cc.fireice-第18节

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mped　at　the　chance　to　travel　to　exotic；　offbeat　places；　and　be　paid　pretty　well　for　it。　Okay；　that's　me。　How　about　you？　How　did　you　e　to　be　rescuing　maidens　in　distress　and　their　friends？〃
　
　Austin　gave　a　condensed　version　of　his　biography；　omitting　his　service　in　the　CIA；　stretching　a　fact　here　and　there　to　make　the　pieces　fit。　Kaela　listened　intently；　and　if　she　detected　his　effort　to　massage　the　truth；　she　didn't　show　it。
　
　〃I'm　not　surprised　that　you　like　fast　boats　or　that　you　collect　antique　dueling　pistols；　or　even　that　you　listen　to　progressive　jazz。　I'm　more　surprised　to　hear　that　you　study　philosophy。〃
　〃I　don't　know　if　study　is　the　right　word。　I　like　to　say　I've　read　a　few　books　on　the　subject。〃　He　paused　in　thought；　then　said；　〃　'One　cannot　conceive　anything　so　strange　and　so　implausible　that　it　has　not　already　been　said　by　one　philosopher　or　another。'　Rene　Descartes。〃
　〃Which　means？〃
　〃I　see　a　lot　of　strange　things　and　people　in　my　business。　It　gives　me　fort　to　know　that　as　far　as　philosophy　is　concemed；　there　is　nothing　new　under　the　sun。　Greed；　avarice；　evil。　And　conversely；　goodness；　generosity；　love。　。　。　Plato　once　said。　。　。〃　Austin　became　conscious　of　Kaela's　stare。　〃Sorry。　I　sound　like　a　professor。〃
　〃I've　never　met　a　professor　who　swoops　down　out　of　the　sky　to　do　single…handed　battle　with　a　bunch　of　cutthroats。〃　She　regarded　him　with　leveled　eyes。　〃Tell　me；　what　exactly　is　your　Special　Assignments　Team？　Somebody　mentioned　it　to　me　before　I　came　out　here。〃
　〃There's　no　'exactly'　about　it。　There　are　four　of　us；　each　with　an　area　of　expertise。　Joe　Zavala　is　a　marine　engineer　who　designs　many　of　our　vehicles。　The　ultralight　I　flew　in　on　was　his　creation。　He　can　pilot　anything　under　or　above　the　sea。　Paul　Trout　is　a　deep…ocean　geologist　with　credentials　from　Woods　Hole　Oceanographic　and　Scripps　Institute。
　
　His　wife；　Gamay；　is　a　diver　and　marine　biologist　with　a　background　in　nautical　archaeology。〃
　〃Impressive。　You　still　haven't　told　me　what　your　team　does。〃
　〃Depends。　In　general；　we　handle　undersea　assignments　that　tend　to　be　other　than　routine。〃　Austin　failed　to　mention　that　those　assignments　often　took　place　secretly；　outside　the　realm　of　government　oversight。
　
　She　snapped　her　fingers。　〃Of　course。　Now　I　remember。　The　Christopher　Columbus　tomb　in　the　Yucatan。　You　were　involved　in　its　discovery。〃
　〃Somewhat。　It　was　a　NUMA　project。〃
　〃Fascinating；〃　Kaela　said。　〃I'd　like　to　do　a　story　on　your　team。〃
　〃The　NUMA　Public　Affairs　Department　would　love　it。　Favorable　publicity　es　in　handy　when　we　go　before　Congress　with　our　budget。　Give　them　a　jingle　when　you　get　back。　I'll　be　glad　to　help。〃
　〃Thanks；　I'd　appreciate　that　very　much。〃
　〃Now　let　me　ask　you　a　question。　What　do　you　intend　to　do　with　the　footage　your　crew　filmed　back　in　Russia？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　she　said；　with　a　furrowed　brow。　〃We　don't　have　much　except　the　dead　body　of　a　guy　dressed　up　like　a　doorman　at　a　Russian　nightclub。〃　She　broke　out　in　laughter。　〃Not　that　the　lack　of　facts　ever　discouraged　Unbelievable　Mysteries　from　cooking　up　a　story。〃
