cussler.blueandgold-第54部分

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nge　was　a　walk…in　cooler　whose　ceiling　was　high　enough　for　Paul　to　go　inside　without　bumping　his　head。　
　
　　Seeing　no　alternative；　he　slipped　into　the　cooler　and　left　the　door　ajar　about　six　inches。　He　unscrewed　the　light　bulb；　placed　it　just　inside　the　door；　and　plastered　himself　into　the　recess　next　to　the　heavy　door。　Just　in　time。　Through　the　frosted　glass　he　saw　the　man　e　into　the　kitchen；　his　gun　ready。　He　stopped　and　looked　around；　and　the　open　door　caught　his　attention。　He　approached　it　warily；　pushed　it　open　with　his　elbow；　and　stepped　inside。　The　toe　of　his　shoe　sent　the　bulb　skittering　noisily　across　the　wooden　floor。　The　gun　barrel　swung　around；　and　his　finger　tightened　on　the　trigger。　Then　the　roof　fell　in　on　his　head。　His　knees　buckled；　and　he　crashed　to　the　floor。
　
　Trout　put　down　the　frozen　smoked　Virginia　ham　he　had　used　as　a　club。　He　grabbed　the　machine　pistol　and　stepped　out　into　the　kitchen；　well　aware　that　he　and　the　women　weren't　home　free。　First　he　checked　the　stairs　that　led　from　the　kitchen　to　the　second　floor。　He　could　hear　the　other　man　moving　around　up　stairs。　He'd　deal　with　that　after　he　made　sure　Gamay　and　Francesca　were　safe。　He　slowly　eased　himself　into　the　hallway。　The　machine　pistol　only　gave　him　limited　leverage。　He　didn't　want　to　catch　the　women　in　the　pistol's　scattershot　spray。
　
　As　he　stepped　into　the　hall　he　saw　the　other　men　bending　over　the　prone　figures　of　his　wife　and　Francesca。　He　brushed　caution　aside　and　moved　forward；　so　intent　on　the　scene　that　he　never　saw　the　man　e　up　behind　him。
　
　He　felt　the　cold　steel　of　a　knife　between　his　ribs　and　tried　to　turn　to　face　his　attacker　only　to　have　his　legs　turned　to　scram　bled　eggs。　He　fell　to　the　floor；　smashing　his　face　on　the　rug　and　breaking　his　nose。
　
　Melo　had　been　covering　the　back　door　for　a　possible　escape　when　he　saw　Trout　emerge　from　the　cooler。　Seeing　blood　pool　around　Paul's　body；　he　stepped　over　him　and　went　over　to　pat　his　brother　on　the　back。
　
　〃Your　suggestion　to　cover　the　rear　was　a　good　one；　brother。〃
　
　〃It　seems　so；〃　the　other　twin　said；　looking　at　the　sprawled　figure。　〃What　should　we　do　with　him？〃
　
　〃Leave　him　to　bleed　to　death。〃　
　
　　〃Agreed。　We　can　take　the　women　out　the　back　way　without　being　seen。〃
　
　He　called　to　the　man　upstairs　to　e　back　down。　Then　they　carried　the　unconscious　women　to　a　waiting　Mercedes　four　wheel　drive；　stuffed　them　in　the　back；　and　drove　off；　followed　a　few　minutes　later　by　the　fake　DPW　truck。　The　initial　shock　of　the　knife　wound　had　turned　to　pain；　and　Paul　regained　consciousness　for　a　few　moments。　Using　every　bit　of　strength　at　his　mand　he　dragged　himself　to　the　study；　where　he　had　a　cell　phone；　and　called　91　1。　He　awoke　in　a　hospital　bed。
　
　His　cursing　wore　him　out；　and　he　fell　asleep　again。　When　he　awoke　he　was　aware　someone　else　was　in　the　room。　Through　gluey　eyes　he　saw　two　figures　standing　by　his　bed。　He　grinned　feebly。
　
　〃What　took　you　so　damned　long？〃
　
　〃We　hitchhiked　with　a　couple　of　fighter　planes　out　of　Elendorf　and　came　east　as　fast　as　we　could；〃　Austin　said。　〃How　do　you　feel？〃
　
　〃The　right　half　of　my　body　isn't　so　bad；　but　the　left　feels　as　if　it's　being　pinched　by　red…hot　pliers。　And　my　nose　doesn't　feel　great。〃
　
　〃The　knife　missed　your　lung　by　this　much；〃　Austin　said；　pinching　his　thumb　and　forefinger。　〃It　will　take　a　while　for　the　muscle　to　heal。　Good　thing　you're　not　a　southpaw。〃
