cc.iceberg-第20节

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　〃What　was　the　last　you　heard　of　them？〃
　Pitt　shrugged。　〃I　left　for　the　Oceanlab　Project　in　California　as　soon　as　they　began　routine　housekeeping。　Why　ask　me？　You　planned　and　coordinated　their　expedition。
　〃Yes；　I　planned　the　expedition；〃　Sandecker　repeated　slowly。　He　screwed　the　knuckles　of　his　index　fingers　into　his　eyes；　then　pushed　the　hands　together　and　folded　them。　〃Matajic　and　O'Riley　are　dead。　The　plane　bringing　them　back　from　the　ice　floe　crashed　in　the　sea。No　trace　was　found。〃
　〃Strange；　I　hadn't　heard。　It　must　have　just　happened。〃
　Sandecker　put　another　match　to　his　cigar。　〃A　month　ago　yesterday；　to　be　exact。〃
　Pitt　stared　at　him。　〃Why　the　secrecy？　Nothing　was　mentioned　in　broadcast　about　their　ac'ident。　As　your　special　projects　director；　I　should　have　been　one　of　the　first　to　be　informed。〃
　〃Only　one　other　man　besides　myself　was　aware　of　their　deaths…the　radio　operator　who　took　their　last　message。　I've　made　no　announcement　because　I　couldn't　try　to　bring　them　back　from　their　watery　grave。〃
　〃Sorry；　Admiral；〃　Pitt　said。　〃You've　lost　me　pletely。〃
　〃All　right　then；〃　Sandecker　said　heavily。　〃Five　weeks　ago　I　received　a　signal　from　Matajic。　Seems　O'Riley；　while　on　a　scouting　trek；　spotted　a　fishing　trawler　that　had　moored　to　the　north　end　of　their　ice　floe。　Not　being　socially　aggressive；　he　returned　to　base　and　informed　Matajic。　Then　together；　they　trolled　back　and　paid　a　friendly　call　on　the　fishermen　to　determine　if　they　needed　assistance。　An　odd　bunch；　Matajic　said。
　
　The　ship　flew　the　flag　of　Iceland；　yet　most　of　the　crew　were　Arabs；　while　the　rest　represented　at　least　six　different　countries　including　the　United　Sates。　It　seems　a　bearing　had　burned　out　in　their　diesel　engine。　Rather　than　drift　around　while　repairs　were　made；　they　decided　to　tie　up　on　the　ice　flow　to　let　the　crew　stretch　their　legs。　〃Nothing　suspicious　in　that；〃　Pitt　mented。
　〃The　captain　and　crew　invited　Matajic　and　O'Riley　on　board　for　dinner；〃　Sandecker　continued。　〃This　courteous　act　seemed　harmless　enough　at　the　time。　Later；　it　was　seen　as　an　obvious　attempt　to　avoid　suspicion。　By　sheer　coincidence；　it　backfired。〃
　〃SO　Our　two　scientists　were　also　on　the　list　to　see　something　they　shouldn't　have。〃
　〃You　guessed　it。　Some　years　previously；　Kristjan　Fyrie　had　entertained　Dr。　Hunnewell　and　Dr。　Matajic　aboard　his　yacht。　The　exterior　of　the　trawler　had　been　altered；　Of　course；　but　the　instant　Matajic　stepped　into　the　main　salon；　he　recognized　the　ship　as　the　Lax。
　
　If　he　had　said　nothing；　e　and　O'Riley　might　have　been　alive　today。　Unfortunately；　he　innocently　asked　why　the　proud　and　plush　Lax　that　he　remembered　had　been　converted　into　a　mon　fishing　trawler。　It　was　an　honest　question；　but　one　that　had　cruel　consequences。〃
　〃They　could　have　been　murdered　then　and　there　and　their　bodies　weighted　and　dropped　into　the　sea…no　one　would　have　ever　known。〃