　〃Maybe　he's　one　of　those　UFO　aliens　you're　always　finding；〃　Austin　offered。
　
　〃Not　with　that　sword。〃　Kaela　shuddered　at　the　memory。　〃Seriously；　Kurt；　what's　your　take　on　this　whole　thing？　Who　were　those　guys　and　why　were　they　so　touchy　about　an　abandoned　sub　base　left　over　from　the　Cold　War？〃
　
　Austin　shook　his　head。　〃I　can't　answer　those　questions。〃
　〃You　must　have　given　it　some　thought。〃
　〃Of　course。　I　don't　have　to　be　Sherlock　Holmes　to　conclude　that　there's　something　there　that　someone　didn't　want　us　to　see。　I　just　don't　know　what　it　could　be。〃
　〃There's　one　way　to　find　out；〃　Kaela　said。　〃Go　back　for　a　look。〃
　
　
　〃I　don't　think　that　would　be　wise。〃　Austin　ticked　off　the　reasons　on　his　fingers。　〃We　can　sit　here　and　laugh　at　a　bunch　of　guys　who　look　as　if　they　came　out　of　a　production　of　Boris　Godunov；　but　dumb　luck　is　the　only　reason　we're　still　alive。　Second；　since　you　don't　have　Russian　visas　you　would　have　to　enter　the　country　illegally。　Third；　you　don't　have　a　way　to　get　there。〃
　
　Kaela　countered　each　point　on　her　own　fingers；　〃I　appreciate　your　concern；　but　first；　we'd　be　more　prepared　than　we　were　and　would　get　out　in　a　hurry　at　the　first　hint　of　danger。　Second；　lack　of　a　visa　didn't　stop　you　from　landing　on　Russian　soil；　And　third；　if　I　can't　get　Captain　Kemal　to　go　back；　I'm　sure　other　fishermen　are　willing　to　earn　in　a　couple　of　days　what　it　takes　them　a　year　to　make　otherwise。〃
　
　Austin　laced　his　hands　behind　his　head；　〃You　don't　discourage　easily。〃
　〃I　don't　intend　to　stay　with　Unbelievable　Mysteries　forever；　A　story　like　this　could　be　my　ticket　to　a　big　job　with　a　major　network。〃
　〃So　much　for　my　incredible　powers　of　persuasion；〃　Austin　said。　〃Since　you　appear　to　have　your　mind　made　up；　maybe　I　can　convince　you　to　acpany　me　on　a　tour　of　Istanbul　at　night；　Topkapi　Palace　is　a　must…see；　and　there　are　some　great　shops　around　the　Sulemaniye　Mosque　where　you　can　pick　up　some　gifts　for　the　folks　back　home；　We　can　wrap　up　the　evening　with　dinner　on　board　one　of　the　Lufer　boats。〃
　〃Another　four…star　chef。〃
　〃Not　quite；　but　the　scenery　is　special。〃
　〃I'm　staying　at　the　Marmara　Hotel　on　Taksim　Square。〃
　〃I　know　where　it　is；　How　about　seven　o'clock　the　day　we　dock？〃
　〃I'll　be　looking　forward　to　it；〃　Austin　saw　little　of　Kaela　the　rest　of　the　trip；　She　was　busy　with　her　two　colleagues　interviewing　the　captain　and　crew　or　working　on　background　for　Noah；　He　contacted　NUMA　headquarters　and　filed　a　report　on　the　Russian　incident　and　spent　the　rest　of　the　time　trying　to　piece　the　Gooney　back　together。　The　Argo　made　good　time；　and　before　long　they　were　making　their　passage　past　the　villages　and　old　forts　along　the　Bosporus。
　
　
　THE　TWO…HOUR　PASSAGE　through　the　Bosporus　was　never　dull。　The　narrow　seventeen…mile　waterway　is　considered　the　world's　most　dangerous　strait。　Captain　At…　wood　threaded　the　Argo　around　tankers；　ferries　and　passenger　boats　as　he　made　the　twelve　course　changes　necessary　during　the　final　leg　of　the　voyage。　The　strong　current　that　ran　from　the　Black　Sea　to　the　Sea　of　Marmara　made　life　even　more　interesting。　Those　on　board　let　out　a　collective　sigh　of　relief　as　the　survey　ship　passed　the　ferry　terminals　and　cruise…ship　docks　to　tie　alongside　a　pier　near　the　Galata　Bridge。
