Chapter 15 15

They had stolen nothing but the freedom they deserved, and now they had to run like thieves along the cliffs.The ground rises and falls, like an index of adrenaline in Joe's body. When they were marching, Mark was in front, and Rose followed. Joe heard Joshua talking to someone in a hurried voice, and when he looked back, he saw the black man talking on his mobile phone.Joe faintly heard the word "car."He now knows that their escape was planned and arranged, but what will happen next is really hard to predict. Just as they were about to flee the scene, the helicopter appeared.It cast a light, like the angry light of the jeweled garment on the forehead of the god in the stone temple, when it was read, the blinding search light pierced the night, scanning the beach, from the cliff to the sea and back. Searching ground, gradually approaching them.Because the sand under the cliff is very soft, they will not leave obvious footprints, so the hunters in the air cannot follow their footprints.After several sets of stairs leading to the huge house on the top of the cliff, Joe looked back again and saw the helicopter hovering over a staircase, with searchlights searching between the stairs and the railing.

Joe reckoned that the team that hunted them down should have set out from the restaurant to conduct a carpet-like search on foot, and attack them on both sides with helicopters. If Mark still walked along the beach like this, he would only have the fate of being pinched and killed in the end. Apparently Mark was concerned, too, for he abruptly led them up a less-traveled mahogany staircase that ascended through a tall box-frame structure reminiscent of a rocket launch pad. As the group of people climbed up, the distance between them and the helicopter became smaller and smaller, but the helicopter kept approaching.After they climbed a few steps, they came to a platform, which made them more exposed.The helicopter was no more than a hundred feet above the sea, and they were standing perhaps only forty feet from the helicopter.

The terrace is further accentuated by the fact that the neighboring house has no stairs to the sea.If the pilot or co-pilot of the helicopter suddenly turned his head to the right to look at the top of the cliff at this time, they will surely be found. The roar of the helicopter's engines and rotors now prevented Joe from hearing his accomplices unless he shouted. It's not easy to climb over the fence because it's not something you can do in a minute or two.Joshua took out his revolver, shot the lock, and kicked the door open. People in the helicopter can't hear the gunshots, but people in the room will only think it's just the noise of the helicopter.Sure enough, all the windows were still dark and quiet, as if no one was home.

Through this gate they entered a private property with low manicured hedges, rose gardens, bowl-shaped fountains, antique French walks flanked by copper tulip lamps, and a building with multi-layered marble The Mediterranean-style giant building with railings is surrounded by trees.They were under the cover of trees and did not have to worry about being spotted by the helicopter pilot. When Joe followed Rose and Mark up the lowest stone steps, he wished the surveillance cameras of the huge house's security system hadn't been installed outside.If they activate a tree or wall lighting device as they pass, it will definitely attract the driver's attention.

Joe knew how difficult it was for a fugitive, even alone, to escape the prying eyes of a searching helicopter pilot.Especially in this empty environment, there are not many places to hide.The four of them, once photographed, were easily stared at to death. Fortunately, Joe's worries did not come true, and the security system outside the house did not function as he thought.They hurriedly climbed up to the upper floor, and the shadows on the ground were intricately intertwined. Along the cliff front, the helicopter flew slowly north alongside them.The driver's attention was still on the beach below.

Mark led them past a large swimming pool. The water was dark and silvery, like a school of fish with shiny scales swimming on the water.As he walked on, Rose tripped and almost fell. "Are you all right?" Joe asked worriedly. "It's all right, fine," she said, but her voice was weak and she still looked unsteady. "How is your back?" Jo asked her as Mark and Joshua gathered around. "It only hit my buttocks," she said. "It's a bit bruised." "Rose—" "I'm fine, it's all because I just climbed up the damn stairs along the seaside, alas, I think I really have to admit I'm old."

Joshua lowered his voice and spoke on his mobile phone. "Let's go," said Rose. "Come on, come on, let's go." Over the beach at the cliff, the helicopter almost passed the garden. Mark took the lead again, and Rose regained her strength to follow.They walked briskly along the vaulted corridor against the back wall, where they could not be seen without fear, and soon reached the corner of the house.As they filed along the walkway next to the house, through the shaggy-bark araucaria thickets, suddenly the beam of a large flashlight shone on them.A guard blocked their way and said, "Hey, what the hell are you—"

Almost at the same time as the flashlight turned on, Mark took action without hesitation. When the guard was still talking, Mark knocked him to the ground. The flashlight also flew out of his hand, hit the trunk of the araucaria tree, bounced back and fell on the trail in a circle.It casts the swirling shadows of the surrounding scenery, like a dog chasing its own tail. Mark turned the terrified guard in a circle, pulled his arm behind his back, and shoved him roughly off the walkway, slamming him hard against the side of the house.Joshua picked up the flashlight and shone it on the two of them.Joe saw clearly that they were dealing with an overweight uniformed guard, about fifty-five years old.

