cc.floodtide-第68部分

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　〃It　does　tend　to　make　one　gun…shy；　knowing　Qin　Shang　can　and　has　bought　off　half　the　city；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃The　guy　has　more　tentacles　than　ten　squids　joined　together　at　birth；〃　added　Giordino。
　〃Unlike　the　Russians；　who　paid　paltry　sums　for　secret　information　during　the　cold　war；〃　said　Sandecker；　〃Qin　Shang　thinks　nothing　of　paying　out　millions　of　dollars　to　buy　people　and　information。〃
　〃Backed　by　the　Chinese　government；〃　said　Pitt；　〃his　cash　reserves　are　bottomless。〃
　Giordino　sat　on　a　bench　seat　facing　Sandecker。　〃What　magic　have　you　conjured　up；　Admiral？〃
　〃Magic？〃
　〃I've　been　around　you　too　long　to　know　you're　not　the　kind　to　sit　back　and　take　contempt　and　ridicule。　Something　is　cooking　in　your　Machiavellian　mind。〃
　Pitt　grinned。　〃I　suspect　the　admiral　and　I　are　running　on　the　same　wavelength。　We're　not　about　to　let　NUMA　be　shut　out　of　hanging　Qin　Shang　from　the　nearest　tree。〃
　Sandecker's　lips　curled　in　a　taut　smile　as　he　swung　the　boat　in　a　wide　arc　to　avoid　a　sailboat　that　was　tacking　upriver。　〃I　hate　it　when　I'm　second…guessed　by　the　hired　help。〃
　〃Sungari？〃　asked　Pitt。
　Sandecker　nodded。　〃I've　kept　Rudi　Gunn　and　the　Marine　Denizen　on　station　a　few　miles　below　Qin　Shang　Maritime's　port　facility　in　the　Atchafalaya　River。　I'd　like　you　two　rogues　to　fly　down　and　join　him。　Then　wait　for　the　United　States　to　show　up。〃
　〃Where　is　she　now？〃　asked　Giordino。
　〃The　last　report　put　her　two　hundred　miles　off　the　coast　of　Costa　Rica。〃
　〃That　should　put　her　at　the　dock　at　Sungari　in　three　days；〃　remarked　Pitt。
　〃You　were　right　about　a　crew　ing　on　board　to　take　her　through　the　Panama　Canal。〃
　〃Did　they　remain　on　board？〃
　Sandecker　shook　his　head。　〃After　transit　through　the　Canal；　they　disembarked。　The　United　States　is　continuing　toward　Louisiana　under　remote　control。〃
　〃A　'robo　ship；'　〃　Giordino　muttered　thoughtfully。　〃Hard　to　believe　a　ship　the　size　of　the　United　States　is　cruising　the　seas　with　no　one　on　board。〃
　〃The　Navy　has　been　developing　the　'robo　ship'　concept　for　ten　years；〃　explained　Sandecker。　〃Ship　designers　and　engineers　have　already　built　an　arsenal　ship　that　is　basically　a　floating　missile　pad　able　to　launch　as　many　as　five　hundred　missiles　by　remote　control　from　another　ship；　an　aircraft　or　a　facility　thousands　of　miles　away；　a　radical　departure　from　present　aircraft　carriers　that　require　a　five…thousand…man　crew。　It's　the　newest　concept　from　the　Navy　since　the　nuclear　ballistic　missile　submarine。　Totally　contained　warships　and　bomber　aircraft　are　not　far　behind。〃
　〃Whatever　Qin　Shang　has　in　mind　for　the　United　States；〃　said　Giordino；　〃it's　not　as　a　missile　platform。　Dirk　and　I　searched　it　from　engine　room　to　wheelhouse。　There　are　no　missile　launchers。〃
　〃I　read　your　report；〃　said　Sandecker。　〃You　also　found　no　indication　that　it　would　be　used　to　smuggle　illegal　immigrants。〃
　〃That's　true；〃　acknowledged　Pitt。　〃When　Shang's　operations　are　examined　at　first　glance　they　appear　to　be　conceived　by　a　genius　with　a　flair　for　sorcery；　but　tear　away　the　veneer　and　you　find　a　logical　exercise。　He　has　a　valid　function　for　the　ship；　you　can　bet　on　it。〃
