gns.throwback-第37部分

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　mon　factor…ferocity！　They　bunched　together；　their　tongues　dwindling　to　a　low　warning　growl。　The　big　dog　stood　its　ground；　spread…legged　across　the　remnants　of　its　Man…kill；　its　coat　bloodsoaked　and　dried；　its　slobbering　jaws　challenging　them　to　take　its　rightful　prey　if　they　dared。
　　
　　They　hung　back；　cowed。　Growled　again。　An　encounter；　a　cowardly　hunting　pack　warily　eyeing　a　King　Beast；　a　champion。　Weighing　up　their　chances。　They　could　conquer　it　but　some　of　them　would　be　killed　and　none　wanted　to　be　amongst　the　unlucky　ones。　Threatening　barks　but　the　big　dog　did　not　back　off。　If　they　wanted　his　food　they　would　have　to　kill　him　for　it。
　　
　　Suddenly；　without　warning；　they　charged。　A　melee；　a　fighting　tearing　throng；　fang　and　claw　ripping　deep　into　hide　and　flesh。　A　collie　was　airborne；　the　first　one　in　tossed　high　by　the　beast　at　bay；　its　neck　broken；　dead　before　it　thudded　down　on　to　the　soft　ground。　Blood　spouted　and　sprayed；　ruby　aerosol　tinsel　on　Christmas　tree　branches；　a　mass　of　fighting　fury　so　that　the　spectator　above　was　unable　to　follow　blow　by　blow。　The　wounded　squealed；　leaped　clear；　came　back　into　the　fray。
　　
　　The　big　dog　was　eventually　pulled　down。　Jackie　thought　that　they　had　got　him　because　she　could　not　see　him　any　more。　A　pile　of　dead；　a　carpet　for　the　living；　the　low　cloud　drifting　in　even　thicker　than　before；　a　curtain　to　hide　canine　shame。
　　
　　Now　the　animals　were　fighting　each　other；　two　of　the　smaller　ones　being　driven　off。　Finally　only　five　remained；　two　of　them　unscathed；　tearing　flesh　from　the　dead　human　body；　gnawing　at　the　bones。　Finally　they　lay　down；　belched　with　contentment。　The　pack　had　hunted　and　killed；　were　satisfied　for　the　moment。
　　
　　And　up　in　the　fir　branches　Jackie　Quinn　wondered　how　much　longer　she　could　hold　on。　She　contemplated　leaping　down；　offering　herself　to　the　wild　dogs　and　hoping　that　the　end　would　be　quick。
　　
　　Today　or　tomorrow；　the　oute　would　be　the　same。　Every　torturous　minute　was　only　delaying　the　awful　moment　when　she　must　face　death　in　its　most　horrible　form。　There　could　only　be　one　oute。
　　
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　TWENTY
　　
　　REITZE　HAD　regulated　the　temperature　in　the　cold　store　partment　to　minus　20°C。　That　represented　the　coldest　winter　you　were　likely　to　get　in　Britain。　It　might　not　even　drop　that　low　this　year　but　he　always　worked　on　extremities；　give　your　specimens　the　severest　of　tests　and　you　proved　something　conclusively。　Otherwise　it　was　a　waste　of　time　and　you　finished　up　with　shit　in　your　face。
　　
　　He　lit　a　Camel；　inhaled　deeply；　rechecked　his　Progress　Chart：
　　
　　November　21…2　adults　（1　male；　1　female　both　aged　approx。　30）
　　
　　1　male　child　aged　approx。　10
　　
　　1　ditto　aged　approx。　5
　　
　　The　youngster　had　died　the　first　night；　the　ten…year…old　the　next　day。　The　male　adult　had　made　it　until　23　November。　The　woman　lasted　up　until　25　November。
　　
　　Conclusion：　they　couldn't　live　at　that　temperature。　The　whole　throwback　species　would　be　wiped　out　before　the　spring。　That　would　solve　a　lot　of　problems。
　　
　　November　28…2　adults　（1　male；　1　female　both　aged
　　
　　approx。　20/25）
　　
　　1　female　child　aged　approx。　12　1　male　child　aged　approx。　7
　　
　　Temperature　28°F。
　　
　　The　two　children　died　on　30　November；　the　adult　male　on　3　December；　the　female　lasted　up　until　7　December。　Conclusion：　the　female　of　the　species　is　more　resilient。
