p&c.icelimit-第4节

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　With　a　soft　cry　of　alarm；　the　old　man　dropped　his　Krugerrand　and　disappeared　into　the　darkness。　The　rest　followed　suit。　Instantly；　it　seemed；　McFarlane　was　left　alone；　staring　into　the　still　darkness　of　the　brush。　He　turned　wildly　as　the　light　grew　in　intensity。　It　was　ing　straight　for　the　camp。　And　now　he　could　see　it　was　a　big　Blackhawk　helicopter；　its　rotors　tearing　up　the　night　air；　running　lights　winking；　the　oversize　spotlight　racing　across　the　ground　until　at　last　it　fixed　him　in　its　glare。
　McFarlane　threw　himself　into　the　dust　behind　a　thornbush　and　lay　there；　feeling　exposed　in　the　brilliant　light。　Digging　a　hand　into　his　boot；　he　pulled　out　a　small　pistol。　Dust　whipped　up　around　him；　stinging　his　eyes　as　the　desert　bushes　gyrated　maniacally。　The　helicopter　slowed；　hovered；　and　descended　to　an　open　area　at　one　side　of　the　camp；　the　backwash　blowing　a　cascade　of　sparks　from　the　fire。　As　the　chopper　settled；　a　lightbar　on　its　roof　lit　up；　bathing　the　area　in　an　even　harsher　glare。　The　rotors　powered　down。　McFarlane　waited；　wiping　dirt　from　his　face；　keeping　his　eyes　on　the　helicopter's　hatch；　gun　at　the　ready。　Soon　it　swung　open；　and　a　large；　solid　man　stepped　out；　alone。
　McFarlane　peered　through　the　thorny　scrub。　The　man　was　dressed　in　khaki　shorts　and　a　cotton　bush　shirt；　and　a　Tilley　hat　sat　on　his　massive　shaven　head。　There　was　something　heavy　swinging　in　one　of　the　shorts'　oversize　pockets。　The　man　began　walking　toward　McFarlane。
　McFarlane　slowly　rose；　keeping　the　bush　between　himself　and　the　chopper；　training　his　gun　on　the　man's　chest。　But　the　stranger　seemed　unconcerned。　Although　he　was　in　shadow；　silhouetted　by　the　chopper's　takedown　lights；　McFarlane　thought　he　saw　teeth　gleaming　in　a　smile。　He　stopped　five　paces　away。　He　had　to　be　six　foot　eight；　at　least　…　McFarlane　was　not　sure　he　had　ever　seen　anybody　quite　as　tall　before。
　〃You're　a　difficult　man　to　find；〃　the　man　said。
　In　the　deep；　resonant　voice　McFarlane　heard　nasal　traces　of　an　East　Coast　accent。　〃Who　the　hell　are　you？〃　he　replied；　keeping　the　gun　leveled。
　〃Introductions　are　so　much　more　pleasant　after　the　firearms　have　been　put　away。〃
　〃Take　the　gun　out　of　your　pocket　and　toss　it　in　the　dirt；〃　said　McFarlane。
　The　man　chuckled　and　withdrew　the　lump：　it　was　not　a　gun；　but　a　small　thermos。　〃Something　to　keep　out　the　chill；〃　he　said；　holding　it　up。　〃Care　to　share　it　with　me？〃
　McFarlane　glanced　back　at　the　helicopter；　but　the　only　other　occupant　was　the　pilot。　〃It　took　me　a　month　to　gain　their　trust；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃and　you've　just　scattered　them　all　to　hell　and　gone。　I　want　to　know　who　you　are；　and　why　you're　here。　And　it　had　better　be　good。〃
　〃It's　not　good；　I'm　afraid。　Your　partner；　Nestor　Masangkay；　is　dead。〃
　McFarlane　felt　a　sudden　numbness。　His　gun　hand　slowly　dropped。　〃Dead？〃
　The　man　nodded。
　〃How？〃
　〃Doing　just　what　you're　doing。　We　don't　really　know　how。〃　He　gestured。　〃Shall　we　move　by　the　fire？　I　didn't　expect　these　Kalahari　nights　to　be　so　nippy。〃
