mc.prey-第53部分
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Those views were too simpleminded。 Nineteenth…century thinkers saw evolution as 〃nature red in tooth and claw；〃 envisioning a world where strong animals killed weaker ones。 They didn't take into account that the weaker ones would inevitably get stronger； or fight back in some other way。 Which of course they always do。
The new ideas emphasized interactions among continuously evolving forms。 Some people talked of evolution as an arms race； by which they meant an ever…escalating interaction。 A plant attacked by a pest evolves a pesticide in its leaves。 The pest evolves to tolerate the pesticide； so the plant evolves a stronger pesticide。 And so on。
Others talked about this pattern as coevolution； in which two or more life…forms evolved simultaneously to tolerate each other。 Thus a plant attacked by ants evolves to tolerate the ants； and even begins to make special food for them on the surface of its leaves。 In return the resident ants protect the plant； stinging any animal that tries to eat the leaves。 Pretty soon neither the plant nor the ant species can survive without the other。
This pattern was so fundamental that many people thought it was the real core of evolution。 Parasitism and symbiosis were the true basis for evolutionary change。 These processes lay at the heart of all evolution； and had been present from the very beginning。 Lynn Margulies was famous for demonstrating that bacteria had originally developed nuclei by swallowing other bacteria。
By the twenty…first century； it was clear that coevolution wasn't limited to paired creatures in some isolated spinning dance。 There were coevolutionary patterns with three； ten； or n life…forms； where n could be any number at all。 A cornfield contained many kinds of plants； was attacked by many pests； and evolved many defenses。 The plants peted with weeds； the pests peted with other pests； larger animals ate both the plants and the pests。 The oute of this plex interaction was always changing； always evolving。 And it was inherently unpredictable。
That was； in the end； why I was so angry with Ricky。
He should have known the dangers； when he found he couldn't control the swarms。 It was insanity to sit back and allow them to evolve on their own。 Ricky was bright； he knew about genetic algorithms； he knew the biological background for current trends in programming。 He knew that self…organization was inevitable。
He knew that emergent forms were unpredictable。
He knew that evolution involved interaction with n forms。
He knew all that； and he did it anyway。
He did； or Julia did。
* * *
I checked on Charley。 He was still asleep in his room； sprawled out on the bed。 Bobby Lembeck walked by。 〃How long has he been asleep？〃
〃Since you got back。 Three hours or so。〃
〃Do you think we should wake him up； check on him？〃
〃Nah； let him sleep。 We'll check him after dinner。〃
〃When is that？〃
〃Half an hour。〃 Bobby Lembeck laughed。 〃I'm cooking。〃
That reminded me I was supposed to call home around dinnertime； so I went into my room and dialed。
Ellen answered the phone。 〃Hello？ What is it！〃 She sounded harried。 I heard Amanda crying and Eric yelling at Nicole in the background。 Ellen said； 〃Nicole； do not do that to your brother！〃
I said； 〃Hi； Ellen。〃
〃Oh； thank God；〃 she said。 〃You have to speak to your daughter。〃
〃What's going on？〃
〃Just a minute。 Nicole； it's your father。〃 I could tell she was holding out the phone to her。
A pause； then； 〃Hi； Dad。〃
〃What's going on； Nic？〃
〃Nothing。 Eric is being a brat。〃 Matter…of…factly。
〃Nic； I want to know what you did to your brother。〃
〃Dad。〃 She lowered her voice to a whisper。 I knew she was cupping her hand over the phone。 〃Aunt Ellen is not very nice。〃
〃I heard that；〃 Ellen said； in the background。 But at least the baby had stopped crying； she'd been picked up。
〃Nicole；〃 I said。 〃You're the oldest child； I'm counting on you to help keep things together while I'm gone。〃
〃I'm trying； Dad。 But he is a majorly turkey butt。〃
From the background： 〃I am not！ Up yours； weasel poop！〃
