cc.floodtide-第62部分

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nto　land。〃
　〃You　know　for　a　fact　the　Sung　Lien　Star　has　aliens　hidden　on　board？〃
　〃A　CIA　undercover　agent　in　Qingdao　reported　that　he　observed　over　a　hundred　men；　women　and　children　with　luggage　being　unloaded　from　buses　in　the　dead　of　night　who　were　herded　into　a　warehouse　on　the　dock　beside　the　ship。　Two　hours　later；　the　Sung　Lien　Star　sailed。　At　daylight；　the　agent　found　the　warehouse　empty。　A　hundred…some…odd　people　had　mysteriously　disappeared。〃
　〃And　he　thinks　they　were　smuggled　on　board　the　ship？〃
　〃The　Star　is　a　large　container　ship　with　the　capacity　to　hide　a　hundred　warm　bodies；　and　its　destination　is　the　port　of　Sun…gari　in　Louisiana。　There　seems　little　doubt　that　she's　another　one　of　Qin　Shang's　illegal…immigrant　smuggling　vessels。〃
　〃They　make　me　this　time；〃　said　Julia　seriously；　〃and　I'll　be　shark　bait　in　less　time　than　it　takes　to　tell　about　it。〃
　〃The　risk　is　not　as　high　as　you　think；〃　Harper　assured　her。　〃You　won't　be　working　alone　like　you　did　on　the　Indigo　Star。　You'll　carry　a　concealed　radio　and　be　monitored　every　minute。　Backup　will　be　no　less　than　a　mile　away。〃
　When　it　came　to　daring　the　unknown；　Julia　was　as　fearless　as　any　man；　more　so　than　most。　Her　adrenaline　was　already　rising　at　the　thought　of　walking　a　tightrope。
　〃There　is　one　problem；〃　she　said　quietly。
　〃What　is　that？〃
　A　little　grimace　twisted　the　shapely　red　mouth。　〃My　mother　and　father　taught　me　gourmet　cooking。　I've　never　prepared　basic　slop　in　quantity　before。〃
　
　THE　MORNING　WAS　BRIGHT　WITH　A　HIGH　CLEAR　SKY　FLECKED　by　small　cloud　puffs　scattered　about　like　popcorn　spilled　on　a　blue　carpet　as　Pitt　leveled　out　the　little　Skyfox　flying　boat　and　flew　over　the　terminal　buildings　and　docks　of　Sungari。　He　circled　and　made　several　passes；　skimming　less　than　a　hundred　feet　above　the　tops　of　the　big　cranes　that　were　lifting　wooden　cargo　crates　from　the　holds　of　the　only　freighter　moored　along　an　otherwise　deserted　dock。　The　merchant　ship　was　sandwiched　between　the　dock　and　a　barge　with　a　towboat。
　
　〃Must　be　a　slow　business　day；〃　observed　Giordino　from　the　copilot's　seat。
　〃One　ship　offloading　cargo　at　a　port　facility　built　to　handle　an　entire　fleet；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃Qin　Shang　Maritime　Limited's　profit…and…loss　ledger　must　be　awash　in　red　ink。〃
　〃What　do　you　make　of　the　barge？〃　asked　Pitt。
　〃Looks　like　trash　day。　The　crew　appears　to　be　throwing　plastic　sacks　over　the　side　into　the　barge。〃
　〃See　any　signs　of　security？〃
　〃The　place　sits　in　the　middle　of　a　swamp；〃　said　Giordino　staring　down　into　the　surrounding　marshlands。　〃The　only　duty　for　security　guards　would　be　to　shoo　off　itinerant　alligators；　which　I　hear　are　hunted　around　these　parts。〃
　〃A　big　business；〃　Pitt　said。　〃Their　skins　are　used　for　shoes；　boots　and　purses。　Hopefully；　laws　will　be　passed　to　restrict　the　alligator　killing　long　before　they　bee　an　endangered　species。〃
　〃That　tugboat　and　garbage　barge　are　beginning　to　pull　away　from　the　hull　of　the　freighter。　Make　a　swing　over　them　when　they　get　into　open　water。〃
　〃Not　tugboat；　you　mean　towboat。〃
　〃A　misnomer。　Why　call　them　towboats　when　they　push　instead　of　pull　barges　through　inland　waterways？〃
　〃A　collection　of　connecting　barges　is　called　a　tow；　hence；　towboat。〃
　〃They　should　be　called　pushboats；〃　Giordino　grumbled。
　〃I'll　take　your　suggestion　up　at　the　next　river　pilot's　annual　high…water　ball。　Maybe　they'll　give　you　a　free　pass　on　a　ferryboat。〃
