cc.themediterraneancaper2-第20部分

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　and　wake　you；　but　the　doc　wouldn't　hear　of　it。　He　even　threatened　to　throw　the　Colonel　off　the　ship　if　he　tried　it。〃
　〃All　right；　send　them　in；〃　said　Pitt　with　impatience。　hurry　with　the　beer　before　I　evaporate。〃
　Pitt　lay　back　on　the　bunk　and　let　the　sweat　roll　down　his　body　onto　the　rumpled　sheets；　sopping　the　areas　that　came　in　contact　with　his　skin。　His　mind　continued　to　turn；　ransacking　every　detail　of　the　past；　assembling　for　the　present；　pushing　ahead；　and　plotting　future　directions。
　Lewis　and　Giordino。
　They　hadn't　wasted　any　time　in　ing。　If　Giordino　received　an　answer　from　NUMA　headquarters；　it　might　help　to　supply　one　of　the　many　missing　pieces　to　the　puzzle。　The　four　borders　were　forming。　but　the　middle　was　a　scattered　conglomeration　of　uncertain　and　unknown　quantities。　Von　Till's　evil　face　leered　from　the　maze；　his　tight…lipped　grin　curling　in　smug　disdain。　Pitt's　mind　raced　on。　The　great　white　dog。　He　tried　to　force　it　into　another　piece　of　the　puzzle；　but　it　wouldn't　fit。　That's　strange；　he　thought；　the　dog　doesn't　correspond　to　the　piece　it's　supposed　to。　For　some　unfathomable　reason　he　couldn't　force　the　animal　between　von　Till　and　Kurt　Heibert
　Suddenly　Lewis　burst　into　the　cabin　with　all　the　finesse　of　a　sonic　boom。　His　face　was　red　and　he　was　sweating。　the　tiny　beads　streamed　down　his　nose　and　into　his　moustache　where　they　were　absorbed　like　rain　in　a　forest。　〃Well　now；　Major；　aren't　you　sorry　you　passed　up　my　invitation　for　dinner？〃
　Pitt　half　smiled。　〃I　admit　there　was　a　time　or　two　last　night　when　I　regretted　turning　down　your　scallops。〃　He　pointed　to　the　gauze　and　adhesive　tape　crisscrossing　his　chest。　〃But　at　least　my　other　dinner　engagement　gave　me　a　few　memories　that　I　can　carry　for　a　long；　longtime。〃
　Giordino　stepped　from　behind　Lewis'　hulking　form　and　waved　a　greeting　to　Pitt。　〃See　what　happens　every　time　I　let　you　go　out　and　carouse　on　your　own。〃
　Pitt　could　see　the　wide　grin　on　Giordino's　face；　but　he　also　noticed　a　fraternal　look　of　concern　in　his　friend's　eyes。　〃Next　time；　Al；　I'll　send　you　in　my　place。〃
　Giordino　laughed。　〃Don't　do　me　any　favors　if
　you're　a　living　example　of　the　morning　after。〃
　Lewis　parked　his　bulk　heavily　in　a　chair　facing　the　bunk。　〃God；　it's　hot　in　here。　Don't　these　damn　floating　museums　carry　air　conditioning？〃
　Pitt　enjoyed　a　tinge　of　sadistic　pleasure　at　Lewis'
　steaming　disfort。　〃Sorry；　Colonel；　the　unit　must　be　overtaxed。　I　have　beer　ing　that　should　help　make　the　heat　a　bit　more　endurable。〃
　〃Right　now；〃　Lewis　snorted；　〃I'd　even　settle　for　a　glass　of　Ganges　River　water。〃
　Giordino　leaned　over　the　bunk　〃For　chrissakes；　Dirk；　what　mischief　did　you　get　yourself　into　after　you　left　us　last　night？　Gunn's　radio　message　said　something　about　a　mad　dog。〃
　〃I'll　tell　you；〃　said　Pitt；　〃But　first　I　need　a　couple　of　questions　answered　myself。〃　He　looked　at　Lewis。　〃Colonel；　do　you　know　Bruno　von　Till？'
