cussler.blueandgold-第49部分

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　〃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　simultaneous　queries　to　the　intelligence…gathering　munity　that　came　from　the　National　Underwater　&　Marine　Agency。〃
　
　〃NUMA？〃　The　air　over　LeGrand's　head　crackled　blue　as　he　gave　an　impressive　demonstration　of　his　renowned　skill　for　inventive　expletive。　He　slammed　his　big　hand　down　on　the　desk　with　enough　force　to　topple　the　pen　from　its　holder　and　yelled　at　the　nearest　assistant。　〃Get　James　Sandecker　on　the　phone。〃
　
　Chapter　24
　〃Were　about　twenty　minutes　from　Albany；〃　Buzz　Martin　said。
　
　　Austin　looked　out　the　window　of　Martin's　two…engine　Piper　Seneca。　The　visibility　was　as　unlimited　as　when　they　had　left　Baltimore　earlier　that　afternoon。　Austin　could　practically　read　the　names　on　the　boats　dotting　the　upper　reaches　of　the　Hudson　River。
　
　〃Thanks　again　for　the　lift。　My　partner　Joe　Zavala　usually　chauffeurs　me　around　on　these　junkets；　but　he's　still　in　California。〃
　
　Martin　gave　Austin　a　thumbs…up　sign。　〃Hell；　I'm　the　one　who　should　be　thanking　you。　I'm　sure　you　could　have　got　up　here　on　your　own。〃
　
　〃Probably；　but　my　motives　are　not　unselfish。　I　need　you　to　identify　your　father。〃
　
　Martin　glanced　off　at　the　Catskill　Mountains　to　the　west。　〃I　wonder　if　I'll　even　recognize　him　after　all　these　years。　It's　been　a　long　time。　He　could　have　changed　a　lot。〃　A　cloud　passed　over　his　sunny　features。　〃Damn；　ever　since　you　called　and　asked　me　to　fly　you　up　here；　I've　been　trying　to　figure　out　what　I'm　going　to　say　to　him。　I　don't　know　whether　to　hug　him　or　hit　the　old　bastard。〃
　
　〃You　might　shake　his　hand　for　starters。　Taking　a　swing　at　your　long…lost　father　is　no　way　to　start　a　family　reunion。〃　
　
　　Martin　chuckled。　〃Yeah；　you're　right。　But　I　can't　stop　being　angry　with　him。　I　want　him　to　tell　me　why　he　left　my　mother　and　me　and　why　he　stayed　hidden　all　these　years；　making　us　think　he　was　dead。　Good　thing　my　mother　is　gone。　She　was　an　old…fashioned　girl；　and　it　would　have　killed　her　to　think　she　had　married　while　her　first　husband　was　still　alive。　Hell；〃　he　said　with　a　catch　in　his　voice；　〃I　just　hope　I　don't　start　bawling。〃
　
　He　picked　up　the　microphone　and　called　the　Albany　control　tower　for　landing　instructions。　Within　minutes　they　were　on　the　ground。
　
　The　car　rental　counter　had　no　lines；　and　before　long　they　were　driving　out　of　the　city　in　a　four…wheel…drive　Pathfinder。　Austin　headed　southwest　on　Route　88　toward　Binghamton　through　rolling　hills　and　small　farms。　About　an　hour　from　Albany　he　left　the　main　highway　and　drove　north　to　Cooperstown；　an　idyllic　village　whose　neat　main　street　looked　like　a　set　from　a　Frank　Capra　movie。　From　Cooperstown　they　headed　west　on　a　winding　two…lane　country　road。　This　was　James　Fenimore　Cooper's　Leatherstocking　country；　and　with　a　little　imagination　Austin　could　picture　Hawkeye　skulking　through　the　wooded　valleys　with　his　Indian　panions。　Towns　and　houses　grew　even　farther　apart。　In　this　part　of　the　world　the　cows　outnumbered　the　people。
　
　Even　with　a　map　it　was　hard　to　find　the　place　they　were　looking　for。　Austin　stopped　at　a　gas　station…general　store；　and　Buzz　went　in　for　directions。　When　he　came　out　he　was　clearly　excited。
　
　〃The　old…timer　in　there　says　he's　known　Bucky　Martin　for　years。　'Nice　fella。　Pretty　much　keeps　to　himself。'　Go　up　this　road　a　half　a　mile　and　turn　left。　The　farm　is　about　five　miles　from　there。〃
　
　The　road　became　narrow　and　bumpy；　the　tarmac　almost　an　afterthought。　The　farms　alternated　with　thick　patches　of　woods；　and　they　almost　missed　the　turnoff。　The　only　marker　was　an　aluminum　mailbox　with　no　name　or　number　on　it。　A　dirt　driveway；　past　the　mailbox　into　the　woods。　They　turned　onto　the　driveway。　
　and　passed　through　a　copse　of　trees　that　shielded　the　house　from　the　highway。　Eventually　the　trees　gave　way　to　pastures　where　small　herds　of　cows　grazed。　Finally；　at　least　a　half　a　mile　from　the　road；　they　came　upon　the　farmhouse。
　
