cc.fireice-第32部分

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high　cheekbones；　lush　lips…　〃
　〃Keep　a　lid　on　your　raging　libido；　Josй。　This　isn't　Club　Med　we're　going　to。　When　we　get　home；　you　can　order　a　Russian　bride　over　the　Internet。〃
　〃Thanks　for　dashing　cold　water　on　my　lustful　thoughts。〃
　〃Speaking　of　cold　water；　we've　got　about　a　mile　of　the　stuff　ahead　of　us；　so　I　suggest　we　get　moving。〃　Austin　checked　his　wrist　pass　and　jerked　his　thumb　toward　shore。　They　flicked　on　the　switches　of　their　propulsion　vehicles；　the　battery…powered　motors　hummed　into　life；　and　the　Torpedo　2000s　surged　ahead；　smoothly　pulling　the　divers　through　the　pale　green　water。　Their　approach　sent　schools　of　fish　flying　off　to　either　side；　making　it　evident　why　Kemal　and　his　fellow　fishermen　had　risked　their　necks　to　work　these　waters。
　
　Near　the　surf　line；　the　water　became　turbid　from　floating　particles　of　vegetation　kicked　up　by　the　crashing　waves。　Austin　angled　the　Torpedo　2000　down　to　the　sandy　sea　bottom；　with　Zavala　a　few　feet　behind　him。
　
　〃Any　idea　what　we're　looking　for？〃　Zavala　said；　squinting　toward　the　gravelly　banking　that　rose　sharply　from　the　sea　floor　to　meet　the　beach。
　
　〃A　neon　sign　saying　THIS　IS　IT　would　help。　But　I'll　settle　for　something　that　looks　like　a　big　garage　door。〃
　
　Zavala　switched　on　his　powerful　Phantom　dive　light　and　played　the　bull's…eye　across　the　slope。
　
　〃I　don't　even　see　a　doorknob。〃
　〃We're　wasting　our　time　here。　They　wouldn't　build　on　the　beach。　They'd　want　solid　rock　over　their　heads。　Let's　check　out　the　cliffs。　I'll　take　the　one　to　the　right。〃
　
　Zavala　waved；　and　with　the　ease　of　a　natural　pilot　he　put　his　propulsion　vehicle　in　a　graceful　turn　and　shot　off；　quickly　disappearing　into　the　murk。　Austin　headed　in　the　opposite　direction。　A　moment　later；　the　voice　of　a　singing　duck　filled　Austin's　earphones　as　Zavala　rendered　an　off…tune　version　of　〃Guantanamera。〃
　
　Austin　moved　parallel　to　the　undersea　embankment　until　the　sand　and　gravel　gave　over　to　solid　rock。　Zavala's　quacking　became　fainter　as　they　expanded　their　range。　Austin　was　grateful　for　this　development；　but　he　didn't　want　too　much　space　separating　them。　He　saw　nothing　that　resembled　an　entrance；　and　was　about　to　tell　Zavala　to　head　back；　but　Joe　broke　off　his　serenade　with　a　loud　〃Whoa！〃
　〃Say　again？〃
　〃Got　something；　Kurt；〃　he　said　excitedly。
　
　Austin　wheeled　the　Torpedo　2000　around　in　a　tight　arc。　He　glided　past　the　beach　and　homed　in　on　a　silvery　pinpoint　that　blinked　like　a　firefly　on　a　summer　night。　Zavala　was　hovering　at　midwater　and　flashing　his　light　as　a　homing　beacon。　When　Austin　got　closer；　Zavala　adjusted　his　light　to　flood　pattern　and　pointed　the　beam　toward　the　face　of　the　undersea　wall　that　rose　to　bee　the　chin　of　Imam's　Point。
　
　Austin　was　looking　at　a　huge　pile　of　rubble　that　resembled　a　landslide　one　might　see　in　a　mountain　valley。　The　sea　bottom　below　the　slide　was　littered　with　hundreds　of　chunks　of　rock　and　concrete　obviously　flung　there　with　great　force；　most　likely　by　an　explosion。
　
　〃Not　exactly　what　I'd　call　a　wele　mat；〃　Austin　said。　With　short　fluttering　fin　strokes；　he　swam　up　the　face　of　the　rubble　pile。　If　this　was　the　entrance　to　the　pen；　no　submarines　would　be　using　it　soon。　He　swam　back　and　forth　searching　for　an　opening；　but　the　blockage　was　plete。
　
　Zavala　floated　up　beside　him。　〃So　much　for　my　dreams　of　beautiful　Russian　women。〃
　
　Austin　scanned　the　rubble；　then　swam　over　to　a　slab　about　six　feet　tall　and　half　as　wide　that　stood　like　a　giant　l　gravestone　in　a　more　or　less　vertical　position。　A　pair　of　steel　rods　protruded　from　the　top；　like　antennae　on　an　insect。
　
　〃If　we　could　topple　this　slab；　maybe　we　could　start　a　slide　that　would　open　up　this　mess。〃
　〃Not　a　bad　idea。　Too　bad　we　forgot　to　pack　dynamite。〃
　〃We　may　not　need　it。　Remember　what　Archimedes　said？〃
　〃Sure；　he's　the　guy　who　runs　the　Greek　restaurant　down　the　street；　He　said　'Eat　here　or　to　go？'　〃
　〃I'm　talking　about　the　other　Archimedes。〃
　〃Oh；　that　one；　He　said；　'Eureka！'　〃
　

　〃He　also　said；　'Give　me　a　place　to　stand　and　I　will　move　the　earth。'　〃
