[科幻]宿主-第138章

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　“No；　you’re　not。　The…　person　who　used　to　be　in　your　body　was　afraid　of　humans。　She　was　a　soul；　

remember　that？　And　then　remember　before　that；　before　she　was　there？　You　were　human　then；　and　you　
are　again。”

　“I　can’t　remember　my　name；”　she　told　him　in　a　panicked　voice。

　“I　know。　It’ll　e　back。”

　“Are　you　a　doctor？”

　“I　am。”

　“I　was…　she　was；　too。　A…　Healer。　Like　a　doctor。　She　was　Summer　Song。　Who　am　I？”

　“We’ll　find　out。　I　promise　you　that。”

　I　edged　toward　the　exit。　Trudy　would　be　a　good　person　to　help　Doc；　or　maybe　Heidi。　Someone　with　a　

calming　face。

　“She’s　not　human！”　the　woman　whispered　urgently　to　Doc；　her　eye　caught　by　my　movement。

　“She’s　a　friend；　don’t　be　afraid。　She　helped　me　bring　you　back。”

　“Where　is　Summer　Song？　She　was　scared。　There　were　humans。…”

　I　ducked　out　the　door　while　she　was　distracted。

　I　heard　Doc　answer　the　question　behind　me。　“She’s　going　to　a　new　planet。　Do　you　remember　where　she　

was　before　she　came　here？”

　I　could　guess　what　her　answer　would　be　from　the　name。

　“She　was…　a　Bat？　She　could　fly。…　She　could　sing。…　I　remember…　but　it　was…　not　here。　Where　am　

I？”

　I　hurried　down　the　hall　to　find　help　for　Doc。　I　was　surprised　when　I　saw　the　light　of　the　great　cavern　
ahead—surprised　because　it　was　so　quiet。　Usually　you　could　hear　voices　before　you　saw　the　light。　It　was　
the　middle　of　the　day。　There　should　have　been　someone　in　the　big　garden　room；　if　only　crossing　through。

　I　walked　out　into　the　bright　noon　light；　and　the　giant　space　was　empty。　

　

　I　stood　very　still；　trying　to　hear　something。　The　huge　cavern　was　silent；　and　the　silence　was　ominous。　
Where　was　everyone？

　Had　they　evacuated　without　me？　A　pang　of　fear　and　hurt　shot　through　me。　But　they　wouldn’t　have　left　
without　Doc；　of　course。　They　would　never　leave　Doc。　I　wanted　to　dart　back　through　the　long　tunnel　to　
make　sure　Doc　had　not　disappeared；　too。

　They　wouldn’t　go　without　us；　either；　silly。　Jared　and　Jamie　and　Ian　wouldn’t　leave　us　behind。

　You’re　right。　You’re　right。　Let’s…　check　the　kitchen？

　I　jogged　down　the　silent　corridor；　getting　more　anxious　as　the　silence　continued。　Maybe　it　was　my　
imagination；　and　the　loud　thumping　of　my　pulse　in　my　ears。　Of　course　there　must　be　something　to　hear。　If　
I　could　calm　down　and　slow　my　breathing；　I’d　be　able　to　hear　voices。

　But　I　reached　the　kitchen　and　it　was　empty；　too。　Empty　of　people。　On　the　tables；　half…eaten　lunches　had　
been　abandoned。　Peanut　butter　on　the　last　of　the　soft　bread。　Apples　and　warm　cans　of　soda。

　My　stomach　reminded　me　that　I　hadn’t　eaten　at　all　today；　but　I　barely　noted　the　twist　of　hunger。　The　
panic　was　so　much　stronger。

　What　if…　what　if　we　didn’t　evacuate　soon　enough？

　No！Mel　gasped。No；　we　would　have　heard　something！　Someone　would　have…　or　there　would　be…　
They’d　still　be　here；　looking　for　us。　They　wouldn’t　give　up　until　they’d　checked　everywhere。　So　
that　can’t　be　it。

