atlantis.found-第50部分

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　　　　　He　gave　a　wave　and　rolled　into　the　water；　pushing　off　from　the　ice　with　his　finned　feet。　He　dove　and　leveled　out　at　ten　feet　while　he　vented　the　air　from　his　dry　suit　and　waited　to　see　if　its　heating　element　was　pensating　for　the　frigid　drop　in　temperature。　A　cautious　diver；　in　all　his　years　of　diving；　Pitt　had　rarely　encountered　problems　underwater。　He　constantly　talked　to　himself；　sharpening　his　mind　to　question　and　probe　his　surroundings；　and　monitoring　his　instrument　gauges　and　body　condition。
　　　　　Beneath　the　ice　pack；　which　was　a　little　over　three　feet　thick；　he　found　a　wildly　different　world。　Staring　upward；　Pitt　imagined　the　underside　of　the　ice　as　looking　like　the　surface　of　an　unknown　planet　deep　in　the　galaxy。　Transfused　by　the　light　filtering　through　the　ice；　the　flat　white　layer　was　transformed　into　an　upside…down　landscape　of　blue…green　frozen　mounds　and　valleys　covered　by　rolling　yellow　clouds　of　algae　that　were　fed　on　by　an　infinite　army　of　krill。　He　paused　to　adjust　the　flow　of　hot　water　before　looking　down　and　seeing　a　vast　green　void　that　faded　to　black　in　the　depths。
　　　　　It　beckoned；　and　he　dove　down　to　be　embraced　by　it。
　
　
　　　　　The　morbid　scene　slowly　revealed　itself　as　if　a　shadowy　curtain　had　parted　as　Pitt　descended　to　the　bottom。　No　kelp　or　coral　or　brightly　colored　fish　here。　He　glanced　upward　at　the　eerie　glow　drifting　from　the　ice　hole　above　to　orient　himself。　Then　he　paused　a　moment　to　switch　on　his　dive　light　and　probe　it　into　the　wreckage　while　he　equalized　his　ears。
　　　　　The　remains　of　the　U…boat　were　broken　and　scattered。　The　center　hull　beneath　the　conning　tower　was　terribly　ruptured　and　mangled　by　the　explosion　from　the　missile。　The　tower　itself　had　been　blown　off　the　hull　and　was　lying　on　its　side　amid　a　field　of　debris。　The　stern　appeared　attached　to　the　keel　by　only　the　propeller　shafts。　The　bow　section　was　twisted　but　resting　upright　in　the　silt。　The　soft　bottom　had　embraced　the　wreckage；　and　Pitt　was　surprised　to　see　nearly　twenty　percent　of　it　already　buried。
　　　　　〃I've　reached　the　wreck；〃　he　announced　to　Cox。　〃She's　badly　broken。　I'm　going　inside　the　remains。〃
　　　　　〃Take　great　care；〃　Cox's　disembodied　voice　came　back　in　Pitt's　earpiece。　〃Cut　a　hole　in　your　suit　from　a　sharp　piece　of　metal　and　you'll　freeze　before　you　reach　the　surface。〃
　　　　　〃Now；　there's　a　cheery　thought。〃
　　　　　Pitt　did　not　attempt　to　enter　the　vessel　immediately。　He　spent　nearly　ten　minutes　of　precious　bottom　time　swimming　over　the　wreckage　and　examining　the　debris　field。　The　warhead　had　been　designed　to　destroy　a　much　larger　target　and　had　left　the　submarine　almost　unrecognizable　as　a　seagoing　vessel。　Pipes　and　valves　and　smashed　steel　plates　from　the　hull　lay　as　if　thrown　about　by　a　giant　hand。　He　swam　over　body　parts；　passing　above　the　grisly　remains　as　if　he　were　a　spirit　floating　over　the　horrendous　aftermath　of　a　terrorist　bus　bombing。
　　　　　He　kicked　against　the　current　and　entered　the　crushed　hull　through　the　massive；　torn　opening　below　the　mountings　where　the　tower　once　stood。　Two　bodies　were　revealed　under　the　dive　light；　wedged　beneath　the　diving　controls。　Fighting　the　bile　that　rose　in　his　throat；　he　searched　them　for　identification；　finding　nothing　of　value；　no　wallets　with　credit　cards　or　picture　IDs　sealed　in　Mylar。　It　seemed　abnormal　that　members　of　the　U…boat's　crew　possessed　no　personal　items。
　　　　　〃Eight　minutes；〃　said　Cox。　〃You　have　eight　more　minutes　before　you　must　ascend。〃
　　　　　〃Understood。〃　The　warnings　usually　came　from　Giordino；　but　Pitt　was　deeply　grateful　to　the　big　bear　of　a　seaman　for　his　thoughtfulness。　It　saved　him　vital　seconds　when　he　didn't　have　to　perpetually　stop　and　shine　the　light　on　the　orange　dial　of　his　Doxa　dive　watch。
　　　　　Moving　deeper　into　the　black　of　the　hull；　shining　his　light　into　the　mass　of　tangled　steel　and　pipes；　he　worked　down　a　narrow　passage　and　began　examining　the　rooms　leading　off　to　the　sides。　All　were　empty。　Ransacking　the　drawers　and　closets；　he　could　find　no　documents　of　any　kind。
