cussler.blueandgold-第48部分

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　market。　The　U。S。A。　Remember　what　I　said　about　Gogstad　controlling　the　Canadian　water　supply？　There's　a　plan　to　divert　massive　quantities　of　water　from　Hudson　Bay　through　the　Great　Lakes　to　the　U。S。　Sun　Belt。〃　His　finger　moved　to　Alaska。　〃California　and　the　other　desert　states　have　sucked　the　Colorado　River　practically　dry；　so　another　scheme　would　take　glacier　water　from　the　Yukon　and　move　it　to　the　American　West　through　a　vast　system　of　dams；　dikes；　and　giant　reservoirs。　A　tenth　of　British　Columbia　would　be　flooded；　and　there　would　be　massive
　natural　resource　and　human　disruptions。　The　new　hydroelectric　plants　would　garner　huge　amounts　of　energy。　Guess　who　is　strategically　placed　to　benefit　from　the　energy　and　construction　money？〃　〃I　think　I　know　the　answer。〃
　
　〃Uh…huh。　They'll　reap　billions！　The　plans　for　this　boondoggle　have　been　around　for　years。　They've　never　advanced　be　cause　they're　so　destructive　and　expensive；　but　they　are　getting　some　powerful　support；　and　there's　a　chance　they'll　go　through。〃
　
　〃Gogstad　again？〃
　
　〃Now　you're　getting　it；〃　Cohen　said。　He　was　being　more　excited。　〃This　time　the　opposition　won't　be　there。　Gogstad　has　bought　up　newspapers　and　TV　stations。　It　can　create　a　drumbeat　that　won't　be　easy　to　resist。　The　political　clout　Gogstad　can　bring　to　bear　is　phenomenal。　They've　got　ex…presidents；　prime　ministers；　secretaries　of　state　on　their　boards。　There's　no　way　to　fight　it。　You　put　that　kind　of　political　and　financial　clout　in　the　hands　of　someone　willing　to　use　street　gang　methods；　and　you'll　know　why　I'm　so　damned　nervous。〃
　
　He　stopped　to　catch　his　breath。　His　face　was　flushed　with　excitement。　Beads　of　sweat　glistened　on　his　forehead。　He　stared　at　Zavala　as　if　daring　him　to　argue　with　him。
　
　Then　Cohen's　whole　body　seemed　to　deflate。　〃Sorry；〃　he　apologized。　〃I've　been　close　to　this　mess　for　too　long。　I　think　I'm　on　the　verge　of　a　nervous　breakdown。　This　is　the　first　chance　I've　had　to　get　it　out　of　my　system。〃
　
　Zavala　nodded。　〃The　sooner　the　story　is　published；　the　better。　How　soon　before　you　run　it？〃
　
　〃Soon。　We're　putting　the　final　pieces　in　place。　We　want　to　know　why　Gogstad　has　built　so　many　supertankers。〃
　
　〃That　certainly　fits　in　with　their　plans　to　ship　bulk　water。〃
　
　〃Yes；　we　know　they　have　the　contracts　in　place　to　move　glacier　water　from　Alaska；　but　we've　crunched　the　numbers。　There　are　far　too　many　tankers　for　the　existing　market；　even　if　you　add　China。〃　
　
　　〃It　takes　a　while　to　build　a　ship。　Maybe　they　want　to　be　ready。　They'll　mothball　the　ships　until　the　time　is　ripe。〃
　
　〃That's　the　strange　thing。　These　ships　aren't　being　moth　balled。　Each　tanker　has　a　captain　and　a　crew。　They're　just　sitting　in　Alaskan　waters　as　if　they're　waiting。〃
　
　〃Waiting　for　what？〃
　
　〃That's　what　we　would　like　to　know。〃
　
　〃Something's　going　on；〃　Zavala　murmured。
　
　〃My　reporter's　nose　for　news　says　the　same　thing。〃
　
　Zavala　got　a　cold　feeling　as　if　one　of　those　slimy　tentacles　they　talked　about　had　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder。　He　recalled　the　conversation　he　had　had　with　Austin　about　the　unseen　fears　that　sometimes　e　beneath　the　sea。　As　usual；　Kurt's　intuition　was　on　the　mark。　Zavala's　own　instincts　were　telling　him　that　a　big；　hungry　something　lay　hidden　in　the　blue　shadows；　watching　and　waiting。　And　its　name　was　Gogstad。
　
　Chapter　23
　CIA　director　Erwin　LeGrand　beamed　proudly　as　his　fourteen…year…old　daughter；　Katherine；　trotted　over　on　the　back　of　her　chestnut　gelding。　She　slipped　out　of　the　saddle　and　presented　her　father　with　the　trophy　for　first　place；　English　style。
　
　〃This　is　for　your　office；　Dad；〃　she　said　with　excitement　in　her　cornflower…blue　eyes。　〃It's　for　being　the　best　father　in　the　world。　You're　the　one　who　bought　me　Val　and　paid　for　all　those　expensive　riding　lessons。〃
　
　LeGrand　took　the　trophy　and　put　his　arm　around　his　daughter's　shoulders；　thinking　how　much　she　looked　like　her　mother。　〃Thank　you；　Katie；　but　I　wasn't　the　one　who　worked　so　hard　to　show　Valiant　who's　boss。〃　He　smiled。　〃I'll　only　take　it　on　the　condition　that　it's　on　loan。　As　soon　as　I've　bragged　to　everyone　at　the　agency；　it's　going　back　in　your　trophy　case　with　the　others。〃
