Sphere (深海圓疑) 原版小說

第19部分 (第5/7頁)

and…picked；　crack　team；〃　Barnes　said；　needling　them。　〃And　all　they　can　do　is　stand　around　and　stare　at　it。〃

＇＇123＇＇　〃What　do　you　want　us　to　do；　Hal？　Nuke　it？〃

〃If　you　don't　get　it　open；　there　are　people　who　will　try　that；　eventually。〃　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Meanwhile；　you　got　any　other　bright　ideas？〃

Nobody　did。

〃Okay；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Our　time　is　up。　Let's　go　back　to　the　habitat　and　get　ready　to　be　ferried　to　the　surface。〃

DEPARTURE

Norman　pulled　the　small　navy…issue　bag　from　beneath　his　bunk　in　C　Cylinder。　He　got　his　shaving　kit　from　the　bathroom；　found　his　notebook　and　his　extra　pair　of　socks；　and　zipped　the　bag　shut。

〃I'm　ready。〃

〃Me；　too；〃　Ted　said。　Ted　was　unhappy；　he　didn't　want　to　leave。　〃I　guess　we　can't　delay　it　any　longer。　The　weather's　getting　worse。　They've　got　all　the　divers　out　from　DH…7；　and　now　there's　only　us。〃

Norman　smiled　at　the　prospect　of　being　on　the　surface　again。　I　never　thought　I'd　look　forward　to　seeing　Navy　battleship　gray　on　a　ship；　but　I　do。

〃Where're　the　others？〃　Norman　said。

〃Beth's　already　packed。　I　think　she's　with　Barnes　in　munication。　Harry；　too；　I　guess。〃　Ted　plucked　at　his　jumpsuit。　〃I'll　tell　you　one　thing；　I'll　be　glad　to　see　the　last　of　this　suit。

They　left　the　sleeping　quarters；　heading　down　to　munications。　On　the　way；　they　squeezed　past　Teeny　Fletcher；　who　was　going　toward　B　Cylinder。

〃Ready　to　leave？〃　Norman　said。

〃Yes；　sir；　all　squared　away；〃　Fletcher　said；　but　her　features　were　tense；　and　she　seemed　rushed；　under　pressure。

＇＇124＇＇　〃Aren't　you　going　the　wrong　way？〃　Norman　asked。

〃Just　checking　the　diesel　backups。〃

Backups？　Norman　thought。　Why　check　the　backups　now　that　they　were　leaving？

〃She　probabl