cc.vixen03-第3章

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titude。　He　and　Gold　could　only　sit　by　impotently　as　they　began　a　long　glide　earthward　through　the　valleys　surrounded　by　the　fourteen…thousand…foot　peaks　of　the　Colorado　Rockies。
　Soon　they　could　make　out　the　trees　poking　through　the　snow　coating　the　mountains。　At　11；500　feet　the　jagged　summits　began　rising　above　their　wing　tips。　Gold　flicked　on　the　landing　lights　and　strained　his　eyes　through　the　windshield；　searching　for　an　open　piece　of　ground。　Hoffman　and　Burns　sat　frozen；　tensed　for　the　inevitable　crash。
　The　altimeter　needle　dipped　below　the　ten…thousand…foot　mark。　Ten　thousand　feet。　It　was　a　miracle　they　had　made　it　so　low；　a　miracle　a　wall　of　rock　had　not　risen　suddenly　and　blocked　their　glide　path。　Then；　almost　directly　ahead；　the　trees　parted　and　the　landing　lights　revealed　a　flat；　snow…covered　field。
　〃A　meadow！〃　Gold　shouted。　〃A　gorgeous；　beautiful　alpine　meadow　five　degrees　to　starboard。〃
　〃I　see　it；〃　acknowledged　Vylander。　He　coaxed　the　slight　course　ad…justment　out　of　the　Stratocruiser　by　jockeying　the　engine…cowl　flaps　and　throttle　settings。
　There　was　no　time　for　the　formality　of　a　checklist　run…through。　It　was　to　be　a　do…or…die　approach；　textbook　wheels…up　landing。　The　sea　of　trees　disappeared　beneath　the　nose　of　the　cockpit；　and　Gold　cut　off　the　ignition　and　electrical　circuits　as　Vylander　stalled　the　Stratocruiser　a　scant　ten　feet　above　the　ground。　The　three　remaining　engines　died　and　the　great　dark　shadow　below　quickly　rose　and　converged　upon　the　falling　fuselage。
　The　impact　was　far　less　brutal　than　any　of　them　had　a　right　to　expect。　The　belly　kissed　the　snow　and　bumped　lightly；　once；　twice；　and　then　settled　down　like　a　giant　ski。　How　long　the　harrowing；　uncontrolled　ride　continued　Vylander　could　not　tell。　The　short　seconds　passed　like　min…utes。　And　then　the　fallen　aircraft　slid　clumsily　to　a　stop　and　there　was　a　deep　silence；　deathly　still　and　ominous。
　Burns　was　the　first　to　react。
　〃By　God　。。。　we　did　it！〃　he　murmured　through　trembling　lips。
　Gold　stared　ashen…faced　into　the　windshield。　His　eyes　saw　only　white。　An　impenetrable　blanket　of　snow　had　been　piled　high　against　the　glass。　Slowly　he　turned　to　Vylander　and　opened　his　mouth　to　say　something；　but　the　words　never　came。　They　died　in　his　throat。
　A　rumbling　vibration　suddenly　shook　the　Stratocruiser；　followed　by　a　sharp　crackling　noise　and　the　tortured　screech　of　metal　being　bent　and　twisted。
　The　white　outside　the　windows　dissolved　into　a　dense　wall　of　cold　blackness　and　then　there　was　nothing…nothing　at　all。
　At　his　Naval　Headquarters　office　in　Washington；　Admiral　Bass　va…cantly　studied　a　map　indicating　Vixen　03's　scheduled　flight　path。　It　was　all　there　in　his　tired　eyes；　the　deeply　etched　lines　on　his　pale　sunken　cheeks；　the　weary　slump　of　his　shoulders。　In　the　past　four　months　Bass　had　aged　far　beyond　his　years。　The　desk　phone　rang　and　he　picked　it　up。
　〃Admiral　Bass？〃　came　a　familiar　voice。
　〃Yes；　Mr。　President。〃
　〃Secretary　Wilson　tells　me　you　wish　to　call　off　the　search　for　Vixen　03。〃
　〃That's　true；〃　Bass　said　quietly。　〃I　see　no　sense　in　prolonging　the　agony。　Navy　surface　craft；　Air　Force　search　planes；　and　Army　ground　Units　have　bed　every　inch　of　land　and　sea　for　fifty　miles　along　either　side　of　Vixen　O3's　plotted　course。〃
　〃What's　your　opinion？〃
　〃My　guess　is　her　remains　are　resting　on　the　seabed　of　the　Pacific　Ocean；〃　answered　Bass。
　〃You　feel　she　made　it　past　the　West　Coast？〃
　〃I　do。〃
　〃Let　us　pray　you're　right；　Admiral。　God　help　us　if　she　crashed　on　land。〃
　〃If　she　had；　we'd　have　known　by　now；〃　Bass　said。
　〃Yes〃…the　President　hesitated…〃I　guess　we　would　at　that。〃　An…other　pause。　〃Close　the　file　on　Vixen　03。　Bury　it；　and　bury　it　deep。〃
　〃I'll　see　to　it；　Mr。　President。〃
　Bass　set　the　receiver　in　its　cradle　and　sank　back　in　his　chair；　a　defeated　man　at　the　end　of　a　long　and　otherwise　distinguished　Navy　career。
　He　stared　at　the　map　again。　〃Where？　'　he　said　aloud　to　himself。　〃Where　are　you？　Where　in　hell　did　you　go？〃
　The　answer　never　came。　No　clue　to　the　disappearance　of　the　ill…fated　Stratocruiser　ever　turned　up。　It　was　as　though　Major　Vylander　and　his　crew　had　flown　into　oblivion。
　

