cussler.blueandgold-第50部分

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r　hole　that　had　been　covered　over　by　vegetation。　Austin　had　walked　right　by　the　hole　without　seeing　it。
　
　〃Are　you　okay？〃　Austin　called　out。
　
　More　mutterings。　〃Yeah；　the　brush　that　covered　this　damned　hole　cushioned　my　fall。　C'mon　down。　There's　a　short　set　of　stairs。〃
　
　Austin　joined　Zavala　at　the　bottom　of　the　hole；　which　was　about　eight　feet　deep。　Joe　was　standing　in　front　of　a　partially　open　door　of　heavily　riveted　steel。
　
　〃Don't　tell　me；〃　Austin　grunted。　〃The　unerring　Zavala　homing　instinct。〃
　
　〃What　else？〃　Zavala　said。
　
　Austin　pulled　a　small　but　powerful　halogen　light　from　his　pack。　The　door　noisily　opened　with　some　persuasion　from　his　shoulder。　He　stepped　inside　with　Zavala　close　behind。　A　blast　of　cold　and　fetid　air　hit　them　in　the　face　as　if　they　were　standing　in　front　of　an　air　conditioner　for　a　mausoleum。　The　beam　of　light　showed　a　corridor　whose　concrete　walls　and　ceiling　were　inadequate　insulation　against　permafrost　and　seemed　to　amplify　the　cold。　Pulling　their　jacket　collars　tight　around　their　necks；　they　started　along　the　corridor。
　
　Several　doors　led　off　the　main　hallway　of　the　underground　bunker。　Austin　flashed　his　light　inside　the　rooms。　Rusty　bed　frames　and　mattresses　rotting　with　decay　testified　to　the　use　of　one　space　as　a　bunkroom。　Farther　along　was　a　kitchen　and　pantry。　The　last　chamber　was　a　munications　room。
　
　〃They　left　in　a　rush；〃　Zavala　said。　The　smashed　vacuum　tubes　and　radio　cabinets　looked　as　if　they　had　been　attacked　with　a　sledgehammer。
　
　They　continued　along　the　passageway；　skirting　a　large　rectangular　hole　in　the　floor。　The　metal　grating　that　once　covered　it　had　mostly　rusted　through。　Austin　pointed　the　flashlight　down　the　deep　shaft。　〃Some　sort　of　ventilation　or　heating；　maybe。〃
　
　〃I've　been　thinking　about　what　Clarence　Tinook　said　about　mines；〃　Zavala　said。
　
　〃Let's　hope　it　was　a　concocted　story　they　hoped　would　scare　off　hunters　and　fishermen；〃　Austin　said。　〃Maybe　he　actually　said　mimes。　〃
　
　〃Now　that　would　certainly　scare　me；〃　Zavala　replied。
　
　The　corridor　eventually　ended　in　a　short　set　of　stairs　that　led　to　another　steel　door。　They　guessed　that　they　were　under　the　hangar。　Not　entirely　convinced　of　his　own　argument　against　booby　traps；　Austin　took　a　deep　breath；　opened　the　door；　and　stepped　through。　Austin　immediately　sensed　a　change　in　atmosphere。　The　cold　was　less　biting　and　musty　than　in　the　concrete　bunker。　The　staleness　of　the　air　was　overpowered　by　the　smell　of　gasoline；　oil；　and　heated　metal。
　
　On　the　wall　to　the　right　of　the　door　was　a　switch。　A　stenciled　sign　read　〃Generator。〃　Austin　gave　Zavala　the　go…ahead；　and　Joe　yanked　the　switch　down。　Nothing　happened　at　first。　Then　there　was　a　click　from　somewhere　in　the　darkness　and　a　series　of　sputtering　pops　as　a　motor　coughed　reluctantly　into　life。　High　above；　lights　glimmered　dimly　then　glowed　brightly；　illuminating　the　vaulted　ceilings　of　a　huge　artificial　cave。　Zavala　was　too　awestruck　to　speak。　Illuminated　at　center　stage　was　what　looked　like　a　black…winged　avenger　from　a　Norse　myth。
　
　He　walked　over　behind　the　scimitar…shaped　craft；　reached　up；　and　tentatively　touched　one　of　the　vertical　fins　extending　down　from　the　trailing　end　of　the　fuselage。
　
　〃Beautiful；〃　he　whispered　as　if　he　were　talking　about　a　lovely　woman。　〃I've　read　about　this　thing；　seen　pictures；　but　I　never　dreamed　it　would　be　so　magnificent。〃
