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！
billionaire's ear。 〃How's it going？〃
He grinned at her； his face pale in the harsh light of her helmet lamp。 Max Stafford deftly rappelled himself to Weyland's side； along with two burly men with shaved heads and Weyland Industries logos on their ice…blue Polartec outerwear。 In Stafford's hand； an I IC…4 UHF transceiver crackled。
〃It's Quinn。 Says there's a storm headed our way。〃
Weyland turned to Lex。 〃Will it affect us？〃
〃We're seven hundred feet under the ice； Mr。 Weyland。 Quinn could be setting off an atom bomb up there and we'd never notice。〃
She slapped Weyland on the back； then descended farther down the shaft to check on Miller's progress。
〃Toughdescent？〃 she asked。
〃A cinch for us heroic types。〃
〃Just keep away from the walls；〃 she told Miller。 〃Try to stay in the middle of the shaft。 You're on a winch…let the machine do the work。〃
The engineer gave Lex a thumbs…up。
Lex unfastened herself from the winch and attached her harness to one of the safety lines。 Then she rap…pelled down about thirty feet ahead of the expedition； her helmet lamp lighting the way。 When the gloom became too intense； she drew her piton gun from its sheath and drove a spike into the ice wall。 Then she hung a small battery…powered light there； to help guide the others。
All went uneventfully until they reached a depth of seven hundred feet。 Then； as Weyland glanced at his tablet PC； he felt the rope that was lowering him jerk tight。 The jolt was so powerful that he was slammed against the ice wall。 The wind knocked out of him； Weyland tried to push himself away from the wall when a second jerk of the rope snapped his safety harness and sent him plunging down the shaft。
Max Stafford reached for his boss and missed； tangling himself in his own safety line。 Below him； Sebastian saw Weyland dropping toward him。 He reached out to catch the man； but his sudden movement…and Weyland's PC bouncing off his shoulder…sent him spinning helplessly on the end of his rope。
〃Man down 。。。 Lex； watch out！〃 yelled Sebastian。
Lex looked up in time to see Weyland plunging down the opposite side of the tunnel。 She kicked off the ice and swung across the void； reaching the other side of the shaftjust in time to pin Weyland to the wall with her own body。 Before he slipped from her grasp； Lex plunged her axe into the ice and pressed closer。 They were locked in an embrace； face…to…face against the cold wall。
〃You okay？〃
Weyland； trying to catch his breath； nodded weakly。
〃Thank you；〃 said Lex。
Weyland blinked in surprise。 〃You saved my life 。。。 remember？〃
〃Not for this。 For what you said 。。。 about my father。〃
The scene was interrupted when the beam from Stafford's helmet lamp sought them out。 Max rappelled down to their level and found Lex still hugging the wall like a spider； Weyland shielded in her grip。
The industrialist's plexion looked wan in the harsh light。 Weyland gasped； and his wide mouth gaped like a fish。 Lex could feel his pulse racing through two sets of winter gear。
〃Having second thoughts？ It's not too late to go back up。〃
Weyland shook his head and even managed a smile。 〃With you taking such good care of me； Ms。 Woods？ I wouldn't dream of it。〃
Meanwhile； Max Stafford keyed the I transceiver and shouted into it； 〃What the hell is going on up there； Quinn？〃
Topside； shreds of an insulated apple tent…so named because they are round and bright red to be visible on the snow…had bee entangled in the winch。 Quinn shoved one of the roughnecks aside and examined the pulley mechanism himself。 Then he raised the transceiver to his lips。
〃It's the storm； sir；〃 he said； loud enough to be heard over the wind。 〃A jam in the winch caused by debris。〃
Quinn waited for a response。 It didn't take long。
〃Well； see that it doesn't happen again；〃 Stafford said in a clipped； angry tone。
Quinn lowered his eyes and stared at his boots。 He spit； then put the transceiver to his ear。
〃It won't；〃 he promised。 Then he broke the connection； muttering； 〃English asshole 。。。〃
Aboard the Piper Maru
On the catwalk outside； Captain Leighton scanned the horizon through a pair of heavy…duty Weyland Industries ALM…35 GPS…enhanced night…vision goggles。 A savage wind was already battering the icebreaker； and in the distance； the captain could clearly see curtains of snow…tinted green by the NVGs…roaring off Olav Peak toward the whaling station。
Much of Bouvetoya Island was already obscured by the weather； but the Weyland…35 had a built…in geo…positioning system that puted distances。 A pipper on the heads…up display highlighted the approximate location of the settlement； which appeared to the naked eye as if it was already buried under an avalanche of snow。
〃This is going to be bad。〃
The hatch swung open； and Gordon poked his head out。 〃Captain Leighton？ I think you'd better take a look at this。〃
Leighton crossed the catwalk and entered the bridge。 His executive officer was crouched over the radar screen； waiting for him。
〃What is it？ The storm？〃
〃No； sir； something else。〃 The XO had a troubled look on his face。
〃Spit it out； son；〃 Leighton demanded。 The executive officer tapped the radar screen； just as the blip appeared again。
〃I just picked this up；〃 he said。 〃It's three hundred miles out and bearing one three zero。 Whatever it is； it's traveling at Mach 7。〃
〃What？〃
〃Accelerating to Mach 10； Captain。〃
Leighton pushed Gordon aside and gazed at the radar screen。 〃This is impossible。 Nothing travels that fast…nothing！ It must be a meteorite。〃
〃I don't think so。〃 Then Gordon blinked。 〃I…I think it just changed course。 。。。 Yes； it has definitely changed course。〃
〃Give me the new bearing；〃 Leighton manded。
Gordon sat down at the radar console and punched in data on the keypad。 It seemed to take forever for the navigational puter to spit out an answer。 When it did； Gordon looked up at Captain Leighton； anxiety clouding his face。
〃The object is less than thirty miles away and closing；〃 he said。 〃And it's headed straight for us。〃
Captain Leighton bolted for the hatch； his XO on his heels。 Outside； the captain squinted into the twilight sky； trying to pierce the falling snow。 Crewmen on deck sensed something was up and followed the skipper's gaze。
〃I don't see anything；〃 Leighton shouted over the wind。
〃It should be right on top of us…〃
〃Look！〃 one of the sailors cried； pointing。
There was something in the sky approaching the Piper Maru。 The phenomenon appeared as a highspeed blur； cutting through the low…hanging clouds and leaving a transparent rippling wake in its path。 As the crew watched； awestruck； the optical distortion seemed to increase in speed。
Captain Leighton gripped the rail with both hands。 〃Hang on！〃 he cried a split second before the unidentified flying object reached their position。
The crew heard a strange； electronic shriek as the thing approached。 When it roared over their heads； the object was acpanied by a powerful sonic boom that shattered windows and shook ice and snow loose from the superstructure。 Swept up in the powerful wake； the Piper Maru lurched to one side； then bounced back。 Collision alarms sounded throughout the s