cussler.blueandgold-第63部分

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ying　to　picture　himself　high　above　the　bleak　Siberian　landscape。　Then　he　crawled　into　the　bomb　bays。　Zavala　was　still　in　the　pilot's　seat；　hands　on　the　controls；　when　Austin　returned　to　the　cockpit。　〃Find　anything　back　there？〃　he　asked　Austin。
　
　〃It's　what　I　didn't　find；〃　Austin　said。　〃The　bomb　bay　racks　are　empty。〃
　
　〃No　canister　bombs？〃
　
　〃Not　even　a　water　balloon。〃　He　smiled　at　Zavala。　〃Fallen　hopelessly　in　love　with　the　old　girl；　have　we？〃
　
　Zavala　grinned　lasciviously。　〃A　case　of　love　at　first　sight。　Older　women　have　always　appealed　to　me。　I'll　show　you　some　thing。　There's　still　life　in　this　baby。〃　His　fingers　played　over　the　instrument　console。　The　bank　of　dials　and　gauges　in　front　of　them　glowed　red。
　
　〃She's　all　gassed　up　and　ready　to　go；〃　Austin　said　with　disbelief。
　
　Zavala　nodded。　〃She　must　be　hooked　up　to　the　generator。　There's　no　reason　this　stuff　wouldn't　still　work。　It's　been　cold　and　dry　here；　and　she　was　maintained　in　mint　condition　until　they　deserted　this　joint。〃
　
　〃Speaking　of　the　joint；　let's　take　a　look　around。〃
　
　Zavala　reluctantly　left　the　cockpit。　They　climbed　down　from　the　plane　and　walked　around　the　interior　perimeter　of　the　hangar。　The　space　was　obviously　planned　to　service　the　plane　efficiently。　Within　easy　reach　of　the　aircraft　were　hydraulic　lifts　and　cranes；　test　equipment；　fuel　and　oil　pumps。　Joe　stopped　to　marvel　at　a　wall　hung　with　tools。　They　were　as　clean　as　surgical　instruments。　Austin　poked　his　head　into　a　storage　room。　He　glanced　around　and　called　for　Zavala。
　
　Stacked　from　floor　to　ceiling　inside　the　room　were　dozens　of　shiny　cylinders　like　the　one　they　had　discovered　floating　in　the　water　off　the　Baja。　Austin　carefully　lifted　a　cylinder　from　the　stack　and　felt　its　weight。
　
　〃This　is　much　heavier　than　the　empty　can　back　in　my　office。〃
　
　〃Anasazium？〃
　
　〃The　unerring　Austin　homing　instinct；〃　Kurt　said　with　a　smile。　〃You'11　have　to　admit　this　is　what　we　really　came　all　this　way　to　find。〃
　
　〃I　suppose　so。　But　I　can　see　why　Martin　fell　in　love　with　that　plane　out　there。〃
　
　〃Let's　hope　it　isn't　a　similar　case　of　fatal　attraction。　We're　going　to　have　to　figure　out　what　to　do　next。〃
　
　Zavala　eyed　the　contents　of　the　storeroom。　〃We'll　need　something　bigger　than　the　Maule　to　move　this　stuff。〃
　
　Austin　said；　〃It's　been　a　long　day。　Let's　get　back　to　Nome。　We　can　call　in　for　reinforcements。　I'm　not　crazy　about　the　way　we　came　in。　Let's　see　if　we　can　find　another　door。〃
　
　They　walked　around　in　front　of　the　flying　wing　again。　The　plane　was　positioned　so　that　it　pointed　toward　the　broad　side　of　the　hangar；　facing　onto　the　airstrip。　They　tried　a　door　that　would　have　led　to　the　outside；　but　it　was　overgrown　with　vegetation　and　wouldn't　open。　A　big　section　of　wall　apparently　moved　up　and　down　like　a　garage　door。　Austin　saw　a　wall　switch　marked　〃Door。〃　Since　they　had　good　luck　with　the　generator；　he　gave　it　a　yank。　The　hum　of　motors　filled　the　air；　then　came　loud　creaks　and　rattles　and　the　squeal　of　metal　against　metal。　The　motors　strained　to　move　the　door　against　the　vegetation　that　had　taken　over　on　the　outside；　but　finally　it　ripped　free　and　rumbled　to　a　clanking　stop　in　fully　open　position。
　
　It　was　near　midnight；　and　the　sun　had　partially　set；　casting　the　tundra　in　a　leaden　light。　The　two　men　walked　outside　and　turned　around。　As　they　gazed　at　the　strange　craft　resting　in　what　Buzz　Martin's　father　had　called　its　hidey…hole；　they　heard　an　intrusive　clatter　from　behind　them。　They　turned　to　see　a　large　helicopter　dropping　out　of　the　sky　like　a　raptor。
　
　The　helicopter　made　a　pass　over　the　float　plane；　then　stopped　and　hovered　a　short　distance　away。　It　did　a　three…hundred…sixty　spin　in　place。　There　was　a　flash　of　light　from　the　front　of　the　chopper；　and　the　float　plane　disappeared　in　a　blinding　explosion　of　yellow　and　red　flames。　A　cloud　of　black　smoke　billowed　from　the　funeral　pyre　that　had　been　an　air　craft　seconds　before；　and　the　tundra　was　lit　up　for　hundreds　of　yards。
　
　〃I　think　we　just　lost　the　deposit　on　our　leased　plane；〃　Zavala　said。
