the.lost.world-第7节

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a　few　islands；　you　know；　particularly　along　the　west　coast。　Hell；　they've　even　searched　the　ones　that　are　privately　owned。〃
　　　　〃Are　there　privately　owned　islands？〃　Levine　asked。
　　　　〃A　few。　Three　or　four。　Like　Isla　Nublar　…　it　was　leased　to　an　American　pany；　InGen；　for　years。〃
　　　　〃But　you　said　that　island　was　searched。。。〃
　　　　〃Thoroughly　searched。　Nothing　there。〃
　　　　〃And　the　others？〃
　　　　〃Well；　let's　see；〃　Guitierrez　said；　ticking　them　off　on　his　fingers。　〃There's　Isla　Talamanca；　on　the　east　coast；　they've　got　a　Club　Med　there。　There's　Sorna；　on　the　west　coast；　it's　leased　to　a　German　mining　pany。　And　there's　Morazan；　up　north；　it's　actually　owned　by　a　wealthy　Costa　Rican　family。　And　there　may　be　another　island　I've　forgotten　about。〃
　　　　〃And　the　searches　found　what？〃
　　　　〃Nothing；〃　Guitierrez　said。　〃They've　found　nothing　at　all。　So　the　assumption　is　that　the　animals　are　ing　from　some　location　deep　in　the　jungle。　And　that's　why　we　haven't　been　able　to　find　it　so　far。〃
　　　　Levine　grunted。　〃In　that　case；　lots　of　luck；〃
　　　　〃I　know；〃　Guitierrez　said。　〃Rain　forest　is　an　incredibly　good　environment　for　concealment。　A　search　party　could　pass　within　ten　yards　of　a　large　animal　and　never　see　it。　And　even　the　most　advanced　remote　sensing　technology　doesn't　help　much；　because　there　are　multiple　layers　to　penetrate…clouds；　tree　canopy；　lower…level　flora。　There's　just　no　way　around　it：　almost　anything　could　be　hiding　in　the　rain　forest。　Anyway；〃　he　said；　〃the　government's　frustrated。　And；　of　course；　the　government　is　not　the　only　interested　party。〃
　　　　Levine　looked　up　sharply。　〃Oh？〃
　　　　〃Yes。　For　some　reason；　there's　been　a　lot　of　interest　in　these　animals。〃
　　　　〃What　sort　of　interest？〃　Levine　said；　as　casually　as　he　could。
　　　　〃Last　fall；　the　government　issued　a　permit　to　a　team　of　botanists　from　Berkeley　to　do　an　aerial　survey　of　the　jungle　canopy　in　the　central　highlands。　The　survey　had　been　going　on　for　a　month　when　a　dispute　arose　a　bill　for　aviation　fuel；　or　something　like　that。　Anyway；　a　bureaucrat　in　San　José　called　Berkeley　to　plain。　And　Berkeley　said　they'd　never　heard　of　this　survey　team。　Meantime；　the　team　fled　the　country。〃
　　　　〃So　nobody　knows　who　they　really　were？〃
　　　　〃No'。　Then　last　winter；　a　couple　of　Swiss　geologists　showed　up　to　collect　gas　samples　from　offshore　islands；　as　part　of　a　study；　they　said；　of　volcanic　activity　in　Central　America。　The　offshore　islands　are　all　volcanic；　and　most　of　them　are　still　active　to　some　degree；　so　it　seemed　like　a　reasonable　request。　But　it　turned　out　the　'geologists'　really　worked　for　an　American　genetics　pany　called　Biosyn；　and　they　were　looking　for；　uh；　large　animals　on　the　islands。〃
　　　　〃Why　would　a　biotech　pany　be　interested？〃　Levine　said。　〃it　makes　no　sense。〃
　　　　〃Maybe　not　to　you　and　me；〃　Guitierrez　said；　〃but　Biosyn's　got　a　particularly　unsavory　reputation。　Their　head　of　research　is　a　guy　named　Lewis　Dodgson。〃
　　　　〃Oh　yeah；〃　Levine　said。　〃I　know。　He's　the　guy　who　ran　that　rabies　vaccine　test　in　Chile　a　few　years　back。　The　one　where　they　exposed　farmers　to　rabies　but　didn't　tell　them　they　were　doing　it。〃
