inca.gold-第20部分

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lawns　and　a　large　swimming　pool　encircled　a　small　cove　with　a　white　sand　beach。　The　sunbathing　tourists　looked　up　at　the　lowflying　helicopter　and　waved。　With　nothing　better　to　do；　Pitt　waved　back。
　　　　Pitt　returned　to　the　cargo　cabin　and　approached　Rodgers。　〃We've　got　to　dump　as　much　weight　as　possible；　except　for　survival　equipment　like　the　life　vests　and　the　remaining　raft。　Everything　else　goes；　excess　clothing；　tools；　hardware；　seats；　anything　that　isn't　welded　or　bolted　down。〃
　　　　Everyone　pitched　in　and　passed　whatever　objects　they　could　find　to　Pitt；　who　heaved　them　out　the　passenger　door。　When　the　cabin　was　bare　the　chopper　was　lighter　by　almost　136　kilograms　（300　pounds）。　Before　he　closed　the　door　again；　Pitt　looked　aft。　Thankfully；　he　didn't　see　any　pursuing　aircraft。　He　was　certain　the　Peruvian　pilot　had　radioed　the　sighting　and　his　intention　to　attack；　blowing　Pitt's　Chiclayo　smokescreen。　But　he　doubted　the　Solpemachaco　would　suspect　the　loss　of　their　mercenary　soldiers　and　helicopter　for　at　least　another　ten　minutes。　And　if　they　belatedly　totaled　the　score；　and　whistled　up　a　Peruvian　Air　Force　fighter　jet　to　intercept；　then　it　would　be　too　late。　Any　attack　on　an　unarmed　American　research　ship　would　stir　up　serious　diplomatic　repercussions　between　the　United　States　government　and　Peru；　a　situation　the　struggling　South　American　nation　could　ill　afford。　Pitt　was　on　safe　ground　in　assuming　that　no　local　bureaucrat　or　military　officer　would　risk　political　disaster　regardless　of　any　under…the…table　payoff　by　the　Solpemachaco。
　　　　Pitt　limped　back　to　the　cockpit；　slid　into　the　copilot's　seat；　and　picked　up　the　radio　microphone。　He　brushed　aside　all　caution　as　he　pressed　the　transmit　button。　To　hell　with　any　bought…and…paid…for　Solpemachaco　cronies　who　were　monitoring　the　airwaves；　he　thought。
　　　　〃NUMA　calling　Deep　Fathom。　Talk　to　me；　Stucky。〃
　　　　〃e　in；　NUMA。　This　is　Deep　Fathom。　What　is　your　position？〃
　　　　My；　what　big　eyes　you　have；　and　how　your　voice　has　changed；　Grandma。〃
　　　　〃Say　again；　NUMA。〃
　　　　〃Not　even　a　credible　effort。〃　Pitt　laughed。　〃Rich　Little　you　ain't。〃　He　looked　over　at　Giordino。　〃We've　got　a　ic　impersonator　on　our　party　line。〃
　　　　〃I　think　you　better　give　him　our　position；〃　Giordino　said　with　more　than　a　trace　of　cynicism　in　his　voice。
　　　　〃Right　you　are。〃　Pitt　nodded。　〃Deep　Fathom；　this　is　NUMA。　Our　position　is　just　south　of　the　Magic　Castle　between　Jungleland　and　the　Pirates　of　the　Caribbean。〃
　　　　〃Please　repeat　your　position；〃　came　the　voice　of　the　flustered　mercenary　who　had　broken　in　on　Pitt's　call　to　Stucky。
　　　　〃What's　this；　a　radio　mercial　for　Disneyland？〃　Stucky's　familiar　voice　popped　over　the　speaker。
　　　　〃Well；　well；　the　genuine　article。　What　took　you　so　long　to　answer；　Stucky？〃
　　　　I　was　listening　to　what　my　alter　ego　had　to　say。　You　guys　landed　in　Chiclayo　yet？〃
　　　　〃We　were　sidetracked　and　decided　to　head　home；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Is　the　skipper　handy？〃
　　　　〃He's　on　the　bridge　playing　Captain　Bligh；　lashing　the　crew　in　an　attempt　to　set　a　speed　record。　Another　knot　and　our　rivets　will　start　falling　out。〃
　　　　〃We　do　not　have　a　visual　on　you。　Do　you　have　us　on　radar？〃
　　　　〃Affirmative；〃　answered　Stucky。　〃Change　your　heading　to　two…seven…two　magnetic。　That　will　put　us　on　a　converging　course。〃
　　　　〃Altering　course　to　two…seven…two；〃　Giordino　acknowledged。
　　　　How　far　to　rendezvous？〃　Pitt　asked　Stucky。