　
　Finished　with　its　first　line　of　business；　the　chopper　swiveled　so　that　its　nose　pointed　toward　the　hangar。　Austin　and　Zavala　had　been　dumbfounded　in　the　seconds　since　the　helicopter　arrived　and　began　its　deadly　work。　Now　Austin　realized　how　vulnerable　they　were。　They　dashed　for　the　open　door　as　the　chopper　leaped　forward。　White　bursts　of　flame　flowered　from　the　guns　on　either　side　of　the　speeding　aircraft；　and　the　bullets　threw　up　geysers　of　water　and　mud　as　they　stitched　their　way　to　ward　the　two　running　figures。
　
　They　ducked　inside；　and　Austin　hit　the　door　switch。　There　was　another　grinding　of　motors　and　machinery；　and　slowly　the　door　began　to　close。　The　chopper　landed　a　few　hundred　yards　away。　Armed　men　in　dark　green　uniforms　spilled　out　and　advanced　on　the　hangar　with　automatic　weapons。
　
　Unfortunately　Zavala　had　left　his　machine　pistol　in　the　plane。　Austin's　Bowen　revolver　filled　his　hand；　and　he　let　off　a　couple　of　shots　to　give　the　attackers　something　to　think　about。　Then　the　door　clanked　shut；　and　the　gunfire　became　barely　audible。
　
　〃We'd　better　bolt　the　back　door；〃　Austin　said；　sprinting　for　the　rear　of　the　hangar　where　they　had　e　in。
　
　They　ran　along　the　corridor　to　the　cellar　hole。　The　bolt　was　rusted　away；　and　they　couldn't　secure　the　door。　Hoping　their　attackers　were　as　stupid　as　they　were　bold；　they　dragged　one　of　the　mattresses　out　of　a　bunkroom　and　covered　the　ventilation　hole　in　the　floor　in　a　makeshift　pitfall。　Then　they　dashed　back　and　secured　the　door　leading　directly　into　the　hangar。　All　was　silent；　but　they　had　no　illusions　about　their　security。　It　was　obvious　that　the　attackers　didn't　want　to　damage　the　flying　wing；　but　a　few　well…placed　rockets　or　ex　plosives　could　peel　back　the　hangar's　metal　walls　like　a　sardine　can。　
　
　　〃Who　are　those　guys？〃　Zavala　said；　trying　to　catch　his　breath。
　
　　There　was　a　sharp　hammering　on　the　metal　skin　of　the　hangar　as　if　someone　were　testing　it　for　weakness。　Austin's　coral　green　eyes　swept　the　hangar　from　one　end　to　the　other。
　
　　〃If　I'm　not　mistaken；　we're　about　to　find　out。〃
　
　Chapter　31
　The　siege　was　announced　with　an　ear…splitting　explosion　that　echoed　off　every　square　inch　of　steel；　as　if　the　metal…enclosed　space　were　a　huge　bell。　Shards　of　hot　metal　and　pieces　of　burning　vegetation　rained　down　from　a　hole　high　in　the　front　face　of　the　hangar。　A　patch　of　daylight　opened；　but　the　thick　cushion　of　vegetation　and　earth　that　had　grown　up　around　the　hangar　over　the　decades　had　dampened　the　explosion。
　
　Austin　looked　up　at　the　ragged　hole　and　said；　〃They're　aiming　high　so　they　won't　hit　the　plane。　Probably　hoping　to　spook　us。〃
　
　〃They're　doing　a　good　job；〃　Zavala　said。　〃I'm　spooked。〃
　
　In　fact；　Zavala　looked　anything　but　spooked。　He　would　have　retired　from　the　Special　Assignments　Team　long　before　if　he　succumbed　easily　to　panic。　His　eyes　calmly　scanned　the　interior　of　the　hangar　looking　for　something　that　would　give　them　even　the　slightest　edge。
　
　The　reverberations　from　the　blast　had　barely　faded　when　there　was　a　loud　hammering　on　the　steel　door　at　the　rear　of　the　hangar。
　
　〃So　much　for　our　pitfall；〃　Austin　said。
　
　They　raced　behind　the　plane　and　grabbed　tool　chests；　benches；　and　storage　lockers；　anything　they　could　move；　stacking　them　against　the　door。　The　makeshift　barricade　would　stall　deter　mined　attackers　only　a　few　minutes。　They　were　more　concerned　with　the　front　of　the　hangar；　where　the　main　firepower　appeared　to　be　concentrated。　As　they　darted　under　the　plane's　fuselage　Zavala　glanced　up　at　the　jet　engines。　The　yawning　black　exhausts　protruding　from　the　rear　of　the　wing　resembled　cannon　barrels　lined　up　on　a　fort。　He　grabbed　Austin　by　the　arm。
　
　〃Look；　Kurt；　those　jets　are　pointed　right　at　the　rear　wall。　If　we　got　the　engines　started；　we　could　give　those　guys　ing　in　the　back　door　a　warm　wele。〃
　
　Austin　calmly　walked　under　the　plane's　fuselage；　seemingly　oblivious　to　the　steady　thumping　from　the　rear　of　the　hangar。　He　stood　in　front　of　the　plane；　where　the　wing's　thin　edge　came　to　a　point；　his　hands　on　his　hips；　and　gazed　up