I turned toward the door behind me。
And we went outside。
DAY 6
4：12 P。M。
Beneath the corrugated roof； the air was hot and still。 The line of cars stretched away from us。 I heard the whirr of a video camera motor up by the roof。 Ricky must have seen us ing out on the monitors。 Static hissed in my headset。 Ricky said； 〃What the hell's going on？〃
〃Nothing good；〃 I said。 Beyond the line of shade； the afternoon sun was still bright。
〃Where are the others？〃 Ricky said。 〃Is everybody okay？〃
〃No。 Everybody is not。〃
〃Well tell me…〃
〃Not now。〃 In retrospect； we were all numb from what had happened。 We didn't have any reaction except to try and get to safety。
The lab building stood across the desert a hundred yards to our right。 We could reach the power station door in thirty or forty seconds。 We set off toward it at a brisk jog。 Ricky was still talking； but we didn't answer him。 We were all thinking about the same thing： in another half a minute we would reach the door； and safety。
But we had forgotten the fourth swarm。
〃Oh fuck；〃 Charley said。
The fourth swarm swirled out from the side of the lab building； and started straight toward us。 We stopped； confused。 〃What do we do？〃 Mae said； 〃Flock？〃
〃No。〃 I shook my head。 〃There's only three of us。〃 We were too small a group to confuse a predator。 But I couldn't think of any other strategy to try。 All the predator…prey studies I had ever read began to play back in my head。 Those studies agreed on one thing。 Whether you modeled warrior ants or Serengeti lions； the studies confirmed one major dynamic： left to their own devices； predators would kill all the prey until none remained…unless there was a prey refuge。 In real life the prey refuge might be a nest in a tree； or an underground den； or a deep pool in a river。 If the prey had a refuge； they'd survive。 Without a refuge； the predators would kill them all。
〃I think we're fucked；〃 Charley said。
We needed a refuge。 The swarm was bearing down on us。 I could almost feel the pinpricks on my skin； and taste the dry ashen taste in my mouth。 We had to find some kind of shelter before the swarm reached us。 I turned full circle； looking in all directions； but there was nothing I could see； except…
〃Are the cars locked？〃
My headset crackled。 〃No； they shouldn't be。〃
We turned and ran。
The nearest car was a blue Ford sedan。 I opened the driver's door； and Mae opened the passenger side。 The swarm was right behind us。 I could hear the thrumming sound as I slammed the door shut； as Mae slammed hers。 Charley； still holding the Windex spray； was trying to open the rear passenger door； but it was locked。 Mae twisted in the seat to unlock the door； but Charley had already turned to the next car； a Land Cruiser； and climbed inside。 And slammed the door。
〃Yow！〃 he said。 〃Fucking hot！〃
〃I know；〃 I said。 The inside of the car was like an oven。 Mae and I were both sweating。 The swarm rushed toward us； and swirled over the front windshield； pulsating； shifting back and forth。
Over the headset； a panicked Ricky said； 〃Guys？ Where are you？ Guys？〃
〃We're in the cars。〃
〃Which cars？〃
〃What fucking difference does it make？〃 Charley said。 〃We're in two of the fucking cars； Ricky。〃
The black swarm moved away from our sedan over to the Toyota。 We watched as it slid from one window to another； trying to get in。 Charley grinned at me through the glass。 〃It's not like the shed。 These cars are airtight。 So 。。。 fuck 'em。〃
〃What about the air vents？〃 I said。
〃I shut mine。〃
〃But they aren't airtight； are they？〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃But you'd have to go under the hood to begin to get in。 Or maybe through the trunk。 And I'm betting this overbred buzzball can't figure that out。〃 Inside our car； Mae was snapping closed the dashboard air ducts one after another。 She opened the glove partment； glanced inside； shut it again。 I said； 〃You find any keys？〃
She shook her head； no。
Over the headset； Ricky said； 〃Guys？ You got more pany。〃
I turned to see two additional swarms ing around the shed。 They immediately swirled over our car； front and back。 I felt like we were in a dust storm。 I looked at Mae。 She was sitting very still； stony…faced； just watching。
The two new clouds finished circling the car； then came to the front。 One was positioned just outside Mae's passenger door window。 It pulsed； glinting silver。 The other was on the hood of the car； moving back and forth from Mae to me。 From time to time； it would rush the windshield； and disperse itself over the glass。 Then it would coalesce again； back away down the hood； and rush again。
