p&c.icelimit-第58节

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ple　as　that。〃
　〃Captain；〃　the　watch　officer　began；　〃the　diagnostics　check　out。。。〃　His　voice　died　away　as　he　saw　Britton　had　not　heard　him。
　A　group　of　security　officers　appeared　on　the　bridge。
　〃You　heard　the　captain；〃　barked　Howell；　motioning　the　security　team　forward。　〃Clear　all　EES　personnel　from　the　bridge。〃　At　the　console；　Glinn's　operatives　stiffened　in　preparation。
　And　then　Britton　slowly　held　up　a　hand。
　〃Captain　…　〃　Howell　began。
　〃They　may　remain。　〃
　Howell　looked　at　her　incredulously；　but　Britton　did　not　turn。
　There　was　a　long；　agonized　silence。　Then　Glinn　nodded　to　his　team。
　The　seated　man　took　a　stubby　metal　key　from　around　his　neck　and　inserted　it　into　the　front　of　the　console。　Glinn　stepped　forward；　typed　a　short　series　of　mands；　then　turned　to　a　numeric　keypad　and　typed　again；　briefly。
　The　watch　officer　glanced　up。　〃Sir；　the　board's　gone　green。〃
　Britton　nodded。　〃I　hope　to　God　you　do　know　what　you're　doing。〃　She　did　not　look　at　Glinn　as　she　spoke。
　〃If　you　trust　anything；　Captain；　I　hope　you　will　trust　this。　I　have　made　a　professional　pact　…　and　a　personal　one　…　to　bring　the　meteorite　to　New　York。　I　have　thrown　tremendous　resources　into　solving　any　problem　we　might　encounter　…　including　this　one。　I　…　we　…　will　not　fail。〃
　If　this　had　any　impact　on　Britton；　McFarlane　could　not　see　it。　Her　eyes　remained　distant。
　Glinn　stepped　back。　〃Captain；　the　next　twelve　hours　will　be　the　most　trying　of　the　entire　mission。　Success　now　depends　on　a　certain　subordination　of　your　authority　as　captain。　For　that　I　apologize。　But　once　the　meteorite　is　safely　in　the　holding　tank；　the　ship　will　be　yours　again。　And　by　noon　tomorrow；　we'll　be　well　on　our　way　back　to　New　York。　With　a　prize　beyond　price。〃
　As　Glinn　looked　at　her；　McFarlane　saw　him　smile：　faint；　tenuous；　but　there　nonetheless。
　Banks　stepped　out　of　the　radio　room。　〃I've　got　an　ID　on　the　bird；　ma'am。　It's　a　Lloyd　Holdings　helicopter；　sending　an　encrypted　call　sign　over　the　bridge…to…bridge　frequency。〃
　The　smile　vanished　from　Glinn's　face。　He　darted　a　look　at　McFarlane。　Don't　look　at　me；　McFarlane　almost　said。　You　should　have　kept　him　in　the　loop。　
　The　officer　at　the　radar　console　adjusted　his　headphones。　〃Captain；　he's　requesting　permission　to　land。〃
　〃ETA？〃
　〃Thirty　minutes。〃
　Glinn　turned。　〃Captain；　if　you　don't　mind；　I　have　a　few　matters　to　attend　to。　Make　any　necessary　preparations　for　our　departure　you　see　fit。　I'll　return　shortly。〃
　He　began　walking　away；　leaving　the　two　EES　employees　at　the　console。　In　the　doorway；　he　paused。　〃Dr。　McFarlane；〃　he　said；　without　looking　around。　〃Mr。　Lloyd　will　be　expecting　a　wele。　Arrange　it；　if　you　please。〃
　
　Rolvaag；
　12：30　A。M。
　
