rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第12节

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　Rona　and　Rock　let　fly　their　arrows；　each　hitting　one　of　the　beast's　huge　eyes。　But　the　arrows　just　bounced。　〃Rona　…　head　for　cover　in　the　rocks；　I'll　lead　it　away。〃　With　that　admonition；　the　twenty…first…century　warrior　took　off　at　a　lope。　The　giant　swine　started　pawing　the　ground；　it　lowered　its　head　like　a　bull。　Then　it　took　off　after　him；　like　a　freight　train　chasing　a　stray　cat。
　〃Rock；〃　Rona　yelled；　〃be　careful。〃
　Rockson　was　being　careful。　He　had　made　for　a　second　outcropping　of　sharper；　tumbled　rocks；　and　now　dove　in　among　the　boulders；　rolled　into　a　crevice。　He　removed　his　shotpistol　from　his　holster　and　took　the　safety　off。　Just　in　time。　The　giant　swine　screeched　to　a　stop　and　leaned　its　steamy　snout　down　into　Rock's　hiding　place。　Its　huge　tongue　licked　down　at　the　Doomsday　Warrior。　Naturally；　he　fired。　Point…blank。
　The　lower　incisors　and　molars　of　the　beast　exploded　into　chalky　fragments　tinged　with　red；　and　the　X…pattern　of　explosive　pellets　peppered　the　sinewy　red　throat　beyond。　But　the　thing　didn't　die。　It　pulled　back；　startled　by　the　blast。　Then　it　charged　against　the　rocks；　almost　burying　Rockson　in　a　shifting　mass　of　granite。　He　managed　to　extricate　himself　and；　not　anxious　to　be　buried　in　the　next　attack；　he　took　off　again。　Rockson　was　firing　over　his　shoulder　when　the　opportunity　presented　itself。　Two　of　his　frantic　shots　hit　dead　center　in　the　snout　of　the　beast；　sending　out　sprays　of　nostril　meat　and　blood；　but　it　just　sneezed　and　then　continued　the　chase。
　The　shotpistol　empty。　Rock　flung　it　back；　the　beast　swallowed　it　without　changing　pace。　Rockson　spotted　Rona　a　hundred　feet　ahead；　running　fast；　but　not　as　fast　as　Rockson；　and　he　soon　caught　up　to　her。　〃Pour　it　on；　girl；〃　he　gasped　out；　〃I　couldn't　stop　it。〃
　〃Rock；　how　about　my　smoke　bombs？〃
　〃Smokebombs？　Hell；　use　them；　Rona；　quickly。〃
　Rona　was　already　reaching　into　her　belt　pouch。　She　tossed　a　handful　of　the　small　glass　cylinders　behind　her。　The　pop…pop…pop　of　the　shattering　glass　was　music　to　Rockson's　ears。　The　thundering　hoofs　of　their　immense　pursuer　stopped。　There　was　a　great　cloud　of　putrid…smelling　black　smoke　behind　the　two　runners　now。　An　enormous　sneeze　reverberated　in　the　cold　air。　Imagine　what　that　stuff　smells　like　to　its　sensitive　nostrils。　Rock　thought。　That　ought　to　stop　him　for　a　while。
　But　a　while　was　a　mere　five　or　six　seconds。　Enough　for　the　Freefighters　to　gain　a　hundred　feet；　but　then　the　terrible　thundering　hoofs　started　ing　again。
　Rockson　could　see　the　tangle　of　brambles　that　he　hoped　was　the　encampment　wall　ahead。　He　yelled；　〃Freefighters；　set　the　Liberator　rifles　on　full　automatic；　we've　got　supper　ing　up　behind　us　…　don't　spare　the　gunpowder。〃
　Rockson's　rear　end　was　now　less　than　twenty　feet　ahead　of　the　razor…sharp　tusks。
　
　
　CHAPTER　10
　
　〃Did　you　hear　that？〃　McCaughlin　said；　snapping　up　from　where　he　crouched　feeding　another　stick　into　the　low　campfire。　〃Look；　over　there！〃
