if.thunderball-第37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！


y'd　have　ditched　somewhere　well　out　of　the　way。　Assuming；　and　it's　the　hell　of　an　assumption；　that；　when　the　Disco　made　off　to　the　southeast　on　the　night　of　the　third；　it　was　a　ruse；　it'll　be　reasonable　to　hunt　to　the　north　and　the　west。
　
　She　was　away　eight　hours。　Two　of　those　would　have　been　at　anchor　doing　the　salvage　work。　That　leaves　six　hours'　sailing　at　around　thirty　knots。　Cut　an　hour　off　for　laying　the　false　trail；　and　that　leaves　five。　I've　marked　off　an　area　from　the　Grand　Bahamas　down　to　south　of　the　Bimini　group。　That　fits…if　anything　fits。〃
　
　〃Did　you　get　on　the　the　missioner？〃
　
　〃Yes。　He's　going　to　have　a　couple　of　good　men　with　day…and…night　glasses　keeping　an　eye　on　the　Disco　。　If　she　moves　from　her　Palmyra　anchorage　where　she's　due　back　at　midday；　and　if　we're　not　back　in　time；　he'll　have　her　shadowed　by　one　of　the　Bahama　Airways　charter　planes。　I　got　him　quite　worried　with　just　one　or　two　bits　of　information。　He　wanted　to　go　to　the　Governor　with　the　story。　I　said　not　yet。　He's　a　good　man。　Just　doesn't　want　too　much　responsibility　without　someone　else's　okay。　I　used　the　P。M。's　name　to　keep　him　quiet　until　we　get　back。　He'll　play　all　right。　When　do　you　think　the　Manta　could　be　here？〃
　
　〃S'evening；　I'd　say。〃　Leiter's　voice　was　uneasy。　〃I　must　have　been　drunk　last　night　to　have　sent　for　her。　Christ；　we're　creating　one　hell　of　a　flap；　James。　It　doesn't　look　too　good　in　the　cold　light　of　dawn。　Anyway；　what　the　hell？　There's　Grand　Bahama　ing　up　dead　ahead。　Want　me　to　give　the　rocket　base　a　buzz？　Prohibited　flying　area；　but　we　might　as　well　go　in　up　to　our　ears　while　we're　about　it。　Just　listen　to　the　bawling　out　we'll　be　getting　in　just　a　minute　or　two。〃　He　reached　up　and　switched　on　the　radio。
　
　They　flew　eastward　along　the　fifty　miles　of　beautiful　coast　toward　what　looked　like　a　small　city　of　aluminum　hutments　among　which　red　and　white　and　silver　structures　rose　like　small　skyscrapers　above　the　low　roofs。　〃That's　it；〃　said　Leiter。　〃See　the　yellow　warning　balloons　at　the　corners　of　the　base？　Warning　to　aircraft　and　fishermen。　There's　a　flight　test　on　this　morning。　Better　get　out　to　sea　a　bit　and　keep　south。　If　it's　a　full　test；　they'll　be　firing　toward　Ascension　Island…about　five　thousand　miles　east。　Off　the　African　coast。　Don't　want　to　get　an　Atlas　missile　up　our　backsides。　Look　over　there　to　the　left…sticking　up　like　a　pencil　beside　that　red　and　white　gantry！　Atlas　or　a　Titan…intercontinental。　Or　might　be　a　prototype　Polaris。　The　other　two　gantries'll　be　for　Matador　and　Snark　and　perhaps　your　Thunderbird。　That　big　gun　thing；　like　a　howitzer；　that's　the　camera　tracker。　The　two　saucer…shaped　reflectors　are　the　radar　screen。　Golly！　One　of　them's　turning　away　toward　us！　We're　going　to　get　hell　in　a　minute。　That　strip　of　concrete　down　the　middle　of　the　island。　That's　the　skid　strip　for　bringing　in　missiles　that　are　recallable。　Can't　see　the　central　control　for　telemetering　and　guidance　and　destruction　of　the　things　if　they　go　mad。　That'll　be　underground…one　of　those　squat　blockhouse　things。　Some　brass　hat'll　be　sitting　down　there　with　his　staff　getting　all　set　for　the　countdown　or　whatever's　going　to　happen　and　telling　someone　to　do　something　about　that　goddamn　little　plane　that's　fouling　up　the　works。〃
