cc.fireice-第67部分
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were the two divers hanging off the opposite side of the boat。
After traveling about halfway along the length of the ship； Jenkins cut the Kestrel's engine to an idle and went out onto the deck。 He and Howes tinkered with the hauler； as if there was a problem。 During the pause； Austin and Trout dropped into the water and dove under the boat。 They wanted to get deep and out of the way of the net。
It was agreed that Jenkins would make a sweep by one side of the ship； then trawl for a couple of miles before turning back and returning on the other side。 That gave them an hour to get on board the ship and back。 They would keep in touch with Jenkins using their underwater municators to talk to a hydrophone Trout had hung into the water before they went over the side。
They swam deeper； moving their legs in a steady flutter that ate up the distance。 They could hear the muffled grumble of the fishing boat engine as Jenkins got under way again and dove to thirty…five feet； where the visibility was still fair。
With powerful scissors kicks； they covered the distance to the ship in a short time。
The gigantic hull emerged from the murk like the body of an enormous whale asleep on the surface。 Austin signaled Trout to go deeper。 When they were directly under the massive keel； they looked up and snapped their lights on。 It was hard not to be unnerved by thousands of tons of black steel floating above their heads。
〃Now I know how a bug feels just before someone steps on it；〃 Trout said； gazing up at the massive hulk。
〃I was thinking the same thing； but I didn't want to make you nervous。〃
〃Too late。 Where do you want to start？〃
〃If I interpreted the satellite photos correctly； we should find what we're looking for at midships。〃
They swam slowly upward until the ship's barnacle…encrusted bottom entirely filled the lenses of their face masks。 In the beam of his light； Austin saw what he was looking for； a rubber…edged seam that ran across from one side of the flat…bottomed hull to the other。 〃Bingo！〃 he said。
When Austin had first looked at the satellite pictures； he'd noticed an open area around one of the derricks that rose from the deck。 Someone had carelessly left off a tarp that covered the opening and he could see down into a black void。 He was sure he was looking into a 〃moon pool；〃 a docking space similar to that on the Argo and other NUMA ships。
Austin knew from experience that odds favored the pool's gates being closed。 It was standard operating procedure； otherwise the drag from the open sea would slow the ship down。 But he remembered that some NUMA ships had a smaller pool used for launching ROVs。 He saw what he was looking for on the port side； forward of the larger moon pool； an indented rectangle about twelve feet square。 When they swam close； they saw that the gates of the ROV launch well were shut tight。
Austin unclipped the Oxy…Arc cutting torch from his belt and uncoiled the hose。 Trout produced the oxygen tank he had been carrying and coupled it to the hose。 From his belt bag； Austin pulled out two small powerful magnets with hand grips on them。 He attached the magnets to the hull； then he and Trout slipped plastic shades over their masks to shield their eyes from the bright flame。 While Austin held on to the magnet with one hand； Trout lit the torch。 Even with the protection of the eyeshades； it was like looking at the sun。
Austin began to cut； hoping that the pool cover was thinner than the actual hull。 Although the ship wasn't moving； water churned around its great bulk and created eddies of current that pulled at Austin's body。 With Trout's help； he had been able to stay more or less in one place； but a particularly violent current twisted him pletely around。 He had to let go of the magnet and when he made a grab with the other hand in reflex； he dropped the torch。
Trout was having similar problems； only he lost the oxygen tank。 They managed to grab onto the magnets and whipped their eyeshades off in time to see the tank and the torch； still lit； plunge out of sight into the depths。
Every sailor's curse Austin had learned in years at sea crackled in Trout's earphones。 After exhausting his repertoire of curses； he said； 〃I couldn't hold on to the torch。〃
〃You may have noticed that I lost the tank。 I didn't realize you knew so many cusswords。〃
Austin managed a chuckle。 〃Zavala taught me the ones in Spanish。 Sorry for dragging you all this way for nothing。〃
〃If I weren't under a giant ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean； Gamay would have me wallpapering our town house。 Got any backup plans？〃
〃Maybe if we knock； they'll open the doors。 Or we swim to the surface； look for a ladder hanging down and climb aboard。〃
〃Hardly practical。〃
〃You asked if I had backup ideas。 You didn't say they had to be practical。〃
Austin was about to give the word to head back when Trout let out a yell of surprise and jabbed his forefinger straight down。
Paul's sharp fisherman's eye had seen faint lights rising from the darkness below。 The hazy glow reminded Austin of the luminescent fish William Beebe had found on his half… mile dive in a bathysphere。 The oning object grew larger。 They hurried out of its path until they were off to one side of the ship。 They turned around and saw a small submarine ascend until it was about a hundred feet beneath the hull of the Ataman ship。 The sub was clearly outlined by its running lights。
〃I'll be damned；〃 Trout said； recognizing the distinctive silhouette。 〃It's the NR…1。 What's she doing here？〃
〃More important； where's she going next？〃 Austin's nimble mind had already sprinted several steps ahead。 〃Let's go for a boat ride。〃
Austin angled his body downward and swam behind the hovering sub。 He had once made a dive on the NR…1 and knew a camera was mounted forward of the conning tower。 He and Trout grabbed onto the stair rungs built into the sail and hung on。 Within seconds； a thin glowing line of yellow light appeared above。 The moon pool gates were being retracted。
Trout looked up； the illumination from above reflected in his mask lens。 〃I think I saw this on The X…Files when the aliens abducted a human。〃
〃It's always nice to meet new friends；〃 Austin said； his eyes glued to the line as it widened into a long narrow rectangle； then a square of blazing light。
The sub's vertical thrusters whirred； and the NR…1 rose slowly into the ship。 Austin and Trout slid off the deck before the sub surfaced inside the pool。 They swam toward a dark area between the circles of illumination cast by the lights inside the ship。 At the edge of the pool； they cautiously poked their heads from the water。 From the safety of the shadows； Austin took measure。 The pool was about two hundred feet long and half as wide。 Steel mesh catwalks accessed by short flights of open stairs ran along both sides。
Men in coveralls leaned over the railings and watched the NR…1 emerge from the water。 Then the loud grinding of gears filled the enormous chamber as the pool doors closed。
Heavy…duty hoists fitted with steel hooks descended from the ceiling。 A door opened in the side of the chamber； and several divers dressed in dry suits jumped into the water。 They slid wide yokes under the front and back of the sub。 The yokes were attached to the hooks； and powerful winches lifted the sub like the chain falls that were used to yank car engines out。
The hydraulic gates slid shut； sealing the chamber from the sea； and with a mighty grumble； invisible pumps began to suck water from the pool。 The powerful pumps cleared the pool in minutes。 Then the winches lowered the sub。
Crews of men flowed down the stairs onto the slimy floor of the pool。 While some men swept the deck clear of seaweed and flopping fish； others attached cables to the NR…1 and braced it with timbers so it wouldn't shift with the ship's movement。 The whoosh of ventilators brought fresh air into the space。
Austin and Trout had scrambled up a ladder when the pumping started； and now they hung above the deck。 The weight of their scuba equipment pulled at their arms and fingers。 While they huddled
