cc.floodtide-第40节

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　〃No　progress　to　report；〃　Pitt　answered。　〃One　more　sweep　and　we'll　have　finished　the　bottom　of　the　hull。　Then　it's　up　the　sides　toward　the　waterline。〃
　〃Let's　hope　your　new　paint　job　makes　it　tough　to　spot　you　from　the　surface。〃
　〃Max　Hanley　and　his　crew　laid　on　a　darker　green　tint　than　I'd　planned；〃　said　Pitt。　〃But　if　nobody　stares　down　in　the　water；　we　should　be　okay。〃
　〃The　ship　still　looks　deserted。〃
　〃I'm　glad　to　hear　it。〃
　〃See　you　in　two　hours　and　eighteen　minutes；〃　said　Cabrillo　jovially。　〃Try　not　to　be　late。〃
　〃We'll　be　there；〃　Pitt　promised。　〃Al　and　I　don't　want　to　hang　around　down　here　any　longer　than　we　have　to。〃
　〃Standing　by　and　out。〃
　Pitt　leaned　his　head　toward　Giordino　without　looking　at　him。　〃How's　our　oxygen　supply？〃　he　asked。
　〃Tolerable；〃　Giordino　replied　briefly。　〃Battery　power　still　reads　steady；　but　it's　creeping　slowly　toward　the　red　line。〃
　
　They　finished　the　final　run　working　out　from　the　keel。　Pitt　guided　the　little　craft　along　the　section　of　the　hull　that　curved　upward　toward　the　waterline。　The　next　hour　passed　with　agonizing　slowness；　and　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary　was　revealed。　The　tide　turned　and　began　flowing　in　from　the　sea；　bringing　cleaner　water　and　increasing　visibility　to　nearly　thirty　feet。　Swinging　around　the　bow　they　began　working　the　starboard　side；　which　was　moored　next　to　the　dock；　not　rising　to　within　ten　feet　of　the　surface。
　
　〃Time　remaining？〃　Pitt　asked　tersely　without　lifting　a　hand　to　glance　at　his　Doxa　dive　watch。
　〃Fifty…seven　minutes　to　rendezvous　with　the　Oregon's　launch；〃　replied　Giordino。
　〃This　trip　definitely　wasn't　worth　the　effort。　If　Qin　Shang　is　sneaking　aliens　on　and　off　the　United　States；　it　isn't　by　means　of　an　underwater　passage　or　submarine…type　vessel。〃
　〃Doesn't　figure　he'd　do　it　topside　in　the　open；〃　said　Giordino。　〃Not　in　enough　numbers　to　make　it　pay。　Immigration　agents　would　tag　the　operation　ten　minutes　after　the　boat　hit　port。〃
　〃Nothing　more　we　can　do　here。　Let's　wrap　up　and　head　home。〃
　〃That　may　present　a　problem。〃
　
　Pitt　glanced　sideways　at　Giordino。　〃How　so？〃
　Giordino　nodded　through　the　canopy。　〃We　have　visitors。〃
　Ahead　of　the　submersible；　three　divers　materialized　out　of　the　green　void；　swimming　toward　them　like　evil　demons　in　their　black　wet　suits。
　〃What　do　you　think　the　fine　is　for　trespassing　in　these　parts？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　but　I'll　bet　it's　more　than　a　slap　on　the　wrist。〃
　Giordino　studied　the　divers　who　were　approaching；　one　in　the　center；　the　other　two　circling　from　the　flank。　〃Most　odd　they　didn't　spot　us　earlier；　long　before　we　made　our　last　run　just　under　the　waterline。〃
　〃Somebody　must　have　looked　over　the　side　and　reported　a　funny　green　monster；〃　Pitt　said　facetiously。
　〃I'm　serious。　It's　almost　as　if　they　sat　back　observing　us　until　the　last　minute。〃
　〃Do　they　look　mad？〃
　〃They　ain't　bringing　flowers　and　candy。〃
　〃Weapons？〃
　〃Looks　like　Mosby　underwater　rifles。〃
　
