atlantis.found-第67部分

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g　will　be　revolutionized。　Nothing　will　be　impossible　to　produce　cheaply　and　with　quality。　Incredibly　tiny　machines　that　can　reproduce　themselves　will　be　programmed　to　create　new　fuels；　drugs；　metals；　and　building　products　that　would　not　be　possible　with　normal　techniques。　I've　heard　that　mainframe　puters　can　be　built　with　a　volume　as　small　as　a　cubic　micron。　Nanotechnology　has　to　be　the　wave　of　the　future。〃
　　　　　〃I　can't　begin　to　imagine　how　it　works。〃
　　　　　〃It's　my　understanding　the　goal　is　to　create　what　nanotechnology　experts　call　an　assembler；　a　submicroscopic　robot　with　articulated　arms　that　are　operated　by　puters。　Supposedly　they　could　construct　large；　atomically　precise　objects　by　controlled　chemical　reactions；　molecule　by　molecule。　The　assemblers　can　even　be　designed　to　replicate　themselves。　Theoretically；　you　could　program　your　assemblers　to　build　you　a　new　custom　set　of　golf　clubs　out　of　metals　yet　to　be　developed；　a　television　set　of　a　particular　shape　to　fit　a　cabinet；　even　an　automobile　or　an　airplane；　including　special　fuel　to　run　them。〃
　　　　　〃Sounds　fantastic。〃
　　　　　〃The　advances　over　the　next　thirty　years　should　prove　mind　boggling。〃
　　　　　〃That　explains　the　file　on　Destiny's　project　in　Antarctica；〃　said　Loren；　pausing　to　sip　her　wine。　〃You'll　find　it　in　file　5…A。〃
　　　　　〃Yes；　I　see　it；〃　acknowledged　Pitt。　〃An　extensive　facility　for　mining　minerals　from　the　sea。　They　have　to　be　the　first　to　have　ever　profitably　exploited　seawater　for　valuable　minerals。〃
　　　　　〃It　seems　Destiny's　engineers　and　scientists　have　developed　a　molecular　device　capable　of　separating　minerals　such　as　gold　from　seawater。〃
　　　　　〃I　assume　the　program　is　successful？〃
　　　　　〃Very；〃　said　Loren。　〃According　to　Swiss　depository　records　obtained　covertly　by　the　CIA　I　swore　to　them　on　a　thousand　Bibles　that　this　information　would　remain　strictly　confidential　Destiny's　deposits　of　gold　into　Swiss　vaults　e　close　to　matching　the　hoard　at　Fort　Knox。〃
　　　　　〃Their　retrieval　of　gold　would　have　to　be　held　on　a　select　level；　or　world　gold　prices　would　plummet。〃
　　　　　〃According　to　my　sources；　Destiny's　management　has　yet　to　sell　so　much　as　an　ounce。〃
　　　　　〃For　what　purpose　would　they　squirrel　such　an　enormous　hoard　away？〃
　　　　　Loren　shrugged。　〃I　have　no　idea。〃
　　　　　〃Maybe　they've　slowly　and　discreetly　sold　to　keep　market　prices　up。　If　they　suddenly　flooded　the　market　with　tons　of　gold；　their　profits　would　go　down　the　toilet。〃
　　　　　The　waiter　arrived　with　their　pate　with　truffles。　Loren　took　a　dainty　forkful　into　her　mouth　and　made　a　gratified　expression。　〃This　is　wonderful。〃
　　　　　〃Yes；　it　is　good；〃　Pitt　agreed。
　　　　　They　relished　the　pate　in　silence；　finishing　the　last　morsel　before　Loren　resumed　the　conversation。　〃Although　the　CIA　has　accumulated　a　mass　of　data　on　a　neo…Nazi　movement　after　the　war；　they　did　not　find　evidence　of　an　underground　conspiracy　involving　Destiny　Enterprises　or　the　Wolf　family。〃
　　　　　〃Yet　according　to　this；〃　said　Pitt；　holding　up　a　stapled　file　of　papers；　〃it　was　no　secret　that　the　loot　stolen　by　the　Nazis　from　the　treasures　of　Austria；　Belgium；　Norway；　France；　and　the　Netherlands；　plus　much　of　the　gold　and　financial　assets　of　the　Jews；　were　slipped　into　Argentina　by　U…boats　after　the　war。〃
　　　　　Loren　nodded。　〃Most　of　the　gold　and　other　hard　assets　were　converted　to　currency　and　then　diverted　through　central　banks。〃
　　　　　〃And　the　holder　of　the　funds？〃
　　　　　〃Who　else？　Destiny　Enterprises；　soon　after　it　was　organized　in　1947。　What's　strange　is　that　there　is　no　record　of　a　Wolf　on　their　board　of　directors　in　the　early　years。〃
　　　　　〃They　must　have　taken　control　later；〃　said　Pitt。　〃I　wonder　how　the　family　shoved　aside　the　old　Nazi　who　fled　Germany　in　1945？〃
　　　　　〃Good　question；〃　Loren　agreed。　〃Over　the　past　fifty…four　years；　the　Destiny　empire　has　grown　to　where　their　power　influences　world　banks　and　governments　to　an　unimaginable　degree。　They　literally　own　Argentina。　One　of　my　aides　has　an　informant　who　claims　a　significant　amount　of　money　goes　into　campaign　funds　for　members　of　our　own　Congress。　That's　probably　the　reason　why　no　government　investigation　of　Destiny　Enterprises　ever　got　off　the　ground。〃
