cb.booksofblood2-第22章

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s　howling　vehicle；　careering　down　the　road　from　Wele。
　Eugene　was　confounded。　What　was　this；　a　mass　exodus？　Lucy；　for　the　first　time　that　glorious　day；　felt　a　twinge　of　doubt。
　As　it　approached；　the　convoy　slowed；　and　came　to　a　halt；　the　dust　settled；　revealing　the　extent　of　Packard's　kamikaze　squad。　There　were　about　a　dozen　cars　and　half　a　dozen　bikes；　all　of　them　loaded　with　police　and　weapons。
　A　smattering　of　Wele　citizens　made　up　the　army；
　among　them　Eleanor　Kooker。　An　impressive　array　of　mean…
　minded；　well…armed　people。
　Packard　leant　out　of　his　car；　spat；　and　spoke。
　'Got　problems；　Eugene？'　he　asked。
　'I'm　no　fool；　Packard；'　said　Eugene。
　'Not　saying　you　are。'
　'I　seen　these　things。　Lucy'll　tell　you。'
　'I　know　you　have；　Eugene；　I　know　you　have。　There's　no　denying　that　there's　divils　in　them　hills；　sure　as　shit。　What'd　you　think　I've　got　this　posse　together　for；　if　it　ain't　divils？'
　Packard　grinned　across　to　Jebediah　at　the　wheel。　'Sure　as　shit；'　he　said　again。　'We're　going　to　blow　them　all　to　Kingdom　e。'
　From　the　back　of　the　car；　Miss　Kooker　leaned　out　the　window；　she　was　smoking　a　cigar。
　'Seems　we　owe　you　an　apology；　Gene；'　she　said；　offering　an　apology　for　a　smile。　He's　still　a　sot；　she　thought；　marrying　that　fat…bottomed　whore　was　the　death　of　him。　What　a　waste　of　a　man。
　Eugene's　face　tightened　with　satisfaction。
　'Seems　you　do。'
　'Get　in　one　of　them　cars　behind；'　said　Packard；　'you　and　Lucy　both；　and　we'll　fetch　them　out　of　their　holes　like　snakes　…'
　'The've　gone　towards　the　hills；'　said　Eugene。
　'That　so？'
　'Took　my　boy。　Threw　my　house　down。'
　'Many　of　them？'
　'Dozen　or　so。'
　'OK　Eugene；　you'd　best　get　in　with　us。'　Packard　ordered　a　cop　out　of　the　back。　'You're　going　to　be　hot　for　them　bastards；　eh？'
　Eugene　turned　to　where　Lucy　had　been　standing。
　'And　I　want　her　tried　…'　he　said。
　But　Lucy　was　gone；　running　off　across　the　desert：　doll…sized　already。
　'She's　headed　off　the　road；'　said　Eleanor。　'She'll　kill　herself。'
　'Killing's　too　good　for　her；'　said　Eugene；　as　he　climbed　into　the　car。　'That　woman's　meaner　than　the　Devil　himself。'
　'How's　that；　Gene？'
　'Sold　my　only　son　to　Hell；　that　woman　…'Lucy　was　erased　by　the　heat…haze。
　'…　to　Hell。'
　'Then　let　her　be；'　said　Packard。　'Hell'll　take　her　back；　sooner　or　later。'
　
　Lucy　had　known　they　wouldn't　bother　to　follow　her。　From　the　moment　she'd　seen　the　car　lights　in　the　dust…cloud；　seen　the　guns；　and　the　helmets；　she　knew　she　had　little　place　in　the　events　ahead。　At　best；　she　would　be　a　spectator。　At　worst；　she'd　die　of　heatstroke　crossing　the　desert；　and　never　know　the　upshot　of　the　oning　battle。　She'd　often　mused　about　the　existence　of　the　creatures　who　were　collectively　Aaron's　father。　Where　they　lived；　why　they'd　chosen；　in　their　wisdom；　to　make　love　to　her。　She'd　wondered　also　whether　anyone　else　in　Wele　had　knowledge　of　them。　How　many　human　eyes；　other　than　her　own；　had　snatched　glimpses　of　their　secret　anatomies；　down　the　passage　of　years？　And　of　course　she'd　wondered　if　there　would　one　day　e　a　reckoning　time；　a　confrontation　between　one　species　and　the　other。　Now　it　seemed　to　be　here；　without　warning；　and　against　the　background　of　such　a　reckoning　her　life　was　as　nothing。
　
　Once　the　cars　and　bikes　had　disappeared　out　of　sight；　she　doubled　back；　tracing　her　footmarks　in　the　sand；　'til　she　met　the　road　again。　There　was　no　way　of　regaining　Aaron；　she　realized　that。　She　had；　in　a　sense；　merely　been　a　guardian　of　the　child；　though　she'd　borne　him。　He　belonged；　in　some　strange　way；　to　the　creatures　that　had　married　their　seeds　in　her　body　to　make　him。　Maybe　she'd　been　a　vessel　for　some　experiment　in　fertility；　and　now　the　doctors　had　returned　to　examine　the　resulting　child。　Maybe　they　had　simply　taken　him　out　of　love。　Whatever　the　reasons　she　only　hoped　she　would　see　the　oute　of　the　battle。　Deep　in　her；　in　a　place　touched　only　by　monsters；　she　hoped　for　their　victory；　even　though　many　of　the　species　she　called　her　own　would　perish　as　a　result。
