cc.fireice-第35节

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　Trout　smiled　at　Yuri's　use　of　the　proper　title　before　his　father's　name。　〃You　should　have　no　problem。　Your　English　is　excellent。〃
　〃Thank　you。　My　parents　used　to　have　American　exchange　students　stay　with　us。〃　He　pointed　in　the　opposite　direction　from　the　one　the　Trouts　wanted　to　take。　〃It's　pretty　nice　along　the　coast　here。　Are　you　bird…watchers？〃
　
　Gamay　saw　their　mission　going　astray。　〃Actually；　Yuri；〃　she　said　sweetly；　〃we　were　hoping　to　go　to　Novorossiysk。〃
　
　A　look　of　amused　amazement　crossed　Yuri's　young　face。　〃Novorossiysk？　Are　you　sure？　The　coast　the　other　way　is　much　prettier。〃
　
　Paul　picked　up　on　Gamay's　cue。　〃We　do　a　lot　of　bird…watching　in　the　Virginia　countryside；　but　as　an　ocean　geologist　I'm　more　interested　in　deep…sea　mining。　I　understand　one　of　the　largest　ocean　mining　panies　in　the　world　has　its　headquarters　in　Novorossiysk。〃
　〃Sure。　You're　talking　about　Ataman　Industries。　They're　huge。　I'm　doing　my　grad　work　in　ecological　mining；　and　I　may　apply　for　a　job　there　myself　when　I　get　out　of　school。〃
　〃Then　you'll　understand　why　I'd　be　interested　in　taking　a　look　at　their　facilities。〃　
　
　〃Absolutely。　Too　bad　I　didn't　know　earlier。　Maybe　we　could　have　set　up　a　tour　with　them。　You　can't　get　a　good　idea　of　the　scale　of　their　operation　from　the　water。〃　Yuri　grinned　with　relief。　〃I　like　birds；　too；　but　not　that　much。〃
　
　Gamay　said；　〃I'm　a　marine　biologist。　Fish　and　plants　are　my　game；　but　I　think　it　would　be　interesting　to　go　to　Novorossiysk。〃
　〃That　settles　it；　then；〃　Paul　said。　Yuri　goosed　the　throttle　and　brought　the　boat　around　in　a　big；　lazy　turn。　He　stayed　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　offshore　on　a　course　roughly　parallel　to　the　coast。　After　a　while；　the　woods　began　to　thin　out；　giving　way　to　coastal　plain　and　high；　rolling　hills。　The　beach　was　replaced　by　extensive　reed…grown　marshes　and　meandering　creeks。
　
　Paul　and　Gamay　sat　side　by　side　on　the　center　seat　as　the　powerboat　plowed　through　the　sun…sparkled　sea。　The　boat　was　around　eighteen　feet　long　and　built　like　a　tank；　with　overlapping　planks　and　a　thick　prow。　Yuri　kept　up　a　running　narrative　as　he　pointed　out　landmarks。　The　Trouts　nodded　with　appreciation；　although　the　snarl　of　the　motor　and　the　shush…shush　of　the　hull　drowned　out　most　of　Yuri's　words。
　
　Any　misgivings　the　Trouts　had　about　Yuri　were　quickly　dispelled。　He　turned　out　to　be　a　godsend。　He　knew　how　to　keep　the　touchy　motor　supplied　with　the　proper　mixture　of　air　and　fuel；　and　was　intimately　acquainted　with　the　countryside。　They　would　have　had　trouble　navigating　the　busy　port　on　their　own。　Finding　Ataman　would　have　been　almost　impossible　without　a　guide。　As　they　got　farther　into　Zeroes　Bay；　the　city's　importance　as　a　major　Russian　seaport　became　apparent。　Ship　traffic　in　both　directions　was　nonstop。　The　parade　included　every　type　of　mercial　vessel　imaginable：　cargo　ships；　tankers；　oceangoing　tugs；　passenger　ships　and　ferries。
　
