the.lost.world-第18节
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And the bug he had placed there last week was working fine。 Through his earpiece； he heard one of the kids say； 〃How？〃
And then the crippled guy； Malcolm； said； 〃The essence of verification is multiple lines of reasoning that converge at a single point。〃
〃Meaning what？〃 the kid said。
Malcolm said； 〃Just look at the Landsat pictures。〃
On his notepad； James wrote LANDSAT。
〃We already looked at those；〃 the girl said。
James felt foolish not to have realized earlier that these two kids were working for Levine。 He remembered them well； they were in the class Levine taught。 There was a short black kid and a gawky white girl。 Just kids： maybe eleven or twelve。 He should have realized。
Not that it mattered now； he thought。 He was getting the information anyway。 James reached across the dashboard and plucked out the last two French fries； and ate them； even though they were cold。
〃Okay；〃 he heard Malcolm say。 〃It's this island here。 This is the island Levine went to。〃
The girl said doubtfully； 〃You think so？ This is。。。Isla Sorna。〃
James wrote ISLA SORNA。
〃That's our island；〃 Malcolm said。 〃Why？ Three independent reasons。 First； it's privately owned； so it hasn't been thoroughly searched by the Costa Rican government。 Second； privately owned by whom？ By the Germans； who leased rights to mineral excavations； back in the twenties。〃
〃All the German books。〃
〃Exactly。 Third； from Arby's list … and from another independent source … it is clear that there is volcanic gas located at Site B。 So； which islands have volcanic gas？ Take the magnifying glass and look for yourself。 Turns out； only one island does；〃
〃You mean this here？〃 the girl said。 〃Right。 That's volcanic smoke。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃Spectrographic analysis。 See this spike here？ That's elementary sulfur in the cloud cover。 There aren't really any sources for sulfur except volcanic sources。〃
〃What's this other spike？〃 the girl said。
〃Methane；〃 Malcolm said。 〃Apparently there is … a fairly large source of methane gas。〃
〃Is that also volcanic？〃 Thorne said。
〃It might be。 Methane is released from volcanic activity； but most monly during active eruptions。 The other possibility is； it might be organic。
〃Organic？ Meaning what？〃
〃Large herbivores； and … 〃
Then there was something that James couldn't hear； and the kid said； 〃Do you want me to finish this recovery； or not？〃 He sounded annoyed。
〃No；〃 Thorne said。 〃Never mind now； Arby。 We know what we have to do。 Let's go； kids！〃
James looked up at the apartment and saw the lights being turned off。 A few minutes later； Thorne and the kids appeared at the front entrance； on the street level。 They got in a Jeep； and drove off。 Malcolm went to his own car； climbed in awkwardly； and drove away in the opposite direction。
James considered following Malcolm； but he had something else to do now。 He turned on the car ignition； picked up the phone； and dialed。
Field Systems
Half an hour later； when they got back to Thorne's Office； Kelly stared； stunned。 Most of the workers were gone； and the shed had been cleaned up。 The two trailers and the Explorer stood side by side； freshly painted dark green； and ready to go。
They're finished！〃
〃I told you they would be；〃 Thorne said。 He turned to his chief foreman； Eddie Carr； a stocky young man in his twenties。 〃Eddie； where are we？〃
〃Just wrapping up； Doc；〃 Eddie said。 〃Paint's still wet in a few places； but it should be dry by morning。〃
〃We can't wait until morning。 We're moving out now。〃
〃We are？〃
Arby and Kelly exchanged glances。 This was news to them； too。
Thorne said； 〃I'll need you to drive one of these； Eddie。 We've got to be at the airport by midnight。〃
〃But I thought we were field testing。
〃No time for that。 We're going right to the location。〃 The front door buzzed。 〃That'll be Malcolm； probably。 He pushed the button to unlock the door。
〃You're not going to field test？〃 Eddie said； with a worried look。 〃I think you better shake them down； Doc。 We made some pretty plex modifications here； and … 〃
〃There's no time；〃 Malcolm said； ing in。 〃We have to go right away。〃 He turned to Thorne。 〃I'm very worried about him。〃
〃Eddie！〃 Thorne said。 〃Did the exit papers e in？〃
〃Oh sure； we've had them for the last two weeks；〃
〃Well； get them； and call Jenkins； tell him to meet us at the airport； and do the details for us。 I want to be off the ground in four hours。〃
〃Jeez； Doc … 〃
〃Just do it。〃
