atlantis.found-第61部分

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　who　looked　to　be　in　charge　of　loading　supplies　and　equipment。　He　alerted　Giordino　on　what　to　ask　in　Spanish　and　came　to　an　abrupt　stop。
　　　　　〃Quickly；　we　have　an　emergency　at　Level　Six；　K　Section；〃　shouted　Giordino。　〃Which　is　the　shortest　route　to　take？〃
　　　　　Recognizing　the　black　uniform　of　the　shipyard　security　guards；　the　man　asked；　〃Don't　you　know？〃
　　　　　〃We've　just　been　transferred　from　shore　security；〃　Giordino　answered　vaguely；　〃and　we're　not　familiar　with　the　Ulrich　Wolf。〃
　　　　　Accepting　the　presence　of　security　people　on　an　emergency　mission；　the　loading　director　pointed　down　a　passageway。　〃Drive　to　the　second　elevator　on　the　right。　Park　your　cart　and　take　the　elevator　up　to　Deck　Floor　Four。　That　will　put　you　at　Tram　Station　Eight。　Board　the　Tram　to　K　Section。　Then　take　the　corridor　leading　amidships　to　the　security　office　and　ask　again；　unless　you　know　which　residence　you're　looking　for。〃
　　　　　〃The　one　where　the　American　scientist　and　her　daughter　are　being　confined。〃
　　　　　〃I　have　no　idea　where　that　would　be。　You'll　have　to　ask　the　chief　security　officer　or　the　leader　of　K　Section　when　you　arrive。〃
　　　　　〃Muchas　gracias；〃　Giordino　said　over　his　shoulder；　as　Pitt　sped　off　in　the　direction　indicated。　〃So　far　so　good；　said　the　man　on　his　way　down　to　the　sidewalk　after　jumping　from　the　Empire　State　Building。〃　Then　he　added；　〃My　pliments。　Swapping　our　orange　goon　suits　for　black　security　uniforms　was　a　master　stroke。〃
　　　　　〃It　was　the　only　way　I　could　think　of　to　get　through　the　trap；〃　said　Pitt　modestly。
　　　　　〃How　much　time　do　you　think　we　have　before　they　cut　us　off　at　the　pass？〃
　　　　　〃If　you　struck　the　guard　a　good　clout；　he　won't　e　around　anytime　soon　and　give　the　show　away。　All　they'll　discover　in　the　next　ten　minutes　is　that　we　drove　straight　to　the　Ulrich　Wolf　and　came　on　board。　They　still　don't　know　who　we　are　or　who　we're　after。〃
　　　　　They　followed　the　Cargo　Deck　leader's　directions　and　brought　the　cart　to　a　halt　next　to　the　second　elevator。　It　was　built　to　carry　heavy　freight；　and　it　was　expansive。　Workers　were　acpanying　a　pallet　piled　with　boxes　of　canned　food。　Pitt　and　Giordino　joined　them　and　stepped　off　onto　Level　Six；　near　a　boarding　platform　raised　above　twin　tracks　that　encircled　the　entire　ship。　They　paced　the　platform　impatiently　for　five　minutes；　before　an　electric　tram　with　five　cars　painted　a　soft　yellow　outside　and　hyacinth　violet　inside　approached　and　quietly　rolled　to　a　stop。　The　doors　slid　open　with　a　soft　hissing　sound。　They　stepped　inside　the　first　car　and　found　a　forty…passenger　vehicle　that　was　half　full　of　people　clothed　in　a　rainbow　of　coverall　uniforms。　As　if　drawn　by　a　magnet；　Giordino　sat　down　next　to　an　attractive　woman　with　silver…blond　hair　and　blue　eyes　whose　coveralls　were　a　soft　blue…gray。　Pitt　tensed　as　he　recognized　the　unvarying　image　of　one　of　the　Wolf　family。
　　　　　She　looked　at　them　and　smiled。　〃You　look　like　Americans；〃　she　said　in　English　with　a　touch　of　a　Spanish　accent。
　　　　　〃How　can　you　tell？〃　asked　Pitt。
　　　　　〃Most　all　our　security　people　were　recruited　from　the　American　military；〃　she　replied。
　　　　　〃You　are　a　member　of　the　Wolf　family；〃　he　said　softly；　as　if　speaking　to　a　member　of　the　elite。
　　　　　She　laughed　lightheartedly。　〃It　must　look　to　strangers　as　if　we　all　came　out　of　the　same　pod。〃
　　　　　〃Your　resemblance　to　one　another　is　quite　striking。〃
