cc.themediterraneancaper2-第38部分

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ht…that　and　more。　Anger　and　disgust　flooded　over　him。　If　they　could　only　talk；　what　tales　of　insidious　tragedies　these　steel　plates　could　relate。
　〃Please　drop　your　spear　on　the　deck　and　keep　very；　very　still。〃　The　voice　behind　Pitt　was　hard；　and　so　was　the　gun　barrel　that　dug　into　his　spine。　He　eased　the　pole　spear　slowly　to　the　wet　deck。　〃Good。　Now　order　your　men　to　drop　their　weapons　on　the　bottom。　No　tricks。　A　concussion　grenade　in　the　water　can　turn　a　swimmer　into　an　ugly　mass　of　jelly。〃
　Pitt　nodded　at　the　five　floating　heads。　〃You　heard　the　man。　Drop　the　spear　guns　。　。　。　the　knives　too。
　There's　no　sense　in　antagonizing　these　nice　people。　I'm　sorry　men。　It　looks　like　I've　blown　it。〃
　There　was　nothing　else　left　to　say。　Pitt　had　led　these　five　men　into　a　trap　from　which　they　might　never　escape　alive。　All　emotion　left　him；　he　was　conscious　now　only　of　time。　On　cue；　Pitt　raised　his　hands　over　his　head　and　slowly　turned　around。
　〃Major　Pitt；　you　are　an　unmonly　aggravating　young　man。〃
　Bruno　von　Till　stood　on　the　deck　of　the　submarine；　grinning　like　Fu　Manchu　about　to　feed　a　victim　to　the　crocodiles。　His　eyes　were　narrowed　slits　beneath　the　skin…topped　head；　and　he　seemed；　at　least　to　Pitt；　to　radiate　a　personal　and　long…practiced　repulsiveness。　But　something　was　wrong；　terribly　wrong。　The　old　German　had　both　hands　in　his　jacket　pockets；　he　carried　no　gun。　It　was　the　man　beside　him　who　held　the　gun…a　mountain　of　a　man　with　a　face　of　carved　stone　and　a　torso　like　a　tree　trunk。　Von　Till's　eyes　fully　opened；　and　his　voice　rose　in　a　mocking　tone。
　〃Forgive　me　for　not　offering　introductions；　Major。〃　Von　Till　gestured　toward　his　panion。　〃But　I　understand　that　you　and　Darius　have　already　met。〃
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　　〃You　seem　surprised　to　see　me；　Major；〃　Darius　murmured　satanically。　〃I　can't　tell　you　what　a　great　pleasure　it　is　to　meet　you　again　under　more　favorable　terms。〃　He　jammed　the　nasty　looking　Luger　against　Pitt's　throat　〃Please　do　not　move　and　force　me　to　kill　you　prematurely。　Your　quick　and　sudden　death　would　only　cheat　me　out　of　a　great　deal　of　personal　satisfaction　and　pleasure。　I　said　I　had　an　account　to　settle　with　you　and　your　ugly　little　friend；　now　the　hour　has　arrived　to　repay　my　debt　for　the　pain　I　have　suffered　at　your　hands　or　more　correctly　feet。〃
　Pitt　did　his　damnedest　to　look　casual。　〃Sorry　to　disappoint　you　but　Giordino　stayed　home　this　trip。〃
　〃Then　his　punishment　shall　be　added　to　yours。〃
　Darius　smiled　pleasantly。　then　lowered　the　gun　and　calmly　shot　Pitt　in　the　leg。　The　sharp　crack　of　the　Luger　amplified　to　a　thunderclap　within　the　rock…walled　cavern。　A　blow…like　the　thrust　of　a　red　hot　poker…jerked　Pitt　sideways　and　knocked　him　backward　two　steps。　Somehow；　he　never　really　knew　how；　he　managed　to　remain　on　his　feet　The　nine　millimeter　bullet　had　torn　through　the　fleshy　part　of　his　thigh。　missing　the　bone　by　a　scant　quarter　of　an　inch　and　leaving　a　neat　little　reddish　hole　at　the　entrance　and　a　slightly　larger　one　at　the　exit。　The　burning　sensation　quickly　left；　and　his　leg　became　numb　with　shock；　the　real　pain；　he　was　sure；　would　soon　follow。
　〃e　now；　Darius；〃　von　Till　spoke　reprovingly。
　〃Let　us　not　over…indulge　ourselves　in　crudity。　We　have　more　important　matters　to　resolve　before　you　pursue　your　little　'eye…for…an…eye'　sport。　My　apologies；　Major　Pitt；　but　you　must　admit；　you　have　only　yourself　to　blame。　Your　well…aimed　kick　in　such　a　delicate　location　will　require　Darius　to　limp　for　at　least　another　two　weeks。〃
