atlantis.found-第74部分

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　He　nodded　at　the　bulge　in　Giordino's　coveralls。　〃How　about　you？〃
　　　　　〃One　of　the　Para…Ordnance　10＋1s　we　took　off　those　clowns　at　the　Pandora　Mine。〃
　　　　　〃At　least　you　have　good　taste。〃
　　　　　〃And　it　was　free；　too；〃　Giordino　said；　smiling。　Then　he　nodded　toward　the　main　buildings　of　the　shipyard。　〃Which　one　are　we　heading　for？〃
　　　　　Pitt　consulted　his　pact　directional　puter；　whose　monitor　was　programmed　with　the　layout　of　the　shipyard。　He　looked　up　the　road　running　adjacent　to　the　docks　on　one　side　and　bordered　on　the　other　by　giant　metal　warehouses。　He　pointed　at　a　twenty…story　building　rising　above　the　warehouses　a　good　mile　up　the　road。　〃The　tall　building　on　the　right。〃
　　　　　〃I've　never　seen　a　shipbuilding　facility　this　big；〃　said　Giordino；　staring　over　the　giant　plex。　〃It　beats　anything　in　Japan　or　Hong　Kong。〃
　　　　　They　stopped　suddenly　and　stared　at　the　nearest　supership；　like　yokels　from　the　boondocks；　heads　tilted　back　looking　up　at　their　first　view　of　tall　city　buildings。　An　executive　jet　aircraft　whined　in　on　its　approach　before　flaring　out　and　touching　down　on　the　long　landing　deck　atop　the　behemoth。　The　sounds　of　the　engines　echoed　across　the　water；　up　the　slopes　of　the　mountains；　and　back　again。　The　sight　was　staggering。　Even　the　most　sophisticated　Hollywood　special　effects　could　not　e　close　to　replicating　the　real　thing。
　　　　　〃None　of　the　shipyards　around　the　world　have　the　capacity　to　build　ships　this　grand；〃　said　Pitt；　standing　and　gazing　overwhelmed　at　the　gargantuan　ship　moored　along　the　dock；　its　hull　seeming　to　stretch　nearly　to　infinity。　No　single　building　on　earth；　including　the　twin　towers　of　the　World　Trade　Center　in　New　York　placed　end　to　end；　could　have　matched　the　inconceivable　size　of　the　Wolfs'　ark。
　　　　　Except　for　the　great　bow；　the　vessel　did　not　resemble　a　ship。　Rather；　it　looked　like　a　modern　skyscraper　laid　on　its　side。　The　entire　superstructure　was　sided　in　armored　and　tinted　glass　with　the　strength　of　low…alloy　steel。　Gardens　with　trees　could　be　seen　on　the　other　side　of　the　glass；　flourishing　amid　rock　gardens　set　in　large　parklike　atmospheres。　There　were　no　promenade　or　outer　decks　or　balconies。　All　the　decks　were　pletely　enclosed。　A　conventional　pointed　bow　swept　up　the　superstructure　on　a　gradual　angle　to　the　landing　deck　in　what　Pitt　recognized　as　an　apparent　strategy　to　reduce　the　crushing　impact　of　a　giant　tidal　wave。
　　　　　He　observed　the　stern　of　the　ship　with　more　than　a　passing　interest。　Beginning　at　the　waterline；　twenty　parallel　pierlike　projections　that　Pitt　reckoned　to　be　two　hundred　feet　in　length　extended　astern；　beneath　a　high　roof　supported　with　fifty…foot…high　Grecian…sculpted　pillars。　The　piers　doubled　as　shrouds　for　the　ship's　propellers　and　as　piers　to　moor　fleets　of　powerboats；　hydrofoils；　and　hovercraft。　Wide　staircases　and　glass　elevators　rose　from　the　forward　end　of　the　piers　into　the　main　superstructure。　Improbable　as　it　seemed；　the　gigantic　vessel　had　its　own　marina；　where　boats　could　be　moored　and　lifted　from　the　water　between　the　piers　when　the　ship　was　under　way。
　　　　　Pitt　studied　the　thousands　of　workers　who　crowded　the　docks　and　open　decks。　The　operation　to　fit　out　and　supply　the　ship　seemed　to　be　in　a　frenzied　rush。　Towering　cranes　rolled　on　rails　up　and　down　the　dock；　lifting　wooden　crates　into　huge　open　cargo　hatches　set　into　the　hull。　The　spectacle　was　too　unreal　to　grasp。　It　seemed　unbelievable　that　these　floating　cities　were　never　meant　to　sail　through　the　fjord　and　reach　the　sea。　Their　primary　purpose　was　to　survive　great　tidal　waves　before　being　carried　by　the　backwash　into　deep　water。
　　　　　There　was　no　slinking　in　the　shadows；　because　the　bright　lights　eliminated　them。　Pitt　and　Giordino　walked　leisurely　along　the　wide　road　quay；　waving　to　an　occasional　passing　guard；　who　didn't　give　them　a　second　look。　Pitt　quickly　observed　that　most　of　the　workers　moved　around　the　immense　facility　and　the　ships　in　electric　golf…type　carts。　He　began　looking　around　for　one；　and　soon　spied　several　parked　in　front　of　a　large　warehouse。
