cc.floodtide-第21部分

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ang　or　his　murder　advisory　board。　Once　they　became　aware　their　security　had　been　penetrated　by　an　unknown　force；　there　was　no　second…guessing　the　consequences。　He　didn't　want　to　think　about　what　might　happen　to　the　unfortunates　still　locked　in　the　cells　if　it　was　decided　all　evidence　to　whatever　was　going　on　had　to　be　destroyed　and　all　eyewitnesses　killed。　If　the　bodies　on　the　bottom　of　the　lake　were　any　indication；　whatever　this　bunch　of　　slime　lacked；　it　certainly　wasn't　a　willingness　to　murder　by　the　numbers。
　
　Pitt　crept　back　through　the　corridor　of　the　guards'　living　quarters　with　the　finesse　of　Don　Juan　flitting　out　of　a　lady's　bedroom。　The　luck　he　had　of　not　being　seen　going　in　carried　with　him　going　out。　He　reached　the　passageway　to　the　boat…house　and　hurried　through　as　best　he　could　without　scraping　the　shoulders　of　his　dry　suit　to　shreds。　Not　in　the　mood　for　an　exciting　pursuit　by　incensed　Chinese　with　lethal　weapons；　he　briefly　considered　working　over　the　motors　of　the　watercraft；　but　thought　better　of　wasting　the　time。　If　they　couldn't　find　the　AUV　in　broad　daylight；　they　would　never　find　him　thirty　feet　underwater　in　the　dark。
　
　After　hurriedly　putting　on　his　dive　gear；　he　dropped　into　the　water；　swam　around　the　dock　and　retrieved　the　Stingray。　Pitt　hadn't　traveled　a　hundred　yards　along　the　lake　bed　when　he　heard　the　throb　of　an　engine　exhaust　and　the　beat　of　propellers　from　a　boat　ing　out　of　the　darkness　in　the　distance。　The　sound　carried　through　the　water　faster　than　the　air；　making　it　seem　as　if　the　boat　was　almost　on　top　of　him　when　in　fact　it　was　just　ing　off　the　river　outlet　onto　the　lake。　Inclining　the　Stingray；　he　let　its　thrust　pull　him　to　the　surface。　He　spotted　the　boat　as　it　moved　out　of　the　shadows　and　became　illuminated　under　the　lights　from　shore。　He　identified　the　approaching　vessel　as　the　black　catamaran　he'd　observed　the　day　before。
　
　He　figured　that　unless　one　of　the　boat's　crew　ate　a　bushel　of　carrots　every　day　and　took　large　doses　of　vitamin　A　for　acute　night　vision；　their　chances　of　picking　out　a　nearly　invisible　head　on　dark　waters　were　unlikely。　Then　suddenly；　the　boat's　motor　died　to　an　idle　and　it　drifted　to　a　stop　not　fifty　feet　away。
　
　Pitt　should　have　ignored　the　boat　and　moved　on。　There　was　still　plenty　of　juice　left　in　the　Stingray's　batteries　to　take　him　back　to　the　cabin。　He　should　have　moved　on；　having　seen　more　than　he　was　ever　meant　to　see。　Law…enforcement　authorities　had　to　be　notified　quickly　before　any　further　harm　came　to　the　unknown　human　beings　imprisoned　inside　the　retreat。　He　was　cold　and　exhausted　and　looked　forward　to　a　shot　of　tequila　and　a　chair　in　front　of　a　warm　fire。　He　should　have　listened　to　an　inner　voice　telling　him　to　get　the　hell　away　from　Orion　Lake　while　the　getting　was　still　good。　His　inner　voice　might　as　well　have　pleaded　with　his　sinus　passages　for　all　the　good　it　did。
　
　Some　unfathomable　fascination　attracted　him　to　the　eerielooking　catamaran。　There　was　something　sinister　about　its　appearance　in　the　night。　No　one　walked　the　decks；　no　lights　showed　anywhere。
　
　Downright　diabolic；　he　thought。　A　strange；　indescribable　malignance　seem　to　vent　from　its　decks。　Then　it　began　to　dawn　on　Pitt　that　this　just　might　be　the　ferry　that　transported　dead　souls　across　the　River　Styx。　He　rolled　beneath　the　surface　and　aimed　the　Stingray　in　a　downward　and　then　upward　arc　that　would　bring　him　beneath　the　twin　hulls　of　the　mysterious　vessel。
　
　THE　　　　FORTY…EIGHT　　　　MEN；　　　　WOMEN　　　　AND　　　　CHILDREN　　　　WERE　crammed　so　tightly　inside　the　square　cabin　of　the　black　boat　that　there　was　no　room　for　anyone　to　sit。　They　all　stood　pressed　together；　breathing　the　stale　air。　The　night　outside　the　cabin　was　cool；　but　inside　the　body　heat　made　it　hot　and　stifling。　The　only　ventilation　came　from　a　small　grate　in　the　cabin　roof。　A　few　were　already　unconscious；　having　collapsed　from　the　terror　induced　by　claustrophobia；　but　their　bodies　were　unable　to　fall。　Instead　their　heads　sagged　and　rolled　with　the　rocking　of　the　boat。　Everyone　was　strangely　silent。　Perhaps　defeated　and　powerless　to　dictate　their　fate；　the　prisoners　lapsed　into　a　strange　lethargy　like　those　sent　by　the　Nazis　to　the　concentration　camps　in　World　War　II。