Mark put his knees on him and put one hand on the back of the guard's head, turning his face away so he wouldn't be able to describe them. "He's unarmed," Mark told Joshua. "Bastard!" the guard said bitterly. "Is there a gun in the ankle?" "nor." The guard said: "My stupid boss is a pacifist, and he is not allowed to carry a gun, so that's what happened." "We won't hurt you," Mark said, forcing him to sit down with his back against the araucaria trunk. "You can't scare me," said the guard.But it sounds like he was really scared.

"Any dogs?" Mark asked. "Everywhere," said the guard, "still Dobermans." "He's lying." Mark said confidently. Even Joe could hear the exaggeration in the guard's voice. Joshua handed the flashlight to Joe and said, "Keep it on the ground." Then he took a pair of handcuffs from a small package on his hip. Mark pulled the guard's hands behind a tree while Joshua handcuffed his wrists. "The police are already on the way." The guard said gloatingly. "It should be riding a social pin dog." Mark said. "Bastard," the guard yelled.

Mark removed a tightly rolled bandage from the package. "Bite on this." He told the guards. "Bite this?" the guard said unwillingly, wanting to show his last courage, but obediently followed the instructions. Joshua took electrician's tape and looped it around the guard's head three times, securing the bandage tightly around his mouth. Mark unhooked what looked like a remote control from the guard's belt. "Is this the driveway gate?" From his gagged mouth, the guard let out a babble that sounded meaningless. "Maybe it's the gate." Joshua told the guards: "Take it easy, don't break your wrist. We didn't come here to snatch it, we were just passing by. " Mark said: "Half an hour after we leave, the police will be called and they will come and let you go." "It's better to get a dog." This is Joshua's advice to him. Holding the guard's flashlight, Mark led them to the front door of the house. Who are these guys, Joe is glad to be on the same side as them. The grounds covered at least three acres, and the vast mansion was two hundred feet from the front wall. "We'll wait here," Mark said. Rose sat on the edge of the pool, with walls two feet high, around the fountain, and Joe and Mark followed.Holding the remote control he got from the guard, Joshua walked down the driveway toward the entrance gate, while communicating with someone on his mobile phone. "How do you know me?" Rose asked Mark. "When any company starts a billion-dollar trust fund like we do," Mark said, "it doesn't take too long to succeed. Besides, computers and information technology are exactly what we do." "What business?" Joe asked. The answer is as mysterious as the one Joshua gave at the beach. "We are all from the 'Witch World'." "what does that mean?" "Ask later, Joe," Rose promised him. "Go ahead, Mark." "So, from day one, we've been keeping an eye out for the most promising research work being done in various fields around the world that we think will deliver the desired results." "Maybe so," Rose said, "but when most of the research I've done in the past seven years has been done under the strictest security measures, you've also debuted for two years, have you found anything? ?” "Doctor, you showed great promise in your field of expertise until you were about thirty-seven years old—and suddenly your work seemed to come to a complete standstill. Except for a few fragmentary reports occasionally appearing in Out of text. Then you're like Niagara Falls, and suddenly it dries up overnight." "And what does that show?" "This is the most typical pattern, a scientist selected and employed by a defense agency or other government units, under strong pressure, blocks all external information. So when we see a situation like this, we actively Looked for where you actually work and finally found out that you were working for Techno Corp. But not at their well-known facility where anyone could go in and out, but near Manassas, Virginia, Empty underground in a building with biosafety containment. You call it 'Project Ninety-Nine'." As Joe listened carefully to their conversation, he saw that the ornate electric gate at the end of the long drive was slowly moving aside. "How much do you know about what we did in Project Ninety-Nine?" Rose asked. "Not enough," Mark said. "Then how do you know all these things!" "When I say that we keep a close eye on the research that is going on around the world, that does not mean that our sources of information are limited to certain publications, or databases that are available to every scientific laboratory." Rose didn't show a disgusted expression and said: "If you are a computer 'hacker' who can enter the computer security system and crack the password, shouldn't it be more appropriate?" "Anyway, we're not doing it for profit, we're not stealing the economic information we need, that's just our mission, our job is to search." Joe marveled at his own patience, and though he learned a great deal while listening to their conversation, the mystery remained largely unsolved, rather deepened, but he was ready to wait to hear the answer.In the banquet room, he was extremely shocked by the strange experience of that Polaroid photo. At this moment, he