p&c.thunderhead-第83章

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　〃This　is　Wahweap！〃　Briggs　screamed　into　the　telephone。　〃What　the　hell　is　going　on　at　our　marina？〃　
　〃Calm　yourself；　Mr。　Briggs；〃　came　the　unruffled　voice　of　the　air…traffic　supervisor。　〃There's　a　big　search…and…rescue　being　organized。　Just　learned　about　it　a　few　minutes　ago。〃　
　One　group　of　guardsmen　was　laying　down　the　traffic　barriers；　while　another　group　had　gone　down　to　the　ramp　to　clear　a　trail；　shooing　boats　away　from　the　marina。　〃What　does　that　have　to　do　with　me？〃　Briggs　shouted。　
　〃It's　in　the　back　country；　west　of　Kaiparowits。〃　
　〃Jesus。　What　a　place　to　be　lost。　Who　is　it？〃　
　〃Don't　know。　Nobody's　saying　anything。〃　
　Must　be　those　dumb…ass　archaeologists；　Briggs　thought。　Only　a　crazy　person　would　go　into　that　back　country。　Another　approaching　engine　added　to　the　din；　and　he　turned　to　see　a　semi　backing　a　large；　sleek…looking　motorboat　toward　the　water。　Twin…diesel　housings　jutted　from　its　stern　like　machine　gun　turrets。　
　〃Why　the　helicopters？〃　Briggs　plained　into　the　phone。　〃There's　such　a　maze　of　canyons　back　there　you'd　never　find　anything。　Besides；　you　couldn't　land　anywhere　even　if　you　did　find　something。〃　
　〃I　understand　they're　just　ferrying　equipment　to　the　far　end　of　the　lake。　I　told　you；　this　is　big。〃　
　The　boat　had　been　set　in　the　water　with　remarkable　speed；　and　with　a　roar　the　semi　pulled　away；　leaving　the　ramp　awash。　The　boat　rumbled　to　life；　turned；　and　nudged　the　dock；　waiting　just　long　enough　for　two　men　to　board：　one；　a　young　man　wearing　a　José　Cuervo　T…shirt；　the　other　a　thin；　gray…haired　man　in　khakis。　A　monstrous…looking　brown　dog　leaped　in　behind　them。　Immediately；　the　boat　took　off；　roaring　through　the　no…wake　zone　at　full　speed；　leaving　a　hundred　jetskis　bobbing　madly　in　its　wake。　The　huge　helicopters　dug　their　noses　in　the　air　and　turned　to　follow。　
　Briggs　watched　with　disbelief　as　the　horse　trailer　came　sliding　down　the　ramp　toward　the　waiting　pontoon　boat。　
　〃This　can't　be　happening；〃　he　murmured。　
　〃Oh；　it's　happening；〃　came　the　laconic　reply。　〃I'm　sure　they'll　be　calling　you；　too。　Gotta　go。〃　
　Briggs　punched　at　the　phone　furiously；　but　even　as　he　did　so　it　began　to　ring：　a　shrill；　insistent　chirp　over　the　grinding　of　gears　and　the　calls　of　the　onlookers。　
　
　
52
　
　BLACK　SANK　DOWN　BESIDE　THE　DEAD　FIRE；　exhausted　and　soaked　through。　The　belated　rain　beat　its　regular　cadence　upon　his　shoulders；　not　as　furiously　as　it　had　an　hour　before；　but　steadily；　with　large；　fat　drops。　He　paid　it　no　heed。　
　Although　the　initial　surge　of　the　flood　had　abated；　the　water　continued　to　roar　down　the　center　of　the　valley；　its　brown　moiling　surface　like　the　muscled　back　of　some　monstrous　beast。　Distantly；　he　watched　its　wide　course；　around　and　over　stranded　trees；　arrowing　for　the　mouth　of　the　smaller　slot　canyon　at　the　far　end　of　the　valley。　There；　in　the　confined　space；　the　violence　of　the　water　returned；　and　huge　spumes　of　froth　and　spray　leaped　up　toward　the　cloud…heavy　sky。　
　For　almost　two　hours　they　had　hovered　at　the　water's　edge。　Sloane　had　made　a　valiant　rescue　effort：　roving　the　banks；　spanning　the　flood　with　rescue　ropes；　scanning　the　water　ceaselessly　for　survivors。　Black　had　never　seen　such　a　heroic　attempt。　Or　such　a　believable　piece　of　acting；　for　that　matter。　He　passed　a　hand　over　his　eyes　as　he　sat　hunched　forward。　Perhaps　it　wasn't　an　act；　right　now；　he　was　too　tired　to　care。　
　Eventually；　all　except　Sloane　had　gravitated　away　from　the　water's　edge　to　the　camp。　The　remaining　drysacks；　scattered　by　the　wind；　had　been　organized；　the　tents　repitched　and　restaked；　the　riot　of　twigs　and　branches　cleared　away。　Nobody　had　spoken；　but　all　had　lent　a　hand。　It　was　as　if　they　had　to　do　something；　anything；　constructive；　anything　was　easier　to　endure　than　standing　uselessly；　staring　at　the　rushing　water。　
　Black　sat　back；　took　a　deep　breath；　and　looked　around。　Beside　him；　in　neat　rows；　lay　the　gear　that　had　been　intended　for　the　trip　home：　still　packed　and　ready　to　be　hauled　out；　a　silent　mockery　of　the　portage　out　the　slot　canyon　that　had　never　happened。　Nothing　else　remained　to　be　done。　