　〃I'm　only　sorry　I　didn't　boot　him　twice　as　hard；〃
　Pitt　said　through　clenched　teeth。
　Von　Till　ignored　him。　He　said　to　the　men　in　the　water：　〃Drop　your　diving　equipment　on　the　bottom；　gentlemen。　Then　climb　up　on　deck。　Quickly；　we　have　little　time　to　waste。〃
　Thomas　raised　his　mask　and　threw　an　if…looks…could…kill　stare　at　von　Till　〃We're　damn　well　fortable　right　where　we　are。〃
　Von　Till　shrugged。　〃Very　well；　it　seems　you　need　an　incentive。〃　He　turned　and　shouted　into　the　dim　shadows　of　the　cavern。　〃Hans；　the　lights！〃
　Suddenly；　a　string　of　overhead　flood　lights　burst　on；　illuminating　the　cavern　from　ceiling　to　water。　Pitt　could　now　see　that　the　submarine　was　moored　to　a　floating　dock　that　began　at　a　tunnel　entrance　on　the　far　wall　and　extended　two　hundred　feet　across　the　water　like　an　enormous　wooden　tongue。　The　domed　ceiling　was　much　lower　in　this　inner　cavern　as　pared　to　the　outer　one；　but　its　horizontal　area　was　several　times　larger；　the　square　footage　would　have　easily　equaled　a　football　field。　Along　the　right　wall；　on　an　overhanging　ledge；　five　men　stood　in　frozen　immobility；　their　hands　gripped　on　leveled　machine　pistols。　Each　was　dressed　in　the　same　style　of　uniform　that　Pitt　had　previously　seen　on　von　Till's　chauffeur。　There　was　no　mistaking　the　business…like　manner　in　which　they　aimed　their　weapons　at　the　men　in　the　water。
　〃I　think　you'd　better　do　as　the　man　says；〃　Pitt　advised。
　The　mist　returned；　but　the　burning　lights　kept　it　to　a　minimum；　dooming　any　chance　for　escape。　Spencer　and　Hersong　climbed　aboard　the　sub　first；　followed　by　Knight　and　Thomas。　Woodson；　as　usual；　was　last；　still　clutching　his　camera　in　defiance　of　von　Till's　mands。
　Knight　helped　Pitt　off　with　his　airtank。　〃Let　me　take　a　look　at　your　leg；　sir。〃　Gently　he　eased　Pitt　to　a　sitting　position　on　the　deck。　Then　he　removed　the　lead　weights　from　his　weight　belt　and　wrapped　the　nylon　webbing　around　Pitt's　wound；　stemming　the　blood　flow。　He　looked　up　at　Pitt　and　grinned。　〃It　seems　as　though　everytime　I　turn　around；　you're　bleeding。〃
　〃A　messy　habit　I　can't　rid　myself　of　lately…〃
　Pitt　stopped　short。　The　mist　was　disappearing　again；　and　the　lights　had　now　exposed　a　second　submarine　moored　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　dock。　He　surveyed　both　subs　paring　them。　The　one　he　and　his　men　rested　on　had　a　flush　deck　from　stem　to　stern；　no　projections　anywhere。　The　other　sub　was　different；　it　still　retained　its　original　conning　tower；　a　massive　structure　that　sat　on　its　hull　like　a　distorted　half…bubble。　Three　men；　backs　turned　to　the　drama；　behind　them；　were　busily　removing　the　machine　guns　from　a　shattered　airplane　that　sat　on　the　broad　deck。
　〃Now　I　know　where　the　yellow　Albatros　materialized　from；〃　said　Pitt。　〃An　old　Japanese　I…Boat；　capable　of　launching　a　small　scout　plane。　They　haven't　been　in　use　since　World　War　II。〃
　〃Yes；　a　handsome　specimen；〃　von　Till　said　jovially。　〃I'm　honored　you　could　identify　it。　Sunk　by　an　American　destroyer　off　Iwo　Jima　in　1945；　raised　by　Minerva　Lines　in　1951。　I've　found　the　bination　of　submarine　and　aircraft　a　most　useful　method　of　delivering　small　cargoes　into　areas　that　demand　extreme　discretion。〃
　〃A　handy　toy　for　also　attacking　United　States　airfields　and　research　ships；〃　Pitt　added。
