cc.fireice-第55部分

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　disappeared　down　a　corridor。
　
　Austin　watched　them　go　and　said；　〃You　can　stand　now。　Those　two　looked　like　techies。　We've　got　a　major　problem。　It　could　take　days　to　search　this　ship　properly。　The　longer　we're　here；　the　greater　the　chance　someone　will　see　through　our　highly　imaginative　disguises。〃
　
　Trout　stood　and　rubbed　his　knee。　〃To　say　nothing　of　the　toll　to　be　exerted　on　my　aging　joints。　What　do　we　do　now？〃
　
　Austin　stared　off　past　Trout's　shoulder；　and　a　smile　replaced　the　frown　on　his　lips。　〃For　starters；　I'd　suggest　that　you　look　behind　you。〃
　
　Trout　grinned　when　he　saw　the　diagram　on　the　wall。　It　was　a　map　showing　the　ship's　layout　as　seen　from　above　and　in　profile。　〃We're　apparently　not　the　only　ones　who　need　help　finding　their　way　around　this　little　houseboat。〃
　
　Austin　examined　the　map　closely　and　tapped　a　red　dot　that　indicated　their　intersection。　〃We're　ing　up　on　a　restricted　area。　Let's　see　what　they're　trying　to　hide。　If　it's　restricted；　there　may　be　less　chance　of　bumping　into　Razov's　thug　brigade。〃
　
　Austin's　words　had　barely　faded　when　they　heard　rough　male　voices　approaching。　Without　hesitation；　Austin　stepped　over　to　the　door　from　which　the　scientists　had　emerged；　and　tried　the　knob。　The　door　was　unlocked。　He　gestured　for　Trout　to　follow　him。　The　room　was　dark；　but　he　could　smell　chemicals　and　guessed　it　was　a　lab。　He　quietly　closed　the　door；　leaving　it　open　a　crack。　Within　seconds；　a　pair　of　stocky　guards；　each　carrying　an　automatic　weapon；　passed　by　and　disappeared　down　the　passageway。　He　flicked　on　a　wall　light　long　enough　to　see　that　they　were；　indeed；　in　a　laboratory　of　some　sort。　Then　he　checked　once　more；　saw　the　way　was　clear；　and　they　cautiously　slipped　back　into　the　corridor。
　
　He　pointed　to　the　passageway　on　the　right。　Ever　alert；　they　set　off　along　the　corridor　until　a　door　blocked　their　way。　Austin　used　his　rusty　language　skills　from　his　CIA　days　to　translate　the　Cyrillic　letters　printed　on　the　outside。　AUTHORIZED　PERSONNEL　ONLY。　He　tried　the　door。　Locked。　He　reached　into　his　pack　and　came　out　with　a　set　of　burglary　lock　picks；　another　holdover　from　his　time　with　the　pany。　With　Trout　keeping　watch；　Austin　tried　several　picks　before　ing　up　with　the　right　one。　He　turned　the　knob；　and　they　stepped　inside。
　
　With　its　horseshoe…shaped　console；　the　room　resembled　the　control　area　of　Yaeger's　puter　center；　although　it　was　a　fraction　of　the　size。　Instead　of　facing　out　onto　a　voice…activated　hologram　stage　like　Max；　beyond　the　console　was　a　large　screen　controlled　by　a　keyboard；　archaic　relics　that　Yaeger　would　have　disdained。
　
　Trout　walked　over　and　examined　the　setup。　It　was　fairly　sophisticated。　Although　he　was　considered　a　puter　whiz　in　his　own　right；　specializing　in　the　modeling　of　deep　ocean　bottom　phenomena；　Trout　was　not　in　the　same　league　as　Yaeger。
　
　〃Well？〃　Austin　said。
　
　Trout　shrugged　and　said；　〃I'll　give　it　a　try。〃　He　settled　his　long　form　into　a　swivel　chair。　Like　a　concert　pianist　looking　for　a　lost　chord；　he　let　his　fingers　play　over　the　keyboard　without　touching　the　keys。　After　first　asking　Austin　to　trans…　late　the　Cyrillic；　he　took　a　deep　breath　and　pushed　the　key　that　said　Enter。　The　fish　school　screens　aver　that　had　been　swimming　across　the　screen　disappeared；　and　in　its　place　was　an　icon　of　a　sunburst。　〃So　far；　so　good；〃　he　said。〃
