atlantis.found-第71部分

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　　　　　Bruno　shook　his　head。　〃We　cannot　weaken　our　own　food　supplies　before　our　people　have　the　opportunity　to　subsist　off　the　land。〃
　　　　　〃In　time；　except　for　those　of　us　of　the　Fourth　Reich；〃　said　Max　Wolf；　〃the　rest　of　mankind　will　bee　extinct。　Survival　of　the　fittest。　That　is　the　way　of　evolution。　It　was　ordained　by　the　Fuhrer　that　a　master　race　would　someday　govern　the　world。　We　are　that　master　race。〃
　　　　　〃Let　us　be　honest；　Uncle；〃　said　Felix　Wolf。　〃We　are　not　fanatical　Nazis。　The　Nazi　party　died　with　our　grandparents。　Our　generation　pays　homage　to　Adolf　Hitler　only　for　his　foresight。　We　do　not　worship　the　swastika　or　shout　‘Heil'　in　front　of　his　picture。　We　are　our　own　race；　created　to　rid　the　present　world　of　crime；　corruption；　and　disease　by　establishing　a　higher　level　of　mankind　one　that　will　build　a　new　society　free　from　the　sins　of　the　old　one。　Through　our　genes；　a　new　race　will　emerge；　pure　and　untouched　by　the　evils　of　the　past。〃
　　　　　〃Well　said。〃　Otto　Wolf　spoke；　after　sitting　quietly　through　the　conference。　〃Felix　has　eloquently　summed　up　our　purpose　and　mitment。　Now　all　that　is　left　is　for　us　to　carry　our　great　quest　through　to　a　triumphant　conclusion。〃
　　　　　There　came　a　few　moments　of　silence。　Then　Karl　folded　his　hands　and　spoke　slowly。　〃It　will　be　most　interesting　to　see　the　conditions　around　us　this　time　next　year。　It　will　indeed　be　a　world　inconceivable　to　those　who　will　have　gone。〃
　
　　　　　A　small　enclosed　truck；　painted　white　with　no　logo　or　advertising　on　its　sides；　rumbled　past　the　terminal　of　the　Jorge　Newbery　city　airport；　located　within　the　federal　district　of　Buenos　Aires；　and　came　to　a　stop　under　the　shade　of　a　maintenance　hangar。　The　airport　normally　served　Argentina's　domestic　airlines；　including　those　that　operated　out　of　Paraguay；　Chile；　and　Uruguay。　None　of　the　flight　line　workers　seemed　to　take　notice　of　a　turquoise　executive　jet　with　〃NUMA〃　boldly　outlined　on　its　fuselage；　as　it　landed　and　taxied　to　the　hangar　where　the　truck　was　waiting。
　　　　　Three　men　and　a　woman　came　through　the　passenger　door　and　stepped　down　to　the　concrete；　which　was　heated　by　the　noonday　sun。　Just　as　they　were　about　to　reach　the　maintenance　office　door　of　the　hangar；　they　veered　around　the　corner　and　approached　the　truck。　When　they　were　thirty　feet　away；　the　rear　door　opened　and　four　United　States　Marines　in　battle　gear　jumped　to　the　ground　and　formed　a　perimeter　around　the　vehicle。　The　sergeant　in　mand　then　helped　Congresswoman　Smith；　Admiral　Sandecker；　Hiram　Yaeger；　and　a　third　man　enter　the　truck　before　reclosing　the　door。
　　　　　The　interior　of　the　truck　was　a　fortably　furnished　office　and　mand　post。　One　of　fifty　constructed　specifically　for　American　embassies　around　the　world；　it　was　designed　to　protect　and　aid　embassy　personnel　to　escape　their　pound　in　the　event　of　attack；　such　as　the　abduction　and　hostage　situation　in　Iran　during　November　of　1979。
　　　　　Pitt　stepped　forward　and　embraced　Loren　Smith；　who　was　shown　aboard　first。　〃You　gorgeous　creature。　I　wasn't　expecting　you。〃
　　　　　Pat　O'Connell　felt　a　stab　of　jealousy　at　seeing　Pitt　with　his　arms　around　Loren。　The　congresswoman　from　Colorado　was　far　more　attractive　than　she　had　imagined。
　　　　　〃The　admiral　asked　me　to　e；　and　there　were　no　pressing　votes　on　the　floor；　so　here　I　am；　even　if　it　is　for　only　a　few　hours。〃
　　　　　〃A　pity；〃　he　said　sincerely。　〃We　could　have　done　Buenos　Aires。〃
