atlantis.found-第79部分

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ow　Cruiser　bounced　over　a　frozen　ice　ridge　unseen　under　the　white　maelstrom。　He　braced　for　a　second　bump；　but　it　never　came。　The　ice　ran　smooth。
　　　　　The　old　line　〃It　never　rains　but　it　pours；〃　flashed　through　Pitt's　mind　when　Giordino　shouted　through　the　hatch　from　the　engine　partment；　〃Check　your　gauges。　The　engines　are　still　running　hot。　With　no　air　circulation　down　here；　I　have　steam　ing　out　of　the　radiator　overflow　tubes。〃
　　　　　Pitt　stared　at　the　temperature　gauges　on　the　instrument　panel。　He'd　spent　so　much　effort　concentrating　on　keeping　the　great　vehicle　moving　on　an　undeviating　course；　he'd　neglected　to　check　the　gauges。　Oil　pressure　was　slightly　low；　but　the　water　temperatures　were　already　crossing　into　the　red　zone。　In　less　time　than　it　takes　to　boil　an　egg；　the　radiators　would　boil　over　and　blow　a　water　hose　from　the　engine。　After　that；　there　was　no　way　of　telling　how　long　the　engines　would　turn　until　their　pistons　burned　and　froze　inside　the　cylinders。　Already；　he　could　hear　the　engines　beginning　to　misfire　as　bustion　occurred　early　from　the　acute　heat。
　　　　　〃Throw　on　your　cold…weather　gear；〃　Pitt　shouted。　〃When　you're　ready；　open　the　outside　door。　The　flood　of　cold　air　should　cool　down　the　engines。〃
　　　　　〃And　freeze　us　into　Popsicles　at　the　same　time；〃　Giordino　came　back。
　　　　　〃We'll　have　to　suffer　until　they're　running　at　normal　temperatures　again。
　　　　　Both　men　donned　their　heavy…weather　coveralls　and　hooded　parkas　again；　Pitt　struggling　with　the　heavy　clothing　while　he　kept　the　Cruiser　on　a　steady　course　through　the　storm。　When　they　were　fully　dressed　and　fortified　for　the　cold；　Giordino　opened　the　door。　A　howling　chaos　surged　into　the　control　cabin；　the　wind　moaning　and　screaming　as　it　whipped　through　the　doorway。　Pitt　huddled　over　the　steering　wheel　and　stared　through　half…screwed…shut　eyes　as　the　blast　of　cold　flung　itself　into　the　control　cabin　with　a　banshee　shriek　that　drowned　out　all　sounds　from　the　diesel　engines。
　　　　　He　could　not　have　envisioned　the　profound　shock　that　came　from　having　the　temperature　inside　the　cabin　drop　eighty　degrees　within　thirty　seconds。　When　a　human　is　appropriately　clothed　for　extreme　cold；　he　can　endure　temperatures　of　120　degrees　below　freezing　for　twenty　to　thirty　minutes　at　a　time　without　suffering　injury。　But　when　the　windchill　factor　adds　another　fifty　degrees　to　the　temperature；　the　drastic　frigidness　can　kill　within　a　few　short　minutes。　Pitt's　cold…weather　clothing　could　protect　him　from　mere　cold；　but　the　chill　from　the　gale　sucked　the　body　heat　right　out　of　him。
　　　　　Down　in　the　engine　partment；　Giordino　sat　between　the　two　engines　and　savored　what　little　heat　he　could　soak　up　from　the　exhaust　heaters　and　the　radiator　fans。　He　was　deeply　concerned　about　how　Pitt　could　survive　until　the　engine　temperatures　dropped。　There　was　no　more　munication。　The　screaming　wind　made　voice　contact　impossible。
　　　　　The　next　few　minutes　were　the　longest　Pitt　had　ever　spent。　He　had　never　known　such　cold。　It　felt　as　if　the　wind　went　right　through　him；　cutting　his　insides　as　it　traveled。　He　stared　at　the　needles　on　the　engine　temperature　gauges　and　saw　them　drop　with　agonizing　slowness。　The　ice　crystals　smashed　into　the　windshields　like　a　never…ending　swarm。　They　hurtled　through　the　door　and　into　the　control　cabin；　quickly　covering　Pitt　and　the　instrument　panel　in　a　white　glaze。　The　heater　could　no　longer　cope　with　the　frozen　air；　and　the　inside　of　the　windshield　quickly　frosted　over；　while　the　wipers　on　the　outside　were　overwhelmed　and　soon　became　locked　in　a　thickening　blanket　of　ice。　Unable　to　see　past　the　steering　wheel；　Pitt　sat　like　a　rock　as　the　torrent　of　white　curled　around　him。　He　felt　as　though　he　were　being　swallowed　by　a　ghost　with　thousands　of　tiny　teeth。
