michael crichton.congo-第25节

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Ross　explained　that　flight　controllers　in　Rwanda　were　accustomed　to　aircraft　that　did　not　file　full　plans。　〃He　just　wants　to　know　when　the　plane　will　be　back　at　his　field。　The　rest　is　none　of　his　business。〃
　Rawamagena　airport　was　sleepy；　they　had　to　wait　two　hours　for　petrol　to　be　brought；　yet　the　normally　impatient　Ross　waited　quietly。　And　Munro　dozed；　equally　indifferent　to　the　delay。
　〃What　about　the　timeline？〃　Elliot　asked。
　〃No　problem；〃　she　said。　〃We　can't　leave　for　three　hours　anyway。　We　need　the　light　over　Mukenko。〃
　〃That's　where　the　airfield　is？〃　Elliot　asked。
　〃If　you　call　it　an　airfield；〃　Munro　said；　and　he　pulled　his　safari　hat　down　over　his　eyes　and　went　back　to　sleep。
　This　worried　Elliot　until　Ross　explained　to　him　that　most　outlying　African　airfields　were　just　dirt　strips　cut　into　the　bush。　The　pilots　couldn't　land　at　night；　or　in　the　foggy　morning；　because　there　were　often　animals　on　the　field；　or　encamped　nomads；　or　another　plane　that　had　put　down　and　was　unable　to　take　off　again。　〃We　need　the　light；〃　she　explained。　〃That's　why　we're　waiting。　Don't　worry：　it's　all　factored　in。〃
　Elliot　accepted　her　explanation；　and　went　back　to　check　on　Amy。　Ross　sighed。　〃Don't　you　think　we'd　better　tell　him？〃　she　asked。
　〃Why？〃　Munro　said；　not　lifting　his　hat。
　〃Maybe　there's　a　problem　with　Amy。〃
　〃I'll　take　care　of　Amy；〃　Munro　said。
　〃It's　going　to　upset　Elliot　when　he　finds　out；〃　Ross　said。
　〃Of　course　it's　going　to　upset　him；〃　Munro　said。　〃But　there's　no　point　upsetting　him　until　we　have　to。　After　all；　what's　this　jump　worth　to　us？〃
　〃Forty　hours；　at　least。　It's　dangerous；　but　it'll　give　us　a　whole　new　timeline。　We　could　still　beat　them。〃
　〃Well；　there's　your　answer；〃　Munro　said。　〃Now　keep　your　mouth　shut；　and　get　some　rest。〃
　
　DAY　5：　MORUTI
　June　17；1979
　
　1。Zaire
　
　FIVE　HOURS　OUT　OF　RAWAMAGENA；　THE　LANDSCAPE　changed。　Once　past　Goma；　near　the　Zaire　border；　they　found　themselves　flying　over　the　easternmost　fingers　of　the　Congo　rain　forest。　Elliot　stared　out　the　window；　fascinated。
　Here　and　there　in　the　pale　morning　light；　a　few　fragile　wisps　of　fog　clung　like　cotton　to　the　canopy　of　trees。　And　occasionally　they　passed　the　dark　snaking　curve　of　a　muddy　river；　or　the　straight　deep　red　gash　of　a　road。　But　for　the　most　part　they　looked　down　upon　an　unbroken　expanse　of　dense　forest；　extending　away　into　the　distance　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see。
　The　view　was　boring；　and　simultaneously　frightening…it　was　frightening　to　be　confronted　by　what　Stanley　had　called　〃the　indifferent　immensity　of　the　natural　world。〃　As　one　sat　in　the　air…conditioned　fort　of　an　airplane　seat；　it　was　impossible　not　to　recognize　that　this　vast；　monotonous　forest　was　a　giant　creation　of　nature；　utterly　dwarfing　in　scale　the　greatest　cities　or　other　creations　of　mankind。　Each　individual　green　puff　of　a　tree　had　a　trunk　forty　feet　in　diameter；　soaring　two　hundred　feet　into　the　air；　a　space　the　size　of　a　Gothic　cathedral　was　concealed　beneath　its　billowing　foliage。　And　Elliot　knew　that　the　forest　extended　to　the　west　for　nearly　two　thousand　miles；　until　it　finally　stopped　at　the　Atlantic　Ocean；　on　the　west　coast　of　Zaire。
