inca.gold-第78部分

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　　　　Moore　shifted　restlessly　in　his　seat　and　studied　a　chart　of　the　Gulf。　Finally　he　said；　〃Something　is　very；　very　wrong。〃
　　　　Oxley　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Five　o'clock。　I　prefer　to　land　in　daylight。　We　might　as　well　call　it　a　day。〃
　　　　Sarason's　expressionless　gaze　rested　on　the　empty　horizon　ahead。　Untypically；　he　acted　relaxed　and　quiet。　He　offered　no　ment。
　　　　〃It's　got　to　be　here；　〃Moore　said；　examining　the　islands　he　had　crossed　out　on　his　chart　as　if　he　had　flunked　a　test。
　　　　〃I　have　an　unpleasant　feeling　we　might　have　flown　right　by　it；〃　said　Oxley。
　　　　Now　that　he　saw　Moore　in　a　different　light；　Sarason　viewed　him　with　the　respect　one　adversary　has　for　another。　He　also　realized　that　despite　his　slim　frame；　the　professor　was　strong　and　quick。　Struggling　up　the　rocky　walls　of　promising　islands；　gasping　from　aggravated　exhaustion　and　playing　drunk；　was　nothing　more　than　an　act。　On　two　occasions；　Moore　leaped　over　a　fissure　with　the　agility　of　a　mountain　goat。　On　another；　with　seemingly　little　effort；　he　cast　aside　a　boulder　blocking　his　path　that　easily　equaled　his　weight。
　　　　Sarason　said；　〃Perhaps　the　Inca　sculpture　we're　looking　for　was　destroyed。〃
　　　　In　the　rear　seat　of　the　seaplane　Moore　shook　his　head。　〃No；　I'd　have　recognized　the　pieces。〃
　　　　〃Suppose　it　was　moved？　It　wouldn't　be　the　first　time　an　ancient　sculpture　was　relocated　to　a　museum　for　display。〃
　　　　〃If　Mexican　archaeologists　had　taken　a　massive　rock　carving　and　set　it　up　for　exhibit；〃　said　Moore　doggedly；　〃I'd　have　known　about　it。〃
　　　　〃Then　how　do　you　explain　that　it　is　not　where　it　is　supposed　to　be？〃
　　　　〃I　can't；〃　Moore　admitted。　〃As　soon　as　we　land　back　at　the　hacienda；　I'll　review　my　notes。　There　must　be　a　seemingly　insignificant　clue　that　I　missed　in　my　translation　of　the　golden　suit。〃
　　　　〃I　trust　you　will　find　it　before　tomorrow　morning；〃　Sarason　said　dryly。
　　　　Oxley　fought　the　urge　to　doze　off。　He　had　been　at　the　controls　since　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　his　neck　was　stiff　with　weariness。　He　held　the　control　column　between　his　knees　and　poured　himself　a　cup　of　coffee　from　a　thermos。　He　took　a　swallow　and　made　a　face。　It　was　not　only　cold　but　tasted　as　strong　as　battery　acid。　Suddenly；　his　eye　caught　a　flash　of　green　from　under　a　cloud。　He　pointed　out　the　window　to　the　right　of　the　Baffin　flying　boat。
　　　　〃Don't　see　many　helicopters　in　this　part　of　the　Gulf；〃　he　said　casually。
　　　　Sarason　didn't　bother　to　look。　〃Must　be　a　Mexican　navy　patrol　plane。〃
　　　　〃No　doubt　looking　for　a　drunken　fisherman　with　a　broken　engine；〃　added　Moore。
　　　　Oxley　shook　his　head。　〃I　can't　ever　recall　seeing　a　turquoise　military　aircraft。〃
　　　　Sarason　looked　up；　startled。　〃Turquoise？　Can　you　make　out　its　markings？〃
　　　　Oxley　lifted　the　binoculars　and　peered　through　the　windscreen。　〃American。〃
　　　　〃A　Drug　Enforcement　Agency　patrol　working　with　Mexican　authorities；　probably。〃
　　　　〃No；　it　belongs　to　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency。　I　wonder　what　they're　doing　in　the　Gulf？〃
　　　　〃They　conduct　ocean　surveys　all　over　the　world；〃　said　Moore　unconcernedly。
　　　　Sarason　stiffened　as　though　he'd　been　shot。　〃Two　scum　from　NUMA　wrecked　our　operation　in　Peru。〃
　　　　〃Hardly　seems　likely　there's　a　connection；〃　said　Oxley。
　　　　〃What　operation　did　NUMA　wreck　in　Peru？〃　asked　Moore；　sniffing　the　air。
　　　　〃They　stepped　outside　their　jurisdiction；〃　answered　Sarason　vaguely。
　　　　〃I'd　like　to　hear　about　it　sometime。〃
　　　　〃Not　a　subject　that　concerns　you；〃　Sarason　said；　brushing　him　off。　〃How　many　people　in　the　craft？〃
　　　　〃Looks　like　a　model　that　seats　four；〃　replied　Oxley；　〃but　I　only　see　a　pilot　and　one　passenger。〃
　　　　〃Are　they　approaching　or　headed　away？〃
　　　　〃The　pilot　has　turned　onto　a　converging　course　that　will　cross　about　two　hundred　meters　above　us。〃
　　　　〃Can　you　ascend　and　turn　with　him？〃　asked　Sarason。　〃I　want　a　closer　look。〃
　　　　〃Since　aviation　authorities　can't　take　away　a　license　I　never　applied　for〃　Oxley　smiled　〃I'll　put　you　in　the　pilot's　lap。〃
　　　　〃Is　that　safe？〃　Moore　asked。
　　　　Oxley　grinned。　〃Depends　on　the　other　pilot。〃