　
　I　didn't　set　off　any　alarms　that　I　know　of。〃
　
　Austin；　who　was　leaning　over　Trout's　shoulder　looking　at　the　monitor；　gave　him　a　back　pat　of　encouragement。
　
　Trout　bent　to　his　task。　He　clicked　on　the　icon；　which　was　replaced　by　a　number　of　options。　For　several　minutes；　he　pecked　away　at　the　keys；　muttering　under　his　breath。　Then　he　sat　back　and　folded　his　arms。　〃I　need　a　password　to　get　in。〃
　〃That　could　be　anything；〃　Austin　said　with　frustration。
　
　Trout　nodded　sadly。　〃We　have　to　think　Russian。　Anything　you've　e　across　that　might　work？〃
　
　Taking　a　stab　at　it；　Austin　told　him　to　try　Cossack。　When　that　didn't　work；　he　tried　Ataman。　Nothing。　One　more　false　try；　and　the　puter　would　freeze　up　on　them。　He　was　about　to　give　up　when　he　recalled　his　first　conversation　with　Petrov　back　in　Istanbul。　〃Try　Troika。〃
　
　Trout　let　out　a　triumphant；　〃Yes！〃　Then　his　shoulders　sagged　as　the　screen　filled　with　lines　of　words。　〃This　is　the　Russian　equivalent　of　gobbledygook。〃　He　worked　on　it　a　few　more　minutes。　Beads　of　perspiration　appeared　on　his　forehead。　He　sat　back　in　the　chair　and　threw　his　hands　up　in　the　air。
　
　〃Sorry；　Kurt；　this　is　beyond　my　skills。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃What　I　need　is　a　teenage　hacker。〃
　
　Austin　only　had　to　think　about　Trout's　request　for　an　instant。　〃Hold　on。　I　can　get　you　the　next　best　thing。〃
　
　He　produced　his　Globalstar　phone　and　punched　out　a　number。　When　Yaeger's　voice　came　on；　Austin　said；　〃Good　morning；　I　can't　get　into　details　because　we're　short　on　time；　but　Paul　needs　help。〃
　
　He　handed　the　phone　to　Trout。　Before　long；　the　two　men　were　into　a　deep　discussion　of　firewalls；　packet　filters；　applications；　Trojan　horses；　gateway　circuits；　tunnels　and　decoys。　He　gave　the　phone　back　to　Austin。
　
　〃Let's　see　if　I　can　explain　the　problem；〃　Yaeger　said。　〃Think　of　the　puter　as　a　room。　You　go　into　the　room；　but　it's　dark；　so　you　can't　see　what's　written　on　the　blackboard。　So　you　flick　the　switch；　which　is　what　Paul　has　done；　but　the　blackboard　is　still　unreadable　because　it's　in　a　language　you　can't　understand。〃
　〃Where　does　that　leave　us？〃
　〃Nowhere；　I'm　afraid。　I　wish　Max　and　I　were　there　to　take　a　crack　at　the　puzzle。〃
　
　Austin　replied　with　a　grunt；　then　looked　at　the　phone。　〃The　solution　may　be　at　hand。　You　tell　me　if　it's　possible。〃
　
　He　explained　what　he　was　thinking　and　Yaeger　said　it　was　doable；　given　the　right　equipment。　Austin　returned　the　phone　to　Trout；　who　got　up　and　began　to　go　through　drawers　in　the　console　and　other　cabinets　in　the　room。　He　found　some　cables　that　he　spliced　together；　and　then　plugged　one　end　into　the　puter's　entry　port。　〃It's　not　the　greatest　modem　in　the　world；　but　I'll　try　to　attach　it　to　the　phone　now。〃　He　removed　the　back　of　the　phone　and　ran　the　other　end　of　the　cable　inside。　Then　he　dialed　a　number。
　
　The　puter　screen　went　squirrelly　for　a　second。　Letters　and　numbers　streamed　by　in　a　blur。　The　screen　went　blank。　Then　a　message　appeared：　〃We're　wired。　Starting　to　download。　Hiram　and　Max。〃
　
　Austin　glanced　at　his　watch　as　he　paced　back　and　forth；　wondering　how　long　it　would　take　Yaeger　to　do　his　job。　The　minutes　ticked　by。　He　feared　that　they　would　have　to　leave　before　the　job　was　done。　But　after　ten　minutes；　a　big　yellow　smiley　face　wearing　granny　glasses　that　looked　suspiciously　like　Yaeger's　appeared。　〃Hack　job　done。　Hiram　and　Max。〃
　
