gns.throwback-第27部分

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　angina。　Not　fatal　but　slowing　the　blood　supply　to　the　brain。　If　we　can　open　the　arteries　up；　let　the　full　flow　of　blood　in；　it　should　bring　the　brain　almost　back　to　normal。　In　theory！　But　of　course　we　don't　know　what　permanent　damage　has　been　done　in　the　meantime。'
　　
　　The　victim's　face　was　screwed　up　into　a　bestial　expression　of　pain　and　fear；　froth　bubbling　on　the　thick　lips。　Reitze　wrinkled　his　nose。　It　was　starting　to　shit　itself；　too。　In　future　all　specimens　were　to　be　given　an　enema　before　they　were　brought　into　the　laboratories。
　　
　　Westcote　handed　him　another　syringe　and　he　moved　on　to　where　the　female　was　pinioned。　She　was　unsuccessfully　trying　to　squirm；　if　she　hadn't　been　given　a　tranquilliser　a　short　time　ago　she　would　have　been　screaming。　Screams　were　very　distracting　in　such　a　confined　space。
　　
　　Reitze　stood　looking　at　her；　almost　gloating。　By　no　means　as　hairy　as　her　male　counterpart　there　was　less　of　a　physical　change　in　the　female　of　the　species；　more　a　kind　of　coarseness　as　though　she　belonged　to　some　hitherto　undiscovered　Amazon　tribe。　A　predomination　of　the　nipples；　the　vulva　engorged　like　an　animal　on　heat。　Facially　she　was　almost　attractive；　just　a　slight　overall　squatness　of　the　features。
　　
　　'It　would　be　too　much　to　experiment　on　both　brain　and　body　in　the　same　specimen。'　Reitze　spoke　expressionlessly；　he　might　even　have　been　talking　to　himself　rather　than　to　his　panion。　'The　female　stands　a　better　chance　of　body　success。　A　skin　softener　and　hair　remover　administered　internally。　It　was　tried　in　Mexico　a　few　years　ago　and　there　was　one　fuck　of　a　stink　when　a　couple　of　women　died。　The　drug　was　banned　as　a　result。　But　I　guess　nobody's　going　to　make　too　much　of　a　shout　if　one　or　two　of　these　died。'
　　
　　This　time　he　introduced　the　needle　more　gently；　just　a　surface　prick；　watching　her　face　the　whole　time。　Teeth　bit　the　lower　lip；　trickles　of　blood　showed；　dripped　down　on　to　the　breasts。　The　eyes　dilated；　filled　with　tears。　Why　are　you　doing　this　to　me？
　　
　　You're　the　first　of　many。　There'll　be　hundreds　more；　men；　women　and　children；　as　fast　as　the　security　forces　can　bring　them　in。　Most'11　die　but　we'll　keep　on　until　we　get　some　kind　of　a　result。
　　
　　She　was　strangely　placid　now；　beautifully　moulded　features　serene；　a　hint　of　nobility　in　her　bearing　even　when　she　was　hanging　from　that　stark　wall。　Proud。　Reitze　stiffened；　seemed　to　sense　it　and　it　made　him　angry。　You　scum；　we'll　kill　you　if　we　can't　cure　you。　He　turned　away　abruptly。
　　
　　They've　been　hit　pretty　hard　back　home；'　Westcote　said。　'Virtually　the　whole　of　New　York　State　is　wrecked；　mobs　on　the　rampage　the　whole　time。　They　even　had　to　defend　the　White　House　with　heavy　artillery。'
　　
　　This　〃change〃　is　like　a　rebirth；'　Reitze　told　him。　'At　first　they're　just　stupefied；　virtually　an　unthinking　species　relying　on　basic　instinct。　Then　they　start　to　get　〃acclimatised〃；　for　want　of　a　better　word；　learn　to　use　their　limited　brains。　At　first　they　ran　and　hid　in　the　woods　and　fields；　now　they're　saying　to　themselves；　〃Why　the　fuck　shouldn't　we　have　those　fine　houses　to　live　in　instead　of　stone　dwellings？〃　We　don't　even　know　how　far　they'll　develop。　Anyway；　we'd　better　go；　I've　got　another　meeting　with　the　Defence　Minister　at　three。　Don't　forget；　check　this　pair　every　hour。'
　　
