cc.fireice-第16部分

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　〃Then　you　must　know　that　the　saga　of　the　flood；　passed　down　by　generations　of　bards；　may　have　inspired　the　tale　of　Noah　and　the　ark。　Which　means　that　the　ark　sailed　these　waters。　It　would　be　a　waste　of　time　humping　our　cameras　up　the　side　of　Mount　Ararat。　Don't　you　agree？〃
　
　Austin　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　gazed　into　the　dark　amber　eyes。　They　sparkled　with　good…humored　intelligence。
　
　〃I'll　answer　that　with　a　question　of　my　own。〃
　〃Let　me　guess。　You　want　to　know　why　someone　who　pretends　to　be　a　serious　reporter　ended　up　on　the　television　equivalent　of　a　supermarket　tabloid。〃
　
　Austin　added　perceptiveness　to　the　list　of　Kaela's　other　admirable　qualities。　〃I've　seen　your　show。　In　the　episode　I　watched；　Big　Foot　had　been　found　living　in　Loch　Ness　with　an　alien　love…child。〃
　〃That　must　have　been　before　my　time；　but　I　take　your　point。　U。M。　is　trash　television　at　its　trashiest。〃
　
　Austin　spread　his　hands。　〃So？〃
　〃It's　a　long　story。〃
　〃We've　plenty　of　time　to　talk。　I'll　have　the　sommelier　refill　your　wineglass　as　often　as　you'd　like。〃
　〃That's　the　best　offer　I've　had　all　day。〃　She　cradled　her　chin　in　one　hand　and　gazed　into　his　face。　There　was　no　timidity　in　her　large　eyes。　〃I'll　tell　you　about　my　background　if　you　do　the　same　for　yourself。〃
　〃Okay；　you're　on。〃
　
　She　took　another　sip　of　Chianti。　〃I　was　born　in　Oakland；　California。　I　was　named　Katherine　after　my　dad's　mother；　and　Ella　after　Ella　Fitzgerald；　Mom's　favorite　singer。　My　last　name　was　Doran。　I　shortened　it　to　Kaela　Dorn　when　I　went　into　TV。　My　mother　was　a　ballet　instructor　at　an　African…American　munity　center　and　my　dad　was　an　Irish…American；　long…haired；　pot…smoking　hippie　who　had　e　to　Berkeley　to　protest　the　Vietnam　War　and　everything　else。〃
　〃There　was　a　lot　of　that　in　the　sixties。〃　She　nodded。　〃Dad　put　aside　his　love　beads　and　bongos　and　now　teaches　courses　in　contemporary　American　history　at　Berkeley；　specializing　in　the　protest　movements　of　the　sixties　and　seventies。　He　still　has　his　beard；　but　it's　a　lot　whiter　than　it　used　to　be。〃
　〃Happens　to　the　best　of　us；〃　Austin　said；　pointing　to　his　prematurely　steel　gray　hair。
　
　〃I　was　something　of　a　rebel　as　a　kid。　Pop's　fault。　One　day　Mom　came　down　to　the　corner；　where　I　was　hanging　out　with　a　gang；　and　dragged　me　into　her　ballet　classes　where　she　could　keep　an　eye　on　me。　I　traded　in　my　gangsta　colors　for　a　tutu。　I　wasn't　a　bad　dancer。〃
　
　The　woman　sitting　across　from　Austin　seemed　made　for　dancing。　〃I　would　have　been　surprised　if　you　were　any　less　graceful　than　a　Pavlova。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　she　said。　〃I　was　fair；　but　tripping　about　on　my　toes　in　the　Nutcracker　Suite　didn't　satisfy　my　craving　for　adventure。　Pop's　fault；　too。　He　bummed　around　Khartoum　and　New　Delhi　before　he　headed　west　to　pull　us　out　of　Vietnam　single…handedly。　I　went　to　Berkeley　and　studied　English　lit；　then　I　got　accepted　as　an　intern　at　a　local　TV　station　that　wanted　to　fill　its　minority…hiring　quota。　I　got　tired　of　reading　gory　reports　about　car　crashes　off　a　TelePrompTer。　When　I　heard　about　the　opening　at　Unbelievable　Mysteries；　I　jumped　at　the　chance　to　travel　to　exotic；　offbeat　places；　and　be　paid　pretty　well　for　it。　Okay；　that's　me。　How　about　you？　How　did　you　e　to　be　rescuing　maidens　in　distress　and　their　friends？〃
　
