alistairmaclean.seawitch-第29部分

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　〃Well！〃　She　looked　suspiciously　at　her　father；　but　Lord　Worth　had　his　risibility　under　plete　control。　He　picked　up　a　phone　and　asked　that　the　Christmas　tree　be　opened　and　the　exploratory　drilling　restarted。
　The　helicopter　was　making　its　landing　approach　as　Mitchell　joined　Larsen　and　Palermo　and　his　men　in　the　deep　shadows　of　the　acmodation　area。　The　platform　light　had　been　dimmed　but　the　helipad　was　brightly　illuminated。　Palermo　had　six　portable　searchlights　in　position。　He　nodded　to　Mitchell；　then　made　his　unhurried　way　to　the　pad。　He　was　carrying　an　envelope　in　his　hand。
　The　helicopter　touched　down；　the　door　opened　and　men　with　a　discouraging　assortment　of^auto…matic　weapons　started　to　disembark。　Palermo　said：　〃I'm　Marino。　Who's　in　charge　here？
　〃Me。　Mortensen。〃　He　was　a　bulky　young　man　in　battle　fatigues；　looking　more　like　a　bright　young　lieutenant　than　the　thug　he　undoubtedly　was。　〃I　thought　Durand　was　in　charge　here。〃
　〃He　is。　Right　now　he's　having　a　talk　with　Lord　Worth。　He's　waiting　for　you　in　Worth's　quarters。〃
　〃Why　are　the　deck　lights　so　dim？〃
　〃Voltage　drop。　Being　fixed。　The　landing　pads　have　their　own　generators。〃　He　pointed。　〃Over　there。〃
　Mortensen　nodded　and　led　his　eight　men　away。　Palermo　said：　〃Be　with　you　in　a　minute。　Fve　got　a　private　message　for　the　pilot　from　Cronkite。〃
　Palermo　climbed　up　into　the　helicopter。　He　greeted　the　pilot　and　said：　〃I　got　a　message　here　for　you　from　Cronkite。〃
　The　pilot　registered　a　degree　of　surprise。　〃I　was　told　to　fly　straight　back。〃
　〃Won't　be　long。　Seems　Cronkite　is　anxious　to　see　Worth　and　his　daughters。〃
　The　pilot　grinned　and　took　the　envelope　from　Palermo。　He　opened　it；　examined　both　sides　of　a　blank　sheet　of　paper　and　said：　〃What　gives？〃
　〃This。〃　Palermo　showed　him　a　gun　about　the　size　of　a　small　cannon。　〃Don't　be　a　dead　hero。〃
　The　platform　lights　went　out　and　six　searchlights　came　on。　Larsen's　stentorian　voice　carried　clearly。　〃Throw　down　your　guns。　You　haven't　got　a　chance。〃
　One　of　Mortensen's　men　suicidally　thought　different　He　flung　himself　to　the　platform　deck；　loosed　off　a　burst　of　submachine　fire　and　successfully　killed　one　of　the　searchlights。　If　he　felt　any　sense　of　gratification　it　must　have　been　the　shortest　on　record；　for　he　was　dead　before　the　shattered　glass　stopped　tinkling　down　on　the　platform。　The　other　eight　men　threw　down　their　guns。
　Palermo　sighed。　He　said　to　the　pilot：　〃See？　Dead　heroes　are　no　good　to　anyone。　e　on。〃
　Eight　of　the　nine　men；　including　the　pilot；　were　shepherded　into　a　windowless　storeroom　and　locked　inside。　The　ninth；　Mortensen；　was　taken　to　the　radio　room　where　he　was　shortly　joined　by　Mitchell。　For　the　occasion；　Mitchell　had　changed　into　a　boiler　suit　and　makeshift　hood；　which　not　only　effectively　masked　his　face　but　also　muffled　his　voice。　He　had　no　wish　to　be　identified。
　He　produced　the　paper　on　which　he　had　made　notes；　screwed　the　muzzle　of　his　。38　into　the　base　of　Mortensen's　neck；　told　him　to　contact　Cronkite　and　read　out　the　message　and　that　the　slightest　deviation　from　the　script　would　mean　a　shattered　brain。　Mortensen　was　no　fool　and　in　his　peculiar　line　of　trade　he　had　looked　into　the　face　of　death　more　than　once。　He　made　the　contact；　said　all　was　well；　that　he　and　Durand　were　in　plete　control　of　the　Seawitch；　but　that　it　might　be　several　hours　before　the　helicopter　could　return；　as　last…minute　engine　failure　had　damaged　the　undercarriage。　Cronkite　seemed　reasonably　satisfied　and　hung　up。
