mac.thepearlharbormurders-第33部分

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　〃Christ；　have　you　heard？〃　Bill　asked。
　With　bombs　bursting　in　air…just　like　〃The　Star　Spangled　Banner〃…this　was　a　fairly　absurd　question。
　〃It's　no　drill；〃　O。　B。　said。
　〃I　gotta　get　to　the　Arizona；〃　Bill　said　desperately；　wheeling　from　Hully　to　O。　B。　to　Sterling。　〃You　gotta　drive　me　there！　I　gotta　get　in　this！　I　gotta　help！〃
　〃Keys　to　the　Pierce　Arrow　are　on　the　coffee　table；〃　O。　B。　said；　pointing　to　the　nearby　screen　door。　'Take　it…try　not　to　get　my　buggy　shot　the　hell　up。。。　or　yourself。〃
　〃Thank　you；　thank　you；〃　Bill　murmured；　and　ran　back　inside　the　Burroughs　cottage。
　Sterling　paused　for　just　a　moment；　watching　Bill　through　the　screen；　and　Hully　was　surprised　to　see　that　the　FBI　agent…this　strong…jawed　six…foot…two　Tarzan　type…had　tears　welling。
　〃The　men　on　those　ships　getting　bombed；〃　he　said　softly；　voice　catching；　〃they're　all　boys　like　that…average　damn　age　is　nineteen。〃
　O。　B。　whispered；　〃Dying　out　there；　right　now。〃
　Then　Bill；　clutching　the　car　keys；　came　streaking　past　them；　flashing　a　nod　of　thanks　and　a　grimace　of　a　smile。
　Burroughs　went　in　and　retrieved　the　Lьger；　and　followed　after　as　the　FBI　man　dashed　toward　the　crushed…coral　parking　lot　where　the　Ford　waited；　Hully　right　there　at　his　father's　side。
　〃Didn't　miss　the　fire　this　time；　Dad；〃　he　said。
　〃Wish　to　hell　I　had；〃　O。　B。　said。
　There　were　tears　in　his　father's　eyes；　as　well；　but…　as　was　the　case　with　the　FBI　man…Edgar　Rice　Burroughs's　jaw　was　firmly　set。
　
　
　FOURTEEN
　Under　Fire
　
　At　the　same　time　as　Edgar　Rice　Burroughs　and　his　son　Hulbert　were　sitting　down　for　breakfast　at　the　Niumalu；　two　barefoot　young　fishermen　were　settling　in　on　the　enlisted　men's　landing　at　Pearl　City。　Sitting　on　the　pier　in　only　their　khaki　trousers；　having　yanked　their　T…shirts　off　（once　they'd　slipped　out　of　their　mother's　sight）；　the　Morton　boys…Don；　eleven；　and　Jerry；　thirteen…did　not　brandish　poles：　instead；　they　unfurled　a　simple　ball　of　string　out　into　the　water。
　The　boys　were　old　hands　at　this；　though　they　were　resigned　to　slim　pickings；　even　if　on　occasion　they　had　managed　to　snag　a　hapless　perch；　and　while　the　morning's　fishing　would　certainly　be　on　the　dull　side；　Don　and　Jerry　would　no　doubt　be　entertained　by　the　harbor's　always　interesting　parade　of　ships　and　sailors；　planes　and　pilots。。。。
　Puffs　of　wind　gently　stirred　the　glassy　surface　of　the　water；　and　the　sun　peeked　from　behind　cotton…candy　clouds；　promising　a　hot；　lazy　day…a　typical　Sunday　for　the　two　boys；　although　the　fish　did　seem　to　be　biting；　for　a　change。
　Seeking　more　bait；　Don　scrambled　up　to　their　house；　only　two　hundred　yards　from　the　landing；　while　Jerry　lounged　in　the　golden　sunlight；　squinting　as　he　took　in　a　view　any　kid　might　relish；　the　ships　of　the　Pacific　Fleet　strewn　before　him　like　so　many　toys　in　his　tub。　Groupings　of　destroyers　convened　about　their　tenders；　to　the　north　and　east；　and　cruisers　faced　into　the　Navy　Yard　piers；　at　the　southeast。　Farther　south　lay　the　cruiser　Helena；　and…in　dry　dock　with　two　destroyers…　the　battleship　Pennsylvania。　To　the　west　were　more　destroyers；　in　and　out　of　dry　dock。
　Lording　over　it　all；　in　the　middle　of　the　harbor；　sat　Ford　Island；　where　even　now　the　boys'　stepfather　was　on　duty　at　the　seaplane　hangars。　Patrol　planes　and　carriers　were　stationed　there；　carriers　moored　on　the　northwest　side；　battleships　on　the　southeast。　Only　today；　Jerry　noted；　the　carriers　were　all　out　at　sea。
　But　there　was　still　plenty　for　a　kid　to　look　at…the　Utah；　a　battleship　turned　target　ship；　the　seaplane　tenders　Swan　and　Tangier；　the　mine　layer　Ogala；　cruisers　like　the　Raleigh；　Helena　and　Detroit；　the　old　gunboat　Sacramento　with　its　thin；　old…fashioned　smokestack；　and…on　the　far　side　of　Ford　Island…an　exciting　lineup　of　funnels　and　masts；　the　〃trees〃　of　Battleship　Row；　the　Arizona；　California；　Maryland；　Nevada；　Oklahoma；　Tennessee；　and　West　Virginia。　What　other　kid's　bathtub　armada　could　pare　to　that？
　Still；　all　of　this　was　old　news　to　Jerry；　who　was　glad　the　fish　were　biting。　Otherwise；　this　had　the　makings　of　another　really　dull　Sunday…that　must　have　been　why　somebody　was　playing　with　firecrackers；　off　in　the　distance　someplace。