　Austin　gave　a　condensed　version　of　his　biography；　omitting　his　service　in　the　CIA；　stretching　a　fact　here　and　there　to　make　the　pieces　fit。　Kaela　listened　intently；　and　if　she　detected　his　effort　to　massage　the　truth；　she　didn't　show　it。
　
　〃I'm　not　surprised　that　you　like　fast　boats　or　that　you　collect　antique　dueling　pistols；　or　even　that　you　listen　to　progressive　jazz。　I'm　more　surprised　to　hear　that　you　study　philosophy。〃
　〃I　don't　know　if　study　is　the　right　word。　I　like　to　say　I've　read　a　few　books　on　the　subject。〃　He　paused　in　thought；　then　said；　〃　'One　cannot　conceive　anything　so　strange　and　so　implausible　that　it　has　not　already　been　said　by　one　philosopher　or　another。'　Rene　Descartes。〃
　〃Which　means？〃
　〃I　see　a　lot　of　strange　things　and　people　in　my　business。　It　gives　me　fort　to　know　that　as　far　as　philosophy　is　concemed；　there　is　nothing　new　under　the　sun。　Greed；　avarice；　evil。　And　conversely；　goodness；　generosity；　love。　。　。　Plato　once　said。　。　。〃　Austin　became　conscious　of　Kaela's　stare。　〃Sorry。　I　sound　like　a　professor。〃
　〃I've　never　met　a　professor　who　swoops　down　out　of　the　sky　to　do　single…handed　battle　with　a　bunch　of　cutthroats。〃　She　regarded　him　with　leveled　eyes。　〃Tell　me；　what　exactly　is　your　Special　Assignments　Team？　Somebody　mentioned　it　to　me　before　I　came　out　here。〃
　〃There's　no　'exactly'　about　it。　There　are　four　of　us；　each　with　an　area　of　expertise。　Joe　Zavala　is　a　marine　engineer　who　designs　many　of　our　vehicles。　The　ultralight　I　flew　in　on　was　his　creation。　He　can　pilot　anything　under　or　above　the　sea。　Paul　Trout　is　a　deep…ocean　geologist　with　credentials　from　Woods　Hole　Oceanographic　and　Scripps　Institute。
　
　His　wife；　Gamay；　is　a　diver　and　marine　biologist　with　a　background　in　nautical　archaeology。〃
　〃Impressive。　You　still　haven't　told　me　what　your　team　does。〃
　〃Depends。　In　general；　we　handle　undersea　assignments　that　tend　to　be　other　than　routine。〃　Austin　failed　to　mention　that　those　assignments　often　took　place　secretly；　outside　the　realm　of　government　oversight。
　
　She　snapped　her　fingers。　〃Of　course。　Now　I　remember。　The　Christopher　Columbus　tomb　in　the　Yucatan。　You　were　involved　in　its　discovery。〃
　〃Somewhat。　It　was　a　NUMA　project。〃
　〃Fascinating；〃　Kaela　said。　〃I'd　like　to　do　a　story　on　your　team。〃
　〃The　NUMA　Public　Affairs　Department　would　love　it。　Favorable　publicity　es　in　handy　when　we　go　before　Congress　with　our　budget。　Give　them　a　jingle　when　you　get　back。　I'll　be　glad　to　help。〃
　〃Thanks；　I'd　appreciate　that　very　much。〃
　〃Now　let　me　ask　you　a　question。　What　do　you　intend　to　do　with　the　footage　your　crew　filmed　back　in　Russia？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure；〃　she　said；　with　a　furrowed　brow。　〃We　don't　have　much　except　the　dead　body　of　a　guy　dressed　up　like　a　doorman　at　a　Russian　nightclub。〃　She　broke　out　in　laughter。　〃Not　that　the　lack　of　facts　ever　discouraged　Unbelievable　Mysteries　from　cooking　up　a　story。〃
　〃Maybe　he's　one　of　those　UFO　aliens　you're　always　finding；〃　Austin　offered。
　
　〃Not　with　that　sword。〃　Kaela　shuddered　at　the　memory。　〃Seriously；　Kurt；　what's　your　take　on　this　whole　thing？　Who　were　those　guys　and　why　were　they　so　touchy　about　an　abandoned　sub　base　left　over　from　the　Cold　War？〃
　
　Austin　shook　his　head。　〃I　can't　answer　those　questions。〃
　〃You　must　have　given　it　some　thought。〃
　〃Of　course。　I　don't　have　to　be　Sherlock　Holmes　to　conclude　that　there's　something　there　that　someone　didn't　want　us　to　see。　I　just　don't　know　what　it　could　be。〃