　Elliot　had　been　anticipating　Amy's　reaction　to　this　first　view　of　the　jungle；　her　natural　environment。　She　looked　out　the　window　with　a　fixed　stare。　She　signed　Here　jungle　with　the　same　emotional　neutrality　that　she　named　color　cards；　or　objects　spread　out　on　her　trailer　floor　in　San　Francisco。　She　was　identifying　the　jungle；　giving　a　name　to　what　she　saw；　but　he　sensed　no　deeper　recognition。
　Elliot　said　to　her；　〃Amy　like　jungle？〃
　Jungle　here；　she　signed。　Jungle　is。
　He　persisted；　probing　for　the　emotional　context　that　he　was　sure　must　be　there。　Amy　like　jungle？
　Jungle　here。　Jungle　is。　Jungle　place　here　Amy　see　jungle　here。
　He　tried　another　approach。　〃Amy　live　jungle　here？〃
　No。　Expressionless。
　〃Where　Amy　live？〃
　Amy　live　Amy　house。　Referring　to　her　trailer　in　San　Francisco。
　Elliot　watched　her　loosen　her　seat　belt；　cup　her　chin　on　her　hand　as　she　stared　lazily　out　the　window。　She　signed；　Amy　want　cigarette。
　She　had　noticed　Munro　smoking。
　〃Later；　Amy；〃　Elliot　said。
　
　At　seven　in　the　morning；　they　flew　over　the　shimmering　metal　roofs　of　the　tin　and　tantalum　mining　plex　at　Masisi。　Munro；　Kahega；　and　the　other　porters　went　to　the　back　of　the　plane；　where　they　worked　on　the　equipment；　chattering　excitedly　in　Swahili。
　Amy；　seeing　them　go；　signed；　They　worried。
　〃Worried　about　what；　Amy？〃
　They　worried　men　worry　they　worried　problems。　After　a　while；　Elliot　moved　to　the　rear　of　the　plane　to　find　Munro's　men　half　buried　under　great　heaps　of　straw；　stuffing　equipment　into　oblong　torpedo…shaped　muslin　containers；　then　packing　straw　around　the　supplies。　Elliot　pointed　to　the　muslin　torpedoes。　〃What　are　these？〃
　〃They're　called　Crosslin　containers；〃　Munro　said。　〃Very　reliable。〃
　〃I've　never　seen　equipment　packed　this　way；〃　Elliot　said；　watching　the　men　work。　〃They　seem　to　be　protecting　our　supplies　very　carefully。〃
　〃That's　the　idea；〃　Munro　said。　And　he　moved　up　the　aircraft　to　the　cockpit；　to　confer　with　the　pilot。
　Amy　signed；　Nosehair　man　lie　Peter。　〃Nosehair　man〃　was　her　term　for　Munro；　but　Elliot　ignored　her。　He　turned　to　Kahega。　〃How　far　to　the　airfield？〃
　Kahega　glanced　up。　〃Airfield？〃
　〃At　Mukenko。〃
　Kahega　paused；　thinking　it　over。　〃Two　hours；〃　he　said。　And　then　he　giggled。　He　said　something　in　Swahili　and　all　his　brothers　laughed；　too。
　〃What's　funny？〃　Elliot　said。
　〃Oh；　Doctor；〃　Kahega　said；　slapping　him　on　the　back。　〃You　are　humorous　by　your　nature。〃
　The　airplane　banked；　making　a　slow　wide　circle　in　the　air。　Kahega　and　his　brothers　peered　out　the　windows；　and　Elliot　joined　them。　He　saw　only　unbroken　jungle…and　then　a　column　of　green　jeeps；　moving　down　a　muddy　track　far　below。　It　looked　like　a　military　formation。　He　heard　the　word　〃Muguru〃　repeated　several　times。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃　Elliot　said。　〃Is　this　Muguru？〃
　Kahega　shook　his　head　vigorously。　〃No　hell。　This　damn　pilot；　I　warn　Captain　Munro；　this　damn　pilot　lost。〃
　〃Lost？〃　Elliot　repeated。　Even　the　word　was　chilling。
