cc.floodtide-第87部分

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teningly。　〃Y'all　got　no　authority。　Now　get　your　ass　out　of　here　before　we　call　the　sheriff。〃
　
　The　mander　looked　at　the　weathered　shantyboat　and　the　faded　and　shabby　clothing　worn　by　Pitt　and　Giordino。　〃You　have　a　radio　or　a　cellular　phone　on　that　boat？〃
　〃A　flare　gun；〃　Giordino　answered；　scratching　an　imaginary　itch　between　the　toes　of　one　foot。　〃We　shoot　flares　and　the　law　es　a…runnin'。〃
　The　hovercraft's　mander's　eyes　narrowed。　〃I　do　not　find　that　believable。〃
　〃Exhibiting　a　pompous　attitude　toward　intellectual　impeccability　will　get　you　nowhere；〃　Pitt　suddenly　said　smartly。
　The　mander　tensed。　〃What　was　that？〃　he　demanded。　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　〃Ah　said；　leave　us　alone；〃　Pitt　drawled。　〃We　ain't　hurtin'　nothin'。〃
　Another　conference　between　the　mander　and　his　men。　Then　he　pointed　a　finger　at　Pitt。　〃I　warn　you。　Do　not　enter　Qin　Shang　Maritime　property。〃
　〃Who'd　want　to？〃　Giordino　said　nastily。　〃Y'all's　pany　ruined　the　swamp；　killed　the　fish　and　drove　off　the　wildlife　with　your　dredging。　No　reason　to　go　in　there　anyways。〃
　The　mander　arrogantly　turned　his　back　and　dismissed　them　as　the　first　drops　of　a　rainsquall　began　to　splatter　on　the　roof　of　the　shantyboat。　He　gave　the　still　barking　Romberg　a　withering　stare　and　said　something　to　his　crew。　The　engines　accelerated　and　the　hovercraft　began　moving　off　in　the　direction　of　the　canal。　A　moment　later　they　disappeared　from　view　as　the　rain　poured　down　in　blinding　torrents。
　
　Giordino　sat　enjoying　the　rain　splashing　on　his　bare　feet　as　they　dangled　over　the　railing。　He　cringed　as　Romberg　shook　his　wet　fur；　sending　a　barrage　of　water　flying　in　every　direction。　〃A　glittering　performance　except　for　your　attempt　at　a　drawing…room　put…down。〃
　
　Pitt　laughed。　〃A　bit　of　keen　and　boisterous　freewheeling　humor　never　fails　to　get　a　rise。〃
　〃You　might　have　given　us　away。〃
　〃I　wanted　them　to　record　our　arrogance。　Did　you　catch　the　video　camera　on　top　of　the　cabin？　At　this　moment；　our　pictures　are　being　sent　by　satellite　to　Shang's　security　headquarters　in　Hong　Kong　for　identification。　A　pity　we　can't　be　there　to　see　Shang's　face　when　he's　informed　that　we're　poking　around　another　one　of　his　sensitive　projects。〃
　〃Then　our　friends　will　be　back。〃
　〃You　can　bet　the　farm　on　it。〃
　〃Romberg　will　protect　us；〃　Giordino　said　jokingly。
　
　Pitt　looked　around　for　the　dog　and　found　him　curled　up　inside　the　shantyboat；　having　quickly　returned　to　his　catatonic　state。　〃That　I　seriously　doubt。〃
　
　AFTER　THE　RAINSQUALL　PASSED　AND　BEFORE　THE　LAST　RAYS　of　the　sun　vanished　beyond　the　marshlands　in　the　west；　Pitt　and　Giordino　moved　the　shantyboat　into　a　narrow　tributary　of　Hooker's　Bayou　and　moored　it　beneath　a　huge　cottonwood　tree　to　cloak　it　from　the　hovercraft's　radar。　Then　they　camouflaged　the　boat　with　reeds　and　dead　branches　from　the　cottonwood。　Romberg　only　came　alive　when　Pitt　fed　him　a　bowl　filled　with　catfish。　Giordino　offered　him　some　hamburger；　but　Romberg　wouldn't　touch　it；　happily　licking　his　chops　and　drooling　from　his　flews　while　consuming　the　fish。
　
　After　closing　the　shutters　and　hanging　blankets　over　the　windows　and　doors　to　black　out　interior　light；　Pitt　spread　the　topo　map　on　the　dining　table　and　traced　out　a　plan　of　action。　〃If　Shang's　security　force　runs　true　to　form；　they'll　have　a　mand　post　somewhere　along　the　banks　of　the　canal；　probably　in　the　center　so　they　can　cover　both　ends　quickly　against　trespassing　locals。〃
　〃A　canal　by　any　other　name　is　a　canal；〃　said　Giordino。　〃What　exactly　are　we　looking　for？〃
　Pitt　shrugged。　〃Your　guess　is　as　good　as　mine。〃
　〃Bodies　like　you　found　in　Orion　Lake？〃
　〃God；　I　hope　not；〃　Pitt　said　soberly。　〃But　if　Qin　Shang　is　smuggling　illegals　through　Sungari；　you　can　bet　he's　got　a　killing　ground　somewhere　in　the　area。　Dead　bodies　are　easy　to　hide　in　the　marshlands。　But　according　to　Doug　Wheeler；　boat　traffic　from　the　river　into　the　canal　is　nonexistent。〃
　〃Qin　Shang　didn't　excavate　an　eighteen…mile　trench　as　an　exercise　in　futility。〃
