cc.floodtide-第103部分

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　〃If　Qin　Shang　wants　to　cut　a　wide　breach；〃　said　Montaigne；　〃he'd　have　to　pack　additional　explosives　into　side　tunnels　that　branch　out　for　at　least　a　hundred　yards。〃
　〃I'm　certain　Qin　Shang's　engineers　have　figured　out　what　it　will　take　to　blow　a　giant　hole　in　the　levee；〃　said　Pitt　grimly。
　〃It　feels　good；〃　Sandecker　sighed；　〃to　finally　have　a　grip　on　Qin　Shang's　testicles。〃
　〃Now　all　we　need　to　know　is　the　scumbag's　time　schedule；〃　said　Giordino。
　At　that　moment　Lieutenant　Stowe　reentered　the　wardroom　and　handed　Captain　Lewis　another　munication。　As　he　read　the　message；　his　eyes　narrowed。　Then　he　peered　at　Pitt。　〃It　seems　the　pieces　of　the　puzzle　that　were　missing　have　appeared。〃
　〃If　the　message　is　for　me；〃　said　Pitt；　〃please　read　it　aloud　for　everyone。〃
　
　Lewis　nodded　and　began　reading。　〃　'To　Mr。　Dirk　Pitt；　NUMA；　on　board　Coast　Guard　ship　Weehawken。　Please　be　advised　that　the　former　passenger　liner　United　States　has　not　stopped　at　New　Orleans。　I　repeat；　has　not　stopped　at　New　Orleans。　With　total　disregard　to　scheduled　docking　procedures　and　weling　ceremonies；　the　ship　has　continued　upriver　toward　Baton　Rouge。　The　captain　has　refused　to　answer　all　radio　calls。'　〃　Lewis　looked　up。　〃What　do　you　make　of　it？〃
　
　〃Qin　Shang　never　intended　to　make　the　United　States　into　a　New　Orleans　hotel　and　gambling　casino；〃　Pitt　explained　dryly。　〃He　plans　to　use　it　as　a　diversionary　dam。　Once　the　ship's　nine…hundred…ninety…foot　hull　with　its　height　of　ninety　feet　is　scuttled　diagonally　across　the　river；　it　will　block　ninety　percent　of　the　Mississippi's　flow；　sending　one　enormous　flood　tide　through　the　shattered　levee　into　the　Atchafalaya。〃
　〃Ingenious；〃　murmured　Montaigne。　〃Then　there　would　be　no　stopping　the　full　force　of　the　surge　once　it　broke　through。　Nothing　in　this　world　could　stop　it。〃
　〃You　know　the　Mississippi　better　than　anyone　here；　General；〃　Sandecker　said　to　Montaigne。　〃How　long　do　you　think　it　will　take　the　United　States　to　reach　the　Mystic　Canal　below　Baton　Rouge？〃
　〃Depends；〃　the　general　replied。　〃She'd　have　to　slow　to　jockey　her　immense　bulk　around　several　sharp　turns　in　the　river；　but　she　could　use　her　top　speed　on　the　straighter　reaches。　From　New　Orleans　to　where　the　Mystic　Canal　stops；　just　short　of　the　Bayou　Goula　bend　of　the　Mississippi；　is　about　a　hundred　miles。〃
　〃With　her　interior　an　empty　steel　shell；〃　said　Pitt；　〃she　rides　high　in　the　water；　adding　to　her　potential　speed。　With　all　her　boilers　fired　up；　she　can　conceivably　cut　water　at　close　to　fifty　miles　an　hour。〃
　〃A　band　of　angels　would　be　powerless　to　help　any　barge　or　pleasure…craft　traffic　that's　caught　in　her　wash；〃　said　Giordino。
　Montaigne　turned　to　Sandecker。　〃She　could　arrive　on　site　in　less　than　three　hours。〃
　〃We　haven't　a　minute　to　lose　in　alerting　the　state　emergency　services　to　spread　the　alarm　and　begin　evacuating　every　resident　of　the　Atchafalaya　Valley；〃　said　Lewis；　his　face　grave。
　〃Almost　five…thirty；〃　Sandecker　said；　studying　his　watch。　〃We　have　only　until　eight…thirty　this　evening　to　stop　a　disaster　of　incalculable　magnitude。〃　He　paused　to　rub　his　eyes。　〃If　we　fail；　hundreds；　maybe　thousands　of　innocent　people　will　die　and　their　bodies　will　be　swept　out　into　the　Gulf　and　never　found。〃
　After　the　meeting　was　over　and　everyone　had　left　the　wardroom；　Pitt　and　Julia　stood　alone。
　〃It　seems　we're　always　saying　good…bye；〃　she　said；　standing　with　her　arms　at　her　sides；　her　forehead　pressed　into　Pitt's　chest。
　〃A　bad　habit　we　have　to　break；〃　he　said　softly。
　〃I　wish　I　didn't　have　to　return　to　Washington　with　Peter；　but　missioner　Monroe　has　ordered　me　to　serve　on　the　task　force　to　indict　Qin　Shang。〃
　〃You're　an　important　lady　for　the　government's　case。〃
　〃Please　e　home　soon；〃　she　whispered　as　the　tears　began　to　form。
　He　embraced　and　held　her　tightly。　〃You　can　stay　at　my　hangar。　Between　my　security　system　and　the　bodyguards　to　protect　you　from　harm；　you'll　be　safe　until　I　get　there。〃
　A　mischievous　twinkle　came　into　her　eyes　through　the　tears。　〃Can　I　drive　your　Duesenberg？〃
　He　laughed。　〃When　was　the　last　time　you　drove　a　stick　shift？〃
