[科幻]宿主-第69章

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were　looking　at　killers。

　We　should　have　been　wiser；　we　should　have　died　yesterday。　

　

　A　shiver　passed　through　me　at　the　thought。　I’d　skimmed　through　the　histories　of　human　atrocities。　I’d　
had　no　stomach　for　them。　Perhaps　I　should　have　concentrated　better。　I　knew　there　were　reasons　why　
humans　let　their　enemies　live；　for　a　little　while。　Things　they　wanted　from　their　minds　or　their　bodies…

　Of　course　it　sprang　into　my　head　immediately—the　one　secret　they　would　want　from　me。　The　one　I　
could　never；　never　tell　them。　No　matter　what　they　did　to　me。　I　would　have　to　kill　myself　first。

　I　did　not　let　Melanie　see　the　secret　I　protected。　I　used　her　own　defenses　against　her　and　threw　up　a　wall　
in　my　head　to　hide　behind　while　I　thought　of　the　information　for　the　first　time　since　implantation。　There　
had　been　no　reason　to　think　of　it　before。

　Melanie　was　hardly　even　curious　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall；　she　made　no　effort　to　break　through　it。　
There　were　much　more　immediate　concerns　than　the　fact　that　she　had　not　been　the　only　one　keeping　
information　in　reserve。

　Did　it　matter　that　I　protected　my　secret　from　her？　I　wasn’t　as　strong　as　Melanie；　I　had　no　doubt　she　
could　endure　torture。　How　much　pain　could　I　stand　before　I　gave　them　anything　they　wanted？

　My　stomach　heaved。　Suicide　was　a　repugnant　option—worse　because　it　would　be　murder；　too。　Melanie　
would　be　part　of　either　torture　or　death。　I　would　wait　for　that　until　I　had　absolutely　no　other　choice。

　No；　they　can’t。　Uncle　Jeb　would　never　let　them　hurt　me。

　Uncle　Jeb　doesn’t　know　you’re　here；I　reminded　her。

　Tell　him！

　I　focused　on　the　old　man’s　face。　The　thick　white　beard　kept　me　from　seeing　the　set　of　his　mouth；　but　his　
eyes　did　not　seem　to　burn　like　the　others’。　From　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I　could　see　a　few　of　the　men　shift　
their　gaze　from　me　to　him。　They　were　waiting　for　him　to　answer　the　question　that　had　alerted　me　to　their　
presence。　Uncle　Jeb　stared　at　me；　ignoring　them。

　I　can’t　tell　him；　Melanie。　He　won’t　believe　me。　And　if　they　think　I’m　lying　to　them；　they’ll　think　
I’m　a　Seeker。　They　must　have　experience　enough　to　know　that　only　a　Seeker　would　e　out　here　
with　a　lie；　a　story　designed　for　infiltration。

　Melanie　recognized　the　truth　of　my　thought　at　once。　The　very　wordSeeker　made　her　recoil　with　hatred；　
and　she　knew　these　strangers　would　have　the　same　reaction。

　It　doesn’t　matter　anyway。　I’m　a　soul—that’s　enough　for　them。

　The　one　with　the　machete—the　biggest　man　there；　black…haired　with　oddly　fair　skin　and　vivid　blue　
eyes—made　a　sound　of　disgust　and　spit　on　the　ground。　He　took　a　step　forward；　slowly　raising　the　long　
blade。

　Better　fast　than　slow。　Better　that　it　was　this　brutal　hand　and　not　mine　that　killed　us。　Better　that　I　didn’t　
die　a　creature　of　violence；　accountable　for　Melanie’s　blood　as　well　as　my　own。　

　

　“Why？　You　said　you　made　sure。　It’s　one　of　them。”

　I　recognized　the　voice—he　was　the　same　one　who’d　asked　Jeb　why　he’d　given　me　water。

　“Well；　yes；　she　surely　is。　But　it’s　a　little　plicated。”

　“How？”　A　different　man　asked　the　question。　He　stood　next　to　the　big；　dark…haired　Kyle；　and　they　
looked　so　much　alike　that　they　had　to　be　brothers。

　“See；　this　here　is　my　niece；　too。”

　“Not　anymore　she’s　not；”　Kyle　said　flatly。　He　spit　again　and　took　another　deliberate　step　in　my　
direction；　knife　ready。　I　could　see　from　the　way　his　shoulders　leaned　into　the　action　that　words　would　not　

stop　him　again。　I　closed　my　eyes。

　There　were　two　sharp　metallic　clicks；　and　someone　gasped。　My　eyes　flew　open　again。

