inca.gold-第98部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　〃How　magnificent；〃　said　Micki；　clutching　her　husband's　arm。　〃This　has　to　be　the　richest　cache　in　all　the　Americas。〃
　　　　Sarason's　amazement　quickly　wore　off。　〃Very　clever　of　those　ancient　bastards；〃　he　charged。　〃Storing　the　treasure　on　an　island　surrounded　by　a　strong　current　makes　recovery　doubly　plicated。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　but　we've　got　cables　and　winches；〃　said　Moore。
　　　　INCA　GOLD
　　　　〃Think　of　the　difficulty　they　had　in　moving　all　that　gold　over　there　with　nothing　but　hemp　rope　and　muscle。〃
　　　　Micki　spied　a　golden　monkey　crouched　on　a　pedestal。　〃That's　odd。〃
　　　　Zolar　looked　at　her。　〃What's　odd？〃
　　　　She　stepped　closer　to　the　monkey　and　its　pedestal　which　was　lying　on　its　side。　〃Why　would　this　piece　still　be　on　this　bank　of　the　river？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　it　does　seem　strange　this　object　wasn't　placed　with　the　others；〃　said　Moore。　〃It　almost　looks　as　if　it　was　thrown　here。〃
　　　　Sarason　pointed　to　gouges　in　the　sand　and　calcium　crystals　beside　the　riverbank。　〃I'd　say　it　was　dragged　off　the　island。〃
　　　　〃It　has　writing　scratched　on　it；〃　said　Moore。
　　　　〃Can　you　decipher　anything？〃　asked　Zolar。
　　　　〃Doesn't　need　deciphering。　The　markings　are　in　English。〃
　　　　Sarason　and　Zolar　stared　at　him　with　the　expressions　of　Wall　Street　bankers　walking　along　the　sidewalk　and　being　asked　by　a　homeless　derelict　if　they　could　spare　fifty　thousand　dollars。　〃No　jokes；　Professor；〃　said　Zolar。
　　　　〃I'm　dead　serious。　Somebody　engraved　a　message　into　the　soft　gold　on　the　bottom　of　the　pedestal；　quite　recently　by　the　looks　of　it。〃
　　　　〃What　does　it　say？〃
　　　　Moore　motioned　for　an　engineer　to　aim　his　lamp　at　the　monkey's　pedestal；　adjusted　his　glasses　and　began　reading　aloud。

Wele　members　of　the　Solpemachaco　to　the　underground　thieves　and　plunderers　annual　convention。
If　you　have　any　ambitions　in　life　other　than　the　acquisition　of　stolen　loot；　you　have　e　to　the　right　place。
Be　our　guests　and　take　only　the　objects　you　can　use。

Your　congenial　sponsors；
Dr。　Shannon　Kelsey；　Miles　Rodgers；　Al　Giordino；　&　Dirk　Pitt。

