cc.themediterraneancaper2-第41部分

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rom　the　summer　of　1917　until　the　Armistice　in　November　of　1918；　he　never　left　the　Western　Front。　The　next　intriguing　tid…bit　was　the　first　name　on　the　U…19's　crew　roster…a　mander　Erich　Heibert。　Being　an　Inquisitive　cuss；　I　didn't　stop　there。　I　radioed　Berlin　again；　this　time　from　the　ship；　and　asked　them　to　send　all　available　information　on　Erich　Heibert。　That　did　it…I　couldn't　have　created　a　bigger　stir　with　the　German　authorities　If　I'd　resurrected　Hider；　Goering　and　Himmler　all　in　one　swoop。〃
　〃Sheer　babble…he's　delirious。〃　The　shrewd；　Calculating　Fu　Manchu　look　had　returned　to　the　old　German's　face。　〃No　one　in　their　right　mind　would　believe　such　a　ridiculous　fairytale。　A　model　submarine…hardly　a　valid　connection　between　me　and　Heibert。〃
　〃I　don't　have　to　prove　anything。　The　facts　speak　for　themselves。　When　Hitler　took　power　you　became　his　devoted　follower。　In　return　for　your　loyalty；　and　in　recognition　of　your　previous　valuable　bat　experience；　he　promoted　you　to　Officer　manding　Transportation　Fleet；　a　title　you　held　throughout　the　war　until　just　before　Germany's　surrender　when　you　seem　to　have　vanished。〃
　〃That　has　nothing　to　do　with　me；〃　von　Till　said　angrily。
　〃You're　wrong；〃　Pitt　returned。　〃The　real　Bruno　von　Till　married　the　daughter　of　a　wealthy　Bavarian　businessman　who；　among　other　interests；　owned　a　small　fleet　of　merchant　ships　…ships　that　sailed　under　the　flag　of　Greece。　Von　Till　knew　a　good　thing　when　he　saw　it　He　took　out　Greek　citizenship　papers　and　became　Managing　Director　of　Minerva　Lines。　Financially　the　pany　was　a　loser；　but　he　built　it　into　a　first　class　carrier　fleet　by　smuggling　arms　and　essential　war　materials　into　Germany　in　direct　violation　of　the　Versailles　Treaty。
　That's　how　you　knew　him；　you　helped　engineer　the　operation。　You　both　had　a　good　thing　going；　but　von　Till　was　no　mental　retard。　He　figured　the　Axis　powers　would　lose　in　the　end。　So　he　threw　his　lot　with　the　Allies　early　in　the　war。〃
　〃You　fail　to　make　a　connection；〃　Darius　said。　Pitt　had　his　interest；　but　it　could　just　as　easily　fade　at　any　moment。
　〃Now　es　the　good　part。　Your　boss；　Darius；　isn't　a　man　to　leave　anything　to　chance。　A　less　clever　man　would　have　simply　tried　to　vanish　Not　Admiral　Erich　Heibert　He　was　much　too　cunning　Somehow　he　made　his　way　through　the　Allied　line。　to　England；　where　the　bonafide　von　Till　was　living；　murdered　him　and　took　his　place。〃
　〃How　was　it　possible；〃　Darius　demanded。
　〃It　wasn't　only　possible；〃　Pitt　said　to　Darius；　〃it　was　acplished　to　the　letter。　They　were　both　roughly　the　same　size　and　build。　A　few　alterations　here　and　there　by　a　skilled　surgeon；　a　few　gestures　and　speech　mannerisms；　practiced　until　perfect　and　the　man　who　stands　before　you　became　a　dead　ringer　for　the　original　Bruno　von　Till。　Why　not？　There　were　no　close　friends；　von　Till　was　sort　of　a　loner；　no　one　knew　him　well。　His　wife　had　died　childless。　There　was。　however；　a　nephew　who　had　been　born　and　raised　in　Greece。　Even　he　didn't　catch　on　to　the　switch　till　years　later　Then　it　cost　him　his　life。　Mere　child's　play　for　a　professional　killer　like　Heibert　The　nephew　and　his　wife　were　murdered　in　a　faked　boating　accident　Teri；　their　young　daughter；　was　spared　No　benevolence　on　Heibert's　part　I　assure　you。　The　public　image　of　a　considerate　and　protective　grand　uncle　was　too　good　to　pass　by。〃
