tc.redstormrising-第25部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ame　over　to　shake　his　hand。　〃Well　done；　mander。〃
Two　miles　away；　PHARRIS　was　tied　alongside　her　tender。　As　Ed　Morris　watched　from　the　bridge；　ASROC　rocket…boosted　torpedoes　were　being　lowered　onto　his　bow　by　crane；　then　fed　into　the　magazine。　Another　crane　was　lowering　supplies　onto　the　helicopter　hangar　aft；　and　a　third　of　his　crew　was　hard　at　work　moving　them　into　proper　storage　spaces　throughout　the　ship。　He'd　had　the　PHARRIS　for　nearly　two　years　now；　and　this　was　the　first　time　they'd　had　a　full　weapons　loadout。　The　eight…cell　〃pepperbox〃　ASROC　launcher　was　being　serviced　by　shoreside　technicians　to　correct　a　minor　mechanical　glitch。　Another　team　from　the　tender　was　going　over　a　radar　problem　with　his　own　crew。　This　was　the　end　of　his　own　checklist　of　problems　to　be　fixed。　The　ship's　engineering　plant　was　functioning　perfectly；　better　than　he　would　have　expected　for　a　ship　nearly　twenty　years　old。　In　another　few　hours；　USS　PHARRIS　would　be　pletely　ready　。　。　。　for　what？
〃Still　no　sailing　orders；　skipper？'　his　executive　officer　asked。
〃Nope。　I　imagine　everybody's　wondering　what　we'll　be　doing；　but　for　my　money　even　the　flags〃…Morris　always　referred　to　admirals　as　flags…〃don't　know　yet。　There's　a　meeting　of　COs　tomorrow　morning　at　CINCLANTFLT。　S'pose　I'll　find　out　something　then。　Maybe；〃　he　said　dubiously。
〃What　do　you　think　of　this　German　stuff？〃
〃The　Krauts　I've　worked　with　at　sea　have　been　all　right。　Trying　to　blast　the　whole　Russian　mand　structure…nobody's　that　crazy。〃　Morris　shrugged；　a　frown　spreading　across　his　dark　face。　〃XO；　there　ain't　no　rule　that　says　the　world　has　to　make　sense。〃
〃Damn　if　that　ain't　the　truth。　I　think　those　ASROCs　are　going　to　be　needed；　skipper。〃
〃I'm　afraid　you're　right。〃

CROFTON；　MARYLAND
〃To　sea？〃　Martha　Toland　asked。
〃That's　where　they　want　me；　and　it's　where　I　belong；　like　it　or　not。〃　Bob　had　trouble　meeting　his　wife's　eyes。　Listening　to　the　brittle　edge　on　her　voice　at　the　moment　was　bad　enough。　It　wasn't　his　job　to　bring　fear　into　her　life；　but　that　was　precisely　what　he'd　just　done。
〃Bob；　is　it　as　bad　as　I　think？〃
〃There's　no　telling；　babe。　It　might　be；　but　there's　no　telling。　Look；　Marty；　you　remember　Ed　Morris　and　Dan　McCafferty；　right？　They　both　have　their　own　mands　now；　and　they　have　to　go。　Am　I　supposed　to　stay　in　a　nice　safe　place　on　the　beach？〃
His　wife's　reply　was　devastating。
〃They're　professionals；　you're　not；〃　she　said　coldly。　〃You　play　weekend　warrior　and　serve　your　two　weeks　a　year　just　to　pretend　that　you're　still　in　the　Navy；　Bob。　You're　a　civilian　spook；　you　don't　belong　out　there。　You　can't　even　swim！''　Marty　Toland　could　give　lessons　to　sea　lions。
〃The　hell　I　can't！〃　Toland　protested；　knowing　that　it　was　an　absurd　thing　to　argue　about。
〃Right！　I　haven't　seen　you　in　a　pool　in　five　years。　Oh；　dammit；　Bob；　what　if　something　happens　to　you？　You　go　out　there　to　play　your　damned　games　and　leave　me　behind　with　the　kids。　What　do　I　tell　them？〃
〃You　tell　them　I　didn't　run　away；　I　didn't　hide；　I…〃　Toland　looked　away。　He　hadn't　expected　this。　Marty　came　from　a　Navy　family。　She　was　supposed　to　understand。　But　there　were　tears　on　her　cheeks　now；　and　her　mouth　was　quivering。　He　took　a　step　forward　to　wrap　his　arms　around　her。　〃Look；　I'm　going　to　be　on　a　carrier；　okay？　The　biggest　ship　we　have；　the　safest；　best…protected　ship　we　have；　with　a　dozen　other　ships　surrounding　her　to　keep　the　bad　guys　away；　and　a　hundred　airplanes。　They　need　me　to　help　figure　out　what　the　bad　guys　are　up　to　so　they　can　keep　them　as　far　away　as　possible。　Marty；　what　I'm　doing　is　necessary。　They　need　me。　The　Admiral　asked　for　me　by　name。　I'm　important…at　least　somebody　thinks　so。〃　He　smiled　gently　to　hide　his　lie。　A　carrier　was　the　best…protected　ship　in　the　fleet　because　she　had　to　be：　the　carrier　was　also　the　number…one　target　for　the　Russians。
