js&cs.thebridge-第58节

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't　seem　like　they'd　be　reaching　out　to　touch　someone　anytime　soon。
　　Half　the　monitors　in　Studio　A　broadcast　only　static　and　snow；　the　other　half　picked　up　intermittent　shadowy　ghosts；　like　transmissions　from　a　distant　world。　On　another　planet；　the　Eagles　still　battled　the　Rams。
　　Gary　was　relieved。　It　meant　that　this　was　a　localized　phenomenon。　For　the　moment；　anyway。
　　Good　for　them；　he　thought。　Bad　for　us。
　　There　was　only　one　thing　he　knew　for　certain：　the　second　the　rain　stopped；　he　was　out　the　door　and　heading　for　home；　scooping　up　Gwen　and　then　getting　the　fuck　out　of　Dodge。　It　was　simple　as　that。
　　He　couldn't　believe　how　stupid　he'd　been：　to　spend　all　goddam　day　here；　being　manipulated　by　these　people；　only　to　waste　even　more　time　on　beating　up　a　worthless　little　asshole　like　Kirk。　He　felt　guilty；　and　ashamed。　The　explosion　had　rendered　a　lot　of　things　academic　in　its　wake；　his　rage　first　and　foremost。　He　felt　like　a　fool。
　　He'd　have　been　gone　fifteen　minutes　ago；　were　it　not　for　the　black　rain。
　　And　poor　John's　bad　example。
　　After　the　explosion；　John　Bizzano　had　decided　he　couldn't　wait　out　the　storm。　He'd　made　a　run　for　it；　shrouding　himself　in　one　of　the　thick　waterproof　tarps　they　used　for　outdoor　shots。　Gary　knew　it　was　a　bad　idea；　but　John　was　stubborn；　and　for　all　his　smarts；　he'd　always　struck　Gary　as　somewhat　bereft　in　the　mon　sense　department。
　　He　was　out　the　door；　heading　for　his　car；　before　Gary　could　so　much　as　say　boo。
　　John　hadn't　make　it　ten　yards　before　the　rain　brought　him　down。　It　was　impossible　to　see　much　of　anything　through　that　thick　black　curtain　of　precipitation；　but　Gary　could　have　sworn　it　just　ate　his　legs　out　from　under　him。　They　could　hear　him　screaming；　but　that　died　off；　and　before　long；　there　was　nothing　but　a　big　dead　silent　lump；　unmoving　beneath　the　slowly　melting　tarp。
　　As　the　rain　tapered　of；　it　got　easier　to　see。　The　lump　was　dissolving；　and　the　stink　was　incredible　as　the　pocked；　steaming　tarp　got　flatter　and　flatter。　What　was　left　of　John　sluiced　down　to　the　gutter　in　thick　viscid　runnels；　like　molten　tallow；　like　boiling　fat；　like　。。。
　　〃Umm　。。。　Gary？〃　came　Laura's　voice　from　behind　him。　He　clenched　his　teeth；　got　ready　for　it；　turned。
　　〃Now　what？〃　he　said。
　　〃We　hab'doo　ged　back　on　line；〃　Kirk　said；　sucking　spit　back　through　swollen　lips。　His　face　was　bloody；　beaten　so　badly　that　his　speech　was　slurred。　Gary　didn't　want　to　look　at　him；　to　face　the　fact　that　his　hands　had　done　that。　He　looked　down　at　his　scraped　knuckles；　guilty　as　sin。
　　Worse　still　was　how　Kirk　had　taken　it。　Gary'd　expected　him　to　fold　up　like　a　cheap　card　table；　to　whine　and　cry　and　piss　himself。　But　he　didn't。　In　fact；　he　came　back　from　the　beating　stronger；　somehow。　As　if　it　had　beaten　the　bullshit　right　out　of　him。
　　〃You　know　we　do；〃　Kirk　urged；　following　Gary's　every　move　with　his　one　good　eye。　Gary　watched　John　run　down　the　gutters　and　away。　〃People　need　do　know　whad's　going　on。〃　He　sucked　spit　again；　and　wiped　a　bloody　streamer　from　his　chin。