　　　　Sarason　took　the　binoculars　and　peered　at　the　turquoise　helicopter。　This　was　a　different　model　from　the　one　that　had　landed　at　the　sacrificial　well。　That　one　had　a　shorter　fuselage　and　landing　skids。　This　one　had　retractable　landing　gear。　But　there　was　no　mistaking　the　color　scheme　and　markings。　He　told　himself　it　was　ridiculous　to　think　the　men　in　the　approaching　helicopter　could　possibly　be　the　same　ones　who　appeared　out　of　nowhere　in　the　Andes。
　　　　He　trained　the　binoculars　on　the　helicopter's　cockpit。　In　another　few　seconds　he　would　be　able　to　discern　the　faces　inside。　For　some　strange；　inexplicable　reason　his　calm　began　to　crack　and　he　felt　his　nerves　tighten。

　　　　〃What　do　you　think？〃　asked　Giordino。　〃Could　they　be　the　ones？〃
　　　　〃They　could　be。〃　Pitt　stared　through　a　pair　of　naval　glasses　at　the　amphibian　seaplane　flying　on　a　diagonal　course　below　the　helicopter。　〃After　watching　the　pilot　circle　Estanque　Island　for　fifteen　minutes　as　if　he　were　looking　for　something　on　the　peak；　I　think　it's　safe　to　say　we've　met　up　with　our　petition。〃
　　　　〃According　to　Sandecker；　they　launched　their　search　two　days　ahead　of　us；〃　said　Giordino。　〃Since　they're　still　taking　in　the　sights；　they　can't　have　experienced　any　success　either。〃
　　　　Pitt　smiled。　〃Sort　of　gladdens　the　heart；　doesn't　it？〃
　　　　〃If　they　can't　find　it；　and　we　can't　find　it；　then　the　Incas　must　have　sold　us　a　wagon　load　of　hocus　pocus。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　think　so。　Stop　and　consider。　There　are　two　different　search　efforts　in　the　same　area；　but　as　far　as　we　know　both　teams　are　using　two　unrelated　sets　of　instructions。　We　have　the　Inca　quipu　while　they're　following　the　engravings　on　a　golden　mummy　suit。　At　the　worst；　our　separate　sets　of　clues　would　have　led　us　to　different　locations。　No；　the　ancients　haven't　misled　us。　The　treasure　is　out　there。　We　simply　haven't　looked　in　the　right　place。〃
　　　　Giordino　always　marveled　that　Pitt　could　sit　for　hours　analyzing　charts；　studying　instruments；　mentally　recording　every　ship　on　the　sea　below；　the　geology　of　the　offshore　islands；　and　every　variance　of　the　wind　without　the　slightest　sign　of　fatigue；　his　concentration　always　focused。　He　had　to　suffer　the　same　muscle　aches；　joint　stiffness；　and　nervous　stress　that　plagued　Giordino；　but　he　gave　no　indication　of　disfort。　In　truth；　Pitt　felt　every　ache　and　pain；　but　he　could　shut　it　all　from　his　mind　and　keep　going　as　strongly　as　when　he　started　in　the　morning。
　　　　〃Between　their　coverage　and　ours；〃　said　Giordino；　〃we　must　have　exhausted　every　island　that　es　anywhere　close　to　the　right　geological　features。〃
　　　　〃I　agree；〃　said　Pitt　thoughtfully。　〃But　I'm　convinced　we're　all　on　the　right　playing　field。〃
　　　　〃Then　where　is　it？　Where　in　hell　is　that　damned　demon？〃
　　　　Pitt　motioned　down　at　the　sea。　〃Sitting　somewhere　down　there。　Right　where　it's　been　for　almost　five　hundred　years。　Thumbing　its　nose　at　us。〃
　　　　Giordino　pointed　at　the　other　aircraft。　〃Our　search　buddies　are　climbing　up　to　check　us　out。　You　want　me　to　ditch　them？〃
　　　　〃No　point。　Their　airspeed　is　a　good　eighty　kilometers　per　hour　faster　than　ours。　Maintain　a　steady　course　toward　the　ferry　and　act　innocent。〃
　　　　〃Nice…looking　Baffin　seaplane；〃　said　Giordino。　〃You　don't　see　them　except　in　the　North　Canadian　lake　country。〃
　　　　〃He's　moving　in　a　bit　close　for　a　passing　stranger；　wouldn't　you　say？〃
　　　　〃Either　he's　being　neighborly　or　he　wants　to　read　our　name　tags。〃
　　　　Pitt　stared　through　the　binoculars　at　the　cockpit　of　the　plane　that　was　now　flying　alongside　the　NUMA　helicopter　no　more　than　50　meters　（164　feet）　away。
　　　　〃What　do　you　see？〃　asked　Giordino；　minding　his　flying。
　　　　〃Some　guy　staring　back　at　me　through　binoculars；〃　replied　Pitt　with　a　grin。
　　　　〃Maybe　we　should　call　them　up　and　invite　them　over　for　ajar　of　Grey　Poupon　mustard。〃
　　　　The　passenger　in　the　seaplane　dropped　his　glasses　for　a　moment　to　massage　his　eyes　before　resuming　his　inspection。　Pitt　pressed　his　elbows　against　his　body　to　steady　his　view。　When　he　lowered　the　binoculars；　he　was　no　longer　smiling。
　　　　〃An　old　friend　from　Peru；〃　he　said　in　cold　surprise。
　　　　Giordino　turned　and　looked　at　Pitt　curiously。　〃Old　friend？〃