rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第3节
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〃Renquist was born the day his father died。 He grew up to be a brilliant youth and patented many inventions from the age of twelve onward。 He was always fearful； though。 Mankind used atomic weapons in Japan； in 1945； and Edward Renquist was certain the nukes would be used again。
〃He decided he would survive nuclear war when it came。 He created the concept； the design； the specialized equipment to build a self…contained buried world； a sealed biosphere … and called it Eden。
〃He wanted to decide who would live in the survival city。 After the war； which he knew would e； after the nuclear destruction was unleashed by the irrational minds of mankind； he wanted to start fresh； with nothing but brilliant men and women。 He wanted a new world； with himself in charge。
〃But Renquist didn't live to take advantage of his creation … he was killed； most likely in the vaporization of Austin； Texas； just two days before he was to join the people he selected in Eden。 The city was sealed off。 Its location was always a closely guarded secret； and if someone did survive to try to find it； they could hardly do so … a half mile of rock was avalanched over the site by special machinery automated in advance for that task。
〃My great…grandfather Ralf Danik was one of the original groups chosen to survive the war in the radiation…free city。 He was an engineer of the waterworks of Eden。 My ancestor； and the others with him； had no idea if the system they had created would work。 If not； they would all suffocate； or starve； or die of disease。 But it did work。 And since it had been sealed off before the fallout from the bombed cities came； it was radiation free。 The only radiation…free place in the world。
〃The people of Eden have never had news of the outside world … none at all。 Most of us in Eden believe we are the only people in the world。 We live from generation to generation inside the cave。 Safe。 Secure。 But gradually growing weaker。 No one knows just why。 Perhaps mankind just wasn't made too live so long in caves。 By my generation … the fifth … nearly all of us were sterile。 And a movement arose。
〃Some of us … I was the leader in the effort … said we must dig our way out； that we must attempt to live on the surface again。 Preliminary probes with detection equipment were burrowed up in pipes to the surface。 They showed higher radiation than normal； less oxygen。 But it was liveable； basically。 I wanted the tunnel to be widened … I wanted us out。
〃That's when the election was held。 We had democratic elections of our council every seven years。 I ran against a man named Stafford； a scientist who was convinced we should stay underground； that we should devote all our efforts to restore our genetic structure； so that we could have children better adapted to living underground。 He was … and is … convinced there is no way for us to exist on the surface。 He said our babies could be born in artificial uteruses； if women couldn't give birth。
〃My party； the Surface party； won the election handily； but Stafford broke into the century…old store…houses of weapons； and his followers armed themselves and pulled a coup d'état。
〃I and the others who had been freely elected were hunted down and killed one by one。 Our only hope was to reach the surface。 And six of us made it … through a series of ancient construction tunnels that had failed to collapse entirely after the burial of the city。
〃It was a wild world we encountered。 Supplyless； we decided to head north； toward the United States … or where the United States used to be。 We were Americans。 We hoped to find other Americans。 But all we found was death。
〃You must understand … underground we had no idea it was winter。 Bitter cold。 It was never any season underground。 We had forgotten the word。 We had forgotten the meaning even for bird and cloud … and for one other concept I learned on the perilous trek to this place： beauty。 For this world of yours； regardless of the dangers； is beautiful。 None of us were sorry to leave Eden。 We weren't really alive down there。
〃I really didn't know exactly where we were heading。。。 Our records showed a place called Denver was near the mountains called the Rockies。 We found an old map in an abandoned house and some clothing。 Rags； but they were warmer than our thin clothing。
