rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第30部分

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　〃Prepare　to　fire；　Freefighters。　The　SCABIES　are　ing。〃　Rock　said；　crouching　with　his　Liberator　forward。
　〃No。　Don't　shoot。〃　implored　Detroit　in　a　hoarse　whisper。　〃I've　studied　twentieth…century　weapons　…　these　things　have　hearing　sensors　…　they　are　intended。　I　think；　for　enemy　tanks。　They　crawl　onto　them　and　blow　up。　They　probably　crawl　up　on　anything　that　makes　noises。　Like　those　people　that　they　made　into　bone　fragments　back　there。　In　the　craters。　See　how　they're　just　moving　around　at　random？　The　clunk　of　our　boots　is　what　attracted　them　to　us。　If　we　just　don't　make　any　mechanical　noises　…　or　fire　our　weapons　…　they　might　stop。〃
　〃Let's　follow　Detroit's　advice；　gang；〃　Rock　said。　〃I　have　the　feeling　they're　pretty　well　armored　anyway。　Bullets　probably　wouldn't　do　much　good。　Let's　move　on　quietly；　and　see　what　happens。〃
　Indeed　the　metal　creature…bombs　paused　in　their　tracks　once　the　Freefighters　were　silent。　Their　little　antennae　spun　this　way　and　that；　searching　for　a　noise。
　〃Who　activated　them？〃　Rona　whispered。
　〃Maybe　no　one。　My　guess　is　an　earthquake　toppled　the　crates；〃　said　Rock；　〃and　when　the　crates　fell；　some　must　have　rolled　out　and　hit　their　power…on　switches　on　something。　Let's　slowly　move　out；　keeping　our　weapons　trained　on　them　…　you　first；　Rona。〃
　But　the　instant　she　moved；　so　did　the　leader　among　the　metal　death　machines。　Rona　froze　in　her　tracks。　〃What　now？〃　she　asked。　〃They　seem　to　follow　movement　too。〃
　〃No；　the　echo　in　the　corridor　is　amplifying　our　footfalls；〃　Detroit　said。　〃They　will　follow　us；　try　to　catch　us　…　but　see　how　slow　they　move？　Like　crabs　more　than　ants。　Their　batteries　must　be　run…down。　After　a　century；　why　wouldn't　they　be？〃
　〃Yeah；　maybe　we　can　outrun　them；　or　maybe　we　should　just　shoot　'em　to　pieces；〃　McCaughlin　snarled　out。
　〃We'll　try　to　run　up　the　corridor。　They　might　not　have　the　energy　to　follow。。。　Quickly；　along　the　left　wall；　out　of　their　way。　Everyone　…　let's　go。〃
　But　such　an　easy　escape　was　not　to　be。　The　minute　they　took　off；　running　as　fast　as　they　could；　the　insidious　metal　things　took　after　them；　bleeping　and　grinding　on　ancient　gears　but　still　moving　rapidly。　They　came　after　the　humans　like　voracious　insects　that　had　spotted　fresh　meat。　Whatever　powered　the　little　metal　hell…things　still　propelled　them　faster　than　a　man　…　or　woman　…　could　run。
　Chen；　who　was　in　the　rear；　tossed　several　exploding　shurikens　accurately　over　his　shoulder　as　he　took　flight；　and　they　made　their　targets。　But　the　metal　things　absorbed　the　explosive　force　of　the　deadly　star…knives；　and　once　they　righted　themselves　from　their　fallen…over　positions；　they　kept　ing。
　The　most　the　martial…arts　master's　weapons　did　was　knock　several　on　their　bellies　momentarily。
　〃Spread　out　so　you　don't　hit　each　other；　and　fire　back　whenever　you　see　one　getting　close　to　you；〃　Rockson　ordered。　He　crouched　and；　turning；　himself　blasted　back　accurately　with　a　withering　barrage　of　9mm　death。　Then　he　fired　six　explosive　shells　from　his　shotpistol。
　The　shiny　metal　things　were　blasted　off　their　feet；　but　the　bullets　zinged　off　their　extra…hard　shells　into　the　darkness。　And　again　they　righted　themselves　and　kept　ing。　A　quick　play　of　the　light　behind　showed　hundreds；　maybe　thousands；　of　the　tough　little　monsters。
　〃We'll　have　to　think　of　something　else　to　stop　them；〃　Rock　yelled　over　the　barrage　of　fire　pouring　out　of　the　Freefighters'　weapons。
　〃I've　got　an　idea；〃　Scheransky　said。　〃We　throw　some　of　our　stuff　…　clothes；　anything；　behind　us。　They　grab　it　and　blow　themselves　up。　Let　them　destroy　themselves　if　we　can't　do　it。〃
　〃I'll　never　say　anything　against　borscht　again。〃　Rock　said。　〃A　brilliant　idea。　Everyone　…　take　off　up　the　corridor。　But　discard　some　items　of　clothing　…　anything。〃
　Chen　threw　down　his　souvenir　of　the　battles　in　Death　City　…　the　odd　helmet　he'd　snatched　from　the　Snake　Temple　soldier。　It　rolled　toward　the　little　beeping　followers。