　　
　　But　overall　the　throwbacks　would　be　wiped　out　in　a　month　at　the　most　if　the　weather　worsened。
　　
　　Reitze　had　a　meeting　that　afternoon　with　the　Prime　Minister；　only　their　second　in　three　months　so　it　had　to　be　something　pretty　important。　For　once　the　Professor　felt　slightly　uneasy。　He　got　the　feeling　that　these　guys　were　looking　to　throw　the　book　at　somebody；　they　needed　a　scapegoat。　They　were　starting　to　panic。
　　
　　In　the　meantime　he　had　better　go　and　check　the　'natural　environment'　experiments；　the　PM　would　want　a　full　report。　He　wouldn't　take　Westcote　because　the　latter　was　being　squeamish。　Reitze　had　always　suspected　that　would　happen　once　their　experiments　went　beyond　animals。　He　was　the　kind　who　would　opt　out　if　things　ever　returned　to　normal；　defect　to　the　'amis'　and　use　as　a　weapon　all　the　information　he　had　collected　over　the　years。　Build　an　empire　then　destroy　it。　He　needed　careful　watching。　Barnes　would　be　glad　of　a　trip　out；　he　was　another　who　needed　watching　but　for　a　different　reason。　He　would　go　to　any　lengths　to　gain　another　step　up　the　ladder；　knife　you　in　the　back　if　it　was　to　his　advantage　and　he　thought　he　could　get　away　with　it。　But　he　was　dedicated　and　that　counted　for　a　lot。
　　

　　Reitze　permitted　himself　a　smile　as　he　left　the　laboratory。　Ed　Barnes　wouldn't　step　out　of　line；　not　where　Reitze　was　concerned　anyway。　Because　he　knew　that　the　Professor　knew　all　about　him。　You　didn't　take　a　guy　on　at　this　level　without　piling　a　very　personal　dossier　on　him。　If　the　White　House　found　out　then　Barnes　would　be　out　faster　than　a　rat　out　of　a　hole；　but　sometimes　it　was　prudent　to　have　an　employee　with　a　skeleton　in　the　cupboard　because　you　had　him　where　you　wanted　him　and　he　did　as　he　was　told。　Blackmail；　but　the　end　justified　the　means。
　　
　　Reitze　had　singled　Barnes　out　shortly　after　the　latter　had　graduated；　had　met　him　socially　on　a　couple　of　occasions。　Ideally　you　needed　a　team　of　eunuchs　for　this　type　of　work；　24…hours…a…day　men　without　any　distractions。　The　next　best　thing　was　guys　who　wanted　to　shut　themselves　away　because　they　were　shit…scared　of　the　outside　world。　Not　criminals；　that　was　too　much　of　a　risk。
　　
　　Barnes　fitted　and　the　Agency　had　set　him　up。　A　relationship　with　a　male　prostitute。　The　whole　saga　had　been　bugged　and　they　had　even　got　a　few　intimate　photographs。　A　Watergate…type　operation…and　Barnes　was　their　man。
　　
　　Ed　Barnes　looked　up　from　his　desk　as　Reitze　walked　in。　Small；　no　more　than　5　feet　4　inches　tall；　cropped　dark　hair。　Eyes　set　a　shade　too　close　together　gave　him　a　furtive　look　like　that　of　a　man　permanently　on　the　run。　Barnes　was　on　the　run…from　his　past。　He　was　making　some　notes　on　a　pad　in　his　tiny　spidery　handwriting；　further　proof　of　a　withdrawn　personality。
　　
　　'I　want　to　check　the　environment　pound；'　Reitze　said。
　　
　　Barnes　nodded；　closed　his　pad　as　though　he　had　written　something　which　he　did　not　want　the　boss　to　see。　He　hadn't；　it　was　just　a　natural　reaction。　If　you　watched　him　closely　he　blinked　fast；　had　a　slight　twitch　too。　'OK；　I'll　be　right　with　you。'
　　
　　They　took　one　of　the　Land　Rovers；　up　the　sloping　ramp　and　out　into　the　world　above。　Reitze　switched　on　the　wipers；　it　was　raining　fast　and　there　were　splats　of　sleet　on　the　windscreen。　Good；　this　would　put　the　outside　experiments　to　the　test。　Winter　had　arrived　virtually　overnight。
