gns.throwback-第34章

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g。　That　would　solve　a　lot　of　problems。
　　
　　November　28…2　adults　（1　male；　1　female　both　aged
　　
　　approx。　20/25）
　　
　　1　female　child　aged　approx。　12　1　male　child　aged　approx。　7
　　
　　Temperature　28°F。
　　
　　The　two　children　died　on　30　November；　the　adult　male　on　3　December；　the　female　lasted　up　until　7　December。　Conclusion：　the　female　of　the　species　is　more　resilient。
　　
　　But　overall　the　throwbacks　would　be　wiped　out　in　a　month　at　the　most　if　the　weather　worsened。
　　
　　Reitze　had　a　meeting　that　afternoon　with　the　Prime　Minister；　only　their　second　in　three　months　so　it　had　to　be　something　pretty　important。　For　once　the　Professor　felt　slightly　uneasy。　He　got　the　feeling　that　these　guys　were　looking　to　throw　the　book　at　somebody；　they　needed　a　scapegoat。　They　were　starting　to　panic。
　　
　　In　the　meantime　he　had　better　go　and　check　the　'natural　environment'　experiments；　the　PM　would　want　a　full　report。　He　wouldn't　take　Westcote　because　the　latter　was　being　squeamish。　Reitze　had　always　suspected　that　would　happen　once　their　experiments　went　beyond　animals。　He　was　the　kind　who　would　opt　out　if　things　ever　returned　to　normal；　defect　to　the　'amis'　and　use　as　a　weapon　all　the　information　he　had　collected　over　the　years。　Build　an　empire　then　destroy　it。　He　needed　careful　watching。　Barnes　would　be　glad　of　a　trip　out；　he　was　another　who　needed　watching　but　for　a　different　reason。　He　would　go　to　any　lengths　to　gain　another　step　up　the　ladder；　knife　you　in　the　back　if　it　was　to　his　advantage　and　he　thought　he　could　get　away　with　it。　But　he　was　dedicated　and　that　counted　for　a　lot。
　　

　　Reitze　permitted　himself　a　smile　as　he　left　the　laboratory。　Ed　Barnes　wouldn't　step　out　of　line；　not　where　Reitze　was　concerned　anyway。　Because　he　knew　that　the　Professor　knew　all　about　him。　You　didn't　take　a　guy　on　at　this　level　without　piling　a　very　personal　dossier　on　him。　If　the　White　House　found　out　then　Barnes　would　be　out　faster　than　a　rat　out　of　a　hole；　but　sometimes　it　was　prudent　to　have　an　employee　with　a　skeleton　in　the　cupboard　because　you　had　him　where　you　wanted　him　and　he　did　as　he　was　told。　Blackmail；　but　the　end　justified　the　means。
　　
　　Reitze　had　singled　Barnes　out　shortly　after　the　latter　had　graduated；　had　met　him　socially　on　a　couple　of　occasions。　Ideally　you　needed　a　team　of　eunuchs　for　this　type　of　work；　24…hours…a…day　men　without　any　distractions。　The　next　best　thing　was　guys　who　wanted　to　shut　themselves　away　because　they　were　shit…scared　of　the　outside　world。　Not　criminals；　that　was　too　much　of　a　risk。
　　
　　Barnes　fitted　and　the　Agency　had　set　him　up。　A　relationship　with　a　male　prostitute。　The　whole　saga　had　been　bugged　and　they　had　even　got　a　few　intimate　photographs。　A　Watergate…type　operation…and　Barnes　was　their　man。
　　
　　Ed　Barnes　looked　up　from　his　desk　as　Reitze　walked　in。　Small；　no　more　than　5　feet　4　inches　tall；　cropped　dark　hair。　Eyes　set　a　shade　too　close　together　gave　him　a　furtive　look　like　that　of　a　man　permanently　on　the　run。　Barnes　was　on　the　run…from　his　past。　He　was　making　some　notes　on　a　pad　in　his　tiny　spidery　handwriting；　further　proof　of　a　withdrawn　personality。
　　
　　'I　want　to　check　the　environment　pound；'　Reitze　said。
　　
　　Barnes　nodded；　closed　his　pad　as　though　he　had　written　something　which　he　did　not　want　the　boss　to　see。　He　hadn't；　it　was　just　a　natural　reaction。　If　you　watched　him　closely　he　blinked　fast；　had　a　slight　twitch　too。　'OK；　I'll　be　right　with　you。'
　　
　　They　took　one　of　the　Land　Rovers；　up　the　sloping　ramp　and　out　into　the　world　above。　Reitze　switched　on　the　wipers；　it　was　raining　fast　and　there　were　splats　of　sleet　on　the　windscreen。　Good；　this　would　put　the　outside　experiments　to　the　test。　Winter　had　arrived　virtually　overnight。
　　
　　They　had　less　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　to　drive　before　they　reached　the　pound。　Once　it　had　been　a　well…fenced　paddock　belonging　to　somebody　who　had　kept　ponies。　So　handy　to　the　laboratory；　so　little　adaptation　needed。　A　reinforcement　of　barbed　wire；　the　fenced　extension　a　good　8　feet　high；　backed　up　with　a　double…strand　electric　fence。　A　locked　gate　was　guarded　by　two　soldiers。　At　the　approach　of　the　Land　Rover　they　emerged　from　the　shelter　of　their　hut；　kept　their　backs　to　the　driving　rain。
　　
　　They　knew　Reitze；　did　not　even　ask　for　his　pass。　The　Professor　pulled　the　Land　Rover　off　the　track；　climbed　down；　followed　by　Barnes。
　　
　　'We　need　to　examine　the　specimens；'　he　told　the　guard。　'One　of　you　better　e　with　us。　The　other　can　lock　the　gate　after　us。'
　　
　　It　was　a　routine　precaution。　The　throwbacks　had　never　shown　violence；　only　fear　of　their　hairless　overlords；　but　when　you　were　experimenting　you　never　knew　how　things　would　turn　out。
　　
　　Barnes　shivered；　turned　up　the　collar　of　his　windcheater。　This　sleet　was　turning　to　snow。　You　felt　the　cold　worse　when　you　spent　most　of　your　life　below　ground　in　a　centrally　heated　building。　He　wished　he　had　put　on　an　extra　sweater。
　　
　　They　walked　across　the　uneven　ground；　the　soldier　a　couple　of　yards　ahead　of　them；　unslinging　his　rifle　as　they　approached　the　dilapidated　tin…sheet　structure。　At　the　moment　there　was　no　sign　of　life；　the　occupants　of　this　pound　would　all　be　huddled　inside　that　three…sided　shelter　with　the　open　front。　You　couldn't　blame　'em　for　that。
　　
　　Surprise　and　fear；　a　dozen　squat　shapes　leaping　up　from　the　piles　of　blankets　on　which　they　had　been　sitting　or　lying；　huddling　in　the　far　corner；　pressing　against　each　other。　They　reminded　Reitze　of　those　cages　of　rats　in　the　lab　in　Arizona。　No　matter　how　many　times　a　day　you　went　near　them　they　always　squealed　and　ran　to　a　corner。　Because　they　were　intelligent　enough　to　know　that　you　were　experimenting　on　them；　that　you　didn't　give　a　shit　whether　they　lived　or　died　so　long　as　you　got　the　results　you　were　after。
　　
　　Reitze　stood　in　the　wide　doorway　and　regarded　the　throwbacks　carefully；　saw　the　fear　in　their　faces。　Totally　demoralised；　they　had　given　up；　maybe　they　were　even　willing　themselves　to　die。　His　eyes　narrowed。　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　the