cc.fireice-第25部分

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to　go　there　now？〃
　〃Unfortunately；　we　don't　have　much　choice。　I　was　hoping　the　fog　would　burn　off；　though。〃
　
　Kemal　squinted　toward　shore。　〃Another　hour。　Two；　maybe。〃
　〃That's　too　long。　We'll　move　soon。〃
　
　The　captain　waved　his　cigar　in　the　air；　discharging　a　shower　of　sparks。　〃The　men　are　ready　when　you　say。〃
　
　Austin　nodded；　thinking　about　the　conversation　he'd　had　with　Kemal　on　the　trip　from　Istanbul。　Austin　had　asked　the　captain　if　he　knew　the　Russian　sailor　who'd　sold　Kaela　Dorn　the　map　that　led　her　to　the　sub　base。
　
　〃His　name　is　Valentin；〃　the　captain　had　replied；　with　no　hesitation。　〃The　other　fishermen　use　him　when　they　need　an　extra　hand。　Miss　Dorn　paid　him　too　much　money　for　this　big　'secret；'　〃　he　said；　with　a　sad　shake　of　his　head。　〃All　the　fishermen　know　about　the　submarines。〃
　〃People　knew　there　was　a　base　here？〃
　〃Sure。〃　Kemal's　thin　lips　had　widened　in　a　knowing　grin。　〃Fishermen　know　everything。　We　watch　the　weather；　the　water；　birds；　other　boats。〃　He　tapped　the　corner　of　an　eye　with　his　forefinger。　〃If　you　don't　keep　a　lookout；　you're　going　to　be　in　trouble。〃
　
　Kemal's　revelation　was　no　surprise　to　Austin。　He　often　worked　with　fishermen　on　NUMA　assignments　and　found　them　to　be　keen　observers　of　conditions　under；　on　and　above　the　sea。　A　fisherman　had　to　be　a　bination　biologist；　meteorologist；　mechanic　and　mariner。　Their　livelihood；　their　very　lives；　depended　on　their　store　of　practical　knowledge。　As　a　former　smuggler；　Kemal　would　have　been　more　vigilant　than　the　average　fisherman。
　
　〃How　long　did　you　fish　these　waters？〃　Austin　asked。
　
　〃Many　years。　In　the　old　days；　you　would　see　many　boats　from　allover。　Turkish；　Russian；　sometimes　even　Bulgarian。　The　fishing　is　good。　Big　schools　of　bonito　e　in　close　to　feed。　Nobody　bothers　us。　Then　one　day　the　Russians　e　with　patrol　boats　and　men　with　machine　guns。　They　tell　the　fishermen　this　is　a　science　station。　They　will　kill　anyone　who　gets　too　close。　Some　fishermen　didn't　believe　them　and　got　shot；　so　the　rest　of　us　stayed　away。　We　work　offshore；　where　nobody　bothers　us。　Sometimes　the　fishermen　see　periscopes。　Once　a　big　black　fin　came　up　near　my　boat。〃
　〃A　submarine　conning　tower？〃
　〃He　wanted　to　look；　I　guess；〃　Kemal　said；　with　a　nod。　〃Then　Russia　falls　apart。　The　submarines　stop　ing。　Everyone　says　the　Russian　navy　is　broke。　One　day　I　take　a　chance。　I　follow　a　school　of　fish　in　close。〃　He　held　an　invisible　steering　wheel　in　his　hand　to　demonstrate。　〃I'm　ready　to　run　if　they　e。　But　nobody　stops　me。　Since　then　I　fish　here　with　no　trouble。〃　He　shrugged。　〃When　the　television　people　want　to　go　in　with　Mehmet；　I　think　it's　no　big　deal。〃
　〃Did　you　ever　go　ashore　and　look　around？〃
　〃No。　What's　there　was　not　my　business。　That　was　before　Mehmet　got　shot。〃　He　spat　over　the　side。　〃Now　it　is　my　business。〃
　
　Kemal's　story　meshed　with　the　report　Austin's　friend　Leahy　had　sent　him。　According　to　the　CIA　files；　construction　on　the　base　started　in　the　1950s。　A　U…2　plane　photographed　the　site　on　an　overflight。　The　U。S。　kept　close　tabs　on　the　growing　plex。　The　Turkish　counterpart　of　the　CIA　confirmed　the　reports　of　submarine　traffic。　U。S。　listening　posts　determined　that　the　base　was　under　the　mand　of　the　Black　Sea　Fleet　at　Sevastopol。　The　scientific　station　was　built　to　do　ocean　research　that　would　help　the　fleet　do　its　job。
　
