inca.gold-第8节

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　　　　〃Neither。　This　one　looks　to　be　a　few　months　to　a　year　old。〃
　　　　Do　you　want　to　retrieve　it？〃　asked　Giordino。
　　　　〃Not　yet。　We'll　wait　until　after　we　find　Doc　Miller's　people…〃　Pitt　suddenly　broke　off　as　he　was　struck　by　an　enormous　force　of　water　that　surged　into　the　pool　from　an　unseen　passage　on　the　opposite　wall　and　churned　up　the　silt　like　dust　whirling　around　a　tornado。　He　would　have　tumbled　out　of　control　like　a　leaf　in　the　wind　by　the　unexpected　energy　of　the　turbulence　but　for　his　safety　line。　As　it　was　he　barely　kept　a　firm　grip　on　his　dive　light。
　　　　〃That　was　a　hell　of　a　jerk；〃　said　Giordino　with　concern。　〃What's　going　on？〃
　　　　〃I've　been　struck　by　a　powerful　surge　from　nowhere；〃　Pitt　replied；　relaxing　and　allowing　himself　to　go　with　the　flow。　〃That　explains　why　the　silt　layer　is　so　shallow。　It's　periodically　swept　away　by　the　turbulence。〃
　　　　〃Probably　fed　by　an　underground　water　system　that　builds　up　pressure　and　releases　it　as　a　surge　across　the　floor　of　the　sinkhole；〃　Giordino　speculated。　〃Shall　we　pull　you　out？〃
　　　　〃No；　leave　me　be。　Visibility　is　nil；　but　I　don't　seem　to　be　in　any　immediate　danger。　Slowly　release　the　safety　line　and　let's　see　where　the　current　carries　me。　There　must　be　an　outlet　somewhere。〃
　　　　〃Too　dangerous。　You　might　get　hung　up　and　trapped。〃
　　　　〃Not　if　I　keep　from　entangling　my　safety　line；〃　Pitt　said　easily。
　　　　On　the　surface；　Giordino　studied　his　watch。　〃You've　been　down　sixteen　minutes。　How's　your　air？〃
　　　　Pitt　held　his　pressure　gauge　in　front　of　his　face　mask。　He　could　barely　read　the　needle　through　the　maelstrom　of　silt。　〃Good　for　another　twenty　minutes。〃
　　　　〃I'll　give　you　ten。　After　that；　at　your　present　depth；　you'll　be　looking　at　depression　stops。〃
　　　　〃You're　the　boss；〃　Pitt　came　back　agreeably。
　　　　〃What's　your　situation？〃
　　　　〃Feels　like　I'm　being　pulled　into　a　narrow　tunnel　feet　first。　I　can　touch　the　walls　closing　around　me。　Lucky　I　have　a　safety　line。　Impossible　to　swim　against　the　surge。〃
　　　　Giordino　turned　to　Miller。　〃Sounds　as　if　he　may　have　a　lead　on　what　happened　to　your　divers。〃
　　　　Miller　shook　his　head　in　anger。　〃I　warned　them。　They　could　have　avoided　this　tragedy　by　keeping　their　dive　in　shallow　depths。〃
　　　　Pitt　felt　as　though　he　was　being　sucked　through　the　narrow　slot　for　an　hour　when　it　was　only　twenty　seconds。　The　silt　cloud　had　faded　slightly；　most　of　it　remaining　in　the　deep　pool　behind。　He　began　to　see　his　surroundings　more　clearly。　His　pass　showed　he　was　being　carried　in　a　southeasterly　direction。　Then　the　walls　suddenly　opened　out　into　one　enormous；　flooded　room。　To　his　right　and　below　he　caught　the　momentary　flash　of　something　glinting　in　the　murk。　Something　metallic　vaguely　reflecting　the　silt…dimmed　beam　of　his　dive　light。　It　was　an　abandoned　air　tank。　Nearby　was　a　second　one。　He　swam　over　and　peered　at　their　pressure　gauges。　The　needles　were　pegged　on　empty。　He　angled　his　dive　light　around　in　a　circle；　expecting　to　see　dead　bodies　floating　in　the　darkness　like　phantom　demons。
