cussler.blueandgold-第55节

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　Austin　came　over　and　examined　a　metal　post　covered　by　a　few　inches　of　water。　Metal　gleamed　brightly　where　the　top　was　sheared　off　and　copper　electrical　wires　dangled　out。
　
　〃Congratulations；〃　Austin　said。　〃I　think　you　found　a　landing　beacon。〃　
　
　　〃The　unerring　Zavala　homing　instinct　never　fails；〃　Joe　said　as　if　he　had　hit　the　landing　light　on　purpose。　He　expanded　his　search　and　within　minutes　located　another　light。　This　one　had　the　glass　lens　and　bulb　socket　still　intact。
　
　Austin　surveyed　their　surroundings　and　tried　to　get　his　bearings。　It　was　easy　to　see　why　the　remote　spot　was　picked　for　a　secret　airstrip。　The　terrain　was　naturally　as　flat　as　an　aircraft　carrier　and　would　have　needed　little　grading。　He　looked　toward　the　hills　where　the　sun　sparkled　off　a　lacework　of　streams　that　pooled　into　the　lake　that　hid　the　strip。
　
　They　unloaded　the　plane；　slung　their　packs　over　their　shoulders；　and　waded　toward　the　hills　less　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　distant。　Although　they　wore　boots　that　kept　their　feet　dry；　the　water　sloshed　onto　their　waterproof　Gore…Tex　pants；　and　they　were　glad　the　temperature　was　in　the　fifties。　The　water　became　shallower　and　turned　into　spongy　bog；　then　they　were　crunching　on　permafrost　as　they　made　their　way　through　patches　of　buttercup；　wild　crocus；　and　poppies。　They　spotted　more　landing　lights；　all　leading　in　a　line　toward　the　hills。　At　one　point　they　stopped　and　looked　off　at　a　huge　flock　of　eiders　floating　over　the　marsh　like　a　dark　plume　of　smoke。　With　the　unearthly　quiet　they　could　have　been　on　the　surface　of　another　planet。
　
　Continuing　their　hike　they　came　to　the　foot　of　an　escarpment　that　angled　sharply　up　from　the　ground。　The　elongated　hill　was　round　at　the　top　and　shaped　vaguely　like　a　loaf　of　Italian　bread。　Patches　of　black　rock　splotched　with　lichens　and　moss　were　visible　through　the　thick　vegetation　that　covered　much　of　the　hill。　Austin　thought　it　peculiar　that　the　mound　stood　by　it　self；　isolated　from　the　nearest　hills　by　several　hundred　yards。　He　mentioned　his　observation　to　Zavala。
　
　〃Notice　how　the　land　here　is　flat　except　for　this　bump？〃
　
　〃If　I　were　a　geologist　I　might　be　able　to　make　something　of　it。〃
　
　〃I　was　thinking　more　of　the　landing　lights。　They　lead　right　to　the　face　of　this　hill。〃
　
　He　stared　at　an　exposed　section　for　a　moment；　then　put　his　face　inches　away　and　ran　his　fingers　over　the　shiny　surface。　Using　the　large　blade　on　his　Swiss　Army　knife　he　poked　at　the　rock　and　chipped　off　a　thin　piece　about　as　big　as　his　palm。　He　examined　the　material；　then　grinned　and　handed　it　to　Zavala。
　
　〃Paint；〃　Zavala　said　with　wonder。　He　ran　his　hand　over　the　shiny　area　exposed　by　Austin's　knife。　〃Sheetmetal　and　bolts。　Someone　went　to　a　lot　of　trouble　to　keep　this　thing　hidden。〃
　
　Austin　took　several　steps　back　and　raised　his　eyes　to　the　top　of　the　mound。　〃I　remember　Clarence　Tinook　saying　something　about　an　old　blimp　base。　Maybe　there's　a　dirigible　hangar　under　this　stuff。〃
　