　
　〃Figured　it　was　something　like　that。　Any　word　on　Gamay　or　Francesca？〃　he　said　apprehensively。
　
　〃We　think　they're　still　alive；　but　they　were　kidnapped　by　the　goons　who　did　this　to　you。〃
　
　〃The　police　have　checked　airports　and　stations；　the　usual　stuff；〃　Zavala　said。　〃We're　going　to　start　our　own　search。〃
　
　The　pain　in　Paul's　blue　eyes　was　replaced　by　a　look　of　steely　determination。　He　swung　his　long　legs　out　of　the　bed　and　said；　〃I'm　ing　with　you。〃　The　painful　effort　made　him　dizzy；　and　he　stopped　as　his　stomach　roiled　for　a　few　seconds。　He　jiggled　the　IV　tube。　〃I　may　need　a　hand　here；　fellas。　Don't　try　to　talk　me　out　of　this；〃　he　said；　catching　Austin's　concerned　expression。　
　〃The　best　thing　you　can　do　is　spring　me　from　the　joint。　Hope　you've　got　some　pull　with　the　floor　nurse。〃
　
　Austin　knew　Paul　well　enough　to　realize　he　would　drag　himself　from　the　hospital　if　he　had　to。　Austin　glanced　at　Zavala；　who　was　smiling；　and　knew　he'd　get　no　help　from　that　quarter。
　
　〃I'll　see　what　I　can　do。〃　He　shrugged。　〃In　the　meantime；　Joe；　maybe　you　can　get　our　friend　here　something　more　modest　than　that　hospital　johnny；〃　he　said。　Then　he　turned　and　headed　for　the　nurses'　station。
　
　Chapter　33
　The　mood　in　the　tenth…floor　
　NUMA　conference　room　was　as　somber　as　a　crepe　hangers'　convention。　Admiral　Sandecker　hadn't　expected　Trout　to　attend　the　emergency　meeting；　given　the　dire　reports　from　the　hospital。　The　lanky　ocean　geologist　looked　like　warmed…over　spit；　but　Sandecker　kept　his　thoughts　to　himself。　Nothing　he　could　say　would　dissuade　Paul　from　joining　the　hunt　for　Gamay　and　Francesca。
　
　Sandecker　flashed　Trout　a　reassuring　smile　and　looked　around　the　table。　Flanking　Paul　in　case　he　fell　out　of　his　chair　were　his　NUMA　colleagues　Austin　and　Zavala。　The　fourth　figure　at　the　table；　a　slightly　built；　narrow…shouldered　man　whose　heavy　horn　rimmed　glasses　gave　him　a　professorial　air；　was　NUMA　operations　director　Rudi　Gunn；　second　in　mand　to　the　admiral。
　
　Sandecker　checked　his　watch。　〃Where's　Yaeger？〃　His　voice　carried　a　hint　of　impatience。
　
　Yaeger's　special　puter　skills　bought　him　latitude　with　the　NUMA　dress　code；　but　not　even　the　president　would　dare　show　up　late　for　a　Sandecker　meeting。　Especially　one　as　important　as　this。
　
　〃He'll　be　along　in　a　few　minutes；〃　Austin　explained。　〃I　asked　Hiram　to　check　out　something　that　might　have　a　bearing　on　our　discussion。〃
　
　A　thought　had　been　fluttering　around　like　a　butterfly　inside
　Austin's　skull。　He　had　allowed　himself　a　few　hours　of　sleep　after　ing　in　from　Alaska。　The　rest　must　have　refreshed　his　mind。　On　his　way　in　from　Virginia　he　caught　the　elusive　notion　in　an　imaginary　net。　Seconds　later　he　was　talking　to　Yaeger　on　his　cell　phone。　The　puter　whiz　was　driving　in　from　the　fashionable　section　of　Maryland　where　he　lived　with　his　artist　wife　and　two　teenage　daughters。　Austin　quickly　outlined　his　idea；　asked　Yaeger　to　follow　through；　and　said　he　would　cover　for　him　at　the　meeting。
　
　Sandecker　got　right　down　to　business。　〃We　have　a　mystery　on　our　hands；　gentlemen。　Two　people　have　been　kidnapped　and　one　attacked　by　unknown　assailants。　Kurt；　would　you　bring　us　up　to　date？〃
　
