mc.prey-第43部分

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　〃Hey；　Jack；　I'm　not　responsible　for　the　archiving…〃
　〃Ricky；　these　are　workfiles；　not　archives；〃　I　said。　〃Tell　me　where。〃
　A　brief　pause。　〃There　should　be　a　subdirectory　slash　C…D…N。　It's　kept　there。〃
　I　scrolled　down。　〃I　see　it。〃
　Within　this　directory；　I　found　a　list　of　files；　all　very　small。　The　modification　dates　started　about　six　weeks　ago。　There　was　nothing　new　from　the　last　two　weeks。　〃Ricky。　You　haven't　changed　the　code　for　two　weeks？〃
　〃Yeah；　about　that。〃
　I　clicked　on　the　most　recent　document。　〃You　got　high…level　summaries？〃　When　these　guys　had　worked　for　me；　I　always　insisted　that　they　write　natural　language　summaries　of　the　program　structure。　It　was　faster　to　review　than　documentation　within　the　code　itself。　And　they　often　solved　logic　problems　when　they　had　to　write　it　out　briefly。　〃Should　be　there；〃　Ricky　said。
　On　the　screen；　I　saw：
　　
　/*Initialize*/
　For　j=1　to　L　x　V　do
　Sj　=　0　/*set　initial　demand　to　0/
　End　For
　For　i=l　to　z　do
　For　j　=　1　to　L　x　V　do
　ij　=　（state　（x；y；z））　/*agent　threshold　param*/
　？　ij　=　（intent　（Cj；Hj））　/*agent　intention　fill*/
　Response　=　0　/*　begin　agent　response*/
　Zone　=　z（i）　/*　intitial　zone　unlearned　by　agent*/
　Sweep　=1　/*　activate　agent　travel*/
　End　For
　End　For
　　
　/*Main*/
　For　kl=1　to　RVd　do
　For　tm=1　to　nv　do
　For　=　i　to　j　do　/*　tracking　surrounds*/
　？　ij　=　（intent　（Cj；Hj））　/*agent　intention　fill*/
　ij　　（state　（x；y；z））　/*agent　is　in　motion*/
　ikl　=　（filed　（x；y；z））　/*track　nearest　agents　*/
　　
　I　scanned　it　for　a　while；　looking　for　how　they　had　changed　it。　Then　I　scrolled　down　into　the　actual　code；　to　see　the　implementation。　But　the　important　code　wasn't　there。　The　entire　set　of　particle　behaviors　was　marked　as　an　object　call　to　a　something　titled　〃pstat_do。〃
　〃Ricky；〃　I　said；　〃what's　'pstat_do'？　Where　is　it？〃
　〃Should　be　there。〃
　〃It's　not。〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Maybe　it's　piled。〃
　〃Well　that　isn't　going　to　do　me　any　good；　is　it？〃　You　couldn't　read　piled　code。　〃Ricky；　I　want　to　see　that　damn　module。　What　is　the　problem？〃
　〃No　problem。　I　have　to　look　for　it；　is　all。〃
　〃Okay　。。。〃
　〃I'll　do　it　when　you　get　back。〃
　I　glanced　over　at　Mae。　〃Have　you　gone　through　the　code？〃
　She　shook　her　head。　Her　expression　seemed　to　say　it　was　never　going　to　happen；　that　Ricky　would　make　up　more　excuses　and　keep　putting　me　off。　I　didn't　understand　why。　I　was　there　to　advise　them　on　the　code；　after　all。　That　was　my　area　of　expertise。　In　the　next　room；　Rosie　and　David　were　poking　through　the　shelves　of　supplies；　looking　for　radio　relays。　They　weren't　having　any　success。　Across　the　room；　Charley　Davenport　farted　loudly　and　cried；　〃Bingo！〃
　〃Jesus；　Charley；〃　Rosie　said。
