rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第3部分

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　〃Renquist　was　born　the　day　his　father　died。　He　grew　up　to　be　a　brilliant　youth　and　patented　many　inventions　from　the　age　of　twelve　onward。　He　was　always　fearful；　though。　Mankind　used　atomic　weapons　in　Japan；　in　1945；　and　Edward　Renquist　was　certain　the　nukes　would　be　used　again。
　〃He　decided　he　would　survive　nuclear　war　when　it　came。　He　created　the　concept；　the　design；　the　specialized　equipment　to　build　a　self…contained　buried　world；　a　sealed　biosphere　…　and　called　it　Eden。
　〃He　wanted　to　decide　who　would　live　in　the　survival　city。　After　the　war；　which　he　knew　would　e；　after　the　nuclear　destruction　was　unleashed　by　the　irrational　minds　of　mankind；　he　wanted　to　start　fresh；　with　nothing　but　brilliant　men　and　women。　He　wanted　a　new　world；　with　himself　in　charge。
　〃But　Renquist　didn't　live　to　take　advantage　of　his　creation　…　he　was　killed；　most　likely　in　the　vaporization　of　Austin；　Texas；　just　two　days　before　he　was　to　join　the　people　he　selected　in　Eden。　The　city　was　sealed　off。　Its　location　was　always　a　closely　guarded　secret；　and　if　someone　did　survive　to　try　to　find　it；　they　could　hardly　do　so　…　a　half　mile　of　rock　was　avalanched　over　the　site　by　special　machinery　automated　in　advance　for　that　task。
　〃My　great…grandfather　Ralf　Danik　was　one　of　the　original　groups　chosen　to　survive　the　war　in　the　radiation…free　city。　He　was　an　engineer　of　the　waterworks　of　Eden。　My　ancestor；　and　the　others　with　him；　had　no　idea　if　the　system　they　had　created　would　work。　If　not；　they　would　all　suffocate；　or　starve；　or　die　of　disease。　But　it　did　work。　And　since　it　had　been　sealed　off　before　the　fallout　from　the　bombed　cities　came；　it　was　radiation　free。　The　only　radiation…free　place　in　the　world。
　〃The　people　of　Eden　have　never　had　news　of　the　outside　world　…　none　at　all。　Most　of　us　in　Eden　believe　we　are　the　only　people　in　the　world。　We　live　from　generation　to　generation　inside　the　cave。　Safe。　Secure。　But　gradually　growing　weaker。　No　one　knows　just　why。　Perhaps　mankind　just　wasn't　made　too　live　so　long　in　caves。　By　my　generation　…　the　fifth　…　nearly　all　of　us　were　sterile。　And　a　movement　arose。
　〃Some　of　us　…　I　was　the　leader　in　the　effort　…　said　we　must　dig　our　way　out；　that　we　must　attempt　to　live　on　the　surface　again。　Preliminary　probes　with　detection　equipment　were　burrowed　up　in　pipes　to　the　surface。　They　showed　higher　radiation　than　normal；　less　oxygen。　But　it　was　liveable；　basically。　I　wanted　the　tunnel　to　be　widened　…　I　wanted　us　out。
　〃That's　when　the　election　was　held。　We　had　democratic　elections　of　our　council　every　seven　years。　I　ran　against　a　man　named　Stafford；　a　scientist　who　was　convinced　we　should　stay　underground；　that　we　should　devote　all　our　efforts　to　restore　our　genetic　structure；　so　that　we　could　have　children　better　adapted　to　living　underground。　He　was　…　and　is　…　convinced　there　is　no　way　for　us　to　exist　on　the　surface。　He　said　our　babies　could　be　born　in　artificial　uteruses；　if　women　couldn't　give　birth。
