cussler.blueandgold-第75部分

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　　〃We're　as　ready　as　we'll　ever　be；〃　Austin　said。　〃How　about　you；　Paul？〃
　
　〃Finest　kind；　cap；〃　he　said　with　a　lopsided　grin。
　
　Trout　was　far　from　fine。　Despite　his　stolid　Yankee　facade；　he　was　worried　about　Gamay　and　desperately　wanted　to　go　on　the　mission。　He　knew　that　with　his　bad　arm　he　would　just　get　in　the　way。　Austin　convinced　Trout　that　they　needed　someone　with　a　level　head　above　water　to　call　in　the　troops　in　case　the　situation　got　dicey。
　
　A　crane　had　been　brought　in　to　lift　the　submersible　from　the　truck　onto　the　raft。　The　stern　wheeler　left　early　in　the　morning　before　the　waterfront　got　busy。　The　boat　hunkered　offshore　until　it　was　time　to　make　its　usual　crossing。　Even　with　its　heavy　load　the　raft　pitched　and　yawed　as　it　was　towed　along。　Austin　and　Zavala　had　to　brace　themselves　as　they　knelt　at　the　rear；　each　man　above　one　of　the　lift　bags。　On　signal　they　simultaneously　stabbed　the　rubber　pontoons　with　their　dive　knives。　The　air　shot　out　in　a　loud　hiss　that　rapidly　turned　to　a　flatulent　bubbling。　Squeezed　between　the　water　and　the　raft；　the　pontoons　rapidly　deflated。　As　the　back　of　the　raft　settled　into　the　water；　they　un　hooked　the　tie　lines　securing　the　SeaBus。　Then　they　scrambled　through　the　aft　hatch；　made　sure　all　was　tight；　and　settled　into　the　cockpit。
　
　The　front　of　the　raft　tilted　upward　at　an　angle。　Then；　as　the　lift　bags　deflated；　it　leveled　out　and　began　to　sink。　It　was　a　primitive　launching　system　for　such　a　sophisticated　craft；　but　it　worked。　The　SeaBus　maintained　its　buoyancy　as　the　raft　sank　and　was　pulled　out　by　the　forward　motion　of　the　paddle　wheeler。　The　submersible　danced　in　the　larger　boat's　wake　and　sank　into　the　foam　kicked　up　by　the　stern　paddles。　As　they　gained　depth　the　water　changed　from　blue…green　to　blue…black。
　
　Austin　adjusted　the　ballast；　and　the　sub　attained　neutral　buoyancy　at　fifty　feet。　The　battery…driven　motors　whined　as　Zavala　goosed　the　throttle　and　pointed　the　submersible　toward　shore。　They　were　lucky　to　have　no　current　pushing　against　the　round；　almost　blunt　bow　of　the　submersible　and　could　keep　it　at　a　steady　ten　knots。　Within　half　an　hour　they　had　covered　the　five　miles　to　land。
　
　As　Zavala　steered；　Austin　consulted　the　sonar　screen。　The　rocky　shore　continued　its　vertical　drop　into　the　water　for　more　than　a　hundred　feet　before　jutting　out　in　a　wide　ledge。　The　sonar　picked　up　an　extremely　large　object　resting　on　the　ledge　directly　under　the　floating　pier。　Moments　later　they　looked　up　and　saw　the　long　shape　of　the　pier　and　its　floats　silhouetted　against　the　shimmer　of　surface　light。　Austin　hoped　his　earlier　assessment　was　correct；　that　the　guard　was　too　numb　from　boredom　to　notice　any　disturbance　the　submersible　might　cause。　Zavala　took　the　SeaBus　down　in　a　shallow　spiral　while　Austin　alternated　between　radar　and　visual　checks。
　
　〃Level　out。　Fast；〃　Austin　said。
　
　Zavala　responded　instantly；　and　the　submersible　circled　like　a　hungry　shark。
　
　〃Were　we　getting　too　close　to　the　ledge？〃
　
　〃Not　exactly。　Take　her　out　and　go　down　another　fifty　feet。〃
　
　The　SeaBus　moved　away　from　the　shore　and　spun　around　so　they　were　facing　a　ledge。
　
　〃Madre　de　Dios；〃　Zavala　said。　〃Last　time　I　knew；　the　Astrodome　was　still　in　Texas。〃
　
　〃I　doubt　you'll　find　any　Dallas　Cowgirls　inside　that　thing；〃　Austin　said。
　
　〃It's　similar　to　the　one　that　went　ka…pop　in　the　Baja。　Hate　to　admit　it；　but　you　were　right　as　usual。〃
　
　〃Just　lucky。〃
　
　〃I　don't　know　how　lucky　you　are。　We've　got　to　get　inside　that　thing。〃
　
　〃There's　no　time　like　the　present。　I　suggest　we　take　a　look　at　the　underside。〃
　
　With　a　nod　of　his　head；　Zavala　cranked　up　the　throttle　and　put　the　SeaBus　into　a　glide　that　took　them　directly　under　the　massive　structure。　The　surface　was　made　of　a　translucent　green　material　that　emitted　a　dull　glow。　Zavala's　hyperbole　not　with　standing；　the　facility　would　have　been　an　impressive　engineering
　feat　even　on　dry　land。　Like　the　Baja　operation；　this　structure　also　rested　on　four　cylindrical　legs　around　the　perimeter。
