p&c.icelimit-第47部分

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　〃Rocco；〃　Glinn　called　out；　pointing　to　an　area　just　to　the　rear　of　the　damaged　cart；　where　there　was　a　faint　flickering　〃You've　got　another　small　fire　over　there。〃
　Rocco　approached　it　with　the　extinguisher；　then　stopped　short。　He　looked　up　at　them。　〃I　think　it's　a　heart；　sir。〃
　Glinn　pursed　his　lips。　〃I　see。　Extinguish　it；　Mr。　Rocco；　and　carry　on。〃
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　July　21；　12：05　A。M。
　
　AS　MCFARLANE　trudged　across　the　staging　area　toward　the　row　of　huts；　the　wind　pressed　rudely　at　his　back；　as　if　trying　to　force　him　to　his　knees。　Beside　him；　Rachel　stumbled；　then　recovered。
　〃Is　this　storm　ever　going　to　end？〃　she　asked。
　McFarlane；　his　mind　a　whirlwind　of　speculation；　did　not　reply。
　In　another　minute　they　were　inside　the　medical　hut。　He　peeled　out　of　his　suit。　The　air　was　rich　with　the　smell　of　roasted　meat。　He　saw　that　Garza　was　speaking　into　a　radio。
　〃How　long　have　you　had　munications？〃　he　asked　Glinn。
　〃Half　an　hour；　or　thereabouts。　Still　spotty；　but　improving。〃
　〃That's　odd。　We　just　tried　to　contact　you　from　the　tunnel　and　got　nothing　but　radio　noise。〃　McFarlane　began　to　speak　again；　but　fell　silent；　forcing　his　mind　to　work　through　the　weariness。
　Garza　lowered　his　radio。　〃It's　Thompson；　from　the　beach。　He　says　Captain　Britton　refuses　to　send　anyone　over　with　the　equipment　until　the　storm　dies　down。　It's　too　dangerous。〃
　〃That's　not　acceptable。　Give　me　that　radio。〃　Glinn　spoke　rapidly。　〃Thompson？　Explain　to　the　captain　that　we've　lost　munications；　the　puter　network；　and　the　power　grid。　We　need　the　generator　and　the　equipment；　and　we　need　them　now。　Lives　are　at　risk。　If　you　encounter　any　more　difficulties；　let　me　know　and　I'll　see　to　it　personally。　Get　Brambell　out　here；　too。　I　want　him　to　examine　Hill's　remains。〃
　Distantly；　McFarlane　watched　Rocco；　hands　and　forearms　hidden　by　heavy　rubber　gloves；　removing　charred　body　parts　from　a　tarp　and　placing　them　in　a　freezer…locker。
　〃There's　something　else；　sir；〃　Garza　said；　listening　once　again　to　the　radio。　〃Palmer　Lloyd's　in　munication　with　the　Rolvaag。　He　demands　to　be　patched　through　to　Sam　McFarlane。〃
　McFarlane　felt　himself　shocked　back　into　the　stream　of　events。　〃It's　not　exactly　the　best　time；　is　it？〃　he　said　with　a　disbelieving　laugh；　looking　at　Glinn。　But　the　expression　on　Glinn's　face　took　him　by　surprise。
　〃Can　you　rig　up　a　squawk　box？〃　Glinn　asked。
　〃I'll　grab　one　from　the　munications　hut；〃　Garza　said。
　McFarlane　spoke　to　Glinn。　〃You're　not　really　going　to　chitchat　with　Lloyd；　are　you？　Now；　of　all　times？〃
　Glinn　returned　the　look。　〃It　beats　the　alternative；〃　he　replied。
　Only　much　later　did　McFarlane　realize　what　Glinn　meant。
　
　Within　minutes；　the　hut's　transmitter　had　been　jury…rigged　with　an　external　speaker。　As　Garza　attached　his　radio；　a　wash　of　static　filled　the　room。　It　faded　into　silence；　grew　louder；　then　faded　again。　McFarlane　glanced　around：　at　Rachel；　huddled　near　the　stove　for　warmth；　at　Glinn；　pacing　in　front　of　the　radio；　at　Rocco；　industriously　sorting　body　parts　in　the　back　of　the　room。　He　had　a　theory　…　or　the　beginnings　of　one。　It　was　still　too　raw；　too　full　of　holes；　to　be　shared。　And　yet　he　knew　he　had　little　choice。
　There　was　a　squeal　of　feedback；　then　a　ragged　voice　emerged　from　the　speaker。　〃Hello？〃　it　said。　〃Hello？〃　It　was　Lloyd；　distorted。