　　Laura　stood　at　his　side；　supporting　him；　since　Kirk　had　regained　consciousness；　they'd　been　pretty　much　inseparable。　She　thought　about　it　for　a　moment；　then　her　eyes　widened。　〃What　about　the　tower？〃　she　asked。　〃Couldn't　we　broadcast　from　there？〃
　　〃Yes；〃　Kirk　said；　pronouncing　the　sibilance　with　great　difficulty。　He　slurped　and　looked　at　Gary。　〃We　could。〃
　　〃Aw；　Christ；〃　Gary　groaned；　bringing　one　hand　up　to　run　through　his　hair。　He　could　see　where　this　was　going　already。　〃Technically；　yes。　You　could　take　a　camera　up　there　and　hard…wire　it　right　into　the　tower。　Everything　else　is　there。　You　wouldn't　have　network　feed；　but　you'd　be　broadcasting　at　sixty…eight　hundred　megahertz　over　the　airwaves。〃
　　〃Whad　range？〃　Kirk　asked。
　　〃A　hundred　miles；　maybe；〃　Gary　shrugged；　emphasizing　the　maybe　part。　〃Minus　a　big　unknown　chunk　of　range　due　to　the　storm。〃
　　Laura　and　Kirk　nodded　in　tandem。
　　〃The　only　thing　that's　missing；〃　Gary　continued；　〃is　the　point。　I　mean；　what　exactly　do　we　have　to　say　to　people　right　now？　'This　is　ACTION…9！　Get　outta　here！　Turn　off　your　fuckin'　TV　and　RUN；　stupid！〃
　　〃Well；　for　one　thing；〃　Laura　interjected；　〃we　can　tell　them　where　to　run。　We've　got　emergency　evacuation　plans　。。。　〃
　　〃Oh　yeah；　right；〃　Gary　scoffed。　〃Have　you　ever　actually　looked　at　those　things？　They're　a　joke；　okay？　We're　not　prepared　for　a　mass　evacuation！　We're　prepared　to　pretend　we're　prepared　for　emergencies　that　never　happen！〃
　　〃Bud　like　you　said；〃　Kirk　cut　in；　〃it's　localized。〃　The　word　came　out　loga…lied。　〃Whijh　means　we　can　still　ged　away。〃
　　〃I　hope；〃　Gary　muttered。
　　〃We　gotta　ged　on　line；〃　Kirk　said。
　　〃Yeah？　Who's　gonna　do　this　miracle？〃　Gary　countered。　〃You？〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　Kirk　said。　〃Me。〃
　　〃But　he'll　need　help；〃　Laura　said。　Meaning　you've　got　to　help　him。　〃It's　on　your　way。〃　You　bastard。
　　Gary　looked　at　Laura　and　Kirk；　and　at　poor　running　John；　then　shook　his　head。　Outside；　the　city　burned　behind　them。
　　〃I　don't　believe　I'm　doing　this　。。。　〃　he　groaned。
　　He　turned　to　Kirk；　Kirk　flinched　involuntarily。　〃Congratulations；　kid；〃　Gary　said。　〃Looks　like　you　get　your　own　show；　after　all。〃
　　He　turned　to　Laura。　〃I'll　get　it　up　and　on…line；〃　he　said；　then　looking　at　Kirk；　〃but　after　that　he's　on　his　own。〃
　　Laura　nodded　in　agreement。
　　〃So　what　about　you？〃　he　asked。
　　〃I'm　staying；〃　she　said　valiantly。　〃I'll　keep　trying　to　make　radio　contact。　If　we　e　back　on…line；　or　the　phones　work　again；　I　can　feed　you　updates。〃　Her　gaze　flitted　away；　then　back　to　him　quickly。　〃Someone's　got　to　hold　the　fort。〃
　　And　in　that　moment　Gary　understood　a　little　something　about　Laura　Jenson。　She　was　tough　as　nails　in　her　element；　but　take　her　out　of　it；　and　she　was　like　a　dust　mote　in　a　hurricane。　No　way　would　she　sacrifice　that　power。　She　would　stay　here　until　she　died；　or　someone　came　to　rescue　her。
　　And　she　would　be　able　to　rationalize　it；　the　same　way　he　had　all　day。　At　least　they'll　know　where　to　find　me。
　　〃Where's　your　family？〃　he　asked。
　　〃In　Philly；〃　she　flushed。　〃At　the　game。〃
