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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ss as though she belonged to some hitherto undiscovered Amazon tribe。 A predomination of the nipples； the vulva engorged like an animal on heat。 Facially she was almost attractive； just a slight overall squatness of the features。
'It would be too much to experiment on both brain and body in the same specimen。' Reitze spoke expressionlessly； he might even have been talking to himself rather than to his panion。 'The female stands a better chance of body success。 A skin softener and hair remover administered internally。 It was tried in Mexico a few years ago and there was one fuck of a stink when a couple of women died。 The drug was banned as a result。 But I guess nobody's going to make too much of a shout if one or two of these died。'
This time he introduced the needle more gently； just a surface prick； watching her face the whole time。 Teeth bit the lower lip； trickles of blood showed； dripped down on to the breasts。 The eyes dilated； filled with tears。 Why are you doing this to me？
You're the first of many。 There'll be hundreds more； men； women and children； as fast as the security forces can bring them in。 Most'11 die but we'll keep on until we get some kind of a result。
She was strangely placid now； beautifully moulded features serene； a hint of nobility in her bearing even when she was hanging from that stark wall。 Proud。 Reitze stiffened； seemed to sense it and it made him angry。 You scum； we'll kill you if we can't cure you。 He turned away abruptly。
They've been hit pretty hard back home；' Westcote said。 'Virtually the whole of New York State is wrecked； mobs on the rampage the whole time。 They even had to defend the White House with heavy artillery。'
This 〃change〃 is like a rebirth；' Reitze told him。 'At first they're just stupefied； virtually an unthinking species relying on basic instinct。 Then they start to get 〃acclimatised〃； for want of a better word； learn to use their limited brains。 At first they ran and hid in the woods and fields； now they're saying to themselves； 〃Why the fuck shouldn't we have those fine houses to live in instead of stone dwellings？〃 We don't even know how far they'll develop。 Anyway； we'd better go； I've got another meeting with the Defence Minister at three。 Don't forget； check this pair every hour。'
Westcote nodded； locked the door behind them as they left。 Reitze gave him the creeps； you got the impression that he enjoyed injecting living things； delighted in unforeseen plications。 These two wouldn't make it； he was sure of that。 He only wished he didn't have to e back and check them out because he didn't like the thought of what he might find。
'It's going fine；' Reitze told Rankine。 'We're now working on a series of experiments on brain and skin tissue。 We'll know in about an hour how it's going。'
'Don't forget；' the Defence Minister twitched unusually heavy brows； 'these are our people。 They're not animals； you know。'
？ 'Sure。' They're worse than fucking animals。 'But we've got to test 'em。 Don't forget； winter's on the way； another couple of months or so and an awful lot of 'em could well die from exposure。 We don't have much time。'
'Which brings me to our Emergency Operations which are now being circulated to the security forces。' Rankine glanced down； a hint of embarrassment。 It sounded callous but probably Reitze would not see it that way； the American was devoid of emotions； passion。 'Our forces are instructed to drive all these 。 。 。 throwbacks out of the towns and cities； scatter them to the hills and woods and keep 'em there； a lot of 'em seem to be doing that of their own accord anyway。 Keep the populated areas free； stop the looting and burning and 。 。 。 well； after that we're relying on you to e up with something。'
Reitze smiled faintly； maybe a sign that he did have an ego and it had been touched。 'Sounds OK in theory； but there's one point I was discussing with Westcote only a few minutes ago。 Are these people equipped to stand the rigours of a winter out of doors？'
'Their ancestors did； and survived。' The Defence Minister felt a little flutter in his guts； damn these bloody Yankee boffins； it would mean 。 。 。
'We'll have to carry out some extensive tests on them；' Reitze confirmed the other's worst fears。 I'll make a start within the next few days。 In the meantime； get your guys catching a few more of them。 We'll need males； females and children； in good health and poor。 That way we'll be able to hazard a rough guess at the survival rate。'
