cc.themediterraneancaper2-第33部分

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　blankly　to　the　gun　in　his　lap。　He　made　no　attempt　to　pick　it　up。　His　face　was　expressionless；　but　Pitt　knew　him　well　enough　to　recognize　an　acute　case　of　bafflement
　Giordino　shrugged　and　gave　Pitt　a　thin　smile。　〃Kind　of　looks　like　Giordino　the　Kid　just　won　the　idiot　award　of　the　year。　I　just　plumb　forgot　about　the　safety。〃
　〃You've；　never　owned　a　Mauser。　Where　did　you　get　it？〃
　〃It　belonged　to　your　little　playmate　of　the　month。　I　discovered　it　when　I　was　lugging　her　through　the　tunnel。　She　had　it　taped　to　her　leg。〃
　〃You　little　bastard；〃　Pitt　said　evenly。　〃You　mean　you　had　it　all　the　time　we　were　having　our　brains　beat　out　by　Darius？'
　〃Sure；〃　Giordino　nodded。　〃I　concealed　it　inside　one　of　my　socks。　I　never　had　a　chance　to　use　it。　You　jumped　Frankenstein　before　I　was　ready。　After　that；　the　brawl　happened　too　fast。　The　next　thing　I　knew　I　was　flat　on　my　back　getting　my　head　crushed。　Then　it　was　too　late；　I　couldn't　reach　the　peashooter。〃
　Pitt　became　silent；　already　his　mind　was　on　another　subject　It　was　still　early　in　the　morning　and　the　trees　edging　the　road　threw　their　long　misproportioned　shadows　toward　the　west　He　drove　mechanically；　a'　hundred　questions；　a　hundred　doubts　circulating　through
　his　mind。　He　didn't　know　where　to　start；　and　there　was　the　plan　that　had　taken　form　back　there　overlooking　those　surf　pounded　cliffs。　The　plan　at　best　was　a　gamble；　a　long　shot　backed　by　nothing　but　an　overpowering　urge　to　carry　it　out。　And　then　he　was　automatically　depressing　the　brake　pedal；　slowing　the　truck　down　and　stopping　at　the　Brady　Field　main　gate。
　　　　Forty　minutes　later　they　were　climbing　the　boarding　ladder　of　the　First　Attempt。　The　deck　was　deserted；　but　a　chorus　of　hearty　male　laughter　acpanied　by　the　high…pitched　giggle　of　a　woman　echoed　from　the　messroom。　Pitt　and　Giordino　entered　and　found　Teri　surrounded　by　the　entire　crew　and　scientific　staff　of　the　ship。　She　was　dressed；　or　undressed；　in　a　knotted　makeshift　bikini　that　looked　as　if　it　would　e　unfurled　at　the　first　sign　of　a　passing　offshore　breeze。　She　perched　prettily　on　the　mess　table；　the　center　of　attraction；　a　queen　holding　court；　and　it　was　obvious　that　she　enjoyed　every　male　eyeball。　Pitt　bemusedly　studied　the。　men's　faces　for　a　moment　It　was　an　elementary　task　to　separate　the　scientists　from　the　professional　crewmen。　The　latter　stood　quietly　and　gazed　lecherously　at　the　generous　display　of　feminine　skin；　their　minds　throwing　pornographic　scenes　on　the　inside　walls　of　their　skulls　like　movie　projectors。　Most　of　the　vocal　activity　came　from　the　scientists。　The　marine　biologists；　the　meteorologists；　the　geologists；　each　vying　with　frantic　zeal　for　Teri's　attention　and　behaving　like　schoolboys　whose　dormitory　had　just　been　invaded　by　a　box　office　sex　queen。
　mander　Gunn　saw　Pitt　and　came　over　to　him。　〃I'm　glad　you're　back。　Our　radio　man　is　about　to　go　psycho。　Since　dawn　this　morning　he's　been　receiving　signals　faster　than　he　can　write。　Most　of　them　are　marked　for　your　attention。〃
　Pitt　nodded。　〃Ok；　let's　go　and　read　my　fan　mail。〃　He　turned　to　Giordino。　〃See　if　you　can　tear　our　queen　bee　away　from　her　ardent　admirers　for　a　few　minutes　and　escort　her　to　Gunn's　cabin。　I　want　to　ask　her　one　or　two　very　personal　questions。〃
　Giordino　grinned。　〃From　the　looks　of　that　crowd　I'll　probably　get　lynched　if　I　try。〃
