dk.solesurvivor-第47部分

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at　fronds　of　the　phoenix　palms　hissed　and　rattled　and　creaked　as　though　the　trees　were　warning　one　another　of　gales　that　might　soon　descend。
　　Joe's　fear　of　an　outer　security　line　seemed　unwarranted　as　they　hurriedly　climbed　another　short　flight　of　stone　steps　to　the　upper　terrace。　The　grounds　remained　subtly　lighted；　heavily　layered　with　sheltering　shadows。
　　Out　beyond　the　bluff's　edge；　the　search　chopper　was　parallel　with　them；　moving　slowly　northward。　The　pilots'　attention　remained　focused　on　the　beach　below。
　　Mark　led　them　past　an　enormous　swimming　pool。　The　oil…black　water　glimmered　with　fluid　arabesques　of　silver；　as　though　schools　of　strange　fish　with　luminous　scales　were　swimming　just　beneath　the　surface。
　　They　were　still　passing　the　pool　when　Rose　stumbled。　She　almost　fell　hut　regained　her　balance。　She　halted；　swaying。
　　'Are　you　all　right？'　Joe　asked　worriedly。
　　'Yes；　fine；　I'll　be　okay；'　she　said；　but　her　voice　was　thin；　and　she　still　appeared　to　be　unsteady。
　　'How　badly　were　you　hurt　back　there？'　Joe　pressed　as　Mark　and　Joshua　gathered　around。
　　'Just　knocked　on　my　ass；'　she　said。　'Bruised　a　little。'
　　'Rose…'
　　'I'm　okay；　Joe。　It's　just　all　this　running；　all　those　damn　stairs　up　from　the　beach。　I　guess　I'm　not　in　as　good　a　shape　as　I　should　be。'
　　Joshua　was　talking　sotto　voce　on　the　cell　phone　again。
　　'Let's　go；'　Rose　said。　'e　on；　e　on；　let's　go。'
　　Beyond　the　bluff；　above　the　beach；　the　helicopter　was　almost　past　the　estate。
　　Mark　led　the　way　again；　and　Rose　followed　with　renewed　energy。　They　dashed　under　the　roof　of　the　arched　loggia　against　the　rear　wall；　where　they　were　no　longer　in　any　danger　of　being　spotted　by　the　chopper　pilots；　and　then　to　the　corner　of　the　house。
　　As　they　moved　single…file　along　the　side　of　the　mansion　on　a　walkway　that　serpentined　through　a　small　grove　of　shaggy…barked　melaleucas；　they　were　abruptly　pinned　in　the　bright　beam　of　a　big　flashlight。　Blocking　the　path　ahead　of　them；　a　watchman　said；　'Hey；　who　the　hell　are…'
　　Acting　without　hesitation；　Mark　began　to　move　even　as　the　beam　flicked　on。　The　stranger　was　still　speaking　when　Mark　collided　with　him。　The　two　men　grunted　from　the　impact。
　　The　flashlight　flew　against　the　trunk　of　a　melaleuca；　rebounded　onto　the　walkway；　and　spun　on　the　stone；　making　shadows　whirl　like　a　pack　of　tail…chasing　dogs。
　　Mark　swivelled　the　startled　watchman　around；　put　a　hammerlock　on　him；　bum…rushed　him　off　the　sidewalk　and　through　bordering　flower　beds；　and　slammed　him　against　the　side　of　the　house　so　hard　that　the　nearby　windows　rattled。
　　Scooping　up　the　flashlight；　Joshua　directed　it　on　the　action；　and　Joe　saw　that　they　had　been　challenged　by　an　overweight；　uniformed　security　guard　of　about　fifty…five。　Mark　pressed　him　to　his　knees　and　kept　a　hand　on　the　back　of　his　head　to　force　his　face　down　and　away　from　them；　so　he　couldn't　describe　them　later。
　　'He's　not　armed；'　Mark　informed　Joshua。
　　'Bastards；'　the　watchman　said　bitterly。
　　'Ankle　holster？'　Joshua　wondered。
　　'Not　that　either。'
　　The　watchman　said；　'Stupid　owners　are　pacifists　or　some　damn　thing。　Won't　have　a　gun　on　the　place；　even　for　me。　So　now　here　I　am。'
　　'We're　not　going　to　hurt　you；'　Mark　said；　pulling　him　backwards　from　the　house　and　forcing　him　to　sit　on　the　ground　with　his　back　against　the　trunk　of　a　melaleuca。
　　'You　don't　scare　me；'　the　watchman　said；　but　he　sounded　scared。
　　'Dogs？'　Mark　demanded。
　　'Everywhere；'　the　guard　said。　'Dobermans。'
　　'He's　lying；'　Mark　said　confidently。
　　Even　Joe　could　hear　the　bluff　in　the　watchman's　voice。　Joshua　gave　the　flashlight　to　Joe　and　said；　'Keep　it　pointed　at　the　ground。'　Then　he　produced　handcuffs　from　a　fanny　pack。
