rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第40部分

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　It　was　over；　the　look　in　his　eyes　told　the　story。　Waning　life。　The　strength　of　the　man　was　sapped。　Bdos　Err；　mightiest　of　Eden；　was　dying。　And　a　gentleness　came　into　his　eyes。
　He　whispered　as　blood　oozed　from　his　lips。　He　uttered　his　last　words：　〃I　am　loyal。　All　my　life　I　have　served　the　government。。。〃
　〃Yes；　you　have；〃　said　Rockson；　catching　the　sagging　body；　letting　the　weight　of　the　man　sag　to　the　floor　as　the　dark　eyes　rolled　up。
　〃Yes；　you　have。。。〃
　
　
　CHAPTER　28
　
　Rockson　thought　that　Stafford　must　be　heading　to　the　damned　probe。　The　probe　in　the　shaft　that　led　to　the　surface。　He　was　going　to　put　the　canister　of　ultimate　death　in　the　probe；　fire　it　up　to　the　surface。　He　had　perhaps　picked　the　moment　when　most　of　Eden　slept　to　perpetrate　this　ultimate　act　of　evil。
　Rock　checked　the　adjoining　bedroom　and　another　room；　but　he　knew　he　would　find　no　one。　He　was　gone；　and　the　means　to　destroy　all　life　on　Earth　was　with　him。
　Rockson　ran　back　to　the　throne　room。　The　Freefighters　were　all　there；　except　for　Archer。　Archer　soon　appeared；　dragging　a　senator　by　the　scruff　of　his　neck　across　the　floor。
　〃Good　work；　Archer；〃　Rockson　said。　Archer　bowed；　dropping　the　little　frightened　gray…robed　man　summarily　in　front　of　his　big　feet。
　Upon　sharp　questioning；　the　senator　stuttered　out　that　the　surface　probe　was　at　the　far　end　of　the　Crypt　Cave。
　〃The　Crypt　Cave　is　the　burial　palace　of　high　officials。　It　is　the　closest　place　to　the　surface；〃　Danik　exclaimed。
　〃Let's　go；〃　Rock　snapped　out；　〃and　burn　down　anyone　that　gets　in　our　way。〃
　Danik　led　them　to　the　easternmost　point　of　the　city；　just　beyond　the　little　metal　〃park。〃　Rockson　saw　an　archway　with　a　lot　of　plastic　flowers　in　pails　on　both　sides　of　the　portal。
　〃That's　it；〃　said　Danik；　breathing　hard　from　the　run　…　or　the　excitement。
　Once　inside　the　triangular　door；　Rockson　and　his　team　raced　along　between　the　marble　sarcophagi；　thousands　of　silent　repositories　for　the　people　who　never　seen　real　sunlight　or　known　love；　for　people　who　had　lived　and　died　in　the　stale　atmosphere　of　this　prison　city。
　Rockson　soon　was　in　the　lead　of　all　the　Freefighters；　and　was　first　to　plunge　up　the　steeply　inclined　staircase　that　led　to　the　probe　shaft。　There　was　a　chance；　he　realized；　making　the　fifth　landing。　Stafford　was　way　out　of　shape；　he　probably　was　huffing　and　puffing　not　too　far　ahead。　Rock　stopped　for　an　instant；　and　listened。　Yes；　labored　footfalls；　about　three　stories　above。　Madly　he　doubled…stepped　the　stairs；　heading　up　with　his　burner　at　the　ready。　The　lights　on　the　stairs；　bare　bulbs　connected　by　strings　of　wire　tacked　along　the　staircase　ceiling；　went　out。　He　continued　along　the　staircase　in　the　darkness；　feeling　his　way　along　the　metal　bannister。
　Chen　was；　Rock　surmised　by　the　soft　rapid　foot…falls；　ing　up　behind　him。　The　martial　arts　expert　was　swift　in　darkness；　sensing　rather　than　seeing　where　he　was　headed。　Good；　there　might　be　a　need　for　his　hand…to…hand　skills；　especially　if　Stafford　was　armed　and　managed　to　kill　Rock。　Perhaps　Chen　could　take　over　and　save　the　day。
　A　flash　of　light　seared　the　air；　and　Rock　tumbled　down　a　half　flight　to　avoid　it。　A　beam　of　heat　from　a　disintegrator　gun。　He　had　caught　up　to　Stafford。　Now　what？　There　was　silence。　As　he　lay　there；　a　hand　touched　Rockson's　shoulder。　Chen。　Rock　acknowledged　the　nudge。　They　were　two　against　one　now。　But　how　could　they　press　that　advantage？　Had　Stafford　reached　the　level　where　the　probe　was　situated？
　〃Stop。〃　Rockson　yelled。　〃Let's　talk；　Stafford。　Don't　do　it。〃
　There　was　a　high…pitched　screech　in　the　area　above。　What　the　hell？　It　wasn't　a　human　scream。　That　came　a　moment　later。　There　was　the　sound　of　leather　snapping　in　the　air；　a　wind　coursed　down　the　staircase。
　The　horrible　human　scream　continued。　Stafford's　scream。　There　were　flashbeams　behind　the　two　Freefighters；　others　of　their　pany　ing　up　the　stairs。　Danik　was　one　of　the　first　to　reach　them。　〃I　heard；〃　Danik　gasped。
　〃Was　it　a　giant　bat？〃　Rock　said。　〃How　could　it　get　in　here？〃
