inca.gold-第103部分

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yard　to　ferry　the　main　mass　of　the　treasure　across　the　subterranean　river。　Only　the　golden　throne　proved　too　heavy　for　the　raft。　Once　Huascar's　chain　was　pulled　to　the　mountain　peak；　the　winch　cable　was　to　be　carried　back　down　and　attached　to　a　harness　wrapped　around　the　throne。　After　sending　a　signal　topside；　it　would　be　winched　across　the　river　bottom　until　it　reached　dry　ground。　From　there　the　engineers；　aided　by　Amaru's　men；　planned　to　muscle　it　onto　a　sled　for　the　final　journey　from　the　heart　of　the　mountain。　Once　out　of　the　mountain；　all　of　the　artifacts　would　be　loaded　aboard　vessels　the　Inca　artisans　who　created　the　golden　masterworks　could　never　have　visualized　birds　that　flew　without　wings；　known　in　modern　times　as　helicopters。
　　　　On　the　island　of　treasure；　Micki　Moore　busily　catalogued　and　recorded　descriptions　of　the　pieces　while　Henry　measured　and　photographed　them。　They　had　to　work　quickly。　Amaru　was　driving　the　military　engineers　to　remove　everything　in　a　hurry；　an　effort　that　reduced　the　small　mountain　of　golden　antiquities　at　an　incredible　rate。　What　had　taken　the　Incas　and　Chachapoyas　six　days　to　cache　inside　the　mountain；　modern　equipment　was　about　to　remove　in　ten　hours。
　　　　She　moved　close　to　her　husband　and　whispered；　〃I　can't　do　this。〃
　　　　He　looked　at　her。
　　　　Her　eyes　seemed　to　reflect　the　gold　that　gleamed　under　the　bright　lights　brought　in　by　the　engineers。　〃I　don't　want　any　of　the　gold。〃
　　　　〃Why　not？〃　he　asked　her　softly。
　　　　〃I　can't　explain；〃　she　said。　〃I　feel　dirty　enough　as　it　is。　I　know　you　must　have　e　to　feel　the　same。　We　must　do　something　to　keep　it　out　of　Zolar's　hands。〃
　　　　〃Wasn't　that　our　original　intent；　to　terminate　the　Zolars　and　hijack　the　treasure　after　it　was　loaded　aboard　the　aircraft　in　the　Altar　Desert？〃
　　　　〃That　was　before　we　saw　how　vast　and　magnificent　it　is。　Let　it　go；　Henry；　we've　bitten　off　more　than　we　can　chew。〃
　　　　Moore　turned　thoughtful。　〃This　is　one　hell　of　time　to　get　a　conscience。〃
　　　　〃Conscience　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　It's　ridiculous　to　think　we　could　unload　tons　of　antiquities。　We　have　to　face　facts。　You　and　I　don't　have　the　facilities　or　the　contacts　to　dispose　of　so　large　a　hoard　on　the　underground　market。〃
　　　　〃Selling　Huascar's　chain　would　not　be　all　that　difficult。〃
　　　　Micki　looked　up　into　his　eyes　for　a　long　time。　〃You're　a　very　good　anthropologist；　and　I'm　a　very　good　archaeologist。　We're　also　very　good　at　jumping　out　of　airplanes　at　night　into　strange　countries　and　murdering　people。　Stealing　priceless　ancient　art　is　not　what　we　do　best。　Besides；　we　hate　these　people。　I　say　we　work　together　in　keeping　the　treasure　in　one　piece。　Not　scattered　inside　the　vaults　of　a　bunch　of　scavengers　hungry　for　possessions　no　one　else　can　own　or　ever　view。〃
　　　　〃I　have　to　admit；〃　he　said　wearily；　〃I've　had　my　reservations　too。　What　do　you　suggest　we　do？〃
　　　　〃The　right　thing；〃　she　replied　huskily。
　　　　For　the　first　time　Moore　noticed　the　passion　in　her　eyes。　There　was　a　beauty　he　had　never　seen　before。　She　put　her　arms　around　him　and　gazed　into　his　eyes。　〃We　don't　have　to　kill　anymore。　This　time　we　won't　have　to　crawl　back　under　a　rock　when　our　operation　is　finished。〃
　　　　He　took　her　head　between　his　hands　and　kissed　her。　〃I'm　proud　of　you；　old　girl。〃
　　　　She　pushed　him　back；　her　eyes　widening　as　if　she　remembered　something。　〃The　hostages。　I　promised　them　we　would　rescue　them　if　we　could。〃
　　　　〃Where　are　they？〃
　　　　〃If　they're　still　alive；　they　should　be　on　the　surface。〃
　　　　Moore　looked　around　the　cavern　and　saw　that　Amaru　was　overseeing　the　removal　of　the　mummies　of　the　guardians　from　inside　the　crypt。　The　Zolars　were　leaving　the　caverns　as　bare　as　when　the　Incas　found　them。　Nothing　of　value　was　to　be　left。
　　　　〃We've　got　a　detailed　inventory；〃　he　said　to　Micki。　〃Let's　be　on　our　way。〃
　　　　The　Moores　hitched　a　ride　on　a　sled　stacked　with　golden　animals　being　towed　up　to　the　staging　area。　When　they　came　into　daylight；　they　searched　the　summit；　but　Loren　Smith　and　Rudi　Gunn　were　nowhere　to　be　found。
　　　　By　then；　it　was　too　late　for　the　Moores　to　reenter　the　mountain。

