cc.floodtide-第61部分

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　Sandecker　pulled　his　red　Vandyke　to　a　point。　Only　Pitt　and　Giordino　recognized　the　wolfish　glint　in　his　eyes。　〃It　would　appear　we　have　little　choice　in　the　matter。　A　safe　house　might　be　the　best　place　for　you　to　lay　low　until　Qin　Shang　and　his　criminal　activities　are　terminated。〃
　Pitt　said　soberly；　〃Well；　I　guess　I　have　little　say　in　the　matter。　A　safe　house　it　is。〃
　Sandecker　wasn't　fooled　for　an　instant　by　Pitt's　easy　acceptance。　He　knew　his　special　projects　director　did　not　have　the　slightest　intention　of　leaving　the　room　like　a　lamb。　〃Then　it's　settled。〃　Suddenly　he　laughed　sharply。
　〃May　I　ask　what　you　find　so　funny；　Admiral？〃　asked　Monroe　irritably。
　〃Sorry；　Mr。　Monroe。　But　I'm　relieved　to　assume　that　the　INS；　the　FBI　and　CIA　have　no　further　use　for　NUMA。〃
　〃That　is　correct。　After　your　people　bungled　their　underwater　investigations　of　Qin　Shang　Maritime's　facilities　in　Hong　Kong　and　Sungari；　I　see　it　as　a　wasted　effort　to　involve　your　agency　any　further。〃
　Monroe's　cutting　words　produced　no　fury；　no　outrage；　nor　did　they　incite　wrath。　Pitt　and　Giordino　sat　there　and　took　it　in　stride；　expressing　no　emotions。　Sandecker　barely　managed　to　reply　to　the　missioner's　insulting　remarks。　He　settled　for　clenching　his　fists　out　of　sight　under　the　table。
　Pitt　rose　to　his　feet；　followed　by　Giordino。　〃I　know　when　I'm　not　wanted。〃　He　grinned　at　Sandecker。　〃I'll　wait　in　the　car。〃　He　paused　to　grasp　lightly　one　of　Julia's　hands；　raise　it　to　his　lips　and　kiss　it。　〃Have　you　ever　lain　on　the　beach　at　Maza…tlan　and　watched　the　sunset　over　the　Sea　of　Cortez？〃　he　whispered　in　her　ear。
　She　looked　self…consciously　up　and　down　at　the　faces　around　the　table；　her　face　reddening。　〃I've　never　even　been　to　Mexico。〃
　〃You　will；〃　he　promised；　〃you　will。〃　Then　he　released　her　hand　and　leisurely　strolled　from　the　conference　room；　trailed　by　Giordino　and　Sandecker。
　Unlike　most　directors　of　U。S。　governmental　agencies；　who　demanded　to　be　carried　around　Washington　by　limousine；　Admiral　Sandecker　preferred　to　drive　himself。　After　leaving　the　INS　headquarters　building；　he　steered　the　turquoise　Jeep；　which　was　one　of　the　NUMA　fleet　of　transportation　vehicles；　along　the　east　side　of　the　Potomac　River　on　the　Maryland　shore。　After　dropping　several　miles　below　the　city；　he　turned　off　the　road　and　stopped　the　Jeep　in　a　parking　lot　next　to　a　small　boat　dock。　Locking　the　car；　Sandecker　led　the　way　across　the　floating　wooden　dock　to　a　sixty…year…old　double…ender　whaleboat　that　had　once　served　as　Admiral　Bull　Halsey's　shore　boat　during　the　war　in　the　Pacific。　After　finding　it　in　shabby　condition；　he　had　lovingly　restored　it　to　its　original　state。　While　he　turned　the　handle　that　kicked　the　four…cylinder　Buda　diesel　engine　to　life；　Pitt　and　Giordino　cast　off　the　mooring　lines。　Then　they　climbed　aboard　as　the　little　boat　chugged　out　into　the　river。
　〃I　thought　we'd　hold　a　little　private　talk　before　we　returned　to　the　NUMA　building；〃　Sandecker　said　above　the　exhaust　as　he　held　the　long　tiller　in　the　stern　under　one　arm。　〃As　ridiculous　as　it　sounds；　I'm　leery　of　conversing　in　my　own　office。〃
　〃It　does　tend　to　make　one　gun…shy；　knowing　Qin　Shang　can　and　has　bought　off　half　the　city；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃The　guy　has　more　tentacles　than　ten　squids　joined　together　at　birth；〃　added　Giordino。