　McFarlane　edged　toward　the　remains　of　the　fire；　keeping　the　gun　loosely　by　his　side；　his　mind　full　of　conflicting　emotions。　He　noticed；　distantly；　that　the　backwash　of　the　chopper　had　erased　his　sand　map；　exposing　the　little　nugget　of　iron。
　〃So　what's　your　connection　to　Nestor？〃　he　asked。
　The　man　did　not　answer　right　away。　Instead；　he　surveyed　the　scene　…　the　dozen　metal　detectors　scattered　willy…nilly　by　the　fleeing　San；　the　gold　coins　lying　in　the　sand。　He　bent　down　and　picked　up　the　brown　fingernail　of　iron；　hefted　it；　and　then　held　it　up　to　his　eye。　Then　he　glanced　up　at　McFarlane。　〃Looking　for　the　Okavango　meteorite　again？〃
　McFarlane　said　nothing；　but　his　hand　tightened　on　the　gun。
　〃You　knew　Masangkay　better　than　anybody。　I　need　you　to　help　me　finish　his　project。〃
　〃And　just　what　project　was　that？〃　McFarlane　asked。
　〃I'm　afraid　I've　said　all　I　can　say　about　it。〃
　〃And　I'm　afraid　I've　heard　all　I　want　to　hear。　The　only　person　I　help　anymore　is　myself。〃
　〃So　I've　heard。〃
　McFarlane　stepped　forward　quickly；　the　anger　returning。　The　man　raised　a　pacifying　hand。　〃The　least　you　can　do　is　hear　me　out。〃
　〃I　haven't　even　heard　your　name；　and；　frankly；　I　don't　want　to。　Thanks　for　bringing　me　the　bad　news。　Now　why　don't　you　get　back　in　your　chopper　and　get　the　hell　out　of　here。〃
　〃Forgive　me　for　not　introducing　myself。　I'm　Palmer　Lloyd。〃
　McFarlane　began　to　laugh。　〃Yeah；　and　I'm　Bill　Gates。〃
　But　the　big　man　wasn't　laughing　…　just　smiling。　McFarlane　looked　closer　at　his　face；　really　studying　it　for　the　first　time。　〃Jesus；〃　he　breathed。
　〃You　may　have　heard　that　I'm　building　a　new　museum。〃
　McFarlane　shook　his　head。　〃Was　Nestor　working　for　you？〃
　〃No。　But　his　activities　recently　came　to　my　attention；　and　I　want　to　finish　what　he　started。〃
　〃Look；〃　said　McFarlane；　shoving　the　gun　into　his　waistband。　〃I'm　not　interested。　Nestor　Masangkay　and　I　parted　ways　a　long　time　ago。　But　I'm　sure　you　know　all　about　that。〃
　Lloyd　smiled　and　held　up　the　thermos。　〃Shall　we　talk　about　it　over　a　toddy？〃　Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　he　settled　himself　by　the　fire　…　white　man　style；　with　his　butt　in　the　dust　…　unscrewed　the　cap；　and　poured　out　a　steaming　cup。　He　offered　it　to　McFarlane；　who　shook　his　head　impatiently。
　〃You　like　hunting　meteorites？〃　Lloyd　asked。
　〃It　has　its　days。〃
　〃And　you　really　think　you'll　find　the　Okavango？〃
　〃Yes。　Until　you　dropped　out　of　the　sky。〃　McFarlane　crouched　beside　him。　〃I'd　love　to　chitchat　with　you。　But　every　minute　you　sit　here　with　that　idling　chopper；　the　Bushmen　are　getting　farther　away。　So　I'll　say　it　again。　I'm　not　interested　in　a　job。　Not　at　your　museum；　not　at　any　museum。〃　He　hesitated。　〃Besides；　you　can't　pay　me　what　I'm　going　to　make　on　the　Okavango。〃
　〃And　just　what　might　that　be？〃　Lloyd　asked；　sipping　the　cup　himself。
　〃A　quarter　million。　At　least。〃
　Lloyd　nodded　〃Assuming　you　find　it。　Subtract　what　you　owe　everyone　over　the　Tornarssuk　fiasco；　and　I　imagine　you'll　probably　break　even。〃
　McFarlane　laughed　harshly。　〃Everyone's　entitled　to　one　mistake。　I'll　have　enough　left　over　to　get　me　started　on　the　next　rock。　There's　a　lot　of　meteorites　out　there。　It　sure　beats　a　curator's　salary。〃
