cussler.blueandgold-第66部分

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t　be　able　to　catch　a　flight　to　Washington。　When　the　planes　stopped　at　Nome　to　re　fuel；　Zavala　volunteered　to　use　his　considerable　charm　and　the　NUMA　bank　account　to　soothe　the　owner　of　the　leased　Maule　that　had　been　destroyed。　He　was　ing　out　of　the　lease　office　after　agreeing　to　buy　the　pany　a　new　plane　when　he　saw　Austin　striding　toward　him　with　a　serious　expression　on　his　face。　He　handed　Zavala　a　piece　of　paper。
　
　〃This　just　came　in。〃
　
　Zavala　scanned　the　message　from　NUMA：　〃Gamay　and　Francesca　kidnapped。　Trout　injured。　e　home　immediately。　S。〃
　
　Without　exchanging　a　word　they　hustled　across　the　tarmac　toward　the　waiting　Talon。
　
　Chapter　32
　Paul　Trout　lay　in　his　hospital　bed　with　his　chest　and　nose　wrapped　in　bandages；　cursing　him　self　repeatedly　for　not　being　more　alert　to　danger。　When　he　and　Gamay　were　dodging　the　arrows　of　headhunters　their　survival　instincts　were　at　their　sharpest。　But　their　return　to　the　so…called　civilized　world　had　dulled　their　senses。　They　had　no　idea　that　the　eyes　watching　from　the　van　parked　outside　their　Georgetown　townhouse　were　far　more　savage　than　any　they　had　encountered　in　the　jungle。
　
　The　letters　painted　on　the　van's　doors；　identifying　it　as　be　longing　to　the　District　of　Columbia　department　of　public　works；　were　still　tacky　to　the　touch。　Inside　the　vehicle　was　the　latest　in　munications　and　electronic　snooping　equipment。　Bent　over　the　TV　monitors　and　speakers　that　probed　the　brick　walls　of　the　house　were　the　Kradzik　brothers。　Watching　and　waiting　did　not　e　easily　to　the　twins。　In　Bosnia　they　used　a　brutally　simple　routine。　They　picked　their　target　of　choice。　Then　they　and　a　couple　of　truckloads　of　paramilitary　troops　pulled　up　to　the　house　in　the　dead　of　night；　bashed　the　door　in；　and　dragged　the　terrified　occupants　from　their　beds。　The　men　were　taken　away　and　shot；　the　women　raped　and　murdered；　the　house　systematically　looted。
　
　Getting　into　the　Trouts'　townhouse　presented　a　different　problem。　The　house　was　on　a　back　street；　but　it　was　well　traveled　with　pedestrians　and　car　traffic。　The　street　had　been　even　busier　than　usual　since　the　Trouts　returned。　The　discovery　of　a　white　goddess　by　two　NUMA　scientists　and　their　dramatic　escape　from　bloodthirsty　savages　was　the　stuff　of　an　adventure　movie。　After　CNN　released　the　story　a　number　of　journalists　had　tracked　down　the　Trouts。　Enterprising　reporters　and　photographers　from　the　Washington　Post；　the　New　York　Times；　the　national　television　networks；　and　a　handful　of　disreputable　supermarket　tabloids　had　gathered　outside　their　door。
　
　Gamay　and　Paul　took　turns　politely　telling　them　that　they　were　trying　to　catch　up　on　their　rest　and　would　answer　all　questions　at　a　press　conference　to　be　given　the　next　day　at　NUMA　headquarters。　They　referred　inquiries　to　the　NUMA　press　section。　The　photographers　took　pictures　of　the　house；　and　the　TV　people　gave　reports　with　its　facade　as　a　backdrop。　Eventually　the　river　of　attention　dribbled　to　nothing。　The　same　news　coverage　that　had　fascinated　people　around　the　world　drew　interest　from　more　malignant　sources。
　
　Paul　was　in　his　second…floor　office　typing　a　summary　of　their　experiences　into　a　report　for　NUMA。　In　the　downstairs　study　Francesca　and　Gamay　discussed　how　to　put　the　desalting　project　back　on　track　as　quickly　as　possible。　After　Francesca　announced　that　she　had　delayed　her　return　to　Sao　Paulo　the　Trouts　had　offered　her　a　haven　from　the　hordes　of　media　attention。　When　the　doorbell　rang　Gamay　sighed　heavily。　It　was　her　turn　to　answer　the　summons　from　the　fourth　estate。　The　TV　crews　were　the　most　persistent；　and　as　Gamay　expected　she　was　greeted　at　the　door　by　a　reporter　with　note　book　in　hand　and　a　cameraman　with　his　Steadicam　balanced　on　a　shoulder。　A　third　man　carried　a　flood　lamp　and　a　metal　suitcase。
　
　Gamay　resisted　her　first　urge；　which　was　to　tell　these　characters　to　buzz　off。　Instead　she　forced　a　smile　and　said；　〃You　evidently　haven't　heard　about　the　press　conference　tomorrow　morning。〃
　
　〃Excuse　please；〃　said　the　reporter。　〃No　one　tell　us　about　conference。〃　
