rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第36部分

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　A　flash　of　light　seared　the　air；　and　Rock　tumbled　down　a　half　flight　to　avoid　it。　A　beam　of　heat　from　a　disintegrator　gun。　He　had　caught　up　to　Stafford。　Now　what？　There　was　silence。　As　he　lay　there；　a　hand　touched　Rockson's　shoulder。　Chen。　Rock　acknowledged　the　nudge。　They　were　two　against　one　now。　But　how　could　they　press　that　advantage？　Had　Stafford　reached　the　level　where　the　probe　was　situated？
　〃Stop。〃　Rockson　yelled。　〃Let's　talk；　Stafford。　Don't　do　it。〃
　There　was　a　high…pitched　screech　in　the　area　above。　What　the　hell？　It　wasn't　a　human　scream。　That　came　a　moment　later。　There　was　the　sound　of　leather　snapping　in　the　air；　a　wind　coursed　down　the　staircase。
　The　horrible　human　scream　continued。　Stafford's　scream。　There　were　flashbeams　behind　the　two　Freefighters；　others　of　their　pany　ing　up　the　stairs。　Danik　was　one　of　the　first　to　reach　them。　〃I　heard；〃　Danik　gasped。
　〃Was　it　a　giant　bat？〃　Rock　said。　〃How　could　it　get　in　here？〃
　A　trip　to　the　top　of　the　stairs　showed　how　the　seemingly　impossible　event　had　occurred。
　〃A　tremor　must　have　opened　up　the　wall　of　this　excavation　to　the　cavern；〃　Rock　said　as　the　flashbeams　played　around　the　ragged　hole　in　the　left　wall　of　the　small　probe　room。
　Danik　played　his　flashbeam　around；　finding　the　narrow　shaftway　that　led　upward；　the　missile…like　surface　probe　still　poised　in　it。　Rockson　rushed　to　the　device　and　opened　its　partment　door。　No　Factor　Q　canister。　So　Stafford　hadn't　had　time　to　put　Factor　Q　into　the　missile。　The　bat　had　gotten　Stafford　first。
　Rockson　took　up　McCaughlin's　electron　binoculars　and　peered　into　the　darkness　of　the　cavern　through　the　aperture　in　the　wall。　Desperately　he　adjusted　the　infrared　power　and　the　magnification　to　maximum；　scanning　the　far　reaches　of　the　cavern　…　and　saw　a　flapping　thing；　far　away。　A　black　shape。　The　bat；　winging　away　with　Stafford　in　its　claws；　heading　away；　away；　down　the　long　cavern　corridors。
　He　put　down　the　instrument。　How　was　he　to　follow？　And　yet　he　must。　He　must　be　sure　the　canister　was　not　burst　open。　Even　if　that　happened　in　the　depths　of　the　cavern；　the　germs　would　spread　slowly；　make　their　way　over　time　to　the　surface。
　He　pulled　the　powerful　instrument　from　his　eyes；　and　asked　Danik　for　his　flashlight。　He　played　the　light　down　into　the　cavern　below　them。　He　saw　that　the　way　was　steep；　but　one　could　climb　down。　This　he　proceeded　to　do。　He　scrambled　down　the　shifting　sands　of　the　underground　embankment　with　no　real　plan　in　mind。　He　knew　one　thing；　though。　He　had　to　retrieve　that　canister。
　Once　on　the　limestone　floor　below；　Rockson　considered　waiting　for　his　panions　who　were　following；　then　changed　his　mind；　plunging　ahead　at　breakneck　speed。
　He　ran　for　what　seemed　an　hour　but　might　have　been　just　a　few　minutes；　then；　exhausted；　he　fell　heavily　against　a　jutting　rock　formation。　He　was　breathing　heavily。　It　was　silly；　this　running　after　a　flying　thing。　A　thing　more　powerful　than　a　hundred　men。　A　thing　by　now　lost　in　the　bowels　of　the　Earth。
