Abduction by Robin Cook Read Free Book Online Page A

she wanted to see happen, but she appreciated Perry's enthusiasm. At least he was engaged. "Current is less than an eighth of a knot," Donald said. "Coming up on the well head. Prepare to off-load the drill bit."
Suzanne swung around to attend to her duties as copilot. She powered up the servos for the manipulator arms. Meanwhile Donald set the Oceanus down expertly on the rock floor. While Suzanne prepared to lift the drill bit and tools from the submersible's tray, Donald used the UQC phone. "On the bottom," Donald said. "Off-loading the payload." "Roger," Larry said in reply over the speaker. "I guessed as much when I heard Suzanne's music. Is that the only freaking CD she has?"
"It's the best one for the scenery down here," Suzanne interjected. "If we make any more dives I'll loan you some New Age CDs," Larry answered. "I can't stand that classical stuff."
"Am I looking at basaltic dikes out here?" Perry questioned. "That's my guess," Suzanne said. "Have you ever heard of the Giant's Causeway?" "Can't say that I have," Perry said.
"It's a natural rock formation on the northern coast of Ireland," Suzanne said. "It looks something like what you're seeing here."
"How big is the top of this seamount?" Perry questioned. "I'd estimate about four football fields," Suzanne said. "But, unfortunately, that's nothing but a guess. The problem is we haven't had enough bottom time to explore the whole thing." "Well, I think we ought to," Perry said. Right on! Suzanne said to herself. She had to resist the temptation to yell out to ask if Larry and Mark
had heard Perry's comment over the UQC.
"Does the whole top of the mountain look just the same as it does here?" Perry asked. "No, not entirely," Suzanne said. "On the limited amount we've seen there are some areas of more typical undersea lava formations. On the last dive, though, we caught a glimpse of what might be a transverse fault, but we were called back before we could check it out. The mount remains largely unexplored."
"Where was the fault in relation to the well head?" Perry asked.

"Due west from here," Suzanne said. "Just about in the direction you're looking right now. Can you see
a particularly high row of columns?"
"I think so," Perry said. He pushed his face against the Plexiglas to try to look slightly behind the sub. There was a row of columns at the edge of his visibility. "Would finding a transverse fault be significant?" he asked.
"It would be astounding," Suzanne responded. "They occur up and down the Mid-Atlantic Ridge system, but finding one at such a distance from the ridge, and through the middle of what we assume is an old volcano, would be quite unique."
"Let's go take a look," Perry suggested. "This place is fascinating." Suzanne grinned in triumph. She glanced at Donald. Even he couldn't suppress a smile. He'd been sympathetic to Suzanne's plan but had not been optimistic. It took Suzanne only a few minutes to unload everything that Mark had stowed in the submersible's tray. Once the material was lined up next to the well head, she folded the manipulating arms into their retracted position.
"So much for that job," Suzanne said. She turned off the power to the servo links. " Oceanus to surface control," Donald said into the UQC mike. "The payload has been off-loaded. What's the status of the divers?"
"Compression is nearing depth," Larry's voice reported over the speaker. "The bell should be starting its descent shortly. ETA on the bottom, thirty minutes give or take five." "Roger!" Donald said. "Keep us informed. We are going to move due west to investigate a scarp we caught sight of on the last dive."
"Ten-four," Larry said. "We'll let you know when the bell is lifted off the DDC. We'll also let you know when it is passing through five hundred feet so you can take up an appropriate position." "Roger!" Donald repeated. He hung up the UQC mike. With his hands resting gently on the joysticks he jacked up the power to the propulsion system to fifty amps. He