　〃Do　I　know　von　Till？〃　Lewis　repeated。　〃Only　slightly。　I　was　introduced　to　him　once　and　have　seen　him　occasionally　at　parties　given　by　the　local　dignitaries；　but　that's　about　all　From　what　I　gather；　he's　something　of　a　mystery。〃
　〃Do　you；　by　chance；　know　what　his　business　is？〃　Pitt　asked　hopefully。
　〃He　owns　a　small　fleet　of　ships。〃　Lewis　paused　for　a　moment；　closing　his　eyes　in　thought。　Then　they　shot　open；　transmitting　a　look　of　sudden　recollection；　〃Minerva；　yes　that's　it；　Minerva　Lines：　the　name　of　the　fleet。〃
　〃I've　never　heard　of　it；〃　Pitt　murmured。
　〃Small　wonder；〃　snorted　Lewis。　〃Judging　from　the　decrepit　rust　buckets　I've　seen　smoking　by　Thasos；　I　doubt　whether　anyone　else　knows　of　its　existence　either。〃
　Pitt's　eyes　narrowed。　〃Von　Till's　ships　cruise　along　the　Thasos　coastline？〃
　Lewis　nodded。　〃Yes；　one　passes　every　week　or　so。
　They're　easy　to　spot；　they　all　have　a　big　yellow　'M'
　Painted　on　the　smoke　funnels。〃
　〃Do　they　anchor　off　shore　or　dock　at　Liminas？〃
　Lewis　shook　his　head。　〃Neither。　Every　ship　I've　bothered　to　notice　came　from　the　south；　circled　the　island　and　reversed　course　south　again。〃
　〃Without　stopping？〃
　〃They　lie…to　for　perhaps　half…an…hour；　no　more；　right　off　the　point　by　the　old　ruins。〃
　Pitt　raised　up　out　of　the　bunk。　He　looked　questioningly　at　Giordino；　then　Lewis。　〃That's　odd。〃
　〃Why？〃　asked　Lewis　lighting　a　cigar。
　〃Thasos　is　at　least　five　hundred　miles　north　of　the　main　Suez　Canal　shipping　lanes；〃　Pitt　said　slowly。　〃Why　should　von　Till　send　his　ships　on　a　thousand　mile　detour？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Giordino　said　impatiently。　〃And　frankly；　I　could　care　even　less。　Why　not　stop　this　verbal　screwing　around　and　tell　us　about　your　nocturnal　escapades？　What　has　this　von　Till　character　got　to　do　with　last　night？〃
　Pitt　stood　and　stretched；　wincing　from　the　stiff　soreness。　His　mouth　had　a　sand　and　gravel　taste；　he　could　not　recall　when　his　throat　had　been　so　dry　before。　Where　was　that　dumb　kid　with　the　beer？　Pitt　caught　sight　of　Giordino's　cigarettes；　and　he　motioned　for　one。
　He　lit　it　and　inhaled；　increasing　the　rotten　taste　in　his　mouth。
　He　shrugged；　smiling　wryly。　〃OK；　I'll　give　it　to　you　from　beginning　to　end；　but　please　feel　free　to　stare　at　me　like　I'm　crazy；　I'll　understand。〃
　In　the　heat　tortured　cabin；　the　steel　walls　almost　too　hot　to　touch；　Pitt　told　his　story。　He　held　nothing　back；　not　even　a　thin　belief　that　Teri　had　somehow　betrayed　him　to　von　Till　Lewis　nodded　thoughtfully　on　occasion　but　made　no　ment；　his　mind　seemed　to　linger　elsewhere；　returning　only　when　Pitt　graphically　described　an　event。　Giordino　paced　the　small　cubicle　unhurriedly；　leaning　slightly　against　the　slow　rolling　of　the　ship。
　When　Pitt　finished；　no　one　spoke。　Ten　seconds　passed；　twenty；　then　thirty。　The　atmosphere　had　turned　humid　from　perspiration　and　rapidly　became　stale　from　cigar　and　cigarette　smoke。
　〃I　know；〃　Pitt　said　a　little　tiredly。　〃It　sounds　like　a　fairy　tale　and　makes　very　little　sense。　But；　that's　exactly　the　way　it　happened；　I　left　nothing　out〃
　〃Daniel　in　the　lion's　den。〃　Lewis　said　flatly；　without　inflection。　〃I　admit；　what　you've　told　us　seems　far　fetched；　but　the　facts　have　a　strange　way　of　bearing　you