　Detroit　saw　where　he　was　pointing；　and　heard　more　clearly　what　Rockson　was　yelling。　〃Quick；〃　Detroit　exclaimed；　〃Aim　high；　don't　hit　our　friends。　Shoot！〃　Frantically　they　lifted　their　rifles。　Chen；　wanting　accuracy；　set　down　his　tripod　mount　for　steadiness　atop　the　small　rise；　they　all　fired　on　full　auto　at　the　beast。
　The　big　guns　spoke　a　thousand　throaty　words。　The　simple　statement　could　not　be　ignored。　It　said；　〃Death　to　big　pigs。〃
　A　shuddering　series　of　impacts　on　the　pig　knocked　it　to　the　ground。　Splattered　pieces　of　smoking　meat　and　shards　of　bone　matter　flew　over　Rock　and　Rona　as　they　dove　over　the　brambles　to　their　friends。　All　the　Freefighters'　uniforms　were　coated　with　a　rain　of　red　blood。　A　pulsing　bit　of　pig　brain…matter　splashed　into　Scheransky's　hands　as　he　tried　to　cover　his　face。　Rockson；　too；　was　thoroughly　reddened　by　the　rain　of　blood。　They　kept　firing　for　a　while　…　just　in　case！
　Rona　jumped　across　the　hollow；　and　grabbed　the　Doomsday　Warrior　into　her　arms。　〃Oh；　you　great　big　hunk　of　a　man；〃　she　said；　kissing　his　red…stained　face　over　and　over　…　everywhere。　〃You　saved　me。　You　lured　the　thing　to　you；　you　did　it　to　save　me。〃
　When　she　finally　let　go；　Rockson　smiled；　〃Not　exactly。　I　wanted　pork　chops　for　supper；　that's　all。〃
　Before　the　roaring　cooking　fire　had　died　to　red　coals　in　the　early　darkness；　the　smell　of　roast　pork　spread　through　the　valley。　The　fattiest　meat　was　given　to　the　ravenous　wolf…dogs；　who　had　endured　so　much　and　gotten　them　over　eight　hundred　miles　already。　The　Rock　Team　went　to　their　sleeping　bags　with　a　warm　glow　in　their　bellies　…　especially　after　the　Scot　passed　around　his　Glenlivet。　〃It's　a　hundred　and　six　years　old；　laddies；　so　don't　ye　spill　a　drop。〃
　〃Now；　that's　old　scotch。〃　Detroit　said；　swigging　down　a　large　portion。　Danik　had　a　restorative　slug　too。
　〃Save　some　for　the　Russkies；〃　said　Scheransky；　taking　the　bottle。　〃I　prefer　vodka；　but　defectors　can't　be　choosers。　I'll　make　do。〃　He　too　took　a　swig。　And　so　did　the　rest　of　them。　Rona　finished　it　off　in　two　glugs；　and　wiped　her　mouth；　tossed　the　bottle　into　the　brush。
　〃Now；　that's　a　woman　you　got　there。　Rock；〃　said　McCaughlin。
　The　next　day's　trek　was　an　uneventful　passage　over　gently　rolling　snow　under　pink　cirrus　clouds。　Rockson；　stopping　the　group　at　midafternoon；　used　the　navigation　devices　that　Schecter　had　provided；　and　also　used　the　toy　sextant　that　Dutil　had　figured　angles　and　distance　with。　He　announced　that　they　were　well　out　on　the　rolling　plains　of　Arizona。　Some　divine　power　must；　they　reasoned；　be　favoring　their　quest。
　The　citizen　of　Eden　had　been　extraordinarily　quiet。
　He　was　sitting　up　on　Rock's　sled；　watching　the　scenery　go　by。　Rock；　hoping　he　wasn't　getting　sick　again；　spoke　to　him。　〃You　all　right；　Danik？〃
　〃Wonderful。　It's　so　beautiful；　that's　why　I'm　quiet。　This　land　is　so　beautiful。　What　is　there　to　say　in　the　face　of　such　beauty？〃
　〃I　guess　we　Americans　take　for　granted　the　majesty　of　the　countryside；　Danik。　It's　a　good　thing　someone　es　along　once　in　a　while　to　tell　us　what　we　have。　So　we　notice　it　more。　So　we　appreciate　it。　You　know　it　was　all　almost　pletely　destroyed　a　hundred　and　five　years　ago　…　when　the　two　superpowers　fired　their　ICBMs　at　one　another。　The　ignorant　bastards　almost　destroyed　it　all。〃