　WITH　A　depressing　sense　of　deja　vu；　McFarlane　paced　the　maindeck；　waiting　for　the　helicopter　to　approach　the　tanker。　For　interminable　minutes；　there　was　nothing　more　than　a　low　thud　of　rotors　somewhere　out　in　the　murk。　McFarlane　watched　the　frenzied　activity　that　had　begun　the　moment　the　fog　concealed　their　ship　from　the　Almirante　Ramirez。　The　bluff　loomed　beside　them；　the　crags　of　rock　softened　by　the　fog。　Atop　stood　the　shack　that　enclosed　the　meteorite。　Before　him；　the　center　tank　lay　open。　A　pale　light　drifted　upward。　McFarlane　watched　while；　with　astonishing　speed；　swarms　of　workmen　began　assembling　a　tower　of　gleaming　struts。　It　rose　out　of　the　tank；　its　metal　latticework　glowing　softly　in　the　sodium　lights。　Now；　two　derricks　swung　additional　prefabricated　pieces　of　tower　into　place。　At　least　a　dozen　welders　were　at　work　on　the　tower；　and　continuous　streams　of　sparks　cascaded　downward　onto　the　hard　hats　and　shoulders　of　the　engineers　below。　Despite　its　size　and　bulk；　the　whole　structure　looked　oddly　delicate：　a　plex　spiderweb　of　three　dimensions。　For　the　life　of　him；　McFarlane　could　not　see　how　the　meteorite　was　going　to　get　into　the　tank　once　it　was　dragged　on　top　of　the　tower。
　The　thudding　sound　grew　suddenly　louder；　and　McFarlane　trotted　back　along　the　superstructure　to　the　fantail。　The　big　Chinook　was　emerging　out　of　the　fog；　its　rotors　sending　billows　of　fine　spray　up　from　the　deck。　A　man　with　coned　flashlights　in　his　hands　maneuvered　the　bird　into　position。　It　was　a　routine　landing；　with　none　of　the　excitement　of　Lloyd's　arrival　during　their　stormy　rounding　of　Cape　Horn。
　Moodily；　he　watched　as　the　helicopter's　oversize　tires　sank　onto　the　pad。　Acting　as　a　gofer　between　Lloyd　and　Glinn　was　a　no…win　situation。　He　wasn't　a　liaison：　he　was　a　scientist。　This　wasn't　why　he　had　hired　on；　and　the　knowledge　made　him　angry。
　A　hatchway　in　the　helicopter's　belly　opened。　Lloyd　stood　within；　a　long　black　cashmere　coat　billowing　out　behind　him；　a　gray　fedora　in　one　hand。　Landing　lights　gleamed　off　his　wet　pate。　He　made　the　jump；　landing　gracefully　for　a　man　of　his　size；　and　then　strode　across　the　deck；　unbowed；　powerful；　oblivious　to　the　jumble　of　equipment　and　staff　that　streamed　out　of　the　chopper　on　the　hydraulic　ramp　deployed　behind　him。　He　grasped　McFarlane's　hand　in　his　steel　grip；　smiled　and　nodded；　and　continued　walking。　McFarlane　followed　him　across　the　windswept　deck　and　out　of　the　noise　of　the　blades。　Near　the　forward　railing；　Lloyd　stopped；　scanning　the　fantastical　tower　from　bottom　to　top。　〃Where's　Glinn？〃　he　shouted。
　〃He　should　be　back　on　the　bridge　by　now。〃
　〃Let's　go。〃
　
　The　bridge　was　alive　with　tension；　faces　drawn　in　the　pale　illumination。　Lloyd　paused　in　the　doorway　for　a　moment；　drinking　it　in。　Then　he　stepped　heavily　forward。
　Glinn　was　standing　at　the　EES　console；　speaking　in　hushed　tones　to　his　man　at　the　keyboard。　Lloyd　strode　toward　him；　enfolding　Glinn's　narrow　hand　in　his　own。　〃The　man　of　the　hour；〃　he　cried。　If　he　had　been　angry　on　the　plane；　he　seemed　to　have　recovered　his　high　spirits。　He　waved　one　hand　out　toward　the　structure　rising　out　of　the　tank。　〃Christ；　Eli；　that's　incredible。　Are　you　sure　it's　going　to　hold　a　twenty…five…thousand…ton　rock？〃
　〃Double　overage；〃　was　Glinn's　reply。
　〃I　should　have　known。　How　the　hell　is　it　supposed　to　work？〃
　〃Controlled　failure。〃
　〃What？　Failure？　From　your　mouth？　Heaven　forbid。〃
