rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第27部分

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　But　such　an　easy　escape　was　not　to　be。　The　minute　they　took　off；　running　as　fast　as　they　could；　the　insidious　metal　things　took　after　them；　bleeping　and　grinding　on　ancient　gears　but　still　moving　rapidly。　They　came　after　the　humans　like　voracious　insects　that　had　spotted　fresh　meat。　Whatever　powered　the　little　metal　hell…things　still　propelled　them　faster　than　a　man　…　or　woman　…　could　run。
　Chen；　who　was　in　the　rear；　tossed　several　exploding　shurikens　accurately　over　his　shoulder　as　he　took　flight；　and　they　made　their　targets。　But　the　metal　things　absorbed　the　explosive　force　of　the　deadly　star…knives；　and　once　they　righted　themselves　from　their　fallen…over　positions；　they　kept　ing。
　The　most　the　martial…arts　master's　weapons　did　was　knock　several　on　their　bellies　momentarily。
　〃Spread　out　so　you　don't　hit　each　other；　and　fire　back　whenever　you　see　one　getting　close　to　you；〃　Rockson　ordered。　He　crouched　and；　turning；　himself　blasted　back　accurately　with　a　withering　barrage　of　9mm　death。　Then　he　fired　six　explosive　shells　from　his　shotpistol。
　The　shiny　metal　things　were　blasted　off　their　feet；　but　the　bullets　zinged　off　their　extra…hard　shells　into　the　darkness。　And　again　they　righted　themselves　and　kept　ing。　A　quick　play　of　the　light　behind　showed　hundreds；　maybe　thousands；　of　the　tough　little　monsters。
　〃We'll　have　to　think　of　something　else　to　stop　them；〃　Rock　yelled　over　the　barrage　of　fire　pouring　out　of　the　Freefighters'　weapons。
　〃I've　got　an　idea；〃　Scheransky　said。　〃We　throw　some　of　our　stuff　…　clothes；　anything；　behind　us。　They　grab　it　and　blow　themselves　up。　Let　them　destroy　themselves　if　we　can't　do　it。〃
　〃I'll　never　say　anything　against　borscht　again。〃　Rock　said。　〃A　brilliant　idea。　Everyone　…　take　off　up　the　corridor。　But　discard　some　items　of　clothing　…　anything。〃
　Chen　threw　down　his　souvenir　of　the　battles　in　Death　City　…　the　odd　helmet　he'd　snatched　from　the　Snake　Temple　soldier。　It　rolled　toward　the　little　beeping　followers。
　A　flashbeam　…　Detroit's　…　shot　back　to　reveal　two　of　the　little　nasties　pouncing　upon　it　and　wrapping　their　little　steel　legs　about　the　helmet's　circumference。　Then　they　blew　up。　Pieces　of　metal　flew　everywhere；　one　catching　Chen　in　the　shoulder。
　Rockson　encouraged　the　runners　to　continue　the　discarding　of　materials。　There　had　to　be　some　limit　to　the　numbers　of　the　metal　scabies；　he　figured。
　Within　minutes　the　near…exhausted　sprinters　had　nothing　save　their　clothing　and　weapons　to　discard　behind　them。　And　Rockson　knew　they　couldn't　keep　up　the　pace　much　longer。　Danik　was　near　his　limit　for　sure。
　Rockson；　concerned　for　the　others；　should　have　paid　more　attention　to　his　own　bootheels。　A　particularly　well　functioning　scabie…bomb　was　suddenly　upon　him。　It　scurried　up　to　hold　fast　to　his　left　boot；　almost　tripping　him。　It　was　beeping　faster　and　faster。　It　was　going　to　explode。
　
　
　CHAPTER　21
　
