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Back The Nest Save as PDF
Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. Copyright page
  3. Introduction by Will Errickson
  4. Acknowledgements
  5. TREMORS
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. SUSPICIONS
  13. 1
  14. 2
  15. 3
  16. 4
  17. 5
  18. DREAD
  19. 1
  20. 2
  21. 3
  22. 4
  23. 5
  24. 6
  25. WITNESS
  26. 1
  27. 2
  28. 3
  29. ALERT
  30. 1
  31. 2
  32. 3
  33. 4
  34. 5
  35. ENCOUNTER
  36. 1
  37. 2
  38. 3
  39. 4
  40. 5
  41. 6
  42. HAVOC
  43. 1
  44. 2
  45. 3
  46. 4
  47. 5
  48. 6
  49. SEARCH
  50. 1
  51. 2
  52. 3
  53. 4
  54. 5
  55. CLASH
  56. 1
  57. 2
  58. 3
  59. 4
  60. 5
  61. 6
  62. 7
  63. COUNTERATTACK
  64. 1
  65. 2
  66. 3
  67. 4
  68. 5
  69. 6
  70. 7
  71. VICTORY
  72. 1
  73. 2
  74. 3
  75. 4
  76. 5
  77. 6
  78. 7
  79. 8
  80. 9
  81. EPILOGUE
  82. About the Author

The huge roaches of the royal guard raced about in a frenzied oscillation, stirring the air of the rancid nest. New surges were issuing through the heavy atmosphere of the cave from the center palpitating cluster, but as yet they did not form into obeyable stimuli. They only increased the vexedness that was leading roach to pinch at roach, females to gobble their eggs as they laid them, and some of the royal guard, even, to jostle and jab irritably at each other. This was conduct never before experienced in this roach domain.

3

THREE

In the brightening morning, in the woods beyond the Cannon place, the Geiger counter was ticking steadily and reassuringly in Peter Hubbard’s hand. This tracing gave him a solid sense of gratification. He had always admired inventors, people who saw into difficult problems and unknotted their solutions. The devising of laboratory experiments tapped the same kind of resourcefulness, but this roach hunt was unique. Hubbard’s glow came from the success of an idea that might not have worked at all. Now it was the promise of a successful mission of discovery and, yes, revenge.

A few yards behind the scientist, Amos Tarbell and Russell Homer came vigilantly, carrying the tank weapons against possible surprise. The three men were again wearing the clumsy diving suits for protection. It made it difficult to move as softly as Hubbard wished. Hearing the ticking of the Geiger counter, the sheriff and the young man were lost in admiration of the scientist. Privately, they had wondered how the trick could work. But the contaminated roaches had set off without hesitation just as Peter Hubbard had predicted. These bugs were more interested in nesting than in seeking to attack anyone.

Hubbard had reemphasized that he was out only to discover the nest. When found, they would wait to demolish it. For one thing, it was his obligation to study what he could before its destruction. For another, it would be wise to give the home center at least another day to call in the stray roaches around the island.

At a sharp signal from the scientist, Amos and Russell jerked to a stop. Apparently the roaches had halted! Was it the nest!—or were the insects themselves confused? There was still a considerable smell of smoke among the stark, burned trees. It could be misleading them.

Hubbard dropped his hand and turned in a new direction, heading back toward the Cannon house. The men followed obediently in silence, their eyes turning constantly on guard against possible crawlers.

At the Cannon picket fence, Hubbard halted again. He pointed toward the cemetery plot beyond the Cannon barn, and started to climb over the fence.

Beneath his goggles, the sheriff whispered excitedly to Homer, “The nest is in the Cannon graveyard! The roaches are in the graves!”

Russell Homer shuddered. “Christ!” he moaned. “That would be just like it, wouldn’t you know!”