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！
They wasted no time in examining the body but moved as fast as their hands would let them； pulling the body bag over the corpse while trying not to stir up a cloud of silt。 The silt did not cooperate； billowing up in a dense cloud； cutting off all visibility。 They worked blind； carefully zipping up the bag； making sure no flesh protruded from the seam。 When the grisly job was pleted； Pitt reported to Gunn。
〃We have the body contained and are on our way up。〃
〃Acknowledged；〃 Gunn replied。 〃We will lower a sling with a stretcher。〃
Pitt grabbed Giordino's arm through the silt cloud； signaling for a mutual ascent。 They began raising the remains of Doc Miller to the sunlight。 After reaching the surface； they gently eased the body onto the stretcher and secured it with buckled straps。 Then Pitt advised Gunn。
〃Ready for lift。〃
As Pitt watched the stretcher rise toward the rim of the sinkhole； he sadly wished he had known the genuine Steve Miller instead of the imposter。 The esteemed anthropologist had been murdered without knowing why。 No hint was given by the scum that cut his throat。 He never knew that his death was an unnecessary act by a sociopathic killer。 He was simply a cast…off pawn in the high…stakes game of stolen art and antiquities。
There was nothing more to be done。 Their part of the body retrieval operation was finished。 Pitt and Giordino could only float and wait for the winch to lower the cable again。 Giordino looked over at Pitt expectantly and removed the breathing regulator from his mouth。
We still have plenty of air； he wrote on a munications board。 Why not poke around while we're waiting for the next elevator？
To Pitt the suggestion struck a harmonious chord。 Unable to remove his head mask and speak； he replied on his own munications board； Stay close to me and grab hold if struck by surge。 Then he gestured downward。 Giordino nodded and faithfully swam alongside as they jackknifed and kicked once more toward the floor of the sinkhole。
The puzzle in Pitt's mind was the lack of artifacts in the silt。 Bones； yes； there was an overabundance。 But after probing the sinkhole's floor for half an hour； they found no sign of ancient artifacts。 Nothing except the armor on the intact skeleton he had discovered on his first dive； and the dive gear Pitt had cast off before his climb out of the well。 Two minutes was all it took to relocate the site。 The bony hand was still raised； one finger pointing in the direction where Miller had lain。
Pitt slowly drifted around the armor…encased Spaniard； examining every detail； occasionally glancing up and around the dim reaches of the sinkhole； alert to any disturbance in the silt that signaled the approach of the mysterious surge。 He felt his every movement was followed from deep within the empty eye sockets of the skull。 The teeth seemed frozen in a mocking grin； taunting and baiting him at the same time。 The sunlight from above filtered through the slime and painted the bones a ghostly shade of green。
Giordino floated nearby； observing Pitt with detached curiosity。 He had no clue to what captivated his friend。 The old bones held little fascination for Giordino。 The remains of a five…hundred…year…old Spaniard conjured up nothing in his imagination； except possibly the eruption that would occur when Shannon Kelsey discovered that her precious archaeological site had been disturbed before she could investigate it。
No such thoughts ran through Pitt's mind。 He was beginning to sense that the skeleton did not belong here。 He rubbed a finger lightly over the breastplate。 A thin smudge of rust came away； revealing smooth； unpitted； uncorroded metal beneath。 The leather straps that held the armor against the chest were incredibly well preserved。 And so were the fasteners that joined the straps。 They had the appearance of metal buckles on old shoes that had sat inside a trunk in an attic for one or two generations。
He swam a few meters away from the skeleton and pulled a bone out of the silt； a tibia by the shape of it。 He returned and held it against the Spaniard's protruding forearm and hand。 The bone from the silt was much rougher and pitted as well as more deeply stained from the minerals in the water。 The bony structure of the skeleton was smooth in parison。 Next he studied the teeth； which were in remarkably good condition。 Pitt found caps on two molars； not gold but silver。 Pitt was no expert on sixteenth…century dentistry； but he knew that Europeans didn't even begin to fill cavities and cap teeth until the late eighteenth century。
