cussler.blueandgold-第67部分

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s　rade　climbed　the　stairs　that　led　from　the　first　level　to　the　second　floor。
　
　The　leather…clad　man　walked　over　to　the　mirror；　surveyed　the　broken　glass；　then　turned　to　Gamay。　
　
　　〃Seven　years　bad　luck；〃　he　said　with　a　grin　that　looked　as　if　it　had　been　forged　in　a　foundry。
　
　〃Who　are　you？〃　Gamay　said。
　
　He　ignored　the　question。　〃Where　is　husband？〃
　
　Gamay　truthfully　told　the　leather　man　that　she　didn't　know　where　her　husband　was。　He　nodded；　as　if　he　knew　something　she　didn't；　and　spun　her　around　to　face　the　wall。　She　expected　a　blow　to　the　head　or　a　bullet　to　the　back。　Instead　there　was　a　sharp　bee…sting　in　her　right　arm。　A　needle。　Bastards！　They　had　jabbed　her　with　a　hypodermic。　She　looked　over　in　time　to　see　the　syringe　plunge　into　Francesca's　arm。　She　tried　to　go　to　the　aid　of　the　other　woman；　but　her　arm　went　dead。　Within　seconds　the　numbness　spread　to　the　rest　of　her　body。　The　room　whirled；　and　she　felt　as　if　she　were　hurtling　into　an　abyss。　
　Paul　heard　the　mirror　crash　to　the　floor　and　from　the　top　of　the　stairs　saw　the　man　throttle　Gamay。　He　was　about　to　spring　from　the　staircase　when　the　creep　in　the　leather　coat　came　in。　Paul　went　back　into　his　office　and　tried　to　call　for　help。　The　phone　was　dead。　The　lines　must　have　been　cut。　He　crept　silently　down　a　narrow　back　stairway　to　the　kitchen。　He　kept　a　revolver　in　the　study；　but　the　only　way　to　get　to　it　was　along　the　hallway。　He　saw　the　two　armed　men　split　off；　one　heading　upstairs；　the　other　ing　his　way；　and　ducked　back　into　the　kitchen。
　
　He　looked　around　for　a　weapon。　Knives　were　obvious；　but　they　were　messy　and　wouldn't　stand　a　chance　against　the　ma　chine　pistol。　Even　if　he　got　the　upper　hand　the　others　would　e　running　to　finish　him　off　at　the　slightest　noise。　He　needed　someplace　where　he　could　dispatch　the　man　with　a　minimum　of　racket。　The　last　time　he　and　Gamay　remodeled　the　house　they　had　sunk　a　year's　salary　into　the　kitchen。　All　new　oak　cabinets　had　been　installed　along　with　a　restaurant　type　stove。　The　biggest　change　was　a　walk…in　cooler　whose　ceiling　was　high　enough　for　Paul　to　go　inside　without　bumping　his　head。　
　
　　Seeing　no　alternative；　he　slipped　into　the　cooler　and　left　the　door　ajar　about　six　inches。　He　unscrewed　the　light　bulb；　placed　it　just　inside　the　door；　and　plastered　himself　into　the　recess　next　to　the　heavy　door。　Just　in　time。　Through　the　frosted　glass　he　saw　the　man　e　into　the　kitchen；　his　gun　ready。　He　stopped　and　looked　around；　and　the　open　door　caught　his　attention。　He　approached　it　warily；　pushed　it　open　with　his　elbow；　and　stepped　inside。　The　toe　of　his　shoe　sent　the　bulb　skittering　noisily　across　the　wooden　floor。　The　gun　barrel　swung　around；　and　his　finger　tightened　on　the　trigger。　Then　the　roof　fell　in　on　his　head。　His　knees　buckled；　and　he　crashed　to　the　floor。
　
　Trout　put　down　the　frozen　smoked　Virginia　ham　he　had　used　as　a　club。　He　grabbed　the　machine　pistol　and　stepped　out　into　the　kitchen；　well　aware　that　he　and　the　women　weren't　home　free。　First　he　checked　the　stairs　that　led　from　the　kitchen　to　the　second　floor。　He　could　hear　the　other　man　moving　around　up　stairs。　He'd　deal　with　that　after　he　made　sure　Gamay　and　Francesca　were　safe。　He　slowly　eased　himself　into　the　hallway。　The　machine　pistol　only　gave　him　limited　leverage。　He　didn't　want　to　catch　the　women　in　the　pistol's　scattershot　spray。
　
　As　he　stepped　into　the　hall　he　saw　the　other　men　bending　over　the　prone　figures　of　his　wife　and　Francesca。　He　brushed　caution　aside　and　moved　forward；　so　intent　on　the　scene　that　he　never　saw　the　man　e　up　behind　him。
　
　He　felt　the　cold　steel　of　a　knife　between　his　ribs　and　tried　to　turn　to　face　his　attacker　only　to　have　his　legs　turned　to　scram　bled　eggs。　He　fell　to　the　floor；　smashing　his　face　on　the　rug　and　breaking　his　nose。
　
　Melo　had　been　covering　the　back　door　for　a　possible　escape　when　he　saw　Trout　emerge　from　the　cooler。　Seeing　blood　pool　around　Paul's　body；　he　stepped　over　him　and　went　over　to　pat　his　brother　on　the　back。
　
