cussler.blueandgold-第24节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　faces。　The　ululation　grew　fainter。　They　could　have　been　at　the　center　of　the　earth　as　far　as　they　knew。　It　was　just　as　hot　and　dark。
　
　〃Where　are　you　taking　us？〃　Gamay　said；　stopping　to　catch　her　breath。
　
　〃Can't　stop　now。　Chulo　e　soon。〃
　
　Sure　enough；　the　strange　war　cry　began　to　increase　in　strength。　They　kept　moving　until　Dieter's　wife　stopped　after　several　minutes。　They　were　in　a　grove　of　trees；　dwarfed　by　the　huge；　misshapen　trunks　that　soared　for　more　than　a　hundred　feet。　Tessa　was　barely　visible　in　the　moonlight　streaming　down　from　openings　in　the　tree　canopy。　She　had　raised　her　hand。　The　Trouts　lifted　their　eyes　to　the　treetops。　They　saw　only　darkness　broken　here　and　there　by　the　silver…gray　night　sky。
　
　The　woman　detected　their　confusion；　and　like　a　teacher　working　with　blind　children；　she　opened　their　hands　and　placed　something　in　them　that　felt　like　dead　snakes。　Thick　nylon　ropes。　Paul　remembered　the　belts　Arnaud　and　his　pal　wore　and　Dieter's　ment　about　the　zeppelin。　He　quickly　fashioned　a　loop　around　Gamay's　thin　waist。　She　hauled　on　the　other　end　of　the　line　and　began　to　rise　above　the　ground。　Paul　looked　around。　Dieter's　wife　had　vanished。　They　were　on　their　own。
　
　〃Keep　going；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　right　behind　you。〃　He　rigged　an　other　rope　around　his　own　waist　and　with　several　strong　pulls　was　yards　off　the　ground。　By　the　hard　sound　of　breathing；　Gamay　was　just　ahead。
　
　From　below　came　a　burst　of　the　strange　warbling　cry。　The　torches　of　the　Chulos　appeared。　The　Indians　threw　the　torches　into　the　air；　where　they　arced　and　fell　like　exhausted　ets。　
　Gamay　and　Paul　expected　to　be　skewered　by　oversized　arrows　that　could　easily　reach　them；　but　they　kept　pulling。
　
　Just　as　they　thought　they　were　out　of　range　they　looked　down　and　saw　two　of　the　Indians　lift　off　the　ground。　Of　course；　Paul　thought。　If　there　were　two　hauling　ropes；　there　would　be　others　as　well。
　
　Gamay　yelled　from　above　his　head。　〃I'm　at　the　top！〃
　
　Paul　kept　climbing　and　felt　his　wife's　hand　reach　down　to　help　him　clamber　onto　a　branch　thicker　than　a　man's　waist。　Grunting　with　effort；　he　pulled　himself　onto　the　limb　and　reached　for　another　branch。　His　hand　touched　a　smooth；　rubbery　surface。　The　pewter　light　from　a　half　moon　was　diffused　by　a　mist　that　hung　over　the　trees；　but　he　could　see　a　large　plat　form　of　mesh　and　tubing　draped　like　a　giant　spider's　web　over　the　canopy。　It　was　an　ingenious　working　platform；　Trout　thought；　but　he　would　have　to　save　his　admiration　for　later。　Heavy　breathing　was　ing　from　under　their　feet。　Paul　grabbed　for　his　hunting　knife　and　remembered　that　one　of　the　Indians　had　taken　it　from　him　at　the　same　time　he　was　relieved　of　the　Colt。
　
　Gamay　yelled　and　pointed　at　the　rotund　silhouette　of　a　small　blimp　floating　above　their　heads。　There　was　a　crack　of　twigs　from　just　under　their　feet。　The　Chulos　were　seconds　away。　Paul　detached　himself　from　the　lifting　line　and　walked　with　some　difficulty　across　the　spongy　mesh　until　he　reached　a　mooring　rope。　He　gripped　the　line　and　used　his　weight　to　pull　the　blimp　down　to　where　Gamay　could　clamber　into　the　seat　hanging　under　the　gas　bag。　With　her　weight　holding　the　blimp　down；　he　climbed　in　next　to　her。