　　　　The　cool　bottom　water　had　drained　away　a　measure　of　Pitt's　strength　and　he　could　feel　his　motions　being　sluggish。　Although　Giordino's　voice　still　came　through　the　earphones　as　clearly　as　if　Pitt　was　standing　next　to　him；　the　words　seemed　less　distinct。　Pitt　switched　his　mind　off　automatic　and　put　it　on　full　control；　sending　out　instructions　to　check　data　gauges；　safety　line；　and　buoyancy　pensator　as　if　there　were　another　Pitt　inside　his　head。
　　　　He　mentally　sharpened　his　senses　and　forced　himself　to　be　alert。　If　the　bodies　were　swept　into　a　side　passage；　he　thought；　he　could　easily　pass　them　by　and　never　notice。　But　a　quick　search　turned　up　nothing　but　a　pair　of　discarded　swim　fins。　Pitt　aimed　the　dive　light　upward　and　saw　the　reflective　glitter　of　surface　water　that　indicated　the　upper　dome　of　the　chamber　contained　an　air　pocket。
　　　　He　also　glimpsed　a　pair　of　white　feet。

　　　　Trapped　far　from　the　outside　world　in　a　prison　of　perpetual　silence；　breathing　in　a　small　pocket　of　air　millions　of　years　old　and　lying　smothered　in　total　blackness　deep　under　the　earth　is　too　alien；　too　terrible　to　imagine。　The　horror　of　dying　under　such　terrifying　conditions　can　provide　nightmares　on　a　par　with　being　locked　in　a　closet　full　of　snakes。
　　　　After　initial　panic　had　passed　and　a　small　degree　of　rationality　was　retrieved；　any　hope　that　Shannon　and　Rodgers　had　of　surviving　vanished　when　the　air　in　their　tanks　became　exhausted　and　the　final　spark　of　life　in　the　batteries　of　their　dive　lights　gave　out。　The　air　in　the　small　pocket　soon　became　foul　and　stale　from　their　own　breathing。　Dazed　and　lightheaded　from　lack　of　oxygen；　they　knew　their　suffering　would　only　end　when　the　watery　chamber　became　their　tomb。
　　　　The　underground　current　had　sucked　them　into　the　cavern　after　Shannon　had　excitedly　dived　to　the　bottom　of　the　sinkhole　after　glimpsing　the　field　of　bones。　Rodgers　had　faithfully　followed　and　exhausted　himself　in　a　frantic　effort　to　escape　the　surge。　The　last　of　their　air　had　been　used　up　in　a　vain　attempt　to　find　another　passage　leading　out　of　the　chamber。　There　was　no　exit；　no　escape。　They　could　only　drift　in　the　blackness；　held　afloat　by　their　buoyancy　pensators；　and　wait　to　die。
　　　　Rodgers；　for　all　his　guts；　was　in　a　bad　way；　and　Shannon　was　just　hanging　on　by　a　thread　when　suddenly　she　noticed　a　flickering　light　in　the　forbidding　water　below。　Then　it　became　a　bright；　yellow　beam　stabbing　the　blackness　in　her　direction。　Was　her　numbed　mind　playing　tricks？　Did　she　dare　entertain　a　glimmer　of　hope？
　　　　〃They've　found　us；〃　she　finally　gasped　as　the　light　moved　toward　her。
　　　　Rodgers；　his　face　etched　and　gray　with　fatigue　and　despair；　stared　blankly　down　at　the　approaching　light　beam　without　reaction。　The　lack　of　breathable　air　and　the　crushing　blackness　had　left　him　in　a　near　atose　state。　His　eyes　were　open　and　he　was　still　breathing；　and；　incredibly；　he　still　tightly　grasped　his　camera。　He　felt　a　vague　awareness　that　he　was　entering　the　tunnel　of　light　described　by　people　who　returned　from　death。
