cussler.blueandgold-第64节

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e　ParaNautique　winch　boat　into　a　big；　slow　turn　that　would　take　them　back　along　the　lake's　California　side。
　
　The　maneuver　gave　Austin　a　sweeping　view　of　the　lake。　Lake　Tahoe　is　on　the　California…Nevada　border　in　the　Sierra　Nevada　about　twenty…three　miles　southwest　of　Reno。　Ringed　by　rugged　mountains　that　are　covered　with　snow　in　the　winter；　Tahoe　is　the　largest　alpine　lake　in　the　United　States。　It　is　more　than　a　mile　high；　more　than　sixteen　hundred　feet　deep。　The　lake　is　twenty　two　miles　long　and　about　a　dozen　miles　wide　and　lies　in　a　fault　basin　created　by　ancient　forces　deep　in　the　earth。　Two…thirds　of　its　two…hundred…square…mile　area　is　in　California。　At　the　north　end　it　empties　into　the　Truckee　River。　At　the　south　end　a　river　of　money　empties　into　the　coffers　of　the　high…rise　gambling　casinos　at　Stateline。　The　first　white　man　to　discover　the　lake　was　John　C。　
　Freemont　who　was　on　a　surveying　mission。　To　English　speakers　the　Washoe　Indian　name　for　the　lake；　Da…ow；　which　means　〃much　water；〃　sounded　like　Tahoe；　and　the　pronunciation　stuck。
　
　As　the　parasail　brought　Austin　around　in　a　wide　arc　he　concentrated　his　attention　on　a　particular　stretch　of　shoreline　and　the　dark　forest　rising　behind　it；　imprinting　the　image　on　his　mind。　He　would　have　preferred　to　use　a　video　or　still　camera　in　stead　of　his　imperfect　memory；　but　traffic　this　close　to　Gogstad's　lair　was　sure　to　e　under　close　scrutiny。　Any　undue　interest　on　his　part；　such　as　pointing　a　camera　lens　in　the　wrong　direction；　would　set　off　alarms。
　
　He　drifted　past　a　long　pier　that　jutted　from　the　rocky　shore。　A　powerboat　was　tied　up　at　the　pier。　Behind　a　boathouse　or　storage　shed；　the　black　rocks　rose　at　a　sharp　angle；　then　leveled　off　into　a　heavily　wooded　natural　tableland。　Several　hundred　yards　back　from　shore　the　land　rose　again　in　thick　forest。　The　towers；　roofs；　and　turrets　peeking　above　the　tall　trees　reminded　Austin　of　the　castle　ramparts　in　a　Grimm　fairy　tale。
　
　Austin's　eye　was　drawn　by　sudden　movement。　Several　men　in　dark　clothes　had　run　out　to　the　end　of　the　pier。　He　was　too　far　away　to　see　details；　but　he　wouldn't　be　surprised　if　pictures　of　him　parasailing　wound　up　in　a　Gogstad　family　album。
　
　The　pier　disappeared　in　his　wake　as　the　winch　boat　towed　him　another　mile　south。　When　they　were　safely　out　of　view　he　gave　Zavala　the　okay　to　haul　him　in。　The　winch　pulled　the　Skyrider　in　like　a　boy　reeling　in　a　kite。　The　reclining　chair　splashed　down　and　floated　in　the　water。　Austin　was　grateful　he　wasn't　using　the　old　harness…style　rig　which　would　have　dunked　him　in　the　lake。　Even　in　summer　the　water　temperature　was　in　the　sixties。
　
　〃See　anything　interesting？〃　Zavala　asked　as　he　helped　Austin　back　into　the　winch　boat。
　
　〃There's　no　wele　mat　on　the　doorstep；　if　that's　what　you　mean。〃
　
　〃I　think　I　saw　a　weling　mittee　on　the　dock。〃
　
　〃They　came　charging　out　the　minute　we　did　our　second　fly　by。　We　were　right　about　the　tight　security。〃　
　
　
