scoonts.theminotaur-第23部分

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　〃You　got　him　now；〃　Toad　said；　excitement　creeping　into　his　voice。
　Apparently　Degan　thought　so　too。　He　continued　over　the　top　of　his　loop　and　let　the　nose　fall　through　as　he　half…rolled。　He　was　going　to　try　to　go　out　underneath　with　a　speed　advantage　and　run　away　from　her；　then　turn　and　e　back　into　the　fray　on　his　own　terms。　Moravia　anticipated　him；　as　he　mitted　with　his　nose　she　dumped　hers　and　slammed　down　the　left　wing　and　honked　her　plane　around。
　〃You　get　another　deflection　shot　here；〃　Toad　advised。　〃You're　kicking　this　guy's　ass！　What　a　clown！　He　should　never　have　e　back　at　you　out　of　the　loop。〃
　She　was　dead　behind　him　now；　both　diving；　but　Degan　lacked　the　speed　advantage　to　pull　away　cleanly。
　〃Fox　Two；〃　Toad　whispered　over　the　radio。　Fox　Two　was　the　call　when　you　were　putting　a　heat…seeking　missile　in　the　air。　〃You're　dead　meat。〃
　〃Bull。〃　Degan's　voice　did　not　sound　happy。
　〃Go　ahead；　try　something　wonderful　and　Rita　will　get　a　guns　solution。〃
　〃I　have　enough　gas　for　one　more　series　of　turns；〃　Rita　told　the　instructor。
　A　long　pause。　Degan　wasn't　liking　this　a　bit。　Part　of　the　pain；　Toad　suspected；　was　Rita's　well…modulated　feminine　voice　on　the　radio　and　the　ribbing　Duke　knew　he　would　have　to　take　in　the　ready　room　about　getting　whipped　by　a　woman。　Toad　would　have　wagered　a　paycheck　the　guys　back　in　the　ready　room　at　Whidbey　were　crowded　around　the　duty　officer's　radio　this　very　minute。　Toad　whacked　Rita　playfully　on　the　right　arm　with　his　fist。　He　was　having　a　hell　of　a　good　time。　〃Okay；〃　Degan　said　at　last；　〃break　off　and　well　start　again　with　a　head…on　pass　at　twenty…two　grand。　I'll　run　out　to　the　west。〃
　Rita　dropped　her　wing　to　turn　east。　Toad　cackled　for　her　benefit　over　the　ICS。　Then　he　keyed　his　radio　mike　switch。　〃Hey；　Duke；　this　is　Toad。　I　got　ten　bucks　to　put　on　ol'　Rita　if　you　can　spare　it。〃
　〃You're　on；　asshole。〃
　Toad　chuckled　over　the　radio。　On　the　ICS　he　said；　〃We　got　him　now；　Rita　baby。　He's　mad；　the　sucker。〃
　〃Don't　Rita…baby　me；　you…you…〃
　〃Goddamn；　cool　off；　will'ya？〃　Toad　roared。　〃I　don't　give　a　damn　if　you're　the　lesbo　queen　of　Xanadu…but　right　fucking　now　you're　a　fighter　pilot。　This　ain't　for　fun。〃　He　paused　for　air；　then　muttered；　〃'Fight　to　fly；　fly　to　fight；　fight　to　win。'　There　ain't　no　other　way。〃
　〃You　didn't　just　make　that　up。〃
　〃That's　the　Top　Gun　motto。　Now　what're　you　gonna　do　on　this　high…speed　pass？〃
　〃I　thought　a　turn　in　the　same　direction　he　turns。〃
　〃He'll　probably　make　a　horizontal　turn　as　hard　as　he　can　pull。　No　imagination。　Wait　to　see　which　way　he　turns；　then　nose　up　about　forty　degrees　and　roll　hard　into　him；　the　rolling　scissors。　If　he's　not　too　sharp　you'll　get　a　winning　position　advantage；　and　this　guy　hasn't　impressed　me。〃
　The　two　Intruders　came　together　out　of　the　emptiness　at　a　bined　speed　of　a　thousand　knots。　At　first　the　other　plane　was　just　a　speck；　but　it　grew　larger　quickly　until　it　seemed　to　fill　the　windshield。　Toad　had　been　there　before；　in　a　head…on　pass　with　Jake　Grafton　in　an　F…14　that　resulted　in　a　collision。　Involuntarily　he　closed　his　eyes。
　His　head　snapped　down　and　the　floor　came　up　at　him。　She　had　the　G　on。　He　opened　his　eyes　and　used　the　steel　handgrip　on　the　canopy　rail　to　pull　himself　around　to　look　behind。　〃Which　way？〃
　〃Left。　I　got　him。〃　She　was　holding　herself　forward　in　the　seat　with　her　left　hand　on　her　handgrip　as　she　craned　back　over　her　shoulder　and　applied　the　G。