　When　Larsen　and　Mitchell　returned　to　Lord　Worth's　cabin　the　latter　seemed　in　a　more　cheerful　frame　of　mind。　The　Pentagon　had　reported　that　the　two　naval　vessels　from　Cuba　and　the　one　from　Venezuela　were　stopped　in　the　water　and　appeared　to　be　waiting　instructions。　The　Torbello　was　on　its　way　again　and　was　expected　to　arrive　in　Galveston　in　ninety　minutes。　Lord　Worth　might　have　felt　less　satisfied　if　he'd　known　that　the　Torbello；　shaking　hi　every　rivet；　seam　and　plate；　was　several　hundred　miles　from　Galveston；　traveling　southwest　in　calm　seas。　Mulhooney　was　in　no　mood　to　hang　around。
　Marina　said　accusingly：　〃I　heard　shots　being　fired　out　there。〃
　〃Just　warning　shots　in　the　air；〃　Mitchell　said；　〃Scares　the　hell　out　of　people。〃
　〃You　made　them　all　prisoner。〃
　Lord　Worth　said　irritably：　〃Don't　talk　nonsense。　Now　do　be　quiet。　The　mander　and　I　have　important　matters　to　discuss。〃
　〃We'll　leave；〃　Mitchell　said。　He　looked　at　Marina。　〃e　on…let's　see　the　patients　off。〃
　They　followed　the　two　stretchers　out　to　the　helicopter。　They　were　acpanied　by　Durand　and　Aaron…both　with　their　hands　tied　behind　their　backs　and　on　a　nine…inch　hobble…Dr。　Greenshaw　and　one　of　Palermo's　men；　a　menacing　individual　with　a　sawed…off　shotgun　who　was　to　ride　guard　on　the　captives　until　they　reached　the　mainland。
　Mitchell　said　to　Marina：　〃Last　chance。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃We're　going　to　make　a　great　couple；〃　Mitchell　said　gloomily。　〃Monosyllabic；　yet。〃
　They　said　their　goodbyes；　watched　the　helicopter　lift　off　and　made　their　way　back　to　Lord　Worth's　quarters。　Both　Worth　and　Larsen　were　on　separate　lines；　and　from　the　expressions　on　their　faces　it　was　clear　that　they　were　less　happy　with　life　than　they　might　have　been。　Both　men　were　trying；　with　zero　effect；　to　obtain　some　additional　tankerage。　There　were；　in　fact；　some　half…dozen　idle　tankers　on　the　south　and　east　coasts　in　the　50；000…ton　range；　but　all　belonged　to　the　major　oil　panies；　who　would　have　gone　to　the　stake　before　chartering　any　of　their　vessels　to　the　North　Hudson　Oil　pany。　The　nearest　tankers　of　the　required　tonnage　were　either　in　Britain；　Norway　or　the　Mediterranean；　and　to　have　brought　them　across　would　have　involved　an　intolerable　loss　of　time；　not　to　say　money…this　last　matter　lying　very　close　to　Lord　Worth's　heart。　He　and　Larsen　had　even　considered　bringing　one　of　their　supertankers　into　service；　but　had　decided　against　it。　Because　of　the　tankers'　huge　carrying　capacity；　the　loss　in　revenue　would　have　been　unbearably　high…and　what　had　happened　to　the　Crusader　might　happen　to　a　supertanker。　True；　they　were　insured　at　Lloyd's；　but　that　august　firm's　marine…accident　investigators　were　notoriously；　if　justifiably；　cagey；　prudent　and　cautious　men；　and　although　they　invariably　settled　any　genuine　claim；　they　tended　to　deliberate　at　length　before　making　any　final　decision。
　Another　call　came　through　from　the　Torbello。　On　course；　its　estimated　time　of　arrival　in　Gal…veston　was　one　hour。　Lord　Worth　said　gloomily　that　they　had　at　least　two　tankers　in　operation：　they　would　just　have　to　step　up　their　already　crowded　schedules。
