cc.fireice-第27部分
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Gunn pressed the Play button on the remote control。 The screen went fuzzy； then turned seawater green。 Bright floodlights illuminated a slender black hull。 There was no sound。 The time and date showed in the corner。
Sandecker was sitting on the edge of his desk； arms folded。 〃Looks like the bow view from the sail cam；〃 he said。
〃That's right。 Keep on watching。 Right about now。 。 。〃
A sharklike shadow loomed below the hull。 Something much bigger than the NR…1 had e up from below。 After a few minutes； the sub began to move forward at great speed until it was obscured by bubbles。 The screen went fuzzy again。
〃This picture was sent from the sub via satellite at exactly the time of her disappearance。 It only ran a short while； as you can see； before it was shut down。〃
〃Fascinating；〃 Sandecker said。 〃Run it again； please。〃
Gunn replayed the tape。
〃Does the White House have a copy of this video？〃 Sandecker said。
〃The transmission came directly to NUMA。 My guess is they haven't seen it。〃
〃Good work； Rudi；〃 the admiral said。 〃There's an important piece of the puzzle missing； however。〃 He reached into the desk humidor and pulled out two cigars … he had them personally selected and rolled for him by the owner of a Dominican Republic plantation … and held one cigar above the other。 〃Assume the bottom stogie is much larger than the one on top。 It es up under the smaller boat。 Then what？〃 He moved the top cigar away。 〃You see what I'm getting at。 There might be a problem getting the smaller sub to play piggyback。〃
〃It wouldn't be easy unless … 〃
〃Unless the NR…1 were cooperating。 Which Captain Logan wouldn't do unless he were forced to。〃
〃Exactly my thoughts。〃 Sandecker tossed Gunn a cigar and clamped the other in his teeth。 They lit up and sat in the cloud of fragrant smoke。
〃I understand there was a guest scientist aboard the NR…1；〃 Sandecker said； after a moment's thought。
〃That's right。 I have the whole roster。〃
〃Go over their backgrounds with a fine…tooth b； especially the scientist's。 In the meantime； let's try to find the India…class submarine。 The navy keeps track of all operational Russian submarines； but I don't want to alert anyone to the fact that NUMA is still in this。〃
〃I'll see if Yaeger can tap into the navy puter system。〃
〃Why； Rudi；〃 Sandecker said； studying the glowing ash on his cigar； 〃what a surprising thing to hear from a navy man。 First in his class at the academy； too。〃
Gunn tried without success to look angelic。 〃Desperate times call for desperate measures。〃
〃I'm glad to hear you say that。 Austin called me from Istanbul。 He's assembling the Special Assignments Team to take another look at that abandoned submarine base。〃
〃Does he think it has a connection with the NR…1？〃
〃He didn't know about the missing sub until I told him。 No； apparently he's been in contact with someone； an old Russian friend； who indicated that the base may have something to do with a supposed threat against the U。S。〃
〃Terrorist activity？〃
〃I asked Kurt the same question。 He only knows what the Russian told him； that the U。S。 is in danger。 A mining magnate named Razov seems to be involved； and the old base may hold the key to what is going on。 Kurt's instincts are usually sound。 This threat of his is all the more reason for NUMA to get involved。〃
〃We can take a look at the area by satellite。〃
〃We still need eyes on the ground。〃
〃What about your promise to the president？〃
〃I only promised not to look for the NR…1。 I never said anything about a Soviet sub base。 Besides；〃 Sandecker said； with a twinkle in his eye； 〃Austin is probably out of reach by now。〃
〃I've heard that sunspot activity has been interrupting munications。〃
〃We'll keep trying to establish contact； of course。 The president is going fly…fishing in Montana； but I expect he'll return in a hurry if the Russian government falls。〃
Gunn looked worried。 〃If there really is a threat； don't you think we should tell the president？〃