　Glinn　leaned　forward。　〃This　is　Eli　Glinn；　Mr。　Lloyd。　Can　you　hear　me？〃
　〃Yes！　Yes；　I　can！　But　you're　damned　faint；　Eli。〃
　〃We're　experiencing　some　kind　of　radio　interference。　We'll　have　to　be　brief。　There's　a　great　deal　going　on　at　the　moment；　and　our　battery　power　is　limited。〃
　〃Why？　What　the　hell　is　going　on？　Why　didn't　Sam　call　in　for　his　daily　briefing？　I　couldn't　get　a　straight　answer　from　that　bloody　captain　of　yours。〃
　〃There's　been　an　accident。　One　of　our　men　is　dead。〃
　〃Two　men；　you　mean。　McFarlane　told　me　about　that　incident　with　the　meteorite。　Damn　shame　about　Rochefort。〃
　〃There's　been　a　new　fatality。　A　man　named　Hill。〃
　There　was　a　piercing　shriek　from　the　speaker。　Then　Lloyd's　voice　returned；　even　fainter　now：　〃　…　happened　to　him？〃
　〃We　don't　know　yet；〃　Glinn　said。　〃McFarlane　and　Rachel　Amira　have　just　returned　from　examining　the　meteorite。〃　He　motioned　McFarlane　toward　the　speaker。
　McFarlane　moved　forward　with　great　unwillingness。　He　swallowed。　〃Mr。　Lloyd；〃　he　began。　〃What　I'm　about　to　tell　you　is　theoretical；　a　conclusion　based　on　what　I've　observed。　But　I　think　we　were　wrong　about　how　Nestor　Masangkay　died。〃
　〃Wrong？〃　said　Lloyd。　〃What　do　you　mean？　And　what　does　it　have　to　do　with　the　death　of　this　man　Hill？〃
　〃If　I'm　right；　it　has　everything　to　do　with　it。　I　think　both　men　died　because　they　touched　the　meteorite。〃
　For　a　moment；　the　hut　was　silent　save　for　the　pop　and　stutter　of　the　radio。
　〃Sam；　that's　absurd；〃　Lloyd　said。　〃I　touched　the　meteorite。〃
　〃Bear　with　me。　We　thought　Nestor　was　killed　by　lightning。　And　it's　true；　the　meteorite　is　a　powerful　attractor。　But　Garza　can　tell　you　that　the　blast　in　the　tunnel　was　on　the　order　of　a　billion　volts。　No　lightning　bolt　could　produce　that　kind　of　power。　I　examined　the　cart　and　meteorite。　The　pattern　of　damage　shows　definite　signs　that　the　meteorite　threw　out　a　massive　blast　of　electricity　itself。〃
　〃But　I　laid　my　damn　cheek　against　it。　And　I'm　still　here。〃
　〃I　know　that。　I　don't　have　an　answer　yet　to　why　you　were　spared。　But　nothing　else　fits。　The　tunnel　was　deserted；　the　meteorite　was　shielded　from　the　elements。　No　other　force　was　acting　upon　it。　It　looks　like　a　bolt　of　electricity　came　out　of　the　rock；　passed　through　part　of　the　cart　and　cradle；　spraying　molten　metal　outward。　And　beneath　the　cart；　I　found　a　glove。　It　was　the　only　piece　of　Hill's　clothing　not　burned。　I　think　he　dropped　the　glove　so　he　could　touch　the　meteorite。〃
　〃Why　would　he　do　something　like　that？〃　Lloyd　asked　impatiently。
　This　time；　it　was　Rachel　who　spoke　up。　〃Why　did　you？〃　she　asked。　〃That's　one　mighty　strange…looking　rock。　You　can't　always　predict　what　someone's　going　to　do　the　first　time　they　see　it。〃
　〃Jesus；　this　is　unbelievable；〃　Lloyd　said。　There　was　a　moment　of　silence。　〃But　you　can　proceed。　Right？〃
　McFarlane　darted　a　look　at　Glinn。
　〃The　cart　and　the　cradle　have　been　damaged；〃　Glinn　said。　〃But　Mr。　Garza　tells　me　they　can　be　repaired　within　twentyfour　hours。　The　meteorite　remains　a　question；　however。〃
　〃Why？〃　Lloyd　asked。　〃Was　it　damaged？〃
　〃No；〃　Glinn　continued。　〃It　appears　to　be　unscathed。　I'd　given　standing　orders　from　the　beginning　to　treat　this　thing　as　if　it　was　dangerous。　Now　…　if　Dr。　McFarlane's　right　…　we　know　that　it　is。　We　must　take　additional　precautions　to　load　that　rock　onto　the　ship。　But　we　have　to　move　fast：　it's　also　dangerous　to　remain　here　any　longer　than　absolutely　necessary。〃
　〃I　don't　like　it。　You　should　have　figured　out　these　precautions　before　we　ever　left　New　York。〃