　One　half　hour　later　another　message　came　through　from　the　tanker。　One　half　hour　to　Gal…veston。　Lord　Worth　might　have　felt　less　assured　had　he　known　that　now　that　dark　had　fallen；　the　Starlight；　leaving　the　Georgia　where　it　was；　had　already　moved　away　in　the　direction　of　the　Sea…witch；　its　engines　running　on　its　electrical　batteries。　Its　chances　of　sonar　detection　by　the　Seawitch　were　regarded　as　extremely　small。　It　carried　with　it　highly　skilled　divers　and　an　unpleasant　assortment　of　mines；　limpet　mines　and　amatol　beehives；　all　of　which　could　be　activated　by　remote　radioactive　control。
　Yet　another　half　hour　passed　before　the　wele　news　came　through　that　the　tanker　Torbello　was　safely　berthed　in　Galveston。　Lord　Worth　informed　Larsen　he　intended　to　make　an　immediate　voice…link　call　to　the　port　authorities　in　Galveston　to　ensure　the　fastest　turnaround　ever；　money　no　object
　He　got　his　voice　link　in　just　one　minute…the　Lord　Worths　of　this　world　are　never　kept　waiting。　When　he　made　his　customary　peremptory　demands　the　harbormaster　expressed　a　considerable　degree　of　surprise。
　〃I　really　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；　sir。〃
　〃Goddam　it；　I　always　know　what　I'm　talking　about。〃
　〃Not　in　this　case；　Lord　Worth；　I'm　afraid　you've　been　misinformed　or　hoaxed。　The　Torbello　has　not　arrived。〃
　〃But　dammit；　I've　just　heard…〃
　〃One　moment；　please。〃
　The　moment　passed　into　about　thirty　during　which　Mitchell　thoughtfully　brought　Lord　Worth　a　glass　of　scotch；　which　he　half…consumed　at　one　gulp。　Then　the　voice　came　through　again。
　〃Bad　news。　There's　not　only　no　sign　of　your　tanker；　but　our　radar　scanners　show　no　signs　of　any　vessel　of　that　size　within　a　radius　of　forty　miles。〃
　〃Then；　what　the　devil　can　have　happened　to　her？　I　was　speaking　to　her　only　two　or　three　minutes　ago。〃
　〃On　her　own　call　sign？〃
　〃Yes；　dammit〃
　*Then　obviously　she's　in　no　trouble。〃
　Lord　Worth　hung　up　without　as　much　as　a　courtesy　thank　you。　He　glowered　at　Larsen　and　Mitchell　as　if　what　had　happened　had　been　their　fault。　He　said　at　length：　〃I　can　only　conclude　that　the　captain　of　the　Torbello　has　gone　off　his　rocker。〃
　Mitchell　said：　〃And　I　conclude　that　he's　under　lock　and　key　aboard　his　own　ship。'*
　Lord　Worth　was　heavily　ironic。　〃In　addition　to　your　many　other　acplishments　you've　now　bee　psychic。〃
　〃Your　Torbello　has　been　hijacked。〃
　〃Hijacked！　Hijacked？　Now　you've　gone　off　your　rocker。　Who　ever　heard　of　a　tanker　being　hijacked？〃
　〃Who　ever　heard　of　a　jumbo　jet　being　hijacked　until　the　first　one　was？　After　what　happened　to　the　Crusader　in　Galveston；　the　captain　of　the　Torbello　would　have　been　extremely　leery　of　being　approached；　much　less　boarded；　by　any　other　vessel　unless　it　were　a　craft　with　respectability　beyond　question。　The　only　two　such　types　of　craft　are　naval　or　coast　guard。　WeVe　heard　that　the　Marine　Gulf　Corporation's　survey　vessel　has　been　stolen。　A　lot　of　those　survey　vessels　are　ex…coast　guard　with　landing　space　for　a　helicopter　to　carry　out　seismological　pattern　bombing。　That　ship　was　called　the　Hammond。　With　your　connections　you　could　find　out　about　it　in　minutes。〃
　Lord　Worth　did　find　out　in　minutes。　He　said：　〃So　you're　right。〃　He　was　too　dumbfounded　even　to　apologize。　〃And　this　of　course　was　the　Tiburon　that　Cronkite　sailed　from　Galveston。　God　only　knows　what　name　it　goes　under　now。　What　next；　I　wonder？〃
　Mitchell　said：　〃A　call　from　Cronkite；　I'd　guess。〃
　〃What　would　he　call　me　for？〃
　〃Some　tough　demands；　I'd　say。　I　don't　know。〃
　Lord　Worth　was　nothing　if　not　resilient。　He　had　powerful　and　influential　friends。　He　called　an　admiral　in　naval　headquarters　in　Washington　and　demanded　that　an　air…sea　search　unit　be　dispatched　immedi