inca.gold-第63部分

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　have　to　give　exact　guidelines　to　finding　the　treasure。　No　map　worth　the　paper　it's　printed　on　stops　short　of　pinning　down　the　final　step…by…step　instructions。〃
　　　　Zolar　carefully　examined　Moore's　expression。　〃Is　this　true；　Doctor；　that　you　and　your　wife　have　not　provided　us　with　a　full　solution　to　the　riddle？〃
　　　　〃Micki　and　I　have　decoded　all　there　is　to　decode。　There　is　no　more。〃
　　　　〃You're　lying；〃　said　Zolar　evenly。
　　　　〃Of　course　he's　lying；〃　Sarason　snapped。　〃Any　moron　can　see　that　he　and　his　wife　have　held　back　the　vital　clues。〃
　　　　〃Not　a　sound　course；　Doctor。　You　and　Mrs。　Moon　would　be　wise　to　abide　by　our　agreement。〃
　　　　Moore　shrugged。　〃I'm　not　such　a　fool　as　you　think；〃　he　said。　〃The　fact　that　you　still　refuse　to　identify　your　selves　tells　me　the　three　of　you　don't　have　the　slightest　intention　of　carrying　out　our　bargain。　What　guarantee　do　I　have　that　you'll　hold　up　your　end？　Nobody；　not　even　our　friends　and　relatives；　knows　where　we　were　taken。　Bringing　us　here　wearing　blindfolds　and　holding　us　virtual　prisoners　is　nothing　less　than　abduction。　What　were　you　going　to　do　once　the　full　instructions　for　finding　Huascar's　treasure　were　in　your　hands？　Blindfold　us　again　and　fly　us　home？　I　don't　think　so。　My　guess　is　Micki　and　I　were　going　to　quietly　disappear　and　bee　a　folder　in　a　missing　persons　file。　You　tell　me；　am　I　wrong？〃
　　　　If　Moore　wasn't　such　an　intelligent　man；　Zolar　would　have　laughed。　But　the　anthropologist　had　seen　through　their　plan　and　called　their　hand。　〃All　right；　Doctor；　what　will　it　take　for　you　to　release　the　data？〃
　　　　〃Fifty　percent　of　the　trove　when　we　find　it。〃
　　　　That　pushed　Sarason　over　the　edge。　〃The　bastard；　he's　holding　us　up。〃　He　walked　over　to　Moore；　lifted　him　off　his　feet　and　slammed　him　against　the　wall。　〃So　much　for　your　demands；〃　he　shouted。　〃We're　not　taking　any　more　of　your　crap。　Tell　us　what　we　want　to　know　or　I'll　beat　it　out　of　you。　And　believe　you　me；　I'd　take　great　joy　in　seeing　you　bleed。〃
　　　　Micki　Moore　stood　there；　as　calm　as　if　she　was　standing　over　a　stove　in　a　kitchen。　Her　uncanny　coolness　did　not　seem　logical　to　Zolar。　Any　other　wife　would　have　demonstrated　fear　at　a　violent　threat　toward　her　husband。
　　　　Incredibly；　Moore　smiled。　〃Do　it！　Break　my　legs；　kill　me。　And　you'll　never　find　Huascar's　golden　chain　in　a　thousand　years。〃
　　　　〃He's　right；　you　know；〃　said　Zolar；　quietly　gazing　at　Micki。
　　　　〃When　I'm　finished　with　him；　he　won't　be　fit　for　dog　food；〃　Sarason　said　as　he　pulled　back　his　fist。
　　　　〃Hold　on！〃　Oxley's　voice　stopped　him。　〃For　efficiency's　sake；　better　that　you　take　your　wrath　out　on　Mrs。　Moore。　No　man　enjoys　watching　his　wife　ravished。〃
　　　　Slowly；　Sarason　let　Moore　down　and　turned　to　Micki；　his　face　taking　on　the　expression　of　a　pillaging　Hun。　〃Persuading　Mrs。　Moore　to　cooperate　will　be　a　pleasure。〃
　　　　〃You're　wasting　your　time；〃　said　Moore。　〃I　did　not　allow　my　wife　to　work　on　the　final　translation　with　me。　She　has　no　idea　of　the　key　to　the　treasure's　location。〃
　　　　〃The　hell　you　say？〃
　　　　〃He's　telling　the　truth；〃　Micki　said；　unruffled。　〃Henry　wouldn't　allow　me　to　see　the　end　results。〃
　　　　〃We're　still　left　with　a　winning　hand；〃　said　Sarason　coldly。
　　　　〃Understood；〃　said　Oxley。　〃You　work　over　Mrs。　Moore　as　proposed　until　he　cooperates；〃
　　　　〃Either　way；　we　get　answers。〃
　　　　Zolar　stared　at　Moore。　〃Well；　Doctor；　it's　your　call。〃
　　　　Moore　looked　at　them　in　cold　calculation。　〃Do　with　her　what　you　will。　It　won't　make　any　difference。〃
　　　　A　strange　silence　came　over　the　Zolar　brothers。　Sarason；　the　grittiest　of　them　all；　stood　open…mouthed；　disbelieving。　What　sort　of　man　could　calmly；　without　the　slightest　hint　of　shame　or　fear；　toss　his　wife　to　the　wolves？
　　　　〃You　can　stand　by　while　your　wife　is　beaten　and　raped　and　murdered；　and　not　say　one　word　to　stop　it？〃　Zolar　asked；　studying　Moore's　reaction。
　　　　Moore's　expression　remained　unchanged。　〃Barbaric　stupidity　will　gain　you　nothing。〃
　　　　〃He's　bluffing。〃　Moore　needed　an　acid　bath　after　the　look　Sarason　gave　him。　〃He'll　crumble　as　soon　as　he　hears　her　scream。〃
　　　　Zolar　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　　　　〃I　agree；〃　said　Oxley。　〃We've　underestimated　his　monumental　greed　and　his　ruthless　mania　for　being　a　big　star　in　the　academic　world。　Am　I　right；　Doctor？〃
　　　　Moore　was　unmoved　by　their　contempt。　Then　he　said；　〃Fifty　percent　of　something　beats　a　hundred　percent　of　nothing；　gentlemen。〃
　　　　Zolar　glanced　at　his　brothers。　Oxley　gave　a　barely　perceptible　nod。　Sarason　clenched　his　fists　so　tightly　they　went　ivory…he　turned　away　but　the　expression　on　his　face　gave　every　indication　of　wanting　to　tear　Moore's　lungs　out。
　　　　〃I　think　we　can　avoid　further　threats　and　settle　this　is　an　orderly　manner；〃　said　Zolar。　〃Before　we　can　agree　to　your　increased　demands；　I　must　have　your　plete　assurance　you　can　guide　us　to　the　treasure。〃
　　　　〃I　have　deciphered　the　description　of　the　landmark　that　leads　to　the　entrance　of　the　cavern；〃　said　Moore；　speaking　slowly　and　distinctly。　〃There　is　no　probability　of　error。　I　know　the　dimensions　and　its　shape。　I　can　recognize　it　from　the　air。〃
　　　　His　confident　assertion　was　met　with　silence。　Zolar　walked　over　to　the　golden　mummy　and　looked　down　at　the　glyphs　etched　in　the　gold　covering。　〃Thirty　percent。　You'll　have　to　make　do　with　that。〃
　　　　〃Forty　or　nothing。〃　Moore　said　resolutely。
　　　　〃Do　you　want　it　in　writing？〃
　　　　〃Would　it　stand　up　in　a　court　of　law？〃
　　　　〃Probably　not。〃
　　　　〃Then　we'll　just　have　to　take　each　other　at　our　word。〃　Moore　turned　to　his　wife。　〃Sorry；　my　dear；　I　hope　you　didn't　find　this　too　upsetting。　But　you　must　understand。　Some　things　are　more　important　than　marriage　vows。〃
　　　　What　a　strange　woman；　Zolar　thought。　She　should　have　looked　frightened　and　humiliated；　but　she　showed　no　indication　of　it。　〃It's　settled　then；〃　he　said。　〃Since　we're　now　working　partners；　I　see　no　need　to　continue　wearing　our　ski　masks。〃　He　pulled　it　over　his　head　and　ran　his　hands　through　his　hair。　〃Everyone　try　to　get　a　good　night's　sleep。　You　will　all　fly　to　Guaymas；　Mexico；　on　our　pany　jet　first　thing　in　the　morning。〃
　　　　〃Why　Guaymas？〃　asked　Micki　Moore。
　　　　〃Two　reasons。　It's　centrally　located　in　the　Gulf；　and　a　good　friend　and　client　has　an　open　invitation　for　my　use　of　his　hacienda　just　north　of　the　port。　The　estate　has　a　private　airstrip；　which　makes　it　an　ideal　headquarters　for　conducting　the　search。〃
　　　　〃Aren't　you　ing？〃　asked　Oxley。
　　　　〃I'll　meet　you　in　two　days。　I　have　a　business　meeting　in　Wichita；　Kansas。〃
　　　　Zolar　turned　to　Sarason；　leery　that　his　brother　might　launch　another　rampage　against　Moore。　But　he　need　not　have　worried。
　　　　Samson's　face　had　a　ghoulish　grin。　His　brothers　could　not　see　inside　his　mind；　see　that　he　was　happily　imagining　what　Tupac　Amaru　would　do　to　Henry　Moore　after　the　treasure　was　discovered。

