cc.fireice-第59节

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e　chief　had　trapped　lobsters　for　a　living　before　joining　the　police　department　and　hadn't　lost　his　sea　sense。
　
　The　fishing　fleet　passed　the　rock…ribbed　promontory　that　gave　the　town　its　name；　and　entered　the　open　ocean。　The　sea　was　a　bright　bottle　green。　Only　a　few　whispery　cirrus　clouds　marred　the　azure　sky；　and　the　breeze　was　a　gentle　westerly。　The　line　of　boats　plodded　east；　then　south；　climbing　the　rolling　swells　and　sliding　down　the　other　sides　in　an　easy　rhythm。　Periodically；　Gamay　called　from　NUMA　headquarters　with　the　Ataman　Explorer's　position　as　seen　by　satellite。
　
　Austin　penciled　the　positions　on　a　chart　of　the　Gulf　of　Maine；　the　expansive　stretch　of　water　between　the　long　Maine　coast　and　the　curving　arm　of　Cape　Cod。　The　ship　seemed　to　be　moving　in　a　big；　lazy　circle。　Austin　guessed　it　was　in　a　holding　pattern。　Gamay　used　a　simple　code　so　anyone　listening　would　think　they　were　hearing　fishermen's　chatter。　Jenkins　and　Howes　politely　ignored　Gamay's　butchering　of　the　Maine　dialect。　But　when　the　voice　that　over　the　speaker　said；　〃Catching　some　good　haaadik　floundah　soweast　of　my　last　set；　ayup；〃　they　could　remain　silent　no　longer。
　
　〃Ayup？〃　Jenkins　cringed。　〃Did　she　say；　'ayup'？〃
　
　Howes　shook　his　head。　〃I've　lived　Down　East　my　whole　life；　and　I've　never　heard　anyone　say　'ayup。'　Wouldn't　know　what　it　means。〃
　
　Trout　suppressed　a　smile。　Mumbling　an　apology；　he　explained　that　Gamay　had　seen　too　many　episodes　of　Murder；　She　Wrote；　which　had　been　set　in　the　Hollywood　version　of　a　Maine　town。　Jenkins　cut　him　off。　With　clear　excitement　in　his　voice；　he　pointed　to　a　large　blip　on　the　radar　screen。　'〃There　she　is。　No　doubt　about　it。〃
　
　Austin；　who　was　leaning　over　his　shoulder；　looked　at　the　target　to　the　southeast。　〃Ayup；〃　he　said。
　
　Jenkins　gunned　the　throttle；　picking　up　speed。　The　other　boats　did　the　same。　It　was　more　than　a　matter　of　impatience。　Jenkins　wasn't　lulled　by　the　playfulness　of　the　sea。　He　had　been　studying　the　fetch；　the　distance　between　waves；　with　an　experienced　eye；　assessing　the　situation　as　a　fisherman　and　a　scientist。　〃We've　got　some　weather　ing　in。〃　he　said。
　
　Austin　said；　〃I've　been　listening　to　the　NOAA　report　on　the　radio。〃
　〃I　don't　need　the　squawking　of　a　puter…generated　voice　to　tell　me　there's　a　storm　on　the　way；〃　Jenkins　said；　with　a　grin。　〃You　just　have　to　know　how　to　read　the　signs。〃
　
　Since　leaving　port；　Jenkins　had　watched　the　clouds　gather　and　thicken　and　the　sea　spectrum　shift　to　an　oily　gray。　The　breeze　had　moved　a　couple　of　pass　points　to　the　east。　〃If　we　get　our　work　here　done　quickly；　we　can　get　back　to　port　ahead　of　the　storm。　Problem　is　that　if　the　sea　and　the　wind　kick　up；　it　could　be　dangerous　hauling　back　on　our　net。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　Austin　said。　〃Paul　and　I　will　get　ready。〃
　〃Might　be　a　good　idea。〃　Chief　Howes　said；　his　easygoing　voice　gaining　an　uncharacteristic　tautness。　〃We've　got　pany。〃
　
