cc.fireice-第6节

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　〃You've　got　ten　minutes；〃　Howes　emphasized。　〃There　are　buses　waiting　in　front。　Get　everyone　out；　including　yourself。　Tell　anyone　who　refuses　that　the　police　will　arrest　them。〃
　
　The　chief　strode　down　the　nearest　hallway　and　pounded　on　doors。　〃Police！　You　must　evacuate　this　building　immediately。　You　have　ten　minutes；〃　he　yelled　at　the　sleepy　faces　that　peered　out。　〃There　has　been　a　bomb　threat。　Don't　stop　to　gather　your　belongings。〃
　
　He　repeated　the　message　until　he　was　hoarse。　The　hallways　filled　with　people　in　bathrobes　and　pajamas　or　with　blankets　wrapped　around　them。　A　swarthy　man　with　an　unpleasant　scowl　on　his　face　stepped　from　one　room。　〃What　the　hell　is　going　on？〃　Jack　Shrager　demanded。
　
　Howes　swallowed　hard。　〃There's　been　a　bomb　threat；　Jack。　You've　got　to　get　out。〃
　
　A　young　blond　woman　poked　her　head　out　of　the　room。　〃What's　wrong；　babe？〃
　〃There's　a　bomb　in　the　motel；〃　the　chief　said；　being　more　specific。
　
　The　woman's　face　went　pale　and　she　stepped　into　the　hallway。　She　was　still　in　her　silk　bathrobe。　Shrager　tried　to　hold　her；　but　she　pulled　away。
　
　〃I'm　not　staying　here；〃　she　said。
　
　〃And　I'm　not　moving；〃　Shrager　said。　He　slammed　the　door。
　
　Howes　shook　his　head　in　frustration；　then　guided　the　woman　by　the　arm；　joining　the　throng　heading　for　the　front　door。　He　saw　the　buses　were　almost　filled　and　yelled　at　the　drivers。
　
　〃Get　out　of　here　in　five　minutes。　Drive　to　the　highest　hill　in　town。〃
　
　He　slid　behind　the　wheel　of　his　cruiser　and　drove　to　the　fish　pier。　The　deputy　was　arguing　with　three　fishermen。　Howes　saw　what　was　happening　and　yelled　out　the　window；　〃Get　your　asses　into　those　trucks　and　go　to　the　top　of　Hill　Street　or　you'll　be　arrested。〃
　〃What　the　hell　is　going　on；　Charlie？〃　Howes　lowered　his　voice。　〃Look；　Buck；　you　know　me。　Just　do　as　I　say　and　I'll　explain　later。〃
　
　The　fisherman　nodded；　then　he　and　the　others　got　into　their　pickups。　Howes　told　his　deputy　to　follow　them　and　made　one　last　sweep　along　the　fish　pier；　where　he　picked　up　an　elderly　man　who　sorted　through　the　rubbish　bins　for　cans　and　bottles。　Then　he　scoured　Main　Street；　saw　that　it　was　quiet　and　headed　for　the　top　of　Hill　Street。
　
　Some　of　the　people　who　stood　shivering　in　the　cool　air　of　morning　shouted　at　him。　Howes　ignored　their　insults；　got　out　of　his　cruiser　and　walked　partway　down　the　steep　hill　that　led　toward　the　harbor。　Now　that　the　adrenaline　rush　was　over；　he　felt　weak…kneed。　Nothing。　He　checked　his　watch。　Five　minutes　came　and　went。　And　so　did　his　dreams　of　a　peaceful　retirement　on　a　police　pension。　I'm　dead；　he　thought；　sweating　despite　the　coolness。
　
　Then　he　saw　the　sea　rise　above　the　horizon　and　heard　what　sounded　like　distant　thunder。　The　townspeople　stopped　shouting。　A　darkness　loomed　out　near　the　channel　entrance　and　the　harbor　emptied　out　…　he　could　actually　see　bottom　…　but　the　phenomenon　lasted　only　a　few　seconds。　The　water　roared　back　in　with　a　noise　like　a　747　taking　off；　and　；the　sea　lifted　the　moored　fishing　boats　as　if　they　were　toys。　It　was　reinforced　by　two　more　waves；　seconds　apart；　each；　taller　than　the　one　before。　They　surged　over　the　shore。　When'　they　receded；　the　motel　and　the　fish　pier　had　vanished。　