　
　Austin　went　over　and　stood　beside　him；　taking　in　the　broad　sweep　of　sculpted　aluminum。　〃Either　we've　stumbled　into　the。　Bat　Cave　or　we　just　found　the　long…lost　phantom　flying　wing；〃　he　said。
　
　　Zavala　walked　under　the　fuselage。　〃I　did　some　reading　about　the　plane。　These　fins　were　added　later　for　stabilization　when　they　went　from　prop　to　jet　power。　She's　about　a　hundred　seventy　feet　from　wing　tip　to　wing　tip。〃
　
　〃That's　half　the　length　of　a　football　field；〃　Austin　said。
　
　Zavala　nodded。　〃It　was　the　largest　plane　of　its　day　even　though　she's　only　about　fifty　feet　from　front　to　back。　Check　out　these　jet　engines。　In　the　original　all　eight　were　built　into　the　fuselage。　They　slung　these　two　underneath　the　wing　to　free　up　fuel　space。　Fits　in　with　what　you　said　about　modifications　to　in　crease　range。〃
　
　They　walked　around　to　the　front　of　the　plane。　The　swept　back　aerodynamic　lines　were　even　more　impressive　from　this　angle。　Although　the　plane　weighed　more　than　two　hundred　thou　sand　tons；　it　seemed　to　balance　lightly　on　its　tripod　landing　gear。
　
　〃Jack　Northrop　really　had　something　when　he　designed　this　lady；〃　Austin　replied。
　
　〃Absolutely。　Look　at　that　slim　silhouette。　There's　hardly　any　surface　for　radar　to　bounce　off。　They've　even　painted　it　black　like　the　stealth　planes。　Let's　go　inside；〃　Zavala　said　eagerly。
　
　They　climbed　up　a　ladder　through　a　hatchway　in　the　plane's　belly　and　made　their　way　along　a　short　ramp。　Like　the　rest　of　the　plane；　the　flight　deck　was　unconventional。　Zavala　sat　in　the　rotating　pilot's　seat　and　used　a　hand…operated　mechanism　to　pump　the　seat　four　feet　higher　into　a　Plexiglas　bubble。　He　peered　through　the　cowling；　which　was　to　the　left　of　the　wing's　center　line。　The　conventional　switches　and　instruments　were　located　between　the　pilot　and　the　copilot；　who　sat　at　a　lower　level。　The　throttle　controls　were　suspended　from　the　overhead；　similar　to　Navy　flying　boats　such　as　the　Catalina。
　
　〃Fantastic　visibility；〃　Zavala　said。　〃It　feels　like　being　in　a　fighter　plane。〃
　
　Austin　had　settled　into　the　copilot's　seat　on　the　right。　He　could　see　through　window　panels　in　the　wing's　leading　edge。　While　Zavala　ran　his　fingers　lovingly　over　the　controls；　Austin　went　to　explore　the　rest　of　the　plane。　The　flight　engineer　sat　in　front　of　an　impressive　array　of　instrument　gauges　about　ten　feet　behind　the　copilot　facing　the　rear。　He　would　have　been　unable　to　see　out。　Austin　thought　the　layout　was　awkward；　but　he　was　impressed　by　the　headroom　and　the　small　bunkroom；　head；　and　kitchen　that　indicated　the　plane　was　built　for　long…range　missions。　He　sat　at　the　bombardier's　seat　and　stared　out　the　window；　trying　to　picture　himself　high　above　the　bleak　Siberian　landscape。　Then　he　crawled　into　the　bomb　bays。　Zavala　was　still　in　the　pilot's　seat；　hands　on　the　controls；　when　Austin　returned　to　the　cockpit。　〃Find　anything　back　there？〃　he　asked　Austin。
　
　〃It's　what　I　didn't　find；〃　Austin　said。　〃The　bomb　bay　racks　are　empty。〃
　
　〃No　canister　bombs？〃
　
　〃Not　even　a　water　balloon。〃　He　smiled　at　Zavala。　〃Fallen　hopelessly　in　love　with　the　old　girl；　have　we？〃
　
　Zavala　grinned　lasciviously。　〃A　case　of　love　at　first　sight。　Older　women　have　always　appealed　to　me。　I'll　show　you　some　thing。　There's　still　life　in　this　baby。〃　His　fingers　played　over　the　instrument　console。　The　bank　of　dials　and　gauges　in　front　of　them　glowed　red。
