atlantis.found-第98部分

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　　　　　〃Brian　is　right；〃　said　the　President。　〃Knowing　Earth　is　susceptible　to　being　struck　by　a　et　or　asteroid；　or　experiencing　an　earthquake；　is　hardly　a　concern　of　the　public　during　their　day…to…day　existence。　But　they　could　never　shrug　off　the　thought　of　another　madman　like　Karl　Wolf　and　his　family　attempting　to　annihilate　billions　of　people　to　fulfill　a　pulsion　for　world　domination。　Fear　would　run　rampant；　a　situation　we　cannot　allow　to　happen。〃
　　　　　〃I　don't　mind；　Mr。　President；〃　Giordino　said；　cheerfully　brazen。　〃I've　always　hated　the　thought　of　people　ing　up　and　demanding　my　autograph　while　I　was　dining　in　a　restaurant。〃
　　　　　Pitt　turned　away　to　suppress　his　laughter。　Sandecker　rolled　his　eyes　toward　the　ceiling。　The　President　looked　blank；　not　knowing　if　the　little　Italian　was　joking　or　serious。
　　　　　〃I　think　what　my　friend　is　trying　to　get　across；〃　said　Pitt；　〃is　that　he　and　I　are　quite　content　to　remain　anonymous。〃
　　　　　At　that　point；　everyone　in　the　room　began　asking　questions；　mostly　about　how　they　had　crossed　the　ice　in　the　Snow　Cruiser　and　saved　the　Special　Forces　teams。　Then　the　President　stared　down　and　saw　the　spear　in　Giordino's　hand。
　　　　　〃Is　that　the　Holy　Lance　I've　heard　so　much　about？〃　he　asked。
　　　　　Giordino　nonchalantly　laid　the　lance　in　the　President's　hands。　〃Yes；　sir；　it　is。〃
　　　　　Wallace　held　the　lance　over　his　head；　as　everyone　in　the　room　stared　in　awe。
　　　　　〃The　most　sacred　relic　in　all　of　Christendom；〃　proclaimed　Pitt。　〃It's　said　the　man　who　wields　it　can　mand　the　destiny　of　the　world　for　good　or　evil。〃
　　　　　〃Obviously；　Hitler　chose　the　latter；〃　said　Admiral　Sandecker。
　　　　　〃Is　it　truly　the　spear　that　pieced　Christ's　body　on　the　cross？〃　Wallace　asked　reverently；　gazing　at　the　spear　point　as　if　expecting　to　see　a　hint　of　dried　blood。
　　　　　〃So　says　the　legend；〃　said　Pitt。
　　　　　The　President　handed　the　lance　to　Secretary　of　State　Reed。　〃You'd　better　take　it；　Paul。〃
　　　　　〃What　do　you　intend　to　do　with　it；　Mr。　President？〃　asked　General　South。
　　　　　Cooper　lightly　touched　the　ancient　spearhead。　〃I'm　told　the　lance　belongs　in　the　treasure　room　of　the　Royal　Palace　in　Vienna；　from　which　Hitler　stole　it　in　1938。〃
　　　　　Reed　shook　his　head。　〃Never；〃　he　said　emphatically。　〃I'm　sorry；　Mr。　President；　but　it　must　be　hidden　away；　never　to　fall　into　malignant　hands　again　and　be　used　as　a　symbol　for　tyranny。〃
　　　　　After　they　had　all　examined　the　Blood　Flag　and　the　small　bronze　plaque　thought　to　have　saved　Hitler's　life；　Pitt　went　out　to　the　desk　of　the　President's　secretary；　where　he'd　left　the　urn；　and　carried　it　into　the　Oval　Office。　He　set　it　on　the　table　before　the　fireplace。　〃The　ashes　of　Hitler　and　Eva　Braun。〃
　　　　　Then　he　stood　back　as　the　crowd　in　the　Oval　Office　moved　in　closer　to　inspect　the　words　etched　in　the　silver。　Their　voices　soon　hushed　and　became　quiet　murmurs　as　they　examined　the　container　of　the　accursed　remains　of　history's　most　infamous　despot。
　　　　　〃It　makes　me　shudder　simply　to　look　at　it；〃　said　Loren；　clutching　Pitt's　arm。
　　　　　Pitt　gripped　her　around　the　waist。　〃I'm　sure　you're　not　alone。〃
　　　　　〃Too　abhorrent　to　contemplate；〃　muttered　the　President。
　　　　　General　South　looked　at　the　President　and　said；　〃Sir；　I　think　we　should　inspect　the　interior　of　the　urn　to　make　absolutely　certain　that　ashes　are　truly　inside。〃
　　　　　President　Wallace　looked　around　the　office。　〃Does　anyone　object？〃