　
　
　THE　ROCKY　POINT　that　Jenkins　returned　to　was　far　different　from　the　one　he　had　left　that　morning。　The　boats　moored　in　the　harbor　were　jumbled　together　along　the　shore　in　a　tangled　heap　of　wood　and　fiberglass。　Smaller　craft　had　been　thrown　up　onto　Main　Street。　Shop　windows　were　smashed　as　if　by　a　gang　of　vandals。　The　water　was　littered　with　debris　and　seaweed；　and　a　sulfuric　smell　of　sea　bottom　mixed　with　the　odor　of　dead　fish。　The　motel　had　vanished。　Only　pilings　remained　of　the　fish　pier；　although　the　sturdy　concrete　bulkhead　showed　no　sign　of　damage。　Jenkins　pointed　his　boat　toward　a　figure　waving　his　arms　on　the　bulkhead。　Chief　Howes　grabbed　the　mooring　lines　and　tied　them　off；　then　he　stepped　aboard。
　
　〃Anybody　hurt？〃　Jenkins　said；　his　eyes　sweeping　the　harbor　and　town。
　
　〃Jack　Shrager　was　killed。　He's　the　only　one　as　far　as　we　know。　We　got　everyone　else　out　of　the　motel。〃
　〃Thanks　for　believing　me。　Sorry　I　called　you　an　old　fool。〃
　
　The　chief　puffed　his　cheeks　out。　〃That's　what　I　would　have　been　if　I'd　sat　on　my　ass　and　done　nothing。〃
　〃Tell　me　what　you　saw；〃　Jenkins　said；　the　scientist　re…　asserting　itself　over　the　Samaritan。
　
　Howes　laid　out　the　details。　〃We　were　standing　at　the　top　of　Hill　Street。　Sounded　and　looked　like　a　thunderstorm；　then　the　harbor　emptied　out　like　a　kid　pulling　the　plug　in　a　bathtub。　I　could　actually　see　bottom。　That　only　lasted　a　few　seconds　before　the　water　roared　in　like　a　jet　plane。〃
　〃That's　an　apt　parison。　On　the　open　ocean；　a　tsunami　can　go　six　hundred　miles　an　hour。〃
　〃That's　fast！〃　the　chief　said。
　
　〃Luckily；　it　slows　down　as　it　approaches　land　and　hits　shallower　water。　But　the　wave　energy　doesn't　diminish　with　the　speed。〃
　〃It　wasn't　like　I　pictured。　You　know；　a　wall　of　water　fifty　feet　high。　This　was　more　like　a　wave　surge。　I　counted　three　of　them；　each　bigger　than　the　last。　Thirty　feet；　maybe。　They　whacked　the　motel　and　pier　and　flooded　Main　Street。〃　He　shrugged。　〃I　know　you're　a　professor；　Roy；　but　how　exactly　did　you　know　this　was　going　to　happen？〃
　〃I've　seen　it　before　off　New　Guinea。　We　were　doing　some　research　when　an　undersea　slide　generated　a　tsunami　thirty　to　sixty　feet　tall；　and　a　series　of　waves　lifted　our　boat　off　the　water　just　like　what　I　felt　today。　The　people　were　warned　and　many　made　it　to　high　ground　when　the　waves　hit；　but　even　so；　more　than　two　thousand　people　were　lost。〃
　
　The　chief　gulped。　〃That's　more　than　live　in　this　town。〃　He　pondered　the　professor's　words。　〃You　think　that　an　earthquake　caused　this　mess？　I　thought　that　was　something　that　happened　in　the　Pacific。〃
　〃Normally；　you'd　be　right。〃　Jenkins　furrowed　his　brow　and　stared　out　to　sea。　〃This　is　absolutely　inprehensible。〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　something　else　that's　going　to　be　hard　to　figure。　How　am　I　going　to　explain　that　I　evacuated　the　motel　for　a　bomb　scare？〃
　〃Do　you　think　anyone　will　care　at　this　point？〃
　