　〃You　shouldn't　hold　things　in；〃　Charley　said。　〃It　makes　you　sick。〃
　〃You　make　me　sick。〃　Rosie　said。
　〃Oh；　sorry。〃　Charley　held　up　his　hand；　showing　a　shiny　metal　contraption。　〃Then　I　guess　you　don't　want　this　remote…controlled　pression　valve。〃
　〃What？〃　Rosie　said；　turning。
　〃Are　you　kidding？〃　David　said；　going　over　to　look。
　〃And　it's　got　a　pressure　rating　of　ADC　twenty　pi。〃
　〃That　should　work　fine；〃　David　said。
　〃If　you　don't　fuck　it　up；〃　Charley　said。
　They　took　the　valve　and　went　to　the　sink；　where　Mae　was　still　pouring；　wearing　her　heavy　gloves。　She　said；　〃Let　me　finish　。。。〃
　〃Will　I　glow　in　the　dark？〃　Charley　said；　grinning　at　her。
　〃Just　your　farts；〃　Rosie　said。
　〃Hey；　they　already　do　that。　'Specially　when　you　light　'em。〃
　〃Jesus；　Charley。〃
　〃Farts　are　methane；　you　know。　Burns　with　a　hard　blue　gemlike　flame。〃　And　he　laughed。
　〃I'm　glad　you　appreciate　yourself；〃　Rosie　said。　〃Because　nobody　else　does。〃
　〃Ouch；　ouch；〃　Charley　said；　clutching　his　breast。　〃I　die；　I　die　。。。〃
　〃Don't　get　our　hopes　up。〃
　My　headset　crackled。　〃Hey　guys？〃　It　was　Bobby　Lembeck　again。　〃Wind's　just　dropped　to　six　knots。〃
　I　said；　〃Okay。〃　I　turned　to　the　others。　〃Let's　finish　up；　guys。〃
　David　said；　〃We're　waiting　for　Mae。　Then　we'll　fit　this　valve。〃
　〃Let's　fit　it　back　in　the　lab；〃　I　said。
　〃Well；　I　just　want　to　make　sure…〃
　〃Back　at　the　lab；〃　I　said。　〃Pack　it　up；　guys。〃
　I　went　to　the　window　and　looked　out。　The　wind　was　still　ruffling　the　juniper　bushes；　but　there　was　no　longer　a　layer　of　sand　blowing　across　the　ground。
　Ricky　came　on　the　headset：　〃Jack；　get　your　fucking　team　out　of　there。〃
　〃We're　doing　it　now；〃　I　said。
　David　Brooks　said　in　a　formal　tone；　〃Guys；　there's　no　point　in　leaving　until　we　have　a　valve　that　we　know　fits　this　bottle…〃
　〃I　think　we　better　go；〃　Mae　said。　〃Finished　or　not。〃
　〃What　good　would　that　do？〃　David　said。
　〃Pack　up；〃　I　said。　〃Stop　talking　and　pack　it　up　now。〃
　Over　the　headset；　Bobby　said；　〃Four　knots　and　falling。　Fast。〃
　〃Let's　go；　everybody；〃　I　said。　I　was　herding　them　toward　the　door。
　Then　Ricky　came　on。　〃No。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃You　can't　leave　now。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Because　it's　too　late。　They're　here。〃
　　
　DAY　6　
　3：12　P。M。
　Everyone　went　to　the　window；　we　banged　heads　trying　to　look　out　in　all　directions。　As　far　as　I　could　see；　the　horizon　was　clear。　I　saw　nothing　at　all。　〃Where　are　they？〃　I　said。　〃ing　from　the　south。　We　have　them　on　the　monitors。〃
　〃How　many？〃　Charley　said。
　〃Four。〃
　〃Four！〃
　〃Yeah；　four。〃
　The　main　building　was　south　of　us。　There　were　no　windows　in　the　south　wall　of　the　shed。
　David　said；　〃We　don't　see　anything。　How　fast　are　they　ing？〃
　〃Fast。〃
　〃Do　we　have　time　to　run　for　it？〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　David　frowned。　〃He　doesn't　think　so。　Jesus。〃
