cc.fireice-第13部分

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od　dripped　down　one　cheek　and　soaked　the　bandanna　around　his　forehead。　The　aircraft　landing　must　have　been　hair…raising；　yet　he　seemed　as　if　he　were　ing　off　a　game　of　tennis。
　
　〃Good　afternoon；〃　he　said；　with　a　wide　grin。　〃Are　you　folks　okay？〃
　〃Yes；　we're　fine；　thank　you；〃　Kaela　replied　warily。　〃What　about　you？　You're　bleeding。〃
　
　He　touched　the　wound　absentmindedly。　〃It's　only　a　little　cut。　I'm　still　in　one　piece；　more　or　less。〃　He　jerked　his　thumb　at　the　battered　ultralight。　〃Wish　I　could　say　the　same　for　my　transportation。　They　just　don't　make　them　like　they　used　to。　You　don't　happen　to　have　a　roll　of　duct　tape？〃
　
　Kaela　ventured　a　smile。　〃Your　plane　has　gone　beyond　the　duct　tape　stage；〃　she　said。　〃I　believe　the　term　insurance　people　use　is　totaled。〃
　
　The　stranger　grimaced。　〃I'm　afraid　you're　right；　Ms。…　〃
　〃Dorn。　Kaela　Dorn。　This　is　my　producer；　Mickey　Lombardo；　and　his　assistant；　Hank　Simpson。　We're　with　the　Unbelievable　Mysteries　television　series。〃
　〃I　thought　so。　My　name　is　Kurt　Austin。　I'm　with　NUMA。〃
　〃NUMA。〃　Lombardo　stepped　forward　and　pumped　Austin's　hand。　〃Boy；　are　we　glad　to　see　you。　Lucky　you　came　by。〃
　〃It　was　more　than　luck；〃　Austin　said。　〃I've　been　looking　for　you　folks。　You　were　supposed　to　rendezvous　with　the　Argo　this　morning。〃
　〃Sorry　about　that；〃　Lombardo　said。　〃We　took　a　detour　to　check　out　an　old　Russian　submarine　base　that's　supposed　to　be　around　here。〃
　〃The　captain　of　the　Argo　isn't　too　happy。　You've　delayed　his　departure　schedule。　It　might　have　saved　us　some　grief　if　you　had　let　us　know　that　your　plans　had　changed。〃　Austin　was　smiling；　but　the　gentle　scolding　tone　of　his　voice　was　unmistakable。
　
　〃It's　my　fault；〃　Kaela　said。　〃We　thought　we'd　only　be　a　few　hours。　We　intended　to　call　you　at　sea；　but　the　fishing　boat　we　hired　didn't　have　a　workable　radio。　The　captain　had　to　return　to　port　for　engine　repairs；　and　he　planned　to　get　the　radio　fixed　and　give　you　a　call。〃
　〃That　must　be　the　fishing　boat　I　saw　steaming　away　from　here。〃
　
　She　nodded。　〃He　was　going　to　pick　us　up　in　the　morning。　Thank　you　for　saving　our　lives。　I　apologize　for　putting　you　through　so　much　trouble。〃
　〃No　trouble；〃　he　said；　reluctant　to　chastise　the　bedraggled　group　any　further。　He　gazed　at　the　wrecked　aircraft。　〃Maybe　a　little　trouble。　What　made　your　boat　capsize？〃
　〃Someone　on　shore　shot　at　us　and　killed　the　Turkish　man　who　was　bringing　us　in；〃　Kaela　said。　〃A　wave　caught　us　broadside　and　the　boat　went　over。　We　hid　under　the　Zodiac　and　tried　to　move　it　away　from　the　beach；　but　the　surf　was　too　strong　and　we　came　almost　straight　in。〃　She　glanced　to…　ward　the　dune　where　she　had　first　seen　the　attackers。　〃Do　you　know　who　those　men　on　horseback　were？〃
　
　Austin　didn't　reply。　Although　he　seemed　to　be　studying　her　face；　Kaela　became　aware　that　her　wet　T…shirt　and　shorts　clung　to　her　lithe　figure。　She　self…consciously　plucked　at　the　sand…caked　front　of　the　shirt；　but　the　fabric　insisted　on　plastering　itself　to　her　skin。　Austin　sensed　her　disfiture　and　stared　off　at　the　smoke　rising　from　the　dune。
　
　〃My　guess　is　that　they　weren't　the　local　equestrian　group　out　for　a　jaunt；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　take　a　look。〃
　
　He　climbed　up　the　sloping　beach；　with　the　others　trailing　tentatively　behind。　The　fire　had　almost　burned　itself　out。　They　walked　through　the　charred　stalks　of　grass　at　the　top　of　the　dune。　Austin　saw　sunlight　glinting　off　something　on　the　ground　and　went　over　to　investigate。　It　was　a　saber。　He　picked　the　weapon　up　and　tested　the　heft　and　balance。　The　sword's　long；　curved　blade　was　perfectly　weighted　to　give　the　arm　greater　striking　power。　Austin's　jaw　muscles　clenched　as　he　contemplated　the　terrible　damage　the　scalpel…sharp　edge　could　inflict　on　human　flesh。　He　was　examining　the　Cyrillic　writing　etched　into　the　blade　when　the　Australian　called　out。　Dundee　was　standing　in　a　knee…high　patch　of　unburned　grass　staring　at　something　at　his　feet。
　
　〃What　is　it？〃　Austin　said。
　
　〃Dead　guy。〃
　