　　　　〃That's　him。　He　also　started　test…marketing　a　genetically　engineered　potato　in　supermarkets　without　telling　anybody　they　were　altered。　Gave　kids　low…grade　diarrhea；　couple　of　them　ended　up　in　the　hospital。　After　that；　the　pany　had　to　hire　George　Baselton　to　fix　their　image。〃
　　　　〃Seems　like　everybody　hires　Baselton；〃　Levine　said；
　　　　Guitierrez　shrugged。　〃The　big…name　university　professors　consult；　these　days。　It's　part　of　the　deal。　And　Baselton　is　Regis　Professor　of　Biology。　The　pany　needed　him　to　clean　up　their　mess；　because　Dodgson　has　a　habit　of　breaking　the　law。　Dodgson　has　people　on　his　payroll　all　around　the　world。　Steals　other　panies'　research；　the　whole　bit。　They　say　Biosyn's　the　only　genetics　pany　with　more　lawyers　than　scientists。〃
　　　　〃And　why　were　they　interested　in　Costa　Rica？〃　Levine　asked。
　　　　Guitierrez　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know；　but　the　whole　attitude　toward　research　has　changed；　Richard。　It's　very　noticeable　here。　Costa　Rica　has　one　of　the　richest　ecologies　in　the　world。　Half　a　million　species　in　twelve　distinct　environmental　habitats。　Five　percent　of　all　the　species　on　the　planet　are　represented　here。　This　country　has　been　a　biological　research　center　for　years；　and　I　can　tell　you；　things　have　changed。　In　the　old　days；　the　people　who　came　here　were　dedicated　scientists　with　a　passion　to　learn　about　something　for　its　own　sake…howler　monkeys；　or　polistine　wasps；　or　the　sombrilla　plant。　These　people　had　chosen　their　field　because　they　cared　about　it。　They　certainly　weren't　going　to　get　rich。　But　now；　everything　in　the　biosphere　is　potentially　valuable。　Nobody　knows　where　the　next　drug　is　ing　from；　so　drug　panies　fund　all　sorts　of　research。　Maybe　a　bird　egg　has　a　protein　that　makes　it　waterproof。　Maybe　a　spider　produces　a　peptide　that　inhibits　blood　clotting。　Maybe　the　waxy　surface　of　a　fern　contains　a　painkiller。　It　happens　often　enough　that　attitudes　toward　research　have　changed。　People　aren't　studying　the　natural　world　any　more；　they're　mining　it。　It's　a　looter　mentality。　Anything　new　or　unknown　is　automatically　of　interest；　because　it　might　have　value。　It　might　be　worth　a　fortune。〃
　　　　Guitierrez　drained　his　beer。　〃The　world；〃　he　said；　is　turned　upside　down。　And　the　fact　is　that　a　lot　of　people　want　to　know　what　these　aberrant　animals　represent　…　and　where　they　e　from。〃
　　　　The　loudspeaker　called　Levine's　flight。　Both　men　stood　up　from　the　table。　Guiitierrez　said；　〃You'll　keep　all　this　to　yourself？　I　mean；　what　you　saw　today。〃
　　　　〃To　be　quite　honest；〃　Levine　said；　〃I　don't　know　what　I　saw　today。　It　could　have　been　anything。〃
　　　　Guitierrez　grinned。　〃Safe　flight；　Richard。〃
　　　　〃Take　care；　Marty。〃

Departure

His　backpack　slung　over　his　shoulder；　Levine　walked　toward　the　departure　lounge。　He　turned　to　wave　goodbye　to　Guitierrez；　but　his　friend　was　already　heading　out　the　door；　raising　his　arm　to　wave　for　a　taxi。　Levine　shrugged；　turned　back。
