小说园

第52部分（第4页）

〃Harry；　will　you　shut　up！〃

〃Well；　whats　the　delay？〃

＇＇356＇＇　Normans　hand　closed　on　the　inner　latch　handle。　He　shoved　it　down；　but　the　door　didnt　move：　the　door　was　hinged　to　swing　inward。　He　couldnt　open　it　with　Beth　in　the　hatch　with　him。　It　was　too　crowded；　her　body　blocked　the　movement　of　the　door。

〃Harry；　weve　got　a　problem。〃

〃Jesus　Christ　。。。　Three　minutes　thirty。〃

Norman　began　to　sweat。　They　were　really　in　trouble　now。

〃Harry；　Ive　got　to　pass　her　out　to　you；　and　go　in　alone。〃

〃Jesus；　Norman　。。。〃

Norman　flooded　the　airlock；　opened　the　upper　hatch　once　again。　Harrys　balance　atop　the　submarine　was　precarious。　He　grabbed　Beth　by　the　air　hose；　dragged　her　up。

Norman　reached　up　to　close　the　hatch。

〃Harry；　can　you　get　her　feet　out　of　the　way？〃

〃Im　trying　to　keep　my　balance　here。〃

〃Cant　you　see　her　feet　are　blocking…〃　Irritably；　Norman　pushed　Beths　feet　aside。　The　hatch　clanged　down。　The　air　blasted　past　him。　The　hatch　pressurized。

〃Attention；　please。　Two　minutes　and　counting。〃

He　was　inside　the　submarine。　The　instruments　glowed　green。

He　opened　the　inner　hatch。

〃Norman？〃

〃Try　and　get　her　down；〃　Norman　said。　〃Do　it　as　fast　as　you　can。〃

But　he　was　thinking　they　were　in　terrible　trouble：　at　least　thirty　seconds　to　get　Beth　into　the　hatch；　and　thirty　seconds　more　for　Harry　to　e　down。　A　minute　all　together…

〃Shes　in。　Vent　it。〃

Norman　jumped　for　the　air　vent；　blew　out　the　water。

〃Howd　you　get　her　in　so　fast；　Harry？〃

〃Natures　way；〃　Harry　said；　〃to　get　people　through　tight　spaces。〃　And　before　Norman　could　ask　what　that　meant；　he　had　opened　the　hatch　and　saw　that　Harry　had　pushed　Beth　into　the　airlock　head　first。　He　grabbed　her　shoulders　and　eased　her　onto　the　floor　of　the　submarine；　then　slammed　the　＇＇357＇＇　　hatch　shut。　Moments　later；　he　heard　the　blast　of　air　as　Harry；　too；　vented　the　airlock。

The　submarine　hatch　clanged。　Harry　came　forward。　〃Christ；　one　minute　forty；〃　Harry　said。　〃Do　you　know　how　to　work　this　thing？〃

〃Yes。〃

Norman　sat　in　the　seat；　placed　his　hands　on　the　controls。　They　heard　the　whine　of　the　props；　felt　the　rumble。　The　sub　lurched；　moved　off　the　bottom。

〃One　minute　thirty　seconds。　How　long　did　you　say　to　the　surface？〃

〃Two　thirty；〃　Norman　said；　cranking　up　the　ascent　rate。　He　pushed　it　past　6。6；　to　the　far　end　of　the　dial。

They　heard　a　high…pitched　shriek　of　air　as　the　ballast　tanks　blew。　The　sub　nosed　up　sharply；　began　to　rise　swiftly。

〃Is　this　as　fast　as　it　goes？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Jesus。〃

〃Take　it　easy；　Harry。〃

Looking　back　down；　they　could　see　the　habitat　with　its　lights。　And　then　the　long　lines　of　explosives　set　over　the　spaceship　itself。　They　rose　past　the　high　fin