　〃There's　one　way　to　find　out；〃　Kaela　said。　〃Go　back　for　a　look。〃
　
　
　〃I　don't　think　that　would　be　wise。〃　Austin　ticked　off　the　reasons　on　his　fingers。　〃We　can　sit　here　and　laugh　at　a　bunch　of　guys　who　look　as　if　they　came　out　of　a　production　of　Boris　Godunov；　but　dumb　luck　is　the　only　reason　we're　still　alive。　Second；　since　you　don't　have　Russian　visas　you　would　have　to　enter　the　country　illegally。　Third；　you　don't　have　a　way　to　get　there。〃
　
　Kaela　countered　each　point　on　her　own　fingers；　〃I　appreciate　your　concern；　but　first；　we'd　be　more　prepared　than　we　were　and　would　get　out　in　a　hurry　at　the　first　hint　of　danger。　Second；　lack　of　a　visa　didn't　stop　you　from　landing　on　Russian　soil；　And　third；　if　I　can't　get　Captain　Kemal　to　go　back；　I'm　sure　other　fishermen　are　willing　to　earn　in　a　couple　of　days　what　it　takes　them　a　year　to　make　otherwise。〃
　
　Austin　laced　his　hands　behind　his　head；　〃You　don't　discourage　easily。〃
　〃I　don't　intend　to　stay　with　Unbelievable　Mysteries　forever；　A　story　like　this　could　be　my　ticket　to　a　big　job　with　a　major　network。〃
　〃So　much　for　my　incredible　powers　of　persuasion；〃　Austin　said。　〃Since　you　appear　to　have　your　mind　made　up；　maybe　I　can　convince　you　to　acpany　me　on　a　tour　of　Istanbul　at　night；　Topkapi　Palace　is　a　must…see；　and　there　are　some　great　shops　around　the　Sulemaniye　Mosque　where　you　can　pick　up　some　gifts　for　the　folks　back　home；　We　can　wrap　up　the　evening　with　dinner　on　board　one　of　the　Lufer　boats。〃
　〃Another　four…star　chef。〃
　〃Not　quite；　but　the　scenery　is　special。〃
　〃I'm　staying　at　the　Marmara　Hotel　on　Taksim　Square。〃
　〃I　know　where　it　is；　How　about　seven　o'clock　the　day　we　dock？〃
　〃I'll　be　looking　forward　to　it；〃　Austin　saw　little　of　Kaela　the　rest　of　the　trip；　She　was　busy　with　her　two　colleagues　interviewing　the　captain　and　crew　or　working　on　background　for　Noah；　He　contacted　NUMA　headquarters　and　filed　a　report　on　the　Russian　incident　and　spent　the　rest　of　the　time　trying　to　piece　the　Gooney　back　together。　The　Argo　made　good　time；　and　before　long　they　were　making　their　passage　past　the　villages　and　old　forts　along　the　Bosporus。
　
　
　THE　TWO…HOUR　PASSAGE　through　the　Bosporus　was　never　dull。　The　narrow　seventeen…mile　waterway　is　considered　the　world's　most　dangerous　strait。　Captain　At…　wood　threaded　the　Argo　around　tankers；　ferries　and　passenger　boats　as　he　made　the　twelve　course　changes　necessary　during　the　final　leg　of　the　voyage。　The　strong　current　that　ran　from　the　Black　Sea　to　the　Sea　of　Marmara　made　life　even　more　interesting。　Those　on　board　let　out　a　collective　sigh　of　relief　as　the　survey　ship　passed　the　ferry　terminals　and　cruise…ship　docks　to　tie　alongside　a　pier　near　the　Galata　Bridge。
　
　From　the　ship；　Austin　watched　the　television　crew　stuff　its　gear　into　a　cab。　Kaela　waved　good…bye；　and　the　cab　headed　away　from　the　waterfront。　He　walked　around　the　deck；　taking　in　the　view　of　the　bridge　guarding　the　mouth　of　the　Golden　Horn；　and　the　sprawling　Topkapi　Palace　built　for　Sultan　Mehmet　II　in　the　1400s。　In　the　distance　he　could　see　the　minarets　of　the　Hagia　Sophia　and　the　Blue　Mosque。
　
　He　went　back　to　his　cabin　and　caught　up　on　paperwork；　then　showered　and　exchanged　his　shorts　and　sweatshirt　for　casual　slacks　and　a　light　cotton　sweater。　Near　dinnertime；　he　walked　down　the　gangway　and　made　his　way　to　the　street　to　look　for　a　cab。　A　taxi　pulled　up　beside　him。　It　was　a　vintage　Chevrolet；　circa　1950s。　There　were　passengers　in　the　car；　which　identified　it　as　a　dolmus；　me