mc.prey-第67部分

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　And　then　a　table　of　growth　data　over　the　last　twelve　hours。
　Julia　continued　to　hit　the　back　key　half　a　dozen　times　more；　but　all　she　saw　were　images　of　bacteria　and　viruses；　graphs；　and　data　tables。　She　took　her　hand　away　from　the　keyboard。　〃You　seem　to　be　devoting　a　lot　of　time　to　this。　Is　it　really　so　important？〃
　〃Well；　it's　a　contaminant；〃　Mae　said。　〃If　we　don't　control　it；　we'll　have　to　shut　down　the　entire　system。〃
　〃Then　by　all　means　keep　at　it。〃　She　turned　to　me。　〃Want　to　have　breakfast？　I'd　imagine　you　must　be　starving。〃
　〃Sounds　great；〃　I　said。
　〃e　with　me；〃　Julia　said。　〃We'll　make　it　together。〃
　〃Okay；〃　I　said。　I　glanced　at　Mae。　〃I'll　see　you　later。　Let　me　know　if　I　can　do　anything　to　help。〃
　I　left　with　Julia。　We　started　down　the　corridor　to　the　residences。
　〃I　don't　know　why；〃　Julia　said；　〃but　that　woman　bothers　me。〃
　〃I　don't　know　why　either。　She's　very　good。　Very　thoughtful；　very　conscientious。〃
　〃And　very　pretty。〃
　〃Julia　。。。〃
　〃Is　that　why　you　won't　kiss　me？　Because　you're　involved　with　her？〃
　〃Julia；　for　Christ's　sake。〃
　She　stared　at　me；　waiting。
　〃Look；〃　I　said。　〃It's　been　a　rough　couple　of　weeks　for　everybody。　Frankly；　you've　been　difficult　to　live　with。〃
　〃I'm　sure　I　have。〃
　〃And　frankly；　I've　been　pretty　angry　with　you。〃
　〃With　good　reason；　I　know。　I'm　sorry　for　what　I　put　you　through。〃　She　leaned　over；　kissed　me　on　the　cheek。　〃But　it　feels　so　distant　now。　I　don't　like　the　tension　between　us。　What　do　you　say　we　kiss　and　make　up？〃
　〃Maybe　later；〃　I　said。　〃We　have　a　lot　to　do　now。〃
　She　got　playful；　puckering　her　lips；　kissing　air。　〃Oooh；　e　on；　sweetie；　just　a　little　smooch　。。。　e　on；　it　won't　kill　you　。。。〃
　〃Later；〃　I　said。
　She　sighed；　and　gave　up。　We　continued　down　the　corridor　in　silence　for　a　while。　Then　she　said；　in　a　serious　voice；　〃You're　avoiding　me；　Jack。　And　I　want　to　know　why。〃　I　didn't　answer　her；　I　just　gave　a　long…suffering　sigh　and　kept　walking；　acting　like　what　she'd　said　was　beneath　response。　In　fact；　I　was　badly　worried。
　I　couldn't　keep　refusing　to　kiss　her　forever；　sooner　or　later　she'd　figure　out　what　I　knew。　Maybe　she　already　had。　Because　even　when　Julia　was　acting　girlish；　she　seemed　sharper；　more　alert　than　she'd　ever　been　before。　I　had　the　feeling　she　didn't　miss　anything。　And　I　had　the　same　feeling　about　Ricky。　It　was　as　if　they　were　tuned　up；　ultra…aware。　And　I　was　worried　about　what　I'd　seen　on　Mae's　monitor。　The　black　cloud　that　seemed　to　e　from　Julia's　mouth。　Had　it　really　been　there；　on　the　video？　Because　as　far　as　I　knew；　swarms　killed　their　prey　on　contact。　They　were　merciless。　Now　Julia　seemed　to　be　harboring　a　swarm。　How　could　that　be？　Did　she　have　some　sort　of　immunity？　Or　was　the　swarm　tolerating　her；　not　killing　her　for　some　reason？　And　what　about　Ricky　and　Vince？　Did　they　have　immunity；　too？
　One　thing　was　clear：　Julia　and　Ricky　did　not　want　us　to　call　anybody。　They　had　deliberately　isolated　us　in　the　desert；　knowing　that　they　would　have　only　a　few　hours　until　the　helicopter　arrived。　So　apparently；　that's　all　the　time　they　needed。　To　do　what？　Kill　us？　Or　just　infect　us？　What？
　Walking　down　the　corridor　next　to　my　wife；　I　felt　as　if　I　was　walking　with　a　stranger。　With　somebody　I　didn't　know　anymore。　Somebody　who　was　immensely　dangerous。　I　glanced　at　my　watch。　The　helicopter　would　be　here　in　less　than　two　hours；　now。
　Julia　smiled。　〃Got　an　appointment？〃
　〃No。　Just　thinking　it's　time　for　breakfast。〃
　〃Jack；〃　she　said。　〃Why　won't　you　be　honest　with　me？〃
　〃I'm　being　honest　。。。〃
　〃No。　You　were　wondering　how　long　until　the　helicopter　es。〃
　I　shrugged。
　〃Two　hours；〃　she　said。　And　she　added；　〃I'll　bet　you'll　be　glad　to　get　out　of　here；　won't　you？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃But　I'm　not　leaving　until　everything　is　done。〃
　〃Why？　What's　left　to　be　done？〃
　By　now　we　had　reached　the　residential　unit。　I　could　smell　bacon　and　eggs　cooking。　Ricky　came　around　the　corner。　He　smiled　heartily　when　he　saw　me。　〃Hey；　Jack。　How'd　you　sleep？〃
　〃I　slept　okay。〃
　〃Really？　'Cause　you　look　a　little　tired。〃
　〃I　had　bad　dreams；〃　I　said。
　〃Oh　yes？　Bad　dreams？　Bummer。〃
　〃It　happens　sometimes；〃　I　said。