　And　before　I　could　say　anything；　David　had　bolted　for　the　far　door；　opened　it；　and　stepped　out　into　the　sunlight。　Through　the　rectangle　of　the　open　door　we　saw　him　look　to　the　south；　shading　his　eyes　with　his　hand。　We　all　spoke　at　once：
　〃David！〃
　〃David；　what　the　fuck　are　you　doing？〃
　〃David；　you　asshole！〃
　〃I'm　trying　to　see　。。。〃
　〃Get　back　here！〃
　〃You　stupid　bastard！〃
　But　Brooks　remained　where　he　was；　hands　over　his　eyes。　〃I　don't　see　anything　yet；〃　he　said。　〃And　I　don't　hear　anything。　Listen；　I　think　maybe　we　can　make　a　run　for…uh；　no　we　can't。〃　He　sprinted　back　inside；　stumbled　on　the　door　frame；　fell；　scrambled　to　his　feet；　and　slammed　the　door　shut；　pulled　it　tight　behind　him；　tugging　on　the　doorknob。　〃Where　are　they？〃
　〃ing；〃　he　said。　〃They're　ing。〃　His　voice　shook　with　tension。　〃Oh　Jesus；　they're　ing。〃　He　pulled　back　on　the　doorknob　with　both　hands；　using　his　whole　body　weight。　He　muttered　over　and　over；　〃ing　。。。　they're　ing　。。。〃
　〃Oh　great；〃　Charley　said。　〃The　fucking　guy's　cracked。〃
　I　went　over　to　David；　and　put　my　hand　on　his　shoulder。　He　was　pulling　on　the　doorknob；　breathing　in　ragged　gasps。　〃David；〃　I　said　quietly。　〃Let's　take　it　easy　now。　Let's　take　a　deep　breath。〃
　〃I　just…I　have　to　keep…have　to　keep　them…〃　He　was　sweating；　his　whole　body　tense；　his　shoulder　shaking　under　my　hand。　It　was　pure　panic。
　〃David；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　take　a　deep　breath；　okay？〃
　〃I　have　to…have　to…have…have…have…〃
　〃Big　breath；　David　。。。〃　I　took　one；　demonstrating。　〃That　feels　better。　e　on　now。　Big　breath　。。。〃
　David　was　nodding；　trying　to　hear　me。　He　took　a　short　breath。　Then　resumed　his　quick　gasps。
　〃That's　good；　David；　now　another　one　。。。〃
　Another　breath。　His　breathing　slowed　slightly。　He　stopped　shaking。
　〃Okay；　David；　that's　good　。。。〃
　Behind　me；　Charley　said；　〃I　always　knew　that　guy　was　fucked　up。　Look　at　him；　talking　to　him　like　a　fucking　baby。〃
　I　glanced　back；　and　shot　Charley　a　look。　He　just　shrugged。　〃Hey；　I'm　fucking　right。〃
　Mae　said；　〃It's　not　helping；　Charley。〃
　〃Fuck　helping。〃
　Rosie　said；　〃Charley；　just　shut　up　for　a　while；　okay？〃
　I　turned　back　to　David。　I　kept　my　voice　even。　〃All　right；　David　。。。　That's　good；　breathe　。。。　okay　now；　let　go　of　the　doorknob。〃
　David　shook　his　head；　refusing；　but　he　seemed　confused　now；　uncertain　of　what　he　was　doing。　He　blinked　his　eyes　rapidly。　It　was　as　if　he　was　ing　out　of　a　trance。
　I　said　softly；　〃Let　go　of　the　doorknob。　It's　not　doing　any　good。〃
　Finally；　he　let　go；　and　sat　back　on　the　ground。　He　began　to　cry；　head　in　hands。
　〃Oh　Jesus；〃　Charley　said。　〃That's　all　we　need。〃
　〃Shut　up；　Charley。〃
　Rosie　went　to　the　refrigerator　and　came　back　with　a　bottle　of　water。　She　gave　it　to　David；　who