cc.themediterraneancaper2-第20部分

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ic　mosaic　of　the　orchestra　floor。　It　was　fashioned　from　naturally　colored　pebbles　and　signed　Coenus　Set　It。〃　He　hesitated　a　moment；　letting　his　flock　of　excursionists　study　the　floral　design　of　the　worn　and　faded　files。
　〃Now；　if　you　will　follow　me　up　the　stairway　to　your　left；　we　will　take　a　short　walk　over　the　next　mound　to　the　Shrine　of　Poseidon。〃
　Pitt；　playing　the　part　of　a　tired　and　worn…out　sightseer；　feigned　exhaustion　and　sat　down　on　the　steps；　watching　the　rest　of　the　tour　climb　the　granite　stairway　until　their　heads　disappeared　beyond　the　top。　Four…thirty；　his　watch　read。　Four…thirty。　Exactly　three　hours　since　he　and　Giordino　left　the　First　Attempt　and　casually　strolled　into　Liminas；　joining　the　guided　tour　of　the　ancient　ruins。　Now　he　and　Giordino。。　。　the　little　Captain　was　impatiently　pacing　the　stone　floor　beside　him；　clutching　a　small　flight　bag。　。　。　waited　a　few　more　minutes；　making　absolutely　sure　the　tour　was　continuing　without　them。　Satisfied　that　they　weren't　missed；　he　silently　motioned　to　Giordino　and　pointed　toward　the　stage　entrance　of　the　amphitheatre。
　For　the　hundredth　time；　Pitt　tugged　at　the　irritating　chest　bandage；　thought　about　the　ship's　doctor　and　grinned　in　self　amusement。　Permission　to　leave　the　ship　and　return　to　von　Till's　villa　had　been　firmly　denied　by　the　bearded　doctor；　and　by　Gunn　too。　But　when　Pitt　insisted　that；　if　necessary；　he　was　ready　to　fight　the　entire　ship's　crew　and　swim　back　to　Liminas；　the　old　physician　had　thrown　up　his　hands　in　defeat　and　stormed　from　the　cabin。　So　far；　paying　for　the　wine　while　killing　time　in　a　small　taverna；　waiting　for　the　sightseeing　trip　to　begin；　was　his　only　contribution　to　the　backdoor　reconnaissance　of　the　villa。　It　was　Giordino　who　had　cursed　and　sweated　over　the　huge　lump　of　rust　attached　to　the　dory's　propeller　shaft；　trying　to　crank　it　to　life。　And　it　was　Giordino　who　nursed　the　weather…beaten　derelict　back　to　the　harbor　at　Liminas。　Fortunately　the　old　boat　had　not　been　missed。　。　。　no　irate　owner　or　local　police　officer　waited　on　the　beach　to　punish　the　yankee　pirates　for　boat　theft。　To　tie　the　dory　up　to　its　original　mooring　and　walk　across　the　beach　to　the　main　part　of　town　took　only　a　few　minutes。　Pitt；　certain　it　was　a　waste　of　time；　led　Giordino　a　block　out　of　their　way　to　see　if　Athena　was　still　attached　to　the　corner　mailbox。　The　donkey　was　gone；　but　immediately　across　the　narrow　street；　over　a　neat　little　white　plastered　office　building；　a　sign；　lettered　in　English；　advertised　the　Greek　National　Tourist　Organization。　The　rest　was　simple；　joining　a　tour；　whose　itinerary　included　the　amphitheatre；　and　mingling　with　a　group　of　sightseers；　offered　the　perfect　cover　for　reaching　the　labyrinth　and　gaining　entrance　to　von　Till's　retreat　without　detection。
　Giordino　rubbed　a　sleeve　across　his　damp　brow。
　〃Breaking　and　entering　in　the　middle　of　the　afternoon。　Why　can't　we　wait　until　dark　like　any　other　honorable　burglars？〃
　The　sooner　we　nail　von　Till；　the　better。〃　Pitt　said。　sharply。　〃If　he's　off　balance　from　the　destruction　of　the　Albatros　this　morning；　the　last　thing　he　would　expect　is　a　resurrected　Dirk　Pitt　in　broad　daylight〃