　
　In　the　foothills　there　hung　a　great　silence。　Aaron　had　been　set　down　amongst　the　rocks；　and　they　gathered　around　him　eagerly　to　examine　his　clothes；　his　hair；　his　eyes；　his　smile。
　It　was　towards　evening；　but　Aaron　didn't　feel　cold。　The　breaths　of　his　fathers　were　warm；　and　smelt；　he　thought；　like　the　interior　of　the　General　Supplies　Emporium　in　Wele；　a　mingling　of　toffee　and　hemp；　fresh　cheese　and　iron。　His　skin　was　tawny　in　the　light　of　the　diminishing　sun；　and　at　his　zenith　stars　were　appearing。　He　was　not　happier　at　his　mother's　nipple　than　in　that　ring　of　demons。
　
　At　the　toe　of　the　foothills　Packard　brought　the　convoy　to　a　halt。　Had　he　known　who　Napoleon　Bonaparte　was；　no　doubt　he　would　have　felt　like　that　conqueror。　Had　he　known　that　conqueror's　life…story；　he　might　have　sensed　that　this　was　his　Waterloo：　but　Josh　Packard　lived　and　died　bereft　of　heroes。
　
　He　summoned　his　men　from　their　cars　and　went　amongst　them；　his　mutilated　hand　tucked　in　his　shirt　for　support。　It　was　not　the　most　encouraging　parade　in　military　history。　There　were　more　than　a　few　white　and　sickly…pale　faces　amongst　his　soldiers；　more　than　a　few　eyes　that　avoided　his　stare　as　he　gave　his　orders。
　'Men；'　he　bawled。
　（It　occurred　to　both　Kooker　and　Davidson　that　as　sneak…attacks　went　this　would　not　be　amongst　the　quietest。）
　'Men　…　we've　arrived；　we're　organized；　and　we've　got　God　on　our　side。　We've　got　the　best　of　the　brutes　already；　understand？'
　Silence；　baleful　looks；　more　sweat。
　'I　don't　want　to　see　one　jack　man　of　you　turn　your　heel　and　run；　'cause　if　you　do　and　I　set　my　eyes　on　you；　you'll　crawl　home　with　your　backside　shot　to　Hell！'
　Eleanor　thought　of　applauding；　but　the　speech　wasn't　over。
　'And　remember；　men；'　here　Packard's　voice　dropped　to　a　conspiratorial　whisper；　'these　divils　took　Eugene's　boy　Aaron　not　four　hours　past。　Took　him　fairly　off　his　mother's　tit；　while　she　was　rocking　him　to　sleep。　They　ain't　nothing　but　savages；　whatever　they　may　look　like。　They　don't　give　a　mind　to　a　mother；　or　a　child；　or　nothing。　So　when　you　get　up　close　to　one　you　just　think　how　you'd　have　felt　if　you'd　been　taken　from　your　mother's　tit…'　…'
　He　liked　the　phrase　'mother's　tit'。　It　said　so　much；　so　simply。　Momma's　tit　had　a　good　deal　more　power　to　move　these　men　than　her　apple　pie。
　'You've　nothing　to　fear　but　seeming　less　than　men；　men。'
　Good　line　to　finish　on。
　'Get　on　with　it。'
　
　He　got　back　into　the　car。　Someone　down　the　line　began　to　applaud；　and　the　clapping　was　taken　up　by　the　rest　of　them。　Packard's　wide　red　face　was　cleft　with　a　hard；　yellow　smile。
　'Wagons　roll！'　he　grinned；　and　the　convoy　moved　off　into　the　hills。
　
　Aaron　felt　the　air　change。　It　wasn't　that　he　was　cold：　the　breaths　that　warmed　him　remained　as　embracing　as　ever。　But　there　was　nevertheless　an　alteration　in　the　atmosphere：
　some　kind　of　intrusion。　Fascinated；　he　watched　his　fathers　respond　to　the　change：　their　substance　glinting　with　new　colours；　graver；　warier　colours。　One　or　two　even　lifted　their　heads　as　if　to　sniff　the　air。
　Something　was　wrong。　Something；　someone；　was　…ing　to　interfere　with　this　night　of　festival；　unplanned　and　uninvited。　The　demons　knew　the　signs　and　they　were　not　unprepared　for　the　eventuality。　Was　it　not　inevitable　that　the　heroes　of　Wele　would　e　after　the　boy？　Didn't　the　men　believe；　in　their　pitiable　way；　that　their　species　was　born　out　of　earth's　necessity　to　know　itself；　nurtured　from　mammal　to　mammal　until　it　blossomed　as　humanity？
