cussler.blueandgold-第10节

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　Ramirez　grimaced　with　pain。　〃You　see；　the　evil　spirits　have　already　begun　their　work。　I've　apparently　twisted　something。　I'll　put　a　cold　press　on　it；　but　I　may　require　your　assistance　to　walk。〃
　
　He　limped　back　to　the　house　with　a　hand　from　the　Trouts。　Ramirez　said　he　would　report　the　incident　to　the　regional　authorities。　He　didn't　expect　a　response。　A　dead　Indian　was　still　considered　a　good　Indian　by　many　in　his　country。
　
　〃Well；〃　he　said；　brightening。　〃What　is　done　is　done。　I　look　forward　to　our　dinner　tonight。〃
　
　The　Trouts　went　back　to　their　room　to　rest　and　clean　up　for　dinner。　Ramirez　collected　rainwater　in　a　roof　cistern　and　channeled　it　into　a　shower。　Gamay　had　evidently　been　thinking　about　the　Indian。　As　she　toweled　off　she　said；　〃Do　you　remember　the　Ice　Man　they　found　in　the　Alps？〃
　
　Paul　had　slipped　into　a　silk　bathrobe　and　was　stretched　out　on　the　bed　with　his　hands　behind　his　head。　〃Sure。　Stone　Age　guy　who　got　freeze…dried　in　a　glacier。　What　about　him？〃
　
　〃By　looking　at　the　tools　and　possessions　he　carried　it　was　possible　to　picture　his　way　of　life。　The　Indians　around　here　are　at　a　Stone　Age　level。　Our　blue…faced　friend　doesn't　fit　the　mold。　How　did　he　learn　to　make　those　things？　If　we　had　found　those　tools　on　the　Ice　Man；　it　would　be　in　every　newspaper　headline。　I　can　see　it　now：　'Ice　Man　Flicks　a　Bic。'　〃
　
　〃Maybe　he　subscribes　to　Popular　Mechanics。〃
　
　〃Maybe　he　gets　Boy's　Life；　too；　but　even　if　he　got　instructions　every　month　on　how　to　make　neat　stuff；　where　would　he　get　re　fined　metals　to　make　them　with？〃
　
　〃Perhaps　Dr。　Ramirez　can　enlighten　us　at　dinner。　I　hope　you're　hungry；〃　Paul　said。　He　was　staring　out　the　window。
　
　〃I'm　starved。　Why？〃
　
　〃I　just　saw　a　couple　of　natives　carrying　a　tapir　to　the　barbecue　pit。〃
　
　Chapter　4
　As　Austin　stepped　through　the　big　bay　door　into　the　cavernous　building　at　the　San　Diego　naval　station；　his　nostrils　were　assaulted　by　a　hell　smell　emanating　from　the　three　leviathans　whose　floodlit　carcasses　were　laid　out　on　flatbed　trailers。　The　young　sailor　standing　just　inside　the　door　had　seen　the　broad…shouldered　man　with　the　strange　white　hair　approach　and　assumed　from　his　manding　presence　that　he　was　an　officer　in　mufti。　When　Austin　went　to　identify　himself；　the　sailor　snapped　to　attention。
　
　〃Seaman　Cummings；　sir；〃　the　seaman　said。　〃You　might　want　to　use　this。〃　He　offered　Austin　a　surgical　mask　similar　to　the　one　he　was　wearing。　〃The　smell　has　gotten　real　strong　since　they　started　pulling　out　the　vital　organs。〃　Austin　thanked　the　seaman；　wondering　whom　he　had　offended　to　pull　such　foul　duty；　and　slipped　the　mask　over　his　nose。　The　gauze　had　been　sprinkled　with　a　perfumed　disinfectant　that　didn't　quite　cut　the　strong　odor　but　subdued　the　gag　reflex。
　
　〃What　have　we　got？〃　Austin　said。
　
　〃A　mama；　a　papa；　and　a　baby；〃　the　sailor　said。　〃Boy；　what　a　time　we　had　getting　them　here。〃
　
　The　seaman　wasn't　exaggerating；　Austin　thought。　The　final　count　was　fourteen　whales。　Disposing　of　their　bodies　would　have　been　a　tall　order　even　without　the　turf　battles。　As　the　first　government　agency　to　arrive　on　the　scene；　the　Coast　Guard　was　
