atlantis.found-第88部分

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tion　perfectly。　Nothing　has　been　left　to　chance　or　overlooked。　Every　contingency　has　been　considered　and　alternatives　prepared。　The　ships　are　in　total　readiness　for　the　onslaught　of　even　the　strongest　tidal　waves　anticipated　by　our　puter　projections。　All　that　is　left　is　for　the　rest　of　us　to　fly　to　the　Ulrich　Wolf　and　wait　for　the　resurrection。〃
　　　　　Karl　smiled。　〃You　will　have　to　go　without　me。　I　will　follow　later。　It　is　critical　that　I　oversee　the　final　preparations　at　our　mining　operation　at　Okuma　Bay。〃
　　　　　〃Do　not　be　late；〃　said　Elsie；　smiling。　〃We　might　have　to　sail　without　you。
　　　　　Karl　laughed。　〃Never　fear；　dear　sister。　I　have　no　intention　of　missing　the　boat。〃
　　　　　Rosa　raised　her　hand。　〃Did　the　American　scientist　decipher　the　Amenes　inscriptions　before　she　escaped　the　ship？〃
　　　　　Karl　shook　his　head。　〃Unfortunately；　whatever　information　she　discovered；　she　took　with　her。〃
　　　　　〃Can't　our　agents　retrieve　it？〃　asked　Bruno。
　　　　　〃I　fear　not。　She　is　too　well　protected　at　the　American　Embassy。　By　the　time　we　devised　a　plan　and　mounted　an　operation　to　seize　her　again；　it　would　be　too　late。　The　deadline　would　be　upon　us。〃
　　　　　Albert　Wolf；　the　paleoecologist　of　the　family；　who　was　an　expert　in　ancient　environments　and　their　effects　on　primeval　plant　and　animal　life；　motioned　to　speak。　〃It　would　have　been　most　beneficial　to　have　studied　a　narrative　by　those　who　lived　through　the　last　cataclysm；　but　I　believe　our　puter　projections　have　given　us　a　fairly　accurate　picture　of　what　to　expect。〃
　　　　　〃Once　the　ships　are　swept　into　open　water；〃　said　Elsie；　〃our　first　priority　is　to　ensure　that　they　are　rigidly　sealed　against　all　contamination　from　ash；　volcanic　gases；　and　smoke。〃
　　　　　〃You　may　rest　easy　on　that　problem；　cousin；〃　said　Berndt　Wolf；　the　family's　engineering　genius。　〃The　ship's　interiors　are　designed　to　bee　pletely　airtight　in　a　matter　of　seconds。　Then　specially　constructed　filtering　equipment　takes　over。　All　systems　have　been　exactingly　tested　and　have　proven　one　hundred　percent　efficient。　A　pure；　breathable　atmosphere　for　an　extended　period　of　time　is　a　confirmed　reality。〃
　　　　　〃Have　we　decided　on　what　part　of　the　world　we　will　e　ashore　after　it's　safe　to　do　so？〃　asked　Maria　Wolf。
　　　　　〃We're　still　in　the　process　of　accumulating　data　and　calculating　projections；〃　answered　Albert。　〃We　must　determine　exactly　how　the　cataclysm　and　tidal　waves　will　alter　the　world's　coasts。　It　will　be　mostly　a　matter　of　analyzing　the　situation　after　the　havoc　has　abated。〃
　　　　　Karl　glanced　down　the　table　at　his　kinsmen。　〃Much　will　depend　on　how　the　landmasses　have　changed。　Europe　may　bee　inundated　as　far　as　the　Urals　in　Russia。　Water　may　fill　the　Sahara　Desert。　Ice　will　cover　Canada　and　the　United　States。　Our　first　priority　is　to　survive　the　onslaught　and　wait　patiently　before　deciding　on　where　to　establish　a　headquarters　city　for　our　new　world　order。〃
　　　　　〃We　have　several　sites　under　consideration；〃　said　Wilhelm。　〃The　prime　considerations　are　a　port；　such　as　San　Francisco；　where　we　can　moor　the　ships；　preferably　a　location　with　nearby　land　suitable　for　growing　crops　and　orchards；　and　a　centralized　area　that　facilitates　transportation　and　the　spread　of　our　authority　around　the　new　world。　Much　will　depend　upon　the　extent　of　the　cataclysm。〃
　　　　　〃Do　we　have　any　idea　how　long　we　must　remain　on　board　the　ships　before　we　can　venture　ashore？〃　asked　Gerda　Wolf；　whose　expertise　was　education　and　who　had　been　chosen　to　supervise　the　fleet's　school　systems。
　　　　　Albert　looked　at　her　and　smiled。　〃Certainly　no　longer　than　we　have　to；　my　sister。　Years　will　pass；　but　we　have　no　way　of　predicting　exactly　how　long　it　will　take　before　we　can　safely　begin　our　conquest　of　the　land。〃
　　　　　〃The　people　who　survive　on　high　ground？〃　queried　Maria。　〃How　will　we　treat　them？〃
　　　　　〃There　will　be　pitifully　few；〃　replied　Bruno。　〃Those　who　we　can　find　and　round　up　will　be　placed　in　secure　areas　to　cope　as　best　they　can。〃
　　　　　〃We're　not　going　to　assist　them？〃
　　　　　Bruno　shook　his　head。　〃We　cannot　weaken　our　own　food　supplies　before　our　people　have　the　opportunity　to　subsist　off　the　land。〃
