cc.iceberg-第6章

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　〃I　can't　understand　it。〃　Hunnewell　shook　his　head。
　〃That　berg　shouldn't　be　there。　By　every　known　law　of　current　and　drift；　it　should　be　floating　at　least　ninety　miles　to　the　southeast。〃
　
　But　it　was　there；　resting　on　the　sharp　horizon　line；　a　massive　towering　hunk　of　ice；　beautifully　carved　by　nature；　grotesquely　marred　by　manmade　chemicals。　Before　Pitt　could　lower　the　binoculars；　the　ice　crystals　on　the　berg　caught　the　sun　and　reflected　the　brilliance　into　his　eyes；　the　intensity　blasting　through　the　lenses。　Temporarily　blinded；　he　gained　altitude　and　altered　course　a　few　degrees　to　remove　the　glare。　It　was　nearly　a　full　minute　before　the　skyrockets　behind　his　eyeballs　finally　faded　away。
　
　Then　suddenly　Pitt　became　aware　of　a　dun；　almost　imperceptible　shadow　in　the　water。　He　hardly　had　time　to　distinguish　the　dark　shape　as　the　helicopter　skimmed　over　the　blue　swells；　not　three　hundred　feet　beneath　the　landing　skids。　The　iceberg　was　still　a　good　seven　miles　away　when　he　swung　around　in　a　great　half　circle　toward　the　east　and　the　Catawaba。
　〃What　in　hell's　the　matter　with　you？〃　Hunnewell　demanded。
　Pitt　ignored　the　question。　〃I'm　afraid　we　have　uninvited　guests。〃
　〃Nonsense！　There　isn't　a　ship　or　another　aircraft　in　sight。〃
　〃They're　ing　to　the　party　through　the　basement。〃
　Hunnewell's　eyebrows　raised　questioningly。　Then　he　slowly　slumped　back　in　the　seat。　〃A　submarine？〃
　〃A　submarine。〃
　〃It　is　quite　possible　it　may　be　one　of　ours。〃
　〃Sorry；　Dog　that's　wishful　thinking。〃
　〃Then　the　Russians　beat　us　to　it。〃　Hunnewell's　Mouth　twisted。　〃Dear　God；　we're　too　late。〃
　〃Not　yet。〃　Pitt　turned　the　helicopter　into　another　circling　arc；　this　time　back　toward　the　iceberg。　〃We　can　be　standing　on　the　ice　in　four　minutes。　It　will　take　the　sub　at　least　a　half　hour　to　reach　the　berg。　With　any　luck　we　can　find　what　we　came　for　and　get　the　hell　out　before　their　crew　lands。〃
　〃That's　cutting　it　a　bit　fine。〃　Hunnewell　didn't　sound　very　confident。　〃When　the　Russians　see　us　run。　9　about　on　the　berg；　they　won't　e　unarmed；　you　know？〃
　〃I'd　be　surprised　if　they　didn't。　Actually；　the　captain　of　that　Russian　sub　has　enough　weapons　at　his　mand　to　blast　us　to　pieces　anytime　he　has　the　inclination。　But　I'm　betting　he　won't　take　the　chance。〃
　〃What　has　he　got　to　lose？〃
　〃Nothing。　But　he　gains　the　repercussions　of　a　mr…e　fat　international　incident。　Any　mander　worth　a　ruble　in　his　position　will　be　certain　we're　in　constant　radio　contact　with　our　home　base；　notifying　them　of　his　sub's　position　and　ready　to　scream　bloody　murder　at　the　first　shot。　This　side　of　the　Atlantic　is　our　stomping　grounds；　and　he　knows　it。　He's　too　far　from　Moscow　to　play　the　role　of　a　block　bully。〃
　〃All　right；　all　right；〃　Hunnewell　said。　〃Go　ahead　and　set　us　down。　I　suppose　even　getting　shot　at　is　better　than　sitting　another　minute　in　this　tooth…jarring　niixmaster。〃
　
　Pitt　said　no　more。　He　made　the　approach　and　set　the　helicopter　down　without　any　difficulty　on　a　small　flat　area　of　ice　no　more　than　twenty　feet　long　by　fifteen　feet　wide。　Then；　before　the　rotor　blades　had　e　to　a　final　stop；　he　and　Hunnewell　jumped　from　the　cockpit　and　stood　on　the　silent　iceberg　wondering　when　the　Russian　submarine　would　surface；　wondering　what　they　would　find　beneath　the　shroud　of　ice　that　separated　them　from　the　cold　unfriendly　waters。　They　could　see　no　life；　feel　no　life。　Their　cheeks　were　touched　lightly　by　a　frigid　breeze；　but　apart　from　that　there　was　nothing；　nothing　at　all。
　
　Chapter　3
　
　The　tense　minutes　passed　in　total　silence；　minutes　before　Pitt　could　bring　himself　to　say　anything　that　was　important。　When　at　last　he　did；　his　voice　sounded　to　him　like　a　vague　whisper。　y　whisper？　he　thought。
　