　〃We　move　the　rock　to　the　tower。　Then　we　set　off　a　series　of　explosive　charges。　These　will　cause　the　levels　of　the　tower　to　fail　in　sequence；　bringing　the　meteorite　down；　bit　by　bit；　into　the　holding　tank。〃
　Lloyd　gazed　at　the　structure。　〃Amazing；〃　he　said。　〃Has　it　ever　been　done　before？〃
　〃Not　in　quite　this　way。〃
　〃Are　you　sure　it'll　work？〃
　A　wry　smile　appeared　on　Glinn's　thin　lips。
　〃Sorry　I　asked。　All　that's　your　department；　Eli；　and　I'm　not　going　to　second…guess　you　on　it。　I'm　down　here　for　a　different　reason。〃　He　drew　himself　to　his　full　height　and　looked　around。　〃I'm　not　going　to　mince　words。　We've　got　a　problem　here；　and　it's　not　being　dealt　with。　We've　e　too　far　to　let　anything　stop　us　now。　So　I've　e　down　to　kick　ass　and　take　names。〃　He　pointed　out　into　the　dense　fog。　〃There's　a　warship　parked　right　off　our　bow。　It's　sent　in　spies。　They're　just　waiting　for　us　to　make　a　move。　And；　goddammit；　Eli；　you've　done　nothing　about　it。　Well；　there's　to　be　no　more　chickenshit　wavering。　Strong　action　is　what's　needed　here；　and　from　now　on　I'll　be　handling　it　personally。　I'm　traveling　back　to　New　York　with　you　onboard　the　ship。　But　first；　I'm　getting　the　Chilean　navy　to　recall　this　damn　cowboy。〃　He　turned　back　toward　the　door。　〃It'll　take　my　people　just　a　few　minutes　to　get　up　to　speed。　Eli；　I'll　expect　you　in　my　office　in　half　an　hour。　I'm　going　to　make　some　calls。　I've　dealt　with　this　kind　of　tinpot　political　situation　before。〃
　During　this　brief　speech；　Glinn　kept　his　deep　gray　eyes　trained　steadily　on　Lloyd。　Now　he　touched　his　brow　with　a　handkerchief　and　glanced　at　McFarlane。　As　usual；　it　was　almost　impossible　to　read　anything　into　his　gaze：　Weariness？　Disgust？　Nothing　at　all？
　Glinn　spoke。　〃I'm　sorry；　Mr。　Lloyd。　Did　you　say　you　had　contacted　the　Chilean　authorities？〃
　〃No；　not　yet。　I　wanted　to　find　out　exactly　what　was　happening　here　first。　But　I've　got　powerful　friends　in　Chile；　including　the　vice　president　and　the　American　ambassador。〃
　Casually；　Glinn　took　a　step　closer　to　the　EES　console。　〃I'm　afraid　that　will　not　be　possible。〃
　〃What；　exactly；　will　not　be　possible？〃　Surprise　mingled　with　impatience　in　Lloyd's　tone。
　〃Your　involvement　in　any　aspect　of　this　operation。　You　would　have　done　better　to　stay　in　New　York。〃
　Lloyd's　voice　sharpened　with　anger。　〃Glinn；　don't　go　telling　me　what　I　can　and　can't　do。　I'll　leave　the　engineering　in　your　hands；　but　this　is　a　political　situation。〃
　〃I　assure　you　I　am　dealing　with　all　aspects　of　the　political　situation。〃
　Lloyd's　voice　trembled。　〃Oh　really？　And　what　about　that　destroyer　out　there？　It's　armed　to　the　teeth；　and　its　guns　are　pointing　at　us；　in　case　you　didn't　notice。　You've　not　done　a　damn　thing。　Nothing。〃　
　Hearing　this；　Captain　Britton　glanced　at　Howell；　and　then　…　more　significantly　…　at　Glinn。
　〃Mr。　Lloyd；　I　will　say　this　only　once。　You　gave　me　a　job　to　do。　I　am　doing　it。　Your　role　right　now　is　very　simple：　let　me　carry　out　my　plan。　This　is　no　time　for　drawn…out　explanations。〃
　Lloyd；　instead　of　responding；　turned　to　Penfold；　who　had　been　hovering　unhappily　in　the　door　to　the　bridge。　〃Get　Ambassador