Rankine nodded and refrained from repeating himself： They are our people； you know。' Right now they were in the hands of the scientists。
Westcote glanced at his watch； saw it was time to go back downstairs。 He shuffled his feet under the desk； wondered if there was any delaying tactic which would be acceptable to Reitze。 He could not think of one； would have to go whether he liked it or not。 'What the fuck were you playing at； can't you even tell the time？' Scathing retribution that was ten times worse when issued in the Professor's monotone； no raving or shouting； he just spoke the truth and you knew he was right。 Westcote would have to go and check the specimens。
He descended the flight of metal stairs as if he did not ever want to reach the bottom； a step at a time； pausing； hoping that he'd hear Reitze ing； the meeting over earlier than scheduled。 Passing him on the stairs； his own key in his hand。 'OK； I'll see for myself。 You can e if you want to。' Westcote didn't want to but he would acpany Reitze all the same。
Another fuck…up but nobody would record it as a failure。 Just a process； next time would show something more positive； or the time after that。 One of the most important qualities a scientist possesses； Reitze had once said； was optimism。 Positive thinking。 But you reached a time when things aren't positive any more。
Westcote reached the bottom step； turned left along the corridor； his feet dragging； pulling back on him。 Don't go； for Christ's sake don't go； remember that time you injected those monkeys to try and speed up their reflexes。 They were clinically dead but their nerves； their muscles were still hammering away like fuck！ Oh Jesus！
The door。 He had the key。 He could have looked through the tiny glass panel first but he didn't because what he saw inside might stop him from going in there。
Don't look； just open the door。
The key didn't seem to fit； that was because his hand was shaking； rattling the casing of the lock。 He forced it in； exerted more pressure than was necessary； his heart missed a beat when he heard the tumblers fall。 Oh God； he'd got to go in now。
He smelted them before he saw them。 Westcote recoiled； would have fled back out of that door had his legs been capable of movement； he felt like one of those soft rubber 'bendy' toys they used to sell in the shops。 He clung to the open door； hung on to it for support； let it swing with his weight。
The woman was clearly dead and it was from her corpse that the awful stench came； she sagged in her manacles； head forward； long coarse wiry hair falling out of her skull like feathers fluttering from a dead bird in a breeze； balding patches covered with red sores； oozing yellow fluid。 Dripping treacly plops on the floor tiles。
He threw up； couldn't stop himself； spewing half…digested canned stew across the room。 Her entire skin was festered； soft red blotches bulging with some kind of vile poison； visibly eating up the flesh； pulsing with its own venom； Instant putrefaction； malignant cancers gone crazy； fighting one another to devour the flesh on the bones！
Westcote gave a half…scream when he noticed the male； thought at first that the other still lived。 The man's frame was rigid as though rigor mortis had claimed him and yet not killed him。 Oh Jesus Christ Almighty； that face； that head！ Possibly the skull had bee engorged； it might have been an optical illusion by the way the top pulsed； visibly throbbing； a football being alternately inflated and deflated by a faulty foot…pump。 The skin stretched almost to bursting point； retracted。 Expand 。 。 。 retract 。。。 expand 。 。 。 retract 。 。 。 expand 。 。 。
Morbid fascination； horrific amazement； spew trickling down the lab man's chin and staining his white overalls。 The prisoner's features were a fixed snarl that depicted the ultimate in pain and terror； a scream that went on and on so that you still heard it even though it was long finished。 The eyes had bloated； burst； the dead sockets streaming white fluid like thick sour milk that was about to solidify into cheese； dilated nostrils discharging twin rivulets of mucus that still flowed fast。
Still screaming； the dead brain rebelling in awful palpitations； a creature that fought against what they had done to it even after life was gone from it。
Westcote almost fainted； wanted to look away but could not。 Hypnotised。 You did this to me； look at me； watch me。 No！
Suddenly he was aware that someone else had e into the room； the waft of a white coat passing him；