cc.floodtide-第40部分

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　〃Admiral　Sandecker　said　this　was　a　singularly　unmon　ship；〃　said　Pitt；　replacing　the　automatic　in　his　tote　bag。　〃But　he　didn't　say　anything　about　the　crew。〃
　
　〃If　we　can　dispense　with　the　theatrics；〃　said　Smith；　〃I'll　show　you　below。〃　He　dropped　down　the　ladder　through　the　narrow　hatch　and　disappeared。　Pitt　and　Giordino　followed；　finding　themselves　in　a　brightly　lit；　carpeted　hallway　whose　walls　were　painted　in　pastel　colors。　Smith　opened　a　smoothly　varnished　door　and　nodded　inside。　〃You　can　share　this　cabin。　Stow　your　gear；　get　fortable；　use　the　head　and　then　I'll　introduce　you　to　the　captain。　You'll　find　his　cabin　behind　the　fourth　door　on　the　port　side　aft。〃
　
　Pitt　stepped　inside　and　switched　on　the　light。　This　was　no　Spartan　cabin　on　a　decrepit　freighter。　It　was　every　bit　as　swank　as　any　stateroom　on　a　luxury　cruise　ship。　Ornately　decorated　leading　to　a　private　veranda。　The　only　suggestion　of　the　outside　world　was　a　porthole　painted　black。　〃What；〃　exclaimed　Giordino；　〃no　bowl　of　fruit？〃
　Pitt　stared　around　the　cabin　in　fascination。　〃I　wonder　if　we　have　to　dress　formal　when　we　dine　with　the　captain。〃
　They　heard　the　anchor　chain　rattle　up　out　of　the　water　and　felt　the　engines　begin　to　throb　through　the　deck　under　their　feet　as　the　Oregon　began　beating　her　way　across　Manila　Bay　toward　her　destination　in　Hong　Kong。　A　few　minutes　later　they　knocked　on　the　door　to　the　captain's　cabin。　A　voice　on　the　other　side　responded。　〃Please　e　in。〃
　If　their　cabin　resembled　a　deluxe　stateroom；　this　one　would　have　easily　rated　as　the　penthouse　suite。　It　resembled　a　decorator　showroom　on　Rodeo　Drive　in　Beverly　Hills。　The　furniture　was　expensive　yet　tasteful。　The　walls；　or　bulkheads　in　nautical　terms；　were　either　richly　paneled　or　covered　by　curtains。　The　carpet　was　thick　and　plush。　Two　of　the　paneled　walls　were　covered　by　original　oil　paintings。　Pitt　walked　up　to　one　and　studied　it。　The　painting　inside　an　ornate　frame　was　a　seascape　depicting　a　black　man　lying　on　the　deck　of　a　small；　demasted　sloop　with　a　school　of　sharks　swimming　around　its　hull。
　〃Winslow　Homer's　Gulf　Stream；〃　said　Pitt。　〃I　thought　it　was　hanging　in　a　New　York　museum。〃
　〃The　original　is；〃　said　a　man　standing　beside　a　large　antique　rolltop　desk。　〃What　you　see　are　forgeries。　In　my　line　of　business　no　insurance　pany　would　insure　the　real　thing。〃　A　handsome　man　in　his　mid…forties　with　blue　eyes　and　blond　hair　in　a　crewcut　stepped　forward　and　stuck　out　a　manicured　hand。　〃Chairman　Juan　Rodriguez　Cabrillo；　at　your　service。〃　He　pronounced　Cabrillo　as　Ka…bree…yo。
　〃Chairman；　like　in　chairman　of　the　board？〃
　〃A　departure　from　maritime　tradition；〃　Cabrillo　explained。　〃This　ship　is　run　like　a　business；　a　corporation　if　you　will。　The　personnel　prefer　to　be　assigned　corporate　titles。〃
　〃That's　a　twist；〃　Giordino　said　equably。　〃Don't　tell　me；　I'm　keen　to　guess。　Your　first　officer　is　president。〃
　Cabrillo　shook　his　head。　〃No；　my　chief　engineer　is　president。　My　first　officer　is　executive　vice　president。〃
　Giordino　lifted　an　eyebrow。　〃This　is　the　first　I've　heard　the　Kingdom　of　Oz　owns　a　ship。〃
　〃You'll　get　used　to　it；〃　Cabrillo　said　tolerantly。
　〃If　I　recall　my　California　history；〃　said　Pitt；　〃you　discovered　California　in　the　early　fifteen　hundreds。〃
　
　Cabrillo　laughed。　〃My　father　always　claimed　Cabrillo　the　explorer　as　an　ancestor；　but　I've　had　my　doubts。　My　grandparents　walked　across　the　border　at　Nogales　from　Sonora；　Mexico；　in　nineteen　thirty…one　and　became　American　citizens　five　years　later。　In　honor　of　my　birth　they　insisted　my　mother　and　father　name　me　after　a　famous　historical　figure　in　California。〃
　〃I　believe　we've　met　before；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Like　about　twenty　minutes　ago；〃　added　Giordino。　〃Your　imitation　of　a　waterfront　derelict；　Chairman　Cabrillo；　alias　Mr。　Smith；　was　very　professional。〃
　Cabrillo　laughed　merrily。　〃You　gentlemen　are　the　first　to　see　through　my　disguise　as　a　rum…soaked　barnacle。〃　Unlike　his　staged　character；　Cabrillo　was　well…built　and　slightly　on　the　thin　side。　The　hook　nose　was　gone；　along　with　the　tattoos　and　the　overstuffed　belly。
