atlantis.found-第26部分

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at　horn　on　the　icebreaker　and　shouted　over　the　inter　for　the　crew　and　scientists　to　brace　for　a　collision。　There　was　a　cloud　of　restrained　frenzy　on　the　bridge。
　　　　　〃e　on；　baby；〃　the　helmsman　pleaded。　〃Turn；　turn！〃
　　　　　Evie　stared　enraptured　for　a　few　moments　before　the　business　and　professional　side　of　her　mind　shifted　into　gear。　She　quickly　snatched　her　camera　out　of　its　case；　checked　the　settings；　and　began　snapping　pictures。　Through　the　range　finder　she　saw　no　crew　on　the　deck　of　the　submarine；　no　officers　standing　in　the　top　of　the　conning　tower。　She　paused　to　refocus　her　lens；　when　she　saw　the　submarine's　bow　slip　beneath　the　ice　pack　as　it　began　to　crash　dive。
　　　　　The　two　ships　closed。　Gillespie　was　certain　the　massive　reinforced　bow　of　the　icebreaker　would　crush　the　pressure　hull　of　the　submarine。　But　a　sudden　burst　of　speed　from　the　undersea　vessel；　the　quick　action　of　the　helmsman；　and　the　ability　of　the　Polar　Storm　to　make　sharp　turns　made　the　difference　between　a　near　miss　and　tragedy。
　　　　　Gillespie　ran　out　onto　the　starboard　bridge　wing　and　stared　down；　fearing　the　worst。　The　submarine　had　barely　dipped　under　the　surface　when　the　icebreaker's　bow　swung　over　her　stern；　missing　the　rudder　and　propellers　by　less　than　the　length　of　an　ordinary　dining　table。　Gillespie　could　not　believe　the　two　vessels　had　not　collided。　The　strange　submarine　had　disappeared　with　barely　a　ripple；　the　icy　water　slowly　swirling　in　a　whorl　and　then　turning　smooth；　as　though　the　submarine　had　never　been　there。
　　　　　〃My　God；　that　was　close！〃　the　helmsman　muttered　with　a　thankful　sigh。
　　　　　〃A　submarine；〃　said　Evie　in　a　vague　voice；　as　she　lowered　her　camera。　〃Where　did　it　e　from？　What　navy　did　it　belong　to？〃
　　　　　〃I　saw　no　markings；〃　said　the　helmsman。　〃It　certainly　didn't　look　like　any　submarine　I've　ever　seen。〃
　　　　　The　ship's　first　officer；　Jake　Bushey；　came　rushing　onto　the　bridge。　〃What　happened；　Captain？〃
　　　　　〃A　near　collision　with　a　submarine。〃
　　　　　〃A　nuclear　submarine；　here　in　Marguerite　Bay？　You　must　be　joking。〃
　　　　　〃Captain　Gillespie　isn't　joking；〃　said　Evie。　〃I've　got　a　photo　record　to　prove　it。〃
　　　　　〃It　wasn't　a　nuclear　sub；〃　said　Gillespie　slowly。
　　　　　〃She　was　an　old　model　by　the　look　of　her；〃　the　helmsman　said；　gazing　at　his　hands；　noticing　for　the　first　time　that　they　were　shaking。
　　　　　〃Take　the　bridge；〃　Gillespie　ordered　Bushey。　〃Keep　us　on　a　course　toward　that　ice　ridge　a　mile　off　the　starboard　bow。　We'll　drop　the　scientists　there。　I'll　be　in　my　cabin。〃
　　　　　Evie　and　Jake　Bushey　both　caught　the　distant；　puzzled　expression　on　the　captain's　face。　They　watched　as　he　dropped　down　a　panionway　to　the　passageway　on　the　deck　below。　Gillespie　opened　the　door　to　his　cabin　and　stepped　inside。　He　was　a　man　born　to　the　sea　and　a　lover　of　sea　history。　Shelves　stretching　around　the　bulkheads　of　his　cabin　were　filled　with　books　about　the　sea。　His　eyes　wandered　over　the　titles　and　stopped　at　an　old　ship's　recognition　book。
　　　　　He　sat　in　a　fortable　leather　chair　and　turned　the　pages；　stopping　at　a　photo　in　the　middle　of　the　book。　There　it　was；　a　picture　of　the　identical　vessel　that　had　suddenly　appeared　out　of　nowhere。　The　photo　showed　a　large　submarine　cruising　on　the　surface　not　far　from　a　rocky　coastline。　The　caption　underneath　read；
　
　Only　known　photo　of　the　U…2015；　one　of　two　XXI　Electro　Boats　to　see　operational　service　during　World　War　II。　A　fast　vessel　that　could　stay　submerged　for　indefinite　periods　of　time　and　cruise　nearly　halfway　around　the　world　before　surfacing　for　fuel。
　　　　　The　caption　went　on　to　say　that　the　U…2015　had　been　last　reported　off　the　coast　of　Denmark　and　had　vanished　somewhere　in　the　Atlantic　and　was　officially　listed　as　Fate　Unknown。
