dk.nightchills-第36部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　〃Whatever　he　is；〃　Paul　said；　〃he's　done　exactly　what　he　said　could　be　done。　He's　made　this　insane　scheme　work。　By　God；　that　has　to　be　what's　happening　here。　It　explains　everything　since　the　epidemic　of　night　chills　and　nausea。〃
　〃I　still　don't　understand　why　Dad　and　I　weren't　afflicted；〃　Jenny　said。　〃Salisbury　mentions　in　the　article　that　the　subliminal　program　would　not　affect　illiterates　and　children　who　haven't　yet　e　to　terms；　however　crude；　with　sex　and　death。　But　neither　Dad　nor　I　fit　into　one　of　those　categories。〃
　〃I　think　I　can　answer　that；〃　Paul　said。
　Sam　said；　〃So　can　I。　One　thing　they　teach　budding　pharmacologists　is　that　no　drug　affects　everyone　the　same　way。　On　some　people；　for　instance；　penicillin　has　little　or　no　effect。　Some　people　don't　respond　well　at　all　to　sulfa　drugs。　I　suspect　that；　for　whatever　reasons　of　genes　and　metabolisms　and　body　chemistries；　we're　among　the　tiny　percentage　of　those　who　aren't　touched　by　Salsbury's　drug。〃
　〃And　thank　God　for　that；〃　Jenny　said。　She　hugged　herself　and　shivered。
　〃There　ought　to　be　more　adults　unaffected；〃　Paul　said。　〃It's　summertime。　People　take　vacations。　Wasn't　anyone　out　of　town　during　the　week　when　the　reservoir　was　contaminated　and　the　subliminal　messages　broadcast？〃
　〃When　the　heavy　snows　e；〃　Sam　said；　〃logging　operations　have　to　stop。　So　in　the　warm　months　everyone　connected　with　the　mill　works　his　butt　off　to　make　sure　there　will　be　a　stockpile　of　logs　to　keep　the　saws　going　all　winter。　No　one　at　the　mill　takes　a　vacation　in　the　summer；　And　everyone　in　town　who　serves　the　mill　takes　his　time　off　in　the　winter　too。〃
　Paul　felt　as　if　he　were　on　a　turntable；　whirling　around　and　around。　His　mind　spun　with　the　implications　of　the　article　that　Sam　had　read。　〃Mark　and　Rya　and　I　weren't　affected　because　we　got　to　town　after　the　contaminant　had　passed　out　of　the　reservoir…and　because　we　didn't　watch　whatever　television　programs　or　mercials　contained　the　subliminal　messages。　But　virtually　everyone　else　in　Black　River　is　now　under　Salsbury's　control。〃
　They　stared　at　one　another。
　The　storm　moaned　at　the　window。
　Finally　Sam　said；　〃We　enjoy　the　benefits　and　luxuries　provided　by　modern　science…all　the　while　forgetting　that　the　technological　revolution；　just　like　the　industrial　revolution　before　it；　has　its　dark　side。〃　For　several　long　seconds；　with　the　mantel　clock　ticking　behind　him；　he　studied　the　cover　of　the　book　in　his　hand。　〃The　more　plex　a　society　bees；　the　more　dependent　each　part　of　it　bees　on　every　other　part　of　it；　the　easier　it　is　for　one　man；　one　lunatic　or　true　believer；　to　destroy　it　all　on　a　whim。　One　man　working　alone　can　assassinate　a　chief　of　state　and　precipitate　major　changes　in　his　country's　foreign　and　domestic　policies。　They　tell　us　that　one　man　with　a　degree　in　biology　and　a　lot　of　determination　can　culture　more　than　enough　plague　bacillus　to　destroy　the　world。　One　man　working　alone　can　even　build　a　nuclear　bomb。　All　he　needs　is　a　college　degree　in　physics。　And　the　ability　to　get　his　hands　on　a　few　Pounds　of　plutonium。　Which　isn't　so　damned　hard　to　do　either。　He　can　build　a　bomb　inside　a　suitcase　and　wipe　out　New　York
　City　because。　。　。　Well；　hell；　why　not　because　he　was　mugged　there；　or　because　he　once　got　a　traffic　ticket　in　Manhattan　and　he　doesn't　think　he　deserved　it。
　〃But　Salsbury　can't　be　working　alone；〃　Jenny　said。
　〃I　agree　with　you。〃
　〃The　resources　needed　to　perfect　and　implement　the　program　that　he　described　in　his　article。　。　。　Why；　they　would　be　enormous。〃
　〃A　private　industry　might　be　able　to　finance　it；〃　Paul　said。　〃A　pany　as　large　as　AT&T。〃
　〃No；〃　Sam　said。　〃Too　many　executives　and　research　people　would　have　to　know　about　it。　There　would　be　a　leak。　It　would　never　get　this　far　without　a　leak　to　the　press　and　a　major　scandal。〃