　It　seemed　to　McFarlane　that　Glinn's　eyes　narrowed　almost　imperceptibly。　〃Mr。　Lloyd；　this　meteorite　has　confounded　all　our　expectations。　We're　now　outside　the　parameters　of　the　original　EES　analysis。　That　has　never　happened　before。　Do　you　know　what　that　normally　means？〃　Lloyd　did　not　reply。
　〃We　abort　the　project；〃　Glinn　finished。
　〃That　is　not　a　goddamn　option！〃　Lloyd　was　suddenly　shouting；　but　the　reception　had　grown　so　poor　that　McFarlane　had　to　strain　to　hear。　〃I　don't　want　that　kind　of　talk。　You　hear　me？　Glinn；　you　get　the　goddamn　rock　on　the　boat　and　you　bring　it　home。〃
　Abruptly；　the　radio　cut　out。
　〃He　terminated　the　transmission；〃　said　Garza。
　The　hut　was　silent；　all　eyes　were　on　Glinn。
　Over　the　man's　shoulder；　McFarlane　could　see　Rocco；　still　at　his　grisly　task。　He　had　what　looked　like　a　piece　of　skull　in　his　gloved　hands；　an　eyeball　hanging　from　it；　held　only　by　the　ocular　nerve。
　Rachel　sighed；　shook　her　head；　and　rose　slowly　from　her　wooden　chair。　〃So　what　do　we　do？〃
　〃For　now；　help　us　get　the　plant　back　on　line。　Once　we　have　power；　you　two　will　tackle　that　problem。〃　Glinn　turned　to　McFarlane。　〃Where's　Hill's　glove？〃
　〃Right　here。〃　McFarlane　reached　wearily　for　his　satchel；　pulled　out　a　sealed　baggie；　and　held　it　up。
　〃That's　a　leather　glove；〃　Garza　said。　〃The　construction　team　was　issued　Gore…Tex　gloves。〃
　There　was　a　sudden　silence。　
　〃Mr。　Glinn？〃　
　Rocco's　voice　was　so　sharp；　the　note　of　surprise　so　clear；　that　everyone　glanced　toward　him。　He　still　had　the　piece　of　skull　in　his　hand；　poised　in　front　of　his　chin；　as　if　he　were　about　to　take　a　snapshot　with　it。
　〃Yes；　Mr。　Rocco？〃
　〃Frank　Hill　had　brown　eyes。〃
　Glinn's　face　flicked　from　Rocco　to　the　skull　and　then　back　again；　the　mute　question　clear　on　his　face。
　With　an　oddly　delicate　motion；　Rocco　drew　the　cuff　of　his　shirt　across　the　dangling　eyeball；　wiping　it　clean。
　〃This　isn't　Hill；〃　he　said。　〃This　eye　is　blue。〃
　
　Isla　Desolacion；
　12：40　A。M。
　
　GLINN　STOPPED；　arrested　by　the　sight　of　the　eyeball　dangling　from　a　strip　of　nerve。　〃Mr。　Garza？〃　His　voice　was　unusually　calm。
　〃Sir。〃
　〃Get　a　team　together。　Find　Hill。　Use　probes；　thermal　sensors。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃But　keep　a　sharp　eye　out。　Watch　for　booby　traps；　snipers。　Don't　rule　out　anything。〃
　Garza　disappeared　into　the　night。　Glinn　took　the　shattered　eye　from　Rocco　and　began　rotating　it　under　his　gaze。　It　seemed　to　McFarlane　that　he　scrutinized　it　as　one　might　a　piece　of　fine　porcelain。　Then　he　walked　over　to　the　table　where　the　body　parts　lay　divided　between　the　tarp　and　the　cold…storage　locker。
　〃Let's　see　what　we've　got　here；〃　he　murmured。　As　McFarlane　watched；　he　began　sorting　through　them；　handling　each　piece；　peering　at　it　critically；　setting　it　down　again　and　moving　to　the　next；　like　a　shopper　browsing　the　meat　section　of　a　supermarket。
　〃Blond；〃　he　said；　holding　up　a　tiny　hair　to　the　light。　He　began　assembling　pieces　of　the　head。　〃High　cheekbones。。。　close…cropped　hair。。。　Nordic　features。。。〃　He　put　them　aside　and　continued　rummaging。　〃Death's　head　tattoo　on　the　right　arm。。。　Young；　perhaps　twenty…five。〃
　His　examination　lasted　fifteen　minutes；　during　which　nobody　else　spoke。　At　last；　he　straightened　up　and　went　to　wash　his　hands　in　the　sink。　There　was　no　water；　so　he　flicked　the　excess　matter　from　his　hands　and　wiped　them　with　a　towel。　Then　he　paced　the　length　of　the　hut；　turned；　walked　b