　　　　Directly　ahead　was　the　Customs　desk；　travelers　lined　up　to　have　their　passports　stamped。　He　was　booked　on　a　night　flight　to　San　Francisco；　with　a　long　stopover　in　Mexico　City；　not　many　people　were　queuing　up。　He　probably　had　time　to　call　his　office；　and　leave　word　for　his　secretary；　Linda；　that　he　would　be　on　the　flight；　and　perhaps；　he　thought；　he　should　also　call　Malcolm。　Looking　around；　he　saw　a　row　of　phones　marked　ICT　TELEFONOS　INTFRNATIONAL　along　the　wall　to　his　right；　but　there　were　only　a　few；　and　all　were　in　use。　He　had　better　use　the　satellite　phone　in　his　backpack；　he　thought；　as　he　swung　the　pack　off　his　shoulder；　and　perhaps　it　would　be…
　　　　He　paused；　frowning。
　　　　He　looked　back　at　the　wall。
　　　　Four　people　were　using　the　phones。　The　first　was　a　blonde　woman　in　shorts　and　a　halter　top；　bouncing　a　young　sunburned　child　in　her　arms　as　she　talked。　Next　to　her　stood　a　bearded　man　in　a　safari　jacket；　who　glanced　repeatedly　at　his　gold　Rolex　watch。　Then　there　was　a　grayhaired；　grandmotherly　woman　talking　in　Spanish；　while　her　two　fullgrown　sons　stood　by；　nodding　emphatically。
　　　　And　the　last　person　was　the　helicopter　pilot。　He　had　removed　his　uniform　jacket；　and　was　standing　in　short　sleeves　and　tie。　He　was　turned　away；　facing　the　wall；　shoulders　hunched。
　　　　Levine　moved　closer；　and　heard　the　pilot　speaking　in　English。　Levine　set　his　pack　down　and　beiit　over　it；　pretending　to　adjust　the　straps　while　he　listened。　The　pilot　was　still　turned　away　from　him。
　　　　He　heard　the　pilot　say；　〃No；　no；　Professor。　It　is　not　that　way。　No。　Then　there　was　a　pause。　〃No；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃I　am　telling　to　you；　no。　I　am　sorry；　Professor　Baselton；　but　this　is　not　known；　It　is　an　island；　but　which　one。。。We　must　wait　again　for　more。　No；　he　leaves　tonight。　No；　I　think　he　does　not　know　anything；　and　no　pictures。　No。　I　understand。　Adiós。
　　　　Levine　ducked　his　head　as　the　pilot　walked　briskly　toward　the　LACSA　desk　at　the　other　end　of　the　airport。
　　　　What　the　hell？　he　thought。
　　　　It　is　an　island；　but　which　one。。。
　　　　How　did　they　know　it　was　an　island？　Levine　himself　was　still　not　sure　of　that。　And　he　had　been　working　intensively　on　these　finds；　day　and　night；　trying　to　put　it　together。　Where　they　had　e　from。　Why　it　was　happening。
　　　　He　walked　around　the　corner；　out　of　sight；　and　pulled　out　the　little　satellite　phone。　He　dialed　it　quickly；　calling　a　number　in　San　Francisco。
　　　　The　call　went　through；　rapidly　clicking　as　it　linked　with　the　satellite。　It　began　to　ring。　There　was　a　beep。　An　electronic　voice　said；　〃Please　enter　your　access　code。〃
　　　　Levine　punched　in　a　six…digit　number。
　　　　There　was　another　beep。　The　electronic　voice　said；　〃Leave　your　message。〃
　　　　〃I'm　calling；〃　Levine　said；　〃with　the　results　of　the　trip。　Single　specimen；　not　in　good　shape。　Location：　BB…17　on　your　map。　That's　far　south；　which　fits　all　of　our　hypotheses。　I　wasn't　able　to　make　a　precise　identification　before　they　burned　the　specimen。　But　my　guess　is　that　it　was　an　ornitholestes。　As　you　know；　this　animal　is　not　on　the　list　…a　highly　sigificant　finding。〃
　　　　He　glanced　around；　but　no　one　was　near　him；　no　one　was　paying　attention。　〃Furthermore；　the　lateral　femur　was　cut　in　a　deep　gash。　This　is　extremely　distur