　〃A　single　wealthy　man　could　provide　what　Salsbury　needed；〃　Jenny　said。　〃Someone　as　rich　as　Onassis　was。　Or　Hughes。〃
　Tugging　gently　on　his　beard；　Sam　said；　〃It's　possible；　I　suppose。　But　we're　all　avoiding　the　most　logical　explanation。〃
　〃That　Salsbury　is　working　for　the　United　States　government；〃　Paul　said　worriedly。
　〃Exactly；〃　Sam　said。　〃And　if　he　is　working　for　the　government　or　the　CIA　or　any　branch　of　the　military…then　we're　finished。　Not　just　the　three　of　us　and　Rya；　but　the　whole　damned　country。〃
　Paul　went　to　the　window；　wiped　away　some　of　the　dew；　and　stared　at　wind…lashed　trees　and　billowing　gray　sheets　of　rain。　〃Do　you　think　that　what's　happening　here　is　happening　all　over　the　country？〃
　〃No；〃　Sam　said。　〃If　there　were　a　general　takeover　in　progress；　Salsbury　wouldn't　be　in　a　backwoods　mill　town。　He'd　be　at　a　mand　post　in　Washington。　Or　somewhere　else；　anywhere　else。〃
　〃Then　it's　a　test。　A　field　test；〃
　〃Probably。〃
　〃And　that's　maybe　a　good　sign；〃　Sam　said。　〃The　government　would　run　a　field　test　where　it　already　bad　tight　security。　Most　likely　on　an　army　or　air　force　base。　Not　here。〃
　Lightning　blasted　through　the　thunderheads；　and　for　an　instant　the　patterns　of　rain　on　the　window　seemed　to　form　faces：　Annie's　face；　Mark's　face。。。
　Suddenly　Paul　thought　that　his　wife　and　son；　although　they　had　met　quite　different　deaths；　had　been　killed　by　the　same　force。　Technology。　Science。　Annie　had　gone　into　the　hospital　for　a　simple　appendectomy。　It　hadn't　even　been　an　emergency　operation。　The　anesthesiologist　had　given　her　a　brand…new…on…the…market…revolutionary…you…couldn't…ask…for…better　anesthetic；　something　that　wasn't　as　messy　as　ether；　something　that　was　easier　to　use　（easier　for　the　anesthesiologist）　than　pentothal。　But　after　the　operation　she　didn't　regain　consciousness　as　she　should　have　done。　She　slipped；　instead；　into　a　a。　She'd　had　an　allergic　reaction　to　the　brand…new…on…the…market…revolutionary…you…couldn't…ask…for…better　anesthetic；　and　it　had　destroyed　a　large　part　of　her　liver。　Fortunately；　the　doctors　told　him；　the　liver　was　the　one　organ　of　the　body　that　could　regenerate　itself。　If　they　kept　her　in　the　intensive　care　unit；　supporting　her　life　processes　with　machines；　the　liver　would　repair　itself　day　by　day；　until　eventually　she　would　be　well　again。　She　was　in　intensive　care　for　five　weeks；　at　which　time　the　doctors　fed　all　of　the　data　from　the　life…support　machines　into　a　Medico　puter；　and　the　puter　told　them　that　she　was　well　enough　to　be　moved　out　of　intensive　care　and　into　a　private　room。　Eleven　weeks　later；　the　same　puter　said　she　was　well　enough　to　go　home。　She　was　listless　and　apathetic…but　she　agreed　that　the　puter　must　be　right。　Two　weeks　after　she　came　home；　she　had　a　relapse　and　died　within　forty…eight　hours。　Sometimes　he　thought　that　if　he　had　only　been　a　medical　doctor　instead　of　a　veterinarian；　he　might　have　saved　her。　But　that　was　pointless　masochism。　What　he　could　have　done　was　demand　that　her　Original　surgery　be　performed　with　ether　or　pentothal；　something　known　to　be　safe；　something　that　had　stood　the　test　of　decades。　He　could　have　told　them　to　stuff　their　puter　up　their　collective　ass。　But　he　hadn't　done　that　either。　He　had　trusted　in　their　technology　simply　because　it　was　technology；　because　it　was　all　new。　Americans　were　brought　up　to　respect
　what　was　new　and　progressive…and　more　often　than　they　wanted　to　admit；　they　died　for　their　faith　in　what　was　bright　and　shiny。
