scoonts.theminotaur-第93部分

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　〃Why　in　hell；〃　Jake　muttered；　〃does　everything　have　to　be　so　damned　plicated？〃
　
　At　2　P。M。　Smoke　Judy　decided　to　do　it。　The　desk　beside　him　was　empty。　Les　Richards　was　at　a　meeting　and　would　be　for　another　hour；　at　least。　Most　of　the　people　in　the　office　were　busy　on　Captain　Grafton's　report　or　were　in　a　meeting　somewhere。
　He　inserted　a　formatted　disk　in　the　a…drive　of　his　terminal　and　started　tapping。　The　code　word　for　the　file　he　wanted　was　〃kilderkin。〃　He　didn't　legally　have　access　to　this　file。　The　code　word　that　Albright　had　supplied　was　a　word　he　had　never　heard　before。　Before　he　typed　it；　he　wiped　his　hands　on　his　trousers　and　adjusted　the　brightness　level　of　the　screen。
　He　had　been　debating　this　all　week。　He　had　a　hundred　grand　of　Albright's　money　plus　the　bucks　he　already　had。　He　could　walk　out　of　here　this　evening；　jump　a　plane　at　Dulles　tomorrow　and　by　7　A。M。　Monday　be　so　far　from　Washington　these　clowns　would　never　find　him。　Not　in　fifty　years；　even　if　he　lived　to　be　ninety…three。
　He　would　be　stiffing　Albright；　of　course；　but　the　man　was　a　spy　and　wasn't　going　to　squeal　very　loudly。　And　what　the　hey；　in　the　big　wide　world　of　espionage；　a　hundred　thousand　bucks　must　be　small　change。
　Or　he　could　copy　this　file　and　give　it　to　Albright　on　Monday　night。　Roll　the　dice；　pass　Go　and　collect　another　hundred　and　fifty。　Then　he　would　have　a　total　of　almost　three　hundred　thousand　green　American　dollars；　in　cash。　Now；　for　that　kind　of　money　you　could　live　pretty　damn　good　in　one　of　those　little　beach　villages　out　on　the　edge　of　nowhere。　Get　yourself　a　firm；　warm　something　to　take　to　bed　at　night。　Live　modestly　but　well；　loose　and　relaxed；　as　light　as　it's　possible　to　get　and　keep　breathing。
　If　he　copied　this　file　he　would　not　be　able　to　ever　e　back。　If　he　walked　without　it；　the　heat　would　dissipate　sooner　or　later　over　that　E…PROM　chip　flap　and　he　could　slip　back　into　the　country。
　Do　you　pay　a　hundred　and　fifty　grand　to　keep　your　options　open？　Without　the　money　he　would　eventually　go　broke　and　have　to　e　back。
　He　typed　the　word。　〃Kilderkin。〃　There　was　the　list。　Three　dozen　documents。　He　looked　at　the　list　carefully。　Something　caught　his　eye。　He　studied　the　column　of　numbers　that　listed　how　many　bytes　each　file　was　posed　of。　Boy；　these　were　short　files。
　Then　he　understood。
　He　opened　one　of　the　files。　The　title　page　came　up。　He　hit　the　page　advance　key。　The　second　page　was　blank。　Nothing！
　The　title　page　was　the　whole　document！　He　tried　a　second　document。　Just　a　title　page。
　The　Athena　file　was　empty！
　Smoke　Judy　stared　at　the　screen；　trying　to　think。　Possibility　Three　leaped　into　his　mind。　It　hadn't　even　occurred　to　him　until　this　moment。　No　wonder　you　never　went　up　the　ladder；　Smoke。　You　just　don't　think　like　those　snake　charmers；　those　greasy　dream　merchants　who　slice　off　a　couple　million　before　they're　thirty　and　spend　the　rest　of　their　lives　pretending　they　are　somebody。　Okay；　my　slow；　dim…witted　son；　this　is　your　chance　to　butcher　the　fat　hog。　Albright　isn't　going　to　have　a　puter　in　that　singles　bar　to　check　the　disk。　Give　him　an　empty　disk；　take　his　fucking　money；　and　run。
　But　no。　The　joke　will　be　on　him。　Hell　get　exactly　what　he　paid　for。　It's　Albright's　tough　luck　the　file　is　empty；　not　yours。
　Judy　punched　the　keys。　The　disk　whirled　and　whirred。
　The　file　was　quickly　copied。　No　wonder；　short　as　it　was。　Judy　put　the　disk　in　a　side　pocket　of　his　gym　bag；　exited　the　program　and　turned　off　the　terminal。　He　spent　another　ten　minutes　cleaning　up　his　desk；　locking　the　drawers；　watching　the　other　people　in　the　office…
　At　the　door　he　used　the　grease　pencil　to　annotate　the　personnel　board　hanging　on　the　wall。　Back　at　4：30。　〃I'm　going　to　work　out；〃　he　called　to　the　secretary；　snagged　his　cover　from　the　hat　rack　and　logged　out　with　the　security　guards。　That　easy。　Sayonara；　mothers。
