inca.gold-第47部分

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　　　　〃The　outer　bay　has　changed　very　little；〃　answered　Yaeger；　after　bringing　up　a　program　that　depicted　the　old　Spanish　charts　and　the　satellite　map　in　different　colors　as　he　overlaid　them　on　the　screen。　〃The　inner　bay　has　moved　about　a　kilometer　toward　the　sea　due　to　silt　buildup　from　the　Chone　River。〃
　　　　Sandecker　stared　at　the　screen　for　a　long　moment；　then　said　slowly；　〃Can　your　electronic　contraption　do　a　simulation　of　the　tidal　wave　sweeping　the　galleon　onto　shore？〃
　　　　Yaeger　nodded。　〃Yes；　but　there　are　a　number　of　factors　to　consider。〃
　　　　〃Such　as？〃
　　　　〃What　was　the　height　of　the　wave　and　how　fast　was　it　traveling。〃
　　　　〃It　would　have　to　be　at　least　thirty　meters　high　and　traveling　at　better　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　kilometers　an　hour　to　carry　a　five…hundred…and…seventy…ton　ship　so　far　into　the　jungle　that　she　has　never　been　found。〃
　　　　〃Okay；　let's　see　what　I　can　do　with　digital　imagery。〃
　　　　Yaeger　typed　a　series　of　mands　on　his　keyboard　and　sat　back；　staring　at　the　monitor　for　several　seconds；　examining　the　image　he　produced　on　the　screen。　Then　he　used　a　special　function　control　to　fine…tune　the　graphics　until　he　could　generate　a　realistic　and　dramatic　simulation　of　a　tidal　wave　crossing　an　imaginary　shoreline。　〃There　you　have　it；〃　he　announced。　〃Virtual　reality　configuration。〃
　　　　〃Now　generate　a　ship；〃　ordered　Sandecker。
　　　　Yaeger　was　not　an　expert　on　the　construction　of　sixteenth…century　galleons；　but　he　produced　a　respectable　image　of　one　rolling　slowly　on　the　waves　that　was　equal　to　a　projector　displaying　moving　graphics　at　sixty　frames　per　second。　The　galleon　appeared　so　realistic　any　unsuspecting　soul　who　walked　into　the　room　would　have　thought　they　were　watching　a　movie。
　　　　〃How　does　it　look；　Admiral？〃
　　　　〃Hard　to　believe　a　machine　can　create　something　so　lifelike；〃　said　Sandecker；　visibly　impressed。
　　　　〃You　should　see　the　latest　puter…generated　movies　featuring　the　long…gone　old　stars　with　the　new。　I've　watched　the　video　of　Arizona　Sunset　at　least　a　dozen　times。〃
　　　　〃Who　plays　the　leads？〃
　　　　〃Humphrey　Bogart；　Lionel　Barrymore；　Marilyn　Monroe；　Julia　Roberts；　and　Tom　Cruise。　It's　so　real；　you'd　swear　they　all　acted　together　on　the　set。〃
　　　　Sandecker　laid　his　hand　on　Yaeger's　shoulder。　〃Let's　see　if　you　can　make　a　reasonably　accurate　documentary。〃
　　　　Yaeger　did　his　magic　on　the　puter；　and　the　two　men　watched；　fascinated；　as　the　monitor　displayed　a　sea　so　blue　and　distinct　it　was　like　looking　through　a　window　at　the　real　thing。　Then　slowly；　the　water　began　convulsing　into　a　wave　that　rolled　away　from　the　land；　stranding　the　galleon　on　the　seabed；　as　dry　as　if　it　were　a　toy　boat　on　the　blanket　of　a　boy's　bed。　Then　the　puter　visualized　the　wave　rushing　back　toward　shore；　rising　higher　and　higher；　then　cresting　and　engulfing　the　ship　under　a　rolling　mass　of　froth；　sand；　and　water；　hurling　it　toward　land　at　an　incredible　speed；　until　finally　the　ship　stopped　and　settled　as　the　wave　smoothed　out　and　died。
　　　　〃Five　kilometers；〃　murmured　Yaeger。　〃She　looks　to　be　approximately　five　kilometers　from　the　coast。〃
　　　　〃No　wonder　she　was　lost　and　forgotten；〃　said　Sandecker。　〃I　suggest　you　contact　Pitt　and　make　arrangements　to　fax　your　puter's　grid　coordinates。〃
　　　　Yaeger　gave　Sandecker　a　queer　look　indeed。　〃Are　you　authorizing　the　search；　Admiral？〃
　　　　Sandecker　feigned　a　look　of　surprise　as　he　rose　and　walked　toward　the　door。　Just　before　exiting；　he　turned　and　grinned　impishly。　〃I　can't　very　well　authorize　what　could　turn　out　to　be　a　wild　goose　chase；　now　can　I？〃
　　　　〃You　think　that's　what　we're　looking　at；　a　wild　goose　chase？〃
　　　　Sandecker　shrugged。　〃You've　done　your　magic。　If　the　ship　truly　rests　in　a　jungle　and　not　on　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　then　the　burden　falls　on　Pitt　and　Giordino　to　go　in　that　hell　on　earth　and　find　her。〃

　　　　Giordino　contemplated　the　dried　red　stain　on　the　stone　floor　of　the　temple。　〃No　sign　of　Amaru　in　the　rubble；〃　he　said　with　an　utter　lack　of　emotion。
　　　　〃I　wonder　how　far　he　got？〃　Miles　Rodgers　asked　no　one　in　particular。　He　and　Shannon　had　arrived　from　the　sacred　well　an　hour　before　noon　on　a　helicopter　piloted　by　Giordino。