　〃Get　the　nose　up　higher。〃　Enough　advice。　Either　she　could　hack　it　or　she　couldn't。
　The　left　wing　sagged　to　the　vertical　and　the　nose　fell　toward　the　horizon。　G　off　as　she　slammed　the　stick　all　the　way　to　the　right　and　the　plane　rolled　two　hundred　degrees　in　the　blink　of　an　eye。　Back　on　the　stick　with　the　nose　ing　down。　Pull；　pull；　pull　that　nose　around。
　Degan　was　in　front　of　them　now　and　below；　but　Rita　was　on　the　inside　of　his　turn　going　down　at　mm。　Relax　the　stick　and　build　up　your　speed；　close　on　him；　Toad　silently　urged　her　on。
　〃Degan　lost　sight；〃　Toad　said　as　he　fought　the　vomit　back　in　his　throat。　The　hangover　had　caught　up　with　him。　He　ripped　off　a　glove　and　jerked　the　mask　aside。　His　stomach　heaved　once。　She　was　set　up　perfectly　for　a　downhill　Sidewinder　shot。
　〃Fox　Two；〃　he　called　over　the　radio。　〃You　owe　me　ten　bucks；　Degan。〃　Then　he　puked　into　the　glove　again。
　Rita　lifted　the　nose　and　reversed　her　turn　until　she　was　headed　west　〃Fuel's　going　to　be　a　little　skosh；〃　she　murmured　to　Toad；　then　called　Degan　and　told　him　she　was　leaving　this　frequency　for　Seattle　Center。
　After　the　debrief　the　duty　van　dropped　them　at　the　BOQ。　〃Thanks；〃　Rita　said。
　〃For　what？〃
　〃Coaching　me　during　the　ACM。〃
　〃No　sweat。　They're　attack　guys。　ACM　ain't　their　bag。〃
　〃Are　you　going　to　get　some　dinner？〃　she　asked。
　〃Naw。　I'm　going　to　bed。〃
　〃I　hope　you　aren't　ing　down　with　something；〃　she　called　after　him。
　
　Jake　Grafton　sat　in　the　attic　beside　the　pile　of　boxes　that　contained　the　miscellaneous　junk　he　had　collected　through　the　years　and　had　never　been　able　to　throw　away。　Everything　from　high　school　year　books　to　souvenirs　from　half　the　world's　seaports　was　tucked　away　in　some　box　or　other。　He　examined　the　boxes　and　tried　to　remember　which　was　which。　Perhaps　this　one。　He　opened　it。　Shoe　trees；　almost　empty　bottles　of　after…shave；　buttons；　spools　of　thread　and　some　paperback　novels。　Three　worn…out　shirts。
　It　was　in　the　fourth　box。　He　removed　the　pistol　from　the　holster　and　flipped　the　cylinder　out。　The　chambers　were　empty。　He　held　the　weapon　up　so　the　light　from　the　bare　forty…watt　bulb　on　the　rafter　shone　full　upon　it。　No　rust。　Good　thing　he　had　oiled　it　before　he　put　it　away。　He　looked　into　the　box　to　see　if　there　was　any　ammo。　Yep；　one　box　of　。357　magnum；　a　couple　dozen　shells　still　in　the　box。　He　closed　the　cylinder；　worked　the　action　several　times；　then　loaded　the　weapon。
　With　his　back　against　one　of　the　boxes；　he　extended　his　legs；　crossed　his　ankles　and　thoughtfully　stared　at　the　bolstered　pistol　on　the　floor　beside　him。　Camacho　said　it　had　probably　been　a　professional　hit。　Harold　Strong　would　be　just　as　dead　if　he　had　had　a　pistol。　Still；　a　pistol　nearby　would　make　a　nervous　man　feel　better；　sort　of　like　an　aspirin。　Or　a　beer。
　A　large…frame　revolver　like　this　couldn't　be　hidden　under　a　uniform。　Perhaps　in　an　attache　case？　Then　he　would　be　the　slowest　draw　in　the　East。　In　the　car　it　could　go　in　the　glove　partment　or　under　the　seat；　but　it　would　be　too　far　away　if　someone　opened　fire　while　he　was　sitting　at　a　traffic　light　or　driving　along　the　freeway。　And　he　rode　the　Metro　to　and　from　work　anyhow。　Maybe　he　should　keep　the　gun　in　the　bedroom　or　kitchen　here　at　the　beach　and　in　the　apartment　in　Arlington。
　How　would　he　explain　the　gun　to　Callie？