　The　Mosby　was　a　nasty　weapon　that　fired　a　missile　with　a　small　explosive　head　through　water。　Though　devastating　against　human　body　tissue；　Pitt　didn't　believe　it　could　cause　serious　damage　to　a　submersible　able　to　withstand　the　pressures　of　the　deep。　〃The　worst　we　can　expect　is　scratched　paint　and　a　few　dents。〃
　
　〃Don't　get　cocky　just　yet；〃　said　Giordino；　staring　at　the　approaching　divers　as　a　doctor　might　study　an　X　ray。　〃These　guys　are　making　a　coordinated　assault。　Their　helmets　must　contain　miniature　radios。　Our　pressure　hull　may　take　a　few　good　knocks；　but　one　lucky　shot　into　the　impellers　of　our　thrusters　and　we'll　end　up　desecrated。〃
　
　〃We　can　outrun　them；〃　said　Pitt　confidently。　He　banked　the　Sea　Dog　II　in　a　tight　turn；　set　the　thrusters　on　HIGH；　and　steered　for　the　stern　of　the　liner。　〃This　boat　can　travel　a　good　six　knots　faster　than　any　diver　encumbered　with　air　tanks。〃
　
　〃Life　isn't　fair；〃　Giordino　muttered；　more　annoyed　than　fearful　as　they　unexpectedly　found　themselves　confronting　another　seven　divers　hovering　in　a　semicircle　beneath　the　ship's　mammoth　propellers；　blocking　off　their　avenue　of　escape。　〃It　seems　the　goddess　of　serendipity　has　turned　her　back　on　us。〃
　
　Pitt　switched　on　his　microphone　and　hailed　Cabrillo　over　the　radio。　〃This　is　Sea　Dog　II。　We　have　a　total　of　ten　villains　in　hot　pursuit。〃
　〃I　read　you；　Sea　Dog；　and　will　take　appropriate　steps。　No　need　to　contact　me　further；　out。〃
　〃Not　good；〃　said　Pitt　grimly。　〃We　might　dodge　past　two　or　three　but　the　rest　can　get　close　enough　to　do　us　real　damage。〃　Then　a　notion　struck　him。　〃Unless　。。。〃
　〃Unless　what？〃
　Pitt　didn't　answer。　Orchestrating　the　handgrip　controls；　he　threw　the　Sea　Dog　II　into　a　dive；　then　levelled　out　less　than　a　foot　off　the　bottom　and　began　a　search　pattern。　Within　ten　short　seconds；　he　found　what　he　was　looking　for。　The　deck　grate　he'd　seen　earlier　loomed　up　out　of　the　silt。
　〃Can　you　lift　that　thing　out　of　the　muck　with　the　manipulator　arm？〃　he　asked　Giordino。
　〃The　arm　can　handle　the　weight；　but　the　suction　is　an　unknown。　It　depends　on　how　deep　the　grate　is　buried。〃
　〃Try。〃
　
　Giordino　nodded　silently　and　quickly　slipped　his　hands　over　the　ball…shaped　controls　to　the　mechanical　arm　and　tightened　his　fingers。　Exercising　a　delicate　touch；　he　rotated　the　balls　in　a　manner　similar　to　moving　the　mouse　on　a　puter。　He　extended　the　arm；　which　was　articulated　at　the　elbow　and　wrist　like　human　joints。　Next；　he　placed　the　mechanical　handgrip　over　the　top　of　the　grate　and　tightened　the　three　hinged　fingers。
　
　〃One　grate　in　hand；〃　he　announced。　〃Give　me　all　the　vertical　thrust　in　the　cupboard。〃
　
　Pitt　tilted　the　thrusters　upward　and　poured　on　every　ounce　of　their　remaining　battery　power　as　the　divers　from　Qin　Shang's　security　force　closed　to　within　twenty　feet。　For　a　tormenting　few…seconds　nothing　happened。　Then　the　grate　slowly　began　to　slip　from　the　silt；　stirring　up　a　great　cloud　of　silt　as　the　sub　pulled　it　free。
　
　〃Twist　the　arm　until　the　grate　is　in　a　horizontal　position；〃　ordered　Pitt。　〃Then　hold　it　over　the　front　of　the　thruster　intakes。〃
　〃They　can　still　shoot　an　explosive　up　our　tail。〃