　They　had　assumed　the　pound　would　be　well　guarded　and　that　there　would　be　no　point　sneaking　around。　Reasoning　that　the　obvious　was　often　the　most　innocuous；　they　had　flashed　a　wad　of　bills　and　their　NUMA　IDs　and　persuaded　the　owner　of　the　parasail　and　the　winch　boat　to　spare　his　equipment　for　a　few　hours。　They　implied　that　they　were　investigating　the　Mafia；　which　was　not　implausible　given　the　nearness　to　the　gambling　casinos。　Since　business　was　off　and　he　stood　to　make　more　in　the　deal　than　he　earned　in　a　week；　he　went　along　with　the　deal。
　
　　Austin　helped　Zavala　stow　the　Skyrider　and　parasail；　then　he　opened　a　waterproof　bag　and　dug　out　a　sketch　pad　and　pen。　Apologizing　for　his　draftsmanship；　which　was　really　quite　good；　he　drew　several　sketches　of　what　he　had　seen　from　the　air。　He　had　brought　along　the　satellite　photos　Yaeger　provided　and　　pared　the　sketches　to　them。　At　the　top　of　the　bluff　the　staircase　from　the　dock　connected　with　a　walkway。　This　in　turn　widened　into　a　road　that　led　to　the　main　plex。　A　spur　from　the　road　shot　off　to　a　helicopter　pad。
　
　　〃A　full　frontal　waterborne　assault　is　out　of　the　question；〃　he　said。
　
　　〃Can't　say　I'm　disappointed。　I　haven't　forgotten　our　shoot　out　in　Alaska；〃　Zavala　said。
　
　　〃I　had　hoped　to　see　down　into　the　water。　In　the　old　days　the　lake　was　as　clear　as　crystal；　but　the　runoff　from　all　the　development　around　the　shores　has　clouded　up　the　water　with　algae　growth。〃
　
　　Zavala　had　been　studying　another　photo。　After　their　strategy　meeting　at　NUMA　headquarters；　Austin　called　up　a　NOAA　satellite　photo　of　Lake　Tahoe。　The　shot　showed　the　water　temperature　of　the　lake　in　colors。　The　lake　was　almost　entirely　blue　except　for　one　spot　along　the　western　shore　where　the　red　shade　denoted　high　temperatures。　The　heated　water　was　practically　under　the　Gogstad　pier。　It　was　similar　to　the　heat　pulse　in　the　ocean　off　the　Baja　coast。
　
　　〃Pictures　don't　lie；〃　Zavala　said。　〃There's　always　the　possibility　of　a　hot　spring。〃　
　Austin　frowned。
　
　〃Okay；　say　you're　right；　that　there's　an　underwater　facility　like　the　one　in　the　Baja。　There's　one　thing　I　don't　understand。　We're　talking　about　a　desalting　plant。　This　is　a　freshwater　lake。〃
　
　〃I　agree；　it　doesn't　make　sense。　But　there's　only　one　way　to　find　out　for　sure。　Let's　head　back　and　see　if　our　package　has　arrived。〃
　
　Austin　started　the　engine　and　pointed　the　winch　boat　toward　South　Lake　Tahoe。　They　skimmed　over　the　intense　blue　waters；　and　before　long　they　were　pulling　into　a　marina。　A　lanky　figure　stood　at　the　end　of　a　finger　pier　waving　at　them。　Paul　had　stayed　on　shore。　His　wound　was　still　too　tender　to　allow　him　to　bounce　around　in　a　boat。　As　they　pulled　up　to　the　slip　he　grabbed　the　line　with　his　good　hand　and　tied　them　off。
　
　〃Your　package　has　arrived；〃　he　announced。　〃It's　in　the　parking　lot。〃
　
　〃That　was　fast；〃　Austin　said。　〃Let's　take　a　look。〃　He　and　Zavala　set　off　toward　the　parking　lot。
　
　〃Wait；〃　Paul　said。
　
　Austin　was　eager　to　check　out　the　delivery。　〃We'll　fill　you　in　later；〃　he　said　over　his　shoulder。
　
　Paul　shook　his　head。　〃Can't　say　I　didn't　try　to　warn　you；〃　he　muttered。
