cc.floodtide-第11部分

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logy　designer。　Inside　a　black　housing　no　more　than　twenty…five　inches　in　length　by　six　inches　wide；　the　AUV　held　a　high…resolution　color　video　camera。　Its　battery　power　supply　could　propel　two　counter…rotating　thrusters　for　slightly　over　two　hours。
　
　Pitt　laid　the　pact　little　unit　in　the　bottom　of　the　sailboat　along　with　a　fishing　rod　and　a　tackle　box。　Next　he　opened　the　outer　doors　to　the　boathouse；　climbed　down　and　took　his　place　at　the　tiller。　Pushing　off　the　dock　with　a　boat　hook　until　it　was　free　of　the　boathouse；　he　stepped　the　mast；　raised　the　sail　and　lowered　the　centerboard。
　
　To　an　observing　eye　he　looked　like　a　garden…variety　businessman　on　holiday　leisurely　sailing　on　the　lake。　The　climate　was　pleasant　but　cool；　and　he　was　dressed　warmly　in　a　red　wool　lumberman's　shirt　and　khaki　pants。　On　his　feet　he　wore　sneakers　and　sweat　socks。　The　only　contrast　with　serious　fishermen　was　that　they　would　have　used　a　powerboat　or　a　rowboat　with　an　outboard　motor　to　go　after　salmon　and　trout；　certainly　not　a　sailboat。　Pitt　chose　the　slower　of　the　two　boats　because　the　sail　made　a　good　shield　from　any　video　cameras　at　the　resort。
　
　He　propelled　the　little　craft　further　away　from　the　boathouse　by　pushing　the　tiller　back　and　forth　until　the　afternoon　breeze　filled　the　sail；　and　he　began　gliding　across　the　blue…green　waters　of　Orion　Lake。　He　tacked　easily；　skirting　the　deserted　shoreline　while　keeping　a　respectful　distance　from　the　huge　home　at　the　lower　end　of　the　lake。　In　the　deepest　part　of　the　lake　less　than　a　quarter　mile　from　Shang's　boat　dock；　Pitt　came　into　the　wind　and　dropped　the　sail；　leaving　just　enough　raised　to　flap　in　the　breeze　and　hide　his　movements。　The　rope　on　the　anchor　was　not　nearly　long　enough　to　reach　the　bottom；　but　he　lowered　it　as　far　as　it　could　reach　to　act　as　a　drag　to　keep　the　wind　from　pushing　the　sailboat　too　close　to　shore。
　
　With　the　lowered　sail　facing　one　shore　and　his　back　to　the　opposite；　he　leaned　over　the　side　and　peered　into　a　bucket　with　a　transparent　bottom。　The　water　was　so　crystal　clear　that　Pitt　could　see　a　school　of　salmon　swimming　a　good　hundred　and　fifty　feet　below。　Then　he　opened　a　fishing　tackle　box　and　removed　a　hook　and　lead　sinkers。　The　only　fish　Pitt　had　caught　in　the　past　thirty　years；　he　caught　underwater　with　a　spear　gun。　He　hadn't　held　a　rod　and　reel　in　his　hands　since　he　fished　with　his　father；　Senator　George　Pitt；　off　the　coast　of　California　when　he　was　a　young　boy。　Still；　he　managed　to　tie　on　lead　sinkers；　slip　an　unfortunate　night　crawler　over　a　hook　and　cast　it　into　the　deep。
　
　While　under　the　pretense　of　fishing；　he　also　uncoiled　a　reel　of　thin　wire　and　placed　a　coffee　cup…sized　transponder　that　sent　and　received　electronic　signals　over　the　side　of　the　sailboat。　He　lowered　it　to　a　depth　of　twenty　feet　to　assure　that　it　was　out　of　the　acoustic　shadow　of　the　boat's　hull。　A　similarly　sized　transponder　was　housed　in　the　aft　end　of　the　AUV。　These　two　units　and　the　electronics　inside　the　AUV　casing　formed　the　heart　of　the　system　by　talking　to　each　other　acoustically；　allowing　underwater　control　and　video　signals　to　be　received　by　a　small　recorder。
　
　Next；　he　removed　the　AUV　from　the　ice　chest；　carefully　lowered　it　into　the　water　and　watched　as　it　silently　slipped　beneath　the　surface；　its　black　casing　giving　the　appearance　of　some　ugly　creature　from　the　abyss。　Pitt　had　over　two　hundred　hours　operating　tethered　robotic　underwater　vehicles；　but　this　was　only　the　second　time　he　had　operated　an　autonomous　system。　His　mouth　felt　slightly　on　the　dry　side　as　he　watched　the　little　vehicle　that　had　cost　NUMA　two　million　dollars　sink　out　of　sight　into　the　lake。　The　autonomous　underwater　system　was　a　marvel　of　miniaturization　and　for　the　first　time　enabled　NUMA　scientists　to　send　a　robotic　unit　into　areas　that　were　previously　impossible　to　reach。
　
