gns.throwback-第15部分

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t　to　be　annihilated　by　mob　rule；　the　law　of　primitive　Man；　for　our　enemy　is　our　own　kind；　our　own　people　robbed　of　their　minds；　reverted　to　their　ancestors　by　a　cruel　and　unscrupulous　foe。　Almost　every　means　of　munication　has　now　failed。'　Don't　ask　me　right　now　how　we　are　going　to　reorganise　because　I　don't　know。　It　might　be　an　impossibility。　'At　the　moment　we　are　waiting　upon　Professor　Reitze　and　his　team　of　scientists。　They　are　working　the　clock　round　to　find　a　way　to　bat　this　vile　and　despicable　means　of　war。'
　　
　　Silence。
　　
　　There　wasn't　anything　else　left　to　say；　nothing　to　argue　about；　a　government　that　was　suddenly　devoid　of　politics；　their　only　manifesto　one　of　survival。　They　could　only　wait。
　　
　　Reitze　checked　through　his　notes　again　after　the　PM　and　the　Defence　Minister　had　left。　A　hint　of　a　worried　frown；　his　forehead　creased　and　smoothing　out；　Reitze　being　his　old　emotionless　self　again。　It　wasn't　an　act；　this　was　how　he　was；　what　made　him　tick。　If　he　died　tomorrow　he　wouldn't　know　anything　about　it　so　what　was　the　use　of　worrying？　Slight　concern　that　perhaps　they　had　overlooked　something　somewhere；　something　just　too　obvious。　They　would　check　again。　And　again。　But　he　had　to　admit　that　it　was　a　hopeless　task；　not　conceding　defeat；　just　accepting　facts。　That　was　the　hardest　part　of　all；　admitting　that　you　were　beaten。
　　
　　He　lit　another　Camel；　pressed　the　buzzer　on　his　desk。　A　few　seconds　later　a　sliding　door　opened　and　another　white…coated　scientist　entered；　A　younger　man　than　Reitze；　tall　and　fair…haired；　eyes　red…rimmed　as　though　he　hadn't　slept　in　the　last　thirty…six　hours；　just　the　odd　catnap　on　the　couch　in　the　rest…room　adjoining　the　lab。
　　
　　'Brian；'　Reitze　looked　up；　almost　smiled　but　not　quite；　'we're　gonna　name　this　one　the　Evolution　Bug。　I　don't　reckon　we　can　e　up　with　anything　else　now。　We've　just　gotta　check　in　case　we　missed　something；　but　I　think　we've　gone　as　far　as　we　can　go　and　I'll　have　to　tell　them　that　soon。　The　ultimate　in　mutation。　If　we　had　lived　in　the　Stone　Age　that's　how　we　would　have　been；　immune　to　diseases　which　would　destroy　mankind　today　and　these　throwbacks　are　just　the　same。　Immune　to　anything　we　can　give　them　because　their　body　cells　will　resist　everything。　Evolution　is　the　only　answer；　civilisation　will　have　to　start　all　over　again！　In　a　million　years'　time　they'll　be　finding　skeletons　and　scratching　their　heads；　wondering　how　the　hell　civilisation　reached　its　peak　and　went　back　again。　I'm　wondering　whether　those　who　have　escaped　can　survive；　even　the　bastards　who　started　all　this。　We　will　be　the　ones　without　body　resistance；　diseases　developing　which　modern　medicine　has　never　e　across。'
　　
　　'I　see。'　Brian　Newman　nodded。　'As　a　matter　of　fact　that　occurred　to　me　but　I　kept　it　to　myself。'
　　
　　'We'll　have　to　do　just　that。　There's　no　point　in　panicking　everybody　and　if　we're　right　there's　not　a　goddamn　thing　you　or　I　or　anybody　else　can　do　about　it。　In　the　meantime　we　just　keep　on　working；　hoping。　And　if　you're　a　praying　man；　pray。'
　　
　　Reports　came　in　slowly　over　the　next　few　days。　The　Continent　had　suffered　badly；　West　Germany；　France　and　Italy　in　chaos。　Switzerland　seemed　to　have　fared　better　than　most　due　to　government　legislation　that　all　new　houses　had　to　be　fitted　with　fall…out　shelters。　No　warning　except　that　strange　and　terrible　things　were　befalling　the　French　and　Italians　so　the　Swiss　had　dived　for　cover。
