atlantis.found-第87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！


　sister　and　walked　away。
　　　　　Pitt　desperately　wanted　to　believe　that　Wolf　was　simply　another　lunatic；　but　this　man's　passion　and　that　of　his　entire　family　went　far　beyond　mere　fanaticism。　Pitt　stood　there；　uneasy。　No　man　this　intelligent　would　build　an　empire　worth　many　billions　of　dollars　to　throw　it　away　on　a　crackpot　scheme。　There　had　to　be　an　underlying　rationality；　one　that　was　too　horrifying　to　envision。　But　what？　According　to　Wolf's　own　timetable；　Pitt　now　had　only　four　days　and　ten　hours　to　find　the　answer。　And　why　was　Wolf　so　forthing　about　the　deadline？　It　was　almost　as　if　he　didn't　care　that　Pitt　knew。　Did　he　simply　think　that　it　didn't　matter　anymore；　that　there　was　nothing　anyone　could　do　about　it？　Or　was　there　some　other　reason　in　that　devious　mind？
　　　　　Pitt　turned　and　walked　away。　He　stepped　up　to　the　bar　and　ordered　an　anejo；　100　percent　blue　agave　tequila　on　the　rocks。　Ambassador　Horn　came　and　stood　beside　him。　Horn；　a　light…haired　small　man；　had　the　look　of　a　hawk　gliding　in　a　spiral　over　a　forest；　more　interested　in　his　sovereignty　than　scanning　for　a　meal。
　　　　　〃How　did　you　and　Karl　Wolf　get　along？〃　he　inquired。
　　　　　〃Not　too　well；〃　answered　Pitt。　〃He　has　his　mind　set　on　playing　God；　and　I　never　learned　to　genuflect。〃
　　　　　〃He's　a　strange　man。　No　one　I　know　has　ever　gotten　close　to　him。　Certainly；　there's　been　no　indication　why　he　would　believe　in　this　fantastic　story　of　the　end　of　the　world。　I've　told　my　colleagues　here　and　in　Washington；　and　they　say　there's　no　evidence　at　all　of　such　an　event　ing　at　least　so　far。〃
　　　　　〃Do　you　know　much　about　him？〃
　　　　　〃Not　a　great　deal。　Only　what　I've　read　in　intelligence　reports。　His　grandfather　was　a　big　Nazi　who　escaped　Germany　at　the　end　of　the　war。　He　came　here　with　his　family　and　a　group　of　Nazi　cronies；　along　with　their　top　scientists　and　engineers。　Soon　after　arriving　in　Argentina；　they　established　a　huge　financial　conglomerate　within　less　than　two　years；　buying　and　operating　the　largest　farms　and　ranches；　banks　and　corporations　in　the　country。　Once　their　power　base　was　solidified；　they　branched　out　internationally　into　everything　from　chemicals　to　electronics。　One　can　only　guess　where　the　original　capital　came　from。　Rumors　say　it　was　gold　from　the　German　treasury　and　assets　stolen　from　the　Jews　who　died　in　the　camps。　Whatever　the　source；　it　must　have　been　a　tremendous　hoard　to　have　acplished　so　much　in　so　little　time。〃
　　　　　〃What　can　you　tell　me　about　the　family？〃
　　　　　Horn　paused　to　order　a　martini　from　the　bartender。　〃Mostly　rumors。　My　Argentinian　friends　speak　in　hushed　tones　whenever　the　Wolfs　e　up　in　conversation。　It's　been　reported　that　Dr。　Josef　Mengele；　the　‘Angel　of　Death'　at　Auschwitz；　was　involved　with　the　Wolfs　until　he　drowned　several　years　ago。　The　stories；　I　admit；　sound　pretty　outlandish。　But　they　claim　that　Mengele；　continuing　his　genetic　experiments；　worked　with　the　first　generations　of　Wolfs　in　producing　offspring　with　high　intelligence　and　exceptional　athletic　ability。　These　children　then　produced　an　even　more　controlled　strain；　which　you　see　in　the　extraordinary　likenesses　in　all　the　third　generation　of　Wolfs；　such　as　Karl　and　his　sisters；　who；　by　the　way；　all　look　identical　to　their　brothers　and　cousins。　One　outlandish　bit　of　gossip　is　that　Adolf　Hitler's　sperm　was　smuggled　out　of　Berlin　in　the　closing　hours　of　the　war　and　used　by　Mengele　in　impregnating　the　Wolf　women。〃
　　　　　〃Do　you　believe　all　this？〃　Pitt　asked。
　　　　　〃I　certainly　don't　want　to；〃　said　Horn；　sipping　at　his　martini。　〃British　intelligence　is　mum　on　the　subject。　But　my　embassy　intelligence　officer；　Major　Steve　Miller；　using　a　puter；　has　pared　photos　of　Hitler　with　those　of　the　Wolfs。　As　abhorrent　as　it　sounds；　except　for　hair　and　eye　color；　there　is　a　marked　resemblance　in　facial　structure。〃
　　　　　Pitt　straightened　and　extended　his　hand。　〃Ambassador；　I　can't　tell　you　how　grateful　I　am　for　your　invitation　and　protection。　ing　to　Buenos　Aires　was　a　wild　scheme；　and　you　were　very　generous　with　your　time　in　helping　me　to　meet　Karl　Wolf。〃