〃Rudi？〃
〃I'm listening；〃 answered Gunn。
〃Please send down a line。 I want to lift something。〃
〃A line with a small weight attached to the end is on the way。〃
〃Try to drop it where you see our bubbles。〃
〃Will do。〃 There was a pause； and then Gunn's voice came back over Pitt's earphones with a slight edge to it。 〃Your archaeologist lady is raising hell。 She says you can't touch anything down there。〃
〃Pretend she's in Moline； Illinois； and drop the line。〃
Gunn replied nervously。 〃She's making a terrible scene up here。〃
Either drop the line or throw her over the edge；〃 Pitt snapped obstinately。
〃Stand by。〃
Moments later a small steel hook attached to a nylon line materialized through the green void and landed in the silt two meters away。 Giordino effortlessly swam over； snagged the line with one hand； and returned。 Then； with the finesse of a pickpocket delicately lifting a wallet； Pitt very carefully wrapped the loose end of the line around a strap holding the breastplate to the skeleton and cinched it with the hook。 He stared at Giordino and made the thumbs…up gesture。 Giordino nodded and was mildly surprised when Pitt released the line； allowing it to slacken and leaving the skeleton where it lay。
They took turns being lifted out of the sinkhole。 As the crane raised him by his safety line； Pitt looked down and vowed he would never again enter that odious slough。 At the rim； Gunn was there to help swing him onto firm ground and remove his full face mask。
〃Thank God； you're back；〃 he said。 〃That madwoman threatened to shoot off my testicles。〃
Giordino laughed。 〃She learned that from Pitt。 Just be thankful your name isn't Amaru。〃
〃What。 。 。 what was that？〃
〃Another story；〃 said Pitt； inhaling the humid mountain air and enjoying every second of it。
He was struggling out of his dive suit when Shannon stormed up to him like a wild grizzly who had her cubs stolen。 〃I warned you not to disturb any artifacts；〃 she said firmly。
Pitt looked at her for a long moment； his green eyes strangely soft and understanding。 〃There is nothing left to touch；〃 he said finally。 〃Somebody beat you to it。 Any artifacts that were in your sacred pool a month ago are gone。 Only the bones of animals and sacrificial victims are left scattered on the bottom。〃
Her face turned incredulous and the hazel eyes flew very wide。 〃Are you certain？〃
〃Would you like proof？〃
〃We have our own equipment。 I'll dive into the pool and see for myself。〃
〃Not necessary；〃 he advised。
She turned and called to Miles Rodgers。 〃Let's get suited up。〃
〃You begin probing around in the silt and you will surely die；〃 Pitt said； with all the emotion of a professor lecturing to a physics class。
Maybe Shannon wasn't listening to Pitt； but Rodgers was。 〃I think we had better listen to what Dirk is saying。〃
〃I don't wish to sound nasty； but he lacks the necessary credentials to make a case。〃
〃What if he's right？〃 Rodgers asked innocently。
〃I've waited a long time to explore and survey the bottom of the pool。 You and I came within minutes of losing our lives trying to unlock its secrets。 I can't believe there isn't a time capsule of valuable antiquities down there。〃
Pitt took the line leading down into the water and held it loosely in his hand。 〃Here is the verification。 Pull on this line and I guarantee you'll change your mind。〃
〃You attached the other end？〃 she challenged him。 〃To what？〃
〃A set of bones masquerading as a Spanish conquistador。〃
〃You're beyond belief；〃 she said helplessly。
It was a long time since a woman had stared at him like that。 〃Do you think I'm a head case？ Do you think I enjoy this？ I damn well don't enjoy spending my time saving your backside。 Okay； you want to die and be buried in a thousand bits and pieces； enjoy the trip。〃
Uncertainty crept into her expression。 〃You're not making sense。〃
〃Perhaps a little demonstration is in order。〃 Pitt gently pulled in the line until it became taut。 Then he gave it a hard jerk。
For a moment nothing happened。 Then a rumbling came from the bottom of the well； swelling in volume； sending tremors through the limestone walls。 The violence of the explosion was electrifying。 The underwater blast came like the eruption of a huge depth charge as a seething column of white froth and green slime burst out of the sinkhole； splattering everyone and everything standing within 20 meters （66 feet） of the edge。 The thunder of the explosion rolled over the jungle as the spray fell back into the sinkhole； leaving a heavy mist that swirled into the sky