dk.coldfire-第27部分

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ng　dead。　He　was　nauseous　with　fear；　not　for　himself　but　for　them。　
　The　plane　bucked　and　shimmied　as　if　it　had　driven　over　a　pothole　in　the　sky。　He　grabbed　at　the　back　of　a　seat　to　steady　himself　But　this　was　not　the　big　one。　
　The　flight　attendants　were　gathered　farther　back　in　the　plane；　in　their　work　area；　preparing　to　serve　the　lunch　trays　that　had　just　e　up　from　the　galley。　They　were　a　mixed　group；　men　and　women；　a　couple　in　their　twenties　and　the　others　as　old　as　fifty…something。　
　Jim　approached　the　oldest　of　them。　According　to　the　tag　she　wore；　her　name　was　Evelyn。　
　〃I've　got　to　talk　to　the　pilot；〃　he　said；　keeping　his　voice　low；　although　the　nearest　passengers　were　well　forward　of　them。　
　If　Evelyn　was　surprised　by　his　request；　she　didn't　show　it。　She　smiled　just　as　she　had　been　trained　to　smile。　〃I'm　sorry；　sir；　but　that　isn't　possible。　
　Whatever　the　problem　is；　I'm　sure　I　can　help…〃　〃Listen；　I　was　in　the　lavatory；　and　I　heard　something；　a　wrong　sound；〃　he　lied；　〃not　the　right　kind　of　engine　noise。〃　
　Her　smile　became　a　little　wider　but　less　sincere；　and　she　went　into　her　reassure…the…nervous…traveler　mode。　〃Well；　you　see；　during　flight　it's　perfectly　normal　for　the　pitch　of　the　engines　to　change　as　the　pilot　alte　airspeed　and…〃　〃I　know　that。〃　He　tried　to　sound　like　a　reasonable　man　to　whom　she　ought　to　listen。　〃I've　flown　a　lot。　This　was　different。〃　He　lied　again：　〃I　know　aircraft　engines；　I　work　for　McDonnell　Douglas。　We　designed　and　built　the　DC…10。　I　know　this　plane；　and　what　I　heard　in　the　lav　was　wrong。〃　Her　smile　faltered；　most　likely　not　because　she　was　starting　to　take　his　warning　seriously　but　merely　because　she　considered　him　to　be　a　more　inventive　aerophobe　than　most　who　panicked　in　mid…flight。　
　The　other　flight　attendants　had　paused　in　their　lunch…service　preparations　and　were　staring　at　him；　no　doubt　wondering　if　he　was　going　to　be　a　problem。　
　Evelyn　said　carefully；　〃Well；　really；　everything's　functioning　well。　
　Aside　from　some　turbulence…〃　〃It's　the　tail　engine；〃　he　said。　
　That　was　not　another　lie。　He　was　receiving　a　revelation；　and　he　was　letting　the　unknown　source　of　that　revelation　speak　through　him。　〃The　fan　assembly　is　starting　to　break　apart。　If　the　blades　tear　loose；　that's　one　thing；　the　pieces　can　be　contained；　but　if　the　entire　fan…blade　assembly　shatters；　God　knows　what　could　happen。〃　
　Because　of　the　specificity　of　his　fear；　he　did　not　sound　like　a　typical　aerophobic　passenger；　and　all　of　the　flight　attendants　were　staring　at　him　with；　if　not　respect；　at　least　a　wary　thoughtfulness。　
　〃Everything's　fine；〃　Evelyn　said；　per　training。　〃But　even　if　we　lost　an　engine；　we　can　fly　on　two。〃　
　Jim　was　excited　that　the　higher　power　guiding　him　had　evidently　decided　to　give　him　what　he　needed　to　convince　these　people。　Maybe　something　could　be　done　to　save　everyone　on　the　flight。　
　Striving　to　remain　calm　and　impressive；　he　heard　himself　saying；　〃That　engine　has　forty　thousand　pounds　of　thrust；　it's　a　real　monster；　and　if　it　blows　up；　it's　like　a　bomb　going　off　The　pressors　can　back…vent；　and　those　thirty…eight　titanium　blades；　the　fan　assembly；　even　pieces　of　the　rotor　can　explode　outward　like　shrapnel；　punching　holes　in　the　tail；　screwing　up　the　rudders　and　elevators。　。　。　The　whole　tail　of　the　plane　could　disintegrate。〃　。　
