mc.prey-第4章

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　green…blue　in　the　corner。　A　plastic　diver　trudged　along　the　bottom；　trailing　bubbles。
　As　I　turned　to　go；　I　saw　Julia　silhouetted　in　the　doorway；　dark　hair　backlit。　She　had　been　watching　me。　I　couldn't　read　her　expression。　She　stalked　forward。　I　tensed。　She　put　her　arms　around　me　and　rested　her　head　on　my　chest。
　〃Please　forgive　me；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　a　real　jerk。　You're　doing　a　wonderful　job。　I'm　just　jealous；　that's　all。〃　My　shoulder　was　wet　with　her　tears。
　〃I　understand；〃　I　said；　holding　her。　〃It's　okay。〃
　I　waited　to　see　if　my　body　relaxed；　but　it　didn't。　I　was　suspicious　and　alert。　I　had　a　bad　feeling　about　her；　and　it　wasn't　going　away。
　She　came　out　of　the　shower　into　the　bedroom；　toweling　her　short　hair　dry。　I　was　sitting　on　the　bed；　trying　to　watch　the　rest　of　the　game。　It　occurred　to　me　that　she　never　used　to　take　showers　at　night。　Julia　always　took　a　shower　in　the　morning　before　work。　Now；　I　realized；　she　often　came　home　and　went　straight　to　the　shower　before　ing　out　to　say　hello　to　the　kids。　My　body　was　still　tense。　I　flicked　the　TV　off。　I　said；　〃How　was　the　demo？〃
　〃The　what？〃
　〃The　demo。　Didn't　you　have　a　demo　today？〃
　〃Oh；〃　she　said。　〃Oh；　yes。　We　did。　It　went　fine；　when　we　finally　got　it　going。　The　VCs　in　Germany　couldn't　stay　for　all　of　it　because　of　the　time　change；　but…listen；　do　you　want　to　see　it？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I　have　a　dub　of　it。　Want　to　see　it？〃
　I　was　surprised。　I　shrugged。　〃Okay；　sure。〃
　〃I'd　really　like　to　know　what　you　think；　Jack。〃　I　detected　a　patronizing　tone。　My　wife　was　including　me　in　her　work。　Making　me　feel　a　part　of　her　life。　I　watched　as　she　opened　her　briefcase　and　took　out　a　DVD。　She　stuck　it　in　the　player；　and　came　back　to　sit　with　me　on　the　bed。
　〃What　were　you　demoing？〃　I　said。
　〃The　new　medical　imaging　technology；〃　she　said。　〃It's　really　slick；　if　I　say　so　myself。〃　She　snuggled　up；　tucking　herself　into　my　shoulder。　All　very　cozy；　just　like　old　times。　I　still　felt　uneasy；　but　I　put　my　arm　around　her。
　〃By　the　way；〃　I　said；　〃how　e　you　take　showers　at　night　now；　instead　of　in　the　morning？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　〃Do　I？　I　guess　I　do。　It　just　seems　easier；　honey。　Mornings　are　so　rushed；　and　I've　been　getting　those　conference　calls　from　Europe；　they　take　so　much　time…okay；　here　we　go；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　the　screen。　I　saw　black…and…white　scramble；　and　then　the　image　resolved。
　The　tape　showed　Julia　in　a　large　laboratory　that　was　fitted　out　like　an　operating　room。　A　man　lay　on　his　back　on　the　gurney；　an　IV　in　his　arm；　an　anesthesiologist　standing　by。　Above　the　table　was　a　round　flat　metal　plate　about　six　feet　in　diameter；　which　could　be　raised　and　lowered；　but　was　now　raised。　There　were　video　monitors　all　around。　And　in　the　foreground；　peering　at　a　monitor；　was　Julia。　There　was　a　video　technician　by　her　side。　〃This　is　terrible；〃　she　was　saying；　pointing　to　the　monitor。　〃What's　all　the　interference？〃
　〃We　think　it's　the　air　purifiers。　They're　causing　it。〃
　〃Well；　this　is　unacceptable。〃
　〃Really？〃
　〃Yes；　really。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　us　to　do？〃
　〃I　want　you　to　fix　it；〃　Julia　said。
　〃Then　we　have　to　boost　power；　and　you　have…〃
　〃I　don't　care；〃　she　said。　〃I　can't　show　the　VCs　an　image　of　this　quality。　They've　seen　better　pictures　from　Mars。　Fix　it。〃
　Beside　me　on　the　bed；　Julia　said；　〃I　didn't　know　they　recorded　all　this。　This　is　before　the　demo。　You　can　fast　forward。〃
　I　pushed　the　remote。　The　picture　scrambled。　I　waited　a　few　seconds；　and　played　it　again。
　Same　scene。　Julia　still　in　the　foreground。　Carol；　her　assistant；　whispering　to　her。
　〃Okay；　but　then　what　do　I　tell　him？〃
　〃Tell　him　no。〃
　〃But　he　wants　to　get　started。〃
