danbrown.deceptionpoint-第82部分

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　Now；　inside　the　growing　humidity　and　heat　of　the　sub；　Rachel　opened　her　eyes　to　the　blackness　around　her。　She　heard　her　mother　whispering　from　the　grave；　her　voice　clear　even　here　in　the　sinking　Triton。
　Kick　with　your　feet。
　Rachel　looked　up　at　the　dome　overhead。　Mustering　the　last　of　her　courage；　Rachel　clambered　up　onto　the　cockpit　chair；　which　was　oriented　almost　horizontally　now；　like　a　dental　chair。　Lying　on　her　back；　Rachel　bent　her　knees；　pulled　her　legs　back　as　far　as　she　could；　aimed　her　feet　upward；　and　exploded　forward。　With　a　wild　scream　of　desperation　and　force；　she　drove　her　feet　into　the　center　of　the　acrylic　dome。　Spikes　of　pain　shot　into　her　shins；　sending　her　brain　reeling。　Her　ears　thundered　suddenly；　and　she　felt　the　pressure　equalize　with　a　violent　rush。　The　seal　on　the　left　side　of　the　dome　gave　way；　and　the　huge　lens　partially　dislodged；　swinging　open　like　a　barn　door。
　A　torrent　of　water　crashed　into　the　sub　and　drove　Rachel　back　into　her　chair。　The　ocean　thundered　in　around　her；　swirling　up　under　her　back；　lifting　her　now　off　the　chair；　tossing　her　upside　down　like　a　sock　in　a　washing　machine。　Rachel　groped　blindly　for　something　to　hold　on　to；　but　she　was　spinning　wildly。　As　the　cockpit　filled；　she　could　feel　the　sub　begin　a　rapid　free　fall　for　the　bottom。　Her　body　rammed　upward　in　the　cockpit；　and　she　felt　herself　pinned。　A　rush　of　bubbles　erupted　around　her；　twisting　her；　dragging　her　to　the　left　and　upward。　A　flap　of　hard　acrylic　smashed　into　her　hip。
　All　at　once　she　was　free。
　Twisting　and　tumbling　into　the　endless　warmth　and　watery　blackness；　Rachel　felt　her　lungs　already　aching　for　air。　Get　to　the　surface！　She　looked　for　light　but　saw　nothing。　Her　world　looked　the　same　in　all　directions。　Blackness。　No　gravity。　No　sense　of　up　or　down。
　In　that　terrifying　instant；　Rachel　realized　she　had　no　idea　which　way　to　swim。
　　
　Thousands　of　feet　beneath　her；　the　sinking　Kiowa　chopper　crumpled　beneath　the　relentlessly　increasing　pressure。　The　fifteen　high…explosive；　antitank　AGM…114　Hellfire　missiles　still　aboard　strained　against　the　pression；　their　copper　liner　cones　and　spring…detonation　heads　inching　perilously　inward。
　A　hundred　feet　above　the　ocean　floor；　the　powerful　shaft　of　the　megaplume　grabbed　the　remains　of　the　chopper　and　sucked　it　downward；　hurling　it　against　the　red…hot　crust　of　the　magma　dome。　Like　a　box　of　matches　igniting　in　series；　the　Hellfire　missiles　exploded；　tearing　a　gaping　hole　through　the　top　of　the　magma　dome。
　　
　Having　surfaced　for　air；　and　then　dove　again　in　desperation；　Michael　Tolland　was　suspended　fifteen　feet　underwater　scanning　the　blackness　when　the　Hellfire　missiles　exploded。　The　white　flash　billowed　upward；　illuminating　an　astonishing　image…a　freeze…frame　he　would　remember　forever。
　Rachel　Sexton　hung　ten　feet　below　him　like　a　tangled　marionette　in　the　water。　Beneath　her；　the　Triton　sub　fell　away　fast；　its　dome　hanging　loose。　The　sharks　in　the　area　scattered　for　the　open　sea；　clearly　sensing　the　danger　this　area　was　about　to　unleash。
　Tolland's　exhilaration　at　seeing　Rachel　out　of　the　sub　was　instantly　vanquished　by　the　realization　of　what　was　about　to　follow。　Memorizing　her　position　as　the　light　disappeared；　Tolland　dove　hard；　clawing　his　way　toward　her。
　　