　
　　That's　funny；　Gamay　thought。　The　public　affairs　people　at　NUMA　were　well　plugged　into　the　press　scene。　They　were　well　respected　by　reporters　for　being　up　front　with　the　amazing　stories　that　came　out　of　NUMA。　This　guy　in　the　ill…fitting　suit　was　nothing　like　any　of　the　coiffed　pretty　boys　who　read　the　news。　He　was　short　and　stocky；　his　hair　cut　down　to　the　scalp。　Al　though　he　was　grinning；　his　face　was　feral　and　thuggish。　Besides；　since　when　had　the　networks　been　hiring　news　readers　with　thick　eastern　European　accents？　She　looked　past　him；　expecting　to　see　a　TV　truck　with　disk　antennas　sprouting　from　the　roof；　but　saw　only　a　city　work　van。
　
　〃Sorry；〃　she　said；　and　went　to　close　the　door。
　
　The　grin　disappeared；　and　he　shoved　his　foot　in。　Startled　at　first　by　the　move；　Gamay　quickly　recovered　from　her　surprise。　She　put　her　weight　against　the　door　until　the　man　winced　with　pain。　She　drew　her　elbow　back；　preparing　to　stiff…arm　the　intruder　in　the　face　with　the　palm　of　her　hand；　but　the　other　two　men　lunged　forward　and　threw　their　shoulders　against　the　door。　She　was　knocked　aside　and　went　down　on　one　knee。　She　quickly　regained　her　footing。　By　then　it　was　too　late　to　run　or　fight。　She　was　looking　down　the　barrel　of　a　pistol　in　the　hand　of　the　so…called　reporter。　The　cameraman　had　put　his　video　gear　aside。　He　came　over　and　grabbed　her　by　the　neck　until　she　could　barely　breathe。　Then　he　slammed　her　up　against　the　wall　so　hard　that　a　nineteenth…century　gilded　mirror　crashed　to　the　floor。
　
　Anger　surged　in　Gamay's　breast。　The　mirror　had　cost　weeks　of　hunting　and　thousands　of　dollars。　She　put　her　fear　aside　and　brought　her　knee　up　into　the　man's　crotch。　The　grip　on　her　throat　loosened　for　a　second　before　he　came　at　her　again　with　a　killer's　gleam　in　his　eyes。　She　braced　herself；　but　the　reporter　yelled　something　and　the　attacker　retreated。　He　drew　his　finger　across　his　Adam's　apple　in　an　unmistakable　gesture。　Gamay　glared　at　him；　which　was　all　she　could　do；　but　the　significance　of　his　sign　language　was　not　lost　on　her。　She　knew　instinctively　that　he'd　slit　her　throat　in　an　instant。　
　
　　Her　instincts　were　right　on　the　mark。　Although　the　Kradziks　preferred　to　work　on　their　own；　from　time　to　time　they　needed　help　from　some　old　patriots。　When　Brynhild　Sigurd　had　eased　the　exit　of　the　Kradzik　brothers　from　Bosnia；　they　had　insisted　that　she　do　the　same　for　ten　of　the　most　loyal　and　cold…blooded　of　their　followers。　Together　they　called　themselves　the　Dirty　Dozen；　after　the　American　movie　of　the　same　name。　But　this　group　made　the　movie　misfits　look　like　Cub　Scouts。　Collectively　they　had　been　responsible　for　the　death；　maiming；　torture；　and　rape　of　hundreds　of　innocent　victims。　The　men　were　scattered　around　the　world；　but　could　be　assigned　to　an　assassination　or　called　in　for　an　operation　within　hours。　Since　going　to　work　for　Gogstad　they　had　approached　their　work　with　unbridled　enthusiasm。
　
　Francesca　had　heard　the　mirror　crash　and　e　from　the　study　into　the　narrow　front　hall。　The　man　in　the　suit　barked　a　mand；　and　before　Francesca　could　make　a　move　she　was　seized　and　shoved　against　the　wall　next　to　Gamay。　The　man　who　had　been　carrying　the　suitcase　popped　it　open　and　drew　out　two　Czech…made　Skorpion　machine　pistols。　The　phony　reporter　opened　the　front　door；　and　a　moment　later　another　man　stepped　inside。　Gamay's　first　thought　was　that　he　looked　like　an　over　grown　troll。　Although　the　day　was　warm　he　wore　a　long　black　leather　jacket　over　a　black　turtleneck　and　slacks　and　a　black　military…style　cap　on　his　head。
　
　He　surveyed　the　situation　and　said　something　to　the　others　that　must　have　pleased　them　because　they　leered　in　response。　Gamay　had　been　around　the　world　for　her　work；　and　she　guessed　that　the　language　he　spoke　was　Serbo…Croatian。　He　barked　an　order；　and　one　of　the　men　armed　with　a　Skorpion　moved　down　the　hallway；　the　folding　wire　butt　tight　against　his　biceps。　The　man　peered　cautiously　into　the　rooms　leading　off　the　hallway；　which　went　to　the　back　of　the　house；　then　continued　on。　His　rade　climbed　the　stairs　that　led　from　the　first　level　to　the　second　floor。
　
　The　leather…clad