　Military　activity　slowed　after　the　Cold　War。　The　cash…strapped　new　Russian　republic　shut　the　base　down；　much　as　obsolete　army　installations　were　closed　in　the　U。S。　The　scientific　station　was　abandoned。　The　CIA　could　have　saved　millions　in　surveillance　expense　by　talking　to　Kemal　and　his　friends。　Unfortunately；　the　one　point　on　which　the　Turk　was　wrong；　his　belief　that　the　base　was　deserted；　had　cost　his　cousin's　life。
　
　When　the　Turgut　was　less　than　a　mile　from　shore；　Austin　asked　the　captain　to　drop　anchor。　Kemal　yelled　an　order　to　his　crew；　and　a　minute　later　the　boat　coasted　to　a　stop　and　vibrated　with　the　rattle　of　the　anchor　chain。　As　the　anchor　splashed　into　the　sea；　Kemal　excused　himself　and　went　off　to　supervise　the　setting　of　the　trawls。
　
　Zavala　appeared　from　the　other　side　of　the　boat；　where　he　had　been　getting　their　scuba　gear　ready　for　a　dive。
　
　Austin　eyed　the　twisted　stub　of　the　cheroot　clenched　between　Zavala's　teeth。　〃I　see　you've　been　raiding　the　captain's　humidor。〃
　〃He　insisted。　I　didn't　want　to　hurt　his　feelings。〃　Zavala　removed　the　stogie　from　his　mouth　and　held　it　at　arm's　length。　〃I　think　they　make　these　things　out　of　old　tires；　but　I'm　sort　of　getting　used　to　the　taste；〃　he　said　with　a　shrug。　〃Gear's　all　set　to　go。〃
　
　Austin　followed　Zavala　to　the　port　side；　where　the　wheelhouse　hid　them　from　prying　eyes　on　the　mainland。　Neatly　laid　out　on　the　narrow　deck　were　two　rows　of　double　air　tanks；　weight　belts；　hoods；　gloves；　boots　and　fills　and　two　black　Viking　Pro　dry　suits　manufactured　to　NUMA　specifications。　Sunlight　glinted　off　the　yellow　fiberglass　housings　of　two　Torpedo　2000　driver　propulsion　vehicles。　Mounted　in　tandem；　the　dual　rocket…shaped　battery…powered　vehicles　had　a　top　speed　of　five　miles　an　hour　and　a　running　time　of　an　hour。
　
　They　shimmied　into　their　dive　suits；　helped　each　other　on　with　their　air　tanks　and　did　a　buddy　equipment　inspection。　Then　they　waddled　to　the　rail　with　the　shuffling　walk　divers　use　out　of　water　and　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　deck。
　
　〃Any　questions　before　we　plunge　in？〃　Austin　said。
　
　Zavala　flicked　the　black　cigar　stub　over　the　side。　〃Plan　the　dive　and　dive　the　plan。　Get　in。　Take　a　look。　Get　out。　Stay　flexible。　Improvise　when　necessary。〃
　
　Zavala's　succinct　summation　could　have　applied　to　any　mission　Austin　led。　Austin　was　a　staunch　believer　in　simplicity　of　execution　because　the　more　elements　in　a　plan；　the　greater　the　chance　for　a　screwup。　He　knew　from　experience　that　it　was　impossible　to　anticipate　every　situation　when　the　details　were　sparse。　His　muscular　body　was　marked　with　scars　that　were　stark　reminders　that　even　the　most　carefully　laid　scheme　could　unravel　in　the　face　of　the　unexpected。　As　insurance；　though；　they　carried　guns　and　extra　ammunition　in　their　chest　packs。　They　also　had　munications　equipment；　although　it　would　be　of　limited　value。　They　were　invading　the　soil　of　a　foreign　country。　If　he　and　Zavala　encountered　trouble；　they　were　on　their　own。
　
　〃You　forgot　one　thing；〃　Austin　said。
　
　Zavala　looked　behind　him。　〃Cover　your　ass？〃
　〃CYA　is　always　a　good　idea。　But　what　I　was　thinking　was　this：　We're　not　Mission　Impossible。　We're　not　the　Suicide　Squadron。　We're　simply　a　couple　of　nosy　guys　who　want　to　e　back；　preferably　with　our　skin　in　one　piece。〃
　〃That　suits　me　fine；〃　Zavala　said。　〃I'm　very　attached　to　my　skin。〃
　
