cc.floodtide-第63部分

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ay　from　the　hangar。　The　admiral　will　know　the　drill。〃
　〃Are　you　going　in　alone？〃　the　student　asked　as　Pitt　exited　the　car　and　retrieved　his　well…traveled　duffel　bag　from　the　trunk。
　Pitt　looked　at　the　young　man　and　smiled。　〃A　good　host　always　entertains　his　guests。〃　He　stood　and　waited　until　the　NUMA　car's　taillights　faded　into　the　dust　cloud　trailing　the　rear　bumper。　He　paused　to　unzip　his　duffel　bag　to　retrieve　his　old　Colt　。45　before　remembering　that　he'd　failed　to　obtain　any　cartridges　after　Julia　Lee　had　emptied　the　gun　at　the　ultralight　aircraft　on　the　Orion　River。
　
　〃Empty！〃　he　said　through　his　teeth。　As　he　stood　alone　in　the　night　he　began　to　wonder　if　he　had　a　permanently　dislocated　brain。　There　was　nothing　left　but　to　act　dumb　and　enter　the　hangar　as　if　he　suspected　nothing；　then　attempt　to　reach　one　of　his　collector　cars　where　he　kept　a　shotgun　secreted　inside　a　walnut　cabinet　originally　crafted　to　contain　an　umbrella。
　
　He　pulled　a　small　remote　transmitter　from　his　pocket　and　whistled　the　first　few　bars　of　〃Yankee　Doodle。〃　The　sound…recognition　signal　electronically　shut　down　the　security　systems　and　unlocked　a　shabby　side　door　that　looked　as　if　it　was　last　open　in　1945。　A　green　light　on　the　remote　flashed　three　times　in　series。　It　should　have　flashed　four；　he　observed。　Someone　who　was　very　clever　at　neutralizing　security　systems　had　broken　his　code。　He　closed　his　eyes；　paused　for　a　few　moments　and　took　a　deep　breath。　As　the　door　cracked　open；　he　dropped　to　the　ground　on　his　hands　and　knees　and　reached　around　the　frame　and　flicked　on　the　interior　lights。
　
　The　inside　walls；　floor　and　curved　roof　were　painted　a　glossy　white　that　accented　a　spectrum　of　vivid　colors　gleaming　off　the　thirty　beautifully　painted　cars　spaced　throughout　the　hangar。　The　visual　effect　was　dazzling；　which　was　what　Pitt　counted　on　to　blind　whoever　was　waiting　in　the　blackened　interior　to　ambush　him。　He　reminded　himself　that　the　orange…bodied　and　brown…fendered　1929　Duesenberg　convertible　sedan　containing　the　shotgun　was　the　third　car　from　the　door。
　
　The　intruders　were　not　on　a　social　visit。　His　suspicions　were　abruptly　confirmed　when　he　heard　what　sounded　like　a　series　of　muted　pops　and　sensed　rather　than　felt　a　torrent　of　bullets　spraying　the　doorway。　The　suppressors　on　the　killers'　guns　changed　the　character　of　the　gunfire　in　such　a　way　that　it　was　not　identifiable　as　gunshots。　They　were　using　silencers　even　though　there　wasn't　another　soul　within　a　mile。　His　arm　whipped　around　the　door　again；　and　he　flicked　the　lights。　Then　he　slithered　like　a　snake　under　the　hail　of　fire　around　the　doorway　and　then　crept　beneath　the　first　two　collector　cars；　a　1932　Stutz　and　a　1931　L…29　Cord；　blessing　the　old　vehicles　for　sitting　high　off　the　ground。　Reaching　the　Duesenberg　unscathed；　he　leaped　over　the　side　door　onto　the　floor　of　the　rear　seat。　In　almost　the　same　motion　he　turned　the　knob　on　the　door　of　the　cabinet　behind　the　front　seat　and　pulled　it　open。　Then　he　removed　an　Aserma　12…gauge　Bulldog　self…ejecting　shotgun　that　held　eleven　rounds。　The　deadly；　pact　firearm　lacked　a　buttstock　but　was　mounted　with　a　flash　hider/muzzle　brake。　It　was　one　of　four　guns　Pitt　secreted　throughout　the　hangar　for　just　such　an　occasion。
　
　The　interior　of　the　hangar　was　as　dark　as　the　deepest　reaches　of　a　cave。　If　these　guys　are　pros；　Pitt　considered；　and　there　was　almost　no　uncertainty　about　their　being　highly　trained；　they'll　be　using　night…vision　scopes　and　infrared　laser　sights。　Assessing　the　trajectory　of　the　bullets　as　they　whistled　through　the　doorway；　Pitt　guessed　that　there　were　two　assassins　probably　armed　with　fully　automatic　machine　pistols。　One　was　somewhere　on　the　ground　floor；　the　other　on　the　balcony　to　his　living　quarters　thirty　feet　above　one　corner　of　the　hangar。　Whoever　wanted　him　dead　made　certain　there　was　a　backup　in　case　one　assassin　failed。
　
　There　was　no　attempt　to　rush　the　door。　The　killers　knew　that　Pitt　had　entered　and　was　somewhere　on　the　floor　of　the　hangar。　Realizing　their　intended　quarry　had　knowingly　entered　the　trap　would　make　them　apprehensive　and　wary。