finally had time to think about what happened.The secondary sensation seemed to be just the prelude to some mysterious events that were being revealed, and this revelation was more intricate than he had imagined before.He continued to discipline himself to stay calm in order to know the truth.At this moment, his intuition warned him that he should minimize the impact of what was revealed on him, instead of overwhelming the raging waves. Joshua stepped out of the open gate and stood on the side of the Pacific Coast Highway. On the hills to the east, a bright moon rises, and warm wind blows from the sea. Mark said, "You're one of the thousands of researchers we've been following—we're interested in you because 'Project Ninety-Nine' is highly classified. Then a year ago, you brought the Something left the city of Manassas. Overnight, you became the man the country was looking for. Even after you were suspected of dying in a plane crash in Colorado, even then... people were looking for you .Many, many people, expending considerable resources, frantically looking for a dead woman—that, to us, is something very weird." Rose said nothing to encourage him, she seemed a little tired. Jo held her hand, and the little hand was trembling.But she squeezed Joe's hand, as if assuring him that she was all right. "Then we started intercepting reports from certain secret service units...that you were still alive and active in the Los Angeles area, related to the families of the victims of Flight 353. We arranged for some of our own We're pretty good at it, some of our members are ex-military. Anyway, you could say we're watching those who watch you. Now... I think we're doing pretty well." "Yes, thank you," she said, "but you don't know what you're involved in. There's no glory in it... just terror and danger." "Dr. Du," Mark said firmly, "we have more than nine thousand people, and we are all dead. We are not afraid, and at this moment we believe that you have discovered the key points of your research-if you really have A breakthrough, that would be very different from what we expected... If humanity were at this turning point in history, everything would change forever... Well, we are all yours." "I believe you are," Rose agreed. Mark used a gentle but firm way to get Rose to accept such an alliance. "Doctor, we stand side by side against this ignorant, terrifying and selfish evil that wants to keep the world in darkness." "You have to remember, I worked for them." "But you've changed your mind." A car pulled off the Pacific Coast Highway and stopped to pick Joshua up. Another followed it through the gate and down the drive. Rose, Mark, and Joe stood up and waited for the two cars, a Ford and a Mercedes, to pull up in front of them.Joshua got out of the Ford, and a young whistleblower stepped out of the driver's seat.The Mercedes was driven by an Asian man about 30 years old. They all gathered in front of Douros, looking at her silently.Seeing the way they looked at Rose, Joe realized that they were not only curious about the scientist, but even in awe.It was like standing before a transcendent saint. "I'm surprised to see all of you in civilian clothes." Everyone laughed, and Joshua said: "When we planned this mission two years ago, we deliberately kept a low profile. We didn't want to attract too much media attention... because we thought the public misunderstood us deeply. The only thing we didn't expect was We actually have enemies, and the enemies are so cruel." "The power is so huge." Mark continued. "We thought everyone wanted to know the answers we were looking for — if they could be found. Now I know there is hope." "It's a blessing not to know. Some people were killed because they knew." The young woman said. "So a year ago," Joshua continued, "we used our robes as a cover-up, and the grown-ups thought we were heretics. The more crazy they thought we were, the more they accepted us." robe. Joe asked in amazement: "You wear blue robes and shave your heads?" Joshua said: "Some of us do it, and those who wear 'uniforms' pretend to be all of us. That's what I meant when I said the robes are a cover - the robes, the bald head, the earrings, etc. role. The rest of us operate stealthily, perform our jobs undetected, and are easily infiltrated.” "Come with us," the young woman said to Rose, "we know you've found a way, and we're going to help you make it public—undisturbed." Rose moved closer to her and put her hand on her face.As he had done to Joe in the cemetery. "I may be with you soon, but not tonight. I need a little more time to think, and right now I'm anxious to see a little girl who is about to be in trouble." Nina, Jo thought.His heart was like the shadow of a tree, shaking constantly in the strong wind. Rose stepped in front of the Asian and touched him too. "I can tell you, . . . we stand on the threshold you foresee. We're going to pass through that door, maybe not tomorrow, not the day after tomorrow, not next week, but years in the future." She walked in front of Joshua, "Together, we will see the world make permanent changes, and in our lifetime, bring the brilliance of knowledge into the darkness and loneliness of human existence." Finally she approached Mark, "I think you'll