　〃My　party；　the　Surface　party；　won　the　election　handily；　but　Stafford　broke　into　the　century…old　store…houses　of　weapons；　and　his　followers　armed　themselves　and　pulled　a　coup　d'état。
　〃I　and　the　others　who　had　been　freely　elected　were　hunted　down　and　killed　one　by　one。　Our　only　hope　was　to　reach　the　surface。　And　six　of　us　made　it　…　through　a　series　of　ancient　construction　tunnels　that　had　failed　to　collapse　entirely　after　the　burial　of　the　city。
　〃It　was　a　wild　world　we　encountered。　Supplyless；　we　decided　to　head　north；　toward　the　United　States　…　or　where　the　United　States　used　to　be。　We　were　Americans。　We　hoped　to　find　other　Americans。　But　all　we　found　was　death。
　〃You　must　understand　…　underground　we　had　no　idea　it　was　winter。　Bitter　cold。　It　was　never　any　season　underground。　We　had　forgotten　the　word。　We　had　forgotten　the　meaning　even　for　bird　and　cloud　…　and　for　one　other　concept　I　learned　on　the　perilous　trek　to　this　place：　beauty。　For　this　world　of　yours；　regardless　of　the　dangers；　is　beautiful。　None　of　us　were　sorry　to　leave　Eden。　We　weren't　really　alive　down　there。
　〃I　really　didn't　know　exactly　where　we　were　heading。。。　Our　records　showed　a　place　called　Denver　was　near　the　mountains　called　the　Rockies。　We　found　an　old　map　in　an　abandoned　house　and　some　clothing。　Rags；　but　they　were　warmer　than　our　thin　clothing。
　〃We　tried　to　hunt；　with　sharpened　sticks；　but　were　seldom　successful。　We　ate　the　few　small　animals　we　killed　raw；　not　even　having　a　means　of　lighting　fires　until　we　found　a　magnifying　glass　to　focus　the　sun　on　twigs。　Of　the　six　who　started　out　from　Eden　…　myself；　Run　Dutil；　Sysin　File；　the　others　…　I　alone　survived　to　reach　this　area。　And　then　I　was　dying；　too。　I　was　delirious；　out　of　my　senses。　And；　unknown　to　me；　I　was　about　to　be　eaten　by　some　huge　creature　…　which　your　patrol　men　shot　dead。　They　brought　me　here；　gave　me　medical　attention；　and　fed　me　and　gave　me　that　delicious　thing　…　coffee　…　yes；　that's　it。　Coffee。　Wonderful。
　〃I　used　your　rapid…learning　tapes；　listened　to　them　while　I　slept。　Absolutely　an　amazing　achievement。　Sleep　learning。　Fantastic。　Your　kind　Dr。　Schecter　told　me　to　rest　after　I　had　eaten；　and　attached　the　asleep…learning　device。　It　told　me　all　about　your　fabulous　city。　Century　City　is　full　of　art；　of　fresh　air；　and　…　love。　Yes；　love。　Something　we　had　forgotten。　We　though　of　procreation　only　as　a　process；　not　as　the　result　of　the　love　between　male　and　female。　I　have　learned　so　much　of　your　people　already。　Eden　will　only　live　if　it　bees　one　of　your　allied　free　cities。　Open　to　the　world。　Dedicated　to　the　fighting　of　the　Soviet　occupiers。　Help　me；　Rockson　…　e　back　with　me　and　help　me　free　Eden。〃
　〃Wow；〃　Rockson　said。　He　didn't　know　what　else　to　say。
　〃You　must　go　to　Eden　with　Peth　Danik；　Rockson；〃　Rath　said。　〃Not　only　for　their　sake；　but　for　our　sake。　To　stop　Stafford；　the　mad　dictator　of　Eden；　from　releasing　Factor　Q。〃
　〃Factor　Q？　What's　that；　Danik？〃
