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！
〃Juan here。 That you； Doc？ What can I do for you？〃
〃Dr。 Kelsey and Miles Rodgers insisted on making a preliminary dive into the sacrificial well；〃 replied Miller。 〃I think we may have an emergency。〃
〃They went into that cesspool without waiting for the dive team from the university？〃 Chaco asked in a strangely indifferent tone。
〃I tried to talk them out of it。〃
〃When did they enter the water？〃
Miller checked his watch again。 〃Twenty…seven minutes ago。〃
〃How long did they plan to stay down？〃
〃They planned to resurface after thirty minutes。〃
〃It's still early。〃 Chaco sighed。 〃So what's the problem？〃
〃We've seen no sign of their air bubbles for the last ten minutes。〃
Chaco caught his breath； closed his eyes for a second。 〃Doesn't sound good； my friend。 This is not what we planned。〃
〃Can you send the dive team ahead by helicopter？〃 asked Miller。
〃Not possible；〃 Chaco replied helplessly。 〃They're still in transit from Miami。 Their plane isn't scheduled to land in Lima for another four hours。〃
〃We can't afford government meddling。 Certainly not now。 Can you arrange to have a dive rescue team rushed to the sinkhole？〃
〃The nearest naval facility is at Trujillo。 I'll alert the base mander and go from there。〃
〃Good luck to you； Juan。 I'll stand by the radio at this end。〃
〃Keep me informed of any new developments。〃
〃I will； I promise you；〃 Miller said grimly。
〃My friend？〃
〃Yes？〃
〃They'll e through；〃 offered Chaco in a hollow tone。 〃Rodgers is a master diver。 He doesn't make mistakes。〃
Miller said nothing。 There was nothing more to say。 He broke contact with Chaco and hurried back to the silent group of students； who were staring down into the sinkhole with dread。
In Chachapoyas； Chaco pulled out a handkerchief and mopped his face。 He was a man of order。 Unforeseen obstacles or problems irritated him。 If the two stupid Americans drowned themselves； there would be a government inquiry。 Despite Chaco's influence； the Peruvian news media were bound to make an overblown incident out of it。 The consequences might very well prove to be nothing less than disastrous。
〃All we need now；〃 he muttered to himself； 〃are two dead archaeologists in the pool。〃
Then with shaking hands he gripped the radio transmitter and began sending out an urgent call for help。
One hour and forty…five minute had passed since Shannon and Miles had entered the sacrificial pool。 Any attempt at rescue now seemed an empty gesture。 Nothing could save Shannon and Miles now。 They had to be dead； their air used up long ago。 Two more victims added to the countless number who had disappeared into the morbid waters through the centuries。
In a voice frantic with desperation； Chaco had informed him that the Peruvian navy was caught unprepared for an emergency。 Their water escape and recovery team was on a training mission far to the south of Peru near the Chilean border。 It was impossible for them to airlift the dive team and their equipment to the sinkhole before sundown。 Chaco helplessly shared Miller's anxiety over the slow response time。 But this was South America and speed was seldom a priority。
One of the female students heard it first。 She cupped her hands to her ears and turned back and forth like a radar antenna。 〃A helicopter！〃 she announced excitedly； pointing in a westerly direction through the tops of the trees。
In an expectant hush everyone around the rim of the pool listened。 The faint thumping sound of a rotor blade beating the air came toward them； growing louder with each passing moment。 A minute later a turquoise helicopter with the letters NUMA painted on its sides swept into view。
Where had it e from？ Miller wondered； his spirits rising。 It obviously didn't have the markings of the Peruvian navy。 It had to be a civilian craft。
The tops of the surrounding trees were whipped into a frenzy as the helicopter began its descent into a small clearing beside the sinkhole。 The landing skids were still in the air when the fuselage door opened and a tall man with wavy black hair made an agile leap to the ground。 He was dressed in a thin； shorty wet suit for diving in warm waters。 Ignoring the younger people； he walked directly up to the anthropologist。
〃Dr。 Miller？〃
〃Yes； I'm Miller。〃
The stranger； a warm smile arched across his face； shoved out a calloused hand。 〃I'm sorry we couldn't have arrived sooner。〃
〃Who are you？〃
〃My name is Dirk Pitt。〃
〃You're American；〃 Miller stated； staring into a craggy face with eyes that seemed to smile。
〃Special Projects Director for the U。S。 National Underwater and Marine Agency。 As I understand it； two of your divers are missing in an underwater cave。〃
〃A sinkhole；〃 Miller corrected him。 〃Dr。 Shannon Kelsey and Miles Rodgers entered the water almost two hours ago and have failed to resurface。〃
Pitt walked over to the edge of the pool； stared down at the stagnant water； and quickly determined that diving conditions were rotten。 The pool went from slime green at the outer edges to pitch black in the center； giving the impression of great depth。 There was nothing to indicate that the operation would prove to be anything more than a body recovery。 〃Not too inviting；〃 he mused。
〃Where did you e from？〃 queried Miller。
〃NUMA is conducting an underwater geological survey off the coast due west of here。 The Peruvian naval headquarters radioed a request to send divers on a rescue mission and we responded。 Apparently we're the first to arrive on…site。〃
〃How can oceanographic scientists carry out a rescue and recovery operation in a hellhole？〃 Miller snapped； being suddenly angry。
〃Our research ship contained the necessary diving equipment；〃 Pitt explained unemotionally。 〃I'm not a scientist but a marine engineer。 I've only had a few training sessions in underwater recovery； but I'm a reasonably good diver。〃
Before a discouraged Miller could reply； the helicopter's engine died as the rotor blades slowly swung to a stop； and a short man with the broad shoulders and barrel chest of a dock worker squeezed through the exit door and approached。 He looked the plete opposite of the tall lean Pitt。