　〃I　understand。　But　the　transmission　isn't　for　an　hour。　Tell　him　no。〃
　On　the　bed；　Julia　said　to　me；　〃Mad　Dog　was　our　experimental　subject。　He　was　very　restless。　Impatient　to　get　started。〃
　On　the　screen；　the　assistant　lowered　her　voice。　〃I　think　he's　nervous；　Julia。　I　would　be；　too；　with　a　couple　of　million　of　those　things　crawling　around　inside　my　body…〃
　〃It's　not　a　couple　of　million；　and　they're　not　crawling；〃　Julia　said。　〃Anyway；　they're　his　invention。〃
　〃Even　so。〃
　〃Isn't　that　an　anesthesiologist　over　there？〃
　〃No；　just　a　cardiologist。〃
　〃Well；　maybe　the　cardiologist　can　give　him　something　for　his　nervousness。〃
　〃They　already　did。　An　injection。〃
　On　the　bed　beside　me；　Julia　said；　〃Fast　forward；　Jack。〃　I　did。　The　picture　jumped　ahead。
　〃Okay；　here。〃
　I　saw　Julia　standing　at　the　monitor　again；　with　the　technician　beside　her。　〃That's　acceptable；〃　onscreen　Julia　was　saying；　pointing　to　the　image。　〃Not　great；　but　acceptable。　Now；　show　me　the　STM。〃
　〃The　what？〃
　〃The　STM。　The　electron　microscope。　Show　me　the　image　from　that。〃
　The　technician　looked　confused。　〃Uh　。。。　Nobody　told　us　about　any　electron　microscope。〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　read　the　damn　storyboards！〃
　The　technician　blinked。　〃It's　on　the　storyboards？〃
　〃Did　you　look　at　the　storyboards？〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　I　guess　I　must　have　missed　it。〃
　〃There's　no　time　now　to　be　sorry。　Fix　it！〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　shout。〃
　〃Yes　I　do！　I　have　to　shout；　because　I'm　surrounded　by　idiots！〃　She　waved　her　hands　in　the　air。　〃I'm　about　to　go　online　and　talk　to　eleven　billion　dollars　of　venture　capital　in　five　countries　and　show　them　submicroscopic　technology；　except　I　don't　have　a　microscope　feed；　so　they　can't　see　the　technology！〃
　On　the　bed；　Julia　said；　〃I　kind　of　lost　it　with　this　guy。　It　was　so　frustrating。　We　had　a　clock　counting　down　to　the　satellite　time；　which　was　booked　and　locked。　We　couldn't　change　it。　We　had　to　make　the　time；　and　this　guy　was　a　dimbus。　But　eventually　we　got　it　working。　Fast　forward。〃
　The　screen　showed　a　static　card；　which　read：
　　
　A　Private　Demonstration　of　Advanced　Medical　Imaging　by　Xymos　Technology
　Mountain　View；　CA
　World　Leader　in　Molecular　Manufacturing
　　
　Then；　on　the　screen；　Julia　appeared；　standing　in　front　of　the　gurney　and　the　medical　apparatus。　She'd　brushed　her　hair　and　tucked　in　her　blouse。
　〃Hello　to　all　of　you；〃　she　said；　smiling　at　the　camera。　〃I'm　Julia　Forman　of　Xymos　Technology；　and　we're　about　to　demonstrate　a　revolutionary　medical　imaging　procedure　just　developed　here。　Our　subject；　Peter　Morris；　is　lying　behind　me　on　the　table。　In　a　few　moments；　we're　going　to　look　inside　his　heart　and　blood　vessels　with　an　ease　and　accuracy　never　before　possible。〃　She　began　walking　around　the　table；　talking　as　she　went。
　〃Unlike　cardiac　catheterization；　our　procedure　is　one　hundred　percent　safe。　And　unlike　catheterization；　we　can　look　everywhere　in　the　body；　at　every　sort　of　vessel；　no　matter　how　large　or　small。　We'll　see　inside　his　aorta；　the　largest　artery　of　the　body。　But　we'll　also　look　inside　the　alveoli　of　his　lungs；　and　the　tiny　capillaries　of　his　fingertips。　We　can　do　all　this　because　the　camera　we　put　inside　his　vessels　is　smaller　than　a　red　blood　cell。　Quite　a　bit　smaller；　actually。　〃Xymos　microfabrication　technology　can　now　produce　these　miniaturized　cameras；　and　produce　them　in　quantity…cheaply；　quickly。　It　would　take　a　thousand　of　them　just　to　make　a　dot　the　size　of　a　pencil　point。　We　can　fabricate　a　kilogram　of　these　cameras　in　an　hour。　〃I'm　sure　you　are　all　skeptical。　We're　well　aware　that　nanotechnology　has　made　promises　it　couldn't　deliver。　As　you　know；　the　problem　has　been　that　scientists　could　design　molecular…scale　devices；　but　they　couldn't　manufacture　them。　But　Xymos　has　solved　that　problem。〃