　A　flashbeam　…　Detroit's　…　shot　back　to　reveal　two　of　the　little　nasties　pouncing　upon　it　and　wrapping　their　little　steel　legs　about　the　helmet's　circumference。　Then　they　blew　up。　Pieces　of　metal　flew　everywhere；　one　catching　Chen　in　the　shoulder。
　Rockson　encouraged　the　runners　to　continue　the　discarding　of　materials。　There　had　to　be　some　limit　to　the　numbers　of　the　metal　scabies；　he　figured。
　Within　minutes　the　near…exhausted　sprinters　had　nothing　save　their　clothing　and　weapons　to　discard　behind　them。　And　Rockson　knew　they　couldn't　keep　up　the　pace　much　longer。　Danik　was　near　his　limit　for　sure。
　Rockson；　concerned　for　the　others；　should　have　paid　more　attention　to　his　own　bootheels。　A　particularly　well　functioning　scabie…bomb　was　suddenly　upon　him。　It　scurried　up　to　hold　fast　to　his　left　boot；　almost　tripping　him。　It　was　beeping　faster　and　faster。　It　was　going　to　explode。
　
　
　CHAPTER　21
　
　He　winced　in　pain　as　the　sharp　crablike　legs　of　the　ambulatory　bomb　seized　his　foot　in　their　crushing　grip。　He　tore　at　his　bootlaces　and　pulled　out　of　the　boot；　thus　leaving　the　death…maker　behind。　He　ran　onward；　sharp　rocks　on　the　floor　of　the　corridor　ripping　at　his　bare　foot；　still　he　was　catching　up　to　the　Freefighters；　who　were　cheering　him　on；　urging　him　to　get　away　from　the　thing　before　…
　Boom。　The　thing　that　had　grabbed　his　boot　exploded。　And　more　of　the　beastly　bugs　came　pouring　through　its　smoke。
　The　Freefighters　poured　their　bined　fire　on　the　little　menaces　that　were　closest　to　catching　up　to　Rockson；　but　one　of　the　steel…legged　hell…things　put　on　a　burst　of　battery…driven　speed　and　climbed　onto　his　calf　and　sunk　its　steel…tipped　legs　into　his　flesh。　He　fell；　and　tore　at　it；　he　could　hear　the　soft　ticking　grow　louder；　the　beeping　grow　more　intense　as　he　pried　at　the　many　legs　of　steel。
　The　Freefighters　were　hanging　back；　desperate　to　help。　〃Go　on；　don't　wait　for　me。〃　It　was　a　direct　order　and　obeyed　by　all　…　except　for　Class　Act。　Class　Act；　snarling　and　with　its　triple　row　of　steely　teeth　exposed　to　the　full；　leapt　out　of　the　nearby　darkness　and　plunged　against　the　tenacious　machine…creature。　The　loyal　wolf…dog　furiously　tore　at　the　lethal　walking　bomb；　succeeding　in　tearing　it　from　Rockson's　leg。　Then　the　dog　itself　became　the　target　of　the　relentless　steel　claws。　The　metal　mandibles　locked　around　the　belly　of　the　beast。　Class　Act；　howling　like　a　hound　of　hell　itself；　ran　off　into　the　Stygian　blackness。
　There　was　a　blast。　Bits　of　raw；　red　dog　flesh　and　fur　pelt　were　thrown　at　Rockson　as　he　painfully　rose　to　his　feet。
　Rockson　painfully　limped　along　after　his　panions。　The　loyal　sled　dog　had　given　him　his　life　back。
　Detroit　was　lobbing　grenade　after　grenade　behind　Rock；　having　set　the　pineapples　on　slow　fuse。　Some　were　grabbed　and　held　by　the　bombs；　other　blew　up　by　themselves。
　Archer　came　up　to　Rockson　and　lifted　the　injured　man　and　threw　him　over　his　shoulder。　They　took　off　again　up　the　corridor。
　When　the　hell；　thought　Rockson　through　a　veil　of　pain；　would　they　reach　Eden？　Would　the　damned　killer　claws　follow　them　into　it　even　if　they　did　reach　their　goal？　Danik；　his　legs　or　breath　having　given　out；　fell。　McCaughlin　swept　him　up　and　carried　him　easily。
　Rock's　leg　was　torn　in　two　places；　a　sharp　pain　jolted　him　at　every　step　of　the　giant　man　holding　him。
　It　was　not　just　his　own　problem　…　or　Danik's。　It　was　obvious　…　they　could　no　longer　outrun　the　ambulatory　arsenal。　They　would　have　to　make　a　stand。
　Rockson；　from　his　awkward　position；　was　able　to　see　ahead。　He　saw　a　place　to　make　a　stand。
　〃Quick；　behind　those　barrels　ahead。〃
　The　Freefighters；　exhausted　and　about　to　give　out；　dove　behind　the　barrels　and　took　up　positions；　crouching　or　full　out　flat　in　the　spaces　between　the　round　black　containers。　Their　weapons；　already　half　out　of　ammo；　were　leveled　once　more　at　the　pursuing　infernal　devices。　Rockson　ordered；　〃Open　up　with　everything　you　have。〃
　〃Hold　your　fire；〃　Rona　said。　〃Try　lobbing　these　babies。〃　She　had　broken　open　a　barrel　with　the　butt　of　her　rifle　and　found　some　useful　items。
　McCaughlin　was　handed　one。　〃Helmets！〃　he　exclaimed。
　They　had　all　seen　the　things　seize　the　helmet　that　Chen　had　thrown　at　them；　and　had　all　wished　they　had　taken　one　of　the　Death　City　souvenirs　with　them。　Now