rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第11节

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　The　alarm　woke　him　up　at　six　o'clock；　McCaughlin　eased　out　among　them。　It　was　totally　dark。　It　shouldn't　be。　No　…　there　was　a　bit　of　light　at　the　very　peak　of　the　tent。　He　realized　they　were　nearly　buried　in　snow。　The　Scots…American　rose　up　to　full　height；　the　air　was　very　stale。　He　snapped　open　the　chimney　slit　in　the　tent　top。　It　instantly　got　colder；　but　the　air　was　okay。　He　peered　through　the　hole。　It　had　stopped　snowing…they　could　dig　out　later。　The　others　began　to　stir。
　McCaughlin　knew　what　was　needed　besides　his　jokes　to　restore　morale。　He　started　up　breakfast：　venison　strips　as　bacon　substitute　and　hot　coffee　and　biscuits　…　the　kind　you　just　put　in　a　pan　and　swell　up　once　you　cover　them　and　they　steam。　His　own　famous　trail　biscuits。
　Sniffing　the　food　odors　did　more　to　awaken　his　panions　than　did　the　alarm。　〃Rise　and　shine；　mateys；　breakfast　is　all　ready。〃
　〃Never　heard　a　more　pleasant　sentence；〃　Rockson　said。　He　turned　up　the　Coleman　lamp　and　looked　around　at　the　bundled…up　Freefighters　now　ing　to　life。　〃Why　is　it　so　dark　in　here？〃
　McCaughlin　explained。　Rock　frowned。　〃Of　course　…　how　could　I　be　so　stupid　…　we　could　have　suffocated。〃
　〃Not　with　you　along　we　couldn't；〃　McCaughlin　said。　〃You　have　mutant's　luck；　remember？〃
　Danik　lay　half　asleep　still　on　Rockson's　sled　when　they　set　off　on　their　way　again。　He　was　still　the　worse　for　wear；　but　improving　rapidly　after　the　warmth　and　sleep　and　good　food。　The　warming　sunbeams　seemed　to　bring　the　man　around　further。
　Rockson　took　sun　readings　every　three　hours；　when　they　paused　for　hot　green　tea　…　an　Eskimo　custom　Rock　had　picked　up。
　Scheransky　asked　Rockson　to　e　to　look　at　some　odd　ice　formations　a　bit　away　from　the　others。　He　had　something；　he　said；　on　his　mind。　Rockson　asked　him　what　it　was。
　Scheransky's　dark　eyes　were　intense。　〃I　want　to　know　what　really　happened　to　you　out　in　the　desert；　after　our　Alaska　mission　last　year。　After　you　left　us　in　Alaska　to　chase　down　that　missile；　what　happened　to　you？　What's　the　big　secret　about　the　missing　five　days　of　your　trek　to　Century　City？　I　heard　that　the　only　one　you　told　is　Dr。　Schecter。〃
　Rockson　decided　to　tell　Scheransky。　He　was　a　technician；　a　scientist。　Perhaps　someone　other　than　Schecter　should　know。　Maybe　Scheransky　could　help　Schecter　in　his　project；　a　project　based　upon　what　had　happened　in　Rockson's　missing　five　days。　〃I　went　backward　in　time；　that's　what　happened。〃
　〃Backward　in　time？　Is　that　possible？〃
　〃I　didn't　believe　it　was　…　but　it　happened。　I　was　caught　in　a　twin…tornado　storm　…　one　of　the　Kala…Ka　storms　you've　probably　read　about。　I　was　tossed　through　some　sort　of　time　portal；　and　went　back　to　1989。　I'll　tell　you　sometime　what　happened　back　there。　The　important　thing　is　I　came　back　into　the　present。　Schecter　thinks　that　it　would　be　theoretically　possible　to　set　up　the　same　conditions　I　encountered　in　the　Kala…Ka　artificially　in　the　lab　and　send　me　…　or　someone　…　back　in　time　again。　It　would　be　very　dangerous。。。〃
　〃Then；　why　…〃
