cussler.blueandgold-第49部分

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　Austin's　gaze　was　unwavering。　〃How　long　did　you　hunt　game　for　these　men？〃
　
　〃'Bout　six　months；　I　think。　One　day　they　showed　up；　said　they　didn't　need　any　more。　They　told　me　to　stay　away　from　the　airfield。　Didn't　want　me　to　step　on　a　mine。　Said　I　could　keep　the　rifle。　They　left　in　a　big　hurry。〃
　
　Zavala　said；　〃We've　been　looking　for　an　old　airfield　supposed　to　be　on　a　piece　of　land　that　looked　like　an　eagle's　nose；　but　we　can't　find　it。〃
　
　〃Oh；　sure；　this　place　used　to　be　like　that。　Things　have　changed　from　ice　and　wind。　In　the　summer　the　water　es　in　from　rivers　and　floods　the　land。　Doesn't　look　the　same　as　it　did　back　then。　You　got　a　map？〃
　
　Kurt　pulled　the　map　from　his　jacket　and　unfolded　it。　
　
　　Grandpa　Tinook's　thick　finger　came　down　on　a　section　of　coast　under　the　pencil　shading。　〃Right　here；〃　he　said。
　
　〃We　must　have　flown　right　over　it；〃　Zavala　said。
　
　〃Tell　me；〃　Austin　said；　〃those　men；　did　they　give　you　their　names？〃
　
　〃Sure；　Hewy　and　Dewy；　they　said。〃
　
　Zavala　chuckled。　〃I　suppose　Lewy　was　busy。〃
　
　The　old　man　shrugged。　〃I　read　Donald　Duck　when　I　shipped　out　on　merchant　ships　out　of　Anchorage。　They　figured　I　musta　ate　whale　blubber　all　my　life。　I　let　them　think　that。〃
　
　〃It　was　probably　a　good　thing　that　you　did。〃
　
　〃Like　I　said；　they　were　hard　men；　although　we　became　pretty　good　friends。　I　went　back　to　the　old　base　after　the　war。　I　think　they　just　said　that　about　the　mines　to　scare　me　off。　Felt　like　something　had　been　poisoned　and　left　to　rot。〃　He　paused　thoughtfully。　〃Maybe　you　can　tell　me。　One　thing　I　always　wondered。　What　was　the　big　secret？　We　weren't　fighting　the　Japanese。　The　war　was　over。〃
　
　〃Some　men　can't　live　without　war；〃　Austin　replied。　〃If　they　don't　have　one　they　find　another。〃
　
　〃Sounds　crazy　to　me；　but　what　do　I　know？　Well；　that　was　years　ago。　Why　do　you　men　want　to　go　to　that　old　place？〃
　
　For　once　Austin　was　at　a　loss　for　words。　He　could　have　said　how　important　it　was　to　find　an　odd　substance　named　anasazium　before　Gogstad　got　its　hands　on　it　and　made　worldwide　mischief。　But　he　suspected　his　real　reasons　were　more　visceral。　The　story　of　Buzz　Martin's　father　had　smoldered　in　him　and　offended　his　sense　of　right　and　wrong。
　
　The　best　answer　he　could　muster　was；　〃There　was　a　boy　once　who　went　to　his　father's　funeral；　only　his　father　wasn't　dead。〃
　
　The　old　man　nodded　solemnly　as　if　Austin　had　been　the　soul　of　clarity。
　
　Austin's　mind　was　already　racing　toward　the　task　ahead。　〃Thank　you　very　much　for　telling　us　your　story；〃　Kurt　said；　rising。　〃And　for　lunch；　too。〃
　
　〃Wait；〃　Clarence　said。　He　perused　the　wooden　figures　he'd　carved；　picked　out　two；　and　gave　one　to　each　of　the　NUMA　men。　〃Take　these。　The　bear　for　strength　and　the　wolf　for　cunning。〃
　Austin　and　Zavala　thanked　the　old　man　for　his　generosity。
　
　　〃Makes　me　feel　better　to　give　you　some　luck　after　telling　you　how　to　get　to　that　place。　You　go　back　to　that　old　base；　I　got　the　feeling　you're　going　to　need　it。〃
　
　Chapter　30
　The　Sun's　blinding　reflection　on　the　mirrored　surface　of　the　water　had　prevented　a　good　look　at　the　Eagle's　Beak　on　the　first　pass。　Only　a　thin；　ragged　crescent　of　tundra　could　be　seen；　part　of　an　inundated　coastal　plain　ex　tending　into　a　pear…shaped　bay。　Zavala　angled　the　plane　so　that　the　dark　outline　of　General　MacArthur's　nose　was　visible　under　the　translucent　covering　of　water。　Austin　gave　Zavala　the　thumbs　up。　This　is　it。　The　thumb　pointed　down。　Land。