　Chief　Howes　surveyed　the　town　and　the　crowds　of　people　cautiously　making　their　way　down　the　hill　to　the　harbor　and　shook　his　head。　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　guess　they　will。〃
　
　…2…
　THE　AEGEAN　SEA
　
　THE　MINIATURE　RESEARCH　submarine　NR…1　rocked　gently　in　the　waves　off　the　coast　of　Turkey；　almost　invisible　except　for　the　bright　tangerine　color　of　the　conning　tower。　Captain　Joe　Logan　stood　with　his　legs　wide　apart　on　the　sea…washed　deck；　holding　on　to　one　of　the　horizontal　wings　that　protruded　from　the　sides　of　the　conning　tower。　As　was　his　custom　before　a　dive；　the　captain　was　making　a　last　minute　visual　check。
　
　Logan　let　his　eye　range　along　the　145…foot　length　of　the　slender　black　hull　whose　deck　was　only　inches　above　the　surface　of　the　water。　Satisfied　all　was　shipshape；　he　removed　his　navy　baseball　cap　and　waved　at　the　cream…and…orange　Carolyn　Chouest　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away。　The　superstructure　of　the　muscular　support　ship　rose　several　levels；　like　the　floors　in　an　apartment　house。　A　massive　crane　capable　of　lifting　several　tons　jutted　out　at　an　angle　from　the　port　side。
　
　The　captain　climbed　to　the　top　of　the　tower　and　squeezed　through　the　thirty…one…inch…diameter　opening。　His　flotation　vest　made　for　a　tight　fit　and　he　had　to　wriggle　to　get　through。　He　ran　his　fingers　along　the　seal　to　make　sure　it　was　clean；　then　secured　the　hatch　cover　and　descended　into　the　confined　control　area。　The　space　was　made　even　more　cramped　by　the　dials；　gauges　and　instruments　that　covered　every　square　inch　of　the　walls　and　overhead。
　
　The　captain　was　a　man　of　unassuming　appearance　who　could　have　passed　for　an　Ivy　League　college　professor。　A　nuclear　engineer　by　training；　Logan　had　manded　surface　ships　before　being　assigned　as　the　officer　in　charge　of　the　NR…1。　He　was　of　medium　height　and　build；　with　thinning　blond　hair　and　a　slight　fleshiness　around　the　jaw。　The　navy　had　long　ago　dispensed　with　the　rawboned　John　Wayne　type　who　ran　a　ship　by　the　seat　of　his　pants。　With　puterized　firing　controls；　laser　guidance　and　smart　missiles；　navy　vessels　were　too　plicated　and　expensive　to　entrust　to　cowboys。　Logan　had　a　sharp　mind　and　the　ability　to　make　a　lightning…quick　analysis　of　the　most　plex　technical　problem。
　
　His　previous　mands　had　been　much　bigger；　yet　none　came　close　to　the　NR…1　in　the　sophistication　of　her　electronics。　Although　the　boat　had　been　built　in　1969；　she　was　constantly　upgraded。　Despite　her　cutting　edge　technology；　the　sub　still　used　some　older　but　time…tested　techniques。　A　thick　twelve…hundred…foot　towline　ran　from　the　support　vessel's　deck　to　a　large　metal　ball　clutched　by　metal　jaws　on　the　submarine's　bow。
　
　Logan　gave　the　order　to　release　the　towrope；　then　he　turned　to　a　thickset　bearded　man　in　his　fifties　and　said；　〃Wele　aboard　the　smallest　nuclear　submarine　in　the　world；　Dr。　Pulaski。　Sorry　we　don't　have　more　elbowroom。　The　shielding　for　the　nuclear　reactor　takes　up　most　of　the　sub。　My　guess　is　that　you'd　prefer　claustrophobia　to　radiation。　I　assume　you've　had　a　tour。〃
　
　Pulaski　smiled。　〃Yes；　I've　been　checked　out　on　the　prop