The Monster Trilogy. Brian Aldiss

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СКАЧАТЬ – suppose you summon someone …’

      ‘We can’t just sit around like passengers.’

      He began to stab systematically with his middle finger.

      A lid shot up like an eyelid on the wall facing them, and a VDU lit. Colours flowed hectically, then a male face snapped into view, a heavy aquiline face that looked as if it had been kept in deep freeze. Seeming to press its nose against the glass screen, it opened its mouth and said, ‘Agents of Group 16, prepare to leave for —— Agents of Group 16.’

      ‘Where did he say?’ asked Clift.

      ‘Never heard of the place. How come we can’t see through this window?’ Bodenland ran his hand over a series of pressure plates. The window on his left hand turned transparent. It was barred, but permitted a distorted view of the outside world in tones of grey. With this view, a sense of movement returned; they could see what looked like uncultivated prairie flashing by.

      And at the same time, phantasmal figures, looking much attenuated, drifted from the train, to land on a grass mound they were passing.

      ‘There go the agents of Group 16,’ commented Bodenland. ‘Whoever the hell they are.’

      The train then appeared to gather speed again.

      More investigation of the control panel brought forth from its socket a small terrestrial globe. A thread-thin trace light revealed what they could only believe was their course, heading north-west. But the continents were subtly changed. Florida had extended itself to enclose the Caribbean. Hudson Bay did not exist. Indications were that the train was now crossing what should have been the waters of Hudson Bay; all that could be seen were forests and undulating savannah lands.

      Numerals flashed across the VDU. Clift pointed to them with some excitement. He seemed to have recovered from his shock of fear.

      ‘Read those figures, Joe. They could be calibrated in millions of years. They certainly aren’t speeds or latitudes.’

      ‘You think that’s where we are – or when we are? Not simply moving through distance, but some time before Hudson Bay was formed …’

      ‘Before Hudson Bay … and when the climate was milder … In a forgotten epoch of some early inter-glacial … Is it possible?’

      Bodenland said, ‘So we’re travelling on – a time train! Bernard, what wonderful luck!’

      Clift looked at him in surprise. ‘Luck? Who knows where we’re heading? More to the point, who controls the train?’

      ‘We’ll have to control the train, Bernie, old sport, that’s who.’

      As he rose, a last group of zombie figures could be seen to leave the train, drifting like gossamer with outspread arms, to land safely among tall grasses and fade into night.

      At which point, the train swerved suddenly eastwards, throwing Bodenland back into his seat. The thread indicator also turned eastwards, maintaining latitude. The electronic numbers on the screen diminished rapidly.

      ‘Well, that’s something,’ Clift said. ‘We’re coming nearer to the present instead of disappearing into the far past. If our theory’s right.’

      ‘Let’s move. There must be a cab or similar up front.’

      As they rose, the aquiline face returned to their VDU.

      ‘Enemy agents boarded the train at Point 656. They must be terminated. Believed only two in number. They must be terminated. Group 3 also organize death-strikes against their nearest and dearest.’

      ‘Hell,’ said Clift. ‘You heard that. We have to get off this thing.’

      ‘You want to jump? I don’t like this either, but our best hope is to try and hijack the train, if that’s possible.’

      ‘And get ourselves killed?’

      ‘Let’s hope that won’t be necessary. Come on.’

      He opened the door. The corridor appeared empty. After only a moment’s hesitation, he eased himself through the door. Clift followed.

      Larry had bought himself a big white cowboy hat in Enterprise, after taking a few drinks in a bar. He drove in his hired car back to the Old John site.

      The change in three days, since the news of the strange grave had been given to the world, was dramatic. There was no way in which the Bodenland security force could keep everyone away. As Bodenland had predicted, the world had descended on this quiet south-west corner of Utah. The media were there in force, not only from all over the States but from Europe, Japan, the Soviet Union, and elsewhere. Hustlers, hucksters, and plain sightseers rubbed shoulders. Big mobile diners had rolled in from St George and Cedar City, bars had been set up. It was like a gold rush. Chunks of plain rock were selling fast.

      Temporary TV studios had been established, comfort stations, mobile chapels, all kinds of refreshment stalls and marquees. The actual digs were barricaded off and protected by state police.

      Larry made his way through the thick traffic, yelling cheerfully to other drivers out of the window as he went. Once he had parked, he fought his way through to the trailer he had hired.

      There Kylie was awaiting him, her fair hair capturing the sun.

      She threw her arms round him. ‘I’ve been here all day. Where’ve you been?’

      ‘I was drowning my sorrows in Enterprise.’

      ‘You got a girl there?’

      ‘I ain’t that enterprising. Listen, Kylie, forgive me, sweet. I shouldn’t have walked out on you as I did, and I’ve felt bad ever since.’

      She was happy to hear him say it.

      ‘We were both too hasty.’ She stuck her tongue in his mouth.

      ‘Come on the bed,’ he said. ‘I’ll show you how I feel about you. I’ve had three days here, kicking my heels and feeling bad.’

      ‘Bed later. I got in this morning with Mina. I flew to Dallas and she flew me here in her plane.’

      ‘That old Bandierante? It’ll fall to pieces in the air one day.’

      ‘Come and see her. She’s worried crazy about Joe. You’ll have to tell her – and me – exactly where he is and what happened.’

      He made a face, but was in no mood to argue.

      The Bandierante was the plane from which Mina Legrand liked to sky-dive. She had left it on an improvised landing field on the edge of the desert, five miles away. She had paid over the odds for a rusty old Chevvy in order to be mobile. They caught up with her in a mess of traffic on what had become Old John’s main street. Mina had climbed out of the car to argue more effectively with a cop trying to control the flow of automobiles, one of which had, perhaps inevitably, broken down.

      She turned an angry face to her son.

      ‘And where have you been? What have you done with your father?’

      He СКАЧАТЬ