atlantis.found-第22部分

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r's　body；　〃you　and　your　family　will　have　to　leave　Telluride　and　disappear。〃
　　　　　Lisa　stared　at　her　husband　with　a　faraway　look　in　her　eyes。　〃That　small　hotel　surrounded　by　palm　trees　on　the　beach　at　Cabo　San　Lucas　we　always　wanted　to　buy。　。　。〃
　　　　　He　nodded。　〃I　guess　now　is　the　time。〃
　　　　　Pat　touched　Pitt's　arm；　and　he　turned　and　smiled　down　at　her。　〃Where　am　I　supposed　to　hide？〃　she　asked　softly。　〃I　can't　simply　drop　my　academic　career。　I've　worked　too　hard　to　get　where　I　am　with　the　university。〃
　　　　　〃You　life　isn't　worth　two　cents　if　you　return　to　the　classroom　and　your　research　studies；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Not　until　we　know　what　we're　facing。〃
　　　　　〃But　I'm　an　ancient　language　specialist；　you're　an　underwater　engineer。　Hunting　down　murderers　isn't　our　job。〃
　　　　　〃You're　right；〃　he　agreed。　〃Government　investigative　agencies　will　take　over　from　here。　But　your　expertise　will　be　invaluable　in　solving　the　puzzle。〃
　　　　　〃You　don't　think　this　is　the　end　of　it？〃
　　　　　He　slowly　shook　his　head。　〃Call　it　a　plicated　conspiracy　or　a　Machiavellian　plot　something　is　going　down　that　goes　far　beyond　mere　murder。　I　don't　have　to　possess　psychic　gifts　to　know　the　inscriptions　and　the　black　skull　inside　the　chamber　have　far　deeper　consequences　than　we　can　possibly　imagine。〃
　　　　　When　Sheriff　Eagan　arrived　and　began　questioning　Giordino；　Pitt　walked　outside　into　the　cold　night　and　looked　up　at　the　great　carpet　in　the　black　sky　that　was　the　Milky　Way。　The　Marquez　house　was　at　nearly　ten　thousand　feet　of　altitude；　and　here　the　stars　were　magnified　into　a　sparkling　sea　of　crystal。
　　　　　He　looked　beyond　the　skies　and　cursed　the　night；　cursed　his　helplessness；　cursed　the　unknown　murderers；　cursed　himself　for　being　lost　in　a　maelstrom　of　bewilderment。　Who　were　the　madmen　and　their　crazy　New　Destiny？　Answers　were　lost　in　the　night。　He　couldn't　see　the　obvious；　and　the　inevitable　became　remote　and　distant。
　　　　　He　knew　for　certain　that　someone　was　going　to　pay；　and　pay　big　time。
　　　　　He　began　to　feel　better。　Beyond　his　anger　lay　an　icy　confidence；　and　beyond　that　a　heightened　lucidity。　A　thought　was　already　forming　in　his　mind；　racing　and　developing　until　he　saw　clearly　what　he　must　do。
　　　　　First　thing　in　the　morning；　he　was　going　back　into　the　mines　and　bring　out　the　black　obsidian　skull。
　
　　　　　Unable　to　use　their　original　escape　route　because　of　the　booby　trap　explosive　that　had　collapsed　the　roof　of　the　tunnel；　a　team　consisting　of　Pitt；　Giordino；　Eagan；　Marquez；　and　two　deputies　traveled　the　course　Pitt　had　taken　from　the　Buccaneer　Mine　twenty…four　hours　earlier。　Relying　on　Pitt's　directional　puter　for　guidance；　the　men　quickly　reached　a　flooded　shaft　that　dropped　to　the　tunnels　below　and　led　into　the　Paradise　Mine。
　　　　　Pitt　stood　on　the　edge　of　the　shaft　and　stared　into　the　black；　ominous　water；　wondering　if　this　was　such　a　good　idea。　The　flooding　had　risen　two　mine　levels　higher　than　the　day　before。　During　the　night　the　pressure　from　far　below　had　slowly　diminished；　until　the　water　finally　found　its　level。
　　　　　Sheriff　Eagan　thought　he　was　crazy。　Pat　O'Connell　thought　he　was　crazy；　as　did　Luis　and　Lisa　Marquez。　Only　Giordino　refrained　from　calling　Pitt　crazy；　and　that　was　because　he　insisted　on　going　along　as　backup　in　case　Pitt　ran　into　trouble。
　　　　　The　dive　equipment　was　basically　the　same　as　that　Pitt　used　before；　except　that　now　he　intended　to　wear　a　dry　suit。　The　wet　suit　had　proven　practical　for　movement　out　of　water　and　protected　him　from　cold　during　the　hike　through　the　mines；　but　the　dry　suit　was　more　efficient　in　insulating　the　body　against　the　frigid　thermal　temperatures　of　the　underground　water。　For　the　hike　back　to　the　shaft；　however；　he　wore　warm；　fortable　clothing；　planning　to　change　into　the　dry　suit　only　when　it　came　time　to　go　under。
　　　　　Luis　Marquez　had　acpanied　the　expedition　after　recruiting　three　of　his　neighboring　miner　friends　to　help　carry　the　dive　equipment；　which　included　rope　ladders　to　ease　the　trip　through　vertical　shafts。　Sheriff　Eagan　firmly　believed　his　services　would　be　required　to　direct　a　rescue　operation　that　he　saw　as　inevitable。
