the.lost.world-第25部分

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　　　　〃Can　I　help？〃　Malcolm　said；　a　few　yards　away。
　　　　〃If　you　don't　mind；　no；〃　Eddie　said。　〃We'd　better　unpack　these　ourselves。〃
　　　　They　spent　half　an　hour　unbolting　the　rear　panels；　lowering　them　to　the　ground；　and　entering　the　containers。　After　that；　they　took　only　a　few　minutes　to　release　the　vehicles。　Eddie　got　behind　the　wheel　of　the　Explorer　and　flicked　on　the　ignition。　There　was　hardly　any　sound；　just　a　soft　whirr　of　the　vacuum　pump　starting　up。　Thorne　said；　〃How's　your　charge？〃
　　　　〃Full；〃　Eddie　said。
　　　　〃Batteries　okay？〃
　　　　〃Yeah。　Seem　fine。〃
　　　　Eddie　was　relieved。　He　had　supervised　the　conversion　of　these　vehicles　to　electric　power；　but　it　was　a　rush　job；　and　they　hadn't　had　time　to　test　them　thoroughly　afterward。　And　though　it　was　true　that　electric　cars　employed　less　plex　technology　than　the　internal…bustion　engine…that　chugging　relic　of　the　nineteenth　century　…　Eddie　knew　that　taking　untested　equipment　into　the　field　was　always　risky。
　　　　Especially　when　that　equipment　also　used　the　latest　technology。　That　fact　troubled　Eddie　more　than　he　was　willing　to　admit。　Like　most　born　mechanics；　he　was　deeply　conservative。　He　liked　things　to　work　…　work；　no　matter　what　…　and　to　him　that　meant　using　established；　proven　technology。　Unfortunately；　he　had　been　voted　down　this　time。
　　　　Eddie　had　two　particular　areas　of　concern。　One　was　the　black　photovoltaic　panels；　with　their　rows　of　octagonal　silicon　wafers；　mounted　on　the　roof　and　hood　of　the　vehicles。　These　panels　were　efficient；　and　much　less　fragile　than　the　old　photovoltaics。　Eddie　had　mounted　them　with　special　vibration…damping　units　of　his　own　design。　But　the　fact　remained；　if　the　panels　were　injured　in　any　way；　they　would　no　longer　be　able　to　charge　the　vehicles；　or　run　the　electronics。　All　their　systems　would　stop　dead。
　　　　His　other　concern　was　the　batteries　themselves。　Thorne　had　selected　the　new　lithium…ion　batteries　from　Nissan；　which　were　extremely　efficient　on　a　weight　basis。　But　they　were　still　experimental；　which　to　Eddie　was　just　a　polite　word　for　〃unreliable。〃
　　　　Eddie　had　argued　for　backups；　he　had　argued　for　a　little　gasoline　generator；　just　in　case；　he　had　argued　for　lots　of　things。　And　he　had　always　been　voted　down。　Under　the　circumstances；　Eddie　did　the　only　sensible　thing：　he　built　in　a　few　extras；　and　didn't　tell　anybody　about　it。
　　　　He　was　pretty　sure　Thorne　knew　he　had　done　that。　But　Thorne　never　said　anything。　And　Eddie　never　brought　it　up。　But　now　that　he　was　here；　on　this　island　in　the　middle　of　nowhere；　he　was　glad　he　had。　Because　the　fact　was；　you　never　knew。

Thorne　watched　as　Eddie　backed　the　Explorer　out　of　the　container；　and　into　the　high　grass。　Eddie　left　the　car　in　the　middle　of　the　clearing；　where　the　sunlight　would　strike　the　panels　and　top　up　the　charge。
　　　　Thorne　got　behind　the　wheel　of　the　first　trailer；　and　backed　it　out。　It　was　odd　to　drive　a　vehicle　which　was　so　quiet；　the　loudest　sound　was　the　tires　on　the　metal　container。　And　once　it　was　on　the　grass；　there　was　hardly　any　sound　at　all。　Thorne　climbed　out；　and　linked　up　the　two　trailers；　locking　them　together　with　the　flexible　steel　accordion　connector。
　　　　Finally；　he　turned　to　the　motorcycle。　It；　too；　was　electric；　Thorne　rolled　it　to　the　rear　of　the　Explorer；　lifted　it　onto　brackets；　hooked　the　power　cord　into　the　same　system　that　ran　the　vehicle；　and　recharged　the　battery。　He　stepped　back。　〃That　does　it。〃
　　　　In　the　hot；　quiet　clearing；　Eddie　stared　toward　the　high　circular　rim　of　the　crater；　rising　in　the　distance　above　the　dense　jungle。　The　bare　rock　shimmered　in　the　morning　heat；　the　walls　forbidding　and　harsh。　He　had　a　sense　of　desolation；　of　entrapment。　〃Why　would　anyone　ever　e　here？〃　he　said。
　　　　Malcolm；　leaning　on　his　cane；　smiled。　〃To　get　away　from　it　all；　Eddie。　Don't　you　ever　want　to　get　away　from　it　all？〃
　　　　〃Not　if　I　can　help　it；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Me；　I　always　like　a　Pizza　Hut　nearby；　you　know　what　I　mean？〃
　　　　〃Well；　you're　a　ways　from　one　now。〃
　　　　Thorne　returned　to　the　back　panel　of　the　trailer；　and　pulled　out　a　pair　of　heavy　rifles。　Beneath　the　barrel　of　each　hung　two　aluminum　canisters；　side　by　side。　He　handed　one　rifle　to　Eddie；　showed　the　other　to　Malcolm。　〃You　ever　seen　these？〃
　　　　〃Read　about　them；〃　Malcolm　said。　〃This　is　the　Swedish　thing？〃
　　　　〃Right。　Lindstradt　air　gun。　Most　expensive　rifle　in　the　world。　Rugged；　simple；　accurate；　and　reliable。　Fires　a　subsonic　Fluger　impact　delivery　dart；　containing　whatever　pound　you　want。〃　Thorne　cracked　open　the　cartridge　bank；　revealing　a　row　of　plastic　containers　filled　with　straw…colored　liquid。　Each　cartridge　was　tipped　with　a　three…inch　needle。　〃We've　loaded　the　enhanced　venom　of　Conus　purpurascens；　the　South　Sea　cone　shell。　It's　the　most　powerful　neurotoxin　in　the　world。　Acts　within　a　two…thousandth　of　a　second。　It's　faster　than　the　nerve…conduction　velocity。　The　animal's　down　before　it　feels　the　prick　of　the　dart。〃
　　　　〃Lethal？〃
　　　　Thorne　nodded。　〃No　screwing　around　here。　Just　remember；　you　don't　want　to　shoot　yourself　in　the　foot　with　this；　because　you'll　be　dead　before　you　realize　that　you've　pulled　the　trigger。〃
　　　　Malcolm　nodded。　〃Is　there　an　antidote？〃
　　　　〃No。　But　what's　the　point？　There'd　be　no　time　to　administer　it　if　there　was。〃
　　　　〃That　makes　things　simple；〃　Malcolm　said；　taking　the　gun。
　　　　　　　　〃Just　thought　you　ought　to　know；〃　Thorne　said。　〃Eddie？　Let's　get　going。〃

