第50部分(第3/7 页)

ble　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。　You're　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！　Don't　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　you'll　set　off　the　explosives。　I　swear　to　you…it'll　blow　you　and　me　and　Harry　and　everything　to　hell；　Norman。〃

He　didn't　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。

〃Don't　do　it；　Norman。　。。。

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

〃For　God's　sake；　Norman。　Believe　me；　will　you？　You'll　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　you've　done　it。〃

He　barely　heard　her　voice　over　the　alarm。　The