　〃Your　suggestion　to　cover　the　rear　was　a　good　one；　brother。〃
　
　〃It　seems　so；〃　the　other　twin　said；　looking　at　the　sprawled　figure。　〃What　should　we　do　with　him？〃
　
　〃Leave　him　to　bleed　to　death。〃　
　
　　〃Agreed。　We　can　take　the　women　out　the　back　way　without　being　seen。〃
　
　He　called　to　the　man　upstairs　to　e　back　down。　Then　they　carried　the　unconscious　women　to　a　waiting　Mercedes　four　wheel　drive；　stuffed　them　in　the　back；　and　drove　off；　followed　a　few　minutes　later　by　the　fake　DPW　truck。　The　initial　shock　of　the　knife　wound　had　turned　to　pain；　and　Paul　regained　consciousness　for　a　few　moments。　Using　every　bit　of　strength　at　his　mand　he　dragged　himself　to　the　study；　where　he　had　a　cell　phone；　and　called　91　1。　He　awoke　in　a　hospital　bed。
　
　His　cursing　wore　him　out；　and　he　fell　asleep　again。　When　he　awoke　he　was　aware　someone　else　was　in　the　room。　Through　gluey　eyes　he　saw　two　figures　standing　by　his　bed。　He　grinned　feebly。
　
　〃What　took　you　so　damned　long？〃
　
　〃We　hitchhiked　with　a　couple　of　fighter　planes　out　of　Elendorf　and　came　east　as　fast　as　we　could；〃　Austin　said。　〃How　do　you　feel？〃
　
　〃The　right　half　of　my　body　isn't　so　bad；　but　the　left　feels　as　if　it's　being　pinched　by　red…hot　pliers。　And　my　nose　doesn't　feel　great。〃
　
　〃The　knife　missed　your　lung　by　this　much；〃　Austin　said；　pinching　his　thumb　and　forefinger。　〃It　will　take　a　while　for　the　muscle　to　heal。　Good　thing　you're　not　a　southpaw。〃
　
　〃Figured　it　was　something　like　that。　Any　word　on　Gamay　or　Francesca？〃　he　said　apprehensively。
　
　〃We　think　they're　still　alive；　but　they　were　kidnapped　by　the　goons　who　did　this　to　you。〃
　
　〃The　police　have　checked　airports　and　stations；　the　usual　stuff；〃　Zavala　said。　〃We're　going　to　start　our　own　search。〃
　
　The　pain　in　Paul's　blue　eyes　was　replaced　by　a　look　of　steely　determination。　He　swung　his　long　legs　out　of　the　bed　and　said；　〃I'm　ing　with　you。〃　The　painful　effort　made　him　dizzy；　and　he　stopped　as　his　stomach　roiled　for　a　few　seconds。　He　jiggled　the　IV　tube。　〃I　may　need　a　hand　here；　fellas。　Don't　try　to　talk　me　out　of　this；〃　he　said；　catching　Austin's　concerned　expression。　
　〃The　best　thing　you　can　do　is　spring　me　from　the　joint。　Hope　you've　got　some　pull　with　the　floor　nurse。〃
　
　Austin　knew　Paul　well　enough　to　realize　he　would　drag　himself　from　the　hospital　if　he　had　to。　Austin　glanced　at　Zavala；　who　was　smiling；　and　knew　he'd　get　no　help　from　that　quarter。
　
　〃I'll　see　what　I　can　do。〃　He　shrugged。　〃In　the　meantime；　Joe；　maybe　you　can　get　our　friend　here　something　more　modest　than　that　hospital　johnny；〃　he　said。　Then　he　turned　and　headed　for　the　nurses'　station。
　
　Chapter　33
　The　mood　in　the　tenth…floor　
　NUMA　conference　room　was　as　somber　as　a　crepe　hangers'　convention。　Admiral　Sandecker　hadn't　expected　Trout　to　attend　the　emergency　meeting；　given　the　dire　reports　from　the　hospital。　The　lanky　ocean　geologist　looked　like　warmed…over　spit；　but　Sandecker　kept　his　thoughts　to　himself。　Nothing　he　could　say　would　dissuade　Paul　from　joining　the　hunt　for　Gamay　and　Francesca。
　
　Sandecker　flashed　Trout　a　reassuring　smile　and　looked　around　the　table。　Flanking　Paul　in　case　he　fell　out　of　his　chair　were　his　NUMA　colleagues　Austin　and　Zavala。　The　fourth　figure　at　the　table；　a　slightly　built；　narrow…shouldered　man　whose　heavy　horn　rimmed　glasses　gave　him　a　professorial　air；　was　NUMA　operations　director　Rudi　Gunn；　second　in　mand　to　the　admiral。
　
　Sandecker　checked　his　watch。　〃Where's　Yaeger？〃　His　voice　carried　a　hint　of　impatience。
　
　Yaeger's　special　puter　skills　bought　him　latitude　with　the　NUMA　dress　code；　but　not　even　the　president　would　dare　show　up　late　for　a　Sandecker　meeting。　Especially　one　as　important　as　this。
　
　〃He'll　be　along　in　a　few　minutes；〃　Austin　explained。　〃I　asked　Hiram　to　check　out　something　that　might　have　a　bearing　on　our　discussion。〃
　
　A　thought　had　been　fluttering　around　like　a　butterfly　inside
　Austin's　skull。　He　had　allowed　himself　a　few　hours　of　sleep　after　ing　in　from　Alaska。　The　rest　must　have　refreshed　his　mind。　On　his　way　in　from　Virginia　he　caught　the　elusive　notion　in　an　imaginary　net。　Seconds　later　he　was　talking　to　Yaeger　on　his　cell　phone。