mc.prey-第61节

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　She　was　skeptical；　I　could　see　it　in　her　face。　But　she　wiped　her　eyes　and　listened。
　I　said；　〃The　swarm　consists　of　particles　and　bacteria；　is　that　right？〃
　〃Yes　。。。〃
　〃The　bacteria　provide　the　raw　ingredients　for　the　particles　to　reproduce　themselves。　Right？　Okay。　So　if　the　bacteria　die；　the　swarm　dies　too？〃
　〃Probably。〃　She　frowned。　〃Are　you　thinking　of　an　antibiotic？　Giving　everyone　an　antibiotic？　Because　you　need　a　lot　of　antibiotics　to　clear　an　E。　coli　infection；　they'd　have　to　take　drugs　for　several　days；　and　I　don't…〃
　〃No。　I'm　not　thinking　of　antibiotics。〃　I　tapped　the　tank　in　front　of　me。　〃I'm　thinking　of　this。〃
　〃Phage？〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃I　don't　know　if　it　will　work；〃　she　said。　She　frowned。　〃It　might。　Except　。。。　how're　you　going　to　get　the　phage　into　them？　They　won't　just　drink　it　down；　you　know。〃
　〃Then　we'll　fill　the　atmosphere　with　it；〃　I　said。　〃They'll　breathe　it　in　and　they'll　never　know。〃
　〃Uh…huh。　How　do　we　fill　the　atmosphere？〃
　〃Easy。　Don't　shut　down　this　tank。　Feed　the　bacteria　into　the　system。　I　want　the　assembly　line　to　start　making　virus…a　lot　of　virus。　Then　we　release　into　the　air。〃　Mae　sighed。　〃It　won't　work；　Jack；〃　she　said。
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Because　the　assembly　line　won't　make　a　lot　of　virus。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Because　of　the　way　the　virus　reproduces。　You　know…the　virus　floats　around；　attaches　to　a　cell　wall；　and　injects　itself　into　the　cell。　Then　it　takes　over　the　cell's　own　RNA；　and　converts　it　to　making　more　viruses。　The　cell　ceases　all　its　normal　metabolic　functions；　and　just　cranks　out　viruses。　Pretty　soon　the　cell　is　packed　with　viruses；　and　it　bursts　like　a　balloon。　All　the　viruses　are　released；　they　float　to　other　cells；　and　the　process　starts　all　over。〃
　〃Yes　。。。　so？〃
　〃If　I　introduce　phage　into　the　assembly　lines；　the　virus　will　reproduce　rapidly…for　a　while。　But　it　will　rupture　a　lot　of　cell　membranes；　leaving　behind　all　those　membranes　as　a　lipid　crud。　The　crud　will　clog　the　intermediate　filters。　After　about　an　hour　or　two；　the　assembly　lines　will　start　to　overheat；　the　safety　systems　will　kick　in；　and　shut　everything　down。　The　whole　production　line　will　just　stop。　No　virus。〃
　〃Can　the　safety　systems　be　turned　off？〃
　〃Yes。　But　I　don't　know　how。〃
　〃Who　does？〃
　〃Only　Ricky。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃That　won't　do　us　any　good。　Are　you　sure　you　can't　figure　out…〃
　〃There's　a　code；〃　she　said。　〃Ricky's　the　only　one　who　knows　it。〃
　〃Oh。〃
　〃Anyway；　Jack；　it'd　be　too　dangerous　to　turn　off　the　safeties。　Parts　of　that　system　operate　at　high　temperature；　and　high　voltages。　And　there's　a　lot　of　ketones　and　methane　produced　in　the　arms。　It's　continuously　monitored　and　drawn　off　to　keep　the　levels　below　a　certain　concentration。　But　if　it　isn't　drawn　off；　and　you　start　high　voltage　sparking　。。。〃　She　paused；　shrugged。
　〃What're　you　saying？　It　could　explode？〃