　Twenty　miles　east　of　where　Jerry　and　Don　were　fishing；　on　the　windward　coast　of　the　island；　Japanese　fighter　planes　and　dive…bombers　were　swooping　down　on　Kaneohe　Naval　Air　Station。
　One　moment　all　was　quiet；　the　next　men　were　running　after　guns　and　ammunition；　shouting；　cursing；　as　the　enemy　planes　made　scrap　metal　out　of　the　big　PBY　patrol　planes　at　the　station；　moored　to　buoys　in　the　bay　and　sitting　unmanned　on　ramps。
　Thirty…three　Army　planes　were　either　damaged　or　destroyed。
　All　were　in　flames。
　Don　Morton　was　halfway　down　to　the　pier　from　the　house；　bringing　more　bait；　when　an　explosion　pitched　him　onto　his　face。　The　eleven…year…old　covered　his　ears；　his　head；　as　three　more　blasts　rocked　the　world　over　and　around　him。
　Then；　scared　spitless；　he　scurried　back　up　the　slope　and　ran　inside　the　house；　just　as　his　mother　was　ing　out；　her　face　white；　her　eyes　wide。
　Standing　there　in　the　doorway；　she　leaned　down；　putting　her　hands　on　his　shoulders。　〃Go　down　and　fetch　your　brother…now！　Hurry！〃
　Don　did　as　he　was　told；　even　as　planes　were　gliding　by　overhead；　housetop　level。　The　boy　heard　gunfire　and　realized　it　was　ing　from　above；　and　the　dirt　road　nearby　puffed　up；　making　little　dust　clouds；　as　the　pilot　strafed　the　area。
　As　dust　danced　on　the　road；　Don…momentarily　frozen…yelled；　〃Jerry！〃
　And　then　the　boy　turned　and　ran　back　to　the　house；　and　his　mommy。　When　he　got　there；　Don　saw　their　next…door　neighbor；　a　Navy　lieutenant；　in　his　p。j。's。；　out　on　his　own　front　yard。
　The　funny　thing　was；　the　grown　man　was　crying　too；　crying　for　his　mommy。
　FBI　agent　Sterling　was　at　the　wheel　of　the　black　Ford　with　Burroughs　in　front；　and　Hully　was　in　the　backseat；　sitting　forward；　like　a　kid。
　As　they　headed　for　the　Japanese　Consulate；　downtown；　Burroughs　was　dismayed　to　see　civilians　failing　to　take　cover；　standing　out　in　their　yards　and　on　the　sidewalks；　staring　skyward；　pointing　at　the　plumes　of　black　smoke；　some　laughing；　convinced　they　were　watching　the　military　training　exercise　to　end　all　such　exercises。
　Perhaps　they　were；　he　thought。
　At　first　the　traffic　was　nonexistent；　the　streets　vacant；　spookily；　ominously　so；　and　as　the　spectators　began　to　get　the　point…as　radios　around　the　city　informed　them　this　was　〃the　real　McCoy！〃…the　citizens　of　Honolulu　scrambled　inside；　leaving　the　sidewalks　and　front　yards　empty；　as　well。
　For　several　blocks；　the　emptiness…punctuated　by　the　muffled　sound　of　explosions…was　eerie；　almost　as　if　the　world　had　ended；　leaving　behind　only　brick　and　concrete。
　Suddenly；　vehicles　were　everywhere；　speeding；　careening；　civilian　autos　and　taxicabs　packed　with　sailors　and　soldiers　desperate　to　get　back　to　their　ships　and　posts；　delivery　vans　and　ambulances　and　fire　trucks；　sirens　screaming。。。。
　Soon　the　FBI　agent's　Ford　was　snarled　in　traffic。
　Sterling；　pounding　the　wheel　impatiently；　turned　to　Burroughs。　〃You　really　think　Yoshikawa　alias　Mori…mura　knew　today　was　the　day？〃
　Burroughs　shrugged；　sighed；　the　German's　little　automatic　was　in　his　hand。　〃Maybe　not。　Maybe　he　just　knew　that　some　Sunday　soon；　Oahu　would　be　the　target。〃
　Sterling's　smile　was　bitter；　he　shook　his　head。　〃All　I　keep　thinking　is　'poinsettias　and　hibiscus。'　〃
　From　the　back；　Hully　said；　〃That　radiophone　call？〃
　〃Code；〃　Burroughs　said。
　Sterling　nodded。　〃Code；　all　right…for　certain　kinds　of　ships。〃
　Burroughs　glanced　at　his　son。　〃Maybe　that　bastard　did　know…our　esteemed　vice　consul。〃
　Traffic　began　to　move　again…as　sirens　wailed；　and　the　sky　roared。
　〃If　we　can　ever　get　to　the　Consulate；〃　Sterling　said；　through　tight　teeth；　〃we'll　just　ask　the　son　of　a　bitch。〃
　On　a　windy　plain　ten　miles　north　of　Pearl　Harbor　lay　Wheeler　Field；　the　Pacific's　largest　American　fighter　base。　U…shaped　barricades　had　been　constructed　to　protect　Wheeler's　nearly　one　hundred　fighter　planes；　Army　Air　Force　P…40s　and　P…36s；　this　morning；　however；　the　planes　were　clustered　on　the　runways；　wingtip　to　wing…tip…playing　out　General　Short's　antisabotage　strategy；　a　policy　the　other　Oahu　bases　were