第一小说网

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第19部分（第4页）

〃Didnt　he　e　back　with　us？〃

〃I　thought　he　did。〃

〃I　didnt　notice；　I　assumed　he　did。〃

〃God　damn　it；　I　thought　I　told　you　people…〃　Barnes　began；　and　then　stopped。　He　stared　at　the　monitor。

On　the　screen；　Harry　turned　toward　the　video　camera　and　made　a　short　bow。

〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　your　attention；　please。　I　think　you　will　find　this　of　interest。〃

Harry　turned　to　face　the　sphere。　He　stood　with　his　arms　at　his　sides；　relaxed。　He　did　not　move　or　speak。　He　closed　his　eyes。　He　took　a　deep　breath。

The　door　to　the　sphere　opened。

〃Not　bad；　huh？〃　Harry　said；　with　a　sudden　grin。

Then　Harry　stepped　inside　the　sphere。　The　door　closed　behind　him。

*　*　*

＇＇125＇＇　They　all　began　talking　at　once。　Barnes　was　shouting　over　everyone　else；　shouting　for　quiet；　but　no　one　paid　any　attention　until　the　lights　in　the　habitat　went　out。　They　were　plunged　into　darkness。

Ted　said；　〃Whats　happened？〃

The　only　light　came　through　the　portholes；　faintly；　from　the　grid　lights。　A　moment　later；　the　grid　went　out；　too。

〃No　power　。。。〃

〃I　tried　to　tell　you；〃　Barnes　said。

There　was　a　whirring　sound；　and　the　lights　flickered；　then　came　back　on。　〃We　have　internal　power；　were　running　on　our　diesels　now。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Look；〃　Ted　said；　pointing　out　the　porthole。

Outside　they　saw　what　looked　like　a　wriggling　silver　snake。　Then　Norman　realized　it　was　the　cable　that　linked　them　to　the　surface；　sliding　back　and　forth　across　the　porthole　as　it　coiled　in　great　loops　on　the　bottom。

〃Theyve　cut　us　free！〃

〃Thats　right；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Theyve　got　full　gale…force　conditions　topside。　They　can　no　longer　maintain　cables　for　power　and　munications。　They　can　no　longer　use　the　submarines。　Theyve　taken　all　the　divers　up；　but　the　subs　cant　e　back　for　us。　At　least　not　for　a　few　days；　until　the　seas　calm　down。〃

〃Then　were　stuck　down　here？〃

〃Thats　correct。〃

〃For　how　long？〃

〃Several　days；〃　Barnes　said。

〃For　how　long？〃

〃Maybe　as　long　as　a　week。〃

〃Jesus　Christ；〃　Beth　said。

Ted　tossed　his　bag　onto　the　couch。　〃What　a　fantastic　piece　of　luck；〃　he　said。

Beth　spun。　〃Are　you　out　of　your　mind？〃

〃Lets　all　stay　calm；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Everythings　under　control。　This　is　just　a　temporary　delay。　Theres　no　re