rr.armageddonthemusical-第23部分
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'The virus。'
'You've stopped it？'
'Sadly no。'
Fergus visualized the ground ing up to meet him。
'The virus is still spreading。 But we seem to have discovered something more。'
'Go on。' Fergus went splat upon the pavement。 It hurt。 He considered poison。
There is a curious mutation in the cell banks。 It doesn't appear to be damaging the cells but it's subtly altering their form。 Sounds crazy I know； but it's almost as if the cells are receiving new information； ing in from the early 1960s。 But history can't change； can it？'
Something fast…acting； Fergus thought； and very very toxic indeed。
'Well； what do you make of it； Mr Shaman？'
'Have you re…run any of the mutated cells to see if you can spot the changes？'
Jason gave Fergus a cautious glance。 'Well； we can't； can we？ If we do we simply accelerate the spread of the virus。 And even if we could； we have no other records of the period to pare。 It's certainly queer though。'
'It certainly is。 Have you mentioned this to anyone else？ On the board； I mean？'
'Not yet。 I was just on my way up to tell Mr Garstatig。'
'Ah；' said Fergus。 'That really might not be such a good idea。'
'Oh； and I don't see for why。'
'I was only thinking of you。 Mr Garstang may perhaps be a little upset by this new development。 He is a somewhat temperamental fellow。 In fact he might even hold you directly responsible。'
'What？' stormed Jason Morgawr。 'I don't see how he could e to that conclusion。'
'Don't you？' Fergus was all smiles。 'Best leave it； eh？；'
Jason Morgawr seated himself deliberately upon Fergus Shaman's desk。 'I'm an ambitious man。'
'Get your arse off my desk。'
Jason was unmoved。 'I said that there had been further developments。 That meant more than one。'
Fergus shifted uneasily； Jason continued； 'During my investigations I visited the research labs。 It must evidently have been there that Jspht constructed the virus。 So I did a little probing； and what do you think I found？' Fergus shook his head； Jason ignored him。 'I found that large amounts of pany funding had been channelled into a project under your authority。 Project Sprout。'
'Oh； dear me；' said Fergus Shaman。 'The game would seem to be up。'
'You disappoint me； Mr Shaman； I thought you would want to make more of a fight of it。 Denials； cries of innocence； offers of bribery。'
'Offers of bribery？'
'What did you have in mind？' Jason asked。
'Something in middle management perhaps？'
'I had my sights set a little higher； as it happened。'
Fergus Shaman thought aside the poison bottle and considered the sharp young Phnaargian。 'Such would require a great deal of mutual back scratching； I so believe。'
'Through time？' Ms Vrillium rinsed Gloria's hair and sponged her back。 'But how could that be？'
'I don't know； but it's in there。 In the vinyl； in the holophon。 And he knows it too。'
'He'll be listening to us now； I'll bet。' Dan certainly was。
'Let him listen。' Gloria dandled her fingers in the scented water。 'I told you something big was happening。 It's all linked together somehow； and he is getting desperate。' She shouted the final four words toward the ceiling。
Ms Vrillium's hands were beginning to wander。 'I'm sorry about your brother；' she said。
'Don't be。 He was an irritating little tick。'
Ms Vrillium climbed from the bath and held up a warm towel to Gloria。 'She came to your brother； didn't she？' Gloria ran her long fingers through her sleek wet hair。 'She came to him。 I know it。 She is real。'
'Then now is the time of the Rapture。 The End Time。'
'It would seem to be that way。' Gloria let the towel fall from her shoulders。 'So perhaps we should put what time yet remains to good use。'
The cultured orchids upon the bedside table broadcast the following hour's sexual gymnastics to the receiving beds of Phnaargos where they went down very well before an audience of some thirteen billion。
A mile beneath Gloria's heaving bed Rex Mundi made love to a Goddess。
15