　Yuri　kept　a　respectful　distance　from　the　big　ships　and　their　boat…swamping　wakes。　The　shoreline　became　more　built…up。　High…rise　buildings；　smoking　chimneys　and　grain　elevators　could　be　seen　through　the　industrial　haze　that　hung　over　the　port。　Yuri　slowed　the　boat　down　to　a　fast　walk。
　
　〃The　city　is　very　historic；〃　Yuri　said。　〃You　can't　go　ten　feet　without　tripping　over　a　monument。　The　Russian　Revolution　ended　here；　when　Allied　ships　evacuated　the　White　Army　in　1920。　It's　also　one　of　the　biggest　ports　in　Russia。　Oil　is　piped　here　from　the　wells　in　the　northern　Caucasus。　That's　the　Shesharis　Oil　Harbor　over　there。〃
　
　Paul　had　been　studying　the　dark　hue　of　the　water。　〃It's　a　deep…water　port；　judging　from　the　size　of　those　ships。〃
　〃Novorossiysk　doesn't　freeze　up　in　the　winter。　This　is　the　major　port　for　cargo　moving　between　Russia　and　the　Mediterranean　and　the　rest　of　Europe；　and　it's　also　more　or　less　convenient　to　Asia；　the　Persian　Gulf　and　Africa。　The　port　facilities　are　state…of…the…art。　There　are　actually　five　parts　to　the　harbor：　three　dry　cargo　handling　areas；　the　oil　harbor　and　the　passenger　terminal。　You　came　in　through　the　airport；　so　you　know　it's　got　connections　allover　the　world。〃
　〃I　can　see　why　Ataman　would　have　its　headquarters　here；〃　Gamay　noted；　as　she　scanned　the　bustling　bay。
　
　〃I'll　show　you。〃　Yuri　kicked　the　boat's　speed　up　and　angled　the　bow　in　toward　a　wide　indentation　on　the　shore。　Six　long　concrete　piers　extended　from　land。　Several　ships　were　tied　up　at　the　wharves。　Rising　behind　the　piers　was　a　sprawling　plex　of　industrial　buildings；　gantry　cranes；　big　straddle　carriers　and　cargo　derricks。　Forklift　trucks　and　tractors　moved　along　the　piers　like　oversized　insects。
　
　〃Which　part　is　Ataman's？〃　Gamay　asked。
　
　Yuri　grinned　and　swept　his　hand　in　a　wide　arc。　〃All　of　it。〃
　
　Gamay　whistled　in　astonishment。　〃I　can't　believe　the　size　of　this　place。　It's　bigger　than　some　major　ports。〃
　〃Ataman　has　it　own　fleet　of　tugboats；　fuel　and　water　supplies　and　tanks　for　bilge　and　waste　removal；〃　Yuri　said。　〃See　those　giant　cranes　over　there？　That's　Ataman's　shipyard。　They　build　all　their　own　vessels。　That　way　they　can　control　design　and　cost。〃　He　furrowed　his　brow　and　looked　around　as　if　he　had　lost　something。　〃That's　funny；　Ataman'　s　port　is　practically　empty。〃
　
　Paul　exchanged　a　puzzled　glance　with　his　wife。　〃It　doesn't　look　empty　to　me。　Look　at　all　that　activity。　I　can　see　five　ships　of　considerable　size　pulled　up　to　the　dock。〃
　〃Those　are　Ataman's　small　ships。　I　wanted　to　show　you　their　ocean　drilling　rigs。　They　look　like　they　could　drill　through　to　the　other　side　of　the　world。　Each　one　is　like　a　city　in　itself。〃
　〃Maybe　they're　all　at　sea　working。〃
　〃Maybe；〃　he　said；　with　skepticism　in　his　voice。　〃But　I　don't　think　so。　Ataman　has　so　many　ships；　a　few　are　always　being　outfitted。　Even　with　all　those　wharves；　they　don't　have　space　to　take　care　of　their　whole　fleet　at　the　same　time。〃　He　scanned　the　shoreline　until　he　saw　what　he　was　looking　for。　〃I　can　show　you　something　almost　as　interesting。〃
　