　They　quickly　disconnected　the　makeshift　modem　and　replaced　the　parts。　Austin　stuck　his　head　out　the　door　to　see　if　the　way　was　clear。　The　corridor　was　deserted。　Moving　with　haste　they　made　their　way　back　to　the　ship　diagram　and　selected　a　shorter　route　to　the　moon　pool。　So　far　their　luck　had　held　out　and　they'd　seen　no　one。　Austin　was　puzzled　at　the　lack　of　personnel；　but　wasn't　about　to　argue　with　good　fortune。　They　were　hurrying　along　a　passageway；　when　they　passed　a　door　and　heard　voices　speaking　in　English。　The　accents　were　unmistakably　American。　Austin　tried　the　door　and　found　it　locked。　Again；　he　resorted　to　his　lock　picks。
　
　The　door　opened　onto　a　cabin　with　two　bunks。　Lounging　on　the　bunks；　with　bored　expressions　on　their　faces；　were　Captain　Logan　and　the　pilot　from　the　NR…1。　Their　conversation　stopped　in　midsentence；　and　they　stared　at　the　newers　with　unbridled　hostility；　assuming　they　were　guards　who　had　e　to　make　their　life　miserable。
　
　Logan　turned　to　the　pilot　and　said；　〃Where　are　they　getting　these　guys？〃
　〃The　tall　one　looks　like　he　should　be　scaring　crows　in　a　field；〃　the　pilot　said。
　
　〃That　suit　on　the　shorter　guy　sure　didn't　e　from　Armani；〃　Logan　said；　with　a　chuckle。
　
　〃Armani　was　closed；　Captain　Logan。　We　had　to　borrow　our　wardrobe　from　the　ship's　crew。〃
　
　Suspicion　clouded　Logan's　eyes。　〃Who　the　hell　are　you？〃
　〃That　gentleman　imitating　a　scarecrow　is　my　colleague；　Paul　Trout。　My　name　is　Kurt　Austin；　but　you　can　call　me　'Shorty。'　〃
　
　The　captain　sprang　from　his　bunk。　〃Dammit；　you're　Americans！〃
　〃Told　you　our　disguises　wouldn't　hold　up；〃　Austin　said　to　Trout。　He　turned　back　to　Logan。　〃Guilty　as　charged；　Captain。　Paul　and　I　are　with　the　NUMA　Special　Assignments　Team。〃
　
　The　captain　looked　toward　the　door。　〃We　didn't　hear　any　fighting。　Have　your　guys　taken　over　the　ship？〃
　
　Austin　and　Trout　exchanged　amused　glances。　〃Sorry　to　disappoint　you。　Delta　Force　was　busy；　so　we　came　alone；〃　Austin　said。
　

　〃I　don't　understand。　How　…　〃
　
　Austin　cut　him　off。　〃We'll　explain　after　we　get　you　off　this　ship。〃
　
　He　motioned　to　Trout；　who　opened　the　door　slightly　to　see　if　it　was　safe　to　exit。　Again　the　hallway　was　clear。　With　a　Trout　leading　the　way　and　Austin　taking　up　the　rear；　they　moved　along　a　corridor　toward　the　stairway　as　if　they　were　escorting　the　submariners。
　
　The　strategy　came　in　handy　a　moment　later　when　they　encountered　a　lone　guard　walking　in　their　direction；　his　weapon　shouldered。　Austin　guessed　from　the　man's　casual　demeanor　that　he　was　on　his　way　back　to　his　quarters。　The　guard's　eyes　flicked　toward　Trout　and　his　brow　wrinkled　as　he　tried　to　figure　out　why　he　didn't　recognize　a　shipmate　of　a　Trout's　imposing　height。　The　captain　stopped　when　he　saw　the　guard；　unsure　of　what　to　do。
　
　Austin　could　have　taken　the　guard　out；　but　he　preferred　that　the　visit　to　the　ship　go　unnoticed；　if　possible。　He　hooked　his　foot　around　Logan's　ankle　and　gave　him　a　shove。　The　captain　went　down　on　his　hands　and　knees。　The　guard's　puzzlement　changed　to　amusement；　and　he　roared　with　laughter　and　said　something　in　Russian。　He　laughed　again　when　Austin　kicked　the　captain　lightly　in　the　rear　end。
　
　Austin　shrugged　and　replied　with　an　innocent　look。　Still　laughing；　the　guard　continued　along　the　hall　until　he　was　out　of　sight。　Austin　reached　down　and　helped　Logan　up。
　
　〃Sorry；　Captain；〃　he　said；　with　obvious　embarrassment。　was　getting　a　fix　on　Paul；　and　I　had　to　divert　his　attention。〃