cc.goldenbuddha-第40部分

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；　Kasim　activated　the　digital　timer。　Four；　three；　two；　one；　and　the　red　light　blinked。　〃Give　the　signal　again；〃　Murphy　said　as　he　backed　the　Zodiac　away。　
　
　IT　WAS　LIKE　Hornsby　was　riding　a　log　down　a　flume。　He　was　almost　awash　and　the　distance　over　his　head　to　the　top　of　the　pipe　was　narrowing　as　the　water　continued　rising。　The　last　turn　had　been　made　by　gouging　his　paddle　into　the　water　and　bringing　the　bow　slightly　to　one　side。　He　readied　his　leg　to　push　against　the　wall　for　the　next　bend。　Hornsby　had　lost　sight　of　the　others。　The　light　on　his　hard　hat　was　nearly　out　and　he　had　no　way　to　know　if　Meadows　and　Jones　had　taken　the　correct　channel。　Anyway；　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　if　they　hadn't。　He　was　more　concerned　for　his　own　survival。　He　jammed　his　leg　against　the　wall　and　the　raft　lumbered　over　into　the　correct　channel。　And　then；　like　the　distant　chirping　of　a　mother　bird　calling　her　young；　he　heard　the　faint　sound　of　a　horn　sounding　three　times。　The　raft；　with　Hornsby　atop　the　Golden　Buddha；　raced　on　the　current　in　the　direction　of　the　sound。　
　
　AS　THE　ZODIAC　circled；　Kasim　attempted　to　keep　a　portable　spotlight　trained　at　the　opening　of　the　pipe。　The　timer　on　the　satchel　I　charge　was　ticking　down　and；　quite　honestly；　he　was　beginning　to　lose　faith　this　was　all　going　to　work　out。　〃Two　minutes；〃　he　said　over　the　sound　of　the　motor。　Murphy　listened　intently。　A　sound　was　ing　from　the　tunnel　that　sounded　like　the　bellowing　of　a　wounded　animal。　And　then；　riding　on　a　scream　and　a　prayer；　Cliff　Hornsby　shot　from　the　pipe　and　slid　halfway　across　the　pond。　Murphy　quickly　angled　the　Zodiac　alongside　and　Kasim　grabbed　the　edge　of　the　raft。　
　〃Where　are　the　others？〃　Murphy　shouted。　Hornsby　wiped　the　water　from　his　eyes　and　glanced　at　the　high…barreled　ceiling　just　barely　visible　from　the　spotlight　trained　on　the　timer。　〃They　were　right　behind　me。〃
　〃Did　you　see　any　colored　water？〃　Kasim　asked。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃They　poured　paint　in　the　manhole　to　trace　the　flow　of　water；〃　Murphy　said。　〃Did　you　see　anything　in　the　water？〃
　〃No；〃　Hornsby　said。　〃One　minute；　thirty　seconds；〃　Kasim　said。
　〃What's　happening？〃　Hornsby　asked。　
　〃We've　been　ordered　to　seal　off　this　exit；〃　Murphy　said；　〃so　we　have　a　chance　at　a　clean　escape。　Sound　the　horn。〃　
　
　JONES　WAS　LYING　in　the　bottom　of　the　raft；　barely　able　to　move。　If　they　had　to　go　in　the　water　or　needed　to　attempt　an　escape；　Meadows　figured　he'd　have　to　carry　him。　They　had　made　the　last　turn；　but　just　barely。　Anything　from　here　on　out　had　a　limited　chance　for　success。　
　〃How's　it　going；　pal？〃　he　asked。　Jones　listened　to　the　distant　sound；　then　opened　his　eyes　and　grimaced。
　〃Did　you　hear　that？〃
　〃What？〃　Meadows　asked；　thinking　Jones　was　hallucinating。　
　〃They　came　for　us；〃　Jones　said。　
　Eighteen　seconds　later；　their　raft　shot　out　of　the　pipe　and　into　the　holding　pond。　
　〃I　don't　have　time　to　explain；〃　Murphy　yelled；　〃but　take　this　line　and　hold　tight。〃　
　〃Just　passed　thirty；〃　Kasim　yelled。　
　Murphy　finished　tying　the　leads　for　the　two　rafts　to　the　rear　of　the　Zodiac；　then　slammed　the　throttle　forward。　The　outboard　prop　dug　into　the　water　and　the　boat　lurched　forward　across　the　holding　pond；　then　into　the　exit　tunnel。　
　〃Heads　down；〃　Murphy　shouted；　staring　at　his　stopwatch。　