　One　of　the　flight　attendants　said；　〃Maybe　somebody　should　just　mention　this　to　Captain　Delbaugh。〃　
　Evelyn　did　not　instantly　object。　
　〃I　know　these　engines；〃　Jim　said。　〃I　can　explain　it　to　him。　You　don't　have　to　take　me　on　the　flight　deck；　just　let　me　speak　to　him　on　the　inter。〃　
　Evelyn　said；　〃McDonnell　Douglas？〃　〃Yeah。　I've　been　an　engineer　there　for　twelve　years；〃　he　lied。　
　She　was　now　full　of　doubt　about　the　wisdom　of　the　standard　response　she　had　learned　in　training。　She　was　almost　won　over。　
　With　hope　blossoming；　Jim　said；　〃Your　captain's　got　to　shut　down　engine　number　two。　If　he　shuts　it　down　and　goes　the　rest　of　the　way　on　one　and　three；　we'll　make　it；　all　of　us；　we'll　make　it　alive。〃　
　Evelyn　looked　at　the　other　flight　attendants；　and　a　couple　of　them　nodded。　〃I　guess　it　wouldn't　hurt　if。　。　。〃　
　〃e　on；〃　Jim　said　urgently。　〃We　might　not　have　much　time。〃　
　He　followed　Evelyn　out　of　the　attendants'　work　area　and　into　the　starboard　aisle　in　the　economy…class　section；　heading　forward。　
　The　plane　was　rocked　by　an　explosion。　
　Evelyn　was　thrown　hard　to　the　deck。　Jim　pitched　forward；　too；　grabbed　at　a　seat　to　avoid　falling　atop　the　woman；　overpensated　and　fell　to　one　side　instead；　against　a　passenger；　then　to　the　floor；　as　the　plane　started　to　shimmy。　He　heard　lunch　trays　still　crashing　to　the　deck　behind　him；　people　crying　out　in　surprise　and　alarm；　and　one　thin　short　scream。　As　he　tried　to　scramble　to　his　feet；　the　aircraft　nosed　down；　and　they　started　to　lose　altitude。　
　Holly　moved　forward　from　row　seventeen；　sat　beside　Christine　Dubrovek；　introduced　herself　as　a　friend　of　Steve　Harkman's；　and　was　nearly　thrown　out　of　her　seat　when　a　sickening　shock…wave　pumped　through　the　aircraft。　
　It　was　followed　a　fraction　of　a　second　later　by　a　solid　thump；　as　if　they　had　been　struck　by　something。　
　〃Mommy！〃　Casey　had　been　belted　in　her　seat；　even　though　the　seatbelt　signs　were　not　on。　She　was　not　thrown　forward；　but　the　storybooks　on　her　lap　clattered　to　the　deck。　Her　eyes　were　huge　with　fear。　
　The　plane　started　to　lose　altitude。　
　〃Mommy？〃　〃It's　okay；〃　Christine　said；　obviously　struggling　to　conceal　her　own　fear　from　her　daughter。　〃Just　turbulence；　an　air　pocket。〃　
　They　were　dropping　fast。　
　〃You're　gonna　be　okay；〃　Holly　told　them；　leaning　past　Christine　to　make　sure　the　little　girl　heard　her　reassurances。　〃Both　of　you　are　going　to　be　okay　if　you　just　stay　here；　don't　move；　stay　right　in　these　seats。〃　
　Knifing　down。　。　。　a　thousand　feet。　。　。　two　thousand。　。　。　
　Holly　frantically　belted　herself　in　her　seat。　
　。　。　。　three　thousand。　。　。　four　thousand。　。　。　
　An　initial　wave　of　horror　and　panic　gripped　the　passengers。　But　that　was　followed　quickly　by　a　breathless　silence；　as　they　all　clung　to　the　arms　of　their　seats　and　waited　to　see　if　the　damaged　aircraft　was　going　to　pull　up　in　time…or　tip　downward　at　an　even　more　severe　angle。　
　To　Holly's　surprise；　the　nose　slowly　came　up。　The　plane　leveled　off　again。　
　A　munal　sigh　of　relief　and　a　smattering　of　applause　swept　through　the　cabin。　
　She　turned　and　grinned　at　Christine　and　Casey。　〃We're　going　to　be　all　right。　We're　all　going　to　make　it。〃　
　The　captain　came　on　the　loudspeaker　and　explained　that　they　had　lost　one　of　their　engines。　They　could　still　fly　just　fine　on　the　remaining　two；　he　assured　them；　though　he　suggested　they　might　need　to　divert　to　a　suitable　airfield　closer　than　O'Hare；　only　to　be　safe。　He　sounded　calm　and　confident；　and　he　thanked　the　passengers　for　their　patience；　implying　that　the　worst　they　would　suffer　was　inconvenience。　
