rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第18部分

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n　we　stop　for　rest。
　So　it　was　that　they　started　up　the　big　motorcycles　with　a　tremendous　roar　at　the　rim　of　the　inhabited　canyon。　The　Indians　below　filled　the　Arizona　air　with　wild　whoops　and　yips　as　the　bold　chief　and　the　Freefighters　set　off　for　Eden。
　Rockson　really　opened　up　his　big　Harley；　the　engine　sang　out　a　song　of　power；　cutting　the　desert　air；　slashing　over　the　inch…deep　snow　like　a　dream　of　speed　and　energy。
　Smokestone；　waving　his　huge　stone…head　tomahawk　over　his　head；　steering　with　one　hand；　pulled　alongside　at　135　mph；　daring　Rock　to　go　faster。
　The　race　was　on；　leaving　the　others　behind　in　the　dust　and　thrown　snow。　160；　170；　175　mph。　Rockson　had　handled　cycles　like　this　before；　he　was　sure　he　could　surpass　the　chief。　But　the　Indian　just　kept　a…in'；　kept　up；　then　sailed　past；　screaming　out　taunts　and　waving　that　tomahawk。　Still　with　one　hand　…　ye　gods；　Rock　thought；　I'm　just　an　amateur　pared　to　this　ballsy　guy。
　Leaning　down　hard；　Rock　was　determined　to　catch　the　chief；　at　least　for　a　brief　instant。
　180；185；　190；　195。。。　The　cacti　flew　by；　the　bike　shuddered　and　quivered　up　to　200　mph。　He　was　alongside　the　chief。
　〃Yip；　yip；　yahooooo；〃　Smokestone　bellowed　into　the　wind。　〃You　are　something；　Rockson；　really　something。〃　He　slowed　down；　as　this　couldn't　go　on　without　them　being　eroded　pieces　of　flesh　spread　across　the　desert　…　and　they　had　a　job　to　do。　195；　190；　185　…　soon　they　were　cruising　at　a　mere　175。
　After　another　ten　minutes；　they　stopped　for　a　sip　of　water　from　the　bikes'　canteens。　Let　the　others　catch　up。　The　Indian　looked　Rock　in　the　eyes　and　said；　〃I　want　us　to　be　blood　brothers。〃　Rock　nodded；　and　they　made　slits　in　their　forearms　and　brought　them　together；　joined　forever。
　
　
　CHAPTER　14
　
　The　Freefighters　rode　their　advanced…tech　Harleys　in　V…formation　across　the　flat　desert。　The　motors；　loud　and　strong；　carried　them　as　if　they　were　on　a　magic　carpet；　quintupling　the　fastest　speed　they'd　ever　attained　on　the　sleds。　Danik　was　managing　his　big　cycle　fairly　well；　but　couldn't　keep　up。　He　was　back　always。　Danik　had　a　sidecar；　with　Class　Act　in　it。
　The　sheer　power　at　Rockson's　disposal　made　him　feel　restored。　Having　Smokestone　with　him　was　a　reassurance；　somehow；　that　the　mission　would　succeed。　The　dull　orange　globe　of　the　sun　shone　through　a　cloud　scudded　afternoon　sky。　It　was　good　to　be　alive　today。
　At　3：30　P。M。　they　reached　the　old　US　…　Mexican　border。　Rockson　and　his　friends　stopped　their　bikes　and　waited　for　Danik。　Danik's　bike　was　soon　on　the　horizon。　And　snuggled　down　in　the　sidecar　was　Class　Act；　howling　away　and　〃eating〃　the　wind　as　he　traveled。　They　did　not　wait　long；　as　Danik　was　getting　less　and　less　afraid　of　going　fast　with　every　mile　they　traveled。　In　a　short　while　they　heard　his　engine；　and　then　he　pulled　up。　The　thin　albino　Edenite　had　a　candy…eating　grin　on　his　face。　He　pulled　off　his　helmet　and　said；　〃Eden　was　never　like　this。〃　Class　Act　leapt　from　her　perch　in　the　sidecar　and　rushed　to　Rockson。　〃Good　girl；〃　Rock　said；　rubbing　her　ears　and　petting　her。　The　giant　red　tongue　licked　at　his　face。