　〃Not　him；〃　Pitt　said　acridly。　〃The　catch　is　that　two　miles　of　excavation　could　have　easily　supplied　all　the　fill　he　required　to　build　Sungari。　And　the　question　is；　why　dig　another　sixteen　miles？〃
　〃Where　do　we　begin？〃　asked　Giordino。
　〃We'll　take　the　skiff　because　it's　less　likely　to　be　detected　by　their　security　systems。　After　loading　the　equipment；　we　paddle　up　Hooker's　Bayou　until　it　empties　into　the　canal。　Then　continue　east　to　Calzas。　After　we　see　whatever　there　is　of　interest；　we　work　back　toward　the　Atchafalaya　and　around　to　the　shantyboat。〃
　〃They　must　have　detection　systems　to　spot　trespassers。〃
　〃I'm　counting　on　them　using　the　same　limited　technology　they　had　at　Orion　Lake。　If　they　have　laser　detectors；　the　beams　must　be　set　to　sweep　above　the　marsh　grass。　Hunters　with　swamp　vehicles　or　fishermen　standing　in　their　boat　to　throw　a　net　can　be　distinguished　from　five　miles　away。　By　keeping　low　in　the　skiff　and　skirting　the　banks；　we　can　stay　below　any　sweeping　beam。〃
　Giordino　listened　to　Pitt's　plan　of　action　and　remained　silent　for　a　few　moments　after　he　finished。　He　sat　with　his　Etruscan　features　twisted　in　a　scowling　expression；　looking　like　a　mask　from　a　voodoo　ceremony。　Then　he　slowly　moved　his　head　from　side　to　side；　visualizing　long；　aching　hours　of　paddling　the　skiff。
　〃Well；〃　he　said　finally；　〃Mrs。　Giordino's　boy　is　going　to　have　a　pair　of　sore　arms　before　this　night　is　over。〃
　
　Doug　Wheeler's　forecast　of　a　waning　quarter　moon　was　correct。　Leaving　a　sated　and　dormant　Romberg　to　guard　the　shantyboat；　they　pushed　off　and　began　paddling　up　the　bayou；　easily　finding　their　way　along　the　twists　and　turns　by　the　lunar　light。　A　narrow　boat　with　graceful　lines；　the　skiff　moved　smoothly　with　little　exertion　on　their　part。　Whenever　a　cloud　passed　over　the　slim　crescent　of　the　moon；　Pitt　relied　on　the　night…vision　goggles　to　guide　their　course　as　the　bayou　narrowed　to　little　more　than　five　feet　in　width。
　The　marshlands　came　alive　at　night。　The　squadrons　of　mosquitoes　winged　into　the　night　air；　searching　for　juicy　targets。　But　Pitt　and　Giordino；　shielded　by　their　wet　suits　and　an　ample　layer　of　bug　repellent　on　their　faces；　necks　and　hands；　ignored　them。　The　frogs　croaked　in　a　chorus　of　thousands；　rising　in　a　crescendo；　then　breaking　off　suddenly　into　total　silence　before　beginning　again。　It　seemed　as　if　their　night　song　was　orchestrated　and　led　by　an　unseen　maestro。　The　marsh　grass　became　decorated　with　millions　of　lightning　bugs；　blinking　their　lights　on　and　off　like　falling　sparkles　from　dying　fireworks。　An　hour　and　a　half　later；　Pitt　and　Giordino　paddled　out　of　Hooker's　Bayou　into　the　canal。
　
　The　security　force　mand　post　was　lit　up　like　a　football　stadium。　Floodlights　spaced　around　two　acres　of　dry　land　illuminated　an　old　plantation　house　sheltered　by　live　oak　trees　on　a　weed…infested　lawn　that　rolled　down　a　slight　incline　to　the　bank　of　the　canal。　Three　stories　high　with　siding　that　was　warped　and　barely　hanging　on　to　support　beams　by　rusty　nails；　the　structure　looked　similar　in　architecture　to　the　house　in　the　movie　Psycho；　but　not　in　nearly　as　good　a　condition。　Several　of　the　shutters　hung　off…kilter　on　rusting　hinges；　and　the　attic　windows　were　broken。　Wooden　pillars　stood　in　rigid　formation　across　a　sagging　front　porch；　their　cornices　supporting　a　long；　sloping　roof。
　
　The　smell　of　Chinese　cooking　permeated　the　air。　Men　in　uniform　could　be　seen　through　the　uncurtained　windows　moving　around　inside。　Chinese　music；　a　scourge　to　the　ears　of　Westerners；　and　sung　by　a　female　who　screeched　as　if　she　was　giving　birth；　grated　over　the　marshlands。　The　living　room　of　the　old　manor　was　cluttered　with　a　maze　of　munication　and　security…detection　antennas。　Like　Orion　Lake；　there　were　no　guards　patrolling　the　mand…center　grounds。　They　had　no　fear　of　attack　and　placed　their　faith　in　the　electronic　systems。　The　hovercraft　was　tied　to　a　little　dock　that　floated　on　empty　oil　drums。　No　one　was　on　board。
　
　〃Head　toward　the　opposite　bank　and　paddle　very　slowly；〃　Pitt　whispered。　〃Keep　movement　to　a　minimum。〃
　Giordino　nodded　silently　and　dipped　his　paddle　carefully　into　the　water；　stroking　as　if　in　slow　motion。　Like　wraiths　gliding　through　the　night