Читать книгу At depth - - Страница 6

With unprecedented bliss he got out of the SUV and headed to a bar near the beach thirty-five kilometers from the city of La Plata, anticipating rivers of rum and whiskey. Forty-five-year-old paleontologist Tucker Hughes spent almost a month in Argentina, leading a group of archaeologists. Over the heading of twenty-three days, they carefully dug up the remains of Megaraptor. Now he, along with his colleagues, planned to get completely drunk and relax to the point of disgrace.

The bar was located on the ocean shore, from where the breaking of waves could be heard beautifully and the sounds of the ocean, together with the moonlight, created an atmosphere especially favorable for parting with a sober mind slowly and in small sips.

Tucker was accompanied by his colleague, a junior researcher at the Department of Paleontology, Jan Vogel, and an employee of the Paleontological Museum in the city of Trelew, Fernando Rivera, who, in fact, reported on the possible find and asked the authorities for permission to involve foreign specialists with great expertise in the excavations.

Hardly had the group of archaeologists completed extracting the remains of Megaraptor when Tucker, Jan and Fernando immediately set off to the coast in unison, leaving behind their work clothes, which still had traces of sand on them.

The waitress took an order for a bottle of rum, a bottle of cognac and three bottles of beer as an aperitif.

Looking towards the arriving waves, Tucker said, keeping a dreamy grimace on his face:

– If in this world you could choose the moment when your life would end, I would choose this one. What could be better when you have the sounds of the surf in your ears, the moon and starry sky in front of your eyes, and a glass of excellent rum in your hand?

– Yes – Fernando confirmed. – Even the loss of virginity cannot be compared with this.

A shadow fell on the table from behind them. They turned around, expecting to see the waitress and their order on the tray.

– Gentlemen, good evening.

It was a stranger, dressed in white trousers and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows.

– Are you Dr. Tucker Hughes? – asked the stranger.

– Yes, it’s me.

– Stephen Frost. Very nice – with these words Frost extended his hand and shook Tucker’s hand. – Mr. Hughes, if you don’t think I’m being intrusive, can I distract you for a moment and discuss something privately?

Tucker didn’t even try to hide his surprise. The stranger spoke clear English, and this definitely indicated that he was not from Argentina, or from this continent at all. The accent was very British. Tucker found it difficult to even imagine that someone had flown across the ocean to talk to him about something. It was even more difficult for him to imagine the subject of conversation for which the stranger had crossed such a distance. He looked around, looking for the waitress with the order. Not finding her, he rose from the table and said, extending his hand to the other end of the bar’s veranda:

– Sure. Let’s pass.

Sitting down at a free table in the very corner, Frost asked:

– How is your fossil doing?

– Apparently, it was a large individual.

– Do you regret that it will remain here?

– Do I regret it? – Tucker Hughes said in an indifferent tone. He answered this question while maintaining an absolutely calm face. – No. I was given permission to work with the remains. I can fly here later and continue working on the skeleton at any time. I don’t really care that British schoolchildren won’t be able to see the skeleton of a huge prehistoric monster. In this regard, I am an egoist and a sociopath. Nothing can be done about it.

– I would say a very practical approach to business.

– So – Tucker said, offering to get down to business.

– I represent the company «Best Technologies». Our company is organizing a research expedition to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. We are recruiting a group of scientists. At the moment there is only one free place left. This is a vacancy for a paleontologist. We need a reputable specialist with extensive experience and knowledge of his field.

– You said «to the bottom of the ocean», right? – Tucker asked with some doubt, narrowing his eyes.

– Absolutely right.

The waitress approached the table. Tucker refused the order. Frost wanted a glass of cold mineral water, and then handed the Hispanic woman with the golden tan a fifty-dollar bill, asking her to bring the order when he left the table.

After the girl left, Tucker continued the conversation:

– Of course, I’ve heard a lot about your breakthrough technologies and therefore I won’t ask how you are going to overcome such depth. I don’t even doubt this. But I am overcome by strong doubts about something else. Mr. Frost, I don’t want to sound like a skeptic, but I don’t think there are any preserved remains of any creatures on the ocean floor.

Before Tucker could even finish speaking, Stephen Frost took out several printed photographs from the side pocket of his black shirt, unfolded them, placed on the table and said:

– I don’t want to mislead modern science either, Mr. Hughes, so I just suggest you look at something very interesting.

