Sphere (深海圆疑) 原版小说-第63章

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〃No；　Norman；　I　can't。〃
And　she　began　crying　again。


He　tried　all　the　hatches；　one　after　another。　B　Cyl；　locked。　C　Cyl；　locked。　D　Cyl；　locked。
〃Your　attention；　please。　Thirteen　minutes　and　counting。〃　He　was　standing　by　E　Cyl；　which　had　been　flooded　in　an　earlier　attack。　He　saw　the　gaping；　jagged　tear　in　the　outer　cylinder　surface。　The　hole　was　large　enough　for　him　to　climb　through；　but　the　edges　were　sharp；　and　if　he　tore　his　suit　。。。
＇＇349＇＇　No；　he　decided。　It　was　too　risky。　He　moved　beneath　E　Cyl。　Was　there　a　hatch？
He　found　a　hatch；　spun　the　wheel。　It　opened　easily。　He　pushed　the　circular　lid　upward；　heard　it　clang　against　the　inner　wall。
〃Norman？　Is　that　you？〃
He　hauled　himself　up；　into　E　Cyl。　He　was　panting　from　the　exertion；　on　his　hands　and　knees　on　the　deck　of　E　Cyl。　He　shut　the　hatch　and　locked　it　again；　then　took　a　moment　to　get　his　breath。
〃Your　attention；　please。　Twelve　minutes　and　counting。〃
Jesus；　he　thought。　Already？
Something　white　drifted　past　his　faceplate；　startling　him。　He　pulled　back；　realized　it　was　a　box　of　corn　flakes。　When　he　touched　it；　the　cardboard　disintegrated　in　his　hands；　the　flakes　like　yellow　snow。
He　was　in　the　kitchen。　Beyond　the　stove　he　saw　another　hatch；　leading　to　D　Cyl。　D　Cyl　was　not　flooded；　which　meant　that　he　must　somehow　pressurize　E　Cyl。
He　looked　up；　saw　an　overhead　bulkhead　hatch；　leading　to　the　living　room　with　the　gaping　tear。　He　climbed　up　quickly。　He　needed　to　find　gas；　some　kind　of　tanks。　The　living　room　was　dark；　except　for　the　reflected　light　from　the　floodlights；　which　filtered　in　through　the　tear。　Cushions　and　padding　floated　in　the　water。　Something　touched　him　and　he　spun　and　saw　dark　hair　streaming　around　a　face；　and　as　the　hair　moved　he　saw　part　of　the　face　was　missing；　torn　away　grotesquely。
Tina。
Norman　shuddered；　pushed　her　body　away。　It　drifted　off；　moving　upward。
〃Your　attention；　please。　Eleven　minutes　and　counting。〃　It　was　all　happening　too　fast；　he　thought。　There　was　hardly　enough　time　left。　He　needed　to　be　inside　the　habitat　now。　No　tanks　in　the　living　room。　He　climbed　back　down　to　the　kitchen；　shutting　the　hatch　above。　He　looked　at　the　stove；　the　ovens。　He　opened　the　oven　door；　and　a　burst　of　gas　bubbled　out。　Air　trapped　in　the　oven。
But　that　couldn't　be　right；　he　thought；　because　gas　was　still　＇＇350＇＇　ing　out。　A　trickle　of　bubbles　continued　to　e　from　the　open　oven。
A　steady　trickle。
What　had　Barnes　said　about　cooking　under　pressure？　There　was　something　unusual　about　it；　he　couldn't　remember　exactly。　Did　they　use　gas？　Yes；　but　they　also　needed　more　oxygen。　That　meant
He　pulled　the　stove　away　from　the　wall；　grunting　with　exertion；　and　then　he　found　it。　A　squat　bottle　of　propane；　and　two　large　blue　tanks。
Oxygen　tanks。
He　twisted　the　Y…valves；　his　gloved　fingers　clumsy。　Gas　began　to　roar　out。　The　bubbles　rushed　up　to　the　ceiling；　where　the　gas　was　trapped；　the　big　air　bubble　that　was　forming。
He　opened　the　second　oxygen　tank。　The　water　level　fell　rapidly；　to　his　waist；　then　his　knees。　Then　it　stopped。　The　tanks　must　be　empty。　No　matter；　the　level　was　low　enough。
〃Your　attention；　please。　Ten　minutes　and　counting。〃　Norman　opened　the　bulkhead　door　to　D　Cyl；　and　stepped　through；　into　the　habitat。


