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第36部分

ssheldon.doomsdayconspiracy-第36部分

小说: ssheldon.doomsdayconspiracy 字数: 每页4000字

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 a listener asked。
 〃1 ran over to the nearest tree and climbed it。〃
 〃But you said there were no trees。〃
 〃You don't understand。  There has to be a tree!〃  And I have to find it; Robert thought。
 
 He looked around the piazza。  It was almost deserted at this hour。
 
 He decided it was time to have a talk with the man who had started him on this nightmare; General Hilliard。  But he would have to be careful。
 
 Modern electronic phone tracing was almost instantaneous。  Robert observed that the two telephone booths next to the one he was in were both empty。  Perfect。  Ignoring the private number General Hilliard had given him; he dialed the switchboard of NSA。  When an operator answered; Robert said; 〃General Hilliard's office; please。〃
 
 A moment later; he heard a secretary's voice。
 〃Goneral Hilliard's office。〃  Robert said; 〃Please hold for an overseas call。〃  He dropped the receiver and hurried into the next booth。  He quickly redialed the number。  A different secretary answered; 〃General Hilliard's office。〃
 〃Please hold for an overseas call;〃 Robert said。  He let the receiver hang; walked into the third booth; and dialed。  When another secretary answered; Robert said; 〃This is mander Bellamy。  I want to speak to General Hilliard。〃
 
 There was a gasp of surprise。
 〃Just a moment; mander。〃  The secretary buzzed the inter。
 〃General; mander Bellamy is on line three。〃
 
 General Hilliard turned to Harrison Keller。
 〃Bellamy is on line three。  Start a trace; fast。〃
 
 Harrison Keller hurried over to a telephone on a side table and dialed the Network Operations Center; manned and monitored twenty…four hours a day。  The senior officer on duty answered。
 〃NOC。  Adams。〃
 〃How long will it take to do an emergency trace on an ining call?〃 Keller whispered。
 〃Between one and two minutes。〃
 〃Start it。  General Hilliard's office; line three。  I'll hang on。〃 He looked over at the general and nodded。  General Hilliard picked up the telephone。
 〃mander…is that you?〃
 
 In the operations center; Adams punched a number into a puter。
 〃Here we go;〃 he said。
 〃I thought it was time you and I had a talk; General。〃
 〃I'm glad you called; mander。  Why don't you e in and we can discuss the situation?  I'll arrange a plane for you; and you can be here in…〃
 〃No thanks。  Too many accidents happen in airplanes; General。〃
 
 In the munications room; ESS; the electronic switching system had been activated。  The puter screen began lighting up。  AX121…B 。。。
 
 Ax122…C 。。。  AX123C。。。
 〃What's happening?〃
 
 Keller whispered into the phone。
 〃The Network Operations Center in New Jersey is searching the Washington; D。C。; trunks; sir。  Hold on。〃
 
 The screen went blank。  Then the words Overseas Trunk Line One flashed onto the screen。
 〃The call is ing from somewhere in Europe。  We're tracing the country。。。。〃
 
 General Hilliard was saying; 〃mander Bellamy; I think there's been a misunderstanding。  I have a suggestion。
 
 Robert replaced the receiver。
 
 General Hilliard looked over at Keller。
 〃Did you get it?〃
 
 Harrison Keller talked into the phone to Adams。
 〃What happened?〃
 〃We lost him。〃
 
 Robert moved into the second booth and picked up the telephone。
 
 General Hilliard's secretary said; 〃mander Bellamy is calling on line two。〃
 
 The two men looked at each other。  Gonersl Hilliard pressed the button for line two。
 〃mander?〃
 〃Let me make a suggestion;〃 Robert said。  General Hilliard put his hand over the mouthpiece。
 〃Get the trace working again。〃
 
 Harrison Keller picked up the telephone and said to Adams; 〃He's on again。  Line two。  Move fast。〃
 〃Right。〃
 〃My suggestion; General; is that you call off all your men。  And I mean now。〃
 〃I think you misunderstand the situation; mander。  We can work this problem out J~ 〃I'll tell you how we can work it out。  There's a termination order out on me。  I want you to cancel it。〃
 
 In the Network Operations Center; the puter screen was flashing a new message: AXJ55…C Subtrunk A21 verified。  Circuit 301 to Rome。
 
 Atlantic Trunk 1。
 〃We've got it;〃 Adams said into the phone。
 〃We've traced the trunk to Rome。〃
 〃Get me the number and location;〃 Keller told him。
 
 In Rome Robert was glancing at his watch。
 〃You gave me an assignment。  I carried it out。〃
 〃You did very well; mander。  Here is what IThe line went dead。
 
 The general turned to Keller。
 〃He hung up; again。〃  Keller spoke into the phone; 〃Did you get it?〃
 〃Too quick; sir。〃
 
 Robert moved into the next booth and picked up the telephone。
 
 General Hilliard's secretary's voice came over the inter。
 〃mander Bellamy is on line one; General。〃
 