　At　just　that　instant；　a　roar　filled　the　square　holding　area　and　reverberated　out　the　escape　tunnel。　A　second　later；　the　inflow　pipe　collapsed　down　on　itself　and　sealed　off　the　holding　pond。　At　the　same　time；　a　wave　began　to　build　that　rolled　across　the　pond　and　sought　the　only　opening。　The　top　of　the　wave　was　higher　than　the　exit　pipe　and　filled　the　outflow　to　overflowing。　Kasim　swung　the　spotlight　around　and　noticed　the　approaching　tsunami。　
　〃Shock　wave　approaching；〃　he　shouted　as　the　Zodiac　with　the　rafts　in　tow　entered　the　pipe　leading　to　the　bay。　
　　
　ON　BOARD　THE　Oregon；　preparations　for　departure　were　moving　at　lightning　speed。　
　Juan　Cabrillo　reached　for　the　telephone　and　placed　a　call　to　the　acting　harbormaster。　
　〃Don't　worry；〃　he　said；　after　lying　that　his　parent　pany　had　ordered　him　to　leave　immediately；　〃we　have　another　ship　lined　up　in　Manila　to　take　the　load　of　fireworks　to　the　United　States。　She'll　be　here　day　after　tomorrow。〃　
　The　harbormaster　seemed　to　accept　this　as　fact。　Because　it　was　late　and　little　was　happening；　he　was　talkative。　
　〃Singapore；〃　Cabrillo　said　in　answer　to　his　question；　〃but　they　haven't　told　me　the　cargo；　only　that　we　need　to　be　there　seventy…two　hours　from　now。〃　
　Singapore　was　fifteen　hundred　miles　as　a　crow　flies；　and　from　what　the　harbormaster　had　heard；　the　Oregon　would　be　hard…pressed　to　make　twenty　knots　an　hour。　The　man　had　no　way　to　know　that　if　the　ship　made　it　into　open　water　by　sunrise；　it　could　be　in　Singapore　by　lunch　the　next　day。　Nor　did　he　know　the　Oregon　was　not　going　to　Singapore　at　all。
　〃Yes；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃it's　pushing　for　sure；　but　orders　are　orders。　Is　the　pilot　on　his　way　here？〃
　The　harbormaster　answered　in　the　affirmative；　and　Cabrillo　hurried　to　get　off　the　telephone。
　〃We'll　keep　an　eye　out　for　him；〃　Cabrillo　finished；　〃and　thank　you。〃
　Hanging　up　the　telephone；　Cabrillo　turned　to　Hanley。　The　time　was　4：41　a。m。
　〃Sounds　like　he　bought　it；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Order　the　lookout　to　watch　for　the　approaching　pilot　boat。〃
　Hanley　nodded。　〃The　helicopter　with　Adams　and　Reyes　is　back；　and　I've　ordered　all　the　hatches　battened　down。　Which　means　we　need　to　retrieve　the　Zodiacs　in　open　water。〃
　〃What　do　you　hear　from　them？〃　Cabrillo　asked。
　〃Seng　and　Huxley　report　they　are　still　waiting　outside；〃　Hanley　said；　staring　at　his　watch。
　〃Murphy　was　ordered　to　blow　up　an　inner　cavern　any　time　about　now　to　seal　off　the　flow　of　paint　and　at　least　allow　the　four　rescuers　to　escape。　As　of　the　last　munication　a　few　minutes　ago；　Hornsby；　Jones　and　Meadows　had　not　shown　up　with　the　Golden　Buddha。〃
　〃I　don't　like　it；〃　Cabrillo　said。
　〃I　had　to　make　a　decision　when　you　were　dealing　with　the　art　dealer；〃　Hanley　said　quietly。　〃If　the　helicopter　salting　the　water　didn't　throw　off　the　Chinese；　not　only　would　we　lose　the　men　in　the　tunnel；　but　the　rescue　crew　as　well。〃
　〃I　know；　Max；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃You're　just　following　the　book。〃
　The　two　men　stared　at　one　another　for　a　moment。　Then　Eric　Stone　spoke。　　
　〃Sirs；〃　Stone　said；　pointing　at　a　screen；　〃we　just　detected　a　shock　wave　from　an　explosion。〃　
　
　MURPHY　HAD　THE　throttle　on　the　Zodiac　as　far　forward　as　she　would　go。　The　trio　of　boats　was　rocketing　down　the　tunnel　leading　out　to　the　bay。　They　were　only　ten　feet　ahead　of　the　approaching　wave　from　the　explosion；　but　now　that　they　were　at　full　speed；　the　margin　was　remaining　constant。　
　〃Try　to　reach　Seng　on　the　radio；〃　Murphy　shouted　over　the　noise；　〃and　tell　him　what's　happening。〃