　Giordino　could　easily　feel　and　see　the　revenge　in　Pitt's　eyes。　He　remembered　watching　Pitt　move　slowly；　painfully；　as　best　he　could；　over　the　steep　trail　through　the　ruins　without　plaint　He　had　also　watched　the　bitterness；　the　hopelessness　that　took　and　held　Pitt's　face　after　Gunn　announced　the　disappearance　of　the　mystery　plane。　There　was　something　ominous　about　Pitt's　grim　features　and　unmoving　concentration。　Giordino　wondered　dimly　whether　Pitt　was　driving　himself　with　a　sense　of　duty　or　with　an　insane　pulsion　for　retaliation。
　〃You're　sure　this　is　the　right　way。　It　might　be　simpler　to。　。　。　〃
　〃This　is　the　only　way；〃　Pitt　interrupted。　〃The　Albatros　wasn't　eaten　by　a　whale；　yet　it　vanished　without　leaving　a　stray　nut　or　bolt。　Knowing　the　identity　of　the　pilot　could　have　settled　a　number　of　loose　ends。　We　have　no　choice。　The　only　course　that　lies　open　is　to　search　the　villa。〃
　〃I　still　think　we　should　take　a　squad　of　Air　Police；〃　Giordino　said　morosely；　〃and　crash　in　through　the　front　door。〃
　Pitt　looked　at　him；　then　looked　once　more　over　his　shoulder　up　the　stairway。　He　knew　exactly　how　Al　Giordino　felt；　for　he　felt　the　same　way　himself。　。
　frustrated；　unsure；　grasping　at　every　string　that　offered　a　small　touch　of　hope　for　obtaining　an　answer；　no　matter　how　small；　to　the　strange　events　of　the　past　few　days。　Much　depended　on　the　next　hour　whether　they　could　enter　the　villa　unseen；　whether　they　found　evidence　against　von　Till；　whether　Teri　was　a　willful　member　of　her　uncle's；　as　yet　unknown；　scheme。　Pitt　glanced　at　Giordino　again　saw　the　set　brown　eyes；　the　grim　mouth；　the　knotted　hands；　saw　all　the　signs　of　an　intense　mental　concentration；　concentration　on　the　possible　dangers　that　lay　ahead。　There　was　no　better　man　to　have　on　your　side　when　the　odds　were　long。
　〃I　can't　seem　to　pound　it　through　your　thick　head；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃This　is　Greek　soil。　We　have　no　legal　right　to　Invade　a　private　residence。　I　couldn't　begin　to　think　of　the　problems　it　would　cause　our　government　if　we　broke　in　von　Till's　door。　As　it　is　now；　if　we're　caught　by　the　Greek　authorities；　we'll　play　the　roles　of　a　couple　of　crewmen　from　the　First　Attempt　who　wandered　into　the　underground　passage　during　a　guided　tour　to　sleep　off　a　shore　leave　drunk。　They　should　buy　that；　they　have　no　reason　not　to。〃
　〃That's　why　we're　not　packing　any　weapons？〃
　〃You　guessed　it；　we'll　have　to　risk　a　disadvantage　to　save　a　possible　predicament。〃　Pitt　halted　at　the　crumbling　archway。　The　iron　grillwork　looked　different　in　the　daylight；　not　nearly　so　massive　and　indomitable　as　he　remembered　It。　〃This　is　the　place；〃　he　said；　his　fingers　idly　flaking　a　spot　of　dried　blood　from　one　of　the　rusting　bars。
　〃You　squeezed　through　that？〃　Giordino　asked　incredulously。
　〃It　was　nothing；〃　Pitt　replied　broadly　grinning。　〃Just　another　one　of　my　many　acplishments。〃　The　grin　quickly　faded。　〃Hurry；　we　don't　have　much　time。　The　next　tour　will　be　through　here　in　another　forty…five　minutes。〃
　Giordino　stepped　up　to　the　heavy　bars　and　within　seconds　was　a　man　absorbed　with　a　difficult　and　hazardous　job　to　do。　He　opened　the　flight　bag　and　carefully　removed　the　contents；　laying　them　out　in　order　on　an　old　towel。　Quickly；　he　fitted　two　small　charges　of
　T。N。T。　around　a　single　bar；　spacing　them　twenty　inches　apart；　inserted　the　primer　and　heavily　wrapped　each　charge　under　several　layers　of　metal　plumbers　tape。　Next　he　spun　strands　of　heavy　wire　around　the　bulbous　bands　and　then　covered　the　wire　with　more　layers　of　thick　adhesive　tape。　A　final　look　at　the　charges；　imbedded　in　the　thick　wrappings　like　cocoons；　and　he　connected　the　wires　to　the　detonator。　Obviously　pleased　with　his　handwork；　the　entire　operation　had　taken　less
