danbrown.deceptionpoint-第64部分

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　〃Just　switch　it　on；〃　Tolland　said。
　The　pilot　gave　Tolland　an　odd　look　and　then　adjusted　some　dials；　manding　the　thermal　lens　beneath　the　chopper　to　survey　a　three…mile　swatch　of　ocean　in　front　of　them。　An　LCD　screen　on　his　dashboard　lit　up。　The　image　came　into　focus。
　〃Holy　shit！〃　The　helicopter　lurched　momentarily　as　the　pilot　recoiled　in　surprise　and　then　recovered；　staring　at　the　screen。
　Rachel　and　Corky　leaned　forward；　looking　at　the　image　with　equal　surprise。　The　black　background　of　the　ocean　was　illuminated　by　an　enormous　swirling　spiral　of　pulsating　red。
　Rachel　turned　to　Tolland　with　trepidation。　〃It　looks　like　a　cyclone。〃
　〃It　is；〃　Tolland　said。　〃A　cyclone　of　warm　currents。　About　a　half　mile　across。〃
　The　Coast　Guard　pilot　chuckled　in　amazement。　〃That's　a　big　one。　We　see　these　now　and　then；　but　I　hadn't　heard　about　this　one　yet。〃
　〃Just　surfaced　last　week；〃　Tolland　said。　〃Probably　won't　last　more　than　another　few　days。〃
　〃What　causes　it？〃　Rachel　asked；　understandably　perplexed　by　the　huge　vortex　of　swirling　water　in　the　middle　of　the　ocean。
　〃Magma　dome；〃　the　pilot　said。
　Rachel　turned　to　Tolland；　looking　wary。　〃A　volcano？〃
　〃No；〃　Tolland　said。　〃The　East　Coast　typically　doesn't　have　active　volcanoes；　but　occasionally　we　get　rogue　pockets　of　magma　that　well　up　under　the　seafloor　and　cause　hot　spots。　The　hot　spot　causes　a　reverse　temperature　gradient…hot　water　on　the　bottom　and　cooler　water　on　top。　It　results　in　these　giant　spiral　currents。　They're　called　megaplumes。　They　spin　for　a　couple　of　weeks　and　then　dissipate。〃
　The　pilot　looked　at　the　pulsating　spiral　on　his　LCD　screen。　〃Looks　like　this　one's　still　going　strong。〃　He　paused；　checking　the　coordinates　of　Tolland's　ship；　and　then　looked　over　his　shoulder　in　surprise。　〃Mr。　Tolland；　it　looks　like　you're　parked　fairly　near　the　middle　of　it。〃
　Tolland　nodded。　〃Currents　are　a　little　slower　near　the　eye。　Eighteen　knots。　Like　anchoring　in　a　fast…moving　river。　Our　chain's　been　getting　a　real　workout　this　week。〃
　〃Jesus；〃　the　pilot　said。　〃Eighteen…knot　current？　Don't　fall　overboard！〃　He　laughed。
　Rachel　did　not　laugh。　〃Mike；　you　didn't　mention　this　megaplume；　magma　dome；　hot…current　situation。〃
　He　put　a　reassuring　hand　on　her　knee。　〃It's　perfectly　safe；　trust　me。〃
　Rachel　frowned。　〃So　this　documentary　you　were　making　out　here　was　about　this　magma　dome　phenomenon？〃
　〃Megaplumes　and　Sphyrna　mokarran。〃
　〃That's　right。　You　mentioned　that　earlier。〃
　Tolland　gave　a　coy　smile。　〃Sphyrna　mokarran　love　warm　water；　and　right　now；　every　last　one　for　a　hundred　miles　is　congregating　in　this　mile…wide　circle　of　heated　ocean。〃
　〃Neat。〃　Rachel　gave　an　uneasy　nod。　〃And　what；　pray　tell；　are　Sphyrna　mokarran？〃
　〃Ugliest　fish　in　the　sea。〃
　〃Flounder？〃
　Tolland　laughed。　〃Great　hammerhead　shark。〃
　Rachel　stiffened　beside　him。　〃You've　got　hammerhead　sharks　around　your　boat？〃
　Tolland　winked。　〃Relax；　they're　not　dangerous。〃
　〃You　wouldn't　say　that　unless　they　were　dangerous。〃
　Tolland　chuckled。　〃I　guess　you're　right。〃　He　called　playfully　up　to　the　pilot。　〃Hey；　how　long　has　it　been　since　you　guys　saved　anyone　from　an　attack　by　a　hammerhead？〃
　The　pilot　shrugged。　〃Gosh。　We　haven't　saved　anyone　from　a　hammerhead　in　decades。〃
　Tolland　turned　to　Rachel。　〃See。　Decades。　No　worries。〃
　〃Just　last　month；〃　the　pilot　added；　〃we　had　an　attack　where　some　idiot　skin　diver　was　chumming…〃
