"James Rollins - Subterranean" - читать интересную книгу автора (Romeyn Henry)

humidity must be close to a hundred percent. But the air! She inhaled deeply. It was so clean.

She squinted, but the far wall was blocked by the massive pillar. Damn. She had hoped to spy the
dwellings.

"Mom! Look!" Jason pointed toward the cavern floor.

Sighing in exasperation, she stood on tiptoe, leaning her forehead against the cold bars. Below, buildings
and tents dotted the floor, lit by searchlights and festooned with lamps. A deep chasm, like a black
wound, cut the base in two. A lighted bridge crossed the gap, linking the two halves. It was their
destination.

Alpha Base.

"Look over here," Linda exclaimed. "You can see fish!"

Ashley sidled behind Linda, placing a hand on her shoulder, peering over and down.

At the edge of Alpha Base, reflecting the lights of the camp, was a mammoth lake, covering several
hundred acres, rippling gently. From above, a few glowing residents of the lake could be seen gliding and
darting under the glassy surface. Strangely poetic.

"Cool," Jason exclaimed.

"And how, mate." Ben nudged Ashley with an elbow. "Amazing, ain't it?"

Ashley nodded, her mind numb. Anxious to explore, her qualms from a moment ago were a dim
memory. "Am I remembering correctly? Did you say the cavern was five miles across?

Blakely nodded, a smile playing about his lips. "Approximately."

Ben whistled.

Within minutes, the cage settled to the cavern floor, secure in its berth. A uniformed escort stood ready
to guide them to their quarters. Blakely faced the group. "We're home!"


SEVEN
Alpha Base, Antarctica

ASHLEY WATCHED WITH A SMIRK ASJASON DARTEDaround his bedroom. Her own room in
the two-bedroom suite was just as impressive. Hard to believe each member of the team had a separate
suite in the main dormitory of the base. The perks of working on this mission were getting better and
better. Lace curtains, walnut desks, thick upholstered chairs, designer wallpaper. Who would have
thought they were two miles underground?

"Look, Mom." He pointed to a desk in the corner of his room. "A real Pentium II. Not one of those
slowpoke clones."

She hated to burst his balloon, but he had to learn sometime. "That's for your homework."