　Hunnewell　was　probing　the　ice　thirty　feet　away；　the　Russian　submarine；　now　riding　motionless　on　the　surface；　lay　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　northern　edge　of　the　iceberg。　Finally；　Pitt　managed　to　attract　Hunnewell's　attention　with　a　voice　that　was　still　hushed　by　the　cathedral…like　silence。
　〃Time's　running　out；　Doc。〃　It　still　seemed　he　might　be　overheard；　though　the　Russians　couldn't　have　picked　UP　his　words　had　he　shouted　at　the　top　of　his　voice。
　〃I'm　not　blind；〃　Hunnewell　snapped。　〃How　long　before　they　get　here？〃
　〃By　the　time　they　set　a　dinghy　in　the　water；　row　in　from　the　sub　and　step　ashore…four　hundred　yards　if　it's　an　inch…it'll　take…them　between　fifteen　and　twenty　minutes。〃
　〃We've　no　damned　time　to　lose；〃　Hunnewell　said　impatiently。
　〃Any　luck　yet？〃
　〃Nothing！〃　Hunnewell　boomed　back。　〃The　derelict　must　be　deeper　than　I　thought。〃　He　rami…ned　the　probe　feverishly　into　the　ice。　〃It's　here；　it's　got　to　be　here。　A　hundred…and…twenty…five…foot　vessel　couldn't　have　disappeared。〃
　〃Maybe　the　Coast　Guard　saw　a　phantom　ship。
　Hunnewell　paused　to　adjust　his　sunglasses。　〃The　ice　patrol　crew　might　have　been　fooled　by　their　eyes；　but　not　by　their　radar　equipment。〃
　
　Pitt　moved　closer　to　the　open　door　of　the　helicopter。　His　gaze　swung　to　Hunnewell；　then　back　to　the　sub；　and　a　second　later　he　was　peering　through　the　binoculars。　He　studied　the　tiny　figures　that　were　erupting　from　the　hatches　of　the　low…silhouetted　submarine　and　scrambling　hurriedly　across　the　sea…splashed　deck。　In　less　than　three　minutes；　a　large　six…man　dinghy　was　inrated；　dropped　beside　the　hull　and　boarded　by　a　group　of　men　carrying　an　assortment　of　automatic　weapons。
　
　Then　an　indistinct　popping　sound　came　over　the　rolling　blue　water。
　
　The　sound　was　enough…enough　for　Pitt　to　drastically　cut　his　original　time　estimate。
　〃They're　ing。　Five；　maybe　six　of　them；　can't　tell　for　sure。〃
　〃Are　they　armed？〃　Hunnewell's　query　sounded　urgent。　〃To　the　teeth。〃
　〃My　God；　man！〃　Hunnewell　shouted　irritably。
　〃Don't　just　stand　there　and　gawk。　Help　me　search　for　the　derelict。〃
　〃Forget　it。〃　Pitts　tone　was　unhurried。　〃They'll　be　here　in　another　five　minutes。〃
　〃Five　minutes？　You　said…〃
　〃I　didn't　count　on　their　dinghy　having　an　outboard　motor。〃
　Hunnewell　stared　stricken　at　the　submarine。　〃How　did　the　Russians　find　out　about　the　derelict？　How　could　they　have　possibly　known　the　location？〃
　〃No　great　feat；〃　Pitt　answered。　〃One　of　their　KGB　agents　in　Washington　undoubtedly　got　hold　of　the　Coast　Guard's　sighting　report…it's　hardly　a　classified　secret…and　then　dispatched　every　fishing　trawler　and　submarine　they　had　in　this　part　of　the　Atlantic　to　search　the　ice　field。　It's　an　unfortunate　coincidence　for　us；　but　a　lucky　one　for　them　that　we　both　discovered　the　iceberg　at　the　same　moment。〃
　〃It　looks　as　if　we've　thrown　the　ball　game；〃　Hunnewell　said　bleakly。　〃They've　won；　and　we've　lost。
　
　Dammit；　if　we　could　only　locate　the　derelict's　hull；　we　could　at　least　destroy　it　with　thermite　bombs　and　keep　it　out　of　the　Russians'　hands。〃
　〃To　the　victor　goes　the　spoils；〃　Pitt　murmured。　〃All　one　million　tons　of　the　finest；　purest；　genuine　Greenland　ice　in　the　Atlantic　Ocean。〃
　Hunnewell　was　puzzled；　but　said　nothing。　Pitts　apparent　indifference　made　no　sense。
　〃Tell　me；　Dog〃　Pitt　continued。　〃What's　today's　date？〃
　〃The　date？〃　Hunnewell　said　dazedly。　〃It's　Wednesday；　March　twenty…eighth。〃
　〃We're　early；〃　Pitt　said。　〃Three　days　early　for　April　Fools'Day。〃
　Hunnewell's　voice　was　flat　and　hard。　〃This　is　hardly　the；　time　or　place　for　levity。〃
　〃Why　not？　Somebody's　played　a　tremendous　joke　on　us　and　on　those　clowns　out　there。〃　Pitt　gestured　toward　the　rapidly　approaching　landing　party。　〃You；　1；　the　Russians；　we're　all　starring　in　the　greatest　laugh　riot　ever　to　hit　the　North　Atlantic。　The　climax　of　the　final　act　es　when　we　all　learn　that　there　is　no　derelict　in　this　iceberg。〃　He　paused　to　exhale　a　cloud　of　smoke。