　〃I　already　get　one　of　those　every　time　I　buy　ten　gallons　of　gas。〃
　〃ing　around。〃　Pitt　tilted　the　control　column　slightly；　banking　the　Lockheed　Skyfox　two…seater　jet　aircraft　and　leveling　out　for　a　few　hundred　yards　before　flying　over　the　five…story…high　towboat　with　its　square　bow　burrowed　against　the　stern　of　a　single　barge。　A　man　stepped　from　the　towboat's　wheelhouse　and　furiously　motioned　the　aircraft　away。　As　the　Skyfox　skimmed　over　the　towboat；　Giordino　caught　a　quick　glimpse　of　a　dirty；　unfriendly　look　on　a　face　that　harbored　suspicions。
　
　〃The　captain　acts　paranoid　about　prying　eyes。〃　〃Maybe　we　should　drop　him　a　note　asking　directions　to　Ireland；〃　Pitt　said　facetiously　as　he　banked　the　Skyfox　for　another　pass。　Formerly　a　military　jet　trainer；　the　aircraft　was　purchased　by　NUMA　and　modified　for　water　landings　with　a　waterproof　hull　and　retractable　floats。　With　twin　jet　engines　mounted　on　the　fuselage　behind　the　wings　and　cockpit；　the　Skyfox　was　often　used　by　NUMA　personnel　when　one　of　their　larger　executive　jets　was　not　required；　and　because　it　could　land　and　take　off　from　water；　it　was　especially　useful　for　offshore　transportation。
　
　This　time　Pitt　came　in　no　more　than　thirty　feet　over　the　towboat's　funnel　and　electronic　gear；　which　sprouted　from　the　roof　of　the　wheelhouse。　As　they　flashed　past　the　boat　and　over　the　barge；　Giordino　spotted　a　pair　of　men　throwing　themselves　prone　amid　the　trash　bags　in　an　effort　to　make　themselves　indiscernible。
　〃I've　got　two　men　carrying　automatic　rifles　who　made　a　bad　job　of　trying　to　look　invisible；〃　Giordino　announced　as　calmly　as　if　he　was　calling　guests　to　dinner。　〃Methinks　there　is　skulduggery　afoot。〃
　〃We've　seen　all　we're　going　to　see；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Time　to　meet　up　with　Rudi　and　the　Marine　Denizen。〃　He　made　a　sweeping　turn　and　set　the　Skyfox　on　a　course　down　the　Atcha…falaya　River　toward　Sweet　Bay　Lake。　The　research　ship　soon　came　into　view；　and　he　lowered　the　flaps　and　dropped　the　floats　in　preparation　for　landing。　He　flared　the　aircraft；　allowing　it　gently　to　kiss　the　calm　water　and　throw　up　a　light　sheet　of　spray　from　the　floats。　Then　Pitt　taxied　alongside　the　research　ship　and　killed　the　engines。
　Giordino　raised　the　canopy　and　waved　up　to　Rudi　Gunn　and　Captain　Frank　Stewart；　who　were　standing　at　the　railing。　Stew…art　turned　and　shouted　an　order。　The　boom　from　the　ship's　crane　swung　around　until　it　was　hovering　over　the　Skyfox。　The　cable　was　lowered　and　Giordino　attached　the　hook　and　lines　to　the　lifting　rings　on　the　top　of　the　aircraft's　wings　and　fuselage　before　catching　guy　ropes　from　the　crew。　A　signal　was　given　and　the　crane's　engine　shifted　into　gear　and　hoisted　up　the　Skyfox。　Water　fell　in　cascades　from　the　hull　and　floats　as　the　Coast　Guard　crew　manning　the　guy　ropes　pulled　the　aircraft　into　the　proper　attitude。　Once　clearance　was　achieved；　the　crane　swung　the　aircraft　over　the　side　and　lowered　it　onto　a　landing　pad　on　the　stern　deck　next　to　the　ship's　helicopter。　Pitt　and　Giordino　climbed　from　the　cockpit　and　shook　hands　with　Gunn　and　Stewart。
　
　〃We　watched　through　binoculars；〃　said　Stewart。　〃If　you　had　circled　Sungari　any　lower　you　could　have　rented　a　headset　and　cassette　and　taken　a　self…guided　tour　of　the　place。〃
　〃See　anything　interesting　from　the　air？〃　asked　Gunn。
　〃Odd　that　you　should　mention　that；〃　said　Giordino。　〃I　do　believe　we　just　might　have　viewed　something　we　weren't　supposed　to。〃