　After　Annie　died　he　became　suspicious　of　technology；　of　every　new　wonder　that　science　gave　to　mankind。　He　read　Paul　Ehrlich　and　other　back…to…the…land　reformers。　Gradually　he　came　to　see　that　the　yearly　camping　trips　to　Black　River　could　be　the　beginning　of　a　serious　program　to　free　his　children　from　the　city；　from　the　ever…growing　dangers　of　the　science　and　technology　that　the　cities　represented。　The　yearly　trips　became　an　education　for　lives　they　would　live　in　harmony　with　nature。
　But　the　back…to…the…land　advocates　were　possessed　by　an　impossible　dream。　He　saw　that　now；　saw　it　as　clearly　as　he　had　ever　seen　anything　in　his　life。　They　were　trying　to　run　away　from　technology…but　it　moved　much　faster　than　they　did。　There　was　no　land　to　get　back　to　anymore。　The　city；　its　science　and　technology；　the　effects　of　its　life…style；　had　tendrils　snaking　out　into　even　the　most　remote　mountains　and　forests。
　Furthermore；　you　ignored　the　advancements　of　science　at　your　own　peril。　His　ignorance　about　anesthetics　and　the　reliability　of　the　Medico　puter　had　cost　Annie　her　life。　His　ignorance　of　subliminal　advertising　and　the　research　being　done　in　that　field　had；　if　you　wanted　to　stretch　a　point；　cost　Mark　his　life。　The　only　way　to　survive　in　the　1970s　and　in　the　decades　to　follow　was　to　plunge　into　the　fast…moving；　supertechnical　society；　swim　with　it；　learn　from　it　and　about　it；　learn　all　that　you　could；　and　be　its　equal　in　any　confrontation。
　He　turned　away　from　the　window。　〃We　can't　go　to　Bexford　and　call　the　state　police。　If　our　own　government　is　behind　Salsbury；　if　our　own　leaders　want　to　enslave　us；　we'll　never　win。　It's　hopeless。　But　if　it　isn't　behind　him；　if　it　doesn't　know　what　he's　achieved；　then　we　don't　dare　let　it　know。　Because　the　moment　the　military　finds　out…it'll　appropriate　Salsbury's　discoveries；　and　there　are　some　factions　of　the　military　that　wouldn't　be　opposed　to　using　subliminal　programming　against　us。〃
　Looking　around　at　the　books　about　Nazism；　totalitarianism；　and　mob　psychology；　thinking　ruefully　of　what　he'd　learned
　about　some　men's　lust　for　power；　Sam　said；　〃You're　right。　Besides；　I've　been　thinking　about　the　problems　with　the　long…distance　phone　service。〃
　Paul　knew　what　he　meant。　〃Salsbury's　taken　over　the　telephone　exchange。〃　
　〃And　if　he's　done　that；〃　Sam　said；　〃he's　taken　other　precautions　too。　He's　probably　blockaded　the　roads　and　every　other　route　out　of　town。　We　couldn't　go　to　Bexford　and　tell　the　state　police　even　if　we　still　wanted　to。〃
　〃We're　trapped；〃　Jenny　said　quietly。
　〃For　the　time　being；〃　Paul　said；　〃that　really　doesn't　matter。　We've　already　decided　there's　no　place　to　run　anyway。　But　if　he's　not　working　for　the　government；　if　he's　backed　by　a　corporation　or　a　single　wealthy　man；　maybe　we've　got　a　chance　to　stop　him　here　in　Black　River。〃
　〃Stop　him　。　。　。〃　Sam　stared　thoughtfully　at　the　floor。　〃Do　you　realize　what　you're　saying？　We'd　have　to　get　our　hands　on　him；　interrogate　him…and　then　kill　him。　Death　is　the　only　thing　that　will　stop　a　man　like　that。　We'd　also　have　to　find　out　from　him　who　he's　associated　with…and　kill　anyone　else　who　might　understand　how　the　drug　was　made　and　how　the　subliminal　program　was　constructed。〃　He　looked　up　from　the　floor。　〃That　could　mean　two　murders；　three；　four；　or　a　dozen。〃
　〃None　of　us　is　a　killer；〃　Jenny　said。
　〃Every　man's　a　potential　killer；〃　Paul　said。　〃When　it　es　to　matters　of　survival；　any　man　is　capable　of　anything。　And　this　is　sure　as　hell　a　matter　of　survival。〃
　〃I　killed　men　in　the　war；〃　Sam　said。
　〃So　did　I；〃　Paul　said。　〃A　different　war　than　yours。　But　the　same　act。〃
　〃That　was　different；〃　Jenny　said。
　〃Was　it？〃
　〃That　was　war；〃　she　said。
　〃This　is　war　too；〃　Paul　said。
　She　stared　at　Paul's　hands；　as　if　imagining　them　with　a　knife　or　a　gun　or　clamped　around　a　man's　throat。
　Sensing　her　thoughts；　he　raised　his　hands　and　studied　them
　for　a　moment。　On　occasion；　washing　his　hands　before　dinner　or　after　treating　a　sick　animal；　he　would　flash　back　to