rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第37节

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　They　wove　and　spun；　sometimes　ing　perilously　close　to　a　rocky　wall　of　the　corkscrewing　tunnel。　The　air　grew　fetid　and　hot；　the　sulfurous　smell　increased。　The　Doomsday　Warrior's　ears　popped　again　and　again　as　the　pressure　increased。
　God；　if　this　kept　up；　he　thought；　they　would　soon　reach　the　flaming　hot　magma　lying　miles　under　the　Earth's　crust。
　〃Starlight；〃　Rock　shouted；　〃where　are　we　going？〃
　〃To　hell　itself　…　where　the　dark　creature；　the　ruler　of　all　the　vampire　bats；　nests。〃
　The　bomber…sized　black　bat　disappeared　from　view　momentarily　around　a　sharp　corner；　then　reappeared。　They　were　gaining　on　it。　Rockson's　wind…teared　eyes　squinted　over　the　red　bat's　head　to　see　that　Stafford　was　still　held　in　the　grip　of　the　thing　　…and　the　canister　was　still　in　his　death　grip。
　As　the　suffocating；　sulfurous…smelling　high…pressure　winds　whipped　by；　the　noise　his　steed's　leathery　wings　made　mimicked　a　Stuka　dive　bomber。　The　yawing　and　rolling　of　their　impossible　flight　path　through　volcanic　tunnels　deep　under　the　Earth　continued　until　Rock　felt　his　ears　would　burst。　He　was　near　to　blacking　out。
　Gravity　ceased　to　have　any　meaning。　They　were　upside　down；　then　upright；　then　upside　down　again。　The　Doomsday　Warrior　jammed　his　heels　in　against　the　stiff　body　of　his　unearthly　mount；　wishing　he　had　stirrups；　holding　on　for　dear　life；　his　arms　locked　around　the　small　soft　body　of　Starlight。
　How　far　had　they　e　in　the　five　minutes　of　flight　in　the　glowing　red　dimness？　It　seemed　like　a　thousand　miles。　They　were　somewhere　deep　into　the　Earth's　bowels。　It　was　growing　very　hot　…　perhaps　they　neared　the　source　of　the　volcanic　light。
　Now　they　came　out　in　a　large　cavern　lit　by　the　orange　glow　of　a　flowing　river　of　red　hot　lava。　They　leveled　off；　rode　through　thunder　and　lightning；　swirling　clouds　of　blue　and　gray　smoke。　The　killer　bat　was　less　than　a　hundred　meters　ahead。　Ninety；　eighty。。。　and　slowing。
　And　then　they　lost　it。　Their　red　bat　screeched　and　screeched；　trying　to　get　an　echo　from　the　big　killer；　but　to　no　avail。　There　was　too　much　thunderous　electrical　display　all　around。
　Rockson　asked　that　they　fly　in　a　search　pattern；　over　the　fiery　stream　of　lava；　where　the　clouds　were　less　thick。
　Rock　scanned　the　cavern　as　they　traveled；　soaring　in　large　arcs；　as　he　had　indicated　to　Starlight。
　Starlight　shouted；　〃There　it　is；〃　pointing　over　to　the　right。　At　the　far　end　of　the　chamber；　high　on　a　ledge；　was　a　nest　…　but　not　a　bird's　nest　of　straw。　This　nest　was　of　metal　…　pipes　and　gears　and　other　man…made　things　plucked　from　the　area　near　Eden　and　flown　here；　then　woven　and　bent　into　the　giant　vampire　bat's　nest。
　And　perched　in　that　nest　of　twisted　metal　pipes　on　the　far　ledge　above　the　red　flowing　river　of　lava　was　the　vampire　bat　…and　Stafford。
　Stafford　was　torn　open。　Obviously　dead。　The　canister　containing　Factor　Q　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。
　The　giant　black　bat　was　preoccupied；　too　preoccupied　to　notice　the　approaching　red　bat　and　its　human　cargo。　The　vampire　bat　had　the　man's　carcast　in　its　beak　and　was　shaking　it；　dribbling　its　blood　into　the　jaws　of　its　three　hellish　bat…chicks。
　Rockson　had　his　shotpistol　up；　they　approached　at　enormous　speed。　〃I　have　to　see　if　the　canister　is　in　the　nest　…　attract　its　attention　with　a　near　pass。　Get　it　to　follow　us。〃