　〃If　things　get　too　tough　just　flash　your　gun；〃　Pitt　said　sarcastically。　〃But　don't　forget　to　remove　the　safety。〃
　Giordino's　mouth　dropped　open　like　a　landed　fish。
　Before　he　could　recover；　Pitt　and　Gunn　had　left
　The　radio　man；　a　young　black　in　his　early　twenties；　looked　up　when　they　entered。　〃This　one　just　came　in　for　you；　sir。〃　He　handed　the　message　to　Gunn。
　Gunn　studied　it　for　a　moment；　then　his　lips　slowly　arched　into　a　wide　smile。　〃Listen　to　this。　'To　mander　Gunn；　officer　manding　NUMA　ship　First　Attempt。　What　in　the　goddamn　hell　kind　of　hornet's　nest　have　you　people　stirred　up　in　the　Aegean。　I　sent　you　out　there　to　study　sea　life；　not　play　cops　and　robbers。　You　are　hereby　ordered　to　render　every　assistance；　repeat。　every　assistance　at　your　mand　to　the　local　INTERPOL　authorities。　And　don't　return　home　without　a　goddamn　Teaser。　Admiral　James　Sandecker；　NUMA；　Washington。'〃
　〃I'd　say　the　Admiral　is　a　bit　off　his　usual　form；〃　murmured　Pitt。　〃He　used　'goddamn'　only　twice。〃
　〃Please　lead　me　out　of　the　dark；〃　Gunn　asked　mildly。　'What　possible　assistance　could　we　be　to　INTERPOL？〃
　Pitt　pondered　a　moment　Gunn　would　have　to　be　led　up　to　a　crucial　decision；　it　was　decidedly　too　early　to　bare　all　the　facts。　Pitt　dodged　the　question。
　〃We　may　be　the　only　hope　left　to　destroy　von　Till　and　his　empire。　It　may　mean　taking　a　few　risks；　but　the　stakes　are　high。〃
　Gunn　removed　his　glasses　and　stared　sharply　at　Pitt。　〃How　high？〃
　〃Enough　heroin　to　hop…up　the　entire　population　of　the　United　States　and　Canada；〃　Pitt　said　slowly。　〃A　hundred　and　thirty　tons　worth　to　be　exact〃
　Gunn　betrayed　no　sign　of　surprise。　He　calmly　held　up　his　glasses　to　the　light；　examining　the　lenses　for　smudges。　Satisfied　there　were　none；　he　replaced　the　horned…rims　over　his　low　set　ears。
　〃Off　hand　I'd　say　that's　a　pretty　fair　amount　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　about　this　last　night　when　you　brought　the　girl　on　board？〃
　〃I　needed　more　time　and　more　answers；　and　right　now　I'm　still　short　on　both。　But　I　think　I've　run　on　to　something　that　will　put　this　whole　insane　puzzle　into　a　transparent　pattern。〃
　〃I　still　don't　know　what　you　expect　from　me。〃
　〃We've　got　to　hit　von　Till　below　the　belt；　way　below　the　belt。　This　is　an　underwater　show。　I　need　every　able…bodied　man　you　can　spare　with　scuba　gear　and　weapons　that　can　be　carried　in　water；　diving　knifes；　spear　guns；　anything。〃
　〃What　guarantee　can　you　give　me　that　no　one　will　get　hurt？〃
　〃Absolutely　none；〃　Pitt　said　quietly。
　Gunn　stared　at　Pitt　for　a　full　ten　seconds；　his　face　expressionless。　〃You　realize　the　seriousness　of　what　you're　asking　me？　Most　of　the　men　aboard　this　ship　are　scientists；　not　mandos。　They're　tigers　with　a　salinometer；　a　nansen　bottle　or　a　microscope；　but　their　skill　at　knifing　another　man　in　the　guts　or　shooting　a　barbed　spear　into　a　navel　leaves　much　to　be　desired。〃
　〃What　about　the　crew？'
　〃All　good　men　to　have　on　your　side　in　a　bar　room　brawl；　but　like　most　professional　seamen；　they　have　an　unhealthy　dislike　for　any　activity　below　the　surface。　They　can't；　or　rather　won't；　put　on　a　face　mask　and　dive。〃　Gunn　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　sorry　Dirk；　you're　asking　too　much…〃
　〃e　off　it；〃　Pitt　snapped　rudely。　〃This　isn't　the　Little　Big　Horn　and　I'm　not　asking　you　to　send　the　Seventh　Cavalry　against　Sitting　Bull　and　the　Sioux　nation。　Look；　not　fifty　miles　from　here　a　Minerva　Lines