The　light　was　dim。　A　strange　green；　slimy　mold　covered　the　walls。
On　the　couch；　Harry　lay　unconscious；　the　intravenous　line　still　in　his　arm。　Norman　pulled　the　needle　out　with　a　spurt　of　blood。　He　shook　Harry；　trying　to　rouse　him。
Harry's　eyelids　fluttered；　but　he　was　otherwise　unresponsive。　Norman　lifted　him；　put　him　over　his　shoulder；　carried　him　through　the　habitat。
On　the　inter；　Beth　was　still　crying。　〃Norman；　you　shouldn't　have　e。〃
〃Where　are　you；　Beth？〃
On　the　monitors；　he　read：
DETONATION　SEQUENCE　09：32。
Counting　backward。　The　numbers　seemed　too　to　move　fast。
＇＇351＇＇　〃Take　Harry　and　go；　Norman。　Both　of　you　go。　Leave　me　behind。〃
〃Tell　me　where　you　are；　Beth。〃
He　was　moving　through　the　habitat；　from　D　to　C　Cyl。　He　didn't　see　her　anywhere。　Harry　was　a　dead　weight　on　his　shoulder；　making　it　difficult　to　get　through　the　bulkhead　doors。
〃It　won't　do　any　good；　Norman。〃
〃e　on；　Beth。　。。。〃
〃I　know　I'm　bad；　Norman。　I　know　I　can't　be　helped。〃
〃Beth　。。。〃　He　was　hearing　her　through　the　helmet　radio；　so　he　could　not　locate　her　by　the　sound。　But　he　could　not　risk　removing　his　helmet。　Not　now。
〃I　deserve　to　die；　Norman。〃
〃Cut　it　out；　Beth。〃
〃Attention；　please。　Nine　minutes　and　counting。〃
A　new　alarm　sounded；　an　intermittent　beeping　that　became　louder　and　more　intense　as　the　seconds　ticked　by。
He　was　in　B　Cyl；　a　maze　of　pipes　and　equipment。　Once　clean　and　multicolored；　now　the　slimy　mold　coated　every　surface。　In　some　places　fibrous　mossy　strands　hung　down。　B　Cyl　looked　like　a　jungle　swamp。
〃Beth　。。。〃
She　was　silent　now。　She　must　be　in　this　room；　he　thought。　B　Cyl　had　always　been　Beth's　favorite　place；　the　place　where　the　habitat　was　controlled。　He　put　Harry　on　the　deck；　propped　him　against　a　wall。　But　the　wall　was　slippery　and　Harry　slid　down；　banged　his　head。　He　coughed；　opened　his　eyes。
〃Jesus。　Norman？〃
Norman　held　his　hand　up；　signaling　Harry　to　be　quiet。
〃Beth？〃　Norman　said。
No　answer。　Norman　moved　among　the　slimy　pipes。
〃Beth？〃
〃Leave　me；　Norman。〃
〃I　can't　do　that；　Beth。　I'm　taking　you；　too。〃
〃No。　I'm　staying；　Norman。〃
〃Beth；〃　he　said；　〃there's　no　time　for　this。〃
〃I'm　staying；　Norman。　I　deserve　to　stay。〃
＇＇352＇＇　He　saw　her。
Beth　was　huddled　in　the　back；　wedged　among　pipes；　crying　like　a　child。　She　held　one　of　the　explosive…tipped　spear　guns　in　her　hand。　She　looked　at　him　tearfully。
〃Oh；　Norman；〃　she　said。　〃You　were　going　to　leave　us。　。。。〃
〃I'm　sorry。　I　was　wrong。〃
He　started　toward　her；　holding　out　his　hands　to　her。　She　swung　the　spear　gun　around。　〃No；　you　were　right。　You　were　right。　I　want　you　to　leave　now。〃
Above　her　head　he　saw　a　glowing　monitor；　the　numbers　clicking　inexorably　backward：　08：27　。。。　08：26　。。。
He　thought；　I　can　change　this。　I　want　the　numbers　to　stop　counting。
The　numbers　did　not　stop。
〃You　can't　fight　me；　Norman；〃　she　said；　huddled　in　the　corner。　Her　eyes　blazed　with　furious　energy。
〃I　can　see　that。〃
〃There　isn't　much　time；　Norman。　I　want　you　to　leave。〃　She　held　the　gun；　pointed　firmly　toward　him。　He　had　a　sudden　sense　of　the　absurdity　of　it　all；　that　he　had　e　back　to　rescue　someone　who　didn't　want　to　be　rescued。　What　could　he　do　now？　Beth　was　wedged　back　in　there；　beyond　his　reach；　beyond　his　help。　There　was　barely　enough　time　for　him　to　get　away；　let　alone　to　take　Harry。　。。。
Harry；　he　thought　suddenly。　Where　was　Harry　now？　I　want　Harry　to　help　me。
But　he　wondered　if　there　was　time；　the　numbers　were　clicking　backward；　there　was　hardly　more　than　eight　minutes；　now。　。。。
〃I　came　back　for　you；　Beth。〃
〃Go；〃　she　said。　〃Go　now；　Norman。〃
〃But；　Beth…〃
〃…No；　Norman！　I　mean　it！　Go！　Why　don't　you　go？〃　And　then　she　began　to　get　suspicious；　she　started　to　look　around；　and　at　that　moment　Harry　stood　up　behind　her；　and　swung　the　big　wrench　down　on　her　head；　and　there　was　a　sickening　thud；　and　she　fell。
〃Did　I　kill　her？〃　Harry　said。
＇＇353＇＇　And　the　deep　male　voice　said；　〃Attention；　please。　Eight　minutes　and　counting。〃


