[科幻]宿主-第143章

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stubbornly　but　slouched　back　against　the　wall。　
Ian；　too；　seemed　inclined　to　follow　me　out　of　the　kitchen；　but　I　stopped　him　in　his　tracks　with　a　single　
look。　Jared　watched　me　go　with　an　unfathomable　expression。　
“She’s　a　plainer；”　Jeb　told　me　in　a　low　voice　as　we　walked　back　toward　the　hole。　“Not　quiet　like　
you　were。　Always　asking　for　more—food；　water；　pillows…　She　threatens　a　lot；　too。　‘The　Seekers　will　
get　you　all！’　That　kinda　thing。　It’s　been　hard　on　Brandt　especially。　She’s　pushed　his　temper　right　to　the　

edge。”　
I　nodded。　This　did　not　surprise　me　one　bit。　
“She　hasn’t　tried　to　escape；　though。　A　lot　of　talk　and　no　action。　Once　the　guns　e　up；　she　backs　right　

down。”　
I　recoiled。　
“My　guess　is；　she　wants　to　live　pretty　dang　bad；”　Jeb　murmured　to　himself。　
“Are　you　sure　this　is　the…　safest　place　to　keep　her？”　I　asked　as　we　started　down　the　black；　twisting　

tunnel。　
Jeb　chuckled。　“You　didn’t　find　your　way　out；”　he　reminded　me。　“Sometimes　the　best　hiding　place　is　the　

one　that’s　in　plain　sight。”　
My　answer　was　flat。　“She’s　more　motivated　than　I　was。”　
“The　boys’re　keepin’　a　sharp　eye　on　her。　Nothin’　to　worry　about。”　

　

　How　many　times　had　I　rounded　this　corner；　my　hand　tracing　along　the　inside　of　the　pointed　switchback；　
just　like　this？　I’d　never　traced　along　the　outside　wall。　It　was　uneven；　with　jutting　rocks　that　would　leave　
bruises　and　cause　me　to　trip。　Staying　on　the　inside　was　a　shorter　walk　anyway。

　When　they’d　first　showed　me　that　the　V　was　not　a　V　but　a　Y—two　branches　forking　off　from　another　
tunnel；the　tunnel—I’d　felt　pretty　stupid。　Like　Jeb　said；　hiding　things　in　plain　sight　was　sometimes　the　
cleverest　route。　The　times　I’d　been　desperate　enough　to　even　consider　escaping　the　caves；　my　mind　had　
skipped　right　over　this　place　in　my　speculations。　This　was　the　hole；　the　prison。　In　my　head；　it　was　the　
darkest；　deepest　well　in　the　caves。　This　was　where　they’d　buried　me。

　Even　Mel；　sneakier　than　I　was；　had　never　dreamed　that　they’d　held　me　captive　just　a　few　paces　from　the　
exit。

　It　wasn’t　even　the　only　exit。　But　the　other　was　small　and　tight；　a　crawl　space。　I　hadn’t　found　that　one　

because　I’d　walked　into　these　caves　standing　upright。　I　hadn’t　been　looking　forthat　kind　of　tunnel。　
Besides；　I’d　never　explored　the　edges　of　Doc’s　hospital；　I’d　avoided　it　from　the　beginning。

　The　voice；　familiar　even　though　it　seemed　part　of　another　life；　interrupted　my　thoughts。

　“I　wonder　how　you’re　still　alive；　eating　like　this。　Ugh！”

　Something　plastic　clattered　against　the　rocks。

　I　could　see　the　blue　light　as　we　rounded　the　last　corner。

　“I　didn’t　know　humans　had　the　patience　to　starve　someone　to　death。　That　seems　like　too　plex　a　plan　

for　you　shortsighted　creatures　to　grasp。”

　Jeb　chuckled。　“Gotta　say；　I’m　impressed　with　those　boys。　Surprised　they　held　up　this　long。”

　We　turned　into　the　lit　dead…end　tunnel。　Brandt　and　Aaron；　both　sitting　as　far　as　possible　from　the　end　of　

the　tunnel　where　the　Seeker　paced；　both　with　guns　in　their　hands；　sighed　with　relief　when　they　saw　us　
approaching。

　“Finally；”　Brandt　muttered。　His　face　was　etched　in　hard　lines　of　grief。

　The　Seeker　halted　in　her　pacing。

　I　was　surprised　to　see　the　conditions　she　was　kept　in。

　She　was　not　stuffed　into　the　tiny　cramped　hole；　but　paratively　free；　stomping　to　and　fro　across　the　
short　width　of　the　tunnel。　On　the　floor；　against　the　flat　end　of　the　tunnel；　were　a　mat　and　a　pillow。　A　
plastic　tray　was　tilted　at　an　angle　against　the　wall　at　about　the　midpoint　of　the　cave；　a　few　jicama　roots　lay　
scattered　near　it　with　a　soup　bowl。　A　little　soup　was　splattered　out　from　where　that　lay。　This　explained　
the　clatter　I’d　just　heard—she’d　thrown　her　food。　It　looked　as　though　she’d　eaten　most　of　it　first；　though。

　I　stared　at　this　relatively　humane　setup　and　felt　an　odd　pain　in　my　stomach。

　Who　didwekill？Melanie　muttered　sullenly。　This　stung　her；　too。　

　