　　Mark　directed　the　guard　to　reach　in　back　of　himself　and　clasp　his　hands　behind　the　tree。　The　trunk　was　only　about　ten　inches　in　diameter；　so　the　guard　didn't　have　to　contort　himself；　and　Joshua　snapped　the　cuffs　on　his　wrists。
　　'The　cops　are　on　the　way；'　the　watchman　gloated。
　　'No　doubt　riding　Dobermans；'　Mark　said。
　　'Bastard；'　said　the　watchman。
　　From　his　fanny　pack；　Mark　withdrew　a　tightly　rolled　Ace　bandage。　'Bite　on　this；'　he　told　the　guard。
　　'Bite　on　this；'　the　guard　said；　indulging　in　one　last　bleat　of　hopeless　bravado；　and　then　he　did　as　he　was　told。
　　Three　times；　Joshua　wound　electrician's　tape　around　the　guard's　head　and　across　his　mouth；　fixing　the　Ace　bandage　firmly　in　place。
　　From　the　watchman's　belt；　Mark　unclipped　what　appeared　to　be　a　remote　control。　'This　open　the　driveway　gate？'
　　Through　his　gag；　the　watchman　snarled　something　obscene；　which　issued　as　a　meaningless　mumble。
　　'Probably　the　gate。'
　　To　the　guard；　Joshua　said；　'Just　relax。　Don't　chafe　your　wrists。　We're　not　robbing　the　place。　We're　really　not。　We're　only　passing　through。'
　　Mark　said；　'When　we've　been　gone　half　an　hour；　we'll　call　the　cops　so　they　can　e　and　release　you。'
　　'Better　get　a　dog；'　Joshua　advised。
　　Taking　the　watchman's　flashlight；　Mark　led　them　toward　the　front　of　the　house。
　　The　confrontation　had　occurred　and　been　successfully　resolved；　with　aplomb　and　with　as　little　injury　to　the　watchman　as　possible；　in　slightly　more　than　one　minute。　Whoever　these　guys　were；　Joe　was　glad　that　they　were　on　his　side。
　　The　estate　occupied　at　least　three　acres。　The　huge　house　was　set　two　hundred　feet　back　from　the　front　property　wall　at　the　street。
　　In　the　eye　of　the　wide；　looping　driveway　was　a　four…tier　marble　fountain：　four　broad　scalloped　bowls；　each　supported　by　three　leaping　dolphins；　bowls　and　dolphins　diminishing　in　scale　as　they　ascended。　The　bowls　were　full　of　water；　but　the　pump　was　silent；　and　there　were　no　spouts　or　cascades。
　　'We'll　wait　here；'　Mark　said；　leading　them　to　the　dolphins。
　　The　dolphins　and　bowls　rose　out　of　a　pool　with　a　two…foot…high　wall　finished　with　a　broad　cap　of　limestone。　Rose　sat　on　the　edge…and　then　so　did　Joe　and　Mark。
　　Taking　the　remote　control　they　had　gotten　from　the　watchman；　Joshua　walked　along　the　driveway　toward　the　entrance　gate；　talking　on　the　cellular　phone　as　he　went。
　　Dogs　of　warm　Santa　Ana　wind　chased　cat…quick　leaves　and　curls　of　papery　melaleuca　bark　along　the　blacktop。
　　'How　do　you　even　know　about　me？'　Rose　asked　Mark。
　　'When　any　enterprise　is　launched　with　a　one…billion…dollar　trust　fund；　like　ours；'　Mark　said；　'it　sure　doesn't　take　long　to　get　up　to　speed。　Besides；　puters　and　data　technology　are　what　we're　about。'
　　'What　enterprise？'　Joe　asked。
　　The　answer　was　the　same　mystifying　response　that　Joshua　had　given　on　the　beach；　'In　finna　face。'
　　'And　what's　that　mean？'
　　'Later；　Joe；'　Rose　promised。　'Go　on；　Mark。'
　　'Well；　so；　from　day　one；　we've　had　the　funds　to　try　to　keep　track　of　all　promising　research　in　every　discipline；　worldwide；　that　could　conceivably　lead　to　the　epiphany　we　expect。'
　　'Maybe　so；'　Rose　said；　'but　you　people　have　been　around　two　years；　while　the　largest　part　of　my　research　for　the　past　seven　years　has　been　conducted　under　the　tightest　imaginable　security。'
　　'Doctor；　you　showed　enormous　promise　in　your　field　until　you　were　about　thirty…seven…and　then　suddenly　your　work　appeared　to　e　almost　to　a　plete　halt　except　for　a　minor　paper　published　here　or　there　from　time　to　time。　You　were　a　Niagara　of　creativity…and　then　went　dry　overnight。'
　　'And　that　indicates　what　to　you？'