　Natural　then　to　treat　the　fathers　as　the　enemy；　to　root　them　out　and　try　to　destroy　them。　A　tragedy　really：　when　the　only　thought　the　fathers　had　was　of　unity　through　marriage；　that　their　children　should　blunder　in　and　spoil　the　celebration。
　Still；　men　would　be　men。　Maybe　Aaron　would　be　different；　though　perhaps　he　too　would　go　back　in　time　into　the　human　world　and　forget　what　he　was　learning　here。　The　creatures　who　were　his　fathers　were　also　men's　fathers：　and　the　marriage　of　semen　in　Lucy's　body　was　the　same　mix　that　made　the　first　males。　Women　had　always　existed：　they　had　lived；　a　species　to　themselves；　with　the　demons。　But　they　had　wanted　playmates：　and　together　they　had　made　men。
　What　an　error；　what　a　cataclysmic　miscalculation。　Within　mere　eons；　the　worst　rooted　out　the　best；　the　women　were　made　slaves；　the　demons　killed　or　driven　underground；　leaving　only　a　few　pockets　of　survivors　to　attempt　again　that　first　experiment；　and　make　men；　like　Aaron；　who　would　be　wiser　to　their　histories。　Only　by　infiltrating　humanity　with　new　male　children　could　the　master　race　be　made　milder。　That　chance　was　slim　enough；　without　the　interference　of　more　angry　children；　their　fat　white　fists　hot　with　guns。
　Aaron　scented　Packard　and　his　stepfather；　and　smelling　them；　knew　them　to　be　alien。　After　tonight　they　would　be　known　dispassionately；　like　animals　of　a　different　species。　It　was　the　gorgeous　array　of　demons　around　him　he　felt　closest　to；　and　he　knew　he　would　protect　them；　if　necessary；　with　his　life。
　Packard's　car　led　the　attack。　The　wave　of　vehicles　appeared　out　of　the　darkness；　their　sirens　blaring；　their　headlights　on；　and　drove　straight　towards　the　knot　of　celebrants。　From　one　or　two　of　the　cars　terrified　cops　let　out　spontaneous　howls　of　tenor　when　the　full　spectacle　came　into　view；　but　by　that　time　the　attack　force　was　mitted。　Shots　were　fired。　Aaron　felt　his　fathers　close　around　him　protectively；　their　flesh　now　darkening　with　anger　and　fear。
　Packard　knew　instinctively　that　these　things　were　capable　of　fear；　he　could　smell　it　off　them。　It　was　part　of　his　job　to　recognize　fear；　to　play　on　it；　to　use　it　against　the　miscreant。　He　screeched　his　orders　into　his　microphone　and　led　the　cars　into　the　circle　of　demons。　In　the　back　of　one　of　the　following　cars　Davidson　closed　his　eyes　and　offered　up　a　prayer　to　Yahweh；　Buddha　and　Groucho　Marx。　Grant　me　power；　grant　me　indifference；　grant　me　a　sense　of　humour。　But　nothing　came　to　assist　him：　his　bladder　still　bubbled；　and　his　throat　still　throbbed。
　Ahead；　the　shriek　of　brakes。　Davidson　opened　his　eyes　（just　a　slit）　and　caught　sight　of　one　of　the　creatures　wrapping　its　purple…black　arm　around　Packard's　car　and　lifting　it　into　the　air。　One　of　the　back　doors　flung　open　and　a　figure　he　recognized　as　Eleanor　Kooker　fell　the　few　feet　to　the　ground　followed　closely　by　Eugene。　Leaderless；　the　cars　were　in　a　frenzy　of　collisions　…　the　whole　scene　partially　eclipsed　by　smoke　and　dust。　There　was　the　sound　of　breaking　windscreens　as　cops　took　the　quick　way　out　of　their　cars；　the　shrieks　of　crumpling　hoods　and　sheered　off　doors。　The　dying　howl　of　a　crushed　siren；　the　dying　plea　of　a　crushed　cop。
　Packard's　voice　was　clear　enough；　however；　howling　orders　from　his　car　even　as　it　was　lifted　higher　into　the　air；　its　engine　revving；　its　wheels　spinning　foolishly　in　space。　The　demon　was　shaking　the　car　as　a　child　might　a　toy　until　the　driver's　door　opened　and　Jebediah　fell　to　the　ground　at　the　creature's　skirt　of　skin。　Davidson　saw　the　skirt　envelop　the　broken…backed　deputy　and　appear　to　suck　him　into　its　folds。　He　could　see　too　how　Eleanor　was　standing　up　to　the　towering　demon　as　it　devoured　her　son。
　'Jebediah；　e　out　of　there！'　she　shrieked；　and　fired　shot　after　s