Read Online The Parasite War by Tim Sullivan - Free Book Online
Authors: Tim Sullivan
Tags: Science-Fiction
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Alex.
Alex stepped to one side, clicking the safety off the Ingram as he did so. He fired a quick burst at the undulating colloid, turned, and ran after Elvin.
He caught up with him at the top of the hill.
"It's all right," Alex said. "There was only one of 'em, and it can't move fast enough to get you now."
"I almost stepped in the fucking thing," Elvin said. In spite of his agitation, his voice remained calm.
"Why didn't it attack you, if it was that close?" Alex nudged him back toward the hideout, still suspicious.
"Beats the hell out of me," Elvin shrugged. "Maybe I'm not a choice cut of meat."
Alex chuckled, but as they made their way back down the stone steps in the dark, he considered Elvin's comment. Maybe it was true. Maybe the colloids left certain people alone, for some reason. But if so, why? He shook his head. The colloid had probably been lethargic, maybe because of the cold air.
Elvin never thanked Alex for saving his life. He merely allowed himself to be led through the trees to Flash's place. They went inside, Alex appreciating the warmth very much.
The others were surprised to see that Elvin was with him.
"Welcome back, Elvin," said Riquelme and Jill.
The hypnoidal man looked disapprovingly down at his two erstwhile companions, still enjoying each other's company on a mattress.
"Everything all right?" Flash asked.
"Our friend here almost tap-danced on a colloid," Alex replied. "Other than that, just ducky."
"Still want to make it on your own?" Dr. Siegel said to Elvin. "Does the idea of being on the team strike you as more appealing now than it was a half hour ago, Mr . . . ."
"Considerably," Elvin said in flat tones. He went to a mattress on the other side of the room from Riquelme and Jill and sat down cross-legged. "My name's Elvin, like I said before."
"Charmed, I'm sure," Siegel said, offering a sarcastic sidelong glance at Alex. "Doubtless, you're going to be an invaluable addition to our little group."
Ironically, Alex thought that she might be right. An unarmed man who had come that close to a colloid and survived might indeed be an invaluable ally.
CHAPTER NINE
The sun was climbing toward its zenith by the time Alex and Jo stood on the hill overlooking Ishan Street, but they could see their breath in the cool autumn air. Flash was with them, and so would Dr. Siegel have been, if they hadn't prevailed upon her to remain at HQ with the others. Alex thought there was a strong possibility that word had reached other survivors, word of a place where one could go for help and companionship. Such rumors would doubtless prove powerful incentives to the homeless few that still roamed the city's back streets and alleys.
Indeed, Alex wished that he and Jo and Flash were back in the park now, instead of here in the wasteland of West Philly, about to risk their lives.
"I don't see anything stirring down there," Jo said. "Maybe they've moved on."
"Yeah, and maybe they found Victor's stash before they moved on," Alex added.
"Pessimist." But Jo knew that he might be right.
"The question is," said Alex, "can the infected, while they are still more or less human in form, learn to use firearms?"
"There were rumors about that during the war," Flash said. "But I don't know anybody who ever saw them using weapons."
"Yeah, they don't have enough brain power left to use a gun. And even if they could manage it, why should the colloids destroy their own food supply? They can't feed on corpses."
"Logical enough, but what's to stop them from wasting us if they can't get to us any other way?" Alex said.
"Huh?" Jo said. "What does that mean?"
"I don't know. I've just been thinking about something sleepy old Elvin said last night."
"What did he say?"
"That he wasn't choice enough meat for the colloids, or something to that effect."
Flash chuckled. "He might be right."
Alex nodded. "Well, we can talk about Elvin's undesirability later. Right now, let's go down there and see if we can find
Alex stepped to one side, clicking the safety off the Ingram as he did so. He fired a quick burst at the undulating colloid, turned, and ran after Elvin.
He caught up with him at the top of the hill.
"It's all right," Alex said. "There was only one of 'em, and it can't move fast enough to get you now."
"I almost stepped in the fucking thing," Elvin said. In spite of his agitation, his voice remained calm.
"Why didn't it attack you, if it was that close?" Alex nudged him back toward the hideout, still suspicious.
"Beats the hell out of me," Elvin shrugged. "Maybe I'm not a choice cut of meat."
Alex chuckled, but as they made their way back down the stone steps in the dark, he considered Elvin's comment. Maybe it was true. Maybe the colloids left certain people alone, for some reason. But if so, why? He shook his head. The colloid had probably been lethargic, maybe because of the cold air.
Elvin never thanked Alex for saving his life. He merely allowed himself to be led through the trees to Flash's place. They went inside, Alex appreciating the warmth very much.
The others were surprised to see that Elvin was with him.
"Welcome back, Elvin," said Riquelme and Jill.
The hypnoidal man looked disapprovingly down at his two erstwhile companions, still enjoying each other's company on a mattress.
"Everything all right?" Flash asked.
"Our friend here almost tap-danced on a colloid," Alex replied. "Other than that, just ducky."
"Still want to make it on your own?" Dr. Siegel said to Elvin. "Does the idea of being on the team strike you as more appealing now than it was a half hour ago, Mr . . . ."
"Considerably," Elvin said in flat tones. He went to a mattress on the other side of the room from Riquelme and Jill and sat down cross-legged. "My name's Elvin, like I said before."
"Charmed, I'm sure," Siegel said, offering a sarcastic sidelong glance at Alex. "Doubtless, you're going to be an invaluable addition to our little group."
Ironically, Alex thought that she might be right. An unarmed man who had come that close to a colloid and survived might indeed be an invaluable ally.
CHAPTER NINE
The sun was climbing toward its zenith by the time Alex and Jo stood on the hill overlooking Ishan Street, but they could see their breath in the cool autumn air. Flash was with them, and so would Dr. Siegel have been, if they hadn't prevailed upon her to remain at HQ with the others. Alex thought there was a strong possibility that word had reached other survivors, word of a place where one could go for help and companionship. Such rumors would doubtless prove powerful incentives to the homeless few that still roamed the city's back streets and alleys.
Indeed, Alex wished that he and Jo and Flash were back in the park now, instead of here in the wasteland of West Philly, about to risk their lives.
"I don't see anything stirring down there," Jo said. "Maybe they've moved on."
"Yeah, and maybe they found Victor's stash before they moved on," Alex added.
"Pessimist." But Jo knew that he might be right.
"The question is," said Alex, "can the infected, while they are still more or less human in form, learn to use firearms?"
"There were rumors about that during the war," Flash said. "But I don't know anybody who ever saw them using weapons."
"Yeah, they don't have enough brain power left to use a gun. And even if they could manage it, why should the colloids destroy their own food supply? They can't feed on corpses."
"Logical enough, but what's to stop them from wasting us if they can't get to us any other way?" Alex said.
"Huh?" Jo said. "What does that mean?"
"I don't know. I've just been thinking about something sleepy old Elvin said last night."
"What did he say?"
"That he wasn't choice enough meat for the colloids, or something to that effect."
Flash chuckled. "He might be right."
Alex nodded. "Well, we can talk about Elvin's undesirability later. Right now, let's go down there and see if we can find
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