jefflong.yearzero-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


sh　scared　them。　The　group　started　inside。　Cavendish　waited　while　Abbot　helped　Elise　down　the　steps。
　〃Still　on　the　mend；　Dr。　Golding？〃　Cavendish　asked　pleasantly。　His　eyes　were　cornflower　blue。　He　had　long　black　lashes。　Unfortunately　the　touch　of　gentle　handsomeness　exaggerated　what　was　otherwise　a　pinched　mask。　Rightly　or　wrongly；　any　wonderment　looked　cruel　on　his　face。
　Abbot　felt　Elise's　hand　tense　on　his　arm。　〃Sorry；　Dr。　Cavendish；〃　she　replied。　〃The　surgeons　got　to　me　in　time。　You'll　need　to　wait　a　few　more　years　for　my　job。〃
　〃You　misunderstand　me；〃　said　Cavendish。　〃The　air　is　thin　up　here。　Newers　have　trouble　the　first　few　days。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　newer；〃　she　said。
　What　is　going　on　here？wondered　Abbot。　This　was　more　than　normal　bureaucratic　friction。　Abbot　opened　his　mouth；　then　decided　against　meddling。　This　was　Elise's　territory；　her　rogue　employee；　their　issue。　He　looked　away。　The　bus　driver　was　spraying　the　riot　cops'　Kevlar　armor　with　window　washer　fluid　and　wiping　them　off　with　paper　towels。
　〃On　the　other　hand；〃　said　Cavendish；　〃you　haven't　visited　in　nearly　half　a　year。〃
　〃Which　is　why　I　ordered　each　department　to　report　monthly。　And　you　refused。　You've　drawn　a　curtain　of　silence　around　this　project。　I　don't　like　surprises。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Cavendish。　He　refused　to　wither。　He　wanted　her　job；　or　at　least　not　her　oversight。　That　was　evident　to　Abbot。　The　man　desired　a　kingdom　all　his　own。
　Cavendish　led　them　into　the　building。
　　
　THEY　DESCENDEDby　elevator。　The　lighted　wall　panel　displayed　three　floors　above　the　surface；　and　three　below。　They　went　to　a　fourth　level；　and　there　were　probably　deeper　ones。　This　wouldn't　be　the　only　building　with　stacked　sub…basements；　Abbot　knew。　During　the　Cold　War；　Los　Alamos　had　been　constructed　as　just　that；　multiple　Alamos　that　could　withstand　a　nuclear　siege。
　The　elevator　deposited　them　in　a　small　lobby　with　red　and　white　tiles。　Several　doors　led　off。　They　entered　a　positive　pressure　air　lock。　The　warm　inner　air　blew　against　Abbot's　face　like　a　tropical　breeze。　Midway　through　the　air　lock；　he　recognized　a　simple　ultraviolet…ray　gate。　It　bathed　each　visitor　with　a　low…level　wash　of　radiation　to　kill　external　microbes　on　their　clothing　and　skin。
　〃The　delivery　chamber；〃　said　Cavendish。　The　far　door　slid　open。
　It　was　like　emerging　beneath　the　sea。　The　room　was　a　virtual　cavern；　thirty　feet　high；　glimmering　with　aquamarine　light。　Two　of　the　walls　were　honeybed　with　work　stations　that　had　their　own　sets　of　ladders　and　catwalks。　A　third　wall　held　a　row　of　glassed…off　offices；　like　sky　boxes　at　a　stadium。　In　the　center　stood　a　large；　spherical　aquarium　tank　of　glass　ribbed　with　metal。　The　air　was　filled　with　a　rhythmic　beating。
　〃This　is　the　final　stage　of　our　artificial　womb　process；〃　Cavendish　explained。　〃That　sound　you　hear　es　from　a　fetal　heart　monitor。〃
　Immediately　Abbot　began　assembling　the　clues。　He　timed　the　heartbeat；　and　if　it　was　human；　it　was　not　infant。　The　water　was　brilliant　blue。　Synthetic　amniotic　fluid；　he　guessed。　Three　men　and　a　tall　woman　in　no…nonsense　swimsuits　were　adjusting　their　face　masks　and　scuba　gear　up　on　the　deck　overlooking　the　water。　Something　was　about　to　be　born。
　Golding　was　flabbergasted。　〃How　did　you　e　by　all　this？〃　she　demanded。　〃There　was　nothing　like　this　in　the　budget。〃
　〃My　scrounger　discovered　most　of　it　in　the　other　lab　buildings；〃　said　Cavendish。　〃We　had　some　things　the　other　labs　wanted。　It　was　a　straight　exchange。　No　money　involved。　No　paperwork。　It　doesn't　appear　in　the　budget。〃
　〃Your　scrounger？〃
　〃Acquisitions　specialist；　if　you　will。　I've　used　him　before。　He's　knocking　around　here　somewhere；　a　big　fellow；　very　resourceful。　I　decided　to　bring　him　on　board。〃
　〃This　isn't　a　pirate　ship；〃　said　Golding。　〃Just　what　is　going　on　here？〃
　〃Making　do；　Doctor；〃　Cavendish　answered。　〃Making　do。〃
　An　assistant　hurried　forward　with　a　folded　EKG　readout　marked　with　pencils　and　red　and　blue　ink。　Cavendish　let　the　folds　spill　across　his　lap　and　the　puter　console。　〃We're　in　target　range；〃　he　declared　to　Abbot　and　Golding。　〃If　you'll　join　the　others；　we're　about　to　begin。〃
