cussler.blueandgold-第52部分

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r　pairs　of　eyes　scanned　the　dense　forest　looking　for　the　outlet。
　
　Gamay；　who　was　in　the　lead　canoe；　pointed　with　her　paddle　toward　the　shore。　〃I　see　it　over　there；　where　the　tree　line　is　bro　ken。　Oh；　hell…〃
　
　They　all　saw　the　source　of　Gamay's　agitation：　the　flicker　of　blue　and　white　as　three　canoes　had　e　out　of　the　river。
　
　〃It's　a　hunting　party；〃　Francesca　said；　squinting　against　the　sun's　reflection。　〃They've　been　away　and　won't　know　we're　escaping。　I'm　still　their　queen　as　far　as　they　know。　I'll　try　to　bluff　my　way。　Head　right　at　them。〃
　
　Gamay　and　Paul　put　their　misgivings　aside　and　kept　the　dugouts　pointed　toward　the　newers。　The　men　in　the　oning　canoes　showed　no　sign　of　hostility；　and　a　couple　of　them　even　waved。　There　was　shouting　from　shore。　Alaric　and　his　men　had　burst　from　the　forest。　They　were　calling　and　beckoning　to　the　hunting　party。　The　canoes　hesitated；　then；　as　the　yelling　grew　louder；　they　pointed　the　dugouts　toward　land。　The　craft　had　barely　touched　shore　when　the　hunters　were　ejected　and　the　chase　party　took　their　place。
　
　Their　prey　had　taken　advantage　of　the　slight　pause　and　paddled　madly　for　the　river；　but　their　pursuers　quickly　cut　down　the　angle。
　
　〃We　can't　make　it　to　the　river！〃　Gamay　yelled。　〃They'll　cut　us　off。〃
　
　〃Maybe　we　can　lose　them　in　the　mists；〃　Paul　replied。　
　
　　Gamay　spun　the　dugout　around　and　pointed　the　bow　toward　the　falls。　Paul　and　Tessa　were　right　behind。　The　water　became　choppy　as　they　neared　the　falls。　The　Indians　doggedly　kept　in　pursuit。　With　their　strength　and　skill　they　were　rapidly　closing　the　gap。　The　falls　loomed　closer　and　the　mists　enveloped　them；　but　it　became　apparent　that　they　would　be　pounded　to　pieces　by　the　falls　if　they　got　closer　to　the　torrents。
　
　Paul　shouted　over　the　roar。　〃Francesca；　we　need　help　from　your　bag　of　tricks。〃
　
　Francesca　shook　her　head。
　
　Tessa　picked　up　on　Paul's　frantic　plea。　〃I　have　something；〃　she　said。　She　handed　over　the　sack　that　had　rested　between　her　knees。　Paul　reached　into　the　bag；　and　his　fingers　closed　on　a　hard　object。　He　pulled　out　a　9mm　pistol。
　
　〃Where　did　this　e　from？〃　he　said　with　astonishment。
　
　〃It　was　Dieter's。〃
　
　Paul　looked　back　at　the　oning　canoes；　then　at　the　cascading　falls。　He　had　little　choice。　Regardless　of　Francesca's　wishes　that　her　former　subjects　not　be　hurt；　they　were　between　the　devil　and　the　deep　blue　sea。　Arrows　were　flying　in　their　direction。
　
　Paul　plunged　his　hand　into　the　bag　again；　looking　for　extra　rounds。　This　time　he　came　out　with　a　GlobalStar　satellite　phone。　Dieter　must　have　used　it　to　keep　in　touch　with　his　buyers。　He　stared　at　it　a　moment　before　the　significance　of　the　find　sank　in。　He　yelled　with　joy。
　
　Gamay　had　moved　closer　and　saw　the　phone。　〃Does　that　thing　work？〃
　
　He　pushed　the　ready　light；　and　the　phone　was　on。　〃I'll　be　damned。〃　Paul　handed　Gamay　the　phone。　〃Give　it　a　try。　I'll　see　if　I　can　scare　those　guys　off。〃
　
　Gamay　punched　a　number　out　on　the　phone。　Seconds　later　a　familiar　deep　voice　answered。
　
　〃Kurt！〃　Gamay　yelled　into　the　phone。　〃It's　me。〃
　
　〃Gamay？　We've　been　worried　about　you。　Are　you　and　Paul　okay？〃　
　
　　She　glanced　at　the　oning　canoes　and　swallowed　hard。　〃We're　in　a　hell　of　a　mess；　and　that's　an　understatement。〃　She　had　to　shout　over　the　roar　of　the　falls。　〃Can't　talk；　I'm　calling　on　a　GlobalStar。　Can　you　get　a　fix　on　our　position？〃
　
　Crack！
　
　Paul　had　laid　a　shot　across　the　bow　of　Alaric's　canoe；　but　it　failed　to　slow　him　down。
　
　〃Was　that　a　gun？〃
　
　〃That　was　Paul　shooting。〃
　
　〃Hard　to　hear　you　with　that　background　noise。　Hold　on。〃
　
　The　seconds　ticked　by　like　years。　Gamay　had　no　illusions　about　her　call。　Even　with　a　position　fix　it　could　be　days　before　someone　came　to　their　aid。　At　least　Austin　would　know　what　happened　to　them。　Austin's　voice　came　back　on；　calm　and　reassuring。　〃We've　got　a　lock　on　you。〃
　
　〃Good。　Gotta　go！〃　Gamay　answered；　ducking　low　as　an　arrow　whizzed　past　like　an　angry　bee。
　
