cc.vixen03-第37部分

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　〃Hydrogen　cyanide；〃　Giordino　repeated。　〃Sounds　like　bad　medicine。〃
　〃Truly。　It　is　a　blood　agent　that　interferes　with　all　respiration。　In　certain　doses　it　causes　almost　immediate　death。　This　is　spelled　out　on　the　charts　and　in　six　languages　on　signs　attached　to　the　buoys。〃　Bass　paused　and　pulled　out　a　handkerchief　and　patted　the　sweat　that　gleamed　on　his　bald　head。　〃Also；　what　few　records　that　remain　dealing　with　the　QD　project　are　lying　deep　in　a　Pentagon　high…security　vault　that　contains　documents　classified　as　FEO。〃
　〃FEO？〃
　〃　'Future　eyes　only；'　〃　Bass　explained。　〃Each　file　is　sealed　and　marked　with　a　date　when　it　can　be　opened。　Even　the　President　lacks　the　power　to　examine　a　document's　contents　before　the　specified　time。　It　has　been　referred　to　as　the　closet　where　our　nation's　skeletons　are　kept。　The　file　on　Amelia　Earhart；　UFOs；　the　truth　behind　the　government's　insis…tence　on　the　swine…flu　shots　in　the　mid…seventies；　political　scandals　that　make　the　old　Watergate　stories　seem　like　Boy　Scout　adventures。　They're　all　there。　The　QD…project　file；　for　example；　cannot　be　opened　until　the　year　2550。　By　then；　President　Eisenhower　hoped；　our　descendants　would　fail　to　glean　its　true　implications。〃
　The　other　men　in　the　NUMA　conference　room　had　never　heard　of　the　Future　Eyes　Only　file；　and　they　were　astonished。
　〃I　suppose　the　next　obvious　question；〃　said　Pitt；　〃is　why；　Admiral；　are　you　taking　us　into　your　confidence？〃
　〃I　requested　this　meeting　to　clear　the　air　on　Vixen　03　because　I　find　myself　in　the　position　of　having　to　trust　someone　to　recover　the　QD　in　the　aircraft　and　destroy　it。〃
　〃You're　asking　a　great　deal；〃　Sandecker　said。　He　relit　another　cigar　and　puffed　it　to　life。　〃If　the　Pentagon　gets　wind　of　this；　we　could　all　be　branded　as　traitors。〃
　〃A　disagreeable　possibility　that　cannot　be　overlooked；〃　admitted　Bass。　〃Our　only　fort　would　be　in　knowing　that　public　and　moral　opinion　stand　on　our　side。〃
　〃Somehow　I've　never　quite　been　able　to　picture　myself　as　a　savior　to　mankind；〃　Giordino　mumbled。
　Steiger　looked　steadily　at　Bass；　perhaps　seeing　his　Air　Force　career　going　up　in　smoke　for　the　second　time　in　as　many　weeks。　〃I　get　the　feeling　your　choice　of　acplices　is　backed　by　mad　logic；　Admiral。　Myself；　for　instance…where　do　I　fit　in　with　the　recovery　of　Vixen　03？〃
　Bass's　tight　smile　loosened。　〃Believe　it　or　not；　Colonel；　you're　the　critical　man　on　the　team。　Your　report　alerted　the　Air　Force　to　the　existence　of　the　aircraft。　Fortunately；　someone　high　in　government　found　it　inconvenient　to　pursue　the　matter　further。　Your　job　will　be　to　see　that　any　Pentagon　interest　remains　negative。〃
　There　was　understanding　on　Pitt's　face　now。　〃Okay；　so　Admiral　Sandecker　bankrolls　the　overall　effort　with　NUMA　resources　while　Giordino　and　I　handle　the　actual　salvage　work。　How　do　you　intend　to　destroy　QD's　lethal　properties　once　we　raise　the　canisters？〃
　〃We　deep…six　the　warheads　in　the　ocean；〃　Bass　replied　without　hesita…tion。　〃In　time；　as　their　exterior　surface　erodes；　the　water　will　neutralize　the　disease　strain。〃
　Pitt　turned　to　Sandecker　and　found　himself　saying；　〃I　can　transfer　Jack　Folsom　and　his　crew　from　the　Chenago　job　and　have　them　on　site　at　Table　Lake　with　all　necessary　equipment　inside　forty…eight　hours。〃
　Admiral　Sandecker　was　a　realist。　His　choice　was　clear。　He　had　known　Bass　well　enough　not　to　write　off　the　old　man　as　an　alarmist。　Every　head　angled　toward　the　fiery　little　director　of　NUMA。　He　seemed　lost　in　the　blue　cigar　smoke　that　curled　to　the　ceiling。　Then　at　last　he　nodded。
　〃All　right；　gentlemen；　we　go。〃
　〃Thank　you；　James；〃　Bass　said；　obviously　pleased。　〃I　fully　realize　the　gamble　you're　taking　merely　on　the　word　of　a　rusty　old　sea　dog。〃
　〃I'd　say　those　were　pretty　good　odds；〃　Sandecker　replied。
　〃A　thought　just　occurred　to　me；〃　Giordino　cut　in。　〃If　water　kills　this　QD　stuff；　why　don't　we　simply　leave　it　on　the　bottom　of　the　lake？〃
　Bass　shook　his　head　solemnly。　〃No　thank　you。　If　you　found　it；　so　can　someone　else。　It's　far　better　we　deposit　it　for　eternity　where　no　human　will　ever　set　eyes　on　it。　I　can　only　thank　God　the　canisters　have　gone　undiscovered　all　these　years。〃
