cc.fireice-第34章

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and　put　his　arms　around　the　Trouts。
　
　〃Hope　you　had　time　for　your　martinis；〃　Austin　said。
　
　Gamay　smiled　and　pecked　his　cheek。　〃We　squeezed　in　two　drinks　apiece；　thank　you。〃
　〃Sorry　to　drag　you　out　here　so　soon　after　your　Novorossiysk　trip。〃　He　guided　them　to　the　mess　hall　and　brought　them　three　tinkling　glasses　of　fresh…squeezed　lemonade。　〃Joe's　baby…sitting　the　crew　in　the　conference　room。　We're　meeting　with　them　in　fifteen　minutes　to　hear　their　story。　The　crew　is　anxious　to　get　home；　and　I've　asked　them　to　give　us　an　hour　while　the　chopper　fuels　up。〃
　
　Gunn　puckered　his　lips　in　amusement　as　Austin　filled　them　in　on　the　crew's　rescue。　〃I　don't　mean　to　demean　the　dangers　you　described；　Kurt；　but　it　sounds　like　a　Pink　Panther　movie；　with　all　those　people　running　around。〃
　〃I　was　thinking　more　of　the　Keystone　Kops；〃　Austin　said。　〃Someday　I'll　look　back　and　chuckle　over　the　whole　crazy　episode。〃　He　brushed　his　head　lightly　with　his　fingers。　〃But　if　my　hair　could　have　gotten　any　whiter；　it　would　have。〃
　〃I'm　intrigued　by　this　Russian　you　call　Ivan；〃　Gunn　said。　〃How　do　you　know　him？〃
　〃Our　paths　crossed　when　I　was　working　for　the　CIA。〃
　〃Is　he　a　friend　or　foe？〃
　〃I'd　call　him　a　friend　for　the　moment。　I　suspect　that　he'll　do　pretty　much　what　he　thinks　is　in　the　best　interests　of　Russia。　He　is　devious　and　shrewd　…　and　he　didn't　survive　all　those　purges　in　Russian　intelligence　by　being　a　choirboy。〃
　〃That's　quite　a　resume。　Despite　his　checkered　background；　you　think　we　should　trust　him？〃
　〃For　now。　And　for　one　very　good　reason。〃
　〃What's　that？〃　Gunn　said。　〃He's　all　we've　got。〃
　
　…19…
　TH　E　SOGGY　BUNCH　Captain　Kemal　had　rescued　from　the　sea　and　transferred　to　the　Argo　was　gone。　In　their　place　was　a　happy　band　of　submariners　who　could　laugh　about　their　ordeal；　which　was　what　they　were　doing　when　Austin　and　the　others　arrived　at　the　conference　room。
　
　After　boarding　the　Argo；　the　NR…1　crew　had　been　checked　out　by　the　ship's　medical　technician；　filled　with　extraordinary　meals　from　the　galley　and　given　the　loan　of　NUMA　work　coveralls。　Except　for　scratches　and　bruises；　the　men　in　the　conference　room　showed　few　visible　effects　from　their　ordeal。　Sitting　at　the　metal　table　that　occupied　center　place　were　Captain　Atwood；　Ensign　Kreisman　and　Joe　Zavala。　Joe　smiled　broadly　when　he　saw　his　NUMA　colleagues　e　through　the　door。　He　rose　and　went　over　to　shake　hands　with　Gunn　and　Trout。　Ever　the　ladies'　man；　he　gave　Gamay　a　kiss　on　the　cheek。
　
　After　a　quick　round　of　introductions；　Austin　announced；　to　claps　and　whistles；　〃In　a　few　hours　you'll　be　back　in　Istanbul；　where　a　jet　is　waiting　to　fly　you　home。　Your　relatives　have　been　notified　that　you're　safe。〃　More　applause。　〃You　must　be　anxious　to　be　on　your　way；　but　I've　got　a　favor　to　ask。　We've　only　heard　parts　of　your　remarkable　story。　While　the　chopper　is　fueling　up　for　the　return　trip；　I'm　hoping　you　can　tell　us　what　happened　from　start　to　finish。〃
　
　Ensign　Kreisman　stood　and　said；　〃It's　the　least　we　can　do。　I'm　sure　I　speak　for　the　crew　when　I　say　thanks　to　you　and　Joe　for　getting　us　out　of　that　place　in　one　piece。〃

　
　〃Remind　us　to　bring　a　Bradley　fighting　vehicle　the　next　time；〃　Austin　said。　He　waited　for　the　laughter　to　die　down。　〃If　you　don't　mind；　Ensign；　I'll　play　Perry　Mason。　I　think　it　will　go　faster　that　way。〃
　〃No　problem；　sir。〃
　〃Good。　Why　don't　you　start　from　the　beginning？〃
　
　Kreisman　took　a　position　in　front　of　a　wall　chart　that　showed　the　eastern　Aegean。　〃Our　mission　was　to　dive　on　underwater　archaeological　sites　off　the　Turkish　coast。　Here。〃　He　tapped　the　map。　〃In　addition　to　our　regular　crew　under　the　mand　of　Captain　Logan；　we　carried　a　guest　scientist　who　called　himself　Dr。　Josef　Pulaski；　supposedly　from　MIT。〃
