小说园

第52部分（第3页）

〃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　Harrys　helmet　locked。　〃Lets　go。〃　Harry　descended　into　the　water；　and　Norman　lowered　Beths　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　bending　over　at　the　waist。　Norman；　grabbing　for　her；　fell　off　the　sub　and　slid　to　the　bottom。

〃Attention；　please。　Six　minutes　and　counting。〃

〃Hurry；　Norman！　Six　minutes！〃

〃I　heard；　damn　it。〃

Norman　got　to　his　feet；　climbed　back　on　the　sub；　but　now　his　suit　was　muddy；　his　gloves　slippery。　Harry　was　counting：　〃Five　twenty…nine　。。。　five　twenty…eight　。。。　five　twentyseven。。。〃　Norman　caught　Beths　arm；　but　she　slipped　away　again。

〃Damn　it；　Norman！　Hold　on　to　her！〃

〃Im　trying！〃

〃Here。　Here　she　is　again。〃

〃Attention；　please。　Five　minutes　and　counting。〃

The　alarm　was　now　high…pitched；　beeping　insistently。　They　had　to　shout　over　it　to　be　heard。

〃Harry；　give　her　to　me…〃

〃Well；　here；　take　her…〃

〃Missed…〃

＇＇355＇＇　〃Here…〃

Norman　finally　caught　Beths　air　hose　in　his　hand；　just　behind　the　helmet。　He　wondered　if　it　would　pull　out；　but　he　had　to　risk　it。　Gripping　the　hose；　he　hauled　Beth　up；　until　she　lay　on　her　back　on　the　top　of　the　sub。　Then　he　eased　her　down　into　the　hatch。

〃Four　twenty…nine　。。。　four　twenty…eight　。。。〃

Norman　had　trouble　keeping　his　balance。　He　got　one　of　Beths　legs　into　the　hatch；　but　the　other　knee　was　bent；　jammed　against　the　lip　of　the　hatch。　He　couldnt　get　her　down。　Every　time　he　leaned　forward　to　unbend　her　leg；　the　whole　submarine　tipped；　and　he　would　start　to　lose　his　balance　again。

〃Four　sixteen　。。。　four　fifteen　。。。〃

〃Would　you　stop　counting　and　do　something！〃

Harry　pressed　his　body　against　the　side　of　the　submarine；　countering　the　rolling　with　his　weight。　Norman　leaned　forward　and　pressed　Beths　knee　straight；　she　slid　easily　into　the　open　hatch。　Norman　climbed　in　after　her。　It　was　a　one…man　airlock；　but　Beth　was　unconscious；　and　could　not　work　the　controls。

He　would　have　to　do　it　for　her。

〃Attention；　please。　Four　minutes　and　counting。〃

He　was　cramped　in　the　airlock；　his　body　pressed　up　against　Beth；　chest　to　chest；　her　helmet　banging　against　his。　With　difficulty　he　pulled　the　hatch　closed　over　his　head。　He　blew　out　the　water　in　a　furious　rush　of　pressed　air；　unsupported　by　the　water；　Beths　body　now　sagged　heavily　against　him。

He　reached　around　her　for　the　handle　to　the　inner　hatch。　Beths　body　blocked　his　way。　He　tried　to　twist　her　around　sideways。　In　the　confined　space；　he　couldnt　get　any　leverage　on　the　body。　Beth　was　like　a　dead　weight；　he　tried　to　shift　her　body　around；　to　get　to　the　hatch。

The　whole　submarine　began　to　sway：　Harry　was　climbing　up　the　side。

〃What　the　hells　going　on　in　there？〃