第52部分(第4/7 頁)

　you　won't　kill　her；　then　you　can't　do　anything　about　that　timer；〃　Harry　said。　〃So　we　better　get　the　hell　out。〃

They　ran　for　the　airlock。

〃How　much　time　is　left'？〃　Harry　said。　They　were　in　the　A　Cyl　airlock；　trying　to　put　the　suit　on　Beth。　She　was　groaning；　blood　was　matted　on　the　back　of　her　head。　Beth　struggled　a　little；　making　it　more　difficult。

〃Jesus；　Beth…how　much　time；　Norman？〃

〃Seven　and　a　half　minutes；　maybe　less。〃

Her　legs　were　in；　they　quickly　pushed　her　arms　in；　zipped　＇＇354＇＇　up　the　chest。　They　turned　on　her　air。　Norman　helped　Harry　with　his　suit。

〃Attention；　please。　Seven　minutes　and　counting。〃

Harry　said；　〃How　much　time　you　figure　to　get　to　the　surface？〃

〃Two　and　a　half　minutes；　after　we　get　inside　the　sub；〃　Norman　said。

〃Great；〃　Harry　said。

Norman　snapped　Harry's　helmet　locked。　〃Let's　go。〃　Harry　descended　into　the　water；　and　Norman　lowered　Beth's　unconscious　body。　She　was　heavy　with　the　tank　and　weights。

〃e　on；　Norman！〃

Norman　plunged　into　the　water。

At　the　submarine；　Norman　climbed　up　to　the　hatch　entrance；　but　the　untethered　sub　rolled　unpredictably　with　his　weight。　Harry；　standing　on　the　bottom；　tried　to　push　Beth　up　toward　Norman；　but　Beth　kept　bending　over　at　the　waist。　Norman；　grabbing　for　her；　fell　off　the　sub　and　slid　to　the　bottom。

〃Attention；　please。　Six　minutes　and　counting。〃

〃Hurry；　Norman！　Six　minutes！〃

〃I　heard；　damn　it。〃

Norman　got　to　his　feet；　climbed　back　on　the　sub；　but　now　his　suit　was　muddy；　his　gloves　slippery。　Harry　was　counting：　〃Five　twenty…nine　。。。　five　twenty…eight　。。。　five　twentyseven。。。〃　Norman　caught　Beth's　arm；　but　she　slipped　away　again。

〃Damn　it；　Norman！　Hold　on　to　her！〃

〃I'm　trying！〃