　　　　〃His　mercenary　buddies　must　have　carried　him　off；〃　Pitt　surmised。
　　　　〃Knowing　a　sadist　like　Amaru　might　still　be　alive；〃　said　Rodgers；　〃is　enough　to　cause　nightmares。〃
　　　　Giordino　gave　a　mechanical　shrug。　〃Even　if　he　survived　the　rocket　attack；　he'd　have　died　from　loss　of　blood。〃
　　　　Pitt　turned　and　stared　at　Shannon；　who　was　directing　a　team　of　archaeologists　and　a　small　army　of　workers。　They　were　numbering　the　shattered　blocks　of　stone　from　the　temple　in　preparation　for　a　restoration　project。　She　seemed　to　have　discovered　something　in　the　debris　and　was　bending　down　for　a　closer　examination。　〃A　man　like　Amaru　doesn't　die　easily。　I　don't　think　we've　heard　the　last　of　him。〃
　　　　〃A　grim　prospect；〃　said　Rodgers；　〃made　worse　by　the　latest　news　from　Lima。〃
　　　　Pitt　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃I　didn't　know　we　received　CNN　this　deep　in　the　Andes。〃
　　　　〃We　do　now。　The　helicopter　that　landed　about　an　hour　ago　belonged　to　the　Peruvian　News　Bureau。　It　brought　in　a　team　of　television　reporters　and　a　mountain　of　equipment。　The　City　of　the　Dead　has　bee　international　news。〃
　　　　〃So　what　did　they　have　to　report？〃　pressed　Giordino。
　　　　〃The　military　and　police　have　admitted　their　failure　to　capture　the　army　renegade　mercenaries　who　flew　into　the　valley　to　slit　our　throats　and　remove　the　artifacts。　Nor　have　investigators　tracked　down　any　of　Amaru's　grave　looters。〃
　　　　Pitt　smiled　at　Rodgers。　〃Not　exactly　the　sort　of　report　that　will　look　good　on　their　resumes。〃
　　　　〃The　government　tried　to　save　face　by　handing　out　a　story　that　the　thieves　dumped　the　artifacts　over　the　mountains　and　are　now　hiding　out　in　the　Amazon　forests　of　Brazil。〃
　　　　〃Never　happened；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Otherwise　why　would　U。S。　Customs　insist　we　provide　them　with　an　inventory　of　the　artifacts？　They　know　better。　No；　the　loot　is　not　scattered　on　a　mountaintop。　If　I　read　the　brains　behind　the　Solpemachaco　correctly；　they're　not　the　kind　to　panic　and　run。　Their　informants　in　the　military　alerted　them　every　step　of　the　way；　from　the　minute　an　assault　force　was　assembled　and　launched　to　capture　them。　They　would　have　also　learned　the　flight　plan　of　the　assault　transports；　and　then　plotted　a　safe　route　to　avoid　them。　After　quickly　loading　the　artifacts；　they　flew　to　a　prearranged　rendezvous　at　an　airstrip　or　seaport　where　the　stolen　riches　were　either　transferred　aboard　a　jetliner　or　a　cargo　ship。　I　doubt　whether　Peru　will　ever　see　its　historical　treasures　again。〃
　　　　〃A　nice　tight　scenario；〃　said　Rodgers　thoughtfully。　〃But　aren't　you　forgetting　the　bad　guys　only　had　one　helicopter　after　we　stole　their　backup？〃
　　　　〃And　we　knocked　that　one　into　a　mountain；〃　added　Giordino。
　　　　〃I　think　if　we　knew　the　full　truth；　the　gang　of　second…rate　killers　ordered　in　by　the　boss　who　impersonated　Doc　Miller　was　followed　later　by　a　couple　of　heavy…lift　helicopter　transports；　probably　the　old　model　Boeing　Chinooks　that　were　sold　around　the　world。　They　can　lift　almost　fifty　troops　or　twenty　tons　of　cargo。　Enough　mercenaries　were　left　on　the　ground　to　stow　the　artifacts。　They　made　their　getaway　in　plenty　of　time　after　our　escape　and　before　we　alerted　the　Peruvian　government；　who　took　their　time　in　mounting　an　aerial　posse。〃
　　　　Rodgers　stared　at　Pitt　with　renewed　admiration。　Only　Giordino　was　not　impressed。　He　knew　from　long　years　of　experience　that　Pitt　was　one　of　that　rare　breed　who　could　stand　back　and　analyze　events　as　they　occurred；　down　to　the　finest　details。　It　was　a　gift　with　which　few　men　and　women　are　born。　Just　as　the　greatest　mathematicians　and　physicists　pute　incredibly　intricate　formulas　on　a　level　inprehensible　to　people　with　no　head　for　figures；　so　Pitt　operated　on　a　deductive　level　inprehensible　to　all　but　a　few　of　the　top　criminal　investigators　in　the　world。　Giordino　often　found　it　maddening　that　while　he　was　attempting　to　explain　something　to　Pitt；　the　mesmeric　green　eyes　would　focus　on　some　unseen　object　in　the　distance　and　he　would　know　that　Pitt　was　concentrating　on　something。
　　　　While　Rodgers　was　pondering　Pitt's　reconstruction　of　events；　trying　to　find　a　flaw；　the　big　man　from　NUMA