cc.iceberg-第27节

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　empty　and　undamaged。　But　then　he　happened　to　look　up　at　his　air　bubbles　rising　to　the　overhead　panel　and　travelin（Y　like　a　shyer　snake　in　search　of　an　escape　exit。　They　eventually　ran　together　and　clustered　in　one　corner；　encircling　another　corpse；　pushed　up　there　by　internal　gases　expanding　under　the　deposing　flesh。
　
　The　dead　pilot　wore　the　same　type　of　black　overalls。　A　quick　search　revealed　nothing；　the　pockets　were　empty。　The　little　rosefish　wiggled　past　Pitt　and　begin　nibbling　on　the　bulging　right　eye　of　the　pilot。　Panting　heavily；　Pitt　pushed　the　body　upward　out　of　the　way。
　
　He　fought　an　urge　to　vomit　into　his　mouthpiece　and　waited　until　he　regained　control　of　his　breathing　again。
　
　He　glanced　at　the　Doxa　watch。　He　had　only　been　down　for　nine　minutes；　not　the　ninety　his　imagination　suggested。　There　was　little　time　left。　Quickly　he　groped　around　the　small　enclosure；　looking　for　a　log　book；　a　maintenance　or　check…out　list；　anything　with　printing　on　it。　The　cockpit　kept　its　secret　well。　There　was　no　record　of　any　kind。　Not　even　a　sticker　with　the　aircraft's　call　letters　adhering　to　the　face　of　the　radio　transmitter。
　
　It　was　like　leavin（；　the　womb；　being　born　again；　when　he　emerged　from　the　plane。　The　open　water　was　darker　now　than　when　he　had　entered。　After　checking　the　tail　section；　he　kicked　over　to　the　starboard　engine。
　
　No　hope　here；　it　was　almost　totally　buried　in　the　bottom　silt。　He　got　lucky　on　the　port　engine。　Not　only　was　it　easily　accessible；　but　the　cowling　had　broken　off；　leaving　the　turbine　casing　bare　for　inspection。　But　fate　wasn't　playing　the　game。　He　discovered　the　area　where　the　identification　plate　should　have　been。　It　was　gone。
　
　Only　the　four　little　brass　screws　that　once　held　it　remained；　neatly　set　in　their　threads。
　
　Pitt　slammed　his　fist　against　the　casing　in　frustration。　It　was　useless　to　look　further。　He　knew　all　identifying　marks　on　instruments；　electrical　ponents；　and　other　mechanical　units　on　the　plane　would　be　erased。
　
　Silently　he　cursed　the　brim　behind　the　thoroughness。　It　seemed　uncanny　that　one　man　could　have　considered　and　planned　for　every　conceivable　contingency。　In　spite　of　the　near　freezing　water；　trickles　of　sweat　rolled　down　his　face　under　the　mask。　His　mind　was　turning　aimlessly；　posing　problems　and　questions；　but　impotert　to　e　up　with　solutions。　Without　thinking！；　without　controlled　effort；　his　eyes　began　following　the　antics　of　the　rosefish。　It　had　trailed　him　from　the　cockpit　and　was　cavorting　around　a　silver　object　a　few　feet　beyond　the　bow　of　the　plane。　Pitt　kept　his　eyes　on　the　little　fish　for　nearly　thirty　seconds；　aware　of　nothing　except　the　sound　of　his　exhaust　bubbles；　before　he　finally　reacted　and　recognized　the　long　silver　tube　as　the　hydraulic　shock　absorber　of　the　nose　wheel。
　