　〃That　makes　sense　and　goes　with　our　theory　that　they　used　an　existing　base。　The　next　question　is　how　we　get　inside。〃
　
　〃Try　saying　'open　sesame'　and　hope　for　the　best。〃
　
　Zavala　stood　back　and　bellowed　the　famous　mand　from　Ali　Baba　and　the　Forty　Thieves。　When　nothing　happened　he　tried　again　in　Spanish；　also　to　no　avail。
　
　〃You　know　any　more　magic　words？〃　he　asked　Austin。
　
　〃You　just　exhausted　my　entire　repertoire；〃　Kurt　said　with　a　shrug。
　
　They　walked　around　behind　the　hangar。　Sticking　out　of　the　permafrost　were　the　foundations　of　several　small　buildings　that　could　have　been　Quonset　huts。　A　dump　area　revealed　piles　of　rusty　tin　cans　and　broken　glass；　but　no　entrance　to　the　mound　presented　itself。
　
　It　was　Zavala　who　stumbled；　literally；　on　the　entrance。
　
　Austin　was　walking　several　steps　ahead　of　his　partner　when　he　heard　a　yell。　He　turned　quickly。　Joe　had　vanished　as　if　the　earth　had　swallowed　him　up。　Confirming　this　possibility；　Zavala's　disembodied　voice；　swearing　in　the　tongue　of　his　ancestors；　issued　eerily　from　the　ground。　Austin　carefully　back　tracked　and　found　Zavala　in　a　cellar　hole　that　had　been　covered　over　by　vegetation。　Austin　had　walked　right　by　the　hole　without　seeing　it。
　
　〃Are　you　okay？〃　Austin　called　out。
　
　More　mutterings。　〃Yeah；　the　brush　that　covered　this　damned　hole　cushioned　my　fall。　C'mon　down。　There's　a　short　set　of　stairs。〃
　
　Austin　joined　Zavala　at　the　bottom　of　the　hole；　which　was　about　eight　feet　deep。　Joe　was　standing　in　front　of　a　partially　open　door　of　heavily　riveted　steel。
　
　〃Don't　tell　me；〃　Austin　grunted。　〃The　unerring　Zavala　homing　instinct。〃
　
　〃What　else？〃　Zavala　said。
　
　Austin　pulled　a　small　but　powerful　halogen　light　from　his　pack。　The　door　noisily　opened　with　some　persuasion　from　his　shoulder。　He　stepped　inside　with　Zavala　close　behind。　A　blast　of　cold　and　fetid　air　hit　them　in　the　face　as　if　they　were　standing　in　front　of　an　air　conditioner　for　a　mausoleum。　The　beam　of　light　showed　a　corridor　whose　concrete　walls　and　ceiling　were　inadequate　insulation　against　permafrost　and　seemed　to　amplify　the　cold。　Pulling　their　jacket　collars　tight　around　their　necks；　they　started　along　the　corridor。
　
　Several　doors　led　off　the　main　hallway　of　the　underground　bunker。　Austin　flashed　his　light　inside　the　rooms。　Rusty　bed　frames　and　mattresses　rotting　with　decay　testified　to　the　use　of　one　space　as　a　bunkroom。　Farther　along　was　a　kitchen　and　pantry。　The　last　chamber　was　a　munications　room。
　
　〃They　left　in　a　rush；〃　Zavala　said。　The　smashed　vacuum　tubes　and　radio　cabinets　looked　as　if　they　had　been　attacked　with　a　sledgehammer。
　
　They　continued　along　the　passageway；　skirting　a　large　rectangular　hole　in　the　floor。　The　metal　grating　that　once　covered　it　had　mostly　rusted　through。　Austin　pointed　the　flashlight　down　the　deep　shaft。　〃Some　sort　of　ventilation　or　heating；　maybe。〃
　
　〃I've　been　thinking　about　what　Clarence　Tinook　said　about　mines；〃　Zavala　said。
　
　〃Let's　hope　it　was　a　concocted　story　they　hoped　would　scare　off　hunters　and　fishermen；〃　Austin　said。　〃Maybe　he　actually　said　mimes。　〃