　Pitt　stole　another　enpassing　look　at　the　guards；　the　tunnel　and　the　Japanese　I…Boat。　Then　he　turned　back　to　von　Till。
　〃After　the　switch；　smuggling　was　merely　a　sideline　for　you。　Heibert。　The　inventive　creation　of　a　submarine　attached　to　the　keel　of　a　ship　came　natural　for　an　old　U…Boat　mander。　To　the　outside　world；　Heibert；　alias　von　Till；　had　it　made。　Minerva　Lines　was　thriving；　the　money　was　rolling　in。　But　you　were　worried；　things　were　going　too　well　The　more　prominent　you　became；　the　better　your　chances　of　being　exposed。　So　you　moved　to　Thasos；　re…built　the　villa　and　played　the　role　of　an
　eccentric　millionaire　recluse。　Business　as　usual　was　no　problem。　A　high…power　short…wave　radio　was　installed　so　you　could　operate　Minerva　Lines　without　ever　setting　foot　on　the　mainland　of　Europe。　But　your　perverted　past　was　too　strong。　You　let　the　pany　fleet　run　down。　to　a　fourth　rate　freight　hauler；　and　turned　your　talents　almost　entirely　to　smuggling…〃
　〃Where　is　all　this　talk　leading？〃　Darius　interrupted。
　〃The　fait　acpli…the　pay…off；〃　Pitt　explained。　〃It　seems　that　Admiral　Heibert　here　was　conspicuous　by　his　absence　at　the　Nuremberg　War　Trials。　His　name　is　right　up　there　next　to　Martin　Bormann　on　the　wanted　war　criminals　list。　A　real　sweetheart　this　one。　While　Eichmann　was　burning　the　Jews；　Heibert　was　emptying　the　POW　camps　by　driving　Allied　prisoners　into　the　holds　of　old　merchant　vessels　and　setting　them　adrift　in　the　North　Sea；　trusting　to　British　and　American　bombers　to　do　the　Nazi's　own　dirty　work。　In　spite　of　the　fact　that　he　had　disappeared　at　the　end　of　the　war；　he　knew　what　was　in　store　if　he　stayed　in　Germany。　He　was　convicted　in　absentia　by　the　International　Military　Tribunal　at　Nuremberg　and　sentenced　to　death。　It's　a　pity　he　wasn't　hung　before　now；　still　it's　better　late　than　never。〃
　Pitt　had　played　his　last　card。　There　was　nothing　left　for　him　but　to　hope；　he　could　stall　no　more。
　〃Well　there　you　have　it。　A　few　facts；　a　few　educated　guesses。　The　story's　a　bit　sketchy　I　admit。　The　Germans　could　only　radio　a　brief　outline　of　the　information　they　had　in　their　files。　The　exact　details　may　never　bee　known。　No　matter；　you're　a　dead　man　Heibert〃
　Von　Till　looked　at　Pitt　in　cold　speculation。　〃Pay　no　attention　to　the　Major；　Darius。　His　whole　make…believe　talk　is　nothing　but　the　clever　stall　of　a　
　desperate　man…〃
　Von　Tin　paused；　listening。　At　first　the　sound　was　faint…it　seemed　like　an　eerie　thumping。　Then　Pitt　recognized　it　as　the　heavy　tread　of　hobnail　boots　moving　closer　along　the　wooden　deck。　The　mist　was　back；　and　its　moist　atmosphere　cloaked　any　shape　or　form；　while　at　the　same　time　it　amplified　the　approaching　footsteps　into　a　kettledrum　beat。　It　sounded　as　though　the　unseen　noisemaker　was　lifting　his　feet　and　dropping　them　with　much　more　force　than　necessary。　Then　a　ghostly　and　faceless　figure；　dressed　in　the　uniform　of　von　Till's　bodyguards；　grew　out　of　the　mist。　Barely　discernible；　the　figure　stopped　several　feet　back　and　clicked　his　heels。
　〃The　Queen　Jocasta　has　dropped　anchor；　sir。〃　The　voice　spoke　in　a　low　guttural　tone。
　〃You　idiot！〃　von　Till　snapped；　angry　at　the　interruption。　〃Return　to　your　post。〃
　〃No　more　delays；〃　Darius　snarled。　〃Just　one　bullet　in　the　Major's　groin　so　he　can　linger　in　agony。〃　The　Luger's　muzzle　fell　to　Pitt's　lower　torso。
　〃Whatever's　fair；〃　Pitt　said　quietly。　He　had　a　strange　expressionless　stare　that　was　more　disturbing　to　von　Till　than　any　show　of　fear　ever　could　have　been。
