rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第27部分

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　〃Still；　it's　a　big　cave；　and　we　have　a　way　to　go；〃　Detroit　said。
　Rockson　had　the　party　play　their　lights　over　the　inky　distance。　Finally　he　saw　something　other　than　a　smooth　floor。　Something　white　…　another　long　hill　of　some　sort。　〃Might　as　well　head　that　way；〃　Rock　said；　〃it's　almost　due　south。　It　looks　like　it's　man…made。〃
　Again　into　the　lower　darkness　they　plunged。　They　came　to　the　white　object。　It　wasn't　a　hill；　it　was　a　handmade　wall　of　immense　stones。　Atop　the　ten…foot　wall；　which　went　on　into　the　darkness　in　both　directions；　pletely　cutting　off　their　trek；　there　were　writings。　And　a　cryptic　set　of　drawings。　The　words　were　in　Spanish。
　Detroit　played　the　torch　up　to　the　dusty　script。　〃Yes；　it's　Spanish。　I'll　translate。　It　says；　'Beyond　here　dwell　the　ones　whose　mere　whispered　words　destroy　the　mind。　Better　to　kill　yourself　now　than　to　proceed　through　these　halls　and　have　your　mind　tortured。'　It's　signed　'Father　Serra。'　〃
　〃I'm　for　turning　back；〃　Danik　said；　with　a　distinct　tremble　in　his　voice。　〃And　go　where？〃　Scheransky　retorted。
　〃What　the　hell　does　that　warning　mean？〃　McCaughlin　asked。
　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　said　Rock；　〃but　the　inscription　is　really　old　and　the　dust　on　the　floor　has　no　footprints　in　it。　This　way　has　not　been　entered　for　decades；　maybe　even　for　centuries。　Perhaps　it　was　written　by　some　early　explorer　who　somehow　got　into　these　deep　caverns。　There　might　have　been　some　exits　to　the　surface　long　ago。　But　the　wall　was　built　by　many　hands。　And　machinery。　Whatever　is　on　the　other　side；　well；　it　might　be　dead　by　now。　In　any　case　we're　climbing　over。〃
　〃Hold　on；　guys；〃　Detroit　said。　He　had　wandered　down　the　wall　a　bit。　〃There's　more　wording　here　…　something　about　…〃　he　rubbed　the　stones　with　his　hands；　〃something　about　'the　Whisperers　use　the　power　of　your　own　mind　against　you。。。　what　is　a　nightmare　bees　real。　Guard　well　your　mind　but　no　matter　how　you　resist；　the　madness　es。。。'　That's　all　I　can　make　out。　And　by　the　way　there's　another　skeleton　down　here　…　he　has　a　chisel　in　his　hand。　I'd　say　this　fellow　made　the　inscription。〃
　〃Doesn't　anyone　want　to　go　back？〃　pleaded　Danik。
　His　plea　was　ignored。
　〃All　of　us　should　remember　our　meditative　training；〃　Chen　admonished。　〃There　is　the　power　of　the　C/M；　the　inner　force　within；　to　protect　us。　Let　us　be　brave　and　confident。〃
　〃Chen　is　right；　we　will　proceed。〃　Rockson　said；　starting　to　drive　the　mini　mountain…climbing　pitons　he'd　brought　along　in　his　beltpack　into　the　wall　with　his　baton　handle。　When　he　had　climbed　halfway　up；　he　had　Detroit　pass　the　reluctant　Class　Act　up　and　put　her　atop　the　wall。　Detroit　climbed　up　and　stood　on　the　two…foot…wide　top　with　the　dog；　scanning　the　darkness　with　the　electron　binoculars；　his　rifle　ready　to　protect　them　all。　Rockson　climbed　down　the　other　side；　putting　more　of　the　pitons　in　the　wall　to　acplish　that。　The　other　Freefighters　were　over　in　a　minute；　using　the　strong　metal　mini…spikes　as　hand…　and　footholds。　Detroit　handed　the　heavy　wolf…dog　down；　and　then　climbed　down　himself。
　Class　Act　ran　forward　in　the　darkness；　sniffing　and　growling　softly。
　The　Freefighters　moved　off　behind　the　canine　mutant；　guns　ready。　All　except　for　Archer；　who　had　his　crossbow　out　and　the　biggest　steel　arrow　notched。
　〃Wait；〃　the　frightened　Edenite　implored；　〃I'm　ing。〃
　Smokestone　muttered；　〃I　sense　something。　The　dog　is　right　to　growl。　There　is　a　presence。。。〃
　The　party　had　no　choice　but　to　move　on；　though　with　heightened　trepidation。　They　passed　bizarre　stalactites；　twisted　funnels　tapering　to　a　sharp　point　fifty　or　sixty　feet　above　them；　a　veritable　sea　of　giant　pinpoints。　The　air　was　freezing　now；　the　ground　beneath　them　slippery　with　frost。　And　there　was　a　new　element　…　sounds。
　〃Is　anybody　breathing　funny？〃　Detroit　was　the　first　to　ask。　They　all　said　they　were　breathing　the　same　as　always。
　〃Perhaps。〃　suggested　Chen；　〃it　is　merely　an　echo　from　the　stalagmites。〃
　〃No；　I　definitely　hear　some　funny　breathing；〃　Detroit　insisted；　stopping　again　after　another　hundred　paces。　〃And　I　hear　…　voices　…　over　there。〃　He　shot　his　beam　to　the　left；　and　their　beams　followed。　Nothing。　Just　oddly　shaped　gray…blue　rocks。
