cussler.blueandgold-第25节

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　〃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　the　yellowed　〃The　explosion　shook　the　slide　loose。〃
　
　Contos　furrowed　his　brow。　〃Hey；〃　he　said　as　a　thought　struck　him。　〃What　did　you　do　with　the　Brogan？〃
　
　Austin　and　Zavala　looked　at　each　other　like　guilty　children　who　had　broken　the　cookie　jar。　Austin　was　beginning　to　wonder　if　he　were　a　Jonah；　the　name　mariners　give　a　seaman　who　at　tracts　calamity。　This　was　the　second　craft　he　had　lost　in　as　many　days。
　
　〃We　lost　her；〃　Austin　said。　〃Sorry。　It　couldn't　be　helped。　Juan　and　Pedro　here　hauled　us　out　of　the　water。〃
　
　〃Pleased　to　meet　you；〃　Contos　said　to　the　smiling　fishermen。　〃Not　much　we　can　do　about　it　now。　NUMA　will　simply　have　to　build　me　a　new　one。〃
　
　Austin　swept　his　eyes　over　the　tilted　hull　of　the　Sea　Robin。　〃Your　vessel　has　quite　a　list。　Are　you　in　any　danger　of　sinking？〃
　
　〃I　think　we'll　be　okay。　No　leaks　detected　so　far。　We'll　see　what　happens　once　we　get　under　way。　Most　of　the　damage　is　to　the　deck　and　superstructure。　The　cranes　are　useless；　as　you　can　see。　The　forklift　can　move　the　big　stuff。　We　haven't　called　for　help　because　we　don't　want　to　have　to　explain　what　we're　doing　in　Mexican　waters。〃
　
　〃Do　we　have　time　to　check　out　the　cove？〃
　
　Contos　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　the　rubble　still　to　be　re　moved。　〃Be　my　guest。　We'll　get　under　way　as　soon　as　we're　able。〃
　
　Zavala　asked　the　fishermen　to　take　them　back　to　the　inlet。　The　request　started　an　animated　argument　between　the　brothers。　Pedro　had　had　enough　of　the　cursed　place　with　its　strange　explosions　and　stranger　mermen　popping　out　of　the　sea。　He　clearly　wanted　to　go　home；　but　his　brother　prevailed。
　
　The　boat　made　its　way　around　the　headland。　As　they　entered　the　cove　they　could　see　smoke　ing　from　the　tortilla　factory。　Like　the　cliff　above　the　Sea　Robin；　the　sheer　face　behind　the　factory　was　layered　yellow　where　the　outer　rock　cover　had　been　dislodged　by　the　explosion。　The　rock　slide　had　taken　with　it　all　traces　of　the　monorail　elevator。
　
　The　fishing　boat　cut　a　path　through　the　debris　and　dead　fish　that　covered　the　surface　of　the　inlet。　Using　a　bucket；　Austin　and　Zavala　scooped　pieces　of　melted　plastic　and　charred　paper　from　the　water。　Remembering　how　a　tiny　piece　of　metal　had　helped　track　down　the　source　of　the　TWA　jet　explosion　over　Locker　bee；　Scotland；　Austin　figured　even　the　tiniest　fragment　might　be　of　use。
　
　The　work　was　painstaking；　but　their　persistence　paid　off。　Zavala　snagged　a　metal　cylinder　bobbing　in　the　water。　It　was　about　two　feet　long　and　six　inches　in　diameter。　Austin　found　a　serial　number　and　the　name　of　its　manufacturer　etched　into　the　metal。
　
