ssheldon.doomsdayconspiracy-第13部分

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　Mothershed　hesitated；　torn　between　his　curiosity　and　his　desire　to　move　on。　　He　turned　and　followed　the　bus　passengers　across　the　highway。　When　he　reached　the　scene　of　the　accident；　he　stood　there　transfixed。　Holy　God；　he　thought。　　It's　unreal。　　He　was　staring　at　a　flying　saucer。
　
　Leslie　Mothershed　had　heard　about　flying　saucers　and　had　read　about　them；　but　he　had　never　believed　they　existed。　　He　gaped　at　it；　awed　by　the　eerie　spectacle。　　The　shell　had　ripped　open；　and　he　could　see　two　bodies　inside；　small；　with　large　skulls；　sunken　eyes；　no　ears　and　almost　no　chins；　and　they　seemed　to　be　wearing　some　kind　of　silver　metallic　suits。
　
　The　group　from　the　tour　bus　was　standing　around　him　staring　in　horrified　silence。　　The　man　next　to　him　fainted。　　Another　man　turned　away　and　vomited。　　An　elderly　priest　was　clutching　his　beads　and　mumbling　incoherently。
　〃My　God；〃　someone　said。
　〃It's　a　flying　saucer！〃
　
　And　that　was　when　Mothershed　had　his　epiphany。　　A　miracle　had　fallen　into　his　lap。　　He…Leslie　Mothershed…was　on　the　spot　with　his　cameras　to　photograph　the　story　of　the　century！　　There　was　not　a　magazine　or　newspaper　in　the　world　that　would　reject　the　photographs　he　was　about　to　take。　　A　coffee…table　book　about　Switzerland？　　He　almost　laughed　aloud　at　the　idea。　　He　was　about　to　astonish　the　whole　world。　All　the　television　talk　shows　would　be　begging　from　him；　but　he　would　do　Robin　Leach's　show　first。　　He　would　sell　his　photographs　to　the　London　Times；　the　Sun；　the　Mail；　the　Mirror…to　all　the　English　newspapers；　and　to　the　foreign　papers　and　magazinesLe　Figaro　and　Paris…Match；　Oggi　and　Per　Tag。
　
　Time　and　USA　Today。　　The　press　everywhere　would　be　pleading　with　him　for　his　photographs。　　Japan　and　South　America　and　Russia　and　China　and…there　was　no　end　to　it。　　Mothershed's　heart　was　fluttering　with　excitement。　　I　won't　give　anyone　an　exclusive。　　Each　one　will　have　to　pay　me　individually。　　I'll　start　at　a　hundred　thousand　pounds　a　picture；　maybe　two　hundred　thousand。　　And　I'll　sell　them　over　and　over　again。　　He　began　feverishly　adding　up　the　money　he　was　going　to　make。
　
　Leslie　Mothershed　was　so　busy　adding　up　his　fortune　that　he　almost　forgot　to　take　the　pie。
　〃Oh；　my　God！　　Excuse　me；〃　he　said；　to　no　one　in　particular；　and　raced　back　across　the　highway　to　get　his　camera　equipment。
　
　The　mechanic　had　finished　hoisting　the　front　end　of　the　disabled　vehicle　in　the　air；　ready　to　tow　it　away。
　〃What's　going　on　over　there？〃
　
　he　asked。
　
　Mothershed　was　busy　grabbing　his　camera　equipment。
　〃e　and　see　for　yourself。〃
　
　The　two　men　moved　across　the　highway　to　the　wooded　area；　and　Mothershed　pushed　his　way　through　the　circle　of　tourists。
　〃Excuse　me；〃　he　said。
　〃Excuse　me。〃　　He　adjusted　the　focus　on　his　camera　and　started　snapping　pictures　of　the　UFO　and　its　eerie　passengers。　　He　took　pictures　in　black　and　white　and　in　color。　　As　the　shutter　clicked　each　time；　Mothershed　thought；　A　million　pounds　。。。
　
　another　million　pounds　。。。　　another　million　pounds。
　
　The　priest　was　crossing　himself　and　saying；　〃It's　the　face　of　Satan。〃
　
　Satan；　hell；　Mothershed　thought　exultantly。　　It's　the　face　of　money。　These　will　be　the　first　pictures　that　prove　that　flying　saucers　really　exist。
　