　〃I'm　not　talking　about　a　curatorship。〃
　〃Then　what　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　could　make　a　pretty　good　guess。　I　can't　talk　about　particulars　until　I　know　you're　on　board。〃　He　sipped　at　the　toddy。　〃Do　this　one　for　your　old　partner。〃
　〃Old　ex…partner。〃
　Lloyd　sighed。　〃You're　right。　I　know　all　about　you　and　Masangkay。　It　wasn't　entirely　your　fault；　losing　the　Tornarssuk　rock　like　that。　If　anyone's　to　blame；　it's　the　bureaucrats　at　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　give　up？　I'm　not　interested。〃
　〃Let　me　tell　you　about　the　pensation。　As　a　signing　bonus；　I'll　pay　off　the　quarter　million　you　owe；　get　the　creditors　off　your　back。　If　the　project　is　successful；　you'll　get　another　quarter　million。　If　it　isn't；　you'll　have　to　settle　for　being　debt　free。　Either　way；　you　can　continue　at　my　museum　as　director　of　the　Planetary　Sciences　Department　if　you　wish。　I'll　build　you　a　state…of…the…art　laboratory。　You'll　have　a　secretary；　lab　assistants；　a　six…figure　salary　…　the　works。〃
　McFarlane　began　to　laugh　again。　〃Beautiful。　So　how　long　is　this　project？〃
　〃Six　months。　On　the　outside。〃
　McFarlane　stopped　laughing。　〃Half　a　million　for　six　months'　work？〃
　〃If　we're　successful。〃
　〃What's　the　catch？〃
　〃No　catch。〃
　〃Why　me？〃
　〃You　knew　Masangkay：　his　quirks；　his　work　patterns；　his　thoughts。　There's　a　big　mystery　lingering　over　what　he　was　doing；　and　you're　the　man　who　can　solve　it。　And　besides；　you're　one　of　the　top　meteorite　hunters　in　the　world。　You've　got　an　intuitive　sense　about　them。　People　say　you　can　smell　them。〃
　〃I'm　not　the　only　one　out　there。〃　The　praise　irritated　McFarlane：　it　smacked　of　manipulation。
　In　response；　Lloyd　extended　one　hand；　the　knuckle　of　the　ring　finger　raised。　There　was　a　wink　of　precious　metal　as　he　turned　it　in　McFarlane's　direction。
　〃Sorry；〃　McFarlane　answered。　〃I　only　kiss　the　ring　of　the　pope。〃
　Lloyd　chuckled。　〃Look　at　the　stone；〃　he　said。
　Peering　more　closely；　McFarlane　saw　that　the　ring　on　Lloyd's　finger　consisted　of　a　milky　gemstone；　deep　violet；　in　a　heavy　platinum　setting。　He　recognized　it　immediately。　〃Nice　stone。　But　you　could　have　bought　it　from　me　wholesale。〃
　〃No　doubt。　After　all；　you　and　Masangkay　are　the　ones　that　got　the　Atacama　tektites　out　of　Chile。〃
　〃Right。　And　I'm　still　a　wanted　man　in　those　parts　as　a　result。〃
　〃We　will　offer　you　suitable　protections。〃
　〃So　it's　Chile；　huh？　Well；　I　know　what　the　insides　of　their　jails　look　like。　Sorry。〃
　Lloyd　didn't　respond　immediately。　Picking　up　a　stick；　he　banked　the　scattered　embers；　then　tossed　the　stick　onto　them。　The　fire　crackled　up；　beating　back　the　darkness。　On　anybody　else；　the　Tilley　hat　would　look　a　little　silly；　somehow；　Lloyd　managed　to　pull　it　off。　〃If　you　knew　what　we　were　planning；　Dr。　McFarlane；　you'd　do　it　for　free。　I'm　offering　you　the　scientific　prize　of　the　century。〃
　McFarlane　chuckled；　shaking　his　head。　〃I'm　done　with　science；〃　he　said。　〃I've　had　enough　dusty　labs　and　museum　bureaucracies　to　last　me　a　lifetime。〃
　Lloyd　sighed　an