　He　winced　in　pain　as　the　sharp　crablike　legs　of　the　ambulatory　bomb　seized　his　foot　in　their　crushing　grip。　He　tore　at　his　bootlaces　and　pulled　out　of　the　boot；　thus　leaving　the　death…maker　behind。　He　ran　onward；　sharp　rocks　on　the　floor　of　the　corridor　ripping　at　his　bare　foot；　still　he　was　catching　up　to　the　Freefighters；　who　were　cheering　him　on；　urging　him　to　get　away　from　the　thing　before　…
　Boom。　The　thing　that　had　grabbed　his　boot　exploded。　And　more　of　the　beastly　bugs　came　pouring　through　its　smoke。
　The　Freefighters　poured　their　bined　fire　on　the　little　menaces　that　were　closest　to　catching　up　to　Rockson；　but　one　of　the　steel…legged　hell…things　put　on　a　burst　of　battery…driven　speed　and　climbed　onto　his　calf　and　sunk　its　steel…tipped　legs　into　his　flesh。　He　fell；　and　tore　at　it；　he　could　hear　the　soft　ticking　grow　louder；　the　beeping　grow　more　intense　as　he　pried　at　the　many　legs　of　steel。
　The　Freefighters　were　hanging　back；　desperate　to　help。　〃Go　on；　don't　wait　for　me。〃　It　was　a　direct　order　and　obeyed　by　all　…　except　for　Class　Act。　Class　Act；　snarling　and　with　its　triple　row　of　steely　teeth　exposed　to　the　full；　leapt　out　of　the　nearby　darkness　and　plunged　against　the　tenacious　machine…creature。　The　loyal　wolf…dog　furiously　tore　at　the　lethal　walking　bomb；　succeeding　in　tearing　it　from　Rockson's　leg。　Then　the　dog　itself　became　the　target　of　the　relentless　steel　claws。　The　metal　mandibles　locked　around　the　belly　of　the　beast。　Class　Act；　howling　like　a　hound　of　hell　itself；　ran　off　into　the　Stygian　blackness。
　There　was　a　blast。　Bits　of　raw；　red　dog　flesh　and　fur　pelt　were　thrown　at　Rockson　as　he　painfully　rose　to　his　feet。
　Rockson　painfully　limped　along　after　his　panions。　The　loyal　sled　dog　had　given　him　his　life　back。
　Detroit　was　lobbing　grenade　after　grenade　behind　Rock；　having　set　the　pineapples　on　slow　fuse。　Some　were　grabbed　and　held　by　the　bombs；　other　blew　up　by　themselves。
　Archer　came　up　to　Rockson　and　lifted　the　injured　man　and　threw　him　over　his　shoulder。　They　took　off　again　up　the　corridor。
　When　the　hell；　thought　Rockson　through　a　veil　of　pain；　would　they　reach　Eden？　Would　the　damned　killer　claws　follow　them　into　it　even　if　they　did　reach　their　goal？　Danik；　his　legs　or　breath　having　given　out；　fell。　McCaughlin　swept　him　up　and　carried　him　easily。
　Rock's　leg　was　torn　in　two　places；　a　sharp　pain　jolted　him　at　every　step　of　the　giant　man　holding　him。
　It　was　not　just　his　own　problem　…　or　Danik's。　It　was　obvious　…　they　could　no　longer　outrun　the　ambulatory　arsenal。　They　would　have　to　make　a　stand。
　Rockson；　from　his　awkward　position；　was　able　to　see　ahead。　He　saw　a　place　to　make　a　stand。
　〃Quick；　behind　those　barrels　ahead。〃
　The　Freefighters；　exhausted　and　about　to　give　out；　dove　behind　the　barrels　and　took　up　positions；　crouching　or　full　out　flat　in　the　spaces　between　the　round　black　containers。　Their　weapons；　already　half　out　of　ammo；　were　leveled　once　more　at　the　pursuing　infernal　devices。　Rockson　ordered；　〃Open　up　with　everything　you　have。〃
　〃Hold　your　fire；〃　Rona　said。　〃Try　lobbing　these　babies。〃　She　had　broken　open　a　barrel　with　the　butt　of　her　rifle　and　found　some　useful　items。
　McCaughlin　was　handed　one。　〃Helmets！〃　he　exclaimed。