　〃No；　Jack。　I'm　saying　it　will　explode。　In　a　matter　of　minutes　after　the　safeties　are　shut　off。　Six；　maybe　eight　minutes　at　most。　And　you　wouldn't　want　to　be　there　when　that　happens。　So　you　can't　use　the　system　to　produce　a　lot　of　virus。　Safeties　on　or　safeties　off；　it　just　won't　work。〃　Silence。
　Frustration。
　I　looked　around　the　room。　I　looked　at　the　steel　tank；　curving　upward　over　my　head。　I　looked　at　the　rack　of　test　tubes　at　Mae's　feet。　I　looked　in　the　corner；　where　I　saw　a　mop；　a　bucket；　and　a　one…gallon　plastic　bottle　of　water。　And　I　looked　at　Mae；　frightened；　still　on　the　verge　of　tears；　but　somehow　holding　it　together。
　And　I　had　a　plan。
　〃Okay。　Do　it　anyway。　Release　the　virus　into　the　system。〃
　〃What's　the　point　of　that？〃
　〃Just　do　it。〃
　〃Jack；〃　she　said。　〃Why　are　we　doing　this？　I'm　afraid　they　know　that　we　know。　We　can't　fool　them。　They're　too　clever。　If　we　try　to　do　this；　they'll　be　onto　us　in　a　minute。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃They　probably　will。〃
　〃And　it　won't　work；　anyway。　The　system　won't　make　viruses。　So　why；　Jack？　What　good　will　it　do？〃
　Mae　had　been　a　good　friend　through　all　this；　and　now　I　had　a　plan　and　I　wasn't　going　to　tell　her。　I　hated　to　do　it　this　way；　but　I　had　to　make　a　distraction　for　the　others。　I　had　to　fool　them。　And　she　had　to　help　me　do　it…which　meant　she　had　to　believe　in　a　different　plan。　I　said；　〃Mae；　we　have　to　distract　them；　to　fool　them。　I　want　you　to　release　the　virus　into　the　assembly　line。　Let　them　focus　on　that。　Let　them　worry　about　that。　Meanwhile；　I'll　take　some　virus　up　to　the　maintenance　area　beneath　the　roof；　and　dump　it　into　the　sprinkler　reservoir。〃
　〃And　then　set　the　sprinklers　off？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　She　nodded。　〃And　they'll　be　soaked　in　virus。　Everybody　in　this　facility。　Drenched。〃
　〃Right。〃
　She　said；　〃It　just　might　work；　Jack。〃
　〃I　can't　think　of　anything　better；〃　I　said。　〃Now　open　one　of　those　valves；　and　let's　draw　off　some　test　tubes　of　virus。　And　I　want　you　to　put　some　virus　into　that　gallon　jug　over　there。〃　She　hesitated。　〃The　valve　is　on　the　other　side　of　the　tank。　The　security　camera　will　see　us。〃
　〃That's　okay；〃　I　said。　〃It　can't　be　helped　now。　You　just　have　to　buy　me　a　little　time。〃
　〃And　how　do　I　do　that？〃
　I　told　her。　She　made　a　face。　〃You're　kidding！　They'll　never　do　that！〃
　〃Of　course　not。　I　just　need　a　little　time。〃
　*　*　*
　We　went　around　the　tank。　She　filled　the　test　tubes。　The　liquid　that　came　out　was　a　thick　brown　slop。　It　smelled　fecal。　It　looked　fecal。　Mae　said　to　me；　〃Are　you　sure　about　this？〃
　〃Got　to　do　it；〃　I　said。　〃There's　no　choice。〃
　〃You　first。〃
　I　picked　up　the　test　tube；　took　a　breath；　and　swallowed　it　whole。　It　was　disgusting。　My　stomach　heaved。　I　thought　I　would　vomit；　but　I　didn't。　I　took　another　breath；　swallowed　some　water　from　the　gallon　jug；　and　looked　at　Mae。
　〃Awful；　huh？〃　she　said。
　〃Awful。〃
　She　picked　up　a　test　tube；　held　her　nose；　and　swallowed。　I　waited　through　her　coughing　fit。　She　managed　not　to　vomit。　I　gave　her　the　gallon　jug；　she　drank；　and　poured　the　rest　out　onto　the　floor。　Then　she　filled　it　with　brown　slop。
　The　last　thing　she　did　was　twist　the　handle　of　a　big　flow　valve。　〃There；〃　she　said。　〃It's　going　into　the　system　now。〃