　　　　　Pitt　set　off　toward　the　carts；　followed　by　Giordino；　who　could　not　tear　his　eyes　from　the　ships。　〃This　place　is　too　vast　to　cover　on　foot；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Me；　I'd　rather　ride。〃
　　　　　The　battery…operated　carts　looked　to　be　available　to　any　worker　who　wanted　to　requisition　one。　Several　were　parked　around　a　large　charging　unit；　cords　running　to　sockets　beneath　the　front　seats。　Pitt　pulled　the　plug　on　the　first　one　in　line。　Throwing　the　electrical　spools　and　paint　cans　in　the　rear　cargo　bed　of　the　cart；　they　climbed　onto　the　front　seat。　Pitt　turned　the　ignition　key　and　set　off　as　though　it　were　a　procedure　he　had　executed　at　the　yard　for　years。
　　　　　They　drove　past　a　long　string　of　warehouses　until　they　came　to　the　tall　building　that　held　the　shipyard　offices。　The　entrance　of　the　second　dock　extended　from　the　road　along　the　shore。　The　second　floating　leviathan　that　was　moored　alongside　had　a　more　austere　appearance　than　the　one　that　was　expected　to　carry　its　residents　into　a　new　world。　This　vessel　was　designed　to　carry　agricultural　cargo。　Various　species　of　trees　and　shrubbery　were　hauled　aboard　in　big　trailers　that　were　pulled　up　wide　cargo　ramps　into　the　hull。　Hundreds　of　long　cylindrical　containers；　labeled　〃Plant　Seed；〃　were　stacked　on　the　dock　waiting　to　be　loaded　aboard。　A　long　convoy　of　farm　equipment；　trucks　and　tractors　of　different　sizes；　harvest　bines；　plows；　and　every　other　piece　of　machinery　imaginable　was　driven　inside　the　cavernous　hull。
　　　　　〃These　people　mean　to　launch　a　new　world　order　on　a　grand　scale；〃　Pitt　said；　still　trying　to　absorb　the　immensity　of　it　all。
　　　　　〃What　do　you　want　to　bet　one　of　the　other　ships　is　carrying　two　of　every　kind　of　animal？〃
　　　　　〃I　won't　bet；〃　Pitt　replied　curtly。　〃I　just　hope　they　had　the　foresight　to　leave　the　flies；　mosquitoes；　and　venomous　reptiles　behind。〃
　　　　　Giordino　spread　his　lips　to　make　some　suitable　eback；　thought　better　of　it；　and　stepped　out　of　the　cart；　as　Pitt　parked　it　beside　the　steps　leading　into　the　modern；　glass…walled　office　building。　Retrieving　the　electrical　cable　and　paint　cans；　they　walked　inside　and　approached　a　long　counter　manned　by　two　security　guards。　Giordino　flashed　his　most　sociable　smile　and　spoke　softly　in　Spanish　to　one　of　the　guards。
　　　　　The　guard　simply　nodded　and　threw　a　thumb　in　the　direction　of　the　elevators。　〃What　line　did　you　feed　him　this　time？〃　queried　Pitt；　as　they　stepped　inside；　but　not　before　he　peered　with　one　eye　around　the　elevator　door　and　spied　one　guard　pick　up　a　phone　and　speak　excitedly。　Then　he　stepped　back　and　the　doors　closed。
　　　　　〃I　said　we　were　ordered　by　one　of　the　Wolfs　to　make　electrical　repairs　behind　a　wall　in　the　penthouse　suite　on　the　tenth　floor；　then　mend　and　repaint　the　wall　when　we　were　finished。　He　didn't　give　me　the　least　argument。〃
　　　　　Pitt　scanned　the　elevator　for　TV　cameras　but　found　none。　It's　almost　as　if　they　have　no　fear　of　covert　actions；　he　thought。　Or　else　they　know　we're　here　and　have　laid　a　trap。　He　might　have　been　whistling　in　the　dark；　but　he　didn't　trust　the　Wolfs　as　far　as　he　could　throw　that　floating　monstrosity　outside。　He　also　sensed　that　the　guards　in　the　lobby　had　been　expecting　them。
　　　　　〃Time　for　an　ingenious　scheme；〃　he　said。
　　　　　Giordino　looked　at　him。　〃Plan　C？〃
　　　　　〃We'll　stop　on　the　fifth　floor　to　throw　off　the　guards　who　are　probably　monitoring　our　movements。　But　we　remain　inside　and　send　the　elevator　up　to　the　penthouse；　while　we　climb　through　the　roof　and　ride　up　the　rest　of　the　way。〃
　　　　　〃Not　half　bad；〃　said　Giordino；　pressing　the　button　to　stop　the　elevator　on　the　fifth　floor。
　　　　　〃Okay；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Hold　me　on　your　shoulders　while　I　climb　through　the　ceiling。〃　But　Pitt　made　no　move。　Though　he　did　not　detect　the　presence　of　TV　cameras；　Pitt　was　dead　sure　the　elevator　contained　listening　devices。　He　stood　quietly　still　and　grinned　darkly　at　Giordino。
　　　　　Giordino　immediately　understood　and　pulled　out　his　P…10　automatic。　〃Damn；　you're　heavy；〃　he　grunted。
　　　　　〃Give　me　your　hand　and　I'll　pull　you　up；〃　Pitt　said　quietly；　as　he　gripped　the　old　。45　Colt　in　his　right　hand。　Remaining　inside　the　elevator；　they　stood　on　opposite　sides　of　t