p&c.icelimit-第15节

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t　few　months。　Directly　below　his　feet　lay　the　bridge。　Below　that　lay　a　deck　left　mysteriously　empty　by　Glinn。　Farther　below　lay　the　rambling　quarters　of　the　senior　officers。　And　a　full　six　stories　down；　the　maindeck；　stretching　ahead　a　sixth　of　a　mile　to　the　bow。　An　occasional　dash　of　starlit　spray　washed　over　the　forecastle　head。　The　network　of　piping　and　tank　valves　remained；　and　placed　around　it　were　a　maze　of　old　containers　…　the　laboratories　and　workspaces　…　like　a　child's　woodblock　city。
　In　a　few　minutes　his　presence　would　be　required　at　the　〃night　lunch；〃　which　would　be　their　first　formal　meal　on　board　ship。　But　he　had　e　up　here　first　to　convince　himself　that　the　voyage　had　really　begun。
　He　breathed　in；　trying　to　clear　his　head　of　the　last　frantic　days；　setting　up　labs　and　beta…testing　equipment。　He　gripped　the　railing　tighter；　feeling　a　swell　of　exhilaration。　This　is　more　like　it；　he　thought。　Even　a　jail　cell　in　Chile　seemed　preferable　to　having　Lloyd　constantly　looking　over　his　shoulder；　second…guessing；　worrying　over　trivial　details。　Whatever　lay　at　the　end　of　their　journey　…　whatever　it　was　that　Nestor　Masangkay　had　found　…　at　least　they　were　on　their　way。
　McFarlane　turned　and　made　the　long　walk　across　the　deck　to　the　aft　rail。　Although　the　thrum　of　engines　came　faintly　from　the　depths　of　the　ship；　up　here　he　could　feel　no　hint　of　vibration。　In　the　distance　he　could　see　the　Cape　May　lighthouse　winking；　one　short；　one　long。　After　Glinn　secured　their　clearance　papers　through　some　private　means　of　his　own；　they　had　left　Elizabeth　under　cover　of　darkness；　maintaining　secrecy　to　the　last。　They　would　soon　be　in　the　main　shipping　lanes；　beyond　the　continental　shelf；　and　would　then　turn　due　south。　Five　weeks　from　now；　if　all　went　as　planned；　they　would　see　the　same　light　again。　McFarlane　tried　to　imagine　what　it　would　be　like　if　they　did　recover　it　successfully：　the　furious　outcry；　the　scientific　coup　…　and；　perhaps；　his　own　personal　exoneration。
　Then　he　smiled　cynically　to　himself。　Life　didn't　work　like　that。　It　was　so　much　easier　to　see　himself　back　again　in　the　Kalahari；　a　little　more　money　in　his　pocket；　a　little　chubby　from　ship's　food；　tracking　down　the　elusive　Bushmen　and　renewing　his　search　for　the　Okavango。　And　nothing　would　erase　what　he　had　done　to　Nestor　…　particularly　now　that　his　old　friend　and　partner　was　dead。
　As　he　gazed　out　over　the　ship's　stem；　McFarlane　became　aware　of　another　odor　on　the　sea　air：　tobacco。　Looking　around；　he　realized　he　wasn't　alone。　From　the　far　side　of　the　fly　deck；　a　small　pinpoint　of　red　winked　against　the　dark；　then　disappeared　again。　Someone　had　been　quietly　standing　there；　a　fellow　passenger　enjoying　the　night。
　Then　the　red　ember　jerked　and　bobbed　as　the　person　rose　to　approach　him。　With　surprise；　he　realized　it　was　Rachel　Amira；　Glinn's　physicist；　and　his　own　alleged　assistant。　Between　the　fingers　of　her　right　hand　were　the　final　inches　of　a　thick　cigar。　McFarlane　sighed　inwardly　at　having　his　solitary　reverie　intruded　upon；　especially　by　this　sardonic　woman。　〃Ciao；　boss。　Any　orders　for　me？〃