　〃Unlike　the　Russians；　who　paid　paltry　sums　for　secret　information　during　the　cold　war；〃　said　Sandecker；　〃Qin　Shang　thinks　nothing　of　paying　out　millions　of　dollars　to　buy　people　and　information。〃
　〃Backed　by　the　Chinese　government；〃　said　Pitt；　〃his　cash　reserves　are　bottomless。〃
　Giordino　sat　on　a　bench　seat　facing　Sandecker。　〃What　magic　have　you　conjured　up；　Admiral？〃
　〃Magic？〃
　〃I've　been　around　you　too　long　to　know　you're　not　the　kind　to　sit　back　and　take　contempt　and　ridicule。　Something　is　cooking　in　your　Machiavellian　mind。〃
　Pitt　grinned。　〃I　suspect　the　admiral　and　I　are　running　on　the　same　wavelength。　We're　not　about　to　let　NUMA　be　shut　out　of　hanging　Qin　Shang　from　the　nearest　tree。〃
　Sandecker's　lips　curled　in　a　taut　smile　as　he　swung　the　boat　in　a　wide　arc　to　avoid　a　sailboat　that　was　tacking　upriver。　〃I　hate　it　when　I'm　second…guessed　by　the　hired　help。〃
　〃Sungari？〃　asked　Pitt。
　Sandecker　nodded。　〃I've　kept　Rudi　Gunn　and　the　Marine　Denizen　on　station　a　few　miles　below　Qin　Shang　Maritime's　port　facility　in　the　Atchafalaya　River。　I'd　like　you　two　rogues　to　fly　down　and　join　him。　Then　wait　for　the　United　States　to　show　up。〃
　〃Where　is　she　now？〃　asked　Giordino。
　〃The　last　report　put　her　two　hundred　miles　off　the　coast　of　Costa　Rica。〃
　〃That　should　put　her　at　the　dock　at　Sungari　in　three　days；〃　remarked　Pitt。
　〃You　were　right　about　a　crew　ing　on　board　to　take　her　through　the　Panama　Canal。〃
　〃Did　they　remain　on　board？〃
　Sandecker　shook　his　head。　〃After　transit　through　the　Canal；　they　disembarked。　The　United　States　is　continuing　toward　Louisiana　under　remote　control。〃
　〃A　'robo　ship；'　〃　Giordino　muttered　thoughtfully。　〃Hard　to　believe　a　ship　the　size　of　the　United　States　is　cruising　the　seas　with　no　one　on　board。〃
　〃The　Navy　has　been　developing　the　'robo　ship'　concept　for　ten　years；〃　explained　Sandecker。　〃Ship　designers　and　engineers　have　already　built　an　arsenal　ship　that　is　basically　a　floating　missile　pad　able　to　launch　as　many　as　five　hundred　missiles　by　remote　control　from　another　ship；　an　aircraft　or　a　facility　thousands　of　miles　away；　a　radical　departure　from　present　aircraft　carriers　that　require　a　five…thousand…man　crew。　It's　the　newest　concept　from　the　Navy　since　the　nuclear　ballistic　missile　submarine。　Totally　contained　warships　and　bomber　aircraft　are　not　far　behind。〃
　〃Whatever　Qin　Shang　has　in　mind　for　the　United　States；〃　said　Giordino；　〃it's　not　as　a　missile　platform。　Dirk　and　I　searched　it　from　engine　room　to　wheelhouse。　There　are　no　missile　launchers。〃
　〃I　read　your　report；〃　said　Sandecker。　〃You　also　found　no　indication　that　it　would　be　used　to　smuggle　illegal　immigrants。〃
　〃That's　true；〃　acknowledged　Pitt。　〃When　Shang's　operations　are　examined　at　first　glance　they　appear　to　be　conceived　by　a　genius　with　a　flair　for　sorcery；　but　tear　away　the　veneer　and　you　find　a　logical　exercise。　He　has　a　valid　function　for　the　ship；　you　can　bet　on　it。〃
　
　Sandecker　pulled　the　throttle　lever　another　notch　and　increased　the　speed　of　the　whaleboat。　〃So　we're　no　closer　to　a　solution　than　we　were　two　weeks　ago。〃
　〃Except　for　my　personal　theory　that　Shang　intends　to　scuttle　her；〃　said　Pitt。
　Sandecker　looked　dubious。　〃Why　scuttle　a　perfectly　good　ocean　liner　after　he　spent　millions　refitting　her？〃
　〃I　don't　have　an　answer；〃　Pitt　admitted。
　〃That's　what　I　want　you　to　find　out。　Take　care　of　your　immediate　affairs　and　sign　out　a　NUMA　jet　to　fly　yourselves　to　Morgan　City。　I'll　call　Rudi　and　tell　him　you're　ing。〃
