cc.fireice-第58部分

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n't　think　he　blinked；　They　were　like　fish　eyes。　Dead　with　no　emotion　in　them。〃
　〃You　said　he　spoke　to　you。〃
　〃I　must　have　passed　out。　When　I　awoke；　I　was　lying　on　my　bunk。　He　was　bending　over　me。　His　breath　was　so　foul；　it　was　all　I　could　do　not　to　vomit。　The　ship　was　quiet。　There　was　only　that　voice；　soft　like　the　hissing　of　a　snake。　Almost　hypnotic。　He　said　he　had　killed　everyone　on　the　ship　except　me。　They　were　leaving　me　alive　to　deliver　a　message。〃　Her　body　convulsed　into　choking　sobs；　but　her　anger　helped　her　pull　herself　together　and　she　continued。　〃He　wanted　NUMA　to　know　that　this　was　revenge　for　killing　his　Guardians　and　violating　the　'sacred　precincts。'　He　said　he　wanted　Kurt　Austin。〃
　〃You're　sure　he　called　me　by　name？〃
　〃I　wouldn't　make　a　mistake　about　something　like　that。　I　said　that　you　weren't　here。　They　knew　you　were　on　the　Argo。　I　told　him　this　wasn't　the　Argo。　He　had　one　of　his　men　check。　When　he　learned　he　was　on　the　wrong　ship；　he　flew　into　a　rage。　He　said　to　tell　NUMA　and　the　U。S。　that　this　was　a　small　taste　of　the　destruction　that　was　yet　to　e。〃
　〃Is　there　anything　else？〃
　〃That's　all　I　remember。〃　She　stared　dumbly。
　
　Austin　thanked　her　and　went　over　to　where　his　pack　was　lying　on　the　deck。　He　pulled　out　his　Globalstar　phone。　Within　seconds；　he　was　talking　to　Gunn。　〃Are　you　still　in　the　air？〃
　〃Just　barely。　We're　running　on　fumes；　but　we'll　make　it。　Are　you　and　Joe　okay？〃
　〃We're　fine。〃
　
　Gunn　sensed　from　Austin's　tone　that　there　was　more　be…　hind　the　terse　reply。　〃What's　the　situation　on　the　Hunter？〃
　〃I'd　rather　not　say　over　the　phone；　but　it's　about　as　bad　as　it　can　get。〃
　
　Gunn　said；　〃Help　is　on　its　way。　I　talked　to　Sandecker；　and　he　called　his　friends　in　the　navy。　They're　grateful　for　getting　the　NR…1's　crew　back。　When　he　said　you　needed　some　assistance；　they　broke　a　cruiser　off　from　NATO　exercises　in　the　area。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　mind　an　aircraft　carrier　at　this　point；　but　a　cruiser　will　be　fine。〃
　〃The　ship　will　be　there　within　two　hours。　Anything　else　you　need？〃
　
　Austin's　eyes　hardened　and　a　razor…sharp　edge　came　into　his　voice。　〃Yeah。　I'd　like　about　five　minutes　with　a　certain　bug…eyed　freak。〃
　
　…25…
　THE　NAVY　PUT　an　armed　party　aboard　the　Sea　Hunter；　but　nothing　could　be　done　until　an　investigation　team　arrived。　Austin　needed　no　forensic　expert　to　tell　him　the　murderous　sequence　of　events　that　had　transpired　aboard　the　unsuspecting　ship。　The　attackers　had　arrived　by　sea；　silently　stolen　onto　the　vessel；　then　made　their　way　through　the　ship　and　systematically　slaughtered　everyone　on　her　except　for　the　one　witness　they　purposely　left　alive。　A　maniac　who　talked　of　revenge　had　led　the　attack。
　
　The　message　left　with　the　sole　survivor　made　it　clear　that　the　raid　was　payback：　Austin　called　NUMA　headquarters　and　asked　that　a　warning　be　issued　to　all　the　agency's　vessels；　especially　those　in　the　Mediterranean　area。　He　felt　responsible　despite　Zavala's　argument　that　no　one　could　have　anticipated　the　savage　attack　on　the　Sea　Hunter：　He　could　barely　keep　his　anger　under　control。　Zavala　recognized　the　cold；　distant　expression　on　Austin's　face；　and　he　knew　the　contest　between　Austin　and　the　killers　had　bee　intensely　personal。　If　he　hadn't　seen　what　Boris　and　his　minions　bad　done　on　the　NUMA　ship；　he　might　have　felt　sorry　for　them。
　
　The　trip　back　to　Istanbul　on　the　navy　cruiser　was　uneventful。　Austin　and　Zavala　arrived　at　their　Istanbul　hotel　in　the　wee　hours　of　the　morning。　An　overnight　FedEx　packet　from　the　States　awaited　Austin　at　the　front　desk。　He　took　it　up　to　his　room　and　smiled　as　he　read　the　note　inside　the　envelope；　〃Herewith　is　enclosed　information　on　the　Odessa　Star。　Will　forward　more　as　unearthed。　Haven't　you　forgotten　you　owe　me　something？　P。〃　Austin　called　the　hotel　concierge　and　said　a　large　tip　would　be　forthing　if　he　could　dig　up　a　recipe　for　imam　bayidi　and　forward　it　to　Perlmutter。　Then　he　scanned　the　material　on　the　Odessa　Star。
　
