cc.floodtide-第57部分

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e　devious　and　brilliant；　one　that　you　and　I　wouldn't　have　thought　of　in　a　million　years。〃
　〃You're　right；〃　Cabrillo　sighed。　〃Devastating　a　city　and　killing　thousands　of　people　is　a　no…win　situation　for　a　man　of　wealth。　Especially　when　you　consider　that　the　bomb　carrier　could　be　traced　back　directly　to　Qin　Shang　Maritime。〃
　〃Unless；〃　Pitt　added。
　〃Unless？〃
　Pitt　gave　Cabrillo　a　distant　look。　〃Unless　the　scheme　called　for　a　minimal　amount　of　explosives。〃
　〃For　what　purpose？〃
　〃To　blow　the　bottom　out　of　the　United　States　and　scuttle　her。〃
　〃Now　there's　a　possibility。〃　Cabrillo's　eyelids　were　beginning　to　droop。　〃I　do　believe　you　may　be　onto　something。〃
　〃That　could　explain　why　Al　found　all　the　doors　to　the　crew's　quarters　and　lower　cargo　holds　welded　shut。〃
　〃Now　all　you　need　is　a　crystal　ball　to　predict　where　Qin　Shang　intends　to　sink　her　。。。〃　Cabrillo　murmured　softly。　His　voice　trailed　off　as　he　drifted　off　to　sleep。
　
　Pitt　started　to　say　something；　but　saw　that　he　would　only　be　talking　to　himself。　He　quietly　stepped　from　Cabrillo's　cabin　and　softly　closed　the　door。
　
　Three　days　later　the　Oregon　picked　up　the　harbor　pilot；　passed　through　the　shipping　channel　and　slipped　alongside　the　dock　at　Guam's　mercial　terminal。　Except　for　the　stump　where　her　aft　mast　once　stood　and　her　pulverized　stern；　the　ship　looked　little　the　worse　for　wear。
　
　A　string　of　ambulances　was　waiting　on　the　dock　to　receive　the　wounded　and　transport　them　to　the　hospital　at　the　island's　naval　station。　The　Chinese　marines　were　the　first　to　be　taken　away；　followed　by　the　ship's　crew。　Cabrillo　was　the　last　of　the　injured　to　leave　the　ship。　After　saying　their　goodbyes　to　the　crew；　Pitt　and　Giordino　muscled　aside　the　stretcher　bearers　and　carried　him　down　the　gangway　themselves。
　
　〃I　feel　like　the　sultan　of　Baghdad；〃　said　Cabrillo。
　〃You'll　get　our　bill　in　the　mail；〃　Giordino　told　him。
　They　reached　the　ambulance　and　gently　set　the　stretcher　on　the　dock　before　loading　it　onto　a　gurney。　Pitt　knelt　down　and　stared　into　Cabrillo's　eyes。　〃It　was　an　honor　knowing　you；　Mr。　Chairman。〃
　〃And　a　privilege　to　work　with　you；　Mr。　Special　Projects　Director。　If　you　ever　decide　to　leave　NUMA　and　want　a　job　sailing　the　seven　seas　to　exotic　ports；　send　me　your　resume。〃
　〃I　don't　mean　to　criticize；　but　I　didn't　exactly　find　the　cruise　aboard　your　ship　a　benefit　to　my　health。〃　Pitt　paused　and　looked　up　at　the　rusty　sides　of　the　Oregon。　〃Sounds　strange　to　say　so；　but　I'm　going　to　miss　the　old　boat。〃
　〃Likewise；〃　Cabrillo　agreed。
　Pitt　looked　at　him　questioningly。　〃You'll　mend　and　be　back　on　board　in　no　time。〃
　Cabrillo　shook　his　head。　〃Not　after　this　trip。　The　Oregon's　next　voyage　is　to　the　scrap　yard。〃
　〃Why？〃　asked　Giordino。　〃Are　the　ashtrays　full？〃
　〃She's　outlived　her　usefulness。〃
　〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Pitt。　〃She　looks　perfectly　sound。〃
　〃She's　been　what　is　called　in　the　spy　trade　'promised'；〃　explained　Cabrillo。　〃The　Chinese　are　wise　to　her　facade。　Within　days　every　intelligence　service　around　the　world　will　be　on　the　lookout　for　her。　No；　I'm　afraid　her　days　as　disguised　gatherer　of　classified　information　are　over。〃
　〃Does　that　mean　you're　going　to　dissolve　the　corporation？〃
　Cabrillo　sat　up；　his　eyes　gleaming。　〃Not　in　your　life。　Our　grateful　government　has　already　offered　to　refit　a　new　ship　with　state…of…the…art…technology；　bigger；　more　powerful　engines　and　a　heavier　weapons　system。　It　may　take　a　few　operations　to　pay　off　the　mortgage；　but　the　stockholders　and　I　are　not　about　to　close　down　operations。〃
　Pitt　shook　the　chairman's　hand。　〃I　wish　you　the　best　of　luck。　Perhaps　we　can　do　it　again　sometime。〃
　Cabrillo　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Oh　God；　I　hope　not。〃
　Giordino　took　one　of　his　magnificent　cigars　and　slipped　it　into　Cabrillo's　shirt　pocket。　〃A　little　something　in　case　you　tire　of　your　smelly　old　pipe。〃
　They　waited　as　the　attendants　transferred　Cabrillo　to　the　gumey　and　lifted　him　inside　the　ambulance。　Then　the　door　was　closed　and　the　vehicle　moved　across　the　dock。　They　were　standing　there　watching　for　a　moment　until　it　disappeared　onto　a　street　lined　with　palm　trees　when　a　man　came　up　behind　them。