　　　　　Pitt　and　Giordino　slipped　out　of　their　street　clothes　and；　for　added　thermal　protection；　pulled　on　nylon…and…polyester　inner　suits　that　were　shaped　like　long　john　underwear。　Then　they　climbed　into　Viking　vulcanized…rubber　dry　suits　with　attached　hood；　gloves；　and　traction…soled　boots。　Once　they　were　suited　up；　their　equipment　and　gauges　checked；　Pitt　glanced　into　Giordino's　face。　The　little　Italian　looked　as　unruffled　and　tranquil　as　if　he　were　about　to　dive　into　an　eight…foot…deep　swimming　pool。　〃I'll　guide　us　with　the　directional　puter　and　leave　it　to　you　to　focus　on　the　depression　tables。〃
　　　　　Giordino　held　up　a　depression　puter　strapped　to　his　left　arm。　〃Figuring　an　approximate　dive　time　of　thirty　minutes　in　water　one　hundred　and　ten　feet　deep；　at　an　altitude　of　ten　thousand　feet　above　sea　level；　took　a　bit　of　prodigious　calculation　for　our　depression　stops。　But　I　think　I　can　get　you　back　to　this　rock　garden　without　narcosis；　an　embolism；　or　the　bends。〃
　　　　　〃I'll　be　eternally　grateful。〃
　　　　　Pitt　pulled　on　a　Mark　II　full　face　mask　with　a　built…in　underwater　munications　system。　〃Do　you　read　me？〃　he　asked　Giordino。
　　　　　〃Like　you　were　inside　my　head。〃
　　　　　They　had　hauled　ten　air　tanks　into　the　mine。　For　the　dive；　they　each　carried　twin　tanks　strapped　to　their　backpacks；　with　a　reserve　tank　clamped　in　between　for　a　total　of　six。　The　remaining　four　were　to　be　lowered　by　Marquez　and　his　friends　at　predetermined　depths　as　reckoned　by　Giordino's　puter　for　the　depression　stops。　They　carried　no　weapons　except　their　dive　knives。
　　　　　〃I　guess　we　might　as　well　go；〃　said　Pitt。
　　　　　〃After　you；〃　Giordino　replied。
　　　　　Pitt　switched　on　his　dive　light　and　beamed　it　onto　the　smooth　surface　of　the　water。　He　kicked　off　from　the　edge　and　dropped　five　feet　through　the　air；　crashing　through　the　liquid　void　in　an　explosion　of　bubbles。　A　second　explosion　quickly　followed；　as　Giordino　emerged　out　of　the　gloom　beside　him。　He　made　a　motion　with　his　hand　downward；　doubled　over；　and　kicked　his　fins；　heading　into　the　depths　of　the　mine。
　　　　　They　swam　down；　down；　their　dive　lights　cutting　the　black　water；　revealing　nothing　but　cold；　hard　rock　walls。　They　went　slowly；　equalizing　the　increasing　water　pressure　in　their　ears　the　deeper　they　dove。　If　they　hadn't　known　they　were　diving　down　a　vertical　shaft；　they'd　have　sworn　they　were　swimming　inside　a　horizontal　drainpipe。
　　　　　At　last；　the　floor　of　the　gallery　at　the　bottom　of　the　shaft　appeared；　the　ore　cart　track　rising　to　meet　them；　rails　mute　and　cold　under　their　thick　film　of　rust。　The　turbidity　created　by　the　rushing　surge　after　the　explosion　the　day　before　had　dissipated　and　the　water　was　calm　and　clear；　visibility　reaching　at　least　fifty　feet。　Pitt　checked　his　depth　gauge　the　needle　stood　at　186　feet　and　he　waited　until　Giordino　leveled　out　slightly　ahead　of　him。
　　　　　〃How　far　from　here？〃　asked　Giordino。
　　　　　〃Ninety　to　a　hundred　yards；〃　Pitt　answered；　pointing。　〃Just　around　that　bend　in　the　tunnel。〃
　　　　　He　pumped　his　fins　and　darted　into　the　tunnel；　his　light　sweeping　back　and　forth　through　the　timbers。　They　rounded　the　bend；　moving　above　the　curve　of　the　ore　cart　tracks。　Suddenly；　Pitt　thrust　out　his　arm　and　abruptly　stopped。
　　　　　〃Switch　off　your　light！〃　he　ordered　Giordino。
　　　　　His　friend　plied；　casting　the　tunnel　into　smothering　blackness；　but　not　totally。　A　dim　glow　filtered　through　the　water　in　front　of　them。　〃I　think　we　have　poachers；〃　said　Giordino。
　　　　　〃Why　is　it　these　characters　materialize　every　time　I　blow　my　nose？〃　Pitt　groaned。
　
　
　　　　　There　were　two　divers　inside　the　chamber；　both　working　with　intent　and　purpose；　photographing　the　inscriptions　on　the　walls。　A　pair　of　underwater　floodlights　stood　on　stands；　illuminating　the　drowned　chamber　as　dazzlingly　as　a　Hollywood　studio　stage。　Pitt　gazed　upward　through　the　hole　on　the　floor　of　the　chamber；　staying　in　the　shadows　so　the　divers　inside　wouldn't　spot　a　reflection　from　the　glass　plate　in　his　full　face　mask。
　　　　　He　marveled　at　their　efficiency。　They　were　using　self…contained　breathing　units　that　absorbed