alistairmaclean.seawitch-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


no　idea　what　power　a　few　billion　dollars　can　bring　to　bear。　He'll　destroy　you　and　all　your　people　to　the　last　man。〃　She　looked　at　Kowenski　with　contempt。　〃Why　don't　you　press　the　trigger？　No？　Then　let　go　your　gun。〃　Kowenski　released　his　gun　and　Rindler　did　the　same；　and　the　girls　dropped　them　to　the　deck。
　Melinda　said：　〃My　sister　and　I　are　taking　a　walk。　We　will　return　when　you　have　quarters　prepared　fitting　for　Lord　Worth's　daughters。〃
　Durand's　face　had　definitely　lost　color　and　his　voice　was　hoarse　and　not　quite　steady　as　he　tried　to　regain　a　measure　of　authority。　〃So　take　your　walk。　Heffer；　go　with　them。　Any　trouble；　shoot　them　in　the　legs。〃
　Marina　stooped；　picked　up　Kowenski's　Colt；　walked　up　to　Heffer　and　rammed　the　muzzle　into　his　left　eye。　Heffer　recoiled；　ho　wring　in　agony。　Marina　said：　〃Fair　deal。　You　shoot　me　through　the　leg…now；　I　mean…and　Til　blow　your　brains　out。〃
　〃God's　sake！〃　Durand's　voice　was　almost　imploring。　He　was　one　step　removed　from　wringing　his　hands。　〃Somebody's　got　to　go　with　you。　If　you're　out　there　on　your　own　and　in　no　danger；　Palermo's　men　will　cut　us　to　pieces。〃
　〃What　a　perfectly　splendid　idea。〃　Marina　lowered　the　pistol　and　looked　in　distaste　at　Heffer；　a　rodent…faced　creature　of　indeterminate　age　and　nationality。　〃We　see　your　point。　But　this…this　animal　is　not　to　approach　within　ten　yards　of　us　at　any　time。　That　is　understood？〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　of　course。〃　If　they　asked　him　for　the　moon；　Durand　would　have　somehow　levitated　himself　and　got　it　for　them。　Having　overwhelmingly　displayed　what　it　was　to　have　seventeen　generations　of　highland　aristocratic　ancestry　behind　them；　the　two　girls　walked　away　toward　one　of　the　triangular　perimeters。　It　was　fully　twenty　yards　before　they　both　began；　at　the　same　instant；　to　tremble　violently。　Once　started；　they　could　not　control　the　trembling　and　they　prayed　that　the　following　Heffer　could　not　notice　it。
　Marina…whispered　shakily：　〃Would　you　do　that　again？〃
　〃Never；　never；　never。　Fd　die。〃
　〃I　think　we　came　pretty　close　to　it。　Do　you　think　that　Michael　and　John　would　be　shaking　like　us　after　an　experience　like　that？〃
　〃No。　If　there's　any　truth　in　what　Daddy　hints；　they'd　already　be　planning　what　to　do　next。　And　Durand　and　his　obnoxious　friends　wouldn't　be　shaking　either。　Dead　men　don't　shake　very　much。〃
　Marina's　　trembling　　turned　　into　　a　　genuine　shiver。　〃I　only　wish　to　God　they　were　here　right　now。〃
　They　stopped　ten　feet　short　of　the　platform　perimeter。　Neither　girl　had　a　head　for　heights。　They　turned　and　looked　northeastward　as　the　distant　and　muted　roar　of　an　aircraft　engine　came　to　their　ears。
　Durand　and　Larsen　heard　it　at　the　same　time。　They　could　see　nothing　because　dusk　had　already　fallen；　but　neither　man　had　any　doubt　as　to　the　identity　of　the　approaching　helicopter　and　its　occupants。　With　some　satisfaction　Durand　said：　〃pany。　This　has　to　be　Lord　Worth。　Where　will　they　land？〃
　〃The　southeast　helipad。〃
　Durand　glanced　across　the　platform　to　where　the　two　girls　were　standing　with　Heffer；　gun　carried　loosely　in　his　right　hand；　less　than　the　regulation　ten　yards　away。　Satisfied；　Durand　picked　up　his　machine　pistol　and　said：　〃Let's　go　and　wele　his　lordship　aboard。　Aaron；　e　with　us。〃
　Larsen　said：　〃You'd　better　hope　Lord　Worth　proves　more　tractable　than　his　daughters。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　Larsen　smiled　in　sardonic　satisfaction。　〃You　caught　a　couple　of　tigresses　by　the　tails；　didn't　you？〃
