cyclops-第9章

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　and　caught　the　boom　at　the　precise　moment。　Propelled　by　a　fresh　twenty…knot　breeze　from　the　north；　the　sailboard　sped　through　the　choppy　sea　and　soon　gained　a　speed　of　nearly　thirty　miles　an　hour。
　　　　Pitt　was　mildly　surprised　to　see　that　out　of　a　field　of　forty…one　racers；　most　of　them　at　least　fifteen　years　younger；　he　was　in　third　place；　only　twenty　yards　behind　the　leaders。
　　　　The　multicolored　sails　from　the　fleet　of　windsurfers　flashed　across　the　blue…green　water　like　a　prism　gone　mad。　The　finish　at　the　lighthouse　was　in　sight　now。　Pitt　closely　watched　the　boardsailer　ahead　of　him；　waiting　for　the　right　moment　to　attack。　But　before　he　attempted　to　pass；　his　opponent　miscalculated　a　wave　and　fell。　Now　Pitt　was　second；　with　only　half　a　mile　to　go。
　　　　Then；　ominously；　a　dark　shadow　in　a　cloudless　sky　passed　overhead　and　he　heard　the　exhaust　of　propeller…driven　aircraft　engines　above　and　slightly　to　his　left。　He　stared　upward　and　his　eyes　widened　in　disbelief。
　　　　No　more　than　a　hundred　yards　away；　shielding　the　sun　like　an　eclipse；　a　blimp　was　descending　from　the　sky；　her　great　bow　set　on　a　collision　course　with　the　sailboard　fleet。　She　appeared　to　be　drifting　out　of　control。　Her　two　engines　were　barely　turning　over　at　idle　speed；　but　she　was　swept　through　the　air　by　the　strong　breeze。　The　sailboarders　watched　helplessly　as　the　giant　intruder　crossed　their　path。
　　　　The　gondola　struck　the　crest　of　a　wave　and　the　blimp　bounced　back　into　the　air；　leveling　off　five　feet　above　the　water　in　front　of　the　lead　boardsailer。　Unable　to　turn　in　time；　the　young　boy；　no　more　than　seventeen；　dove　from　his　board　an　instant　before　his　mast　and　sail　were　minced　to　shreds　under　the　blimp's　starboard　propeller。
　　　　Pitt　nimbly　carved　a　sharp　tack　and　swung　on　a　parallel　course　with　the　rampaging　airship。　From　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　noted　the　name；　Prosperteer；　in　huge　red　letters　on　her　side。　The　gondola　door　was　open；　but　he　couldn't　make　out　any　movement　inside。　He　shouted；　but　his　voice　was　lost　in　the　exhaust　of　the　engines　and　rush　of　the　wind。　The　ungainly　craft　skidded　across　the　sea　as　though　it　had　a　mind　of　its　own。
　　　　Suddenly；　Pitt　felt　the　prickle　of　disaster　in　the　small　of　his　back。　The　Prosperteer　was　moving　toward　the　beach；　only　a　quarter　mile　away；　and　headed　directly　at　the　broad　terraced　side　of　the　Sonesta　Beach　Hotel。　Though　the　impact　of　a　lighter…than…air　ship　against　a　solid　structure　would　cause　little　damage；　there　was　the　ugly　certainty　of　fire　from　ruptured　fuel　tanks　spilling　into　the　rooms　of　dozing　guests　or　falling　onto　the　diners　on　the　patio　below。
　　　　Ignoring　the　numbing　drain　of　exhaustion；　Pitt　angled　his　sailboard　on　a　course　that　would　cross　under　the　great　rounded　nose。　The　gondola　danced　into　another　swell　and　a　spinning　propeller　whipped　a　cloud　of　salt　spray　into　his　eyes。　His　vision　blurred　momentarily　and　he　came　within　inches　of　losing　his　balance。　He　settled　in　a　squatting　stance　and　steadied　his　tiny　craft　as　he　narrowed　the　distance。　Crowds　of　sunbathers　gestured　excitedly　at　the　strange　sight　rapidly　approaching　the　hotel's　sloping　beach。
　　　　Pitt's　timing　would　have　to　be　near　perfect；　there　would　be　no　second　attempt。　If　he　missed；　there　was　every　chance　his　body　would　end　up　in　pieces　behind　the　propellers。　He　was　beginning　to　feel　lightheaded。　His　strength　was　nearly　sapped。　He　sensed　that　his　muscles　were　taking　longer　to　respond　to　the　demands　of　his　brain。　He　braced　himself　as　his　sailboard　streaked　under　the　blimp's　nose。
　　　　Then　he　leaped。
　　　　His　hands　grasped　one　of　the　Prosperteer's　bow　ropes　but　slipped　on　the　wet　surface；　scraping　the　skin　from　his　fingers　and　palms。　Desperately　he　swung　a　leg　around　the　line　and　held　on　with　every　scrap　of　energy　he　had　left。　His　weight　pulled　down　the　bow　and　he　was　dragged　under　the　surface。　He　clawed　up　the　rope　until　his　head　broke　free。　Then　he　was　gulping　air　and　spitting　out　seawater。　The　pursuer　had　bee　the　captive。