Tucker began examining photographs of the same object taken from different angles and with different degrees of brightness. For several minutes he assessed every detail of the object.

– You know, I would like to say that this is a montage, but I cannot say the opposite with 100% accuracy, because…

– Look at this – Frost interrupted, handing Tucker the phone with the video recording. – Taken from our unmanned deep-sea vehicle.

Tucker pressed play. Half a minute later he returned the phone.

– And do you have the coordinates of the location of these remains?

– Of course. Information is too valuable to be ignored. Have you ever seen anything like this? – Frost asked.

– During my student years, I was lucky enough to get to the excavations that were carried out by our university in the east of Algeria. There the professor asked me and my partner to take the tools and increase the depth of the hole, since he assumed that some fragments of the Spinosaurus could remain just below. The main part of the skeleton had been removed before us, so we expected to find some crushed bones, and that’s all. But while we were digging, a small part of the soil on the side crumbled, and we saw some kind of protruding bone. We thought it was another fragment from our dinosaur. We keep digging and digging, but the thing turns out to be huge, and has nothing to do with the Spinosaurus. It was a whole separate skeleton. I have no right to say what exactly it was. Bound himself with an oath. But I can say one thing – if information about this find is made public, then we can safely rewrite all the history textbooks about the Cretaceous period. And to answer your question, I won’t lie. Yes. I saw a lot of damn things that are difficult to explain.

– And what can you say about this find? – Frost asked, pointing to the photographs.

– Judging by the structure of the skeleton, from the outside it looks like a mermaid. But it’s hard to say. Half of the skeleton is buried. – Taking a deep breath, Tucker returned to the main topic: – Well, okay. What is this expedition like?

– You dive into the waters of the Atlantic and follow a given route. Your responsibility is to use the manipulator to pick up all finds whose dimensions allow this to be done. Those, that are too large, you will need to carefully film with a drone, record the location coordinates and do a superficial investigation, resorting only to visual contact. In the future, if these finds are worth it, the company will take steps to bring such remains to the surface. We will entrust the study of them to the one, who discovered them. As for the timing, the voyage will last about two months, maybe another week, taking into account delays on site to study the finds. The amount due for your services is indicated on the back of the photo.

Tucker didn’t look at the back of the photo, but immediately asked:

– When are you planning to sail?

– In a few days the submarine will be launched into the water. Practical tests will be carried out for some time and, if the ship demonstrates itself in accordance with all the declared characteristics and everything goes according to the established plan, then the expedition will start in three months.

The scientist looked somewhere into the distance towards the ocean and said:

– You know, I could refuse, because there are enough remains of all sorts of prehistoric creatures on earth. But I’m already tired of studying dinosaur bones, and then, who knows, maybe in a place, where no one has ever been, there’s a much greater chance of finding something extraordinary.

After finishing his tirade, Tucker Hughes extended his hand to Frost. Frost shook it and said:

– I will be sincerely glad to our cooperation. And since you’ve already made your decision, I have to add something. You will need to arrive at your destination two weeks before departure. You will undergo a medical examination so that your body is ready for the dive; You will also have to undergo instruction in the operation of the submarine, which will become your home for two whole months, and a few other minor procedures. Do you have any questions for me?

– None.

– In that case, I will leave you my contacts…

– I’m afraid, Mr. Frost, it’s useless. You see, my colleagues and I are now facing an alcohol marathon, and by the morning I will no longer be able to find my pants, not to mention your business card.

Stephen Frost spoke in a serious tone:

– Mr. Hughes, I think you didn’t quite understand the essence of the whole situation. You will have to maintain a sober mind, because other people should not find out about our conversation.

The paleontologist lowered his eyelids in annoyance, and when he raised them, he said:

– Of course.

– That’s wonderful. I was sincerely glad to have our conversation.

On that note, Frost rose from his chair.

– Me too – Tucker answered, languidly shaking Frost’s hand.

The waitress immediately brought a glass of water and handed it to Frost.

Returning to the table with his colleagues, Tucker called the waitress and ordered a non-alcoholic beer.

– I don’t understand – Fernando said indignantly.

– Yes, Mr. Hughes – Jan supported. – We planned to relax.

Taking a deep breath, Tucker replied:

– That’s right, we wanted to relax. I don’t want to relax too much today and have my head tense tomorrow morning.