Death World(科幻战争)-第18部分

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of　it；　like　the　rest　of　us；　reckons　it’s　stalking　us。　But　whenever　he　gets　too　close；　it　disappears。　It
leaves　no　tracks；　no　nothing。”　With　a　smile；　he　added；　“Marbo　says　it’s　almost　as　good　as　he　is。”
“Ghosts！”　said　Braxton。
Everyone　turned　to　look　at　him。
“That’s　what　the　Validians　have　been　saying。　I　reported　on　it　for　Eagle　&　Bolter；　our　broadsheet。
The　same　story；　from　four　different　squads。　They　all　had　the　feeling　they　were　being　followed；　but
there　was　no　evidence　of　it。　I　thought　it　might　be　connected　to　the　blue　lights；　the　jungle　playing
tricks　on　their　minds。”
“Hallucinogens　in　the　atmosphere？”　mused　Donovits。　“Could　be　put　out　by　one　of　the　plants。
They　could　even　be　in　the　berries　we’ve　eaten。”
“I　didn’t　eat　any　berries；”　said　Myers；　“at　least　not　till　after　I　saw　that…　thing。”
“This　could　be　serious；”　grumbled　Greiss。　“First　Sharkbait　goes　off　the　deep　end；　then　Steel　Toe
and　Lorenzo　go　wandering　in　the　night；　now　this。　If　this　jungle　gets　us　so　we　can’t　trust　our　own
senses…”
“You　said　Marbo　saw　this　‘ghost’；”　said　Donovits。　“He　saw　it　following　us。　If　the　jungle　were
affecting　him；　making　him—making　all　of　us—paranoid；　then　surely　he’d　have　thought　the　ghost
was　following　him。　That　makes　sense；　yes？”
“Then　it　has　to　be　real；”　said　Lorenzo。
“We　need　to　know　for　sure；”　said　Armstrong。
“Maybe　we　should　leave　well　enough　alone；”　said　Braxton。　“I　mean；　there’s　no　record　of　these
‘ghosts’　attacking　anyone。”
“Yet；”　said　Armstrong。　“You　should　have　learned　by　now；　that　could　change　in　a　heartbeat。　I　say
we　search。”
Greiss　nodded　his　agreement；　and　the　squad　separated；　each　man　taking　a　sector　of　the　jungle
around　them；　though　each　was　sure　to　stay　within　sight　of　two　others　at　all　times。　They　kicked　and
cut　their　way　through　the　undergrowth；　beat　bushes；　shook　trees　and　even　shinned　up　some　to　search
their　leaf…shrouded　upper　branches。　The　Jungle　Fighters　checked　all　the　places　where　they　would
have　hidden。　Finally；　they　regrouped；　having　covered　an　area　some　three　hundred　metres　in　radius
and　found　nothing。　No　one。　No　sign　that　anyone　had　been　here；　other　than　the　Jungle　Fighters
themselves。
There　was　nothing　they　could　do　after　that　but　go　on。　It　was　only　a　few　minutes　later；　however；　that
Lorenzo　had　that　feeling　again；　like　a　prickling　on　his　neck。
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He　wasn’t　the　only　one。　As　he　whipped　around　to　inspect　the　foliage　behind　him；　Storm　and
Braxton　did　the　same。　And　this　time；　Lorenzo　was　sure　of　it。　There　was　something　there。　He　could
just　make　out　a　shape　between　the　trees。　A　head　and　shoulders。　Fie　drew　his　lasgun　and　stepped
forward；　not　wanting　to　move　too　fast；　not　daring　to　blink；　to　take　his　eyes　off　the　shape。　His　other
senses　told　him　that　Storm　and　Braxton　were　beside　him；　and　the　rest　of　his　squad　not　far　behind。
Lorenzo　took　another　step。　The　head　moved；　shifting　just　a　fraction；　in　a　very　human　gesture。
He　was　only　a　few　metres　away　from　the　shape　when　it　changed。　It　seemed　to　metamorphose—
or；　more　accurately；　to　come　into　focus—in　front　of　his　eyes。　The　shape　resolved　itself　into　a　cluster
of　thistles。　Thistles　that　had　always　been　there；　the　rest；　Lorenzo　had　imagined。　He　started　as　Storm
shot　the　thistles　anyway；　and　fired　into　the　surrounding　undergrowth　a　few　times　for　good　measure。
“In　case　this　thing　is　a　shape…shifter；”　he　explained。　But　he　disturbed　nothing　more　than　a　few　black
insects；　which　smelt　the　flower　sap　on　the　Jungle　Fighters　and　buzzed　away。
The　whole　squad　was　on　the　alert　after　that；　on　edge。　Lorenzo　had　to　force　himself　not　to　jump　at
every　shadow　he　saw；　every　distant　sound　that　came　to　his　ears。　He　thought　about　what　Greiss　had
