cc.floodtide-第15部分

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alf　dragged　her。　Ki　Wong　was　standing　by　the　disembarkation　ramp。　He　held　up　a　hand　and　stopped　the　enforcer　before　he　could　escort　her　down　the　ramp　to　a　strange…looking　black　boat；　bobbing　in　the　waves　beside　the　ship。
　〃One　final　word；　Ling　T'ai；〃　he　said　in　a　low；　cold　voice。　〃Now　that　you've　had　a　chance　to　think　over　my　offer；　perhaps　you've　had　a　change　of　mind。〃
　〃If　I　agree　to　bee　your　slave；〃　she　murmured　through　her　swollen　lips。　〃What　then？〃
　He　gave　her　his　best　jackal　grin。　〃Why　nothing。　I　don't　expect　you　to　bee　a　slave。　That　opportunity　has　long　since　passed。〃
　〃Then　what　do　you　want　from　me？〃
　〃Your　cooperation。　I'd　like　you　to　tell　me　who　else　was　working　with　you　on　board　the　Indigo　Star。〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；〃　she　muttered　contemptuously。
　He　stared　at　her　and　shrugged　smugly。　Then　he　reached　in　his　coat　pocket；　drew　out　a　piece　of　paper　and　pushed　it　at　her。　〃Read　this；　and　see　that　I　was　right　about　you。〃
　〃You　read　it；〃　she　said　with　her　last　shred　of　defiance。
　He　held　the　paper　under　a　deck　light　and　squinted　his　eyes。　〃　〃The　fingerprint　and　description　you　sent　via　satellite　were　analyzed　and　identified。　The　woman　Ling　T'ai　is　an　INS　agent　by　the　name　of　Julia　Marie　Lee。　Suggest　you　deal　with　her　in　an　expeditious　manner。'　〃
　If　Julia　had　a　tiny　thread　of　hope；　it　was　abruptly　swept　away。　They　must　have　taken　her　prints　after　she　was　battered　unconscious。　But　how　was　it　possible　for　a　band　of　Chinese　smugglers　to　make　her　ID　within　a　few　hours　from　any　source　but　the　FBI　in　Washington；　D。C。？　The　organization　had　to　be　far　more　plex　and　sophisticated　than　she　and　the　field　investigators　at　the　INS　suspected。　She　was　not　about　to　give　Wong　the　slightest　degree　of　satisfaction。
　〃I　am　Ling　T'ai。　I　have　nothing　more　to　say。〃
　〃Then　neither　do　I。〃　Wong　made　a　gesture　with　his　hand　toward　the　waiting　black　boat。　〃Goodbye；　Miss　Lee。〃
　As　the　enforcer　took　her　by　the　arm　and　pulled　her　off　the　counterfeit　cruise　ship；　Julia　looked　back　up　the　ramp　at　Wong；　who　still　stood　on　the　cruise　ship's　deck。　The　bastard　was　sneering　at　her。　She　stared　up　at　him　with　pure　hatred　in　her　eyes。
　〃You　will　die；　Ki　Wong；〃　she　said　caustically。　〃You　will　die　very　soon。〃
　He　returned　her　stare　more　out　of　amusement　than　annoyance。　〃No；　Miss　Lee。　It　is　you　who　will　die　soon。〃
　
　STILL　SICKENED　BY　WHAT　THE　AUV　HAD　DISCOVERED；　PITT　spent　the　final　hour　of　daylight　staring　across　the　lake　at　Qin　Shang's　retreat　through　his　telescope。　The　maid　on　her　rounds　at　the　guesthouses；　the　same　two　golfers　knocking　balls　all　over　the　landscape…they　were　the　only　people　he　ever　observed。　Most　curious；　he　thought。　No　cars　or　delivery　trucks　entered　or　left　the　grounds；　nor　did　the　security　guards　ever　reveal　themselves　again。　Pitt　could　not　believe　they　stayed　shut　up　in　the　little　windowless　huts　day　and　night　without　relief。
　
　He　called　no　one　at　NUMA　to　inform　them　of　the　grisly　discovery；　nor　did　he　contact　local　law　enforcement。　He　took　it　upon　himself　to　attempt　to　uncover　the　mystery　of　how　the　bodies　came　to　be　carpeting　the　bottom　of　the　lake。　That　Qin　Shang　was　using　the　lake　depths　as　a　depository　for　his　murder　victims　seemed　obvious。　But　there　was　more　to　learn　before　he　blew　the　whistle。
　
