if.thunderball-第42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！


atch　out　for　sudden　turbulence。　Over。〃　The　radio　went　silent。
　
　Leiter　said；　〃That　means　they're　going　to　fire　a　test。　Keep　an　eye　on　them　and　let　me　know　when。　I'll　cut　down　the　revs。　No　harm　in　watching　ten　million　dollars　of　the　taxpayer's　money　being　blown　off；　Look！　The　radar　scanner's　turned　back　to　the　east。　They'll　be　sweating　it　out　in　that　blockhouse　all　right。　I've　seen　'em　at　it。　Lights'11　be　blinking　all　over　the　big　board　way　down　underground。　The　Kibitzers'11　be　at　their　periscopes。　Voices'll　e　down　over　the　P。A。　system…'Beacon　contact　。　。　。　Warning　balloons　up　。。。　Telemeter　contact　。　。　。　Tank　pressure　okay　。　。　。　Gyros　okay　。　。　。　Rocket…tank　pressure　correct　。　。　。　Rocket　clear　。　。　。　Recorders　alive　。　。　。　Lights　all　green　。　。　。　Ten；　nine；　eight；　seven；　six　。。。　Fire！〃'
　
　Despite　Leiter's　graphic　countdown；　nothing　happened。　Then；　through　his　glasses；　Bond　saw　a　wisp　of　steam　ing　from　the　base　of　the　rocket。　Then　a　great　cloud　of　steam　and　smoke　and　a　flash　of　bright　light　that　turned　red。　Breathlessly；　for　there　was　something　terrible　in　the　sight；　Bond　gave　the　blow…by…blow　to　Leiter。　〃It's　edging　up　off　the　pad。　There's　a　jet　of　flame。　It　seems　to　be　sitting　on　it。　Now　it's　going　up　like　a　lift。　Now　it's　off！　God；　it's　going　fast！　Now　there's　nothing　but　a　spark　of　fire　in　the　sky。　Now　it's　gone。　Whew！〃　Bond　mopped　his　brow。　〃Remember　that　Moonraker　job　I　was　on　a　few　years　back？　Interesting　to　see　what　the　people　out　front　saw。〃
　
　〃Yeah。　You　were　lucky　to　get　out　of　that　deep　fry。〃　Leiter　brushed　aside　Bond's　reminiscences。　〃Now　then；　next　stop　those　spits　in　the　ocean　north　of　Bimini　and　then　a　good　run　down　the　Bimini　Group。　Around　seventy　miles　southwest。　Keep　an　eye　out。　If　we　miss　those　dots；　we'll　end　up　in　the　grounds　of　the　Fountain　Blue　in　Miami。〃
　
　A　quarter　of　an　hour　later；　the　tiny　necklet　of　cays　showed　up。　They　were　barely　above　the　water　line。　There　was　much　shoal。　It　looked　an　ideal　hiding…place　for　the　plane。　They　came　down　to　a　hundred　feet　and　slowly　cruised　in　a　zigzag　down　the　group。　The　water　was　so　clear　that　Bond　could　see　big　fish　meandering　around　the　dark　clumps　of　coral　and　seaweed　in　the　brilliant　sand。　A　big　diamond…shaped　sting　ray　cowered　and　buried　itself　in　the　sand　as　the　black　shadow　of　the　plane　pursued　and　shot　over　it。　There　was　nothing　else　and　no　possibility　of　concealment。　The　green　shoal　waters　were　as　clean　and　innocent　as　if　they　had　been　open　desert。　The　plane　flew　on　south　to　North　Bimini。　Here　there　were　a　few　houses　and　some　small　fishing　hotels。　Expensive…looking　deep…sea　fishing　craft　were　out；　their　tall　rods　streaming。　Gay　people　in　the　well…decks　waved　to　the　little　plane。　A　girl；　sunbathing　naked　on　the　roof　of　a　smart　cabin　cruiser；　hastily　snatched　at　a　towel。　〃Authentic　blonde！〃　mented　Leiter。　They　flew　on　south　to　the　Cat　Cays　that　trail　away　south　from　the　Biminis。　Here　there　was　still；　an　occasional　fishing　craft。　Leiter　groaned。　〃What　the　hell's　the　good　of　this？　These　fishermen　would　have　found　it　by　now　if　it　was　here。〃　Bond　told　him　to　keep　on　south。　Thirty　miles　farther　south　there　were　little　unnamed　specks　on　the　Admiralty　chart。　Soon　the　dark　blue　water　began　to　shoal　again　to　green。　They　passed　over　three　sharks　circling　aimlessly。　Then　there　was　nothing…just　dazzling　sand　under　the　glassy　surface；　and　occasional　patches　of　coral。
　
　They　went　on　carefully　down　to　where　the　water　turned　again　to　blue。　Leiter　said　dully；　〃Well；　that's　that。　Fifty　miles　on　there's　Andros。　Too　many　people　there。　Someone　would　have　heard　the　plane…if　there　was　a　plane。〃　He　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Eleven…thirty。　What　next；　Hawkshaw？　I've　only　got　fuel　for　another　two　hours'　flying。〃
　
　Something　was　itching　deep　down　in　Bond's　mind。　Something；　some　small　detail；　had　raised　a　tiny　question　mark。　What　was　it？　Those　sharks！　In　about　forty　feet　of　water！　Circling　on　the　surface！　What　were　they　doing　there？　Three　of　them。　There　must　be　something…something　dead　that　had　brought　them　to　that　particular　patch　of　sand　and　coral。　Bond　said　urgently；　〃Just　go　back　up　once　more；　Felix。　Over　the　shoals。　There's　something…〃
