cussler.blueandgold-第13章

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dn't　pay　someone　to　sit　around　and　wait　for　news　of　a　meandering　whale。　It　might　take　days　before　someone　answered　his　call。　He　left　no　message　and　instead　called　a　twenty…four…hour　desk　at　NUMA　headquarters　outside　Washington　and　put　in　a　request。　The　phone　rang　about　a　half　hour　later。
　
　〃Mr。　Austin？　My　name　is　Wanda　Perelli。　I'm　with　the　Interior　Department。　Someone　called　from　NUMA　and　said　you　were　looking　for　me。　They　said　it　was　important。〃
　
　〃Yes；　thanks　for　calling。　I'm　sorry　to　bother　you　at　home。　You　heard　about　the　gray　whales　off　California？〃
　
　〃Yes。　I　was　wondering　how　you　got　my　number。〃
　
　〃It　was　on　a　transponder　attached　to　the　fin　of　a　female　whale。〃
　
　〃Oh　dear；　that　was　Daisy。　It　was　her　pod。　I've　been　tracking　her　for　three　years。　She's　almost　like　a　relative。〃
　
　〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。　There　were　fourteen　whales　in　all。　She　was　one　of　those　picked　at　random。〃
　
　She　sighed　loudly。　〃This　is　terrible　news。　We've　tried　so　hard　to　protect　the　grays；　and　they've　really　been　making　a　eback。　We're　waiting　for　a　forensics　report　on　cause　of　death。〃
　
　〃I　came　from　the　necropsy　a　little　while　ago。　Apparently　there　was　no　sign　of　a　virus　or　pollutant。　The　whales　died　from　lung　damage　caused　by　intense　heat。　Have　you　ever　heard　of　such　a　thing　happening？〃
　
　〃No。　Never。　Does　anyone　know　the　source　of　this　heat？〃
　
　〃Not　yet。　I　thought　it　might　shed　some　light　on　the　incident　if　we　knew　where　the　whales　had　been　recently。〃
　
　〃I'm　pretty　familiar　with　Daisy's　pod。　Their　migration　is　re　ally　quite　remarkable。　They　make　a　ten…thousand…mile　round　trip。　They　feed　all　summer　in　the　Arctic　seas；　then　head　south　along　the　Pacific　Coast　to　the　breeding　lagoons　in　Baja　California；　Mexico。　They　start　moving　around　November　and　December　and　get　there　early　the　following　year。　The　pregnant　females　lead　the　way；　then　the　mature　adults　and　the　juveniles；　in　single　file　or　in　pairs。　They　go　pretty　close　to　the　shoreline。　They　start　back　north　in　March。　The　whales　with　calves　may　wait　until　April。　Again　they　follow　the　coastline　closely　on　the　
　way　north。　They　go　real　slow；　about　ten　miles　an　hour　on　the　average。〃
　
　〃There　was　a　briefing　before　the　boat　race。　We　were　told　to　keep　a　watch　for　whales；　but　the　race　had　been　scheduled　after　the　last　pod　had　passed。　As　far　as　anyone　knew　there　were　no　whales　in　the　vicinity。〃
　
　〃The　only　thing　I　can　think　of　is　that　they　were　stragglers。　Maybe　one　of　the　calves　became　sick　and　they　dallied　some　where　until　the　calves　were　well。〃
　
　〃The　pathologist　had　the　same　theory。　Would　you　have　kept　track　of　their　migration？〃
　
　〃Yes。　Do　you　have　access　to　a　laptop　puter？〃
　
　〃Wouldn't　be　without　it。〃
　
　〃Good。　Give　me　your　e…mail　address。　I'll　tap　into　the　data　base　and　get　the　information　to　you　at　light　speed。〃
　
　〃Thank　you。　Can't　ask　for　better　service　than　that。〃
　
　〃You　might　get　the　chance　to　pay　me　back　if　we　call　on　NUMA　for　help。〃
　
　〃Call　me　personally；　and　we'll　do　what　we　can。〃
　
　〃Thanks。　Oh；　God；　I　still　can't　believe　it　about　Daisy。〃
　
　Austin　hung　up；　opened　his　IBM　laptop　puter；　and　hooked　it　up　to　the　telephone。　After　fifteen　minutes　passed　he　opened　his　e…mail　file。　A　map　of　the　western　U。S。；　Canada；　and　Alaska　appeared。　A　dotted　line　ran　down　from　the　Chukchi　Sea；　through　the　Bering　Sea；　then　along　the　coast　of　North　America　to　the　tip　of　the　fingerlike　Baja　Peninsula。　The　map　was　labeled　〃General　Whale　Migration　Route。〃
　
　Attached　to　the　map　was　specific　information　on　actual　pods。　Austin　scrolled　down　until　he　found　the　file　name　〃Daisy。〃　The　file　linked　to　a　map　showing　the　exact　route　of　the　Daisy　pod。　The　pod　had　made　steady　progress；　then　had　stopped　off　the　Baja　coast　south　of　Tijuana。　After　a　pause　they　started　north　again；　moving　slower　than　before。　At　one　point　they　looped　around　as　if　they　were　disoriented。　He　followed　their　tortuous　path　until　it　stopped　off　San　Diego。
　
　Austin　exited　the　whale　file　and　called　up　several　other　sites。
　