　
　LeGrand's　pride　was　mixed　with　guilt。　True；　he　had　sup　ported　his　daughter's　love　for　riding　financially；　but　this　was　the　first　event　he　had　attended　in　years。　The　country　club　photographer　came　over；　and　LeGrand　posed　with　his　daughter　and　her　horse；　wishing　as　he　did　that　his　wife　were　still　alive　to　make　the　picture　plete。
　
　Katie　led　Val　back　to　the　stable；　and　LeGrand　ambled　across　the　field；　chatting　with　his　assistant；　a　plain　but　extremely　intelligent　woman　named　Hester　Leonard。　LeGrand　was　sometimes　likened　in　press　reports　to　a　beardless　Lincoln；　a　parison　based　on　his　reputation　for　honesty　and　his　resemblance　to　the　sixteenth　president。　He　was　tall　and　homely；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　the　character　etched　into　his　large　features。　He　had　earned　a　reputation　for　integrity　in　running　the　world's　largest　intelligence…gathering　organization；　and　in　another　age　with　no　TV　and　sound　bites；　he　would　have　been　considered　seriously　as　a　candidate　for　president。
　
　Leonard's　cell　phone　buzzed；　and　she　put　it　to　her　ear。　〃Sir；〃　she　said　hesitantly；　〃call　for　you　from　Langley。〃
　
　LeGrand　scowled；　muttering　under　his　breath　about　no　peace　for　the　wicked。　He　made　no　motion　to　take　the　phone。　〃Didn't　I　ask　that　I　not　be　disturbed　for　two　hours　while　I　was　in　McLean　unless　it　was　extremely　urgent？〃
　
　〃It's　John　Rowland；　and　he　says　it　is　of　utmost　importance。〃
　
　〃Rowland？　Well；　in　that　case。　。　。　〃　He　took　the　phone　and　stuck　it　in　his　ear。　〃Hello；　John；〃　he　said；　frown　changing　to　a　smile。　〃No　apology　needed。　You're　just　in　time　to　hear　the　good　news。　Katie　won　first　place　in　English　riding　at　the　country　club。。。。　Thank　you。　Now；　what's　so　important　that　it　interrupts　possibly　the　most　important　moment　of　Katie's　life？〃
　
　LeGrand's　brow　furrowed。　〃No；　I've　never　heard　of　it　。　。　。　yes；　of　course　。　。　。　wait　for　me　in　my　office。〃
　
　He　handed　the　phone　to　his　aide；　looked　at　the　trophy；　and　shook　his　head。　〃Tell　the　car　to　e　around　and　pick　me　up　immediately　at　the　stable。　We've　got　to　get　back　to　Langley　immediately。　Then　put　a　call　in　to　my　office　and　tell　them　to　render　any　assistance　that　John　Rowland　asks　for。　I've　got　to　say　my　good…byes　and　make　amends。　Hell；　this　will　probably　cost　me　another　horse。〃　He　loped　off　to　offer　his　apologies　to　his　daughter。
　
　Twenty　minutes　later　the　black　limo　squealed　to　a　halt　in　front　of　CIA　headquarters。　LeGrand　got　out；　striding　through　the　lobby　on　his　long　legs。　An　assistant　met　him　inside　the　door。　He　snatched　the　folder　from　his　aide's　hand　and　scanned　the　material　in　the　elevator。　Moments　later　he　stepped　into　his　office。　John　Rowland　was　waiting　with　a　nervous　young　man　he　introduced　as　a　fellow　analyst　named　Browning。
　
　Rowland　and　the　director　shook　hands　like　the　old　friends　they　were。　Years　before；　both　were　at　the　same　level　in　the　agency。　But　LeGrand　had　political　ambition　and　the　drive　to　climb　to　the　top　of　the　ladder。　Rowland　was　content　to　stay　in　his　post　where　he　was　known　as　a　mentor　for　the　young　analysts　ing　through　the　ranks。　LeGrand　put　unquestioning　faith　in　Rowland；　who　on　more　than　one　occasion　had　saved　his　boss　from　stepping　into　a　cow　flap。
　
　〃I　just　read　the　material　you　got　off　the　database。　What's　your　take　on　it？〃
　
　Rowland　lost　no　time　outlining　his　analysis。
　
　〃This　thing　can't　be　stopped？〃　LeGrand　said。
　
　〃The　protocol　has　been　activated。　The　sanction　will　be　carried　out　to　the　end。〃
　
　〃Damn！　Heads　are　going　to　roll　when　I'm　through。　Who's　the　target？〃
　
　Rowland　handed　him　a　sheet　of　paper。　LeGrand　read　the　name　on　it；　and　the　color　drained　from　his　face。
　
　〃Call　the　Secret　Service。　Tell　them　we've　learned　of　an　assassination　plot　against　the　speaker　of　the　House。　He　needs　protection　immediately。　Dear　God；〃　he　said。　〃Can　anyone　tell　me　how　something　like　this　happens？〃
　
　〃We're　going　to　have　to　do　some　digging　to　get　all　the　de　tails；〃　Rowland　said。　〃We　only　know　that　the　protocol　was　triggered　by　simultaneo