第50部分(第4/7 页)

　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。　CONSTRUCTION/DEMOLITION　USE　ONLY。

Of　course！　Tevac　explosives　weren't　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　don't　believe　you