　Swiftly　he　was　over　it；　studying　the　cylinder　carefully。　The　crash　had　torn　it　from　the　support　strut　and；　together　with　the　tire　and　wheel；　had　thrown　the　assembly　out　from　under　the　nose　section。　It　was　the　same　story。　The　manufacturer's　serial　number　had　been　filed　from　the　aluminum　housing。　Then；　as　he　was　about　to　head　toward　the　surface；　he　threw　a　last　quick　look　down。　On　the　end　section　of　the　housing　where　the　hydraulic　tubing　had　pulled　from　its　connection；　Pitt　spotted　a　small　marking：　two　roughly　gouged　letters　in　the　metal…SC。　Taking　the　screwdriver　from　his　weightbelt；　he　etched　his　initials　next　to　the　other　marking。　The　depth　of　his　DP　matched　that　of　the　SC。
　
　Okay。　No　sense　in　hanging　around；　he　reasoned。
　
　His　air　was　being　difficult　to　inhale…the　signal　that　his　tank　was　getting　low。　He　pulled　his　reserve　valve　and　moved　upward。　The　rosefish　followed　him　until　he　turned　and　waved　his　hand　in　its　path；　sending　the　little　marine　creature　scurrying　behind　a　friendly　rock。　Pitt　smiled　and　nodded。　His　playful　panion　would　have　to　find　a　new　friend。
　
　Pitt　arched　on　his　back　at　fifty　feet；　looking　directly　up　at　where　the　surface　should　have　been；　trying　to　get　his　bearings　in　relation　to　The　Grimsi。　The　light　was　equal　in　all　directions；　only　his　ascending　bubbles　indicated　the　direction　of　his　native　element。　It　slowly　began　to　get　lighter；　but　it　was　still　much　darker　than　when　he　dropped　off　The　Grimsi's　side。　Pitts　anxious　head　broke　water；　to　be　engulfed　by　a　thick　cloak　of　fog。　God；　he　thought；　this　soup　makes　it　impossible　to　find　the　boat。　To　strike　out　for　shore　would　have　been　at　best　a　four…to…one　gamble。
　
　Pitt　unshouldered　his　airtank　harness；　tied　it　to　his　already　unhooked　weightbelt；　and　let　them　fall　together　to　the　bottom。　Now　he　could　float　fortably；　thanks　to　the　buoyancy　of　his　rubber　wet　suit。
　
　He　lay　quietly；　barely　breathing；　listening　for　a　sound　through　the　dense　gray　blanket。　At　first　he　could　hear　only　the　water　lapping　around　his　body。　Then　his　ears　picked　up　a　faint　gravelly　voice　。　。　。　a　voice　singing　a　flat　version　of　〃My　Bonnie　Lies　over　the　Ocean。〃　Pitt　cupped　his　ears；　amplifying　the　sound；　determining　the　direction。
　
　He　struck　out　with　an　easy　energy…saving　breast　stroke　fifty　feet　and　then　stopped。　The　offkey　signaling　had　increased　in　volume。　Five　minutes　later　he　touched　the　seaworn　hull　of　The　Grimsi　and　pulled　himself　on　board。
　〃Have　a　nice　swim？〃　Sandecker　asked　conversationally。
　〃Hardly　enjoyable　and　barely　profitible。〃　Pitt　unzipped　the　wet　suit　top；　revealing　a　dense　mat　of　black　chest　hair。　He　grinned　at　the　admiral。　〃Funny　thing。　I　could　swear　I　heard　a　fog　horn。〃
　〃That　was　no　fog　horn。　That　was　a　former　baritone　of　the　Annapolis　Glee　Club；　class　of　'39。〃
　〃You　were　never　in　better　voice；　Admiral。〃　Pitt　looked　Sandecker　in　the　eye。　〃Thanks。〃
　Sandecker　smiled。　〃Don't　thank　me；　thank　Tidi。　She　had　to　sit　through　ten　choruses。〃
　She　materialized　out　of　the　mist　and　hugged　him。
　〃Thank　God　you're　safe。〃　She　clung　to　him；　the　dampness　trickling　down　her　face；　her　hair　falling　in　matted　tendrils。
　〃It's　nice　to　know　I've　been　missed。〃
　She　stood　back。　〃Missed？　That's　putting　it　mildly。　Admiral　Sandecker　and　I　were　beginning　to　e　unglued。〃
　〃Speak　for　yourself；　Miss　Royal；〃　Sandecker　said　sternly。