　〃Then　you've　seen　more　than　we　have；〃　muttered　Stewart。
　Pitt　gazed　at　a　pelican　that　folded　its　wings　and　dove　cleanly　into　the　water；　emerging　with　a　small　fish　in　its　scooplike　beak。
　
　〃The　admiral　told　us　that　you　failed　to　find　any　openings　in　the　landfill　casings　under　the　docks　before　their　security　snatched　your　AUV。〃
　〃Not　so　much　as　a　crack；〃　admitted　Gunn。　〃If　Qin　Shang　is　planning　on　smuggling　illegal　aliens　through　Sungari；　it　isn't　from　a　ship　through　underground　tunnels　to　the　warehouse　terminals。〃
　〃You　warned　us　they　could　be　cagey；〃　said　Stewart。　〃And；　we　found　out　the　hard　way。　Now　NUMA　is　out　an　expensive　piece　of　equipment　and　we　don't　dare　ask　for　it　back。〃
　Gunn　said　bleakly；　〃We've　acplished　nothing。　All　we've　done　for　the　last　forty…eight　hours　is　stare　at　empty　docks　and　vacant　buildings。〃
　Pitt　placed　a　hand　on　Gunn's　shoulder。　〃Cheer　up；　Rudi。　While　we　stand　here　feeling　sorry　for　ourselves　for　acting　deaf；　dumb　and　blind；　a　boatload　of　illegal　immigrants　from　China　was　offloaded　at　Sungari　and　are　now　on　their　way　inland　to　a　staging　center。〃
　Gunn　stared　into　Pitt's　eyes；　startled；　and　saw　them　twinkle。　〃So　tell　us　what　you　saw。〃
　〃The　towboat　and　barges　that　left　Sungari　a　short　time　ago；〃　replied　Pitt。　〃Al　observed　a　couple　of　men　on　board　the　barges　who　were　carrying　weapons。　When　we　passed　over　them　they　tried　to　hide。〃
　〃Nothing　shady　about　a　towboat　crew　carrying　arms；〃　said　Stewart。　〃It's　a　fairly　mon　practice　if　they're　transporting　valuable　cargo。〃
　〃Valuable？〃　Pitt　said；　laughing。　〃The　cargo　was　trash　and　garbage　thrown　off　the　ship　that　had　accumulated　after　a　long　voyage　across　the　sea。　Armed　men　weren't　on　the　barge　to　protect　trash；　they　were　there　to　keep　their　human　cargo　from　escaping。〃
　〃How　could　you　know　that？〃　asked　Gunn。
　〃A　process　of　elimination。〃　Pitt　began　to　feel　good。　He　was　on　a　roll。　〃At　the　present　time；　the　only　way　in　and　out　of　Sungari　is　by　ocean　ships　and　riverboats。　The　ships　smuggle　in　the　immigrants；　but　there　is　no　way　to　secretly　transport　them　to　a　staging　area　for　dispersion　around　the　country。　And　you've　proven　they're　not　herded　from　the　ships　through　hidden　passages　under　the　docks　and　warehouses。　So　they　must　be　carried　inland　by　barges。〃
　〃Not　possible；〃　stated　Stewart　flat　out。　〃Customs　and　immigration　agents　e　on　board　the　minute　the　ship　docks　and　search　it　from　bow　to　stern。　All　cargo　must　be　offloaded　and　stored　in　the　warehouses　for　inspection。　Every　bag　of　trash　is　examined。　So　how　do　Qin　Shang's　people　deceive　the　inspectors？〃
　〃I　believe　the　illegal　immigrants　are　secretly　housed　in　an　underwater　craft　beneath　the　hull　of　the　merchant　ship　that　transported　them　from　China。　After　the　ship　es　into　port；　the　submerged　craft　is　somehow　transferred　under　the　barge　tied　alongside　to　receive　the　trash　and　garbage。　While　this　is　going　on；　the　customs　and　immigration　agents　do　their　job　but　find　no　evidence　of　illegal　immigrants。　Then；　moving　to　a　landfill　up　the　Atchafalaya　River　to　dispose　of　the　trash；　they　make　a　stop　at　some　out…of…the…way　place　to　disembark　the　aliens。〃
　Gunn　looked　like　a　blind　man　whose　sight　had　suddenly　been　restored　by　a　faith　healer　in　a　revivalist　tent。　〃You　figured　that　out　by　simply　flying　over　a　garbage　barge？〃
　〃A　theory　at　best；〃　Pitt　said　modestly。
　〃But　a　theory　that　can　easily　be　verified；〃　pointed　out　Stewart。
　〃Then　we're　w