cc.floodtide-第28部分

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　and　the　subject　were　born　on　the　same　day　in　the　same　year。　There；　any　similarity　ended。　The　subject　was　the　son　of　Senator　George　Pitt　of　California。　His　mother　was　the　former　Barbara　Knight。　He　attended　Newport　Beach　High　School　in　California　and　then　the　Air　Force　Academy　in　Colorado。　Academically；　he　was　above　average；　finishing　thirty…fifth　in　his　class。　Played　on　the　football　team　and　won　several　athletic　trophies。　After　flight　training；　he　achieved　a　distinguished　military　career　during　the　closing　days　of　the　〃Vietnam　War。　Rose　to　the　rank　of　major　before　transferring　from　the　Air　Force　to　the　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency。　Later　promoted　to　lieutenant　colonel。
　
　A　collector　of　old　automobiles　and　aircraft；　he　kept　them　stored　in　an　old　hangar　at　the　edge　of　Washington's　National　Airport。　He　lived　in　an　apartment　above　the　collection。　His　acplishments　at　NUMA　while　serving　as　special　projects　director　under　his　boss；　Admiral　James　Sandecker；　read　like　an　adventure　novel。　From　heading　the　project　to　raise　the　Titanic　to　discovering　the　long…lost　artifacts　from　the　Alexandria　Library　to　stopping　a　red　tide　in　the　oceans　that　would　have　ultimately　decimated　life　on　earth；　during　the　past　fifteen　years　the　subject　was　directly　responsible　for　operations　that　either　saved　a　great　many　lives　or　were　of　inestimable　benefit　to　archaeology　or　the　environment。　The　list　of　projects　he　directed　to　successful　conclusions　covered　nearly　twenty　pages。
　
　Qin　Shang's　agent　had　also　included　a　list　of　men　Pitt　reportedly　had　killed。　Qin　Shang　was　stunned　by　several　of　the　names。　They　consisted　of　men　who　were　wealthy　and　powerful　as　well　as　mon　criminals　and　professional　murderers。　Su　Zhong　was　correct　in　her　evaluation。　This　man　could　be　an　extremely　dangerous　enemy。
　
　After　nearly　an　hour；　Qin　Shang　laid　aside　the　documents　and　picked　up　the　photograph。　He　stared　at　the　figure　standing　beside　an　old　car　intently；　wondering　what　drove　such　a　man。　It　became　clearer　with　each　passing　minute　that　their　paths　would　cross。
　
　〃So；　Mr。　Dirk　Pitt；　you　are　the　man　responsible　for　the　disaster　at　Orion　Lake；〃　said　Qin　Shang；　speaking　to　the　photograph　as　though　Pitt　were　standing　in　the　room　before　him。
　
　〃Your　motive　for　destroying　my　immigrant　staging　area　and　yacht　is　as　yet　a　mystery　to　me。　But　I　have　this　to　say　to　you：　You　have　qualities　that　I　respect；　but　you　have　e　to　the　end　of　your　career。　The　next　addendum　and　final　postscript　to　your　file　will　be　your　obituary。〃
　
　ORDERS　CAME　DOWN　FROM　WASHINGTON　FOR　SPECIAL　AGENT　Julia　Lee　to　be　flown　immediately　from　Seattle　to　San　Francisco；　where　she　was　placed　in　a　hospital　for　medical　treatment　and　observation。　The　nurse　assigned　to　her　audibly　gasped　when　she　removed　the　hospital　gown　so　the　doctor　could　make　his　examination。　There　was　hardly　a　square　inch　of　Julia's　body　that　wasn't　black…and…blue　or　marked　by　reddish　bruises。　The　expression　in　the　nurse's　eyes　also　made　it　evident　that　Julia's　face　was　still　grotesque　from　the　swelling　and　discoloration；　reinforcing　Julia's　determination　not　to　look　at　herself　in　a　mirror　for　at　least　a　week。
　
　〃Did　you　know　you　had　three　cracked　ribs？〃　asked　the　doctor；　a　jolly；　rotund　man　with　a　bald　head　and　closely　cropped　gray　beard。
　〃I　guessed　from　the　stabbing　pain　every　time　I　sat　down　and　then　stood　after　going　to　the　bathroom；〃　she　said　lightheartedly。　〃Will　you　have　to　put　a　cast　around　my　chest？〃