　Austin　stuck　the　saber　point　into　the　sand　and　waded　through　the　thatch。　Dundee　pointed　to　the　body　of　a　man　who　lay　on　his　back；　glassy　eyes　locked　in　a　death　stare。　A　black　beard　and　mustache　matted　with　sand　hid　most　of　his　features。　He　could　have　been　in　his　forties。　His　head　was　twisted　at　a　wrong　angle。　Blood　soaked　one　side　of　his　face；　which　had　a　caved…in　look　to　it。
　
　Austin　said；　〃I'd　guess　he　fell　off　his　horse　during　the　fight　and　was　kicked　in　the　head。〃　He　was　not　a　callous　man；　but　he　felt　no　pity　for　the　dead　horseman。
　
　Lombardo　had　retrieved　his　camera　from　the　beached　Zodiac　and　was　filming　the　battle　site。　He　and　Kaela　came　over　to　see　what　the　others　were　looking　at。　Lombardo　let　out　a　low　whistle。　〃What　kind　of　a　getup　is　that？〃
　
　Austin　knelt　by　the　body。　〃Looks　like　something　out　of　The　Wizard　of　Oz。〃
　
　The　dead　man　wore　a　long　muddy…gray　coat　that　but…　toned　up　the　front　and　baggy　pants　tucked　into　black　boots。　His　black　fur　pillbox　hat　lay　a　few　feet　away。　Red　epaulets　decorated　each　shoulder。　A　pistol　holster　and　scabbard　hung　from　the　wide　leather　belt　that　encircled　his　waist。　Slung　across　his　chest　was　a　cartridge　belt。　A　sheathed　dagger　hung　from　a　cord　around　his　neck。
　
　〃G'dayr'　Dundee　said　with　wonderment。　〃The　man's　a　walking　arsenal。〃
　
　Austin　searched　the　grass　around　the　dead　man。　A　few　yards　away；　he　found　a　rifle　and　he　put　the　stock　against　his　shoulder　and　worked　the　well…oiled　bolt。　Like　the　saber　blade；　the　barrel　was　etched　with　Cyrillic　writing。　Austin　was　a　collector　of　dueling　pistols；　and　he　had　accumulated　a　general　knowledge　of　antique　guns。　The　rifle　was　a　Moisin…Nagant；　more　than　a　hundred　years　old；　and　in　mint　condition。　He　uttered　a　silent　prayer　of　thanks　that　the　horsemen　weren't　carrying　modern　automatic　weapons。　A　single　Kalashnikov　would　have　ripped　him　and　the　Gooney　to　shreds。
　
　Austin　handed　the　rifle　off　to　Dundee　and　went　through　the　dead　man's　pockets。　Nothing。　He　unpinned　the　metal　starburst　emblem　from　the　front　of　the　hat　and　pocketed　it。　Lombardo　had　finished　filming　the　battle　scene；　and　Kaela　suggested　shooting　some　footage　around　the　one…story　cinder…block　buildings　farther　inland。
　
　〃Not　a　good　idea；〃　Austin　said；　pointing　to　the　trail　of　hoofprints　leading　toward　the　structures。　He'd　been　worried　that　the　horsemen　would　make　a　return　appearance；　but　hadn't　said　anything　because　there　wasn't　much　they　could　do　about　it。　〃In　fact；　I'd　suggest　that　we　get　out　of　here　as　soon　as　we　can。〃　He　rested　the　rifle　on　his　shoulder；　retrieved　the　saber　and　started　walking　back　toward　the　beach。　Kaela　caught　up　with　him　on　the　crest　of　the　dune。
　
　〃Do　you　have　any　idea　what　this　is　all　about？〃　she　said　breathlessly。　〃Why　these　men　would　want　to　kill　us？〃
　〃You　know　as　much　as　I　do。　I　thought　they　were　filming　a　movie　until　somebody　took　a　few　shots　at　me。〃
　〃It's　a　good　thing　for　us　that　their　aim　was　bad。〃　She　paused。　Austin　was　studying　her　face　the　way　he　had　earlier。　〃Is　there　anything　wrong？〃
　〃I'm　almost　embarrassed　to　say。〃
　〃I　find　it　hard　to　believe　that　you'd　be　embarrassed。　You　hardly　seem　the　shy　type。〃
　
　Austin　shrugged。　〃Well；　in　a　manner　of　speaking；　you　might　say　we've　met　before。〃
　〃Sorry；　I'm　sure　I　would　have　remembered。〃
　〃Not　literally。　Believe　me　when　I　say　this。　You　bear　a　striking　resemblance　to　the　face　of　a　princess　I　once　saw　painted　on　the　wall　of　an　Egyptian　temple。〃
　
　Kaela　was　tall；　with　a　good　part　of　her　height　invested　in　long　shapely　legs。　She　had　a　smooth　mocha　plexion　and　ebony　black　hair　that　she　kept　long　with　a　natural　tight　curl。　Her　mouth　was　full　and　almost　perfect；　and　her　eyes　were　a　dark　amber。　As　an　attractive　woman　working　in　a　man's　profession；　she　thought　she　had　heard　every　male　line　invented　…　but　this　was　a　new　one。　She　gave　Austin　a　sidelong　glance。　〃That's　funny；　I　was　thinking　that　you　looked　as　if　you'd　fallen　off　Captain　Kidd's　pirate　ship。〃
　
　Austin　laughed　and　ran　his　fingers　through　his　disheveled　hair。　〃I　suppose　I　do　look　like　a　pirate；　but　I'm　not　joking。　You're　a　ringer　for　the　young　woman　in　the　temple。　You're　quite　a　bit　younger　than　she　is；　though。　I　believe　her　portrait　dates　back　to