　
　〃She's　all　gassed　up　and　ready　to　go；〃　Austin　said　with　disbelief。
　
　Zavala　nodded。　〃She　must　be　hooked　up　to　the　generator。　There's　no　reason　this　stuff　wouldn't　still　work。　It's　been　cold　and　dry　here；　and　she　was　maintained　in　mint　condition　until　they　deserted　this　joint。〃
　
　〃Speaking　of　the　joint；　let's　take　a　look　around。〃
　
　Zavala　reluctantly　left　the　cockpit。　They　climbed　down　from　the　plane　and　walked　around　the　interior　perimeter　of　the　hangar。　The　space　was　obviously　planned　to　service　the　plane　efficiently。　Within　easy　reach　of　the　aircraft　were　hydraulic　lifts　and　cranes；　test　equipment；　fuel　and　oil　pumps。　Joe　stopped　to　marvel　at　a　wall　hung　with　tools。　They　were　as　clean　as　surgical　instruments。　Austin　poked　his　head　into　a　storage　room。　He　glanced　around　and　called　for　Zavala。
　
　Stacked　from　floor　to　ceiling　inside　the　room　were　dozens　of　shiny　cylinders　like　the　one　they　had　discovered　floating　in　the　water　off　the　Baja。　Austin　carefully　lifted　a　cylinder　from　the　stack　and　felt　its　weight。
　
　〃This　is　much　heavier　than　the　empty　can　back　in　my　office。〃
　
　〃Anasazium？〃
　
　〃The　unerring　Austin　homing　instinct；〃　Kurt　said　with　a　smile。　〃You'11　have　to　admit　this　is　what　we　really　came　all　this　way　to　find。〃
　
　〃I　suppose　so。　But　I　can　see　why　Martin　fell　in　love　with　that　plane　out　there。〃
　
　〃Let's　hope　it　isn't　a　similar　case　of　fatal　attraction。　We're　going　to　have　to　figure　out　what　to　do　next。〃
　
　Zavala　eyed　the　contents　of　the　storeroom。　〃We'll　need　something　bigger　than　the　Maule　to　move　this　stuff。〃
　
　Austin　said；　〃It's　been　a　long　day。　Let's　get　back　to　Nome。　We　can　call　in　for　reinforcements。　I'm　not　crazy　about　the　way　we　came　in。　Let's　see　if　we　can　find　another　door。〃
　
　They　walked　around　in　front　of　the　flying　wing　again。　The　plane　was　positioned　so　that　it　pointed　toward　the　broad　side　of　the　hangar；　facing　onto　the　airstrip。　They　tried　a　door　that　would　have　led　to　the　outside；　but　it　was　overgrown　with　vegetation　and　wouldn't　open。　A　big　section　of　wall　apparently　moved　up　and　down　like　a　garage　door。　Austin　saw　a　wall　switch　marked　〃Door。〃　Since　they　had　good　luck　with　the　generator；　he　gave　it　a　yank。　The　hum　of　motors　filled　the　air；　then　came　loud　creaks　and　rattles　and　the　squeal　of　metal　against　metal。　The　motors　strained　to　move　the　door　against　the　vegetation　that　had　taken　over　on　the　outside；　but　finally　it　ripped　free　and　rumbled　to　a　clanking　stop　in　fully　open　position。
　
　It　was　near　midnight；　and　the　sun　had　partially　set；　casting　the　tundra　in　a　leaden　light。　The　two　men　walked　outside　and　turned　around。　As　they　gazed　at　the　strange　craft　resting　in　what　Buzz　Martin's　father　had　called　its　hidey…hole；　they　heard　an　intrusive　clatter　from　behind　them。　They　turned　to　see　a　large　helicopter　dropping　out　of　the　sky　like　a　raptor。
　
　The　helicopter　made　a　pass　over　the　float　plane；　then　stopped　and　hovered　a　short　distance　away。　It　did　a　three…hundred…sixty　spin　in　place。　There　was　a　flash　of　light　from　the　front　of　the　chopper；　and　the　float　plane　disappeared　in　a　blinding　explosion　of　yellow　and　red　flames。　A　cloud　of　black　smoke　billowed　from　the　funeral　pyre　that　had　been　an　air　craft　seconds　before；　and　the　tundra　was　lit　up　for　hundreds　of　yards。
　
　〃I　think　we　just　lost　the　deposit　on　our　leased　plane；〃　Zavala　said。
　
　Finished　with　its　first　line　of　business；　the　chopp