cc.fireice-第48部分
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the guard situation？〃
〃Same bunch who kept an eye on us on the salvage ship。 Military types with automatic weapons。 They gave us black bread and water； and locked us in。 Next thing we know； these guys with the funny hats and the baggy pants showed up。 The first guards were Girl Scouts pared to this gang。 They beat up a couple of the guys just for chuckles； dragged us outside and herded us into that big field。 You know the rest。〃
Austin looked around the room。 〃Any questions？〃
〃Did you get a glimpse of your GPS position when you were on the NR…1？〃 Gunn asked。
〃They kept us away from the positioning gauges； then turned them off later so we couldn't see。〃
〃Damn shame；〃 Gunn said。
Laughter rippled around the room。
〃Are we missing a joke？〃 Gunn said。
A slim blond…haired crewman in his midtwenties stood and identified himself as Seaman Ted McCormack。 He passed a sheet of paper toward the table。 〃These are the GPS coordinates for the wreck。〃
〃How can you be sure？〃 Gunn said； reading the figures。
McCormack held out his arm and displayed what looked like an overgrown digital wristwatch。 〃My wife gave this to me。 We got married just before I shipped out。 She's got a chart back home so when I called her she could mark exactly where I was。〃
〃We used to kid Mac about being on a short leash；〃 Kreisman said。 〃Not anymore。〃
〃When we were hijacked； I slid this thing up my arm and kept it covered under my sleeve；〃 McCormack said。 〃They never frisked us。 Figured we were harmless； I guess。〃
The ProTek GPS watch was a miracle of miniaturization； said by its manufacturer to be the world's smallest GPS device。 It could give the wearer his position anywhere on the planet within a few yards。
Austin grinned。 〃Let's hear it for love。〃 He looked around the room。 〃Now； to quote the immortal words of Porky Pig； 'That's all； folks。' Thanks for your help。 And bon voyage。〃
The NR…1 crew rose to their feet as one and stampeded out of the conference room like thirsty steers who'd smelled water。 Austin turned to the NUMA team。
Paul flipped open his laptop puter and connected it to the modem that would allow files to be projected on a large screen at one end of the room。 Gamay stood next to the projection screen with a laser pointer。 Paul tapped a few keys； and a map of the kidney…shaped Black Sea and the surrounding land appeared。
〃Wele to the Black Sea； one of the most fascinating bodies of water in the world；〃 Gamay said； outlining the shores with the bright red dot。 〃It's roughly six hundred thirty miles from east to west and three hundred thirty from north to south。 It's only one hundred forty…four miles here at the 'waist；' where the Crimea sticks out。 Despite its relatively small size； it's got a big bad reputation。 The Greeks called it Axenos； which means 'inhospitable。' The medieval Turks were less diplomatic。 They named it Karadenez。 The 'Sea of Death。' 〃
〃Catchy；〃 Zavala said。 〃It has a certain poetic quality。〃
〃I can definitely see the chamber of merce using that in a New York Times ad；〃 Austin agreed。
Gamay rolled her eyes。 〃Are you two ever serious？〃
〃We try not to be；〃 Austin said。 〃Sorry to interrupt； teacher。 Please go on。〃
〃Thank you。 Despite the bad press； the Black Sea gets a lot of visitors。 Jason came this way in the original Argo to look for the Golden Fleece。 The sea has been an important trade route and fishing ground for thousands of years。 During the Ice Age； it was a big freshwater lake。 Then around 6000 B。C。； a natural land dam broke and the waters of the Mediterranean burst through。 The sea level rose hundreds of feet。〃
〃Noah's flood；〃 Austin said。
〃Some people think so。 The people who lived around the lake fled for their lives。〃 Gamay smiled。 〃I can't say whether they did it on an ark。 The salt water effectively smothered the lake。 River nutrients pouring into the sea have only made the situation worse。〃 She signaled to Paul； who projected a profile of the sea onto the screen。
〃This gives you an idea of the incredible depth。 A continental shelf that's probably the remnant of the old shoreline runs around the perimeter。 It's the widest off the Ukraine； then it plunges down for seven thousand feet。 The thin layer near the top is rich with life。 But below the five…hundred…fifty…foot mark； there is no oxygen and the sea is lifeless。 It's the biggest body of dead water in the world。 Even worse； the depths are loaded with hydrogen sulfide。 One breath of the stuff can kill you。 If that mass of poison ever rose to the surface； it would release a cloud that would kill every living thing in and around the sea。〃
〃The Turks weren't kidding about the sea of death；〃 Zavala said。
Paul projected a map that had a dotted line running around the inner edge of the sea。 〃Kreisman said the ship was found around the four…hundred…foot level。 That would put it at the edge of the continental shelf。 Any deeper and ship wouldn't be there。 Wooden vessels are perfectly preserved in the depths； because there is no oxygen to sustain wood…boring worms； but the chemicals eat away at metal。〃
〃The ship would have been reduced to its basic molecules；〃 Austin said。
〃That's right。 That gorge he talked about is probably an extended riverbed。 The continental shelf is smooth and gradually dips seaward； pretty much like the ensign's description。 The decay from all those organisms has formed pockets of methane gas。 Presumably； a diver could be insulated from that type of thing； but there might still be some danger in diving in a poisonous environment。〃
Gunn had been absorbing the discussion。 He rose from his seat and borrowed the laser pointer。
〃Let's see what we've got。 The NR…1 was hijacked here。〃 He ran the red dot from the Aegean through the Bosporus。 〃This is where they heard sounds of ship traffic。〃 He moved the pointer along the edge of the continental shelf。 〃Here's our mystery ship； according to the GPS。〃
Using his cursor； Paul drew an X at the location Gunn indicated。
〃Someone went to a great deal of trouble to salvage that ship；〃 Austin said。 〃Maybe it holds the key to unraveling this whole mess。〃
Gunn turned to the captain。 〃How soon can we haul anchor and get moving？〃
Atwood had kept silent throughout the ensign's presentation and the NUMA team's discussion。 He smiled and said； 〃You people have been so engrossed in the Black Sea； you didn't notice me calling the bridge。 We're on our way。 Should be on…site in the morning。〃
The faint vibration of the engines came through the deck under their feet。 Gunn got up。 〃I'm going to hit the sack。 Tomorrow could be a long day。〃 Austin got directions to his cabin； then told Joe that he'd catch up with him later。 When Austin was alone； he sat at the table and stared at the lines and squiggles of the Black Sea map projected on the screen as if they were letters of an unknown language whose secret could be unlocked by a Rosetta Stone。 His eye fastened on the X that marked the position of the mystery ship。
He sorted through the events that had brought him to this place on a NUMA vessel in pursuit of what？ He felt like someone making his way through a snake pit； trying to pick out the nonpoisonous snakes from the vipers。 He snapped off the lights and left the conference room。 As he made his way to his cabin； he had a depressing thought。 Maybe they were all poisonous。
…20…
THE GRAY DAWN light streaming through the cabin porthole woke Austin up。 He glanced over at Zavala； who was in the next bunk； no doubt lost in a dreamworld of red Corvettes and beautiful blond statisticians。 He envied his partner's ability to drop off to sleep； snooze soundly through the night and wake up fresh and ready for action。 Austin's own slumber had been fitful； disturbed by churning thoughts； as if his brain were searching for answers hidden in the maze of his subconscious。
Levering himself out of bed； Austin went over to the sink and splashed cold water on his face。 He dressed quickly； pulling on jeans； a heavy sweatshirt and a windbreaker； and stepped out of the cabin。 A cool morning breeze from off the water smacked him in the face an