　“Yes；”　I　whispered。　
“Careful；”　Aaron　cautioned。　“She’s　an　angry　little　thing。”　
I　nodded。　
The　others　stayed　where　they　were。　I　walked　down　the　tunnel　alone。　
It　was　hard　to　lift　my　eyes；　to　meet　the　gaze　that　I　could　feel　like　cold　fingers　pressing　against　my　face。　
The　Seeker　was　glaring　at　me；　a　harsh　sneer　twisting　her　features。　I’d　never　seen　a　soul　use　that　


expression　before。　
“Well；　hello　there；Melanie；　”　she　mocked　me。　“What　took　you　so　long　to　e　visit？”　
I　didn’t　answer。　I　walked　toward　her　slowly；　trying　hard　to　believe　that　the　hate　coursing　through　my　


body　really　did　not　belong　to　me。　
“Did　your　little　friends　think　I　would　talk　to　you？　Spill　all　my　secrets　because　you　carry　a　gagged　and　
lobotomized　soul　around　in　your　head；　reflecting　through　your　eyes？”　She　laughed　abrasively。　
I　stopped　two　long　strides　away　from　her；　my　body　tensed　to　run。　She　made　no　aggressive　move　
toward　me；　but　I　could　not　relax　my　muscles。　This　was　not　like　meeting　the　Seeker　on　the　highway—I　
didn’t　have　the　usual　sensation　of　safety　that　I　felt　around　the　gentle　others　of　my　kind。　Again；　the　strange　
conviction　that　she　would　live　long　after　I　was　gone　swept　through　me。

　Don’t　be　ridiculous。　Ask　her　your　questions。　Have　you　e　up　with　any？

　“So；　what　do　you　want？　Did　you　request　permission　to　kill　me　personally；　Melanie？”　the　Seeker　hissed。　
“They　call　me　Wanda　here；”　I　said。　
She　flinched　slightly　when　I　opened　my　lips　to　speak；　as　if　expecting　me　to　shout。　My　low；　even　voice　


seemed　to　upset　her　more　than　the　scream　she　anticipated。


　I　examined　her　face　while　she　glared　at　me　with　her　bulging　eyes。　It　was　dirty；　stained　with　purple　dust　
and　dried　sweat。　Other　than　that；　there　wasn’t　a　mark　on　it。　Again；　this　gave　me　an　odd　ache。　
“Wanda；”　she　repeated　in　a　flat　voice。　“Well；　what　are　you　waiting　for？　Didn’t　they　give　you　the　okay？　

Were　you　planning　to　use　your　bare　hands　or　my　gun？”　
“I’m　not　here　to　kill　you。”　
She　smiled　sourly。　“To　interrogate　me；　then？　Where　are　your　instruments　of　torture；　human？”　
I　cringed。　“I　won’t　hurt　you。”　

　

　“No。　They　just…　they　didn’t　want　to　kill　you　until　they　had…　consulted　me。　In　case　I　wanted　to　talk　to　
you　first。”

　Her　lids　lowered；　narrowing　her　protruding　eyes。　“Do　you　have　something　to　say？”

　I　swallowed。　“I　was　wondering…”　I　only　had　the　same　question　I’d　been　unable　to　answer　for　myself。　
“Why？　Why　couldn’t　you　let　me　be　dead；　like　the　rest　of　them？　Why　were　you　so　determined　to　hunt　me　
down？　I　didn’t　want　to　hurt　anyone。　I　just　wanted…　to　go　my　own　way。”

　She　leaped　up　onto　her　toes；　shoving　her　face　toward　mine。　Someone　moved　behind　me；　but　I　couldn’t　
hear　more　than　that—she　was　shouting　in　my　face。

　“Because　I　wasright！　”　she　shrieked。　“More　than　right！Look　at　them　all！　A　vile　nest　of　killers；　lurking　in　
wait！　Just　like　I　thought；　only　so　muchworse！　Iknew　you　were　out　here　with　them！One　of　them！　Itold　
them　there　was　danger！　Itold　them！”

　She　stopped；　panting；　and　took　a　step　back　from　me；　staring　over　my　shoulder。　I　didn’t　look　away　to　
see　what　had　made　her　retreat。　I　assumed　it　had　something　to　do　with　what　Jeb　had　just　told　me—once　
the　guns　e　up；　she　backs　right　down。I　analyzed　her　expression　for　a　moment　as　her　heavy　
breathing　slowed。

　“But　they　didn’t　listen　to　you。　So　you　came　for　us　alone。”

　The　Seeker　didn’t　answer。　She　took　another　step　back　from　me；　doubt　twisting　her　expression。　She　
looked　oddly　vulnerable　for　a　second；　as　if　my　words　had　stripped　away　the　shield　she’d　been　hiding　
behind。

　“They’ll　look　for　you；　but　in　the　end；　they　never　believed　you　at　all；　did　they？”　I　said；　watching　as　each　
word　was　confirmed　in　her　desperate　eyes。　It　made　me　very　sure。　“So　they　won’t　take　the　search　further　
than　that。　When　they　don’t　find　you；　their　interest　will　fade。　We’ll　be　careful；　as　usual。　They　won’t　find　
us。”

　Now　I　could　see　true　fear　in　her　eyes　for　the　first　time。　The　terrible—to　her—knowledge　that　I　was　
right。　And　I　felt　better　for　my　nest　of　humans；　my　little　family。　Iwas　right。　They　would　be　safe。　Yet；　
incongruously；　I　di