　〃Hold　on！〃　Rachel　said。　〃You　said　you　hadn't　saved　anyone　in　decades！〃
　〃Yeah；〃　the　pilot　replied。　〃Saved　anyone。　Usually；　we're　too　late。　Those　bastards　kill　in　a　hurry。〃
　
　　
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　From　the　air；　the　flickering　outline　of　the　Goya　loomed　on　the　horizon。　At　half　a　mile；　Tolland　could　make　out　the　brilliant　deck　lights　that　his　crewmember　Xavia　had　wisely　left　glowing。　When　he　saw　the　lights；　he　felt　like　a　weary　traveler　pulling　into　his　driveway。
　〃I　thought　you　said　only　one　person　was　onboard；〃　Rachel　said；　looking　surprised　to　see　all　the　lights。
　〃Don't　you　leave　a　light　on　when　you're　home　alone？〃
　〃One　light。　Not　the　entire　house。〃
　Tolland　smiled。　Despite　Rachel's　attempts　to　be　lighthearted；　he　could　tell　she　was　extremely　apprehensive　about　being　out　here。　He　wanted　to　put　an　arm　around　her　and　reassure　her；　but　he　knew　there　was　nothing　he　could　say。　〃The　lights　are　on　for　security。　Makes　the　ship　look　active。〃
　Corky　chuckled。　〃Afraid　of　pirates；　Mike？〃
　〃Nope。　Biggest　danger　out　here　is　the　idiots　who　don't　know　how　to　read　radar。　Best　defense　against　getting　rammed　is　to　make　sure　everyone　can　see　you。〃
　Corky　squinted　down　at　the　glowing　vessel。　〃See　you？　It　looks　like　a　Carnival　Cruise　line　on　New　Year's　Eve。　Obviously；　NBC　pays　your　electric。〃
　The　Coast　Guard　chopper　slowed　and　banked　around　the　huge　illuminated　ship；　and　the　pilot　began　maneuvering　toward　the　helipad　on　the　stern　deck。　Even　from　the　air；　Tolland　could　make　out　the　raging　current　pulling　at　the　ship's　hull　struts。　Anchored　from　its　bow；　the　Goya　was　aimed　into　the　current；　straining　at　its　massive　anchor　line　like　a　chained　beast。
　〃She　really　is　a　beauty；〃　the　pilot　said；　laughing。
　Tolland　knew　the　ment　was　sarcastic。　The　Goya　was　ugly。　〃Butt…ugly〃　according　to　one　television　reviewer。　One　of　only　seventeen　SWATH　ships　ever　built；　the　Goya's　Small…Waterplane…Area　Twin…Hull　was　anything　but　attractive。
　The　vessel　was　essentially　a　massive　horizontal　platform　floating　thirty　feet　above　the　ocean　on　four　huge　struts　affixed　to　pontoons。　From　a　distance；　the　ship　looked　like　a　low…slung　drilling　platform。　Up　close；　it　resembled　a　deck　barge　on　stilts。　The　crew　quarters；　research　labs；　and　navigation　bridge　were　housed　in　a　series　of　tiered　structures　on　top；　giving　one　the　rough　impression　of　a　giant　floating　coffee　table　supporting　a　hodgepodge　of　multistaged　buildings。
　Despite　its　less　than　streamlined　appearance；　the　Goya's　design　enjoyed　significantly　less　water…plane　area；　resulting　in　increased　stability。　The　suspended　platform　enabled　better　filming；　easier　lab　work；　and　fewer　seasick　scientists。　Although　NBC　was　pressuring　Tolland　to　let　them　buy　him　something　newer；　Tolland　had　refused。　Granted；　there　were　better　ships　out　there　now；　even　more　stable　ones；　but　the　Goya　had　been　his　home　for　almost　a　decade　now…the　ship　on　which　he　had　fought　his　way　back　after　Celia's　death。　Some　nights　he　still　heard　her　voice　in　the　wind　out　on　deck。　If　and　when　the　ghosts　ever　disappeared；　Tolland　would　consider　another　ship。
　Not　yet。
　　
　When　the　chopper　finally　set　down　on　the　Goya's　stern　deck；　Rachel　Sexton　felt　only　half…relieved。　The　good　news　was　that　she　was　no　longer　flying　over　the　ocean。　The　bad　news　was　that　she　was　now　standing　on　it。　She　fought　off　the　shaky　sensation　in　her　legs　as　she　climbed　onto　the　deck　and　looked　around。　The　deck　was　surprisingly　cramped；　particularly　with　the　helicopter　on　its　pad。　Moving　her　eyes　toward　the　bow；　Rachel　gazed　at　the　ungainly；　stacked　edifice　that　made　up　the　bulk　of　the　ship。
