atlantis.found-第70部分

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　the　country。　Once　their　power　base　was　solidified；　they　branched　out　internationally　into　everything　from　chemicals　to　electronics。　One　can　only　guess　where　the　original　capital　came　from。　Rumors　say　it　was　gold　from　the　German　treasury　and　assets　stolen　from　the　Jews　who　died　in　the　camps。　Whatever　the　source；　it　must　have　been　a　tremendous　hoard　to　have　acplished　so　much　in　so　little　time。〃
　　　　　〃What　can　you　tell　me　about　the　family？〃
　　　　　Horn　paused　to　order　a　martini　from　the　bartender。　〃Mostly　rumors。　My　Argentinian　friends　speak　in　hushed　tones　whenever　the　Wolfs　e　up　in　conversation。　It's　been　reported　that　Dr。　Josef　Mengele；　the　‘Angel　of　Death'　at　Auschwitz；　was　involved　with　the　Wolfs　until　he　drowned　several　years　ago。　The　stories；　I　admit；　sound　pretty　outlandish。　But　they　claim　that　Mengele；　continuing　his　genetic　experiments；　worked　with　the　first　generations　of　Wolfs　in　producing　offspring　with　high　intelligence　and　exceptional　athletic　ability。　These　children　then　produced　an　even　more　controlled　strain；　which　you　see　in　the　extraordinary　likenesses　in　all　the　third　generation　of　Wolfs；　such　as　Karl　and　his　sisters；　who；　by　the　way；　all　look　identical　to　their　brothers　and　cousins。　One　outlandish　bit　of　gossip　is　that　Adolf　Hitler's　sperm　was　smuggled　out　of　Berlin　in　the　closing　hours　of　the　war　and　used　by　Mengele　in　impregnating　the　Wolf　women。〃
　　　　　〃Do　you　believe　all　this？〃　Pitt　asked。
　　　　　〃I　certainly　don't　want　to；〃　said　Horn；　sipping　at　his　martini。　〃British　intelligence　is　mum　on　the　subject。　But　my　embassy　intelligence　officer；　Major　Steve　Miller；　using　a　puter；　has　pared　photos　of　Hitler　with　those　of　the　Wolfs。　As　abhorrent　as　it　sounds；　except　for　hair　and　eye　color；　there　is　a　marked　resemblance　in　facial　structure。〃
　　　　　Pitt　straightened　and　extended　his　hand。　〃Ambassador；　I　can't　tell　you　how　grateful　I　am　for　your　invitation　and　protection。　ing　to　Buenos　Aires　was　a　wild　scheme；　and　you　were　very　generous　with　your　time　in　helping　me　to　meet　Karl　Wolf。〃
　　　　　Horn　gripped　Pitt's　hand。　〃We　were　lucky　the　Wolfs　showed　up　for　the　party。　But　I　have　to　tell　you　that　it　was　a　real　pleasure　to　see　someone　tell　that　arrogant　devil　where　to　get　off。　Because　I'm　a　diplomat；　I　couldn't　afford　the　luxury　of　doing　it　myself。〃
　　　　　〃He　claims　the　timetable's　moved　up；　that　now　there's　only　four　days　until　Armageddon。　I　should　think　the　family　will　soon　be　boarding　their　superships。〃
　　　　　〃Really？　That's　odd；〃　said　Horn。　〃I　have　it　on　good　authority　that　Karl　is　scheduled　to　make　an　inspection　tour　of　his　mineral　retraction　facility　in　Antarctica　the　day　after　tomorrow。〃
　　　　　Pitt's　eyes　narrowed。　〃He's　cutting　it　pretty　thin。〃
　　　　　〃That　project　has　always　been　a　bit　of　a　mystery。　As　far　as　I　know；　the　CIA　has　never　been　able　to　get　an　agent　inside。〃
　　　　　Pitt　smiled　at　Horn。　〃You're　certainly　abreast　of　intelligence　matters；　Ambassador。〃
　　　　　Horn　shrugged。　〃It　pays　to　keep　one's　fingers　in　the　pie。〃
　　　　　Pitt　swirled　the　tequila　in　his　glass　and　stared　thoughtfully　at　the　liquid　curling　around　the　ice　cubes。　What　is　so　important　in　Antarctica　that　Wolf　has　to　squeeze　in　a　visit；　Pitt　wondered。　It　seemed　to　him　that　the　new　leader　of　the　Fourth　Empire　would　be　flying　toward　his　fleet　in　preparation　for　the　big　event　instead　of　to　the　polar　continent。　Getting　there　and　back　would　take　two　days。　It　didn't　figure。
