cussler.blueandgold-第7部分

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iery　conflagration；　and　the　yacht　would　go　to　the　bottom　within　minutes。　As　the　captain　grabbed　onto　a　wheelchair　with　a　little　girl　in　it　and　pushed　her　across　the　deck；　he　yelled　at　others　to　do　the　same。　Too　frozen　by　fear　to　react；　Ekhart　saw　the　gold　torpedo　speeding　toward　them　and　instinctively　did　the　only　thing　she　could。　She　put　her　arm　protectively　around　her　daughter's　thin　shoulders　and　held　her　tight。
　
　Chapter　2
　Austin　was　not　surprised　to　see　Ali's　boat　go　out　of　control。　Ali　was　begging　for　a　flip　or　a　hook。　It　was　the　nature　of　the　accident　that　puzzled　Austin。　The　Flying　Carpet　veered　sharply　in　a　sloshing；　foamy　skid；　then；　living　up　to　its　name；　went　airborne　with　one　side　higher　than　the　other；　like　a　stunt　car　doing　a　two…wheeler　off　a　low　ramp。　The　catamaran　flew　bow…first　for　several　boat　lengths；　landed　with　a　monumental　splash；　vanished　for　a　moment；　then　bobbed　to　the　surface　right…side　up。　　　　
　Austin　and　Zavala　had　found　that　a　speed　just　under　a　hundred　miles　per　hour　kept　them　ahead　of　the　pack　but　was　slow　enough　to　deal　with　changing　water　and　wind　conditions。　The　sea　was　a　mix　of　small　and　moderate　waves；　some　longer　than　others　but　most　crested　with　white　foam。　Not　exactly　Force　12　on　the　Beau　fort　scale　but　nothing　to　ignore。　They　kept　a　sharp　eye　out　for　the　sudden　buildup　of　an　errant　sea　that　could　trip　them　up　again。　　　　
　Zavala　had　brought　the　Red　Ink　around　in　a　wide；　sweeping　curve　and　pointed　the　bows　toward　Ali's　boat　to　see　if　he　needed　help。　As　the　boat　topped　a　wave　and　slid　down　the　other　side；　Zavala　swerved　sharply　to　avoid　a　gray　object　longer　than　the　race　boat。　The　boat　did　a　seam…stretching　giant　slalom　run　around　three　more　large　slate…colored　mounds。　　　　
　〃Whales！〃　Zavala　shouted　with　excitement。　〃They're　every　where。〃
　
　　　　Austin　reduced　their　speed　by　half。　They　passed　another　lifeless　carcass　and　a　smaller　one　nearby　that　could　have　been　a　calf。　〃Gray　whales；〃　he　said　with　wonder。　〃A　whole　pod　of　them。〃　　　
　　〃They　don't　look　healthy；〃　Zavala　said。　　　　　
　〃Not　healthy　for　us；　either；〃　Austin　said；　backing　off　the　throttles。　〃It's　like　a　minefield　out　here。〃　　　　
　　Ali's　boat　had　been　slithering　aimlessly　around　in　the　waves；　the　propeller　chewing　at　air。　The　bows　rose　suddenly；　the　stern　sank；　the　blades　bit　hungrily　into　the　water；　and　the　Flying　Carpet　was　off　like　a　jackrabbit　spooked　by　a　hunting　dog。　It　accelerated　rapidly；　quickly　ing　up　on　plane；　and　headed　toward　the　spectator　fleet。　　　　　
　〃Macho　hombre！〃　Zavala　said　with　admiration。　〃Bounces　off　a　whale　and　goes　to　shake　hands　with　his　fans。〃　　　　　
　Austin　also　thought　Ali　was　taking　a　bow。　Ali's　boat　streaked　across　the　open　water　like　a　gold　arrow　homing　in　on　a　bull's　eye。　With　his　eye　Austin　drew　an　invisible　line　on　the　water；　ex　tending　the　Flying　Carpet's　course　until　it　intersected　with　a　big　white　boat　that　was　anchored　broadside　to　the　race　chute。　The　graceful　lines　identified　the　vessel　as　an　old　luxury　yacht。　Austin　noted　with　appreciation　how　the　designers　had　blended　form　and　function　in　the　wooden　hull。　He　glanced　again　at　Ali's　boat。　It　was　moving　faster；　continuing　toward　the　yacht　in　an　undeviating　line。　　　　　
　Why　haven't　they　stopped　or　turned　away？　　　　
　Austin　knew　a　race　boat's　hull　was　tougher　than　nails；　but　the　rudders　and　the　connecting　tie　bar　were　exposed。　If　the　bar　had　been　bent；　the　rudders　could　have　been　locked　in　place。　Well；　so　what？　Even　if　the　steering　were　locked；　all　the　crew　had　to　do　was　shut　down　the　engines。　And　if　the　throttle　man　couldn't　do　it；　the　racer　could　use　the　kill　switch　activated　by　an　arm　cord。　The　boat　had　struck　the　whale　a　glancing　blow；　but　the　impact　still　would　have　been　severe；　even　worse　when　it　slammed　down　onto　the　water。　It　would　have　been　like　hitting　cement。　Even　with　helmets　and　restraining　harnesses；　Ali's　team　
　might　have　been　shaken　up；　at　the　very　least；　or；　worse；　incapacitated。　He　looked　back　at　the　yacht　and　saw　the　young　faces　lining　the　decks。　Good　God！　Kids。　The　yacht　was　full　of　kids。　