　The　chief　was　pointing　at　a　huge；　dark　shape　that　loomed　from　the　gathering　fog。　As　the　amorphous　mass　grew　closer；　it　lost　its　spectral　aspect；　and　the　lines　that　had　been　softened　by　the　vaporous　mists　hardened　into　the　silhouette　of　a　very　large　ship。　The　vessel　was　pletely　black；　from　the　waterline　to　the　top　of　the　single　funnel　protruding　from　the　high　superstructure。　Derricks　and　cranes　bristled　from　the　deck　like　the　quills　on　a　porcupine。　The　dull；　light…absorbing　paint　made　the　ship　hard　to　see　and　gave　it　an　evil；　brooding　aspect　that　wasn't　lost　on　the　other　fishermen。
　
　The　radio　crackled　with　excited　voices。　One　fisherman　said；　〃Jeez；　Roy；　what's　that　thing？　Looks　like　a　floating　hearse。〃
　
　〃Hearse；〃　said　another　voice。　〃Looks　like　the　whole　damned　funeral　parlor。〃
　
　Austin　smiled　at　the　chatter。　Anyone　listening　to　the　ments　would　know　they　hadn't　been　rehearsed。　Jenkins　warned　his　fellow　fishermen　to　keep　a　sharp　eye　out　so　they　wouldn't　be　run　down。　They　didn't　have　to　be　told　twice　and　gave　the　monster　ship　a　wide　berth。　Austin　estimated　the　ship's　speed　at　around　ten　knots。
　
　The　Ataman　Explorer　seemed　to　slow　as　it　came　nearer。　A　dot　detached　itself　from　the　deck。　The　speck　grew　larger；　buzzing　like　a　hornet　stirred　from　its　nest。　Moments　later；　the　black　helicopter　flew　low　over　the　fishing　fleet。　Jenkins　and　Howes　gave　the　aircraft　a　friendly　wave。　The　chopper　circled　the　fishing　fleet　a　few　times；　then　headed　back　to　the　ship。
　
　From　inside　the　pilothouse；　where　he　and　Trout　were　donning　their　scuba　gear；　Austin　watched　the　departing　aircraft　with　calm　eyes。
　
　〃Guess　we　passed　inspection；〃　Austin　said。
　
　〃That　was　a　lot　friendlier　than　the　reception　Gamay　and　I　got　when　we　poked　around　Ataman's　property　in　Novorossiysk。〃
　〃You　can　thank　Jenkins　for　that。　It　was　his　idea　to　have　lots　of　witnesses　so　Ataman　would　stay　on　the　straight　and　narrow。〃
　
　Austin　was　glad　that　he　had　listened　to　Jenkins　when　he'd　asked　if　he'd　be　willing　to　offer　his　services。　Jenkins　pointed　out　that　there　was　safety　in　numbers。　Since　the　vessel　was　sitting　in　prime　fishing　grounds；　it　was　not　all　that　suspicious　for　boats　to　be　trawling　in　the　area。　In　fact；　Austin　could　see　a　half　dozen　fishing　boats　tending　their　nets　on　the　way　out。
　
　Austin　had　based　his　plan　on　the　successful　infiltration　of　the　sub　base　from　Captain　Kemal's　fishing　boat。　Penetrating　the　sub　pens　had　been　easy　pared　with　what　he　had　in　mind　now。　Unlike　the　scruffy　Cossacks；　who　were　more　interested　in　playing　people　polo　than　standing　guard；　watchful　and　well…armed　sentries　would　be　manning　the　Ataman　vessel。
　
　Then　Austin　caught　the　break　he　was　looking　for。　The　ship　plowed　to　a　stop　and　floated　dead　in　the　water。　Jenkins　ran　his　boat　as　a　trawler　when　he　wasn't　going　after　lobsters；　and　it　was　fitted　out　with　a　drumlike　stem　hauler　to　handle　the　net。　With　the　help　of　the　chief；　he　got　the　net　in　the　water。　Then　the　Kestrel　got　under　way　again　and　made　a　sweep　by　one　side　of　the　ship；　a　hundred　yards　off。　The　maneuver　gave　those　on　the　ship　a　chance　to　inspect　the　fishing　boat　at　close　range。　What　they　didn't　see　were　the　two　divers　hanging　off　the　opposite　side　of　the　boat。