 The general snapped; 〃Find the bastard!〃  He picked up the telephone。
 〃mander?〃
 〃I want you to listen; General; and listen closely。  You've murdered a lot of innocent people。  If you don't call off your men; I'm going to the media and tell them what's going on。〃
 〃I wouldn't advise you to do that; unless you want to start a worldwide panic。  The aliens are real; and we're defenseless against them。 They're getting ready to make their move。  You have no idea what would happen if word of this leaked out。〃
 〃Neither have you;〃 Bellamy retorted。
 〃I'm not giving you a choice。  Call off the contract on me。  If there's one more attempt made on my life; I'm going public。〃
 〃All right;〃 General Hilliard said。
 〃You win。  I'll call it off。  Why don't we do this?  We can…〃
 〃Your trace should be working pretty good; now;〃 Robert said。
 〃Have a good day。〃  The connection was broken。
 〃Did you get it?〃
 
 Keller barked into the phone。  Adams said; 〃Close; sir。  He was calling from an area in central Rome。  He kept switching numbers on us。〃
 
 The general looked over at Keller。
 〃Well?〃
 〃I'm sorry; General。  All we know is that he's somewhere in Rome。
 
 Do you believe his threat?  Are we going to call off the contract on him?〃
 〃No。 We're going to eliminate him。〃
 
 Robert went over his options again。  They were pitifully few。  They would be watching the airports; railroad stations; bus terminals; and rental…car agencies。  He could not check into a hotel because SIFAR would be circulating red notices。  Yet he had to get out of Rome。  He needed a cover。  A panion。  They would not be looking for a man and a woman together。  It was a beginning。  A taxi was standing at the corner。
 
 Robert museed his hair; pulled down his tie; and staggered drunkenly toward the taxi。
 〃Hey; there;〃 he called。
 〃You!〃  The driver looked at him distastefully。  Robert pulled out a twenty…dollar bill and slapped it into the man's hand。
 〃Hey; buddy; I'm looliin' a'get laid。  You know what that' means? D'you speak any goddamn English?〃
 
 The driver looked at the bill。
 〃You wish a woman?〃
 〃You got it; pal。  I wish a woman。〃
 〃Andiamo;〃 the driver said。
 
 Robert lurched into the cab; and it took off。  Robert looked back。
 
 He was not being followed。  The adrenaline was pumping。
 〃lIalf the governments in the world are looking for you。〃  And there would be no appeal。  Their orders were to assassinate him。
 
 Twenty minutes later they had reached Tor di Ounto; Rome's red…light district; populated by whores and pimps。  They drove down Passeggiata Archeologica; and the driver pulled to a stop at a corner。
 〃You will find a woman here;〃 he said。
 〃Thanks; buddy。〃  Robert paid the amount on the meter and stumbled out of the taxi。  It pulled away with a squeal of tires。
 
 Robert looked around; studying his surroundings。  No police。  A few cars and a handful of pedestrians。  There were more than a dozen whores cruising the street。  In the spirit of 〃Let's round up the usual suspects;〃 the police had conducted their bimonthly sweep to satisfy the voices of morality and moved the city's prostitutes from the Via Veneto; with its high visibility; to this area; where they would not offend the dowagers taking tea at Doney's。  For that reason; most of the ladies were attractive and well…dressed。  There was one in particular who caught Robert's eye。  She appeared to be in her early twenties。  She had long; dark hair and was dressed in a tasteful black skirt and white blouse; over which she wore a camel…hair coat。  Robert guessed that she was a part…time actress or model。  She was watching Robert。  Robert staggered up to her。
 〃Hi; baby;〃 he mumbled。
 〃D'you speak English?〃
 〃Yes。〃
 〃Good。  Le's you an' me have a party。〃  She smiled uncertainly。
 
 Drvnks could be trouble。
 〃Maybe you should go sober up first。〃  She had a soft Italian accent。
 〃Hey; I'm sober enough。〃
 〃It will cost you a hundred dollars。〃
 〃That's okay; honey。〃
 
 She made her decision。
 〃Va bene。  e。  There is a hotel just around the corner。〃
 〃Great。  What's your name; baby?〃
 〃Pier。〃
 〃Mine's Henry。〃  A police car appeared in the distance; headed their way。
 〃Let's get outta here。〃
 
 The other women cast envious glances as Pier and her American customer walked away。
 
 The hotel was no Hassler; but the pimply faced boy at the desk downstairs did not ask for a passport。  In fact; he barely glanced up as he handed Pier a key。
 〃Fifty thousand lira。〃
 
 Pier looked at Robert。  He took the money from his pocket and gave it to the boy。
 
 The room they entered contained a large bed in the corner; a small table; two wooden chairs; and a mirror over the sink。  There was a clothes rack in back of the door。
 〃You must pay me in advance。〃
 〃Sure。〃  Robert counted out one hundred dollars。
 〃Grazie。〃
 
 Pier began to get undressed。  Robert walked over to the window。  He pushed aside a corner of the curtain and peered out。  Everything appeared to be normal。  He hoped that by now the police were following the red truck back to France。  Robert dropped the curtain and turned around。  Pier was naked。  She had a surprisingly lovely body。
 
 Firm; young breasts; rounded hips; a small waist; and long; shapely legs。
 
 She was watching Robert。
 〃Aren't you going to get undressed; Henry?〃
 
 This was the tricky part。  。。。。  。  tell you the truth;〃 Robert said; 〃I think I had 

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