　
　From　the　ship；　Austin　watched　the　television　crew　stuff　its　gear　into　a　cab。　Kaela　waved　good…bye；　and　the　cab　headed　away　from　the　waterfront。　He　walked　around　the　deck；　taking　in　the　view　of　the　bridge　guarding　the　mouth　of　the　Golden　Horn；　and　the　sprawling　Topkapi　Palace　built　for　Sultan　Mehmet　II　in　the　1400s。　In　the　distance　he　could　see　the　minarets　of　the　Hagia　Sophia　and　the　Blue　Mosque。
　
　He　went　back　to　his　cabin　and　caught　up　on　paperwork；　then　showered　and　exchanged　his　shorts　and　sweatshirt　for　casual　slacks　and　a　light　cotton　sweater。　Near　dinnertime；　he　walked　down　the　gangway　and　made　his　way　to　the　street　to　look　for　a　cab。　A　taxi　pulled　up　beside　him。　It　was　a　vintage　Chevrolet；　circa　1950s。　There　were　passengers　in　the　car；　which　identified　it　as　a　dolmus；　meaning　〃stuffed〃　in　Turkish。　Unlike　the　regular　cabs；　these　taxis　crammed　in　as　many　passengers　as　they　could　fit。
　
　Austin　got　into　the　backseat　with　two　other　passengers　who　made　space　between　them。　A　heavyset　man　sat　on　a　jump　seat　and　a　fifth　passenger　occupied　the　front　seat　next　to　the　meter。　Austin　told　the　driver　to　take　him　to　the　Taksim　Square。　He　had　visited　Istanbul　several　times　on　NUMA　assignments　and　knew　the　city　fairly　well。　When　the　cab　went　a　roundabout　route；　Austin　thought　it　was　simply　to　acmodate　the　other　passengers。　But　nobody　got　off。　The　cab　started　to　head　away　from　Taksim　Square　and；　suspecting　the　driver　was　trying　to　jack　up　the　fare；　Austin　leaned　forward　and　asked　him　where　he　was　going。
　
　The　driver　stared　silently　ahead；　but　the　man　in　the　front　seat　turned　around。　He　had　a　wide；　brutish　face　that　even　a　mother　couldn't　love。　Austin's　eyes　lingered　on　the　passenger's　features　for　only　a　second　before　shifting　to　the　gun　in　the　man's　hand。
　
　〃Silence！〃　the　man　growled。　The　men　sitting　next　to　Austin　pulled　him　back　by　the　shoulders。　A　long…bladed　knife　pointed　at　his　right　eye。　The　cab　accelerated　at　neck…snapping　speed；　exited　from　the　traffic　stream　and　plunged　into　a　dark　maze　of　narrow　cobblestone　lanes。
　
　They　headed　away　from　the　waterfront；　skirting　Karakoy　and　the　police　squads　who　monitored　the　official　red…light　district。　Austin　glanced　longingly　at　the　restaurant　lights　at　the　top　of　Galata　Tower。　Then　the　taxi　was　moving　along　the　Istikal　Caddesi；　weaving　in　and　out　of　traffic；　past　the　nightclubs；　movie　theaters　and　unregulated　brothels　that　lined　the　gaudy　strip。　The　cab　spun　off　the　main　drag　and　climbed　a　hill　into　Bozoglu；　where　all　the　old　European　embassies　were　housed　during　the　Ottoman　Empire；　and　executed　a　series　of　squealing　turns。
　
　The　car　stayed　upright　despite　the　protesting　tires；　which　told　Austin　that　the　driver　was　a　professional　who　knew　the　limits　of　his　vehicle。　There　had　been　no　attempt　to　blindfold　Austin；　and　he　wondered　if　this　meant　he　had　a　one…way　ticket　to　obli