p&c.icelimit-第53节

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　〃That's　a　leather　glove；〃　Garza　said。　〃The　construction　team　was　issued　Gore…Tex　gloves。〃
　There　was　a　sudden　silence。　
　〃Mr。　Glinn？〃　
　Rocco's　voice　was　so　sharp；　the　note　of　surprise　so　clear；　that　everyone　glanced　toward　him。　He　still　had　the　piece　of　skull　in　his　hand；　poised　in　front　of　his　chin；　as　if　he　were　about　to　take　a　snapshot　with　it。
　〃Yes；　Mr。　Rocco？〃
　〃Frank　Hill　had　brown　eyes。〃
　Glinn's　face　flicked　from　Rocco　to　the　skull　and　then　back　again；　the　mute　question　clear　on　his　face。
　With　an　oddly　delicate　motion；　Rocco　drew　the　cuff　of　his　shirt　across　the　dangling　eyeball；　wiping　it　clean。
　〃This　isn't　Hill；〃　he　said。　〃This　eye　is　blue。〃
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　12：40　A。M。
　
　GLINN　STOPPED；　arrested　by　the　sight　of　the　eyeball　dangling　from　a　strip　of　nerve。　〃Mr。　Garza？〃　His　voice　was　unusually　calm。
　〃Sir。〃
　〃Get　a　team　together。　Find　Hill。　Use　probes；　thermal　sensors。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃But　keep　a　sharp　eye　out。　Watch　for　booby　traps；　snipers。　Don't　rule　out　anything。〃
　Garza　disappeared　into　the　night。　Glinn　took　the　shattered　eye　from　Rocco　and　began　rotating　it　under　his　gaze。　It　seemed　to　McFarlane　that　he　scrutinized　it　as　one　might　a　piece　of　fine　porcelain。　Then　he　walked　over　to　the　table　where　the　body　parts　lay　divided　between　the　tarp　and　the　cold…storage　locker。
　〃Let's　see　what　we've　got　here；〃　he　murmured。　As　McFarlane　watched；　he　began　sorting　through　them；　handling　each　piece；　peering　at　it　critically；　setting　it　down　again　and　moving　to　the　next；　like　a　shopper　browsing　the　meat　section　of　a　supermarket。
　〃Blond；〃　he　said；　holding　up　a　tiny　hair　to　the　light。　He　began　assembling　pieces　of　the　head。　〃High　cheekbones。。。　close…cropped　hair。。。　Nordic　features。。。〃　He　put　them　aside　and　continued　rummaging。　〃Death's　head　tattoo　on　the　right　arm。。。　Young；　perhaps　twenty…five。〃
　His　examination　lasted　fifteen　minutes；　during　which　nobody　else　spoke。　At　last；　he　straightened　up　and　went　to　wash　his　hands　in　the　sink。　There　was　no　water；　so　he　flicked　the　excess　matter　from　his　hands　and　wiped　them　with　a　towel。　Then　he　paced　the　length　of　the　hut；　turned；　walked　back。
　Suddenly；　Glinn　went　still。　He　seemed　to　have　e　to　a　decision。　He　plucked　a　radio　from　the　table。　〃Thompson？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃What's　the　status　on　the　generator？〃
　〃Britton　is　bringing　it　herself；　she　wouldn't　risk　her　crew。　She　says　Brambell　will　e　as　soon　as　it's　safe。　The　storm　is　supposed　to　ease　by　dawn。〃
　The　radio　beeped　and　Glinn　switched　frequencies。　〃Found　Hill；〃　came　Garza's　terse　voice。
　〃Yes？〃
　〃He　was　buried　in　a　snowdrift。　Throat　cut。　Very　professional　piece　of　work。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Garza。〃　Glinn's　profile　was　dully　illuminated　in　the　emergency　light　of　the　hut。　A　single　bead　of　sweat　stood　on　his　brow。
　〃And　there's　a　pair　of　snowshoes　hidden　in　the　entrance　shack。　Like　the　glove；　they're　not　ours。〃
　〃I　see。　Bring　Hill's　body　to　the　medical　hut；　please。　We　wouldn't　want　it　to　freeze　before　Dr。　Brambell　arrives；　that　would　be　inconvenient。〃
