Chapter 42 Section 41

The computer monitor was cleared, and a new message appeared. End of calculation: Do you want to print the data, browse the data or both (P/V/B)? Margo presses the B key.Lines of data appeared on the screen. Flock came over in his wheelchair and looked closely at the screen. His breath was heavy, and the glass of the terminal was covered with mist. Flock fingered the list and read the lines. "Reptiles!" he said. "Gecko genes again! This animal seems to be a fusion of reptilian and mammalian genes. The scales on the back of the body must be from gecko genes." Margo read the list of characteristics, which became more and more obscure.

Flock slowly backed away from the monitor. "Margot," he said, "this is a description of a killing machine of the highest order. Note, however, that 'probable' and 'possible' appear many times, and this is at best a hypothetical description." .” "Even so," Margot said, "it still sounds a lot like the Mbawang statue at the big show." "No doubt, Margo, I'd like to draw your attention to the brain volume data." "900 to 1250 cubic centimeters," Margot picked up the printout, "is the number high?" "Tall? It's unbelievable. The upper limit is already within the capacity of the human brain. This beast who knows what seems to have the strength of a grizzly bear, the speed of a greyhound, and the intelligence of a human. The reason for saying 'seems' is that Because it's all just guesswork by the program. But look at this set of genetic traits."

He poked his finger at the list and said: "Nocturnal - active at night. Nasal mucous glands outside - indicating it has what's called a 'wet' nose, which signifies an excellent sense of smell. Inverted turbinates - also sense of smell The performance of highly developed organs. Degeneration of the optic chiasm - the optic chiasm is the brain area where the visual center is located. The animal in front of you has an extraordinary sense of smell and very low vision, and hunts prey at night." Flock thought for a moment, frowning. "Margo, I'm scared." "If we're not mistaken, the thought of the animal is enough to scare me," replied Margot.Recalling that she was still fiddling with those plant fibers just now, she couldn't help shivering.

"No, I'm talking about this set of olfactory characteristics. If the program's extrapolation results are reliable enough, then the animal lives by smell, hunts by smell, and thinks by smell. I once heard a saying that dogs can see Smell makes up a whole topographical map that is as complex and beautiful as what we see with our eyes. But smell is more primitive than sight, so the animal response to smell is also more primitive and more instinctively driven. That's what scares me .” "I don't understand you." "In a few minutes, thousands of guests will arrive at the museum. They will gather in an enclosed space. The animal will smell a high concentration of hormones. This will arouse its desire, and may even drive it crazy .”

There was a sudden silence in the laboratory. "Dr. Flock," Margot said, "you said that there was two days between the sealing of the crates and the first murder, and the second happened the day after that. It has been three days since the second murder." "Go on," said Flock. "If you ask me, that animal is probably on the verge of madness by now. The hormones in the thalamus must have been disabled—the brain contains only a fraction of the weight of a plant, after all. If your guess is correct, the animal is like a drug addict. , but no drugs could be found. Police activity has forced it to remain dormant. But the question is, how long will it last?"

"God," Flock said, "it's seven o'clock. We have to warn them. Margo, the opening reception has to be stopped. Otherwise it's like ringing the dinner bell." Ge followed.