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

She watched as Villanueva stripped off a khaki T-shirt and wiped his face and armpits before slipping
into a green vest. With a small pop, Halloway lit the butane for the campstove. Both appeared as
refreshed as if today's journey were nothing more than a Sunday walk through the park, while everyone
else dragged as if just completing the Bataan death march, haggard, bone-tired. Her stomach rumbled
audibly.

Ben raised an eyebrow. "I'm hungry too. But there's nothing except freeze-dried beans and franks."

"Right now, that would fit the bill."

Ben grinned. "Though a beer to wash it all down . . . now,that would be heaven." As he sat down on his
own mattress, he suddenly swatted at his arm. "Hey, something just bit me!"

"What?"

He shined a light on his arm.

She leaned over and looked at the spot. "Looks like a mosquito."

"Bloody large skeeter. Just 'bout took a chunk out of my arm."

"Quit exaggerating."

He poked her with a finger. "Wait until you get speared. Don't come crying to me."

"That's odd," she said, scratching behind an ear. "What's a mosquito doing in Antarctica? Way down
here?"

Ben's expression became serious. "Good question. You don't often find insects down here. Crickets, a
few spiders, centipedes, that sort of thingтАФbut I don't think I've ever seen a mosquito."

Ashley wondered at the significance of such a discovery. "Maybe we'd better ask our biologist."

***

"Thanks for sharing your water today, Khalid," said Linda. "I couldn't have made it without your help."

"Anytime," he said, breathing in the dank air. He sat on a rock, watching Linda scooping water into small
glass vials. He appreciated the wide furrow of moisture down the middle of her back, pasting the cotton
T-shirt to her body. The clasp of her bra was visible through the thin fabric. He bit his tongue to control
his rising lust.

Smiling at him, Linda stood up and sat on the boulder beside him, shaking the vial in her hand. "That last
ridge was brutal. I'm glad we're done for the day."

He could feel her body heat pulsing across the hand span of space between them. They sat in silence,
Linda studying the crystal surface of the pond, Khalid studying her.

"My god!" she suddenly exclaimed, jumping to the edge of the black water. "Khalid, look over here."