　He　let　out　a　cry　of　utter　hopelesssness。
　Rockson's　heart　sank　to　its　lowest　level　ever。　All　of　his　struggle；　the　immense　trek；　the　terrible　passage　through　the　caverns　of　Eden；　the　death　of　Chief　Smokestone　…　all　for　naught。
　Surely　the　canister　of　death　was　shattered　someplace　in　the　cavern　now；　and　slowly；　inexorably；　over　the　next　few　days　the　strange　and　deadly　germ　would　permeate　everywhere。
　The　glow　of　his　flashlight　annoyed　him　now；　for　he　wanted　the　darkness　to　hide　his　tears。　Rockson's　flicked　it　off　and　wept　alone　in　the　darkness。
　Giggles。　The　touch　of　icy　thought　fingers　to　his　forehead。　The　damned　Whisperers　again。　Rock　thought；　with　anger。　〃Go　away；〃　Rockson　shouted。
　〃Aren't　you　afraid　of　us？〃　the　soft　whisper　said。
　〃What's　to　be　afraid　of？　The　whole　Earth　is　doomed。〃
　〃How　so？〃　asked　the　gentle　voice。
　Rockson　said；　〃Look。　Whoever　or　whatever　you　are　…　you　might　as　well　know。　I'm　doomed；　all　is　doomed。　So　leave　me　alone。〃
　〃I　read　into　your　thoughts。　What　you　think　is　happening　is　horrible。　It　must　not　be。　I　must　help　you。〃　There　was　a　swishing　sound；　like　the　rippling　of　silk　in　the　wind。　A　breeze　caressed　Rockson　face。
　And　the　voice　was　closer。　〃My　name　is　Starlight。　Turn　on　your　light　and　see　me。〃
　Curious　and　thinking　to　himself；　Oh；　why　not；　seeing　this　creature　will　fill　in　the　last　few　hours　of　my　life；　Rockson　turned　on　the　light；　and　beheld　a　delightful　girl　child　of　about　ten　years　of　age　…　a　girl　dressed　in　a　sparkling　gossamer　outfit；　like　a　fairy。　She　had　the　softest　blond　hair　and　a　cherubic　face。　She　also　bad　two　green　tendrils　that　looked　like　bed…back　antennae　on　either　side　of　her　forehead。　Telepathy　apparatus。
　
　
　CHAPTER　29
　
　〃Starlight；　can　you　really　help？〃
　〃I　have　powers；　and　friends。　It　is　possible。　I　will　call　my　great　red　friend。〃　The　child　whistled　long　and　slow。　〃There；　that　is　done。　Now　while　we　wait　…　it　will　just　be　a　moment　…　let　me　tell　you　about　us　Whisperers。
　〃We　are　the　missing　children　of　Eden。　Our　parents　left　us　hideous　children　…　we　mutants　look　all　scrunched　up　at　birth　…　to　die　at　the　Sacrifice　pool。　They　believed　the　cavern　beings　would　take　us　and　eat　us。　Many　of　the　first　to　be　abandoned　died。　Some　among　us　crawled　away　and　lived　off　the　mushrooms　…　and　survived。　We　took　care　of　the　others　who　were　left　at　the　waters　after　that。　We　are　not　as　young　as　we　look　…　we　age　very　slowly。　I　am　psychic；　you　are　correct　there　…　that　is　why　I　could　immediately　understand　the　peril。　I　know　something　good。　The　canister　is　yet　intact。〃
　There　was　the　noise　of　a　great　flying　thing　swooping　down　from　the　cavern　roof　high　above。　Rock　yelled；　〃BAT！〃　and　went　to　draw　his　pistol。
　〃No；〃　said　the　child。　〃It　is　only　Ra…we…nak。　The　red　bat。　He　is　the　friend　I　whistled　for。　He　will　help　us　find　Stafford　and　retrieve　the　vial。〃
　Rock　flashed　up　his　beam　at　the　monstrous　thing　of　leather　wings　that　now　swooped　down　and　folded　its　wings。　It　waddled　over　to　Starlight　and　nudged　the　girl　child　with　its　big　single…horned　head。
　〃Nice　Ra…we…nak；〃　Starlight　said。　〃You　must　let　us　ride　you；　you　must　follow　the　vampire　bat　that　has　taken　the　man。〃