　
　Gunn　raised　his　hand。　〃Point　of　information。　After　we　learned　the　sub　was　hijacked；　we　went　over　the　roster　and　found　Pulaski's　name。　When　we　checked　with　MIT；　they　said　they'd　never　heard　of　him。〃
　〃Too　bad　we　didn't　check　before　he　came　on　board；〃　the　ensign　said；　with　a　shake　of　his　head。　〃In　any　event；　the　mission　was　an　unqualified　success。　We　retrieved　some　artifacts　with　our　manipulator　capacity。　We　were　preparing　to　surface；　when　Pulaski　pulled　a　gun。　Most　of　the　crew　was　aft　of　the　control　room　and　didn't　see　it　happen。　The　captain　in…　formed　us　over　the　inter。　He　ordered　us　to　stay　put　。or　Pulaski　would　shoot　us。　The　sub　went　up　a　few　hundred　feet　and　hovered。〃
　〃For　how　long？〃　Austin　said。
　
　〃About　twenty…five　minutes。　Then　a　huge　shadow　appeared　in　the　monitors。　It　looked　like　a　whale　or　shark　ing　up　under　the　sub；　and　then　there　was　a　horrendous　clang。　The　sub　shook　so　hard；　anyone　who　wasn't　holding　on　was　thrown　to　the　floor。　Next　we　heard　a　scraping　and　clawing；　as　if　big　metal　beetles　were　crawling　around　on　the　outside　of　the　hull。　Divers。　We　could　see　them　on　the　monitors。　One　clown　even　waved　at　the　camera！　Next　thing　we　knew；　the　divers　were　gone　and　we　were　flying　through　the　ocean。〃
　
　Where　were　the　captain　and　pilot　and　the　other　scientist　during　all　of　this？〃　Austin　asked。
　
　〃In　the　control　room。〃
　〃Did　the　captain　say　anything　more？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　He　said　to　send　coffee　and　sandwiches　forward。〃
　〃What　was　the　support　ship　doing　at　this　time？〃
　〃We　heard　them　calling　on　the　radio　until　Pulaski　ordered　all　munications　shut　down。　I　assume　they　tracked　us　until　we　were　out　of　range。〃
　〃How　long　did　you　travel　underwater？〃　Austin　asked。
　

　〃A　matter　of　hours。　When　we　surfaced；　it　was　as　dark　as　Hades。　Not　a　light　to　be　seen　anywhere。　Then　armed　men　came　down　the　hatch　into　the　NR…1。〃
　〃Russians？〃
　〃We　couldn't　tell；　although　1　think　they　were　carrying　AK…47s。　They　were　wearing　cami　and　acted　like　professional　soldiers。　Not　like　those　jerks　on　horseback　that　you　saved　us　from。　They　kept　their　mouths　shut。　Pulaski　did　all　the　talking。　He　told　us　to　get　out　of　the　NR…1。　We　climbed　out　onto　the　deck　of　a　big　sub。〃
　〃Any　idea　on　the　sub's　length？〃　Gunn　said。
　
　Kreisman　looked　around　the　room。　〃Anyone　want　to　take　a　stab　at　a　guess？〃
　
　Another　seaman　spoke　up。　〃I　served　on　a　boomer　when　I　first　joined　the　navy。　Judging　from　its　beam；　around　thirty　feet；　I'd　estimate　this　baby　was　as　long　as　a　Los　Angeles　class。　About　three　hundred　sixty　feet。〃
　〃The　NR…1　is　only　one　hundred　fifty　feet　long。　They　could　easily　piggyback　you　with　more　than　two　hundred　feet　to　spare；〃　Austin　said。
　
　The　sailor　nodded。　〃That　sub　was　bigger　than　our　support　vessel。〃
　
　Austin　glanced　around　the　room。　〃Anyone　see　markings？〃
　
　Nobody　responded。　〃Too　dark　and　no　moon；〃　Kreisman　explained。
　
　〃So　they　moved　you　into　the　big　sub？〃
　〃Correct。　They　locked　us　in　a　bunk　room。　Not　enough　beds　for　all　of　us；　so　we　took　turns　sleeping。　They　brought　food　from　time　to　time。　We　submerged　for　twenty…four　hours。　When　we　surfaced　again；　it　was　night。　The　ocean　was　different　from　the　Aegean。　The　air　didn't　have　the　saltiness　we'd　been　used　to。　More　like　one　of　the　Great　Lakes。〃
　〃Tell　them　about　the　ship　sounds　we　heard　before　that；〃　one　of　the　submariners　said。
　
　〃Sorry；　I　forgot　about　that。　It　was　a　while　before　we　surfaced。　The　bunk　room　was　as　quiet　as　a　grave。　Some　of　the　guys　in　the　bunks　said　they　could　hear　the　sound　of　ship　engines　through　the　bulkheads。　We　all　put　our　ears　up　to　the　hull　and　listened。　It　was　true。〃
　〃You　were　in　an　area　of　heavy　ship　traffic？〃
