cussler.blueandgold-第12章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　
　He　formed　a　conglomerate　of　sponsors　and　used　their　economic　clout　to　bring　a　major　race　to　the　States。　Race　promoters　were　eager　for　the　opportunity　to　tap　into　the　vast　potential　of
　the　American　audience；　and　before　long　the　first　SoCal　Grand　Prix　had　bee　a　reality。
　
　NUMA　director　Admiral　James　Sandecker　grumbled　when　Austin　told　him　he　wanted　to　work　around　assignments；　when　ever　possible；　so　he　could　race　in　the　qualifying　runs。　Sandecker　said　he　was　worried　about　Austin　being　injured　in　a　race。　Austin　had　politely　pointed　out　that　for　all　its　dangers；　racing　was　a　canoe　paddle　pared　with　the　hazardous　jobs　Sandecker　as　signed　him　to　as　leader　of　NUMA's　Special　Assignments　Team。　As　a　trump　card　he　played　on　the　admiral's　fierce　patriotic　pride。　Sandecker　gave　Austin　his　blessing　and　said　it　was　about　time　the　United　States　showed　the　rest　of　the　world　that　they　could　pete　with　the　best　of　them。
　
　Austin　returned　to　the　party　after　talking　to　his　father。　He　quickly　tired　of　the　false　hilarity　and　was　happy　to　be　invited　aboard　the　Nepenthe　to　meet　Gloria　Ekhart；　who　wanted　to　thank　him。　The　actress's　mature　warmth　and　beauty　enchanted　him。　When　they　shook　hands　she　didn't　let　go　right　away。　They　talked　awhile　and　maintained　eye　contact　that　sent　messages　of　mutual　interest。　Austin　briefly　entertained　the　fantasy　of　having　a　fling　with　someone　he'd　idolized　on　the　big　and　little　screens。　It　was　not　to　be。　Apologizing　profusely；　Ekhart　was　dragged　off　by　the　demands　of　her　children。
　
　Figuring　it　just　wasn't　his　day　Austin　went　back　to　the　hotel　and　answered　calls　from　NUMA　colleagues　and　friends。　He　had　dinner　sent　up　and　enjoyed　filet　mignon　as　he　watched　TV　re　runs　of　the　race。　The　stations　were　running　slow…motion　replays　again　and　again。　Austin　was　more　interested　in　the　fate　of　the　dead　whales。　One　reporter　mentioned　that　three　whales　were　going　to　be　examined　at　the　naval　station。　Austin　was　curious　as　well　as　bored。　From　what　he　had　heard　and　seen　the　whales　didn't　have　a　mark　to　indicate　what　killed　them。　The　inpleteness　of　the　situation　went　beyond　the　loss　of　his　father's　boat。　It　rankled　his　sense　of　orderliness。
　
　The　autopsy　seemed　to　be　winding　down。　Austin　asked　the　seaman　to　take　his　NUMA　business　card　to　someone　in　charge。
　
　The　seaman　returned　with　a　sandy…haired　man　in　his　forties　who　stripped　off　his　blood…soaked　foul…weather　gear　and　gloves　but　kept　his　surgical　mask　on。
　
　〃Mr。　Austin；〃　he　said；　extending　his　hand。　〃Jason　Witherell　EPA。　Pleasure　to　meet　you。　Glad　to　have　NUMA　interested。　We　might　need　to　utilize　your　resources。〃
　
　〃We're　always　ready　to　help　the　EPA；〃　Austin　said。　〃My　interest　is　more　personal　than　official。　I　was　in　the　race　today　when　the　whales　made　their　appearance。〃
　
　〃I　saw　the　news　clips。〃　Witherell　laughed。　〃That　was　one　hell　of　a　maneuver　you　pulled　off。　Sorry　about　your　boat。〃
　
　〃Thanks。　I　was　wondering；　have　you　e　up　with　a　cause　of　death？〃
　
　〃Sure；　they　died　of　DORK。〃
　
　〃Pardon？〃
　
　Witherell　grinned。　〃Don't　Really　Know。　DORK。〃
　
　Austin　smiled　patiently。　He　knew　pathologists　sometimes　cultivated　a　zany　sense　of　humor　to　help　maintain　their　sanity。
　
　〃Any　guesses？〃
　
　Witherell　said；　'As　far　as　we　can　determine　for　now；　there　was　no　evidence　of　trauma　or　toxin；　and　we've　tested　tissue　for　virus。　Negative　so　far。　One　whale　had　bee　entangled　in　a　monfilament　fishing　net；　but　it　doesn't　seem　to　have　prevented　the　animal　from　eating　or　harmed　it　in　any　fatal　way。〃
　
　〃So　at　least　for　now　you　don't　have　a　clue　how　they　died？〃
　
　〃Oh　sure；　we　know　how。　They　suffocated。　There　was　heavy　lung　damage　that　caused　pneumonia。　The　lungs　seem　to　have　been　damaged　by　intense　heat。〃
　
　〃Heat？　I'm　not　sure　I　follow　you。〃
　
　〃I'll　put　it　this　way。　They　were　partially　cooked　internally；　and　their　skin　was　blistered　as　well。〃
　
　〃What　could　have　done　something　like　that？〃
　
　〃DORIC；〃　Witherell　said　with　a　shrug　of　his　shoulders。
　
　Austin　pondered　the　answer。　〃If　you　don't　know　what；　how　about　when？〃
　
