28 The Big X

28 The Big X So Mr Markmaker has been taken to the Spire?" said Peanut. "Yes, my dear. Anyone who disagrees with Mr White can expect a lengthy stay. There are more than a thousand cells, most of which are occupied. Are you sure that's where he is?" "Yes. That's what our intelligence is telling us." She looked across at the empty armchair next to her own and her eyes filled with tears. "Sometimes I wonder if I will ever see him again. Peanut took Mrs M's hand in hers. Her skin felt like paper. "What can we do to help?" Peanut asked gently. Suddenly Little-Bit leaped on to the table, put her fists

28 大X “这么说，标记匠先生被抓到尖塔去了？”花生问道。 “没错，亲爱的。 凡是反对怀特先生的人，都得在那儿关上很久。 那里有一千多间牢房，大多都住满了。 你确定他真的在那儿吗？ “没错。 我们得到的情报就是这么说的。” 她望向自己身旁那排空着的扶手椅，眼眶一下子盈满了泪水。 “有时候我都在想，我还能不能再见到他了。 花生握住了M夫人的手。 她的皮肤摸起来薄得像纸。 “我们能做些什么来帮忙呢？” 花生温柔地问道。 突然，小比特一下跳上桌子，攥紧拳头

on her hips and assumed her best superhero stance. "DON'T WORRY, MRS M! OUR MISSION IS CLEAR: FIRST, WE SHALL RESCUE MR M! SECOND, WE SHALL DESTROY MR WHITE!" Ooh, do be careful up there, little one," smiled Mrs M. "I don't want you to take a nasty tumble." Peanut lifted Little-Bit off the table. "The question is, what use could three kids be in the face of a megalomaniac and his army of terrifying robots?" "Er, did I mention the Big X?" said Mrs M, sounding a tiny bit too casual. "His most powerful weapon? You'd have to face that too." "Th-the Big X. Now, that doesn't sound good," said Rockwell nervously. "No. It's not good," said Mrs M. "Not good at all. "What is the Big X?" asked Peanut. "Well, imagine the biggest tank that you've ever seen..."

叉在腰上，摆出了她最标准的超级英雄站姿。 “别担心，M夫人！ 我们的任务非常明确： 第一，救出M先生！第二，打倒怀特先生！” “哎哟，在上面小心点哦，小家伙，”M夫人笑着说。 “我可不想你摔得浑身疼。” 花生把小比特从桌上抱了下来。 “问题是，面对一个偏执狂和他的恐怖机器人军队，三个小孩能派上什么用场呢？” “呃，我跟你们提过大X了吗？”M夫人说，语气听着有点过于漫不经心。 那是怀特威力最强的武器， 你们也必须面对它才行。” “大、大X……这听着可不太妙啊”，罗克韦尔紧张地说。 是啊， 确实不妙，”M夫人说，“一点都不妙。 “大X到底是什么呀？”花生问道。 “唔，你想想你见过的最大的坦克……”

"OK." "Now quadruple its size..." "OK." "Now add a huge set of the sharpest, fastest rotating blades the world has ever known at the front. "OK." And a huge vent that spits out whatever has been chomped by the blades in the form of greyish, black dust at the back. "OK." "Well, that's the Big X." "Oh." "Mr White wants to use the Big X to mono the whole of Chroma. "Mono?" "Yes. Eat up its colour and spit it out. It's his latest initiative. He's already tested it on an entire district. "Where did he test it?" Peanut had a nasty feeling that she already knew the answer to her question. Right here. In the North Draw. That's why it's so bleak. Mrs M sighed. "I wish you could see how it used to be. Full of colour. Full of life..." She closed her eyes and smiled. "It's now barely a sketch of what it used to be. Doodle wandered over and jumped up on to Mrs M's lap. She gave him a rub behind his ears. "Poor old Doodle here was almost caught by the Big X as it ploughed its way through

“好。” “现在把它放大四倍……” “好。” “再在它的车头装上一组全世界最锋利、转速最快的巨型刀片。 “好。” 车尾再装一个大排气口，刀片切碎的东西都会从这里排出来，变成灰黑色的粉尘。 “好。” “好了，这就是大X。” “哦。” 怀特先生想用大X把整个克罗马都变成单色调。 “变单色调？” 没错， 吞掉所有色彩，再变成碎渣排出来。 这是他最新的行动。 他已经在一整个街区试验过了。 “他在哪儿试验的？” 花生有种不好的预感，她其实已经猜到答案了。 就在这儿。 北沼区。 所以这里才会这么荒凉。 M夫人叹了口气。 “真希望你们能亲眼看看这里原来的样子。 到处五彩缤纷， 充满生机……” 她闭上眼睛，笑了笑。 现在这儿只剩一副空架子，早就不是原来的模样了。 嘟豆走过来，跳上了M夫人的腿。 M夫人揉了揉他的耳后根。 “可怜的嘟豆当年差点被大X抓住，当时大X正横冲直撞开过

the district. It terrified him. He didn't want to go outside for weeks afterwards and there are still certain areas of the North Draw that he won't set foot in. Rockwell stood up, looking very nervous. Peanut realised that he'd been unusually quiet for a long time. "Er, I th-think it's time we headed back home, actually. I've got triple maths this morning and I've just remembered that I need to brush up on my differentiation before class. It was lovely to meet you, Mrs M. You too, Doodle. But, er, we'd best be off. "Sit down, Rockwell," commanded Little-Bit. He sat down. "So, how can we help?" asked Peanut. "The thing is, the RAZERs are on to us. As I said, they are tracking every resident of Chroma. You and your friends have a huge advantage. They don't know about you. And they certainly don't know about all of that," said Mrs M, glancing at the art materials in Peanut's bandolier. "With that creative firepower, we'd have a fighting chance. She leaned forwards on her elbows. "But first, why don't you tell me exactly how you got here?"

整个街区。 可把他吓坏了。 之后好几个星期他都不敢出门，直到现在北沼区还有好些地方他都不肯踏进去一步。 罗克韦尔站起身，神色十分紧张。 花生这才发现，他已经反常地安静了好久。 “呃，其、其实我觉得我们该回家了。 我今早有三节数学课，我刚想起上课前得复习微分法呢。 很高兴认识您，M夫人。 也很高兴认识你，嘟豆。 不过，呃，我们还是走吧。 “坐下，罗克韦尔，”小比特命令道。 他乖乖坐下了。 “那么，我们能帮上什么忙呢？”花生问道。 “事情是这样的，剃刃帮已经盯上我们了。 就像我之前说的，他们在追踪克罗马的每一个居民。 你们和朋友有一个天大的优势。 他们不知道你们的存在。 他们当然更不知道这些东西了，”M夫人说着，瞥了一眼花生腰带上装的画材。 有这么棒的创意火力，我们才有打赢的机会。 她用胳膊撑着，向前探了探身。 “不过首先，你们不如跟我好好说说，你们到底是怎么来到这儿的？”