按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
zed stations。 Updated instructions will be issued on the SIMUVAC broadcast system。 Air…sampling people will deploy along the cloud exposure swath。 Dairy samplers will test milk and randomized foodstuffs over the next three days along the ingestion swath。 We are not simulating a particular spillage today。 This is an all…purpose leak or spill。 It could be radioactive steam； chemical cloudlets； a haze of unknown origin。 The important thing is movement。 Get those people out of the swath。 We learned a lot during the night of the billowing cloud。 But there is no substitute for a planned simulation。 If reality intrudes in the form of a car crash or a victim falling off a stretcher； it is important to remember that we are not here to mend broken bones or put out real fires。 We are here to simulate。 Interruptions can cost lives in a real emergency。 If we learn to work around interruptions now； we'll be able to work around them later when it counts。 O…right。 When the siren sounds two melancholy wails； street captains will make house…to…house searches for those who may have been inadvertently left behind。 Birds； goldfish； elderly people； handicapped people； invalids； shut…ins； whatever。 Five minutes； victims。 All you rescue personnel； remember this is not a blast simulation。 Your victims are overe but not traumatized。 Save your tender loving care for the nuclear fireball in June。 We're at four minutes and counting。 Victims； go limp。 And remember you're not here to scream or thrash about。 We like a low…profile victim。 This isn't New York or L。A。 Soft moans will suffice。〃
I decided I didn't want to watch。 I went back to the car and headed home。 The sirens emitted the first three blasts as I pulled up in front of the house。 Heinrich was sitting on the front steps； wearing a reflector vest and his camouflage cap。 With him was an older boy。 He had a powerful pact body of uncertain pigmentation。 No one on our street seemed to be evacuating。 Heinrich consulted a clipboard。
〃What's going on？〃
〃I'm a street captain；〃 he said。
〃Did you know Steffie was a victim？〃
〃She said she might be。〃
〃Why didn't you tell me？〃
〃So they pick her up and put her in an ambulance。 What's the problem？〃
〃I don't know what the problem is。〃
〃If she wants to do it； she should do it。〃
〃She seems so well…adjusted to the role。〃
〃It could save her life someday；〃 he said。
〃How can pretending to be injured or dead save a person's life？〃
〃If she does it now； she might not have to do it later。 The more you practice something； the less likely it is to actually happen。〃
'That's what the consultant said。〃
〃It's a gimmick but it works。〃
〃Who's this？〃
〃This is Orest Mercator。 He's going to help me check for leftovers。〃
〃You're the one who wants to sit in a cage full of deadly snakes。 Can you tell me why？〃
〃Because I'm going for the record；〃 Orest said。
〃Why would you want to get killed going for a record？〃
〃What killed？ Who said anything about killed？〃
〃You'll be surrounded by rare and deadly reptiles。〃
〃They're the best at what they do。 I want to be the best at what I do。〃
〃What do you do？〃
〃I sit in a cage for sixty…seven days。 That's what it takes to break the record。〃
〃Do you understand that you are risking death for a couple of lines in a paperback book？〃
He looked searchingly at Heinrich； obviously holding the boy responsible for this idiotic line of questioning。
〃They will bite you；〃 I went on。
〃They won't bite me。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃Because I know。〃
〃These are real snakes； Orest。 One bite； that's it。〃
〃One bite if they bite。 But they won't bite。〃
〃They are real。 You are real。 People get bitten all the time。 The venom is deadly。〃
〃People get bitten。 But I won't。〃
I found myself saying； 〃You will； you will。 These snakes don't know you find death inconceivable。 They don't know you're young and strong and you think death applies to everyone but you。 They will bite and you will die。〃
I paused； shamed by the passion of my argument。 I was surprised to see him look at me with a certain interest； a certain grudging respect。 Perhaps the unbeing force of my outburst brought home to him the gravity of his task； filled him with intimations of an unwieldy fate。
'They want to bite； they bite；〃 he said。 〃At least I go right away。 These snakes are the best； the quickest。 A puff adder bites me； I die in seconds。〃
〃What's your hurry？ You're nineteen years old。 You'll find hundreds of ways to die that are better than snakes。〃
What kind of name is Orest？ I studied his features。 He might have been Hispanic； Middle Eastern； Central Asian； a dark…skinned Eastern European； a light…skinned black。 Did he have an accent？ I wasn't sure。 Was he a Samoan； a native North American； a Sephardic Jew？ It was getting hard to know what you couldn't say to people。
He said to me； 〃How many pounds can you bench…press？〃
〃I don't know。 Not very many。〃
〃Did you ever punch somebody in the face？〃
〃Maybe a glancing blow； once； a long time ago。〃
〃I'm looking to punch somebody in the face。 Bare…fisted。 Hard as I can。 To find out what it feels like。〃
Heinrich grinned like a stool pigeon in the movies。 The siren began to sound—two melancholy blasts。 I went inside as the two boys checked the clipboard for house numbers。 Babette was in the kitchen giving Wilder some lunch。
〃He's wearing a reflector vest；〃 I said。
〃It's in case there's haze； he won't get hit by fleeing vehicles。〃
〃I don't think anyone's bothered to flee。 How do you feel？〃
〃Better；〃 she said。
〃So do I。〃
〃I think it's being with Wilder that picks me up。〃
〃I know what you mean。 I always feel good when I'm with Wilder。 Is it because pleasures don't cling to him？ He is selfish without being grasping； selfish in a totally unbounded and natural way。 There's something wonderful about the way he drops one thing； grabs for another。 I get annoyed when the other kids don't fully appreciate special moments or occasions。 They let things slide away that should be kept and savored。 But when Wilder does it； I see the spirit of genius at work。〃
〃That may be true but there's something else about him that gives me a lift。 Something bigger； grander； that I can't quite put my finger on。〃
〃Remind me to ask Murray；〃 I said。
She spooned soup into the child's mouth； creating facial expressions for him to mimic and saying； 〃Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes。〃
〃One thing I have to ask。 Where is the Dylar？〃
〃Forget it； Jack。 Fool's gold or whatever the appropriate term。〃
〃A cruel illusion。 I know。 But I'd like to keep the tablets in a safe place； if only as physical evidence that Dylar exists。 If your left brain should decide to die； I want to be able to sue someone。 There are four tablets left。 Where are they？〃
〃Are you telling me they're not behind the radiator cover？〃
〃That's right。〃
〃I didn't move them； honest。〃
〃Is it possible you threw them away in an angry or depressed moment？ I only want them for the sake of historical accuracy。 Like White House tapes。 They go into the archives。〃