　　　　Shannon　felt　a　hand　grab　her　foot；　and　then　a　head　popped　out　of　the　water　less　than　an　arm's　length　away。　The　dive　light　was　beamed　into　her　eyes；　momentarily　blinding　her。　Then　it　moved　onto　Rodgers's　face。　Instantly　recognizing　who　was　the　worse　off；　Pitt　reached　under　one　arm　and　took　hold　of　an　auxiliary　air　regulator　that　was　connected　to　the　dual　valve　manifold　of　his　air　tanks。　He　quickly　slipped　the　mouthpiece　of　the　regulator　between　Rodgers's　lips。　Then　he　passed　Shannon　a　reserve　pony　bottle　and　air　regulator　that　was　attached　to　his　waist　belt。
　　　　Several　deep　breaths　later；　the　revival　in　mood　and　physical　well…being　was　nothing　short　of　miraculous。　Shannon　gave　Pitt　a　big　bear　hug　as　a　renewed　Rodgers　pumped　his　hand　so　vigorously　he　nearly　sprained　Pitt's　wrist。　There　were　moments　of　speechless　joy　as　all　three　were　swept　away　in　a　euphoria　of　relief　and　excitement。
　　　　Only　when　Pitt　realized　that　Giordino　was　shouting　through　his　earphones；　demanding　a　situation　report；　did　he　announce；　〃Tell　Doc　Miller　I've　found　his　lost　lambs。　They　are　alive；　repeat；　they　are　alive　and　well。〃
　　　　〃You　have　them？〃　Giordino　burst　through　Pitt's　earphones。　〃They're　not　dead？〃
　　　　〃A　little　pale　around　the　gills　but　otherwise　in　good　shape。〃
　　　　〃How　is　it　possible？〃　muttered　a　disbelieving　Miller。
　　　　Giordino　nodded。　〃The　Doc　wants　to　know　how　they　stayed　alive。〃
　　　　〃The　current　swept　them　into　a　chamber　with　an　air　pocket　in　its　dome。　Lucky　I　arrived　when　I　did。　They　were　minutes　away　from　using　up　the　oxygen。〃
　　　　The　crowd　grouped　around　the　amplifier　was　stunned　by　the　announcement。　But　as　the　news　sank　in；　relief　spread　across　every　face；　and　the　ancient　stone　city　echoed　with　cheers　and　applause。　Miller　turned　away　as　if　wiping　tears　from　his　eyes　while　Giordino　smiled　and　smiled。
　　　　Down　in　the　chamber　Pitt　motioned　that　he　could　not　remove　his　full　face　mask　and　converse。　He　indicated　they　would　have　to　municate　through　hand　signals。　Shannon　and　Rodgers　nodded；　and　then　Pitt　began　to　describe　visually　the　procedure　for　their　escape。
　　　　Since　the　lost　divers　had　dropped　all　of　their　useless　dive　gear；　except　for　face　masks　and　buoyancy　pensators；　Pitt　felt　confident　the　three　of　them　could　be　pulled　back　through　the　narrow　shaft　against　the　current　and　into　the　main　pool　by　his　phone　and　safety　line　without　plications。　According　to　the　manufacturers'　specs；　the　nylon　line　and　phone　cable　could　support　up　to　almost　six　thousand　pounds。
　　　　He　signaled　Shannon　to　wrap　one　leg　and　one　arm　around　the　line　and　lead　off；　breathing　through　her　pony　bottle。　Rodgers　would　repeat　the　step　and　follow；　with　Pitt　bringing　up　the　rear　close　enough　for　the　spare　regulator　to　reach　Rodgers's　mouth。　When　Pitt　was　sure　they　were　stable　and　breathing　easy；　he　alerted　Giordino。
　　　　〃We're　positioned　and　ready　for　escape。〃
　　　　Giordino　paused　and　stared　at　the　young　archaeology　students；　their　hands　gripping　the　safety　line；　poised　as　if　ready　for　a　tug…of…war。　He　studied　their　impatient　expressions　and　quickly　realized　he　would　have　to　keep　their　enthusiasm　and　excitement　in　check　or　they　might　haul　the　divers　through　the　rock　passageway　like　so　much　meat