On the screen, I saw: /.Initialize./
For j=1 to L x V do
Sj = 0 /.set initial demand to 0/
End For
For i=l to z do
For j = 1 to L x V do ij = (state (x,y,z)) /.agent threshold param./ Ш ij = (intent (Cj,Hj)) /.agent intention fill./ Response = 0 /. begin agent response./ Zone = z(i) /. intitial zone unlearned by agent./ Sweep =1 /. activate agent travel./ End For End For /.Main./ For kl=1 to RVd do For tm=1 to nv do For = i to j do /. tracking surrounds./ Ш ij = (intent (Cj,Hj)) /.agent intention fill./ ij «» (state (x,y,z)) /.agent is in motion./ ikl = (filed (x,y,z)) /.track nearest agents./ I scanned it for a while, looking for how they had changed it. Then I scrolled down into the actual code, to see the implementation. But the important code wasn't there. The entire set of particle behaviors was marked as an object call to a something titled "compstat-do."
"Ricky," I said, "what's 'compstat-do'? Where is it?"
"Should be there."
"It's not."
"I don't know. Maybe it's compiled."
"Well that isn't going to do me any good, is it?" You couldn't read compiled code. "Ricky, I want to see that damn module. What is the problem?"
"No problem. I have to look for it, is all."
"Okay…"
"I'll do it when you get back."
I glanced over at Mae. "Have you gone through the code?"
She shook her head. Her expression seemed to say it was never going to happen, that Ricky would make up more excuses and keep putting me off. I didn't understand why. I was there to advise them on the code, after all. That was my area of expertise. In the next room, Rosie and David were poking through the shelves of supplies, looking for radio relays. They weren't having any success. Across the room, Charley Davenport farted loudly and cried, "Bingo!"
"Jesus, Charley," Rosie said.
"You shouldn't hold things in," Charley said. "It makes you sick."
"You make me sick." Rosie said.
"Oh, sorry." Charley held up his hand, showing a shiny metal contraption. "Then I guess you don't want this remote-controlled compression valve."
"What?" Rosie said, turning.
"Are you kidding?" David said, going over to look.
"And it's got a pressure rating of ADC twenty pi."
"That should work fine," David said.
"If you don't fuck it up," Charley said.
They took the valve and went to the sink, where Mae was still pouring, wearing her heavy gloves. She said, "Let me finish…"
"Will I glow in the dark?" Charley said, grinning at her.
"Just your farts," Rosie said.
"Hey, they already do that. 'Specially when you light 'em."
"Jesus, Charley."
"Farts are methane, you know. Burns with a hard blue gemlike flame." And he laughed.
"I'm glad you appreciate yourself," Rosie said. "Because nobody else does."
"Ouch, ouch," Charley said, clutching his breast. "I die, I die…"
"Don't get our hopes up."
My headset crackled. "Hey guys?" It was Bobby Lembeck again. "Wind's just dropped to six knots."
I said, "Okay." I turned to the others. "Let's finish up, guys."
David said, "We're waiting for Mae. Then we'll fit this valve."
"Let's fit it back in the lab," I said.
"Well, I just want to make sure-"
"Back at the lab," I said. "Pack it up, guys."
I went to the window and looked out. The wind was still ruffling the juniper bushes, but there was no longer a layer of sand blowing across the ground.
Ricky came on the headset: "Jack, get your fucking team out of there."
"We're doing it now," I said.
David Brooks said in a formal tone, "Guys, there's no point in leaving until we have a valve that we know fits this bottle-"
"I think we better go," Mae said. "Finished or not."
"What good would that do?" David said.
"Pack up," I said. "Stop talking and pack it up now."
Over the headset, Bobby said, "Four knots and falling. Fast."
"Let's go, everybody," I said. I was herding them toward the door.
Then Ricky came on. "No."
"What?"
"You can't leave now."
"Why not?"
"Because it's too late. They're here."
DAY 6
3:12 P.M.
Everyone went to the window; we banged heads trying to look out in all directions. As far as I could see, the horizon was clear. I saw nothing at all. "Where are they?" I said. "Coming from the south. We have them on the monitors."
"How many?" Charley said.
"Four."
"Four!"
"Yeah, four."
The main building was south of us. There were no windows in the south wall of the shed.
David said, "We don't see anything. How fast are they coming?"
"Fast."
"Do we have time to run for it?"
"I don't think so."
David frowned. "He doesn't think so. Jesus."
And before I could say anything, David had bolted for the far door, opened it, and stepped out into the sunlight. Through the rectangle of the open door we saw him look to the south, shading his eyes with his hand. We all spoke at once:
"David!"
"David, what the fuck are you doing?"
"David, you asshole!"
"I'm trying to see…"
"Get back here!"
"You stupid bastard!"
But Brooks remained where he was, hands over his eyes. "I don't see anything yet," he said. "And I don't hear anything. Listen, I think maybe we can make a run for-uh, no we can't." He sprinted back inside, stumbled on the door frame, fell, scrambled to his feet, and slammed the door shut, pulled it tight behind him, tugging on the doorknob. "Where are they?"
"Coming," he said. "They're coming." His voice shook with tension. "Oh Jesus, they're coming." He pulled back on the doorknob with both hands, using his whole body weight. He muttered over and over, "Coming… they're coming…"
"Oh great," Charley said. "The fucking guy's cracked."
I went over to David, and put my hand on his shoulder. He was pulling on the doorknob, breathing in ragged gasps. "David," I said quietly. "Let's take it easy now. Let's take a deep breath."
"I just-I have to keep-have to keep them-" He was sweating, his whole body tense, his shoulder shaking under my hand. It was pure panic.
"David," I said. "Let's take a deep breath, okay?"
"I have to-have to-have-have-have-"
"Big breath, David…" I took one, demonstrating. "That feels better. Come on now. Big breath…"
David was nodding, trying to hear me. He took a short breath. Then resumed his quick gasps.
"That's good, David, now another one…"
Another breath. His breathing slowed slightly. He stopped shaking.
"Okay, David, that's good…"
Behind me, Charley said, "I always knew that guy was fucked up. Look at him, talking to him like a fucking baby."
I glanced back, and shot Charley a look. He just shrugged. "Hey, I'm fucking right."
Mae said, "It's not helping, Charley."
"Fuck helping."
Rosie said, "Charley, just shut up for a while, okay?"
I turned back to David. I kept my voice even. "All right, David… That's good, breathe… okay now, let go of the doorknob."
David shook his head, refusing, but he seemed confused now, uncertain of what he was doing. He blinked his eyes rapidly. It was as if he was coming out of a trance.
I said softly, "Let go of the doorknob. It's not doing any good."
Finally, he let go, and sat back on the ground. He began to cry, head in hands.