　　
　　Nothing　at　all　from　the　eastern…bloc　countries。　No　munications。　They　might　have　been　wiped　out；　they　might　be　lurking　safely　below　ground。　There　was　no　way　of　telling。　The　Kremlin　was　silent。
　　
　　Rankine　studied　the　large…scale　maps　in　the　operations　room。　The　number　of　pins　was　increasing　hourly；　most　of　them　red　ones。　The　majority　of　survivors　in　remote　rural　parts　had　no　way　of　contacting　the　authorities；　probably　did　not　even　realise　that　anybody　except　themselves　had　survived。　They　would　be　fighting　their　own　battles；　rabbits　living　in　warrens；　isolated　pockets　of　sanity　until　madness　prevailed。
　　
　　Fires　were　going　unchecked；　raging　through　towns　and　cities。　The　injured　suffered　and　died　agonising　deaths　because　there　was　nobody　to　help　them。　But　there　was　a　pattern　of　behaviour　amongst　the　new　semi…human　race。　Like　rats　leaving　doomed　ships；　they　fled　the　built…up　areas。　Buildings　were　foreign　to　their　nature；　their　in…born　fear　of　anything　beyond　their　basic　understanding　driving　them　out　to　the　few　wild　places　that　remained　in　Britain。
　　
　　The　first　step　of　a　new　evolution　was　beginning。
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　EIGHT
　　
　　JACKIE　QUINN　followed　where　the　man　she　knew　as　Kuz　led。　Through　the　night；　along　a　main　road；　not　knowing　what　it　was　or　why　it　was　there；　making　detours　when　they　approached　a　village　or　hamlet。
　　
　　In　their　wake　came　some　twenty　or　thirty　men　and　women；　some　of　whom　had　started　the　journey　with　them　from　First　Terrace；　others　they　had　picked　up　on　the　way。　From　the　mists　of　time　civilisation　has　always　bowed　to　leaders；　sought　the　security　of　another's　decisions。　And　Kuz　was　one　of　those　leaders。
　　
　　They　travelled　at　a　fast　walking　pace；　not　slowing；　not　showing　any　signs　of　tiredness；　and　when　dawn　came　they　saw　the　rolling　range　of　hills　beyond。　Kuz　changed　direction　slightly；　heading　towards　those　bracken…covered　slopes；　and　Jackie　sensed　the　eagerness　of　the　others；　experienced　the　feeling　herself；　that　of　a　traveller　returning　from　a　very　long　journey；　weary；　but　on　sighting　his　home　in　the　distance　is　at　once　refreshed；　hastening　his　arrival；　that　last　mile　seemingly　ten；　a　mirage　that　you　thought　you　would　never　reach。
　　
　　The　hills　were　home；　nobody　questioned　that　as　they　followed　a　narrow　winding　track　through　the　new　growth　of　bracken　and　heather。　The　sun　climbed　higher；　beat　down　on　them　with　a　sadistic　mercilessness；　clouds　of　black　flies　swarming；　settling　on　the　thick　hair　of　the　travellers。　Bees　hunted　relentlessly　for　pollen；　and　once　a　single　grouse　whirred　up　from　beneath　their　feet；　planed　down　the　long　slope　and　alighted　when　it　thought　it　was　safe。
　　
　　They　were　high　up　now；　1；500　feet　at　least；　below　them　the　long　valley　with　its　wide　main　road　littered　with　crashed　and　abandoned　vehicles；　a　set　of　traffic　lights　that　winked　red；　amber　and　green　reflections　in　the　bright　sunlight　as　though　they　carried　on　working　in　defiance　of　everything　around　them。　Moving　dots　signified　people；　others　returning　to　the　wild　after　a　foray　into　the　brick　and　concrete　jungles　of　an　unknown　world；　not　knowing　why　they　had　been　there　in　the　first　place。
　　
