cc.fireice-第62部分

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　〃It　all　sounds　like　magic　to　me；〃　Hank　Reed　replied。　〃Speaking　of　vanishing　acts；　I　wonder　where　our　pastrami　sandwiches　are。〃　He　licked　his　lips。　〃I　think　I'd　work　for　NUMA　even　if　they　didn't　pay　me；　just　so　I　could　use　the　cafeteria。〃
　
　Yaeger　nodded　in　agreement。　〃Let's　get　back　to　work。　If　the　delivery　guy　doesn't　arrive　in　five　minutes；　I'll　call　again。〃
　〃Sounds　good；〃　Hank　said。　〃Did　Austin　ever　say　why　he　wanted　this　stuff？〃
　
　Yaeger　chuckled　knowingly。　〃Kurt's　the　ultimate　poker　player。　He　never　shows　his　cards　until　he　lays　down　his　hand。〃
　
　Austin　had　called　Yaeger　earlier　in　the　day　with　a　cheery　〃Good　morning。〃　Getting　right　to　the　point；　he'd　said；　〃I　need　some　help　from　Max。　Is　she　in　a　good　mood？〃
　〃Max　is　always　in　a　good　mood；　Kurt。　As　long　as　I　ply　her　with　electronic　cocktails；　she'll　do　anything　I　ask。〃　In　a　stage　whisper；　he　said；　〃She　thinks　I　want　her　for　her　mind　and　not　her　body。〃
　〃I　didn't　know　Max　had　a　body。〃
　〃She　has　her　pick　of　bodies。　Mae　West。　Betty　Grable。　Marilyn　Monroe。　Jennifer　Lopez。　Whatever　I　program　in。〃
　〃Please　soften　her　up　with　a　few　drinks　and　ask　her　to　dig　up　what　she　can　on　the　subject　of　methane　hydrates。〃
　
　Austin　had　been　thinking　about　methane　hydrates　since　the　Trouts　had　told　him　Ataman　Industries　was　attempting　to　mine　them　from　the　ocean　floor。
　
　〃I'll　have　a　package　for　you　later　today；　if　that's　okay。〃
　〃Fine。　I'll　be　pretty　much　tied　up　with　Admiral　Sandecker　this　morning。〃
　
　Yaeger　made　no　attempt　to　ask　when　Austin　wanted　the　information。　If　Austin　wanted　it；　it　was　important。　And　if　it　was　important；　he　wanted　it　immediately。
　
　People　who　met　Yaeger　for　the　first　time　sometimes　found　it　difficult　to　reconcile　the　scruffy…Levis…and…T…shirt　look　with　his　reputation　as　a　puter　whiz。　It　only　took　a　few　minutes　of　watching　him　at　work　to　see　why　Admiral　Sandecker　had　made　him　the　head　of　NUMA's　oceans　data　center。　From　his　console；　he　had　access　to　vast　resources　of　data　on　ocean　technology　and　history　and　every　related　bit　of　information　on　and　under　the　seas。
　
　Finding　his　way　through　the　massive　amount　of　data　at　his　mand　required　a　deft　hand。　Yaeger　knew　that　if　Max　searched　out　every　mention　of　methane　hydrates　recorded；　he　would　drown　in　the　digital　deluge。　He　needed　someone　to　point　the　way。　Hank　Reed　immediately　came　to　mind。
　
　Reed　was　in　his　lab　when　Yaeger　called。　〃Hi；　Hank。　I　could　use　your　geochemical　expertise。　Any　chance　you　could　break　away　from　your　Bunsen　burners　for　a　few　minutes？〃
　〃Don't　tell　me　NUMA's　resident　puter　whiz　needs　the　help　of　a　mere　human　being。　What's　wrong；　did　your　know…it…all　machine　blow　a　fuse？〃
　〃Nope。　Max　truly　does　know　it　all；　which　is　why　I　need　someone　on　the　slow　side　to　bird…dog　the　data。　Tell　you　what；　I'll　buy　lunch。〃
　〃Flattery　and　food。　An　irresistible　bination。　I'll　be　right　up。〃
　
　Reed　walked　into　the　data　center　wearing　a　warm　smile。　Despite　their　playful　insults；　they　were　the　best　of　friends；　bound　by　their　eccentricities。　With　his　graying　ponytail　and　wire…rimmed　granny　glasses；　Yaeger　looked　like　he　belonged　in　the　cast　of　Hair：　Dr。　Henry　Reed　had　a　round　cherub's　face　and　a　high　thatch　of　wheat…colored　hair　that　added　a　few　inches　to　his　five…foot　height　and　looked　like　it　could　have　been　bed　with　a　pitchfork。　The　thick　round　glasses　perched　on　his　small　nose　gave　him　the　expression　of　a　benign　owl。　He　took　the　chair　Yaeger　offered　and　rubbed　his　pudgy　hands　together。
　
　〃Plunk　your　magic　twanger；　Froggy。〃
　
　Yaeger　looked　over　the　tops　of　his　granny　glasses。　〃Huh？〃
　〃It's　from　an　old　program；　I　can't　remember　which　it　was。　Froggy　was　a　…　Never　mind。　You　probably　never　even　heard　of　radio。〃
　
　Yaeger　grinned。　〃Sure　I　have。　My　grandmother　told　me　about　it。　Television　without　pictures。〃　He　leaned　back　in　his　chair　with　his　hands　behind　his　head　and　said；　〃Max；　say　hello　to　my　pal；　Dr。　Reed。〃
　
　A　feminine　voice　purred　through　the　speakers　placed　strategically　around　the　room。
　
　〃Hello；　Dr。　Reed。　How　nice　to　see　you　again。　。　。〃
