rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第15部分

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　Scheransky　sighed。　〃You're　not　supposed　to　know。〃
　〃Tell　me　anyway。〃
　〃I　never　trusted　him；〃　Chen　offered。　〃A　Red　is　a　Red。〃
　〃Tell　me；〃　Rockson　said　again；　cocking　his　shot…　pistol。
　〃Oh　shit；　Rock；〃　Scheransky　said；　〃its　an　experiment　for　Dr。　Schecter。　He　wants　…　wants　to　m…measure　the　atmospheric　changes　that　have　brought　on　this　terrible　winter　…　the　worst　since　the　war。〃
　Rockson　went　over　and　crouched　next　to　the　device。　He　saw　after　careful　inspection　that　it　was　not　a　transmitter。　Still　it　was　an　electronic　device。　And　Rockson　had　specifically　forbidden　the　bringing　along　of　any　electronic　devices　because　the　Russians　had　a　way　of　homing　in　on　them。
　〃Do　you　believe　me？　Here　…　here。〃　said　the　Russian；　taking　out　a　crumpled　note。　〃Here　is　the　letter　from　Dr。　Schecter　explaining　…　in　case　I　was　seen　using　the　device。。。〃
　Rockson　read：
　To　Ted　Rockson；　This　is　to　advise　you　that　I　have　overridden　your　objection　to　any　electronic　devices　being　brought　along　on　your　mission。　I　have　done　this　with　the　full　support　of　Rath　and　the　council。　Scheransky　was　told　by　the　council　that　he　had　to　obey。　The　data　being　collected　is　of　vital　importance。　Sorry　for　the　subterfuge。
　Dr。　Schecter。
　He　passed　the　note　around。　Chen　sighed　exasperatedly；　pulled　Scheransky　up　from　the　snow；　and　said；　〃Do　you　realize　I　was　about　to　blow　you　to　kingdom　e　with　an　explosive　star…dart　when　I　saw　you　take　out　the　device？〃
　Scheransky；　brushing　the　snow　from　his　parka；　said；　〃I'm　glad　you　didn't。〃
　Rockson　said；　〃Well；　collect　the　damned　information　and　let's　get　back　to　some　shuteye。〃
　〃Yes；　can　a　person　get　an　uninterrupted　night　of　sleep　around　here？〃　demanded　Rona。　〃You　guys　are　worse　than　the　gobble…gophers　for　losing　a　girl　her　beauty　sleep。〃
　Rockson；　putting　his　arm　over　Scheransky's　shoulder　as　they　crunched　back　to　camp　in　the　snow；　said　he　would　think　over　whether　or　not　Scheransky　could　continue　with　the　data　collection。
　In　the　morning；　over　coffee　and　dried　pemmican；　Rockson　said；　〃Scheransky；　go　ahead。　Keep　collecting　Schecter's　damned　data。　By　the　way　…　why　did　you　go　so　far　from　camp　to　do　it？〃
　〃If　…　if　the　electronic　pulses　were　picked　up　by　an　enemy　patrol　…　I　wanted　to　be　the　only　one　who　was　caught。。。〃　He　looked　down　at　his　coffee。　Chen　went　over　and　said；　〃And　to　think　I　distrusted　you。〃
　〃Okay；〃　said　Rock；　breaking　the　guilt…ridden　mood。　〃If　anyone　else　has　any　wild　surprises　I'd　appreciate　hearing　about　it　now　…　otherwise；　let's　pack　up　and　get　on　our　way。〃
　The　notebook　gave　the　direction　to　the　mysterious　elegant　bridge　as　southeast；　two　hundred　twelve　miles　away。　Rock　spent　hours　of　the　smooth；　level　run　wondering　what　the　hell　a　giant　stone　bridge　could　be　doing　out　here；　going　no　place；　on　a　shallow　lake。　He　couldn't　wait　to　solve　the　mystery。
　After　hours　of　speeding　along　…　it　was　practically　a　race　…　came　some　rougher　going。　A　twisting；　narrow　canyon。
　Rockson　ordered　that　the　sled　teams　be　driven　in　one　at　a　time；　spaced　about　a　hundred　yards　apart。　There　were　many　feet　of　snow　piled　at　the　tops　of　those　precipitous　cliffs　on　both　sides；　the　slightest　noise　could　bring　an　avalanche。　Yet　there　was　no　break　in　the　cliffs　save　this　canyon　as　far　as　their　electron　binocs　could　scan。　They'd　have　to　chance　it。
　Rock；　Chen；　and　Archer　would　drive　the　sleds　through。　Archer　first；　hopefully　settling　the　dogs　down；　informing　them　in　his　subtle　ways　that　they　must　not　howl　or　bark　or　make　any　noises。　Then　the　remaining　four　Freefighters　would　ski　through。　The　danger　wouldn't　be　as　great　for　them。
　It　was　as　good　a　plan　as　he　could　devise。
　Rock　watched　as　Archer　made　the　first　entry　into　the　narrow　orifice；　he　and　the　sled　disappearing　in　the　shadowed　turns　of　the　canyon。　He　sighed；　and　whispered　a　〃Mush。〃　His　own　team　took　off　after　their　big　mountain　man…buddy。　Rockson　winced　each　time　he　heard　a　creak　of　a　sled　or　a　half…whine　from　the　dogs；　who　sensed；　he　was　sure；　the　danger。
　In　the　dark　narrow　canyon；　he　found　a　profound　closeness　to　death　…　and　to　the　Creator。　He　never　caught　sight　of　Archer's　sled　until　he　exited　the　canyon。