My friend and associate； Al Giordino；〃 Pitt said； introducing him。
Giordino nodded under a mass of dark； curly hair and said simply； 〃Hello。〃
Miller looked behind them through the windshield of the aircraft； and seeing the interior held no other passengers； groaned in despair。 〃Two of you； only two of you。 My God； it will take at least a dozen men to bring them out。〃
Pitt wasn't the least bit annoyed by Miller's outburst。 He stared at the anthropologist with tolerant understanding through deep green opaline eyes that seemed to possess a mesmeric quality。 〃Trust me； Doc；〃 he said in a tone that stopped any further argument。 〃Al and I can do the job。〃
Within minutes； after a brief planning session； Pitt was ready to be lowered into the pool。 He was wearing a full EXO…26 face mask from Diving Systems International with an exothermic air regulator good for polluted water applications。 The earphone sockets were connected to an MK1…DCI Ocean Technology Systems diver radio。 He earned twin 100…cubic…foot air tanks on his back and wore a buoyancy pensator with an array of instruments indicating depth； air pressure； and pass direction。 As he geared up； Giordino connected a thick nylon Kermantle munications and safety line to Pitt's earphone and an emergency release buckle on a strap cinched around Pitt's waist。 The remainder of the safety line wound around a large reel mounted inside the helicopter and connected to an outside amplifier。 After a final check of Pitt's equipment； Giordino patted him on the head and spoke into the munication system's microphone。
〃Looking good。 Do you read？〃
〃As though you were inside my head；〃 Pitt answered； his voice audible to everyone through an amplifier。 〃How about me？〃
Giordino nodded。 〃Clear and distinct。 I'll monitor your depression schedule and dive time from here。〃
〃Understood。〃
〃I'm counting on you to give me a running account of your situation and depth。〃
Pitt wrapped the safety line around one arm and gripped it with both hands。 He gave Giordino a wink from behind the lens of the face mask。 〃Okay； let's open the show。〃
Giordino motioned to four of Miller's students who began unwinding the reel。 Unlike Shannon and Miles who bounced their way down along the sinkhole walls； Giordino had strung the nylon line over the end of a dead tree trunk that hung 2 meters （over 6 feet） beyond the edge of the vertical precipice； allowing Pitt to drop without scraping against the limestone。
For a man who was conceivably sending his friend to an untimely death； Miller thought； Giordino appeared incredibly calm and efficient。 He did not know Pitt and Giordino； had never heard of the legendary pair。 He could not know they were extraordinary men with almost twenty years of adventuring under the seas who had developed an unerring sense for assessing the odds of survival。 He could only stand by in frustration at what he was certain was an exercise in futility。 He leaned over the brink and watched intently as Pitt neared the green surface scum of the water。
〃How's it look？〃 asked Giordino over the phone。
〃Like my grandmother's split pea soup；〃 replied Pitt。
〃I don't advise sampling it。〃
〃The thought never entered my mind。〃
No further words were spoken as Pitt's feet entered the liquid slime。 When it closed over his head； Giordino slackened the safety line to give him freedom of movement。 The water temperature was only about ten degrees cooler than the average hot tub。 Pitt began breathing through his regulator； rolled over； kicked his fins； and dove down into the murky world of death。 The increasing water pressure squeezed his ear drums and he snorted inside his mask to equalize the force。 He switched on a Birns Oceanographics Snooper light； but the hand…held beam could barely penetrate the gloom。
Then； abruptly； he passed through the dense murk into a yawning chasm of crystal clear water。 Instead of the light beam reflecting off the algae into his face； it suddenly shot into the distance。 The instant transformation below the layer of slime stunned him for a moment。 He felt as if he were swimming in air。 〃I have clear visibility at a depth of four meters；〃 he reported topside。
〃Any sign of the other divers？〃
Pitt slowly swam in a 360…degree circle。 〃No； nothing。〃
〃Can you make out details of the bottom？〃
〃Fairly well；〃 replied Pitt。 〃The water is transparent as glass but quite dark。 The scum on the surface cuts the sunlight on the bottom by seventy percent。 It's a bit dark around the walls so I'll have to swim a search pattern so I won't miss the bodies。〃
〃Do you have enough slack on the safety line？〃
〃Maintain a slight tension so it won't hinder my movement as I go deeper。〃
For the next twelve minutes Pitt circled the steep walls of the sinkhole； probing every cavity； descending as if revolving around a giant corkscrew。 The limestone； laid down hundreds of millions of years earlier； was mineral stained with strange； abstract images。 He planed horizontally and swam in languid slow motion； sweeping the beam of light back and forth in front of him。 The illusion of soaring over a bottomless pit was overwhelming。
Finally； he leveled out over the floor of the sacrificial pool。 No firm sand or plant life； just one uneven patch of ugly brown silt broken by clusters of grayish rock。 〃I have the bottom at slightly over thirty…six meters。 Still no sign of Kelsey or Rodgers。〃
Far above the pool； Miller gave Giordino a dazed look。 〃They must be down there。 Impossible for them to simply vanish。〃
Far below； Pitt kicked slowly across the bottom； careful to stay a good meter above the rocks and especially the silt； which might billow into a blinding cloud and reduce his visibility to zero within seconds。 Once disturbed； silt could remain suspended for several hours before settling back to the bottom。 He gave an involuntary shudder。 The water had turned unfortably cold as he passed into a cool layer suspended beneath the warmer water ab