cyclops-第34章

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　　　　A　frustrating　search　of　the　cargo　hold　turned　up　a　startling　revelation。　Lying　in　the　dark　shadows　like　a　collapsed　rubber　doll　was　a　deep…sea　diving　suit。　The　arms　were　outstretched；　the　feet　encased　in　Frankenstein…style　weighted　boots。　A　tarnished　brass　diving　helmet　and　breastplate　covered　the　head　and　neck。　Curled　off　to　the　side　like　a　dead　gray　snake　was　the　umbilical　line　that　contained　the　air　hose　and　lifeline　cable。　They　were　severed　about　six　feet　from　the　helmet　couplings。
　　　　The　layer　of　silt　and　slime　on　the　diving　outfit　indicated　it　had　lain　there　for　many　years。　Pitt　removed　a　knife　strapped　to　his　right　calf　and　used　it　to　pry　loose　the　wing　nut　clamping　the　helmet's　faceplate。　It　gave　slowly　at　first　and　then　loosened　enough　to　be　removed　by　his　fingers。　He　pulled　the　faceplate　open　and　aimed　the　beam　of　the　dive　light　inside。　Protected　from　the　ravages　of　destructive　sea　life　by　the　rubber　suit　and　the　helmet's　safety　valves；　the　head　still　retained　hair　and　remnants　of　flesh。
　　　　Pitt　and　his　party　were　not　the　first　to　have　probed　the　gruesome　secrets　of　the　Cyclops。　Someone　else　had　already　e　and　gone　with　the　La　Dorada　treasure。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　



　　　　Pitt　checked　his　old　Doxa　watch　and　calculated　their　depression　stops。　He　added　an　extra　minute　to　each　stop　as　a　safety　margin　to　eliminate　the　gas　bubbles　from　their　blood　and　tissues　and　prevent　the　agony　of　diver's　bends。
　　　　After　leaving　the　Cyclops；　they　had　exchanged　the　nearly　empty　air　cylinders　for　their　reserve　supply　stashed　beside　the　control　car　and　began　their　slow　rise　to　the　surface。　A　few　feet　away；　Gunn　and　Giordino　added　air　to　their　buoyancy　pensators　to　maintain　the　required　depth　while　handling　the　cumbersome　bundle。
　　　　Below　them　in　the　watery　gloom；　the　Cyclops　lay　desolate　and　cursed　to　oblivion。　Before　another　decade　passed；　her　rusting　walls　would　begin　to　collapse　inward；　and　a　century　later　the　restless　sea　floor　would　cover　her　pitiful　remains　under　a　shroud　of　silt；　leaving　only　a　few　pieces　of　coral…encrusted　debris　to　mark　her　grave。
　　　　Above　them；　the　surface　was　a　turmoil　of　quicksilver。　At　the　next　depression　stop；　they　began　to　feel　the　crushing　momentum　from　the　mountainous　swells　and　fought　to　hang　in　the　void　together。　There　was　no　thought　of　a　stop　at　the　twenty…foot　level。　Their　air　supply　was　almost　exhausted　and　only　death　by　drowning　waited　in　the　depths。　They　had　no　alternative　but　to　surface　and　take　their　chances　in　the　tempest　above。
　　　　Jessie　seemed　posed　and　unshaken。　Pitt　realized　that　she　didn't　suspect　the　danger　on　the　surface。　Her　only　thoughts　were　of　seeing　the　sky　again。
　　　　Pitt　made　one　final　check　of　the　time　and　motioned　upward　with　his　thumb。　They　began　to　ascend　as　one；　Jessie　hanging　on　to　Pitt's　leg；　Gunn　and　Giordino　dragging　the　bundle。　The　light　increased　and　when　Pitt　looked　up　he　was　surprised　to　see　a　whorl　of　foam　only　a　few　feet　above　his　head。
　　　　He　surfaced　in　a　trough　and　was　lifted　by　a　vast　sloping　wall　of　green　that　carried　him　up　and　over　the　crest　of　a　high　wave　as　lightly　as　a　bathtub　toy。　The　wind　shrieked　in　his　ears　and　sea　spray　lashed　his　cheeks。　He　pulled　up　his　mask　and　blinked　his　eyes。　The　sky　to　the　east　was　filled　with　dark　swirling　clouds；　dark　as　charcoal　as　they　soared　over　the　gray…green　sea。　The　speed　of　the　approaching　storm　was　uncanny。　It　seemed　to　be　leaping　from　one　horizon　to　the　next。
　　　　Jessie　popped　up　beside　him　and　stared　through　wide　stricken　eyes　at　the　blackening　overcast　bearing　down　on　them。　She　spit　out　her　mouthpiece。　〃What　is　it？〃
　　　　〃The　hurricane；〃　Pitt　shouted　over　the　wind。　〃It's　ing　faster　than　anyone　thought。〃
　　　　〃Oh；　God！〃　she　gasped。
　　　　〃Release　your　weight　belt　and　unstrap　your　air　tanks；〃　he　said。
　　　　Nothing　needed　to　be　said　to　the　others。　They　had　already　dropped　their　gear　and　were　tearing　open　the　bundle。　The　clouds　swept　overhead　and　they　were　hurled　into　a　twilight　world　drained　of　all　color。　They　were　stunned　at　the　violent　display　of　atmospheric　power。　The　wind　suddenly　doubled　in　strength；　filling　the　air　with　foam　and　driving　spray　and　shattering　the　wave　crests　into　froth。
