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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

Stephen Scott made his pronouncement. “Well, natural or not, we get rid of those damned things tomorrow!”

Amos Tarbell grunted, “What if we don’t?” Having experienced the carnage of the past two days, he wasn’t at all sure they were entirely over the hill.

Elias Johnson stared at the sheriff. “If we don’t get rid of them, Amos, we give Yarkie to the Navy for target practice!”

5

FIVE

Despite Hubbard’s assurances that the Yarkie cockroaches would not likely leave their nest, no one slept easily that night. Elizabeth made up a bed for the scientist in a Johnson guest room. The other men went to their homes, half missing the camaradie of the lighthouse hours, fearful though the experience had turned out. The night did pass without incident, and they were all grateful for an uninterrupted, if fitful rest.

Alertly the next morning, Hubbard presented his briefing, concisely and candidly. The group in the Johnson living room was now enlarged by the contingent of some twenty volunteer firemen. The latter had been standing by in the village, with growing irritation at official silence and mystery. In the now-­crowded room, it was difficult for the men to absorb the weird story the Harvard scientist was telling, but they could see from their Yarkie neighbors—all men they respected—that the impossible-­sounding cockroach incursions on the island were true. Along with the Task Force, the volunteers listened closely to Peter Hubbard’s instructions.

He told them, “My scheme is to introduce carbon dioxide vapor into the nest. There is already an opening on the bottom we can use. At the same time, we will prepare a small hole in the ceiling, and send more vapor down from the top. In this way, we have the best chance of immobilizing all the layers in the nest before they have a chance to escape through the tunnels they undoubtedly have.

“I will then have my own chance to examine the colony. Amos tells me the top of the cave is soft shale, so there should be no trouble removing the ceiling. I will go down into the nest, take my photos and make my studies—”

Elizabeth could not restrain a cry. “Down in the nest? That’s terribly risky, isn’t it, Peter?”

“Mr. Scott is lending me full diving regalia,” Hubbard told her. “I’ll be safe enough.” He turned back to the others. “After I am through, you men will come on with the gasoline and start the fire. Some of you will be standing guard nearby with dry-­ice tanks. Amos will station others back to spray any roaches that may get out.”

A beefy volunteer asked cantankerously, “Hey, isn’t carbon dioxide dangerous? Why not use just the regular roach stuff?”