　　　　　He　clenched　his　own　teeth　to　keep　them　from　chattering。　Fighting　forces　far　beyond　his　control；　and　realizing　that　he　might　be　responsible　for　saving　billions　of　lives；　was　not　pleasant；　but　it　drove　him　to　stay　the　course　against　the　screaming　wind　and　stinging　ice。　What　frightened　him　most　was　the　prospect　of　driving　into　a　crevasse　that　was　impossible　to　see　before　it　was　too　late。　The　sane　thing　to　do　was　to　slow　the　Snow　Cruiser　to　a　snail's　crawl　and　send　Giordino　ahead　to　test　the　ice；　but　besides　risking　his　friend's　life；　it　would　have　cost　them　precious　time；　and　time　was　an　extravagance　they　did　not　have。　His　numbed　right　foot　could　no　longer　move　up　and　down　on　the　accelerator　pedal；　so　he　kept　it　fully　pressed　down；　frozen　in　place　to　the　floorboard。
　　　　　Their　drive　across　that　deceptive　and　treacherous　ice　field　had　turned　into　a　freezing　nightmare。
　　　　　There　was　no　point　of　no　return。　It　was　finish　the　mission　or　die。　The　shrieking　fury　of　the　ice　storm　showed　no　signs　of　diminishing。　Pitt　wiped　the　thickening　veneer　of　ice　from　the　instrument　panel　at　last。　The　temperature　gauge　needles　were　slowly　dropping　out　of　the　red　now。　But　if　he　and　Giordino　wanted　to　reach　their　destination　without　further　interruption；　the　needles　would　have　to　fall　another　twenty　degrees。
　　　　　He　was　a　blind　man　in　a　world　of　the　blind。　He　was　even　denied　a　sense　of　touch。　His　hands　and　legs　soon　went　numb；　with　all　feeling　lost。　His　body　no　longer　felt　a　part　of　him　and　refused　to　respond　to　his　mands。　He　found　it　next　to　impossible　to　breathe。　The　bitter　cold　seared　his　lungs。　The　thickening　of　the　blood；　the　chill　seeping　through　his　skin；　the　stinging　pain　that　was　torturing　his　flesh；　despite　the　insulation　of　his　clothing；　drained　his　strength。　He　never　knew　a　man　could　freeze　to　death　so　fast。　It　required　a　concentrated　effort　of　willpower　not　to　give　in　and　order　Giordino　to　close　the　door。　His　bitterness　against　failing　was　as　strong　as　the　terrible　wind。
　　　　　Pitt　had　stared　the　grim　reaper　in　the　face　before；　and　he　had　spat　on　him。　As　long　as　he　was　still　breathing　and　able　to　think　straight；　he　still　had　a　chance。　If　only　the　wind　would　die。　He　knew　that　storms　could　vanish　as　quickly　as　they　were　born。　Why　can't　this　one　die？　he　implored　no　one　but　himself。　A　horrible　emptiness　settled　over　him。　His　vision　was　darkening　around　the　edges　of　his　eyes；　and　still　those　vexing　needles　hadn't　wavered　into　the　normal　temperature　range。
　　　　　He　did　not　exist　by　any　preposterous　illusion　of　hope。　He　believed　in　himself　and　in　Giordino　and　in　luck。　The　Almighty　could　e　along；　too；　if　He　was　agreeable。　Pitt　had　no　wish　to　wele　the　great　beyond　with　open　arms。　He'd　always　believed　he'd　have　to　be　dragged　away　by　either　angels　or　demons；　fighting　to　the　end。　The　jury　was　still　out　on　whether　his　good　virtues　outweighed　the　bad。　The　only　undeniable；　uncontested　reality　was　that　he　had　little　to　say　in　the　matter　and　was　within　minutes　of　freezing　into　a　block　of　ice。