　Joe　called　his　attention　to　movement　at　the　top　of　the　cliffs。　Human　specks　could　be　seen　lining　the　bluff。　Austin　didn't　feel　like　answering　questions　for　the　local　authorities。　The　fishermen　were　happy　to　head　back　to　the　ship。　The　deck　was　practically　clear　as　they　pulled　up　next　to　the　Sea　Robin。　The　ship　was　close　to　its　normal　pitch。　Austin　borrowed　some　money　from　Contos　and　tried　to　pay　the　fishermen　for　their　services；　but　the　brothers　refused　the　cash。　Juan　explained　through　Zavala　that　showing　them　the　hole　in　the　fence　was　a　service　for　which　he　would　accept　payment；　but　saving　men　from　the　sea　was　a　moral　duty。　Austin　thought　about　it；　then　persuaded　the　fishermen　to　accept　a　gift　of　friendship。　After　discussing　it　with　Contos；　they　presented　the　happy　fishermen　with　an　outboard　motor　soon　to　be　retired　from　service　but　in　excellent　shape。
　
　The　engines　were　started；　and　the　ship　slowly　headed　for　open　water。　No　leaks　were　detected。　Contos　set　a　course　north。　They　left　just　in　time。　As　they　cruised　along；　a　dark　green　helicopter　appeared　out　of　nowhere；　circled　the　inlet　several　times；　then　dashed　off　to　the　north　as　quickly　as　it　had　e。　They　mingled　with　the　boat　traffic　around　Ensenada；　where　they　spotted　a　Mexican　coast　guard　boat　steaming　at　full　speed　in　the　opposite　direction。　With　the　Sea　Robin　safely　on　its　way；　the　NUMA
　men　hit　the　showers　and　got　into　dry　clothes。　They　rejoined　Contos　on　the　bridge。　He　had　a　fresh　pot　of　coffee　waiting。
　
　〃Okay；　gentlemen；〃　he　said；　pouring　two　hot　steaming　mugs。　〃As　skipper　of　this　vessel；　which　you　mandeered　for　what　turned　out　to　be　a　mando　mission；　I'd　appreciate　it　if　you　would　fill　me　in。〃
　
　Austin　took　a　sip　of　the　high…octane　brew　and　decided　he　had　never　tasted　anything　more　delicious。
　
　〃The　explosion　was　a　surprise　to　us；〃　he　said。　〃Our　basic　mission　was　pretty　simple。　We　wanted　to　check　out　the　source　of　the　heat　that　may　have　killed　those　whales。　We　think　we　found　it。〃　He　described　the　underwater　structure　as　they　first　saw　it；　filling　Contos　in　on　the　approach；　the　fake　hazard　buoys；　the　fishing　net；　and　the　high　water　temperature。　Then　he　turned　the　narrative　over　to　Joe。
　
　Putting　himself　back　underwater　in　the　moments　before　the　explosion；　Zavala　curled　his　hands　as　if　he　were　clutching　an　in　visible　steering　wheel。
　
　〃Everything's　fine。　We　figure　the　high　temperature　readings　are　ing　from　the　installation。　You　set　off　for　a　closer　look；　and　I　put　the　sub　on　the　bottom　to　wait。　The　temps　start　to　go　off　the　charts；　and　I　suggest　you　get　back　to　the　Brogan。〃
　
　Austin　reached　into　his　memory。　〃I　had　just　looked　through　a　skylight　on　the　top　of　the　structure　when　I　got　your　call。　There　were　people　and　machinery　inside。　I　headed　back　to　the　sub。　Then　boom！〃
　
　〃You　said　the　structure　was　full　of　piping；〃　Zavala　said。　〃Some　of　it　would　have　been　high…pressure　conduits；　hence　the　potential　for　explosion。〃
　
　〃I　don't　know。　There　could　have　been　a　flaw　in　the　piping；　but　this　was　a　sophisticated　operation。　They　would　have　had　layers　of　safety　valves　and　shutoffs　to　prevent　a　pressure　buildup。　From　what　I　could　see　there　was　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary。　Nobody　was　rushing　around　in　a　panic。　No　indication　of　any　thing　wrong。〃
　
　〃What　about　the　water　temperature　buildup？〃　
　