　They　had　all　seen　the　things　seize　the　helmet　that　Chen　had　thrown　at　them；　and　had　all　wished　they　had　taken　one　of　the　Death　City　souvenirs　with　them。　Now　they　had　ample　supplies　of　the　things。　These　were　more…ordinary　steel　affairs　…　brown　twentieth…　century　U。S。　Army　bat　helmets。　They'd　do。
　The　Freefighters　broke　open　more　barrels　and　heaved　away　the　contents。　Each　helmet　tossed　meant　one　less　bomb。　And　in　a　matter　of　fifty　tosses；　there　were　no　more　of　the　little　bastards　to　follow　them。
　Rockson　and　the　others　slowly　rose　from　their　positions。
　Rock　dropped　the　helmet　in　his　hand。　〃There　are　only　a　handful　of　the　helmets　left。　It　was　a　good　thing　we　ran　out　of　scabies　before　we　ran　out　of　helmets。〃
　〃Now　what？〃　Detroit　asked。
　〃Now　we　go　on；〃　Rock　said；　with　determination　…　and　pain　…　etched　in　his　voice。　He　shook　away　helping　hands　as　he　tore　a　piece　of　fabric　from　his　jacket　and　tied　up　the　leg　wound。　〃It　didn't　hit　any　major　vessels。　I　can　walk　…　even　if　it　smarts　a　bit。〃
　Rockson　hoped　that　the　corridor　would　shortly　bring　them　to　the　fissure　that　led　to　Eden。　Instead　they　exited　the　corridor　into　another　cavern；　this　one　lit　by　some　sort　of　luminous　rock；　and　filled　with　brilliant　amethyst　crystal　formations。　〃Man；〃　said　Detroit；　〃This　is　really　something。〃
　Danik　exclaimed；　〃We　are　at　the　threshhold　of　Eden。　In　the　stories　…　they　speak　of　an　Amethyst　Cave　that　sends　pleasant　cool　winds　into　Eden　via　a　fissure　near　the　lake。　This　is　the　place。〃
　〃Well；　I　never　saw　the　likes　of　something　like　this；〃　McCaughlin　said。　〃You　must　be　right。〃
　Rockson　told　them　to　fan　out　and　try　to　find　a　wind　…　the　escaping　cool　air　that　flowed　into　their　destination。
　Archer　found　the　draft。　His　big　floppy　hat　blew　off；　and　was　almost　sucked　into　the　crevice。　His　beard　fluttered；　his　crystal　skull…filling　flashed　with　red　and　blue　sparks　of　excitement。　〃Heeeerrreee〃　he　yelled。　Rock　told　the　others　to　sit　down　a　bit　before　they　plunged　into　Eden。　He　had　decided　on　a　plan　of　action。　A　plan　that　all　except　Archer　…　who　always　agreed　with　Rock　…　and　Detroit　and　Chen　thought　might　work。　All　the　others　were　dead　set　against　it。
　〃I'll　make　it　orders；〃　Rock　said；　once　he　told　them　of　his　idea。　〃It's　the　only　way　I　can　imagine　we　can　overe　all　of　Eden's　forces　in　one　blow。〃

　
　CHAPTER　22
　
　At　that　very　moment　in　Eden；　in　the　steam　room　of　his　private　rooms　adjoining　the　austere　Government　Building；　Stafford　lounged　restfully。　He　loved　the　steam；　the　heat；　the　sweating。　His　flaccid；　hairy　body　responded　to　it；　sang　with　the　steam　hissing　from　the　heated　rocks。
　And　he　didn't　like　to　be　disturbed　in　these　sojourns　into　peace。　The　affairs　of　state　were　most　trying；　and　he　had　to　have　his　relaxation。
　The　door　at　the　far　end　of　the　misty　room　opened。　A　cool　breeze　came　in。
　〃Mannerly？　Is　that　you？　Shut　the　damned　door。〃
　〃Sir；〃　said　Mannerly；　the　butler；　ing　in　quickly　and　closing　the　door；　〃where　are　you？〃
　〃Over　here。　At　the　far　end。　e　over　here　and　speak。　What　do　you　want？　What's　so　important？〃
　〃Sir；〃　said　the　tall　tuxedoed　Mannerly；　stepping　carefully　on　the　s