　Yuri　kept　the　boat　on　the　same　heading　until　they　were　past　the　main　wharves；　then　he　steered　in　toward　a　smaller　pier。　A　luxurious　yacht　four　hundred　feet　long　was　tied　up　at　the　dock。　The　gleaming　white　hull　was　set　off　by　black　trim。　The　superstructure　was　unusually　sleek　and　stream…　lined。　The　hull　was　shaped　in　a　deep　V　to　cut　through　the　waves。　The　wide　rear　of　the　boat　was　concave。
　
　〃Wow！〃　Yuri　said。　〃I've　heard　of　this　baby；　but　it's　the　first　time　I've　seen　it。〃
　〃Quite　a　luxury　yacht；〃　Paul　said　with　appreciation。　〃It　belongs　to　Razov；　the　head　guy　at　Ataman。　They　say　he　lives　on　the　boat　and　runs　his　business　from　it。〃　Yuri　gave　the　tiller　a　wiggle。　Gamay　pressed　the　shutter　release　and　banged　off　several　shots。　〃Can　we　go　around　to　the　other　side？〃　Gamay　said。
　
　Yuri　replied　with　a　pull　on　the　tiller　that　brought　them　around　behind　the　boat。　Gamay　lifted　the　camera　up　to　her　eye　again　and　started　to　press　the　control　button　that　would　give　her　a　wide…angle　shot；　when　she　detected　movement　on　the　deck。　A　figure　had　e　into　view。　She　extended　the　zoom　to　its　full　200…mm　range。　〃Dear　God！〃　she　said　with　a　gasp。
　
　〃What　is　it？〃　Paul　said。
　
　She　handed　the　camera　over。　〃Take　a　look。〃
　
　Paul　peered　through　the　viewfinder　and　scanned　the　deck；　but　saw　no　one。
　
　〃Deck's　deserted　now。　What　did　you　see？〃　Gamay　didn't　spook　easily；　but　she　couldn't　suppress　a　shudder。　〃A　tall　man　with　long　black　hair　and　a　beard。　He　was　staring　straight　at　me。　It　was　one　of　the　most　frightening　faces　I've　ever　seen。〃
　
　A　Jeeplike　vehicle　was　racing　toward　the　wharf　along　an　access　road；　and　Trout's　instincts　were　aroused。　He　looked　through　the　camera　lens　as　the　vehicle　drove　onto　the　boat　dock。　Speaking　calmly；　he　said；　〃We've　got　pany。　Time　to　go。〃
　
　The　vehicle　screeched　to　a　stop。　Six　uniformed　men　carrying　weapons　jumped　out；　dashed　along　the　wharf；　raced　toward　the　gangplank　and　climbed　onto　the　ship。　Yuri　had　hesitated；　but　when　he　saw　the　armed　men；　he　twisted　the　throttle　as　far　as　it　would　go；　and　headed　out　to　the　bay。
　
　The　bow　lifted　and　the　boat　got　on　plane；　making　a　respectable　speed　despite　its　heavy　construction。　Flashes　of　small…arms　fire　could　be　seen　on　the　yacht's　fantail。　The　bullets　stitched　a　line　of　small　fountains　in　the　water。　Paul　yelled　at　the　others　to　get　down。　A　round　hit　the　boat　and　took　a　chip　out　of　the　transom；　but　seconds　later　they　were　out　of　range。　The　danger　wasn't　over；　though。　Another　vehicle　had　followed　the　first；　and　the　men　who　piled　out　headed　for　the　dock；　where　some　powerboats　were　tied　up。
　
　Yuri　pointed　the　boat　out　into　the　busy　channel；　crossing　behind　a　cargo　ship　that　was　making　its　way　out　of　the　bay。　The　small　boat　leaped　like　a　dolphin　as　it　crossed　the　wake；　but　it　rode　the　waves　out　fortably。　Yuri　brought　the　boat　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　ship；　using　the　cargo　vessel　as　a　screen。　When　they　were　safely　beyond　the　Ataman　plex；　he　peeled　the　boat　away　and　they　followed　the　coast　back　toward　the　camp。　At　one　point；　Paul　suggested　that　they　pull　into　a　creek。　They　waited　ten　minutes；　but　no　one　followed。
　
　Yuri's　face　was　flushed　with　excitement。　〃Man；　that　was　fun。　I've　heard　a　lot　of