〃I'm　sorry。〃　She　broke　out　of　his　grasp　and　walked　to　the　window。　〃How　are　Danny　and　Ed？〃
〃A　lot　busier　than　I　am。　Danny's　sub　is　somewhere　up…well；　right　now　he's　a　lot　closer　to　the　Soviets　than　I'll　ever　be。　Ed's　getting　ready　to　sail。　He's　got　a　1052…an　escort　ship…and　he'll　probably　be　out　protecting　convoys　or　something　from　submarines。　They　both　have　their　own　families。　At　least　you　get　a　chance　to　see　me　before　I　go。〃
Marty　turned　and　smiled　for　the　first　time　since　he　had　unexpectedly　walked　through　the　door。　〃You　will　be　careful。〃
〃I'll　be　damned　careful；　babe。〃　But　would　it　matter？

13。　…　The　Strangers　Arrive　and　Depart

AACHEN；　FEDERAL　REPUBLIC　OF　GERMANY
It　was　the　traffic　that　did　it。　The　envelope　came　as　promised　to　the　proper　post　office　box；　and　the　key　worked　as　he'd　been　told　to　expect。　Minimum　personnel　involvement。　The　major　grumbled　at　having　to　expose　himself　in　the　open　this　way；　but　it　wasn't　the　first　time　he'd　had　to　work　with　the　KGB；　and　he　needed　this　up…to…date　information　if　his　mission　were　to　have　any　chance　of　success。　Besides；　he　smiled　briefly；　the　Germans　are　so　proud　of　their　postal　service　。　。　。
The　major　folded　the　oversized　envelope　and　tucked　it　into　his　jacket　pocket　before　leaving　the　building。　His　clothing　was　entirely　German　in　origin；　as　were　the　sunglasses　which　he　donned　on　opening　the　door。　He　scanned　the　sidewalk　in　both　directions；　looking　for　anyone　who　might　be　trailing　him。　Nothing。　The　KGB　officer　had　promised　him　that　the　safe　house　was　totally　secure；　that　no　one　had　the　least　suspicion　that　they　were　here。　Perhaps。　The　taxi　was　waiting　for　him　across　the　street。　He　was　in　a　hurry。　The　cars　were　stopped　on　the　street；　and　he　decided　to　go　straight　across　instead　of　walking　to　the　er。　The　major　was　from　Russia　and　not　accustomed　to　the　unruly　European　traffic　where　the　pedestrians　are　expected　to　follow　the　rules　too。　He　was　a　hundred　meters　from　the　nearest　traffic　cop；　and　the　nearby　German　drivers　could　sense　that　the　cop's　back　was　turned。　It　should　have　been　as　much　a　surprise　to　the　major　as　to　American　tourists　that；　when　driving；　the　orderly　Germans　were　anything　but。　He　stepped　off　the　curb　without　looking；　just　as　the　traffic　started　moving。
He　never　even　saw　the　accelerating　Peugeot。　It　was　not　moving　fast；　only　twenty…five　kilometers　per　hour。　Fast　enough。　The　right　fender　caught　him　on　the　hip；　spun　him　around；　and　catapulted　the　major　into　a　lamppost。　He　was　knocked　unconscious　before　he　knew　what　had　happened；　which　was　just　as　well；　since　his　legs　remained　in　the　street　and　the　Peugeot's　rear　wheel　crushed　both　ankles。　The　damage　to　his　head　was　spectacular。　A　major　artery　was　cut　open；　and　blood　fountained　onto　the　sidewalk　as　he　lay　motionless　on　his　face。　The　car　stopped　at　once；　its　driver　leaping　out　to　see　what　she　had　done。　There　was　a　scream　from　a　child　who　had　never　seen　so　much　blood；　and　a　postman　raced　to　the　er　to　summon　the　police　officer　standing　in　the　traffic　circle；　while　another　man　went　into　a　store　to　call　an　ambulance。
