cc.iceberg-第61部分

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　〃How　many　boats　ago　did　they　board？〃　Pitt　asked　the　boy。
　
　The　dazed　boy　could　only　stammer。　〃I　。　。　。　〃Ten；　maybe　twelve。　They　should　be　sitting　about　between　the　building　and　…〃
　〃This　way！〃　Lazard　almost　snapped　the　words。
　
　He　disappeared　through　a　doorway　at　the　end　of　the　landing　marked　EMPLOYEES　ONLY。
　
　As　they　moved　into　the　blackness　that　cloaked　the　mechanical　workings　of　the　pirates；　the　sound　of　voices　from　the　passengers　of　the　stalled　boats　could　be　beard　murmuring　throughout　the　cavernous　amusement　ride。
　
　Castile　and　De　Croix；　as　well　as　their　assassins；　Pitt　reflected；　could　have　little　suspicion　as　to　the　delay；　but　even　so；　it　didn't　seem　to　matter：　there　was　every　possibility　that　Kelly's　and　Rondheim's　scheme　had　already　been　carried　out。　He　fought　off　the　ache　in　his　chest　and　followed　the　squat；　dim　form　of　Kippmann　past　a　storyland　setting　of　five　pirates　burying　a　treasure　chest。　The　figures　seemed　so　lifelike　it　was　difficult　for　Pitt　to　believe　they　were　only　electronically　controlled　mannequins。　He　was　so　engrossed　in　the　simulated　reality　of　the　scene　that　he　rammed　into　Kippmann；　who　had　stopped　abruptly。
　〃Easy；　easy；〃　Kippmann　protested。
　
　Lazard　motioned　to　them　to　stay　where　they　were　as　he　moved　catlike　along　a　narrow　corridor　and　leaned　over　the　railing　of　a　workman's　gallery　running　over　the　canal　that　supported　the　boats。　Then　he　waved　Pitt　and　Kippmann　forward。
　〃We　got　lucky　for　a　change；〃　he　said。　〃Take　a　look。〃　Pitt；　his　eyes　not　yet　accustomed　to　the　dark；　stared　below　at　a　sight　that　never　was…a　wild　fantasy　night　scene　containing　a　band　of　at　least　thirty　pirates　burning　and　looting　what　seemed　to　be　a　replica　of　a　miniature　Port　Royal　or　Panama　City。　Flames　were　shooting　out　of　several　buildings。　while　silhouettes　of　laughing　buccaneers　chased　screaming　make…believe　girls　around　and　around　the　back…lighted　windows。
　
　Boisterous　singing　was　reverberating　out　of　hidden　speakers；　giving　the　illusion　that　rape　and　pillage　were　merely　good　clean　fun。
　
　The　canal　the　boats　circuited　through　cut　between　the　town　buildings；　lifting　the　viewers'　eyes　from　a　pair　of　pirates　trying　vainly　to　get　a　mule　to　pull　a　wagonload　of　their　loot　on　the　left　to　a　trio　of　their　shipmates　drinking　on　a　pile　of　wildly　swaying　wine　barrels　on　the　right。　But　it　was　the　center　of　the　canal　that　drew　Pitts　attention。　There　in　a　boat　almost　directly　under　a　bridge　that　ran　over　the　water　were　Castile　and　De　C…roix；　happily　pointing　out　details　of　the　wondrous　scene　like　two　schoolboys　playing　hookey　at　a　Friday　matinee。　And；　sitting　ominously　like　disinterested　statues　on　the　seat　directly　in　back　of　the　South　American　Presidents；　Pitt　could　make　out　the　two　men　who　had　held　his　arms　while　Rondheim　bad　battered　him　to　a　pulp　only　two　days　before　in　Reykjavik。
　
　Pitt　glanced　at　the　luminous　dial　of　the　orange　faced　Doxa　watch　on　his　wrist。　Stan　an　hour　and　twenty　minutes　before　Kelly's　countdown。　Too　early；　far　too　early；　yet　there　were　two　of　Rondheim's　killers　sitting　not　three　feet　from　their　intended　victims。　A　very　large　Piece　was　missing　from　the　puzzle。　He　had　no　doubt　that　Kelly　told　the　truth　about　his　timetable　and　that　Rondheim　would　stick　to　it。　But　would　he？
　
　If　Rondheim　meant　to　take　over　Hermit　Limited；　it　stood　to　reason　that　he　just　might　make　a　change　in　plans。
　
　This　is　your　show；　Dan。〃　Kippmann　spoke　softly　to　the　security　director。　〃How　do　we　take　them？〃
　〃No　guns；〃　Lazard　said。　〃The　last　thing　we　want　is　a　stray　shot　killing　a　child。〃
　〃Maybe　we'd　better　wait　for　reinforcements；〃　Kippmann　said。
　〃No　time；〃　Lazard　said。　〃We've　kept　the　boats　stopped　too　long　already。　Everyone　is　starting　to　get　edgy；　including　those　two　characters　in　back　of　Castile　and　De　Croix。〃
　〃Then　we'll　have　to　take　a　risk。〃　Kippmann　wiped　a　handkerchief　across　his　damp　brow。　〃Get　the　boats　moving　again。　Then　as　soon　as　the　one　with　our　friends　begins　to　cross　under　the　bridge；　we'll　take　them。〃