　They　took　a　break。　The　dog　alongside　him；　panting　happily；　Rockson　sat　on　his　haunches　looking　at　the　shallow；　fifty…foot…wide　stream　that　was　the　winter　version　of　the　Rio　Grande　River　coursing　by　idly。　Not　ten　yards　from　his　position　was　some　rusty　pipe　stubs　in　the　ground。　The　border　fence　of　a　century　ago。　If　you　looked　carefully；　the　ground　was　discolored　a　bit　…　to　the　color　of　ocher。　It　was　the　red　dust　of　all　the　barbed　wire　gone　to　corrosion。　Rockson　thought　about　how　it　must　have　been　a　century　past：　the　wetbacks；　struggling　dirt　farmers；　peons　by　the　millions　trying　to　get　across　that　border　to　join　their　wealthy　neighbors　to　the　north。　How　desperate　they　had　been　to　get　into　the　United　States。　How　they'd　envied　the　U。S。　citizens　…　until　the　thousand　flashes　brighter　than　the　sun　glowed　in　the　northern　sky　…　until　the　nukes　fell。　Then　they　hadn't　envied　their　northern　neighbors　anymore。
　As　a　matter　of　fact；　in　the　first　few　days　after　the　blasts；　new　fences　had　been　erected　on　the　Mexican　side　of　the　border　for　a　change。　Wave　after　wave　of　starving　diseased　radiation　victims　poured　south；　desperate　to　get　into　Mexico。
　Of　course；　those　that　had　constructed　Eden　had　done　so　before　the　nuke　war；　and　therefore　most　of　the　Edenites　were　already　in　the　vast　underground　biosphere　when　N…Day　came。　All　except　a　handful。　And　that　handful　included　the　brains　and　pocketbook　behind　the　whole　project　…　Edward　Renquist。　He　had　not　made　it。
　Perhaps　Renquist　had　died　in　the　first　flashes　of　atomic　hellfire。　Danik　had　told　that　Renquist　was　in　Austin；　Texas；　at　the　fatal　hour；　trying　to　effect　a　reconciliation　with　his　wife；　Sandra。　Rockson　saw　other　pathetic　reminders　of　that　day　…　there　were　white　things　…　torn　and　rotted　human　bones　…　amidst　all　that　rust　on　the　ground。　Perhaps　Renquist　had　survived　the　blasts；　made　it　to　this　border；　and　like　thousands；　millions　of　other　Americans　had　been　shot　down　by　the　Mexican　Border　Police；　or　been　killed　in　the　crush　of　bodies。　God　what　a　horror　it　must　have　been　right　on　this　tranquil　spot！
　And　the　Mexicans　had　succumbed　too；　by　the　millions　…　they　could　keep　the　desperate　masses　streaming　south　from　crossing　over；　but　they　couldn't　keep　the　radiation　clouds　in　the　north。　And　Mexico；　too；　became　a　haunted　corpse　of　a　country。　Even　though　she　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　great　psychotic　contest　between　the　Eastern　and　Western　blocs　of　nations。　Mexico　too　suffered　the　results　of　that　culminating　madness…of…all…madness　that　is　nuclear　war。。。
　Class　Act　seemed　anxious　to　go　on。　She　stood　up　and　rushed　back　and　forth　on　the　dusty　surface。　Rockson　petted　her；　pulled　her　ears。　The　tongue　slipped　out　and　ran　over　his　wrist。　〃Nice　wolf…doggie；　nice。〃　He　turned　to　the　group；　who　were　already　putting　on　their　black　helmets　and　heading　to　start　their　bikes。