　There　was　a　flurry　of　activity　on　deck。　They　had　seen　the　on　ing　race　boat。　The　yacht's　anchor　was　ing　out　of　the　water；　but　the　boat　would　have　to　sprout　wings　to　avoid　a　disastrous　collision。　　　　
　〃It's　going　to　hit！〃　Zavala　said；　more　in　wonder　than　in　apprehension。　　　　Austin's　hand　seemed　to　move　by　itself；　the　fingertips　pushing　down　on　the　throttles。　Engines　roaring；　the　Red　Ink　lurched　forward　as　if　it　were　a　racehorse　stung　by　a　bee。　The　acceleration　caught　Zavala　by　surprise；　but　he　tightened　his　grip　on　the　steering　wheel　and　pointed　the　Red　Ink　at　the　runaway　boat。　Their　ability　to　intuit　what　the　other　was　thinking　had　saved　their　skin　more　than　once　while　carrying　out　a　NUMA　assignment。　Austin　slammed　the　throttles　forward。　The　catamaran　came　up　on　plane　and　streaked　across　the　open　water。　They　were　going　twice　the　speed　of　the　Carpet；　ing　in　at　an　angle。　Interception　was　only　seconds　away。　　　　
　〃Keep　us　parallel　and　e　up　alongside；〃　Austin　said。　〃When　I　yell；　nudge　him　to　starboard。〃　　　　
　Austin's　brain　synapses　danced　with　enough　electrical　energy　to　light　up　a　city。　The　Red　Ink　went　up　the　side　of。　a　wave；　flew　through　the　air；　and　came　down　with　a　jaw…jarring　splash。　The　yacht　was　moving　slowly　forward。　This　would　give　them　a　slight　increase　in　the　margin　of　error；　but　not　much。　　　　
　The　two　boats　were　almost　side　by　side。　Zavala　displayed　his　incredible　skill　as　a　pilot；　bringing　the　Red　Ink　closer　despite　the　waves　from　the　broadening　wake。　Austin　let　them　overtake　the　Ca7pet；　move　past　it；　then　slowly　pulled　back　on　the　throttles　to　match　the　speed　of　the　other　boat。　They　were　only　yards　apart。　　　　Austin　had　slipped　into　the　nether　land　between　intellect　and　action；　pure　reflex；　his　every　sense　at　full　alert。　The　ear…splitting　thunder　of　four　powerful　engines　drowned　out　attempts　at　rational　thought。　He　had　bee　one　with　the　Red　Ink；　his　muscles　and　sinews　joined　with　the　steel　and　Kevlar；　as　much　a　part　of　the　boat　as　the　pistons　and　driveshaft。　The　boats　were　out　of　sync；　one　up　when　the　other　was　down。　Austin　fine…tuned　the　Red　Ink's　speed　until　they　were　like　two　dolphins　swimming　abreast　in　perfect　formation。　
　Up。　
　Down。　
　Up。　
　〃Now！〃　he　yelled。　　　　
　The　space　between　the　racing　boats　narrowed　to　inches。　Zavala　eased　the　steering　wheel　to　the　right。　It　was　a　delicate　maneuver。　If　it　were　done　too　sharply；　they　would　hook　hulls　and　possibly　flip　into　the　air　in　a　lethal　tangle。　There　was　a　loud　hollow　thump　and　a　screech　of　tortured　carbon　posite　as　the　hulls　came　together；　then　bounced　apart。　Zavala　brought　the　boat　over　again　and　held　it　firmly　in　position。　The　wheel　wanted　to　tear　itself　out　of　his　hands。　　　　
　Austin　gunned　the　throttles。　The　sound　of　the　engines　was　horrendous。　Again　the　boats　crashed。　It　was　like　trying　to　herd　a　very　large　and　powerful　steer。　Eventually　the　F~7ing　Carpet　began　to　yield　its　forward　momentum　and　angle　off　to　the　right。　They　drifted　apart　once　more。　Warmed　to　the　game；　Zavala　slammed　the　boats　together。　The　angle　increased。　　　　
　〃Haul　off；　Joe！〃　　　　Ali's　boat　surged　ahead　on　a　track　that　would　miss　the　yacht's　stern　and　sped　toward　the　flotilla。　Boats　scattered　like　dry　leaves　in　a　wind。　Austin　knew　that　battering　Ali's　boat　off　course　would　send　the　Red　Ink　off　like　a　cue　ball　in　a　game　of　billiards。　He　hadn't　counted　on　how　long　it　would　take　to　persuade　the　Carpet　to　take　a　hike。　Now　he　and　Joe　were　hurtling　toward　the　moving　yacht　with　only　seconds　to　spare　before　they　struck　it。　They　could　see　the　horrified　expressions　of　the　people　on　deck。　The　boat　was　going　seventy…five　miles　an　hour。　Even　if　he　shut　down　the　engines；　he　and　Zavala　would　have　to　be　scraped　off　the　wooden　sides　of　the　old　boat。
　
　〃What　now？〃　Zavala　yelled。　〃Stay　on　course；〃　Austin　shouted。　　　　　Zavala　swore　softly　under　his　breath。　He　had　every　confidence　in　Austin's　ability　to　get　them　out　of　a　tight　spot；　but　sometimes　his　partner's　actions　defied　all　logic。　If　Zavala　thought　the　order　meant　certain　suicide；　he　didn't　show　it。　His　every　instinct　told　him　to　whip　the　wheel　over　and　take　his　chances；　but　he　grimly　held　their　insane　course　as　steadily　as　if　the