　Thousands　of　feet　down；　the　shattered　crust　of　the　magma　dome　exploded　apart；　and　the　underwater　volcano　erupted；　spewing　twelve…hundred…degree…Celsius　magma　up　into　the　sea。　The　scorching　lava　vaporized　all　the　water　it　touched；　sending　a　massive　pillar　of　steam　rocketing　toward　the　surface　up　the　central　axis　of　the　megaplume。　Driven　by　the　same　kinematic　properties　of　fluid　dynamics　that　powered　tornadoes；　the　steam's　vertical　transfer　of　energy　was　counterbalanced　by　an　anticyclonic　vorticity　spiral　that　circled　the　shaft；　carrying　energy　in　the　opposite　direction。
　Spiraling　around　this　column　of　rising　gas；　the　ocean　currents　started　intensifying；　twisting　downward。　The　fleeing　steam　created　an　enormous　vacuum　that　sucked　millions　of　gallons　of　seawater　downward　into　contact　with　the　magma。　As　the　new　water　hit　bottom；　it　too　turned　into　steam　and　needed　a　way　to　escape；　joining　the　growing　column　of　exhaust　steam　and　shooting　upward；　pulling　more　water　in　beneath　it。　As　more　water　rushed　in　to　take　its　place；　the　vortex　intensified。　The　hydrothermal　plume　elongated；　and　the　towering　whirlpool　grew　stronger　with　every　passing　second；　its　upper　rim　moving　steadily　toward　the　surface。
　An　oceanic　black　hole　had　just　been　born。
　　
　Rachel　felt　like　a　child　in　a　womb。　Hot；　wet　darkness　all　engulfing　her。　Her　thoughts　were　muddled　in　the　inky　warmth。　Breathe。　She　fought　the　reflex。　The　flash　of　light　she　had　seen　could　only　have　e　from　the　surface；　and　yet　it　seemed　so　far　away。　An　illusion。　Get　to　the　surface。　Weakly；　Rachel　began　swimming　in　the　direction　where　she　had　seen　the　light。　She　saw　more　light　now。。。　an　eerie　red　glow　in　the　distance。　Daylight？　She　swam　harder。
　A　hand　caught　her　by　the　ankle。
　Rachel　half…screamed　underwater；　almost　exhaling　the　last　of　her　air。
　The　hand　pulled　her　backward；　twisting　her；　pointing　her　back　in　the　opposite　direction。　Rachel　felt　a　familiar　hand　grasp　hers。　Michael　Tolland　was　there；　pulling　her　along　with　him　the　other　way。
　Rachel's　mind　said　he　was　taking　her　down。　Her　heart　said　he　knew　what　he　was　doing。
　Kick　with　your　feet；　her　mother's　voice　whispered。
　Rachel　kicked　as　hard　as　she　could。
　
　　
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　Even　as　Tolland　and　Rachel　broke　the　surface；　he　knew　it　was　over。　The　magma　dome　erupted。　As　soon　as　the　top　of　the　vortex　reached　the　surface；　the　giant　underwater　tornado　would　begin　pulling　everything　down。　Strangely；　the　world　above　the　surface　was　not　the　quiet　dawn　he　had　left　only　moments　ago。　The　noise　was　deafening。　Wind　slashed　at　him　as　if　some　kind　of　storm　had　hit　while　he　was　underwater。
　Tolland　felt　delirious　from　lack　of　oxygen。　He　tried　to　support　Rachel　in　the　water；　but　she　was　being　pulled　from　his　arms。　The　current！　Tolland　tried　to　hold　on；　but　the　invisible　force　pulled　harder；　threatening　to　tear　her　from　him。　Suddenly；　his　grip　slipped；　and　Rachel's　body　slid　through　his　arms…but　upward。
　Bewildered；　Tolland　watched　Rachel's　body　rise　out　of　the　water。
　　
　Overhead；　the　Coast　Guard　Osprey　tilt…rotor　airplane　hovered　and　winched　Rachel　in。　Twenty　minutes　ago；　the　Coast　Guard　had　gotten　a　report　of　an　explosion　out　at　sea。　Having　lost　track　of　the　Dolphin　helicopter　that　was　supposed　to　be　in　the　area；　they　feared　an　accident。　They　typed　the　chopper's　last　known　coordinates　into　their　navigation　system　and　hoped　for　the　best。
　About　a　half　mile　from　the　illuminated　Goya；　they　saw　a　field　of　burning　wreckage　drifting　on　the　current。　It　looked　like　a　speedboat。　Nearby；　a　man　was　in　the　water；　waving　his　arms　wildly。　They　winched　him　in。　He　was　stark　naked…all　except　for　one　leg；　which　was　covered　with　duct　tape。