　They　crossed　a　steel…grate　bridge　and　joined　the　others　at　viewing　stations　midway　up　the　aquarium　wall。　Blue　light　rippled　across　Elise's　face。　They　heard　a　splash　above。　One　of　the　divers　appeared　in　a　burst　of　white　bubbles　and　long　thighs。　〃She　could　be　her　mother；〃　said　Elise。　With　a　start；　Abbot　recognized　Miranda。
　The　other　divers　joined　her。　They　floated　in　a　circle；　heads　up；　waiting。　In　a　minute；　a　Plexiglas　box　the　size　of　a　small　telephone　booth　was　lowered　into　the　water。　The　divers　converged　and　quickly　opened　the　box　to　reveal　an　opaque；　veined　sac。　The　sac　had　a　limp　coil　of　cable　or　cord　attached。
　Their　fins　feathering　the　water；　the　divers　each　cradled　a　side　of　the　sac。　They　were　vigilant　of　the　colored　wires　leading　up　to　the　surface。　One　was　the　fetal　monitor；　Abbot　judged；　the　rest　read　other　vital　signs。
　Then　he　saw　what　lay　curled　inside　the　sac。　Elise　groaned。
　Candled　by　underwater　lights；　the　hunched；　curled　silhouette　almost　resembled　the　Thinker。　Anticipation　crackled　among　the　scientists。　They　were　looking　at　a　free…floating　womb。　The　organ　pulsed。
　But　to　Abbot's　eye；　the　figure　in　the　sac　looked　too　large。　Flexed　in　its　fetal　curl；　it　was　easily　the　size　of　the　divers　hovering　about。　Even　the　Neandertal　infant　had　been　just　a　quarter　this　size。　Had　they　created　a　giant？
　〃Cavendish！〃　an　outraged　voice　came　from　their　ranks。　〃Where　are　you；　by　god！〃
　〃Here；〃　said　Cavendish。　〃I'm　still　with　you。〃
　They　looked　up。　He　had　backed　onto　a　small　lift　and　now　sat　above　them　beside　the　tank。　His　face　was　lit　green　by　his　puter　screen。　〃Thirteen　weeks　ago；　a　cloned　embryo　was　implanted　in　the　synthetic　womb　you　now　see　suspended　in　our　birthing　tank。〃　He　spoke　swiftly　and　clearly。　No　Q　&　A　allowed。　He　was　racing　that　heartbeat。
　Thirteen　weeks！thought　Abbot。From　conception　to　birth；　just　three　months？　Then　he　thought；Miranda。　He　remembered　her　little　monster　Winston；　born　in　a　state　of　full　maturity。
　〃Our　womb　represents　a　revolutionary　advance；〃　Cavendish　continued。　〃The　sac　is　built　from　nylon　for　tensile　strength　and　from　the　embryo's　own　DNA。　As　the　fetus　grew；　so　did　the　womb。　The　umbilicus　is　made　of　embryonic　DNA　rebined　with　the　genes　for　spider　silk；　which　allowed　for　the　attachment　of　a　plastic　tube。　Throughout　gestation；　nutrients…again；　grown　from　the　embryo's　own　stem　cell　material…have　been　fed　through　the　cord；　which　was　also　connected　to　an　ordinary　heart　machine。　That　oxygenated　the　blood　and　carried　away　impurities。　The　fetal　environment　was　maintained　at　98。6　degrees　Fahrenheit。〃
　His　audience　was　not　pleased。　〃The　bastard's　gone　and　done　it；〃　a　man　grunted。
　〃But　thirteen　weeks？〃　They　were　still　baffled。　It　was　clearly　human；　and　yet　not　possibly　human。
　Cavendish　ignored　the　hubbub。　〃His　birth…it's　a　boy；　I'll　spoil　the　surprise…was　timed　for　your　participation。　I'm　pleased　to　announce　that　his　time　has　e。〃
　〃Stop；〃　a　voice　shouted。　〃Stop　before　you　start；　by　god。〃　The　crowd　parted。　Sir　Benjamin　Barnes　was　a　reedy；　old　Brit　supported　by　a　briar…wood　cane。　One　of　the　fathers　of　DNA　science；　he　had　used　his　Nobel　to　create　a　personal　fortune；　bed　international　beauties；　and　generally　sabotage　those　trying　to　follow　in　his　footsteps。　〃This　freak　show　of　yours　will　be　our　ruin。　The　rabble；　you　have　no　idea。。。。〃
　Cavendish　maintained　his　Mona　Lisa　smile。　He　let　the　old　man　finish。
　〃If　you　had　been　properly　trained；　sir；〃　Barnes　said；　〃you　would　know　that　science　is　a　slow；　quiet；　cautious　thing。　It　is　necessary　to　give　people　time　to　make　sense　of　our　discoveries。　To　digest；　you　see。〃
　Cavendish　cocked　his　head；　listening　to　the　heartbeat。　It　was　growing　faster。　It　contradicted　caution。　〃No　time　for　that；　I'm　afraid；〃　he　said。　〃Unless　you　mean　to　kill　this　innocent　being　with　your　virtues。〃
　Old　Barnes　rapped　his　cane　against　the　floor。　The　rubber　tip　did　not　make　a　sound。　〃That's　coercion。　I　object。　Strenuously　object。〃
　The　heartbeat　quickened。　〃Sir　Benjamin　votes　for　death；　then；〃　Cavendish　said。　〃And　the　rest　of　you？〃
　Abbot　watched　the　brinksmanship。　He　knew　the　o