atlantis.found-第78部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　succumbed　to　the　cold；　like　Captain　Robert　Falcon　Scott　and　his　party；　who'd　frozen　to　death　on　their　return　trip　after　trekking　to　the　South　Pole。　Others　had　bee　lost　and　wandered　aimlessly　before　they　died。　Many　were　killed　in　aircraft　crashes　and　other　unfortunate　accidents。
　　　　　Pitt　wasn't　in　the　mood　to　expire；　certainly　not　yet　not　if　he　and　Giordino　were　to　stop　the　Wolfs　from　launching　a　frightful　horror　on　mankind。　Besides　manhandling　the　Snow　Cruiser　over　the　ice　shelf；　his　first　order　of　business　was　to　get　to　the　mining　facility　as　quickly　as　possible。　His　handheld　GPS　was　of　no　use。　The　geographic　display　on　Pitt's　unit　was　incapable　of　showing　his　exact　position　within　a　thousand　miles　of　the　pole。　Because　the　satellites　that　relayed　the　position　belonged　to　the　military；　who　had　not　planned　on　conducting　a　war　in　Antarctica；　they　were　not　in　orbit　over　that　part　of　the　globe。
　　　　　He　called　down　to　Giordino；　who　was　standing　below　and　behind　him；　hunched　over　a　chart　table　studying　a　map　of　the　Ross　Ice　Shelf　〃How　about　giving　me　a　heading？〃
　　　　　〃Just　keep　the　front　end　of　this　geriatric　antique　aimed　toward　the　highest　peak　of　those　mountains　dead　ahead。　And；　oh　yes；　be　sure　to　keep　the　sea　on　your　left。〃
　　　　　〃Keep　the　sea　on　my　left；〃　Pitt　repeated　in　exasperation。
　　　　　〃Well；　we　certainly　don't　want　to　run　off　the　edge　and　drown；　do　we？〃
　　　　　〃What　if　the　weather　closes　in　and　we　can't　see？〃
　　　　　〃You　want　a　heading；〃　Giordino　said　cynically。　〃Pick　any　pass　direction　you　want。　You've　got　three　hundred　and　sixty　choices。〃
　　　　　〃I　stand　chastised；〃　Pitt　said　wearily。　〃My　mind　was　elsewhere。　I'd　forgotten　that　all　pass　readings　down　here　point　north。〃
　　　　　〃You'll　never　get　on　Jeopardy。〃
　　　　　〃Most　of　the　category　questions　are　beyond　my　meager　mental　capacity　anyway。〃　He　turned　to　Giordino　and　made　a　shifty　grin。　〃I'll　bet　you　tell　bloody　horror　bedtime　stories　to　little　children。〃
　　　　　Giordino　looked　at　Pitt；　trying　to　decipher　his　meaning。　〃I　what？〃
　　　　　〃The　cliffs　at　the　edge　of　the　Ross　Ice　Shelf　reach　two　hundred　feet　above　and　nine　hundred　feet　below　the　surface　of　the　sea。　From　the　top　edge　to　the　sea　is　a　sheer　drop。　We　drive　off　the　ledge；　there　won't　be　enough　left　of　us　to　sail　anywhere。〃
　　　　　〃You　have　a　point；〃　Giordino　grudgingly　conceded。
　　　　　〃Besides　falling　into　a　bottomless　crevasse　or　being　lost　and　freezing　to　death　in　a　blizzard；　our　only　other　dilemma　is　if　the　ice　we're　driving　on　breaks　loose　or　calves　and　carries　us　out　to　sea。　Then　all　we'll　be　able　to　do　is　sit　and　wait　for　a　cataclysmic　tidal　wave　launched　by　the　polar　shift　to　sweep　us　away。〃
　　　　　〃You　should　talk；〃　Giordino　said；　his　voice　heavy　with　sarcasm。　〃Your　bedtime　stories　make　mine　sound　like　Mother　Goose　science　fiction　tales。〃
　　　　　〃The　skies　are　darkening；〃　Pitt　said；　staring　upward　through　the　windshield。
　　　　　〃Do　you　still　think　we　can　make　it　in　time？〃　asked　Giordino。
　　　　　Pitt　glanced　down　at　the　odometer。　〃We've　e　twenty…one　miles　in　the　last　hour。　Barring　unforeseen　delays；　we　should　be　there　in　just　less　than　two　hours。〃