　〃Rockson；　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　when　Stafford　raided　the　ancient　war　supplies　stored　in　Eden；　he　found　a　terrible　weapon　…　a　germ…warfare　canister；　Factor　Q。　It's　sort　of　a　virus　really　…　that　spreads　on　the　wind。　Once　released　on　the　surface　…　which　is　what　Stafford　has　threatened　to　do　…　no　human　will　be　alive　within　a　week。　The　canister　must　be　incinerated　without　being　opened。　Burned　totally　at　high　temperature。　That　means　of　its　deactivation　must　be　acplished　before　Stafford　uses　it。　Stafford　says　if　the　people　protest　his　rule；　if　they　wish　to　try　to　live　on　the　surface　despite　his　warnings；　he　will　release　the　virus　above　Eden。　So　that　no　one　could　ever　hope　to　live　on　the　surface。〃
　〃I　see；〃　Rock　said　grimly。
　〃Stafford's　a　real　Jim　Jones　case；〃　Rath　added。　〃Stafford　must　be　stopped。　Will　you　try；　Rockson？〃
　Rockson　sighed。　〃We're　snowbound。。。〃
　〃You　made　it　up　to　Alaska　and　back　once　in　the　winter。〃
　〃With　sled　dogs；　and　an　Eskimo　guide。　I　don't　have　either　here。。。　Danik；　if　I　mounted　an　expedition；　say　a　six…　or　seven…man　attack　force；　can　you　lead　me　to　Eden？〃
　〃I　don't　know　the　way　there。　I　just　wandered　here。　I　don't　know　the　location　of　Eden。　God；　I'm　sorry；　Rockson。〃　Danik　buried　his　thin　face　in　his　hands。
　〃You　have　to　find　a　way　to　Eden；　Rockson；〃　Rath　demanded。　〃You　will　find　a　way。　You're　the　Doomsday　Warrior。〃
　〃Thanks　for　your　confidence。　But　there　are　things　I　can't　do　…　like　miracles。〃
　〃You'll　find　a　way。〃
　
　
　CHAPTER　3
　
　Danik　lay　down　in　his　warm　feather　bed　and　looked　up　at　the　softly　glowing　ceiling　above　him。　〃Century　City；〃　he　said　softly；　to　himself。　〃I　am　in　Century　City；　a　free　American　city。　There　is　life；　life　vibrant　and　healthy；　out　here　in　the　wilderness　of　America。　Here　are　people；　not　sickly　diseased　mutations；　not　cannibals　as　Stafford　had　claimed　…　but　good；　brave　Americans。〃
　Danik　reached　over　to　the　table　and　took　up　the　asleep…learning　earphones　and　placed　them　on　his　head。　He　closed　his　eyes。　Dr。　Schecter　had　told　him　to　relax；　to　rest　and　listen　to　this　particular　tape：　〃Accounts　of　the　Exploits　of　Ted　Rockson；　by　Detroit　Green。〃　Schecter　reasoned　that　on　hearing　of　the　exploits　of　Ted　Rockson；　Danik's　unconscious　would　have　to　admit　the　possibility　that　Ted　Rockson　could　do　the　impossible。　Namely；　that　Rockson　could　go　to　Eden　with　his　small　squad；　defeat　Stafford；　prevent　Factor　Q　from　being　unleashed。　Schecter　believed；　along　with　the　psychiatric　staff；　that　Danik's　blocked　memories　of　his　trek　might　be　released；　Danik　believed　there　was　hope；　〃You'll　remember　enough　of　your　trek　to　lead　our　man　to　Eden；〃　Schecter　had　encouraged。　〃You　will。〃
　Danik　sighed。　He　put　on　the　earphones　and　lay　back　trying　to　relax。　He　did　want　to　hear　of　Rockson's　exploits。　Danik　wanted　to　know　more　about　this　man　with　the　white　streak　in　his　hair　and　mismatched　eyes。　The　man　they　called　the　Doomsday　Warrior。
　Everyone　was　depending　on　him　to　remember。　And　he　couldn't。　The　only　thing　he　remembered　of　the　trek　was　ing　out　of　the　half…collapsed　tunnel　from　Eden　with　his　panions　in　the　nighttime。　And　following　the　star　…　the　North　Star。　Then　all　was　a　blank　until　the　moment　he　was　being　carried　by　two　men　into　Century　City。　They'd　carried　him　up　to　a　sheer　mountain　wall；　banged　on　the　rocks　as　if　they　were　knocking　on　a　door。　Then；　amazingly；