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

We don't know which way it was facing."

She slapped the altar stone. "What other key details did you botch?"

Dr. Symski flushed.

Ben, feeling irritable himself with all this nitpicking, intervened. "What difference does it make? Whether
it was facing in or out or lying on its freakin' back?"

Ashley, with narrowed eyes, turned to him. "It makes all the difference in the world. This is the only
significant artifact in the dig. It must have once had great importance to the culture here. If it was facing
out when it was found, it was probably a warding charm, to keep evil spirits away. If it was facing in,
then it probably was a worship tool, used in rituals."

Ben scratched behind his ear; a trickle of sweat ran down from under his helmet. "In the bigger scheme
of things, what difference does it make if it was a charm or an idol? How is that going to solve the bigger
mystery of where they went?"

She opened her mouth to answer, then shut it with an almost audible snap. "I give up," was all she
mumbled as she shoved past him and began climbing down.

Ben immediately regretted his remark. He knew instinctively that he had blown any progress he'd made
that day impressing and charming Ashley. "Wait up," he called, climbing down after her. Dr. Symski
followed.

"To hell with both of you!" she called out, not even looking back.

It was a quiet ride back to Alpha Base.


NINE
"MOM, YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE FISH WE CAUGHT." Jason spread his arms as wide as
he could reach, almost bumping Linda, who was seated next to him at the dinner table. "It was bigger
than this."

"That's some fish," Ashley said.

"It was phosphorescent! That means it glowed."

Ashley noticed he had chosen to sit next to Linda at tonight's dinner table. The two of them must have
had a great day together.

"It was blue. With huge teeth."

"Sounds bloody weird, mate," Ben said as he entered the dining room, his hair still damp from a shower.
"A real dingoling."

"Hey, Ben!" Jason said, greeting him with a mile-wide smile. "You should have been there."

"Sorry, champ," Ben said. "Had to help your mother." He sat downтАФa couple seats away from Ashley.