　
　　　　　The　following　day；　twenty…seven　of　the　two…hundred…member　Wolf　dynasty；　the　dominant　principals　of　Destiny　Enterprises　and　the　chief　architects　of　the　Fourth　Empire；　met　at　Destiny's　corporate　offices。　They　assembled　in　the　spacious　boardroom　with　its　teak…paneled　walls　and　handsomely　carved　forty…foot…long　conference　table；　also　carved　from　teak。　A　large　oil　painting　of　Ulrich　Wolf　hung　above　the　mantel　of　a　fireplace　at　one　end　of　the　room。　The　family　patriarch　stood　ramrod…straight　in　a　black　SS　uniform；　jaw　thrust　out；　black　eyes　staring　at　some　distant　horizon　beyond　the　painting。
　　　　　The　twelve　women　and　fifteen　men　waited　patiently　while　being　served　fifty…year…old　port　from　crystal　glasses。　At　precisely　ten　o'clock；　Karl　Wolf　stepped　from　the　chairman's　suite　and　took　his　seat　at　the　end　of　the　table。　For　a　few　moments；　his　gaze　swept　the　faces　of　his　brothers；　sisters；　and　cousins　seated　expectantly　around　the　table。　His　father；　Max　Wolf；　sat　at　his　left。　Bruno　Wolf　was　to　his　right。　Karl　Wolf's　lips　were　parted　in　a　slight　smile；　and　he　looked　to　be　in　a　cheerful　mood。
　　　　　〃Before　we　begin　our　final　meeting　in　the　office　of　Destiny　Enterprises　and　our　beloved　city　of　Buenos　Aires；　I　should　like　to　express　my　admiration　for　the　way　you　and　your　loved　ones　have　acplished　so　much　in　so　little　time。　Every　member　of　the　Wolf　family　has　performed　far　beyond　expectations；　and　we　should　all　be　proud　that　none　has　proved　a　disappointment。〃
　　　　　〃Hear；　hear；〃　exclaimed　Bruno。　The　chant　was　taken　up　around　the　table；　acpanied　by　a　round　of　applause。
　　　　　〃Without　my　son's　leadership；〃　announced　Max　Wolf；　〃the　great　crusade；　conceived　by　your　grandfathers；　could　never　have　achieved　fulfillment。　I　am　proud　of　your　eminent　contribution　to　the　ing　new　world　order　and　elated　that　our　family；　with　the　blood　of　the　Fuhrer　flowing　through　your　veins；　is　now　on　the　verge　of　making　the　Fourth　Reich　a　reality。〃
　　　　　More　applause　erupted　around　the　table。　To　a　stranger；　everyone　in　the　room；　with　the　exception　of　Max　Wolf；　looked　as　if　he　or　she　had　been　cloned。　The　same　facial　features；　body　build；　eyes　and　hair　it　was　as　if　the　boardroom　had　bee　a　hall　of　mirrors。
　　　　　Karl　shifted　his　eyes　to　Bruno。　〃Are　those　who　are　not　present　here　today　on　board　the　Ulrich　Wolf？〃
　　　　　Bruno　nodded。　〃All　family　members　are　fortably　settled　in　their　residence　quarters。〃
　　　　　〃And　the　supplies　and　equipment？〃
　　　　　Wilhelm　Wolf　raised　a　hand　and　reported。　〃Food　stocks　have　been　loaded　and　stored　aboard　all　four　vessels。　All　ship's　personnel　are　on　board　and　accounted　for。　Every　piece　of　equipment　and　all　electronic　systems　have　been　tested　and　retested。　They　all　function　perfectly。　Nothing　has　been　left　to　chance　or　overlooked。　Every　contingency　has　been　considered　and　alternatives　prepared。　The　ships　are　in　total　readiness　for　the　onslaught　of　even　the　strongest　tidal　waves　anticipated　by　our　puter　projections。　All　that　is　left　is　for　the　rest　of　us　to　fly　to　the　Ulrich　Wolf　and　wait　for　the　resurrection。〃
　　　　　Karl　smiled。　〃You　will　have　to　go　without　me。　I　will　follow　later。　It　is　critical　that　I　oversee　the　final　preparations　at　our　mining　operation　at　Okuma　Bay。〃
　　　　　〃Do　not　be　late；〃　said　Elsie；　smiling。　〃We　might　have　to　sail　without　you。
　　　　　Karl　laughed。　〃Never　fear；　dear　sister。　I　have　no　intention　of　missing　the　boat。〃
