cc.floodtide-第81部分

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　He　readjusted　the　buckle　on　the　strap　of　his　binoculars；　squared　the　cap　on　his　head；　then　stepped　out　onto　the　bridge　wing。　He　ignored　the　pass　mounted　on　a　stand　that　responded　to　the　ship's　every　change　of　direction　as　it　moved　over　the　curling　river。　He　was　glad　the　waterway　had　been　emptied　of　traffic　in　anticipation　of　the　big　ship's　passage。　It　would　be　a　different　story　after　New　Orleans；　but　he　would　deal　with　that　problem　when　the　time　came。
　
　He　looked　up　at　the　sky　and　was　relieved　to　see　the　weather　had　cooperated。　The　day　was　warm　with　only　a　whisper　of　a　breeze。　A　twenty…mile…an…hour　wind　against　the　gigantic　hull　of　the　ship　could　have　caused　disaster　by　pushing　her　broadside　into　the　bank　during　navigation　of　a　sharp　river　bend。　The　azure…blue　cloudless　sky　and　the　sunlight　reflected　off　the　water　surface；　giving　it　a　green；　almost　clean；　look。　Because　he　was　ascending　the　river　the　green　channel　buoys　swayed　aimlessly　on　his　left　while　the　red　navigation　buoys　rolled　to　his　right。
　
　He　waved　back　at　the　people　standing　on　the　levee　amid　a　sea　of　parked　cars　and　pickup　trucks。　From　his　height　nine　stories　above　the　water　he　looked　down　on　the　horde　and　saw　the　flat　marsh　and　farmlands　beyond。　Li　Hung…chang　felt　like　a　spectator　watching　someone　else　play　his　role　in　a　drama。
　
　He　began　to　speculate　on　the　reception　waiting　along　the　waterfront　in　New　Orleans；　and　he　smiled　to　himself。　Millions　of　Americans　would　remember　this　day；　he　mused；　but　not　for　the　reasons　they　had　expected。
　
　RUDI　GUNN　WAS　WAITING　　FOR　PITT　AND　GIOROINO　WHEN　they　returned　the　shantyboat　to　Doug　Wheeler's　dock　late　the　same　afternoon。　His　eyes　were　red　from　lack　of　sleep　caused　by　sitting　up　most　of　the　night　waiting　for　Pitt's　sporadic　reports。　He　wore　khaki　shorts　and　a　white　T…shirt　with　the　words
　
　ST。　MARY　PARISH；　GOOD　OLD　FASHION　SOUTHERN　HOSPITALITY
　
　printed　across　the　back。
　
　After　replacing　the　fuel　they　had　used　and　loading　their　equipment　in　the　Marine　Denizen's　launch；　Put　and　Giordino　bade　a　fond　farewell　to　Romberg；　who　raised　his　head　from　the　deck　and　gave　them　a　lethargic　goodbye　〃Woof；〃　before　promptly　falling　back　to　sleep。
　
　As　they　cleared　the　dock；　Giordino　stood　beside　Gunn　at　the　helm。　〃I'd　say　we　could　all　use　some　dinner　and　a　good　night's　sleep。〃
　〃I'll　second　the　motion；〃　Pitt　yawned。
　〃All　you　get　is　a　thermos　of　coffee　with　chicory；〃　said　Gunn。　〃The　admiral　flew　into　town　along　with　Peter　Harper　of　the　Immigration　Service。　Your　presence　has　been　requested　on　board　the　Coast　Guard　cutter　Weehawken。〃
　〃Last　I　saw　of　her；〃　said　Pitt；　〃she　was　anchored　just　above　Sungari。〃
　〃She's　now　tied　up　at　the　Coast　Guard　dock　near　Morgan　City；〃　Gunn　enlightened　him。
　〃No　dinner？〃　asked　Giordino　sadly。
　〃No　time；〃　Gunn　replied。　〃Maybe　if　you　act　like　good　little　boys；　you　can　get　a　fast　bite　from　the　Weehawken's　galley。〃
　〃I　promise　to　be　good；〃　Giordino　said　with　a　wily　shift　to　his　eyes。
　Pitt　and　Gunn　exchanged　disbelieving　looks。　〃Never　happen；〃　Gunn　sighed。
　〃Not　in　our　lifetime；〃　Pitt　agreed。
　Peter　Harper；　Admiral　Sandecker；　Captain　Lewis　and　Julia　Lee　were　waiting　for　them　in　the　wardroom　of　the　Weehawken　when　they　climbed　on　board。　Also　present　were　Major　General　Frank　Montaigne　of　the　Army　Corps　of　Engineers　and　Frank　Stewart；　captain　of　the　Marine　Denizen。　Lewis　cordially　asked　if　there　was　anything　he　could　get　them。　Before　Giordino　could　open　his　mourn；　Gunn　said；　〃We　had　coffee　on　the　ran　from　Wheeler's　dock；　thank　you。〃