　　　　　〃What　is　your　name？〃　she　asked；　in　a　tone　of　authority。
　　　　　〃My　name　is　Dirk　Pitt；〃　he　said　brazenly；　actually　stupidly；　he　thought；　studying　her　eyes　for　a　reaction。　There　was　none。　She　had　not　been　advised　of　his　menacing　actions　toward　the　family。　〃My　little　friend　here　is　Al　Capone。〃
　　　　　〃Rosa　Wolf；〃　she　identified　herself。
　　　　　〃A　great　honor；　Miss　Wolf；〃　Pitt　said；　〃to　be　associated　with　your　family's　great　venture。　The　Ulrich　Wolf　is　a　glorious　masterwork。　My　friend　and　I　were　recruited　from　the　United　States　Marines　only　two　weeks　ago。　It　is　indeed　a　privilege　to　serve　a　family　that　has　created　such　an　extraordinary　work　of　genius。〃
　　　　　　〃My　cousin　Karl　was　the　driving　force　behind　the　construction　of　the　Ulrich　Wolf　and　our　other　three　Fourth　Empire　floating　cities；〃　Rosa　sermonized　from　pride；　obviously　pleased　with　Pitt's　praise。　〃He　assembled　the　world's　finest　naval　architects　and　marine　engineers　to　design　and　construct　our　vessels；　from　the　blueprint　stage　to　pletion；　under　a　cloak　of　extreme　secrecy。　Unlike　most　large　cruise　liners　and　supertankers；　our　ships　have　no　single　hull　but　employ　nine　hundred　watertight　sealed　partments。　If；　during　the　massive　surge　expected　from　the　ing　cataclysm；　a　hundred　cells　are　damaged　and　flooded　on　any　of　our　vessels；　they　will　sink　no　more　than　ten　inches。〃
　　　　　〃Truly　astounding；〃　said　Giordino；　acting　enthralled。　〃What　is　the　power　source？〃
　　　　　〃Ninety　ten…thousand…horsepower　diesel　propulsion　engines　that　are　geared　to　push　the　ship　through　the　water　at　twenty…five　knots。〃
　　　　　〃A　city　of　fifty　thousand　inhabitants　capable　of　moving　around　the　world；〃　said　Pitt。　〃It　doesn't　seem　possible。〃
　　　　　〃Not　fifty　thousand；　Mr。　Pitt。　When　the　time　es；　this　ship　will　carry　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　thousand　people。　Between　them；　the　other　three　vessels　will　carry　fifty　thousand　people；　for　a　total　of　two　hundred　and　seventy…five　thousand；　all　trained　and　educated　to　launch　the　Fourth　Empire　from　the　ashes　of　archaic　democratic　systems。〃
　　　　　Pitt　fought　the　urge　to　instigate　a　heated　debate；　but　he　turned　his　attention　out　the　window　of　the　train。　He　watched　as　a　landscaped　park　of　at　least　twenty　acres　unfolded　along　the　tram　tracks。　He　was　repeatedly　stunned　by　the　impact　of　such　an　immense　project。　Bike　and　jogging　paths　wound　through　trees　and　ponds　with　swans；　geese；　and　ducks。
　　　　　Rosa　noticed　his　captivation　by　the　pastoral　scene。　〃This　is　one　of　a　network　of　parks；　leisure　and　recreation　areas；　that　total　five　hundred　acres。　Have　you　seen　the　sport　facilities；　swimming　pools；　and　health　spas　yet？〃
　　　　　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃Our　time　has　been　limited。〃
　　　　　〃Are　you　married；　with　children？〃
　　　　　Recalling　his　conversation　with　the　security　guard；　Pitt　nodded。　〃A　boy　and　a　girl。〃
　　　　　〃We　have　recruited　the　world's　finest　educators　to　teach　in　and　direct　our　schools；　from　the　nursery　level　through　college…level　courses　and　postgraduate　studies。〃
　　　　　〃That　is　very　forting　to　know。〃
　　　　　〃You　and　your　wife　will　be　able　to　enjoy　theaters；　educational　seminars　and　conferences；　libraries；　and　art　galleries　filled　with　historical　art　treasures。　We　also　have　partments　housing　the　great　artifacts　passed　down　from　the　ancient　ones；　so　that　they　can　be　studied　while　we　wait　for　the　earth's　environment　to　regenerate　itself　after　the　ing　cataclysm。〃
　　　　　〃The　ancient　ones？〃　asked　Pitt；　playing　dumb。