　　Westcote　nodded；　locked　the　door　behind　them　as　they　left。　Reitze　gave　him　the　creeps；　you　got　the　impression　that　he　enjoyed　injecting　living　things；　delighted　in　unforeseen　plications。　These　two　wouldn't　make　it；　he　was　sure　of　that。　He　only　wished　he　didn't　have　to　e　back　and　check　them　out　because　he　didn't　like　the　thought　of　what　he　might　find。
　　
　　'It's　going　fine；'　Reitze　told　Rankine。　'We're　now　working　on　a　series　of　experiments　on　brain　and　skin　tissue。　We'll　know　in　about　an　hour　how　it's　going。'
　　
　　'Don't　forget；'　the　Defence　Minister　twitched　unusually　heavy　brows；　'these　are　our　people。　They're　not　animals；　you　know。'
　　
　　？　'Sure。'　They're　worse　than　fucking　animals。　'But　we've　got　to　test　'em。　Don't　forget；　winter's　on　the　way；　another　couple　of　months　or　so　and　an　awful　lot　of　'em　could　well　die　from　exposure。　We　don't　have　much　time。'
　　
　　'Which　brings　me　to　our　Emergency　Operations　which　are　now　being　circulated　to　the　security　forces。'　Rankine　glanced　down；　a　hint　of　embarrassment。　It　sounded　callous　but　probably　Reitze　would　not　see　it　that　way；　the　American　was　devoid　of　emotions；　passion。　'Our　forces　are　instructed　to　drive　all　these　。　。　。　throwbacks　out　of　the　towns　and　cities；　scatter　them　to　the　hills　and　woods　and　keep　'em　there；　a　lot　of　'em　seem　to　be　doing　that　of　their　own　accord　anyway。　Keep　the　populated　areas　free；　stop　the　looting　and　burning　and　。　。　。　well；　after　that　we're　relying　on　you　to　e　up　with　something。'
　　
　　Reitze　smiled　faintly；　maybe　a　sign　that　he　did　have　an　ego　and　it　had　been　touched。　'Sounds　OK　in　theory；　but　there's　one　point　I　was　discussing　with　Westcote　only　a　few　minutes　ago。　Are　these　people　equipped　to　stand　the　rigours　of　a　winter　out　of　doors？'
　　
　　'Their　ancestors　did；　and　survived。'　The　Defence　Minister　felt　a　little　flutter　in　his　guts；　damn　these　bloody　Yankee　boffins；　it　would　mean　。　。　。
　　
　　'We'll　have　to　carry　out　some　extensive　tests　on　them；'　Reitze　confirmed　the　other's　worst　fears。　I'll　make　a　start　within　the　next　few　days。　In　the　meantime；　get　your　guys　catching　a　few　more　of　them。　We'll　need　males；　females　and　children；　in　good　health　and　poor。　That　way　we'll　be　able　to　hazard　a　rough　guess　at　the　survival　rate。'
　　
　　Rankine　nodded　and　refrained　from　repeating　himself：　They　are　our　people；　you　know。'　Right　now　they　were　in　the　hands　of　the　scientists。
　　
　　Westcote　glanced　at　his　watch；　saw　it　was　time　to　go　back　downstairs。　He　shuffled　his　feet　under　the　desk；　wondered　if　there　was　any　delaying　tactic　which　would　be　acceptable　to　Reitze。　He　could　not　think　of　one；　would　have　to　go　whether　he　liked　it　or　not。　'What　the　fuck　were　you　playing　at；　can't　you　even　tell　the　time？'　Scathing　retribution　that　was　ten　times　worse　when　issued　in　the　Professor's　monotone；　no　raving　or　shouting；　he　just　spoke　the　truth　and　you　knew　he　was　right。　Westcote　would　have　to　go　and　check　the　specimens。
　　
　　He　descended　the　flight　of　metal　stairs　as　if　he　did　not　ever　want　to　reach　the　bottom；　a　step　at　a　time；　pausing；　hoping　that　he'd　hear　Reitze　ing；　the　meeting　over　earlier　than　scheduled。　Passing　him　on　the　stairs；　his　own　key　in　his　hand。　'OK；　I'll　see　for　myself。　You　can　e　if　you　want　to。'　Westcote　didn't　want　to　but　he　would　acpany　Reitze　all　the　same。
　　