　
　Sandecker　pulled　the　throttle　lever　another　notch　and　increased　the　speed　of　the　whaleboat。　〃So　we're　no　closer　to　a　solution　than　we　were　two　weeks　ago。〃
　〃Except　for　my　personal　theory　that　Shang　intends　to　scuttle　her；〃　said　Pitt。
　Sandecker　looked　dubious。　〃Why　scuttle　a　perfectly　good　ocean　liner　after　he　spent　millions　refitting　her？〃
　〃I　don't　have　an　answer；〃　Pitt　admitted。
　〃That's　what　I　want　you　to　find　out。　Take　care　of　your　immediate　affairs　and　sign　out　a　NUMA　jet　to　fly　yourselves　to　Morgan　City。　I'll　call　Rudi　and　tell　him　you're　ing。〃
　〃Now　that　we're　working　without　an　endorsement　from　the　INS　and　other　investigative　agencies；　how　far　can　we　go　with　this　thing？〃　Pitt　asked。
　〃Do　whatever　it　takes　without　getting　yourselves　killed；〃　responded　Sandecker　firmly。　〃I'll　be　responsible　and　answer　for　your　actions　once　Monroe　and　Harper　get　wise　that　we　haven't　stumbled　off　into　the　fog　and　gone　home　like　good　little　boys。〃
　Pitt　studied　Sandecker。　〃Why　are　you　doing　this；　Admiral？　Why　are　you　jeopardizing　your　job　as　head　of　NUMA　to　stop　Qin　Shang？〃
　The　admiral　stared　back　at　Pitt　astutely。　〃You　and　Al　were　going　to　go　behind　my　back　and　keep　dogging　Qin　Shang　anyway。　Am　I　right？〃
　Giordino　shrugged。　〃Yes；　I　guess　you　are。〃
　〃The　instant　Dirk　played　the　cowardly　lion　and　timidly　submitted　to　Monroe's　demand　that　you　go　to　a　safe　house；　I　knew　　　damned　well　you　were　going　to　jump　ship。　I'm　only　bowing　to　the　inevitable。〃
　Pitt　had　long　ago　bee　a　shrewd　judge　of　Sandecker's　　character。　〃Not　you；　Admiral。　You　never　bow　to　anything　or　anybody。〃
　The　fire　in　Sandecker's　eyes　blazed　for　a　moment；　then　　　j　smoldered。　〃If　you　must　know；　those　spooks　around　the　table　pissed　me　off　so　bad　that　I'm　counting　on　both　of　you　and　Rudi　Gunn　and　every　resource　at　NUMA　to　take　out　Qin　Shang　before　they　do。〃
　〃We're　up　against　some　pretty　heavy　petition；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃Maybe；〃　said　Sandecker；　his　eyes　being　urgent；　manding。　〃But　Qin　Shang　Maritime　operates　on　water；　and　that's　where　we　have　the　advantage。〃
　After　the　meeting　broke　up；　Harper　escorted　Julia　to　his　office　and　closed　the　door。　When　she　was　seated　he　came　around　and　sat　down　behind　his　desk。　〃Julia；　I　have　a　tough　assignment　for　you。　Strictly　on　a　volunteer　basis。　I'm　not　sure　you're　quite　up　to　it　just　yet。〃
　Julia's　interest　was　piqued。　〃It　won't　hurt　to　give　me　a　rundown。〃
　Harper　handed　her　a　file　folder。　She　opened　it　and　examined　a　photograph　of　a　woman　her　own　age　who　was　facing　the　camera　with　a　blank　expression　on　her　face。　Except　for　a　scar　on　her　chin；　she　and　Julia　could　have　passed　for　sisters。　〃Her　name　is　Lin　Wan　Chu。　She　grew　up　on　a　farm　in　Jiangsu　Province　and　ran　away　when　her　father　wanted　her　to　marry　a　man　old　enough　to　be　her　grandfather。　After　finding　work　in　the　kitchen　of　a　restaurant　hi　the　port　Qingdao；　she　eventually　became　a　chef。　Two　years　ago　she　signed　on　as　a　cook　with　Qin　Shang　Maritime　and　has　since　crewed　on　a　container　ship　called　the　Sung　Lien　Star；〃