　〃Scheransky；　think　a　second。　What　could　you；　what　would　you　do　in　1989；　if　you　could？〃
　〃Back　in　1989？　Why；　that's　when　…〃
　〃Right…that's　when　World　War　Three　started。　If　someone　were　to　go　back　in　time　and；　say；　assassinate　Premier　Drushkin　…　the　man　who　launched　the　surprise　attack　on　America　…〃
　Scheransky　gasped。　〃Why；　then　the　war　would　never　…〃
　〃Right。　The　war　might　never　have　happened。　America　wouldn't　have　been　devastated。　There　wouldn't　have　been　the　death　of　billions　of　men；　women；　and　children；　the　radiation　clouds　wouldn't　have　swept　over　the　planet。〃
　The　Russian　sank　back　on　his　heels。　〃Da。　But　that　might　have　some　…　unpleasant　consequences。　It　would　change　everything。　Even　who　is　alive　in　the　twenty…first　century。　It　would　change　history　so　much。　There　would　never　be　a　Century　City；　for　instance。〃
　〃You　see　the　problem。　Very　good；　and　it's　a　big　if　…　Schecter　can　acplish　time　travel；　it　would　be　a　better　idea　to　change　things　just　slightly；　so　that　…　say　…　the　Reds'　occupation　of　America　after　the　war　was　not　very　successful。　Or　perhaps　go　back　and　take　out　just　the　Soviet　missiles　that　went　off　track　and　hit　our　nuclear　power　plants　…　and　sent　all　that　radiation　up　into　the　air。　Something　like　that　would　be　better　than　undoing　all　of　history。〃　Scheransky　whistled。　〃That　would　be　tremendous。〃　〃Of　course；　it's　only　theoretically　possible。　And　if　the　Russians　were　to　get　the　gist　of　what　I　just　told　you；　they　could　start　research　on　the　Kala…Ka　phenomenon　on　their　own　and　perhaps　also　achieve　time　travel。　That's　why　only　Schecter　…　and　now　you　…　know。〃
　〃Oh；　my　god。　This　must　not　get　to　the　Soviets。〃　〃Yes。。。　you　see　the　problem。　Now　you　understand　why　it's　top…top…secret。〃
　〃I　swear　by　my　mother's　grave。。。〃　〃I　know；　Scheransky；　I　know。　Now　I　told　you　because　I　think　with　your　technical　background；　with　what　you　know　about　Soviet　technology；　you　might　be　able　to　lend　Schecter　a　hand　with　the　project；　once　we　get　back。。。〃
　〃I　would　love　nothing　better；　my　friend。〃　〃Good。　I'll　see　to　it。　Now　that　I　let　the　cat　out　of　the　bag　with　you；　I　can't　see　Schecter　not　bringing　you　in　on　it。　It　would　take　some　of　the　enormous　burden　off　his　shoulders　to　have　an　assistant。〃
　〃You　honor　me；　my　friend。　And　I　am　so　happy　that　you　trust　me。。。〃
　Rockson　squeezed　his　shoulder。　〃I　trust　you　totally。　You're　a　part　of　the　team。　You're　one　of　us　now。〃
　
　
　CHAPTER　9
　
　They　made　good　time　trekking；　covering　a　hundred　winding　miles　through　rolling　terrain　each　day。　They　camped　in　snow　caves　or　rock　overhangs。　The　routine　set　in。　Up　at　dawn；　check　the　dogs；　feed　them　a　ration　portion　each　of　the　dwindling　dried　meat　supply；　get　some　breakfast　down　themselves；　then　drive　the　teams　across　the　deep　winter　snow。　Tea　and　pemmican　breaks　in　the　trek；　navigation　readings　and　paring　the　notebook　and　their　maps。　And　always；　always；　tugging　at　Rockson's　gut；　the　realization　that　they　could　be　hopelessly　off　course。
　Six　days　after　the　Hall　of　Presidents；　they　found　evidence　of　game。　Deer　tracks。
　They　braked　their　sleds；　drew　them　behind　some　winterberry　bushes；　as　a　wind　shield。