　
　Zavala　stared　at　the　steel　rods。　〃Archimedes　was　into　levers　and　fulcrums；　as　I　recall。〃
　〃Eureka；〃　Austin　said；　swimming　up　the　rock　slide　until　he　was　above　the　slab。　He　squeezed　in　between　the　concrete　and　the　cliff；　braced　his　back　against　the　wall　and　placed　his　feet　on　one　of　the　rods。　Zavala　took　a　position　beside　Austin　with　his　feet　on　the　other　rod。
　
　〃Let's　see　if　we　can　move　a　smaIl　piece　of　the　world；〃　Austin　said；　〃On　three。〃
　
　They　pushed　against　the　rods　and　the　slab　tilted　a　few　inches　before　settling　back　into　place。　The　air　tanks　got　in　the　way；　so　they　adjusted　them　and　tried　again。　The　slab　tipped　precariously　this　time。　For　a　moment；　it　seemed　as　if　the　block　would　go　over；　but　despite　their　shoving　and　grunting；　it　rocked　back　into　place。
　
　Zavala　suggested　that　they　push　higher　for　more　leverage。　They　slid　their　feet　to　the　ends　of　the　rods；　planted　their　backs　and　tried　again。　This　time　the　slab　went　over　so　fast　that　they　almost　tumbled　down　with　it。　It　crashed　in　slow　motion　off　a　big　boulder；　breaking　in　half；　then　bounced　a　few　more　times　before　landing　in　a　muddy　cloud。　Several　other　chunks　followed　it　down　in　a　secondary　landslide。
　
　〃Crude　but　effective；〃　Austin　said；　as　he　drifted　down　the　face　of　the　pile　and　stopped　in　front　of　a　newly　created　opening　in　the　rubble。　He　probed　the　hole　with　his　light；　then　tried　to　squeeze　through　only　to　have　his　air　tanks　get　in　the　way　again。　He　removed　the　tanks。　Keeping　the　regulator　in　his　mouth；　he　backed　into　the　opening　feet　first　and　pulled　his　tanks　in　after　him。　Zavala　followed　using　the　same　procedure。
　
　They　were　wedged　in　a　tight　space　between　the　pile　of　boulders　and　two　massive　steel　blast　doors。　The　armored　doors　were　sealed；　but　near　the　top　of　one　was　a　shadow　where　the　force　of　the　explosion　had　peeled　back　a　er　like　a　page　in　a　book。　The　gap　was　big　enough　for　them　and　their　tanks。　They　slipped　through　the　hole　and　flashed　their　lights　around。　The　beams　faded　into　nothingness　except　for　a　grayish　reflection　over　their　heads。　They　swam　up　several　feet　until　their　tanks　scraped　against　concrete。　Swimming　a　few　feet　below　the　ceiling；　they　proceeded　through　the　murky　water。
　
　After　a　few　minutes；　the　ceiling　disappeared　and　they　swam　up　until　their　heads　emerged　into　the　open。　They　were　in　plete　darkness。　Austin　removed　the　regulator　from　his　mouth　and　took　a　tentative　breath。　The　air　was　musty　but　breathable。　They　switched　on　their　lights　and　saw　that　they　were　near　the　edge　of　a　man…made　pool。　They　swam　to　a　ladder；　pulled　themselves　up　on　the　side　of　the　pool　and　flashed　their　lights　around；　probing　the　perimeter　of　the　rectangular　basin。
　
　〃Hel…Io；〃　Austin　murmured。　〃Someone　left　their　rubber　ducky　in　the　bathtub。〃
　
　His　light　outlined　the　contours　of　a　submarine　on　the　far　side　of　the　pool。
　
　They　stacked　their　scuba　gear　in　neat　piles　for　quick　retrieval　and　stripped　down　to　their　lightweight　black　insulated　liners。　They　were　traveling　light；　taking　only　their　weapons；　extra　ammunition　and　lights　and；　in　Austin's　case；　a　belt　radio。　He　tried　to　call　Kemal；　but　the　thick　concrete　walls　made　radio　contact　impossible。　Setting　off　to　explore　the　high…ceilinged　chamber；　they　followed　a　set　of　narrow…gauge　tracks　that　ran　around　the　pool's　perimeter；　making　their　way　past　fuel　pumps　and　conduits　for　water　and　electricity。
　
　Gantries　and　cranes　hung　from　the　ceiling　to　service　heavy　loads。　Sideways…traversing　machinery　could　move　a　sub　to　the　dry　side　for　maintenance。　Austin　and　Zavala　went　around　the　pool　to　where　the　submarine　lay　in　dry　dock。　The　sub　was　between　three　hundred　and　four　hundred　feet　long；　Austin　estimated。　They　climbed　aboard　and　explored　the　sub　from　end　to　end。　The　deck　behind　the　conning　tower　was　of　an　unusual　design；　long　and　flat　and　recessed。　They　climbed　the　sail　and　opened　the　entry　hatch。　The　stale　smell　of　food；　unwashed　bodies　and　fuel　issued　from　the　opening。
　
　As　the　expert　on　underwater　vehicles；　Zavala　volunteered　to　go　inside　the　sub　while　Austin　stood　watch。　A　short　while　later；　Zavala　emerged。
　
　〃Nobo