　Tolland　stood　close　beside　her。　〃I　know；〃　he　said；　talking　loudly　over　the　sound　of　the　raging　current。　〃It　looks　bigger　on　television。〃
　Rachel　nodded。　〃And　more　stable。〃
　〃This　is　one　of　the　safest　ships　on　the　sea。　I　promise。〃　Tolland　put　a　hand　on　her　shoulder　and　guided　her　across　the　deck。
　The　warmth　of　his　hand　did　more　to　calm　Rachel's　nerves　than　anything　he　could　have　said。　Nonetheless；　as　she　looked　toward　the　rear　of　the　ship；　she　saw　the　roiling　current　streaming　out　behind　them　as　though　the　ship　was　at　full　throttle。　We're　sitting　on　a　megaplume；　she　thought。
　Centered　on　the　foremost　section　of　rear　deck；　Rachel　spied　a　familiar；　one…man　Triton　submersible　hanging　on　a　giant　winch。　The　Triton…named　for　the　Greek　god　of　the　sea…looked　nothing　like　its　predecessor；　the　steel…encased　Alvin。　The　Triton　had　a　hemispherical　acrylic　dome　in　front；　making　it　look　more　like　a　giant　fishbowl　than　a　sub。　Rachel　could　think　of　few　things　more　terrifying　than　submerging　hundreds　of　feet　into　the　ocean　with　nothing　between　her　face　and　the　ocean　but　a　sheet　of　clear　acrylic。　Of　course；　according　to　Tolland；　the　only　unpleasant　part　of　riding　in　the　Triton　was　the　initial　deployment…being　slowly　winched　down　through　the　trap　door　in　the　Goya's　deck；　hanging　like　a　pendulum　thirty　feet　above　the　sea。
　〃Xavia　is　probably　in　the　hydrolab；〃　Tolland　said；　moving　across　the　deck。　〃This　way。〃
　Rachel　and　Corky　followed　Tolland　across　the　stern　deck。　The　Coast　Guard　pilot　remained　in　his　chopper　with　strict　instructions　not　to　use　the　radio。
　〃Have　a　look　at　this；〃　Tolland　said；　pausing　at　the　stern　railing　of　the　ship。
　Hesitantly；　Rachel　neared　the　railing。　They　were　very　high　up。　The　water　was　a　good　thirty　feet　below　them；　and　yet　Rachel　could　still　feel　the　heat　rising　off　the　water。
　〃It's　about　the　temperature　of　a　warm　bath；〃　Tolland　said　over　the　sound　of　the　current。　He　reached　toward　a　switch…box　on　the　railing。　〃Watch　this。〃　He　flipped　a　switch。
　A　wide　arc　of　light　spread　through　the　water　behind　the　ship；　illuminating　it　from　within　like　a　lit　swimming　pool。　Rachel　and　Corky　gasped　in　unison。
　The　water　around　the　ship　was　filled　with　dozens　of　ghostly　shadows。　Hovering　only　feet　below　the　illuminated　surface；　armies　of　sleek；　dark　forms　swam　in　parallel　against　the　current；　their　unmistakable　hammer…shaped　skulls　wagging　back　and　forth　as　if　to　the　beat　of　some　prehistoric　rhythm。
　〃Christ；　Mike；〃　Corky　stammered。　〃So　glad　you　shared　this　with　us。〃
　Rachel's　body　went　rigid。　She　wanted　to　step　back　from　the　railing；　but　she　could　not　move。　She　was　transfixed　by　the　petrifying　vista。
　〃Incredible；　aren't　they？〃　Tolland　said。　His　hand　was　on　her　shoulder　again；　forting。　〃They'll　tread　water　in　the　warm　spots　for　weeks。　These　guys　have　the　best　noses　in　the　sea…enhanced　telencephalon　olfactory　lobes。　They　can　smell　blood　up　to　a　mile　away。〃
　Corky　looked　skeptical。　〃Enhanced　telencephalon　olfactory　lobes？〃
　〃Don't　believe　me？〃　Tolland　began　rooting　around　in　an　aluminum　cabinet　adjacent　to　where　they　were　standing。　After　a　moment；　he　pulled　out　a　small；　dead　fish。　〃Perfect。〃　He　took　a　knife　from　the　cooler　and　cut　the　limp　fish　in　several　places。　It　started　to　drip　blood。
　〃Mike；　for　God's