　　　　The　drag　from　Pitt's　body　wasn't　nearly　enough　to　stop　the　air　monster；　much　less　slow　its　momentum　from　the　wind。　He　was　about　to　release　his　precarious　hold　when　his　feet　touched　bottom。　The　blimp　carried　him　through　the　surge　of　the　surf　and　he　felt　like　he　was　riding　a　roller　coaster。　Then　he　was　hurtled　onto　the　warm　sands　of　the　beach。　He　looked　up　and　saw　the　low　seawall　of　the　hotel　looming　a　scant　hundred　feet　away。
　　　　My　God！　he　thought；　this　is　it　in　a　few　seconds　the　Prosperteer　would　crash　into　the　hotel　and　possibly　explode。　And　there　was　something　else。　The　whirling　propellers　would　shatter　on　impact；　their　metal　fragments　spraying　the　awestruck　crowds　with　a　force　as　deadly　as　shrapnel。
　　　　〃For　God's　sake；　help　me！〃　Pitt　shouted。
　　　　The　mass　of　people　on　the　beach　stood　frozen；　their　mouths　gaping；　held　stupefied　in　childlike　fascination　by　the　strange　spectacle。　Suddenly　two　teenage　girls　and　a　boy　sprang　forward　and　grabbed　one　of　the　other　tow　ropes。　Next　came　a　lifeguard；　followed　by　an　elderly　heavyset　woman。　Then　the　dam　broke　and　twenty　onlookers　surged　forward　and　gathered　in　the　trailing　lines。　It　was　as　though　a　tribe　of　half…naked　natives　had　challenged　a　maddened　brontosaurus　to　a　tug…of…war。
　　　　Bare　feet　dug　into　the　sand；　plowing　furrows　as　the　stubborn　mass　above　their　heads　tugged　them　across　the　beach。　The　drag　on　the　bow　lines　caused　the　hull　to　pivot；　and　the　huge　finned　tail　swung　around　in　a　180…degree　arc　until　it　was　pointing　at　the　hotel；　the　wheel　on　the　bottom　of　the　gondola　scraping　through　the　bushes　growing　from　the　top　of　the　seawall；　the　propellers　missing　the　concrete　by　inches　and　chopping　through　the　branches　and　leaves。
　　　　A　strong　gust　of　wind　blew　in　from　the　sea；　shoving　the　Prosperteer　over　the　patio；　smashing　umbrellas　and　tables；　driving　her　stern　toward　the　fifth　story　of　the　hotel。　Lines　were　torn　from　hands　and　a　wave　of　helplessness　swept　over　the　beach。　The　battle　seemed　lost。
　　　　Pitt　struggled　to　his　feet　and　half　ran；　half　staggered　to　a　nearby　palm　tree。　In　a　final　desperate　act　he　coiled　his　line　around　the　slender　trunk；　feverishly　praying　it　wouldn't　snap　from　the　strain。
　　　　The　line　took　up　the　slack　and　stretched　taut。　The　fifty…foot　palm　shuddered；　swayed；　and　bent　for　several　seconds。　The　crowd　collectively　held　its　breath。　Then　with　agonizing　slowness；　the　tree　gradually　straightened　into　its　former　upright　position。　The　shallow　roots　held　firm　and　the　blimp　stopped；　its　fins　less　than　six　feet　from　the　east　wall　of　the　hotel。
　　　　Two　hundred　people　gave　out　a　rousing　cheer　and　began　applauding。　The　women　jumped　up　and　down　and　laughed　while　the　men　roared　and　thrust　out　their　hands　in　the　thumbs…up　position。　No　winning　team　ever　received　a　more　spontaneous　ovation。　The　hotel　security　guards　materialized　and　kept　stray　onlookers　away　from　the　still…turning　propellers。
　　　　Sand　coated　Pitt's　wet　body　as　he　stood　there　catching　his　breath；　being　conscious　of　the　pain　from　his　rope…burned　hands。　Staring　up　at　the　Prosperteer；　he　had　his　first　solid　look　at　the　airship　and　was　fascinated　by　the　antiquated　design。　It　was　obvious　she　predated　the　modern　Goodyear　blimps。
　　　　He　made　his　way　around　the　scattered　tables　and　chairs　on　the　patio　and　climbed　into　the　gondola。　The　crew　were　still　strapped　in　their　seats；　unmoving；　unspeaking。　Pitt　leaned　over　the　pilot；　found　the　ignition　switches；　and　turned　them　off。　The　engines　popped　softly　once　or　twice　and　went　silent　as　their　propellers　gave　a　final　twitch　and　came　to　rest。
　　　　The　quiet　was　tomblike。
　　　　Pitt　grimaced　and　scanned　the　interior　of　the　gondola。　There　was　no　sign　of　damage；　the　instruments　and　controls　appeared　to　be　in　operating　order。　But　it　was　the　extensive　electronics　that　amazed　him。　Gradiometers　for　detecting　iron；　side…scan　sonar　and　sub…bottom　profiler　to　sweep　the　sea　floor；　everything　for　an　underwater　search　expedition。
　　　　He　wasn't　aware　of　the　sea　of　faces　peering　up　into　the　open　door　of　the　gondola；　nor　did　he　hear　the　pulsating　scream　of　approaching　sirens。　He　felt　detached　and　momentarily　disoriented。　The　hot；　humid　atmosphere　was　heavy　with　a　morbid　eeriness　and　the　sickening　stench　of　human　decay。
　　　　One　of　the　crewmen　was　slouched　over