　　　　　Rosa　raised　her　hand。　〃Did　the　American　scientist　decipher　the　Amenes　inscriptions　before　she　escaped　the　ship？〃
　　　　　Karl　shook　his　head。　〃Unfortunately；　whatever　information　she　discovered；　she　took　with　her。〃
　　　　　〃Can't　our　agents　retrieve　it？〃　asked　Bruno。
　　　　　〃I　fear　not。　She　is　too　well　protected　at　the　American　Embassy。　By　the　time　we　devised　a　plan　and　mounted　an　operation　to　seize　her　again；　it　would　be　too　late。　The　deadline　would　be　upon　us。〃
　　　　　Albert　Wolf；　the　paleoecologist　of　the　family；　who　was　an　expert　in　ancient　environments　and　their　effects　on　primeval　plant　and　animal　life；　motioned　to　speak。　〃It　would　have　been　most　beneficial　to　have　studied　a　narrative　by　those　who　lived　through　the　last　cataclysm；　but　I　believe　our　puter　projections　have　given　us　a　fairly　accurate　picture　of　what　to　expect。〃
　　　　　〃Once　the　ships　are　swept　into　open　water；〃　said　Elsie；　〃our　first　priority　is　to　ensure　that　they　are　rigidly　sealed　against　all　contamination　from　ash；　volcanic　gases；　and　smoke。〃
　　　　　〃You　may　rest　easy　on　that　problem；　cousin；〃　said　Berndt　Wolf；　the　family's　engineering　genius。　〃The　ship's　interiors　are　designed　to　bee　pletely　airtight　in　a　matter　of　seconds。　Then　specially　constructed　filtering　equipment　takes　over。　All　systems　have　been　exactingly　tested　and　have　proven　one　hundred　percent　efficient。　A　pure；　breathable　atmosphere　for　an　extended　period　of　time　is　a　confirmed　reality。〃
　　　　　〃Have　we　decided　on　what　part　of　the　world　we　will　e　ashore　after　it's　safe　to　do　so？〃　asked　Maria　Wolf。
　　　　　〃We're　still　in　the　process　of　accumulating　data　and　calculating　projections；〃　answered　Albert。　〃We　must　determine　exactly　how　the　cataclysm　and　tidal　waves　will　alter　the　world's　coasts。　It　will　be　mostly　a　matter　of　analyzing　the　situation　after　the　havoc　has　abated。〃
　　　　　Karl　glanced　down　the　table　at　his　kinsmen。　〃Much　will　depend　on　how　the　landmasses　have　changed。　Europe　may　bee　inundated　as　far　as　the　Urals　in　Russia。　Water　may　fill　the　Sahara　Desert。　Ice　will　cover　Canada　and　the　United　States。　Our　first　priority　is　to　survive　the　onslaught　and　wait　patiently　before　deciding　on　where　to　establish　a　headquarters　city　for　our　new　world　order。〃
　　　　　〃We　have　several　sites　under　consideration；〃　said　Wilhelm。　〃The　prime　considerations　are　a　port；　such　as　San　Francisco；　where　we　can　moor　the　ships；　preferably　a　location　with　nearby　land　suitable　for　growing　crops　and　orchards；　and　a　centralized　area　that　facilitates　transportation　and　the　spread　of　our　authority　around　the　new　world。　Much　will　depend　upon　the　extent　of　the　cataclysm。〃
　　　　　〃Do　we　have　any　idea　how　long　we　must　remain　on　board　the　ships　before　we　can　venture　ashore？〃　asked　Gerda　Wolf；　whose　expertise　was　education　and　who　had　been　chosen　to　supervise　the　fleet's　school　systems。
　　　　　Albert　looked　at　her　and　smiled。　〃Certainly　no　longer　than　we　have　to；　my　sister。　Years　will　pass；　but　we　have　no　way　of　predicting　exactly　how　long　it　will　take　before　we　can　safely　begin　our　conquest　of　the　land。〃
　　　　　〃The　people　who　survive　on　high　ground？〃　queried　Maria。　〃How　will　we　treat　them？〃
　　　　　〃There　will　be　pitifully　few；〃　replied　Bruno。　〃Those　who　we　can　find　and　round　up　will　be　placed　in　secure　areas　to　cope　as　best　they　can。〃
　　　　　〃We're　not　going　to　assist　them？〃
　　　　　Bruno　shook　his　head。　〃We　cannot　weaken　our　own　food　supplies　before　our　people　have　the　opportunity　to　subsist　off　the　land。〃
　　　　　〃In　time；　except　for　th