rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第19部分

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　〃I　regret　to　say；〃　admitted　the　Eden　City　citizen；　〃that　I　omitted　some　detail　about　Eden　when　I　spoke　of　it。　There　is　a　danger　…　a　real　danger　…　in　that　tunnel。　I　said　it　is　an　old　construction　tunnel　that　no　one　uses　…　but　the　reason　is　not　fear　of　it　collapsing。　There　is　a　more　fearsome　reason。　There　are　two　parts　to　Eden。　The　tunnel；　the　only　way　in；　skirts　along　a　second　underground　settlement。　It　is　called　Death　City。　It　is　called　that　because　to　be　near　it　causes　death。　We　were　faced　with　execution；　so　my　party　took　the　chance　and　went　through　that　tunnel；　and　we　made　it　by　the　skin　of　our　teeth。　There　are　patrols　of…the　Cultists。〃
　〃What　exactly　is　this　Death　City？〃
　Danik　sighed。　〃About　twenty…five　years　after　Eden　was　sealed　off；　there　was　a　secession　of　a　sort　by　a　thousand　followers　of　a　sect　of　people　that　worshipped　Renquist。〃
　〃　Worshipped　Renquist？　The　millionaire　who　set　up　the　city？〃
　〃Exactly；　Rockson。　Renquist　had　assumed　the　dimension　of　a　god　to　those　who　attributed　their　safety　to　his　forethought　and　planning；　to　his　choosing　them　to　survive　when　the　world　was　plunged　into　nuclear　war。　Naturally；　the　other　inhabitants　thought　this　group　a　bit　odd；　but　they　were　tolerated。　The　sect　grew　as　troubles　beset　Eden　…　and　when　the　women　of　our　world　became　barren；　after　the　thirtieth　year　of　being　sealed　off；　then　the　cult　really　grew。　They　demanded　the　worship　of　giant　statues　they　erected　of　Renquist。　They　said　we　should　sacrifice　a　human　being　to　the　statue；　so　that　Renquist　would　forgive　us　and　all　would　be　well　again。　The　government　refused。
　〃The　Cultists　said　we　would　all　die　if　we　didn't　worship　the　correct　god　…　Renquist。　They　went　off　on　their　own　…　further　into　the　natural　caverns。　This　mountain　is　much　like　the　Carlsbad　Caverns　of　Virginia；　which　I　saw　pictures　of　in　Century　City。　The　mountain　is　honeybed　with　giant　chambers。　The　Renquist　cultists　sealed　off　their　cavern　and　have　seldom　been　seen　since。　But　there　were　incidents　of　our　women　being　carried　off　if　they　came　too　close　to　the　Death　City　side　of　Eden。　Women　…　our　women　…　used　to　go　to　the　area　of　the　'fresh　winds；'　near　the　waters　of　Eden；　to　drown　their　deformed　babies。　These　hideous　creatures　started　to　be　born　shortly　before　the　women　of　Eden　became　entirely　barren。
　〃The　babies　were　spirited　away　almost　instantly。　We　know　that　because　some　of　the　women　changed　their　minds　and　returned　to　the　area　to　find　the　hideous　children　gone。　Sometimes　the　women　did　not　return；　either。　There　were　screams；　the　women's　clothes　were　found。　No　amount　of　searching　ever　turned　them　up。　We　believe　that　they　were　sacrificed　to　the　statues　of　Renquist　in　Death　City。〃
　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　that　before？〃