　　　　　He　checked　the　air　remaining　in　his　tanks　in　preparation　for　his　ascent　and　the　required　depression　stops。　Then　he　swam　into　what　had　been　the　wardroom。　It　was　badly　crushed　on　one　side　of　the　pressure　hull。　The　cupboard　and　chairs　and　tables　attached　to　the　deck　were　smashed　and　broken。
　　　　　〃Four　minutes。〃
　　　　　〃Four　minutes；〃　Pitt　repeated。
　　　　　He　moved　on　and　found　the　captain's　quarters。　With　time　running　out；　he　frantically　searched　for　letters　or　reports；　even　diaries。　Nothing。　Even　the　sub's　logbook　was　nonexistent。　It　was　almost　as　if　the　wrecked　sub　and　its　dead　crew　were　an　illusion。　He　began　to　half　expect　it　to　fade　and　disappear。
　　　　　〃Two　minutes。〃　The　tone　was　sharp。
　　　　　〃On　my　way。〃
　　　　　Suddenly；　without　warning；　Pitt　felt　a　hand　on　his　shoulder。　He　froze；　and　his　slowly　beating　heart　abruptly　accelerated　and　pounded　like　a　jackhammer。　The　contact　was　not　exactly　a　tight　grip；　it　was　more　like　the　hand　was　resting　between　his　arm　and　neck。　Beyond　shock　lies　fear；　the　paralyzing；　uncontrollable　terror　that　can　carry　over　into　madness。　It　is　a　state　characterized　by　a　plete　lack　of　prehension　and　perception。　Most　men　go　totally　numb；　almost　as　if　anesthetized；　and　are　no　longer　capable　of　rational　thought。
　　　　　Most　men；　that　is；　except　Pitt。
　　　　　Despite　his　initial　astonishment；　his　mind　was　unnaturally　clear。　He　was　too　pragmatic　and　skeptical　to　believe　in　ghosts　and　goblins；　and　it　didn't　seem　possible　for　another　diver　to　have　appeared　from　nowhere。　Fear　and　terror　melted　away　like　a　falling　quilt。　The　awareness　of　something　unknown　became　an　intellectual　awareness。　He　stood　like　an　ice　carving。　Then　slowly；　carefully；　he　transferred　the　dive　light　and　briefcase　to　his　left　hand　and　removed　the　dive　knife　from　its　sheath　with　his　right。　Gripping　the　hilt　in　his　thermal　glove；　he　spun　around　and　faced　the　menace。
　　　　　The　apparition　before　his　eyes　was　a　sight　he　would　take　with　him　to　the　grave。
　
　　　　　A　woman；　a　beautiful　woman；　or　what　had　once　been　a　beautiful　woman；　stared　at　him　through　wide；　sightless；　blue…gray　eyes。　The　arm　and　hand　that　had　tapped　his　shoulder　were　still　outstretched；　as　if　beckoning。　She　wore　the　standard　Fourth　Empire　black　jumpsuit；　but　its　material　was　shredded；　as　though　a　giant　cat　had　raked　its　claws　across　it。　Tentacles　of　flesh　strayed　from　the　openings　and　wafted　under　the　gentle　current。　A　finely　contoured　breast　was　exposed　by　the　torn　cloth；　and　one　arm　below　the　elbow　was　missing。　There　were　insignia　badges　of　rank　on　the　shoulder　straps；　but　Pitt　did　not　recognize　their　significance。
　　　　　The　face　was　strangely　serene　and　bled　white　by　the　cold　water。　Her　features　were　enhanced　by　a　mass　of　blond　hair　that　rose　and　floated　behind　her　head　like　a　halo。　Her　cheekbones　were　high　and　her　nose　slightly　bobbed。　Her　lips　were　loosely　open；　as　if　she　were　about　to　speak。　Her　blue…gray　eyes　seemed　to　be　staring　directly　into　his　opaline　green　eyes　less　than　a　foot　away。　He　was　in　the　act　of　pushing　her　away　as　if　she　were　a　demon　from　the　underworld；　when　he　thought　better　of　it　and　realized　what　he　must　do。
　　　　　He　rapidly　groped　through　her　pockets。　It　came　as　no　surprise　when　he　came　up　empty　of　identification。　Next　he　took　a　thin　cable　from　a　reel　that　was　hooked　to　his　weight　belt　and　tied　one　end　around　the　corpse's　booted　foot。　Then　he　ascended　through　the　huge　split　in　the　U…boat's　hull　and　headed　for　the　dim　aura　of　light　160　feet　above。
　　　　　After　his　depression　stops；　Pitt　surfaced　precisely　in　the　center　of　the　jagged　hole　in　the　ice　and　swam　over　to　the　edge　where　Cox　and　several　members　of　the　crew　had　gathered　around。　Evie　Tan　stood　nearby；　shooting　pictures　as　Pitt　and　his　bulky　dive　gear　were　pulled　from　the　water　onto　the　ice　by　several　strong　arms。
　　　　　〃Find　what　you　were　looking　for？〃　asked　Cox。
　　　　　〃Nothing　we　can　take　to　the　bank；〃　Pitt　replied；　after　his　mask　was　removed。　He　passed　the　line　to　Cox　that　led　down　into　the　water。
　　　　　〃Dare　I　ask　what's　on　the　other　end？〃
　　　　　〃I　brought　along　a　friend　from　the　U…boat。〃
　　　　　Evie's　eyes　stared　at　the　obscure　form　rising　from　the　depths。　As　it　surfaced；　the　hair　fanned　out　and　the