cc.floodtide-第72部分

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　The　vans　were　still　on　his　tail。　Because　of　their　faster　acceleration；　they　had　closed　until　their　reflections　loomed　in　the　rearview　mirror　atop　the　center　of　the　windshield。　Although　the　Duesenberg　could　outpull　them　if　given　a　long　enough　straight　stretch；　it　was　not　a　car　that　would　set　records　at　a　drag　strip。　Pitt　had　yet　to　shift　from　second　to　third；　and　the　gears　wailed　like　a　banshee。
　The　giant　engine　with　its　twin　overhead　cams　turned　effortlessly　at　high　rpms。　The　traffic　on　the　street　ahead　thinned；　and　Pitt　was　able　to　push　the　Duesenberg　as　hard　as　she　could　go。　He　slewed　the　car　into　the　circle　around　the　Peace　Monument　behind　the　Capitol　building。　Then　another　quick　twist　of　the　steering　wheel　and　the　Duesy　drifted　on　all　four　wheels　around　the　Garfield　Monument；　skirted　the　Reflecting　Pool　and　shot　down　Maryland　Avenue　toward　the　Air　&　Space　Museum。
　
　From　behind　them；　over　the　exhaust　roar　of　the　Duesenberg；　they　heard　a　brief　staccato　of　gunfire。　The　mirror　attached　to　the　top　of　the　spare…tire　cover　mounted　in　the　left　front　fender　abruptly　disintegrated。　The　shooter　quickly　adjusted　and　a　stream　of　bullets　shredded　the　top　frame　of　the　windshield；　shattering　the　glass；　which　showered　across　the　hood　of　the　car。　Pitt　slipped　down　low　behind　the　wheel；　his　right　hand　grabbing　Julia　by　the　hair　and　yanking　her　horizontal　on　the　leather　seat。
　
　〃That　concludes　the　entertainment　part　of　the　program；〃　muttered　Pitt。　〃No　more　chicken…hearted　maneuvers。〃
　〃Oh；　God；　you　were　right！〃　Julia　shouted　in　his　ear。　〃They　are　out　to　kill　us。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　make　a　straight　run　so　you　can　return　their　fire。〃
　〃Not　in　traffic；　not　on　these　streets；〃　she　retorted。　〃I　couldn't　live　with　myself　if　I　hit　an　innocent　child。〃
　
　Her　reply　was　a　frenzied　sideways　motion　as　the　car　rocketed　across　Third　Street。　Instead　of　turning　with　the　traffic；　Pitt　cut　across　the　pavement　and　sent　the　Duesenberg　leaping　over　the　curb　onto　the　grass　of　the　Capitol　Mall。　The　big　750…by…17…inch　tires　took　the　raised　concrete　as　casually　as　a　minor　speed　bump。　Sod　was　ripped　out　of　the　ground　by　the　spinning　rear　wheels　and　sprayed　out　and　under　the　rear　fenders　like　shrapnel。
　
　Julia　did　what　any　sane　woman　would　do　under　the　same　circumstances。　She　screamed　and　then　cried　out；　〃You　can't　drive　down　the　middle　of　the　Mall！〃
　〃I　damned　well　can　and　will　so　long　as　we　live　to　tell　about　it！〃　Pitt　shot　back。
　
　His　seemingly　crazy　and　totally　unexpected　maneuver　had　the　desired　results。　The　driver　of　the　lead　van　tenaciously　chased　the　Duesenberg　over　the　curb　onto　the　grassy　Mall；　and　Wew　all　four　tires　in　the　attempt。　They　struck　the　concrete　barrier　with　such　force　that　they　exploded　in　a　rapid　series　of　loud　pops。　The　much　smaller；　more　modern　tires　on　the　vans　could　not　jump　over　the　curb　with　the　ease　of　the　Duesenberg's　big　doughnuts。
　
　The　second　van's　driver　elected　for　discretion；　checked　his　speed　in　time；　braked　and　slowly　drove　over　the　curb　without　damaging　his　tires。　The　men　in　the　first　van…there　were　two　…frantically　abandoned　their　vehicle　and　flung　themselves　through　the　open　side　door　of　the　second　one。　Then　they　all　stubbornly　took　up　the　chase　again；　pursuing　the　Duesenberg　across　the　middle　of　the　Mall　to　the　astonishment　of　hundreds　of　onlookers　who　were　heading　for　home　after　an　open…air　Marine　Corps　band　conceit　at　the　Navy　Memorial。　The　shocked　expression　on　their　faces　ranged　from　frozen　inprehension　to　stunned　astonishment　at　seeing　the　huge　car　with　the　artistically　flowing　lines　tearing　across　the　Mall　between　the　National　Ak　&　Space　Museum　and　the　National　Gallery　of　Art。　Groups　of　people　strolling　or　jogging　along　the　Mall's　paths　were　suddenly　galvanized　into　chasing　the　speeding　vehicles　on　foot；　certain　they　were　about　to　witness　an　accident。
　