There　was　a　moment　of　sober　realization；　and　then　Zolar　snarled　at　his　brother。　〃What　in　hell　is　going　on　here？　What　kind　of　foolish　trick　is　this？〃
　　　　Sarason's　mouth　was　pinched　in　a　bitter　line。　〃Pitt　admitted　leading　us　to　the　demon；〃　he　answered　reluctantly；　〃but　he　said　nothing　of　entering　the　mountain　and　laying　eyes　on　the　treasure。〃
　　　　〃Generous　with　his　information；　wasn't　he？　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　this？〃
　　　　Sarason　shrugged。　〃He's　dead。　I　didn't　think　it　mattered。〃
　　　　Micki　turned　to　her　husband。　〃I　know　Dr。　Kelsey。　I　met　her　at　an　archaeology　conference　in　San　Antonio。　She　has　a　splendid　reputation　as　an　expert　on　Andean　cultures。〃
　　　　Moore　nodded。　〃Yes；　I'm　familiar　with　her　work。〃　He　stared　at　Sarason。　〃You　led　us　to　believe　Congresswoman　Smith　and　the　men　from　NUMA　were　merely　on　a　treasure　hunt。　You　said　nothing　of　involvement　by　professional　archaeologists。〃
　　　　〃Does　it　make　any　difference？〃
　　　　〃Something　is　going　on　beyond　your　control；〃　warned　Moore。　He　looked　as　if　he　was　enjoying　the　Zolars'　confusion。　〃If　I　were　you；　I'd　get　the　gold　out　of　here　as　fast　as　possible。〃
　　　　His　words　were　punctuated　by　a　muffled　explosion　far　up　into　the　passageway。
　　　　〃We　have　nothing　to　fear　so　long　as　Pitt　is　dead；〃　Sarason　kept　insisting。　〃What　you　see　here　was　done　before　Amaru　put　a　stop　to　him。〃　But　he　was　damp　with　cold　sweat。　Pitt's　mocking　words　rang　in　his　ears；　〃You've　been　set　up；　pal。〃
　　　　Zolar's　features　slowly　altered。　The　mouth　tightened　and　the　set　of　the　jaw　seemed　to　recede；　the　eyes　became　apprehensive。　〃Nobody　discovers　a　treasure　on　the　magnitude　of　this　one；　leaves　behind　a　ridiculous　message；　and　then　walks　away　from　it。　These　people　have　a　method　to　their　madness；　and　I　for　one　would　like　to　know　their　plan。〃
　　　　〃Any　man　who　stands　in　our　way　before　the　treasure　is　safely　off　the　mountain　will　be　destroyed；〃　Sarason　shouted　at　his　brother。　〃That　is　a　promise。〃
　　　　The　words　came　forcefully；　with　the　ring　of　a　bullet　resistant　threat。　They　all　believed　him。　Except　Micki　Moore。
　　　　She　was　the　only　one　standing　close　enough　to　see　his　lips　quiver。
　　　　Bureaucrats　from　around　the　world　looked　the　same；　Pitt　thought。　The　fabricated　meaningless　smile　betrayed　by　the　patronizing　look　in　the　eyes。　They　must　have　all　gone　to　the　same　school　and　memorized　the　same　canned　speech　of　evasive　phrases。　This　one　was　bald；　wore　thick　hornrimmed　glasses；　and　had　a　black　moustache　with　each　bristle　exactingly　trimmed。
　　　　A　tall；　placent　man；　whose　profile　and　haughtiness　reminded　the　Americans　seated　around　the　conference　room　of　a　Spanish　conquistador；　Fernando　Matos　was　the　very　essence　of　a　condescending；　fence…and…dodge　bureaucrat。　He　stared　at　the　Americans　in　the　Customs　building　less　than　100　meters　（328　feet）　from　the　international　border。
　　　　Admiral　James　Sandecker；　who　had　arrived　from　Washington　shortly　after　Gaskill　and　Ragsdale　flew　in　from　Galveston；　stared　back　and　said　nothing。　Shannon；　Rodgers；　and　Giordino　were　relegated　to　chairs　against　one　wall　while　Pitt　sat　at　Sandecker's　right。　They　left　the　talking　to　the　chief　Customs　agent　of　the　region；　Curtis　Starger。
　　　　A　veteran　of　sixteen　years　with　the　service；　Starger　had　been　around　the　Horn　enough　times　to　have　seen　it　all。　He　was　a　trim；　handsome　man　with　sharp　features　and　blond　hair。　He　looked　more　like　an　aging　lifeguard　on　a　San　Diego　beach　than　a　hardened　agent　who　gazed　at　Matos　with　an　expression　that　could　scorch　asbestos。　After　the　introductions　were　made；　he　launched　his　attack。
　　　　〃I'll　skip　the　niceties；　Mr。　Matos。　On　matters　such　as　this　I'm　used　to　dealing　with　your　elite　law　enforcement　agents；　especially　Inspector　Granados　and　the　chief　of　your　Northern　Mexico　Investigative　Division；　Sefior　Rojas。　I　wish　you　would　explain；　sir；　why　a　midlevel　official　from　an　obscure　office　of　the　National　Affairs　Department　was　sent　to　brief　us　on　the　situation。　I　get　the　feeling　that　your　national　government　in　Mexico　City　is　as　much　in　the　dark　as　we　are。〃
　　　　Matos　made　a　helpless　gesture　with　his　hands。　His　eyes　never　blinked；　and　his　smile　remained　fixed。　If　he　felt　insulted；　it　didn't　show。　〃Inspector　Granados　is　working　on　a　case　in　Hermosillo　and　Sefior　Rojas　was　taken　ill。〃
　　　　〃Sorry　to　hear　it；〃　Starger　grunted　insincerely。
　　　　〃If　they　were　not　indisposed　or　on　duties　elsewhere；　I'm　certain　they　would　have　been　happy　to　consult　with　you。　I　share　your　frustration。　But　I　assure　you；　my　government　will　do　everything　in　its　power　to　cooperate　on　this　matter。〃
　　　　〃The　United　States　Attorney's　Office　has　reason　to　believe　that　three　men　going　under　the　names　of　Joseph　Zolar；　Charles　Oxley；　and　Cyrus　Sarason；　all　brothers；　are　conducting　a　massive　international　operation　dealing　in　stolen　art；　smuggled　artifacts；　and　art　forgery。　We　also　have　reason　to　believe　they　have　abducted　one　of　our　respected　congressional　legislators　and　an　official　of　our　most　prestigious　marine　science　agency。〃
　　　　Matos　smiled　blandly　behind　his　bureaucratic　defenses。　〃Utterly　ridiculous。　As　you　very　well　know；　gentlemen；　after　your　fruitless　raid　on　the　Zolars'　facilities　in　Texas；　their　reputation　remains　untarnished。〃
　　　　Gaskill　smiled　wryly　at　Ragsdale。　〃News　travels　fast。〃
　　　　〃These　men　you　seem　intent　on　persecuting　have　violated　no　laws　in　Mexico。　We　have　no　legal　cause　to　investigate　them。〃
　　　　〃What　are　you　doing　about　securing　the　release　of　Congresswoman　Smith　and　Deputy　Director　Gunn？〃
　　　　〃Our　finest　investigative　police　teams　are　working　on　the　case；〃　Matos　assured　him。　〃My　superiors　have　already　made　arrangements　to　pay　the　ransom　demands。　And　I　can　guarantee　it　is　only　a　question　of　a　few　hours　before　the　bandits　responsible　for　this　travesty　are　captured　and　your　people　rescued　unharmed。〃
　　　　〃Our　sources　claim　the　Zolars　are　the　criminals　who　are　responsible。〃
　　　　Matos　shook　his　head。　〃No；　no；　the　evidence　proves　a　gang　of　thieving　bandits　is　behind　the　abduction。〃
　　　　Pitt　joined　in　the　fray。　〃Speaking　of　abductions；　what　about　the　crew　of　the　ferryboat？　Where　did　they　disappear　to？〃
　　　　Matos　gazed　at　Pitt　contemptuously。　〃That　is　of　no　importance　here。　As　a　matter　of　record；　our　police　officials　have　f