。。。 where did it all go？ All those millions？ Into the foundation； I suppose。 It was somewhere in California； although I couldn't tell you exactly where。 But the killings we made on Wall Street and all the others。 Vegas； for example。 All above the line profits went straight into the foundation。 Laying the stones； the God says。 And he never put afoot wrong。 Never high profile。 Always the same suit and always drunk。 I learned fast； never ask questions and never try to pull a fast one。 He kept it all in his head。 No written records。 So when the IRS caught up with us there wasn't a damn thing they could do。 The God had it sewn up tighter than a drum。 He knew when they were ing； what their names were and which of them would take the bribe。 Some operator。
The Suburban Book of the Dead
'My son。 My dear boy。 I don't know what to say。' Dan seemed genuinely lost for words。 'Does your sister know you're back？'
Rex shook his head。 'I thought I had better e up to see you first； sir。'
'Quite right。 But let me just get this straight。 You say that you got blown into some sewer or whatever； wandered about for hours on end and then found yourself in the sub…basements here at the bunker？'
'That's about the size of it。' Dan closed his eyes and studied Rex's aura。 The lad appeared to be telling the truth。 'Remarkable。 And fortuitous。' Dan topped up his glass。 'Another。'
'I don't mind if I do。' Rex held out his glass for a refill。
'And you met no…one during these wanderings？'
'No； sir。'
'Dan；' said Dan。 'Call me Dan。'
'No…one； Dan。'
'Quite remarkable。'
'I was wondering； Dan； if there might be any chance of me putting in for a desk job。 I really don't think I have the makings of a religious affairs person。'
'Not a bit of it；' Dan leaned across his desk and gave Rex shoulder pats。 'You were born to the job。 Believe me； I know these things。'
'People keep trying to kill me；' Rex plained。 'This I find most upsetting。'
'These are difficult times for us all。 e over here and let me show you something。' Dan led Rex to an alcove and drew aside a red damask curtain。 A glass panel afforded a view into an inner chamber。 Here upon a bed of ample proportions two untried Lamarettes disported themselves。
'Naked ladies；' said Rex approvingly。 'Why are they painted orange？'
'Saffron； my dear boy。 What do you think？'
'Very nice。'
'A little bonus。 Call it perk of the job。 Why not go in and amuse yourself for an hour。 We can talk later。'
Gryphus Garstang decided to keep Rex's performance in。 But only for ic relief。
The Phnaarg in question paced the boardroom of Earthers Inc。 Beneath his feet herbs released pleasing fragrances into the overcharged atmosphere。 'It's all ing back now；' he stormed。 'Is it all ing back to you； Fergus？'
'In dribs and drabs；' answered the unhappy one。
'Time Sprout。' Garstang ceased his pacing and waggled a menacing finger beneath Shaman's nose。 Time Sprout； Fergus。'
'Yes indeedy；' crowed Diogenes。 'Indeedy do。'
Lavinius Wisten flexed his sensitive fingers。 'If we had gone with my original idea of love amongst the shelter folk none of this would have happened。'
'But that is the point；' argued Fergus。 'Nothing has really happened。 The virus will be stopped。 I have Jason Morgawr's word on that。' Morgawr； who was sitting in on the meeting； glared him daggers。 'I really can't see what all the fuss is about。'
Garstang touched a module on the Goldenwood table。 A frozen image of last night's Nemesis 'special' filled the far wall。 Fergus shrank into his leafy chair。
'Are you absolutely sure you can't see what all the fuss is about？'
'Well； it looks like he dodged the draft； didn't he？'
'But he shouldn't be there； should he？'
Fergus shook his head doubtfully。 'But see；' he went on； 'he isn't there any more； is he？ He's gone now and probably for good。'
'Sure of that； are you； Fergus？'
'Certainly；' lied Mr Shaman。 'The mechanics of it all are returning to me now。 We won't see him again。'
'The ratings are up；' said someone。 Garstang glared about the table。 Heads were nodding； som
