cc.floodtide-第45部分

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　〃How　can　you　be　sure　he'll　go　straight　to　the　American　capital？〃
　〃Unlike　you；　Su　Zhong；　who　can　read　people　from　photographs；　I've　studied　the　man's　history　from　the　time　he　was　born　until　he　devastated　my　operation　at　Orion　Lake。　Trust　me　when　I　say　he　will　return　to　his　home　at　the　first　opportunity。〃
　
　Su　Zhong　shuddered　slightly；　knowing　what　was　about　to　e。　〃Are　you　speaking　of　the　aircraft　hangar　where　he　lives　with　his　old　car　collection？〃
　〃Exactly；〃　Qin　Shang　hissed　like　a　serpent。　〃Pitt　will　watch　in　horror　as　his　precious　automobiles　go　up　in　flames。　I　may　even　take　the　time　and　watch　him　burn　with　them。〃
　〃Your　calendar　does　not　put　you　in　Washington　next　week。　You're　scheduled　for　meetings　with　your　pany　directors　in　Hong　Kong　and　government　officials　in　Beijing。〃
　〃Cancel　them；〃　Shang　said　with　an　indifferent　wave　of　one　hand。　〃Set　up　meetings　with　my　friends　in　Congress。　Also　arrange　a　meeting　with　the　President。　It's　time　I　soothed　any　misgivings　they　might　have　about　Sungari。〃　He　paused；　and　his　lips　tightened　in　a　sinister　smile。　〃Besides；　I　think　it　appropriate　that　I　be　on　hand　when　Sungari　bees　the　premier　shipping　port　in　North　America。〃
　
　
　AS　THE　SUN　ROSE　THE　OREGON　BOUNDED　ACROSS　A　CALM　SEA　under　clear　skies　at　a　speed　of　thirty　knots。　With　her　ballast　tanks　pumped　dry　to　raise　her　hull　out　of　the　water　to　reduce　drag；　she　made　a　strange　sight　with　her　stern　dug　deep　in　water　thrashed　white　by　wildly　turning　screws；　her　bows　lifted　nearly　free　of　the　troughs　before　bursting　aside　the　crest　of　the　next　rolling　swell。　During　the　night　the　cargo　deck　had　been　cleared　of　debris　while　the　ship's　surgeon　worked　nonstop　to　bind　wounds　and　operate　on　those　who　were　seriously　injured。　The　Oregon　lost　only　one　man；　who　had　the　misfortune　of　being　struck　hi　the　head　by　fragments　from　the　hundred…millimeter　shell　when　it　smashed　into　the　upper　section　of　the　stern。　None　of　the　wounded　were　critical。　The　surgeon　also　managed　to　save　all　but　six　of　the　Chinese　marines。　Both　officers　had　died　and　were　dropped　over　the　side　with　their　men　who　had　not　survived。
　
　The　women　who　served　aboard　the　Oregon　quickly　turned　into　angels　of　mercy；　assisting　the　surgeon　and　tending　to　the　wounded。　Pitt's　unlucky　curse　held　tight。　Instead　of　an　attractive　nurse　to　bandage　his　hip　wound；　his　luck　of　the　draw　was　the　ship's　quartermaster　or　mistress　（her　actual　title　in　Cabrillo's　corporate　structure　was　supply　and　logistics　coordinator）；　who　stood　six　feet　and　weighed　two　hundred　pounds　if　she　weighed　an　ounce。　Her　name　was　Monica　Crabtree；　and　she　was　as　bright　and　resourceful　as　they　came。
　
　After　she　finished；　she　gave　Pitt　a　slap　on　his　exposed　tail。　〃All　finished。　And　may　I　say　that　you've　got　a　nice　set　of　buns。〃
　〃Why　is　it；〃　Pitt　said；　pulling　up　his　boxer　briefs；　〃women　always　take　advantage　of　me？〃
　〃Because　we're　smart　enough　to　see　through　that　steely　exterior　and　know　that　inside　beats　the　heart　of　a　sentimental　slob。〃
　Pitt　looked　at　her。　〃Do　you　read　palms；　or　more　correctly；　buns？〃
　〃No；　but　I'm　a　whiz　with　tarot　cards。〃　Crabtree　paused　and　gave　him　a　e…hither　smile。　〃e　over　to　my　quarters　sometime　and　I'll　give　you　a　reading。〃
　Pitt　would　have　rather　rushed　off　for　a　root　canal。　〃Sorry；　knowing　the　future　might　upset　my　stomach。〃