　　〃Good　question；　although　the　satellite　photos　indicate　this　isn't　the　first　time　there　has　been　a　high…temperature　water　discharge　into　the　cove；　so　it　probably　didn't　have　a　direct　link　to　the　explosion。〃　Austin　had　brought　a　plastic　bag　with　him。　He　opened　it　and　produced　the　metal　cylinder。　〃We　found　this　floating　in　the　cove。　Any　idea　what　it　is？〃
　
　Contos　examined　the　object　and　shook　his　head。　〃I'll　try　to　track　down　the　manufacturer　when　we　get　back　to　Washington。〃
　
　〃Guess　your　instincts　were　right；　Kurt。　Remember；　back　at　Hussong's；　when　you　said　you　had　the　feeling　a　big　bad…assed　something　was　watching　us。〃
　
　Austin's　coral　eyes　hardened。　〃If　you'll　remember；　I　made　an　other　astute　observation。〃
　
　〃What　was　that？〃
　
　〃I　said　that　whatever　it　is　lurking　in　the　shadows；　the　damned　thing　is　as　hungry　as　hell。〃
　
　〃You　two　are　spooky；〃　Contos　said。　〃It　sounds　as　if　you're　talking　about　Godzilla。〃
　
　Austin　said　nothing。　He　stared　out　at　the　bow　cleaving　the　waves　as　if　the　answers　to　the　questions　whirling　around　in　his　head　could　be　found　beneath　the　blue…green　of　the　sea。
　
　Chapter　12　　THE　HAND　OF　GOD
　The　airship　glided　over　the　rain　forest　like　a　huge；　elongated　Japanese　lantern；　pulsating　with　a　soft　blue…and…orange　light　as　twin　tongues　of　flame　from　the　propane　burners　heated　the　air　inside　the　big　sausage…shaped　envelope。　Except　for　the　occasional　burner　blast；　the　only　evidence　of　the　craft's　existence　was　a　silent　shadow　that　blotted　out　the　moon　and　stars　like　a　passing　cloud。
　
　What　Paul　and　Gamay　thought　to　be　a　blimp　was　actually　a　thermal　airship；　an　ingenious　cross　between　a　hot…air　balloon　and　a　dirigible。　Hot…air　burners　provided　lift；　but　unlike　a　balloon；　which　goes　where　the　wind　takes　it；　the　thermal　airship　had　an　engine　and　could　be　steered　under　power。　The　more　streamlined　zeppelin　silhouette　had　replaced　the　customary　pear…shaped　air　bag　known　as　the　envelope。　The　envelope　kept　its　shape　with　internal　air　pressure　instead　of　a　rigid　blimp　skeleton。
　
　The　Trouts　sat　side…by…side　at　the　front　of　the　aluminum　frame　gondola；　held　in　their　fortable　padded　seats　by　full　harnesses。　From　their　perspective；　slung　under　the　belly　of　the　envelope；　the　blimp　looked　enormous。　The　polyester　fabric　bag　was　one　hundred　feet　long　and　half　that　in　height。　It　had　a　full　rudder　at　the　back　end　for　steering　and　large；　thick　fins　for　stability。　Behind　the　passenger　seats　were　the　propane　tanks　that　fueled　the　burners；　the　fuel　containers　for　the　Rotex　two…stroke　power　plant；　the　engine　itself；　and　the　three…blade　propeller　that　provided　lateral　thrust。
　
　Paul　and　Gamay　had　taken　turns　acquainting　themselves　with　the　airship's　controls。　Both　Trouts　had　ridden　in　balloons　and　knew　the　principles　of　hot　air。　The　airship's　operation　was　relatively　simple。　A　foot…operated　valve　controlled　the　stainless　steel　burners　that　kept　hot　air　flowing　through　a　metal　chute　into　the　envelope。　The　instrument　panel　had　only　half　a　dozen　gauges。　The　Trouts　watched　the　altimeter　with　gimlet　eyes；　keeping　the　airship　at　about　two　thousand