JК
The Lunatic Cafe :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 168 из 234"
Aikensen looked at me. "What the hell does that mean?"
"It means there might have been creepy-crawlies in the water, but nothing tried to eat you, so it's safe."
"You used me for bait."
"You fell in."
"Ms. Blake say we can move the thing?" Titus asked.
"Yes," Dolph said.
"Go to it, boys."
The divers all looked at each other. "Can we have the spotlight now?" MacAdam asked.
"Sure," I said.
The light smashed into me. I put a hand up to shield my eyes and nearly slipped off the rock. Jesus it was bright. The water was still opaque, black, and choppy, but the rocks glistened and Aikensen and I were suddenly center stage. The bright light washed all the color from the snakeskin.
MacAdam slipped his face mask on, regulator secure in his mouth. Only one other diver followed his lead. Guess they didn't need four to go in after the skin.
"Why're they putting on tanks just to wade out here?" Aikensen asked.
"Insurance in case the current gets them, or they find a sinkhole."
"Current's not that bad."
"Bad enough that if it catches the skin, the skin's gone. With tanks you can follow something in the water all the way down, wherever it goes."
"You sound like you've done it."
"I'm certified."
"Well, aren't you multitalented," he said.
The divers were almost out to us. Their tanks looked like the backs of whales sticking out of the water. MacAdam raised his face mask out of the water, and put a gloved hand on the rocks. He took the regulator out of his mouth, hugging the rock and paddling with his legs to keep free of the current. The other diver moved over by Aikensen.
"There a problem if we tear the skin?" MacAdam asked.
"I'll unhook it from this side of the rock."
"You'll get your arm wet."
"I'll live, right?"
I couldn't see his face well enough under all the equipment, but I'd bet he was frowning at me.
"Yeah, you'll live."
I moved my hand down the front of the skin until I hit water. The cold made me hesitate, but only for a heartbeat. I reached down, soaking myself to the shoulder to untangle it. My hand touched something slick and solid that wasn't skin. I gave a small yip and jerked back, nearly falling. I got my balance and went for my gun.
I had time to say, "Something's down there." It surfaced.
A round face, with a screaming lipless mouth, shot upward, hands reaching for MacAdam. I had a glimpse of dark eyes before it fell back into the water.
Aikensen looked at me. "What the hell does that mean?"
"It means there might have been creepy-crawlies in the water, but nothing tried to eat you, so it's safe."
"You used me for bait."
"You fell in."
"Ms. Blake say we can move the thing?" Titus asked.
"Yes," Dolph said.
"Go to it, boys."
The divers all looked at each other. "Can we have the spotlight now?" MacAdam asked.
"Sure," I said.
The light smashed into me. I put a hand up to shield my eyes and nearly slipped off the rock. Jesus it was bright. The water was still opaque, black, and choppy, but the rocks glistened and Aikensen and I were suddenly center stage. The bright light washed all the color from the snakeskin.
MacAdam slipped his face mask on, regulator secure in his mouth. Only one other diver followed his lead. Guess they didn't need four to go in after the skin.
"Why're they putting on tanks just to wade out here?" Aikensen asked.
"Insurance in case the current gets them, or they find a sinkhole."
"Current's not that bad."
"Bad enough that if it catches the skin, the skin's gone. With tanks you can follow something in the water all the way down, wherever it goes."
"You sound like you've done it."
"I'm certified."
"Well, aren't you multitalented," he said.
The divers were almost out to us. Their tanks looked like the backs of whales sticking out of the water. MacAdam raised his face mask out of the water, and put a gloved hand on the rocks. He took the regulator out of his mouth, hugging the rock and paddling with his legs to keep free of the current. The other diver moved over by Aikensen.
"There a problem if we tear the skin?" MacAdam asked.
"I'll unhook it from this side of the rock."
"You'll get your arm wet."
"I'll live, right?"
I couldn't see his face well enough under all the equipment, but I'd bet he was frowning at me.
"Yeah, you'll live."
I moved my hand down the front of the skin until I hit water. The cold made me hesitate, but only for a heartbeat. I reached down, soaking myself to the shoulder to untangle it. My hand touched something slick and solid that wasn't skin. I gave a small yip and jerked back, nearly falling. I got my balance and went for my gun.
I had time to say, "Something's down there." It surfaced.
A round face, with a screaming lipless mouth, shot upward, hands reaching for MacAdam. I had a glimpse of dark eyes before it fell back into the water.