Charley cackled gleefully。 〃Trying to get in。 I told you： they can't do it。〃 I wasn't so sure。 I noticed that with each charge； the swarm would move farther back down the hood； taking a longer run。 Soon it would back itself up to the front grill。 And if it started inspecting the grill； it could find the opening to the air vents。 And then it would be over。 Mae was rummaging in the utility partment between the seats。 She came up with a roll of tape and a box of plastic sandwich baggies。 She said； 〃Maybe we can tape the vents 。。。〃 I shook my head。 〃There's no point；〃 I said。 〃They're nanoparticles。 They're small enough to pass right through a membrane。〃
〃You mean they'd e through the plastic？〃
〃Or around； through small cracks。 You can't seal it well enough to keep them out。〃
〃Then we just sit here？〃
〃Basically； yes。〃
〃And hope they don't figure it out。〃
I nodded。 〃That's right。〃
Over the headset； Bobby Lembeck said； 〃Wind's starting to pick up again。 Six knots。〃 It sounded like he was trying to be encouraging； but six knots wasn't anywhere near enough force。 The swarms outside the windshield moved effortlessly around the car。 Charley said； 〃Jack？ I just lost my buzzball。 Where is it？〃
I looked over at Charley's car； and saw that the third swarm had slid down to the front tire well； where it was swirling in circles and moving in and out through the holes in the hubcap。 〃Checking your hubcaps； Charley；〃 I said。
〃Umm。〃 He sounded unhappy； and with good reason。 If the swarm started exploring the car thoroughly； it might stumble on a way in。 He said； 〃I guess the question is； how big is their SO ponent； really？〃
〃That's right；〃 I said。
Mae said； 〃In English？〃
I explained。 The swarms had no leader； and no central intelligence。 Their intelligence was the sum of the individual particles。 Those particles self…organized into a swarm； and their self…organizing tendency had unpredictable results。 You really didn't know what they would do。 The swarms might continue to be ineffective； as they were now。 They might e upon the solution by chance。 Or they might start searching in an organized way。 But they hadn't done that so far。
My clothes were heavy； soaked in sweat。 Sweat was dripping from my nose and chin。 I wiped my forehead with the back of my arm。 I looked at Mae。 She was sweating； too。 Ricky said； 〃Hey； Jack？〃
〃What。〃
〃Julia called a while ago。 She's checked out of the hospital and…〃
〃Not now； Ricky。〃
〃She's ing out here tonight。〃
〃We'll talk later； Ricky。〃
〃I just thought you'd want to know。〃
〃Jesus；〃 Charley said； exploding。 〃Someone tell this asshole to shut up。 We're busy！〃
Bobby Lembeck said； 〃Eight knots of wind now。 No； sorry 。。。 seven。〃
Charley said； 〃Jesus； the suspense is killing me。 Where's my swarm now； Jack？〃
〃Under the car。 I can't see what it's doing 。。。 No； wait 。。。 It's ing up behind you； Charley。 Looks like it's checking out your taillights。〃
〃Some kind of car freak；〃 he said。 〃Well； it can check away。〃
I was looking over my shoulder at Charley's swarm when Mae said； 〃Jack。 Look。〃 The swarm outside her window on the passenger side had changed。 It was almost entirely silver now； shimmering but pretty stable； and on this silver surface I saw Mae's head and shoulders reflected back。 The reflection wasn't perfect； because her eyes and mouth were slightly blurred； but basically it was accurate。
I frowned。 〃It's a mirror 。。。〃
〃No；〃 she said。 〃It's not。〃 She turned away from the window to look at me。 Her image on the silver surface did not change。 The face continued to stare into the car。 Then； after a moment or two； the image shivered； dissolved and re…formed to show the back of her head。 〃What does that mean？〃 Mae said。
〃I've got a pretty good idea； but…〃
The swarm on the front hood was doing the same thing； except that its silver surface showed the two of us sitting side by side in the car； looking very frightened。 Again； the image was somewhat blurred。 And now it was clear to me that the swarm was not a literal mirror。 The swarm itself was generating the image by the precise positioning of individual particles； which meant…
〃Bad news；〃 Charley said。
〃I know；〃 I said。 〃They're innovating。〃
〃What do you figure； is it one of the presets？〃
〃Basically； yes。 I assume it's imitation。〃
Mae shook her head； not understanding。
〃The program presets certain strategies to help attain goals。 The strategies model what real predators do。 So one preset strategy is to freeze where you are and wait； to ambush。 Another is to random…walk until you stumble on your prey； and