ly a few moments； they began to reemerge。 First one swarm； then three； then six； then ten…and then too many to count。 They were converging； with an angry buzz； toward us。 〃How many caps have we got left？〃 I said。
〃Eight。〃
I knew then that we were not going to make it。 We were too deep in the cave。 We would never get out。 I had no idea how many swarms were around us…my halogen beam swung back and forth across what seemed like an army。
〃Jack 。。。〃 Mae said； holding out her hand。 She never seemed to lose confidence。 I lit three more caps and Mae threw them； retracing her steps toward the entrance as she did so。 I stayed close to her； but I knew our situation was hopeless。 Each blast scattered the swarms for just a moment。 Then they quickly regrouped。 There were far too many swarms。 〃Jack。〃 More thermite in her hands。
Now I could see the entrance to the chamber； just a few yards ahead。 My eyes were watering from all the acrid smoke。 My halogen light was just a narrow beam cutting through the dust。 The air was getting thicker and thicker。
A final series of white…hot blasts； and we came to the entrance。 I saw the ramp leading back toward the surface。 I never thought we'd get this far。 But I wasn't thinking anymore； everything was impressions。
〃How many left？〃 I said。
Mae didn't answer me。 I heard the rumble of an engine from somewhere above us。 Looking up I saw a wobbling white light in the cave higher up。 The rumble became very loud…I heard an engine gunned…and then I saw the ATV poised on the ramp above。 Bobby was up there； shouting 〃Get outttttt！〃
Mae turned and ran up the ramp； and I scrambled to follow her。 I was vaguely aware of Bobby lighting something that burst into orange flame； and then Mae pushed me against the wall as the riderless ATV roared down the ramp toward the chamber below； with a flaming cloth hanging from its gas tank。 It was a motorized Molotov cocktail。
As soon as it passed； Mae shoved me hard in the back。 〃Run！〃 I sprinted the last few yards up the ramp。 Bobby was reaching down for us； hauling us up over the lip to the level above。 I fell and scraped my knee but hardly felt it as he dragged me onto my feet again。 Then I was running hard toward the cave entrance and had almost reached the opening when a fiery blast knocked us off our feet； and I went tumbling through the air； and smashed against one of the cave walls。 I got to my feet； head ringing。 My flashlight was gone。 I heard a kind of strange screaming sound from somewhere behind me； or thought I did。 I looked at Mae and Bobby。 They were getting to their feet。 With the helicopter still thumping above us； we clambered up the incline and collapsed over the lip of the mound； and tumbled down the slopes； out into the cool； black desert night。
The last thing I saw was Mae waving the helicopter away； gesturing for it to go； go； go…
And then the cave exploded。
The ground jumped beneath my feet； knocking me over。 I fell to the ground just as the shock wave caused sharp pain in my ears。 I heard the deep rumble of the explosion。 From the mouth of the cave an enormous angry fireball billowed upward； orange laced in black。 I felt a wave of heat rolling down toward me； and then it was gone； and everything was suddenly quiet； and the world around me was black。
How long I lay there beneath the stars I am not sure。 I must have lost consciousness； because the next thing I remember was Bobby pushing me up into the backseat of the helicopter。 Mae was already inside； and she leaned over to buckle me in。 They were both looking at me with expressions of concern。 I wondered dully if I had been injured。 I didn't feel any pain。 The door slammed beside me； and Bobby got in the front next to the pilot。 We had done it。 We had succeeded。
I could hardly believe it was over。
The helicopter rose into the air and I saw the lights of the lab in the distance。
PREY
DAY 7
12：12 A。M。
〃Jack。〃
Julia rushed toward me as I came down the corridor。 In the overhead light her face looked beautiful in a lean； elegant way。 She was in truth more beautiful than I remembered。 Her ankle was bandaged and she had a cast on her wrist。 She threw her arms around me and buried her head in my shoulder。 Her hair smelled of lavender。 〃Oh； Jack； Jack。 Thank God you're all right。〃
〃Yeah；〃 I said hoarsely。 〃I'm okay。〃
〃I'm so glad 。。。 so glad。〃
I just stood there； feeling her hug me。 Then I hugged her back。 I didn't know how to react。 She was so energized； but I was exhausted； flat。
〃Are you all right； Jack？〃 she said； still hugging me。