　Starlight　whispered　something　into　their　mount's　ear　and　the　red　bat　began　screeching　an　angry　attack　litany。　Now　the　creature　of　darkness　shifted　and　dropped　the　human　body　alongside　the　bat…chicks。　Rockson　could　hear　the　three　smaller　black　bats　screech　for　their　supper；　angry　that　they　had　been　cut　off　from　the　warm　blood　feast。　The　mother　bat　shifted　and　took　to　the　air。
　Rockson　saw　the　canister　teeter…tottering　on　the　edge　of　the　nest　where　it　had　lodged。　If　it　fell　from　its　current　position；　it　would　drop　a　few　hundred　feet　and　hit　sharp　rocks。　And　probably　crack　open；　releasing　its　death　to　the　world。
　But　if　the　canister　could　be　dropped　in　the　fiery　lava　river　it　would　be　instantly　vaporized。　Cleansed。　Destroyed。
　The　red　bat　swung　into　a　long　arc　of　escape　as　the　black　mother　bat　followed；　shrieking。　It　wanted　to　drive　them　from　the　area　of　its　offspring。　Motherly　instinct　…　even　in　hell　itself。
　Rockson　shouted；　〃Lose　it　in　the　smoke　clouds；　then　get　back　to　the　nest　and　get　that　canister。　Drop　it　in　the　lake　of　fire。〃
　Easier　said　than　done。　The　black　bat　was　as　tenacious　as　a　fighter　pilot　following　a　target　drone。　Finally　they　lost　it；　and　doubled　back　to　the　nest。　Rockson　could　hardly　bear　to　look　as　they　came　out　of　the　clouds　of　steam　and　sulfur。　But　to　his　relief；　the　canister　was　still　on　the　edge　of　the　nest；　jammed　between　two　pipes…for　now。
　〃Dive　in；　get　the　canister；　drop　it　in　the　lava；〃　Rock　screamed。
　The　red　bat　dove；　and　at　that　moment　the　black　bat　swooped　out　of　the　clouds　and　screeched　a　horrible　challenge。　It　probably　meant　something　like　〃Don't　get　near　my　kids；〃　and　Rockson　knew　it　meant　it。
　〃Get　the　canister；〃　he　shouted。
　He　started　firing　his　weapon　over　his　shoulder；　aiming　for　the　fierce　orange…glowing　eyes　of　the　nest　defender。　He　really　didn't　expect　to　kill　the　thing　…　God　knew　how　many　shots　that　would　take；　even　point…blank　…　or　if　it　were　possible　at　all。　But　he　hoped　to　slow　the　attack　enough　for　their　own　bat　to　snatch　the　canister　up。
　The　vampire　bat　was　hit；　the　X…pattern　shots　from　his　pistol　smashing　fist…sized　holes　into　the　thick　skin　of　the　flying　creature。　It　veered　off；　screaming　a　different　tune；　its　mouth　dripping　blood。
　Ra…we…nak's　claws　scratched　the　canister　as　it　flashed　by　the　nest；　but　only　succeeded　in　dislodging　it。　The　canister　careened　down　toward　the　jagged　rocks　far　below。
　〃Catch　it；　catch　it；〃　Rock　yelled；　and　the　bat　dove　with　all　the　power　at　its　disposal。
　It　would　be　close。　And　no　second　tries　this　time。
　〃Please　God；　please；〃　Rock　begged　the　Almighty。　〃Please　let　it　be　caught。〃
　Willy　Mays　couldn't　have　made　a　better　save…the…game　catch。　Ra…we…nak's　left　claw　closed　around　the　canister　Just　a　foot　from　the　jagged　rocks；　and　majestically　pulled　out　of　the　power　dive；　narrowly　missing　dousing　itself　…　and　its　riders　…　in　the　smoldering　lake　of　fire。
　〃Drop　it　in　the　fire；〃　Rock　yelled　triumphantly。
　This　the　red　bat　did　with　a　flair；　screeching　what　must　have　been　a　victory　song。　Rock　saw　the　canister　of　Factor　Q　hit　the　lava；　spark　briefly；　and　then　sink。　A　few　seconds　later　there　was　a　bubbling　at　the　surface。　Then　nothing。
　〃Let's　head　home；〃　Rockson　said；　heaving　a　sigh　of　relief。　Now　all　Rockson　had　to　do　was　get　his　people　back　to　the　surface；　and　trek　a　thousand　frozen　miles　back　to　Century　City。
　He'd　find　a　way。　After　all；　he　was　the　Doomsday　Warrior。