　〃The　memories　were　vague。　And　then　as　I　remembered　about　Death　City；　I　was　afraid　you　would　abandon　the　journey。　For　there　are　thousands　of　these　fearsome　Cultists。　They　are　even　more　dangerous　than　Stafford。　The　cultists　know　of　the　passageway　to　Eden。　We　were　in　the　tunnel；　and　we　heard　marching　feet　…　we　froze　in　position；　but　weird　greenish　lights　played　over　us　…　possibly　some　sort　of　detector　ray　…　and　then　gas　came　rolling　at　us。　We　ran　…　we　were　but　a　short　distance　from　the　surface　…　I　could　see　the　blue　afternoon　sky。　We　were　lucky。。。　I　am　not　brave。　I　am　not　a　warrior。　I　am　sorry　…〃
　Rockson　said；　〃Men；　we　must　immediately　post　a　guard。。。〃
　The　bald　stocky　man　with　the　muttonchop　moustache　peered　over　the　rocks。　His　name　was　Manion。　He　gazed　with　interest　at　the　group　of　strangers。　One　of　them　appeared　to　be　an　Anasazi　Indian　…　Indians　had　been　seen　before　on　these　patrols　on　the　surface。　But　the　others；　dressed　in　military　khaki；　they　were　unusual。　Wait　…　one　of　them　was　a　woman。　Manion　watched　the　tall　woman　excitedly。　A　surface　woman。　A　necessity　for　breeding　purposes。　And　there　was　something　about　…　the　woman　sat　down　and　started　going　through　a　pack　of　supplies。　She　took　off　her　big　insulating　jacket　and　the　black　helmet。　She　shook　loose　her　long　red　hair。　That　aquiline　nose；　those　high　cheekbones　…　the　hair　…　she　looked　like。。。　It　was　the　Goddess　Sandra。　It　was。　Manion　had　seen　her　photos　a　thousand　times　in　the　Temple；　memorized　her　every　nuance；　her　every　gainly　move；　on　the　videotapes。　He　had　seen　the　Sandra；　and　the　God　Edward　Renquist　to　whom　she　was　consort；　strolling　the　streets　of　Dallas；　Texas；　in　those　most　sacred　videotapes。　Yes；　Manion　was　sure　it　was　her；　The　Sandra。　She　had　returned。
　Excitedly　the　blue…robed　figure　that　was　Manion　scurried　back　down　the　defile　and　told　his　rades　of　the　discovery。　In　whispered　excitement　he　told　them　his　decision。　He　decided　that　the　sleep　gas　had　to　be　used　…　the　Goddess　was　among　an　odd　group　…　perhaps　she　had　been　intercepted　on　her　way　back　to　the　Faithful　Ones　of　Death　City。　Perhaps　the　Sandra　was　a　captive。　Or　perhaps　they　were　merely　her　earthly　panions；　demigods　appearing　to　be　humans。　〃Nevertheless；〃　Manion　said；　〃we　can't　go　wrong　to　use　the　gas。　And　we　must　hurry　before　the　breeze　shifts　…　if　their　vicious…looking　mastiff　gets　our　scent；　we　will　be　consumed　surely。〃
　Each　of　the　shaved…headed　followers　…　ten　in　all　…　loaded　their　silvery　tube　weapons　with　something　like　bazooka　shells；　only　made　of　transparent　plastic。　The　liquid　inside　the　shells　had　been　originally　developed　to　handle　the　rioters　in　the　late　1980s。　It　was　still　effective；　though　a　century　old。　The　great　Renquist　had　stockpiled　these　weapons　and　many　others　knowing　in　his　mind　that　the　day　would　e　when　they　must　be　used　by　the　Devout　to　protect　the　Faith。
　〃Quickly；　up　to　the　top；〃　the　muttonchopped　bald　man　said　to　his　minions。　〃Fire　in　a　circle　around　the　intruders。　Make　sure　you　do　not　hit　our　Goddess。　Anyone　who　harms　the　Sandra　will　be　added　to　the　Snake　Temple's　Mound。〃　With　that　admonition　the　flock　stealthily　crawled　up　to　the　edge　of　the　ridge　and；　on　signal　from　Manion；　fired　their　silent　weapons。　The　gas　shells　exploded　in　a　perfect　circle　around　those　below；　and　even　their　strange　animals　succumbed　instantly。
　
　
　CHAPTER　15
　
　When　Rock　and　the　others　awoke　it　wasn't　long　until　they　realized　that　the　one　person　missing　was　Rona　Wallender。