　　　　〃The　skipper　makes　it　about　sixty　kilometers。〃
　　　　〃They　should　be　in　sight　soon。〃　Pitt　looked　over　at　Giordino。　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　　　　Giordino　stared　woefully　at　the　fuel　gauges；　then　at　the　instrument　panel　clock。　The　dial　read　10：47　A。m。　He　couldn't　believe　so　much　had　happened　in　so　little　time　since　he　and　Pitt　had　responded　to　the　rescue　appeal　by　the　imposter　of　Doc　Miller。　He　swore　it　took　three　years　off　his　life　expectancy。
　　　　〃I'm　milking　her　for　every　liter　of　fuel　at　an　airspeed　of　only　forty　klicks　an　hour；〃　he　said　finally。　〃A　slight　tailwind　off　the　shore　helps；　but　I　estimate　we　have　only　another　fifteen　or　twenty　minutes　of　flight　time　left。　Your　guess　is　as　good　as　mine。〃
　　　　〃Let　us　hope　the　gauges　read　on　the　low　side；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Hello；　Stucky。〃
　　　　〃I'm　here。〃
　　　　〃You'd　better　prepare　for　a　water　rescue。　All　predictions　point　to　a　wet　landing。〃
　　　　〃I'll　pass　the　word　to　the　skipper。　Alert　me　when　you　ditch。〃
　　　　〃You'll　be　the　first　to　know。〃
　　　　〃Good　luck。〃
　　　　The　helicopter　droned　over　the　tops　of　the　rolling　swells。　Pitt　and　Giordino　spoke　very　little。　Their　ears　were　tuned　to　the　sound　of　the　turbines；　as　if　expecting　them　to　abruptly　go　silent　at　any　moment。　They　instinctively　tensed　when　the　fuel　warning　alarm　whooped　through　the　cockpit。
　　　　〃So　much　for　the　reserves；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Now　we're　flying　on　fumes。〃
　　　　He　looked　down　at　the　deep　cobalt　blue　of　the　water　only　10　meters　（33　feet）　beneath　the　belly　of　the　chopper。　The　sea　looked　reasonably　smooth。　He　figured　wave　height　from　trough　to　crest　was　less　than　a　meter。　The　water　looked　warm　and　inviting。　A　power…off　landing　did　not　appear　to　be　too　rough；　and　the　old　Mi…8　should　float　for　a　good　sixty　seconds　if　Giordino　didn't　burst　the　seams　when　he　dropped　her　in。
　　　　Pitt　called　Shannon　to　the　cockpit。　She　appeared　in　the　doorway；　looked　down　at　him；　and　smiled　faintly。　〃Is　your　ship　in　sight？〃
　　　　〃Just　over　the　horizon；　I　should　think。　But　not　close　enough　to　reach　with　the　fuel　that's　left。　Tell　everybody　to　prepare　for　a　water　landing。〃
　　　　〃Then　we　do　have　to　swim　the　rest　of　the　way；〃　she　said　cynically。
　　　　〃A　mere　technicality；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Have　Rodgers　move　the　life　raft　close　to　the　passenger　door　and　be　ready　to　heave　it　in　the　water　as　soon　as　we　ditch。　And　impress　upon　him　the　importance　of　pulling　the　inflation　cord　after　the　raft　is　safely　through　the　door。　I　for　one　do　not　want　to　get　my　feet　wet。〃
　　　　Giordino　pointed　dead　ahead。　〃The　Deep　Fathom。〃
　　　　Pitt　nodded　as　he　squinted　at　the　dark　tiny　speck　on　the　horizon。　He　spoke　into　the　radio　mike。　〃We　have　you　on　visual；　Stucky。〃
　　　　〃e　to　the　party；〃　answered　Stucky。　〃We'll　open　the　bar　early　just　for　you。〃
　　　　〃Heaven　forbid；〃　said　Pitt；　elaborately　sarcastic。　〃I　don't　imagine　the　admiral　will　take　kindly　to　that　suggestion。〃
　　　　Their　employer；　chief　director　of　the　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency；　Admiral　James　Sandecker；　had　a　regulation　etched　in　stone　banning　all　alcoholic　spirits　from　NUMA　vessels。　A　vegetarian　and　a　fitness　nut；　Sandecker　thought　he　was　adding　years　to　the　hired　help's　life　span。　As　with　prohibition　in　the　nineteen　twenties；　men　who　seldom　touched　the　stuff　began　smuggling　cases　of　beer　on　board　or　buying　it　in　foreign　ports。
　　　　〃Would　you　prefer　a　hearty　glass　of　Ovaltine？〃　retorted　Stucky。