　
　Zavala　brought　the　plane　around　in　a　low　sweep　and　flew　the　length　of　the　peninsula　at　an　altitude　of　about　two　hundred　feet。　The　crooked　finger　of　land　was　more　than　a　mile　long　and　less　than　half　as　wide。　Blackwater　marsh　had　encroached　on　its　borders　and　added　to　the　ravages　of　wind　and　ice　that　had　distorted　its　original　shape。
　
　〃See　how　close　you　can　get　us　to　those　moraines；〃　Austin　said；　pointing　to　the　low；　glacier…carved　mounds　that　began　where　the　peninsula　joined　the　mainland。
　
　Zavala　tapped　the　brim　of　his　NUMA　baseball　cap。　〃No　sweat。　This　baby　can　land　on　the　head　of　a　pin。　Stand　by　for　a　picture…perfect　landing。〃
　
　Austin　had　every　bit　of　confidence　in　his　partner's　flying　ability。　Zavala　had　logged　hundreds　of　hours　flying　every　conceivable　type　of　aircraft。　There　were　times；　though；　when　he　had　visions　of　Snoopy　pretending　his　doghouse　was　a　World　War　I　Sopwith　Camel。　He　pushed　the　thought　out　of　his　mind　as　Zavala　circled　the　strip　again；　dropped　into　a　long　glide；　and　reduced　speed　until　the　plane's　floats　skimmed　the　shallow　water。
　
　The　plane　was　about　to　set　down　smoothly　when　they　heard　a　loud　thump　under　their　feet　followed　by　the　tortured　sound　of　metal　tearing。　The　plane　snapped　around　like　an　amusement　park　ride。　The　two　men　were　flung　against　their　seatbelts　like　rag　dolls。　The　spinning　plane　came　to　rest　at　a　drunken　angle。　Zavala　had　the　wind　knocked　out　of　him　but　managed　to　kill　the　engine。
　
　As　the　propeller　spun　to　a　stop　Austin　felt　his　head　to　make　sure　it　was　still　attached　to　his　shoulders。　〃If　that　was　picture　perfect；　I'd　hate　to　see　a　rough　landing。　What　happened　to　the　head　of　a　pin？〃
　
　Zavala　adjusted　his　baseball　cap　and　straightened　his　reflecting　sunglasses　on　his　nose。　〃Sorry；〃　he　said　with　uncharacteristic　humbleness。　〃They　must　be　making　pins　bigger　than　they　used　to。〃
　
　Austin　shook　his　head　and　suggested　they　inspect　the　dam　age。　They　climbed　out　onto　the　pontoons　to　be　met　by　the　local　weling　mittee。　A　cloud　of　condor…sized　Alaskan　mosquitoes　thirsting　for　human　blood　drove　them　back　into　the　cockpit。　After　liberally　dousing　themselves　with　Cutter's　industrial…strength　bug　repellent；　they　ventured　out　again。　They　stepped　off　the　plane　into　about　two　feet　of　water　and　examined　the　twisted　metal　around　the　right…hand　float。
　
　〃We'll　have　some　'splaining　to　do　at　the　plane　rental　place；　but　we'll　be　able　to　take　off；〃　Zavala　said。　He　sloshed　back　along　their　landing　path。　Moments　later　he　bent　over　and　said；　〃Hey；　check　this　out。〃
　
　Austin　came　over　and　examined　a　metal　post　covered　by　a　few　inches　of　water。　Metal　gleamed　brightly　where　the　top　was　sheared　off　and　copper　electrical　wires　dangled　out。
　
　〃Congratulations；〃　Austin　said。　〃I　think　you　found　a　landing　beacon。〃　
　
　　〃The　unerring　Zavala　homing　instinct　never　fails；〃　Joe　said　as　if　he　had　hit　the　landing　light　on　purpose。　He　expanded　his　search　and　within　minutes　located　another　light。　This　one　had　the　glass　lens　and　bulb　socket　still　intact。
　
　Austin　surveyed　their　surroundings　and　tried　to　get　his　bearings。　It　was　easy　to　see　why　the　remote　spot　was　picked　for　a　secret　airstrip。　The　terrain　was　naturally　as　flat　as　an　aircraft　carrier　and　would　have　needed　little　grading。　He　looked　toward　the　hills　where　the　sun　sparkled　off　a　lacework　of　streams　that　pooled　into　the　lake　that　hid　the　strip。