　With　Gamay　and　Paul　busy；　their　canoes　had　drifted　side　ways　to　the　waves。　They　dug　their　paddles　in　and　got　the　boats　around。　Both　dugouts　rocked　dangerously；　but　they　moved　closer　to　the　falls　where　the　mists　might　hide　them。
　
　The　Indians　hesitated；　then；　sensing　the　end　was　near；　began　their　strange　ululation。　The　archers　were　kneeling　in　the　bow。　They　could　stand　off　and　let　arrows　fly　at　their　helpless　targets。
　
　Paul　had　lost　all　patience。　He　raised　the　handgun　and　took　a　bead　on　Alaric。　If　he　killed　the　leader　the　others　might　run　for　it。　Francesca　yelled。　He　thought　she　was　trying　to　spoil　his　shot；　but　the　white　queen　was　pointing　toward　the　top　of　the　falls。
　
　What　looked　like　a　huge　insect　flew　over　the　crest　of　the　falls　and　descended　rapidly　through　the　rainbows　and　the　cloud　of　mist　until　it　was　a　hundred　feet　above　the　lake。　The　helicopter　hovered　for　an　instant；　then　swooped　low　and　buzzed　the　war　canoes。　The　archers　dropped　their　bows；　grabbed　their　paddles；　and　stroked　madly　for　shore。
　
　Paul　lowered　the　pistol　and　grinned　at　Gamay。　They　began　to　paddle　back　toward　the　quieter　waters　of　the　lake。　The　helicopter　circled　around　the　lake；　then　came　back　and　hovered　above　the　dugouts。　A　smiling　figure　with　a　bushy　silver　mustache　and　deep…set　eyes　leaned　out　a　side　door　and　waved。　It　was　Dr。　Ramirez。
　
　The　phone　rang。　It　was　Austin。　〃Gamay；　are　you　and　Paul　all　right？〃
　
　〃We're　fine；〃　she　said；　laughing　with　relief。　〃Thanks　for　sending　the　taxi。　But　you're　going　to　explain　how　you　pulled　this　one　off。　This　is　something；　even　for　the　great　Kurt　Austin。〃
　
　〃Tell　you　about　it　later。　See　you　tomorrow。　I　need　you　back　here。　Be　ready　to　work。〃
　
　A　ladder　was　being　lowered　out　of　the　chopper。
　
　Ramirez　signaled　for　Francesca　to　go　first。　She　hesitated；　then　grabbed　the　lower　rung　and；　as　befitting　a　white　goddess；　began　to　climb　into　the　sky　from　which　she　had　descended　ten　years　before。
　
　Chapter　26　
　Sandy　Wheeler　was　getting　into　her　Honda　Civic　when　the　strange　man　approached　and　asked　in　accented　English　how　to　get　to　the　Los　Angeles　Times　advertising　department。　Instinctively　she　hugged　her　purse　close　to　her　body　and　glanced　around。　She　was　relieved　to　see　other　people　in　the　newspaper's　garage。　She　had　grown　up　in　L。A。　and　was　used　to　freaks。　But　she　was　jumpy　lately　handling　this　crazy　water　story；　and　even　the　cute；　pearl…handled　。22…caliber　pistol　in　her　pocketbook　wasn't　totally　reassuring。　The　stranger　looked　as　if　he　could　chew　the　barrel　off　her　gun　with　his　metal　teeth。
　
　Wheeler　had　the　reporter's　ability　to　take　in　people　at　a　glance；　and　what　she　saw　was　someone　who　looked　as　if　he　played　the　bad　guy　for　the　WWF。　He　was　her　height　and　would　have　been　taller　if　he　had　a　neck。　The　dark　green　sweatsuit　was　a　couple　of　sizes　too　small　for　a　square；　powerful　body　that　looked　as　if　it　had　been　assembled　from　refrigerator　parts。　The　roundish；　grinning　face　framed　by　the　Prussian…cut　dirty　blond　hair　re　minded　her　of　one　of　the　monsters　in　Maurice　Sendak's　Where　the　Wild　Things　Are。　Only　uglier。　But　it　was　the　eyes　that　got　her。　The　irises　were　so　black　that　the　pupils　were　practically　invisible。
　
　After　giving　the　man　hurried　directions；　Sandy　got　into　her　car　and　instantly　locked　the　doors。　She　didn't　care　how　unfriendly　the　gesture　looked。　As　she　backed　out　of　her　space　he　seemed　to　be　in　no　rush　to　go　to　the　advertising　department。　He　stood　there　staring　at　her　with　eyes　as　hard　as　marbles。　She　was　in　her　thirties；　with　long　chestnut　hair；　an　athletic　body　from　jogging　and　working　out。　Her　nut…brown　face　was　taut　and　angular　but　not　unattractive；　dominated　by　large　sky…blue　eyes。　She　was　pretty　enough　to　attract　occasional　attention　from　the　odd　characters　who　seemed　to　drop　from　the　palm　trees　around　town。　She　was　street…smart　and　had　gained　a　layer　of　emotional　calluses　working　as　a　police　reporter　before　being　assigned　to　the　investigative　team。　She　didn't　spook　easily；　but　this　creep　gave　her　the　shivers。　It　went　beyond　appearances。　There　was　some　thing　of　the　grave　about　him。
　
　She　checked　her　rearview　mirror　and　was　surprised　to　see　that　the　man　had　disappe