　
　Pitt　shook　hands　with　Sandecker　and　Harper　before　giving　Julia　a　light　kiss　on　the　cheek。　〃How　long　has　it　been　since　we've　seen　each　other？〃　〃All　of　two　hours。〃
　〃Seems　like　an　eternity；〃　he　said　with　his　devilish　grin。　〃Stop；〃　she　said；　pushing　him　away。　〃Not　here。〃　〃I　suggest　we　get　on　with　it；〃　said　Sandecker　restlessly。　〃We　have　a　lot　of　ground　to　cover。〃
　〃Not　the　least　of　which　is　Duncan　Monroe's　humble　apology　that　he　asked　me　to　convey；〃　Harper　said；　making　a　show　of　penitence　by　pumping　Pitt's　and　Giordino's　hands。　〃I　also　wish　to　express　my　personal　debt　of　gratitude　to　NUMA　and　to　you　gentlemen　for　ignoring　our　demands　to　disassociate　yourselves　from　the　investigation。　Without　your　timely　intervention　at　Bartholomeaux；　our　assault　team　would　have　found　nothing　but　a　dead　INS　agent　and　an　empty　sugar　mill。　The　only　unfortunate　aspect　was　the　killing　of　Ki　Wong。〃
　〃I　suppose　in　hindsight　I　should　have　kneecapped　him；〃
　Giordino　said　without　remorse。　〃But　he　was　not　a　nice　man。〃
　〃I　fully　realize　your　act　was　justified；〃　admitted　Harper；〃but　with　Ki　Wong　dead；　we　lost　a　direct　link　to　Qin　Shang。〃
　〃Was　he　that　essential　to　your　case？〃　Captain　Lewis　queried　Harper。　〃It　seems　to　me　you　have　more　than　enough　proof　to　hang　Qin　Shang　from　the　nearest　tree。　He　was　caught　red…handed　smuggling　nearly　four　hundred　illegal　immigrants　into　Sungari　and　then　up　Bayou　Teche　to　Bartholomeaux。　All　on　vessels　owned　by　his　shipping　pany　and　by　men　on　his　payroll。　What　more　could　you　want？〃
　〃Proving　the　orders　came　directly　from　Qin　Shang。〃
　Sandecker　seemed　as　puzzled　as　Lewis。　〃Surely　you　have　all　the　evidence　you　need　to　indict　him　now。〃
　〃We　can　indict；〃　acknowledged　Harper；　〃but　whether　we　can　convict　is　another　story。　We're　looking　at　a　long；　drawn…out　legal　fight　that　federal　prosecutors　are　not　certain　they　can　win。　Qin　Shang　will　counterattack　with　a　task　force　of　highly　paid　and　respected　Washington　attorneys。　He　has　the　Chinese　government　and　certain　ranking　members　of　Congress　on　his　side；　and　also；　I'm　sorry　to　say；　possibly　the　White　House。　When　we　look　at　all　the　political　lOUs　that　he　will　undoubtedly　call　due；　you　can　see　that　we　are　not　getting　in　the　ring　with　a　lightweight；　but　rather　a　very　powerful　and　highly　connected　man。〃
　〃Wouldn't　Chinese　government　leaders　turn　their　backs　on　him　if　it　meant　a　huge　scandal？〃　inquired　Frank　Stewart。
　Harper　shook　his　head。　〃His　services　and　influence　in　Washington　cancel　out　any　political　liabilities　that　might　result。〃
　〃Surely；　you　have　enough　on　Qin　Shang　to　close　down　Sungari　and　cut　off　all　shipping　by　Qin　Shang　Maritime　into　the　United　States；〃　probed　General　Montaigne；　speaking　for　the　first　time。
　〃Yes；　it's　within　our　power；〃　answered　Harper。　〃But　the　billions　of　dollars'　worth　of　Chinese　goods　that　are　pouring　into　the　United　States　are　carried　on　Qin　Shang　Maritime　ships；　subsidized　by　their　government。　They'd　be　cutting　their　own　throat　if　they　sat　by　and　remained　silent　while　we　slammed　the　door　on　Qin　Shang's　shipping　line。〃　He　paused　to　massage　his　temples。　Harper　was　clearly　a　man　who　did　not　relish　losing　a　battle　to　forces　beyond　his　control。　〃At　the　moment　all　we　can　do　is　prevent　his　smuggling　operations　from　succeeding　and　hope　that　he　makes　a　colossal　mistake。〃
