danbrown.deceptionpoint-第33部分

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　extraction　pit。〃
　Everyone　stared　in　stunned　silence。
　The　ghostlike　body　was　floating　head　down　in　the　narrow　shaft。　Billowing　around　the　corpse　like　some　sort　of　cape　was　an　eerie　shroudlike　aura。　Norah　now　realized　what　the　aura　was。　The　GPR　had　captured　a　faint　trace　of　the　victim's　heavy　coat；　what　could　only　be　a　familiar；　long；　dense　camel　hair。
　〃It's。。。　Ming；〃　she　said　in　a　whisper。　〃He　must　have　slipped。。。。〃
　Norah　Mangor　never　imagined　that　seeing　Ming's　body　in　the　extraction　pit　would　be　the　lesser　of　the　two　shocks　the　printout　would　reveal；　but　as　her　eyes　traced　downward　in　the　shaft；　she　saw　something　else。
　The　ice　beneath　the　extraction　shaft。。。　
　Norah　stared。　Her　first　thought　was　that　something　had　gone　wrong　with　the　scan。　Then；　as　she　studied　the　image　more　closely；　an　unsettling　realization　began　to　grow；　like　the　storm　gathering　around　them。　The　paper's　edges　flapped　wildly　in　the　wind　as　she　turned　and　looked　more　intently　at　the　printout。
　But。。。　that's　impossible！
　Suddenly；　the　truth　came　crashing　down。　The　realization　felt　like　it　was　going　to　bury　her。　She　forgot　all　about　Ming。
　Norah　now　understood。　The　saltwater　in　the　shaft！　She　fell　to　her　knees　in　the　snow　beside　the　flare。　She　could　barely　breathe。　Still　clutching　the　paper　in　her　hands；　she　began　trembling。
　My　God。。。　it　didn't　even　occur　to　me。
　Then；　with　a　sudden　eruption　of　rage；　she　spun　her　head　in　the　direction　of　the　NASA　habisphere。　〃You　bastards！〃　she　screamed；　her　voice　trailing　off　in　the　wind。　〃You　goddamned　bastards！〃
　　
　In　the　darkness；　only　fifty　yards　away；　Delta…One　held　his　CrypTalk　device　to　his　mouth　and　spoke　only　two　words　to　his　controller。　〃They　know。〃
　
　　
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　Norah　Mangor　was　still　kneeling　on　the　ice　when　the　bewildered　Michael　Tolland　pulled　the　Ground　Penetrating　Radar's　printout　from　her　trembling　hands。　Shaken　from　seeing　the　floating　body　of　Ming；　Tolland　tried　to　gather　his　thoughts　and　decipher　the　image　before　him。
　He　saw　the　cross　section　of　the　meteorite　shaft　descending　from　the　surface　down　to　two　hundred　feet　into　the　ice。　He　saw　Ming's　body　floating　in　the　shaft。　Tolland's　eyes　drifted　lower　now；　and　he　sensed　something　was　amiss。　Directly　beneath　the　extraction　shaft；　a　dark　column　of　sea　ice　extended　downward　to　the　open　ocean　below。　The　vertical　pillar　of　saltwater　ice　was　massive…the　same　diameter　as　the　shaft。
　〃My　God！〃　Rachel　yelled；　looking　over　Tolland's　shoulder。　〃It　looks　like　the　meteorite　shaft　continues　all　the　way　through　the　ice　shelf　into　the　ocean！〃
　Tolland　stood　transfixed；　his　brain　unable　to　accept　what　he　knew　to　be　the　only　logical　explanation。　Corky　looked　equally　alarmed。
　Norah　shouted；　〃Someone　drilled　up　under　the　shelf！〃　Her　eyes　were　wild　with　rage。　〃Someone　intentionally　inserted　that　rock　from　underneath　the　ice！〃
　Although　the　idealist　in　Tolland　wanted　to　reject　Norah's　words；　the　scientist　in　him　knew　she　could　easily　be　right。　The　Milne　Ice　Shelf　was　floating　over　the　ocean　with　plenty　of　clearance　for　a　submersible。　Because　everything　weighed　significantly　less　underwater；　even　a　small　submersible　not　much　bigger　than　Tolland's　one…man　research　Triton　easily　could　have　transported　the　meteorite　in　its　payload　arms。　The　sub　could　have　approached　from　the　ocean；　submerged　beneath　the　ice　shelf；　and　drilled　upward　into　the　ice。　Then；　it　could　have　used　an　extending　payload　arm　or　inflatable　balloons　to　push　the　meteorite　up　into　the　shaft。　Once　the　meteorite　was　in　place；　the　ocean　water　that　had　risen　into　the　shaft　behind　the　meteorite　would　begin　to　freeze。　As　soon　as　the　shaft　closed　enough　to　hold　the　meteorite　in　place；　the　sub　could　retract　its　arm　and　disappear；　leaving　Mother　Nature　to　seal　the　remainder　of　the　tunnel　and　erase　all　traces　of　the　deception。