　He　unfolded　a　laptop　puter　with　an　oversized；　high…resolution；　active…matrix　display；　and　powered　up　the　system。　Satisfied　a　secure　acoustic　link　was　established；　he　scrolled　through　the　control　menus　and　selected　a　bination　of　〃remote　and　live　video。〃　Under　normal　circumstances　he　would　have　preferred　to　concentrate　on　a　live　video　display　of　the　images　recorded　by　the　camera　under　the　water；　but　this　trip　it　was　vital　that　he　focus　his　attention　on　the　events　that　he　hoped　to　incite　at　the　retreat。　He　intended　only　to　view　the　progress　of　the　AUV　from　time　to　time　to　keep　it　on　course。
　
　He　moved　the　joystick　on　a　small　remote　handbox。　The　vehicle　immediately　responded　and　went　into　a　dive。　The　acoustic　telemetry　and　control　system　performed　flawlessly；　and　the　vehicle　shot　forward　at　almost　four　knots。　The　counter　rotating　thrusters　were　balanced　perfectly；　preventing　the　vehicle　from　corkscrewing　through　the　water。
　
　〃Every　move　a　picture；〃　Pitt　said；　staring　in　the　direction　of　Shang's　retreat　as　he　stretched　out　on　a　pair　of　vinyl　seat　cushions　that　doubled　as　safety　floats　should　the　boat's　occupants　be　thrown　in　the　water。　Then　he　propped　his　feet　on　a　bench　seat　and　nestled　the　remote…control　box　of　the　AUV　between　his　legs。　Using　the　levers　and　joystick　on　the　remote　he　directed　the　vehicle's　movements　like　a　model　submarine。　He　leveled　it　out　at　a　depth　of　sixty　feet　and　worked　it　slowly　toward　Shang's　boat　dock；　sweeping　it　back　and　forth　as　though　he　were　plowing　a　field。
　
　To　the　uninformed　it　might　have　looked　as　if　Pitt　was　playing　with　a　toy；　but　the　exercise　was　more　than　a　game。　He　meant　to　test　Shang's　security　systems。　The　first　experiment　was　to　detect　any　underwater　sensors。　After　running　several　lines　that　gradually　closed　to　within　ten　yards　of　the　boat　dock　with　no　response；　it　seemed　apparent　Shang's　security　systems　did　not　extend　into　the　lake。　They　apparently　failed　to　consider　penetration　from　the　water　as　a　threat。
　
　It's　show　time；　Pitt　thought　silently。　He　pulled　gently　on　the　lever　that　sent　the　AUV　rising　to　the　surface。　The　little　submersible　broke　water　in　plain　sight　a　few　yards　to　one　side　of　the　dock。　He　timed　the　response。　Surprisingly；　a　full　three　minutes　passed　before　the　walls　on　the　windowless　huts　swung　up　and　guards　with　Steyr　tactical　machine　pistols　slung　over　their　shoulders　came　charging　out　across　the　grounds　on　off…road　motorcycles。　They　looked　to　Pitt　like　Chinese…made　copies　of　the　Japanese　Suzuki　RM　250cc　supercross　bike。　They　spread　out　in　formation　and　took　up　positions　along　the　sandy　beach。　Thirty　seconds　later；　the　wall　on　the　hut　at　the　end　of　the　floating　dock　facing　the　lake　also　flew　open　as　two　guards　riding　Chinese…built　personal　watercraft；　these　designed　along　the　lines　of　the　Japanese　Kawasaki　Jet　Ski；　sprinted　after　the　AUV。
　
　Not　what　Pitt　called　a　rapid　deployment。　He　expected　better　from　veteran　security　specialists。　Even　the　ultralights　remained　hidden　in　their　hangar。　It　seemed　the　incursion　by　the　AUV　did　not　warrant　an　all…out　search　effort。
　
　Pitt　immediately　sent　the　submersible　into　a　dive；　and　because　it　was　visible　in　the　clear　water；　he　cut　a　steep　turn　that　brought　it　under　the　yacht　beside　the　dock。　He　needn't　have　worried　about　the　guards　on　the　watercraft　sighting　the　little　sub。　They　churned　the　surface　of　the　water　to　such　a　froth　by　racing　around　in　circles；　it　was　impossible　for　them　to　see　into　the　depths。　Pitt　observed　that　neither　of　the　men　on　the　water…craft　wore　any　type　of　diving　equipment；　not　even　masks　and　snorkels；　a　solid　indication　they　were　not　prepared　to　engage　in　underwater　investigation。　Professionals　on　land　but　amateurs　in　the　water；　Pitt　mused。
　
　Finding　no　hint　of　an　intruder　along　the　beach；　the　men　guarding　the　grounds　climbed　off　their　dirt　bikes　and　stood　watching　the　antics　of　the　water　derby。　Any　attempt　at　piercing　Shang's　retreat　by　land　could　only　be　undertaken　with　any　chance　of　success　by　a　team　from　the　Special　Forces；　who　were　experts　in　the　art　of　stealth　and　camouflage。　By　water　it　was　another　story。　A　diver　could　easily　swim　under　the　dock　and　the　yacht　without　fear　of　being　discovered。
　
　While　he　guided　the　AUV　back　to　the　sailboat；　Pitt　reeled　in　his　fishing　line　until　it　was　just　under　the　surface。　Then　he　sneaked　the　mounted　salmon　from　the　Fol