　　'It's　the　signature　pattern　of　a　scientist　who's　been　co…opted　by　the　defence　establishment　or　some　other　branch　of　government　with　sufficient　power　to　enforce　a　total　information　blackout。　So　when　we　see　something　like　that；　we　start　trying　to　find　out　exactly　where　you're　at　work。　Finally　we　located　you　at　Teknologik；　but　not　at　any　of　their　well…known　and　accessible　facilities。　A　deep　subterranean；　biologically　secure　plex　near　Manassas；　Virginia。　Something　called　〃Project　Ninety…nine。〃
　　While　he　listened　intently　to　the　conversation；　Joe　watched　as；　out　at　the　end　of　the　long　driveway；　the　ornate　electric　gate　rolled　aside。
　　'How　much　do　you　know　about　what　we　do　on　Project　Ninety…nine？'　Rose　asked。
　　'Not　enough；'　Mark　said。
　　'How　can　you　know　anything　at　all？'
　　'When　I　say　we　track　ongoing　research　worldwide；　I　don't　mean　that　we　limit　ourselves　to　the　same　publications　and　shared　data　banks　that　any　science　library　has　available　to　it。'
　　With　no　animosity；　Rose　said；　'That's　a　nice　way　of　saying　you　try　to　penetrate　puter　security　systems；　hack　your　way　in；　break　encryptions。'
　　'Whatever。　We　don't　do　it　for　profit。　We　don't　economically　exploit　the　information　we　acquire。　It's　simply　our　mission；　the　search　we　were　created　to　undertake。'
　　Joe　was　surprised　by　his　own　patience。　Although　he　was　learning　things　by　listening　to　them　talk…the　basic　mystery　only　grew　deeper。　Yet　he　was　prepared　to　wait　for　answers。　The　bizarre　experience　with　the　Polaroid　snapshot　in　the　banquet　room　had　left　him　shaken。　Now　that　he'd　had　time　to　think　about　what　had　happened；　the　synesthesia　seemed　to　be　but　prelude　to　some　revelation　that　was　going　to　be　more　shattering　and　humbling　than　he　had　previously　imagined。　He　remained　mitted　to　learning　the　truth；　but　now　instinct　warned　him　that　he　should　allow　the　revelations　to　wash　over　him　in　small　waves　instead　of　in　one　devastating　tsunami。
　　Joshua　had　gone　through　the　open　gate　and　was　standing　along　the　Pacific　Coast　Highway。
　　Over　the　eastern　hills；　the　swollen　moon　ascended　yellow…orange；　and　the　warm　wind　seemed　to　blow　down　out　of　it。
　　Mark　said；　'You　were　one　of　thousands　of　researchers　whose　work　we　followed…though　you　were　of　somewhat　special　interest　because　of　the　extreme　secrecy　at　Project　Ninety…nine。　Then；　a　year　ago；　you　left　Manassas　with　something　from　the　project；　and　overnight　you　were　the　most　wanted　person　in　the　country。　Even　after　you　supposedly　died　aboard　that　airliner　in　Colorado。　Even　then　。　。　。　people　were　looking　for　you；　lots　of　people；　expending　considerable　resources；　searching　frantically　for　a　dead　woman　…which　seemed　pretty　weird　to　us。'
　　Rose　said　nothing　to　encourage　him。　She　seemed　tired。
　　Joe　took　her　hand。　She　was　trembling；　but　she　squeezed　his　hand　as　if　to　assure　him　that　she　was　all　right。
　　'Then　we　began　to　intercept　reports　from　a　certain　clandestine　police　agency。　。　。　reports　that　said　you　were　alive　and　active　in　the　L。A。　area；　that　it　involved　families　who'd　lost　loved　ones　on　Flight　353。　We　set　up　some　surveillance　of　our　own。　We're　pretty　good　at　it。　Some　of　us　are　ex…military。　Anyway；　you　could　say　we　watched　the　watchers　who　were　keeping　tab　on　people　like　Joe　here。　And　now。　。　。　I　guess　it's　a　good　thing　we　did。'
　　'Yes；　thank　you；'　she　said。　'But　you　don't　know　what　you're　getting　into　here。　There's　not　just　glory　。　。　。　there's　terrible　danger。'
　　'Dr。　Tucker；'　Mark　persisted；　'there　are　over　nine　thousand　of　us　now；　and　we've　mitted　our　lives　to　what　we　do。　We're　not　afraid。　And　now　we　believe　that　you　may　have　found　the　interface…and　that　it's　very　different　from　anything　we　quite　anticipated。　If　you've　actually　made　that　breakthrough。　。　。　if　humanity　is　at　that　pivot　point　in　history　when　everything　is　going　to　change　radically　and　forever　。　。　。　then　we　are　your　natu