atlantis.found-第17部分

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　　　　　〃I　don't　like　leaving　you　here　alone　with　this　killer；　Doc。　I'd　prefer　that　you　ride　behind　me　until　we're　out　of　here。〃
　　　　　Ambrose　was　firm。　〃Those　bikes　don't　look　like　they　were　meant　to　haul　passengers。　I'm　damned　if　I'll　ride　on　one。　Besides；　you'll　be　traveling　over　rail　tracks；　making　it　unstable　as　hell。〃
　　　　　〃Have　it　your　way；〃　said　Pitt；　giving　in　to　the　obstinate　anthropologist。
　　　　　Pitt　crouched　and　removed　the　P…10　automatics　from　the　bodies。　He　was　anything　but　a　born　killer；　but　he　showed　little　remorse。　Only　a　minute　earlier；　these　men　had　been　intent　on　murdering　three　innocent　people　whom　they　had　never　met　an　act　he　could　never　have　allowed　to　happen　under　any　circumstances。
　　　　　He　handed　one　of　the　guns　to　Ambrose。　〃Stay　at　least　twenty　feet　away　from　our　friend；　and　stay　alert　if　he　so　much　as　blinks。〃　Pitt　also　gave　Ambrose　his　dive　light。　〃The　batteries　should　last　until　the　sheriff　es。〃
　　　　　〃I　doubt　if　I　could　bring　myself　to　shoot　another　human；〃　Ambrose　protested；　but　his　voice　came　with　a　cold　edge。
　　　　　〃Don't　look　upon　these　guys　as　human。　They're　cold…blooded　executioners　who　could　slit　a　woman's　throat　and　eat　ice　cream　afterward。　I　warn　you；　Doc；　if　he　looks　cross…eyed　at　you；　brain　him　with　a　rock。〃
　　　　　The　Suzukis　were　still　idling　in　neutral；　and　it　took　them　less　than　a　minute　to　figure　out　the　shift；　brake；　and　throttle　controls。　With　a　farewell　wave　to　Ambrose；　Pitt　roared　off　first。　There　was　no　room　for　the　machines　to　move　between　the　outer　rails　and　the　walls　of　the　tunnel；　not　without　scraping　the　handgrips　on　the　rough　granite。　Pitt　kept　his　wheels　in　the　center　of　the　rail　tracks；　closely　followed　by　Pat　and　Marquez。　Bouncing　over　the　rail　ties　with　rigid　suspensions　rattled　their　teeth　and　made　for　unfortable　riding。　Pat　felt　as　if　her　insides　were　being　shaken　around　by　a　laundromat　dryer。　Pitt　found　the　trick　was　to　find　the　proper　speed　that　gave　the　least　vibration。　It　worked　out　to　twenty…five　miles　an　hour；　a　speed　that　might　have　seemed　slow　and　safe　on　a　paved　road　but　was　quite　dangerous　inside　a　narrow　mine　tunnel。
　　　　　The　hard…rock　acoustics　made　the　exhaust　blast　echo　in　their　ears。　The　beams　from　the　headlights　hopped　up　and　down；　striking　the　rails　and　overhead　timbers　like　strobe　lights。　He　narrowly　missed　an　ore　car　that　was　sitting　on　the　tracks　and　partially　protruding　from　an　intersecting　tunnel。　After　riding　up　the　gentle　grade　of　a　lift　shaft；　they　reached　the　upper　level　to　a　mine　that　was　labeled　〃The　Citizen〃　on　Pitt's　directional　puter。　Pitt　rolled　to　a　stop　where　the　tunnel　met　another　at　a　fork　and　consulted　the　tiny　monitor。
　　　　　〃Are　we　lost？〃　Pat　queried　above　the　rattle　from　the　exhaust　pipes。
　　　　　〃Another　two　hundred　yards　down　the　tunnel　on　the　left　and　we　should　e　to　the　end　of　the　mine　tunnel　you　said　es　out　under　the　New　Sheridan　Hotel。〃
　　　　　〃The　entrance　to　the　O'Reilly　Claim　was　covered　over　a　hundred　years　ago；〃　said　Marquez。　〃We'll　never　get　out　that　way。〃
　　　　　〃Never　hurts　to　look；〃　said　Pitt；　shifting　gears　and　easing　the　clutch　on　the　Suzuki。　He　gave　the　bike　a　burst　of　speed　and　was　forced　to　brake　hard　within　two　minutes；　when　he　suddenly　confronted　a　brick　wall　that　solidly　blocked　the　old　mine　entrance。　He　came　to　an　abrupt　stop；　leaned　the　bike　against　a　timber；　and　studied　the　bricks　under　the　headlight。
　　　　　〃We'll　have　to　find　another　way；〃　said　Marquez；　as　he　pulled　alongside；　came　to　a　stop；　and　set　both　feet　on　the　ground　to　keep　the　bike　upright。　〃We've　e　out　at　the　basement　foundation　wall　of　the　hotel。〃
　　　　　Pitt　appeared　not　to　have　heard　him。　As　if　his　mind　was　a　thousand　miles　away；　he　slowly　reached　out　and　ran　his　hand　over　the　old　kiln　dried　red　bricks。　He　turned　as　Pat　stopped　her　bike　and　turned　off　the　ignition。
　　　　　〃Where　do　we　go　now？〃　she　asked；　her　voice　betraying　near…total　exhaustion。
　　　　　Pitt　spoke　without　turning。　〃There；〃　he　answered　offhandedly；　pointing　in　the　general　direction　of　the　brick　wall。　〃I　suggest　you　both　move　your　bikes　to　the　side　of　the　tunnel。〃
