inca.gold-第77部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nside。〃
　　　　He　peered　at　the　tray　and　then　gave　in；　unlocking　the　door　and　stepping　aside。　〃You　do　not　tell　Tupac　of　this。〃
　　　　〃Don't　worry；〃　Micki　snapped　over　her　shoulder　as　she　entered　the　dark　and　stuffy　cubicle。　It　took　a　moment　for　her　eyes　to　adjust　to　the　dim　light。　Gunn　was　lying　on　the　stone　floor。　He　struggled　to　a　sitting　position。　Loren　was　standing　as　if　to　protect　him。
　　　　〃Well；　well；〃　murmured　Loren　testily。　〃This　time　they　sent　a　woman　to　do　their　filthy　work。〃
　　　　Micki　pushed　the　tray　into　Loren's　hands。　〃Here　is　some　food。　Fruit　and　sandwiches；　and　four　bottles　of　beer。　Take　it！〃　Then　she　turned　and　slammed　the　door　shut　in　the　guard's　face。　When　she　refaced　Loren；　her　eyes　had　bee　more　accustomed　to　the　dark。　She　was　stunned　at　Loren's　appearance。　She　could　make　out　puffy　bruises　on　her　lips　and　around　the　eyes。　Most　of　Loren's　clothing　had　been　torn　away　and　she　had　knotted　what　little　remained　to　cover　her　torso。　Micki　also　saw　livid　red　welts　across　the　top　of　her　breasts　and　discolorations　on　her　arms　and　legs。　〃The　bastards！〃　she　hissed。　〃The　no…good　sadistic　bastards。　I'm　sorry；　if　I　had　known　you'd　been　beaten；　I　would　have　brought　medical　supplies。〃
　　　　Loren　knelt　and　set　the　tray　on　the　floor。　She　gave　one　of　the　bottles　of　beer　to　Gunn；　but　his　injured　hands　could　not　twist　off　the　cap。　She　removed　it　for　him。
　　　　〃Who　is　our　Florence　Nightingale？〃　asked　Gunn。
　　　　〃I'm　Micki　Moore。　My　husband　is　an　anthropologist；　and　I'm　an　archaeologist　hired　by　the　Zolars。〃
　　　　〃To　help　them　find　Huascar's　golden　treasure？〃　Gunn　rightly　guessed。
　　　　〃Yes；　we　deciphered　the　images〃

　　　　〃On　the　Golden　Body　Suit　of　Tiapollo；〃　finished　Gunn。　〃We　know　all　about　it。〃
　　　　Loren　didn't　speak　for　a　few　moments　while　she　ravenously　consumed　one　of　the　sandwiches　and　downed　a　beer。　Finally；　feeling　almost　as　if　she　had　been　reborn；　she　stared　at　Micki　curiously。　〃Why　are　you　doing　this？　To　build　up　our　spirits　before　they　e　back　and　use　us　for　punching　bags　again？〃
　　　　〃We're　not　part　of　your　ordeal；〃　Micki　replied　honestly。　〃The　truth　is；　Zolar　and　his　brothers　are　planning　to　kill　my　husband　and　me　as　soon　as　they've　recovered　the　treasure。〃
　　　　〃How　could　you　know　that？〃
　　　　〃We've　been　around　people　like　these　before。　We　have　a　feel　for　what's　going　on。〃
　　　　〃What　do　they　plan　on　doing　with　us？〃　asked　Gunn。
　　　　〃The　Zolars　and　their　bribed　cronies　with　the　Mexican　police　and　military　intend　to　make　it　look　as　if　you　drowned　while　attempting　to　escape　your　sinking　ferryboat。　Their　plan　is　to　throw　you　in　the　underground　river　the　ancients　mentioned　that　runs　through　the　treasure　chamber　and　empties　into　the　sea。　By　the　time　your　bodies　surface；　there　won't　be　enough　left　to　prove　otherwise。〃
　　　　〃Sounds　feasible；〃　Loren　muttered　angrily。　〃I　give　them　credit　for　that。〃
　　　　〃My　God；〃　said　Gunn。　〃They　just　can't　murder　a　representative　of　the　United　States　Congress　in　cold　blood。〃
　　　　〃Believe　me；〃　said　Micki；　〃these　men　have　no　scruples　and　even　less　conscience。〃
　　　　〃How　e　they　haven't　killed　us　before　now？〃　asked　Loren。
　　　　〃Their　fear　was　that　your　friend　Pitt　might　somehow　expose　your　kidnapping。　Now　they　no　longer　care。　They　figure　their　charade　is　strong　enough　to　stand　against　one　man's　accusations。〃
　　　　〃What　about　the　ferryboat's　crew？〃　asked　Loren。　〃They　were　witnesses　to　the　piracy。〃
