cc.fireice-第69部分

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　puter　would　freeze　up　on　them。　He　was　about　to　give　up　when　he　recalled　his　first　conversation　with　Petrov　back　in　Istanbul。　〃Try　Troika。〃
　
　Trout　let　out　a　triumphant；　〃Yes！〃　Then　his　shoulders　sagged　as　the　screen　filled　with　lines　of　words。　〃This　is　the　Russian　equivalent　of　gobbledygook。〃　He　worked　on　it　a　few　more　minutes。　Beads　of　perspiration　appeared　on　his　forehead。　He　sat　back　in　the　chair　and　threw　his　hands　up　in　the　air。
　
　〃Sorry；　Kurt；　this　is　beyond　my　skills。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃What　I　need　is　a　teenage　hacker。〃
　
　Austin　only　had　to　think　about　Trout's　request　for　an　instant。　〃Hold　on。　I　can　get　you　the　next　best　thing。〃
　
　He　produced　his　Globalstar　phone　and　punched　out　a　number。　When　Yaeger's　voice　came　on；　Austin　said；　〃Good　morning；　I　can't　get　into　details　because　we're　short　on　time；　but　Paul　needs　help。〃
　
　He　handed　the　phone　to　Trout。　Before　long；　the　two　men　were　into　a　deep　discussion　of　firewalls；　packet　filters；　applications；　Trojan　horses；　gateway　circuits；　tunnels　and　decoys。　He　gave　the　phone　back　to　Austin。
　
　〃Let's　see　if　I　can　explain　the　problem；〃　Yaeger　said。　〃Think　of　the　puter　as　a　room。　You　go　into　the　room；　but　it's　dark；　so　you　can't　see　what's　written　on　the　blackboard。　So　you　flick　the　switch；　which　is　what　Paul　has　done；　but　the　blackboard　is　still　unreadable　because　it's　in　a　language　you　can't　understand。〃
　〃Where　does　that　leave　us？〃
　〃Nowhere；　I'm　afraid。　I　wish　Max　and　I　were　there　to　take　a　crack　at　the　puzzle。〃
　
　Austin　replied　with　a　grunt；　then　looked　at　the　phone。　〃The　solution　may　be　at　hand。　You　tell　me　if　it's　possible。〃
　
　He　explained　what　he　was　thinking　and　Yaeger　said　it　was　doable；　given　the　right　equipment。　Austin　returned　the　phone　to　Trout；　who　got　up　and　began　to　go　through　drawers　in　the　console　and　other　cabinets　in　the　room。　He　found　some　cables　that　he　spliced　together；　and　then　plugged　one　end　into　the　puter's　entry　port。　〃It's　not　the　greatest　modem　in　the　world；　but　I'll　try　to　attach　it　to　the　phone　now。〃　He　removed　the　back　of　the　phone　and　ran　the　other　end　of　the　cable　inside。　Then　he　dialed　a　number。
　
　The　puter　screen　went　squirrelly　for　a　second。　Letters　and　numbers　streamed　by　in　a　blur。　The　screen　went　blank。　Then　a　message　appeared：　〃We're　wired。　Starting　to　download。　Hiram　and　Max。〃
　
　Austin　glanced　at　his　watch　as　he　paced　back　and　forth；　wondering　how　long　it　would　take　Yaeger　to　do　his　job。　The　minutes　ticked　by。　He　feared　that　they　would　have　to　leave　before　the　job　was　done。　But　after　ten　minutes；　a　big　yellow　smiley　face　wearing　granny　glasses　that　looked　suspiciously　like　Yaeger's　appeared。　〃Hack　job　done。　Hiram　and　Max。〃
　
　They　quickly　disconnected　the　makeshift　modem　and　replaced　the　parts。　Austin　stuck　his　head　out　the　door　to　see　if　the　way　was　clear。　The　corridor　was　deserted。　Moving　with　haste　they　made　their　way　back　to　the　ship　diagram　and　selected　a　shorter　route　to　the　moon　pool。　So　far　their　luck　had　held　out　and　they'd　seen　no　one。　Austin　was　puzzled　at　the　lack　of　personnel；　but　wasn't　about　to　argue　with　good　fortune。　They　were　hurrying　along　a　passageway；　when　they　passed　a　door　and　heard　voices　speaking　in　English。　The　accents　were　unmistakably　American。　Austin　tried　the　door　and　found　it　locked。　Again；　he　resorted　to　his　lock　picks。
　
　The　door　opened　onto　a　cabin　with　two　bunks。　Lounging　on　the　bunks；　with　bored　expressions　on　their　faces；　were　Captain　Logan　and　the　pilot　from　the　NR…1。　Their　conversation　stopped　in　midsentence；　and　they　stared　at　the　newers　with　unbridled　hostility；　assuming　they　were　guards　who　had　e　to　make　their　life　miserable。
　
　Logan　turned　to　the　pilot　and　said；　〃Where　are　they　getting　these　guys？〃
　〃The　tall　one　looks　like　he　should　be　scaring　crows　in　a　field；〃　the　pilot　said。
　
　〃That　suit　on　the　shorter　guy　sure　didn't　e　from　Armani；〃　Logan　said；　with　a　chuckle。
　
　〃Armani　was　closed；　Captain　Logan。　We　had　to　borrow　our　wardrobe　from　the　ship's　crew。〃
　
　Suspicion　clouded　Logan's　eyes。　〃Who　the　hell　are　you？〃