　Pitt　limped　through　the　open　doorway　to　the　chairman's　cabin。　No　bunk　for　the　chairman　of　the　board。　Cabrillo　was　lying　in　a　king…size　bed　with　a　Balinese　carved　headboard　on　top　of　clean　green　sheets。　Bottles　on　a　stand　containing　clear　fluids　flowed　into　him　through　tubes。　Considering　his　ordeal；　he　looked　reasonably　healthy　as　he　sat　propped　up　by　pillows　reading　damage　reports　while　smoking　a　pipe。　Pitt　was　saddened　to　see　that　his　leg　had　been　amputated　below　the　knee。　The　stump　was　elevated　on　a　pillow；　a　red　stain　having　spread　through　the　bandage。
　
　〃Sorry　about　your　leg；〃　said　Pitt。　〃I　had　hoped　the　surgeon　might　have　somehow　reattached　it。〃
　〃Wishful　thinking；〃　said　Cabrillo　with　extraordinary　grit。　〃The　bone　was　too　shattered　for　the　doc　to　glue　it　back　on。〃
　〃I　guess　there　is　no　sense　in　asking　how　you　feel。　Your　constitution　seems　to　be　firing　on　all　cylinders。〃
　Cabrillo　nodded　at　his　missing　limb。　〃Not　so　bad。　At　least　it's　below　the　knee。　How　do　you　think　I'd　look　with　a　peg　leg？〃
　Pitt　looked　down　and　shrugged。　〃Somehow　I　can't　picture　the　chairman　of　the　board　stomping　about　the　deck　like　some　lecherous　buccaneer。〃
　〃Why　not？　That's　what　I　am。〃
　〃It's　obvious；〃　Pitt　said；　smiling；　〃that　you　don't　need　any　sympathy。〃
　〃What　I　need　is　a　good　bottle　of　Beaujolais　to　replace　my　blood　loss。〃
　Pitt　eased　into　a　chair　beside　the　bed。　〃I　hear　you've　given　orders　to　bypass　the　Philippines。〃
　Cabrillo　nodded。　〃You　heard　correct。　All　hell　must　have　broken　loose　when　the　Chinese　learned　we　sank　one　of　their　cruisers　along　with　its　crew。　They'll　use　every　arm…twisting　scheme　in　the　diplomatic　book　to　have　us　arrested　and　the　ship　impounded　the　minute　we　sail　into　Manila。〃
　〃What　then　is　our　destination？〃
　〃Guam；〃　answered　Cabrillo。　〃We'll　be　safe　in　American　territory。〃
　〃I'm　deeply　sorry　about　the　death　and　injuries　to　your　crew　and　damage　to　your　ship；〃　said　Pitt　sincerely。　〃The　blame　belongs　on　my　shoulders。　If　I　hadn't　insisted　you　delay　your　departure　from　Hong　Kong　to　search　inside　the　liner；　the　Oregon　might　have　gotten　clear。〃
　〃Blame？〃　Cabrillo　said　sharply。　〃You　think　you're　the　cause　of　all　that's　happened？　Don't　flatter　yourself。　I　wasn't　ordered　by　Dirk　Pitt　to　covertly　search　the　United　States。　I　made　a　contract　with　the　U。S。　government　to　fulfill　a　mission。　All　decisions　relating　to　the　search　were　mine　and　mine　alone。〃
　〃You　and　your　crew　paid　a　high　price。〃
　〃Maybe　so；　but　the　corporation　was　damn　well　rewarded　for　it。　In　fact；　we're　already　guaranteed　a　fat　bonus。〃
　〃Still…〃
　〃Still；　hell。　The　mission　would　have　been　a　bust　if　you　and　Giordino　hadn't　learned　what　you　did。　To　someone；　somewhere　in　the　hallowed　halls　of　our　intelligence　agencies　the　information　will　be　considered　vital　to　the　nation's　interest。〃
　〃All　we　really　learned；〃　said　Pitt；　〃is　that　a　former　ocean　liner；　gutted　of　every　nonessential　piece　of　equipment　and　owned　by　a　master　criminal；　is　sailing　without　a　crew　to　a　port　in　the　United　States　owned　by　the　same　master　criminal。〃
　〃I'd　say　that's　quite　a　store　of　information。〃
　〃What　good　is　it　if　we've　yet　to　fathom　the　motivation？〃
　〃I　have　confidence　you'll　divine　the　answer　when　you　get　back　to　the　States。〃
　〃We　probably　won't　learn　anything　solid　until　Qin　Shang　tips　his　hand。〃
　〃The　Ancient　Mariner　and　the　Hying　Dutchman　had　ghostly　crews。〃
　〃Yes；　but　they　were　works　of　classic　fiction。〃
　