　
　The　little　plane　made　a　tight　turn。　Felix　cut　down　the　revs　and　just　kept　flying　speed　about　fifty　feet　above　the　surface。　Bond　opened　the　door　and　craned　out；　his　glasses　at　short　focus。　Yes；　there　were　the　sharks；　two　on　the　surface　with　their　dorsals　out；　and　one　deep　down。　It　was　nosing　at　something。　It　had　its　teeth　into　something　and　was　pulling　at　it。　Among　the　dark　and　pale　patches；　a　thin　straight　line　showed　on　the　bottom。　Bond　shouted；　〃Get　back　over　again！〃　The　plane　zoomed　round　and　back。　Christ！　Why　did　they　have　to　go　so　fast？　But　now　Bond　had　seen　another　straight　line　on　the　bottom；　leading　off　at　ninety　degrees　from　the　first。　He　flopped　back　into　his　seat　and　banged　the　door　shut。　He　said　quietly；　〃Put　her　down　over　those　sharks；　Felix。　I　think　this　is　it。〃
　
　Leiter　took　a　quick　glance　at　Bond's　face。　He　said；　〃Christ！〃　Then；　〃Well；　I　hope　I　can　make　it。　Damned　difficult　to　get　a　true　horizon。　This　water's　like　glass。〃　He　pulled　away；　curved　back；　and　slowly　put　the　nose　down。　There　was　a　slight　jerk　and　then　the　hiss　of　the　water　under　the　skids。　Leiter　cut　his　engines　and　the　plane　came　to　a　quick　stop；　rocking　in　the　water　about　ten　yards　from　where　Bond　wanted。　The　two　sharks　on　the　surface　paid　no　attention。　They　pleted　their　circle　and　came　slowly　back。　They　passed　so　close　to　the　plane　that　Bond　could　see　the　incurious；　pink　button　eyes。　He　peered　down　through　the　small　ripples　cast　by　the　two　dorsal　fins。　Yes！　Those　〃rocks〃　on　the　bottom　were　bogus。　They　were　painted　patches。　So　were　the　areas　of　〃sand。〃　Now　Bond　could　clearly　see　the　straight　edges　of　the　giant　tarpaulin。　The　third　shark　had　nosed　back　a　big　section。　Now　it　was　shoveling　with　its　flat　head　trying　to　get　underneath。
　
　Bond　sat　back。　He　turned　to　Leiter。　He　nodded。　〃That's　it；　all　right。　Big　camouflaged　tarpaulin　over　her。　Take　a　look。〃
　
　While　Leiter　leaned　across　Bond　and　stared　down；　Bond's　mind　was　racing　furiously。　Get　the　Police　missioner　on　the　police　wavelength　and　report？　Get　signals　sent　off　to　London？　No！　If　the　radio　operation　on　the　Disco　was　doing　his　job；　he　would　be　keeping　watch　on　the　police　frequency。　So　go　on　down　and　have　a　look。　See　if　the　bombs　were　still　there。　Bring　up　a　piece　of　evidence。　The　sharks？　Kill　one　and　the　others　would　go　for　the　corpse。
　
　Leiter　sat　back。　His　face　was　shining　with　excitement。　〃Well；　I'll　be　goddammed！　Boy　oh　boy！〃　He　clapped　Bond　on　the　back。　〃We've　found　it！　We've　found　the　goddam　plane。　Whaddya　know？　Jesus　Kerist！〃
　
　Bond　had　taken　out　the　Walther　PPK。　He　checked　to　see　there　was　a　round　in　the　chamber；　rested　it　on　his　left　forearm；　and　waited　for　the　two　sharks　to　e　round　again。　The　first　was　the　bigger；　a　hammerhead；　nearly　twelve　feet　long。　Its　hideously　distorted　head　moved　slowly　from　side　to　side　as　it　nuzzled　through　the　water；　watching　what　went　on　below；　waiting　for　a　sign　of　meat。　Bond　aimed　for　the　base　of　the　dorsal　fin　that　cut　through　the　water　like　a　dark　sail。　It　was　fully　erect；　a　sign　of　tension　and　awareness　in　the　big　fish。　Just　below　it　was　the　spine；　unassailable　except　with　a　nickel…plated　bullet。　He　pulled　the　trigger。　There　was　a　phut　as　the　bullet　hit　the　surface　just　behind　the　dorsal。　The　boom　of　the　heavy　gun　rolled　away　over　the　sea。　The　shark　paid　no　attention。　Bond　fired　again。　The　water　foamed　as　the　fish　reared　itself　above　the　surface；　dived　shallowly；　and　came　up　thrashing　sideways　like　a　broken　snake。　It　was　a　brief　flurry。　The　bullet　must　have　severed　the　spinal　cord。　Now　the　great　brown　shape　began　moving　sluggishly　in　circles　that　grew　ever　wider。　The　hideous　snout　came　briefly　out　of　the　water　to　show　the　sickle　mouth　gasping。　For　a　moment　it　rolled　over　on　its　back；　its　stomach　white　to　the　sun。　Then　it　righted　itself　and；　dead　probably；　continued　its　mechanical；　disjointed　swim。
　
　The　following　shark　had　watched　all　this。　Now　it　approached　cautiously。　It　made　a　short　snapping　run　and　swerved　away。　Feeling　safe；　it　darted　in　again；　seemed　to　nuzzle　at　the　dying　fish；　and　then　lifted　its　snout　above　the　surface　an