js&cs.thebridge-第31部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


fting　inside　the　water…sound。　As　they　listened　one　thing　became　clear。　It　was　no　accident。　It　was　too　plex　and　multi…timbral；　too　。。。　intelligent。
　　The　reactor　was　singing。
　　It　was　the　scariest　thing　they'd　ever　heard。
　　〃No；　no　no。〃　Henkel　sat　in　his　chair；　mumbling　a　mantra　of　pure　denial；　as　though　it　were　up　to　a　vote。　〃No；　no；　no；　no。　Not　liking　this。　Not　one　bit。〃
　　The　sound　reminded　him　of　something　he'd　read　back　in　college；　something　about　seductive　creatures　who　lived　in　the　water　and　sang　to　the　sailors　in　passing　ships。　He　reached　into　the　recesses　of　memory　for　the　name；　felt　it　slap　him　in　the　face　as　it　came　back。
　　Sirens。
　　While　over　the　speaker；　under　the　water；　an　amorphous　mesmerizing　chorus　shifted　in　and　out　of　focus。
　　Luring　them　onto　the　rocks　。。。
　　〃Shit；　what　do　we　do　now？〃　Henkel　said；　looking　like　a　man　who　wished　he'd　gone　into　another　line　of　work。
　　Behind　them；　Sykes　paced　in　tight　little　circles；　the　engineer　in　him　butting　heads　with　the　manager　until　it　produced　a　whanging　headache。　In　the　event　of　an　emergency　the　utility's　unwritten　policy　was　to　stay　on…line　until　the　shit　hit　the　fan；　and　not　to　go　public　until　things　were　either　under　control　or　uncontrollable。　In　the　post…Three　Mile　Island　industry；　emergency　procedures　were　clear　as　they　were　limiting：　do　not　guess。　Do　not　diagnose。　Treat　the　symptoms　only。
　　And　hope　that　that's　enough。
　　Sykes　looked　at　the　clock。　Twelve　fifty…eight。　〃The　hell　with　this；〃　he　said。　〃Trip　it。〃
　　He　turned　to　Jenkel。　〃Shut　down；　run　a　systems　check；　and　isolate　the　problem。　I　want　this　thing　up　and　back　on…line　ASAP。
　　〃Bob；〃　he　turned；　singling　out　the　younger　man；　〃get　ready　to　open　up　the　auxiliary　feed　lines　and　start　pumping。　Make　sure　we　maintain　the　shutdown　margin。〃　He　looked　around。　〃I'm　notifying　Biles。　The　clock　starts　now。〃
　　He　looked　around。　〃Well；　what　are　you　waiting　for？〃
　　Henkel　nodded；　relieved。　〃Not　a　thing。〃　He　went　over　to　the　switch…bank。　〃Shutting　her　down；〃　he　said。　〃Now。〃
　　Henkel　cut　power；　and　inadvertently　held　his　breath。
　　。。。　While　deep　in　the　reactor　vessel；　hundreds　of　yards　away；　the　magnetic　ratcheting　mechanism　de…energized。　Over　the　monitor　came　a　massive　pressed　roar　as　several　tons　of　control　rods　slammed　into　the　coolant　pool；　obliterating　the　song。
　　At　twelve　fifty…nine　precisely；　they　shut　the　reactor　down。
　　At　1　p。m。；　it　started　back　up。
　　All　on　its　own。
　　
　　
　　　Twenty…One
　　　
　　Home；　such　as　it　was；　was　a　low…slung　postmodern　split…level　with　a　shared　private　drive；　snug　on　the　low　tolling　hills　of　the　country　club's　sixteenth　hole。
　　Inside；　Blake　retreated　to　his　study。　It　was　a　quiet　sanctuary　with　a　southern　exposure；　recently　redone　in　ebony　inlay；　burnished　oak；　and　cloth…bound　special　editions。　A　small　fire　crackled　in　the　zero…clearance　fireplace；　scenting　the　air　with　hickory　and　redwood；　a　pair　of　bronze　dogs　nestled　before　it　on　the　sprawling　hand…carved　Aubusson　rug；　positioned　so　as　to　gaze　with　blind；　doting　eyes　on　the　face　of　their　master。
　　Blake　settled　in　behind　his　expansive　antique　barrister's　desk　and　brought　thumb　and　forefinger　up　to　pinch　the　bony　ridge　between　his　eyes。　A　tumbler　of　Chivas　and　a　bottle　of　Tylenol　sat　before　him；　awaiting　ingestion。
　　He　had　a　slight　tension　headache。　Nothing　serious；　but　enough　to　put　him　out　of　sorts。　Carol　had　toddled　off　to　her　tennis　lessons　after　performing　her　perfunctory　wifely　duties；　downstairs　the　stereo　thudded　with　the　ceaseless　caterwauling　their　deadbeat　son　called　music。
　　Butthole　something…or…anothers；　Blake　winced　in　recognition；　he　was　almost　able　to　distinguish　some　of　them　from　each　other　at　this　point；　through　sheer　osmosis。
　　He　sighed　mightily；　his　family　was　his　bane。　In　the　euphemistic　lexicon　of　talk…show　shrinks；　they　were　dysfunctional；　in　reality；　they　simply　hated　each　other。
　　Not　that　their　hate　was　simple。　Indeed；　it　was　a　richly　textured　blend　of　disappointment；　spoiled　ideals；　and　abcessed　emotion；　a　lifetime　in　the　making。　Werner's　climb　up　Country　Club　Road　had　been　at　the　expense　of　much　toil；　many　long　hours　at　the　office　and　on　the　road。　He　broke　his　back　to　provide　the　best　of　everything　for　his　loved　ones；　only　to　have　it　thrown　back　in　his　face。