〃Dad。 You see what I'm up against。〃
Eric： 〃Up your hole with a ten…foot pole！〃
I looked at the monitor in front of me。 It showed views of the desert outside； rotating images from all the security cameras。 One camera showed my dirt bike； lying on its side； near the door to the power station。 Another camera showed the outside of the storage shed； with the door swinging open and shut； revealing the outline of Rosie's body inside。 Two people had died today。 I had almost died。 And now my family； which yesterday had been the most important thing in my life； seemed distant and petty。
〃It's very simple； Dad；〃 Nicole was saying in her most reasonable grown…up voice。 〃I came home with Aunt Ellen from the store； I got a very nice blouse for the show； and then Eric came into my room and knocked all my books on the floor。 So I told him to pick them up。 He said no and called me the b…word； so I kicked him in the butt； not very hard； and took his G。I。 Joe and hid it。 That's all。〃
I said； 〃You took his G。I。 Joe？〃 G。I。 Joe was Eric's most important possession。 He talked to G。I。 Joe。 He slept with G。I。 Joe on the pillow beside him。
〃He can have it back；〃 she said； 〃as soon as he cleans up my books。〃
〃Nic 。。。〃
〃Dad； he called me the b…word。〃
〃Give him his G。I。 Joe。〃
The images on the screen were rotating through the various cameras。 Each image only stayed on screen for a second or two。 I waited for the image of the shed to e back up。 I had a nagging feeling about it。 Something bothered me。
〃Dad； this is humiliating。〃
〃Nic； you're not the mother…〃
〃Oh yeah； and she was here for maybe five seconds。〃
〃She was at the house？ Mom was there？〃
〃But then； big surprise； she had to go。 She had a plane to catch。〃
〃Uh…huh。 Nicole； you need to listen to Ellen…〃
〃Dad； I told you she's being…〃
〃Because she's in charge until I get back。 So if she says to do something； you do it。〃
〃Dad。 I feel this is unreasonable。〃 Her members…of…the…jury voice。
〃Well； honey； that's how it is。〃
〃But my problem…〃
〃Nicole。 That's how it is。 Until I get back。〃
〃When are you ing home？〃
〃Probably tomorrow。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃So。 We understand each other？〃
〃Yes； Dad。 I'll probably have a nervous breakdown here 。。。〃
〃Then I promise I'll visit you in the mental hospital； as soon as I get back。〃
〃Very funny。〃
〃Let me speak to Eric。〃
I had a short conversation with Eric； who told me several times that it was not fair。 I told him to put Nicole's books back。 He said he didn't knock them down； it was an accident。 I said to put them back anyway。 Then I talked to Ellen briefly。 I encouraged her as best I could。 Sometime during this conversation； the security camera showing the outside of the shed came up again。 And I again saw the swinging door； and the outside of the shed。 In this elevation the shed was slightly above grade； there were four wooden steps leading from the door down to ground level。 But it all looked the way it should。 I did not know what had bothered me。 Then I realized。
David's body wasn't there。 It wasn't in the frame。 Earlier in the day； I had seen his body slide out the door and disappear from view； so it should be lying outside。 Given the slight grade； it might have rolled a few yards from the door； but not more than that。 No body。
But perhaps I was mistaken。 Or perhaps there were coyotes。 In any case the camera image had now changed。 I'd have to sit through another cycle to see it again。 I decided not to wait。 If David's body was gone； there was nothing I could do about it now。 It was about seven o'clock when we sat down to eat dinner in the little kitchen of the residential module。 Bobby brought out plates of ravioli with tomato sauce； and mixed vegetables。 I had been a stay…at…home dad long enough to recognize the brands of frozen food he was using。 〃I really think that Contadina is better ravioli。〃
Bobby shrugged。 〃I go to the fridge； I find what's there。〃
I was surprisingly hungry。 I ate everything on my plate。
〃Couldn't have been that bad；〃 Bobby said。
Mae was silent as she ate； as usual。 Beside her； Vince ate noisily。 Ricky was at the far end o
