文书楼

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第6部分（第2页）

〃Listening　devices？〃

〃Weve　had　hydrophones　on　the　bottom　from　day　one。　There　have　been　no　sounds　emanating　from　the　craft。　At　least　not　so　far。〃

〃What　about　other　remote　inspection　procedures？〃

〃Most　involve　radiation；　and　were　hesitant　to　irradiate　the　craft　at　this　time。〃

Harry　said；　〃Captain　Barnes；　I　notice　the　fin　appears　undamaged；　and　the　hull　appears　a　perfect　cylinder。　Do　you　think　that　this　object　crashed　in　the　ocean？〃

〃Yes；〃　Barnes　said；　looking　uneasy。

＇＇35＇＇　〃So　this　object　has　survived　a　high…speed　impact　with　the　water；　without　a　scratch　or　a　dent？〃

〃Well；　its　tremendously　strong。〃

Harry　nodded。　〃It　would　have　to　be。　。。。〃

Beth　said；　〃The　divers　who　are　down　there　now…what　exactly　are　they　doing？〃

〃Looking　for　the　front　door。〃　Barnes　smiled。　〃For　the　time　being；　weve　had　to　fall　back　on　classical　archaeological　procedures。　Were　digging　exploratory　trenches　in　the　coral；　looking　for　an　entrance　or　a　hatch　of　some　kind。　We　hope　to　find　it　within　the　next　twenty…four　to　forty…eight　hours。　Once　we　do；　youre　going　in。　Anything　else？〃

〃Yes；〃　Ted　said。　〃What　was　the　Russian　reaction　to　this　discovery？〃

〃We　havent　told　the　Russians；〃　Barnes　said。

〃You　havent　told　them？〃

〃No。　We　havent。〃

〃But　this　is　an　incredible；　unprecedented　development　in　human　history。　Not　just　American　history。　Human　history。　Surely　we　should　share　this　with　all　the　nations　of　the　world。　This　is　the　sort　of　discovery　that　could　unite　all　of　mankind…〃

〃Youd　have　to　speak　to　the　President；〃　Barnes　said。　〃I　dont　know　the　reasoning　behind　it；　but　its　his　decision。　Any　other　questions？〃

Nobody　said　anything。　The　team　looked　at　each　other。

〃Then　I　guess　thats　it；〃　Barnes　said。

The　lights　came　on。　There　was　the　scraping　of　chairs　as　people　stood；　stretched。　Then　Harry　Adams　said；　〃Captain　Barnes；　I　must　say　I　resent　this　briefing　very　much。〃

Barnes　looked　surprised。　〃What　do　you　mean；　Harry？〃　The　others　stopped；　looked　at　Adams。　He　remained　seated　in　his　chair；　an　irritated　look　on　his　face。　〃Did　you　decide　you　have　to　break　the　news　to　us　gently？〃

〃What　news？〃

〃The　news　about　the　door。〃

Barnes　laughed　uneasily。　〃Harry；　I　just　got　through　telling　you　that　the　divers　are　cutting　exploratory　trenches；　looking　for　the　door…〃

＇＇36＇＇　〃…Id　say　you　had　a　pretty　good　idea　where　the　door　was　three　days　ago；　when　you　started　flying　us　in。　And　Id　say　that　by　now　you　probably　know　exactly　where　the　door　is。　Am　I　right？〃

Barnes　said　nothing。　He　stood　with　a　fixed　smile　on　his　face。

My　God；　Norman　thought；　looking　at　Barnes。　Harrys　right。　Harry　was　known　to　have　a　superbly　logical　brain；　an　astonishing　and　cold　deductive　ability；　but　Norman　had　never　seen　him　at　work。

〃Yes；〃　Barnes　said；　finally。　〃Youre　right。〃