　　
　　They　had　less　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　to　drive　before　they　reached　the　pound。　Once　it　had　been　a　well…fenced　paddock　belonging　to　somebody　who　had　kept　ponies。　So　handy　to　the　laboratory；　so　little　adaptation　needed。　A　reinforcement　of　barbed　wire；　the　fenced　extension　a　good　8　feet　high；　backed　up　with　a　double…strand　electric　fence。　A　locked　gate　was　guarded　by　two　soldiers。　At　the　approach　of　the　Land　Rover　they　emerged　from　the　shelter　of　their　hut；　kept　their　backs　to　the　driving　rain。
　　
　　They　knew　Reitze；　did　not　even　ask　for　his　pass。　The　Professor　pulled　the　Land　Rover　off　the　track；　climbed　down；　followed　by　Barnes。
　　
　　'We　need　to　examine　the　specimens；'　he　told　the　guard。　'One　of　you　better　e　with　us。　The　other　can　lock　the　gate　after　us。'
　　
　　It　was　a　routine　precaution。　The　throwbacks　had　never　shown　violence；　only　fear　of　their　hairless　overlords；　but　when　you　were　experimenting　you　never　knew　how　things　would　turn　out。
　　
　　Barnes　shivered；　turned　up　the　collar　of　his　windcheater。　This　sleet　was　turning　to　snow。　You　felt　the　cold　worse　when　you　spent　most　of　your　life　below　ground　in　a　centrally　heated　building。　He　wished　he　had　put　on　an　extra　sweater。
　　
　　They　walked　across　the　uneven　ground；　the　soldier　a　couple　of　yards　ahead　of　them；　unslinging　his　rifle　as　they　approached　the　dilapidated　tin…sheet　structure。　At　the　moment　there　was　no　sign　of　life；　the　occupants　of　this　pound　would　all　be　huddled　inside　that　three…sided　shelter　with　the　open　front。　You　couldn't　blame　'em　for　that。
　　
　　Surprise　and　fear；　a　dozen　squat　shapes　leaping　up　from　the　piles　of　blankets　on　which　they　had　been　sitting　or　lying；　huddling　in　the　far　corner；　pressing　against　each　other。　They　reminded　Reitze　of　those　cages　of　rats　in　the　lab　in　Arizona。　No　matter　how　many　times　a　day　you　went　near　them　they　always　squealed　and　ran　to　a　corner。　Because　they　were　intelligent　enough　to　know　that　you　were　experimenting　on　them；　that　you　didn't　give　a　shit　whether　they　lived　or　died　so　long　as　you　got　the　results　you　were　after。
　　
　　Reitze　stood　in　the　wide　doorway　and　regarded　the　throwbacks　carefully；　saw　the　fear　in　their　faces。　Totally　demoralised；　they　had　given　up；　maybe　they　were　even　willing　themselves　to　die。　His　eyes　narrowed。　One　of　them　was　dead；　the　rest　crowding　and　standing　on　the　corpse；　treading　it　into　the　muddy　floor。
　　
　　'We'd　better　take　a　look　at　that　one；'　he　said；　and　moved　forward　a　pace。
　　
　　The　captives　huddled　closer　together；　spilled　away　along　the　wall；　crowded　into　the　other　corner。　The　Professor　knelt　down；　had　to　extricate　the　body　from　the　mud　before　he　could　roll　it　over。　It　was　a　girl；　in　her　late　'teens　or　early　twenties。　She　was　stiff　and　cold；　had　probably　died　during　the　night。
　　
　　'Pneumonia；'　he　said　looking　up　at　Barnes；　'but　you'll　have　to　take　some　tests。　We　can　send　over　for　the　body　later。　In　the　meantime　we'd　better　check　the　others。'
　　
　　Jt　wasn't　easy　because　they　kept　backing　away；　furtively　following　the　wall　round；　only　the　soldier　at　the　entrance　preventing　them　from　fleeing　out　into　the　open。　Outside　the　sleet　had　turned　to　pure　snow；　the　paddock　beginning　to　whiten　over　already。
　　
　　The　throwbacks　bunched　and　suddenly　one　of　them　fell；　a　young　man　toppling　forward　on　to　his　face；　hitting　the　ground　with　a　thud　and　lying　still。　The　rest　trampled　o