　　Kuz　had　smelled　the　stream；　then　heard　the　trickling　of　clear　fresh　water；　tearing　his　way　through　a　thick　barrier　of　brambles　to　reach　it；　throwing　himself　down　full…length　on　the　shallow　bank　and　slurping　noisily。　The　others　followed；　would　have　done　so　whether　they　were　thirsty　or　not　because　it　was　expected　of　them。　Animals　at　a　watering　hole；　all　else　forgotten。
　　
　　Suddenly　Kuz　sprang　to　his　feet；　roared　at　them；　his　squat　features　black　with　fury。　They　cowered；　understood；　whimpered　their　apologies。　Two　cut　away；　walked　up　a　small　grassy　mound　and　shaded　their　eyes　in　every　direction　whilst　the　remainder　returned　to　their　interrupted　drink。　Their　leader's　message　was　only　too　clear：　a　guard　must　be　mounted　at　all　times　so　that　they　were　not　surprised　by　a　lurking　enemy。
　　
　　Kuz　rose　and　they　all　rose；　shaking　the　water　from　themselves；　their　hair　glistening　with　droplets。　Then　they　were　moving　on。　There　was　to　be　no　respite。
　　
　　Once　they　came　upon　another　bunch　of　their　own　kind；　the　two　groups　regarding　one　another　suspiciously　from　a　distance　of　twenty　yards。　There　was　no　exchange　of　greetings；　just　hostile　stares　and　a　mute　agreement　to　go　their　own　ways。
　　
　　The　climb　was　being　much　steeper　now；　Jackie　felt　her　leg　muscles　beginning　to　pull　but　the　idea　of　resting　was　dismissed；　so　long　as　Kuz　kept　going　so　would　she。　Travelling　on　all…fours　for　the　last　hundred　yards　or　so；　grabbing　tussocks　of　coarse　grass　to　pull　themselves　up　by。　And　then　they　saw　the　caves。
　　
　　The　place　had　once　been　a　human　habitation；　dwelling　places　chipped　out　of　the　overhanging　rock　face　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　hill；　sheltered　from　the　prevailing　winds。　Lichen　and　moss　grew　on　the　stone；　feverfew　sprouted　from　the　stony　ground。　There　were　a　dozen　caverns　at　least；　large　and　small；　dark　shady　places　that　yawned　back　into　the　hillside；　cramped　spaces　by　modern　standards　but　roomy　enough　to　live　in　if　you　didn't　have　many　possessions。
　　
　　Kuz　had　already　chosen　the　largest　cave；　one　on　the　right　set　fifteen　feet　or　so　from　the　others。　He　leaped　to　his　feet；　shambled　towards　it；　Jackie　still　following。　None　of　the　others　disputed　his　choice　for　he　was　their　leader。　They　squabbled　over　the　other　caves；　a　blow　was　struck　and　then　they　set　about　preparing　their　new　homes。
　　
　　Jackie　squatted　on　the　floor　watching　Kuz's　every　movement　with　amazement。　He　was　accustomed；　obviously；　to　a　nomad　existence；　clearing　the　floor　space；　hurling　loose　rocks　outside。　He　grunted；　pointed　to　a　low　shelf　at　the　rear；　this　was　to　be　their　bed。　Rest；　woman；　for　the　journey　has　been　a　tiring　one。
　　
　　He　went　outside；　returned　with　an　armful　of　dry；　dead　wood　and　piled　it　just　inside　the　entrance。　Fire　was　a　good　servant　but　a　bad　master；　Kuz　would　be　the　master。　Two　pieces　of　what　appeared　to　be　stone　were　rubbed　together；　sparking；　rubbed　harder。　Within　seconds　some　of　the　smaller　twigs　were　glowing　faintly　red。　Kuz　stooped；　puffed　his　bearded　cheeks；　blew。　The　kindling　burst　into　flame；　crackled；　a　thin　spiral　of　smoke　beginning　to　drift　upwards；　a　grey　lazy　serpent　finding　the　way　out　into　the　open；　dispersing；　smelled　sweet。
　　
　　Kuz　grunted　his　satisfaction；　turned　to　face　Jackie。　He　had　done　it　all　before；　that　was　why　he　was　the　leader　of　this　hill　tribe。　She　nodded；　smiled。　She　was　proud　to　have　him　for　her　man。　He　would　protect　her。　And　far　away　somewhere　in　the　surrounding　woodlands　came　the　baying　of　wild　animals。
　　
　　Within　a　matter　of　a　few　weeks　it　seemed　to　Jackie　Quinn　as　though　she　had　always　lived　here　in　this　uplan