　It　suddenly　hit　me；　what　she　was　saying。　〃What？〃　I　said；　sitting　up　in　bed。　〃Are　you　kidding？〃　If　it　was　true；　it　was　an　extraordinary　development；　a　genuine　technological　breakthrough；　and　it　meant…
　〃It's　true；〃　Julia　said　quietly。　〃We're　manufacturing　in　Nevada。〃　She　smiled；　enjoying　my　astonishment。
　Onscreen；　Julia　was　saying；　〃I　have　one　of　our　Xymos　cameras　under　the　electron　microscope；　here〃…she　pointed　to　the　screen…〃so　you　can　see　it　in　parison　to　the　red　blood　cell　alongside　it。〃
　The　image　changed　to　black…and…white。　I　saw　a　fine　probe　push　what　looked　like　a　tiny　squid　into　position　on　a　titanium　field。　It　was　a　bullet…nosed　lump　with　streaming　filaments　at　the　rear。　It　was　a　tenth　of　the　size　of　the　red　blood　cell；　which　in　the　vacuum　of　the　scanning　electron　microscope　was　a　wrinkled　oval；　like　a　gray　raisin。
　〃Our　camera　is　one　ten…billionth　of　an　inch　in　length。　As　you　see；　it　is　shaped　like　a　squid；〃　Julia　said。　〃Imaging　takes　place　in　the　nose。　Microtubules　in　the　tail　provide　stabilization；　like　the　tail　of　a　kite。　But　they　can　also　lash　actively；　and　provide　lootion。　Jerry；　if　we　can　turn　the　camera　to　see　the　nose　。。。　Okay；　there。　Thank　you。　Now；　from　the　front；　you　see　that　indentation　in　the　center？　That　is　the　miniature　gallium　arsenide　photon　detector；　acting　as　a　retina；　and　the　surrounding　banded　area…sort　of　like　a　radial　tire…is　bioluminescent；　and　lights　the　area　ahead。　Within　the　nose　itself　you　may　be　able　to　just　make　out　a　rather　plex　series　of　twisted　molecules。　That　is　our　patented　ATP　cascade。　You　can　think　of　it　as　a　primitive　brain；　which　controls　the　behavior　of　the　camera…very　limited　behavior；　true；　but　enough　for　our　purposes。〃
　I　heard　a　hiss　of　static；　and　a　cough。　The　screen　image　opened　a　small　window　in　the　corner；　and　now　showed　Fritz　Leidermeyer；　in　Germany。　The　investor　shifted　his　enormous　bulk。　〃I'm　sorry；　Ms。　Forman。　Tell　me　please　where　is　the　lens？〃
　〃There　is　no　lens。〃
　〃How　can　you　have　a　camera　with　no　lens？〃
　〃I'll　explain　that　as　we　go；〃　she　said。
　Watching；　I　said；　〃It　must　be　a　camera　obscura。〃
　〃Right；〃　she　said；　nodding。
　Camera　obscura…Latin　for　〃dark　room〃…was　the　oldest　imaging　device　known。　The　Romans　had　found　that　if　you　made　a　small　hole　in　the　wall　of　a　dark　room；　an　upside…down　image　of　the　exterior　appeared　on　the　opposite　wall。　That　was　because　light　ing　through　any　small　aperture　was　focused；　as　if　by　a　lens。　It　was　the　same　principle　as　a　kid's　pinhole　camera。　It　was　why　ever　since　Roman　times；　image…recording　devices　were　called　cameras。　But　in　this　case…
　〃What　makes　the　aperture？〃　I　said。　〃Is　there　a　pinhole？〃
　〃I　thought　you　knew；〃　she　said。　〃You're　responsible　for　that　part。〃
　〃Me？〃
　〃Yes。　Xymos　licensed　some　agent…based　algorithms　that　your　team　wrote。〃
　〃No；　I　didn't　know。　Which　algorithms？〃
　〃To　control　a　particle　network。〃
　〃Your　cameras　are　networked？　All　those　little　cameras　municate　with　each　other？〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃They're　a　swarm；　actually。〃　She　was　still　smiling；　amused　by　my　reactions。
　〃A　swarm。〃　I　was　thinking　it　over；　trying　to　understand　what　she　was　telling　me。　Certainly　my　team　had　written　a　number　of　programs　to　control　swarms　of　agents。　Those　programs　were　modeled　on　behavior　of　bees。　The　programs　had　many　useful　characteristics。　Because　swarms　were　posed　of　many　agents；　the　swarm　could　respond　to　the　environment　in　a　robust　way。　Faced　with　new　and　unexpected　conditions；　the　swarm　programs　didn't　crash；　they　just　sort　of　flowed　around　the　obstacles；　and　kept　going。
　But　our　programs　worked　by　creating　virtual　agents　inside　the　puter。　Julia　had　created　real　agents　in　the　real　world。　At　first　I　didn't　see　how　our　programs　could　be　adapted　to　what　she　was　doing。
　〃We　use　them　for　structure；〃　she　said。　〃The　program　makes　the　swarm　str