　The　big　two…story　building　was　built　in　an　era　when　three　generations　lived　together　to　work　a　farm。　The　decorative　windows　and　stained　glass　indicated　that　the　owner　had　been　successful　enough　to　afford　extra　touches。　A　porch　ran　across　the　front。　Behind　the　house　was　a　red　barn　and　silo。　Next　to　the　barn　was　a　corral　with　two　horses　in　it。　A　fairly　new　pickup　truck　was　parked　in　the　yard。
　
　Austin　swung　into　the　circular　driveway　and　parked　in　front　of　the　house。　No　one　came　out　to　greet　them。　There　was　no　curious　face　in　the　windows。
　
　〃Maybe　you　should　let　me　go　first；〃　Austin　suggested。　〃It　might　help　if　I　do　a　little　prep　work　before　you　meet　face…to　face。〃
　
　〃That's　fine；〃　Buzz　said。　〃I'm　losing　courage　fast。〃
　
　Austin　squeezed　Martin's　arm。　〃You'll　be　fine。〃　He　didn't　know　what　he　would　have　done　in　the　man's　place。　He　doubted　he　would　have　been　as　calm。　〃I'll　check　him　out　and　break　it　to　him　gradually。〃
　
　〃I　appreciate　that；〃　Martin　said。
　
　Austin　left　the　car；　went　up　to　the　front　door；　and　knocked　several　times。　No　one　answered。　Nor　was　there　a　response　when　he　twisted　the　knob　of　the　old　doorbell。　He　turned　around　and　threw　his　hands　apart　so　Martin　could　see。　He　descended　the　porch　and　walked　behind　the　house　to　the　barn。　The　only　sound　was　the　soft　clucking　of　chickens　and　the　occasional　grunt　from　a　rooting　pig。
　
　The　barn　door　was　open。　He　walked　inside；　thinking　that　barns　smelled　the　same　the　world　over；　an　unmistakable　bination　of　manure；　hay；　and　big　animals。　A　horse　snorted　as　he　walked　by　its　stall；　maybe　thinking　he　was　bringing　it　sugar；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　Martin。　He　called　out　a　hello　and　when　there　was　no　response　walked　out　the　back　door。　The　chickens　under　Wild　Bill　Donovan。　I　was　what　they'd　call　a　hit　man　today。　I　pulled　a　few　assignments　after　the　war；　then　told　them　I　wanted　to　retire。　The　boss　said　there　was　no　way　they　could　let　me　do　that。　I　knew　too　much。　So　we　worked　out　a　deal。　They'd　keep　me　active　for　one　more　job。　The　only　problem　was；　they　didn't　know　when　the　order　would　be　carried　out。　It　could　be　five　months　or　five　years。〃　He　chuckled。　〃No　one　figured　it　would　go　on　this　long；　especially　me。〃　Austin　noticed　that　Martin　had　lost　his　folksy　farm　accent。　〃Who　were　you　supposed　to　kill？〃
　
　〃The　government　had　this　big　secret　they　didn't　want　any　one　to　know　about。　They　devised　a　system　so　that　if　anyone　started　snooping　and　got　too　close；　the　protocol　would　be　activated。　Here's　the　real　clever　thing。　They　would　make　potential　opposition　e　to　me。　They　set　me　up　here　in　the　middle　of　nowhere。　When　you　started　poking　around；　it　triggered　a　series　of　mands。　One　would　tell　you　where　I　was。　The　last　would　tell　me　to　carry　out　the　original　sanction　against　the　speaker　of　the　House。　Seems　he　heard　about　the　government's　secret　and　was　going　to　blow　the　whistle。〃
　
　〃This　protocol　you're　talking　about　must　be　fifty　years　old　The　congressman　you　were　supposed　to　kill　has　been　dead　for　years。〃
　
　〃That　doesn't　matter；〃　he　said　with　a　shake　of　his　head。　〃I'm　still　under　orders。　Sad　thing；　that　secret's　so　old　it　probably　doesn't　make　a　difference　one　way　or　the　other。〃　He　lapsed　back　into　his　farm　accent；　and　the　blue　eyes　grew　hard　and　cold。　〃Sure　glad　you　came；　son。　I'm　officially　retired　after　this。〃
　
　The　gun　came　up。　Austin　braced　himself　for　the　deafening　blast。　He　tensed　his　stomach　muscles　as　if　by　sheer　will　he　could　prevent　the　slug　from　tearing　into　his　rib　cage。　Had　he　time　~o　think　about　it；　he　would　have　ruminated　on　the　irony；　after　surviving　countless　near…fatal　assignments；　of　dying　at　the　hands　of　a　half…deaf；　near…blind；　octogenarian　assassin。
　
　A　figure　suddenly　materialized　behind　Martin。　It　was　Buzz。　The　old　man's　sight　was　still　keen　enough　for　him　to　detect　an
　involuntary　change　in　Austin's　expression。　He　whirled　around　as　Buzz　cried　out　in　surprise。　〃You're　not　my　father！〃
　
　　The　old　man's　body　had　shielded　the　shotgun；　but　now　Buzz's　eyes　dropped　from　Martin's　face　to　the　weapon　in　his　arms。　The　farmer　brought　his　gun　up　to　his　shoulder；　but　his　reflexes　were　dulled　by　the　years。　Austin　had　to　make　a　split　second　decision。　He