　Rock　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief　to　plunge　into　bright　sunlight：　another　day　of　life。　Both　the　Doomsday　Warrior　and　Archer　watched　the　canyon　exit　anxious　for　the　safety　of　Chen。
　Chen　took　a　long　time　to　appear；　but　finally　they　saw　his　lead　dogs　huffing　and　puffing　their　way　to　safety。　Chen　waved。
　Next　came　the　skiiers；　also　paced　a　hundred　yards　apart。　Detroit；　then　McCaughlin；　Scheransky。。。　But　where　was　Rona？　Anxious　minutes　went　by。　Rona　didn't　appear。　A　cloud　went　across　the　sun；　Rockson　detected　a　wind　ing　up。　He　said；　〃I'm　going　back　in　after　her。。。〃　He　was　about　to　set　off　when　she　appeared　waving；　shouting；　〃Hey；　here　I　am。　Sorry　I'm　late；　but　there　was　this　great　snowflower；　I　picked。。。〃　She　waved　a　purple　blossom　over　her　head。
　There　were　stirrings　in　the　canyon　as　her　echo　coursed　through　it。　Then　a　tremendous　whumpp。　She　skiied　up　to　them　as　a　giant　billowing　white　cloud　exited　the　canyon。
　Close。
　Danik；　when　they　reached　the　next　rise；　informed　them；　〃See　that　blue　mesa　ahead；　wreathed　in　clouds？　I　remember　that　one。　Ten　or　so　miles　beyond　it　lies　the　bridge。〃
　After　traversing　the　distance　to　the　mesa；　cutting　around　its　towering　granite；　they　were　immersed　in　a　wet　fog。　Slowly　they　advanced　their　teams　until　Danik　shouted；　〃There　it　is。〃
　A　parting　in　the　fog　bank　revealed；　straddled　over　a　calm　lake；　amidst　some　low　buildings　and　many　bare　trees；　a　bridge。
　〃My　God；　that's　London　Bridge；〃　Rock　exclaimed。
　Detroit　said　incredulously；　〃London　Bridge？　How　can　that　be？　Wasn't　it　in　London　when　they　nuked　the　place？〃
　Rockson　and　the　Freefighters　couldn't　believe　their　eyes　…　a　long；　elegant　many…arched　stone　bridge　crossed　the　gentle　waters　of　a　desert　lake。　And　it　looked　exactly　like　London　Bridge；　as　they　had　seen　many　times　in　history　books。
　Rockson　smacked　his　forehead　and　said；　〃I　remember　reading　that　some　millionaire　bought　the　whole　bridge；　and　shipped　it　over　to　Arizona　…　that　was　when　the　Brits　needed　money　badly。　A　few　decades　before　World　War　Three。　No　one　in　Century　City　knows　where　the　bridge　was　sent　and　reconstructed。　Until　now。　Here　it　is。〃
　〃Why　take　London　Bridge　to　Arizona？　Did　they　need　a　bridge　that　bad？〃
　〃I　think　I　remember　reading　that　some　entrepreneur　type　thought　it　would　be　a　good　tourist　attraction。〃
　〃And　so　the　mystery　of　the　bridge　to　nowhere　is　solved。〃　Danik　said。　〃My　panions　…　the　two　that　died　here　…　are　entombed　behind　one　of　the　big　rocks　in　the　bridge　foundation。　The　mortar　was　cracked　and　weak。　I　and　my　surviving　friends　thought　it　would　be　a　good　grave。〃
　Rockson　and　the　others　whipped　their　dogs　up　to　traverse　the　distance　to　the　spot　Danik　indicated。　There　were　still　signs　of　the　massive　bridge　foundation　rock；　at　the　edge　of　the　water；　having　been　removed　and　replaced。
　〃A　good　place；〃　Detroit　said。　〃We　will　not　disturb　them。〃
　Rockson　and　the　team　came　upon　a　fallen；　rust…pocked　sign；　lifted　it。　It　said。　〃Wele　to　London　Bridge；　Havasu　City　Arizona。〃
　〃You're　right。　Rock；〃　Rona　said；　〃You　sure　are　a　history　buff。〃
　Rockson　frowned。　〃We　have　only　one　problem　now　…　which　way　from　here　to　Eden？〃
　Danik　said；　〃Doesn't　the　notebook　show？〃
　〃I　didn't　want　to　tell　anybody　this　…　but；〃　Rockson　admitted；　〃the　notebook　didn't　start　until　Dutil　started　writing　it　after　he　saw　this　bridge。　He　found　the　toy　sextant　here　in　a　…　let's　see　。　。　。〃　Rockson　flipped　through　the　pages。　〃Here　it　is；　he　found　the　sextant　in　'Ye　olde　nautical　gift　shoppe。'　There；　right　next　to　the　bridge。〃
　〃Then；〃　Rona　said　despondently；　〃we　have　no　way　of　finding　Eden。〃
　〃Yes；　we　do；〃　Danik　shouted　exultantly。　〃Returning　here；　seeing　the　tomb　of　my　friends　did　something　…　I　can　remember　…　not　a　lot；　but　something。〃
　〃What？〃　Rock　asked；　with　great　emotion。
　〃I　remember　that　the　first　week　we　traveled；　the　week　that　brought　us　this　far；　cold　and　hungry　and　with　two　of　us　deathly　sick；　was　all　spent　traveling　directly　north。。。〃
　〃Following　the　North　Star；〃　Rock　said；　remembering　Danik's　tale。　〃Yes；　I　followed　the　North　Star　on　the　clear　nights。　We　found　shelter　and　slept　in　the　slight