bring two cars, because you're leaving one for Joe and me." "Yes, but we hope—" Rose reached out and took his hand, "Soon, but not tonight. I have something urgent to do. Mark, everything we hope to accomplish is currently hanging there in a state of balance, hanging Very erratic—until I find that girl I just mentioned." "Wherever she is, we can take you there." "No, it must be left to Joe and I alone—and as soon as possible." "You can go in the Ford." "thanks." Mark took out a one-dollar bill and gave it to Rose. "The serial number on this note has eight digits, minus the fourth digit, the remaining seven digits are the telephone number for the area code 310." Rose slipped the bill into her jeans pocket. "When you're ready to join us, or when you have a problem you can't solve, give me this call. We'll be there wherever you are." She kissed Mark on the cheek and said, "We have to go." She turned to Joe, "Can you drive?" "certainly." Rose said to Joshua, "Can I borrow your mobile phone?" He handed the phone to Rose. They got into the car, and as Rose closed the door, she said, "My God!" and leaned forward, panting. "You are hurt." "I told you, I was beaten by them." "Where is the injury?" "We've got to go through town," Rose said, "but I'm not going past Kelly's." "You probably broke a rib or two." Rose ignored him, sat up straight, and breathed much more smoothly when speaking, "Those guys will not risk setting up roadblocks and conducting random inspections without the cooperation of the local police station, and they have no time to prepare. But they will definitely Pay attention to every passing car. "If you break a rib, you can hurt your lungs." "Joe, damn it. We're out of time. If we want our girl alive, we've got to go right away." "Nina?" Rose looked him in the eyes and said, "Nina!" But then a frightened expression appeared on her face, and she looked away from Joe's face. "We can go north from here, on the Pacific Coast Highway," he said, "and then turn onto the Canandon Road, which is a county road to the Ogla Hills, where we can take Highway 101, Turn east on Route 210." "Let's go like this." The moonlight shone on their faces, and the wind ruffled their hair.The four stood by the Mercedes and watched them. As Joe drove away slowly, the young woman came forward and put her palm on the window glass next to Rose, and Rose also joined her palm to hers through the glass.Seeing that the young woman couldn't help crying, the teardrops on her face under the moonlight were crystal clear, she followed the car all the way to the gate, and then reluctantly watched them leave. Dorothy sank back on the chair and said, "Maybe everything is out of my control, Joe. I'm too tired and too scared. I'm just a small character, and I'm not special enough to do what I need to do. What I do is not special enough to provoke such a burden." "No, you are very special to me," said Joe. "I'm going to screw everything up," she said, picking up her mobile phone and pressing a number. "I was so scared that I didn't have the courage to open that door and take everyone through it." "Show me the door, and tell me where it leads, and I'll help you," said Jo, wishing she would stop playing charades and tell him the truth. "Why is Nina so important to what's going on, Rose?" Someone answered the phone, and Rose said, "It's me, remove Nina, now." nina. Rose listened to the other person for a moment, then said firmly, "No, just now, remove her now. Within five minutes if possible, or even sooner. They know that Kelly and I have a connection. . . . , although we have taken precautions beforehand. It is only a matter of time - and there is not much time - until they know that you are connected with me." nina. Joe turned from the Pacific Coast Highway to the county road to Mount Ogra, through rolling black land.The mountain wind swept across the plains, blowing up the yellow sand all over the sky. "Take her to Big Bear," Rose told the man on the phone. big bear.After Joe talked with Yin Meixi in Colorado, Nina returned to the world, like a miracle, but was hidden in a corner that he couldn't find.And soon, she'll be in Big Bear, on the shores of Big Bear Lake.It was near the San Bernardino Mountains, a popular place that Joe knew well.Nina's return had become so real now that she was in a place Jo could name.He had walked the local trails, and a sweet anticipation came back to him. He wanted to yell loudly to relieve the pressure in his heart.Jo repeated the name over and over in her mind, as if it were a shiny copper coin—Bear. Rose said into the phone, "If I could... I'd be there in an hour or two. I love you guys, go, go now." She finished the conversation and put the phone on the chair between her legs.He leaned against the car door and closed his eyes. Jo found that she rarely used her left hand, which rested slightly on her thigh.Even in the dim light of the dashboard, he could see her hands shaking involuntarily. "What happened to your arm?" "Give it a break, Joe. Thanks for your concern. But you're starting to nag a bit, and as soon as I get to Nina's, I'll be all right." Jo was silent for half a mile, then said, "Tell me everything I need to know." "You're right, that's a long story...but where do I start?"