　　　　　〃Their　tentacles　also　reach　into　the　pockets　of　our　honored　senators　and　House　representatives；　and　many　of　the　people　who　have　served　in　the　White　House。〃
　　　　　Loren　held　up　both　hands。　〃Don't　look　at　me。　I　never　knowingly　got　a　dime　under　the　table　from　Destiny　for　my　campaign　funds。〃
　　　　　Pitt　threw　her　a　foxlike　look。　〃Really？〃
　　　　　She　kicked　him　under　the　table。　〃Stop　that。　You　know　perfectly　well　I've　never　been　on　the　take。　I　happen　to　be　one　of　the　most　respected　members　of　Congress。〃
　　　　　〃Maybe　the　prettiest；　but　your　esteemed　colleagues　don't　know　you　like　I　do。〃
　　　　　〃You're　not　funny。〃
　　　　　The　bowls　of　vichyssoise　were　set　before　them　and　they　savored　the　taste；　enhanced　by　an　occasional　sip　of　the　Martin　Ray　Cabernet。　The　wine　didn't　take　long　to　course　through　their　veins　and　mellow　their　minds；　and　the　attentive　waiter　was　always　nearby　to　refill　their　glasses。
　　　　　〃It's　beginning　to　look　like　what　the　Nazis　couldn't　achieve　by　mass　slaughter；　destruction；　and　warfare；　they're　acplishing　through　economic　power；〃　said　Loren。
　　　　　〃World　domination　is　passé；〃　Pitt　disagreed。　〃The　Chinese　leaders　might　have　it　in　the　back　of　their　heads；　but　as　their　economy　builds　the　country　into　a　superpower；　they'll　e　to　realize　that　a　war　will　only　bring　it　crashing　down。　Since　munist　Russia　fell；　the　major　wars　of　the　future　will　be　economic。　The　Wolfs　understand　that　economic　power　ultimately　leads　to　political　power。　They　have　the　resources　to　buy　whatever　and　whoever　they　want。　The　only　question　is　what　direction　are　they　headed　in。〃
　　　　　〃Did　you　get　anything　out　of　the　woman　you　apprehended　last　night？〃
　　　　　〃Only　that　doomsday　is　just　around　the　corner；　and　the　entire　human　race；　with　the　exception　of　the　Wolf　family；　of　course；　will　be　wiped　out　when　a　et　strikes　the　earth。〃
　　　　　〃You　don't　buy　that？〃　asked　Loren。
　　　　　〃Do　you？〃　Pitt　said　cynically。　‘A　thousand　doomsdays　have　e　and　gone　with　little　more　upheaval　than　a　passing　rain　shower。　Why　the　Wolfs　are　disseminating　such　a　myth　is　a　mystery　to　me。〃
　　　　　〃What　do　they　base　their　reasoning　on？〃
　　　　　〃The　predictions　of　the　ancient　race　of　people　known　as　the　Amenes。〃
　　　　　〃You　can't　be　serious；〃　she　said；　bewildered。　〃A　family　as　affluent　and　shrewd　as　the　Wolfs　buying　a　myth　from　a　race　that　died　out　thousands　of　years　ago？〃
　　　　　〃That's　what　the　inscriptions　said　in　the　chambers　we　found　in　the　Indian　Ocean　and　Colorado。〃
　　　　　〃Admiral　Sandecker　briefly　mentioned　your　discoveries　in　our　phone　conversation　before　I　picked　you　up　at　the　airport；　but　you've　yet　to　tell　me　about　your　discoveries。〃
　　　　　Pitt　made　a　helpless　gesture　with　his　hands。　〃I　haven't　had　a　chance。〃
　　　　　〃Maybe　I　should　begin　putting　my　affairs　in　order。〃
　　　　　〃Before　you　prepare　to　meet　your　maker；　wait　until　we　run　it　by　astronomers　who　track　asteroids　and　ets。〃
　　　　　The　soup　dishes　were　removed　and　their　entrees　were　placed　on　the　table。　The　chef's　presentations　of　both　the　stewed　rabbit　and　the　sweetbreads　were　works　of　art。　Pitt　and　Loren　admired　the　sight　in　anticipation　of　the　taste。　They　were　not　disappointed。
　　　　　〃The　rabbit　was　an　excellent　choice；〃　she　said　between　mouthfuls。　〃It's　delicious。〃
　　　　　Pitt　had　an　expression　of　ecstasy　on　his　face。　〃When　I'm　served　sweetbreads　from　a　master　chef；　I　hear　bells　with　every　bite。　The　sauce　is　a　triumph。〃
　　　　　〃Try　my　rabbit；〃　said　Loren；　holding　up　her　plate。
　　　　　〃Care　to　try　my　sweetbreads？〃　queried　Pitt。
　　　　　〃No；　thank　you；〃　she　said；　wrinkling　her　nose。　〃I'm　not　keen　on　internal　organs。〃
　　　　　Fortunately；　the　portions　were　not　as　large　as　dishes　served　in　lesser　restaurants；　and　they　did　not　feel　stuffed　when　it　was　time　for　dessert。　Pitt　ordered　the　peaches　cardinal　poached　peaches　with　raspberry　puree。　Later；　over　Remy　Martin　brandy；　they　resumed　their　discussion。
　　　　　〃None　of　what　I've　seen　or　heard　about　the　Wolfs　makes　sense；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Why　amass　a　fortune　if　they　think　their　financial　empire　will　go　up　in　smoke　after　the　et's　impact？〃