　
　Julia　stood　listening　to　the　sound　of　the　waves　lapping　against　the　hull　of　the　boat　and　the　soft　beat　of　the　twin　diesel　engines；　wondering　where　she　was　being　taken。　The　water　was　smooth　now。　The　swells　of　the　ocean　had　been　left　behind　twenty　minutes　ago。　She　assumed　they　were　inside　a　quiet　bay　or　traveling　on　a　river。　She　knew　with　reasonable　clarity　that　she　was　back　somewhere　in　the　United　States。　This　was　her　home　ground。　She　refused　to　let　herself　bee　pliant；　and　though　she　was　still　weak　and　dizzy；　she　was　determined　to　fight　her　way　out　of　this　insane　predicament　and　survive。　Too　much　depended　on　her　survival。　By　escaping　and　reporting　the　information　she　had　gathered　on　the　smuggling　syndicate　to　her　superiors　at　INS；　she　could　stop　the　ghastly　suffering　and　killing　of　thousands　of　illegal　immigrants。
　
　In　the　wheelhouse　above　the　cabinlike　prison；　two　of　the　smuggling　crew's　four　enforcers　began　cutting　rope　into　short　lengths　while　the　captain；　who　stood　at　the　helm；　threaded　his　way　up　the　Orion　River　in　the　dark。　The　only　light　came　from　the　stars；　and　his　eyes　never　strayed　from　the　radar　screen。　After　another　ten　minutes；　he　alerted　the　others　to　the　fact　that　they　were　passing　from　the　river　into　the　lake。　Just　as　the　black　boat　was　about　to　e　under　the　bright　lights　positioned　at　Qin　Shang's　retreat；　the　helmsman　picked　up　the　boat's　phone　and　spoke　a　few　words　in　Chinese。　Almost　before　he　set　the　phone　back　in　its　cradle；　the　lights　inside　the　main　building　and　those　placed　around　the　shore　blinked　out；　throwing　the　entire　lake　into　a　cloak　of　blackness。　Guided　by　a　small　red　light　on　a　buoy；　the　helmsman　expertly　slipped　the　catamaran　around　the　broad　transom　of　Shang's　magnificent　yacht　and　came　alongside　the　pilings　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　dock。　Two　enforcers　jumped　clear　and　slipped　the　mooring　lines　over　their　cleats　as　the　helmsman　set　the　twin　diesel　engines　on　idle。
　
　For　the　next　three　or　four　minutes　there　was　no　sound　outside　the　crowded　cabin。　A　flurry　of　questions；　a　swarm　of　anxieties；　framed　themselves　in　the　thoughts　of　Julia　and　the　illegal　immigrants。　But　they　didn't　know　in　what　order　to　assess　them；　and　the　continuing　nightmare　of　their　voyage　still　overshadowed　any　attempt　at　clear　thinking。　And　then　the　door　was　opened　on　the　rear　wall　of　the　cabin。　The　fresh　air　that　came　from　a　breeze　drifting　down　from　the　mountains　seemed　like　a　miracle。　At　first；　all　they　could　see　outside　was　darkness；　then　an　enforcer　moved　into　the　doorway。
　
　〃When　you　hear　your　name；　step　out　onto　the　dock；〃　he　instructed　them。
　
　At　first　it　was　difficult　for　those　in　the　middle　or　the　back　to　squeeze　through　the　overcrowded　cabin；　but　as　each　body　exited　through　the　door　those　who　remained　gave　a　collective　sigh　of　relief。　Most　of　those　who　left　the　boat　were　poorer　immigrants；　the　ones　who　could　not　pay　the　exorbitant　fare　to　reach　land；　any　land；　so　long　as　it　didn't　belong　to　the　People's　Republic　of　China。　Unknowingly；　they　had　signed　away　their　souls　to　a　life　of　servitude　to　the　smugglers；　who　in　turn　sold　them　to　criminal　syndicates　already　established　in　the　U。S。
　
　Soon；　only　Julia；　a　mother　and　father　weak　from　lack　of　food；　along　with　their　two　small　children；　who　looked　like　they　might　be　suffering　from　rickets；　and　eight　elderly　men　and　women　were　left　standing　in　the　cabin。　These　were　the　castoffs；　thought　Julia；　those　who　had　been　bled　dry　of　their　possessions；　who　had　no　more　money　to　give　and　were　too　helpless　and　frail　for　any　type　of　heavy　work。　These　were　the　ones；　including　herself；　who　were　not　going　ashore。
　
　As　if　to　confirm　her　worst　fears；　the　door　was　slammed　shut；　the　lines　were　cast　off　and　the　diesels　were　shifted　into　reverse；　increasing　their　throb。　It　seemed　as　though　the　boat　had　only　traveled　a　short　distance　when　the　engines　slowed　and　idled　again。　The　door　was　thrown　open　and　four　enforcers　entered。　Without　a　word　they　began　binding　everyone's　hands