p&c.icelimit-第59章
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〃We don't know yet；〃 Glinn said。 〃McFarlane and Rachel Amira have just returned from examining the meteorite。〃 He motioned McFarlane toward the speaker。
McFarlane moved forward with great unwillingness。 He swallowed。 〃Mr。 Lloyd；〃 he began。 〃What I'm about to tell you is theoretical； a conclusion based on what I've observed。 But I think we were wrong about how Nestor Masangkay died。〃
〃Wrong？〃 said Lloyd。 〃What do you mean？ And what does it have to do with the death of this man Hill？〃
〃If I'm right； it has everything to do with it。 I think both men died because they touched the meteorite。〃
For a moment； the hut was silent save for the pop and stutter of the radio。
〃Sam； that's absurd；〃 Lloyd said。 〃I touched the meteorite。〃
〃Bear with me。 We thought Nestor was killed by lightning。 And it's true； the meteorite is a powerful attractor。 But Garza can tell you that the blast in the tunnel was on the order of a billion volts。 No lightning bolt could produce that kind of power。 I examined the cart and meteorite。 The pattern of damage shows definite signs that the meteorite threw out a massive blast of electricity itself。〃
〃But I laid my damn cheek against it。 And I'm still here。〃
〃I know that。 I don't have an answer yet to why you were spared。 But nothing else fits。 The tunnel was deserted； the meteorite was shielded from the elements。 No other force was acting upon it。 It looks like a bolt of electricity came out of the rock； passed through part of the cart and cradle； spraying molten metal outward。 And beneath the cart； I found a glove。 It was the only piece of Hill's clothing not burned。 I think he dropped the glove so he could touch the meteorite。〃
〃Why would he do something like that？〃 Lloyd asked impatiently。
This time； it was Rachel who spoke up。 〃Why did you？〃 she asked。 〃That's one mighty strange…looking rock。 You can't always predict what someone's going to do the first time they see it。〃
〃Jesus； this is unbelievable；〃 Lloyd said。 There was a moment of silence。 〃But you can proceed。 Right？〃
McFarlane darted a look at Glinn。
〃The cart and the cradle have been damaged；〃 Glinn said。 〃But Mr。 Garza tells me they can be repaired within twentyfour hours。 The meteorite remains a question； however。〃
〃Why？〃 Lloyd asked。 〃Was it damaged？〃
〃No；〃 Glinn continued。 〃It appears to be unscathed。 I'd given standing orders from the beginning to treat this thing as if it was dangerous。 Now … if Dr。 McFarlane's right … we know that it is。 We must take additional precautions to load that rock onto the ship。 But we have to move fast： it's also dangerous to remain here any longer than absolutely necessary。〃
〃I don't like it。 You should have figured out these precautions before we ever left New York。〃
It seemed to McFarlane that Glinn's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly。 〃Mr。 Lloyd； this meteorite has confounded all our expectations。 We're now outside the parameters of the original EES analysis。 That has never happened before。 Do you know what that normally means？〃 Lloyd did not reply。
〃We abort the project；〃 Glinn finished。
〃That is not a goddamn option！〃 Lloyd was suddenly shouting； but the reception had grown so poor that McFarlane had to strain to hear。 〃I don't want that kind of talk。 You hear me？ Glinn； you get the goddamn rock on the boat and you bring it home。〃
Abruptly； the radio cut out。
〃He terminated the transmission；〃 said Garza。
The hut was silent； all eyes were on Glinn。
Over the man's shoulder； McFarlane could see Rocco； still at his grisly task。 He had what looked like a piece of skull in his gloved hands； an eyeball hanging from it； held only by the ocular nerve。
Rachel sighed； shook her head； and rose slowly from her wooden chair。 〃So what do we do？〃
〃For now； help us get the plant back on line。 Once we have power； you two will tackle that problem。〃 Glinn turned to McFarlane。 〃Where's Hill's glove？〃
〃Right here。〃 McFarlane reached wearily for his satchel； pulled out a sealed baggie； and held it up。
〃That's a leather glove；〃 Garza said。 〃The construction team was issued Gore…Tex gloves。〃