　　　　　Gillespie　could　not　believe　what　his　eyes　told　him。　It　seemed　impossible；　but　he　knew　it　to　be　true。　The　strange；　unmarked　vessel　the　Polar　Storm　had　nearly　sent　to　the　icy　bottom　of　the　bay　was　a　Nazi　U…boat　from　a　war　that　had　ended　fifty…six　years　　　　After　a　lengthy　conference　call　with　Admiral　Sandecker；　chief　director　of　the　National　Underwater　&　Marine　Agency；　and　Francis　Ragsdale；　the　recently　appointed　director　of　the　FBI；　it　was　agreed　that　Pitt；　Giordino；　and　Pat　O'Connell　would　fly　to　Washington　to　brief　government　investigators　on　the　strange　series　of　events　in　the　Paradise　Mine。　FBI　agents　were　dispatched　to　Pat's　home　near　the　University　of　Pennsylvania　in　Philadelphia　to　take　her　daughter　to　a　safe　house　just　outside　Washington；　where　they　would　soon　be　together。　Agents　also　swooped　into　Telluride　and　hustled　Luis　and　Lisa　Marquez；　along　with　their　daughters；　to　a　secret　location　in　Hawaii。
　　　　　Escorted　by　a　protective　ring　of　deputies；　courtesy　of　Sheriff　Eagan；　the　three　of　them　Pitt；　Giordino；　and　Pat　O'Connell　boarded　a　NUMA　jet　and　took　off　for　the　nation's　capital。　As　the　turquoise　painted　Cessna　Citation　Ultra　V　jet　banked　over　the　snow…mantled　peaks　of　the　San　Juan　Mountains　and　set　a　course　northeast；　Pat　relaxed　in　her　leather　seat；　reached　out；　and　took　Pitt's　hand　in　hers。
　　　　　〃You're　sure　my　daughter　is　safe？〃
　　　　　He　smiled　and　gently　squeezed　her　hand。　〃For　the　tenth　time；　she's　in　the　capable　hands　of　the　FBI。　You'll　have　her　in　your　arms　in　a　few　hours。〃
　　　　　〃I　can't　picture　us　living　like　hunted　animals　the　rest　of　our　lives。〃
　　　　　〃Won't　happen；〃　Pitt　assured　her。　〃Once　the　lunatic　nutcases　of　the　Fourth　Empire　are　rooted　out；　arrested；　and　convicted；　we'll　all　be　able　to　live　normal　lives　again。〃
　　　　　Pat　looked　over　at　Giordino；　who　had　fallen　asleep　before　the　wheels　lifted　off　the　runway。　〃He　doesn't　waste　any　time　drifting　off；　does　he？〃
　　　　　〃Al　can　sleep　anywhere；　anytime。　He's　like　a　cat。〃　He　held　up　her　hand　to　his　lips　and　give　her　fingers　a　light　kiss。　〃You　should　get　some　sleep；　too。　You　must　be　dead　on　your　feet。〃
　　　　　It　was　the　first　display　of　affection　Pitt　had　offered　since　they'd　met；　and　Pat　felt　a　pleasurable　warmth　course　through　her。　〃My　mind　is　too　busy　for　me　to　be　tired。〃　She　pulled　her　notebook　from　her　case。　〃I'll　use　the　flight　to　begin　an　initial　analysis　of　the　inscriptions。〃
　　　　　〃The　aircraft　has　a　puter　facility　in　the　rear　cabin；　if　it　would　be　of　any　help。〃
　　　　　〃Does　it　have　a　scanner　to　convert　my　notes　onto　a　disk？〃
　　　　　〃I　believe　so。〃
　　　　　The　fatigue　seemed　to　ebb　from　her　face。　〃That　would　be　a　great　help。　A　pity　my　film　was　ruined　after　being　immersed　in　the　water。〃
　　　　　Pitt　reached　down　into　his　pants　pocket；　retrieved　a　plastic　packet；　and　dropped　it　into　her　lap。　〃A　plete　photo　survey　of　the　chamber。〃
　　　　　She　was　quite　surprised　as　she　opened　the　packet　and　found　six　canisters　of　film。　〃Where　in　the　world　did　you　get　these？〃
　　　　　〃pliments　of　the　Fourth　Empire；〃　he　answered　casually。　〃Al　and　I　interrupted　their　photo　shoot　in　the　chamber。　They　were　finishing　up　when　we　arrived；　so　I'm　assuming　they　recorded　the　entire　text。　I'll　have　the　rolls　developed　first　thing　in　the　NUMA　photo　lab。〃
　　　　　〃Oh；　thank　you；〃　Pat　said　excitedly；　kissing　him　on　a　cheek　thick　with　stubble。　〃My　notes　only　covered　a　smattering　of　the　inscriptions。〃　As　if　he　were　merely　a　passing　stranger　on　a　busy　street；　she　turned　away　from　him　and　hurried　toward　the　aircraft's　puter　cabin。
　　　　　Pitt　eased　his　aching　body　from　his　seat　and　walked　forward　to　the　pact　little　galley；　opened　a　refrigerator；　and　lifted　out　a　soft　drink　can。　Sadly；　to　his　way　of　thinking；　Admiral　Sandecker　permitted　no　alcoholic　beverages　on　board　NUMA　ships　or　aircraft。
　　　　　He　stopped　and　stared　down　at　the　wooden　crate　that　was　firmly　strapped　in　an　empty　seat。　The　black　obsidian　skull　had　not　been　out　of　his　sight　from　the　time　he　carried　it　from　the　chamber。　He　could　only　imagine　the　empty　eye　sockets　staring　at　him　through　the　wood　of　the　crate。　He　sat　in　a　seat　across　the　aisle　and　raised　the　antenna　of　a　Globalstar　satellite　telephone　and　punched　a　stored　number。　His　call　was　linked　to　one　of　seventy　orbiting　satellites　that　relayed　it　to　another　satellite　that　relayed　the　signal　to　earth；　where　it　was　connected　with　a　public　telephone　network。
　　　　　Pitt　gazed　out　the　port　at　the　passing　clouds；　knowing　the　party　on　the　other　end　seldom　answered　before　the　seventh