　〃Class　Act　has　the　right　idea。　Let's　get　traveling。　Prepare　to　cross　the　shallows；〃　Rockson　ordered；　struggling　from　his　reverie。　〃But　I'll　go　first　…　with　Detroit。　We'll　cross　at　that　lazy　bend　…　it's　just　inches　deep；　I　hope。。。　I　don't　want　all　of　us　to　be　out　there　together　at　the　same　time；　that's　too　vulnerable。　I　don't　expect　any　danger；　but　just　because　it　looks　okay；　doesn't　mean　it　is。〃
　There　was　a　sandy　but　firm　bottom　under　the　half　foot　of　the　gently　moving　warmish　water；　and　so　there　was　no　need　to　improvise　a　way　of　keeping　their　vehicles　dry。　They　easily　waded　their　cycles　across。　First　Rockson　went　across；　then　Detroit　crossed　the　twenty　yards　of　shallow　water；　steering　his　cycle　with　his　meaty　hands。　Rockson　and　Detroit　took　up　position　in　a　scrubby　copse　of　trees　on　the　other　side　before　the　Doomsday　Warrior　waved　the　rest　of　the　party　onward。
　They　were　in　Mexico。　The　terrain　was　prairie…like；　the　vegetation　consisting　mostly　of　sagebrush　and　scattered　cacti。
　The　motorcycles　were　again　showing　their　stuff；　and　the　group　were　making　a　good　150　miles　per　hour。　Danik　was　now　keeping　up；　and；　though　he　had　nearly　failed　his　trial　spins　at　Yumak　City；　was　no　longer　a　bit　afraid。
　〃There　wasn't　much　need　for　speed　in　Eden；〃　he　had　explained。　〃The　whole　city…world　is　ten　miles　long　by　a　mile　wide。〃　They　slowed　down。　It　was　getting　a　bit　muddy。　There　wasn't　a　bit　of　snow　on　the　ground　anymore；　and　a　gentle　rain　was　beginning。
　They　saw　a　purplish　mountain　range。　Six　bumps　on　the　horizon。　〃That's　it　…　I　remember　now；〃　Danik　shouted。　The　tallest　one　…　that's　where　I　came　from。〃
　Rockson　urged　them　onward。　It　was　nearly　night…fall；　the　purplish　sky　melding　with　blackness　to　the　east　that　was　already　filled　with　stars。　The　atmosphere　had　been　thinner　ever　since　N…Day；　so　even　before　the　sun　was　set；　you　could　see　many　of　the　brighter　constellations。
　The　mountains　loomed　larger　and　larger；　the　terrain　grew　rocky；　and　they　lost　time。　The　last　rays　of　sun　flickered　over　the　worn…down　peaks　of　brown　sandstone。　They　were　more　barren　hills　than　full…fledged　mountains。　Rockson　ordered　headlamps　on。　They　roared　toward　the　central　peak　…　Mt。　Obispo。　When　the　way　got　precipitous；　Rockson　raised　a　hand。
　They　stopped；　and　in　the　light　of　the　headlamp　of　his　big　Harley；　which　stood　up　leaning　on　its　kick…stand　on　the　gravelly　surface；　Rockson　took　out　the　map。
　Danik　concurred　with　Rock's　assessment　of　their　position。　〃We　are　upon　the　entranceway　to　Eden。〃　He　looked　nervous；　and　stated；　〃I　hadn't…I　hadn't　realized　we　were　so　close。　We　must　pull　back　for　a　time。　I　must　explain　something　to　you。〃
　〃Are　we　at　Eden　City？　If　we　are；　let's　get　into　your　tunnel。　We　have　a　date　with　this　madman　Stafford。〃
　〃No；〃　Danik　insisted。　He　was　silhouetted　in　the　light　of　the　headlamps；　looking　impossibly　tall　and　wraithlike。　He　said；　〃We　must　not　advance　to　the　entranceway　until　I　explain　…　please；　let　us　retreat　behind　that　hill　at　least；　until　I　explain。〃
　Rockson　begrudgingly　agreed。　They　turned　their　cycles　around　and　retreated　behind　the　hill。　Rock　got　quickly　off　his　vehicle　and　put　the　kickstand　down。　〃Now；　why　the　hell　can't　we　go　in？　Time　is　passing；　every　second　counts　…〃
　〃I　regret　to　say；〃　admitted　the　Eden　City　citizen；　〃that　I　omitted　some　detail　about　Eden　whe