　
　The　flatbed　truck　was　pulled　up　off　to　the　side。　The　object　on　the　trailer　was　about　the　shape　and　size　of　two　cars；　one　be　hind　the　other。　It　was　covered　with　padding　and　dark　plastic。　Austin　had　moved　in　for　a　closer　look　when　the　passenger　door　of　the　truck　opened　and　a　familiar　figure　stepped　out。　Jim　Contos；　skipper　of　the　Sea　Robin；　strolled　over　with　a　grin　on　his　face。
　
　〃Uh…oh；〃　Zavala　said。
　
　〃Jim；〃　Austin　said。　〃What　a　nice　surprise。〃
　
　〃What　the　hell　is　going　on；　Kurt？〃　The　grin　had　vanished。
　
　〃It　was　an　emergency；　Jim。〃
　
　〃Yeah；　I　figured　it　was　an　emergency　when　Rudi　Gunn　called　in　the　middle　of　sea　trials　and　told　me　to　ship　the　SeaBus　out　to　Tahoe　ASAP。　So　I　just　tagged　along　on　the　ride　in　from　San　Diego　to　see　who　was　on　the　receiving　end。〃　
　
　　Austin　noticed　a　picnic　table　and　suggested　they　sit　down。　Then　he　laid　out　the　situation；　using　the　photos　and　drawings　as　visual　aids。　Contos　sat　silently　through　the　entire　explanation；　his　dark　features　growing　graver　with　each　added　detail。
　
　〃So　there　you　have　it；〃　Austin　said。　〃When　we　saw　that　there　might　be　only　one　way　in；　we　checked　on　the　nearest　submersible　to　do　the　job。　Unfortunately　it　happened　to　be　the　one　you　were　testing。〃
　
　〃Why　play　Blind　Man's　Bluff？〃　Contos　said；　referring　to　daring　covert　underwater　operations　during　the　cold　war。　〃Why　not　just　go　in？〃
　
　〃First　of　all；　the　place　has　better　security　than　Fort　Knox。　We　checked　on　land　access。　The　plex　is　surrounded　by　razor…wire　fence　rigged　to　set　off　alarms　if　you　so　much　as　breathe　on　it。　The　perimeter　is　heavily　patrolled。　There　is　only　one　access　road　in　and　out。　It　runs　through　dense　forest　and　is　heavily　guarded。　If　we　send　a　SWAT　team　in　with　guns　blazing　it's　likely　someone　would　get　hurt。　Beyond　that；　what　if　we're　wrong　about　the　whole　thing；　that　the　women　are　not　being　held　there；　and　what's　behind　all　those　fences　is　perfectly　legal？〃
　
　〃You　don't　think　that's　the　case；　do　you？〃
　
　〃No；　I　don't。〃
　
　Contos　gazed　out　at　the　sailboats　peacefully　gliding　across　the　lake；　then　turned　to　Paul；　who　had　joined　them　at　the　table。
　
　〃Do　you　think　your　wife　is　in　there？〃
　
　〃Yep。　I　have　every　intention　of　getting　her　out。〃
　
　Contos　noted　Trout's　arm　in　its　sling。　〃I'd　say　you　could　use　an　extra　hand。　And　your　friends　here　will　need　some　help　launching　the　SeaBus。〃
　
　〃I　designed　it；〃　Zavala　said。
　
　〃I'm　well　aware　of　that；　but　you　haven't　been　the　one　testing　it；　so　you　don't　know　the　quirks。　For　instance；　the　batteries　are　supposed　to　be　good　for　six　hours。　They　barely　make　it　past　four。　From　what　you　say；　this　facility　is　quite　a　way　from　here。　Have　you　given　any　thought　to　how　you're　going　to　get　it　to　the　launch　point？〃　
　Austin　and　Zavala　exchanged　an　amused　glance。
　
　'As　a　matter　of　fact；　we　have　already　lined　up　a　delivery　sys　tem；〃　Austin　said。　〃Would　you　like　to　see　it？〃
　
　Contos　nodded；　and　they　got　up　from　the　table　and　walked　through　the　parking　lot　to　the　dock。　The　closer　they　got　to　the　water　the　more　puzzled　was　the　expressio