　The　doctor　laughed。　〃Binding　fractured　ribs　went　out　with　leeches　and　bleeding。　Now　we　just　let　them　mend　on　their　own。　You'll　suffer　some　disfort　when　you　make　sudden　movements　for　the　next　few　weeks；　but　that　will　soon　diminish。〃
　〃How　about　the　rest　of　the　damage？　Is　it　reparable？〃
　〃I've　already　set　your　nose　back　in　place；　medication　will　soon　reduce　the　swelling　and　all　signs　of　bruising　should　disappear　fairly　quickly。　I　predict　that　by　this　time　next　month　you'll　be　voted　queen　of　the　prom。〃
　〃All　women　should　have　a　doctor　like　you；〃　Julia　plimented　him。
　〃Funny；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃my　wife　never　says　that。〃　He　squeezed　her　hand　reassuringly。　〃If　you're　feeling　up　to　it；　you　can　go　home　the　day　after　tomorrow。　By　the　way；　there's　a　couple　of　important　characters　from　Washington　on　their　way　up　from　the　reception　desk　to　see　you。　They　should　be　stepping　off　the　elevator　about　now。　In　old　movies　visitors　in　a　hospital　are　always　told　not　to　stay　too　long。　But　to　my　way　of　thinking；　going　back　to　work　speeds　the　healing　process。　Just　don't　overdo　it。〃
　〃I　won't；　and　thank　you　for　your　courtesy。〃
　〃Not　at　all。　I'll　look　in　on　you　this　evening。〃
　〃Shall　I　stay？〃　asked　the　nurse。
　The　doctor　shook　his　head　as　two　somber…looking　men　carrying　briefcases　entered　the　room。　〃Official　government　business。　You'll　want　to　talk　with　Ms。　Lee　in　private。　Right；　gentlemen？〃
　〃Quite　right；　doctor；〃　said　Julia's　boss；　Arthur　Russell；　director　of　the　INS　San　Francisco　district　office。　Russell　was　gray…haired；　his　body　reasonably　trim　from　daily　workouts　in　a　home　exercise　room。　He　smiled　and　looked　at　Julia　through　eyes　warm　with　sympathy。
　The　other　man；　with　thinning　blond　hair；　his　gray　eyes　peering　through　rimless　spectacles；　was　a　stranger　to　Julia。　There　was　no　hint　of　sympathy　in　his　eyes。　If　anything；　he　looked　as　if　he　was　about　to　sell　her　an　insurance　policy。
　〃Julia；〃　said　Russell；　〃I'd　like　to　introduce　Peter　Harper。　He　flew　in　from　Washington　to　debrief　you。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　said　Julia；　struggling　to　sit　up　in　bed；　wincing　from　the　pain　that　shot　through　her　chest。　〃You're　the　executive　associate　missioner　for　field　operations。　I'm　happy　to　meet　you。　Your　reputation　is　a　bit　of　a　legend　throughout　the　Service。〃
　〃I'm　flattered。〃　Harper　shook　Julia's　outstretched　hand　and　was　surprised　at　the　firmness　of　her　grip。　〃You've　had　a　tough　time　of　it；〃　he　said。　〃missioner　Monroe　sends　his　congratulations　and　thanks；　and　wishes　me　to　say　that　the　Service　is　proud　of　your　performance。〃
　
　He　makes　it　sound　as　if　I　was　taking　a　curtain　call　after　a　play；　Julia　thought。　〃But　for　one　man；　I　wouldn't　be　here　to　receive　the　pliment。〃
　〃Yes；　we'll　e　to　him　later。　Right　now；　I'd　like　a　verbal　accounting　of　your　mission　to　infiltrate　the　smugglers'　operation。〃
　〃We　didn't　mean　to　put　you　back　in　harness　so　soon；〃　interrupted　Russell　in　a　quiet　voice。　〃A　full　written　report　of　your　activities　can　wait　until　you're　up　and　about。　But　for　now；　we'd　like　you　to　tell　us　everything　you've　learned　about　the　smugglers　and　their　procedures。〃
　〃From　the　time　I　became　Ling　T'ai　and　paid　the　smugglers　for　passage　in　Beijing？〃　Julia　asked。
　〃From　the　beginning；〃　said　Harper；　taking　a　tape　recorder　from　his　briefcase　and　setting　it　on　the　bed。　〃Starting　with　your　entry　into　China。　We'd　like　to　hear　it　all。〃