　
　〃Do　you　know　how　to　operate　one　of　these　things？〃　Gamay　said。
　
　〃Can't　be　too　hard。　Think　of　it　as　a　boat。　First　thing　you　do　is　cast　off。〃
　
　Gamay　had　sailed　the　Great　Lakes　as　a　child；　so　the　parison　was　reassuring　even　if　she　didn't　believe　it。　They　quickly　untied　the　other　mooring　lines。　The　blimp　hesitated；　then　made
　up　its　mind　and　rose　slowly　above　the　trees。　They　looked　down　and　saw　shadows　leaping　to　grab　the　dangling　lines；　but　the　blimp　was　safely　out　of　reach。
　
　They　rose　high　above　the　fog…filled　valleys　that　stretched　off　in　every　direction　and　began　to　drift　like　a　milkweed　seed；　wondering　if　they　had　simply　exchanged　one　set　of　dangers　for　an　other。
　
　Chapter　11
　〃Senor？　Senor？〃　
　　　　Austin's　eyes　blinked　open　to　see　a　white　stubble　of　whiskers　covering　leathery　cheeks　and　a　gap…toothed　mouth　stretched　wide　in　a　jack…o'…lantern　grin。　It　was　the　face　of　the　Mexican　fisherman　he　and　Joe　had　met　on　the　cliffs　the　day　before。　Austin　lay　on　his　back　in　an　open　wooden　boat；　his　head　cushioned　by　a　coil　of　rope。　He　was　still　in　his　wet　suit；　but　his　scuba　gear　was　gone。　He　pushed　himself　upright　with　his　hands；　a　task　of　no　small　difficulty　because　his　joints　were　sore　and　he　was　sprawled　on　a　slimy　pile　of　fish。
　
　A　fisherman　who　strongly　resembled　the　first　man；　right　down　to　the　cleft　in　his　dental　work；　sat　at　the　other　end　of　the　boat　keeping　watch　over　Zavala。　Joe's　hair；　normally　so　neatly　bed；　sprouted　in　a　hundred　different　directions；　and　his　shorts　and　T…shirt　were　dripping　wet。　He　looked　dazed　but　awake。
　
　〃You　okay？〃　Austin　called　out。
　
　A　fish　flopped　onto　Zavala's　lap。　He　carefully　picked　up　the　creature　by　the　tail　and　tossed　it　with　the　others。　〃No　broken　bones。　Now　I　know　what　it's　like　to　be　shot　out　of　a　cannon。　How　about　you？〃
　
　〃A　few　aches　and　pains。〃　Austin　rubbed　the　throbbing　muscles　of　his　shoulder；　then　went　to　work　on　his　legs。　〃I　feel　like　I've　gone　through　a　car　wash　and　a　telephone　keeps　ringing　in　my　ear。〃　
　
　　〃Your　voice　sounds　like　it's　still　ing　over　an　underwater　municator。　Do　you　know　what　happened？　I　was　ing　to　get　you　in　the　Brogan　when　all　hell　broke　loose。〃
　
　〃There　was　an　underwater　explosion。〃　Austin　glanced　at　the　mirror…flat　sea。　The　boat　lay　off　the　cove　entrance。　The　Sea　Robin　was　nowhere　in　sight。　Austin　couldn't　figure　it。　Contos　and　his　crew　would　have　heard　the　blast。　Why　hadn't　they　e　out　to　investigate？
　
　He　turned　his　attention　back　to　their　own　predicament。　〃Would　you　ask　our　friends　how　we　got　here？〃
　
　Zavala　questioned　the　fishermen　in　Spanish。　One　of　them　did　most　of　the　talking；　speaking　in　rapid　fire　as　his　brother　nodded　in　agreement。　Zavala　thanked　him　and　translated　the　ex　change。
　
　〃This　man's　name　is　Juan；〃　Zavala　said。　〃He　remembers　us　from　yesterday　up　on　the　cliffs。　The　other　guy　is　his　brother　Pedro。　They　were　fishing　when　they　heard　a　big　muffled　roar　and　the　water　bubbled　and　foamed　in　the　inlet。〃