　Austin　winced　at　Zavala's　joke　and　gave　the　captain　the　thumb's…up　sign。　He　held　on　to　his　mask　and　chest　pack　so　they　wouldn't　fly　up；　and　jumped　fins　first　into　the　dark　blue　sea；　sinking　several　feet　before　his　automatic　buoyancy　control　lifted　him　back　to　the　surface。　Zavala　bobbed　up　a　few　feet　away。　As　they　floated　in　the　mild　swell；　they　made　sure　their　regulators　were　working；　then　Austin　signaled　Kemal。
　
　The　captain　lowered　the　bright　yellow　Torpedo　2000s　down　to　the　water。　The　crewmen　were　setting　trawls　on　the　land　side。　From　shore；　the　Turgut　looked　like　any　other　fishing　boat　harvesting　the　sea。　Austin　reminded　Kemal　to　keep　his　radio　on　and　to　leave　quickly　at　the　first　sign　of　trouble。　He　didn't　want　more　funerals　in　the　captain's　family。
　
　Kemal　gave　him　a　smile　that　showed　he　had　no　intention　of　following　Austin's　advice　and　wished　them　good　luck　in　Turkish　and　in　English。　Austin　bit　down　on　his　regulator　mouthpiece；　folded　his　body　in　a　surface　dive　and　with　a　flip　of　his　fins　disappeared　below　the　surface。　Zavala　was　only　a　moment　behind。　At　twenty　feet；　they　hovered　and　tested　their　voice…activated　Divelink　wireless　underwater　munications　systems。
　
　〃Ready　to　invade　Russia？〃　Austin　asked。
　
　〃Can't　wait！〃　Zavala　said；　sounding　like　Donald　Duck　in　Austin's　earphones。　〃Russia　has　some　of　the　most　beautiful　women　in　the　world。　Green　eyes；　high　cheekbones；　lush　lips…　〃
　〃Keep　a　lid　on　your　raging　libido；　Josй。　This　isn't　Club　Med　we're　going　to。　When　we　get　home；　you　can　order　a　Russian　bride　over　the　Internet。〃
　〃Thanks　for　dashing　cold　water　on　my　lustful　thoughts。〃
　〃Speaking　of　cold　water；　we've　got　about　a　mile　of　the　stuff　ahead　of　us；　so　I　suggest　we　get　moving。〃　Austin　checked　his　wrist　pass　and　jerked　his　thumb　toward　shore。　They　flicked　on　the　switches　of　their　propulsion　vehicles；　the　battery…powered　motors　hummed　into　life；　and　the　Torpedo　2000s　surged　ahead；　smoothly　pulling　the　divers　through　the　pale　green　water。　Their　approach　sent　schools　of　fish　flying　off　to　either　side；　making　it　evident　why　Kemal　and　his　fellow　fishermen　had　risked　their　necks　to　work　these　waters。
　
　Near　the　surf　line；　the　water　became　turbid　from　floating　particles　of　vegetation　kicked　up　by　the　crashing　waves。　Austin　angled　the　Torpedo　2000　down　to　the　sandy　sea　bottom；　with　Zavala　a　few　feet　behind　him。
　
　〃Any　idea　what　we're　looking　for？〃　Zavala　said；　squinting　toward　the　gravelly　banking　that　rose　sharply　from　the　sea　floor　to　meet　the　beach。
　
　〃A　neon　sign　saying　THIS　IS　IT　would　help。　But　I'll　settle　for　something　that　looks　like　a　big　garage　door。〃
　
　Zavala　switched　on　his　powerful　Phantom　dive　light　and　played　the　bull's…eye　across　the　slope。
　
　〃I　don't　even　see　a　doorknob。〃
　〃We're　wasting　our　time　here。　They　wouldn't　build　on　the　beach。　They'd　want　solid　rock　over　their　heads。　Let's　check　out　the　cliffs。　I'll　take　the　one　to　the　right。〃
　
　Zavala　waved；　and　with　the　ease　of　a　natural　pilot　he　put　his　propulsion　vehicle　in　a　graceful　turn　and　shot　off；　quickly　disappearing　into　the　murk。　Austin　headed　in　the　opposite　direction。　A　moment　later；　the　voice　of　a　singing　duck　filled　Austin's　earphones　as　Zavala　rendered　an　off…tune　version　of　〃Guantanamera。〃
　
　Austin　moved　parallel　to　the　undersea　embankment　until　the　sand　and　gravel　gave　over　to　solid　rock。　Zavala's　quacking　became　fainter　as　they　expanded　their　range。　Austin　was　grateful　for　this　development；　but　he　didn't　want　too　much　space　separating　them。