　
　Julia　looked　at　Harper　as　she　began。　〃As　Arthur　can　tell　you；　I　traveled　to　Beijing；　China；　with　a　group　of　Canadian　tourists。　After　we　arrived　in　the　city　I　deserted　the　group　during　a　walking　tour　of　the　city。　Being　of　Chinese　descent　and　speaking　the　language；　I　had　no　problem　with　melting　into　the　people　crowding　the　streets。　After　changing　into　more　suitable　clothes；　I　began　making　discreet　inquiries　about　emigrating　to　a　foreign　country。　As　it　turned　out　the　newspapers　ran　stories　and　advertisements　promoting　emigration　outside　China's　borders。　I　answered　an　ad　by　an　outfit　calling　themselves　Jingzi　International　Passages。　Their　offices；　coincidentally；　were　on　the　third　floor　of　a　modern　building　owned　by　Qin　Shang　Maritime　Limited。　The　price　to　be　smuggled　into　the　United　States　was　the　equivalent　of　thirty　thousand　American　dollars。　When　I　attempted　to　haggle；　I　was　told　in　no　uncertain　terms　to　pay　up　or　leave。　I　paid。〃
　
　Then　Julia　related　the　story　of　her　terrible　ordeal　after　boarding　the　outwardly　luxurious　cruise　ship　that　became　a　hell　ship。　She　told　of　the　inhuman　cruelty；　the　lack　of　food　and　sanitation　facilities；　the　brutality　of　the　enforcers；　her　interrogation　and　beating；　the　transfer　of　the　able…bodied　to　boats　that　took　them　unknowingly　to　a　life　of　slavery　ashore　while　those　of　some　wealth　were　diverted　to　the　prison　at　Orion　Lake　and　placed　in　cages　until　they　could　be　squeezed　for　more　money。　The　very　young；　the　elderly　and　those　who　could　not　physically　endure　a　life　of　servitude　were　quietly　murdered　by　drowning　in　the　lake。
　
　She　narrated　in　exacting　detail　the　entire　smuggling　operation　calmly　and　unemotionally；　covering　every　foot　of　the　mother　ship　and　drawing　illustrations　of　the　smaller　craft　used　to　ferry　the　aliens　into　the　U。S。　Using　her　trained　skills　in　identification；　she　described　the　facial　features　and　approximate　body　measurements　of　every　smuggler　she　came　in　contact　with；　supplying　whatever　names　she　was　able　to　obtain。
　
　She　told　how　she；　the　elderly　aliens　and　the　family　with　two　children　were　forced　into　the　confining　cabin　of　the　black　catamaran；　how　they　were　eventually　bound　and　their　feet　tied　with　iron　weights　before　being　dropped　through　an　open　hatch　into　the　lake。　She　told　how　a　man　in　diving　gear　had　miraculously　appeared　and　cut　them　all　loose　before　they　drowned。　Then　she　described　how　he　herded　everyone　to　the　temporary　safety　of　the　shore；　how　he　forted　and　fed　them　at　his　cabin　and　provided　a　means　of　escape　minutes　before　the　arrival　of　the　smugglers'　security　force。　She　told　how　that　enduring　man　of　iron　killed　five　of　the　enforcers　who　were　set　on　murdering　the　escaped　immigrants；　how　he　took　a　bullet　in　the　hip　and　acted　as　if　it　never　happened。　She　gave　an　account　of　his　blowing　up　the　dock　and　yacht　at　the　retreat；　the　harrowing　battle　down　the　river　to　Grapevine　Bay；　her　shooting　the　two　ultralights　out　of　the　sky；　and　the　indomitable　courage　of　the　man　at　the　wheel　of　the　runabout　who　threw　his　body　over　the　children　when　it　was　thought　they　were　about　to　be　blasted　out　of　the　water。
　
　Julia　told　them　everything　she　had　witnessed　since　leaving　China。　But　she　couldn't　explain　how　or　why　the　man　from　NUMA　came　to　be　under　the　catamaran　at　the　exact　moment　she　and　the　others　were　dropped　into　the　cold　waters　of　the　lake；　nor　could　she　explain　why　he　made　a　reconnaissance　of　the　prison　building　on　his　own　initia