第50部分(第5/7 页)

're　doing　this；　Norman。　I　don't　believe　you're　abandoning　us。〃

Believe　it；　he　thought。　After　all；　what　choice　did　he　have？　Beth　was　out　of　control　and　dangerous。　It　was　too　late　to　save　her　now…in　fact；　it　was　crazy　to　go　anywhere　near　her。　Beth　was　homicidal。　She'd　already　tried　to　kill　him　once；　and　had　nearly　succeeded。

And　Harry　had　been　drugged　for　thirteen　hours；　by　now　he　was　probably　clinically　dead；　brain…dead。　There　was　no　reason　for　Norman　to　stay。　There　was　nothing　for　him　to　do。

The　sub　was　close　now。　He　could　see　the　fittings　on　the　yellow　exterior。

〃Norman；　please　。。。　I　need　you。〃

Sorry；　he　thought。　I'm　getting　out　of　here。

He　moved　around　beneath　the　twin　propellor　screws；　the　name　painted　on　the　curved　hull；　Deepstar　III。　He　climbed　the　footholds；　moving　up　into　the　dome。

〃Norman…〃

Now　he　was　out　of　contact　with　the　inter。　He　was　on　his　own。　He　opened　the　hatch；　climbed　inside　the　submarine。　He　unlocked　his　helmet；　pulled　it　off。

〃Your　attention；　please。　Eighteen　minutes　and　counting。〃　Norman　sat　in　the　pilot's　padded　seat；　faced　the　controls。　The　instruments　blinked　on；　and　the　screen　directly　before　him　glowed。

DEEPSTAR　III　…　MAND　MODULE

Do　you　require　help？

Yes　 No　 Cancel

＇＇342＇＇　He　pressed　〃YES。〃　He　waited　for　the　next　screen　to　flash　up。

It　was　too　bad　about　Harry　and　Beth；　he　was　sorry　to　leave　them　behind。　But　they　had　both；　in　their　own　ways；　failed　to　explore　their　inner　selves；　thus　making　them　vulnerable　to　the　sphere　and　its　power。　It　was　a　classic　scientific　error；　this　so…called　triumph　of　rational　thought　over　irrational　thought。　Scientists　refused　to　acknowledge　their　irrational　side；　refused　to　see　it　as　important。　They　dealt　only　with　the