　Durand　scowled　and　walked　away；　followed　by　Larsen　and　Aaron；　the　latter　armed　similarly　to　Durand。　They　reached　the　southeast　helipad　just　as　the　North　Hudson　helicopter　touched　down。　Lord　Worth　himself　was　the　first　out。　He　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　steps　and　stared　in　disbelief　at　the　armed　men。　He　said　to　Larsen：　〃What　in　God's　name　goes　on　here？〃
　Durand　said：　〃Wele　aboard　the　Seawitch；　Lord　Worth。　You　can　regard　me　as　your　host　and　yourself　as　a　guest…an　honored　guest；　of　course。　There　has　been　a　slight　change　of　ownership。〃
　Tm　afraid　that　this　man　here…his　name　is　Durand　and　I　assume　that　he　is　one　of　Cronkite's　lieutenants…〃
　〃Cronkite！〃　Durand　was　jarred。　〃What　do　you　know　about　Cronkite？〃
　〃I　can　hardly　congratulate　him　on　his　choice　of　lieutenants。〃　When　Lord　Worth　poured　on　his　icy　contempt　he　used　a　king…sized　trowel。　〃Do　you　think　we　are　such　fools　as　not　to　know　who　your　employer　is？　Not　that　Cronkite　has　long　to　live。　Nor　you；　either；　for　that　matter。〃　Durand　stirred　uneasily…Lord　Worth　sounded　far　too　much　like　his　daughters　for　his　peace　of　mind。　Lord　Worth　directed　his　attention　to　Larsen。　〃One　assumes　that　this　ruffian　arrived　with　acplices。　How　many？〃
　〃Four。〃
　〃Four！　But　with　Palermo　and　his　men　you　have　over　twenty！　How　is　it　possible…〃
　Durand　was　back　on　balance。　When　he　spoke　it　was　with　a　slight；　if　logical；　smugness。　〃We　have　something　that　Larsen　hasn't。　We　have　your　daughters。〃
　What　was　apparently　pure　shock　rendered　Lord　Worth　temporarily　speechless；　then　in　a　hoarse　voice　he　said：　〃Great　God　almighty！　My　daughters！〃　Lord　Worth　could　have　had　his　Oscar　just　for　the　asking。　〃You…you　are　the　kidnaper？〃
　〃Fortunes　of　war；　sir。〃　It　said　much　for　Lord　Worth's　aristocratic　magnetism　that　even　the　most　villainous　eventually　addressed　him　in　respectful　tones。　〃Now；　if　we　could　see　the　rest　of　the　passengers。〃
　Mitchell　and　Roomer　descended。　In　tan　alpaca　suits　and　horn…rimmed　glasses　they　were　innocu…ousness　personified。　Lord　Worth　said：　〃Mitchell　and　Roomer。　Scientists…geologists　and　seismologists。〃　He　turned　to　Mitchell　and　Roomer　and　said　dully：　〃They're　holding　my　daughters　captive　aboard　the　Seawitch。〃
　〃Good　God！〃　Mitchell　was　properly　shocked。　〃But　surely　this　is　the　last　place…〃
　〃Of　course。　The　unexpected；　keeping　a　couple　of　steps　ahead　of　the　opposition。　What'd　you　e　here　for？〃
　〃To　find　new　sources　of　oil。　We　have　a　perfectly　equipped　laboratory　here…〃
　〃You　could　have　saved　your　time。　Can　we　search　your　bag　and　your　friend's？〃
　〃Have　I　any　choice？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Go　ahead。〃
　〃Aaron。〃
　Aaron　carried　out　a　quick　examination　of　Mitchell's　bag。　〃Clothes。　Some　scientific　books　and　scientific　instruments。　Is　all。〃
　Dr。　Greenshaw　clambered　down　the　ladder；　reached　up　and　relieved　the　pilot　of　various　bags　and　boxes。　Durand　looked　at　the　door　and　said：　〃Who　the　hell　is　he？〃
　〃Dr。　Greenshaw；〃　Lord　Worth　said。　〃A　highly　respected　doctor　and　surgeon。　We　did　expect　a　certain　amount　of　violence　aboard　the　Seawitch。　We　came　prepared。　We　do　have　a　dispensary　and　small　sick　bay　here。〃
　〃Another　wasted　trip。　We　hold　all　the　cards；　and　violence　is　the　last　thing　we　expect。　We'll　examine　your　equipment　too；　Doctor。〃
　〃If　you　wish。　As　a　doctor；　I　deal　in　life　and　not　in　death。　I　have　no　concealed　weapons。　The　medical　code　forbids　it。〃　Greenshaw　sighed。　〃Please　search　but　do　not　destroy。〃
