gns.throwback-第42部分

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ed。　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　on　him　in　their　haste　to　keep　their　distance　from　their　captors。
　　
　　Reitze　let　them　go；　he　was　only　interested　in　the　unconscious　one。　He　knelt　down　and　Barnes　helped　him　to　roll　the　body　over。　The　man　was　still　breathing；　shallow　breaths　that　might　peter　out　at　any　second。　His　bearded　face　was　flushed；　the　flesh　hot　with　a　high　temperature。
　　
　　'What　is　it？'　Barnes　whispered；　lifted　one　of　the　unconscious　man's　eyelids；　let　it　slip　back。
　　
　　'A　fever。'　Reitze's　voice　was　tense；　suddenly　that　dull　monotone　gone。　'We'd　better　get　him　back　for　checks。'　Not　for　attention；　for　checks。　Because　it　looks　interesting。
　　
　　Between　the　two　of　them　they　lifted　the　sick　man。　Reitze　supporting　the　head　and　shoulders；　Barnes　taking　the　legs。　The　soldier　was　eyeing　the　rest　of　the　throwbacks；　rifle　barrel　half…raised。　They　were　scared　to　hell　and　there　was　no　knowing　what　they　might　do　if　they　panicked。　You　couldn't　say　to　them；　'This　man's　sick；　we're　taking　him　for　treatment。'　You　were　taking　one　of　their　kind　away　to　harm　him　and　they　were　incapable　of　understanding　anything　beyond　that。　In　a　way　they　were　right　because　the　scientists　didn't　care　whether　he　died；　were　only　curious　what　he　died　of。
　　
　　They　loaded　him　unceremoniously　into　the　back　of　the　Land　Rover；　and　Reitze　took　the　wheel。　It　was　snowing　hard　now；　the　ground　slippery　with　white　slush。　If　it　kept　up　it　could　be　deep　by　nightfall。　The　Professor　engaged　four…wheel　drive　and　even　then　the　wheels　slipped　a　little；　the　vehicle　slewing　then　righting　itself。
　　
　　'That　bunch　are　in　a　bad　way。'　Barnes　watched　the　wipers　building　up　a　block　of　packed　snow　on　the　windscreen。　They　can't　stand　the　winter。　They'll　all　be　dead　by　the　end　of　the　week　if　we　don't　do　something。'
　　
　　'Like　what？'　There　was　a　touch　of　sarcasm　in　Reitze's　reply。
　　
　　'House　'em　better。'
　　
　　They're　undergoing　tests。　It　would　be　defeating　the　object。'
　　
　　They'll　all　die。　You　can　see　that　for　yourself。'　Then　so　will　the　thousands；　millions；　living　in　the　wild。　We　can't　do　anything　about　them。'
　　
　　Neither　of　them　spoke　again　until　they　arrived　back　at　HQ。　Reitze　called　two　assistants；　had　them　stretcher　the　'patient'　up　to　the　end　lab；　the　closed　one　with　the　operating　table　in　it。　Newman　was　in　there；　his　features　serious　when　he　saw　the　newer。
　　
　　'Christ；　what's　the　matter　with　him？'　he　snapped。　He　had　already　done　post…mortems　on　Reitze's　victims　from　the　freezer　block。　Exposure。　This　was　something　different；　though。　Even　a　layman　could　tell　that。
　　
　　'I'll　have　to　leave　you　to　it。'　Reitze　made　for　the　door。　'I've　got　a　meeting　in　ten　minutes。　Check　this　guy　out　thoroughly。'
　　
　　'He　needs　a　heavy　dose　of　antibiotics。'　'No！'　Reitze　whirled；　his　cheeks　flushed　slightly。　'You'll　fuck　the　whole　experiment　up　if　you　start　pumping　drugs　into　him。　Do　all　the　usual　tests　first。　Ed　will　help　you。'
　　
　　Newman　checked　a　retort。　If　they　didn't　do　something　drastic　quickly　this　fellow　could　die。　It　wasn't　just　exposure　he　was　suffering　from　and　that　was　what　worried　him。　I'll　have　a　report　ready　in　an　hour；'　he　said　tight…lipped。　Reitze　closed　the　door　behind　him。　Suddenly　they　weren't　making　any　headway　at　all　and　Caldecott　and　Rankine　were　going　to　ask　an　awful　lot　of　questions。
　　
　　'You　mean　that　tough　as　they　seem　they　can't　stand　exposure　to　the　elements！'　The　Prime　Minister　was　incredulous。　'My　God；　and　our　security　forces　have　driven　thousands　of　them　out　of　the　towns　into　the　hills　and　woods！'
　　
　　Reitze　got　the　impression　he　was　supposed　to　say　something。　I'm　sorry；　I　should　have　told　you　before　that　they　would　not　be　able　to　withstand　the　cold。　Perhaps　we　can　round　them　up　again。　It's　too　fucking　late　because　it's　blizzarding　out　there　now。　He　said　nothing；　just　waited。　Put　the　ball　in　their　court。
　　
　　'Are　you　absolutely　sure　they're　not　resilient？'　Rankine　was　clutching　at　straws。　'I　mean　。　。　。　you　could　be　wrong　。　。　。　couldn't　you。'