　McFarlane　remained　silent；　feeling　a　swell　of　annoyance　at　the　word　〃boss。〃　He　hadn't　signed　on　to　be　a　manager。　Amira　didn't　need　a　nursemaid。　And　she　didn't　seem　too　pleased　with　the　arrangement　either。　What　could　Glinn　have　been　thinking？
　〃Three　hours　at　sea；　and　I'm　bored　already。〃　She　waved　the　cigar。　〃Want　one？〃
　〃No　thanks。　I　want　to　taste　my　dinner。〃
　〃Ship's　cooking？　You　must　be　a　masochist。〃　She　leaned　against　the　rail　beside　him　with　a　bored　sigh。　〃This　ship　gives　me　the　willies。〃
　〃How　so？〃
　〃It's　just　so　cold；　so　robotic。　When　I　think　of　going　to　sea；　I　think　of　iron　men　running　all　over　the　decks；　jumping　at　barked　orders。　But　look　at　this。〃　She　jerked　a　finger　over　her　shoulder。　〃Eight　hundred　feet　worth　of　deck；　and　nothing　stirring。　Nothing。　It's　a　haunted　ship。　Deserted。　Everything's　done　by　puter。〃　
　She　has　a　point；　McFarlane　thought。　Even　though　by　modern　supertanker　standards　the　Rolvaag　was　only　moderate　sized；　it　was　still　huge。　Yet　only　a　skeleton　crew　was　necessary　to　man　it。　With　all　the　ship's　plement；　the　EES　specialists　and　engineers；　and　the　construction　crew；　there　were　still　fewer　than　one　hundred　people　aboard。　A　cruise　ship　half　the　Rolvaag's　size　might　carry　two　thousand。
　〃And　it's　so　damned　big；〃　he　heard　her　say；　as　if　answering　his　own　thoughts。
　〃Talk　to　Glinn　about　that。　Lloyd　would　have　been　happier　spending　less　money　for　less　boat。〃
　〃Did　you　know；〃　said　Amira；　〃that　these　tankers　are　the　first　man…made　vessels　big　enough　to　be　affected　by　the　earth's　rotation？〃
　〃No；　I　didn't。〃　Here　was　a　woman　who　liked　the　sound　of　her　own　voice。
　〃Yeah。　And　it　takes　three　sea　miles　to　stop　this　baby　with　engines　full　astern。〃
　〃You're　a　regular　fund　of　tanker　trivia。〃
　〃Oh；　I'm　good　at　cocktail　conversation。〃　Amira　blew　a　smoke　ring　into　the　darkness。
　〃What　else　are　you　good　at？〃
　Amira　laughed。　〃I'm　not　too　bad　at　math。〃
　〃So　I've　heard。〃　McFarlane　turned　away；　leaning　over　the　rail；　hoping　she　would　take　the　hint。
　〃Well；　we　can't　all　be　airline　stewardesses　when　we　grow　up；　you　know。〃　There　was　a　moment　of　blessed　silence　as　Amira　puffed　at　the　cigar。　〃Hey；　you　know　what；　boss？〃
　〃I'd　appreciate　it　if　you　didn't　call　me　that。〃
　〃It's　what　you　are；　right？〃
　McFarlane　turned　to　her。　〃I　didn't　ask　for　an　assistant。　I　don't　need　an　assistant。　I　don't　like　this　arrangement　any　more　than　you　do。〃
　Amira　puffed；　a　sardonic　smile　hovering；　her　eyes　full　of　amusement。
　〃So　I've　got　an　idea；〃　McFarlane　said。
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃Let's　just　pretend　you're　not　my　assistant〃
　〃What；　you　firing　me　already？〃
　McFarlane　sighed；　suppressing　his　first；　impulsive　reaction。　〃We're　going　to　be　spending　a　lot　of　time　together。　So　let's　work　together　as　equals；　okay？　Glinn　doesn't　need　to　know。　And　I　think　we'd　both　be　happier。〃
　Amira　examined　the　lengthening　ash；　then　tossed　the　cigar　over　the　rail　into　the　sea。　When　she　spoke；　her　voice　sounded　a　little　more　friendly。　〃That　thing　you　did　with　the　sandwich　cracked　me　up。　Rochefort's　a　control　freak。　It　really　pissed　him　off；　getting　covered　with　jelly。　I　liked　that。〃