　　　　〃Only　if　you　mix　it　with　carrot　juice　and　alfalfa　sprouts〃

　　　　〃We　just　lost　an　engine；〃　announced　Giordino　conversationally。
　　　　Pitt　's　eyes　darted　to　the　instruments。　Across　the　board；　the　needles　of　the　gauges　monitoring　the　port　turbine　were　flickering　back　to　their　stops。　He　turned　and　looked　up　at　Shannon。　〃Warn　everyone　that　we'll　impact　the　water　on　the　starboard　side　of　the　aircraft。〃
　　　　Shannon　looked　confused。　〃Why　not　land　vertically？〃　〃If　we　go　in　bottom　first；　the　rotor　blades　settle；　strike　the　water；　and　shatter　on　a　level　with　the　fuselage。　The　whirling　fragments　can　easily　penetrate　the　cabin's　skin；　especially　the　cockpit；　resulting　in　the　loss　of　our　intrepid　pilot's　head。　ing　down　on　the　side　throws　the　shattered　blades　out　and　away　from　us。〃
　　　　〃Why　the　starboard　side？〃
　　　　〃I　don't　have　chalk　and　a　blackboard；〃　snapped　Pitt　in　exasperation。　〃So　you'll　die　happy；　it　has　to　do　with　the　directional　rotation　of　the　rotor　blades　and　the　fact　the　exit　door　is　on　the　port　side。〃
　　　　Enlightened；　Shannon　nodded。　〃Understood。〃
　　　　〃Immediately　after　impact；〃　Pitt　continued；　〃get　the　students　out　the　door　before　this　thing　sinks。　Now　get　to　your　seat　and　buckle　up。〃　Then　he　slapped　Giordino　on　the　shoulder。　〃Take　her　in　while　you　still　have　power；〃　he　said　as　he　snapped　on　his　safety　harness。
　　　　Giordino　needed　no　coaxing。　Before　he　lost　his　remaining　engine；　he　pulled　back　on　the　collective　pitch　and　pulled　back　the　throttle　on　his　one　operating　engine。　As　the　helicopter　lost　its　forward　motion　from　a　height　of　3　meters　above　the　sea；　he　leaned　it　gently　onto　the　starboard　side。　The　rotor　blades　smacked　the　water　and　snapped　off　in　a　cloud　of　debris　and　spray　as　the　craft　settled　in　the　restless　waves　with　the　awkward　poise　of　a　pregnant　albatross。　The　impact　came　with　the　jolt　of　a　speeding　car　hitting　a　sharp　dip　in　the　road。　Giordino　shut　down　the　one　engine　and　was　pleasantly　surprised　to　find　the　old　Mi…8；　Hip…C　floating　drunkenly　in　the　sea　as　if　she　belonged　there。
　　　　〃End　of　the　line！〃　Pitt　boomed。　〃Everyone　the　hell　out！〃
　　　　The　gentle　lapping　of　the　waves　against　the　fuselage　came　as　a　pleasant　contrast　to　the　fading　whine　of　the　engines　and　thump　of　the　rotor　blades。　The　pungent　salt　air　filled　the　stuffy　interior　of　the　partment　when　Rodgers　slid　open　the　passenger　door　and　dropped　the　collapsible　twenty…person　life　raft　into　the　water。　He　was　extra　careful　not　to　pull　the　inflation　cord　too　soon　and　was　relieved　to　hear　the　hiss　of　pressed　air　and　see　the　raft　puff　out　safely　beyond　the　door。　In　a　few　moments　it　was　bobbing　alongside　the　helicopter；　its　mooring　line　tightly　clutched　in　Rodgers's　hand。
　　　　〃Out　you　go；〃　Rodgers　yelled；　herding　the　young　Peruvian　archaeology　students　through　the　door　and　into　the　raft。
　　　　Pitt　released　his　safety　harness　and　hurried　into　the　rear　cabin。　Shannon　and　Rodgers　had　the　evacuation　running　smoothly。　All　but　three　of　the　students　had　climbed　into　the　raft。　A　quick　examination　of　the　aircraft　made　it　clear　she　couldn't　stay　afloat　for　long。　The　clamshell　doors　were　buckled　from　the　impact　just　enough　to　allow　water　to　surge　in　around　the　seams。　Already　the　floor　of　the　fuselage　was　beginning　to　slant　toward　the　rear；　and　the　waves　were　sloshing　over　the　sill　of　the　open　passenger　door。
　　　　〃We　haven't　much　time；〃　he　said；　helping　Shannon　into　the　raft。　Rodgers　went　next　and　then　he　turned　to　Giordino。　〃Your　turn；　Al。〃
　　　　Giordino　would　have　none　of　it。　〃Tradition　of　the　sea。　All　walking　wounded　go