　　　　　〃I　would　have　liked　that；〃　she　replied　in　a　husky　tone。　Then　she　saw　Giordino。　〃Al；　it's　good　to　see　you。〃
　　　　　He　gave　her　a　peck　on　the　cheek。　〃Always　a　pleasure　to　see　my　government　at　work。〃
　　　　　Sandecker　climbed　in；　followed　by　Yaeger　and　the　stranger。　He　merely　nodded　at　Pitt　and　Giordino。　He　walked　directly　to　Pat　O'Connell。　〃You　don't　know　how　happy　I　am　to　shake　your　hand　again；　Doctor。〃
　　　　　〃You　don't　know　how　happy　I　am　to　be　here；〃　she　said；　kissing　him　on　the　forehead；　to　his　obvious　embarrassment。　〃My　daughter　and　I　are　in　your　debt　for　sending　Dirk　and　Al　to　rescue　us。〃
　　　　　〃I　didn't　have　to　send　them；〃　he　said　wryly。　〃They　would　have　gone　on　their　own。〃
　　　　　Yaeger　greeted　his　old　friends　and　Pat；　who　was　introduced　to　Loren　for　the　first　time。　Then　Sandecker　introduced　Dr。　Timothy　Friend。　〃Tim　is　an　old　school　pal。　He　helped　me　pass　algebra　in　high　school。　When　I　went　to　the　Naval　Academy；　he　went　to　the　Colorado　School　of　Mines　for　a　degree　in　geophysics。　Not　content　with　that；　he　obtained　his　Ph。D。　in　astronomy　at　Stanford；　and　became　one　of　the　country's　most　respected　astronomers　and　director　of　the　government's　Strategic　puting　and　Simulation　Laboratory。　Tim　is　a　wizard　of　innovative　visualization　techniques。〃
　　　　　Friend's　bald　head　was　encircled　by　wisps　of　gray　hair；　like　a　school　of　silverfish　swimming　around　a　coral　dome。　A　short　man；　he　had　to　tilt　his　head　back　slightly　to　gaze　up　at　the　two　women；　who　were　considerably　taller。　Giordino；　who　stood　five　feet　four；　was　the　only　one　he　could　look　straight　in　the　eye。　A　quiet　man　among　friends；　he　became　outgoing　and　lively　when　lecturing　before　students；　directors　of　corporations；　or　high　government　officials。　It　was　easy　to　tell　that　he　was　in　his　element。
　　　　　〃Would　you　all　care　to　sit　down？〃　said　Pitt；　motioning　to　fortable　leather　chairs　and　sofas　spaced　in　a　square　in　the　center　of　the　truck's　cargo　area。　Once　they　were　seated；　an　embassy　staff　member　served　coffee　and　sandwiches　from　a　small　galley　behind　the　cab。
　　　　　〃Loren　asked　to　e　along；〃　said　Sandecker；　without　preamble。　〃She　and　her　congressional　aides　investigated　Destiny　Enterprises　and　came　up　with　some　intriguing　information。〃
　　　　　〃What　I　found　in　the　past　two　days　is　quite　worrisome；〃　Loren　began。　〃Very　quietly；　under　astounding　secrecy；　the　Wolf　family　and　Destiny　Enterprises　have　sold　every　business；　every　one　of　their　shares　in　national　and　international　corporations；　every　financial　holding；　all　bonds；　all　stocks；　all　real　estate；　including　every　stick　of　furniture　in　their　homes。　All　bank　accounts　have　been　cleaned　out。　Every　asset　large　and　small　has　been　liquidated。　Billions　of　dollars　were　converted　into　gold　bullion　that　was　transported　to　a　secret　location〃
　
　　　　　〃Where　it　is　now　stored　in　the　cargo　partments　of　their　fleet　of　ships；〃　Pitt　finished。
　　　　　〃It's　as　though　the　entire　family　of　two　hundred　members　has　never　existed。〃
　　　　　〃These　are　not　stupid　people；〃　Pitt　said　convincingly。　〃I　find　it　inconceivable　that　they　are　capable　of　irrational　judgment。　So　is　there　a　et　ing；　or　isn't　there？〃
　　　　　〃The　very　reason　I've　asked　Tim　to　e　along；〃　explained　Sandecker。