　〃So　who　was　this　other　man？〃　McFarlane　asked。
　Instead　of　answering；　Glinn　turned　away　and　murmured　something　in　Spanish；　just　loud　enough　for　McFarlane　to　catch：　〃You　are　not　a　wise　man；　mi　andante。　Not　a　wise　man　at　all。〃
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　July　23；　12：05　P。M。
　
　THE　STORM　eased；　and　forty…eight　hours　passed　without　further　incident。　Security　was　beefed　up　considerably；　guard　duty　was　tripled；　additional　cameras　were　installed；　and　a　perimeter　of　motion…detecting　sensors　was　sunk　into　the　snow　around　the　operation。
　Meanwhile；　work　on　the　sunken　roadway　proceeded　at　a　breakneck　pace。　As　soon　as　one　section　was　built；　the　meteorite　and　cart　were　dragged　along；　inch　by　inch；　to　rest　only　while　the　capstan　was　repositioned；　a　new　section　of　roadway　built；　and　the　previous　section　filled　in。　Safety　precautions　around　the　meteorite　had　been　redoubled。
　At　last；　the　excavators　reached　the　interior　of　the　snowfield。　Here；　sheltered　beneath　almost　two　hundred　feet　of　solid　ice；　the　meteorite　waited　while　digging　teams　cored　through　the　snowfield　from　both　ends。
　Eli　Glinn　stood　inside　the　mouth　of　the　ice　tunnel；　watching　the　progress　as　the　great　machines　worked。　All　had　gone　according　to　plan；　despite　the　two　recent　deaths。　Half　a　dozen　thick　hoses　snaked　out　of　the　hole　in　the　ice；　diesel　fumes　and　soot　spewing　from　their　ends：　a　jury…rigged　forced…air　system　to　suck　exhaust　from　the　tunnel　while　the　heavy　machinery　carved　through　the　ice。　It　was　beautiful　in　its　way；　Glinn　thought；　one　more　engineering　marvel　in　a　long　list　since　the　project　had　begun。　The　walls　and　ceiling　of　the　tunnel　were　rough…edged　and　irregular；　fractal　in　their　endless　knobs　and　ridges。　A　million　cracks　and　fissures　ran　away　in　crazy　spiderwebs　across　the　walls；　white　against　the　shockingly　deep　blue　of　the　ice。　Only　the　floor　was　even；　covered　with　the　omnipresent　crushed　gravel　over　which　the　cart　would　travel。
　A　single　row　of　fluorescent　lights　lit　the　tunnel。　Peering　ahead；　Glinn　could　see　the　meteorite　on　its　cart；　a　red　blob　inside　an　eerie　blue　tube。　The　tunnel　echoed　with　the　crashing　and　grinding　of　unseen　machinery。　There　was　a　wink　of　headlights　in　the　distance；　then　some　kind　of　vehicle　made　its　way　around　the　meteorite　and　came　toward　him。　It　was　a　train　of　ore　carts；　full　of　glittering　blue　shards　of　ice。
　The　revelation　that　the　meteorite　could　kill　by　touch　had　startled　Glinn　more　than　he　cared　to　admit。　Despite　that　he　had　instituted　orders　never　to　touch　the　rock　directly；　he　had　always　considered　this　merely　a　judicious　precaution。　He　sensed　that　McFarlane　was　right：　the　touch　had　caused　the　explosion。　There　seemed　to　be　no　other　possible　answer。　A　strategic　recalculation　had　bee　necessary。　It　had　caused　yet　another　revision　in　his　failure…success　analysis　…　one　that　required　virtually　all　of　EES's　puter　capacity　back　in　New　York　to　process。