　The　elevator　took　a　while　to　arrive。　It　always　did。　The　navy　had　a　dirt…cheap　lease　on　this　space；　so　the　building　owner　refused　to　update　the　elevators。　The　thought　made　Smoke　Judy　smile。　This　was　the　very　last　time　he　would　ever　have　to　put　up　with　all　the　petty　irritations　that　came　with　the　uniform。　He　was　through。　When　he　took　this　uniform　off　tonight；　that　would　be　the　very　last　time。
　Thank　you；　mander　Judy。　Thank　you　for　your　twenty…one　years　of　faithful　service　to　the　navy　and　the　nation。　Thank　you　for　eight　cruises；　three　of　them　to　the　Indian　Ocean。　Thank　you　for　your　devotion；　which　ruined　your　marriage　and　cost　you　your　kids。　Thank　you　for　accepting　a　mediocre　salary　and　a　family　move　every　two　years　and　the　prospect　of　a　pissy　little　pension。　Thank　you　for　groveling　before　the　tyrannical　god　of　the　fitness　report；　your　fate　dependent　upon　his　every　whim。　mander　Smoke　Judy；　you　are　a　great　American。
　The　signal　above　the　elevators　dinged。　Judy　glanced　at　it。　The　up…light　illuminated　on　the　elevator　at　the　far　left。
　The　door　of　that　elevator　opened。　Vice　Admiral　Tyler　Henry　stepped　out。　Automatically　the　mander　straightened。
　〃Good　afternoon；　Ad…〃
　The　look　on　Henry's　face　stopped　him。
　〃You！〃　the　admiral　roared。　He　turned　to　the　civilian　who　had　acpanied　him　on　the　elevator　as　he　pointed　a　rigid　finger　at　Judy。　〃That's　him！　That's　the　fucking　traitor！〃
　Judy　turned　and　banged　open　the　door　to　the　stairs。　With　his　last　glimpse　over　his　shoulder　he　saw　the　civilian　reaching　under　his　Jacket　for　something　on　his　belt。
　He　went　down　the　staircase　like　a　rabbit　descending　a　hole；　taking　them　three　at　a　time。
　〃Stop！　NIS！〃　The　shout　came　from　above；　a　hollow　sound；　reverberating　in　the　stairwell。
　Your　luck's　running　true　to　form；　Smoke。
　He　groped　into　the　gym　bag　as　he　ran。　The　pistol　was　under　the　gym　clothes。
　Seventh　floor。　Sixth。　Noises　from　above。　They　were　after　him。　Fourth。
　He　kept　going　down。
　Second　floor。　As　he　rounded　the　landing　Vice　Admiral　Henry　came　through　the　fireproof　door　on　the　first　floor。　He　rode　the　damn　elevator！
　Smoke　shot　at　the　man　behind　Henry　through　the　door　opening　and　threw　his　weight　against　the　door；　slamming　it　shut。　In　this　enclosed　space　the　report　deafened　him。　The　admiral　grabbed　for　him；　so　he　chopped　at　his　head　with　the　gun　barrel。
　Tyler　Henry　went　to　his　knees。　Smoke　reversed　the　gun　in　his　hand　and　hit　him　in　the　head　with　the　butt；　using　all　his　strength。　The　admiral　collapsed。
　With　ears　ringing；　he　wiped　his　forehead；　trying　to　think。　If　he　could　get　into　the　parking　garages　under　the　building　quickly　enough；　he　might　have　a　chance。　He　could　hear　running　feet　above。　Galvanize；　he　leaped　over　the　admiral's　body　and　charged　downward。
　Level　Gl。　Smoke　went　out　the　door　and　looked　wildly　around　as　he　ran　for　the　nearest　row　of　cars。　No　one　in　sight。　He　had　beaten　them　down　here；　but　he　had　mere　seconds。
　He　ran　along　looking　for　keys　dangling　in　the　ignition；　frustration　and　panic　welling　in　him。
　Hang　tough；　Smoke。　You've　been　in　tight　spots　before　and　you've　always　gotten　yourself　out　in　one　piece。
　He　loped　down　the　row；　searching　desperately。
　Ah；　there　ahead；　some　guy　was　unlocking　his　door。　A　civilian。　Smoke　went　for　him　on　a　dead　run。
　The　man　heard　Judy　ing　at　the　last　moment　and　looked　back　over　his　shoulder；　just　in　time　to　see　the　gun　barrel　chopping　down。　Smoke　picked　up　the　keys　from　the　concrete　and　tossed　his　gym　bag　through　the　open　driver's　door。　He　pulled　the　man　out　of　the　way　and　got　behind　the　wheel。　As　he　started　the　car　he　could　see　men　pouring　out　of　the　elevator　and　stairwell。　They　were　searching；　spreading　out；　hunting　for　him…
　The　engine　caught。　Smoke　backed　out　carefully；　snicked　the　transmission　into　drive　and　headed　for　the　exit。　Someone　was　ing　this　way；　shouting。
　A　shot！
　He　stepped　on　the　gas。
　He　went　around　the　last　pillar　with　tires　squalling　and　shot　up　the　exit　ramp。
　The　street　at　the　top　of　the　ramp　was　one…way；　from　right　to　left。　Smoke　looked　right。　One　car　ing。　He　swerved　that　way　and　jammed　the　accelerator　down。　The　driver　of　that　sedan　swerved　to　avoid　him；　then　decided　to　try　to　ram。　Too　late！
　Down　the　street　a　half　block　to　the　intersection；　then　left　through　a　hole　in　traffic；　almost　grazing　an　oning　truck；　which　skidded　to　avoid　him　with　its　horn　r