　worried　about　hazards　to　navigation　and　planned　to　tow　the　whales　out　to　sea　and　sink　them　with　gunfire。　The　highly　dramatic　TV　reports　had　gone　around　the　world　and　stirred　up　animal　rights　activists　who　were　angrier　over　the　whale　deaths　than　if　Los　Angeles　had　fallen　into　the　Pacific　Ocean　with　all　its　in　habitants。　They　wanted　answers；　fast。　The　Environmental　Protection　Agency　was　equally　curious　to　know　what　had　killed　mammals　that　were　under　EPA　protection。
　
　The　city　of　San　Diego　was　horrified　at　the　prospect　of　huge；　smelly　carcasses　drifting　up　to　its　beaches；　marinas；　seaside　hotels；　and　shorefront　houses。　The　mayor　called　the　district　congressman　who　happened　to　be　on　the　naval　appropriations　mittee；　and　a　promise　was　reached　with　amazing　speed。　Three　whales　would　be　brought　to　shore　for　necropsy。　The　others　would　be　towed　out　to　sea　and　used　for　target　practice。　Greenpeace　protested；　but　by　the　time　they　mobilized　their　mosquito　fleet；　the　whales　had　been　blasted　to　blubbery　smithereens　by　navy　gunners。
　
　In　the　meantime　an　oceangoing　tug　hauled　the　remaining　whales　to　the　base。　Navy　cranes　lifted　the　massive　bodies　from　the　water　in　improvised　slings；　and　they　were　transported　to　a　vacant　warehouse。　Mammalian　forensic　specialists　from　several　California　universities　went　to　work　as　soon　as　the　whales　were　delivered。　An　improvised　laboratory　was　set　up。　Dressed　in　foul　weather　gear；　gloves；　and　boots；　the　technicians　swarmed　around　and　on　top　of　the　carcasses　like　large　yellow　insects。
　
　The　head　of　each　animal　had　been　separated　from　its　body；　brain　tissue　removed　and　taken　to　the　dissecting　tables　for　tests。　Wheelbarrows　served　the　function　of　stainless　steel　trays　in　a　human　autopsy。
　
　〃Not　exactly　brain　surgery；　is　it？〃　Austin　observed　as　he　listened　to　the　buzz　of　power　saws　echoing　off　the　metal　walls　of　the　warehouse。
　
　〃No；　sir；〃　the　sailor　said。　〃And　I'll　be　glad　when　it's　over。〃
　
　〃Let's　hope　it's　soon；　sailor。〃
　
　Austin　pondered　why　he　had　left　his　fortable　hotel　room　for　this　ghoulish　watch。　If　the　race　hadn't　been　a　flop；　win　or　lose　he　would　have　been　guzzling　champagne　in　celebration　with　the　other　racers　and　the　coterie　of　lovely　women　who　hovered　around　the　race　circuit　like　beautiful　butterflies。　A　respectable　number　of　bottles　were　popped；　but　the　festivities　had　been　dampened　for　Kurt　and　Ali　and　their　crews。
　
　Ali　showed　up　with　an　Italian　model　on　one　arm　and　a　French　mademoiselle　on　the　other。　Even　so；　he　didn't　look　particularly　happy。　Austin　elicited　a　smile　when　he　told　the　Arab　he　looked　forward　to　peting　against　him　again　soon。　Zavala　up　held　his　reputation　as　a　ladies'　man　by　carving　a　chestnut…haired　beauty　from　the　field　of　groupies　on　hand　for　the　race　finale。　They　were　going　out　for　dinner；　where　Zavala　promised　to　regale　his　date　with　the　details　of　his　narrow　escape。
　