　　　　　If　there　was　a　purpose　for　adversity；　Pitt　was　damned　if　he　knew　what　it　was。　Somewhere　beyond　it　all；　he　stepped　from　being　a　mere　mortal　to　a　man　outside　himself。　His　mind　was　still　clear；　still　capable　of　weighing　the　odds　and　the　consequences。　He　pushed　back　the　dark　nightmare　that　was　closing　in　on　him。　Suffering　and　foreboding　no　longer　had　meaning　for　him。　He　refused　to　accept　an　inevitable　end。　Any　thought　of　dying　became　abhorrent　and　stillborn。
　　　　　He　almost　gave　way　to　an　overpowering　instinct　to　throw　in　the　towel　and　surrender；　but　steeled　himself　to　hold　out　another　ten　minutes。　There　was　never　a　doubt　in　his　mind　that　he　and　Giordino　would　see　it　through　together；　nor　was　there　a　moment　of　panic。　Save　the　engines；　save　himself；　and　then　save　the　world。　That　was　the　line　of　priority。　He　rubbed　the　frost　from　his　glasses　and　saw　that　the　needles　on　the　gauge　were　falling　faster　and　rapidly　approaching　their　normal　operating　temperature。
　　　　　Twenty　more　seconds；　he　told　himself；　then　another　twenty。　What　was　the　old　ditty；　〃Ninety…nine　bottles　of　beer　on　the　wall〃？　Then　came　relief　and　exultation；　as　the　temperature　gauges　registered　nearly　normal　again。
　　　　　There　was　no　need　to　shout　through　the　hatch　down　to　Giordino　in　the　engine　partment。　The　little　Italian　sensed　when　the　time　was　ripe　by　placing　a　hand　momentarily　on　the　top　of　a　radiator。　He　slammed　shut　the　door；　sealing　off　the　frightful　force　of　wind　and　ice；　but　not　before　throwing　the　interior　heater　switches　as　high　as　they　could　go。　Then　he　rushed　up　to　the　control　cabin　and　roughly　pulled　Pitt　from　behind　the　steering　wheel。
　　　　　〃You've　done　enough　for　the　cause；〃　he　said；　troubled　at　seeing　Pitt　so　close　to　death　from　hypothermia。　〃I'll　help　you　down　to　the　engine　partment　where　you　can　warm　up。〃
　　　　　〃The　Snow　Cruiser。　。　。〃　Pitt　barely　murmured　through　frozen　lips。　〃Don't　let　it　wander。〃
　　　　　〃Don't　burden　yourself。　I　can　drive　this　mechanical　mastodon　as　well　as　you。〃
　　　　　After　setting　Pitt　on　the　floor　between　the　big　diesels　where　he　could　get　warm　again；　Giordino　climbed　back　into　the　icy　control　cabin；　sat　behind　the　steering　wheel；　and　engaged　first　gear。　Within　sixty　seconds；　he　had　the　grand　vehicle　boring　through　the　storm　once　again　at　twenty…four　miles　an　hour。
　　　　　The　consistent　knock　of　the　diesels；　running　smoothly　once　again；　was　more　than　music　to　Pitt's　ears；　it　was　a　symbol　of　renewed　hope。　Never　in　his　entire　life　had　anything　ever　felt　so　good　as　the　warmth　that　emanated　from　the　engines　and　was　absorbed　by　his　half…frozen　body。　His　blood　soon　thinned　and　circulated　again；　and　he　allowed　himself　he　luxury　of　simply　relaxing　for　half　an　hour　while　Giordino　held　the　Wheel。
　　　　　Almost　morbidly；　he　began　to　wonder；　had　the　special　military　force　landed？　Were　they　lost　and　dying　in　the　same　treacherous　blizzard？
　
　　　　　Painted　in　a　charcoal　gray　with　no　markings　but　a　small　American　flag　on　the　vertical　stabilizer；　the　McDonnell　Douglas　C…17　soared　above　an　ocean　of　pearl…white　clouds　blanketing　the　glaring　ice　of　Antarctica　like　a　giant；　featherless　pterodactyl　over　a　Mesozoic　landscape。
　　　　　Air　Force　Captain　Lyle　Stafford　was　quite　at　home　in　his　cockpit　office　flying　over　the　frozen　continent。　Normally；　he　flew　back　and　forth　between　Christchurch；　New　Zealand；　and　the　American　ice　stations　scattered　around　Antarctica；　transporting　scientists；　equipment；　and　supplies。　This　trip　they　had　been　abruptly　pressed　into