　　　　　〃The　civilization　our　grandfathers　discovered　in　Antarctica；　called　the　Amenes。　They　were　an　advanced　race　of　people　who　were　destroyed　when　Earth　was　struck　by　a　et　nine　thousand　years　ago。〃
　　　　　〃I'd　never　heard　of　them；〃　Giordino　played　along。
　　　　　〃Our　scientists　are　studying　their　records　so　we　can　learn　what　to　expect　in　the　ing　months　and　years。〃
　　　　　〃How　long　do　you　think　it　will　take　before　we　can　begin　our　work　on　land？〃　asked　Pitt。
　　　　　〃Five；　perhaps　ten；　years　before　we　can　go　forth　and　establish　a　new　order；〃　explained　Rosa。
　　　　　〃Can　a　hundred　and　twenty…five　thousand　people　subsist　that　long？〃
　　　　　〃You're　forgetting　the　other　ships；〃　she　said　boastfully。　〃The　fleet　will　be　totally　self…supporting。　The　Karl　Wolf　has　fifty　thousand　acres　of　tilled　soil　already　planted　with　vegetables　and　fruit　orchards。　The　Otto　Wolf　will　carry　thousands　of　animals　for　food　as　well　as　breeding。　The　final　ship；　the　Hermann　Wolf；　was　built　purely　for　cargo。　It　will　haul　all　the　equipment　and　machinery　to　construct　new　cities；　roads；　ranches；　and　farms　when　we　are　able　to　walk　the　earth　again。〃
　　　　　Giordino　pointed　up　to　a　digital　sign　above　the　doors。　〃K　Section　ing　up。〃
　　　　　〃A　great　pleasure　meeting　you；　Ms。　Wolf；〃　said　Pitt　gallantly。　〃I　hope　you　will　remember　me　to　your　cousin　Karl。〃
　　　　　She　looked　at　him　questioningly　for　a　moment；　then　nodded。　〃I'm　sure　we'll　meet　again。〃
　　　　　The　train　slowed　to　a　stop；　and　Pitt　and　Giordino　disembarked。　They　walked　from　the　boarding　platform　into　an　antechamber　with　corridors　leading　off　like　wagon　wheel　spokes　into　a　vast　labyrinth。
　　　　　〃Now　which　way？〃　asked　Giordino。
　　　　　〃We　go　dead　amidships　and　follow　the　signs　to　the　K　Section；〃　Pitt　said；　as　he　set　off　into　the　center　corridor。　〃We　want　to　avoid　the　security　office　like　the　plague。〃
　　　　　Walking　along　what　seemed　to　be　an　endless　corridor；　they　passed　numbered　doors；　several　of　them　open　while　the　rooms　were　being　furnished。　They　looked　in　and　saw　spacious　living　quarters　on　a　par　with　luxury　condominiums。　Pitt　could　understand　now　why　the　guard　had　referred　to　them　as　residences。　The　plan　was　for　the　occupants　to　live　as　fortably　as　possible　during　the　long　wait　before　they　could　establish　their　munity　on　what　was　left　of　the　earth　after　the　et's　collision。
　　　　　Paintings　were　spaced　every　thirty　feet　along　the　walls　between　the　doors　to　the　residences。　Giordino　stopped　briefly　and　examined　a　landscape　in　vivid　colors。　He　leaned　close　and　peered　at　the　artist's　scrawled　name。
　　　　　〃No　way　can　this　be　a　Van　Gogh；〃　he　said　skeptically。　〃It　must　be　a　forgery　or　a　reproduction。〃
　　　　　〃It's　genuine；〃　said　Pitt；　with　conviction。　He　motioned　toward　the　other　art　hanging　on　the　walls。　〃These　works　doubtless　e　from　the　museums　and　the　private　collections　of　Holocaust　victims　that　were　looted　by　the　Nazis　during　World　War　Two。〃
　　　　　〃How　charitable　of　them　to　save　art　treasures　that　never　belonged　to　them。〃
　　　　　〃The　Wolfs　plan　to　carry　the　great　masterworks　to　the　promised　land。〃
　　　　　How　could　the　Wolfs　be　so　positive　that　the　second　ing　of　the　et　would　strike　the　earth？　Pitt　wondered。　Why　wasn't　it　possible　the　et　would　miss　again；　as　it　had　nine　thousand　years　before？　There　were　no　ready　answers；　but　once　he　and　Giordino　could　escape　the　shipyard　with　Pat　and　her　daughter；　he　was　determined　to　find　solutions。
　　　　　After　what　Giordino　estimated　as　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　they　came　to　a　larg