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elicopter； pointing repeatedly toward the lab。 I mouthed 〃Go！〃 and pointed away。
The helicopter descended； and for a moment I thought it was going to land right beside me。 Then it abruptly banked again； and moved away low to the ground； heading south toward the concrete pad。 The sound faded。
I decided I had better change my position fast。 I got to my knees and in a crouch； moved crabwise thirty yards to the left。 Then I dropped down again。 When I looked back at the mound； I saw three…no； four figures ing out of the interior。 They moved apart； each heading to a different area of the mound。 They all looked like Ricky。 I watched as they went down the slope of the mound； and moved out into the bush。 My heart began to pound in my chest。 One of the figures was ing in my direction。 As it approached； I saw it veer off to the right。 It was going to the place where I had been before。 When it reached my last hiding place； it stopped； and turned in all directions。 It was not far from me at all。 I could see through the goggles that this new Ricky figure now had a plete face； and the clothing was much more detailed。 In addition； this figure moved with the sensation of real body weight。 It might be an illusion； of course； but I guessed that the swarm had increased mass； and now weighed fifty pounds； maybe more。 Maybe twice that。 If so； then the swarm now had enough mass to jolt you with a physical impact。 Even knock you off your feet。
Through the goggles I saw the figure's eyes move； and blink。 The surface of the face now had the texture of skin。 The hair appeared to be posed of individual strands。 The lips moved； the tongue licked nervously。 All in all this face looked very much like Ricky…disturbingly like Ricky。 When the head turned in my direction； I felt that Ricky was staring right at me。 And I suppose it was； because the figure began to move directly toward me。 I was trapped。 My heart was thumping in my chest。 I hadn't planned for this； I had no protection； no sort of defense。 I could get up and run； of course； but there was nowhere to go。 I was surrounded by miles of desert； and the swarms would hunt me down。 In a few moments I would be…
With a roar； the helicopter came back。 The Ricky figure looked toward it as it came； and then turned and fled； literally flying over the ground； not bothering any longer to animate the legs and feet。 It was creepy to see this human replica； suddenly floating over the desert。 But the other three Ricky figures were running； too。 Running hard； conveying a distinct sense of panic。 Did the swarms fear the helicopter？ It seemed they did。 And as I watched； I understood why。 Even though the swarms were now heavier and more substantial； they were still vulnerable to strong winds。 The helicopter was a hundred feet in the air but the downdraft was powerful enough to deform the running figures； flattening them partially as they fled。 It was as if they were being hammered down。
The figures vanished into the mound。
I looked back at Mae。 She was standing up in the streambed now； talking on her radio to the helicopter。 She'd needed that radio； all right。 She yelled to me； 〃Let's go！〃 and began running toward me。 I was dimly aware of Bobby； running away from the mound； back to his ATV。 But there was no time to worry about him。 The helicopter hung poised right above the mound itself。 Dust whipped up； stinging my eyes。
Then Mae was beside me。 Removing our goggles； we pulled on our oxygen masks。 She turned me； twisted the tank valve behind me。 I did the same for her。 Then we put the night goggles back on。 It seemed like a lot of contraptions jiggling and rattling around my face。 She clipped a halogen flashlight to my belt； and another to her own。 She leaned close； shouted： 〃Ready？〃
〃I'm ready！〃
〃Okay； let's go！〃
There was no time to think。 It was better that way。 The helicopter downdraft roared in my ears。 Together we clawed our way up the slope of the mound； our clothes whipping around us。 We arrived at the edge； barely visible in the thick swirling dust。 We couldn't see anything beyond the rim。 We couldn't see what was below。
Mae took my hand； and we jumped。
DAY 6
11：22 P。M。
I landed on loose stones； and half stumbled； half slid down the slope toward the cave entrance。 The thumping of the helicopter blades above us was loud。 Mae was right beside me； but I could hardly see her in the thick dust。 There were no Ricky figures anywhere in sight。 We came to the cave entrance and stopped。 Mae pulled out the thermite capsules。 She gave me the magnesium fuses。 She tossed me a plastic cigarette lighter。 I thought； that's what we're using？ Her face was already partly clouded behind the mask。 Her eyes were hidden behind the night…vision goggles。 She pointed to the interior of the cave。 I nodded。