　
　〃Now　that　would　certainly　scare　me；〃　Zavala　replied。
　
　The　corridor　eventually　ended　in　a　short　set　of　stairs　that　led　to　another　steel　door。　They　guessed　that　they　were　under　the　hangar。　Not　entirely　convinced　of　his　own　argument　against　booby　traps；　Austin　took　a　deep　breath；　opened　the　door；　and　stepped　through。　Austin　immediately　sensed　a　change　in　atmosphere。　The　cold　was　less　biting　and　musty　than　in　the　concrete　bunker。　The　staleness　of　the　air　was　overpowered　by　the　smell　of　gasoline；　oil；　and　heated　metal。
　
　On　the　wall　to　the　right　of　the　door　was　a　switch。　A　stenciled　sign　read　〃Generator。〃　Austin　gave　Zavala　the　go…ahead；　and　Joe　yanked　the　switch　down。　Nothing　happened　at　first。　Then　there　was　a　click　from　somewhere　in　the　darkness　and　a　series　of　sputtering　pops　as　a　motor　coughed　reluctantly　into　life。　High　above；　lights　glimmered　dimly　then　glowed　brightly；　illuminating　the　vaulted　ceilings　of　a　huge　artificial　cave。　Zavala　was　too　awestruck　to　speak。　Illuminated　at　center　stage　was　what　looked　like　a　black…winged　avenger　from　a　Norse　myth。
　
　He　walked　over　behind　the　scimitar…shaped　craft；　reached　up；　and　tentatively　touched　one　of　the　vertical　fins　extending　down　from　the　trailing　end　of　the　fuselage。
　
　〃Beautiful；〃　he　whispered　as　if　he　were　talking　about　a　lovely　woman。　〃I've　read　about　this　thing；　seen　pictures；　but　I　never　dreamed　it　would　be　so　magnificent。〃
　
　Austin　went　over　and　stood　beside　him；　taking　in　the　broad　sweep　of　sculpted　aluminum。　〃Either　we've　stumbled　into　the。　Bat　Cave　or　we　just　found　the　long…lost　phantom　flying　wing；〃　he　said。
　
　　Zavala　walked　under　the　fuselage。　〃I　did　some　reading　about　the　plane。　These　fins　were　added　later　for　stabilization　when　they　went　from　prop　to　jet　power。　She's　about　a　hundred　seventy　feet　from　wing　tip　to　wing　tip。〃
　
　〃That's　half　the　length　of　a　football　field；〃　Austin　said。
　
　Zavala　nodded。　〃It　was　the　largest　plane　of　its　day　even　though　she's　only　about　fifty　feet　from　front　to　back。　Check　out　these　jet　engines。　In　the　original　all　eight　were　built　into　the　fuselage。　They　slung　these　two　underneath　the　wing　to　free　up　fuel　space。　Fits　in　with　what　you　said　about　modifications　to　in　crease　range。〃
　
　They　walked　around　to　the　front　of　the　plane。　The　swept　back　aerodynamic　lines　were　even　more　impressive　from　this　angle。　Although　the　plane　weighed　more　than　two　hundred　thou　sand　tons；　it　seemed　to　balance　lightly　on　its　tripod　landing　gear。
　
　〃Jack　Northrop　really　had　something　when　he　designed　this　lady；〃　Austin　replied。
　
　〃Absolutely。　Look　at　that　slim　silhouette。　There's　hardly　any　surface　for　radar　to　bounce　off。　They've　even　painted　it　black　like　the　stealth　planes。　Let's　go　inside；〃　Zavala　said　eagerly。
　
　They　climbed　up　a　ladder　through　a　hatchway　in　the　plane's　belly　and　made　their　way　along　a　short　ramp。　Like　the　rest　of　the　plane；　the　flight　deck　was　unconventional。　Zavala　sat　in　the　rotating　pilot's　seat　and　used　a　hand…operated　mechanism　to　pump　the　seat　four　feet　higher　into　a　Plexiglas　bubble。　He　peered　through　the　cowling；