　Von　Till　arched　forward　in　a　curt　precise　bow。
　〃I'm　sorry。　Major；〃　the　old　German　said　slowly　and　very　deliberately。　〃Our　interesting　little　chat　has　e　to　an　end。　Please　forgive　me　if　I　fall　to　provide　the　traditional　blindfold　and　last　cigarette。〃　He　said　nothing　more；　the　evil；　venomous　smirk　on　his　face　spoke　for　him；　and　Pitt　braced　himself　for　the　almost　certain　blast　from　Darius'　gun。
　　18
　A　gun　roared：　not　the　sharp　bark　of　a　Luger；　but　the　heavy；　ear…stunning　roar　of　a　big　bore；　forty…five　Colt　automatic　Darius　shouted　in　pain　as　the　Luger　flew　from　his　hand　into　the　water。　Giordino；　in　a　uniform　at　least　two　sizes　too　large。　nimbly　leaped　off　the　dock　onto　the　sub　deck　and　shoved　the　Colt　into　von　Till's　left　ear。　Then　he　turned　to　admire　his　marksmanship。
　〃Well；　what　do　you　know；　I　even　remembered　to　remove　the　safety。〃
　〃Nice　going〃　Pitt　said。　〃Errol　Flynn　couldn't　have　made　a　more　dramatic　entrance。〃
　Their　faces　confused　and　unprehending；　von　Till　and　Darius　stood　frozen　in　mute　shock。　The　hot　flood　lights　glazed　through　the　mist；　burning　it　away　pletely；　and　the　guards　on　the　ledge　could　see　that　something　totally　unexpected　had　occurred　on　the　sub's　deck。　As　if　drawn　by　one　string；　all　five　men　raised　their　machine　pistols　and　aimed　them　directly　at　Pitt。
　〃Keep　your　fingers　off　the　triggers。〃　Giordino's　voice　boomed　against　the　rock　walls　〃Shoot　Major　Pitt　and　I　splatter　your　boss's　brains　half　way　to　Athens。　Shoot　and　you　all　die。　There　are　guns　trained　on　your　hearts…　I'm　not　bluffing。　Look　at　the　tunnel。〃
　If　there　was　one　thing　in　the　cavern　whose　supply　outdistanced　its　necessity；　it　was　the　machine　pistol。　There　were　ten　more　of　them　in　the　bands　of　the　toughest　bunch　of　men　Pitt　had　ever　seen。　They　were　grouped　in　loose　formation　around　the　tunnel　entrance；　four　in　the　prone　position；　three　kneeling　and　three　standing。　Pitt　almost　had　to　look　twice　to　make　them　out　clearly；　their　black　and　brown　camouflaged　field　dress　blended　perfectly　into　the　craggy　shadows。　Only　their　maroon　berets；　the　hallmark　of　an　elite　outfit；　betrayed　their　presence　to　the　casual　eye。
　Giordino　continued：　〃Now　please　turn　your　attention　to　the　submarine　at　my　rear。〃
　It　wasn't　exactly　the　straw　that　broke　the　camel's　back；　but　it　was　the　ugly；　air　cooled　machine　gun；　gripped　by　a　fiendishly　grinning　Colonel　Zeno　on　the　I…Boat's　conning　tower；　that　broke　the　bodyguards'　will　to　fight　Slowly　they　lowered　their　guns　and　raised　their　hands　in　the　air；　all　except　one；　he　hesitated　and　paid　the　price。
　Zeno　fanned　the　trigger　of　his　weapon。　Two　bullets；　no　more。　spat　from　the　air…cooled　barrel　in　one　brief　blast　The　unthinking　unfortunate　guard　slumped　soundlessly　to　the　ground　and　rolled　limply　into　the　water；　staining　the　brilliant　cobalt　blue　with　a　growing　cloud　of　red。
　〃Now　walk；　don't　run　to　the　nearest　exit；〃　Giordino　said　casually；　〃your　hands　clasped　on　your　heads。〃
　Pitt；　the　tired　expression　on　his　face　reflecting　the　gnawing　pain　in　his　leg　said　to　Giordino：　〃You　sliced　your　timing　pretty　thin。〃
　〃The　capital　of　Italy　wasn't　constructed　in　twenty…four　hours；〃　Giordino　paraphrased　pontifically。　〃After　all；　swimming　ashore；　finding　Zacynthus；　Zeno；　and　their　roving　band　of　mandos；　and　then　leading　them　through　that　godawful　labyrinth　on　the　run　wasn't　the　most　leisurely　of　chores。〃
　〃Did　you　have　any　trouble　with　my　directions？〃
　〃No　problem。　The　elevator　shaft　was　right