　freighter　is　churning　across　the　Aegean　with　a　cargo　that　is　as　lethal　as　any　nuclear　bomb。　If　that　amount　of　heroin　were　dumped　on　the　market　in　the　States；　our　grandchildren　would　still　be　suffering　from　the　cultural　shockwaves。　It's　a　nightmarish　thought。〃
　Pitt　paused；　letting　his　words　sink　in。　He　lit　a　cigarette　and　then　continued。
　〃The　Bureau　of　Narcotics　and　the　Customs　Department　will　be　waiting。　They've　set　a　trap。　If；　and　that's　a　big　if；　all　goes　well；　the　heroin　and　the　smugglers；　plus　half　the　illegal　drug　sellers　in　the　States；　will　be　neatly　scooped　up　and　salted　away　behind　bars。〃
　〃Then　what's　the　problem？〃　Gunn　pressed。　〃Where　do　the　divers　fit　into　the　picture？〃
　〃Let's　just　say　I　have　a　nagging　doubt。　Von　Till　hasn't　e　within　a　nautical　mile　of　being　caught　with　the　goods；　so　to　speak；　for　decades。　Legally；　our　government　agents　can't　board　the　cargo　Ship　until　it　touches　the　United　States'　continental　shelf；　three　weeks　away。　By　then　von　Till　might　sense　that　INTERPOL　is　behaving　overly　cagey。　Rather　than　cooperate　with　the　good　guys　and　sail　into　the　trap；　he'd　have　to　reroute　the　ship　at　the　last　minute　or　else　dump　the　heroin　in　the　Atlantic。　That　leaves　the　narcotic　agents　and　the　customs　inspectors　standing　around　with　nothing　to　do　but　play　with　themselves。　The　only　sure　way；　the　safe　way；　is　to　stop　the　ship　now；　before　it　leaves　the　Mediterranean。〃
　〃You're　the　man　who　said　it…legally　it　can't　be　done。〃
　〃There　is　one　way；〃　Pitt　drew　on　the　cigarette；　then　slowly　let　the　smoke　trickle　through　his　nose。
　〃Prove　a　solid　case　against　von　Till　and　Minerva　Lines　before　morning。〃
　Gunn　shook　his　head　again。　〃Even　then；　boarding　a　ship　in　international　waters；　particularly　a　ship　that　is　registered　to　a　friendly　nation；　can　lead　to　political　repercussions。　I　doubt　if　any　country　would　want　to　touch　it〃
　〃There　is　one　opportunity；〃　Pitt　said。　〃The　ship　stops　at　Marseilles　for　fuel。　INTERPOL　would　have　to　work　fast　If　they　received　the　necessary　evidence　and　rushed　through　the　legal　paperwork　they　could　seize　the　ship　in　port。〃
　Gunn　leaned　against　the　doorway　and　gave　Pitt　a　penetrating　stare。　〃The　catch　is　that　you　want　to　risk　the　lives　of　the　people　under　my　mand。〃
　〃It　has　to　be；〃　Pitt　said　quietly。〃
　〃I　think　you're　hedging；〃　Gunn　said　slowly。　〃You're　up　to　your　ears　in　stormy　waters。　I　don't　like　any　of　it　I'm　responsible　to　NUMA　for　this　ship　and　its　personnel。　All　that　interests　me　is　the　safe　pletion　of　this　expedition。　Why　us？　I　don't　see　why　INTERPOL　or　the　local　police　can't　conduct　their　own　search　operation。　Finding　divers　on　the　mainland　is　no　problem。〃
　This　was　getting　too　damn　awkward；　Pitt　thought。　At　this　stage　of　the　game　he　couldn't　let　on　that　Zacynthus　was　very　much　against　even　the　slightest　harassment　of　von　Till。　Pitt　had　known　Gunn　for　a　little　over　a　year；　and　in　that　time　they　had　bee　good　friends。　The　mander　was　a　smart　customer。　The　next　scene　would　have　to　be　played　cool；　very　cool　indeed。　Pitt　gazed　suspiciously　at　the　busy　radio　operator　for　a　moment；　then　turned　back　to　Gunn。
　〃Call　it　fate；　coincidence　or　any　other　term　you　wish　to　choose；　that　put　the　First　Attempt　at　Thasos　at　the　exact　moment　to　expose　a　beautifully　planned　criminal　conspiracy。　Von　Till's　entire　smuggling　operation　depends　upon　the　use　of　a　submarine；　maybe　more　than　one；　we　don't　know　yet　The　heroin　is　the　biggest　job　he's　ever　undertaken。　It's　damn　hard　for　the　mind　to　conceive；　but　he　could　easily　net　over　two　hundred　million　dollars　on　this　one　shipment。　He　p