　〃I　made　my　point。〃
　Amira　giggled　and　McFarlane　glanced　in　her　direction；　at　the　eyes　glinting　in　the　half…light；　at　the　dark　hair　disappearing　into　the　velvet　behind　her。　There　was　a　plex　person　in　there；　hiding　behind　the　tomboy；　one…of…the…guys　facade。　He　looked　back　out　to　sea。　〃Well；　I'm　sure　I'm　not　going　to　be　Rochefort's　good　buddy。〃
　〃Nobody　is。　He's　only　half　human。〃
　〃Like　Glinn。　I　don't　think　Glinn　would　even　take　a　leak　without　first　analyzing　all　possible　trajectories。〃
　There　was　a　pause。　He　could　tell　his　joke　had　displeased　her。
　〃Let　me　tell　you　a　little　about　Glinn；〃　Amira　said。　〃He's　only　had　two　jobs　in　his　life。　Effective　Engineering　Solutions。　And　the　military。〃
　There　was　something　in　her　voice　that　made　McFarlane　glance　back　at　her。
　〃Before　starting　EES；　Glinn　was　an　intelligence　specialist　in　the　Special　Forces。　Prisoner　interrogation；　photo　recon；　underwater　demolition；　that　kind　of　stuff。　Head　of　his　A…Team。　Came　up　through　Airborne；　then　the　Rangers。　Earned　his　bones　in　the　Phoenix　program　during　Vietnam。　〃
　〃Interesting。〃
　〃Damn　right。〃　Amira　spoke　almost　fiercely。　〃They　excelled　in　hot…war　situations。　From　what　Garza　tells　me；　the　team's　kill…loss　ratio　was　excellent。〃
　〃Garza？〃
　〃He　was　engineer　specialist　on　Glinn's　team。　Second　in　mand。　Back　then；　instead　of　building　things；　he　blew　stuff　up。〃
　〃Garza　told　you　all　this？〃
　Amira　hesitated。　〃Eli　told　me　some　of　it　himself。〃
　〃So　what　happened？〃
　〃His　team　got　their　asses　kicked　trying　to　secure　a　bridge　on　the　Cambodian　border。　Bad　intel　on　enemy　placements。　Eli　lost　his　whole　team；　everyone　except　Garza。〃　Amira　dug　into　her　pocket；　pulled　out　a　peanut；　shelled　it。　〃And　now　Glinn　runs　EES。　And　does　all　the　intel　himself。　So　you　see；　Sam；　I　think　you've　misread　him。〃
　〃You　seem　to　know　a　lot　about　him。〃
　Amira's　eyes　suddenly　grew　veiled。　She　shrugged；　then　smiled。　The　ardent　look　faded　as　quickly　as　it　had　appeared。　〃It's　a　beautiful　sight；〃　she　said；　nodding　out　across　the　water　toward　the　Cape　May　light。　It　wavered　in　the　velvety　night：　their　last　contact　with　North　America。
　〃That　it　is；〃　McFarlane　replied。
　〃Care　to　bet　how　many　miles　away　it　is？〃
　McFarlane　frowned。　〃Excuse　me？〃
　〃A　small　wager。　On　the　distance　to　that　lighthouse。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　betting　man。　Besides；　you　probably　have　some　arcane　mathematical　formula　at　your　fingertips。〃
　〃You'd　be　right　about　that。〃　Amira　shelled　some　more　peanuts；　tossed　the　nuts　into　her　mouth；　then　flung　the　shells　into　the　sea。　〃So？〃
　〃So　what？〃
　〃Here　we　are；　bound　for　the　ends　of　the　earth；　out　to　snag　the　biggest　rock　anybody's　ever　seen。　So；　Mr。　Meteorite　Hunter；　what　do　you　really　think？〃
　I　think　…　〃　McFarlane　began。　Then　he　stopped。　He　realized　he　wasn't　allowing　himself　to　hope　that　this　second　chance　…　which　after　all　had　e　out　of　nowhere　…　might　actually　work　out。
　〃I　think；〃　he　said　aloud；　〃that　we'd　better　get　down　to　dinner。　If　we're　late；　that　captain　of　ours　will　probably　keelhaul　us。　And　that's　no　joke　on　a　ta