Sandecker walked over to the window and looked out over the Potomac。 Afer a moment； he turned and said； 〃Do you know how Sid Sparkman made his fortune？〃
〃Sure； he made millions in mining。〃
〃Correct。 As did Razov。〃
〃Coincidence？〃
〃Maybe。 Maybe not。 There's often a worldwide good ol' boy network in certain areas of industry。 It's not out of the question that they know each other。 Unless we learn that the threat is imminent … I suggest we keep this conversation to ourselves for now。〃
〃Are you suggesting that … 〃
〃There's a connection？ I'm not prepared to go that far。 Yet。〃
Gunn pursed his lips； a grave look in his eyes。 〃I hope Kurt and his team aren't getting in over their heads。〃
Sandecker smiled grimly； his eyes as hard as topaz。 〃It wouldn't be the first time。〃
…11…
THE BLACK SEA
AUSTIN STROLLED ALONG the Bosporus past the ferry terminal and sleek tour vessels until the smell of decaying fish told his nostrils he was near the working waterfront。 Raucous squadrons of gulls grew more numerous as he approached the ragtag fleet of fishing boats nuzzled up to the dock。 With their paint…flaked woodwork and corroded metal； the sea…beaten rust buckets seemed to remain afloat by a miracle of levitation。 Austin stopped at one exception； a solid…looking wooden boat that appeared to have under… gone heroic maintenance。 The black hull and white wheelhouse gleamed with many coats of paint； and the brightwork was liberally soaked with oil。
Reaching into his pocket； Austin pulled out a folded piece of notepaper and matched the scrawled word Turgut with the name painted in white on the stem。 He smiled approvingly。 He liked Captain Kemal without having met him。 Turgut was a renowned sixteenth…century admiral in the reign of Sьleyman the Magnificent。 Anyone who would name an ancient fishing vessel after such a towering naval figure displayed a sense story and humor。
The deck was deserted except for a man in a double…breasted black suit。 He sat on a coil of thick rope mending a net spread across his knees。
Austin called out a greeting in Turkish。 〃Meraba。 May I e aboard？〃
The man looked up。 〃Meraba；〃 he said； and beckoned Austin aboard。
Austin climbed a short gangway and stepped onto the deck。 The boat was about fifty feet long； with a wide beam to provide stability as a fishing platform。 His eyes swept the Turgut； taking in the extraordinary efforts that had been made to maintain a vessel that looked as if it went back to the Ottoman Empire itself。 He went over to the seated man and said； 〃I'm looking for Captain Kemal。〃
〃I'm Kemal；〃 the man said。 His fingers flew over the mesh without missing a loop。
The captain was a slightly built man in his fifties。 His face was narrow； his olive skin burnished to a reddish glow by sun and wind。 He wore a woven skullcap over dark brown hair going to gray； and he was clean…shaven except for a toothbrush mustache that seemed to be held in place by the curve of his prominent nose。 The soft wail of Turkish music came from a portable radio at his feet。
〃My name is Kurt Austin。 I'm with the National Underwater and Marine Agency。 I was on the NUMA ship Argo when we found your cousin Mehmet's body。〃
Kemal nodded solemnly and put the net aside。 〃Mehmet's funeral was this morning；〃 he said in well…spoken English。 He plucked at his sleeve to show that he was wearing his best and only suit。
〃They told me on the Argo。 I hope I'm not intruding by ing by so soon。〃
The captain shook his head and indicated a nearby waist…high stack of netting。
〃Sit； please； Mr。 Austin。〃
〃You speak English very well。〃
〃Thank you。 When I was younger； I worked as a cook for the American air base near Ankara。〃 He smiled； displaying a brilliant gold tooth。 〃The pay was good； I worked very hard and saved the money to buy this boat。〃
〃I noticed you named it after a great admiral。〃
Kemal raised a bushy eyebrow； impressed。 〃Turgut was a big hero to my people。〃
〃I know。 I read a biography about him。〃
The captain studied Kurt with deep…set liquid brown eyes。 〃Thank your NUMA people for me。 It would b