　　Which　left　contempt　as　the　linchpin　of　the　Blake　family　dynamic。　It　was　virtually　the　only　thing　they　shared。
　　Fortunately；　the　house　was　large　and　sprawling；　big　enough　to　contain　three　lives　that　crossed　only　when　forced；　big　enough　to　afford　him　space　and　the　peace　to　contemplate　the　business　at　hand。
　　First　and　foremost；　a　follow…up　call。
　　Blake　punched　the　number　into　the　speakerphone；　downed　two　caplets；　and　waited　patiently　as　it　patched　through。
　　〃Hello？〃　A　child　answered；　a　young　girl；　from　the　sound　of　it。　Very　young。　Thea；　he　recalled；　Blake　made　a　point　of　always　remembering　names。
　　〃Hello；　Thea；〃　he　said；　modulating　his　tones。　〃Is　your　daddy　in？〃
　　〃Nope。〃
　　〃Can　I　speak　to　your　mommy；　please？〃
　　〃Hokay。〃　A　muffled　Mommmeee！
　　Then：　〃Hello　。。。　？〃
　　〃Marge；　it's　Werner。　Is　Harry　there？〃
　　〃No；〃　she　replied。　〃He's　at　the　office。〃　From　the　false；　deliberately　cheerful　tone　of　her　voice；　Blake　instantly　gleaned　two　things：　she　was　worried　about　her　husband；　and　she　had　no　idea　what　was　going　on。　〃He　said　he　left　some　papers　there。〃
　　〃Aha；〃　Werner　said；　nodding　to　himself。　Batting　one　for　two；　so　far。　〃Did　he　say　when　he'd　be　back？〃
　　〃No；　he　didn't；〃　she　offered。　〃But　he　left　right　after　we　got　back　from　church；　so　I'd　imagine　he's　still　there；　if　you　want　to　try　him。〃
　　Her　voice　trilled　and　cracked　on　the　word　try：　desperate　pleasantry　in　overdrive；　frightening　to　behold。　〃I　see；〃　he　replied；　leaning　back　in　his　chair　and　drawing　the　last　word　out。　〃Hmmm　。。。　〃
　　〃Werner？〃
　　〃Yes？〃
　　〃I　。。。　〃　She　paused；　as　he　knew　she　would。　This　was　taking　a　lot　out　of　her；　piping　up　like　this。　Meddling　in　her　husband's　affairs。　He　could　picture　her　easily　in　his　mind：　standing　in　her　kitchen　with　her　centurion　helmet　of　dense…sprayed　hair；　an　insect…headed　worker/wife　straining　against　the　rigid　confines　of　her　intelligence　and　experience。
　　All　she　knew　was　that　her　husband　was　hurting　inside；　which　was　most　certainly　true；　and　that　she　was　afraid　for　him；　which　he　had　no　doubt　was　true　as　well。
　　He　counted　the　beats　until　she　started　again。　He　was　correct　within　a　fraction　of　a　second。
　　〃I'm　worried　about　Harry；〃　she　said。
　　〃Mm…hmm。〃
　　〃He　won't　tell　me　what's　the　matter；　of　course…he's　a　very　private　person…but；　well；　you　saw　him　today。〃
　　〃Yes。〃　Acutely　sympathetic。　〃I　did。〃
　　〃He　looks　terrible。〃　She　paused　for　dramatic　effect。　He　could　picture　every　troubled　shake　of　her　head。　〃It　scares　me。　You　know　how　he　is；　with　his　heart　condition　and　all。〃
　　In　the　invisible　privacy　of　his　home；　he　could　smile　without　fear。　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I　didn't　know　about　that。〃
　　〃Oh；　yes。　He　nearly　had　a　stroke　last　March；　and　his　doctor　told　him　that　。。。　〃　she　began。　At　that　point；　it　was　safe　to　let　her　voice　phase　out　for　the　duration　of　the　litany；　throw　in　mm…hmms　at　the　appropriate　junctures。
　　He　needed　time　to　think。
　　The　thing　could　go　a　couple　of　ways；　he　knew：　one　bad；　the　other　worse；　but　you　played　the　hand　life　dealt　you。　It　was　just　a　matter　of　where　the　damage　stopped：　with　Leonard；　or　all　the　way　at　the　top。　Either　way；　Leonard　was　screwed；　so　humanitarian　concerns　weren't　even　part　of　the　discussion。
　　But　it　was　thoughtful　of　him　to　provide　the　heart　condition；　Blake　mused。　Either　way；　that　could　e　in　handy。
　　The　fascinating　story　of　Dr。　Deitrich's　healthful　hints　was　wrapping　up。　Time　to　tune　back　in。
　　〃　。。。　never　listens；〃　she　continued。　〃That's　why；　when　he　took　you　aside　in　church　。。。　〃
　　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　interrupted。　〃But　that's　pretty　much　why　I　called。〃
　　〃Oh？〃　It　was　her　rum　to　listen；　and　God　was　she　grateful。　Tell　me　something；　she　silently　pleaded。　Tell　me　what　I　want　to　hear。
　　He　hated　to　disappoint　her。　But　not　very　much。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃He　was　obviously　upset；　and　it　seemed　that　he　wanted　to　tell　me　something　important。　But　then　he　just