　Glinn　looked　once　again　at　the　red　rock；　sitting　like　a　huge　gemstone　on　its　bed　of　greenheart　oak。　This　was　the　thing　that　killed　Vallenar's　man；　killed　Rochefort　and　Evans；　killed　Masangkay。　Strange　that　it　had　not　killed　Lloyd。　It　was　undeniably　deadly。。。　but　the　fact　was；　they　were　still　ahead　of　schedule　on　fatalities。　The　volcano　project　had　cost　fourteen　lives；　including　one　meddling　government　minister　who　insisted　on　being　where　he　shouldn't　have　been。　Glinn　reminded　himself　that；　despite　the　strangeness　of　the　rock；　despite　the　problem　of　the　Chilean　destroyer；　this　remained　essentially　a　heavy　moving　job。
　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　McFarlane　and　Amira　would　be　on　time；　they　always　were。　And　he　could　see　them　now；　stepping　out　of　a　snowcat　at　the　mouth　of　the　ice　tunnel；　McFarlane　lugging　a　duffel　bag　full　of　instruments。　In　five　minutes　they　were　at　Glinn's　side。　He　turned　to　them。　〃You've　got　forty　minutes　until　the　tunnel　is　plete　and　the　meteorite　is　moved　again。　Make　good　use　of　it。〃
　〃We　intend　to；〃　said　Amira。
　He　watched　her　pulling　gear　out　of　the　duffel　and　setting　up　instruments；　while　McFarlane　silently　took　pictures　of　the　rock　with　a　digital　camera。　She　was　capable。　McFarlane　had　learned　about　her　reports；　as　he　had　expected。　This　had　had　the　desired　effect：　it　put　McFarlane　on　notice　that　his　behavior　was　being　scrutinized。　It　also　gave　Amira　an　ethical　dilemma　to　occupy　herself　with；　always　helpful　in　distracting　her　from　the　thornier　moral　questions　she　had　a　tendency　to　ask。　Moral　questions　that　had　no　place　in　a　cold…blooded　engineering　project。　McFarlane　had　taken　it　better　than　the　profile　predicted。　A　plicated　man；　and　one　who　had　proven　himself　unusually　useful。
　Glinn　noticed　another　cat　arriving；　also　with　a　passenger。　Sally　Britton　stepped　out；　a　long　coat　of　navy　blue　wool　billowing　out　behind　her。　Uncharacteristically；　there　was　no　officer's　cap　on　her　head；　and　her　wheat…colored　hair　gleamed　in　the　lights　of　the　tunnel。　Glinn　smiled。　He　had　also　been　expecting　this；　ever　since　the　explosion　that　killed　the　Chilean　spy。　Expecting　it；　even　looking　forward　to　it。
　As　Britton　drew　near；　Glinn　turned　toward　her　with　a　genuinely　weling　smile。　He　took　her　hand。　〃Nice　to　see　you；　Captain。　What　brings　you　down　here？〃
　Britton　looked　around；　her　intelligent　green　eyes　taking　in　everything。　They　froze　when　they　saw　the　meteorite。
　〃Good　God；〃　she　said；　her　step　suddenly　faltering。
　Glinn　smiled。　〃It's　always　a　shock　at　first　sight。〃
　She　nodded　wordlessly。
　〃Nothing　great　can　happen　in　this　world；　Captain；　without　some　difficulty。〃　Glinn　spoke　quietly；　but　with　great　force。　〃It's　the　scientific　discovery　of　the　century。〃　Glinn　did　not　particularly　care　about　its　value　to　science；　his　interest　was　solely　in　the　engineering　aspects。　But　he　was　not　going　to　eschew　a　little　drama；　if　it　served　his　purposes。
　Britton　continued　staring。　〃They　said　it　was　red；　but　I　had　no　idea。。。〃
　The　roar　of　heavy　machinery　echoed　down　the　ice　tunnel　as　she　stared：　one　minute；　then　two。　At　last；　with　obvious　effort；　she　took　a　breath；　pulled　her　eyes　away；　and　faced　him。
　〃Two　more　people　have　been　killed。　But　what　news　we've　had　from　you　has　been　slow　in　ing；　and　rumors　are　everywhere。　The　crew　are　nervous；　and　so　are　my　officers。　I　need　to　know　e