　　Gary　nodded。　〃That　means　they're　probably　safe。〃　She　smiled　wanly。　Safer；　he　meant。　As　in　〃safer　than　you。〃
　　He　resisted　the　urge　to　bring　up　Gwen；　his　own　family。　No　point。　Until　he　could　do　something　about　it；　it　was　dangerous　even　thinking　about　it。
　　〃Two　minutes；〃　he　said　to　Kirk。　〃With　or　without　you。〃
　　
　　Their　good…byes　were　short　and　to　the　point。
　　Kirk　got　ready；　wincing　as　he　slid　into　his　Wind…breaker。　Laura　helped　as　best　she　could。　When　he　had　it　zipped　and　flipped；　he　turned　to　her。　There　was　a　terrible　sadness　in　his　eyes；　standing　mute　alongside　the　pain。
　　〃Laura；　I　。。。　〃　he　began。
　　〃Don't。〃　Her　eyes　were　moist　and　bright。　A　kiss　was　out　of　the　question。
　　So　she　hugged　him　instead。
　　He　returned　the　embrace；　holding　still　for　one　perfectly　elongated　moment：　smelling　her　hair；　the　scent　of　perfume　mingling　with　her　sweat；　the　faint　menthol　taint　clinging　to　her　clothes。
　　〃Don't；〃　she　repeated；　and　squeezed　him　one　more　time　before　letting　go。　She　was　afraid　to　take　it　any　further　than　that。　If　they　were　lucky；　they　might　see　each　other　on　the　other　side　of　all　this。　And　if　not　。。。
　　Don't　。。。
　　But　somehow；　he　couldn't　help　himself。
　　
　　Outside；　even　the　drizzle　had　tapered　down　to　nothing　at　last。　The　clouds　remained　hanging　overhead；　made　a　guillotine's　blade　of　the　sky。　The　fire　to　the　north　was　still　raging；　flickering　bright　against　its　razored　skyline。
　　The　cold　had　rolled　in　now；　Gary　noted：　a　good　ten…to…twelve…degree　drop。　A　grayish…black　ash　wafted　down　like　snow；　hissing　as　it　landed。
　　Gary　kept　his　bike　in　the　repair　bay；　which　was　probably　why　it　survived　the　storm。　He　donned　his　leathers　carefully；　making　sure　he　was　as　airtight　as　possible。　Then　he　put　on　his　helmet；　making　doubly　sure　the　faceplate　was　snapped　into　place。　He　wasn't　taking　any　chances。
　　Once　dressed；　he　took　a　deep　breath　and　threw　open　the　big　bay　door。　Kirk　was　there；　motor　humming；　ready　to　roll。　He　gave　Gary　a　deadly　serious　thumbs…up　sign。
　　Gary　nodded。　〃Yeah；　fuck　you；　too；〃　he　said　under　his　breath；　as　he　clambered　onto　the　softtail　and　started　the　bike　up。
　　The　Harley　roared　to　life。
　　And；　together；　they　rode　off　into　Hell。
　　
　　
　　　Fifty…Five
　　　
　　Gary　burned　down　the　wide　one…way　slope　of　East　Market　Street；　heading　for　the　tower　just　as　fast　as　Kirk's　cranky　six…cylinder　would　allow。　The　speedometer　nudged　eighty；　Gary　could　push　it　way　over　one　hundred　without　popping　a　sweat；　but　Kirk　was　already　weaving。
　　C'mon；　punch　it；　he　urged。　Don't　make　me　leave　you。
　　Downtown　Paradise　whipped　by　in　a　blur　of　hellish　detail；　its　middle　American　quaintness　slick　with　poison　rain　and　backed　by　a　throbbing　storm　front　that　glowed　a　brilliant　brimstone　hue。　It　was　Nagasaki　by　way　of　Love　Canal；　Dante　doing　Norman　Rockwell　doing　Bedlam。
　　Because　everywhere　lay　the　chaos　and　carnage。　Crashed　auto　carcasses　rammed　through　shops'　plate…glass　windows；　their　belly　fires　feeding　ruptured　gas　mains　and　stoking　a　score　of　conflagrations。　Former　citizens　caught　off…guard　by　the　storm　and　blast　lay　stiff