　〃But　why？〃　Rachel　demanded；　taking　the　printout　from　Tolland　and　studying　it。　〃Why　would　someone　do　that？　Are　you　sure　your　GPR　is　working？〃
　〃Of　course；　I'm　sure！　And　the　printout　perfectly　explains　the　presence　of　phosphorescent　bacteria　in　the　water！〃
　Tolland　had　to　admit；　Norah's　logic　was　chillingly　sound。　Phosphorescent　dinoflagellates　would　have　followed　instinct　and　swum　upward　into　the　meteorite　shaft；　being　trapped　just　beneath　the　meteorite　and　freezing　into　the　ice。　Later；　when　Norah　heated　the　meteorite；　the　ice　directly　beneath　would　have　melted；　releasing　the　plankton。　Again；　they　would　swim　upward；　this　time　reaching　the　surface　inside　the　habisphere；　where　they　would　eventually　die　for　lack　of　saltwater。
　〃This　is　crazy！〃　Corky　yelled。　〃NASA　has　a　meteorite　with　extraterrestrial　fossils　in　it。　Why　would　they　care　where　it's　found？　Why　would　they　go　to　the　trouble　to　bury　it　under　an　ice　shelf？〃
　〃Who　the　hell　knows；〃　Norah　fired　back；　〃but　GPR　printouts　don't　lie。　We　were　tricked。　That　meteorite　isn't　part　of　the　Jungersol　Fall。　It　was　inserted　in　the　ice　recently。　Within　the　last　year；　or　the　plankton　would　be　dead！〃　She　was　already　packing　up　her　GPR　gear　on　the　sled　and　fastening　it　down。　〃We've　to　get　back　and　tell　someone！　The　President　is　about　to　go　public　with　all　the　wrong　data！　NASA　tricked　him！〃
　〃Wait　a　minute！〃　Rachel　yelled。　〃We　should　at　least　run　another　scan　to　make　sure。　None　of　this　makes　sense。　Who　will　believe　it？〃
　〃Everyone；〃　Norah　said；　preparing　her　sled。　〃When　I　march　into　the　habisphere　and　drill　another　core　sample　out　of　the　bottom　of　the　meteorite　shaft　and　it　es　up　as　saltwater　ice；　I　guarantee　you　everyone　will　believe　this！〃
　Norah　disengaged　the　brakes　on　the　equipment　sled；　redirected　it　toward　the　habisphere；　and　started　back　up　the　slope；　digging　her　crampons　into　the　ice　and　pulling　the　sled　behind　her　with　surprising　ease。　She　was　a　woman　on　a　mission。
　〃Let's　go！〃　Norah　shouted；　pulling　the　tethered　group　along　as　she　headed　toward　the　perimeter　of　the　illuminated　circle。　〃I　don't　know　what　NASA's　up　to　here；　but　I　sure　as　hell　don't　appreciate　being　used　as　a　pawn　for　their…〃
　Norah　Mangor's　neck　snapped　back　as　if　she'd　been　rammed　in　the　forehead　by　some　invisible　force。　She　let　out　a　guttural　gasp　of　pain；　wavered；　and　collapsed　backward　onto　the　ice。　Almost　instantly；　Corky　let　out　a　cry　and　spun　around　as　if　his　shoulder　had　been　propelled　backward。　He　fell　to　the　ice；　writhing　in　pain。
　　
　Rachel　immediately　forgot　all　about　the　printout　in　her　hand；　Ming；　the　meteorite；　and　the　bizarre　tunnel　beneath　the　ice。　She　had　just　felt　a　small　projectile　graze　her　ear；　barely　missing　her　temple。　Instinctively；　she　dropped　to　her　knees；　yanking　Tolland　down　with　her。
　〃What's　going　on！〃　Tolland　screamed。
