cyclops-第42部分
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heavy infiltration of his officer corps by fellow Cubans who had shifted their loyalty to the Soviet Union。〃
〃I find that surprising。 The Cubans detest the Russians。 Their viewpoints on life don't mix at all。〃
〃Certainly Cuba never intended to bee a Kremlin pawn； but since the revolution thousands of Cuban students have studied in Russian universities。 Many； rather than return home and work in a job dictated by the state； a job they might hate or which could lead to a dead end； were swayed by subtle Russian offerings of prestige and money。 The canny ones； who placed their future above patriotism； secretly renounced Castro and swore allegiance to the Soviet Union。 You have to give the Russians credit。 They kept their promises。 Using their influence over the Cuban government； they wove their new subjects into positions of power。〃
〃Castro is still revered by the Cuban people；〃 said Sandecker。 〃I can't see how they could stand by and watch him totally subjugated by Moscow。〃
The President's expression turned grave。 〃The very real threat is that the Russians will assassinate the Castro brothers and throw the blame on the CIA。 Easy enough to do since the agency is known to have made several attempts on his life back in the sixties。〃
〃And the Kremlin walks through the open door and installs a puppet government。〃
The President nodded。 〃Which brings us to his proposed U。S。…Cuban pact。 Castro doesn't want to scare the Russians into making their move before we've agreed to back his play to boot them out of the Caribbean。 Unfortunately； after making the opening gambit； he has stonewalled all replies from myself and Doug Oates。〃
〃Sounds like the old stick…and…carrot routine to whet your appetite。〃
〃The way I see it too。〃
〃So where do the LeBarons fit into all this？〃
〃They fell into it；〃 the President said with a touch of irony。 〃You know the story。 Raymond LeBaron flew off in his antique blimp in search of a treasure ship。 Actually； he had another target in mind； but that needn't concern NUMA or you personally。 As fate would have it； Raul Castro was on an inspection tour of the island's defense mand plex outside of Havana when LeBaron was spotted by their offshore detection systems。 The thought struck him that the contact might prove useful。 So he ordered his guard forces to intercept the blimp and escort it to an airfield near the city of Cardenas。〃
〃I can guess the rest；〃 said Sandecker。 〃The Cubans reinflated the blimp； hid an envoy on board； who was carrying the U。S。…Cuban document； and sent it aloft； figuring prevailing winds would nudge it toward the States。〃
〃You're close；〃 the President acknowledged； smiling。 〃But they didn't take any chances on fickle winds。 A close friend of Fidel's and a pilot sneaked on board with the document。 They flew the blimp to Miami； where they jumped into the water a few miles offshore and were picked up by a waiting yacht。〃
〃I'd be curious to learn where the three bodies in the control cabin came from；〃 Sandecker probed。
〃A melodramatic display by Castro to prove his good intentions that I haven't got time to go into。〃
〃The Russians haven't bee suspicious？〃
〃Not yet。 Their superior attitude over the Cubans prevents them from seeing anything resembling Latin ingenuity。〃
〃So Raymond LeBaron is alive and well somewhere in Cuba。〃
The President made an open gesture with his hands。 〃I can only assume that's his situation。 CIA sources report that Soviet intelligence demanded to interrogate LeBaron。 The Cubans obliged and LeBaron hasn't been seen since。〃
〃Aren't you going to even try to negotiate LeBaron's release？〃 asked Sandecker。
〃The situation is delicate as it is without throwing him on the bargaining table。 When we can nail down and sign the U。S。…Cuban pact； I have no doubt that Castro will take custody of LeBaron from the Russians and turn him over to us。〃
The President paused and stared at the mantel clock。 〃I'm late for a conference with my budget people。〃 He stood up and started for the door。 Then he turned to Sandecker。 〃I'll wrap this up quickly。 Jessie LeBaron was briefed on the situation and memorized our response to Castro。 The plan was to have the blimp return with a LeBaron on board。 A signal to Castro that my reply was being sent in the same way his proposal was sent out。 Something went wrong。 You passed Jess Simmons on your way in。 He briefed me on the photos taken by our aerial reconnaissance。 Instead of stopping the blimp and escorting it to Cardenas； the Cuban patrol helicopter fired upon it。 Then for some unexplained reason the helicopter exploded； and they both crashed into the sea。 You must realize； Admiral； I couldn't send rescue forces because of the sensitive nature of the mission。 I'm truly sorry about Pitt。 I owed him a debt I could never repay。 We can only pray that he； Jessie LeBaron； and your other friends somehow survived。〃
〃Nobody could survive a crash in the path of hurricane；〃 Sandecker said caustically。 〃You'll have to pardon me； Mr。 President； but even Mickey Mouse could have put together a better operation。〃
A pained expression lined the President's face。 He started to say something； thought better of it； and pulled open the door。 〃I'm sorry； Admiral； I'm late for the conference。〃
The President spoke no more。 He walked from the Oval Office and left Sandecker standing confused and alone。
The worst of hurricane Little Eva skirted the island and turned northeast into the Gulf of Mexico。 The winds dropped off to forty miles an hour； but another two days would pass before they were replaced by the gentle trade winds from the south。
Cayo Santa Maria seemed empty of any life； animal or human。 Ten years earlier； in a moment of generous radeship； Fidel Castro had deeded the island over to his munist allies as a gesture of goodwill。 He then slapped the face of the White House by proclaiming it as a territory of Russia。
The natives were quietly but forcefully relocated onto the mainland； and engineering units of the GRU （Glavnoye Razvedyvatelnoye Upravleniye； or Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Soviet General Staff）； the military arm of the KGB； moved in and began building a highly secret underground installation。 Working in stages and only under cover of darkness； the plex slowly took shape beneath the sand and palm trees。 CIA spy planes monitored the island； but intelligence analysis failed to detect any defense installations or heavy shipment of supplies by sea or air。 Enhanced photo examination showed little except a few eroding roads that seemingly went nowhere。 Only as a matter of routine was the island studied； but nothing ever turned up that indicated a threat to United States security。
Somewhere beneath the wind…beaten island； Pitt awoke in a small sterile room on a bed with a goosedown mattress under a fluorescent light that blazed continuously。 He could not recall if he had ever slept in a feather bed； but he found it most fortable and made a mental note to look around for one； if and when he ever got back to Washington。
Apart from bruises； sore joints； and a slight throb in his head he felt reasonably fit。 He lay there and stared at the gray…painted ceiling； recalling the night before Jessie's discovery of her husband； the guards escorting Pitt； Giordino； and Gunn to an infirmary； where a female Russian doctor； who was built like a bawling pin； tended to their injuries； a meal of mutton stew in a mess hall that Pitt rated six points below an east Texas truck stop； and finally being locked in a room with a toilet and washbasin； a bed； and a narrow wooden wardrobe。
Slipping his hands under the sheet； he explored his body。 Except for several yards of tape and gauze； he was naked。 He marveled at the homely doctor's fetish for bandages。 He swung his bare feet onto the concrete floor and sat there； pondering his next move。 A signal from his bladder reminded him he was still human； so he moved over to the mode and wished he had a cup of coffee。 They； whoever they were； had left him his Doxa watch。 The dial read 11：55。 Since he had never slept more than nine hours in his life； he ri