　〃That's　what　we　figured。　Eventually；　the　noise　died　out。　Several　hours　later；　we　came　up　next　to　a　surface　ship。　It　must　have　been　waiting　for　us。　They　hustled　us　onto　the　ship　and　into　another　bunk　room。　That　was　our　home　sweet　home　for　three　days。〃
　〃They　kept　you　there　all　that　time？〃　Gunn　said。
　
　〃Hell；　no！　Early　the　next　morning；　we　were　assembled　on　the　deck。　Guys　with　guns　kept　us　covered；　and　the　big　sub　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　Pulaski　was　there。　He　gave　us　that　creepy　smile　of　his。　'Good　morning；　gentlemen；'　〃　Kreisman　imitated　Pulaski's　accent。　〃　'In　return　for　this　delightful　cruise；　we　are　going　to　ask　that　you　do　a　little　job　for　us。'　He　said　we　would　be　salvaging　material　from　an　old　ship。　Pulaski　and　another　thug　were　going　with　us。　So　we　piled　into　the　NR…1　alongside　the　ship；　which　was　acting　as　our　tender；　and　down　we　went。〃
　〃How　deep？〃
　〃Four　hundred　feet　plus。　No　big　deal　for　the　NR…1。　We　noticed　the　water　buoyancy　was　different。　We　needed　less　ballast　to　bring　us　down。　The　sea　bottom　was　mud　for　the　most　part；　sloping　before　it　abruptly　dropped　off　into　the　deep。　The　wreck　sat　on　the　bank　of　an　underwater　canyon　or　valley　that　ran　at　right　angles　to　the　cliff　face。〃
　〃Was　there　a　name　on　the　ship's　hull？〃
　〃None　that　we　could　see。　The　vessel　was　covered　with　seaweed　and　barnacles。　The　bow　was　more　up…and…down　than　raked；　like　those　pictures　you　see　of　the　Titanic。〃　He　used　his　hand　to　demonstrate。
　
　〃What　was　its　position　on　the　bottom？〃
　〃The　ship　sat　on　the　slope；　leaning　over　at　a　sharp　angle。　It　looked　as　if　a　good　shove　would　tip　it　over。　We　saw　a　big　hole　in　the　starboard　side。〃
　〃Could　you　see　inside　the　hole？〃
　〃It　was　filled　in　with　rubble。　We　only　stayed　there　a　minute。　They　were　more　interested　in　the　other　side。　They　had　fitted　out　the　manipulator　arm　with　a　cutting　torch。　We　touched　down　on　the　slanting　deck。　It　was　pretty　dicey　putting　the　sub　down　at　an　angle。　We　had　the　feeling　the　ship　could　roll　over　at　any　time。　Then　they　told　us　to　cut　a　hole　in　the　superstructure。〃
　〃Not　in　the　hold？〃　Austin　said　with　surprise。　〃That's　where　the　cargo　would　be。〃
　〃You'd　think　so；　but　we　weren't　in　a　position　to　argue。　We　made　an　opening　around　ten　by　ten　feet。　It　wasn't　too　hard　…　the　metal　was　old　and　rusted。　We　had　to　be　careful；　though。　It　was　like　a　surgical　operation。　One　nudge　and　the　ship　would　drop　off　into　the　deep；　we　were　all　aware　of　that。　We　could　see　the　old　bunks　and　mattresses。　Pulaski　and　his　buddy　got　real　agitated。　They　started　to　jabber　over　some　diagrams　of　the　wreck　that　they　had　with　them。〃
　〃In　Russian。〃
　〃Sounded　like　it。　Apparently；　they'd　had　us　cut　through　the　wrong　spot。　We　tried　two　more　times　before　they　found　what　they　wanted。　It　was　a　fairly　big　cabin　filled　with　metal　boxes　the　size　of　those　old　steamer　trunks　you　see　in　antique　shops。〃
　〃How　many　boxes？〃
　〃About　a　dozen；　jumbled　every　which　way。　Pulaski　told　us　to　grab　them　with　the　NR…1's　manipulator　arm。　We　had　a　tough　time　moving　them。　They　were　obviously　heavy　and　strained　the　manipulator　to　capacity。　We　pulled　the　boxes　to　the　opening　and　called　the　surface　ship　and　told　them　to　lower　some　lines　with　hooks　on　the　ends　of　them。　We　attached　the　lines；　stood　off　and　let　the　ship　winch　the　stuff　up　with　its　superior　lifting　power。〃
　
　Austin；　who　had　been　trained　in　deepwater　salvage；　nodded。　〃Exactly　the　way　I　would　have　handled　it。〃
　〃Captain　Logan's　idea。〃　Kreisman　smirked　with　embarrassment。　〃We　were　like　the　British　soldiers　in　that　movie；　Bridge　on　the　River　Kwai。　We　really　got　into　it。　Professional　pride；　I　guess。〃
　〃Don't　feel　bad。　They　probably　would　have　killed　you　if　you　hadn't　done　the　job。〃
　〃That's　what　the　captain　said。　We　worked　round…the…clock　shifts。　There　were　a　few　of　the　hitches　you'd　expect　with　a　job　that　plicated；