　Unless　they’re　looking　for　us　now。

　I　spun　back　toward　the　door；　my　eyes　darting　through　the　shadows。

　I　had　to　go　warn　Doc。　We　had　to　get　out　of　here　if　we　were　the　last　two。

　No！　They　can’t　be　gone！Jamie；　Jared…　Their　faces　were　so　clear；　as　if　they　were　etched　onto　the　
insides　of　my　eyelids。

　And　Ian’s　face；　as　I　added　my　own　pictures　to　hers。　Jeb；　Trudy；　Lily；　Heath；　Geoffrey。We’ll　get　them　
back；　I　vowed。We’ll　hunt　them　down　one　by　one　and　steal　them　back！　I　won’t　letthem　take　my　
family！

　If　I’d　had　any　doubts　where　I　stood；　this　moment　would　have　erased　them。　I’d　never　felt　so　fierce　in　all　
my　lives。　My　teeth　clenched　tight；　snapping　together　audibly。

　And　then　the　noise；　the　babble　of　voices　I’d　been　so　anxiously　straining　to　hear；　echoed　down　the　hall　to　
us　and　made　my　breath　catch。　I　slid　silently　to　the　wall　and　pressed　myself　into　the　shadow　there；　
listening。　

　

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。　
Sounds　like　a　large　group。　
Yes。　But　yours　or　mine？　
Ours　or　theirs；she　corrected。　
I　crept　down　the　hall；　keeping　to　the　darkest　shadows。　We　could　hear　the　voices　more　clearly　now；　and　


some　of　them　were　familiar。　Did　that　mean　anything？　How　long　would　it　take　trained　Seekers　to　perform　


an　insertion？　
And　then；　as　I　reached　the　very　mouth　of　the　great　cave；　the　sounds　became　even　clearer；　and　relief　
washed　through　me—because　the　babble　of　voices　was　just　the　same　as　it　had　been　my　very　first　day　
here。　Murderously　angry。

　They　had　to　be　human　voices。　
Kyle　must　be　back。　
Relief　warred　with　pain　as　I　hurried　into　the　bright　sunlight　to　see　what　was　going　on。　Relief　because　my　


humans　were　safe。　And　pain　because　if　Kyle　was　already　safely　back；　then…


　You’re　still　needed；　Wanda。　So　much　more　than　I　am。　
I’m　sure　I　could　find　excuses　forever；　Mel。　There　will　always　be　some　reason。　
Then　stay。　
With　you　as　my　prisoner？


　We　stopped　arguing　as　we　assessed　the　motion　in　the　cavern。

　Kylewas　back—the　easiest　one　to　spot；　the　tallest　in　the　crowd；　the　only　one　facing　me。　He　was　pinned　
against　the　far　wall　by　the　mob。　Though　he　was　the　cause　of　the　angry　noise；　he　was　not　the　source　of　it。　
His　face　was　conciliatory；　pleading。　He　held　his　arms　out　to　the　sides；　palms　back；　as　if　there　was　
something　behind　him　he　was　trying　to　protect。

　“Just　calm　down；　okay？”　His　deep　voice　carried　over　the　cacophony。　“Back　off；　Jared；　you’re　scaring　
her！”

　A　flash　of　black　hair　behind　his　elbow—an　unfamiliar　face；　with　wide；　terrified　black　eyes；　peeked　
around　at　the　crowd。

　Jared　was　closest　to　Kyle。　I　could　see　that　the　back　of　his　neck　was　bright　red。　Jamie　clung　to　one　of　his　
arms；　holding　him　back。　Ian　was　on　his　other　side；　his　arms　crossed　in　front　of　him；　the　muscles　in　his　
shoulders　tight　with　strain。　Behind　them；　every　other　human　but　Doc　and　Jeb　was　massed　in　an　angry　
throng。　They　surged　behind　Jared　and　Ian；　asking　loud；　angry　questions。

　“What　were　you　thinking？”　

　

　“Why’d　you　e　back　at　all？”