　
　They　unloaded　the　plane；　slung　their　packs　over　their　shoulders；　and　waded　toward　the　hills　less　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　distant。　Although　they　wore　boots　that　kept　their　feet　dry；　the　water　sloshed　onto　their　waterproof　Gore…Tex　pants；　and　they　were　glad　the　temperature　was　in　the　fifties。　The　water　became　shallower　and　turned　into　spongy　bog；　then　they　were　crunching　on　permafrost　as　they　made　their　way　through　patches　of　buttercup；　wild　crocus；　and　poppies。　They　spotted　more　landing　lights；　all　leading　in　a　line　toward　the　hills。　At　one　point　they　stopped　and　looked　off　at　a　huge　flock　of　eiders　floating　over　the　marsh　like　a　dark　plume　of　smoke。　With　the　unearthly　quiet　they　could　have　been　on　the　surface　of　another　planet。
　
　Continuing　their　hike　they　came　to　the　foot　of　an　escarpment　that　angled　sharply　up　from　the　ground。　The　elongated　hill　was　round　at　the　top　and　shaped　vaguely　like　a　loaf　of　Italian　bread。　Patches　of　black　rock　splotched　with　lichens　and　moss　were　visible　through　the　thick　vegetation　that　covered　much　of　the　hill。　Austin　thought　it　peculiar　that　the　mound　stood　by　it　self；　isolated　from　the　nearest　hills　by　several　hundred　yards。　He　mentioned　his　observation　to　Zavala。
　
　〃Notice　how　the　land　here　is　flat　except　for　this　bump？〃
　
　〃If　I　were　a　geologist　I　might　be　able　to　make　something　of　it。〃
　
　〃I　was　thinking　more　of　the　landing　lights。　They　lead　right　to　the　face　of　this　hill。〃
　
　He　stared　at　an　exposed　section　for　a　moment；　then　put　his　face　inches　away　and　ran　his　fingers　over　the　shiny　surface。　Using　the　large　blade　on　his　Swiss　Army　knife　he　poked　at　the　rock　and　chipped　off　a　thin　piece　about　as　big　as　his　palm。　He　examined　the　material；　then　grinned　and　handed　it　to　Zavala。
　
　〃Paint；〃　Zavala　said　with　wonder。　He　ran　his　hand　over　the　shiny　area　exposed　by　Austin's　knife。　〃Sheetmetal　and　bolts。　Someone　went　to　a　lot　of　trouble　to　keep　this　thing　hidden。〃
　
　Austin　took　several　steps　back　and　raised　his　eyes　to　the　top　of　the　mound。　〃I　remember　Clarence　Tinook　saying　something　about　an　old　blimp　base。　Maybe　there's　a　dirigible　hangar　under　this　stuff。〃
　
　〃That　makes　sense　and　goes　with　our　theory　that　they　used　an　existing　base。　The　next　question　is　how　we　get　inside。〃
　
　〃Try　saying　'open　sesame'　and　hope　for　the　best。〃
　
　Zavala　stood　back　and　bellowed　the　famous　mand　from　Ali　Baba　and　the　Forty　Thieves。　When　nothing　happened　he　tried　again　in　Spanish；　also　to　no　avail。
　
　〃You　know　any　more　magic　words？〃　he　asked　Austin。
　
　〃You　just　exhausted　my　entire　repertoire；〃　Kurt　said　with　a　shrug。
　
　They　walked　around　behind　the　hangar。　Sticking　out　of　the　permafrost　were　the　foundations　of　several　small　buildings　that　could　have　been　Quonset　huts。　A　dump　area　revealed　piles　of　rusty　tin　cans　and　broken　glass；　but　no　entrance　to　the　mound　presented　itself。
　
　It　was　Zavala　who　stumbled；　literally；　on　the　entrance。
　
　Austin　was　walking　several　steps　ahead　of　his　partner　when　he　heard　a　yell。　He　turned　quickly。　Joe　had　vanished　as　if　the　earth　had　swallowed　him　up。　Confirming　this　possibility；　Zavala's　disembodied　voice；　swearing　in　the　tongue　of　his　ancestors；　issued　eerily　from　the　ground。　Austin　carefully　back　tracked　and　found　Zavala　in　a　cellar　hole　that　had　been　covered　over　by　vegetation。　Austin　had　walked　rig