　Bonarotti；　taking　his　cue　from　Black；　came　over　and　silently　began　to　unpack　his　kitchen　gear。　This；　more　than　anything　else；　seemed　to　be　a　mute　statement　that　hope　had　been　lost。　Pulling　out　a　small　ring　burner　and　a　propane　shield；　he　put　on　a　pot　of　espresso；　protecting　it　from　the　rain　with　his　body。　Soon　Swire　came　over；　looking　shocked　and　subdued。　Sloane　followed　after　a　few　minutes；　walking　silently　up　from　the　rushing　waters。　Bonarotti　pressed　a　cup　of　coffee　into　each　of　their　hands；　and　Black　drank　his　gratefully；　gulping　it　down；　feeling　the　warmth　of　the　coffee　trickle　into　his　aching　limbs。　
　Sloane　accepted　her　cup　from　Bonarotti；　turning　her　amber　eyes　toward　him。　Then　she　looked　at　Swire；　and　then…more　significantly…at　Black；　before　returning　her　gaze　to　the　cook。　At　last；　she　broke　the　silence。　
　〃I　think　we　have　to　accept　the　fact　that　nobody　survived　the　flood。〃　Her　voice　was　low　and　a　little　unsteady。　〃There　just　wasn't　time　for　them　to　make　it　through　the　slot　canyon。〃　
　She　paused。　Black　listened　to　the　rush　of　the　water；　the　patter　of　rain。　
　〃So　what　do　we　do　now？〃　Bonarotti　asked。　
　Sloane　sighed。　〃Our　munications　gear　is　destroyed；　so　we　can't　radio　for　assistance。　Even　if　a　rescue　mission　is　mounted；　it　would　take　them　at　least　a　week　to　reach　the　outer　valley；　maybe　more。　And　our　only　way　out　has　been　blocked　by　water。　We'll　have　to　wait　until　it　goes　down。　If　the　rains　continue；　that　could　mean　a　long　time。〃　
　Black　glanced　around　at　the　others。　Bonarotti　was　looking　at　Sloane；　hands　protectively　cradling　his　mug　of　coffee。　Swire　was　staring　blankly；　still　dazed　by　what　had　happened。　
　〃We've　done　everything　we　can；〃　Sloane　went　on。　〃Fortunately；　most　of　our　gear　survived　the　flood。　That's　the　good　news。〃　
　Her　voice　dropped。　〃The　bad　news…the　terrible　news…is　that　we've　lost　four　teammates；　including　our　expedition　leader。　And　about　that；　there's　nothing　we　can　do。　It's　a　tragedy　I　think　none　of　us　yet　can　fully　prehend。〃　
　She　paused。　〃Our　first　duty　is　to　mourn　their　loss。　We　will　have　time；　in　the　days　and　weeks　ahead；　to　remember　them　in　our　thoughts。　But　let's　take　a　minute　now　to　remember　them　in　our　prayers。〃　
　She　lowered　her　head。　A　silence　fell；　broken　only　by　the　sound　of　water。　Black　swallowed。　Despite　the　dampness　around　him；　his　throat　was　painfully　dry。　
　After　a　few　minutes；　Sloane　looked　up　again。　〃Our　second　duty　is　to　remember　who　we　are；　and　why　we　came　here。　We　came　here　to　discover　a　lost　city；　to　survey　it　and　document　it。　Luigi；　a　few　minutes　ago；　you　asked　what　we　should　do　now。　There's　only　one　answer　to　that。　As　long　as　we're　trapped　in　here；　we　must　carry　on。〃　
　She　paused　to　take　a　sip　of　coffee。　〃We　cannot　allow　ourselves　to　bee　demoralized；　to　sit　around　doing　nothing；　waiting　for　a　rescue　that　may　or　may　not　e。　We　need　to　keep　ourselves　occupied　in　productive　work。〃　She　spoke　slowly　and　deliberately；　taking　time　to　look　around　at　the　small　group　with　each　new　sentence。　〃And　the　most　productive　work　of　all　is　still　to　e：　documenting　the　Sun　Kiva。〃　
　At　this；　the　faraway　look　left　Swire's　face。　He　glanced　at　Sloane　in　surprise。　
　〃What　happened　today　was　a　tragedy；〃　Sloane　continued；　more　quickly　now。　〃But　it's　within　our　power　to　keep　it　from　being　something　even　worse：　a　tragic　waste。　The　Sun　Kiva　is　the　most　miraculous　find　of　a　miraculous　expedition。　It's　the　most　certain　way　to　ensure　that　Nora；　Peter；　Enrique；　and　Bill　are　remembered　not　for　their　deaths　but　for　their　discoveries。〃　She　paused。　〃It's　what　Nora　would　have　wanted　done。〃　
　〃Is　that　right？〃　Swire　spoke　up　suddenly。　The　surprise　and　confusion　had　left　his　face；　replaced　with　something　uglier。　〃What　Nora　would　have　wanted；　you　say？　Tell　me；　was　this　before　or　after　she　fired　you　from　the　expedition？〃　
　Sloane　turned　to　him。　〃Do　you　have　an　objection；　Roscoe？〃　she　asked。　Her　tone　was　mild；　but　her　eyes　glittered。　
　〃I　have　a　question；〃　Swire　replied。　〃A　question　about　that　weather　report　of　yours。〃　
　Black　felt　his　gut　seize　up　in　sudden　fear。　But　Sloane　simply　returned　the　cowboy's　gaze　with　a　cool　one　of　her　own。