　
　〃Si；　si；　la　bufadora；〃　Juan　said。　He　threw　his　hands　expansively　into　the　air　like　an　orchestra　conductor　calling　for　a　crescendo。
　
　〃What's　with　the　theatrics？〃　Austin　asked
　
　〃He　says　the　noise　was　like　the　blowhole　outside　Ensenada　where　the　sea　es　into　a　cleft　in　the　rocks　and　makes　a　big　boom。　Only　it　was　many　times　louder。　The　cliff　split　away　be　hind　the　tortilla　factory。　There　were　big　swells；　and　the　boat　al　most　capsized。　Then　we　popped　out　of　the　water。　They　pulled　us　in　like　a　couple　of　overgrown　sardines；　and　here　we　are。〃
　
　Austin　scanned　the　sea　again。　〃Did　they　mention　seeing　the　Sea　Robin？〃
　
　〃They　saw　a　ship　earlier。　From　their　description　it　must　have　been　the　Robin。　It　went　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　headland；　and　they　haven't　seen　it　since。〃
　
　Austin　was　starting　to　worry　about　Contos　and　his　crew。　〃Please　thank　our　benefactors　for　their　kindness　and　ask　if　they　would　mind　taking　us　around　the　point。〃　
　
　　Zavala　relayed　Austin's　request；　and　the　fishermen　started　the　old　Mercury　outboard　in　a　cloud　of　blue　smoke。　Coughing　like　an　asthmatic　corn　popper；　the　motor　effortlessly　moved　the　boat　through　the　silken　sea。　With　Juan　manning　the　tiller；　they　rounded　the　headland　and　immediately　saw　why　the　Sea　Robin　hadn't　left　its　mooring。　The　NUMA　ship　wasn't　going　anywhere　for　a　while。
　
　The　deck　was　covered　with　a　small　mountain　of　dirt　and　boulders；　and　the　vessel　listed　heavily　to　the　starboard。　The　A…frame　at　the　stern　and　the　free…standing　cranes　on　the　aft　deck　had　been　twisted　as　easily　as　pretzels　by　the　debris。　Above　the　boat；　the　steep　cliff　face　was　layered　with　yellow　strata　exposed　by　the　rockslide。　Crew　members　were　attacking　the　rubble　with　shovels　and　crowbars；　tossing　what　debris　they　could　manage　over　the　side。　A　forklift　was　moving　the　bigger　rocks。
　
　Juan　maneuvered　the　fishing　boat　alongside　the　NUMA　vessel。　Contos　came　to　the　rail　and　leaned　over。　His　hands　and　face　were　caked　with　dirt；　and　he　looked　as　if　he　had　crawled　out　of　a　mine。
　
　Austin　cupped　his　hands　and　called　out；　〃Anyone　hurt？〃
　
　〃A　few　cuts　and　bruises；〃　Contos　yelled　back。　〃Luckily　the　aft　deck　was　clear。　We　had　heard　a　loud　boom　from　the　cove　and　were　about　to　check　it　out。　Then　the　whole　side　of　the　cliff　came　down　before　we　could　weigh　anchor。　Where　the　hell　have　you　two　been？〃
　
　〃I　like　your　new　makeup；〃　Austin　said。
　
　Joe　chimed　in；　〃Is　it　Estee　Lauder？〃
　
　Contos's　attempt　to　rub　the　dirt　off　his　nose　only　made　it　worse。　〃It's　evident　from　your　wise…ass　ment　that　you're　hale　and　hearty。　When　you're　through　being　obnoxious；　would　you　mind　telling　me　what　happened？〃
　
　〃That　boom　you　heard　was　an　underwater　explosion；〃　Joe　said。
　
　Contos　shook　his　head　in　disbelief。　〃I　don't　know　of　any　volcanic　activity　along　here。　What　caused　it？〃
　
　〃Best　we　can　say　for　sure　is　that　it　was　centered　in　the　under　water　installation；〃　Austin　said。　
　He　gave　Austin　a　blank　look。
　
　〃We'll　explain　later。〃　Austin　surveyed　th