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！
hing to burn。 Karl knew from experience that if he did not find warmth in less than an hour； he would be dead。 He could never cross the frozen bay and make it to the ship in that time。 Which meant he had to return to the camp and hope that the thing that had murdered his crew was gone。
With leaden footsteps Karl crossed the field of bones。 Shards of shattered whale ivory clattered under his feet with each step。 Finally； he reached the icy slope that led to the camp。 With raw； blue…veined arms and black fingers swollen to the size of sausages； Karl hauled himself out of the boneyard。 He crawled across the snow； rising only when he reached the cover of the buildings。
Cautiously approaching the greenhouse； where he hoped to find food and warmth； Karl discovered a scene of carnage。 First he noticed that most of the windows were broken； the paltry array of herbs and vegetables frozen solid。 Then he spied a bloody handprint frozen on a pane of glass。 Finally he saw the near…frozen body of a whaler。 The man lay in the middle of the greenhouse floor； among shards of shattered glass。 Like the corpses Karl had found in the warehouse； this man's head and spine were missing。
Turning； Karl moved down a narrow alley between two structures。 At the end of the corridor； he tripped over a sledge and tumbled into a pile of dog harnesses。
Snarling jaws snapped at his face； and Karl jumped backwards。 The mad dog's tether went taut just before the creature's fangs closed on his throat。 Eyes black and terrified； the dog howled and pulled at its leash。
Karl got to his feet and staggered to the mess hall。 His shoulder hit the door； and it flew open with a slam。 Inside a fire still burned in the hearth； oil lamps glowed； and simmering pots steamed and boiled over on the cast…iron stove。 The long tables were set for a meal； but the mess was empty…hastily abandoned； by the look of things。 Turning； Karl slammed the door and lurched into a table。
He was ready to slump into a rough wooden chair when he heard movement behind him。 Whirling； Karl thought he saw a black shape moving across the mess hall。 Cautiously； he squinted into the shadows。
With a snarling hiss； something emerged。 Karl saw the slavering jaws and the eyeless head and reeled backwards； tripping over a bench。 Whimpering； he watched the black nightmare stalk him； long tail swishing back and forth like that of an angry cat。
Karl crawled backwards； his eyes locked on the evil thing。 Finally； his back struck a seemingly immovable object。 Turning slowly； Karl looked up to find another demon towering over him。 Humanlike but not human； the creature was clad in armor from head to toe； its face covered by a metal mask。 With a quick backhand； the humanoid monster threw the human aside。
Crashing into the tables； Karl felt his rib cage and the bones in his frostbitten arm shatter。 Moaning with agony and the certainty of death； he crawled into a corner； where he lay forgotten as the twin horrors began to tear one another apart； piece by bloody piece。
CHAPTER 2
Weyland Industries Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System Receiving Station； New Mexico； Present Day
Whistling tunelessly； Francis 〃Fin〃 Ullbeck tipped his Boston Red Sox cap to the bored guard； then whisked his access card through the magstripe reader； punched in his code； and waited for clearance。 When the security doors hissed； then yawned； Fin squeezed his considerable bulk through the opening and sauntered along the climate…controlled tunnel。
On the other side of the wide； tinted windows that lined this concrete tube； the high desert of New Mexico shimmered under the ruthless assault of the afternoon sun。 A forest of radar dishes stretched for miles across the sandy plains and red…brown hills； their faces tilted toward the heavens。 Out there on the desert floor； temperatures topped out at 106 degrees with near zero…percent humidity。 But on this side of the glass and concrete； the temperature was a cool and constant 72 degrees。
Fin grinned when he spied a gangly； long…limbed man approaching from the opposite direction。
〃Headley； my man。 Leaving so soon？ Do that and you'll miss the maestro in action。〃
〃Shift's over；〃 Ronald Headley replied dully。
Unlike Fin； whose skull appeared rather small on his short； rotund body； Headley's defining feature on his flagpole form was his oversized cranium…an ironic trait； considering his name。 Consequently； Headley was the only technician working in the Telemetry and Data Monitoring Center who didn't have a nickname。 In everyone's opinion； 〃Headley〃 was just too perfect。
〃So； Headley 。。。 did you manage to move that Air and Space Museum reject out of my bad old baby's orbit？〃
Headley nodded wearily。
Fin blinked in feigned surprise。 〃You mean that relic actually responded to your mand？〃
〃e on； Fin； GO7 isn't that old。〃
〃Headley my man； when GO7 was launched； Miami Vice was the hottest show on television and I did my homework on a Kaypro。〃 He patted Headley's back。 〃Don't worry； you'll get your chance to drive a sports car…someday； when you're all growedup。〃
Headley ignored the slight。 In his view； Fin Ullbeck mainly got through life by projecting an attitude of smug superiority peppered with 〃jovial〃 disdain。 Headley had long ago resolved to treat such insufferable behavior as a genetic malfunction…along the lines of a cleft palate or stunted arm。
〃Hey； Fin。 Don't forget the big show at 1400 hours…〃
〃I know； I know！ Just keep it to yourself； man；〃 said Fin； shushing him。 He eyed the overhead security camera anxiously。
〃Well； got to go；〃 Headley called over his shoulder。 〃Happy motoring。〃
Scratching the scraggly beard that covered his double chin； Fin continued through the tunnel until he reached a second set of climate…controlled automatic doors。 Beyond that barrier； an elaborate air filtration； cooling and purification system double…scrubbed the air to protect the puters from sand； plant pollen and ordinary dust。 The entire facility was built over a five…foot…thick concrete foundation as near to earthquake…proof as human engineering could achieve。 Insulated； soundproofed walls muted the whisper of wind on sand and the occasional howl of coyotes baying at the moon。
Beyond those doors the puter…lined Telemetry and Data Monitoring Center was staffed by a dozen scientists and technicians。 All of them looked up as Fin entered the room。 He smiled and flexed his pudgy fingers。
〃Daddy's here。 Let's get this show on the road！〃
Flickering on walls and on desk consoles； high…definition television screens digitally projected data gathered by dozens of surveillance satellites。 Generated by radar or microwave transmissions； by ultraviolet light； thermal imaging or simple photographic equipment； this data was gathered； assessed and sorted by multimillion…dollar Kray puters。
Fin tipped his baseball cap to Dr。 Langer。 The day supervisor scowled and turned his back。
Tossing his cap on the console； Fin flopped into a groaning office chair and spun in a half circle to face the largest and most advanced workstations in the entire plex。 Every bit of data collected by Big Bird's array of scanners could be accessed from this single sta