　And　then；　suddenly；　a　terrifying　thought　occurred　to　him。　　What　if　the　magazines　think　these　pictures　are　fake？　　There　have　been　a　lot　of　faked　photographs　of　UFOs。　His　euphoria　vanished。　　What　if　they　don't　believe　me？　　And　that　was　when　Leslie　Mothershed　had　his　second　inspiration。　There　were　nine　witnesses　gathered　around　him。　　Without　knowing　it；　they　were　about　to　lend　authenticity　to　his　discovery。
　
　Mothershed　turned　to　face　the　group。
　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　he　called　out。
　〃If　you　would　all　like　to　have　your　photographs　taken　here；　just　line　up　and　I'll　be　happy　to　send　each　of　you　a　print；　free。〃
　
　There　were　excited　exclamations。　　Within　moments　the　passengers　from　the　tour　bus；　except　for　the　priest；　were　standing　beside　the　remains　of　the　UFO。
　
　He　was　reluctant。
　〃I　can't；〃　he　said。
　〃It's　evil！〃　　Mothershed　needed　the　priest。　　He　would　make　the　most　convincing　witness　of　them　all。
　〃That's　just　the　point；〃　Mother~he'd　said　persuasively。
　〃Don't　you　see？　　This　will　be　your　testimony　about　the　existence　of　evil　spirits。〃
　
　And　the　priest　was　finally　persuaded。
　〃Spread　out　a　little；〃　Mothershed　ordered；　〃so　we　can　see　the　flying　saucer。〃　　The　witnesses　shifted　their　positions。
　〃That's　it。　　Very　good。　　Excellent。　　Hold　still；　now。〃
　
　He　snapped　half　a　dozen　more　pictures　and　took　out　a　pencil　and　paper。
　〃If　you'll　write　down　your　names　and　addresses；　I'll　see　to　it　that　each　of　you　gets　a　print。〃　　He　had　no　intention　of　sending　any　prints。　All　he　wanted　was　corroborating　witnesses。　　Let　the　bloody　newspapers　and　magazines　try　to　get　around　that！
　
　And　then；　suddenly；　he　noticed　that　several　people　in　the　group　had　cameras。　　He　couldn't　allow　any　other　photographs　but　his！　　Only　photos　that　had　the　credit　〃Photograph　by　Leslie　Mothershed〃　could　exist。
　〃Excuse　me；〃　he　said　to　the　group。
　〃Those　of　you　who　have　cameras；　if　you'll　pass　them　to　me；　I'll　take　a　few　pictures　of　you　so　that　you'll　have　some　taken　with　your　own　cameras。〃　　The　cameras　were　quickly　handed　to　Leslie　Mothershed。　　As　he　knelt　to　frame　the　first　shot；　no　one　noticed　that　Mothershed　clicked　open　the　film　partment　with　his　thumb　and　held　it　ajar。　　There；　a　little　bit　of　nice　bright　sunlight　will　help　these　photographs　no　end。　Too　bad；　my　friends；　but　only　professionals　are　allowed　to　capture　historic　moments。
　
　Ten　minutes　later；　Mothershed　had　all　their　names　and　addresses。　He　took　one　last　look　at　the　flying　saucer　and　thought　exultantly；　Mother　was　right。　　I　am　going　to　be　rich　and　famous。
　
　He　couldn't　wait　to　return　to　England　to　develop　his　precious　photographs。
　〃What　the　hell　is　going　on？〃
　
　The　police　stations　in　the　Uetendorf　area　had　been　inundated　with　telephone　calls　all　evening。
　〃Someone　is　prowling　around　my　house。　　…。。〃
　〃There　are　strange　lights　outside。。。。〃
　〃My　livestock　is　going　crazy。　　There　must　be　wolves　around。　　。
　〃Someone　drained　my　watering　trough。　　…。。〃　　And　the　most　inexplicable　telephone　call　of　all：　〃Chief；　you'd　better　send　a　lot　of　tow　trucks　out　to　the　main　highway　right　away。　　It's　a　nightmare。　　All　traffic　has　stopped。〃
　〃What？　　Why？〃
　〃No　one　knows。　　The　car　engines　just　suddenly　went　dead。〃
　
　It　was　a　night　they　would　never　forget。
　
　ow　~ng　~　the　assignment　going　to　take？　　Robert　wondered；　as　he　strapped　himself　into　his　first…class　seat　on　the　Swissair　flight。　　As　the　plane　rushed　down　the　runway；　its　huge　Rolls…Royce　engines　hungrily　swallowing　the　night　air；　Robert　relaxed　and　closed　his　eyes。　　Was　it　really　just　a　few　years　ago　that　I　took　this　same　flight　with　Susan　to　London？　　No。　It　was　more　like　a　lifetime　ago。
