atlantis.found-第118部分

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f　family。〃
　　　　　〃Nor　incur　our　wrath；〃　added　Elsie。　〃There　isn't　a　high　official　or　national　leader　who　doesn't　owe　our　family。　Our　exposure　will　be　their　exposure。〃
　　　　　〃We　cannot　be　imprisoned　like　mon　rabble；〃　said　Blondi；　her　voice　having　regained　a　measure　of　insolence。　〃The　family　is　too　spirited；　too　strong…willed。　We　will　rise　again；　and　next　time　we　will　not　fail。〃
　　　　　〃I；　for　one；〃　said　Giordino；　his　black　eyes　filled　with　scorn；　〃think　that　is　a　bad　idea。〃
　　　　　〃We'll　all　rest　easier　knowing　you　won't　be　around　to　have　a　hand　in　it；〃　said　Pitt　coldly。
　　　　　Karl　Wolf's　eyes　narrowed；　and　then　he　stared　out　over　the　icy　landscape。　〃I　believe　I　see　your　motive；〃　he　murmured　in　subdued　tones。　〃You　are　turning　us　loose　to　die　out　on　the　ice　floe。〃
　　　　　〃Yes。〃　Pitt　nodded　his　head　slightly。
　　　　　〃Not　dressed　for　frigid　temperatures；　we　won't　last　an　hour。〃
　　　　　〃My　guess　is　twenty　minutes。〃
　　　　　〃It　seems　I　underestimated　you　as　an　opponent；　Mr。　Pitt。〃
　　　　　〃I　have　this　theory　that　the　world　can　get　along　just　fine　without　the　chief　director　of　Destiny　Enterprises　and　the　family　empire。〃
　　　　　〃Why　don't　you　simply　shoot　us　and　get　it　over　with？〃
　　　　　Pitt　gazed　at　Wolf　with　the　briefest　of　pleasure　in　his　green　eyes。　〃That　would　be　too　quick。　This　way　you'll　have　time　to　reflect　on　the　horror　you　attempted　to　inflict　on　billions　of　innocent　people。〃
　　　　　There　was　a　slight　flush　on　Wolf's　temples。　In　a　supportive　gesture；　he　put　his　arms　around　his　sister's　shoulders。　〃Your　lecture　bores　me；　Mr。　Pitt。　I'd　rather　meet　death　by　freezing　than　listen　to　more　of　your　philosophic　drivel。〃
　　　　　Pitt　looked　thoughtfully　at　Karl　Wolf　and　his　sisters。　He　wondered　if　it　was　possible　to　make　a　dent　in　this　incorrigible　family。　The　loss　of　their　empire　shook　them；　but　the　threat　of　death　didn't　unnerve　them　in　the　least。　If　anything；　it　maddened　them。　He　looked　from　one　face　to　the　other。　〃A　word　of　warning。　Don't　bother　attempting　to　double　back　into　the　tunnels　or　the　mining　facility。　All　entrances　and　exits　will　be　guarded。〃　Then　he　made　a　gesture　with　his　old　Colt。　〃Start　walking。〃
　　　　　Blondi　looked　resigned　to　her　fate；　as　did　Karl。　Already　she　was　shivering　violently　from　the　biting　cold。　Not　Elsie。　She　lunged　at　Pitt；　only　to　receive　a　backhand　from　Giordino　that　knocked　her　to　her　knees。　As　she　struggled　to　her　feet；　helped　by　Karl；　Pitt　had　rarely　seen　such　a　look　of　pure　malevolence　on　a　woman's　face。　〃I　swear；　I'll　kill　you；〃　she　snarled　through　bloody　lips。　Pitt　smiled　ruthlessly。　〃Goodbye；　Elsie；　have　a　nice　day。〃　〃If　you　walk　fast；〃　said　Giordino　cynically；　〃you'll　stay　warmer。〃　Then　he　slammed　and　locked　the　door。
　
　　　　　Forty…eight　hours　later；　the　mining　facility　was　crawling　with　scientists　and　engineers；　who　began　studying　the　Wolfs'　nanotechnology　systems　while　making　dead　certain　the　network　to　break　off　the　ice　shelf　could　not　be　reactivated。　They　were　followed　by　an　army　of　anthropologists　and　archaeologists；　who　descended　on　the　ancient　city　of　the　Amenes。　Almost　all　were　former　skeptics　who　denied　the　existence　of　an　Atlantis…type　culture　before　4000　B。C。　Now　they　stood　and　walked　amid　the　ancient　ruins　in　reverent　awe；　gazing　at　the　grotesque　shape　of　the　pillars　under　ice；　unable　to　believe　what　they　were　truly　encountering。　Soon　they　were　cataloging　the　artifacts　found　in　the　damaged　aircraft　and　the　storage　rooms　in　the　tunnels　spreading　from　the　hangar。　After　being　carefully　crated；　the　artifacts　were　flown　to　the　United　States　for　conservation　and　in…depth　study　before　being　placed　on　public　display。
　　　　　Every　university　in　every　country　with　a　dedicated　archaeology　department　sent　teams　to　study　the　city　and　begin　removing　the　ice　that　had　shrouded　it　for　nine　millennia。　It　would　be　a　massive　project　that　would　continue　for　nearly　fifty　years　and　would　lead　to　other　undiscovered　Amenes　sites。　The　incredible　magnitude　of　artifacts　would　eventually　fill　museums　in　every　major　city　of　the　world。