　We　all　went　into　the　kitchen。　Bobby　was　making　breakfast。　〃Scrambled　eggs　with　chives　and　cream　cheese；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　〃What　kind　of　toast　do　you　guys　want？〃　Julia　wanted　wheat　toast。　Ricky　wanted　English　muffin。　I　said　I　didn't　want　anything。　I　was　looking　at　Ricky；　noticing　again　how　strong　he　appeared。　Beneath　his　T…shirt；　the　muscles　were　well　defined；　cut。　He　caught　me　staring　at　him。　〃Something　wrong？〃
　〃No。　Just　admiring　your　butch　look。〃　I　tried　to　be　light；　but　the　truth　was　that　I　felt　incredibly　unfortable　in　the　kitchen　with　all　of　them　around　me。　I　kept　thinking　of　Charley；　and　how　swiftly　they　had　attacked　him。　I　wasn't　hungry；　I　just　wanted　to　get　out　of　there。　But　I　couldn't　see　how　to　do　it　without　arousing　suspicion。
　Julia　went　to　the　refrigerator；　opened　the　door。　The　champagne　was　in　there。　〃You　guys　ready　to　celebrate　now？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Bobby　said。　〃Sounds　great；　a　little　mimosa　in　the　morning　。。。〃
　〃Absolutely　not；〃　I　said。　〃Julia；　I'm　going　to　insist　you　take　this　situation　seriously。　We're　not　out　of　the　woods　yet。　We　have　to　get　the　Army　in　here；　and　we　haven't　been　able　to　call。　It's　not　time　to　break　out　the　champagne。〃
　She　pouted。　〃Oh；　you're　such　a　spoilsport　。。。〃
　〃Spoilsport　hell。　You're　being　ridiculous。〃
　〃Oooh；　baby；　don't　get　mad；　just　kiss　me；　kiss　me。〃　She　puckered　her　lips　again；　and　leaned　across　the　table。
　But　it　seemed　like　getting　angry　was　the　only　move　I　had。　〃God　damn　it；　Julia；〃　I　said；　raising　my　voice；　〃the　only　reason　we　are　in　this　mess　is　because　you　didn't　take　it　seriously　in　the　first　place。　You　had　a　runaway　swarm　out　there　in　the　desert　for　what…two　weeks？　And　instead　of　eradicating　it；　you　played　with　it。　You　fooled　around　until　it　got　out　of　control；　and　as　a　result　three　people　are　dead。　This　is　not　a　goddamn　celebration；　Julia。　It's　a　disaster。　And　I　am　not　drinking　any　fucking　champagne　while　I　am　here　and　neither　is　anyone　else。〃　I　took　the　bottle　to　the　sink　and　smashed　it。　I　turned　back　to　her。　〃Got　it？〃
　Stony…faced；　she　said；　〃That　was　pletely　unnecessary。〃
　I　saw　Ricky　looking　at　me　thoughtfully。　As　if　he　was　trying　to　decide　something。　Bobby　turned　his　back　while　he　cooked；　as　if　he　was　embarrassed　by　a　marital　spat。　Had　they　gotten　to　Bobby？　I　thought　I　saw　a　thin　black　line　at　his　neck；　but　I　couldn't　be　sure；　and　I　didn't　dare　stare。
　〃Unnecessary？〃　I　said；　full　of　outrage。　〃Those　people　were　my　friends。　And　they　were　your　friends；　Ricky。　And　yours；　Bobby。　And　I　don't　want　to　hear　this　celebration　shit　anymore！〃　I　turned　and　stomped　out　of　the　room。　As　I　left；　Vince　was　ing　in。　〃Better　take　it　easy；　pal；〃　Vince　said。　〃You'll　give　yourself　a　stroke。〃
　〃Fuck　off；〃　I　said。
　Vince　raised　his　eyebrows。　I　brushed　past　him。
　〃You're　not　fooling　anybody；　Jack！〃　Julia　called　after　me。　〃I　know　what　you're　really　up　to！〃
　My　stomach　flipped。　But　I　kept　walking。
　〃I　can　see　right　through　you；　Jack。　I　know　you're　going　back　to　her。〃
　〃Damn　right！〃　I　said。
　Was　that　what　Julia　really　thought？　I　didn't　believe　it　for　a　moment。　She　was　just　trying　to　mislead　me；　to　keep　me　off　guard　until　。。。　what？　What　were　they　going　to　do？　There　were　four　of　them。　And　only　two　of　us…at　least；　there　were　two　if　they　hadn't　already　gotten　to　Mae。
　Mae　wasn't　in　the　biology　laboratory。　I　looked　around　and　saw　that　a　side　door　was　ajar；　leading　downstairs　to　the　underground　level　where　the　fermentation　chambers　were　installed。　Up　close；　they　were　much　larger　than　I　had　realized；　giant　stainless　spheres　about　six　feet　across。　They　were　surrounded　by　a　maze　of　pipes　and　valves　and　temperature　control　units。　It　was　warm　here；　and　very　noisy。
　Mae　was　standing　by　the　third　unit；　making　notes　on　a　clipboard　and　shutting　a　valve。　She　had　a　rack　of　test　tubes　at　her　feet。　I　went　down　and　stood　beside　her。　She　looked　at　me；　then　shot　a　glance　toward　the　ceiling；　where　a　security　camera　was　mounted。　She　walked　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　tank；　and　I　followed　her。　Over　here；　the　tank　blocked　the　camera。　She　said；　〃They　slept　with　the　lights　on。〃
　I　nodded。　I　kne