time？〃
　She　froze　the　image；　so　we　could　read　it。　It　was　12：10　A。M。
　I　said；　〃That's　only　about　half　an　hour　before　we　got　back。〃
　〃Yes。〃　She　ran　the　images　forward。　Charley　disappeared　from　the　hallway；　but　we　saw　him　briefly；　heading　into　the　bathroom。　Then　we　saw　Ricky　and　Julia　in　the　kitchen。　I　felt　my　body　tense。　But　they　were　just　talking。　Then　Julia　put　the　champagne　in　the　refrigerator；　and　Ricky　started　handing　her　glasses　to　put　in　beside　the　bottle。
　It　was　difficult　to　be　sure　what　happened　next；　because　of　the　frame　rate。　Ten　frames　a　second　of　video　meant　that　you　only　got　an　image　every　six　seconds；　so　events　appeared　blurred　and　jumpy　when　things　moved　fast；　because　too　much　happened　between　the　frames。
　But　this　is　what　I　thought　happened：
　Charley　showed　up；　and　began　talking　to　the　two　of　them。　He　was　smiling；　cheerful。　He　pointed　to　the　glasses。　Julia　and　Ricky　put　the　glasses　away　while　they　talked　to　him。　Then　he　held　up　his　hand；　to　stop。
　He　pointed　to　a　glass　that　Julia　was　holding　in　her　hand　before　she　put　it　in　the　refrigerator。　He　said　something。
　Julia　shook　her　head；　and　put　the　glass　in　the　refrigerator。　Charley　seemed　puzzled。　He　pointed　again　to　another　glass。　Julia　shook　her　head。　Then　Charley　hunched　his　shoulders　and　thrust　out　his　chin；　as　if　he　were　getting　angry。　He　poked　the　table　repeatedly　with　his　finger；　making　a　point。
　Ricky　stepped　forward　between　Julia　and　Charley。　He　acted　like　someone　interrupting　an　argument。　He　held　his　hands　up　soothingly　to　Charley：　take　it　easy。　Charley　wasn't　taking　it　easy。　He　was　pointing　to　the　sink；　heaped　with　unwashed　dishes。
　Ricky　shook　his　head；　and　put　his　hand　on　Charley's　shoulder。
　Charley　brushed　it　off。
　The　two　men　began　to　argue。　Meanwhile；　Julia　calmly　put　the　rest　of　the　glasses　into　the　refrigerator。　She　seemed　indifferent　to　the　argument　a　few　feet　from　her；　almost　as　if　she　didn't　hear　it。　Charley　was　trying　to　get　around　Ricky　to　the　refrigerator；　but　Ricky　kept　moving　to　block　him；　and　held　his　hands　up　each　time。
　Ricky's　whole　demeanor　suggested　that　he　did　not　regard　Charley　as　rational。　He　was　treating　Charley　in　that　careful　way　you　do　when　someone's　out　of　control。　Mae　said；　〃Is　Charley　being　affected　by　the　swarm？　Is　that　why　he's　acting　that　way？〃
　〃I　can't　tell。〃　I　looked　closer　at　the　screen。　〃I　don't　see　any　swarm。〃
　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃But　he's　pretty　angry。〃
　〃What　does　he　want　them　to　do？〃　I　said。
　Mae　shook　her　head。　〃Put　the　glasses　back？　Wash　them？　Use　different　glasses？　I　can't　tell。〃　I　said；　〃Charley　doesn't　care　about　that　stuff。　He'd　eat　out　of　a　dirty　plate　somebody　else　had　used。〃　I　smiled。　〃I've　seen　him　do　it。〃
　Suddenly；　Charley　stepped　several　paces　back。　For　a　moment；　he　was　pletely　still；　as　if　he　had　discovered　something　that　stunned　him。　Ricky　said　something　to　him。　Charley　began　pointing　and　shouting　at　both　of　them。　Ricky　tried　to　approach　him。　Charley　kept　backing　away；　and　then　he　turned　to　the　phone；　mounted　on　the　wall。　He　lifted　the　receiver。　Ricky　came　forward；　very　quickly；　his　body　a　b