　Jeb　was　in　the　back　corner；　just　watching。

　Sharon’s　brilliant　hair　caught　my　eye。　I　was　surprised　to　see　her；　with　Maggie；　right　in　the　center　of　the　
crowd。　They’d　both　been　so　little　a　part　of　life　here　ever　since　Doc　and　I　had　healed　Jamie。　Never　in　the　
middle　of　things。

　It’s　the　fight；Mel　guessed。They　weren’t　fortable　with　happiness；　but　they’re　at　home　with　
fury。

　I　thought　she　was　probably　right。　How…　disturbing。

　I　heard　a　shrill　voice　throwing　out　some　of　the　angry　questions　and　realized　that　Lacey　was　part　of　the　
crowd；　too。

　“Wanda？”　Kyle’s　voice　carried　across　the　noise　again；　and　I　looked　up　to　see　his　deep　blue　eyes　locked　
on　me。　“Thereyou　are！　Could　youplease　e　and　give　me　a　little　help　here？”

　CHAPTER　55

　Attached

　Jeb　cleared　a　path　for　me；　pushing　people　aside　with　his　rifle　as　though　they　were　sheep　and　the　gun　a　
shepherd’s　staff。

　“That’s　enough；”　he　growled　at　those　who　plained。　“You’ll　get　a　chance　to　dress　’im　down　later。　
We　all　will。　Let’s　get　this　sorted　out　first；　okay？　Let　me　through。”

　From　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I　saw　Sharon　and　Maggie　fall　to　the　back　of　the　crowd；　melting　away　from　
the　reinstatement　of　reason。　Away　from　my　involvement；　really；　more　than　anything　else。　Both　with　jaws　
locked；　they　continued　to　glare　at　Kyle。

　Jared　and　Ian　were　the　last　two　Jeb　shoved　aside。　I　brushed　both　of　their　arms　as　I　passed；　hoping　to　
help　calm　them。

　“Okay；　Kyle；”　Jeb　said；　smacking　the　barrel　of　the　gun　against　his　palm。　“Don’t　try　to　excuse　yourself；　
’cause　there　ain’t　no　excuse。　I’m　plain　torn　between　kickin’　ya　out　and　shootin’　ya　now。”

　The　little　face；　pale　under　the　deep　tan　of　her　skin；　peeped　around　Kyle’s　elbow　again　with　a　swish　of　
long；　curly　black　hair。　The　girl’s　mouth　was　hanging　open　in　horror；　her　dark　eyes　frantic。　I　thought　I　
could　see　a　faint　sheen　to　those　eyes；　a　hint　of　silver　behind　the　black。

　“But　right　now；　let’s　calm　everybody　down。”　Jeb　turned　around；　gun　held　low　across　his　body；　and　
suddenly　it　was　as　if　he　were　guarding　Kyle　and　the　little　face　behind　him。　He　glared　at　the　mob。　“Kyle’s　
got　a　guest；　and　you’re　scarin’　the　snot　out　of　her；　people。　I　think　you　can　all　dig　up　some　better　manners　
than　that。　Now；　all　of　you　clear　out　and　get　to　work　on　something　useful。　My　cantaloupes　are　dying。　
Somebody　do　something　about　that；　hear？”　

　

　It　just　wasn’t　as　shocking　as　it　used　to　be。

　Many　went　back　toward　their　interrupted　lunch；　others　returned　to　the　irrigation　barrel；　others　to　their　
rooms。　Soon　only　Jared；　Ian；　and　Jamie　were　left　beside　me。　Jeb　looked　at　these　three　with　a　cross　
expression；　his　mouth　opened；　but　before　he　could　order　them　away　again；　Ian　took　my　hand；　and　then　
Jamie　grabbed　the　other。　I　felt　another　hand　on　my　wrist；　just　above　Jamie’s。　Jared。

　Jeb　rolled　his　eyes　at　the　way　they’d　tethered　themselves　to　me　to　avoid　expulsion；　and　then　turned　his　
back　on　us。

　“Thanks；　Jeb；”　Kyle　said。

　“Shut　the　hell　up；　Kyle。　Just　keep　your　fat　mouthshut。　I’m　dead　serious　about　shooting　you；　you　
worthless　m