　“I　said　hold　it；　Kyle。”　Uncle　Jeb’s　voice　was　still　relaxed；　but　the　long　rifle　was　gripped　tightly　in　his　

hands　now；　and　the　barrels　were　pointed　at　Kyle’s　back。　Kyle　was　frozen　just　steps　from　me；　his　
machete　hung　motionless　in　the　air　above　his　shoulder。

　“Jeb；”　the　brother　said；　horrified；　“what　are　you　doing？”

　“Step　away　from　the　girl；　Kyle。”

　Kyle　turned　his　back　to　us；　whirling　on　Jeb　in　fury。　“It’s　not　agirl；　Jeb！”

　Jeb　shrugged；　the　gun　stayed　steady　in　his　hands；　pointed　at　Kyle。　“There　are　things　to　be　discussed。”

　“The　doctor　might　be　able　to　learn　something　from　it；”　a　female　voice　offered　gruffly。

　I　cringed　at　the　words；　hearing　in　them　my　worst　fears。　When　Jeb　had　called　me　his　niece　just　now；　I’d　
foolishly　let　a　spark　of　hope　flame　to　life—perhaps　there　would　be　pity。　I’d　been　stupid　to　think　that；　
even　for　a　second。　Death　would　be　the　only　pity　I　could　hope　for　from　these　creatures。

　I　looked　at　the　woman　who’d　spoken；　surprised　to　see　that　she　was　as　old　as　Jeb；　maybe　older。　Her　
hair　was　dark　gray　rather　than　white；　which　is　why　I　hadn’t　noticed　her　age　before。　Her　face　was　a　mass　
of　wrinkles；　all　of　them　turning　down　into　angry　lines。　But　there　was　something　familiar　about　the　features　
behind　the　lines。

　Melanie　made　the　connection　between　this　ancient　face　and　another；　smoother　face　in　her　memory。

　“Aunt　Maggie？　You’re　here？　How？　Is　Sharon　—”　The　words　were　all　Melanie；　but　they　gushed　from　
my　mouth；　and　I　was　unable　to　stop　them。　Sharing　for　so　long　in　the　desert　had　made　her　stronger；　or　me　

weaker。　Or　maybe　it　was　just　that　I　was　concentrating　on　which　direction　the　deathblow　was　going　to　fall　
from。　I　was　bracing　for　our　murder；　and　she　was　having　a　family　reunion。

　Melanie　got　only　halfway　through　her　surprised　exclamation。　The　much…aged　woman　named　Maggie　

　

　My　head　snapped　back　and　then　forward。　She　slapped　me　again。　
“You　won’tfool　us；　you　parasite。　We　know　how　you　work。　We　know　how　well　you　can　mimic　us。”　
I　tasted　blood　inside　my　cheek。　
Don’t　do　that　again；I　scolded　Melanie。I　told　you　what　they’d　think。　
Melanie　was　too　shocked　to　answer。　
“Now；　Maggie；”　Jeb　began　in　a　soothing　tone。　
“Don’t　you　‘Now；　Maggie’　me；　you　old　fool！　She’s　probably　led　a　legion　of　them　down　on　us。”　She　


backed　away　from　me；　her　eyes　measuring　my　stillness　as　if　I　were　a　coiled　snake。　She　stopped　beside　
her　brother。　
“I　don’t　see　anyone；”　Jeb　retorted。“Hey！”　he　yelled；　and　I　flinched　in　surprise。　I　wasn’t　the　only　one。　


Jeb　waved　his　left　hand　over　his　head；　the　gun　still　clenched　in　the　right。“Over　here！”　
“Shut　up；”　Maggie　growled；　shoving　his　chest。　Though　I　had　good　reason　to　know　she　was　strong；　Jeb　
didn’t　wobble。


　“She’s　alone；　Mag。　She　was　pretty　much　dead　when　I　found　her—she’s　not　in　such　great　shape　now。　
The　centipedes　don’t　sacrifice　their　own　that　way。　They　would　have　e　for　her　much　sooner　than　I　
did。　Whatever　else　she　is；　she’s　alone。”

　I　saw　the　image　of　the　long；　many…legged　insect　in　my　head；　but　I　didn’t　make　the　connection。　
He’s　talking　aboutyou；　Melanie　translated。　She　placed　the　picture　of　the　ugly　bug　next　to　my　memory　
of　a　bright　silver　soul。　I　didn’t　see　a　resemblance。　
I　wonder　how　he　knows　what　you　look　like；Melanie　wondered　absently。　My　memories　of　a　soul’s　
true　appearance　had　been　new　to　her　in　the　beginning。

　I　didn’t　have　time　to　wonder　with　her。　Jeb　was　walking　toward　me；　and　the　others　were　close　behind。　
Kyle’s　hand　hovered　at　Jeb’s