　
　With　no　place　to　go；　Pitt　quietly　cracked　both　rear　doors　on　the　Duesenberg；　peered　into　the　darkness　and　waited　for　his　assailants　to　make　the　next　move。
　
　He　tried　to　slow　his　breathing　to　hear　any　sounds　of　stealth；　but　all　his　ears　could　detect　was　the　beat　of　his　own　heart。　There　was　no　overpowering　sense　of　fright；　no　feeling　of　hopelessness；　only　a　slight　mist　of　fear　to　be　sure。　He　wouldn't　be　human　if　he　didn't　experience　a　degree　of　dread　at　being　a　target　for　two　professional　killers。　But　he　was　on　home　ground；　while　the　assassins　were　in　a　strange　environment。　If　they　were
　
　to　fulfill　their　mission　and　kill　him；　they　had　to　find　their　target　in　the　dark　amid　thirty　antique　automobiles　and　airplanes。　Whatever　advantage　they　had　before　Pitt　walked　in　the　hangar　was　lost。　And　what　they　didn't　know　was　that　he　was　armed　and　deadly。　All　Pitt　had　to　do　was　sit　it　out　in　the　back　of　the　　Duesenberg　and　wait　for　them　to　make　a　mistake。
　
　He　began　to　wonder　who　they　were　and　who　sent　them。　The　only　enemy　that　came　to　mind　whom　he　had　antagonized　in　the　past　few　weeks；　and　who　was　still　among　the　living；　had　to　be　Qin　Shang。　He　could　think　of　no　one　else　who　wanted　him　dead。　It　was　evident　to　him　the　Chinese　billionaire　nurtured　a　f　vindictive　streak。
　
　He　laid　the　shotgun　across　his　chest；　cupped　his　ears　and　listened。　The　hangar　was　as　quiet　as　a　crypt　at　midnight　in　the　middle　of　a　churchyard。　These　guys　were　good。　There　was　no　soft　patter　of　stockinged　or　bare　feet；　but　then　stockinged　or　　　bare　feet　did　not　make　noise　on　concrete　if　stepped　on　carefully。　They　were　probably　biding　their　time；　also　listening。　He　decided　against　the　old　movie　trick　of　throwing　something　against　a　wall　to　draw　their　fire。　Master　assassins　were　too　savvy　to　give　their　position　away　with　random　gunfire。
　
　One　minute　dragged　by；　two；　then　three…it　seemed　far　longer　than　that。　Time　seemed　to　flow　like　a　stream　of　molasses。　He　looked　up　and　saw　the　beam　of　a　red　laser　sweep　across　the　windshield　of　the　Duesenberg　and　move　on。　He　was　betting　his　assailants　were　beginning　to　wonder　if　he　might　have　slipped　out　of　the　hangar　and　escaped　the　trap。　There　was　no　way　of　knowing　when　Admiral　Sandecker；　backed　by　a　team　of　federal　marshals；　would　arrive　on　the　scene。　But　Pitt　was　prepared　to　wait　all　night　if　need　be　while　he　laid　there　waiting　i　for　a　sound　or　shadow　that　betrayed　movement。
　
　A　plan　began　to　form　in　his　mind。　He　normally　made　a　habit　　　of　removing　the　batteries　from　all　his　collector　cars　because　of　f　the　danger　of　creating　a　fire　from　an　electrical　short。　But　since　he　planned　on　driving　the　Duesenberg　when　he　returned　from　Orion　Lake；　Pitt　had　arranged　for　the　chief　mechanic　of　　NUMA's　fleet　of　vehicles；　who　was　entrusted　to　enter　the　hangar；　to　charge　a　battery　and　install　it　in　the　car。　It　now　struck　　　him　that　if　the　opportunity　presented　itself；　he　could　use　the　　headlights　of　the　Duesenberg　to　illuminate　the　floor　of　the　warehouse。　Prudently　keeping　his　eyes　locked　on　the　laser　beams　that　swept　around　the　hangar　like　tiny　guard…tower　lights　from　an　old　prison　movie；　he　silently　rolled　over　the　backrest　and　slipped　into　a　horizontal　position　on　the　front　seat。　Taking　a　calculated　gamble；　he　aimed　the　spotlight　on　the　outer　cowling　beside　the　steering　wheel　upward　until　the　lens　faced　in　the　general　direction　of　the　balcony　on　the　outside　of　his　apartment。　Then　he　raised　the　shotgun　over　the　upper　frame　of　the　windshield　and　switched　on　the　light。
　
　The　bright　beam　shot　aloft　and　pinpointed　a　figure　in　a　black　ninja　suit　with　a　hood　covering　the　head　and　face　crouched　at　the　balcony　railing　and　clutching　a　tactical　machine　pistol。　The　assassin's　hand　instinctively　flew　up　to　shield　his　eyes　from　the　unexpected　blinding　glare。　Pitt　barely　had　time　to　adjust　his　aim　before　firing　off　two　shots　and　blinking　out　the　light；　throwing　the　hangar　into　darkness　again。　The　twin　blast　from　the　shotgun　sounded　like　the　firing　of　a　cannon　inside　the　metal…walled　hangar。　A　surge　of　satisfaction　swept　through　him　as　he　heard　the　thud　of