　
　The　plane　touched　down　at　Heathrow　at　6：29　P。M。；　on　schedule。
　
　Robert　made　his　way　out　of　the　maze　and　took　a　taxi　into　the　sprawling　city。　　He　passed　a　hundred　familiar　landmarks；　and　he　could　hear　Susan's　voice　menting　excitedly　on　them。　　In　those　golden　days；　it　had　never　mattered　where　they　were。　　It　was　simply　enough　that　they　were　together。
　
　They　brought　their　own　happiness　with　them；　their　own　special　excitement　in　each　other。　　Theirs　was　the　marriage　that　would　have　a　happy　ending。
　
　Almost。
　
　Their　problems　had　started　innocently　enough　with　an　overseas　call　from　Admiral　Whittaker　while　Robert　and　Susan　were　traveling　in　Thailand。　　It　had　been　six　months　since　Robert　had　been　discharged　from　the　Navy；　and　he　had　not　talked　to　the　admiral　in　all　that　time。　　The　call；　reaching　them　at　the　Oriental　Hotel　in　Bangkok；　was　a　surprise。
　〃Robert？　　Admiral　Whittaker。〃
　〃Admiral！　　It's　good　to　hear　your　voice。〃
　〃It　hasn't　been　easy　tracking　you　down。　　What　have　you　been　up　to？〃
　〃Not　very　much。　　Just　taking　it　easy。　　Having　a　long　honeymoon。〃
　〃How　is　Susan？　　It　is　Susan；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes。　　She's　fine；　thank　you。〃
　〃How　soon　can　you　get　back　to　Washington？〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃It　hasn't　been　announced　yet；　but　I've　been　given　a　new　assignment；　Robert。　　They've　made　me　deputy　director　of　17th　District　Naval　Intelligence。　　I'd　like　you　to　e　aboard。〃
　
　Robert　was　taken　aback。
　〃Naval　Intelligence？　　Admiral；　I　don't　know　anything　about…〃
　〃You　can　learn。　　You　would　be　doing　an　important　service　for　your　country；　Robert。　　Will　you　e　and　discuss　it　with　me？〃
　〃Well…〃
　〃Good。　　I'll　expect　you　in　my　office　Monday　at　oh　nine　hundred。
　
　Say　hello　to　Susan　for　me。〃
　
　Robert　repeated　the　conversation　to　Susan。
　〃Naval　Intelligence？
　
　That　sounds　so　exciting。〃
　〃Maybe；〃　Robert　said　doubtfully。
　〃I　have　no　idea　what's　involved。〃
　〃You　must　find　out。〃
　
　He　studied　her　for　a　moment。
　〃You　want　me　to　take　it；　don't　you？〃
　
　She　put　her　arms　around　him。
　〃I　want　you　to　do　whatever　you　want　to　do。　　I　think　you're　ready　to　go　back　to　work。　　I've　noticed　in　the　last　few　weeks　how　restless　you've　bee。〃
　〃I　think　you're　trying　to　get　rid　of　me；〃　Robert　teased。
　〃The　honeymoon　is　over。〃
　
　Susan　put　her　lips　close　to　his。
　〃Never。　　Did　I　ever　tell　you　how　crazy　I　am　about　you；　sailor？　　Let　me　show　you。
　
　Thinking　about　it　latertoo　late…Robert　decided　that　that　was　the　beginning　of　the　end　of　their　marriage。　　The　offer　had　seemed　wonderful　at　the　time；　and　he　had　gone　back　to　Washington　to　meet　with　Admiral　Whittaker。
　〃This　job　requires　brains；　courage；　and　initiative；　Robert。　　You　have　all　three。　　Our　country　has　bee　a　target　for　every　little　tinhorn　dictatorship　that　can　breed　a　terrorist　group　or　build　a　chemical…weapons　factory。　　A　number　of　these　countries　are　working　on　atomic　bombs　at　this　moment　so　that　they　can　hold　us　at　ransom。　　My　job　is　to　build　an　intelligence　network　to　find　out　exactly　what　they're　up　to　and　to　try　to　stop　them。　　I　want　you　to　help　me。〃
　
　In　the　end；　Robert　had　accepted　the　job　with　Naval　Intelligence；　and　to　his　surprise；　he　found　that　he　enjoyed　it　and　had　an　aptitude　for　it。　Susan　found　an　attractive　apartment　in　Rosslyn；　Virginia；　not　far　from　where　R