　　　　〃They'll　be　kept　from　raising　the　alarm　by　local　police。〃　Micki　hesitated。　〃I'm　sorry　to　have　to　tell　you　why　they　are　no　longer　concerned　about　Pitt。　Tupac　Amaru　swears　that　after　you　were　transported　to　the　hacienda；　he　and　his　men　crushed　Pitt　to　jelly　by　throwing　concussion　grenades　at　him　in　the　water。〃
　　　　Loren's　violet　eyes　were　grief…stricken。　Until　now　she　had　harbored　a　hope　Pitt　had　somehow　escaped。　Now　her　heart　felt　as　though　it　had　fallen　into　the　crevasse　of　a　glacier。　She　sagged　against　one　wall　of　the　stone　room　and　covered　her　face　with　her　hands。
　　　　Gunn　pushed　himself　to　his　feet。　There　was　no　grief　in　his　eyes；　only　iron…hard　conviction。　〃Dirk　dead？　Scum　like　Amaru　could　never　kill　a　man　like　Dirk　Pitt。〃
　　　　Micki　was　startled　by　the　fiery　spirit　of　a　man　so　sorely　tortured。　〃I　only　know　what　my　husband　told　me；〃　she　said　as　if　apologizing。　〃Amaru　did　admit　he　failed　to　retrieve　Pitt's　body；　but　there　was　little　doubt　in　his　mind　that　Pitt　could　not　have　survived。〃
　　　　〃You　say　you　and　your　husband　are　also　on　Zolar's　death　list？〃　asked　Loren。
　　　　Micki　shrugged。　〃Yes；　we're　to　be　silenced　too。〃
　　　　〃If　you'll　pardon　me　for　saying　so；〃　said　Gunn；　〃you　seem　pretty　damned　indifferent。〃
　　　　〃My　husband　also　has　plans。〃
　　　　〃To　escape？〃
　　　　〃No；　Henry　and　I　can　break　out　any　time　it's　convenient。　We　intend　to　take　a　share　of　the　treasure　for　ourselves。〃
　　　　Gunn　stared　at　Micki　incredulously。　Then　he　said　cynically；　〃Your　husband　must　be　one　tough　anthropologist。〃
　　　　Perhaps　you　might　better　understand　if　I　told　you　we　met　and　fell　in　love　when　working　on　an　assignment　together　for　the　Foreign　Activities　Council。〃
　　　　〃Never　heard　of　it；〃　said　Gunn。
　　　　Loren　gave　Micki　a　bemused　stare。　〃I　have。　FAC　is　rumored　to　be　an　obscure　and　highly　secret　organization　that　works　behind　the　scenes　in　the　White　House。　No　one　in　Congress　has　ever　been　able　to　e　up　with　solid　proof　of　its　existence　or　its　financing。〃
　　　　〃What　is　its　function？〃　asked　Gunn。
　　　　〃To　carry　out　covert　activities　under　the　direct　supervision　of　the　President　outside　the　nation's　other　intelligence　services　without　their　knowledge；〃　replied　Micki。
　　　　〃What　kind　of　activities？〃
　　　　〃Dirty　tricks　on　foreign　nations　considered　hostile　to　the　United　States；〃　replied　Loren；　studying　Micki　for　some　kind　of　sign。　But　her　expression　was　aloof　and　remote。　〃As　a　mere　member　of　Congress　I'm　not　privy　to　their　operations　and　can　only　speculate。　I　have　a　suspicion　their　primary　directive　is　to　carry　out　assassinations。〃
　　　　Micki's　eyes　turned　hard　and　cold。　〃I　freely　admit　that　for　twelve　years；　until　we　retired　from　service　to　devote　our　time　to　archaeology；　Henry　and　I　had　few　peers。〃
　　　　〃I'm　not　surprised；〃　Loren　said　sarcastically。　〃By　passing　yourselves　off　as　scientists；　you　were　never　suspected　of　being　the　President's　hired　killers。〃
　　　　〃For　your　information；　Congresswoman　Smith；　our　academic　credentials　are　not　counterfeit。　Henry　has　his　doctorate　from　the　University　of　Pennsylvania　and　I　have　mine　from　Stanford。　We　have　no　misgivings　about　the　duties　we　performed　under　three　former　Presidents。　By　eliminating　certain　heads　of　foreign　terrorist　organizations；　Henry　and　I　saved　more　American　lives　than　you　can　imagine。〃
　　　　〃Who　are　you　working　for　now？〃
　　　　〃Ourselves。　As　I　said；　we　retired。　We　felt　it　was　time　to　cash　in　our　expertise。　Our　government　service　is　a　thing　of　the　past。　Though　we　were　well　paid　for　our　services；　we　weren't　considered　for　a　pension。〃