　out。〃　He　pulled　a　handkerchief　from　a　hip　pocket　and　dabbed　it　across　his　forehead。　〃You　were　correct　in　predicting　that　the　antique　plane　would　attack　this　ship；　and　you　even　knew　when。〃
　〃Von　Till　supplied　me　with　a　hint。　The　rest　was　conjecture。〃
　〃I　can't　figure　the　weird　set…up；〃　said　Giordino。
　〃Using　an　old　bi…plane　to　shoot　up　the　sea　and　landscape　merely　to　get　rid　of　the　First　Attempt　seems　overly　plicated。〃
　〃Not　really；〃　said　Pitt。　〃It　soon　became　obvious　to　von　Till　that　his　sabotage　attempts　on　the　scientific　operations　of　NUMA's　expedition　were　not　succeeding　according　to　plan。〃
　〃What　crossed　him　up？〃　Giordino　inquired。
　〃Gunn　was　stubborn；〃　Pitt　grinned　evenly。　〃In　spite　of　what　he　thought　were　accidents　and　setbacks　due　to　natural　causes；　he　refused　to　weigh　anchor　and　give　up。〃
　〃Good　for　him；〃　Lewis　grunted；　and　cleared　his　throat　to　speak；　but　Pitt　went　on　unruffled。
　〃Von　Till　had　to　find　another　direction。　Using　the　old　aircraft　was　a　stroke　of　genius。　If　he　had　sent　a　modern　jet　fighter　to　attack　Brady　Field；　all　hell　would　have　broken　out　in　the　form　of　an　international　crisis。　The　Greek　Government；　the　Russians；　the　Arabs；　all　would　have　bee　involved；　and　this　whole　island　would　have　been　teeming　with　military　personnel　on　emergency　alert。　No；　von　Till　was　smart：　the　antique　Albatros　caused　our　government　some　embarrassment　and　cost　the　Air　Force　a　few　million　dollars；　but　spared　everyone　a　diplomatic　mess　and　an　armed　conflict。〃
　〃Very　interesting；　Major。〃　Lewis'　voice　was　flat；　skeptical。　〃Very　interesting。　。　。　and　most　instructional。　But　would　you　mind　answering　a　question　that's　been　nagging　the　back　of　my　mind？〃
　〃What　is　it；　sir？〃　It　was　the　first　time　Pitt　had　addressed　Lewis　as　sir；　and　he　found　it　strangely　distasteful。
　〃Just　what　are　these　seagoing　eggheads　looking　for　that　brought　this　rotten　business　down　around　our　heads？〃
　〃A　fish；〃　Pitt　replied　grinning。
　Lewis'　eyes　widened　and　he　almost　dropped　his　cigar　on　his　huge　lap。　〃A　what？〃
　〃A　fish；〃　Pitt　repeated。　〃It's　nick…named　Teaser；　a　rare　species　reported　to　be　a　living　fossil。　Gunn　assures　me　that　landing　one　would　be　the　greatest　scientific　achievement　of　the　decade。〃　Pitt　supposed　wryly　that　he　was　overdoing　it　a　bit；　but　he　was　irritated　by　Lewis'　blustering　pompousness。
　Lewis'　face　was　not　pleasant　as　he　rose　trembling　from　his　chair。　〃You　mean　to　say　that　I　have　fifteen　million　dollars'　worth　of　wrecked　aircraft　scattered　over　a　base　under　my　personal　mand；　my　military　career　all　but　ruined；　and　all　because　of　a　goddamned　fish？〃
　Pitt　tried　his　best　to　look　serious。　〃Yes；　Colonel；　I　guess　you　might　say　that。〃
　A　saddened　look　of　absolute　defeat　gripped　Lewis'　features　as　he　shook　his　head　
　from　side　to　side。　〃My　God；　my　God；　it's　not　fair；　it's　just　not。　。　。〃
　He　was　interrupted　by　a　knock　on　the　metal　door。
　The　cabin　boy　entered；　carrying　a　tray　containing　three　brown　bottles。
　〃Keep　them　ing；〃　Pitt　ordered。　〃And；　keep　them　cold。〃
　〃Yes　sir；〃　the　boy　mumbled。　He　set　the　tray　down　on　the　desk　and　hurried　from　the　cabin。
　Giordino　passed　Lewi