　〃You　didn't　fool　me　for　a　second；　Admiral。　You　were　worried。〃
　〃Concerned　is　the　word；〃　Sandecker　corrected。　〃I　take　it　as　a　personal　insult　when　any　of　my　men　get　themselves　killed。〃　He　turned　his　gaze　to　Pitt。　〃Did　you　find　anything　of　value？〃
　〃Two　bodies　and　little　else。　Somebody　went　to　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　work　to　remove　the　plane's　identification。　Every　serial　number　on　every　piece　of　equipment　had　been　removed　before　the　crash。　The　only　markings　were　two　letters　scratched　on　the　nose　gear's　hydraulic　cylinder。〃　He　gratefully　accepted　a　towel　from　Tidi。
　〃The　boxes　I　sent　up。　Did　you　retrieve　them？〃
　〃It　wasn't　easy；〃　Sandecker　said。　〃They　broke　surface　about　forty　feet　away。　Twenty　tries　later…I　haven't　cast　with　a　pole　in　ears…I　managed　to　reel　them　in。〃
　〃You　opened　them？〃　Pitt　probed。
　〃Yes。　They're　miniature　models　of　buildings　。　。　。　like　dollhouses。〃
　Pitt　straightened。　〃Dollhouses？　You　mean　threedimensional　architectural　exhibits？〃
　〃Call　them　what　you　want。〃　Sandecker　paused　to　flip　a　cigar　stub　overboard。　〃Damned　fine　craftsmanship。　The　detab　on　each　structure　is　amazing。　They　even　break　away　by　floors　so　you　can　study　the　interior。〃
　〃Let's　take　a　look。〃
　〃We　carried　them　to　the　galley；〃　Sandecker　said。
　〃It's　as　good　a　place　as　any　to　get　you　into　some　dry　clothes　and　a　cup　of　hot　coffee　into　your　stomach。〃
　
　Tidi　had　already　changed　back　into　her　own　blouse　and　slacks。　She　demurely　turned　her　back　as　Pitt　finished　stripping　off　the　wet　suit　before　he　donned　his　colorful　mod　outfit。
　
　He　smiled　while　she　busied　herself　over　the　galley　stove。　〃Did　you　keep　them　warm　for　me？〃　he　asked。
　〃Your　gay　threads？〃　She　turned　and　stared　at　him；　her　face　showing　the　beginning　signs　of　a　blush。　〃Are　you　kidding？　You're　at　least　eight　inches　taller；　and　you　outweigh　me　by　nearly　sixty　pounds。　I　literally　swam　in　the　damn　things。　It　was　as　if　I　was　wearing　a　tent。　The　cold　air　swept　up　my　legs　and　out　my　neck　and　arms　like　a　hurricane。〃
　〃I　sincerely　hope　it　didn't　cause　any　critical　damage　to　your　vital　parts。〃
　〃If　you're　referring　to　my　future　sex　life；　I　fear　the　worst。〃
　〃My　sympathies；　Miss　Royal。〃　Sandecker　didn't　sound　very　convincing。　He　lifted　the　boxes　onto　the　table　and　pulled　off　the　lids。　〃OK；　here　they　are；　including　furniture　and　draperies。〃
　Pitt　looked　into　the　first　box。　〃No　indications　of　water　damage。〃
　〃They　were　watertight；〃　Sandecker　offered。　〃Each　packed　so　carefully　the　crash　left　them　entirely　intact。
　
　To　say　the　models　were　simply　masterpieces　of　difficult　art　would　have　been　a　gross　understatement。
　
　The　admiral　was　right。　The　detail　was　amazing。　Every　brick；　every　windowpane；　was　precise　in　scale　and　placement。　Pitt　lifted　off　the　roof。　He　had　seen　model　exhibits　before　in　museums；　but　never　workmanship　like　this。　Nothing　had　been　overlooked。　Paintings　on　the　walls　were　exacting　in　color　and　design。　The　furniture　had　liny　designs　printed　on　the　fabric。　Telephones　on　desks　had　receivers　that　could　be　picked　up；　connected　to　wires　that　led　into　the　walls。　As　a　crowning