　
　〃There　are　openings　in　the　outside　legs；〃　Austin　said。　〃Probably　like　the　ones　in　Mexico；　used　for　intake　and　exhaust。〃
　
　Zavala　brought　the　submersible　in　close　to　a　fifth　support　at　the　very　center　of　the　structure。　He　switched　on　the　sub's　twin　spotlights。　〃No　duct　openings。　Hello。　What　have　we　here？〃　He　nudged　the　SeaBus　closer　to　an　oval　depression　in　the　otherwise　smooth　surface　of　the　support。　〃Looks　like　a　door。　Still　no　wele　mat；　though。〃
　
　〃Maybe　they　forgot　it；〃　Austin　said。　〃What　say　we　park　the　bus　and　pay　a　neighborly　social　call？〃
　
　Zavala　dropped　the　SeaBus　lightly　onto　the　ledge　next　to　the　support　leg。　They　pulled　on　their　air　tanks　and　the　headsets　for　their　Divelink　municators。　Austin　tucked　his　big　Bowen　and　some　spare　ammunition　into　a　waterproof　fanny　pack。　The　pack　held　a　9mm　Glock　to　replace　the　machine　pistol　Zavala　lost　in　Alaska。
　
　Austin　crawled　into　the　snug　airlock　first；　flooded　the　chamber；　then　opened　the　outer　hatch。　Minutes　later；　Zavala　joined　him　outside　the　SeaBus。　They　swam　to　the　support　leg　and　rose　up　the　thick　cylinder；　where　they　hung　on　to　hand　bars　on　either　side　of　the　door。　To　the　right　of　the　tight　seam　was　a　panel。　En　cased　in　clear　plastic　were　two　large　buttons；　one　red　and　the　other　green。　The　green　one　was　glowing。
　
　They　hesitated。
　
　〃She　might　be　connected　to　an　alarm；〃　Zavala　said；　echoing　Austin's　own　thoughts。
　
　〃I　was　wondering　the　same　thing。　But　why　would　they　bother？　The　neighborhood　around　here　isn't　exactly　swarming　with　burglars。〃
　
　〃We　don't　have　a　lot　of　choice；〃　Zavala　said。　〃Go　for　it。〃
　
　Austin　pushed　against　the　glowing　button。　If　an　alarm　went　off；　they　didn't　hear　it。　A　section　in　the　support　leg　slid　silently　aside　to　reveal　an　opening　shaped　like　a　mouth　wide　open　in　a　yawn。　Zavala　gave　Austin　the　okay　sign　and　swam　in　first。　
　Austin　was　right　on　his　fins。　They　were　in　a　chamber　shaped　like　the　inside　of　a　hat　box。　A　metal　ladder　hung　down　from　the　ceiling。　On　the　wall　was　a　duplicate　of　the　switch　that　opened　the　door。　Austin　pushed　the　glowing　green　button。　He　accidentally　nudged　the　pack　with　their　weapons；　and　it　fell　through　the　opening　in　the　air　lock。
　
　〃Forget　it；〃　he　said；　anticipating　Zavala's　question。　〃We　don't　have　time。〃
　
　The　outer　door　closed；　and　a　ring　of　lights　flicked　on　inside。　The　chamber　was　quickly　pumped　dry；　and　a　circular　hatch　popped　open　in　the　ceiling。　Still　no　sign　that　their　presence　had　been　noted。　All　was　quiet　except　for　the　hum　of　distant　machinery。
　
　Austin　pulled　himself　up　the　ladder　and　poked　his　head　through　the　hatch。　Then　he　motioned　for　Zavala　to　follow　and　climbed　the　rest　of　the　way。　They　were　in　another；　larger　circular　room。　Several　dark　green　dry　suits　hung　from　the　wall。　Air　tanks　were　stacked　on　shelves。　A　large　cabinet　held　various　specialized　tools。
　
　Austin　removed　his　headset；　mask；　and　tank　and　picked　up　a　long…handled　brush　with　stiff　steel　bristles。　〃They　must　use　this　stuff　to　clean　the　intake　ports　out　there。　The　openings　would　get　clogged　up　with　algae　otherwise。〃
　
　Zavala　went　over　to　a　door　in　the　curving　wall　and　pointed　to　another　red…green　switch。　〃I'm　beginning　to　feel　like　a　monkey　in　one　of　those　intelligence　tests　where　the　chimp　presses　a　button　for　food。〃
　
　〃Not　me；〃　Austin　said。　〃A　chimp　would　be　too　smart　to　be　in　a　place　like　this。〃
　
　On　Austin's　signal；　he　hit　the　green　button。　The　door　opened；　and　they　stepped　into　a　room　with　four　walls。　The　room　contained　shower　stalls　and　shelves。　Austin　removed　a　plastic　wrapped　packet　from　a　shelf　and　opened　it。　Inside　was　a　white　two…piece　suit　made　of　a　light　synthetic　material。　Without　further　conversation　they　got　out　of　their　dry　suits　and　quickly　pulled　the　white　uniforms　over　their　thermal　underwear。　Austin's　distinctive　silver…platinum　hair　made　him　stand　out　from　the　crowd；　so　he　was　glad　to　see　that　each　packet　held　a　tight…fitting　plastic　cap。
　
　〃How　do　I　look？〃　he　said；　aware　that　the　suit　wasn't　made　to　acmodate　his　wide　shoulders。
　
　〃Like　a　large　and　unsavory　white　mushroom。〃
　
　〃Exactly　the　image　I　was　t