　〃Okay；〃　Lazard　agreed。　〃The　bridge　will　give　us　cover　to　close　within　fifteen　feet。　I'll　work　around　and　e　out　of　that　doorway　under　the　gunshop　sign。
　
　Kippmann。　you　hide　behind　the　mule　and　wagon。〃
　〃Need　an　extra　hand？〃　Pitt　asked。
　〃Sorry；　Major。〃　Lazard　gave　Pitt　a　cool　stare。
　〃You're　hardly　in　shape　for　hand…to…hand　bat。〃　He　paused　and　gripped　Pitts　shoulder。　〃You　could　play　a　vital　role　though。〃
　〃Say　the　word。〃
　〃By　standing　on　the　bridge　in　your　wolf　costume　and　miming　with　the　pirates；　you　could　distract　those　two　in　the　boat　long　enough　to　give　Kippmann　and　myself　a　few　more　seconds　of　insurance。〃
　〃I　guess　it　beats　hell　out　of　matching　wits　with　the　three　little　pigs；〃　Pitt　said。
　
　As　soon　as　Lazard　found　a　call　phone　and　ordered　the　attendant　to　start　the　canal　boats　moving　in　two　minutes；　he　and　Kippmann　dropped　into　the　burning　village　behind　the　realistic…looking　burning　fronts　and　took　their　positions。
　
　After　he　stumbled　over　the　stuffed　body　of　a　pirate　who　supposedly　had　passed　out　from　too　much　wine；　Pitt　reached　down　and　relieved　the　mannequin　of　its　cutlass　and　was　surprised　to　find　that　it　was　a　steel　replica　of　the　real　thing。　Even　at　close　range　he　could　only　marvel　at　the　true…to…life　appearance　of　the　mechanical　pirates。　The　glass　eyes　set　in　brown　wax　faces　stared　unerringly　in　whatever　direction　the　head　was　set；　and　the　eyebrows　raised　up　and　down　in　unison　with　the　lips　as　the　strains　of　〃Sixteen　Men　on　a　Dead　Man's　Chest〃　boomed　from　speakers　concealed　within　their　aluminum…frame　bodies。
　
　Pitt　moved　to　the　center　of　the　arched　bridge　over　the　canal　and　joined　in　the　singing　amid　three　merry　buccaneers　who　sat　with　their　legs　dangling　over　the　fake　stone　parapet；　swirling　their　cutlasses　around　in　circles　in　time　with　the　songfest。　Pitt　in　his　Big　Bad　Wolf　suit　and　the　frolicking　pirates　presented　a　strange　sight　to　the　people　in　the　boat　as　they　waved　and　sang　the　famous　old　seafaring　ditty。　The　children；　a　girl　about　ten　and　a　boy；　Pitt　guessed；　no　more　than　seven；　；oon　recognized　him　as　the　three…dimensional　cartoon　character　and　began　waving　back。
　
　Castile　and　De　Croix　also　laughed　and　then　saluted　him　in　Spanish；　pointing　and　joking　to　themselves　while　the　tall；　bald　assassin　and　his　acplice；　the　broad…shouldered　brute；　sat　stony…faced；　unmoved　by　the　performance。　It　occurred　to　Pitt　that　he　was　on　thin　ice；　on　which　not　merely　a　false　move；　but　the　tiniest　miscalculation　of　any　detail　could　spell　death　to　the　men；　woman　and　children　who　sat　innocently　enjoying　his　antics。
　
　Then　he　saw　the　boat　move。
　
　The　bow　was　just　passing　under　his　feet　when　the　shadowy　figures　of　Kippmann　and　Lazard　leaped　from　their　cover；　sprinted　through　the　mass　of　animated　figures　and　dropped　into　the　rear　of　the　boat。　The　surprise　was　plete。　But　Pitt　hadn't　noticed。　No　fuss；　no　elaborate　flourish。　no　token　words　of　warning；　he　coldly　and　efficiently　shoved　the　blade　of　his　cutlass　under　the　armpit　and　into　the　chest　cavity　of　the　pirate　sitting　nearest　him。
　
　A　curious　thing　happened。　The　pirate　dropped　his　cutlass；　his　lips　contorted　into　a　soundless　oval；　eyes　registering　astonishment　and　shock；　a　shock　almost　immediately　replaced　by　a　final　awareness。　Then　the　eyes　turned　up　in　the　head　and　he　fell　forward　splashing　into　the　now　empty　canal　beneath　the　bridge。
　
　The　second　pirate　failed　to　react　in　the　split　second　when　he　might　have　parried　Pitts　swing。　He　started　to　say　something。　Then；　with　cutlass　still　dripping　red；　Pitt　put　all　his　strength　into　a　backhand　slash　that　bit　into　the　base　of　the　pirate's　neck　at　the　left　shoulder　blade。
　
　The　man　grunted　and　flung　up　the　opposite　arm；　made　as　if　to　roll　clear；　but　his　feet　slipped　on　the　uneven　flooring　of　the　bridge　and　he　came　down　on　both　knees；　falling　over　sideways　in　a　rubbery　heap；　blood　pulsing　from　his　half…opened　mouth。
　
　Pitt　had　one　fleeting　glimpse　of　a　flashing　metallic　glint　in　the　fiery　light；　and　the　instinctive　slight　inclination　of　his　head　saved　his　life　as　the　third　pirate's　cutlass　sliced　through　the　crooked　top　hat　that　was　perched　on　the　wolf　mask。　Too　fir；　Pitt　had　pushed　his　luck　too　far。　He　had　caught