　　　　　His　face　repaired　by　a　medical　team　flown　in　to　tend　and　evacuate　the　wounded；　Pitt；　along　with　Giordino；　greeted　Dad　Cussler　when　he　and　his　crew　arrived　to　disassemble　the　remains　of　the　Snow　Cruiser　for　shipment　back　to　a　restoration　shop　in　the　States。　They　acpanied　him　to　the　control　center　and　then　stood　back　with　heavy　misgivings　as　he　examined　the　vehicle　for　the　first　time　since　it　had　left　Little　America　VI。
　　　　　The　old　man　stared　solemnly　and　sadly　at　the　great　red　vehicle　that　was　battered　to　a　pulp；　riddled　with　bullet　holes；　tires　shredded　and　flat；　the　windows　in　the　control　cabin　shot　to　shards。　Nearly　three　full　minutes　passed　as　he　walked　around　the　wreckage；　examining　the　damage。　Finally；　he　looked　up　and　made　a　crooked　grin。
　　　　　〃Nothing　that　can't　be　fixed；〃　he　said；　pulling　at　his　gray　beard。
　　　　　Pitt　stared　at　him　bleakly。　〃You　really　believe　it　can　be　rebuilt？〃
　　　　　〃I　know　so。　Might　take　a　couple　of　years；　but　I　think　we　can　put　her　back　together　as　good　as　new。〃
　　　　　〃It　doesn't　seem　possible；〃　said　Giordino；　shaking　his　head。
　　　　　〃You　and　I　aren't　seeing　the　same　thing；〃　said　Cussler。　〃You　see　a　pile　of　junk。　I　see　a　magnificent　machine　that　will　one　day　be　admired　by　millions　of　people　at　the　Smithsonian。〃　His　blue…green　eyes　gleamed　as　he　spoke。　〃What　you　don't　realize　is　that　you　took　a　mechanical　failure　and　turned　it　into　an　astonishing　success。　Before；　the　Snow　Cruiser's　only　distinction　was　that　it　was　a　fiasco　and　didn't　e　close　to　achieving　what　it　was　designed　to　do。　And　that　was　to　carry　a　crew　in　fort　five　thousand　miles　over　the　ice　of　the　Antarctic。　It　floundered　almost　immediately　after　ing　off　the　boat　in　1930　and　lay　buried　for　seventy　years。　You　two　not　only　proved　her　a　triumph　of　early…twentieth…century　engineering　by　driving　her　sixty　miles　across　the　ice　shelf　in　the　middle　of　a　blizzard；　but　you　used　her　brute　size　and　power　to　prevent　a　worldwide　cataclysm。　Now；　thanks　to　you；　she's　a　priceless　and　treasured　piece　of　history。〃
　　　　　Pitt　gazed　at　the　huge　mutilated　vehicle　as　if　it　were　a　wounded　animal。　〃But　for　her；　none　of　us　would　be　standing　here。〃
　　　　　〃Someday；　I　hope　you'll　tell　me　the　entire　story。〃
　　　　　Giordino　looked　at　the　old　man　oddly。　〃Somehow；　I　think　you　already　know　it。〃
　　　　　〃When　she's　put　on　display；〃　said　Dad；　slapping　Pitt　on　the　back；　〃I'll　send　you　both　invitations　to　the　ceremony。〃
　　　　　〃Al　and　I　will　look　forward　to　it。〃
　　　　　〃That　reminds　me。　Could　you　point　out　whoever　is　in　charge　here。　During　our　crossing　from　the　ice　station；　my　crew　and　I　ran　across　three　frozen　bodies　about　a　half　a　mile　from　the　runway。　It　looked　like　they　were　trying　to　cross　over　the　security　fence　before　the　cold　caught　up　with　them。　I'd　better　report　it　so　the　remains　can　be　recovered。〃
　　　　　〃A　man　and　two　women？〃　Pitt　asked　innocently。
　　　　　Dad　nodded。　〃Funny　thing。　They　were　dressed　more　like　they　were　going　to　a　football　game　in　Philadelphia　than　to　survive　the　Antarctic。〃
　　　　　〃Some　people　just　don't　respect　the　hazards　of　frigid　climates。〃
　　　　　Dad　lifted　an　eyebrow；　then　reached　in　his　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　red　bandanna　half　the　size　of　a　pup　tent　and　blew　his　nose。　〃Yeah；　ain't　it　the　truth。〃
　
　　　　　Aircraft　were　landing　with　frequency；　unloading　scientists　and　military　personnel；　then　loading　Cleary's　wounded　along　with　the　injured　Wolf　security　guards　and　airlifting　them　to　hospitals　in　the　United　States。　Not　to　be　left　out；　the　nuclear　submarine　Tucson　navigated　her　way　through　the　cavern　into　the　ice…enclosed　harbor　and　moored　next　to　the　old　Nazi　U…boats。
　　　　　Captain　Evan　Cunningham　was　a　bantam　cock　of　a　man；　short　and　wiry；　who　moved　his　arms　and　legs　as　if　jerked　on　strings。　He　had　a　smooth　face　with　a　sharp　chin　and　Prussian　blue　eyes　that　seemed　constantly　in　motion。　He　met　with　Colonel　Wittenberg　and　General　Bill　Guerro；　who　had　been　sent　to　Okuma　Bay　from　Washington　to　take　mand　from　Wittenberg　and　oversee　the　growing　plexity　of　the　discovery。　Cunningham　offered　the　services　of　his　ship　and　crew　as　authorized　by　the　naval　chief　of　staff。
　　　　　Wittenberg　had　described　Pitt　to　Cunningham；　and　the　mander　had　sought　out　the　man　from　NUMA。　He　approached　and　intr