　〃That's　tough　to　pinpoint。　The　initial　exposure　might　not　
　have　been　instantly　fatal。　The　mammals　could　have　bee　ill　several　days　before　their　deaths　but　continued　to　make　their　way　along　the　coast。　The　little　ones　would　have　been　the　sickest；　and　maybe　the　adults　waited　for　them。　You'd　have　to　factor　in　the　time　it　would　take　for　the　body　to　depose　and　for　the　putrefaction　gases　to　bloat　them　up　where　they'd　surface　in　the　race　course。〃
　
　〃So　if　you　backtracked　you　might　be　able　to　determine　where　they　were　when　they　died。　You'd　have　to　consider　traveling　and　feeding　time　and　currents　of　course。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Too　bad　the　whales　can't　tell　us　where　they've　been。〃
　
　Witherell　chuckled。　〃Who　says　they　can't　tell　us？　C'mon；　I'll　show　you。〃
　
　The　EPA　man　led　the　way　past　the　flatbeds　around　the　puddles　of　bloody　water　being　hosed　into　drains。　The　smell　was　like　a　sledgehammer　this　close　to　the　dead　whales；　but　Witherell　didn't　seem　to　be　bothered。
　
　〃This　is　the　male；〃　he　said；　stopping　by　the　first　carcass。　〃You　can　see　why　they're　called　gray　whales。　The　skin　is　naturally　dark；　but　it's　blotched　from　barnacle　scars　and　whale　lice。　He's　a　bit　chopped　up　now。　When　we　first　measured　him　he　was　forty　one　feet。〃　They　walked　to　the　next　flatbed　which　held　a　miniaturized　version　of　the　first　whale。　〃This　calf　is　also　a　male；　born　just　a　few　months　ago。　There　were　other　calves　so　we　don't　know　if　it　belonged　to　the　female。〃　They　had　paused　before　the　last　flatbed。　〃She's　bigger　than　the　male。　Like　the　others；　she's　got　no　outward　signs　of　any　bruise　or　laceration　that　might　be　fatal。　This　is　what　might　interest　you。〃　He　borrowed　a　knife　from　a　colleague；　climbed　onto　the　flatbed；　and　bent　over　the　whale's　fin。　After　a　minute　he　hopped　down　and　handed　Austin　a　flat　square　packet　of　metal　and　plastic。
　
　〃A　transponder？〃　Austin　said。
　
　Witherell　pointed　up。　〃This　old　girl's　every　move　was　being　tracked　by　satellite。　Find　out　who's　been　keeping　an　eye　on　her；　and　that　person　should　be　able　to　tell　you　where　she　has　been　and　when。〃
　
　〃You're　a　genius；　Mr。　Witherell。〃
　
　〃Only　a　humble　government　servant　like　you；　trying　to　do　my　job。〃　He　hefted　the　transponder。　〃I'll　have　to　hold　on　to　this　thing；　but　there's　a　number　to　call　on　the　back。〃
　
　Austin　jotted　the　number　down　in　a　small　notebook　and　thanked　the　pathologist　for　his　help。
　
　As　Witherell　escorted　him　back　to　the　door；　Austin　said；　〃By　the　way；　how'd　you　choose　these　particular　whales？〃
　
　〃It　was　done　pretty　much　by　chance。　I　asked　the　Navy　to　cut　three　representative　animals　out　of　the　batch。　I　guess　there　was　somebody　on　board　who　actually　listened　to　my　request。〃
　
　〃Do　you　think　you　would　have　been　more　likely　to　find　a　cause　of　death　if　you　had　a　chance　to　autopsy　the　other　corpses？〃
　
　〃I　doubt　it；〃　Witherell　said　flatly。　〃What　killed　these　whales　killed　the　others　that　were　towed　away。　It's　a　bit　late　for　that　anyhow。　From　what　I　understand；　after　the　Navy　got　through　with　them　there　wasn't　enough　left　of　the　other　animals　for　a　plate　of　sushi。〃
　
　More　autopsy　humor。　Tossing　his　surgical　mask　into　a　barrel；　Austin　took　a　last　look　at　the　butchered　carcasses　that　were　the　sad　remains　of　once　magnificent　sea　creatures。　He　thanked　Witherell　and　Seaman　Cummings　and　stepped　out　into　the　fresh　night　air。　He　gulped　in　several　deep　breaths；　as　if　he　could　purge　his　memory　as　well　as　his　lungs　of　the　rank　smell。　Across　the　harbor　sparkled　the　city…like　lights　of　an　aircraft　carrier。　He　drove　back　to　the　hotel　and　walked　quickly　through　the　lobby；　but　not　fast　enough　to　avoid　a　few　nose　wrinkles　from　the　staff　and　guests　who　had　picked　up　the　stench　of　death。
　
　Back　in　his　room　Austin　threw　the　khakis　and　dress　shirt　he'd　been　wearing　into　a　laundry　bag。　He　took　a　long；　hot　shower；　shampooed　twice；　and　changed　into　slacks　and　a　golf　shirt。　Then　he　settled　into　a　fortable　chair；　picked　up　the　phone；　and　dialed　the　number　marked　on　the　transponder。　As　he　expected　he　was　connected　to　voice　mail。　The　government　wouldn't　pay　someone　to　sit　around　and　wait　for　news　of　a　meanderi