　〃Okay；〃　I　said。　I　took　two　test　tubes　and　stuck　them　in　my　shirt　pocket。　I　took　the　gallon　jug。　It　said　ARROWHEAD　PURE　WATER　on　the　label。　〃See　you　later。〃　And　I　hurried　off。　As　I　went　down　the　hallway；　I　figured　there　was　one　chance　in　a　hundred　that　I　would　succeed。　Maybe　only　one　chance　in　a　thousand。
　But　I　had　a　chance。
　Later　on；　I　watched　the　entire　scene　on　the　security　camera；　so　I　knew　what　happened　to　Mae。　She　walked　into　the　kitchen；　carrying　her　rack　of　brown　test　tubes。　The　others　were　all　there；　eating。　Julia　gave　her　a　frosty　look。　Vince　ignored　her。　Ricky　said；　〃What've　you　got　there；　Mae？〃
　〃Phage；〃　she　said。
　〃What　for？〃
　Now　Julia　looked　over。　Mae　said；　〃It's　from　the　fermentation　tank。〃
　〃Ew；　no　wonder　it　stinks。〃
　〃Jack　just　drank　one。　He　made　me　drink　one。〃
　Ricky　snorted。　〃What'd　you　do　that　for？　Jeez；　I'm　surprised　you　didn't　puke。〃
　〃I　almost　did。　Jack　wants　all　of　you　to　drink　one；　too。〃
　Bobby　laughed。　〃Yeah？　What　for？〃
　〃To　make　sure　none　of　you　is　infected。〃
　Ricky　frowned。　〃Infected？　What　do　you　mean；　infected？〃
　〃Jack　says　that　Charley　was　harboring　the　swarm　inside　his　body；　so　maybe　the　rest　of　us　are；　too。　Or　some　of　us。　So　you　drink　this　virus；　and　it'll　kill　the　bacteria　inside　you；　and　kill　the　swarm。〃
　Bobby　said；　〃Are　you　serious？　Drink　that　crap？　No　way；　Mae！〃
　She　turned　to　Vince。
　〃Smells　like　shit　to　me；〃　Vince　said。　〃Let　someone　else　try　it　first。〃
　Mae　said；　〃Ricky？　You　want　to　be　the　first？〃
　Ricky　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　not　drinking　that。　Why　should　I？〃
　〃Well；　for　one　thing；　you'd　be　assured　you　weren't　infected。　And　for　another；　we　would　be　assured；　too。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean；　it's　a　test？〃
　Mae　shrugged。　〃That's　what　Jack　thinks。〃
　Julia　frowned。　She　turned　to　Mae。　〃Where　is　Jack　now？〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　know。　The　last　time　I　saw　him　was　by　the　fermentation　chambers。　I　don't　know　where　he　is　now。〃
　〃Yes；　you　do；〃　Julia　said　coldly。　〃You　know　exactly　where　he　is。〃
　〃I　don't。　He　didn't　tell　me。〃
　〃He　did　tell　you。　He　tells　you　everything；〃　Julia　said。　〃In　fact；　you　and　he　planned　this　little　interlude；　didn't　you？　You　couldn't　seriously　expect　us　to　drink　that　stuff。　Where　is　Jack；　Mae？〃
　〃I　told　you；　I　don't　know。〃
　Julia　said　to　Bobby；　〃Check　the　monitors。　Find　him。〃　She　came　around　the　table。　〃Now　then；　Mae。〃　Her　voice　was　calm；　but　full　of　menace。　〃I　want　you　to　answer　me。　And　I　want　you　to　tell　me　the　truth。〃
　Mae　backed　away　from　her。　Ricky　and　Vince　were　closing　in　on　either　side　of　her。　Mae　backed　against　the　wall。
　Julia　advanced　slowly。　〃Tell　me　now；　Mae；〃　she　said。　〃It　will　be　much　better　for　you　if　you　cooperate。〃
　From　the　other　side　of　the　room；　Bobby　said；　〃I　found　him。　He's　going　through　the　fab　room。　He's　carrying　a　jug　of　the　crap；　looks　like。〃
　〃Tell　me；　Mae；〃　Julia　said；　leaning　close　to　Mae。　She　was　so　close　their　lips　were　almost　touching。　Mae　squeezed　her　eyes　and　her　lips　tightly　shut。　Her　body　was　beginning　to　shake　with　fear。　Julia　caressed　her　hair。　〃Don't　be　afraid。　There's　nothing　to　be　afraid　of。　Just　tell　me　what　he　is　doing　with　that　jug；〃　Julia　said。
　Mae　began　to　sob　hysterically。　〃I　knew　it　wouldn't　work。　I　told