　　　　　They　had　to　make　it　in　time。　If　the　special　assault　team　failed；　then　he　and　Giordino　were　the　only　hope；　as　inadequate　for　the　job　as　any　two　men　seemed。　Pitt　did　not　bask　in　an　aura　of　optimism。　He　well　knew　the　terrain　ahead　was　fraught　with　obstacles。　His　biggest　fears　were　rotting　ice　and　crevasses　seen　too　late。　If　he　wasn't　constantly　alert；　he　could　drive　the　Snow　Cruiser　into　a　deep　crevasse　and　send　it　plunging　hundreds　of　feet　into　the　Antarctic　Sea　below。　So　far；　the　frozen　wasteland　lay　fairly　flat。　Except　for　thousands　of　ripples　and　ruts　like　those　found　in　a　farmer's　plowed　field；　the　ride　was　reasonably　smooth。　Occasionally；　he'd　spot　a　crevasse　hiding　in　the　ice　ahead。　After　a　quick　stop　to　appraise　the　situation；　he'd　find　a　way　to　detour　around　it。
　　　　　The　thought　that　he　was　driving　a　thirty…five…ton　lethargic　monster　of　steel　across　an　icy　plain　with　deep　fissures　looming　unseen　in　every　direction　was　not　forting。　Few　words　in　a　dictionary　could　describe　the　feeling。　Suddenly；　a　crack　in　the　ice　became　visible；　but　only　after　he　vas　almost　on　top　of　it。　With　a　hard　twist　of　the　wheel；　he　dewed　the　Snow　Cruiser　around　sideways；　stopping　it　within　five　feet　of　the　edge。　After　driving　parallel　to　the　chasm　for　half　a　mile；　he　finally　found　a　firm　surface　five　hundred　yards　from　where　it　vanished　in　the　ice。
　　　　　He　glanced　at　the　speedometer　and　noted　that　the　speed　had　slowly　crept　up　to　twenty…four　miles　an　hour。　Giordino；　down　in　the　engine　room；　was　fussing　with　the　two　big　diesel　engines；　delicately　adjusting　the　valves　on　the　fuel　intake　pumps　and　increasing　the　flow。　Because　Earth's　air　is　thinner　at　the　poles　due　to　a　faster　rate　of　spin；　and　because　it　is　extremely　dry　and　cold；　the　fuel　ratio　needed　to　be　reset；　a　chore　Dad　and　his　crew　had　not　yet　performed。　Fuel　injection　was　constant　on　newer　diesel　engines；　but　on　the　sixty…year…old　Cummins；　the　fuel　flow　to　the　injectors　could　be　altered。
　　　　　The　frozen　desert　ahead　was　bleak；　desolate　and　menacing；　while　at　the　same　time　a　landscape　of　beauty　and　magnificence。　It　could　be　tranquil　one　moment　and　frightening　the　next。　In　Pitt's　mind；　it　suddenly　became　frightening。　His　feet　stomped　the　brake　and　clutch　of　the　Snow　Cruiser；　and　he　watched　stunned　as　a　crevasse　no　more　than　a　hundred　feet　away　opened　and　spread　apart；　the　crack　stretching　as　far　as　he　could　see　in　both　directions　across　the　ice　pack。
　　　　　Dropping　down　the　ladder　from　the　control　cabin；　he　threw　open　the　entry　door；　stepped　outside；　and　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　crevasse。　It　was　a　terrifying　sight。　The　color　of　the　ice　on　the　sides　that　fell　out　of　sight　turned　from　white　at　the　edge　of　a　beautiful　silver…green。　Its　gap　spanned　almost　twenty　feet。　He　turned　as　he　heard　the　crunch　of　Giordino's　feet　behind　him。
　　　　　〃What　now？〃　questioned　Giordino。　〃This　thing　must　run　forever。〃
　　　　　〃Frank　Cash　mentioned　that　the　wheels　could　retract　to　cross　crevasse。　Let's　check　out　the　operation　manual　that　Dad　gave　us。〃
　　　　　As　Dad　had　told　them；　the　Snow　Cruiser's　designer；　Thomas　Poulter；　had　e　up　with　an　ingenious　solution　for　the　crevasse　problem。　The　underside　of　the　cruiser's　belly　was　flat　like　a　ski；　with　a　front　and　rear　overhang　of　eighteen　feet　on　both　ends　from　the　wheels。　Following　the　instructions　in　the　manual；　Pitt　pressed　the　levers　that　retracted　the　front　wheels　vertically　until　they　were　level　with　the　body。　Then；　using　the　rear　wheels　for　traction；　he　drove　the　Cruiser　slowly　forward　until　the　front　section　slid　across　the　crevasse　and　rolled　past　the　opposite　edge　a　safe　distance　for　stability。　Next　Pitt　extended　the　front　wheels　and　retracted　the　wheels　in　the　rear。　Now　using　the　front…wheel　drive；　the　rear　half　of　the　cruiser　was　pulled　the　rest　of　the　way　over　the　chasm。　After；　extending　the　rear　wheels；　they　were　on　their　way　again。