There was a sudden silence。
〃Mr。 Glinn？〃
Rocco's voice was so sharp； the note of surprise so clear； that everyone glanced toward him。 He still had the piece of skull in his hand； poised in front of his chin； as if he were about to take a snapshot with it。
〃Yes； Mr。 Rocco？〃
〃Frank Hill had brown eyes。〃
Glinn's face flicked from Rocco to the skull and then back again； the mute question clear on his face。
With an oddly delicate motion； Rocco drew the cuff of his shirt across the dangling eyeball； wiping it clean。
〃This isn't Hill；〃 he said。 〃This eye is blue。〃
Isla Desolacion；
12：40 A。M。
GLINN STOPPED； arrested by the sight of the eyeball dangling from a strip of nerve。 〃Mr。 Garza？〃 His voice was unusually calm。
〃Sir。〃
〃Get a team together。 Find Hill。 Use probes； thermal sensors。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃But keep a sharp eye out。 Watch for booby traps； snipers。 Don't rule out anything。〃
Garza disappeared into the night。 Glinn took the shattered eye from Rocco and began rotating it under his gaze。 It seemed to McFarlane that he scrutinized it as one might a piece of fine porcelain。 Then he walked over to the table where the body parts lay divided between the tarp and the cold…storage locker。
〃Let's see what we've got here；〃 he murmured。 As McFarlane watched； he began sorting through them； handling each piece； peering at it critically； setting it down again and moving to the next； like a shopper browsing the meat section of a supermarket。
〃Blond；〃 he said； holding up a tiny hair to the light。 He began assembling pieces of the head。 〃High cheekbones。。。 close…cropped hair。。。 Nordic features。。。〃 He put them aside and continued rummaging。 〃Death's head tattoo on the right arm。。。 Young； perhaps twenty…five。〃
His examination lasted fifteen minutes； during which nobody else spoke。 At last； he straightened up and went to wash his hands in the sink。 There was no water； so he flicked the excess matter from his hands and wiped them with a towel。 Then he paced the length of the hut； turned； walked back。
Suddenly； Glinn went still。 He seemed to have e to a decision。 He plucked a radio from the table。 〃Thompson？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃What's the status on the generator？〃
〃Britton is bringing it herself； she wouldn't risk her crew。 She says Brambell will e as soon as it's safe。 The storm is supposed to ease by dawn。〃
The radio beeped and Glinn switched frequencies。 〃Found Hill；〃 came Garza's terse voice。
〃Yes？〃
〃He was buried in a snowdrift。 Throat cut。 Very professional piece of work。〃
〃Thank you； Mr。 Garza。〃 Glinn's profile was dully illuminated in the emergency light of the hut。 A single bead of sweat stood on his brow。
〃And there's a pair of snowshoes hidden in the entrance shack。 Like the glove； they're not ours。〃
〃I see。 Bring Hill's body to the medical hut； please。 We wouldn't want it to freeze before Dr。 Brambell arrives； that would be inconvenient。〃
〃So who was this other man？〃 McFarlane asked。
Instead of answering； Glinn turned away and murmured something in Spanish； just loud enough for McFarlane to catch： 〃You are not a wise man； mi andante。 Not a wise man at all。〃
Isla Desolacion；
July 23； 12：05 P。M。
THE STORM eased； and forty…eight hours passed without further incident。 Security was beefed up considerably； guard duty was tripled； additional cameras were installed； and a perimeter of motion…detecting sensors was sunk into the snow around the operation。
Meanwhile； work on the sunken roadway proceeded at a breakneck pace。 As soon as one section was built； the meteorite and cart were dragged along； inch by inch； to rest only while the capstan was repositioned； a new section of roadway built； and the previous section filled in。 Safety precautions around the meteorite had been redoubled。
At last； the excavators reached the interior of the snowfield。 Here； sheltered beneath almost two hundred feet of solid ice； the meteorite waited while digging teams cored through the snowfield from both ends。
Eli Glinn stood inside the mouth of the ice tunnel； watching the progress as the grea