　〃Touché；　Major；〃　von　Till　murmured。　〃At　dinner　the　other　night　you　guessed　that　the　plane　came　from　the　sea。　You　were　groping　blindly；　but　you　came　much　closer　than　you　thought。〃
　〃I　can　see　that　now。〃　Pitt　shot　a　quick　glance　at　the　tunnel　entrance。　Two　more　guards　leaned　negligently　against　the　walls　of　the　opening；　their　machine　pistols　hung　carelessly　over　their　shoulders。　Pitt　started　to　say：　〃The　antique　Albatros…〃
　〃Correction。〃　von　Till　interrupted。　〃A　replica　of　an　Albatros。　For　my　purposes　a　slow；　bi…wing　aircraft　was　the　most　efficient　means　of　landing　and　taking　off　on　short　fields；　dark　beaches；　or　in　water　beside　a　ship；　the　lower　wing　can；　or　should　I　say　could　fold　downward　in　the　shape　of　hydrofoil　pontoons。　I　used　the　Albatros　D…3　design　with　a　more　modern　engine；　of　course；　because　the　aerodynamics　provided　the　perfect　answer　to　my　requirements　And　an　old　shabby　looking　airplane　would　never　be　suspected　of。　shall　we　say；　slightly　illegal　activities。　A　pity　it　will　never　fly　again。〃
　Von　Till　pulled　a　box　of　cigarettes　from　his　breast　pocket　and　lit　one。　Then　he　went　on。
　〃My　delivery　plane　was　never　meant　to　be　armed　or　flown　in　bat　It　was　only　after　I　had　no　alternative　but　to　assault　Brady　Field　and　your　precious　research　ship　that　I　had　the　guns　installed；　a　drastic　move　perhaps　but　your　mander　Gunn　refused　to　be　discouraged　by　my　subtle　efforts　to　sabotage　his　expedition。　There　was　little　to　fear　from　a　Sunday　swimmer　or　a　diving　tourist　discovering　my　little　underwater　modus　operandi　However；　a　trained　ocean　scientist；　that　was
　something　else　again。　I　could　not　take　the　risk。　The　raid　was；　I　am　still　convinced；　an　excellent　plan。　Colonel　Lewis　would　have　had　no　choice　but　to　order　the　its　name　escapes　me；　ah　yes；　the　First　Attempt　to　evacuate　the　Thasos　coast　if　the　attack　had　continued　unhindered。　You　couldn't　have　known；　of　course；　that　the　Albatros　intended　to　make　a　token　strafing　run　against　the　ship　immediately　after　it　neutralized　the　airfield。　Inopportunely；　Major　Pitt；　you　blundered　onto　the　scene　and　ruined　everything。〃
　〃The　fortunes　of　war；〃　Pitt　offered　sarcastically。
　〃It　is　a　shame　Willie　cannot　be　here　to　hear　you　say　that。〃
　〃Where　is　good　old　peeping…Tom　Willie？〃　Pitt　asked。
　〃Willi　was　the　pilot；〃　von　Till　answered。　〃When　the　Albatros　crashed　into　the　sea；　poor　Willie　was　trapped　in　the　wreckage。　He　drowned　before　we　could　reach　him。〃　Von　Till's　face　abruptly　became　hard　and　menacing。　〃It　seems　you　cost　me　my　chauffeur　and　pilot　as　well　as　my　dog。〃
　〃Gullibility　on　Willie's　part；〃　Pitt　said　quietly。　〃I　suckered　him　with　the　same　old　balloon　trick　that　the　British　used　on　Kurt　Heibert。　As　to　the　dog；　before　you　sic　another　one　of　your　hydrophobic　bitches　on　your　next　unsuspecting　dinner　guest；　I　suggest　you　count　your　table　utensils。〃
　Von　Till　looked　at　Pitt　curiously　for　a　moment　Then　he　nodded　knowingly。　〃Remarkable；　quite　remarkable。　You　killed　my　champion　hound　with　a　knife　from　my　own　dinner　table。　Most　ungracious　of　you；　Major；　to　say　the　least　May　I　ask　how　you　were　forewarned？〃
　〃Premonition；〃　Pitt　replied。　〃No　more；　no　less。　You　should　never　have　tried　to　kill　me。　That　was　your　first　mistake。〃
　〃It　is　a　pity　your　escape　from　the　labyrinth　only　prolonged　your　existence　by　a　few　hours。〃
　Pitt　nonchalantly　glanced　past　von　Till　and　Darius。
　The　ominous　black　tunnel　was　now　strangely　empty；　the　two　guards　had　disappeared。　Not　so　the　five　guards　who　lined　the　cavern　wall　with　the　machine　pistols…they　looke