　The　hit　man　nailed　Strong　as　he　was　driving　to　his　weekend　cabin。　Probably　the　same　route　every　Friday　night。　Predictable。　Predictability　was　vulnerability。　Okay。　So　what　do　I　do　routinely　every　day；　every　week？　He　reviewed　his　schedule　in　light　of　his　new　job。　Boarding　the　Metro；　driving　to　and　from　the　beach；　what　else？
　Strong　was　divorced；　lived　alone。　What　about　Callie？　Would　she　be　a　target？
　Smoke　Judy…had　he　put　out　the　contract　on　Strong？
　George　Ludlow。。。　Admiral　Henry。。。　Senator　Duquesne　was　the　tip　of　the　congressional　iceberg。。。　Seventeen　billion　dollars；　how　many　jobs　did　that　mean；　how　many　people　supporting　families　and　raising　children？　Seventeen。。。
　〃Jake。〃　Her　voice　seemed　distant。　〃Jake；　are　you　still　up　here？〃
　He　shook　himself　awake。　〃Hmmm。〃
　Her　head　appeared　in　the　attic　access　hole。　She　was　standing　on　the　ladder。　〃What　are　you　doing　up　here？〃
　〃Drifted　off。〃　He　stirred　himself。　Ram　was　smacking　against　the　roof；　a　steady　drumming　sound。　He　glanced　at　his　watch：　1　A。M。
　She　came　up　the　ladder　and　sat　down　beside　him。　She　touched　the　leather　of　the　pistol　holster。　〃Why　do　you　have　this　out？〃
　〃Looking　through　the　boxes。〃　He　laid　the　bolstered　pistol　in　the　nearest　open　box。
　They　sat　holding　hands；　listening　to　the　rain。　〃Jake；〃　she　said；　〃I　want　to　adopt　that　little　girl。〃
　〃Won't　be　easy；　Callie。　An　eleven…year…old　veteran　of　how　many　foster　homes？　She's　had　more　rocky　experiences　and　picked　up　more　scars　in　her　short　life　than　you　have　in　yours。　Won't　be　easy。〃
　〃You're　having　problems　at　work；　aren't　you？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Bad？〃
　〃I　suppose。〃　He　picked　up　her　hand　and　examined　it　carefully；　then　looked　her　straight　in　the　eye。　〃I　may　be　in　over　my　head。〃
　〃Won't　be　the　first　time。〃
　〃That's　true。〃
　〃You've　always　managed　to　e　out　in　one　piece　before。〃
　〃That's　the　spirit。　Good　of　you　to　point　that　out。　I　see　you've　taken　our　talk　this　morning　to　heart。〃　He　tried　to　keep　the　sarcasm　out　of　his　voice；　but　some　crept　in　anyway。
　She　took　her　hand　back；　〃Jake。　Our　lives　are　slipping　by。　I　want　that　little　girl。　I　want　her　now。〃
　〃Okay；　Callie。〃
　〃You're　doing　what　you　want　to　do。　I　want　that　little　girl。〃
　〃I　said　okay。〃
　〃Thursday。　Thursday　morning　we　see　her；　then　that　afternoon　we　go　to　the　Department　of　Social　Services　for　an　interview。〃
　〃Okay。　I'm　leaving　town　Monday；　but　I　should　be　back　Wednesday。　I'll　take　Thursday　off。　Just　for　the　record；　though；　last　week　I　asked　the　personnel　people　to　fill　out　retirement　papers　for　me。　I'm　going　to　tell　them　to　forget　it　before　I　leave　on　Monday。〃
　〃Retirement？　Is　that　what　the　admiral's　visit　today　was　about。〃
　〃Not　really。　The　retirement　thing　was　the　catalyst；　maybe。　No　kidding；　Callie；　this　may　be　the　worst　mess　I've　ever　been　in。　Worse　than　Vietnam；　worse　than　the　Med　last　year。〃
　〃You　haven't　done　anything　wrong；　have　you？〃
　〃Not　that　I　know　of。　Not　yet。〃
　She　got　up　and　moved　toward　the　ladder。　〃I'm　not　going　to　wait　any　longer。　I　want　that　little　girl；〃　she　said；　then　went　down。
　
　Toad　Tarkington　was　sound　asleep　when　the　phone　rang。　He　was　still　groggy　when　he　picked　it　up。　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Tarkington；　this　is　Grafton。〃
　The　cobwebs　began　to　clear。　〃Yessir。〃
　〃How're　you　doing　on　the　flying？〃
　〃Pretty　good；　sir；〃
　〃Flown　any　full…system　hops　yet？〃
　〃Yessir。〃
　〃How's　Moravia　doing？〃
　Toad　checked　his　watch：　12：15　in　the　morning。　It　was　3：15　in　Washington。　〃She's　doing　great；　sir。　Good　stick。〃
　〃You　doing　okay　dropping　the　bombs？〃