　After　a　few　minutes　he　sat　back　in　his　chair　and　tapped　his　fingertips　together。　The　whales　were　migrating　normally　until　they　reached　a　certain　area。　Then　something　changed。　He　was　pondering　what　he　should　do　when　he　heard　somebody　at　the　door。　Zavala。　〃Home　from　your　date　so　soon？〃
　
　〃Yeah；　I　told　her　I　had　to　get　back　to　check　on　my　sick　room　mate。〃
　
　Austin　looked　alarmed。　〃You　didn't　bump　your　head　today；　did　you？〃
　
　〃I　must　admit　going　under　a　boat　was　a　unique　experience。　I'll　never　look　at　the　nautical　rules　of　the　road　in　the　same　light　again。〃
　
　〃Well；　for　your　information　I　feel　fine；　so　you　can　go　back　and　pick　up　where　you　left　off。〃
　
　Zavala　flopped　down　onto　the　sofa。　〃You　know　something；　Kurt；　there　are　times　when　one　has　to　show　some　restraint。〃
　
　Austin　wondered　if　a　Zavala　clone；　stripped　of　its　sexual　drive；　had　walked　into　the　room。　〃I　agree　wholeheartedly；〃　he　said　with　caution。　〃Now　tell　me　the　real　reason。〃
　
　〃She　broke　Zavala's　rule。　I　don't　go　out　with　married　women。〃
　
　〃How　did　you　know　she　was　married？〃
　
　〃Her　husband　told　me　so。〃
　
　〃Oh。　Was　he　big？〃
　
　〃Slightly　smaller　than　a　cement　truck。〃
　
　〃Well；　restraint　was　an　especially　wise　decision　in　that　case。〃
　
　Joe　nodded；　unconvinced。　〃God；　she　was　beautiful；〃　he　said　with　a　sigh。　〃What　have　you　been　up　to？〃
　
　〃I　went　to　a　whale　necropsy。〃
　
　'And　I　thought　I　was　having　a　bad　time。　There　must　be　more　fun　things　to　do　in　San　Diego。〃
　
　〃I'm　sure　there　are；　but　I　was　curious　about　what　killed　those　whales。〃
　
　〃Did　they　find　a　cause？〃
　
　〃Their　lungs　were　damaged　by　heat；　and　they　died　of　pneumonia。〃
　
　〃Strange；〃　Zavala　said。
　
　〃I　thought　so。　Look　at　this　map　on　my　puter。　I　got　it　through　a　NOAA　weather　satellite。　It　shows　the　water　temperature　of　the　ocean。　See　that　little　red　bump　in　the　water　off　the　Baja？　Sudden　temperature　change。〃
　
　〃You're　saying　our　whales　became　sick　shortly　after　they　passed　this　area　of　warm　temperature？〃
　
　〃Maybe。　But　I'm　more　interested　in　what　caused　that　change。　〃
　
　〃1　think　you're　about　to　suggest　a　trip　south　of　the　border。〃
　
　　〃I　could　use　an　interpreter。　Paul　and　Gamay　won't　be　back　in　Arlington　for　a　few　days。〃
　
　　〃No　problemo。　It's　important　for　me　to　stay　in　touch　with　my　Mexican　roots。〃
　
　　He　got　up　and　started　for　the　door。
　
　　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　Austin　said。
　
　Zavala　looked　at　the　clock。　〃The　night　is　young。　Two　devilishly　handsome　and　eligible　bachelors　sitting　in　their　room　talking　about　dead　whales　and　hot　water。　Not　healthy；　amigo。　I　saw　a　beautiful　woman　in　the　lounge　as　I　passed　by。　She　looks　as　if　she　could　use　pany。〃
　
　〃I　thought　you　were　giving　women　up。〃
　
　'A　momentary　delusion　caused　by　my　injuries。　Besides；　I　think　she　had　a　friend；〃　Zavala　said。　'And　there's　a　good　jazz　band　playing　in　the　lounge。〃
　
　Austin's　appreciation　for　cool　jazz　came　right　after　his　love　of　beautiful　women　and　fast　boats。　A　tequila　and　lime　juice　night　cap　would　taste　mighty　good。　To　say　nothing　about　female　panionship。　He　grinned　and　closed　the　cover　on　his　laptop　puter。
　
　Chapter　5
　〃How　do　you　like　your　meal？〃　Dr。　Ramirez　inquired。
　　　　Paul　and　Gamay　exchanged　glances。　〃It's　wonderful；〃　Gamay　said。　Indeed　it　was；　she　thought；　surprisingly　so。　She　would　have　to　tell　St。　Julien　Perlmutter；　naval　historian　and　gourmet；　about　this　exotic　dinner。　The　thin；　tender　slices　of　white　meat　were　spiced　with　local　herbs；　acpanied　by　rich；　dark　gravy　and　fresh　sweet　potatoes。　Dinner　was　served　with　a　respectable　Chilean　white　wine。　Oh　God！　She'd　been　in　the　jungle　so　long　she　had　developed　a　taste　for　roast　tapir。　Next　she'd　be　craving　howler　monkeys。
　
　Paul　displayed　his　Yankee　bluntness。　〃I　agree。　It's　terrific。　We'd　never　guess　it　would　be　so　good　after　seeing　the　men　carry　that　odd…looking　beast　in　from　the　forest。〃
　
　Ramirez　put　his　fork　down；　a　puzzled　expression　on　his　face。　〃Beast？　The　forest…I'm　afraid　I　don't　understand。〃
　
　〃The　tapir；〃　Gamay　volunteered　hesitantly　as　she　glanced　down　at　her　plate。
　
　Ramirez　looked　stunned；　then　his　mustache　twitched