said；　about　losing　trust　in　their　own　senses。　The　others　hadn’t　seemed　too　worried；　probably　didn’t
believe　it　could　happen　to　them；　but　he　remembered　the　blue　light。　He　remembered　how　real　its　lies
had　seemed。
Landon　had　approached　Greiss；　and　Lorenzo　was　just　close　enough　for　his　keen　ears　to　pick　up
their　hushed　conversation。　“I’ve　had　an　idea；　sergeant；”　said　the　rookie。　“Why　don’t　I　hide　in　a　tree
and　let　the　rest　of　you　go　on　a　way？　If　we　are　being　followed；　I’ll　soon　find　out。”
“I　don’t　know；”　said　Greiss。　“We’re　talking　about　someone　or　something　that’s　given　Sly　Marbo
the　slip—and　that　isn’t　easy。”
“Maybe　he　knew　Marbo　was　around。　Maybe　he　heard　us　talking　about　him。　I’m　the　smallest　of
us；　sergeant；　the　one　he’s　least　likely　to　miss　if　he　is　watching　us。　The　rest　of　you　could　gather
around；　block　his　view　for　a　second；　and　I’ll　be　gone。　Next　time　our　‘ghost’　sees　me；　he’ll　be
passing　right　under　me；　and　I’ll　raise　the　alarm。”
Greiss　raised　a　cynical　eyebrow。　“That　a　promise？　Swear　on　your　blade？　Because　you’ve　been
pushing　yourself　forward　today；　Landon—and　that’s　good；　don’t　get　me　wrong；　we’ll　make　a　fine
soldier　of　you；　maybe　even　a　sergeant　one　day—but　this　isn’t　the　time　for　grandstanding；　hoping　to
hog　some　glory　for　yourself。”
“Soon　as　I　see　a　thing；”　Landon　promised；　“I’ll　yell　my　lungs　out。”
Greiss　considered　the　proposal；　and　finally　nodded。　By　the　time　he　passed　it　on　to　the　rest　of　the
squad；　however；　two　men　at　a　time；　in　a　quiet　growl；　he’d　made　a　few　alterations。　He　approached
Mackenzie　last—but　by　this　time；　the　commissar　had　heard　what　was　afoot。　“If　you’re　asking　for　my
permission　to　proceed；　Greiss；”　he　remarked　acidly；　“then　consider　it　granted。”
A　short　time　later；　they　came　to　a　mournful…looking　tree　with　branches　that　sagged　almost　to
ground　level；　dripping　with　water…bearing　vines。　It　was　almost　too　perfect。
They　gathered　round　and　set　to　work　with　their　knives；　teasing　out　what　liquid　they　could。
Lorenzo　stopped　Braxton　from　putting　his　thirsty　lips　directly　to　a　vine；　pointing　out　that　the　skin
was　probably　poisonous。
After　a　few　minutes　of　this；　Landon　worked　his　way　to　the　centre　of　the　group；　and　was　handed　a
lasgun　by　Donovits　to　replace　the　one　he　had　lost　in　the　river。　He　stepped　onto　Muldoon’s　cupped
hands　and　was　hoisted　onto　the　tree’s　lowest　branch；　his　camouflage　uniform　and　dubbin…streaked
face　immediately　lost　among　its　leaves。　Lorenzo　heard　the　faintest　of　rustles　above　his　head　as　the
rookie　climbed　higher；　and　he　resisted　the　urge　to　look　up。
“Right；　men；”　announced　Greiss；　in　what　was　maybe　a　slighter　louder　voice　than　usual；　for　the
benefit　of　any　eavesdroppers；　“time　we　made　a　move。　We’ve　still　got　lost　time　to　make　up。”
As　the　squad　set　off　again；　the　Jungle　Fighters　spread　out　more　widely　than　they　would　normally
have　done；　yet　contrived　to　cross　each　other’s　paths　frequently。　An　observer　would　have　been　hardpressed
even　to　count　them；　let　alone　to　work　out　which　of　them　might　be　missing。　They　also　moved
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more　slowly　than　before—because；　although　nobody　said　anything；　each　of　them　was　reluctant　to
leave　his　inexperienced　comrade　too　far　behind。　Indeed；　the　further　they　strayed　from　Landon’s
position；　the　slower；　the　more　reticent；　their　steps　became—and　Lorenzo　noticed　a　certain　amount　of
jostling　for　the　rearmost　position；　the　man　who　would　be　able　to　respond　first　to　the　alarm　call　when
it　came。　Woods；　of　course；　came　out　on　top。
Lorenzo　had　been　counting　out　a　minute　in　his　head。　As　he　reached　sixty；　Greiss　gave　a　nod；　and
Muldoon　disappeared　into　a　bush。　Myers　provided　a　distraction；　this　time；　by　yelling　“jungle
lizard！”　and　firing　into　the　undergrowth　before　professing；　with　mock　sheepishness；　to　have　been