〃Yeah； Julia。〃 I said； just above a whisper。 〃I am。〃
〃What's wrong with your voice？〃 she said； pulling back to look at me。 She scanned my face。 〃What's wrong？〃
〃He probably burned his vocal cords；〃 Mae said。 She was hoarse； too。 Her face was blackened with soot。 She had a cut on her cheek； and another on her forehead。 Julia embraced me again； her fingers touched my shirt。 〃Darling； you're hurt 。。。〃
〃Just my shirt。〃
〃Jack； are you sure you're not hurt？ I think you're hurt 。。。〃
〃No； I'm okay。〃 I stepped away from her awkwardly。
〃I can't tell you；〃 she said； 〃how grateful I am for what you did tonight； Jack。 What all of you did；〃 she added； turning to the others。 〃You； Mae； and Bobby too。 I'm only sorry I wasn't here to help。 I know this is all my fault。 But we're very grateful。 The pany is grateful。〃 I thought； The pany？ But all I said was； 〃Yeah； well； it had to be done。〃
〃It did； yes； it certainly did。 Quickly and decisively。 And you did it； Jack。 Thank God。〃 Ricky was standing in the background； head bobbing up and down。 He was like one of those mechanical birds that drinks from a water glass。 Bobbing up and down。 I felt unreal； as if I was in a play。
〃I think we should all have a drink to celebrate；〃 Julia was saying； as we went down the corridor。 〃There must be some champagne around here。 Ricky？ Is there？ Yes？ I want to celebrate what you guys have done。〃
〃I just want to sleep；〃 I said。
〃Oh； e on； just one glass。〃
It was typical Julia； I thought。 Involved in her own world； not noticing how anyone around her was feeling。 The last thing any of us wanted to do right now was drink champagne。 〃Thanks anyway；〃 Mae said； shaking her head。
〃Are you sure？ Really？ It'd be fun。 How about you； Bobby？〃
〃Maybe tomorrow；〃 Bobby said。
〃Oh well； okay； after all； you're the conquering heroes！ We'll do it tomorrow； then。〃 I noticed how fast she was talking； how quick her body movements were。 I remembered Ellen's ment about her taking drugs。 It certainly seemed like she was on something。 But I was so tired I just didn't give a damn。
〃I've told the news to Larry Handler； the head of the pany；〃 she said； 〃and he's very grateful to you all。〃
〃That's nice；〃 I said。 〃Is he going to notify the Army？〃
〃Notify the Army？ About what？〃
〃About the runaway experiment。〃
〃Well； Jack； that's all taken care of now。 You've taken care of it。〃
〃I'm not sure we have；〃 I said。 〃Some of the swarms might have escaped。 Or there might be another nest out there。 To be safe； I think we should call in the Army。〃 I didn't really think we had missed anything； but I wanted to get outsiders in here。 I was tired。 I wanted somebody else to take over。
〃The Army？〃 Julia's eyes flicked to Ricky； then back to me。 〃Jack； you're absolutely right；〃 she said firmly。 〃This is an extremely serious situation。 If there is the slightest chance something was missed； we must notify them at once。〃
〃I mean tonight。〃
〃Yes； I agree； Jack。 Tonight。 In fact； I'll do it right now。〃 I glanced back at Ricky。 He was walking along； still nodding in that mechanical way。 I didn't get it。 What about Ricky's earlier panic？ His fear that the experiment would be made public？ Now it seemed he didn't care。
Julia said； 〃You three can get some sleep； and I'll call my contacts at the Pentagon。〃
〃I'll go with you；〃 I said。
〃It's really not necessary。〃
〃I want to；〃 I said。
She glanced at me and smiled。 〃You don't trust me？〃
〃It's not that；〃 I said。 〃But they might have questions I could answer for them。〃
〃Okay； fine。 Good idea。 Excellent idea。〃
I felt sure that something was wrong。 I felt as if I were in a play； and everyone was acting a part。 Except I didn't know what the play was。 I glanced over at Mae。 She was frowning slightly。 She must have sensed it； too。
We passed through the airlocks into the residential unit。 Here the air felt unfortably cold to me； I shivered。 We went into the kitchen and Julia reached for the phone。 〃Let's make that call； Jack；〃 she said。
I went to the refrigerator and got a ginger ale。 Mae had an iced tea。 Bobby had a beer。 We were all thirsty。 I noticed a bottle of champagne sitting in the fridge； waiting。 I touched it； it was cold。 There were six glasses in there； too； being chilled。 She'd already planned the party。 Julia pushed the speakerphone button。 We heard a dial tone。 She punched in a number。 But the call didn't go through。 The line just went dead。
〃Huh；〃 she said。 〃Let's try that again 。。。〃
She dialed a second time。 Again； the call failed to go through。
〃That's funny。 Ricky； I'm not getting an outside line。〃
〃Try one more time；〃 Ricky said。
I sipped m