　than　six　minutes　from　start　to　finish；　he　motioned　Pitt　toward　the　safety　of　a　wide　block　retaining　wall。　Slowly　Giordino　followed；　walking　backward；　playing　out　wires　leading　from　the　detonator　to　the　charges。　At　the　wall；　Pitt　grasped　him　on　the　arm　to　draw　his　attention。
　〃How　far　will　the　explosion　be　heard？〃
　〃If　I　did　it　right；〃　Giordino　replied；　〃it　shouldn't　sound　any　louder　than　a　popgun　to　someone　standing　a　hundred　feet　away。〃
　Pitt　stood　on　the　lower　base　of　the　wall　and　hurriedly　scanned　a　three　hundred　and　sixty　degree　circle　of　landscape。　Seeing　no　sign　of　human　activity；　he　nodded；　grinning　at　Giordino。　〃I　hope　dropping　in　uninvited　through　the　service　entrance　isn't　beneath　your　dignity。〃
　〃We　Giordinos　are　pretty　broadminded；〃　he　said；　returning　Pitt's　grin。
　〃Shall　we？〃
　〃If　you　insist。〃
　They　both　ducked　below　the　top　of　the　old　wall；　holding　the　sun…warmed　stones　with　their　hands　to　absorb　any　shock。　Then　Giordino　turned　the　little　plastic　switch　on　the　detonator。
　Even　at　the　short　distance　of　ten　or　fifteen　feet　the　sound　of　the　explosion　was　nothing　more　than　a　mere　thump。　No　shock　wave　trembled　the　ground；　no　black　cloud　of　smoke　or　shooting　flame　belched　from　the　archway；　no　deafening　blast　rattled　their　eardrums；　only　a　small　indefinable　thump。
　Swiftly；　in　a　silence　bred　of　expectancy；　they　leaped　to　their　feet　and　rushed　back　to　the　iron　gate。　The　two　balls　of　tape　were　torn　and　smoldering；　smelling　like　the　burned　out　pungent　odor　of　frizzled　firecrackers。　A　tiny　curl　of　smoke　wound　in　a　wake…like　trail　between　the　grill　and　disappeared　into　the　damp　darkness　of　the　interior　passage。　The　bar　was　still　in　place。
　Pitt　looked　questioningly　at　Giordino。　〃Not　enough　punch？〃
　〃It　was　ample；〃　Giordino　said　confidently。　〃The　charges　were　the　right　size　to　do　the　job。　Please　observe〃　He　gave　the　bar　a　vigorous　kick　with　his　heel。　It　remained　solid；　unyielding。　He　kicked　it　again；　this　time　harder；　his　mouth　tight　from　jolting　pain　in　his　heel　and　sole。　The　top　end　of　the　bar　broke　loose；　bending　its　jagged　and　torn　tip　inward　until　it　lay　on　a　horizontal　plane。　A　tense　smile　creased　Giordino's　mouth　and　his　teeth　slowly　spread　into　view。。　〃And　now　for　my　next　trick。　。
　〃Never　mind；〃　Pitt　snapped　brusquely。　〃Let's　get　the　hell　going。　We've　got　to　get　to　the　villa　and　back　in　time　to　join　the　next　tour。〃
　〃How　long　will　it　take　to　get　there？〃
　Pitt　was　already　climbing　through　the　opening　in　the　gate。　〃Last　night　it　took　me　eight　hours　to　get　out；　we　can　get　in　in　eight　minutes。〃
　〃How；　you　got　a　map？〃
　〃Something　even　better；〃　Pitt　said　quietly；　almost　grimly；　pointing　at　the　flight　bag。　〃Pass　me　the　light。〃
　Giordino　reached　into　the　bag。　pulled　out　a　large　yellow　light；　nearly　six　inches　in　diameter；　and　passed　it　through　the　opening。　〃It's　big　enough。　What　is　it？〃
　〃Alien　Dive　Bright　Aluminum　casing　is　waterproof　to　a　nine　hundred　foot　depth。　We're　not　going　diving；　but　it's　rugged　and　throws　out　a　long　narrow　beam；　backed　by　one　hundred　and　eight　thousand　candlepower。　That's　why　I　borrowed　it　from　the　ship。〃
　Giordino　said　no　more；　merely　shrugged　and　slipped　between　the　bars；　following　Pitt　into　the　passage。　〃Hold　on　a　second　till　I　remove　the　evidence。〃
　Giordino's　stubby　hands　nimbly　unwound　the　shredded　wrappings…a　pile　of　old　fallen　stones　covered　the　smoldering　remains…bef