　　Another　fuck…up　but　nobody　would　record　it　as　a　failure。　Just　a　process；　next　time　would　show　something　more　positive；　or　the　time　after　that。　One　of　the　most　important　qualities　a　scientist　possesses；　Reitze　had　once　said；　was　optimism。　Positive　thinking。　But　you　reached　a　time　when　things　aren't　positive　any　more。
　　
　　Westcote　reached　the　bottom　step；　turned　left　along　the　corridor；　his　feet　dragging；　pulling　back　on　him。　Don't　go；　for　Christ's　sake　don't　go；　remember　that　time　you　injected　those　monkeys　to　try　and　speed　up　their　reflexes。　They　were　clinically　dead　but　their　nerves；　their　muscles　were　still　hammering　away　like　fuck！　Oh　Jesus！
　　
　　The　door。　He　had　the　key。　He　could　have　looked　through　the　tiny　glass　panel　first　but　he　didn't　because　what　he　saw　inside　might　stop　him　from　going　in　there。
　　
　　Don't　look；　just　open　the　door。
　　
　　The　key　didn't　seem　to　fit；　that　was　because　his　hand　was　shaking；　rattling　the　casing　of　the　lock。　He　forced　it　in；　exerted　more　pressure　than　was　necessary；　his　heart　missed　a　beat　when　he　heard　the　tumblers　fall。　Oh　God；　he'd　got　to　go　in　now。
　　
　　He　smelted　them　before　he　saw　them。　Westcote　recoiled；　would　have　fled　back　out　of　that　door　had　his　legs　been　capable　of　movement；　he　felt　like　one　of　those　soft　rubber　'bendy'　toys　they　used　to　sell　in　the　shops。　He　clung　to　the　open　door；　hung　on　to　it　for　support；　let　it　swing　with　his　weight。
　　
　　The　woman　was　clearly　dead　and　it　was　from　her　corpse　that　the　awful　stench　came；　she　sagged　in　her　manacles；　head　forward；　long　coarse　wiry　hair　falling　out　of　her　skull　like　feathers　fluttering　from　a　dead　bird　in　a　breeze；　balding　patches　covered　with　red　sores；　oozing　yellow　fluid。　Dripping　treacly　plops　on　the　floor　tiles。
　　
　　He　threw　up；　couldn't　stop　himself；　spewing　half…digested　canned　stew　across　the　room。　Her　entire　skin　was　festered；　soft　red　blotches　bulging　with　some　kind　of　vile　poison；　visibly　eating　up　the　flesh；　pulsing　with　its　own　venom；　Instant　putrefaction；　malignant　cancers　gone　crazy；　fighting　one　another　to　devour　the　flesh　on　the　bones！
　　
　　Westcote　gave　a　half…scream　when　he　noticed　the　male；　thought　at　first　that　the　other　still　lived。　The　man's　frame　was　rigid　as　though　rigor　mortis　had　claimed　him　and　yet　not　killed　him。　Oh　Jesus　Christ　Almighty；　that　face；　that　head！　Possibly　the　skull　had　bee　engorged；　it　might　have　been　an　optical　illusion　by　the　way　the　top　pulsed；　visibly　throbbing；　a　football　being　alternately　inflated　and　deflated　by　a　faulty　foot…pump。　The　skin　stretched　almost　to　bursting　point；　retracted。　Expand　。　。　。　retract　。。。　expand　。　。　。　retract　。　。　。　expand　。　。　。
　　
　　Morbid　fascination；　horrific　amazement；　spew　trickling　down　the　lab　man's　chin　and　staining　his　white　overalls。　The　prisoner's　features　were　a　fixed　snarl　that　depicted　the　ultimate　in　pain　and　terror；　a　scream　that　went　on　and　on　so　that　you　still　heard　it　even　though　it　was　long　finished。　The　eyes　had　bloated；　burst；　the　dead　sockets　streaming　white　fluid　like　thick　sour　milk　that　was　about　to　solidify　into　cheese；　dilated　nostrils　discharging　twin　rivulets　of　mucus　that　still　flowed　fast。
　　
　　Still　screaming；　the　dead　brain　rebelling　in　awful　palpitations；　a　creature　that　fought　against　what　they　had　done　to　it　even　after　life　was　gone　from　it。
　　
　　Westcote　almost　fainted；　wanted　to　look　away　but　could　not。　Hypnotised。　You　did　this　to　me；　look　at　me；　watch　me。　No！
　　
　　Suddenly　he　was　aware　that　someone　else　had　e　into　the　room；　the　waft　of　a　white　coat　passing　him；