　Satisfied　there　was　nothing　more　to　see；　he　set　the　telescope　aside　and　carried　the　second　big　carton　sent　by　Yaeger　into　the　boathouse。　It　was　so　heavy　and　bulky　he　had　to　use　a　small　hand　truck　to　roll　the　carton　and　its　contents　across　the　dock。　Cutting　open　the　lid；　he　removed　a　pact　portable　electric　pressor　and　plugged　its　cord　into　an　overhead　light　socket。　Then　he　connected　the　pressor　to　the　dual…manifold　air　valve　on　twin　eighty…cubic…foot　diver's　air　cylinders。　It　popped　away　with　less　noise　than　the　exhaust　of　an　idling　car　engine。
　
　He　returned　to　the　cabin　and　lazily　watched　the　sun　descend　over　the　small　range　of　mountains　between　Orion　Lake　and　the　sea。　After　darkness　settled　over　the　lake；　Pitt　ate　a　light　dinner　and　then　watched　satellite　television。　At　ten　o'clock　he　made　ready　for　bed　and　turned　out　the　lights。　Gambling　the　surveillance　cameras　in　the　cabin　did　not　work　on　infrared；　he　stripped　naked；　crept　outside；　crawled　into　the　water　and；　holding　his　breath；　swam　up　inside　the　boathouse。
　
　The　water　was　frigid；　but　his　mind　was　too　occupied　to　notice。　He　toweled　his　body　dry　and　pulled　on　a　one…piece　Shellpro　nylon…and…polyester　undergarment。　The　pressor　had　automatically　shut　off　when　the　cylinders　were　topped　off　with　the　required　air　pressure。　He　attached　a　U。S。　Divers　Micra　air　regulator　to　the　manifold　valve　and　checked　the　straps　to　the　backpack。　Then　he　climbed　into　a　custom…made；　dark　gray　Viking　vulcanized…rubber　dry　suit　with　attached　hood；　gloves　and　traction…soled　boots。　He　preferred　the　dry　suit　over　a　wet　suit　for　better　thermal　protection　in　cold　water。
　
　Next　came　a　U。S。　Divers　military　buoyancy　pensator　and　a　Sigma　Systems　console　with　depth　gauge；　air　pressure　gauge；　pass　and　dive　timer。　For　weights；　he　used　an　integrated　system　with　part　of　the　weight　in　the　backpack　and　the　balance　on　his　weight　belt。　A　dive　knife　was　strapped　to　his　calf　and　an　underwater　miner's…type　light　was　slipped　over　his　hood。
　
　Finally；　he　slung　a　belt　that　looked　like　an　old　western　bandit's　bandolier　over　one　shoulder。　Its　holster　contained　a　pressed　air　gun　that　fired　wicked…looking　barbs　on　short　shafts。　Slots　in　the　belt　held　twenty　barbs。
　
　He　was　in　a　hurry　to　be　on　his　way。　He　had　a　long　swim　ahead　of　him　and　many　things　to　do　and　see。　He　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　dock；　pulled　on　his　fins；　twisted　his　body　to　prevent　the　air　tanks　on　his　back　from　snagging　the　boards　and　splashed　into　the　water。　Before　diving；　he　vented　the　air　out　of　the　dry　suit。　He　saw　not　the　slightest　reason　in　the　world　why　he　should　physically　extend　himself　and　waste　the　precious　air　in　his　tanks；　so　he　lifted　a　pact；　battery…powered　Stingray　diver…propulsion　vehicle　from　the　dock；　extended　it　out　in　front　of　him　by　the　handgrips；　pressed　the　FAST　speed　switch　to　its　stop　and　was　instantly　propelled　from　under　the　floats　of　the　boathouse。
　
　Getting　his　bearings　on　a　moonless　night　did　not　present　a　problem。　His　destination　across　the　lake　was　bathed　in　as　much　light　as　a　football　stadium。　The　brilliance　lit　up　the　surrounding　forest。　Why　such　a　dazzling　display　of　illumination？　Pitt　wondered。　It　seemed　too　excessive　for　average　security　purposes。　Only　the　dock　appeared　devoid　of　lighting；　but　it　was　hardly　needed；　considering　the　radiance　from　shore。　Pitt　pushed　the　face　mask　to　the　top　of　his　head　and　tilted　the　lens　of　the　dive　light　backward　to　prevent　any　alert　guards　from　spotting　a　reflection。
　