　
　Above　their　heads　the　radio　crackled。　A　metallic　voice　said；　〃N/AKOI；　N/AKOI。　You're　in　a　prohibited　area。　Can　you　hear　me。　Change　course　southwards　immediately。　N/AKOI。　This　is　Grand　Bahama　Rocket　Base。　Keep　clear。　Keep　clear。〃
　
　Leiter　said；　〃Oh；　hell！　No　use　interfering　with　world　progress。　Anyway；　we've　seen　all　we　want。　No　good　getting　on　the　Windsor　Field　report　to　add　to　our　troubles。〃　He　banked　the　little　plane　sharply。　〃But　you　see　what　I　mean？　If　that　little　heap　of　iron…mongery　isn't　worth　a　quarter　of　a　billion　dollars　my　name's　P。　Rick。　And　it's　just　about　a　hundred　miles　from　Nassau。　Perfect　for　the　Disco　。〃
　
　The　radio　started　again：　〃N/AKOI；　N/AKOI。　You　will　be　reported　for　entering　a　prohibited　area　and　for　failing　to　acknowledge。　Keep　flying　south　and　watch　out　for　sudden　turbulence。　Over。〃　The　radio　went　silent。
　
　Leiter　said；　〃That　means　they're　going　to　fire　a　test。　Keep　an　eye　on　them　and　let　me　know　when。　I'll　cut　down　the　revs。　No　harm　in　watching　ten　million　dollars　of　the　taxpayer's　money　being　blown　off；　Look！　The　radar　scanner's　turned　back　to　the　east。　They'll　be　sweating　it　out　in　that　blockhouse　all　right。　I've　seen　'em　at　it。　Lights'11　be　blinking　all　over　the　big　board　way　down　underground。　The　Kibitzers'11　be　at　their　periscopes。　Voices'll　e　down　over　the　P。A。　system…'Beacon　contact　。　。　。　Warning　balloons　up　。。。　Telemeter　contact　。　。　。　Tank　pressure　okay　。　。　。　Gyros　okay　。　。　。　Rocket…tank　pressure　correct　。　。　。　Rocket　clear　。　。　。　Recorders　alive　。　。　。　Lights　all　green　。　。　。　Ten；　nine；　eight；　seven；　six　。。。　Fire！〃'
　
　Despite　Leiter's　graphic　countdown；　nothing　happened。　Then；　through　his　glasses；　Bond　saw　a　wisp　of　steam　ing　from　the　base　of　the　rocket。　Then　a　great　cloud　of　steam　and　smoke　and　a　flash　of　bright　light　that　turned　red。　Breathlessly；　for　there　was　something　terrible　in　the　sight；　Bond　gave　the　blow…by…blow　to　Leiter。　〃It's　edging　up　off　the　pad。　There's　a　jet　of　flame。　It　seems　to　be　sitting　on　it。　Now　it's　going　up　like　a　lift。　Now　it's　off！　God；　it's　going　fast！　Now　there's　nothing　but　a　spark　of　fire　in　the　sky。　Now　it's　gone。　Whew！〃　Bond　mopped　his　brow。　〃Remember　that　Moonraker　job　I　was　on　a　few　years　back？　Interesting　to　see　what　the　people　out　front　saw。〃
　
　〃Yeah。　You　were　lucky　to　get　out　of　that　deep　fry。〃　Leiter　brushed　aside　Bond's　reminiscences。　〃Now　then；　next　stop　those　spits　in　the　ocean　north　of　Bimini　and　then　a　good　run　down　the　Bimini　Group。　Around　seventy　miles　southwest。　Keep　an　eye　out。　If　we　miss　those　dots；　we'll　end　up　in　the　grounds　of　the　Fountain　Blue　in　Miami。〃
　