　　　　Loren　shivered。　Tattered　clothing　was　no　protection　against　the　cool　dampness　of　the　cavern。　Gunn　put　his　arm　around　her　to　provide　what　body　warmth　he　had　to　give。　The　tiny　cell…like　chamber　that　was　their　prison　was　little　more　than　a　wide　crack　in　the　limestone。　There　was　no　room　to　stand　up；　and　whenever　they　tried　to　move　about　to　find　a　fortable　position　or　to　keep　warm；　the　guard　shoved　his　gun　butt　at　them　through　the　opening。
　　　　After　the　two　sections　of　the　golden　chain　had　been　brought　through　the　passageway；　Amaru　forced　them　from　the　mountain　crest　down　to　the　little　cavity　behind　the　guardian's　crypt。　Unknown　to　the　Moores；　Loren　and　Rudi　had　been　imprisoned　before　the　scientists　made　their　way　out　of　the　treasure　cavern。
　　　　〃We　would　appreciate　a　drink　of　water；〃　Loren　told　the　guard。
　　　　He　turned　and　looked　at　her　blankly。　He　was　an　appalling　figure；　enormous；　with　an　entirely　repulsive　face；　thick　lips；　flat　nose；　and　one　eye。　The　empty　socket　he　left　exposed；　giving　him　the　brutal　ugliness　of　Quasimodo。
　　　　This　time　when　Loren　shivered　it　wasn't　from　the　cold。　It　was　the　fear　that　coursed　throughout　her　half…naked　body。　She　knew　that　to　show　audacity　might　invite　pain；　but　she　no　longer　cared。　〃Water；　you　drooling　imbecile。　Do　you　understand；　agua？〃
　　　　He　gave　her　a　cruel　look　and　slowly　vanished　from　their　narrow　line　of　vision。　In　a　few　minutes　he　returned　and　tossed　a　military　canteen　of　water　into　the　cave。
　　　　〃I　think　you've　made　a　friend；〃　said　Gunn。
　　　　〃If　he　thinks　he's　getting　a　kiss　on　the　first　date；〃　said　Loren；　twisting　off　the　cap　of　the　canteen；　〃he's　got　another　think　ing。〃
　　　　She　offered　Gunn　a　drink；　but　he　shook　his　head。　〃Ladies　first。〃
　　　　Loren　drank　sparingly　and　passed　the　canteen　to　Gunn。　〃I　wonder　what　happened　to　the　Moores？〃
　　　　〃They　may　not　know　we　were　moved　from　the　summit　down　to　this　hellhole。〃
　　　　〃I　fear　the　Zolars　intend　to　bury　us　alive　in　here；〃　Loren　said。　The　tears　came　to　her　eyes　for　the　first　time　as　her　defenses　began　to　crack。　She　had　endured　the　beatings　and　the　abuse；　but　now　that　it　seemed　she　and　Gunn　were　abandoned；　the　faint　hope　that　had　kept　her　going　was　all　but　extinguished。
　　　　〃There　is　still　Dirk；〃　Gunn　said　gently。
　　　　She　shook　her　head　as　if　embarrassed　at　being　seen　wiping　away　the　tears。　〃Please　stop。　Even　if　he　were　still　alive；　Dirk　couldn't　fight　his　way　into　this　rotten　mountain　with　a　division　of　Marines　and　reach　us　in　time。〃
　　　　〃If　I　know　our　man；　he　wouldn't　need　a　division　of　Marines。〃
　　　　〃He's　only　human。　He　would　be　the　last　one　to　think　of　himself　as　a　miracle　worker。〃
　　　　〃As　long　as　we're　still　alive；〃　said　Gunn；　〃and　there　is　a　chance；　that's　all　that　matters。〃
　　　　〃But　for　how　long？〃　She　shook　her　head　sadly。　〃A　few　more　minutes；　a　couple　of　hours？　The　truth　is；　we're　already　as　good　as　dead。〃

　　　　When　the　first　section　of　chain　was　dragged　into　daylight；　everyone　on　the　summit　stood　and　admired　it。　The　sheer　mass　of　so　much　gold　in　one　place　took　their　breath　away。　Despite　the　dust　and　calcite　drippings　from　centuries　underground；　the　great　mass　of　yellow　gold　gleamed　blindingly　under　the　noon　sun。
　　　　In　all　the　years　the　Zolars　had　been　practicing　the　theft　of　antiquities；　they　had　never　seen　such　a　masterwork　of　art　so　rich　in　splendor　from　the　past。　No　treasured　object　known　to　history　could　match　it。　Fewer　than　four　collectors　throughout　the　world　could　have　afforded　the　entire　piece。　The　sight　was　doubly　grand　when　the　second　section　of　chain　was　pulled　from　the　passage　opening　and　laid　beside　the　first。
　　　　〃Mother　of　heaven！〃　gasped　Colonel　Campos。　〃The　links　are　as　large　as　a　man's　wrist。〃
　　　　〃Difficult　to　believe　the　Incas　had　mastered　such　highly　technical　skills　in　metallurgy；〃　murmured　Zolar。
　　　　Sarason　knelt　down　and　studied　the　links。　〃Their　artistry　and　sophistication　is　phenomenal。　Each　link　is　perfect。　There　isn't　a　flaw　anywhere。〃
　　　　Corona　walked　over　to　one　of　the　end　links　and　lifted　it　with　considerable　effort。　〃They　must　weigh　fifty　kilos　each。〃
　　　　This　is　truly　light…years　ahead　of　any　other　discovery；〃　said　Oxley；　tremb