　〃Which　brings　up　another　matter；〃　Pitt　said；　noting　the　sudden　uneasy　lowering　of　Giordino's　and　Steiger's　eyes。
　Sandecker　flicked　an　ash　into　an　abalone…shell　tray。　〃What　is　that？〃
　〃According　to　the　original　flight　plan；　Vixen　03　departed　Buckley　Field　with　a　crew　of　four。　Is　that　correct；　Admiral　Bass？〃
　Bass's　expression　went　quizzical。　〃Yes；　there　were　four。〃
　〃Perhaps　I　should　have　brought　this　up　sooner；〃　Pitt　said；　〃but　I　was　afraid　of　plicating　the　issue　at　hand。〃
　〃You're　not　the　type　to　beat　around　the　bush；〃　Sandecker　said　impa…tiently。　〃What　are　you　getting　at？〃
　〃The　fifth　skeleton。〃
　〃The　fifth　what？〃
　〃When　I　dove　on　the　wreckage；　I　found　the　bones　of　a　fifth　man　tied　to　the　floor　of　the　cargo　section。〃
　Sandecker　looked　at　Bass。　〃Have　you　any　idea　who　he's　talking　about？〃
　Bass　sat　like　a　man　who　had　been　slapped　in　the　face。　〃A　ground　maintenance　man；〃　he　murmured　vacantly。　〃One　must　have　somehow　been　left　on　board　when　the　plane　took　off。〃
　〃Won't　wash；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Flesh　was　still　evident。　The　remains　haven't　been　immersed　as　long　as　the　others。〃
　〃You　said　the　canisters　were　still　sealed；〃　replied　Bass；　snatching　at　threads。
　〃Yes；　sir；　I　saw　no　evidence　of　tampering；〃　Pitt　reassured　him。
　〃My　God；　my　God！〃　Bass　held　his　hands　to　his　face。　〃Someone　besides　ourselves　knows　about　the　aircraft。〃
　〃We　can't　be　sure　of　that；〃　said　Steiger。
　Bass　lowered　his　hands　and　stared　at　Pitt　through　glazed　eyes。　〃Bring　her　up；　Mr。　Pitt。　For　the　sake　of　humanity；　bring　up　Vixen　03　from　the　bottom　of　that　lake…and　do　it　quickly。〃
　Pitt　could　not　shake　the　feeling　of　dread　as　he　left　the　meeting　and　passed　through　the　main　entrance　of　the　NUMA　building。　The　Washington　night　was　heavy　with　humidity；　the　stickiness　adding　to　his　depression。　He　walked　across　the　deserted　parking　lot　and　opened　the　door　to　his　car。　He　was　halfway　behind　the　wheel　before　he　noticed　a　small　figure　on　the　passenger　seat。
　Loren　was　asleep。　She　was　cuddled　in　a　ball　and　lost　to　the　world。　She　wore　a　Grecian…style　green　dress　and　calfskin　boots　under　a　long　fur　coat。　Pitt　leaned　over　and　brushed　the　hair　from　her　cheeks　and　gently　shook　her　awake。　Her　eyes　fluttered　open　and　then　locked　on　his。　Her　lips　arched　into　a　feline　smile　and　her　face　looked　strangely　pale　and　young。
　〃Mmm。　Fancy　meeting　you　here。〃
　He　leaned　over　and　kissed　her。　〃Are　you　crazy？　A　luscious　creature　all　alone　in　an　empty　Washington　parking　lot。　It's　a　miracle　you　weren't　assaulted　and　gang…banged。〃
　She　pushed　him　away　and　wrinkled　her　nose。　〃Ugh；　you　reek　of　stale　cigars。〃
　〃Blame　that　on　being　cooped　up　with　Admiral　Sandecker　for　six　hours。〃　He　settled　back　and　started　the　car。　〃How　did　you　track　me　down？〃
　〃No　great　feat。　I　called　your　office　to　get　your　number　in　Savannah。　Your　secretary　said　you　were　already　back　in　town；　tied　up　in　confer…ence。〃　〃
　〃Whatever　possessed　you　to　stake　out　my　car？〃
　〃I　fought　and　lost　an　overwhelming　urge　to　do　something　foolish　and　feminine。〃　She　kneaded　the　inside　of　his　thigh。　〃Glad？〃
　〃I　cannot　tell　a　lie；〃　he　said；　grinning。　〃You　e　as　a　wele　relief　after　the　last　twenty…four　hours。〃
　〃Wele　relief？〃　Loren　faked　a　pout。　〃You　really　know　how　to　charm　a　girl　with　flattery。〃
　〃We　don't　have　much　time；〃　he　said；　turning　serious。　〃I'm　off　again　in　the　morning。〃
　〃I　figured　as　much。　That's　why　I've　planned　a　nice　surprise。〃
　She　snuggled　closer　and　her　hand　worked　its　way　up　his　thigh。
　〃I　don't　believe　this；〃　Pitt　murmured　in　awe。
　〃Felicia　hinted　it　was　sexy；　but　I　had　no　idea。〃
　Pitt　and　Loren　stood　ankle　deep　in　a　crimson　carpet；　staring　in　fascina…tion　at　a　room　whose　four　walls　and　ceilings　were　solidly　paneled　with　gold…tinted　mirrors。　The　only　piece　of　furniture　was　a　large　circular　bed　raised　on　a　platform　and　covered　with　red　satin　sheets。　Illumination　came　from　four　spotlights　embedded　in　the　corners　of　the　ceiling；　emit…ting　a　soft　blue　light。
　Loren　stepped　over　to　the　raised　bed　and　touched　its　gleaming　pillows　reverently；　as　though　they　were　exquisite　ar