　〃Never；〃　she　said；　smiling。　〃I've　always　owned　cars　with　automatic　transmissions。〃
　〃I　promise　that　as　soon　as　I　can　get　there；　we'll　take　the　Duesy　and　go　on　a　picnic。〃
　〃Sounds　wonderful。〃
　He　stood　back　and　stared　downward　at　her　through　his　opaline…green　eyes。　〃Try　to　be　a　good　girl。〃
　Then　he　kissed　her　and　they　both　turned　away；　neither　looking　back　as　they　walked　apart。
　
　THE　RIVER　SOUNDS　WERE　MUTED　BY　A　LIGHT　MIST　THAT　HUNG　over　the　dark　water　like　a　diaphanous　quilt。　The　egrets　and　herons　that　walked　silently　along　the　shorelines；　their　long；　curved　beaks　dipping　into　the　silt　for　food；　were　the　first　to　sense　something　not　of　their　world　moving　toward　them　out　of　the　night。　It　began　as　a　slight　tremor　through　the　water　that　increased　to　a　sudden　rush　of　air　and　a　loud　throb　that　sent　the　startled　birds　flapping　into　the　air。
　
　The　few　bystanders　strolling　the　levees　after　dinner　and　watching　the　lights　of　the　boats　on　the　water　were　startled　by　the　sudden　appearance　of　the　monstrous　shadow。　And　then　the　leviathan　materialized　from　the　mist　with　her　towering　raked　bows　slicing　through　the　water　with　incredible　ease　for　an　object　of　such　massive　proportions。　Although　her　four　bronze　screws　were　throttled　down　to　negotiate　the　sharp　bend　at　Nine　Mile　Point；　she　still　threw　a　massive　wake　that　rolled　up　the　levees　nearly　to　the　roads　running　along　their　crests；　crushing　small　vessels　anchored　along　the　shore　and　sweeping　a　dozen　people　into　the　water。　Only　after　she　maneuvered　into　a　straight　reach　did　her　engines　go　on　full　throttle　and　thrust　her　up　the　river　at　an　incredible　rate　of　speed。
　
　Except　for　a　white　light　on　the　stub　of　her　once…tall　foremast　and　the　red　and　green　running　lights；　the　only　other　illumination　was　an　eerie　glow　that　came　from　her　wheelhouse。　No　movement　could　be　seen　on　her　decks；　and　only　the　occasional　flicker　of　silhouettes　on　the　bridge　wings　offered　any　signs　of　life。　For　the　brief　minutes　it　took　for　her　to　pass　she　seemed　like　a　colossal　dinosaur　charging　across　a　shallow　lake。　Her　white　superstructure　was　a　shadow　in　the　gloom；　her　black　hull　all　but　invisible。　She　flew　no　flag；　her　only　identification　the　raised　letters　of　her　name　on　the　bows　and　stern。
　
　Before　the　mist　shrouded　her　again；　her　decks　seemed　to　e　to　life　as　men　scurried　about　setting　up　weapons　stations　and　arming　an　array　of　portable　missile　launchers　against　possible　attack　by　American　law　enforcement。　These　were　not　foreign　mercenaries　or　amateur　terrorists。　Despite　their　casual　clothing；　they　were　an　elite　team　of　fighters…ruthless；　trained　and　disciplined　for　this　mission。　If　captured　alive；　they　were　prepared　to　mit　suicide　or　die　fighting。　If　the　operation　went　according　to　plan　without　interference；　they　would　all　be　evacuated　by　helicopters　before　the　ship　was　scuttled。
　
　Captain　Hung…chang　had　been　right　about　the　surprise　and　shock　shown　by　the　thousands　of　spectators　lining　the　waterfront　of　New　Orleans　waiting　to　wele　the　United　States；　After　racing　past　the　all…steel；　stern…wheel　steamboat　called　the　Natchez　IX；　he　had　ordered　full　speed；　watching　amused　as　the　great　liner　left　the　city　behind　her　stern　while　crushing　a　small　cabin　cruiser　and　its　occupants　that　had　happened　to　get　in　the　path　of　her　sharp　bow。　He　had　laughed　when　he　viewed　the　faces　of　the　official　weling　mittee；　consisting　of　the　Louisiana　governor；　the　mayor　of　New　Orleans　and　other　dignitaries；　through　his　binoculars。　They　looked　absolutely　stricken　when　the　United　States　failed　to　stop　and　raced　on　past　the　dock　where　she　was　to　be　moored　and　refurbished　with　plush　rooms；　restaurants；　gift　shops　and　gambling　tables。
　
　For　the　first　thirty　miles；　a　fleet　of　yachts；　outboards　and　fishing　boats　followed　in　the　liner's　wake。　A　Coast　Guard　cutter　also　raced　in　pursuit　up　the　river；　along　with　sheriff　and　police　patrol　cars　that　tore　along　parallel　highways　with　sirens　screaming　and　red　lights　flashing。　Helicopters　from　New　Orleans　television　news　channels　swarmed　around　the　ship；　cameras　aimed　at　the　grand　scene　being　enacted　below。　Hung…chang　igno