　〃Now　that　we're　working　without　an　endorsement　from　the　INS　and　other　investigative　agencies；　how　far　can　we　go　with　this　thing？〃　Pitt　asked。
　〃Do　whatever　it　takes　without　getting　yourselves　killed；〃　responded　Sandecker　firmly。　〃I'll　be　responsible　and　answer　for　your　actions　once　Monroe　and　Harper　get　wise　that　we　haven't　stumbled　off　into　the　fog　and　gone　home　like　good　little　boys。〃
　Pitt　studied　Sandecker。　〃Why　are　you　doing　this；　Admiral？　Why　are　you　jeopardizing　your　job　as　head　of　NUMA　to　stop　Qin　Shang？〃
　The　admiral　stared　back　at　Pitt　astutely。　〃You　and　Al　were　going　to　go　behind　my　back　and　keep　dogging　Qin　Shang　anyway。　Am　I　right？〃
　Giordino　shrugged。　〃Yes；　I　guess　you　are。〃
　〃The　instant　Dirk　played　the　cowardly　lion　and　timidly　submitted　to　Monroe's　demand　that　you　go　to　a　safe　house；　I　knew　　　damned　well　you　were　going　to　jump　ship。　I'm　only　bowing　to　the　inevitable。〃
　Pitt　had　long　ago　bee　a　shrewd　judge　of　Sandecker's　　character。　〃Not　you；　Admiral。　You　never　bow　to　anything　or　anybody。〃
　The　fire　in　Sandecker's　eyes　blazed　for　a　moment；　then　　　j　smoldered。　〃If　you　must　know；　those　spooks　around　the　table　pissed　me　off　so　bad　that　I'm　counting　on　both　of　you　and　Rudi　Gunn　and　every　resource　at　NUMA　to　take　out　Qin　Shang　before　they　do。〃
　〃We're　up　against　some　pretty　heavy　petition；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃Maybe；〃　said　Sandecker；　his　eyes　being　urgent；　manding。　〃But　Qin　Shang　Maritime　operates　on　water；　and　that's　where　we　have　the　advantage。〃
　After　the　meeting　broke　up；　Harper　escorted　Julia　to　his　office　and　closed　the　door。　When　she　was　seated　he　came　around　and　sat　down　behind　his　desk。　〃Julia；　I　have　a　tough　assignment　for　you。　Strictly　on　a　volunteer　basis。　I'm　not　sure　you're　quite　up　to　it　just　yet。〃
　Julia's　interest　was　piqued。　〃It　won't　hurt　to　give　me　a　rundown。〃
　Harper　handed　her　a　file　folder。　She　opened　it　and　examined　a　photograph　of　a　woman　her　own　age　who　was　facing　the　camera　with　a　blank　expression　on　her　face。　Except　for　a　scar　on　her　chin；　she　and　Julia　could　have　passed　for　sisters。　〃Her　name　is　Lin　Wan　Chu。　She　grew　up　on　a　farm　in　Jiangsu　Province　and　ran　away　when　her　father　wanted　her　to　marry　a　man　old　enough　to　be　her　grandfather。　After　finding　work　in　the　kitchen　of　a　restaurant　hi　the　port　Qingdao；　she　eventually　became　a　chef。　Two　years　ago　she　signed　on　as　a　cook　with　Qin　Shang　Maritime　and　has　since　crewed　on　a　container　ship　called　the　Sung　Lien　Star；〃
　Julia　turned　to　a　dossier　on　the　woman　and　noted　that　it　came　from　the　CIA。　She　began　reading　as　Harper　sat　back　silently　until　she　finished。　〃There　is　a　definite　resemblance；〃　said　Julia。　〃We're　the　same　height　and　weight。　I'm　only　four　months　older　than　Lin　Wan　Chu。〃　She　kept　the　file　open　in　her　lap　and　stared　across　the　desk　at　Harper。　〃You　want　me　to　take　her　place？　Is　that　the　assignment？〃
　He　nodded。　〃It　is。〃
　〃My　ID　was　made　on　the　Indigo　Star。　Thanks　to　a　double　agent　on　Qin　Shang's　payroll；　his　security　people　have　a　file　on　me　a　mile　long。〃
　〃The　FBI　thinks　they　have　a　prime　suspect　and　are　maintaining　surveillance　on　him。〃
　〃I　don't　see　how　I　could　take　Lin　Wan　Chu's　identity　and　not　be　caught；〃　Julia　said　solemnly。　〃Especially　during　a　long　voyage。〃
　〃You　only　have　to　be　Lin　Wan　Chu　for　four；　maybe　five；　hours　at　the　most。　Just　enough　time　to　slip　into　the　ship's　routine　and　hopefully　discover　how　Qin　Shang　is　smuggling　his　illegal　cargo　of　immigrants　onto　land。〃
　〃You　know　for　a　f