　A　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　the　tiny　necklet　of　cays　showed　up。　They　were　barely　above　the　water　line。　There　was　much　shoal。　It　looked　an　ideal　hiding…place　for　the　plane。　They　came　down　to　a　hundred　feet　and　slowly　cruised　in　a　zigzag　down　the　group。　The　water　was　so　clear　that　Bond　could　see　big　fish　meandering　around　the　dark　clumps　of　coral　and　seaweed　in　the　brilliant　sand。　A　big　diamond…shaped　sting　ray　cowered　and　buried　itself　in　the　sand　as　the　black　shadow　of　the　plane　pursued　and　shot　over　it。　There　was　nothing　else　and　no　possibility　of　concealment。　The　green　shoal　waters　were　as　clean　and　innocent　as　if　they　had　been　open　desert。　The　plane　flew　on　south　to　North　Bimini。　Here　there　were　a　few　houses　and　some　small　fishing　hotels。　Expensive…looking　deep…sea　fishing　craft　were　out；　their　tall　rods　streaming。　Gay　people　in　the　well…decks　waved　to　the　little　plane。　A　girl；　sunbathing　naked　on　the　roof　of　a　smart　cabin　cruiser；　hastily　snatched　at　a　towel。　〃Authentic　blonde！〃　mented　Leiter。　They　flew　on　south　to　the　Cat　Cays　that　trail　away　south　from　the　Biminis。　Here　there　was　still；　an　occasional　fishing　craft。　Leiter　groaned。　〃What　the　hell's　the　good　of　this？　These　fishermen　would　have　found　it　by　now　if　it　was　here。〃　Bond　told　him　to　keep　on　south。　Thirty　miles　farther　south　there　were　little　unnamed　specks　on　the　Admiralty　chart。　Soon　the　dark　blue　water　began　to　shoal　again　to　green。　They　passed　over　three　sharks　circling　aimlessly。　Then　there　was　nothing…just　dazzling　sand　under　the　glassy　surface；　and　occasional　patches　of　coral。
　
　They　went　on　carefully　down　to　where　the　water　turned　again　to　blue。　Leiter　said　dully；　〃Well；　that's　that。　Fifty　miles　on　there's　Andros。　Too　many　people　there。　Someone　would　have　heard　the　plane…if　there　was　a　plane。〃　He　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Eleven…thirty。　What　next；　Hawkshaw？　I've　only　got　fuel　for　another　two　hours'　flying。〃
　
　Something　was　itching　deep　down　in　Bond's　mind。　Something；　some　small　detail；　had　raised　a　tiny　question　mark。　What　was　it？　Those　sharks！　In　about　forty　feet　of　water！　Circling　on　the　surface！　What　were　they　doing　there？　Three　of　them。　There　must　be　something…something　dead　that　had　brought　them　to　that　particular　patch　of　sand　and　coral。　Bond　said　urgently；　〃Just　go　back　up　once　more；　Felix。　Over　the　shoals。　There's　something…〃
　
　The　little　plane　made　a　tight　turn。　Felix　cut　down　the　revs　and　just　kept　flying　speed　about　fifty　feet　above　the　surface。　Bond　opened　the　door　and　craned　out；　his　glasses　at　short　focus。　Yes；　there　were　the　sharks；　two　on　the　surface　with　their　dorsals　out；　and　one　deep　down。　It　was　nosing　at　something。　It　had　its　teeth　into　something　and　was　pulling　at　it。　Among　the　dark　and　pale　patches；　a　thin　straight　line　showed　on　the　bottom。　Bond　shouted；　〃Get　back　over　again！〃　The　plane　zoomed　round　and　back。　Christ！　Why　did　they　have　to　go　so　fast？　But　now　Bond　had　seen　another　straight　line　on　the　bottom；　leading　off　at　ninety　degrees　from　the　first。　He　flopped　back　into　his　seat　and　banged　the　door　shut。　He　said　quietly；　〃Put　her　down　over　those　sharks；　Felix。　I　think　this　is　it。〃
　
　Leiter　took　a　quick　glance　at　Bond's　face。　He　said；　〃Christ！〃　Then；　〃Well；　I　hope　I　can　make　it。　Damned　difficult　to　get　a　true　horizon。　This　water's　like　glass。〃　He　pulled　away；　curved　back；　and　slowly　put　the　nose　down。　There　was　a　slight　j