　〃It's　one　thing　for　a　ship　to　go　down　at　sea　with　all　hands。　The　newspapers　forgot　the　Lax　one　week　after　it　disappeared。　But　two　men　and　a　government　research　station；　not　likely。　The　press　would　have　exaggerated　and　harped　on　the　enigma　of　the　abandoned　ice　station　for　years。　No；　if　Matajic　and　O'Riley　had　to　be　eliminated；　there　were　less　conspicuous　methods。〃
　〃Shooting　an　unarmed　plane　out　of　the　air　without　telltale　witnesses；　for　example？〃
　〃That　appears　to　be　the　pattern；〃　Sandecker　said　softly。　〃It　wasn't　until　our　two　scientists　had　returned　to　their　base　camp　that　Matajic　began　to　have　doubts。　The　captain　of　the　trawler　had　simply　passed　his　mand　off　as　a　sister　ship　to　Fyrie's　Lax。　It　was　a　possibility；　Matajic　told　himself。　But　if　the　ship　earned　its　keep　as　a　fishing　trawler；　where　were　the　fish？　Even　the　distinct　aroma　had　been　missing。　He　got　on　the　radio　and　contacted　me　at　NUMA　headquarters；　told　me　the　story　along　with　his　suspicions；　and　suggested　that　the　Coast　Guard　make　a　routine　investigation　of　the　trawler。　I　ordered　them　to　stand　by　while　I　sent　a　supply　plane　north　to　return　them　to　Washington　as　quickly　as　possible　to　make　a　detailed　report。〃　Sandecker　tapped　the　cigar　ashes　into　the　wastebasket　again；　a　grim　expression　on　his　face。　〃I　was　too　late。　The　captain　of　the　trawler　must　have　monitored　Matajic's　message。　The　pilot　made　it　to　the　ice　floe　and　picked　them　up。　After　that；　the　three　of　them　vanished。〃
　
　Sandecker　reached　inside　his　breast　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　worn　and　folded　piece　…of　paper。　〃This　is　Matajic's　last　message。〃
　
　Pitt　took　the　paper　from　the　admiral's　hand　and　unfolded　it　across　the　desk。　It　read：
　　MAYDAY！　MAYDAY！
　THE　BASTARD'S　ATTACKING。　BLACK。　NUMBER　ONE　ENGINE　IS　。　。　。　The　words　abruptly　ended。
　〃Enter　the　black　jet。〃
　〃Exactly。　With　his　only　witnesses　out　of　the　way；　the　captain's　problem　'was　now　the　Coast　Guard；　whom　he　was　sure　would　show　up　at　any　moment。〃
　Pitt　looked　at　Sandecker　speculatively。　〃But　the　Coast　Guard　didn't　e。　They　were　never　invited。
　
　You've　yet　to　fully　explain　why　you　maintained　silence　even　after　you　were　certain　three　of　NUMA's　men　were　killed；　murdered　like　cattle　by　a　group　of　traveling　butchers。〃
　〃At　the　time　I　didn't　really　know。〃　The　vagueness　wasn't　like　Sandecker。　Normally　he　was　as　decisive　and　direct　as　a　bolt　of　lightning…　〃I　suppose　I　didn't　want　the　sons…Of…bitches　responsible　to　have　the　satisfaction　of　knowing　how　successful　they　werl　thought　it　best　to　let　them　wonder。　It's　snatching　at　leaves　in　a　hurricane；　I　admit；　but　it's　just　barely　possible　they　might　make　an　unplanned　move；　a　mistake　that　will　give　us　a　slim　lead　to　their　identity　when　and　if　I　resurrect　the　ghosts　of　Matajic　and　O'Riley。　〃How　did　you　handle　the　search　party？〃
　〃I　notified　all　search　and　rescue　units　in　the　Northern　mand　that　a　valuable　piece　of　equipment　had　fallen　off　of　a　NUMA　research　ship　and　was　floating　around　lost。　I　gave　Out　have　taken　and　waited　for　a　the　course　the　Plane　would　sighting　report。　There　was　none。〃　Sandecker　waved　his　cigar　to　indicate　helplessness。　〃I　also　waited　in　vain　for　the　sighting　of　a　trawler　matching　the　hull　design　of　the　Lax。　It　too　had　evaporated。〃
　〃That's　why　you　were　dead　sure　it　was　the　Lax　under　the　iceberg。〃