〃We tried to hunt； with sharpened sticks； but were seldom successful。 We ate the few small animals we killed raw； not even having a means of lighting fires until we found a magnifying glass to focus the sun on twigs。 Of the six who started out from Eden … myself； Run Dutil； Sysin File； the others … I alone survived to reach this area。 And then I was dying； too。 I was delirious； out of my senses。 And； unknown to me； I was about to be eaten by some huge creature … which your patrol men shot dead。 They brought me here； gave me medical attention； and fed me and gave me that delicious thing … coffee … yes； that's it。 Coffee。 Wonderful。
〃I used your rapid…learning tapes； listened to them while I slept。 Absolutely an amazing achievement。 Sleep learning。 Fantastic。 Your kind Dr。 Schecter told me to rest after I had eaten； and attached the asleep…learning device。 It told me all about your fabulous city。 Century City is full of art； of fresh air； and … love。 Yes； love。 Something we had forgotten。 We though of procreation only as a process； not as the result of the love between male and female。 I have learned so much of your people already。 Eden will only live if it bees one of your allied free cities。 Open to the world。 Dedicated to the fighting of the Soviet occupiers。 Help me； Rockson … e back with me and help me free Eden。〃
〃Wow；〃 Rockson said。 He didn't know what else to say。
〃You must go to Eden with Peth Danik； Rockson；〃 Rath said。 〃Not only for their sake； but for our sake。 To stop Stafford； the mad dictator of Eden； from releasing Factor Q。〃
〃Factor Q？ What's that； Danik？〃
〃Rockson； I am sorry to say that when Stafford raided the ancient war supplies stored in Eden； he found a terrible weapon … a germ…warfare canister； Factor Q。 It's sort of a virus really … that spreads on the wind。 Once released on the surface … which is what Stafford has threatened to do … no human will be alive within a week。 The canister must be incinerated without being opened。 Burned totally at high temperature。 That means of its deactivation must be acplished before Stafford uses it。 Stafford says if the people protest his rule； if they wish to try to live on the surface despite his warnings； he will release the virus above Eden。 So that no one could ever hope to live on the surface。〃
〃I see；〃 Rock said grimly。
〃Stafford's a real Jim Jones case；〃 Rath added。 〃Stafford must be stopped。 Will you try； Rockson？〃
Rockson sighed。 〃We're snowbound。。。〃
〃You made it up to Alaska and back once in the winter。〃
〃With sled dogs； and an Eskimo guide。 I don't have either here。。。 Danik； if I mounted an expedition； say a six… or seven…man attack force； can you lead me to Eden？〃
〃I don't know the way there。 I just wandered here。 I don't know the location of Eden。 God； I'm sorry； Rockson。〃 Danik buried his thin face in his hands。
〃You have to find a way to Eden； Rockson；〃 Rath demanded。 〃You will find a way。 You're the Doomsday Warrior。〃
〃Thanks for your confidence。 But there are things I can't do … like miracles。〃
〃You'll find a way。〃
CHAPTER 3
Danik lay down in his warm feather bed and looked up at the softly glowing ceiling above him。 〃Century City；〃 he said softly； to himself。 〃I am in Century City； a free American city。 There is life； life vibrant and healthy； out here in the wilderness of America。 Here are people； not sickly diseased mutations； not cannibals as Stafford had claimed … but good； brave Americans。〃
Danik reached over to the table and took up the asleep…learning earphones and placed them on his head。 He closed his eyes。 Dr。 Schecter had told him to relax； to rest and listen to this particular tape： 〃Accounts of the Exploits of Ted Rockson； by Detroit Green。〃 Schecter reasoned that on hearing of the exploits of Ted Rockson； Danik's unconscious would have to admit the possibility that Ted Rockson could do the impossible。 Namely； that Rockson could go to Eden with his small squad； defeat Stafford； prevent Factor Q from being unleashed。 Schecter believed； along with the psychiatric staff； that Danik's blocked memories of his trek might be released； Danik believed there was hope； 〃You'll remember enough of your trek to lead our man to Eden；〃 Schecter had encouraged。 〃You will。〃
Danik sighed。 He put on the earphones and lay back trying to relax。 He did want to hear of Rockson's exploits。 Danik wanted to know more about this man with the white streak in his hair and mismatched eyes。 The man they called the Doomsday Warrior。
Everyone was depending on him to remember。 And he couldn't。 The only thing he remembered of the trek was ing out of the half…collapsed tunnel from Eden with his panions in the nighttime。 And following the star … the North Star。 Then all was a blank until the moment he was being carried by two men into Century City。 They'd carried him up to a sheer mountain wall； banged on the rocks as if they were knocking on a door。 Then； amazingly；
