p&c.icelimit-第68章
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ip。 He had cut off the power to his suite； leaving him deaf； dumb； and blind。 There were matters to take care of back in New York … critical matters。 The enforced silence was costing him big money。 And there was something else； something that hurt more than money。 Glinn had humiliated him in front of the bridge officers and his own people。
Lloyd could forgive a lot of things； but that he could never forgive。 Palmer Lloyd had faced down presidents； prime ministers； sheikhs； captains of industry； and mob kingpins。 But this man was different。
In a paroxysm of rage he kicked out at one of the wing chairs； sending it crashing to the deck。 And then suddenly he whirled around； listening intently。
The howl of the wind； the faint grinding of machinery from the bogus worksite； went on as they had before。 But there had been another； more regular sound： something that Lloyd； in the full flood of his anger； had not immediately noticed。 There it was again： the staccato pop of as explosion。 It was very near； on the ship； in fact； because he could feel the deck shuddering faintly beneath his feet。
He waited in the faint light； muscles tense； curiosity now mingling with his outrage。 There it was again： the sound； followed by the shudder。
Something was happening on the maindeck。
Quickly； he walked out through the sitting room； down the corridor； and into the central suite。 Here； his secretaries and assistants sat awkwardly among the dead phones and darkened puters； talking quietly。 The talk fell away as he passed through the long； low space。 Noiselessly； Penfold slipped out of the shadows to pluck at his sleeve。 Brushing him away； Lloyd moved past the closed elevators and opened the soundproofed door that led to his private apartment。 He went through the rooms to the forward bulkhead of the superstructure。 He wiped the condensation from a porthole with the cuff of his suit jacket and peered out。
Below； the deck was a hive of activity。 Workers were battening down the deck equipment； checking fastenings； tightening hatches； making all the last frenzied preparations for a sea voyage。 But what caught his attention was the bizarre tower that reared out of the tank。 It was shorter than it had been before； much shorter； in fact。 Smoke and steam encircled it； blending with the fog to create clouds that unfurled along the deck in a slow…motion ballet。 As he watched； there was another rat…tat…tat of explosions。 The meteorite dropped slightly and the ship shuddered again。 Groups of workers scurried forward； clearing away the fresh debris before the next set of explosions。
Now he understood precisely what Glinn had meant by a controlled failure of the tower。 They were blowing it apart； bit by bit。 As he watched； Lloyd grasped that this was the best … probably the only … way of getting something that heavy into the tank。 He caught his breath at the brilliance and the audacity of it。
At this thought； a fresh spasm of rage ripped through his body。 But Lloyd closed his eyes against it； turning away； taking a deep breath； trying to calm himself。
Glinn had told him not to e； McFarlane had told him not to e。 But he had e anyway。 Just as he had leapt onto the meteorite when it was first exposed。 He thought of what had happened to the man named Timmer； and he shuddered。
Perhaps ing down again； guns blazing； had not been the right thing to do。 It was impulsive； and Lloyd knew enough about himself to know he was not normally an impulsive man。 He was too close to this： it had bee too personal。 J。P。 Morgan once said； 〃If you want something too much； you will not succeed in getting it。〃 He had always lived by that philosophy： he had never been afraid to walk away from a deal； no matter how lucrative。 The ability to fold a hand； even with four aces； had been his most valuable business asset。 Now； for the first time in his life； he had drawn a hand that he could not fold。 He was in the game to the finish； win or lose。
Lloyd found himself fighting an unfamiliar battle： a struggle to steady his mind。 He considered that he had not made 34 billion by being unreasonable and hot…tempered。 He had always avoided second…guessing his hired professionals。 In this terrible moment of humiliation； defeat； and self…reflection； he realized that Glinn might； in fact； have been acting in his best interests by sending him from the bridge and cutting him off from the world。 But even this thought touched off another wave of anger。 Best interests or not； the man had been arrogant and high…handed。 Glinn's coolness； his unflappability； his assumption of leadership； enraged Lloyd。 He had been humiliated in front of everyone； and he would never forget nor forgive it。 When all this was over； there would be a reckoning for Glinn； financial and otherwise。
But first they had to get the meteorite the hell out of there。 And Glinn seemed to be the only man who could do it。
Rolvaag；
3：40 A。M。
CAPTAIN BRITTON； the meteorite will be inside the holding tank within ten minutes。 The ship will be yours； and we can depart。〃
Glinn's words broke the long hush that had fallen over the bridge。 Like the others； McFarlane had been staring at the slow； regular progress of the meteorite into the belly of the Rolvaag。
For another minute； maybe two； Britton stood unmoving； statuesque； staring out the windows of the bridge as she had ever since Lloyd's departure。 At last she turned and looked directly at Glinn。 After a significant moment she turned toward the second officer。 〃Wind speed？〃
〃Thirty knots from the southwest； gusting to forty； and rising。〃
〃Currents？〃
The murmured exchange continued； while Glinn leaned toward his man at the puter console： 〃Have Puppup and Amira report to me here； please。〃
There was another rapid series of explosions。 The ship lurched； and the ballast pumps rumbled to pensate。
〃There's a weather front ing in；〃 Howell murmured。 〃We're losing our fog。〃
〃Visibility？〃 Britton asked。
〃Rising to five hundred yards。〃
〃Position of the warship？〃
〃Unchanged at twenty…two hundred yards； zero five one。〃
A gust of wind hit the ship hard。 Then there was a vast； hollow boom； different from anything McFarlane had felt before； and a shudder seemed to run through the very spine of the vessel。
〃The hull just hit the bluff；〃 said Britton quietly。
〃We can't move yet；〃 replied Glinn。 〃Will the hull stand it？〃
〃For a while；〃 Britton answered expressionlessly。 〃Perhaps。〃
A door at the far end of the bridge opened and Rachel entered。 She looked around； her bright alert eyes quickly sizing up the situation。 She came up beside McFarlane。 〃Garza better get that thing in the tank before we're holed；〃 she muttered。
There was another series of explosions； and the meteorite dropped farther。 Its base was now hidden inside the frame of the ship。
〃Dr。 McFarlane；〃 Glinn said without turning around。 〃Once the meteorite is secured in the tank； it bees yours。 I want you and Amira to monitor it round the clock。 Let me know if there's any change in readings； or in the meteorite's status。 I don't want any more surprises from that rock。〃
〃Right。〃
〃The lab is ready； and there's an observation platform above the tank。 If you need anything； let me know。〃
〃More lightning now；〃 the second officer broke in。 〃Ten miles out。〃
There was a moment of silence。
〃Speed this up；〃 Britton said suddenly to Glinn。
〃Can't；〃 murmured Glinn； almost absentmindedly。
〃Visibility one thousand yards；〃 said the second officer。 〃Wind speed increasing to forty knots。〃
McFarlane swallowed。 Everything had been moving ahead with such predictable； clockwork precision that he'd almost been lulled into forgetting the danger。 He remembered Lloyd's question： So how are you going to deal with that destroyer out there？ How indeed？ He wondered what Lloyd was doing； down in his darkened staterooms。 He thought； with surprisingly little regret； about the probable loss of his 750；000 fee； given what he had said to Lloyd。 It hardly mattered to him now … now that he had the rock。
Another crackle of explosions； and titanium struts flashed out； bouncing and skidding along the maindeck and ricocheting off the rails。 He could hear the thunk of additional st