　　　　　〃In　time；　except　for　those　of　us　of　the　Fourth　Reich；〃　said　Max　Wolf；　〃the　rest　of　mankind　will　bee　extinct。　Survival　of　the　fittest。　That　is　the　way　of　evolution。　It　was　ordained　by　the　Fuhrer　that　a　master　race　would　someday　govern　the　world。　We　are　that　master　race。〃
　　　　　〃Let　us　be　honest；　Uncle；〃　said　Felix　Wolf。　〃We　are　not　fanatical　Nazis。　The　Nazi　party　died　with　our　grandparents。　Our　generation　pays　homage　to　Adolf　Hitler　only　for　his　foresight。　We　do　not　worship　the　swastika　or　shout　‘Heil'　in　front　of　his　picture。　We　are　our　own　race；　created　to　rid　the　present　world　of　crime；　corruption；　and　disease　by　establishing　a　higher　level　of　mankind　one　that　will　build　a　new　society　free　from　the　sins　of　the　old　one。　Through　our　genes；　a　new　race　will　emerge；　pure　and　untouched　by　the　evils　of　the　past。〃
　　　　　〃Well　said。〃　Otto　Wolf　spoke；　after　sitting　quietly　through　the　conference。　〃Felix　has　eloquently　summed　up　our　purpose　and　mitment。　Now　all　that　is　left　is　for　us　to　carry　our　great　quest　through　to　a　triumphant　conclusion。〃
　　　　　There　came　a　few　moments　of　silence。　Then　Karl　folded　his　hands　and　spoke　slowly。　〃It　will　be　most　interesting　to　see　the　conditions　around　us　this　time　next　year。　It　will　indeed　be　a　world　inconceivable　to　those　who　will　have　gone。〃
　
　　　　　A　small　enclosed　truck；　painted　white　with　no　logo　or　advertising　on　its　sides；　rumbled　past　the　terminal　of　the　Jorge　Newbery　city　airport；　located　within　the　federal　district　of　Buenos　Aires；　and　came　to　a　stop　under　the　shade　of　a　maintenance　hangar。　The　airport　normally　served　Argentina's　domestic　airlines；　including　those　that　operated　out　of　Paraguay；　Chile；　and　Uruguay。　None　of　the　flight　line　workers　seemed　to　take　notice　of　a　turquoise　executive　jet　with　〃NUMA〃　boldly　outlined　on　its　fuselage；　as　it　landed　and　taxied　to　the　hangar　where　the　truck　was　waiting。
　　　　　Three　men　and　a　woman　came　through　the　passenger　door　and　stepped　down　to　the　concrete；　which　was　heated　by　the　noonday　sun。　Just　as　they　were　about　to　reach　the　maintenance　office　door　of　the　hangar；　they　veered　around　the　corner　and　approached　the　truck。　When　they　were　thirty　feet　away；　the　rear　door　opened　and　four　United　States　Marines　in　battle　gear　jumped　to　the　ground　and　formed　a　perimeter　around　the　vehicle。　The　sergeant　in　mand　then　helped　Congresswoman　Smith；　Admiral　Sandecker；　Hiram　Yaeger；　and　a　third　man　enter　the　truck　before　reclosing　the　door。
　　　　　The　interior　of　the　truck　was　a　fortably　furnished　office　and　mand　post。　One　of　fifty　constructed　specifically　for　American　embassies　around　the　world；　it　was　designed　to　protect　and　aid　embassy　personnel　to　escape　their　pound　in　the　event　of　attack；　such　as　the　abduction　and　hostage　situation　in　Iran　during　November　of　1979。
　　　　　Pitt　stepped　forward　and　embraced　Loren　Smith；　who　was　shown　aboard　first。　〃You　gorgeous　creature。　I　wasn't　expecting　you。〃
　　　　　Pat　O'Connell　felt　a　stab　of　jealousy　at　seeing　Pitt　with　his　arms　around　Loren。　The　congresswoman　from　Colorado　was　far　more　attractive　than　she　had　imagined。
　　　　　〃The　admiral　asked　me　to　e；　and　there　were　no　pressing　votes　on　the　floor；　so　here　I　am；　even　if　it　is　for　only　a　few　hours。〃
　　　　　〃A　pity；〃　he　said　sincerely。　〃We　could　have　done　Buenos　Aires。〃
　　　　　〃I　would　have　liked　that；〃　she　replied　in　a　husky　tone。　Then　she　saw　Giordino。　〃Al；　it's　good　to　see　you。〃
　　　　　He　gave　her　a　peck　on　the　cheek。　〃Always　a　pleasure　to　see　my　government　at　work。〃
　　　　　Sandecker　climbed　in；　followed　by　Yaeger　and　the　stranger。　He　merely　nodded　at　Pitt　and　Giordino。　He　walked　directly　to　Pat　O'Connell。　〃You　don't　know　how　happy　I　am　to　shake　your　hand　again；　Doctor。〃
　　　　　〃You　don't　know　how　happy　I　am　to　be　here；〃　she　said；　kissing　him　on　the　forehead；　to　his　obvious　embarrassment。　〃My　daughter　and　I　are　in　your　debt　for　sending　Dirk　and　Al　to　rescue　us。〃
　　　　　〃I　didn't　have　to　send　them；〃　he　said　wryly。　〃They　would　have　gone　on　their　own。〃
　　　　　Yaeger　greeted　his　old　friends　and　Pat；　who　was　introduced　to　Loren　for　the　first　time。　Then　Sandecker　introduced　Dr。　Timoth