　
　AS　THE　DOORS　hissed　shut　behind　him；　Roy　Jenkins　thought　it　strange　that　he　was　the　only　one　getting　off　the　elevator。　He　looked　at　the　numerals　on　the　wall　and　swore　to　himself。　He'd　bee　the　absentminded　professor　he　had　always　scorned。　The　receptionist　had　said　the　ninth　floor。　Preoccupied　with　his　thoughts；　he　had　pushed　the　button　for　the　tenth。
　
　Instead　of　the　standard　office　architecture　of　hallways；　cubicles　and　offices；　a　vast　glass…enclosed　area　took　up　the　entire　floor。　Jenkins　should　have　turned　back　to　the　elevator；　but　scientific　curiosity　got　the　best　of　him。　He　walked　past　banks　of　blinking　puters；　glancing　from　left　to　right；　listening　to　the　electronic　whisperings。　He　could　have　landed　on　an　alien　planet　peopled　only　by　machines。　With　some　relief　he　came　upon　the　two　men　behind　the　large　glowing　console　at　the　center　of　the　puter　plex。　They　were　looking　at　a　large　screen　that　seemed　to　hang　by　invisible　wires；　and　was　dominated　by　the　image　of　a　woman　in　vivid　color。　She　had　topaz　brown　eyes；　auburn　hair　and　the　bottom　of　the　monitor　barely　hid　her　ample　cleavage。
　
　The　woman　was　talking；　but　even　more　odd；　one　of　the　men；　who　wore　his　long　hair　in　a　ponytail；　was　talking　back　to　her。　Thinking　he　had　stumbled　into　a　showing　of　a　very　private　nature；　Jenkins　was　about　to　back　out；　but　the　other　man；　who　sported　a　hairdo　like　a　wheat　plant　gone　to　seed；　saw　him　and　grinned。
　
　〃At　last；　our　pastrami　sandwiches；〃　he　said。
　
　〃Pardon　me？〃
　
　Reed　saw　that　Jenkins　was　carrying　a　briefcase　instead　of　f　a　white　paper　bag；　studied　Jenkins's　weathered　and　tanned　face　and　then　took　in　the　workshirt　and　cap。
　
　〃Guess　you're　not　from　the　cafeteria；〃　he　said　sadly。
　
　〃My　name　is　Leroy　Jenkins。　I'm　sorry　to　bother　you。　I　got　off　at　the　wrong　floor　and　sort　of　wandered　in　here。〃　He　looked　around。　〃What　is　this　place？〃
　〃NUMA's　puter　center；〃　said　the　ponytailed　man。　He　was　boyish；　clean…shaven　face　with　a　narrow　nose　and　gray　eyes。　〃Max　can　answer　just　about　any　question　you　throw　her　way。〃
　〃Max？〃
　
　Yaeger　gestured　to　the　screen。　〃I'm　Hiram　Yaeger。　This　is　Hank　Reed。　That　lovely　lady　up　there　is　a　holographic　illusion。　Her　voice　is　a　feminine　version　of　my　own。　I　used　my　own　face　originally；　but　I　got　tired　of　looking　at　myself　and　dreamed　up　a　pretty　woman；　my　own　wife。〃
　
　Max　smiled。　〃Thank　you　for　the　pliment；　Hiram。〃
　〃You're　wele。　Max　is　smart　as　well　as　beautiful。　Ask　her　any　question　you'd　like。　Max；　this　is　Mr。　Jenkins。〃
　
　The　image　smiled　and　said；　〃Pleased　to　meet　you；　Mr。　Jenkins。〃
　
　I've　been　in　the　wilds　of　Maine　for　too　long；　Jenkins　thought。　〃Actually；　it's　Dr。　Jenkins。　I'm　an　oceanologist。〃　He　drew　a　breath　in。　〃I'm　afraid　my　questions　are　rather　plicated。　They've　got　to　do　with　methane　hydrates。〃
　
　Yaeger　and　Reed　looked　at　each　other；　then　at　Jenkins。
　
　Max　said；　with　a　sigh　that　was　more　than　human；　〃Is　it　really　necessary　to　repeat　myself？〃
　〃Nothing　personal；　Dr。　Jenkins。　Max　has　been　working　on　the　same　subject　for　the　last　hour　or　so；〃　Yaeger　said。　He　punched　out　the　cafeteria　number　on　the　phone　and　turned　to　Jenkins。　〃We'd　like　you　to　join　us　for　lunch。〃
　
　Reed　leaned　forward。　〃I　remend　the　pastrami。　It's　an　existential　experience。〃
　
　
　THE　SANDWICH　WAS　as　tasty　as　promised。　Jenkins　realized　that　with　the　exception　of　the　bag　of　peanuts　he'd　had　on　the　plane；　his　stomach　was　empty。　He　took　a　swig　of　root　beer　to　wash　his　lunch　down　and　looked　at　the　other　men；　who　were　waiting　expectantly。
　
　〃This　is　going　to　sound　crazy；〃　he　said。
　
　〃Crazy　is　our　middle　name；〃　Yaeger　said。　Reed　nodded　his　head　in　agreement。　Although　the　two　men　looked　like　an　overaged　hippie　and　a　munchkin　with　a　Don　King　hairdo；　they　appeared　very　bright。　More　important；　they　were　interested　in　hearing　his　story。
　
　〃Don't　say　I　didn't　warn　you；〃　he　said。　〃Okay；〃　he　began。　〃I　retired　from　teaching　college　a　few　years　ago　and　bought　a　lobster　boat　in　Rocky　Point；　my　hometown。〃
　〃Aha！　A　fisherman；〃　Reed　said。　〃I　knew　it。〃
　
　Jenkins　smiled；　then　resumed。　〃You　probably　read　about　the　tsunami　that　hit　t