　　　　Abruptly；　the　bundle　that　they　had　so　doggedly　hauled　with　them　from　the　Prosperteer　burst　open　into　an　inflatable　boat；　plete　with　a　pact　twenty…horsepower　outboard　motor　encased　in　a　waterproof　plastic　cover。　Giordino　rolled　over　the　side；　followed　by　Gunn；　and　they　frantically　tore　at　the　motor　covering。　The　savage　winds　quickly　drove　the　boat　away　from　Pitt　and　Jessie。　The　gap　began　widening　at　an　alarming　rate。
　　　　〃The　sea　anchor！〃　Pitt　bellowed。　〃Throw　out　the　sea　anchor！〃
　　　　Gunn　barely　heard　Pitt　over　the　wail　of　the　wind。　He　heaved　a　canvas　cone…shaped　sack　over　the　side　that　was　held　open　by　an　iron　hoop　at　the　mouth。　He　then　paid　it　out　on　a　line　which　he　made　fast　to　the　bitt　on　the　bow。　As　the　drag　on　the　anchor　took　hold；　the　boat's　head　came　around　into　the　wind　and　slowed　its　drift。
　　　　While　Giordino　labored　over　the　motor；　Gunn　threw　out　a　line　to　Pitt；　who　tied　it　under　Jessie's　arms。　As　she　was　towed　toward　the　boat　Pitt　swam　after　her；　the　waves　breaking　over　his　head。　The　mask　was　torn　from　his　head　and　the　salt　spray　whipped　his　eyes。　He　doubled　his　effort　when　he　saw　that　the　running　sea　was　carrying　away　the　boat　faster　than　he　could　swim。
　　　　Giordino's　muscled　arms　thrust　into　the　water；　closed　on　Jessie's　wrists；　and　yanked　her　into　the　boat　as　effortlessly　as　if　she　were　a　ten…pound　sea　bass。　Pitt　squinted　his　eyes　until　they　were　almost　slits。　He　felt　rather　than　saw　the　line　fall　over　his　shoulder。　He　could　just　make　out　Giordino's　grinning　face　leaning　over　the　side；　his　great　hands　winding　in　the　line。　Then　Pitt　was　lying　in　the　bottom　of　the　wildly　rocking　boat；　panting　and　blinking　the　salt　from　his　eyes。
　　　　〃Another　minute　and　you'd　have　been　beyond　reach　of　the　line；〃　Giordino　yelled。
　　　　〃Time　sure　flies　when　you're　having　fun；〃　Pitt　yelled　back。
　　　　Giordino　rolled　his　eyes　at　Pitt's　cocky　reply　and　went　back　to　laboring　over　the　motor。
　　　　The　immediate　danger　facing　them　now　was　overturning。　Until　the　motor　could　be　started　to　provide　a　small　degree　of　stability；　a　thrashing　wave　could　flip　them　upside　down。　Pitt　and　Gunn　threw　over　trailing　ballast　bags；　which　temporarily　reduced　the　threat。
　　　　The　strength　of　the　wind　was　ungodly。　It　tore　at　their　hair　and　bodies；　the　spray　felt　as　abrasive　to　their　skin　as　if　it　came　from　a　sand　blaster。　The　little　inflatable　boat　flexed　under　the　stress　of　the　mad　sea　and　reeled　in　the　grip　of　the　gale；　but　she　somehow　refused　to　be　tipped　over。
　　　　Pitt　knelt　on　the　hard　rubber　floorboards；　clasping　the　lifeline　with　his　right　hand；　and　turned　his　back　to　the　wind。　Then　he　extended　his　left　arm。　It　was　an　old　seaman's　trick　that　always　worked　in　the　Northern　Hemisphere。　His　left　hand　would　be　pointing　to　the　center　of　the　storm。
　　　　They　were　slightly　outside　the　center；　he　judged。　There　would　be　no　breathing　spell　from　the　relative　calm　of　the　hurricane's　eye。　Its　main　path　lay　a　good　forty　miles　to　the　northwest。　The　worst　was　yet　to　e。
　　　　A　wave　crashed　over　them；　and　then　another　two　in　quick　succession　that　would　have　broken　the　back　of　a　larger；　more　rigid　vessel。　But　the　tough；　runty　inflatable　shook　off　the　water　and　struggled　back　to　the　surface　like　a　playful　seal。　Everyone　managed　to　keep　a　firm　grip　and　no　one　was　washed　overboard。
　　　　At　last　Giordino　signaled　that　he　had　the　motor　running。　No　one　could　hear　it　over　the　howl　of　the　wind。　Quickly　Pitt　and　Gunn　pulled　in　the　sea　anchor　and　the　ballast　bags。
　　　　Pitt　cupped　one　hand　and　yelled　in　Giordino's　ear；　〃Run　with　the　storm！〃
　　　　To　sheer　on　a　sideways　course　was　impossible。　The　bined　force　of　wind　and　water　would　have　flung　them　over。　To　head　into　the　thrust　of　the　storm　bows…on　meant　a　sure　battering　they　could　never　survive。　Their　only　hope　was　to　ride　in　the　path　of　the　least　resistance。　Giordino　grimly　nodded　and　pushed　the　throttle　lever。　The　boat　banked　around　sharply　in　a　trough　and　surged　forward　across　a　sea　that　had　turned　pletely　white　from　the　driving　spray。　They　all　flattened　themselves　against　the　floorboards