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第50部分（第2页）

AUTHORIZED　PERSONNEL　ONLY

DANGER…TEVAC　EXPLOSIVES

There　was　still　more　writing　beneath　that；　but　it　was　smaller；　and　he　couldnt　make　it　out。

〃Norman！　Whatre　you　doing　with　my　explosives；　Norman？〃

Norman　didnt　answer　her。　He　looked　at　the　wiring。　One　thin　cable　ran　into　the　base　of　the　cone；　and　a　second　cable　ran　out。　The　second　cable　went　along　the　muddy　bottom　to　＇＇339＇＇　the　next　cone；　where　there　were　again　just　two　cables…one　in；　and　one　out。

〃Get　away　from　there；　Norman。　Youre　making　me　nervous。

One　cable　in；　and　one　cable　out。

Beth　had　wired　the　cones　together　in　series；　like　Christmas…tree　bulbs！　By　pulling　out　a　single　cable；　Norman　would　disconnect　the　entire　line　of　explosives。　He　reached　forward　and　gripped　the　cable　in　his　gloved　hand。

〃Norman！　Dont　touch　that　wire；　Norman！〃

〃Take　it　easy；　Beth。〃

His　fingers　closed　around　the　cable。　He　felt　the　soft　plastic　coating；　gripped　it　tightly。

〃Norman；　if　you　pull　that　cable　youll　set　off　the　explosives。　I　swear　to　you…itll　blow　you　and　me　and　Harry　and　everything　to　hell；　Norman。〃

He　didnt　think　it　was　true。　Beth　was　lying。　Beth　was　out　of　control　and　she　was　dangerous　and　she　was　lying　to　him　again。

He　drew　his　hand　back。　He　felt　the　tension　in　the　cable。

〃Dont　do　it；　Norman。　。。。

The　cable　was　now　taut　in　his　hand。　〃Im　going　to　shut　you　down；　Beth。〃

〃For　Gods　sake；　Norman。　Believe　me；　will　you？　Youll　kill　us　all！〃

Still　he　hesitated。　Could　she　be　telling　the　truth？　Did　she　know　about　wiring　explosives？　He　looked　at　the　big　gray　cone　at　his　feet；　reaching　up　to　his　waist。　What　would　it　feel　like　if　it　exploded？　Would　he　feel　anything　at　all？

〃The　hell　with　it；〃　he　said　aloud。

He　pulled　the　cable　out　of　the　cone。

The　shriek　of　the　alarm；　ringing　inside　his　helmet；　made　him　jump。　There　was　a　small　liquid…crystal　display　at　the　top　of　his　faceplate　blinking　rapidly：　〃EMERGENCY〃。。。　〃EMERGENCY〃。。。

〃Oh；　Norman。　God　damn　it。　Now　youve　done　it。〃

He　barely　heard　her　voice　over　the　alarm。　The　red　cone　＇＇340＇＇　lights　were　blinking；　all　down　the　length　of　the　spacecraft。　He　braced　himself　for　the　explosion。

But　then　the　alarm　was　interrupted　by　a　deep；　resonant　male　voice　that　said；　〃Your　attention；　please。　Your　attention；　please。　All　construction　personnel　clear　the　blast　area　immediately。　Tevac　explosives　are　now　activated。　The　countdown　will　begin　。。。　now。　Mark　twenty；　and　counting。〃

On　the　cone；　a　red　display　flashed　20：00。　Then　it　began　counting　backward：　19：59　。。。　19：58　。。。

The　same　display　was　repeated　on　the　crystal　display　at　the　top　of　his　helmet。

It　took　him　a　moment　to　put　it　together；　to　understand。　Staring　at　the　cone；　he　read　the　yellow　lettering　once　again：　U。S。N。　CONSTRUCTIONDEMOLITION　USE　ONLY。

Of　course！　Tevac　explosives　werent　weapons；　they　were　made　for　construction　and　demolition。　They　had　built…in　safety　timers…a　programmed　twenty…minute　delay　before　they　went　off；　to　allow　workers　to　get　away。

Twenty　minutes　to　get　away；　he　thought。　That　would　give　him　plenty　of　time。

Norman　turned；　and　began　striding　quickly　toward　DH…7　and　the　submarine。

0140　HOURS

He　walked　evenly；　steadily。　He　felt　no　strain。　His　breath　came　easily。　He　was　fortable　in　his　suit。　All　systems　working　smoothly。

He　was　leaving。　〃Norman；　please　。。。〃　Now　Beth　was　pleading　with　him；　another　erratic　shift　of　＇＇341＇＇　mood。　Norman　ignored　her。　He　continued　on　toward　the　submarine。　The　deep　recorded　voice　said；　〃Your　attention；　please。　All　Navy　personnel　clear　the　blast　area。　Nineteen　minutes　and　counting。〃

Norman　felt　an　enormous　sense　of　purposefulness；　of　power。　He　had　no　illusions　any　more。　He　had　no　questions。　He　knew　what　he　had　to　do。

He　had　to　save　himself。

〃I　dont　believe　youre　doing　this；　Norman。　I　dont　believe　youre　abandoning　us。〃