　　　　　Pat　and　Marquez　didn't　get　it。　They　still　didn't　get　it　after　Pitt　climbed　on　the　Suzuki；　revved　up　the　engine；　and　spun　gravel　under　the　rear　wheel　as　he　rode　back　into　the　tunnel。　After　a　short　minute；　he　was　heard　accelerating　down　the　tracks　toward　them；　the　Suzuki's　headlight　beam　dancing　madly　off　the　timbers。
　　　　　Marquez　reckoned　Pitt　was　doing　nearly　thirty　miles　an　hour　when　he　thrust　out　his　legs　and　dug　his　heels　onto　the　twin　ore　cart　rails　less　than　ten　yards　from　the　wall；　released　his　grip　on　the　hand　controls；　and　stood　up；　allowing　the　Suzuki　to　speed　on　from　under　him。　Slumped　backward　to　pensate　for　his　momentum；　he　actually　remained　upright　for　nearly　twenty　feet　before　his　feet　slipped　off　the　rails　and　he　folded　into　a　ball　before　tumbling　through　the　tunnel　like　a　soccer　ball。
　　　　　The　motorcycle　stayed　on　its　wheels；　but　was　just　starting　to　lie　on　its　side　when　it　crashed　into　the　brick　wall　with　a　protesting　screech　of　metal　and　a　cloud　of　dust；　before　bursting　through　the　old　decaying　bricks　and　vanishing　into　the　void　beyond。
　　　　　Pat　ran　over　to　Pitt's　body；　which　had　skidded　to　a　stop　and　was　sprawled　on　the　ground。　She　would　have　sworn　he　had　killed　himself；　but　he　looked　up　at　her；　blood　streaming　from　a　gash　on　his　chin；　and　grinned　like　a　madman。　〃Let's　see　Evel　Knievel　try　that　one；〃　he　said。
　　　　　Pat　stared　down　at　him　in　amazement。　〃I　can't　believe　you　didn't　break　every　bone　in　your　body。〃
　　　　　〃None　broken；〃　he　muttered　in　pain；　as　he　slowly　rose　to　his　feet。　〃But　I　think　I　bent　a　few。〃
　　　　　〃That　was　the　craziest　thing　I　ever　saw；〃　mumbled　Marquez。
　　　　　〃Maybe；　but　it　worked　better　than　I　expected。〃　Pitt；　clutching　his　right　shoulder；　nodded　at　the　hole　in　the　brick　wall。　He　stood　there；　getting　his　breath　and　waiting　for　the　pain　from　bruised　ribs　and　a　dislocated　shoulder　to　ease；　while　Marquez　began　pulling　away　the　bricks　loosened　by　the　bike's　passage　to　enlarge　the　entry。
　　　　　The　miner　peered　around　the　fractured　wall　and　aimed　his　miner's　lamp　inside。　After　a　few　seconds；　he　looked　back　and　said；　〃I　think　we're　in　deep　trouble。〃
　　　　　〃Why？〃　asked　Pat。　〃Can't　we　get　out　that　way？〃
　　　　　〃We　can　get　out；〃　said　Marquez；　〃but　it's　going　to　cost　us　big　time。〃
　　　　　〃Cost？〃
　　　　　Pitt　limped　painfully　to　the　opening　and　peered　inside。　〃Oh；　no；〃　he　groaned。
　　　　　〃What　is　it？〃　Pat　demanded　in　exasperation。
　　　　　〃The　motorcycle；〃　said　Pitt。　〃It　crashed　into　the　wine　cellar　of　the　hotel　restaurant。　There　must　be　a　hundred　broken　bottles　of　vintage　wine　flowing　down　a　drain　in　the　floor。〃
　
　　　　　Sheriff　James　Eagan；　J　R。；　was　directing　the　rescue　operation　at　the　Paradise　Mine　when　he　received　the　call　from　his　dispatcher　informing　him　that　Luis　Marquez　was　being　held　in　custody　by　the　Telluride　town　marshal's　deputies　at　the　New　Sheridan　Hotel　for　breaking　and　entering。　Eagan　was　incredulous。　How　was　this　possible？　Marquezs　wife　had　been　adamant　in　claiming　her　husband　and　two　others　were　trapped　inside　the　mine　by　the　avalanche。　Against　his　better　judgment；　Eagan　turned　over　mand　of　the　rescue　operation　and　drove　down　the　mountain　to　the　hotel。
　　　　　The　last　thing　he　expected　to　find　was　a　mangled　motorcycle　sitting　amid　several　cases　of　smashed　bottles　of　wine。　His　astonishment　broadened　when　he　stepped　into　the　hotel's　conference　room　to　confront　the　confessed　culprits　and　found　three　damp；　dirty；　and　bedraggled　people；　two　men　and　one　woman；　one　of　them　wearing　a　torn　and　tattered　diver's　wet　suit。　All　were　in　handcuffs　and　in　the　custody　of　two　deputy　marshals；　who　stood　with　solemn　expressions　on　their　faces。　One　of　them　nodded　at　Pitt。
　　　　　〃This　one　was　carrying　an　arsenal。〃
　　　　　〃You　have　his　weapons？〃　Eagan　asked　officially。
　　　　　The　deputy　nodded　and　held　up　three　Para…Ordnance　。45…caliber　automatics。
　　　　　Satisfied；　Eagan　turned　his　attention　to　Luis　Marquez。　〃How　in　hell　did　you　get　out　of　the　mine　and　wind　up　here？〃　he　demanded　in　plete　bewilderment。
　　　　　〃It　doesn't　matter！〃　Marquez　snapped　back。　〃You　and　your　deputies　have　got　to　go　down　the　tunnel。　You'll　find　two　dead　bodies　and　a　college　professor；　Dr。　Amb