　A　hailstorm　was　all　Rachel　could　imagine…balls　of　ice　blowing　down　off　the　glacier…and　yet　from　the　force　with　which　Corky　and　Norah　had　just　been　hit；　Rachel　knew　the　hailstones　would　have　to　be　moving　at　hundreds　of　miles　an　hour。　Eerily；　the　sudden　barrage　of　marble…sized　objects　seemed　now　to　focus　on　Rachel　and　Tolland；　pelting　all　around　them；　sending　up　plumes　of　exploding　ice。　Rachel　rolled　onto　her　stomach；　dug　her　crampon's　toe　spikes　into　the　ice；　and　launched　toward　the　only　cover　available。　The　sled。　Tolland　arrived　a　moment　later；　scrambling　and　hunkering　down　beside　her。
　Tolland　looked　out　at　Norah　and　Corky　unprotected　on　the　ice。　〃Pull　them　in　with　the　tether！〃　he　yelled；　grabbing　the　rope　and　trying　to　pull。
　But　the　tether　was　wrapped　around　the　sled。
　Rachel　stuffed　the　printout　in　the　Velcro　pocket　of　her　Mark　IX　suit；　and　scrambled　on　all　fours　toward　the　sled；　trying　to　untangle　the　rope　from　the　sled　runners。　Tolland　was　right　behind　her。
　The　hailstones　suddenly　rained　down　in　a　barrage　against　the　sled；　as　if　Mother　Nature　had　abandoned　Corky　and　Norah　and　was　taking　direct　aim　at　Rachel　and　Tolland。　One　of　the　projectiles　slammed　into　the　top　of　the　sled　tarp；　partially　embedding　itself；　and　then　bounced　over；　landing　on　the　sleeve　of　Rachel's　coat。
　When　Rachel　saw　it；　she　froze。　In　an　instant；　the　bewilderment　she　had　been　feeling　turned　to　terror。　These　〃hailstones〃　were　man…made。　The　ball　of　ice　on　her　sleeve　was　a　flawlessly　shaped　spheroid　the　size　of　a　large　cherry。　The　surface　was　polished　and　smooth；　marred　only　by　a　linear　seam　around　the　circumference；　like　an　old…fashioned　lead　musket　ball；　machined　in　a　press。　The　globular　pellets　were；　without　a　doubt；　man…made。
　Ice　bullets。。。　
　As　someone　with　military　clearance；　Rachel　was　well　acquainted　with　the　new　experimental　〃IM〃　weaponry…Improvised　Munitions…snow　rifles　that　pacted　snow　into　ice　pellets；　desert　rifles　that　melted　sand　into　glass　projectiles；　water…based　firearms　that　shot　pulses　of　liquid　water　with　such　force　that　they　could　break　bones。　Improvised　Munitions　weaponry　had　an　enormous　advantage　over　conventional　weapons　because　IM　weapons　used　available　resources　and　literally　manufactured　munitions　on　the　spot；　providing　soldiers　unlimited　rounds　without　their　having　to　carry　heavy　conventional　bullets。　The　ice　balls　being　fired　at　them　now；　Rachel　knew；　were　being　pressed　〃on　demand〃　from　snow　fed　into　the　butt　of　the　rifle。
　As　was　often　the　case　in　the　intelligence　world；　the　more　one　knew；　the　more　frightening　a　scenario　became。　This　moment　was　no　exception。　Rachel　would　have　preferred　blissful　ignorance；　but　her　knowledge　of　IM　weaponry　instantly　led　her　to　a　sole　chilling　conclusion：　They　were　being　attacked　by　some　kind　of　U。S。　Special　Ops　force；　the　only　forces　in　the　country　currently　cleared　to　use　these　experimental　IM　weapons　in　the　field。
　The　presence　of　a　military　covert　operations　unit　brought　with　it　a　second；　even　more　terrifying　realization：　The　probability　of　surviving　this　attack　was　close　to　zero。
　The　morbid　thought　was　terminated　as　one　of　the　ice　pellets　found　an　opening　and　came　screaming　through　the　wall　of　gear　on　the　sled；　colliding　with　her　stomach。　Even　in　her　padded　Mark　IX　suit；　Rachel　felt　like　an　invisible　prizefighter　had　just　gut…punched　her。　Stars　began　to　dance　around　the　periphery　of　her　vision；　and　she　teetered　backward；　grabbing　gear　on　the　sled　for　balance。　Michael　Tolland　dropped　Norah's　tether　and　lunged　to　support　Rachel；　but　he　arrived　too　late。　Rachel　fell　backward；　pulling　a　pile　of　equipment　with　her。　She　and　Tollan