Norman　concentrated　on　the　clock　as　it　ticked　backwards。　Stop。　Stop　the　countdown。
But　when　he　looked　again；　the　clock　was　still　ticking　backwards。　And　the　alarm：　Was　the　alarm　interfering　with　his　concentration？　He　tried　again。
Stop　now。　The　countdown　will　stop　now。　The　countdown　has　stopped。
〃Forget　it；〃　Harry　said。　〃It　won't　work。〃
〃But　it　should　work；〃　Norman　said。
〃No；〃　Harry　said。　〃Because　she's　not　pletely　unconscious。〃
On　the　floor　at　their　feet；　Beth　groaned。　Her　leg　moved。　〃She's　still　able　to　control　it；　somehow；〃　Norman　said。　〃She's　very　strong。〃
〃Can　we　inject　her？〃
Norman　shook　his　head。　There　was　no　time　to　go　back　for　the　syringe。　Anyway；　if　they　injected　her　and　it　didn't　work；　it　would　be　time　wasted…
〃Hit　her　again？〃　Harry　said。　〃Harder？　Kill　her？〃
〃No；〃　Norman　said。
〃Killing　her　is　the　only　way…〃
〃…No；〃　Norman　said；　thinking；　We　didn't　kill　you；　Harry；　when　we　had　the　chance。
〃If　you　won't　kill　her；　then　you　can't　do　anything　about　that　timer；〃　Harry　said。　〃So　we　better　get　the　hell　out。〃
They　ran　for　the　airlock。


〃How　much　time　is　left'？〃　Harry　said。　They　were　in　the　A　Cyl　airlock；　trying　to　put　the　suit　on　Beth。　She　was　groaning；　blood　was　matted　on　the　back　of　her　head。　Beth　struggled　a　little；　making　it　more　difficult。
〃Jesus；　Beth…how　much　time；　Norman？〃
〃Seven　and　a　half　minutes；　maybe　less。〃
Her　legs　were　in；　they　quickly　pushed　her　arms　in；　zipped　＇＇354＇＇　up　the　chest。　They　turned　on　her　air。　Norman　helped　Harry　with　his　suit。
〃Attention；　please。　Seven　minutes　and　counting。〃
Harry　said；　〃How　much　time　you　figure　to　get　to　the　surface？〃
〃Two　and　a　half　minutes；　after　we　get　inside　the　sub；〃　Norman　said。
〃Great；〃　Harry　said。
Norman　snapped　Harry's　helmet　locked。　〃Let's　go。〃　Harry　descended　into　the　water；　and　Norman　lowered　Beth's　unconscious　body。　She　was　heavy　with　the　tank　and　weights。
〃e　on；　Norman！〃
Norman　plunged　into　the　water。


At　the　submarine；　Norman　climbed　up　to　the　hatch　entrance；　but　the　untethered　sub　rolled　unpredictably　with　his　weight。　Harry；　standing　on　the　bottom；　tried　to　push　Beth　up　toward　Norman；　but　Beth　kept