　Kahega　laughed。　〃Captain　Munro　set　him　right；　give　him　dickens。〃
　The　airplane　now　flew　east；　away　from　the　jungle　toward　a　wooded　highland　area；　rolling　hills　and　stands　of　deciduous　trees。　Kahega's　brothers　chattered　excitedly；　and　laughed　and　slapped　one　another；　they　seemed　to　be　having　a　fine　time。
　Then　Ross　came　back；　moving　quickly　down　the　aisle；　her　face　tense。　She　unpacked　cardboard　boxes；　withdrawing　several　basketball…sized　spheres　of　tightly　wrapped　metal　foil。
　The　foil　reminded　him　of　Christmas…tree　tinsel。　〃What's　that　for？〃　Elliot　asked。
　And　then　he　heard　the　first　explosion；　and　the　Fokker　shuddered　in　the　air。
　
　Running　to　the　window；　he　saw　a　straight　thin　white　vapor　trail　terminating　in　a　black　smoke　cloud　off　to　their　right。　The　Fokker　was　banking；　tilting　toward　the　jungle。　As　he　watched；　a　second　trail　streaked　up　toward　them　from　the　green　forest　below。
　It　was　a　missile；　he　realized。　A　guided　missile。
　〃Ross！〃　Munro　shouted。
　〃Ready！〃　Ross　shouted　back。
　There　was　a　bursting　red　explosion；　and　his　view　through　the　windows　was　obscured　by　dense　smoke；　The　airplane　shook　with　the　blast；　but　continued　the　turn。　Elliot　couldn't　believe　it：　someone　was　shooting　missiles　at　them。
　〃Radar！〃　Munro　shouted。　〃Not　optical！　Radar！〃
　Ross　gathered　up　the　silver　basketballs　in　her　arms　and　moved　back　down　the　aisle。　Kahega　was　opening　the　rear　door；　the　wind　whipping　through　the　partment。
　〃What　the　hell's　happening？〃　Elliot　said。
　〃Don't　worry；〃　Ross　said　over　her　shoulder。　〃We'll　make　up　the　time。〃　There　was　a　loud　whoosh；　followed　by　a　third　explosion。　With　the　airplane　still　banked　steeply；　Ross　tore　the　wrappings　from　the　basketballs　and　threw　them　out　into　the　open　sky。
　Engines　roaring；　the　Fokker　swung　eight　miles　to　the　south　and　climbed　to　twelve　thousand　feet；　then　circled　the　forest　in　a　holding　pattern。　With　each　revolution；　Elliot　could　see　the　foil　strips　hanging　in　the　air　like　a　glinting　metallic　cloud。　Two　more　rockets　exploded　within　the　cloud。　Even　from　a　distance；　the　noise　and　the　shock　waves　disturbed　Amy；　she　was　rocking　back　and　forth　in　her　seat；　grunting　softly。
　〃That's　chaff；〃　Ross　explained；　sitting　in　front　of　her　portable　puter　console；　pushing　keys。　〃It　confuses　radar　weapons　systems。　Those　radar…guided　SAMs　read　us　as　somewhere　in　the　cloud。〃
　Elliot　heard　her　words　slowly；　as　if　in　a　dream。　It　made　no　sense　to　him。　〃But　who's　shooting　at　us？〃
　〃Probably　the　FZA；〃　Munro　said。　〃Forces　Zairoises　Armoises…the　Zaire　army。〃
　〃The　Zaire　army？　Why？〃
　〃It's　a　mistake；〃　Ross　said；　still　punching　buttons；　not　looking　up。
　〃A　mistake？　They're　shooting　surface…to…air　missiles　at　us　and　it's　a　mistake？　Don't　you　think　you'd　better　call　them　and　tell　them　it's　a　mistake？〃
　〃Can't；〃　Ross　said。
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Because；〃　Munro　said；　〃we　didn't　want　to　file　a　flight　plan　in　Rawamagena。　That　means　we　are　technically　in　violation　of　Zaire　airspace。〃
　〃Jesus　Christ；〃　Elliot　said。
　Ross　said　nothing。　She　continued　to　work　at　the　puter　console；　trying　to　get　the　static　to　resolve　on　the