　〃Let's　just　say　I　was　eighty　percent　certain；〃　Sandecker　said。　〃I　also　did　a　bit　Of　checking　with　every　port　authority　between　Buenos　Aires　and　Goose　Bay；　Labrador。　Twelve　Ports　recorded　the　entry　and　departure　of　an　Icelandic　fishing　trawler　matching　the　Lax's　altered　superstructure。　For　what　it's　worth；　it　went　under　the　name　of　Surtsey。　Surtsey；　by　the　way；　is　Icelandic　for　'submarine；。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Pitt　groped　for　a　cigarette　and　then　remembered　that　he　was　wearing　a　stranger's　clothes。　〃A　northern　fisherman　would　hardly　troll　so　close　within　territorial　waters。　Working　the　undersea　probe　is　the　only　credible　explanation。〃
　〃It's　as　if　we　were　presented　with　a　pregnant　rabbit；〃　Sandecker　grunted。　〃One　solution　leaves　us　with　a　new　brood　of　unfathomable　puzzles。〃
　〃Are　you　in　contact　with　mander　Koski？〃
　〃Yes。　The　Catawaba　is　standing　by　the　derelict　while　a　team　of　investigators　bs　it　thoroughly。　In　fact；　I　received　a　signal　from　them　just　before　you　struggled　from　bed。　Three　of　the　bodies　were　positively　established　as　Fyrie's　crew。　The　rest　were　too　badly　burned　to　identify。〃
　〃Like　an　Edgar　Allan　Poe　ghost　story。　Fyrie　and　his　people　and　the　Lax　disappear　into　the　sea。　Nearly　a　year　later　the　Lax　turns　up　at　one　of　our　research　stations　with　a　different　crew。　Then　soon　after　that；　the　same　ship　bees　a　burned…out　derelict　in　an　iceberg　with　the　remains　of　Fyrie　and　the　original　crew　on　board。　The　more　I　dwell　on　it；　the　more　I　kick　myself　for　not　catching　that　Air　Force　jet　to　Tyler　Field。〃
　〃You　were　warned。〃
　Pitt　managed　a　sour　grin　as　he　lightly　touched　the　bandage　on　his　head。　〃One　of　these　times　I'm　going　to　volunteer　once　too　often。〃
　〃You're　probably　the　world's　luckiest　bastard；〃　Sandecker　said。　〃Living　through　two　attempts　on　your　life　in　the　same　morning。〃
　〃Which　reminds　me；　how　are　my　two　friendly　POlicemen？〃
　〃Under　interrogation。　But　short　of　Gestapo　torture　methods。　I　seriously　doubt　if　we　even　get　so　much　as　a　name；　rank　and　serial　number　out　of　them。　They　keep　insisting　that　they're　going　to　be　killed　anyway；　so　why　should　they　offer　us　information。〃
　〃Who　is　doing　the　interrogating？〃
　〃National　Intelligence　agents　on　our　airbase　at　Keflavik。　The　Iceland　government　is　cooperating　with　us　every　step　of　the　way…after　all；　Fyrie　was　practically　their　national　hero。　They're　just　as　interested　in　finding　out　what　happened　to　the　probe　and　the　Lax　as　we　are。〃
　
　Sandecker　paused　to　remove　a　small　bit　Of　tobacco　from　his　tongue。　〃If　you're　wondering　why　NUMA　is　mixed　up　in　this　instead　of　sitting　on　the　sidelines　and　cheering　on　the　National　Intelligence　Agency　and　their　army　of　super　spies；　the　answer　is；　or　I　should　say　was；　Hunnewell。　He　corresponded　with　Fyrie's　scientists　for　months；　offering　his　knowledge　toward　the　ultimate　success　of　the　probe。　It　was　Hunnewell　who　was　instrumental　in　the　development　of　celtinium…279。　Only　he　had　a　rough　idea　of　what　the　probe　looked　like；　and　only　he　could　have　safely　disassembled　it。〃
　〃That；　of　course；　explains　why　Hunnewell　had　to　be　the