　　　　　〃I　do　believe　I'd　call　that　a　brilliant　innovation；〃　Giordino　said　admiringly。
　　　　　Pitt　shifted　gears　and　turned　the　bow　of　the　Snow　Cruiser　back　toward　the　peak　that　had　expanded　into　a　range　of　mountains。　〃Amazing　how　he　could　be　farsighted　on　one　mechanism　and　yet　badly　underestimate　the　gearing　and　tire　tread。〃
　　　　　〃No　one　is　flawless。　Except　me；　of　course。'
　　　　　Pitt　accepted　the　bluster　with　practiced　patience。　〃Of　course。〃
　　　　　Giordino　took　the　manual　with　him　into　the　engine　partment；　but　not　before　pointing　to　the　twin　temperature　gauges　on　the　instrument　panel。　〃The　engines　are　running　hotter　than　normal。　Better　keep　an　eye　on　them。〃
　　　　　〃How　can　they　run　hot　when　it's　twenty　degrees　below　zero　outside？〃　Pitt　queried。
　　　　　〃Because　their　radiators　are　not　exposed。　They're　mounted　directly　in　front　of　the　engines　inside　the　partment。　It's　almost　as　if　they　overheat　themselves。〃
　　　　　Pitt　had　hoped　darkness　would　cloak　their　arrival　at　the　mining　pound；　but　at　this　time　of　year　in　the　Antarctic；　the　sunset　had　barely　occurred　before　it　was　dawn　again。　He　didn't　fool　himself　into　thinking　they　could　infiltrate　the　facility　without　being　detected；　certainly　not　in　a　gargantuan　fire…engine…red　snow　vehicle。　He　knew　he'd　have　to　think　of　something　in　the　next　hour　and　a　half。　Soon；　very　soon；　the　buildings　of　the　extraction　plant　would　appear　on　the　horizon　along　the　base　of　the　mountains。
　　　　　He　began　to　feel　a　tinge　of　hope；　but　then；　as　if　an　unseen　force　was　working　against　him；　the　atmosphere　grew　heavy　and　congealed　like　a　lace　curtain。　The　wind　suddenly　swept　in　from　the　interior　of　the　continent　with　the　force　of　a　tidal　wave。　One　minute；　Pitt　could　see　for　sixty　miles。　The　next　it　was　as　though　he　was　gazing　through　a　film　of　water；　fluid　in　motion；　iridescent　and　ephemeral。　The　sky　was　gone　in　the　blink　of　an　eye　and　the　sun　totally　blotted　out；　as　the　wind　charged　over　the　ice　shelf　like　a　raging　monster。　The　world　became　a　swirling　pall　of　pure　white。
　　　　　He　kept　the　accelerator　pressed　to　the　metal　floor　and　clenched　the　steering　wheel；　not　turning　it；　keeping　the　big　vehicle　moving　in　a　straight　line。　They　were　in　a　hurry；　and　no　tempestuous　behavior　from　Mother　Nature　was　going　to　slow　them　down。
　　　　　A　man　wanders　in　circles　during　a　whiteout；　not　because　he's　right…handed　and　tends　to　go　in　that　direction；　but　because　almost　all　humans　unknowingly　have　one　leg　that　is　a　millimeter　shorter　than　the　other。　The　same　factor　held　true　with　the　Snow　Cruiser。　None　of　the　tires　had　e　out　of　the　mold　symmetrically　perfect　with　each　other。　If　the　steering　wheel　was　locked　in　place　while　the　vehicle　was　moving　straight；　it　would　gradually　begin　turning　in　an　arc。
　　　　　Nothing　held　substance。　It　was　as　if　the　world　no　longer　existed。　The　gale…force　windstorm　seemed　to　drain　the　color　out　of　everything。　The　ice　storm　swirled　and　gusted　with　such　force　that　the　driving　hail　of　ice　particles　bombarded　the　windshield　like　tiny　nails。　Their　impact　against　the　glass　came　like　a　crescendo　of　clicking　sounds。　Pitt　felt　himself　idly　wondering　if　the　onslaught　would　mar　the　old　prewar　safety　glass。　He　lurched　forward　as　the　Snow　Cruiser　bounced　over　a　frozen　ice　ridge　unseen　under　the　white　maelstrom。　He　braced　for　a　second