　Austin　stayed　long　enough　to　be　polite；　then　left　the　party　to　phone　the　owner　of　the　Red　Ink。　Austin's　father　was　expecting　his　call。　He　had　watched　the　race　finale　on　TV　and　knew　Austin　was　safe　and　the　boat　lay　at　the　bottom　of　the　ocean。
　
　The　elder　Austin　was　the　wealthy　owner　of　a　marine　salvage　pany　based　in　Seattle。　〃Don't　worry　about　it；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　build　another　one；　even　better。　Maybe　with　a　periscope　next　time。〃　Chuckling　evilly；　he　recounted　in　loving　and　unnecessary　detail　the　night　a　teenage　Austin　had　brought　his　father's　Mustang　convertible　home　with　a　crumpled　fender。
　
　Most　grand　prix　races　were　held　in　and　around　Europe；　but　Austin's　father　wanted　an　American…built　boat　to　win　in　American　waters。　He　paid　for　the　design　and　construction　of　a　fast　new　boat　he　called　the　Red　Ink　because　of　the　money　it　cost　him　and　put　together　a　top…notch　pit　crew　and　support　team。　His　father　put　it　with　his　typical　bluntness：　〃Time　we　kick　ass。　We're　gonna　build　a　boat　that　shows　these　guys　that　we　can　win　with　American　parts；　American　know…how；　and　an　American　driver；　You。　〃
　
　He　formed　a　conglomerate　of　sponsors　and　used　their　economic　clout　to　bring　a　major　race　to　the　States。　Race　promoters　were　eager　for　the　opportunity　to　tap　into　the　vast　potential　of
　the　American　audience；　and　before　long　the　first　SoCal　Grand　Prix　had　bee　a　reality。
　
　NUMA　director　Admiral　James　Sandecker　grumbled　when　Austin　told　him　he　wanted　to　work　around　assignments；　when　ever　possible；　so　he　could　race　in　the　qualifying　runs。　Sandecker　said　he　was　worried　about　Austin　being　injured　in　a　race。　Austin　had　politely　pointed　out　that　for　all　its　dangers；　racing　was　a　canoe　paddle　pared　with　the　hazardous　jobs　Sandecker　as　signed　him　to　as　leader　of　NUMA's　Special　Assignments　Team。　As　a　trump　card　he　played　on　the　admiral's　fierce　patriotic　pride。　Sandecker　gave　Austin　his　blessing　and　said　it　was　about　time　the　United　States　showed　the　rest　of　the　world　that　they　could　pete　with　the　best　of　them。
　
　Austin　returned　to　the　party　after　talking　to　his　father。　He　quickly　tired　of　the　false　hilarity　and　was　happy　to　be　invited　aboard　the　Nepenthe　to　meet　Gloria　Ekhart；　who　wanted　to　thank　him。　The　actress's　mature　warmth　and　beauty　enchanted　him。　When　they　shook　hands　she　didn't　let　go　right　away。　They　talked　awhile　and　maintained　eye　contact　that　sent　messages　of　mutual　interest。　Austin　briefly　entertained　the　fantasy　of　having　a　fling　with　someone　he'd　idolized　on　the　big　and　little　screens。　It　was　not　to　be。　Apologizing　profusely；　Ekhart　was　dragged　off　by　the　demands　of　her　children。
　
　Figuring　it　just　wasn't　his　day　Austin　went　back　to　the　hotel　and　answered　calls　from　NUMA　colleagues　and　friends。　He　had　dinner　sent　up　and　enjoyed　filet　mignon　as　he　watched　TV　re　runs　of　the　race。　The　stations　were　running　slow…motion　replays　again　and　again。　Austin　was　more　interested　in　the　fate　of　the　dead　whales。　One　reporter　mentioned　that　three　whales　were　going　to　be　examined　at　the　naval　station。　Austin　was　curious　as　well　as　bored。　From　what　he　had　heard　and　seen　the　whales　didn't　have　a　mark　to　indicate　what　killed　them。　The　inplete