　If　a　bat　could　look　startled　and　uneasy；　this　one　did。　It　shied　away；　trembled。
　〃Do　not　worry；　Ra…we…nak；〃　said　Starlight。　〃We　have　a　weapon；　a　heat　pistol。　And　you　must　do　this；　so　that　we　can　all　remain　alive。　Please。　If　you　like　me；　and　want　me　to　be　your　friend　anymore；　please　do　this。
　The　creature's　eyes　became　watery　and　it　seemed　to　nod。
　Rockson　was　prompted　by　Starlight　to　mount　the　giant　flying　steed。　He　shrugged；　and　holding　the　horn　of　the　dark　red　saddle；　he　pulled　himself　up　on　the　thing's　back。　This　was　all　a　hallucination　anyway；　he　thought。　One　of　the　Whisperers'　crazy　mind…jokes。　He'd　go　along　for　the　ride。
　Starlight　climbed　aboard；　squeezing　her　cherubic　little　body　in　front　of　his。　Then　they　took　off　at　lightning　speed；　the　giant　red　bat　snapping　its　wings　mightily　to　gain　altitude。
　It　sure　seemed　real　enough；　Rockson　thought；　hanging　on　for　dear　life　as　the　floor　of　the　cavern　disappeared　in　the　darkness。
　Soon　they　were　in　a　dull　fiery　red　light。　They　were　apparently　going　about　a　hundred　miles　an　hour。　Rock　figured　that　from　the　flashing…past　of　a　multitude　of　stalactites　on　either　side　of　their　flight　path。　They　flew　at　the　red　glow　in　the　distance。　He　felt　like　he　was　inside　an　intestine。　And　laughed。　Perhaps　this　twisting　huge　tunnel　was　one　of　the　bowels　of　the　Earth。　Ha　ha；　what　an　illusion。
　And　then　he　saw　it　…　the　huge　black　bat；　floating　along　in　front　of　them；　holding　Stafford's　limp　body　in　its　claws。　And　Stafford's　hand　held　a　long　slender　cylinder。　Factor　Q。
　
　
　CHAPTER　30
　
　Starlight　exclaimed；　〃Yes；　I　see　it　too。〃　The　black　bat　didn't　turn　its　prehistoric　toothy　head；　but　it　must　have　sensed　their　approach；　for　it　squawked　and　veered　off；　making　a　sound　like　a　diving　B…98　bomber。　It　dove　down　a　corkscrewing　fifty…meter…wide　side　tunnel。
　〃Hold　on　tight。〃　Starlight　said。　Rockson　dug　his　heels　as　hard　as　he　could　into　the　side　of　the　giant　red　bat　as　it　swung　to　the　left　and　dropped　like　a　meteor。　Its　wings　had　snapped　shut；　hurtling　them　down　the　precipitous　side　tunnel　in　pursuit　of　the　black　bat　and　its　human　prey。　His　stomach　felt　like　it　did　in　the　high…speed　elevator　at　Century　City　…　queasy。
　Ra…we…nak；　their　steedbat；　snapped　open　its　wings　from　time　to　time　to　change　direction　or　make　a　sudden　spin；　following　the　spiraling　near…vertical　descent　of　the　tunnel。　It　was　gaining　on　the　black　bat；　which　took　another　wild　turn　down　an　even　steeper　pathway　in　the　faintly　luminous　underground　world。
　As　they　continued　plummeting　downward；　the　walls　of　the　tunnel　drew　in　tighter　and　tighter。　Rockson　could　see　it　slipping　by　like　the　corrugated　lining　of　some　giant　dark　intestine　at　a　mile　a　second。　The　red　bat　started　screaming　out　a　high…pitched　sound；　possibly　to　steer　itself；　listening　to　the　echoes　of　its　own　shrill　voice　as　a　form　of　sonar。　The　Doomsday　Warrior's　ears　hurt；　he　wished　he　could　let　go　of　Starlight　and　cover　them；　but　it　was　too　chancy。
　They　wove　and　spun；　sometimes　ing　perilously　close　to　a　rocky　wall　of　the　corkscrewing　tunnel。　The　air　grew　fetid　and　hot；