　Austin　nodded。　〃The　D。C。　police　are　investigating　every　possible　lead。　The　city　van　was　found　abandoned　near　the　Washing　ton　Monument。　The　vehicle　had　been　stolen　a　few　hours　earlier。　No　trace　of　fingerprints　was　found。　All　the　airports　and　train　stations　are　being　watched。　With　help　from　Paul；　the　FBI　put　together　a　posite　of　the　leader　of　the　gang；　and　it's　being　circulated　with　Interpol。〃
　
　〃I　suspect　they　will　get　nowhere；〃　Sandecker　said。　〃The　people　we're　dealing　with　are　professionals。　The　job　of　finding　Gamay　and　Dr。　Cabral　will　be　up　to　us。　As　you　know；　Rudi　has　been　out　of　the　country　on　assignment。　I've　kept　him　current　as　best　as　I　could；　but　it　might　help　if　you　quickly　gave　us　a　chronological　summary　of　the　situation。〃
　
　Austin　was　prepared　for　the　question。　〃This　thing　began　ten　years　ago　with　the　failed　attempt　to　kidnap　Francesca　Cabral。　Her　plane　crashed　in　the　Venezuela　rain　forest；　and　it　was　assumed　she　was　dead。　Fast…forward　ten　years。　Joe　and　I；　quite　literally；　run　into　a　dead　pod　of　gray　whales　off　San　Diego。　The　whales　died　after　being　exposed　to　extreme　heat　emanating　from　an　underwater　facility　off　Baja　California　in　Mexico。　The　facility　blew　up　while　we　were　investigating　it。　I　talked　to　a　Mexican　mobster　who　was　a　front　for　the　real　owner；　a　California　consulting　firm　called　the　Mulholland
　Group。　The　mobster's　lawyer　confirmed　that　Mulholland　in　turn　is　part　of　a　transnational　conglomerate　named　the　Gogstad　Corporation。　The　mobster　and　his　lawyer　were　assassinated　shortly　after　they　talked　to　us。〃　〃Rather　spectacularly；　as　I　recall；〃　Sandecker　noted。
　
　〃That's　correct。　These　weren't　exactly　drive…by　shootings。　The　murders　were　well　planned；　and　the　hit　men　used　sophisticated　weaponry。〃
　
　〃That　would　suggest　well…organized　assassins　with　extensive　resources；〃　said　Gunn；　who　had　once　served　as　director　of　logistics　at　NUMA　and　was　well　acquainted　with　the　difficulties　in　pulling　together　any　operation。
　
　〃We　came　to　the　same　conclusion；〃　Austin　agreed。　〃It　was　the　kind　of　organization　and　resources　that　could　be　provided　by　a　big　corporation　so　motivated。〃
　
　〃Gogstad？〃
　
　Austin　nodded。
　
　〃I'm　not　sure　I　understand　the　significance　of　the　name　Gogstad；〃　Gunn　said。
　
　〃The　only　connection　I　could　find　was　the　pany　logo。　It　shows　the　Gogstad　Viking　ship　that　was　discovered　back　in　the　1800s。　I　asked　Hiram　to　see　what　he　could　dig　up　on　the　pany。　There　isn't　a　lot。　Even　Max　had　problems　finding　information；　but　basically　it's　a　huge　conglomerate　with　holdings　worldwide。　It's　run　by　a　woman　named　Brynhild　Sigurd。〃
　
　〃A　woman；〃　Gunn　noted　with　surprise。　〃Interesting　name。　Brynhild　was　a　Valkyrie；　one　of　the　Norse　maidens　who　carry　the　fallen　heroes　from　the　battlefield　to　Valhalla。　Sigurd　was　her　lover。　You　don't　suppose　that　was　her　real　name；　do　you？〃
　
　〃We　don't　know　much　about　the　woman。〃
　
　〃I　know　megacorporations　can　be　ruthless　in　their　business　dealings；〃　Gunn　said　with　a　shake　of　his　head；　〃but　we're　talking　about　gangland　methods　here。〃
　
　〃That's　the　way　it　seems；〃　Austin　said。　He　turned　to　Zavala。　〃Joe；　could　you　fill　Rudi　in　on　your　findings？〃
　
　〃Kurt　called　me　in　California　with　the　Gogstad　lead；〃　Zavala　said。　〃I　talked　to　a　newspaper　reporter　from　the　Los　Angeles　Times。　He　knew　Gogstad　quite　well。　In　fact；　he　was　heading　an　investigative　team　looking　into　the　corporation。　He　told　me　they　were　doing　a　story　on　what　he　called　the　water　pirates。　It　would　reveal　how　Gogstad　is　cornering　the　world's　supply　of　water。〃
　
　〃I　can't　believe　it's　possible　for　one　pany　to　contr