The　stopped　traffic　allowed　the　taxi　driver　to　leave　his　vehicle　and　e　over。　He　tried　to　get　close；　but　already　a　half　dozen　men　were　bending　over　the　body。
〃Er　ist　tot；〃　one　observed；　and　the　body　was　pale　enough　to　make　one　think　so。　The　major　was　already　in　shock。　So　was　the　Peugeot's　driver；　whose　eyes　were　already　dripping　tears　as　her　breaths　came　in　irregular　sobs。　She　was　trying　to　tell　everyone　that　the　man　had　stepped　right　in　front　of　her　car；　that　she　hadn't　had　a　chance　to　stop。　She　spoke　in　French；　which　only　made　things　more　difficult。
Pushing　through　the　spectators；　the　taxi　driver　was　almost　close　enough　to　touch　the　body　by　now。　He　had　to　get　that　envelope　。　。　。　but　then　the　policeman　arrived。
〃Alles　zurfick！〃　the　cop　ordered；　remembering　his　training：　first；　get　things　under　control。　His　training　also　enabled　him　to　resist　the　instinct　to　move　the　body。　This　was　a　head　injury；　perhaps　a　neck　injury　also；　and　those　were　not　to　be　moved　except　by　Experten。　A　bystander　called　out　that　he　had　summoned　an　ambulance。　The　policeman　nodded　curtly　and　hoped　it　would　arrive　soon。　Making　traffic　accident　reports　was　far　more　routine　than　watching　an　unconsciousor　dead？…man　bleed　untidily　on　the　sidewalk。　He　looked　up　gratefully　a　moment　later　to　see　a　lieutenant　…a　senior　watch　supervisor…pushing　his　way　in。
〃Ambulance？〃
〃On　the　way；　Herr　Leutnant。　I　am　Dieter；　Gunther…traffic　detail。　My　post　is　down　the　street。〃
〃Who　was　driving　the　car　here？〃　the　lieutenant　asked。
The　driver　stood　as　erect　as　she　could　and　started　gasping　out　her　story　in　French。　A　passerby　who　had　seen　the　whole　thing　cut　her　off。
〃This　one　just　stepped　off　the　curb　without　looking。　The　lady　had　no　chance　to　stop。　I　am　a　banker；　and　I　came　out　of　the　post　office　right　behind　this　one。　He　tried　to　cross　at　the　wrong　place　and　stepped　into　the　street　without　looking　at　the　traffic。　My　card。〃　The　banker　handed　the　lieutenant　his　business　card。
〃Thank　you；　Dr。　Muller。　You　have　no　objection　to　making　a　statement？〃
〃Of　course。　I　can　e　directly　to　your　station　if　you　wish。〃
〃Good。〃　The　lieutenant　rarely　had　one　this　clean…cut。
The　taxi　driver　just　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　crowd。　An　experienced　KGB　case　officer；　he'd　seen　operations　go　bad　before；　but　this　was　。　。　。　absurd。　There　was　always　something　new　that　could　ruin　an　operation；　so　often　the　most　simple；　most　foolish　thing。　This　proud　Spetznaz　mando；　cut　down　by　a　middle…aged　Frenchwoman　driving　a　sedan！　Why　hadn't　he　looked　at　the　damned　traffic？　I　should　have　gotten　someone　else　to　fetch　the　envelope；　and　screw　the　damned　orders。　Security；　he　swore　behind　an　impassive　face。　Orders　from　Moscow　Center：　minimum　personnel　involvement。　He　walked　back　across　the　street　to　his　cab；　wondering　how　he'd　explain　this　to　his　control。　Mistakes　were　never　the　Center's　fault。
The　ambulance　arrived　next。　The　sergeant　removed　the　victim's　wallet　from　his　pants。　The　victim　was　one　Siegfried　Baum…wonderful；　the　lieutenant　thought；　a　Jew…from　the　Altona　district　of　Hamburg。　The　driver　of　the　car　was　French。　He　decided　he　had　to　ride　in　to　the　hospital　with　the　victim。　An　〃international〃　accident：　there'd　be　extra　paperwork　on　this。　The　lieutenant　wished　he'd　stayed　in　the　Gasthaus　across　the　street　and　finished　his　after　lunch　pilsener。　So　much　for　devotion　to　duty。　Then　there　was　his　possible　mobilization　to　worry　about　。