　　　　　〃I　also　think　it　wise；〃　said　Secretary　of　State　Reed；　〃that　the　FBI　labs　do　a　thorough　examination　to　prove　they're　human。〃
　　　　　〃Will　you　please　remove　the　lid；　General？〃　the　President　asked　South。
　　　　　Even　the　tough　old　soldier　found　it　repulsive　to　touch　the　urn。　Very　reluctantly；　he　gently　placed　his　fingers　around　the　black　eagle　atop　the　urn　and　twisted　it　cautiously　as　he　lifted。　The　lid　came　free　and　he　set　it　on　the　desk　as　if　it　were　tainted　with　a　virus。
　　　　　Everyone　stood　back　whisper…silent　as　the　President　warily　peered　into　the　urn。　His　face　took　on　a　puzzled　expression；　and　he　looked　up　into　a　sea　of　grim；　expectant　faces。
　　　　　〃It's　empty；〃　he　said　vaguely。　〃There　are　no　ashes　inside。〃
　　　　　The　word　〃empty〃　was　repeated　throughout　the　room。　〃This　certainly　is　a　twist　no　one　counted　on；〃　said　Vice　President　Kingman；　equally　mystified。
　　　　　〃Is　it　possible　the　Wolfs　took　the　ashes　and　rehid　them？〃　General　South　said；　voicing　the　thoughts　of　everyone　present。
　　　　　Only　Giordino　looked　strangely　contemplative。　Then　his　face　brightened　as　if　he　had　suddenly　witnessed　a　revelation。　He　turned　and　looked　at　Pitt　queerly。　〃Oh　no！〃　he　muttered　softly。　〃You　didn't？〃
　　　　　〃I　did；〃　Pitt　answered　honestly。
　　　　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　asked　Loren。　〃Do　you　know　who　took　the　ashes？〃
　　　　　〃I　do。〃
　　　　　〃Then　who？〃
　　　　　〃Me；〃　Pitt　replied；　his　opaline　green　eyes　reflecting　fiendish　mirth。　〃I　flushed　them　down　the　toilet　in　the　White　House　men's　room。〃
　
　FINAL　BLESSING
　
　September　10；　2000
　Washington；　D。　C。
　
　　　　　The　day　was　typical　for　the　nation's　capital；　the　climate　hot　and　sultry。　The　leaves　hung　green　on　their　branches　and　the　cool　breeze　of　the　ing　fall　was　nowhere　to　be　felt。　Crowds　of　people　were　standing　in　long　lines　to　view　the　recently　opened　wing　of　the　Natural　History　Museum；　which　housed　more　than　three　thousand　Amenes　treasures　and　artifacts　that　had　been　recovered　from　St。　Paul　Island；　the　Ulrich　Wolf；　and　the　ongoing　excavation　of　the　lost　city　in　the　Antarctic。
　　　　　Members　of　the　Wolf　family；　as　expected；　walked　free　from　the　courts。　But　an　international　investigative　force　was　formed　for　no　other　purpose　than　to　keep　all　family　members　under　strict　surveillance。　There　was　no　way　the　Wolfs　would　be　allowed　to　attempt　another　world…domination　scheme　without　being　discovered　and　stopped　dead　in　their　tracks。　Destiny　Enterprises　was　no　more；　and　with　the　death　of　Karl；　the　family　was　rudderless。　And　without　their　enormous　hoard　of　wealth　and　assets；　most　were　forced　to　endure　a　far　less　luxurious　lifestyle。
　　　　　The　Chilean　government　had　promptly　appropriated　the　four　gigantic　Destiny　Enterprises　ships。　After　the　fjord　was　extensively　dredged　to　allow　their　access　to　open　water；　the　giant　superships　began　sailing　the　seven　seas；　carrying　vast　numbers　of　passengers　and　gargantuan　cargos　that　had　been　thought　inconceivable　a　few　short　years　before。　The　Ulrich　Wolf　was　sold　to　a　conglomerate　of　shipping　lines　for　a　reported　three　billion　dollars。　With　minor　modifications；　she　was　put　into　service　as　a　round…the…world　cruise　city　with　short…term　staterooms　and　privately　owned　apartments　and　condominiums。　She　was　renamed　the　Ocean　Paradise；　and　proved　extremely　popular　because　international　flights　could　land　and　take　off　on　her　long　upper　deck　runway　while　she　was　cruising　far　offshore。