　　　　　Friend　laid　out　several　small　piles　of　papers　on　a　table　between　the　chairs　and　sofas。　He　picked　up　the　first　one　and　leafed　through　it　before　consulting　his　notes。　〃Before　I　answer　that；　let　me　go　back　a　bit；　so　you　can　understand　what　the　Wolfs　have　been　preparing　for。　I　think　it　best　to　begin　with　the　et's　impact　on　earth　sometime　around　seven　thousand　B。C。　Fortunately；　this　is　not　an　event　that　occurs　on　a　regular　basis。　Although　Earth　is　struck　daily；　it's　by　small　asteroid　fragments　no　larger　than　a　fist　that　burn　up　upon　entry　into　the　atmosphere。　About　every　century；　one　approximately　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet　in　diameter　strikes　Earth；　such　as　the　one　that　produced　the　crater　in　Window；　Arizona；　and　the　other　that　exploded　before　impact　in　Siberia　in　1908　that　plastered　eight　hundred　square　miles。　Once　every　million　years；　an　asteroid　half　a　mile　wide　strikes　with　a　force　equal　to　detonating　every　nuclear　device　on　Earth　simultaneously。　Over　two　thousand　of　these　big　celestial　missiles　cross　our　orbit　on　a　regular　schedule。〃
　　　　　〃Not　a　pretty　picture；〃　said　Pat。
　　　　　〃Don't　lose　any　sleep　over　it；〃　Friend　said；　smiling。　〃Your　odds　of　dying　from　an　asteroid　are　twenty　thousand　to　one　during　your　lifetime。　We　can't；　however；　discount　the　logical　possibility　that　it's　only　a　question　of　time　before　our　luck　runs　out。〃
　　　　　Pitt　poured　a　cup　of　coffee。　〃I　assume　you're　talking　about　a　really　stupendous　bang。〃
　　　　　〃Indeed；〃　said　Friend；　nodding　vigorously。　〃Once　every　one　hundred　million　years；　a　mammoth　asteroid　or　et　strikes　Earth；　like　the　one　that　smacked　into　the　sea　off　Yucatan　sixty…five　million　years　ago　and　caused　the　extinction　of　the　dinosaurs。　This　impact　came　from　an　object　six　miles　in　diameter　that　left　a　crater　one　hundred　and　twenty　miles　wide。〃
　　　　　Friend　paused　to　scan　his　paperwork　before　continuing。　〃That　was　smaller　than　the　one　that　struck　nine　thousand　years　ago。　Our　puter　model　indicates　that　it　measured　nearly　ten　miles　in　diameter　and　plunged　into　Hudson　Bay；　Canada。　The　resulting　chain　reaction　annihilated　nearly　ninety…nine　percent　of　all　plant　and　animal　life　on　the　planet；　which　is　twenty　percent　more　than　the　asteroid　that　caused　the　extinction　of　the　dinosaurs　sixty…five　million　years　earlier。〃
　　　　　Loren　stared　at　Friend　with　rapt　interest。　〃A　chain　reaction　prising　what　type　of　disasters？〃
　　　　　〃You　take　an　object　ten　miles　in　diameter；　weighing　several　billion　tons；　and　then　hurl　it　through　a　vacuum　into　a　big　soft　ball　at　a　speed　of　one　hundred　and　thirty　thousand　miles　an　hour；　and　you're　going　to　have　a　blast　that　is　gargantuan　beyond　prehension。　The　earth　probably　rang　like　a　bell；　as　the　shock　of　impact　was　transmitted　into　every　corner。　Using　puter　simulation　and　visualization　techniques；　which　were　very　plicated　and　would　take　me　two　hours　to　explain；　we　determined　that　the　et　came　on　an　angle；　punching　into　the　southeastern　section　of　Hudson　Bay　and　blasting　out　a　crater　two　hundred　and　thirty　miles　in　diameter；　or　more　than　twice　the　size　of　the　island　of　Hawaii。　The　entire　mass　of　water　in　the　bay　was　vaporized；　as　the　bulk　of　the　now…disintegrating　et　plowed　into　the　Earth　to　a　depth　of　two　miles。　Astronauts　have　taken　photos　that　show　a　perfect　sphere　where　the　shoreline　circles　the　remains　of　the　crater。〃
　　　　　〃How　do　you　know　it　was　a　et　and　not　an　asteroid　or　meteor？〃　asked　Yaeger。
　　　　　〃An　asteroid　is　a　small　body　or　minor　planet　that　wanders　the　inner　solar　system　and　revolves　around　the　sun。　Some　are　rich　in　carbon。　Others　contain　minerals　rich　in　iron；　silicon；　and　other　minerals。　Meteorites　for　the　most　part；　are　smaller　fragments　from