　〃Stafford　plans　to　finish　their　evil　handiwork　…　make　this　beautiful　world　a　no…man's　land；〃　Danik　said　sadly。　〃I　hope　we　can　stop　him。　God；　I　pray　that　we　can　stop　him。〃
　After　nearly　one　hundred　miles　more；　all　against　a　fierce　icy　wind；　the　party　of　bold　adventurers　were　beginning　to　doubt　the　directions　given　by　the　note…book。　They　should　have　reached　the　next　landmark　…　the　tall　teepee…shaped　building。　Still；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　go　on。
　They　were　ten　miles　further　along　than　the　note…book　indicated；　and　all　were　depressed　and　feeling　hopeless；　when　Danik　himself　shouted　the　good　news：　〃There　it　is；　the　whale　rock。　We　are　on　the　right　track。〃
　〃Thank　God　Run　Dutil's　notes　were　accurate　at　least　to　the　direction；　if　not　to　the　distance；〃　Rock　uttered　with　relief。
　Recalculating　their　path　taking　into　account　the　navigational　error　of　two　degrees　and　ten　miles；　Rockson　headed　the　bone…weary　squad　off　again　to　the　south。　And　after　two　more　hard　hours　fighting　winds　and　driven　snow；　they　came　upon　a　crumbling　highway　town。　There　in　the　middle　of　the　rust　spots　in　the　snow　that　had　been　Buicks　and　Toyotas　and　Oldsmobiles　over　a　hundred　years　ago；　was　the　giant　teepee。　It　had　the　look　of　a　new　building。　〃We　buried　two　panions　behind　it；〃　Danik　said　softly。
　〃It　must　be　some　sort　of　plastic；〃　Rockson　said。　〃Plastic　lasts　longer　than　concrete。　Keep　the　dogs　back；　Detroit；　e　with　me；　I　want　to　make　sure　no　one　is　in　there。　It　looks　so　spiffy；　I　don't　trust　it。〃
　The　team　members　held　their　sleds　back　behind　some　tumbled　boulders；　and　Rock　and　the　bull…necked　black　Freefighter　walked　cautiously　forward；　guns　drawn；　inspecting　the　many　windows　in　the　five…story　bright…orange…and…yellow　〃teepee〃　for　any　movements。　〃Keep　an　eye　on　that　mesa　behind　the　building；〃　Rockson　said。　〃There's　a　thousand　places　a　man　with　a　rifle　could　hole　up　in　those　rocks。〃　Detroit　nodded。
　The　sign　over　the　door；　a　ten…foot…high　red　plastic　affair；　said　TOMAHAWK　INDIAN　STORE；　save　now；　50％　off　Indian　Jewelry。〃
　〃Good；　we're　in　time　for　the　sale；〃　Detroit　whisperingly　joked。
　Rockson　and　Detroit　cautiously　entered　the　giant　replica　of　an　Indian　dwelling。　Light　sifted　in　from　outside　through　high　windows。　Tumbled　chairs；　smashed　tables；　precious　items　of　beaten　silver　and　turquoise　…　necklaces；　rings；　bracelets　…　lay　unmolested　in　glass　cases。　But　other　glass　counters　by　the　rusty　cash　register　were　smashed。　〃They　kept　candy　by　the　register；〃　Rock　said；　bolstering　his　shotpistol。　〃In　the　weeks　after　the　nuke　war；　any　kind　of　food　was　precious　…　much　more　precious　than　jewelry。〃　A　quick　survey　found　the　place　uninhabited。
　It　was　a　good　place　to　stay　for　the　night；　for　there　was　an　old　Franklin　stove　actually　still　in　one　piece。　They　gathered　firewood　…　smashing　the　dried　wooden　counters　of　the　soda　fountain　for　fuel。　Soon　the　immense　teepee　had　blue…white　smoke　ing　out　its　top；　and　the　Freefighters　and　the　man　from　Mexico　were　sitting　around　eating　their　pemmican　and　pork　stew。　M