　　　　〃Brunhilda　has　gone　as　far　as　she　can　go；〃　said　Yaeger；　referring　to　his　beloved　puter　terminal。　〃Together；　we've　painstakingly　pieced　together　about　ninety　percent　of　the　stringed　codes。　But　there　are　a　few　permutations　we　haven't　figured　out〃

　　　　〃Permutations？〃　muttered　Pitt；　sitting　across　from　Yaeger　in　the　conference　room。
　　　　〃The　different　arrangements　in　lineal　order　and　color　of　the　quipu's　coiled　wire　cables。〃
　　　　Pitt　shrugged　and　looked　around　the　room。　Four　other　men　were　there　Admiral　Sandecker；　Al　Giordino；　Rudi　Gunn；　and　Hiram　Yaeger。　Everyone's　attention　was　focused　on　Yaeger；　who　looked　like　a　coyote　who　had　bayed　nonstop　all　night　at　a　full　moon。
　　　　〃I　really　must　work　on　my　vocabulary；〃　Pitt　murmured。　He　slouched　into　a　fortable　position　and　stared　at　the　puter　genius　who　stood　behind　a　podium　under　a　large　wall　screen。
　　　　〃As　I　was　about　to　explain；〃　Yaeger　continued；　〃a　few　of　the　knots　and　coils　are　indecipherable。　After　applying　the　most　sophisticated　and　advanced　information　and　data　analysis　techniques　known　to　man；　the　best　I　can　offer　is　a　rough　account　of　the　story。〃
　　　　〃Even　a　mastermind　like　you？〃　asked　Gunn；　smiling。
　　　　〃Even　Einstein。　Unless　he'd　unearthed　an　Inca　Rosetta　Stone　or　a　sixteenth…century　how…to　book　on　the　art　of　creating　your　very　own　quipu；　he'd　have　worked　in　a　vacuum　too。〃
　　　　〃If　you're　going　to　tell　us　the　show　ends　with　no　grand　climax；〃　sai