　The　Duesenberg　was　still　accelerating　with　Pitt's　foot　flat　on　the　gas　pedal。　The　long　car　flared　as　it　tore　across　Seventh　Street；　skidding　around　passing　cars；　Pitt　righting　the　wheel　with　grim　tenacity。　The　mammoth　car　was　incredibly　responsive。　The　faster　the　speed；　the　more　solid　the　feeling　of　stability。　All　he　had　to　do　was　point　the　car　where　he　wanted　to　go；　and　she　went。　He　breathed　a　brief　sigh　of　relief　at　seeing　no　cross…traffic　on　Fourteenth　Street；　the　next　thoroughfare　across　the　Mall。　The　sidemount　mirror　and　the　rearview　mirror　on　the　windshield　had　both　been　blown　to　pieces　by　the　earlier　burst　of　gunfire；　and　he　could　not　spare　a　brief　glance　to　see　if　the　pursuing　van　was　closing　within　accurate　firing　range　again。
　
　〃Take　a　peek　over　the　seat　and　see　how　close　they　are；〃　he　yelled　to　Julia。
　She　had　thumbed　off　the　side　safety　on　the　Colt　and　had　it　aimed　over　the　backrest　of　the　seat。　〃They　slowed　when　bouncing　over　the　curbs　on　the　last　two　cross　streets；〃　she　answered；　〃but　they're　gaining。　I　can　almost　see　the　whites　of　the　driver's　eyes。〃
　〃Then　you　can　begin　shooting　back。〃
　〃This　isn't　the　wilderness　around　Orion　River。　There　are　pedestrians　all　over　the　Mall。　I　can't　risk　striking　anyone　with　a　stray　shot。〃
　〃Then　wait　until　you　can't　miss。〃
　
　The　men　firing　out　the　sides　of　the　van　were　not　as　considerate。　They　unleashed　another　burst　at　the　Duesenberg；　drilling　the　big　trunk　mounted　on　the　rear　of　the　body；　the　thuds　of　the　bullets　mingling　with　the　pulsing　bursts　erupting　from　the　guns'　muzzles。　Pitt　wrenched　desperately　on　the　wheel；　dodging　the　fusillade　that　whistled　past　the　right　side　of　the　car。
　
　〃Those　guys　don't　have　your　sensitivity　toward　others；〃　he　said；　thankful　that　he　had　managed　to　swerve　around　any　car　that　crossed　his　path　without　accident。
　
　Wishing　he　had　a　magic　wand　to　stop　the　traffic；　he　hurtled　across　Fifteenth　Street；　narrowly　missing　a　newspaper　truck　and　throwing　the　Duesenberg　into　a　four…wheel　slide　to　avoid　a　black　Ford　Crown　Victoria　sedan；　which　had　replaced　most　of　the　government　limousines。　Fleetingly；　he　wondered　what　government　VIP　was　riding　inside。　He　felt　a　small　surge　of　fort　at　knowing　the　van　had　to　drop　back　to　negotiate　the　curbs。
　
　The　towering　Washington　Monument　rose　in　front　of　the　car's　path。　Pitt　guided　the　car　around　the　floodlit　obelisk　and　sped　down　the　slight　slope　on　the　opposite　side。　Julia　was　still　unable　to　get　a　clear　shot　as　Pitt　concentrated　on　getting　the　Duesenberg　past　the　Monument　without　losing　control　on　the　slippery　grass。　And　then　they　were　heading　toward　the　Lincoln　Memorial　at　the　end　of　the　Mall。
　
　Seconds　later　he　came　to　Seventeenth　Street。　Thankfully；　there　was　a　slot　in　the　middle　of　the　traffic　and　he　shot　toward　the　other　side　without　endangering　passing　cars。　Despite　the　violent　chase　through　the　avenues　of　Washington　and　across　the　Mall；　he　saw　no　flashing　red　lights　nor　heard　sirens　from　pursuing　police　cars。　If　he　had　attempted　the　mad　ride　across　the　Mall　on　any　other　occasion；　he'd　have　been　stopped　and　arrested　for　reckless　driving　within　the　first　hundred　yards。
　
　Pitt　had　a　short　breathing　spell　as　they　roared　between　the　Reflecting　Pool　and　Constitution　Gardens。　Almost　directly　ahead　loomed　the　brilliantly　illuminated　Lincoln　Memorial　and　the　Potomac　River　beyond。　He　turned　and　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　the　van；　which　was　corning　up　fast　on　the　Duesen…berg　again。　The　van's　twin　headlights　were　so　close　he　could　have　read　a　newspaper　under　them。　The　contest　was　too　uneven。　Despite　the　Duesenberg　being　a　magnificent　automobile　by　which　all　others　were　measured；　it　was　a　case　of　a　big…game　hunter　in　a　bush　vehicle　chasing　an　elephant。　He　knew　that　they　knew　he　was　running　out　of　space。　If　he　cut　and　swung　right　toward　Constitution　Avenue；　they　could　easily　cut　him　off。　To　his　left　the　long　Reflecting　Pool　stretched　almost　to　the　great　white　marble　Memorial。　The　water　barrier　looked　impassable。　Or　was　it？
　
　He　roughly　pushed　Julia　off　the　seat　onto　the　floor。　〃Keep　down　and　hold　on　tight！〃
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　〃We're　going　boating。〃
　〃You're　not　only　deranged；　you've　gone　berserk。〃
　〃A　rare　bination；〃　Pitt　said　calmly。　His　features　were　fixed　in　concentration；　his　eyes　glistening　like　those　of　a　hawk　circling　over　a　hare。　There　was　a　look　of　unfathomable