　A　knock　came　at　the　door；　and　Lieutenant　Stowe　entered。　He　silently　handed　Captain　Lewis　a　message　and　just　as　quietly　departed。　Lewis　scanned　the　wording　and　looked　over　the　table　at　Frank　Stewart。　〃A　munication　from　your　first　officer；
　Captain。　He　said　you　wished　to　be　kept　informed　on　any　new　developments　concerning　the　old　luxury　liner　the　United　States。〃
　Stewart　nodded　at　Pitt。　〃Dirk　is　the　one　who　is　monitoring　the　ship's　passage　up　the　Mississippi。〃
　Lewis　handed　the　message　to　Pitt。　〃Pardon　me　for　reading　it；　but　it　simply　says　the　United　States　has　passed　under　the　Crescent　City　Connection　and　greater　New　Orleans　bridges　and　is　approaching　the　city's　mercial　waterfront；　where　it　will　be　docked　as　a　permanently　floating　hotel　and　casino。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Captain。　Another　puzzling　project　with　Qin　Shang's　tentacles　wrapped　around　it。〃
　〃Quite　a　feat　just　sailing　it　up　the　river　from　the　Gulf；〃　said　Montaigne。　〃You　might　pare　it　with　dropping　a　pin　through　a　straw　without　it　touching　the　sides。〃
　〃I'm　glad　you're　here；　General；〃　said　Pitt。　〃I　have　nagging　questions　that　only　you；　as　an　expert　on　the　river；　can　answer。〃
　〃I'll　be　glad　to　try。〃
　〃I　have　a　crazy　theory　that　Qin　Shang　built　Sungari　where　he　did　because　he　intends　to　destroy　a　section　of　the　levee　and　divert　the　Mississippi　into　the　Atchafalaya；　making　it　the　most　important　port　on　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。〃
　It　would　be　an　overstatement　to　say　that　the　men　and　one　woman　seated　in　the　wardroom　all　accepted　Pitt's　fanciful　scenario…all；　that　is；　except　General　Montaigne。　He　nodded　his　head　like　a　professor　who　threw　a　trick　question　at　a　student　and　received　the　correct　answer。　〃It　may　surprise　you　to　learn；　Mr。　Pitt；　that　I've　had　the　same　notion　bouncing　around　inside　my　own　head　for　the　past　six　months。〃
　〃Divert　the　Mississippi；〃　Captain　Lewis　said　in　a　careful　sort　of　voice。　〃There　are　many；　myself　included；　who　would　say　that's　unthinkable。〃
　〃Unthinkable；　perhaps；　but　not　unimaginable　to　a　man　with　Qin　Shang's　diabolic　mind；〃　Giordino　said　evenly。
　Sandecker　looked　thoughtfully　into　the　distance。　〃You've　hit　upon　a　rationale　that　should　have　been　obvious　from　the　first　day　of　Sungari's　construction。〃
　Every　eye　was　drawn　to　General　Montaigne　when　Harper　asked　the　obvious　question。　〃Is　it　possible；　General？〃
　〃The　Army　Corps　has　been　fighting　Nature　for　over　a　hundred　and　fifty　years　to　keep　her　from　acplishing　the　same　cataclysm；〃　answered　Montaigne。　〃We　all　live　with　the　nightmare　of　a　great　flood；　greater　than　ever　recorded　since　the　first　explorers　saw　the　river。　When　that　happens；　the　Atchafalaya　River　will　bee　the　main　stream　of　the　Mississippi。　And　that　section　of　'Old　Man　River'　that　presently　runs　from　the　northern　border　of　Louisiana　to　the　Gulf　will　bee　a　silted…in　tidal　estuary。　It's　happened　in　the　ancient　past　and　it　will　happen　again。　If　the　Mississippi　wants　to　head　west；　we　can't　stop　her。　The　event　is　only　a　matter　of　time。〃
　〃Are　you　telling　us　that　the　Mississippi　changes　course　on　a　set　schedule？〃　asked　Stewart。
　
　Montaigne　rested　his　chin　on　the　head　of　his　cane。　〃Not　predictable　by　the　hour　or　year；　but　it　has　wandered　back　and　forth　across　Louisiana　seven　times　in　the　past　six　thousand　years。　Had　it　not　been　for　man；　and　especially　the　Army　Corps　of　Engineers；　the　Mississippi　would　probably　be　flowing　down　the　Atchafalaya　Valley；　over　the　sunken　ruins