　Exhausted；　Tolland　looked　up　at　the　underbelly　of　the　thundering　tilt…rotor　airplane。　Deafening　gusts　pounded　down　off　its　horizontal　propellers。　As　Rachel　rose　on　a　cable；　numerous　sets　of　hands　pulled　her　into　the　fuselage。　As　Tolland　watched　her　dragged　to　safety；　his　eyes　spotted　a　familiar　man　crouched　half…naked　in　the　doorway。
　Corky？　Tolland's　heart　soared。　You're　alive！
　Immediately；　the　harness　fell　from　the　sky　again。　It　landed　ten　feet　away。　Tolland　wanted　to　swim　for　it；　but　he　could　already　feel　the　sucking　sensation　of　the　plume。　The　relentless　grip　of　the　sea　wrapped　around　him；　refusing　to　let　go。
　The　current　pulled　him　under。　He　fought　toward　the　surface；　but　the　exhaustion　was　overwhelming。　You're　a　survivor；　someone　was　saying。　He　kicked　his　legs；　clawing　toward　the　surface。　When　he　broke　through　into　the　pounding　wind；　the　harness　was　still　out　of　reach。　The　current　strained　to　drag　him　under。　Looking　up　into　the　torrent　of　swirling　wind　and　noise；　Tolland　saw　Rachel。　She　was　staring　down；　her　eyes　willing　him　up　toward　her。
　It　took　Tolland　four　powerful　strokes　to　reach　the　harness。　With　his　last　ounce　of　strength；　he　slid　his　arm　and　head　up　into　the　loop　and　collapsed。
　All　at　once　the　ocean　was　falling　away　beneath　him。
　Tolland　looked　down　just　as　the　gaping　vortex　opened。　The　megaplume　had　finally　reached　the　surface。
　？　　　　？　　　　？
　William　Pickering　stood　on　the　bridge　of　the　Goya　and　watched　in　dumbstruck　awe　as　the　spectacle　unfolded　all　around　him。　Off　the　starboard　of　the　Goya's　stern；　a　huge　basinlike　depression　was　forming　on　the　surface　of　the　sea。　The　whirlpool　was　hundreds　of　yards　across　and　expanding　fast。　The　ocean　spiraled　into　it；　racing　with　an　eerie　smoothness　over　the　lip。　All　around　him　now；　a　guttural　moan　reverberated　out　of　the　depths。　Pickering's　mind　was　blank　as　he　watched　the　hole　expanding　toward　him　like　the　gaping　mouth　of　some　epic　god　hungry　for　sacrifice。
　I'm　dreaming；　Pickering　thought。
　Suddenly；　with　an　explosive　hiss　that　shattered　the　windows　of　the　Goya's　bridge；　a　towering　plume　of　steam　erupted　skyward　out　of　the　vortex。　A　colossal　geyser　climbed　overhead；　thundering；　its　apex　disappearing　into　the　darkened　sky。
　Instantly；　the　funnel　walls　steepened；　the　perimeter　expanding　faster　now；　chewing　across　the　ocean　toward　him。　The　stern　of　the　Goya　swung　hard　toward　the　expanding　cavity。　Pickering　lost　his　balance　and　fell　to　his　knees。　Like　a　child　before　God；　he　gazed　downward　into　the　growing　abyss。
　His　final　thoughts　were　for　his　daughter；　Diana。　He　prayed　she　had　not　known　fear　like　this　when　she　died。
　　
　The　concussion　wave　from　the　escaping　steam　hurled　the　Osprey　sideways。　Tolland　and　Rachel　held　each　other　as　the　pilots　recovered；　banking　low　over　the　doomed　Goya。　Looking　out；　they　could　see　William　Pickering…the　Quaker…kneeling　in　his　black　coat　and　tie　at　the　upper　railing　of　the　doomed　ship。
　As　the　stern　fishtailed　out　over　the　brink　of　the　massive　twister；　the　anchor　cable　finally　snapped。　With　its　bow　proudly　in　the　air；　the　Goya　slipped　backward　over　the　watery　ledge；　sucked　down　the　steep　spiraling　wall　of　water。　Her　lights　were　still　glowing　as　she　disappeared　beneath　the　sea。
　
　　
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　The　Washington　morning　was　clear　and　crisp。
　A　breeze　sent　eddies　of　l