　
　After　traveling　about　halfway　along　the　length　of　the　ship；　Jenkins　cut　the　Kestrel's　engine　to　an　idle　and　went　out　onto　the　deck。　He　and　Howes　tinkered　with　the　hauler；　as　if　there　was　a　problem。　During　the　pause；　Austin　and　Trout　dropped　into　the　water　and　dove　under　the　boat。　They　wanted　to　get　deep　and　out　of　the　way　of　the　net。
　
　It　was　agreed　that　Jenkins　would　make　a　sweep　by　one　side　of　the　ship；　then　trawl　for　a　couple　of　miles　before　turning　back　and　returning　on　the　other　side。　That　gave　them　an　hour　to　get　on　board　the　ship　and　back。　They　would　keep　in　touch　with　Jenkins　using　their　underwater　municators　to　talk　to　a　hydrophone　Trout　had　hung　into　the　water　before　they　went　over　the　side。
　
　They　swam　deeper；　moving　their　legs　in　a　steady　flutter　that　ate　up　the　distance。　They　could　hear　the　muffled　grumble　of　the　fishing　boat　engine　as　Jenkins　got　under　way　again　and　dove　to　thirty…five　feet；　where　the　visibility　was　still　fair。
　
　With　powerful　scissors　kicks；　they　covered　the　distance　to　the　ship　in　a　short　time。
　
　The　gigantic　hull　emerged　from　the　murk　like　the　body　of　an　enormous　whale　asleep　on　the　surface。　Austin　signaled　Trout　to　go　deeper。　When　they　were　directly　under　the　massive　keel；　they　looked　up　and　snapped　their　lights　on。　It　was　hard　not　to　be　unnerved　by　thousands　of　tons　of　black　steel　floating　above　their　heads。
　
　〃Now　I　know　how　a　bug　feels　just　before　someone　steps　on　it；〃　Trout　said；　gazing　up　at　the　massive　hulk。
　
　〃I　was　thinking　the　same　thing；　but　I　didn't　want　to　make　you　nervous。〃
　〃Too　late。　Where　do　you　want　to　start？〃
　〃If　I　interpreted　the　satellite　photos　correctly；　we　should　find　what　we're　looking　for　at　midships。〃
　
　They　swam　slowly　upward　until　the　ship's　barnacle…encrusted　bottom　entirely　filled　the　lenses　of　their　face　masks。　In　the　beam　of　his　light；　Austin　saw　what　he　was　looking　for；　a　rubber…edged　seam　that　ran　across　from　one　side　of　the　flat…bottomed　hull　to　the　other。　〃Bingo！〃　he　said。
　
　When　Austin　had　first　looked　at　the　satellite　pictures；　he'd　noticed　an　open　area　around　one　of　the　derricks　that　rose　from　the　deck。　Someone　had　carelessly　left　off　a　tarp　that　covered　the　opening　and　he　could　see　down　into　a　black　void。　He　was　sure　he　was　looking　into　a　〃moon　pool；〃　a　docking　space　similar　to　that　on　the　Argo　and　other　NUMA　ships。
　
　Austin　knew　from　experience　that　odds　favored　the　pool's　gates　being　closed。　It　was　standard　operating　procedure；　otherwise　the　drag　from　the　open　sea　would　slow　the　ship　down。　But　he　remembered　that　some　NUMA　ships　had　a　smaller　pool　used　for　launching　ROVs。　He　saw　what　he　was　looking　for　on　the　port　side；　forward　of　the　larger　moon　pool；　an　indented　rectangle　about　twelve　feet　square。　When　they　swam　close；　they　saw　that　the　gates　of　the　ROV　launch　well　were　shut　tight。
　
　Austin　unclipped　the　Oxy…Arc　cutting　torch　from　his　belt　and　uncoiled　the　hose。　Trout　produced　the　oxygen　tank　he　had　been　carrying　and　coupled　it　to　the　hose。　From　his　belt　bag；　Austin　pulled　out　two　small　powerful　magnets　with　hand　gr