　Julia　turned　to　a　dossier　on　the　woman　and　noted　that　it　came　from　the　CIA。　She　began　reading　as　Harper　sat　back　silently　until　she　finished。　〃There　is　a　definite　resemblance；〃　said　Julia。　〃We're　the　same　height　and　weight。　I'm　only　four　months　older　than　Lin　Wan　Chu。〃　She　kept　the　file　open　in　her　lap　and　stared　across　the　desk　at　Harper。　〃You　want　me　to　take　her　place？　Is　that　the　assignment？〃
　He　nodded。　〃It　is。〃
　〃My　ID　was　made　on　the　Indigo　Star。　Thanks　to　a　double　agent　on　Qin　Shang's　payroll；　his　security　people　have　a　file　on　me　a　mile　long。〃
　〃The　FBI　thinks　they　have　a　prime　suspect　and　are　maintaining　surveillance　on　him。〃
　〃I　don't　see　how　I　could　take　Lin　Wan　Chu's　identity　and　not　be　caught；〃　Julia　said　solemnly。　〃Especially　during　a　long　voyage。〃
　〃You　only　have　to　be　Lin　Wan　Chu　for　four；　maybe　five；　hours　at　the　most。　Just　enough　time　to　slip　into　the　ship's　routine　and　hopefully　discover　how　Qin　Shang　is　smuggling　his　illegal　cargo　of　immigrants　onto　land。〃
　〃You　know　for　a　fact　the　Sung　Lien　Star　has　aliens　hidden　on　board？〃
　〃A　CIA　undercover　agent　in　Qingdao　reported　that　he　observed　over　a　hundred　men；　women　and　children　with　luggage　being　unloaded　from　buses　in　the　dead　of　night　who　were　herded　into　a　warehouse　on　the　dock　beside　the　ship。　Two　hours　later；　the　Sung　Lien　Star　sailed。　At　daylight；　the　agent　found　the　warehouse　empty。　A　hundred…some…odd　people　had　mysteriously　disappeared。〃
　〃And　he　thinks　they　were　smuggled　on　board　the　ship？〃
　〃The　Star　is　a　large　container　ship　with　the　capacity　to　hide　a　hundred　warm　bodies；　and　its　destination　is　the　port　of　Sun…gari　in　Louisiana。　There　seems　little　doubt　that　she's　another　one　of　Qin　Shang's　illegal…immigrant　smuggling　vessels。〃
　〃They　make　me　this　time；〃　said　Julia　seriously；　〃and　I'll　be　shark　bait　in　less　time　than　it　takes　to　tell　about　it。〃
　〃The　risk　is　not　as　high　as　you　think；〃　Harper　assured　her。　〃You　won't　be　working　alone　like　you　did　on　the　Indigo　Star。　You'll　carry　a　concealed　radio　and　be　monitored　every　minute。　Backup　will　be　no　less　than　a　mile　away。〃
　When　it　came　to　daring　the　unknown；　Julia　was　as　fearless　as　any　man；　more　so　than　most。　Her　adrenaline　was　already　rising　at　the　thought　of　walking　a　tightrope。
　〃There　is　one　problem；〃　she　said　quietly。
　〃What　is　that？〃
　A　little　grimace　twisted　the　shapely　red　mouth。　〃My　mother　and　father　taught　me　gourmet　cooking。　I've　never　prepared　basic　slop　in　quantity　before。〃
　
　THE　MORNING　WAS　BRIGHT　WITH　A　HIGH　CLEAR　SKY　FLECKED　by　small　cloud　puffs　scattered　about　like　popcorn　spilled　on　a　blue　carpet　as　Pitt　leveled　out　the　little　Skyfox　flying　boat　and　flew　over　the　terminal　buildings　and　docks　of　Sungari。　He　circled　and　made　several　passes；　skimming　less　than　a　hundred　feet　above　the　tops　of　the　big　cranes　that　were　lifting　wooden　cargo　crates　from　the　holds　of　the　only　freighter　moored　along　an　otherwise　deserted　dock。　The　merchant　ship　was　sandwiched　between　the　dock　and　a　barge　with　a　towboat。
　
　〃Must　be　a　slow　business　day；〃　observed　Giordino　from　the　copilot's　seat。
　〃One　ship　offload