mistaken。
They　proceeded　at　length；　expecting　Trooper　Landon　to　reappear　before　too　long；　at　which　point
somebody　else　would　slip　into　hiding。　After　twenty　seconds　had　passed；　though；　Lorenzo　saw　that
Greiss　was　getting　worried。　Another　five；　and　he　came　to　a　halt；　and　drew　breath　to　give　the
prearranged　signal　that　would　call　off　the　operation。
That　was　when　Landon　yelled　out；　at　last。
Only　this　wasn’t　a　yell　of　discovery。　It　was　a　yell　of　fear。
Lorenzo　was　running　before　the　echoes　had　subsided。　They　had　come　too　far；　because　Landon
was　still　all　the　way　back　where　they　had　left　him；　and　Lorenzo　was　pushing　his　muscles　as　hard　as
he　could；　willing　himself　forward；　and　yet　still　the　path　to　his　comrade　seemed　to　stretch　a　nearinfinite
distance。　He　concentrated　on　what　he　could　do：　pumping　his　legs；　faster　than　he　could　think；
so　fast　that　he　was　sure　only　sheer　force　of　will　kept　him　from　falling。　There　were　sounds　ahead—
ugly　sounds；　full　of　foreboding—but　they　were　almost　drowned　out　by　his　heartbeat；　by　the　crashing
footsteps　of　comrades　around　him　and　of　Woods　in　front。
Every　second　counted。　Every　fraction　of　a　second。
And　there　weren’t　enough　of　them。
Landon　yelled　again：　a　terrible　gurgling　scream；　which　was　cut　off　in　mid…flow　and　could　only
have　meant　one　thing。
He　came　into　sight　at　last；　limp　and　no　longer　straggling　in　the　grip　of　a　figure　that　was
humanoid　in　shape　but　a　mockery　of　a　human　in　its　aspect。
The　monster　was　caked　in　dirt；　centimetres　thick；　and　it　bristled　with　grass；　dead　leaves；　living
flowers　and　the　severed　roots　of　larger　plants　as　if　a　whole　section　of　the　planet　had　been　scooped　up
and　wrapped　around　its　frame。　Lorenzo　thought　the　monster　was　flora；　at　first；　but　he　could　make
out　patches　of　suntanned　skin；　and　human　fingers　around　Landon’s　neck。　Woods　had　already
charged　it；　a　lasgun　fanfare　presaging　his　arrival。
Lorenzo　had　brought　up　his　weapon　but　hadn’t　fired；　fearful　of　hitting　the　monster’s　captive—
but　Woods　had　seen　what　he　hadn’t；　or　rather　accepted　what　he　didn’t　want　to　accept。
It　must　have　waited　for　Landon；　he　realised。　It　was　right　under　the　tree　in　which　the　Guardsman
had　concealed　himself—but　he　wouldn’t　have　come　down　from　there　unless　he　was　sure　it　was　safe。
The　monster　had　discovered　the　Jungle　Fighters’　trap；　and　set　its　own　in　return。
As　Woods　hit　the　monster；　it　dropped　Landon；　and　he　fell　to　the　ground；　his　head　coming　to　rest
at　an　acute　angle　to　his　body。　Lorenzo　was　halfway　to　him　when　he　realised　there　was　no　point。　He
changed　course　and　leapt　at　the　monster　instead；　along　with　Myers　and　Storm；　whose　howl　of　rage
echoed　in　Lorenzo’s　ears。　Woods　could　probably　have　handled　the　monster　on　his　own—and　he
would　have　enjoyed　bragging　about　it　later—but　Lorenzo　wasn’t　thinking　about　that　right　now。　He
was　thinking　about　Landon。
The　monster；　it　turned　out；　was　stronger　than　they　had　expected。　It　dislodged　Woods　and　Myers；
and　sent　them　flying　with　a　sweep　of　its　arm。　As　the　two　troopers　fell；　however；　Muldoon　and　Greiss
appeared　in　their　places。　The　monster　was　borne　down　under　the　combined　weight　of　four
Catachans；　but　showed　no　sign　of　slowing　or　weakening　as　they　pounded　at　it　with　their　fists。
Lorenzo　drew　his　fang；　and　plunged　it　into　the　monster’s　heart　with　a　snarl；　but　the　blade　came　out
encrusted　with　muck　and　no　blood；　and　still　the　monster　fought　on。
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It　shifted　beneath　his　knees；　and　he　realised　with　a　start　that　it　was　sinking…　as　if　the　monster　lay
in　quicksand；　though　the　earth　around　it　felt　as　hard　as　it　ever　had　to　the　touch　of　Lorenzo’s　foot。　He
was　scrabbling　at　the　monster；　desperate　to　stop　it；　to　hold　it　here；　because　all　he　could　think　was
that　it　was　get