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　there　never　was　one。〃
　Total　inprehension　and　the　meager　beginnings　of　hope　touched　Hunnewell。　〃Go　on；〃　he　prompted。
　〃Besides　radar　contact；　the　Crew　of　the　patrol　plane　reported　that　they　sighed　the　outline　of　a　ship　in　the　ice；　yet　we　saw　nothing　before　we　touched　down。
　
　That　alone　doesn't　figure。　They　were　in　an　aircraft　flying　at　a　probable　patrol　speed　of　two　hundred　miles　an　hour。　if　anything；　our　chances　of　spotting　something　from　a　hovering　helicopter　were　far　higher。〃
　
　Hunnewell　looked　thoughtful。　He　seemed　to　be　weighing　what　Pitt　had　said。　〃I'm　not　sure　what　you're　hinting　at。〃　Then　he　smiled；　suddenly　his　old　cheerful　self　again。　〃But　I'm　getting　wise　to　your　siv　mind。　You　must　have　something　up　your　sleeve…〃
　〃No　magic。　You　said　it　yourself。　by　every　known　law　of　current　and　drift；　this　berg　should　be　floating　ninety　miles　to　the　southwest。〃
　〃True。〃　Hunnewell　looked　at　Pitt　with　a　new　respect。　〃And　the　conclusion；　exactly　what　do　you　have　in　mind？〃
　〃Not　what；　but　who；　Doc。　Someone　who　is　leading　all　of　us　on　the　proverbial　wild…coose　chase。　Someone　who　removed　the　red　dye　from　the　iceberg　containing　the　lost　ship　and　spread　more　of　the　same　over　a　decoy　ninety　miles　off　the　track。〃
　〃Of　course；　the　iceberg　we　flew　over　hours　ago。
　The　same　size；　configuration　and　weight；　but　no　red　stain。〃
　〃That's　where　we'll　find　our　mystery　ship；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Right　where　you　calculated　it　was　supposed　to　be。〃
　〃But　who's　playing　games？〃　Hunnewell　asked；　his　face　set　in　a　contemplative　twist。　〃Obviously　it　isn't　the　Russians：　they're　as　confused　as　we　were。〃
　〃At　the　moment　it　doesn't　matter；〃　Pitt　said。　〃The　important　thing　is　to　bid　fond　farewell　to　this　floating　ice　palace　and　fly　off　into　the　blue。　Our　uninvited　guests　have　arrived。〃　He　nodded　down　the　slope　of　the　berg。
　〃Or　perhaps　you　hadn't　noticed？〃
　
　And　Hunnewell　hadn't。　But　he　noticed　it　now。　The　first　of　the　landing　party　from　the　submarine　came　piling　on　the　berg；　walking　cautiously　onto　the　edge　of　the　ice。　Within　a　few　seconds；　five　Pitt　and　Hunnewell's　direction。　They　were　dressed　in　black…Russian　marines…and　heavily　armed。　Even　at　a　hundred　yards；　Pitt　could　discern　the　unmistakable　look　of　men　who　knew　exactly　what　they　were　out　to　do。
　
　Pitt　casually　climbed　aboard　the　helicopter；　turned　the　ignition　switch　and　pushed　the　starter。　Even　before　the　rotor　blades　swung　into　their　first　revolution；　Hunnewell　was　ensconced　in　the　passenger's　seat　with　his　safety　belt　tightly　secured。
　
　Before　he　closed　the　door　to　the　cockpit；　Pitt　leined　out；　cupped　both　hands　to　his　mouth　and　shouted　to　the　advancing　Russians；　〃Enjoy　your　stay；　but　don't　forget　to　Pick　up　your　litter。〃
　
　The　officer　leading　the　men　from　the　submarine　cocked　an　ear；　then　shrugged　unprehendingly。　He　was　certain　that　Pitt　was　hardly　likely　to　shout　in　Russian　for　his　benefit。　As　if　to　signal　the　occupants　of　the　helicopter　of　his　peaceful　intentions；　the　officer　lowered　his　automatic　weapon　and　waved　a　salute　as　Pitt　and　Hunnewell　relinquished　possession　of　the　iceberg　and　rose　into　the　radiant　blue　sky。
　
　Pitt　took　his　time；　keeping　the　helicopter　at　a　Minimum　cruising　speed　and　holding　on　a　northward　course　for　fifteen　minutes。　Then；　after　they　were　out　of　sight　and　radar　range　of　the　submarine；　he　swung　around　in　a　long　circle　to　the　southwest　and　by　eleven　fifteen　they　had　found　the　derelict。
　
　As　they　bore　down　on　the　great　ice　giant；　Pitt　and　Hunnewell　shared　a　strange　sense　of　emptiness。　It　wasn't　just　the　end　of　the　long　hours　of　uncer