Kelly said； 〃You're going to Costa Rica？〃
〃That's right。 We've got to get Levine。 If it's not too late。〃
〃We're ing with you；〃 Kelly said。
〃Right；〃 Arby said。 〃We are。〃
〃Absolutely not；〃 Thorne said。 〃It's out of the question。〃
〃But we earned it！〃
〃Dr。 Levine talked to our parents！〃
〃We already have permission！〃
〃You have permission；〃 Thorne said severely； 〃to go on a field test in the woods a hundred miles from here。 But we're not doing that。 We're going someplace that might be very dangerous； and you're not ing with us； and that's final。〃
〃But … 〃
〃Kids；〃 Thorne said。 〃Don't piss me off。 I'm going to go make a phone call。 You get your stuff together。 You're going home。〃
And he turned and walked away。
〃Gee；〃 Kelly said。
Arby stuck his tongue out at the departing Thorne and muttered； 〃What an asshole。〃
〃Get with the program； Arby；〃 Thorne said； not looking back。 〃You two guys are going home。 Period。〃
He went into his office and slammed the door。
Arby stuck his hands in his pockets。 〃They couldn't have figured it out without our help。〃
〃I know； Arb；〃 she said。 〃But we can't make him take us。〃
They turned to Malcolm。 〃Dr。 Malcolm； can you please … 〃
〃Sorry；〃 Malcolm said。 〃I can't。〃
〃But … 〃
〃The answer is no； kids。 It's just too dangerous。〃
Dejected； they drifted over to the vehicles； gleaming beneath the ceiling lights。 The Explorer with the black photovoltaic panels on the roof and hood； the inside crammed with glowing electronic equipment。 Just looking at the Explorer gave them a sense of adventure … an adventure they would not be part of。
Arby peered into the larger trailer； cupping his eyes over the window。 〃Wow； look at this！〃
〃I'm going in；〃 Kelly said； and she opened the door。 She was momentarily surprised at how solid and heavy it was。 Then she climbed up the steps into the trailer。
Inside； the trailer was fitted out with gray upholstery and much more electronic equipment。 It was divided into sections； for different laboratory functions。 The main area was a biological lab； with specimen trays； dissecting pans； and microscopes that connected to video monitors。 The lab also included biochemistry equipment； spectrometers； and a series of automated sample…analyzers。 Next to it there was an extensive puter section； a bank of processors； and a munications section。 All the lab equipment was miniaturized； and built into small tables that slid into the walls； and then bolted down。
〃This is cool；〃 Arby said。
Kelly didn't answer。 She was looking closely at the lab。 Dr。 Levine had designed this trailer； apparently with a very specific purpose。 There was no provision for geology； or botany； or chemistry； or lots of other things that a field team might be expected to study。 It wasn't a general scientific lab at all。 There really seemed to be just a biology unit； and a large puter unit。
Biology； and puters。
Period。
What had this trailer been built to study？
Set in the wall was a small bookshelf； the books held in place with a Velcro strap。 She scanned the titles： Modeling Adaptive Biological Systems； Vertebrate Behavioral Dynamics； Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems； Dinosaurs of North America； Preadaptation and Evolution。。。。It seemed like a strange set of books to take on a wilderness expedition； if there was a logic behind it； she didn't see it。
She moved on。 At intervals along the walls； she could see where the trailer had been strengthened； dark carbon…honeyb strips ran up the walls。 She had overheard Thorne saying it was the same material used in supersonic let fighters。 Very light and very strong。 And she noticed that all the windows had been replaced with that special glass with fine wire mesh inside it。
Why was the trailer so strong？
It made her a little uneasy； when she thought about it。 She remembered the telephone call with Dr。 Levine； earlier in the day。 He had said he was surrounded。
Surrounded by what？
He had said： I can smell them； especially at night。
What was he referring to？
Who was them？
Still uneasy； Kelly moved toward the back of the trailer； where there was a homey little living area； plete with gingham curtains on the windows。 pact kitchen； a toilet； and four beds。 Storage partments above and below the beds。 There was even a little walk…in shower。 It was nice。
From there； she went through the accordion pleating that connected the two trailers。 It was a little bit like the connection between two railway cars； a short transitional passage。 She emerged inside the second trailer； which seemed to