　　　　　The　other　three　gigantic　ships　were　purchased　by　cargo　transport　lines　and　oil　panies　and　soon　became　familiar　sights　in　the　few　major　port　facilities　that　could　receive　them。　Because　they　showed　that　leviathan　superships　could　be　profitable；　it　was　not　long　before　six　other　ships　of　parable　size　were　under　construction。
　　　　　Admiral　Sandecker；　along　with　Pitt；　Loren　Smith；　Giordino；　and　Pat；　who　had　flown　in　to　help　set　up　the　display　of　Amenes　descriptions；　were　members　of　a　party　of　VIPs　who　were　invited　to　preview　the　exhibits　before　they　were　open　to　the　general　public。　No　matter　how　many　times　they　had　seen　them；　Pitt　and　Giordino　were　still　amazed　at　the　magnitude　of　the　treasures　on　display。　No　one　who　beheld　them　could　believe　they　came　from　a　race　of　people　who　vanished　nine　thousand　years　ago；　long　before　most　prehistoric　civilizations　had　emerged　from　the　stone　age。
　　　　　The　centerpiece　under　a　spacious　stained…glass　rotunda　was　a　grouping　of　the　beautifully　preserved　mummies　of　the　Amenes　rulers　found　on　St。　Paul　Island　by　Giordino　and　Rudi　Gunn。　Everyone　stood　in　awe　in　the　presence　of　those　who　had　lived　and　died　so　far　in　the　past。　Pitt　found　himself　wondering　if　one　of　these　ancient　people　might　have　been　his　direct　ancestor。
　　　　　Nearly　five　hours　later；　they　exited　the　exhibit　through　a　side　door　held　open　by　a　guard　and　began　walking　across　the　mall　toward　the　newly　built　Smithsonian　Transportation　Museum。　Loren　looked　dazzling；　her　cinnamon　hair　falling　to　her　shoulders　and　accented　by　the　sun。　She　was　dressed　fortably　in　a　light　blue　sleeveless　silk　dress　that　was　cut　short；　revealing　a　shapely　pair　of　tanned　legs。　Pitt　wore　a　green　golf　shirt　and　light…tan　slacks。　Al　and　Pat；　shunning　any　formal　look　in　the　heat；　both　wore　light　T…shirts　and　shorts。　Like　a　pair　of　young　lovers；　they　held　hands　as　they　walked　across　Madison　Drive　and　took　the　pathway　across　the　Mall；　with　Sandecker　in　the　lead；　puffing　on　one　of　his　elephantine　cigars。
　　　　　〃When　are　you　returning　to　Okuma　Bay？〃　Loren　asked　Pat。
　　　　　〃Next　week。〃
　　　　　Loren　smiled　at　Giordino。　〃There　goes　your　love　life。〃
　　　　　〃Haven't　you　heard？　The　admiral　is　sending　me　back　to　the　ancient　city　on　a　sabbatical。　He's　directed　me　to　study　and　record　the　seafaring　activities　of　the　Amenes　for　Hiram　Yaeger's　puter　archives。　Pat　and　I　will　be　working　together　for　the　next　six　months。〃
　　　　　〃That　leaves　just　you　and　me；〃　said　Loren；　squeezing　Pitt's　hand。
　　　　　〃Not　for　long。〃　Pitt　brushed　his　lips　against　her　hair。　〃I'm　leaving　in　two　weeks　to　head　up　a　research　project　on　an　underwater　volcano　that's　rising　toward　the　water　surface　southeast　of　Hawaii。〃
　　　　　〃How　long　will　you　be？〃
　　　　　〃No　more　than　three　weeks。〃
　　　　　〃I　guess　I　can　endure　three　weeks　without　you；〃　Loren　said；　with　a　faint　little　grin。
　　　　　They　crossed　Jefferson　Drive　between　the　traffic　and　walked　through　the　entrance　of　the　Transportation　Museum。　Inside；　on　four　acres　of　open　space；　were　displayed　hundreds　of　vehicles　dating　back　to　the　late　1890s。　They　were　laid　out　in　chronological　order　from　the　early　brass　cars　to　the　latest…concept　cars　from　the　auto　manufacturers。　Besides　automobiles；　every　kind　of　conceivable　vehicle　was　represented　from　manufacturers　of　trucks；　farm　tractors；　motorcycles；　and　bicycles。
　　　　　The　gem　of　the　collection　was　Admiral　Byrd's　Snow　Cruiser。　She　sat　in　a　gallery　five　feet　below　the　main　floor　so　the　public　could　peer　through　t