　Detroit　Green　ran　over　and　lifted　Danik；　who　was　only　up　on　one　elbow；　off　the　ground。　〃You　skinny　weird　bastard；〃　Detroit　threatened；　pulling　back　his　left　hand　in　a　fist。　〃Your　lies　have　resulted　in　Rona　being　taken。　How　do　we　know　you　aren't　one　of　these　Cultists　yourself？　I　know　you　had　something　to　do　with　this　…　you　led　us　into　a　trap。〃
　〃No；　no；　I　swear。。。〃　Danik　stuttered。　〃I　didn't。〃
　〃Sure　you　did。　You　already　admitted　not　telling　us　about　Death　City　…　now　your　friends　have　taken　away　Rona　…　you　set　this　up　…　and　you're　gonna　admit　it。　Spill　it　…　where'd　they　take　Rona？〃
　Chen　stayed　Detroit's　fist　the　second　it　started　traveling　for　the　albino's　nose。　〃Stop；　Detroit。　He　doesn't　know　…　he　didn't　set　us　up。。。〃
　〃How　the　hell　do　you　know　that？　He　lied　to　us　…　he　admitted　it。〃　Detroit　didn't　let　go　of　Danik's　collar。
　Rockson　was　the　only　one　taking　effective　action。　He　had　crawled　up　on　the　rise　and　peered　over　to　the　mountain。　He　pulled　up　his　electron　binoculars　…　equipped　with　a　night…vision　mode　…　and　scanned　the　area。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　woman　he　cared　so　much　for。　He　looked　for　tracks。　The　ground　was　rocky；　and　there　were　none。　He　scrambled　back　down　to　the　arguing　Freefighters　and　Danik。
　He　passed　a　burst…open　metal　thing　…　one　of　the　sleep…gas　shells；　half　buried　in　the　soil。　He　touched　it。　A　strange　canister　…　soft　metal。
　As　Rockson　approached　the　noisy　Freefighters；　he　heard　the　gist　of　the　argument；　which　was　continuing。　Then　he　saw　the　position　of　the　three　…　Chen　holding　Detroit's　arm；　Detroit　threatening　Danik；　having　lifted　the　poor　man　off　the　ground　by　his　coat　collar。　Chen　was　saying；　〃Detroit；　your　reasoning　isn't　logical。　If　Danik　did　set　us　up；　why　did　he　warn　us　about　the　Cultists；　why　did　he　tell　us　to　be　on　guard　just　before　the　attack　came？　We　were　about　to　take　precautions。　Why　was　only　Rona　taken；　why　are　we　still　alive？　Why　is　Danik　still　here　with　us？〃
　〃I　don't　know　the　answers；　Chen；　but　I'll　bet　I　can　beat　some　answers　out　of　…〃
　Rockson　intervened。　〃Chen's　right；　Detroit。　Let　Danik　go。　We　have　to　find　Rona。　There's　no　sign　of　her。　Danik；〃　snapped　the　Doomsday　Warrior；　〃where's　the　entrance　to　the　tunnel。　We're　going　in　after　her。〃
　Danik　said；　〃I　…　I　think　I　can　find　it。　Just　over　the　hill　near　the　three　big　boulders。〃　Then　he　added　most　pathetically；　〃I　didn't　plan　this　…　I'm　sorry。　It's　all　my　…　It　is　all　my　fault　…　please　forgive　me。。。　I　will　do　what　I　can　to　help　you　free　her　before　she　is　sacrificed。。。〃
　〃Never　mind　that；〃　said　Rockson。　〃Find　me　that　hole　in　the　ground；　Danik。　If　we　run　into　them；　and　the　Cultists　object　to　releasing　her　immediately。。。〃　Rockson　unholstered　his　shotpistol　and　raised　it；　〃this　will　take　care　of　them。〃
　The　team　was　all　together　on　this　sentiment。　It　was　time　for　manly　action。　Archer　growled　and　lifted　his　steel　crossbow　over　his　head；　Chen　wooshed　his　nunchaku　sticks。　McCaughlin　lifted　his　Liberator　rifle；　joining　in　the　tumult　of　anger。
　Within　minutes；　the　Edenite　had　led　them　through　a　bizarre　jumble　of　oddly　shaped　roc