　A　trip　to　the　top　of　the　stairs　showed　how　the　seemingly　impossible　event　had　occurred。
　〃A　tremor　must　have　opened　up　the　wall　of　this　excavation　to　the　cavern；〃　Rock　said　as　the　flashbeams　played　around　the　ragged　hole　in　the　left　wall　of　the　small　probe　room。
　Danik　played　his　flashbeam　around；　finding　the　narrow　shaftway　that　led　upward；　the　missile…like　surface　probe　still　poised　in　it。　Rockson　rushed　to　the　device　and　opened　its　partment　door。　No　Factor　Q　canister。　So　Stafford　hadn't　had　time　to　put　Factor　Q　into　the　missile。　The　bat　had　gotten　Stafford　first。
　Rockson　took　up　McCaughlin's　electron　binoculars　and　peered　into　the　darkness　of　the　cavern　through　the　aperture　in　the　wall。　Desperately　he　adjusted　the　infrared　power　and　the　magnification　to　maximum；　scanning　the　far　reaches　of　the　cavern　…　and　saw　a　flapping　thing；　far　away。　A　black　shape。　The　bat；　winging　away　with　Stafford　in　its　claws；　heading　away；　away；　down　the　long　cavern　corridors。
　He　put　down　the　instrument。　How　was　he　to　follow？　And　yet　he　must。　He　must　be　sure　the　canister　was　not　burst　open。　Even　if　that　happened　in　the　depths　of　the　cavern；　the　germs　would　spread　slowly；　make　their　way　over　time　to　the　surface。
　He　pulled　the　powerful　instrument　from　his　eyes；　and　asked　Danik　for　his　flashlight。　He　played　the　light　down　into　the　cavern　below　them。　He　saw　that　the　way　was　steep；　but　one　could　climb　down。　This　he　proceeded　to　do。　He　scrambled　down　the　shifting　sands　of　the　underground　embankment　with　no　real　plan　in　mind。　He　knew　one　thing；　though。　He　had　to　retrieve　that　canister。
　Once　on　the　limestone　floor　below；　Rockson　considered　waiting　for　his　panions　who　were　following；　then　changed　his　mind；　plunging　ahead　at　breakneck　speed。
　He　ran　for　what　seemed　an　hour　but　might　have　been　just　a　few　minutes；　then；　exhausted；　he　fell　heavily　against　a　jutting　rock　formation。　He　was　breathing　heavily。　It　was　silly；　this　running　after　a　flying　thing。　A　thing　more　powerful　than　a　hundred　men。　A　thing　by　now　lost　in　the　bowels　of　the　Earth。
　He　let　out　a　cry　of　utter　hopelesssness。
　Rockson's　heart　sank　to　its　lowest　level　ever。　All　of　his　struggle；　the　immense　trek；　the　terrible　passage　through　the　caverns　of　Eden；　the　death　of　Chief　Smokestone　…　all　for　naught。
　Surely　the　canister　of　death　was　shattered　someplace　in　the　cavern　now；　and　slowly；　inexorably；　over　the　next　few　days　the　strange　and　deadly　germ　would　permeate　everywhere。
　The　glow　of　his　flashlight　annoyed　him　now；　for　he　wanted　the　darkness　to　hide　his　tears。　Rockson's　flicked　it　off　and　wept　alone　in　the　darkness。
　Giggles。　The　touch　of　icy　thought　fingers　to　his　forehead。　The　damned　Whisperers　again。　Rock　thought；　with　anger。　〃Go　away；〃　Rockson　shouted。
　〃Aren't　you　afraid　of　us？〃　the　soft　whisper　said。
　〃What's　to　be　afraid　of？　The　whole　Earth　is　doomed。〃
　〃How　so？〃　asked　the　gentle　voice。
　Rockson　said；　〃Look。　Whoever　or　whatever　you　are　…　you　might　as　well　know。　I'm　doomed；　all　is　doomed。　So　leave　me　alone。〃
　〃I　read　into　your　thoughts。　What　you　think　is　happening　is　horrible。　It　must　not　be。　I　must　help　you。〃　There　was　a　swishing　sound；　like　the　rippling　of　silk　in　the　wind。　A　breeze　caressed　Rockson　face。
　And　the　voice　was　closer。　〃My　name　is　Starlight。　Turn　on　your　light　and　see　me。〃
　Curious　and　thinking　to　himself；　Oh；　why　not；　seeing　this　creature　will　fill　in　the　last　few　hours　of　my　life；　Rockson　turned　on　the　light；　and　beheld　a　delightful　girl　child　of　about　ten　years　of　age　…　a　girl　dressed　in　a　sparkling　gossamer　outfit；　like　a　fairy。　She　had　the　softest　blond　hair　and　a　cherubic　face。　She　also　bad　two　green　tendrils　that　looked　like　bed…back　antennae　on　either　side　of　her　forehead。　Telepathy　apparatus。
　
　
　CHAPTER　29
　
　〃Starlight；　can　you　really　help？〃
　〃I　have　powers；　and　friends。　It　is　possible。　I　will　call　my　great　red　friend。〃　The　child　whistled　long　and　slow。　〃There；　that　is　done。　Now　while　we　wait　…　it　will　just　be　a　moment　…　let　me　tell　you　about　us　Whisperers。
　〃We　are　the　missing　children　of　Eden。　Our　parents　left　us　hideous　children　…　we　mutants　look　all　scrunched　up　at　birth　…　to　die　at　the　Sacrifice　pool。　They　believed