　If　the　surveillance　cameras　didn't　pierce　the　dark　with　infrared；　there　would　be　a　guard　with　night　glasses　pressed　against　his　eyes；　watching　for　night　fishermen；　hunters；　lost　Boy　Scout　masters　or　even　Bigfoot。　It　was　a　sure　bet　he　wasn't　peering　into　the　heavens　at　the　rings　of　Saturn。　Pitt　was　not　overly　concerned。　He　made　too　small　a　target　to　be　spotted　at　this　distance。　A　quarter　of　a　mile　nearer　and　it　would　be　a　different　story。
　
　One　of　the　fallacies　of　sneaking　around　in　the　dead　of　night　is　that　black　makes　for　the　perfect　concealment。　Supposedly　a　person　wearing　black　blends　into　the　shadows。　To　some　degree；　yes。　But　because　no　night　is　totally　black…there　is　often　light　from　the　stars…the　perfect　shade　for　near　invisibility　is　dark　gray。　A　black　object　can　be　distinguished　against　a　shadowed　background　on　a　dark　night；　whereas　gray　blends　in。
　
　Pitt　knew　his　chances　of　being　detected　were　remote　indeed。　Only　the　white　of　his　wake；　as　he　was　pulled　along　at　nearly　three　knots　by　the　Stingray　twin　motors；　broke　the　sheer　blackness　of　the　water。　After　less　than　five　minutes；　he　reached　the　midway　point。　He　adjusted　his　face　mask；　ducked　his　head　under　the　water　and　began　breathing　through　the　snorkel。　Another　four　minutes　put　him　a　hundred　yards　from　the　retreat's　boat　dock。　The　work　boat　was　still　gone；　but　the　yacht　still　tugged　at　her　mooring　lines。
　
　This　was　as　far　as　he　dared　go　on　the　surface。　He　spit　out　the　snorkel　and　clamped　his　teeth　on　the　mouthpiece　to　his　breathing　regulator。　Acpanied　by　the　hiss　of　his　exhaust；　he　tilted　the　Stingray　downward　and　dropped　into　the　depths；　leveling　out　about　ten　feet　above　the　bottom；　hovering　motionless　for　a　few　moments　while　adding　air　to　his　dry　suit　to　achieve　neutral　buoyancy；　then　snorting　and　clearing　his　ears　from　the　increase　of　water　pressure。　The　lights　of　the　retreat　cast　a　translucent　glow　beneath　the　water。　Pitt　felt　as　if　the　propulsion　vehicle　was　pulling　him　through　liquid　glass　coated　in　an　eerie　green。　He　averted　his　eyes　from　the　graveyard　below　as　visibility　increased　from　practically　nil　to　thirty　feet　the　closer　Pitt　approached　the　dock。　Fortunately；　he　could　not　be　discerned　from　above　because　the　reflection　on　the　surface　of　the　water　caused　a　glare　that　prevented　all　but　a　very　limited　view　of　the　depths。
　
　He　decreased　the　Stingray's　speed　and　moved　slowly　under　the　keel　of　the　yacht。　The　hull　was　clean　and　free　of　any　marine　growth。　Finding　nothing　of　interest　except　a　school　of　small　fish；　Pitt　cautiously　approached　the　floating　log　hut　from　which　the　guards　on　their　Chinese…built　personal　watercraft　had　burst　the　previous　afternoon。　His　heartbeat　increased　as　he　measured　his　opportunities　of　escape　if　he　was　discovered。　They　flat　didn't　exist。　A　swimmer　stood　little　chance　of　outrunning　a　pair　of　personal　watercraft　with　a　top　speed　of　thirty　miles　per　hour。　Unless　they　were　prepared　to　e　after　him　underwater；　all　they　had　to　do　was　outwait　him　until　he　exhausted　his　air　supply。
　
　He　had　to　be　very　careful。　There　would　be　no　light　reflection　on　the　surface　inside　the　hut。　To　anyone　sitting　in　a　darkened　room　over　calm　water　it　would　be　like　staring　into　the　depths　from　a　glass…bottomed　boat。　He　yearned　for　a　passing　school　of　fish　to　hide　among；　but　none　appeared。　This　is　madness；　he　thought。　If　he　had　an　ounce　of　gray　matter　he'd　make　his　getaway　while　he　was　yet　unseen；　swim　back　across　the　lake　to　the　cabin　and　call　the　police。　That's　what　any　sane