　Kasim　nodded　and　reached　for　the　microphone。　〃Eddie；〃　he　shouted　into　the　microphone；　〃we　have　the　target　with　us。　Clear　away　from　the　openingwe're　ing　out　hot。〃
　〃Got　it；〃　Seng　shouted　from　just　outside　the　pipe。　A　few　minutes　before；　Seng　and　Huxley　had　heard　the　rumble　from　the　explosion　and　had　climbed　aboard　the　second　Zodiac。　They　were　just　backing　away　from　shore　when　Kasim　radioed。　Seng　turned　the　Zodiac　and　then　accelerated　away　into　the　bay。　Once　they　reached　the　edge　of　the　fog　and　rain　band；　he　turned　toward　land　and　pointed　a　spotlight　at　the　outflow　pipe。　
　〃Call　the　Oregon；〃　he　said　to　Huxley；　〃and　report　team　two　is　on　their　way　out。〃　
　
　THE　PILOT　BOAT　pulled　alongside　the　Oregon。　A　single　tugboat　hovered　nearby；　awaiting　instructions　from　the　pilot。　The　pilot　climbed　off　his　boat　at　a　boarding　ladder；　made　his　way　on　deck；　and　then　stared　around。　The　upper　deck　was　a　tangled　mess　of　rusting　equipment　and　cables。　He　stared　above；　where　the　smokestack　was　polluting　the　air　around　the　slip　with　smoky；　oily　fumes。　This　was　a　ship　begging　to　be　put　out　of　her　misery　at　a　scrapyard。　〃What　a　pile　of　junk；〃　the　pilot　muttered　to　himself。　
　〃A　LIGHT　AT　THE　end　of　the　tunnel；〃　Murphy　shouted。　
　A　man　stepped　from　behind　a　pillar。　〃I'm　Captain　Smith；〃　he　said。　〃Wele　aboard。〃　
　The　captain　was　dressed　in　tattered　yellow　rain　slickers　spotted　with　grease　and　dirt。　His　face　had　a　full　beard；　stained　around　the　mouth　by　nicotine；　and　when　Smith　cracked　a　smile；　he　showed　a　forest　of　yellow　stubs。　
　〃I'm　ready　to　guide　you　out；〃　the　pilot　said；　staying　a　safe　distance　away　from　the　man's　odor。　
　〃This　way；〃　the　captain　said；　turning。　
　The　pilot　followed　the　captain　as　he　wove　his　way　around　the　tangled　mess　on　the　decks　to　the　rusted　metal　stair　leading　to　the　pilothouse。　Halfway　up　the　stair；　the　pilot　gripped　for　a　handrail　and　it　came　off　in　his　hand。　
　〃Captain；〃　he　said。　
　Smith　turned；　then　walked　a　few　steps　to　where　the　pilot　was　stopped。　Then　he　took　the　length　of　rusted　pipe　in　his　hand　and　tossed　it　over　his　shoulder　onto　the　cluttered　deck。　
　〃I'll　make　a　note　of　that；〃　he　said；　swiveling　around　again　and　climbing　the　last　few　steps　to　the　pilothouse。　
　The　pilot　shook　his　head。　The　sooner　he　was　off　the　ship；　the　happier　he'd　be。　
　Six　minutes　later；　the　Oregon　was　turned　and　partway　out　of　the　port。　The　pilot　ordered　the　line　from　the　tug　removed　and　the　Oregon　headed　away　from　land　under　her　own　power。　
　To　the　rear　of　the　Oregon；　now　growing　dimmer　in　the　distance；　the　mountain　peak　on　Macau　began　to　recede　in　the　rain　and　fog。　Only　a　few　lights　from　the　airport　remained　in　sight。　
　〃How　long　until　you　can　be　picked　up？〃　Cabrillo　asked　the　pilot。　
　The　pilot　pointed　to　a　channel　marker　thirty　yards　ahead。　The　high…powered　light　was　penetrating　the　gloom。　A　few　more　minutes　and　he　could　be　off　this　beast　of　a　ship。　
　
　The　Zodiac　was　racing　toward　the　bay　just　ahead　of　the　shock　wave　that　would　fill　the　pipe　to　the　top。　Hornsby　was　holding　tight　to　his　raft　and　the　top　of　the　Golden　Buddha；　while　Meadows　gripped　the　side　of　the　Zodiac　and　glanced　down　at　Jones；　who　was　clutching　his　side　in　the　bottom　of　the　raft。　
　〃A　few　more　seconds；　Jonesy；〃　he　shouted；　〃and　we'll　be　in　the　clear。〃　
　Jones　nodded　but　did　not　speak。　
　The　exit　from　the　pipe　was　like　riding　over　a　waterfall　on　a　class　IV　rapid。　The　water　was　spewing　out　of　the　pipe　with　tremendous　force。