　A　moment　later　Jim　Ironheart　appeared　in　the　aisle；　and　squatted　beside　Holly。　A　spot　of　blood　glimmered　at　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　he　had　evidently　been　tossed　around　a　little。　
　She　was　so　exhilarated；　she　wanted　to　kiss　him；　but　she　just　said；　〃You　did　it；　you　changed　it；　you　made　a　difference　somehow。〃　
　He　looked　grim。　〃No。〃　He　leaned　close　to　her；　put　his　face　almost　against　hers；　so　they　could　talk　in　whispers　as　before；　though　she　thought　Christine　Dubrovek　must　be　hearing　some　of　it。　He　said；　〃It's　too　late。〃　
　Holly　felt　as　if　he　had　punched　her　in　the　stomach。　〃But　we　leveled　off〃　〃Pieces　of　the　exploding　engine　tore　holes　in　the　tail。　
　Severed　most　of　the　hydraulic　lines。　Punctured　the　others。　Soon　they　won't　be　able　to　steer　the　airplane。〃　
　Her　fear　had　melted。　Now　it　came　back　like　ice　crystals　forming　and　linking　together　across　the　gray　surface　of　a　winter　pond。　
　They　were　going　down。　
　She　said；　〃You　know　exactly　what　happened；　you　should　be　with　the　captain；　not　here。〃　
　〃It's　over。　I　was　too　late。〃　
　〃No。　Never…〃　〃Nothing　I　can　do　now。〃　
　〃But〃　A　flight　attendant　appeared；　looking　shaken　but　sounding　calm。　
　〃Sir；　please　return　to　your　seat。〃　
　〃All　right；　I　will；〃　Jim　said。　He　took　Holly's　hand　first；　and　squeezed　it。　
　〃Don't　be　afraid。〃　He　looked　past　her　at　Christine；　then　at　Casey。　
　〃You'll　be　all　right。〃　
　He　moved　back　to　row　seventeen；　the　seat　immediately　behind　Holly。　
　She　was　loath　to　lose　sight　of　him。　He　helped　her　confidence　just　by　being　within　view。　
　For　twenty…six　years；　Captain　Sleighton　Delbaugh　had　earned　his　living　in　the　cockpits　of　mercial　airliners；　the　last　eighteen　as　a　pilot。　
　He　had　encountered　and　successfully　dealt　with　a　daunting　variety　of　problems；　a　few　of　them　serious　enough　to　be　called　crises；　and　he　had　benefited　from　United's　rigorous　program　of　continuous　instruction　and　periodic　recertification。　He　felt　he　was　prepared　for　anything　that　could　happen　in　a　modern　aircraft；　but　he　found　it　difficult　to　believe　what　had　happened　to　Flight　246。　
　After　engine　number　two　failed；　the　bird　went　into　an　unplanned　descent；　and　the　controls　stiffened。　They　managed　to　correct　its　attitude；　however；　and　dramatically　slow　its　descent。　But　losing　eleven　thousand　feet　of　altitude　was　the　least　of　their　problems。　
　〃We're　turning　right；〃　Bob　Anilov　said。　He　was　Delbaugh's　first　officer　forty…three；　and　an　excellent　pilot。　〃Still　turning　right。　
　It's　locking　up；　Slay。〃　
　〃We've　got　partial　hydraulic　failure；〃　said　Chris　Lodden；　their　flight　engineer。　He　was　the　youngest　of　the　three　and　a　favorite　of　virtually　every　female　flight　attendant　who　met　him；　partly　because　he　was　good…looking　in　a　fresh…faced　farmboy　way；　but　largely　because　he　was　a　little　shy；　which　made　him　a　novelty　among　the　cocksure　men　on　most　flight　crews。　Chris　was　seated　behind　Anilov　and　in　charge　of　monitoring　the　mechanical　systems。　
　〃It's　going　harder　right；〃　Anilov　said。　
　Already　Delbaugh　was　pulling　the　yoke　full　aft；　left　wheel。　〃Damn。〃　
　Anilov　said；　〃No　response。〃　
　〃It's　worse　than　a　partial　loss；〃　Chris　Lodden　said；　tapping　and　adjusting　his　instruments　as　if　he　was　having　trouble　believing　what　they　were　telling　him。　〃How　can　this　be　right？〃　The　DC…10　had　three　hydraulic　systems；　well…designed　backup。　They　couldn't　have　lost　everything