　1
　

　Vixen　03
　Colorado
　September　1988
　

　Dirk　Pitt　released　his　hold　on　sleep；　yawned　a　deep；　satisfying　yawn；　and　absorbed　his　surroundings。　It　had　been　dark　when　he　arrived　at　the　mountain　cabin　and　the　flames　in　the　great　moss…rock　fireplace　along　with　the　light　from　the　pungent…smelling　kerosene　lamps　had　not　illumi…nated　the　knotty…pine　interior　to　its　best　advantage。
　His　vision　sharpened　on　an　old　Seth　Thomas　clock　clinging　to　one　wall。　He　had　set　and　wound　the　clock　the　previous　night；　it　had　seemed　the　thing　to　do。　Next　he　focused　on　the　massive　cobwebbed　head　of　an　elk　that　stared　down　at　him　through　dusty　glass　eyes。　Slightly　beyond　the　elk　was　a　picture　window　that　offered　a　breathtaking　vista　of　the　craggy　Sawatch　mountain　range；　deep　in　the　Colorado　Rockies。
　As　the　last　strands　of　sleep　receded；　Pitt　found　himself　faced　with　his　first　decision　of　the　day：　whether　to　allow　his　eyes　to　bask　in　the　majesty　°f　the　scenery　or　to　feast　them　on　the　smoothly　contoured　body　of　Colorado　congresswoman　Loren　Smith；　who　sat　naked　on　a　quilted　rug；　engrossed　in　yoga　exercises。
　Pitt　discerningly　opted　for　Congresswoman　Smith。
　She　was　sitting　cross…legged；　in　the　lotus　position；　leaning　back　and　resting　her　elbows　and　head　on　the　rug。　The　exposed　nest　between　her　thighs　and　the　small　tautened　mounds　on　her　chest；　Pitt　decided；　put　the　granite　summits　of　the　Sawatch　to　shame。
　〃What　do　you　call　that　unladylike　contortion？〃　he　asked。
　〃The　Fish；〃　she　replied；　without　moving。　〃It's　for　firming　up　the　bosom。〃
　〃Speaking　as　a　man；〃　Pitt　said　with　mock　pompousness；　〃I　do　not　approve　of　rock…hard　boobs。〃
　〃Would　you　prefer　them　limp　and　saggy？〃　Her　violet　eyes　angled　in　his　direction。
　〃Well　。　。　。　not　exactly。　But　perhaps　a　little　silicone　here　and　a　little　silicone　there　。　。　。〃
　〃That's　the　trouble　with　the　masculine　mind；〃　she　snapped；　sitting　up　and　brushing　back　her　long　cinnamon　hair。　〃You　think　all　women　should　have　balloon…sized　mammaries　like　those　insipid　drones　on　the　cen…terfolds　of　chauvinist　magazines。〃
　〃Wishing　will　make　it　so。〃
　She　threw　him　a　pouting　look。　〃Too　bad。　You'll　have　to　make　do　with　my　thirty…four　B…cuppers。　They're　all　I've　got。〃
　He　reached　out；　wrapped　an　iron　arm　around　her　torso；　and　dragged　her　half　on；　half　off　the　bed。　〃Colossal　or　petite〃…he　leaned　down　and　lightly　kissed　each　nipple…〃let　no　woman　accuse　Dirk　Pitt　of　discrimi…nation。〃
　She　arched　up　and　bit　his　ear。　〃Four　whole　days　alone　together。　No　phones；　no　mittee　meetings；　no　cocktail　parties；　no　aides　to　hassle　me。　It's　almost　too　good　to　be　true。〃　Her　hand　crept　under　the　covers　and　she　caressed　his　stomach。　〃How　about　a　little　sport　before　breakfast？〃
　〃Ah；　the　magic　word。〃
　She　threw　him　a　crooked　smile。　〃　'Sport'　or　'breakfast'？〃
　〃What　you　said　before；　your　yoga　position。〃　Pitt　leaped　out　of　bed；　sending　Loren　sprawling　backward　onto　her　sculptured　bottom。　〃Which　way　is　the　nearest　lake？〃
　〃Lake？〃
　〃Sure。〃　Pitt　laughed　at　her　confused　expression。　〃Where　there's　a　lake；　there's　fish。　We　can't　waste　the　day　dallying　in　bed　when　a　juicy　rainbow　trout　lies　in　breathless　anticipation　of　biting　a　hook。〃
　She　tilted　her　head　questioningly　and　looked　up　at　him。　He　stood　tall；　over　six　foot　three；　his　trim　body　tanned　except　for　the　white　band　around　his　hips。　His　shaggy　black　hair　framed　a　face　that　seemed　eternally　grim　and　yet　was　capable　of　providing　a　smile　that　could　warm　a　crowded　room。　He　was　not　smiling　now；　but　Loren　knew　Pitt　well　enough　to　read　the　mirth　in　the　crinkles　around　his　incredibly　green　eyes。
　〃You　big　conceited　jock；〃　she　lashed　out。　〃You're　putting　me　on。〃
　She　launched　herself　off　the　floor；　ramming　her　head　into　his　stomach；　shoving　him　backward　onto　the　bed。　She　wasn't　fooling　herself　for　a　second　with　her　seemingly　super　strength。　If　Pitt　hadn't　relaxed　and　accepted　her　momentum；　she　would　have　bounced　off　him　like　a　volleyball。
　Before　he　could　fake　a　protest；　Loren　climbed　over　his　chest　and　straddled　him；　her　hands　pressing　against