　〃That　gentleman　imitating　a　scarecrow　is　my　colleague；　Paul　Trout。　My　name　is　Kurt　Austin；　but　you　can　call　me　'Shorty。'　〃
　
　The　captain　sprang　from　his　bunk。　〃Dammit；　you're　Americans！〃
　〃Told　you　our　disguises　wouldn't　hold　up；〃　Austin　said　to　Trout。　He　turned　back　to　Logan。　〃Guilty　as　charged；　Captain。　Paul　and　I　are　with　the　NUMA　Special　Assignments　Team。〃
　
　The　captain　looked　toward　the　door。　〃We　didn't　hear　any　fighting。　Have　your　guys　taken　over　the　ship？〃
　
　Austin　and　Trout　exchanged　amused　glances。　〃Sorry　to　disappoint　you。　Delta　Force　was　busy；　so　we　came　alone；〃　Austin　said。
　

　〃I　don't　understand。　How　…　〃
　
　Austin　cut　him　off。　〃We'll　explain　after　we　get　you　off　this　ship。〃
　
　He　motioned　to　Trout；　who　opened　the　door　slightly　to　see　if　it　was　safe　to　exit。　Again　the　hallway　was　clear。　With　a　Trout　leading　the　way　and　Austin　taking　up　the　rear；　they　moved　along　a　corridor　toward　the　stairway　as　if　they　were　escorting　the　submariners。
　
　The　strategy　came　in　handy　a　moment　later　when　they　encountered　a　lone　guard　walking　in　their　direction；　his　weapon　shouldered。　Austin　guessed　from　the　man's　casual　demeanor　that　he　was　on　his　way　back　to　his　quarters。　The　guard's　eyes　flicked　toward　Trout　and　his　brow　wrinkled　as　he　tried　to　figure　out　why　he　didn't　recognize　a　shipmate　of　a　Trout's　imposing　height。　The　captain　stopped　when　he　saw　the　guard；　unsure　of　what　to　do。
　
　Austin　could　have　taken　the　guard　out；　but　he　preferred　that　the　visit　to　the　ship　go　unnoticed；　if　possible。　He　hooked　his　foot　around　Logan's　ankle　and　gave　him　a　shove。　The　captain　went　down　on　his　hands　and　knees。　The　guard's　puzzlement　changed　to　amusement；　and　he　roared　with　laughter　and　said　something　in　Russian。　He　laughed　again　when　Austin　kicked　the　captain　lightly　in　the　rear　end。
　
　Austin　shrugged　and　replied　with　an　innocent　look。　Still　laughing；　the　guard　continued　along　the　hall　until　he　was　out　of　sight。　Austin　reached　down　and　helped　Logan　up。
　
　〃Sorry；　Captain；〃　he　said；　with　obvious　embarrassment。　was　getting　a　fix　on　Paul；　and　I　had　to　divert　his　attention。〃
　
　Logan　dusted　off　the　seat　of　his　pants。　〃I've　had　my　mand　hijacked；　my　crew　kidnapped；　and　been　forced　by　these　seagoing　thugs　to　use　a　U。S。　Navy　vessel　for　their　purposes；〃　he　said　with　a　grin。　〃I'll　suffer　whatever　it　takes　to　get　off　this　ship。〃
　
　Trout　stopped　and　examined　another　wall　diagram。　〃It　looks　as　if　the　moon　pool　hold　is　divided　into　a　smaller　and　larger　section。　I'd　advise　going　in　the　smaller　end　to　avoid　crew　quarters　here。〃
　
　Austin　told　him　to　lead　the　way。　With　long；　loping　strides；　Trout　led　them　along　a　series　of　passageways　until　they　came　to　an　unlocked　door。　On　the　other　side　was　a　catwalk　that　ran　along　the　wall　of　a　high…ceiling　chamber　about　a　third　the　size　of　the　moon　pool。
　
　〃What　the　hell　is　that　thing？〃　the　captain　said。　He　was　looking　at　a　huge　cylindrical　object　suspended　from　the　ceiling。　It　was　at　least　four　feet　across　and　fifty　feet　long。　The　bottom　end　was　cone　shaped　and　several　projections　were　clustered　around　the　top；　where　a　plex　set　of　cables　and　hoses　snaked　into　the　ceiling。
　
　〃Looks　like　an　ICBM；〃　the　pilot　said；　〃only　it's　pointing　wrong　way。〃
　〃That's　not　all　that's　wrong　with　it；〃　Trout　said。　〃Those　thrusters　around　the　top；　not　fins。〃
　
　Austin　was　as　fascinated　as　the　others；　but　time　was　short。　〃Take　a　good　look　at　it　now；　gentlemen；　and　we'll　pare　notes　later。〃
　
　They　continued　along　the　walkway　through　another　door　and　found　themselves　outside　the　changing　room；　where　they　found　dry　suits　that　fit　the　navy　men。　Austin　and　Trout　carefully　folded　their　borrowed　coveralls　and　replaced　them　on　the　shelves。　Then　they　all　moved　on　to　the　depression　chamber。　The　dive　gear　was　undisturbed。　They　descended　a　short　stairway　that　led　to　a　room　with　the　smaller　moon　pool。　Set　into　the　deck　was　a　depressed　twelve…by…twelve…foot…square　section　outlining　the　pool　that　was　used　for　launching　ROVs。　Trout　studied　the　controls　on　the　wall；　then　hit　a　button　and　the　floor　of　the　shallow　wall　slid　back。
　
　Water　lapped　over　the　top　of　th