　　
　　Reitze　hoped　his　contempt　for　them　didn't　show。　You　lot　ballsed　it　up。　You　wouldn't　wait　for　my　tests。　Drive　'em　out　of　the　towns　into　the　wilds；　get　rid　of　'em。　We　don't　mean　'em　any　harm　because　they　are　our　people；　we　just　don't　want　'em　around。　Now　you're　shitting　yourselves　because　you　might've　got　rid　of　'em　for　good。　Please　help　us。　Professor；　or　else　we'll　blame　you。
　　
　　'I'm　not　wrong。'　Reitze's　voice　was　as　emotionless　as　ever。　'My　tests　have　proved　beyond　doubt　that　the　throw…backs　can't　stand　the　winter。'
　　
　　'Did　you　really　have　to　。。。　to　kill　those　few　to　prove　that？'　Caldecott's　eyebrows　knitted；　accusing。
　　
　　They　died。'　A　politician's　answer；　avoid　replying　to　a　direct　question。　'If　you　want　me　to　do　tests　then　there　are　bound　to　be　casualties。'
　　
　　The　Defence　Minister　and　the　Prime　Minister　exchanged　glances。　Both　were　uneasy。　They　gave　up　blaming　the　Americans；　looked　for　another　outlet；　there　weren't　many　left。
　　
　　'But　we've　got　to　do　something。'　Caldecott　spread　his　hands　in　despair。　'If　only　it　wasn't　winter。'
　　
　　There's　nothing　we　can　do。'　Reitze　took　his　time　selecting　and　lighting　a　Camel；　'The　way　the　snow's　blowing　up　right　now　we　won't　be　able　to　get　out　of　here　ourselves　before　long。　Even　if　we　could；　even　if　the　weather　was　mild；　it　would　be　an　impossibility　rounding　these　people　up　again。　They've　dispersed；　are　trying　to　adapt　to　a　new　environment。　Towns　and　cities　are　foreign　to　their　primitive　nature　so　no　way　will　they　be　ing　back。　We've　just　got　to　face　up　to　it…by　the　spring　there　won't　be　many　of　'em　left。'
　　
　　Silence。　The　battery　clock　on　the　wall　sounded　deafeningly　loud。　Time　was　everybody's　enemy　right　now。
　　
　　'What　about　these　。　。　。　these　latest　tests　you're　doing？'　Caldecott　asked　hesitantly。　'The　ones　in　the　。。。　outdoor　shelter。'
　　
　　'I've　just　e　back　from　there。'　Reitze　took　his　time　replying。　Damn　them；　they　would　ask　about　that。　There　was　no　point　in　lying；　the　truth　could　be　known　in　a　matter　of　hours。　Just　don't　try　blaming　me。　'We've　got　a　problem。'
　　
　　'What　sort　of　a　problem？'
　　
　　'At　the　moment　I'm　not　sure。　Newman　and　Barnes　are　conducting　tests　right　now　on　a　man　who　collapsed　less　than　an　hour　ago。　It　isn't　from　exposure　to　the　elements；　I'm　virtually　certain　of　that。'　'What　then？'
　　
　　'I'm　not　sure。　I'll　let　you　know　the　minute　I　am。'　That　should　break　the　meeting　up　if　anything　could。
　　
　　'All　right；'　Caldecott　nodded；　'we'll　be　waiting　to　hear　from　you；　Professor。　I　just　hope　it　isn't　bad　news。　It　seems　that　time　is　on　the　side　of　the　enemy　who　did　this　awful　thing　to　us。　They　have　only　to　sit　and　wait　and　within　a　matter　of　months　the　unpopulated　western　world　will　be　theirs　for　the　taking！　I　just　hope　you're　wrong。'
　　
　　'It's　bad。'　Brian　Newman's　features　were　devoid　of　colour。　He　sat　on　a　chair　in　the　corner　of　the　laboratory。　There　was　no　sign　of　Barnes　and　Reitze　didn't　ask　after　him。　On　the　operating　table　a　sheet　covered　the　body　of　the　man　they　had　brought　in　earlier。　There　was　no　movement　from　beneath　it　and　Reitze　did　not　enquire　if　he　was　dead　because　he　never　wasted　his　time　on　futile　questions。
　　
　　'How　bad？'　Don't　rush　him；　let　him　take　his　time　giving　the　facts。
　　
　　'A　virus；'　Newman　replied。　'An　off…shoot　of　the　microorganism　that　worked　on　the　skin　tissues；　doubtless。　It　affects　the　lungs　like　the　fastest　cancer　you've　ever　known　and　the　heart　can't　stand　the　strain。　Triggered　off　by　a　drop　in　body　temperature。　If　those　we　deep　froze　hadn't　died　so　quick　they'd've　got　it　almost　certainly。　Cold　and　wet　brings　it　on。　Whether　it　will　affect　every　single　one　of　the　millions　of　throwback　Britons　is　anybody's　guess；　but　I'd　say　you'd　have　to　be　bloody　lucky　to　survive　out　there。　Another　thing；　and　I'm　not　absolutely　sure　about　this；　but　I'd　say　it's　contagious。'
　　
　　The　hell　it　is！'　Reitze　instinctively　moved　back　a　pace。　'In　that　case　we'd　better　start　work　with　some　antibiotics；　inject　all　that　lot　up　in　the　environment　pound。　Right　now　I　can't　think　of　anythin