　A　case　of　nerves？　They　moved　onward。　They　left　the　flat　plain；　the　way　was　now　inclined　upward。　〃We're　halfway；〃　Rock　muttered。
　Detroit　Green；　a　man　of　easy　mind；　relaxed　and　always　optimistic；　was　surprisingly　the　first　to　fall　under　the　spell　of　the　deadly　illusions　created　by　〃the　Whisperers。〃　He　fell　into　the　dream　easily。　First　there　was　just　a　dull　hum；　an　electricity　in　the　dark　cold　air　of　the　underground　passage。　It　was　just　the　whisper　of　a　gentle　soft　voice；　a　breeze；　the　hint　of　fingers　tracing　over　the　forehead。　And　with　that　slight　mental　breeze；　cold　soft　fingers　reached　into　his　mind。　Not　with　horror。　Not　at　first。　Just　gentle　pleasant　memories。
　Thus　the　unseen　beings；　the　Whisperers；　that　created　the　illusions　were　able　to　painlessly　enter　Detroit's　mind　undetected；　unopposed。　He　had　steeled　himself　for　horror。　And　there　wasn't　any。
　He　was　suddenly　basking　in　the　warm　sunlight　of　a　gentle　spring　day　near　Century　City。　Detroit　Green　saw　not　the　darkness　of　the　cavern；　felt　not　its　icy　wind。　Instead　he　was　in　the　verdant　forest　of　poplars　and　cottonwoods。　The　leaves　on　the　trees　overhead　made　the　sunlight　flicker　in　his　eyes　as　he　walked　unafraid　and　happy　toward　his　loved　ones。　He　had　a　nice　musk　deer　he　had　killed　draped　over　his　shoulder　…　he　was　happy。
　And　now　that　the　Whisperers　had　entered　his　mind　by　this　devious　trick；　the　images　changed。　The　deer　became　a　desiccated　rotted　corpse；　foul　and　crawling　with　worms。　He　shouted　and　dropped　it。　He　saw　the　trees　around　him　wither；　and　the　leaves　rot　off　and　fall　in　a　cascade　of　dank　death。　The　sky　opened　up　with　blacks　snow　swirling　down；　burning　his　skin。。。
　The　Whisperers　were　picking　up　his　most　fearful　thoughts　…　like　black　acid　snow　…　and　projecting　them　back　on　him。
　Detroit　tried　to　throw　it　off；　started　chanting　his　words　of　protection；　as　Chen　had　taught。　He　caught　a　glimpse　for　an　instant　of　his　real　surroundings。　Detroit　stood　still。　He　tried　to　gain　control。　He　stated；　〃No…no；　I　am　here；　I　am　in　the　cavern　…〃　But　the　brave　Freefighter；　despite　his　best　effort；　couldn't　hold　the　thought；　and　reality　slipped　away　again。
　He　was　suddenly　in　boot　camp；　a　raw　recruit　to　the　Freefighter　cause。　A　bull…necked　DI　jabbed　him　in　the　belly　with　a　finger　and　said；　〃All　right；　Green；　you　have　to　prove　yourself。　Jump　down　this　little　hole。　It's　not　deep。　You　can　do　it。　The　others　did。　They'll　laugh　at　you　if　…〃
　〃I　can　do　it；　I　can。。。〃　Detroit　prepared　to　jump。　It　wasn't　deep　…　just　six　or　seven　feet。　It　was　easy。
　〃Hey；　what　is　Detroit　up　to？　What's　he　doing　over　there　by　that　crevice？〃　Rock　said；　shining　the　light　over　to　the　man。
　〃The　illusions　have　him；〃　Chen　shouted。　〃Quickly；　let's　get　him。〃
　Detroit　was　poised　on　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　The　two　Freefighters　ran　to　him；　and　Rockson　tackled　him　and　rolled　his　friend　from　the　abyss。　Detroit　struggled　with　the　Doomsday　Warrior；　screaming　and　tearing　at　the　man　as　if　he　were　an　enemy。　He　saw　not　his　patriot　trying　to　save　him；　but　rather　the　snaking　tendrils　of　a　bloodfruit　plant。　In　the　illusion　projected　by　the　Whisperers；　the　tendrils　had　locked　around　his　legs　and　wouldn't　let　go。　He　searched　for　his　knife；　but　Chen　seized　it　away　from　him。
　Rockson　got　Detroit　in　a　hammerlock；　and　as　Rona　slapped　his　face　repeatedly；　the　illusion…mad　Freefighter　gradually　ceased　his　struggle　and　came　around。
　He　sat　there　exhausted；　his　chest　heaving。　〃Rock；　if　you　could　see　what　I　saw；　you'd　understand。　Sorry；　I　…〃
　Rockson　slapped　him　on　the　back。　〃Forget　it。　But　tell　us　how　it　got　you　…　weren't　you　guarding？〃
　Detroit　told　Rock　and　the　other　how　it　had　used　a　gentle；　pleasant　memory　to　get　into　his　mind。
　〃So　that's　what　happened。　Everyone　…　keep　counting　or　saying　a　mantra　as　you　walk；　don't　reminisce　about　anything；　don't　let　your　minds　wander。　Now　let's　get　out　of　here。〃
　They　went　on。　Rockson　felt　the　subtlest　of　mental　attack。　It　was　a　pleasant　thought　about　sitting　in　the　restaurant　at　Century　City　and　ordering　a　drink　of　…　no。　He　fended　it　off；　shutting　his　mind　like