　Cabrillo　set　his　pipe　in　an　ashtray；　he　was　beginning　to　look　tired。　〃My　theory　about　the　United　States　blowing　up　the　Panama　Canal　might　have　held　water　if　you'd　found　her　bowels　filled　with　high　explosives。〃
　
　〃Like　the　old　lend…lease　destroyer　during　a　mando　raid　at　Saint…Nazaire；　France；　in　World　War　II；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃The　Campbeltown。　I　remember。　The　British　packed　her　with　several　tons　of　explosives　and　rammed　her　into　the　big　dry　dock　at　the　Saint…Nazaire　shipyard　so　the　Nazis　couldn't　use　it　to　refit　the　Tirpitz。　With　the　help　of　a　timing　device；　she　blew　to　pieces　several　hours　later；　destroying　the　dry　dock　and　killing　over　a　hundred　Nazis　who　came　to　stare　at　her。〃
　〃You'd　need　several　trainloads　of　explosives　to　blow　a　ship　the　size　of　the　United　States　out　of　existence　and　everything　within　a　mile　around　her。〃
　〃Qin　Shang　is　capable　of　most　anything。　Could　it　be　he　got　his　hands　on　a　nuclear　bomb？〃
　〃Suppose　he　did？〃　suggested　Pitt。　〃What's　his　upside？　Who'd　waste　a　good　nuclear　bomb　unless　you've　got　a　target　of　conspicuous　magnitude？　What　could　he　gain　by　leveling　San　Francisco；　New　York　or　Boston？　Why　spend　millions　reconverting　a　nine…hundred…and…ninety…foot　ocean　liner　into　a　bomb　carrier　when　he　could　have　used　any　one　of　a　thousand　old　obsolete　ships？　No；　Qin　Shang　is　not　a　fanatical　terrorist　with　a　cause。　His　religion　is　domination　and　greed。　Whatever　his　grand　design；　it　has　to　be　devious　and　brilliant；　one　that　you　and　I　wouldn't　have　thought　of　in　a　million　years。〃
　〃You're　right；〃　Cabrillo　sighed。　〃Devastating　a　city　and　killing　thousands　of　people　is　a　no…win　situation　for　a　man　of　wealth。　Especially　when　you　consider　that　the　bomb　carrier　could　be　traced　back　directly　to　Qin　Shang　Maritime。〃
　〃Unless；〃　Pitt　added。
　〃Unless？〃
　Pitt　gave　Cabrillo　a　distant　look。　〃Unless　the　scheme　called　for　a　minimal　amount　of　explosives。〃
　〃For　what　purpose？〃
　〃To　blow　the　bottom　out　of　the　United　States　and　scuttle　her。〃
　〃Now　there's　a　possibility。〃　Cabrillo's　eyelids　were　beginning　to　droop。　〃I　do　believe　you　may　be　onto　something。〃
　〃That　could　explain　why　Al　found　all　the　doors　to　the　crew's　quarters　and　lower　cargo　holds　welded　shut。〃
　〃Now　all　you　need　is　a　crystal　ball　to　predict　where　Qin　Shang　intends　to　sink　her　。。。〃　Cabrillo　murmured　softly。　His　voice　trailed　off　as　he　drifted　off　to　sleep。
　
　Pitt　started　to　say　something；　but　saw　that　he　would　only　be　talking　to　himself。　He　quietly　stepped　from　Cabrillo's　cabin　and　softly　closed　the　door。
　
　Three　days　later　the　Oregon　picked　up　the　harbor　pilot；　passed　through　the　shipping　channel　and　slipped　alongside　the　dock　at　Guam's　mercial　terminal。　Except　for　the　stump　where　her　aft　mast　once　stood　and　her　pulverized　stern；　the　ship　looked　little　the　worse　for　wear。
　
　A　string　of　ambulances　was　waiting　on　the　dock　to　receive　the　wounded　and　transport　them　to　the　hospital　at　the　island's　naval　station。　The　Chinese　marines　were　the　first　to　be　taken　away；　followed　by　the　ship's　crew。　Cabrillo　was　the　last　of　the　injured　to　leave　the　ship。　After　saying　their　goodbyes　to　the　crew；　Pitt　and　Giordino　muscled　aside　the　stretcher　bearers　and　carried　him　down　the　gangway　themselves。
　
　〃I　feel　like　the　sultan　of　Baghdad；〃　said　Cabrillo。
　〃You'll　get　our　bill　in　the　mail；〃　Giordino　told　him。
　They　reached　the　ambulance　and　gently　set　the　stretcher　on　the　dock　before　loading　it　onto　a　gurney。　Pitt　knelt　down　and　stared　into　Cabrillo's　eyes。　〃It　was　an　honor　knowing　yo