The　Stream

Eddie　climbed　into　the　Explorer。　Thorne　and　Malcolm　climbed　into　the　cab　of　the　trailer。　A　moment　later；　the　radio　clicked。　Eddie　said；　〃You　putting　up　the　database；　Doc？〃
　　　　〃Right　now；〃　Thorne　said。
　　　　He　plugged　the　optical　disk　into　the　dashboard　slot。　On　the　small　monitor　facing　him；　he　saw　the　island　appear；　but　it　was　largely　obscured　behind　patches　of　cloud。　〃What　good　is　that？〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　〃Just　wait；〃　Thorne　said。　〃It's　a　system。　It's　going　to　sum　data。〃
　　　　〃Data　from　what？〃
　　　　〃Radar。〃　In　a　moment；　a　satellite　radar　image　overlaid　the　photograph。　The　radar　could　penetrate　the　clouds。　Thorne　pressed　a　button；　and　the　puter　traced　the　edges；　enhancing　details；　highlighting　the　faint　spidery　track　of　the　road　system。
　　　　〃Pretty　slick；〃　Malcolm　said。　But　to　Thorne；　he　seemed　tense。
　　　　〃I've　got　it；〃　Eddie　said；　on　the　radio。
　　　　Malcolm　said；　〃He　can　see　the　same　thing？〃
　　　　〃Yes。　On　his　dashboard。〃
　　　　〃But　I　don't　have　the　CPS；〃　Eddie　said；　anxiously。　〃Isn't　it　working？〃
　　　　〃You　guys；〃　Thorne　said。　〃Give　it　a　minute。　It's　reading　the　optical。　Waystations　are　ing　up。〃
　　　　There　was　a　cone…shaped　Global　Positioning　Sensor　mounted　in　the　roof　of　the　trailer。　Taking　radio　data　from　orbiting　navigation　satellites　thousands　of　miles　overhead；　the　GPS　could　calculate　the　position　of　the　vehicles　within　a　few　yards。　In　a　moment；　a　flashing　red　X　appeared　on　the　map　of　the　island。
　　　　〃Okay；〃　Eddie　said；　on　the　radio。　〃I　got　it。　Looks　like　a　road　leading　out　of　the　clearing　to　the　north。　That　where　we're　going？〃
　　　　〃I'd　say　so；〃　Thorne　said。　According　to　the　map；　the　road　twisted　several　miles　across　the　interior　of　the　island；　before　finally　reaching　a　place　where　all　the　roads　seemed　to　meet。　There　was　the　suggestion　of　buildings　there；　but　it　was　hard　to　be　sure。
　　　　〃Okay；　Doc。　Here　we　go。〃
　　　　Eddie　drove　past　him；　and　took　the　lead。　Thorne　stepped　on　the　accelerator；　and　the　trailer　hummed　forward；　following　the　Explorer。
　　　　Beside　him；　Malcolm　was　silent；　fiddling　with　a　small　notebook　puter　on　his　lap。　He　never　looked　out　the　window。
　　　　In　a　few　moments；　they　had　left　the　clearing　behind；　and　were　moving　through　dense　jungle。　Thorne's　panel　lights　flashed：　the　vehicle　switched　to　its　batteries。　There　wasn't　enough　sunlight　ing　through　the　trees　to　power　the　trailer　any　more。　They　drove　on。
　　　　〃How　you　doing；　Doc？〃　Eddie　said。　〃You　holding　charge？〃
　　　　〃Just　fine；　Eddie。〃
　　　　〃He　sounds　nervous；〃　Malcolm　said。
　　　　〃Just　worried　about　the　equipment。〃
　　　　〃The　hell；〃　Eddie　said。　〃I'm　worried　about　me。〃
　　　　Although　the　road　was　overgrown　and　in　poor　condition　they　made　good　progress。　After　about　ten　minutes；　they　came　to　a　small　stream；　with　muddy　banks。　The　Explorer　started　across　it；　then　stopped。　Eddie　got　out；　stepping　over　rocks　in　the　wate