　The　Lloyd's　record　was　enlightening；　but　Austin　didn't　know　what　to　make　of　the　story　of　the　little　mermaid　and　filed　it　in　the　back　of　his　mind。　Perlmutter's　description　of　the　strange　conversation　with　Dodson　caught　his　attention。　Curious。　Why　would　the　English　lord　hang　up　on　Perlmutter？　For　an　old　derelict；　the　Odessa　Star　elicited　strong　reactions。　At　the　mere　mention　of　the　vessel；　Dodson　had　rolled　down　a　curtain　of　silence。
　
　Austin　picked　up　the　phone　and　called　Zavala's　room。　〃Cool　your　jets；　my　friend。　I'm　almost　packed；〃　Zavala　said。
　
　〃I'm　happy　to　hear　that。　How　would　you　like　to　take　a　slight　detour　through　England？　I　need　you　to　talk　to　somelone。　I'd　do　it　myself；　but　Rudi　and　I　have　to　get　back　to　Washington　to　fill　Sandecker　in。〃　Austin　was　also　aware　of　his　own　impatience　and　sometimes　intimidating　physical　presence　and　reasoned　that　the　soft…spoken　Zavala　might　fare　better　with　a　reluctant　source。
　
　〃No　problem。　I　may　look　up　a　lady　friend　in　Chelsea　…　〃
　〃She'll　be　devastated　when　she　learns　you　won't　have　time　for　socializing。　This　won't　wait；〃　he　said；　his　voice　serious。　〃I'm　bringing　you　something　I'd　like　you　to　read。〃　Austin　went　next　door　to　Zavala's　room。　While　Zavala　dove　into　the　material　from　Perlmutter；　Austin　called　the　concierge　again　and　asked　him　to　find　a　seat　for　Joe　on　the　next　flight　to　London。　The　concierge　said　he　had　finished　faxing　the　recipe　to　Perlmutter　and　would　do　his　best。　Austin　knew　there　were　at　least　two　ways　of　getting　things　done　in　Istanbul；　the　official　route　and　the　unofficial　way；　which　relied　on　a　network　of　family　and　friends　and　the　leverage　of　IOUs　for　old　favors。　The　concierge　was　apparently　well　connected　because　he　found　the　last　seat　on　a　plane　leaving　within　two　hours。
　
　Zavala　finished　reading　the　material。　After　conferring　with　Austin；　he　got　on　the　phone　and　called　Dodson。　Identifying　himself　as　a　researcher　for　NUMA；　he　said　he　would　be　in　London　the　following　day　and　asked　to　talk　to　Dodson　about　his　family's　historical　involvement　in　Britain's　naval　history　and　service　to　the　Crown。　It　was　a　thinly　veiled　excuse　that　wouldn't　get　past　a　kindergarten　teacher；　but　if　Dodson　suspected　the　subterfuge；　he　didn't　let　on。　He　said　he　would　be　available　all　day　and　gave　directions　to　his　house。
　
　
　AS　THE　BRITISH　Airways　jet　began　the　final　approach　to　Heathrow　Airport；　Zavala　looked　off　toward　London　with　longing　in　his　soulful　eyes。　He　wondered　if　the　auburn…haired　journalist　he　had　dated　still　lived　in　Chelsea　and　thought　how　nice　it　would　be　to　catch　up　on　old　times　over　tandoori　at　a　favorite　Indian　restaurant　on　Oxford　Street。　With　Herculean　resolve；　he　pushed　the　thought　from　his　mind。　Prying　an　old　family　secret　out　of　a　reluctant　British　aristocrat　would　be　hard　enough　without　feminine　distractions。
　
　Zavala　breezed　through　customs；　picked　up　his　rental　car　and　headed　for　the　Cotswolds；　the　historic　Gloucestershire　countryside　a　few　hours'　drive　from　London。　He　hoped　none　of　the　bean　counters　back　at　NUMA　would　have　a　heart　attack　when　they　saw　the　bill　for　renting　a　Jaguar　convertible。　Zavala　rationalized　that　the　small　luxury　helped　pensate　for　the　dent　NUMA　was　putting　in　his　love　life。　At　this　rate；　he　ruminated　grimly；　he'd　be　joining　a　monastery。
　
　Turning　off　the　main　highway；　he　drove　briskly　along　meandering　narrow　roads；　some　no　wider　than　cow　paths；　doing　his　best　to　stay　to　the　left。　The　picturesque　landscape　looked　like　pictures　from　a　calendar。　The　rolling　hills　and　pastures　were　almost　unnatural　in　their　greenness。　Sturdy　houses　of　honey…brown　stone　clustered　in　the　villages　and　dotted　the　unspoiled　countryside。
　
　Lord　Dodson　lived　in　a　tiny　hamlet　that　looked　like　a　village　in　one　of　those　British　mysteries；　the　ones　in　which　everyone　is　suspected　of　the　vicar's　murder。　Dodson's　house　stood　off　by　itself　on　a　winding　lane　slightly　wider　than　the　car。　Zavala　followed　a　gravel　drive　hemmed　in　by　hedgerows　and　pulled　up　next　to　a　vintage　Morris　Minor　pickup　truck。　The　truck　was　parked　in　front　of　a　substantial　two…story　structure　of　warm　brown　stone　and　dark　tile　roof。　The　cottage　was　nothing　like　the　manor　Zavala　had　imagined　an　English　lord　would　live　in。　A　stone　wall　ringed　the