　Archer　was　the　first　to　volunteer。　〃Meeee　gooo　huntttt；〃　he　demanded。　He　drew　up　his　huge　make…shift　crossbow　and　a　four…foot　barbed　steel　arrow；　which　he　notched。　〃Ookayyy？〃
　Rockson　thought　a　bit；　then　said；　〃No；　old　fellow。　We　need　you　to　watch　over　the　teams。　The　dogs　love　you。　We　can't　handle　them　without　you　near。〃　Archer's　chest　swelled。　〃Meee　goooddd；〃　he　stated；　and　he　pounded　on　his　chest　so　loud　it　sounded　like　a　bass　drum。
　〃Thanks；　pal；　I　knew　I　could　count　on　you。〃　Rockson　considered　their　ad　hoc　camp　a　good　one。　Behind　winterberry　brambles；　a　natural　shield　of　thorns。
　〃Rona　and　I　will　use　some　arrows　and　get　the　venison；〃　he　promised。
　Rockson　took　up　his　pound　bow　…　a　plastic　and　steel　marvel　of　engineering　with　a　hundred…ninety…pound　pull。　〃Ready；　Rona？〃　She　had　her　bow　on　her　shoulder。　〃Sure；　lead　on。〃
　Rock　wanted　Rona　as　backup。　Rock　had　to　admit　she　was　equal　to　him　in　skill　if　not　in　sheer　power　of　draw。　He　couldn't　afford　to　miss。　And　firearms　were　out。　No　sense　alerting　any　chance　Soviet　patrol。
　Three　hours　of　trekking　and　the　couple　was　in　sight　of　the　eight…point　buck　and　his　doe。　The　problem　was　getting　downwind　from　the　gentle　creatures　nuzzling　on　the　evergreen　branches。
　It　took　another　hour　for　Rockson　and　Rona　to　get　in　position　in　the　boulderfield　directly　north　of　the　pair　of　deer。　Rockson　carefully　notched　his　arrow　and　let　fly　the　shot　at　the　buck；　but　the　stag　had　suddenly　started。
　There　was　a　movement　in　the　narga　grass　…　and　one　of　Post…nuke　America's　plethora　of　wildswine　appeared。　The　supersensitive　snout　of　the　beast　stuck　high　into　the　air。　The　four…tusked　three…hundred…pound　beast　snorted。　It　had　caught　the　scent　of　the　two　Freefighters。
　82
　〃Damn；〃　said　Rona　as　the　alerted　deer　darted　away；　jumping　into　the　copse　of　trees。　〃There　goes　our　venison　steaks。〃
　〃How　about　some　pork　chops；〃　Rockson　said　angrily；　swiveling　his　bow　and　letting　loose　a　good　shot　at　the　spoiler　of　their　hunt。
　But　the　wildswine　had　suddenly　darted　sideward　with　a　sharp　squeal。　The　super…swift　porker；　a　dangerous　crossbreed　of　wild　Asian　swine　and　the　domestic　hog　of　the　twentieth　century；　also　avoided　the　frying　pan。
　〃Shit；〃　Rock　said；　reaching　into　his　quiver　and　taking　out　another　steel…tipped　arrow。　He　notched　it　and　said；　〃The　pig　is　over　in　that　jumble　of　rocks　…　let's　get　it。　Rona；　you　go　around　the　other　way。　We'll　have　pork　tonight；　or　my　name　isn't　Ted　Rockson。〃
　But　as　the　couple　gradually；　silently　moved　to　encircle　the　wildswine；　there　was　a　sudden　shaking　of　the　ground。　Rock　swiveled　on　his　heels　to　see　a　giant　version　of　the　swine　he　was　stalking　tear　through　a　copse　of　trees　the　size　of　telephone　poles；　knocking　them　down　like　toothpicks。　The　thing　was　a　pig　…　but　it　stood　twelve　or　thirteen　feet　at　its　shoulders　and　was　at　least　twice　that　length。　It　stopped　in　its　tracks；　snorted　a　twin　stream　of　hot　steam　out　of　its　flaring　nostrils。　And　then　it　turned　its　ugly　snout　directly　in　the　direction　of　Rockson　and　roared　out　a　challenge。
　Rona　and　Rock　let　fly　their　arrows；　each　hitting　one　of　the　beast's　huge　e