　
　〃Only　if　they　carry　muck…penetrating　radar；〃　said　Pitt；　reversing　the　thrusters　and　tilting　them　down　so　their　exhaust　blasted　into　the　bottom；　raising　great　billows　of　swirling　silt。　〃Now　you　see　us；　now　you　don't。〃
　
　Giordino　grinned　approvingly。　〃An　armored　shield；　a　selfinduced　smoke　screen…what　more　could　we　ask？　Now　let's　get　the　hell　out　of　here。〃
　
　Pitt　needed　no　coaching。　He　sent　the　submersible　careening　across　the　bottom；　stirring　up　silt　as　he　went。　Traveling　every　bit　as　visually　blind　as　the　divers　through　the　agitated　sediment　but　not　nearly　as　confused；　he　had　the　advantage　of　an　acoustics　system　that　homed　him　in　on　the　antenna　buoy。　He　had　traveled　only　a　short　distance　when　the　submersible　experienced　a　hard　thump。
　
　〃They　hit　us？〃　Pitt　asked。
　Giordino　shook　his　head。　〃No；　I　think　you　can　scratch　one　of　our　attackers　off　as　road　kill。　You　almost　tore　his　head　off　with　the　starboard　wing。〃
　〃He　won't　be　the　only　casualty　if　they　blindly　miss　and　shoot　each　other…〃
　Pitt　was　cut　off　as　an　explosive　thud　rocked　the　Sea　Dog　II。　Two　more　followed　in　quick　succession。　The　submersible's　speed　fell　off　by　a　third。
　〃There's　that　lucky　shot　I　was　talking　about；〃　said　Giordino　matter…of…factly。　〃They　must　have　slipped　one　under　the　grate。〃
　Pitt　glanced　at　his　instruments。　〃They　caught　the　port　thruster。〃
　Giordino　placed　a　hand　on　the　transparent　nose；　which　had　a　series　of　tiny　cracks　and　stars　on　its　outer　surface。　〃They　pitted　the　hell　out　of　the　windshield　too。〃
　〃Where　did　the　third　missile　strike？〃
　〃Impossible　to　see　through　this　stuff；　but　I　suspect　the　vertical　stabilizer　on　the　starboard　wing　is　gone。〃
　〃I　figured　as　much；〃　said　Pitt。　〃She's　pulling　to　the　port。〃
　Unknown　to　them；　the　team　of　ten　divers　was　down　to　six。　Besides　the　one　Pitt　crashed　into；　the　others；　shooting　indiscriminately　through　the　brownout；　had　struck　and　killed　three　of　their　own　number。　Firing　and　reloading　their　Mosby　underwater　rifles　as　fast　as　they　could　insert　a　new　explosive　charge；　the　divers　overlooked　the　danger　to　themselves。　One　was　brushed　by　the　submersible　as　it　surged　past　and　he　fired　point…blank。
　〃Another　hit；〃　reported　Giordino。　He　twisted　his　body　in　the　confined　space　and　gazed　back　along　the　submersible's　starboard　hull。　〃This　time　they　caught　the　battery　case。〃
　〃Those　Mosby　explosive　heads　must　be　more　powerful　than　I　was　led　to　believe。〃
　Giordino　jerked　his　eyes　back　and　to　the　side　as　another　explosion　burst　on　the　frame　between　the　starboard　hull　and　the　nose…viewing　shield。　Water　began　to　spurt　in　where　metal　met　glass。　〃Those　things　do　more　than　scratch　paint　and　make　dents；〃　said　Giordino。　〃I　can　vouch　for　it。〃
　〃We're　losing　power　to　the　thrusters；〃　came　Pitt's　voice　in　a　precision　display　of　unruffled　coolness。　〃That　last　strike　must　have　caused　a　short　in　the　system。　Dump　the　grate。　It's　causing　too　much　drag。〃
　Giordino　plied；　working　the　manipulator　controls　and　releasing　the　grate。　Through　the　silt　cloud　he　could　see　several　places　in　the　grate　where　the　rusting　iron　had　been　gouged　away　by　the　explosive