　
　〃Mr。　Pitt　and　Mr。　Giordino？〃
　Pitt　turned。　〃That's　us。〃
　A　man　in　his　middle　sixties；　with　gray　hair　and　beard；　held　up　a　leather…encased　badge　and　identification。　He　was　wearing　white　shorts；　a　flowered　silk　shirt　and　sandals。　〃I've　been　sent　by　my　superiors　to　take　you　to　the　airport。　An　aircraft　is　waiting　to　fly　you　to　Washington。〃
　〃Aren't　you　a　little　old　to　play　secret　agent？〃　said　Giordino；　studying　the　stranger's　identification。
　〃We　oldies　but　goodies　can　often　pass　unnoticed　where　you　younger　guys　can't。〃
　〃Which　way　to　your　car？〃　asked　Pitt　conversationally。
　The　senior　citizen　pointed　to　a　small　Toyota　van　painted　in　the　wild　colors　of　a　local　taxi。　〃Your　carriage　awaits。〃
　〃I　had　no　idea　the　CIA　cut　your　budget　so　drastically；〃　Giordino　said　sarcastically。
　〃We　make　do　with　what　we've　got。〃
　
　They　piled　into　the　van；　and　twenty　minutes　later　they　were　seated　in　a　military　cargo　jet。　As　the　plane　rolled　down　the　runway　of　Guam's　Air　Force　base；　Pitt　looked　out　the　window　and　saw　the　senior　intelligence　agent　leaning　against　his　van　as　if　confirming　that　Pitt　and　Giordino　had　departed　the　island。　In　another　minute　they　were　flying　above　the　often　overlooked　island　paradise　of　the　Pacific　with　its　volcanic　mountains；　lush　jungle　waterfalls　and　miles　of　white…sand　beaches　graced　with　swaying　coco　palms。　The　Japanese　swarmed　into　the　hotels　and　onto　the　beaches　of　Guam；　but　not　many　Americans。　He　continued　staring　down　as　the　plane　passed　over　the　turquoise　waters　inside　the　reef　surrounding　the　island　and　headed　out　to　sea。
　
　As　Giordino　dozed　off；　Pitt　turned　his　thoughts　to　the　United　States；　sailing　somewhere　on　the　ocean　below　him。　Something　terrible　was　in　the　works；　a　terrible　threat　that　only　one　man　on　earth　could　prevent。　But　Pitt　knew　with　crystallized　certainty　that　nothing；　except　perhaps　an　untimely　death；　would　deflect　Qin　Shang　from　his　purpose。
　
　The　world　may　be　a　place　that　is　scarce　of　honest　politicians；　white　buffalo；　unpolluted　rivers；　saints　and　miracles；　but　there　is　no　shortage　of　depraved　villains。　Some；　like　serial　killers；　may　slay　twenty　or　a　hundred　innocent　victims。　But　given　financial　resources　they　might　kill　many　more。　Those　like　Qin　Shang　who　possessed　enormous　affluence　could　hold　themselves　above　the　law　and　hire　homicidal　cretins　to　do　their　dirty　work　for　them。　The　evil　billionaire　was　not　a　general　who　felt　remorse　over　losing　a　thousand　men　in　battle　to　achieve　an　objective。　Qin　Shang　was　a　cold…blooded　sociopathic　murderer　who　could　drink　a　glass　of　champagne　and　eat　a　hearty　dinner　after　condemning　hundreds　of　illegal　immigrants；　many　of　them　women　and　children；　to　a　horrible　death　in　the　frigid　waters　of　Orion　Lake。
　
　Pitt　was　mitted　to　stopping　Qin　Shang　whatever　the　consequences；　whatever　the　cost；　even　killing　him　if　the　occasion　presented　itself。　He　was　drawn　in　too　deeply　to　struggle　back　over　the　edge。　He　fantasized　what　it　would　be　like　if　they　ever　met。　What　would　the　circumstances　be？　What　would　he　say　to　a　mass　slaughterer？
　
　For　a　long　time；　Pitt　sat　there　staring　up　at　the　cabin　ceiling　of　the　aircraft。　There　was　no　sense　in　anything。　Whatever　Qin　Shang's　plan　had　to　be；　if　nothing　else　it　was　mad。　And　now　Pitt's　own　mind　was　running　amok。　There　is　nothing　to　do；　he　thought　finally；　but　to　sleep　it　off　and　hope　to　see　things　with　a　sane　eye　when　we　reach　Washington。
　
　
　April　23；　2000　Atchafalaya　River；　Louisiana
　
　OF　THE　　MAJOR　　RIVERS　OF　THE　　WORLD；　　THE　　NILE　　CASTS　　A　romantic　spell　from　an　ancient　past；　the　Amazon　conjures　up　images　of　adventure　and　danger；　while　the　Yangtze　entwines　the　soul　with　the　mysteries　of　the　Orient。　Images　of　pharaohs　lounging　on　royal　barges　rowed　by　a　hundred　men　past　the　pyramids　e　to　mind。。。　the　Spanish　conquistadors　struggling　and　dying　in　a　green　hell。。。　Chinese　junks　and　sampans　crowding　water　turned　yellow…brown　with　flowing　silt。　But　it　is　the　Mississippi　that　truly　captures　the　imagination。
　
　Thanks　to　the　stories　of　Mark　Twain　of　big　side…paddle　ri