　　　　　Horn　gripped　Pitt's　hand。　〃We　were　lucky　the　Wolfs　showed　up　for　the　party。　But　I　have　to　tell　you　that　it　was　a　real　pleasure　to　see　someone　tell　that　arrogant　devil　where　to　get　off。　Because　I'm　a　diplomat；　I　couldn't　afford　the　luxury　of　doing　it　myself。〃
　　　　　〃He　claims　the　timetable's　moved　up；　that　now　there's　only　four　days　until　Armageddon。　I　should　think　the　family　will　soon　be　boarding　their　superships。〃
　　　　　〃Really？　That's　odd；〃　said　Horn。　〃I　have　it　on　good　authority　that　Karl　is　scheduled　to　make　an　inspection　tour　of　his　mineral　retraction　facility　in　Antarctica　the　day　after　tomorrow。〃
　　　　　Pitt's　eyes　narrowed。　〃He's　cutting　it　pretty　thin。〃
　　　　　〃That　project　has　always　been　a　bit　of　a　mystery。　As　far　as　I　know；　the　CIA　has　never　been　able　to　get　an　agent　inside。〃
　　　　　Pitt　smiled　at　Horn。　〃You're　certainly　abreast　of　intelligence　matters；　Ambassador。〃
　　　　　Horn　shrugged。　〃It　pays　to　keep　one's　fingers　in　the　pie。〃
　　　　　Pitt　swirled　the　tequila　in　his　glass　and　stared　thoughtfully　at　the　liquid　curling　around　the　ice　cubes。　What　is　so　important　in　Antarctica　that　Wolf　has　to　squeeze　in　a　visit；　Pitt　wondered。　It　seemed　to　him　that　the　new　leader　of　the　Fourth　Empire　would　be　flying　toward　his　fleet　in　preparation　for　the　big　event　instead　of　to　the　polar　continent。　Getting　there　and　back　would　take　two　days。　It　didn't　figure。
　
　　　　　The　following　day；　twenty…seven　of　the　two…hundred…member　Wolf　dynasty；　the　dominant　principals　of　Destiny　Enterprises　and　the　chief　architects　of　the　Fourth　Empire；　met　at　Destiny's　corporate　offices。　They　assembled　in　the　spacious　boardroom　with　its　teak…paneled　walls　and　handsomely　carved　forty…foot…long　conference　table；　also　carved　from　teak。　A　large　oil　painting　of　Ulrich　Wolf　hung　above　the　mantel　of　a　fireplace　at　one　end　of　the　room。　The　family　patriarch　stood　ramrod…straight　in　a　black　SS　uniform；　jaw　thrust　out；　black　eyes　staring　at　some　distant　horizon　beyond　the　painting。
　　　　　The　twelve　women　and　fifteen　men　waited　patiently　while　being　served　fifty…year…old　port　from　crystal　glasses。　At　precisely　ten　o'clock；　Karl　Wolf　stepped　from　the　chairman's　suite　and　took　his　seat　at　the　end　of　the　table。　For　a　few　moments；　his　gaze　swept　the　faces　of　his　brothers；　sisters；　and　cousins　seated　expectantly　around　the　table。　His　father；　Max　Wolf；　sat　at　his　left。　Bruno　Wolf　was　to　his　right。　Karl　Wolf's　lips　were　parted　in　a　slight　smile；　and　he　looked　to　be　in　a　cheerful　mood。
　　　　　〃Before　we　begin　our　final　meeting　in　the　office　of　Destiny　Enterprises　and　our　beloved　city　of　Buenos　Aires；　I　should　like　to　express　my　admiration　for　the　way　you　and　your　loved　ones　have　acplished　so　much　in　so　little　time。　Every　member　of　the　Wolf　family　has　performed　far　beyond　expectations；　and　we　should　all　be　proud　that　none　has　proved　a　disappointment。〃
　　　　　〃Hear；　hear；〃　exclaimed　Bruno。　The　chant　was　taken　up　around　the　table；　acpanied　by　a　round　of　applause。
　　　　　〃Without　my　son's　leadership；〃　announced　Max　Wolf；　〃the　great　crusade；　conceived　by　your　grandfathers；　could　never　have　achieved　fulfillment。　I　am　proud　of　your　eminent　contribution　to　the　ing　new　world　order　and　elated　that　our　family；　with　the　blood　of　the　Fuhrer　flowing　through　your　veins；　is　now　on　the　verge　of　making　the　Fourth　Reich　a　reality。〃
　　　　　More　applause　erupted　around　the　table。　To　a　stranger；　everyone　in　the　room；　with　the　exception　of　Max　Wolf；　looked　as　if　he　or　she　had　been　cloned。　The　same　facial　features；　body　build；　eyes　and　hair　it　was　as　if　the　boardroom　had　bee　a　hall　of　mirrors。
　　　　　Karl　shifted　his　eyes　to　Bruno。　〃Are　those　who　are　not　present　here　today　on　board　the　Ulrich　Wolf？〃
　　　　　Bruno　nodded。　〃All　family　members　are　fortably　settled　in　their　residence　quarters。〃
　　　　　〃And　the　supplies　and　equipment？〃
　　　　　Wilhelm　Wolf　raised　a　hand　and　reported。　〃Food　stocks　have　been　loaded　and　stored　aboard　all　four　vessels。　All　ship's　personnel　are　on　board　and　accounted　for。　Every　piece　of　equipment　and　all　electronic　systems　have　been　tested　and　retested。　They　all　function　perfectly。　Nothing　has　been　left　to　chance　or　overlooked。　Every　contingency　has　been　considered