　Durand　pulled　out　his　walkie…talkie。　〃Send　one　of　Palermo's　men　across　here　with　an　electric　truck…there's　quite　a　bit　of　equipment　to　pick　up。〃　He　replaced　his　walkie…talkie　and　looked　at　Mitchell。　〃Your　hands　are　shaking。　Why？〃
　〃I'm　a　man　of　peace；〃　Mitchell　said。　He　crossed　his　hands　behind　his　back　to　conceal　the　tremor。
　
　Roomer；　the　only　man　to　recognize　the　signals；　licked　his　lips　and　looked　at　Mitchell　in　exaggerated　nervous　apprehension。　Durand　said：　〃Another　hero。　I　hate　cowards。〃
　Mitchell　brought　his　hands　in　front　of　him。　The　tremor　was　still　there。　Durand　stepped　forward；　his　right　hand　swinging　back　as　if　to　strike　Mitchell　open…handed；　then　let　his　hand　fall　in　disgust；　which　was；　unwittingly；　the　wisest　thing　he　could　have　done。　Durand's　mind　was　incapable　of　picking　up　any　psychic　signals：　had　it　been　so　attuned；　he　could　not　have　failed　to　hear　the　black　wings　of　the　bird　of　death　flapping　above　his　head。
　The　only　person　who　derived　any　satisfaction；　carefully　concealed；　from　this　vignette；　was　Lar…sen。　Although　he　had　talked　to　Mitchell　on　the　telephone　he　had　never　met　him…but　he　had　heard　a　great　deal　about　him　from　Lord　Worth；　more　than　enough　to　make　him　realize　that　Mitchell　would　have　reduced　Durand　to　mincemeat　sooner　than　back　down　before　him。　Mitchell　had　taken　only　seconds　to　establish　the　role　he　wished　to　establish…that　of　the　cowardly　nonentity　who　could　be　safely　and　contemptuously　ignored。　Larsen；　who　was　no　mean　hand　at　taking　care　of　people　himself；　felt　strangely　forted。
　Lord　Worth　said：　〃May　I　see　my　daughters？〃
　Durand　considered；　then　nodded。　〃Search　him；　Aaron。〃
　Aaron；　carefully　avoiding　Lord　Worth's　basilisk　glare　of　icy　outrage；　duly　searched。　〃He's　clean；　Mr。　Durand。〃
　〃Across　there。〃　Durand　pointed　through　the　gathering　gloom。　〃By　the　side　of　the　platform。〃
　Lord　Worth　walked　off　without　a　word。　The　others　made　their　way　toward　the　acmodation　quarters。　As　Lord　Worth　approached　his　daughters；　Heffer　barred　his　way。
　〃Where　do　you　think　you're　going；　mister？〃
　〃Lord　Worth　to　you；　peasant。〃
　Heffer　pulled　out　his　walkie…talkie。　〃Mr。　Durand？　There's　a　guy　here…〃
　Durand's　voice　crackled　over　the　receiver。　〃That's　Lord　Worth。　He's　been　searched　and　he's　got　my　permission　to　speak　to　his　daughters。〃
　Lord　Worth　plucked　the　walkie…talkie　from　Heffer。　〃And　would　you　please　instruct　this　individual　to　remain　outside　listening　range？〃
　〃You　heard；　Heffer。〃　The　walkie…talkie　went　dead。
　The　reunion　between　father　and　daughters　was　a　tearful　and　impassioned　one；　at　least　on　the　daughters*　side。　Lord　Worth　was　all　that　a　doting　parent　reunited　with　his　kidnaped　children　should　have　been；　but　his　effusiveness　was　kept　well　under　control。　Marina　was　the　first　to　notice　this。
　〃Aren't　you　glad　to　see　us　again；　Daddy？〃
　Lord　Worth　hugged　them　both　and　said　simply：　〃You　two　are　my　whole　life。　If　you　don't　know　that　by　this　time；　you　will　never　know　it。〃
　〃You've　never　said　that　before。〃　Even　in　the　deepening　dusk　it　was　possible　to　see　the　sheen　of　tears　in　Melinda's　eyes。
　〃I　did　not　think　it　necessary。　I　thought　you　always　knew。　Perhaps　I'm　a　remiss　parent；　perhaps　still　too　much　the　reserved　highlander。　But　all　my　billions　aren't　worth　a　lock　of　your　black　hair；　Marina；　or　a　lock　of　your　red　hair；　Me…linda。〃
　〃Titian；　Daddy；　titian。　How　often　must　I　tell　you？〃　Melinda　was　openly　crying　now。
　It　was　Marina；　always　the　more