She tapped me on the shoulder； pointed to my goggles。 I didn't understand； so she reached forward by my cheek and flicked a switch。
〃…me now？〃 she said。
〃Yes； I hear。〃
〃Okay then； let's go。〃
We started into the cave。 The green glow had vanished in the thick dust。 We had only the infrared light mounted on top of our night…vision goggles。 We saw no figures。 We heard nothing but the thumping of the helicopter。 But as we went deeper into the cave； the sound began to fade。
And as the sound faded； so did the wind。
Mae was focused。 She said； 〃Bobby？ Do you hear me？〃
〃Yes； I hear you。〃
〃Get your ass in here。〃
〃I'm trying to…〃
〃Don't try。 Get in here； Bobby。〃
I shook my head。 If I knew Bobby Lembeck； he was never ing into this pit。 We rounded the bend； and saw nothing but suspended dust； the vague outlines of cave walls。 The walls seemed smooth here； with no place to hide。 Then from the gloom directly ahead I saw a Ricky figure emerge。 He was expressionless； just walking toward us。 Then another figure from the left； and another。 The three formed a line。 They marched toward us at a steady pace； their faces identical and expressionless。
〃First lesson；〃 Mae said； holding out the thermite cap。
〃Let's hope they don't learn it；〃 I said； and I lit the fuse。 It sputtered white…hot sparks。 She tossed the cap forward。 It landed a few feet in front of the advancing group。 They ignored it； staring forward at us。
Mae said； 〃It's a three count 。。。 two 。。。 one 。。。 and turn away。〃 I twisted away； ducking my head under my arm just as a sphere of blinding white filled the tunnel。 Even though my eyes were closed； the glare was so strong that I saw spots when I opened my eyes again。 I turned back。
Mae was already moving forward。 The dust in the air had a slightly darker tint。 I saw no sign of the three figures。
〃Did they run？〃
〃No。 Vaporized；〃 she said。 She sounded pleased。
〃New situations；〃 I said。 I was feeling encouraged。 If the programming assumptions still held； the swarms would be weak when reacting to genuinely new situations。 In time they would learn； in time they would evolve strategies to deal with the new conditions。 But initially their response would be disorganized； chaotic。 That was a weakness of distributed intelligence。 It was powerful； and it was flexible； but it was slow to respond to unprecedented events。 〃We hope；〃 Mae said。
We came to the gaping hole in the cave floor she had described。 In the night goggles； I saw a sort of sloping ramp。 Four or five figures were ing up toward us； and there seemed to be more behind。 They all looked like Ricky； but many of them were not so well formed。 And those in the rear were just swirling clouds。 The thrumming sound was loud。 〃Second lesson。〃 Mae held out a cap。 It sizzled white when I lit it。 She rolled it gently down the ramp。 The figures hesitated when they saw it。
〃Damn；〃 I said； but then it was time to duck away； and shield my eyes from the explosive flash。 Inside the confined space； there was a roar of expanding gas。 I felt a burst of intense heat on my back。 When I looked again； most of the swarms beneath us had vanished。 But a few hung back； apparently undamaged。
They were learning。
Fast。
〃Next lesson；〃 Mae said； holding two caps this time。 I lit both and she rolled one； and threw the second one deeper down the ramp。 The explosions roared simultaneously； and a huge gust of hot air rolled upward past us。 My shirt caught fire。 Mae pounded it out with the flat of her hand； smacking me with rapid strokes。
When we looked again； there were no figures in sight； and no dark swarms。
We went down the ramp； heading deeper into the cave。
We had started with twenty thermite caps。 We had sixteen left； and we had gone only a short distance down the ramp toward the large room at the bottom。 Mae moved quickly now…I had to hurry to catch up with her…but her instincts were good。 The few swarms that materialized before us all quickly backed away at our approach。
We were herding them into the lower room。
Mae said； 〃Bobby； where are you？〃
The headset crackled。 〃…trying…get…〃
〃Bobby； e on； damn it。〃
But all the while we were moving deeper into the cave； and soon we heard only static。 Down here； dust hung suspended in the air； diffusing the infrared beams。 We could see clearly the walls and ground directly ahead of us； but beyond that； there was total blackness。 The sense of darkness and isolatio