　〃I　must　admit；　you　had　me　fooled　until　I　saw　the　van。〃　〃Yes；　our　shore　transportation　is　not　quite　what　it　appears。〃　〃This　ship；〃　said　Pitt；　〃your　playacting；　the　facade；　what's　it　all　about？〃
　Cabrillo　gestured　for　them　to　sit　in　a　leather　sofa。　He　walked　over　to　a　teak　bar。　〃A　glass　of　wine？〃　〃Yes；　thank　you。〃　〃I'd　prefer　a　beer；〃　said　Giordino。　Cabrillo　poured　and　held　out　a　mug　to　Giordino。　〃A　Philippine　San　Miguel。〃　Then　a　wineglass　to　Pitt。　〃Wattle　Creek　Chardonnay　from　Alexander　Valley；　California。〃
　〃You　have　excellent　taste；〃　Pitt　plimented　Cabrillo。　〃I　have　the　feeling　it　extends　to　your　kitchen。〃
　Cabrillo　smiled。　〃I　pirated　my　chef　from　a　very　exclusive　restaurant　in　Brussels；　Belgium。　I　might　also　add　that　should　you　get　heartburn　or　indigestion　from　overindulging；　we　have　an　excellent　hospital　staffed　by　a　top　surgeon　who　doubles　as　a　dentist。〃
　〃I'm　curious；　Mr。　Cabrillo；　what　sort　of　trade　is　the　Oregon　engaged　in；　and　who　exactly　do　you　work　for？〃
　〃This　ship　is　a　state…of…the…art　intelligence…gathering　vessel；〃　Cabrillo　replied　without　hesitation。　〃We　go　where　no　U。S。　Navy　warship　can　go；　enter　ports　closed　to　most　mercial　shipping　and　transport　highly　secret　cargo　without　arousing　suspicion。　We　work　for　any　United　States　government　agency　that　requires　our　unique　array　of　services。〃
　〃Then　you're　not　under　the　CIA。〃
　Cabrillo　shook　his　head。　〃Although　we're　staffed　by　a　few　ex…intelligence　agents；　the　Oregon　is　operated　by　an　elite　crew　of　former　naval　men　and　naval　officers；　all　of　whom　are　retired。〃
　〃I　couldn't　tell　in　the　dark。　What　flag　do　you　fly？〃
　〃Iran；〃　replied　Cabrillo　with　a　faint　smile。　〃The　last　country　any　port　authority　would　identify　with　the　United　States。〃
　〃Am　I　correct　in　assuming；〃　said　Pitt；　〃you're　all　mercenaries？〃
　〃I　can　honestly　say　we're　in　business　to　make　a　profit；　yes。　By　performing　a　variety　of　clandestine　services　for　our　country；　we　are　paid　extremely　well。〃
　〃Who　owns　the　ship？〃　asked　Giordino。
　〃Everyone　on　board　is　a　stockholder　in　the　corporation；〃　answered　Cabrillo。　〃Some　of　us　own　more　stock　than　others；　but　there　isn't　a　single　crew　member　who　hasn't　at　least　five　million　dollars　stashed　away　in　foreign　investments。〃
　〃Does　the　IRS　know　about　you？〃
　〃The　government　has　a　secret　fund　for　operations　like　ours；〃　Cabrillo　explained。　〃We　have　an　arrangement　whereby　they　pay　our　fees　through　a　network　of　banks　in　countries　that　do　not　open　their　records　to　IRS　auditors。〃
　Pitt　took　a　sip　of　his　wine。　〃A　sweet　setup。〃
　〃But　one　that　isn't　unknown　to　peril　and　occasional　disaster。　The　Oregon　is　our　third　ship。　The　others　were　destroyed　by　unfriendly　forces。　I　might　add　that　over　thirteen　years　we've　been　in　operation；　we've　lost　no　fewer　than　twenty　men。〃
　〃Foreign　agents　caught　on　to　you？〃
　〃No；　we've　yet　to　be　unmasked。　There　were　other　circumstances。〃　Whatever　they　were；　Cabrillo　didn't　explain　them。
　〃Who　authorized　this　trip？〃　inquired　Giordino。
　〃Between　you　and　me　and　the　nearest　porthole；　our　sailing　orders　came　from　within　the　White　House。〃
　〃That's　about　as　high　as　you　can　go。〃
　Pitt　looked　at　the　captain。　〃Do　you　think　you　can　put　us　reasonably　close　to　the　United　States？　We　have　a　couple　of　acres　of　hull　to　inspect；　and　our　time　underwater　is　limited　due　to　the　Sea　Dog　IFs　battery　power。　If　you　have　to　moor　the　Oregon　a　mile　or　more　away；　just　getting　to　the　liner　and　back　will　cut　our　downtime　considerably。〃
　Cabrillo　stared　back　at　him　confidently。　〃I'll　put　you　near　enough　to　fly　a　kite　over　her　funnels。〃　Then　he　poured　himself　another　glass　of　the　chardonnay　and　held　it　up。　〃To　a　very　successful　voyage。〃
　
　
　PlTT　WENT　OUT　ON　DECK　AND　LOOKED　UP　AT　THE　MAST　LIGHT　as　it　swayed　back　and　forth　across　the　Milky　Way。　He　planted　his　arms　on　the　railing　and　gazed　across　the　water　at　the　island　of　Corregidor　as　the　Oregon　sailed　out　of　Manila　Bay。　The　indefinable　black　mass　rose　from　the　night；　guarding　the　entrance　to　the　bay　in　tomblike　silence。　A　few　lights　glimmered　on　the　interior　of　the　island　along　with　red　warning　lights　on　a　transmitter　tower。　It　was　difficult　for　Pitt　to　imag