　　　　〃Tigers　aren't　known　for　changing　stripes；〃　mocked　Gunn。　〃You　can　never　achieve　your　objective　without　killing　off　Amaru　and　the　Zolars。〃
　　　　Micki　smiled　faintly。　〃We　may　very　well　have　to　do　unto　them　before　they　can　do　unto　us。　But　only　after　enough　of　Huascar's　gold　is　brought　to　the　surface　for　us　to　carry　out。〃
　　　　〃So　the　trail　will　be　littered　with　bodies。〃
　　　　Micki　passed　a　weary　hand　over　her　face。　〃Your　involvement　in　the　treasure　hunt　came　as　a　plete　surprise　to　everybody。　Stupidly；　the　Zolars　overreacted　when　they　discovered　another　party　was　on　the　trail　to　the　gold。　They　ran　amok；　murdering　or　abducting　everyone　their　greed…crazed　minds　saw　as　an　obstacle。　Consider　yourselves　lucky　they　didn't　murder　you　on　the　ferryboat　like　your　friend　Pitt。　Keeping　you　alive　temporarily　is　the　hallmark　of　rank　amateurs。〃
　　　　〃You　and　your　husband；〃　murmured　Loren　caustically；　〃you　would　have〃

　　　　〃Shot　you　and　burned　the　boat　down　around　your　bodies？〃　Micki　shook　her　head。　〃Not　our　style。　Henry　and　I　have　only　terminated　those　foreign　nationals　who　have　indiscriminately　gunned　down　unfortunate　women　and　children　or　blew　them　to　pieces　without　blinking　an　eye　or　shedding　a　tear。　We　have　never　harmed　a　fellow　American；　and　we　don't　intend　to　start　now。　Despite　the　fact　your　presence　has　hamstrung　our　operation；　we　will　do　everything　in　our　power　to　help　you　escape　this　affair　in　one　piece。〃
　　　　〃The　Zolars　are　Americans；〃　Loren　reminded　her。
　　　　Micki　shrugged。　〃A　mere　technicality。　They　represent　what　is　perhaps　the　largest　art　theft　and　smuggling　ring　in　history。　The　Zolars　are　world…class　sharks。　Why　should　I　have　to　tell　you？　You've　experienced　their　brutality　firsthand。　By　leaving　their　bones　to　bleach　in　the　Sonoran　Desert；　Henry　and　I　figure　to　save　the　American　taxpayers　millions　of　dollars　that　would　be　spent　on　a　plicated　and　time…consuming　investigation　into　their　criminal　activities。　And　then　there　are　the　court　and　prison　costs　if　they're　caught　and　convicted。〃
　　　　〃And　once　a　portion　of　the　treasure　is　in　your　hands？〃　asked　Gunn。　〃What　then？〃
　　　　Micki　smiled　like　a　wily　shrew。　〃I'll　send　you　a　postcard　from　whatever　part　of　the　world　we're　in　at　the　time　and　let　you　know　how　we're　spending　it。〃

　　　　A　small　army　of　soldiers　set　up　a　mand　post　and　sealed　off　the　desert　for　two　miles　around　the　base　of　Cerro　el　Capirote。　No　one　was　allowed　in　or　out。　The　mountain's　peak　had　bee　a　staging　area　with　all　treasure　recovery　operations　conducted　from　the　air。　Pitt's　stolen　NUMA　helicopter；　repainted　with　Zolar　International　colors；　lifted　into　a　clear　sky　and　dipped　on　a　course　back　to　the　hacienda。　A　few　minutes　later；　a　heavy　Mexican　army　transport　helicopter　hovered　and　settled　down。　A　detachment　of　military　engineers　in　desert　bat　fatigues　jumped　to　the　ground；　opened　the　rear　cargo　door　and　began　unloading　a　small　forklift；　coils　of　cable；　and　a　large　winch。
　　　　Officials　of　the　state　of　Sonora　who　were　on　the　Zolars'　payroll　had　approved　all　the　necessary　licenses　and　permits　within　twenty…four　hours；　a　process　that　would　normally　have　taken　months　and　perhaps　years。　The　Zolars　had　promised　to　fund　new　schools；　roads；　and　a　hospital。　Their　cash　had　greased　the　palms　of　the　local　bureaucracy　and　eliminated　the　usual　rivers　of　red　tape。　Full　cooperation　was　given　by　an　unwitting　Mexican　government　misled　by　corrupt　bureauc