cc.vixen03-第26部分

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　〃Where　do　you　get　your　information？〃　Loren　demanded。
　〃I'm　black　and　I　know。〃
　〃You're　also　full　of　shit；〃　Loren　said。　〃I've　conferred　with　hundreds　of　blacks　in　my　district。　They're　no　different　from　any　other　American　citizen。　Each　is　concerned　with　high　taxes；　the　rising　costs　of　groceries　and　energy；　the　same　as　whites；　Orientals；　Indians；　and　Chicanos。　You're　only　kidding　yourself；　Daggat；　if　you　think　our　blacks　give　a　damn　about　how　African　blacks　mess　up　their　countries。　They　don't；　and　for　the　simple　reason　that　Africans　don't　give　a　damn　about　them。〃
　〃You　are　making　a　sad　error。〃
　〃No；　it　is　you　who　is　making　the　error；〃　snapped　Loren。　〃You　are　stirring　up　trouble　where　it　need　not　exist。　The　black　race　will　find　equal　opportunity　through　education；　just　like　everyone　else。　The　Nisei　did　it　after　World　War　Two。　When　they　returned　from　the　internment　camps；　they　worked　in　the　Southern　California　fields　to　send　their　sons　and　daughters　through　UCLA　and　USC　to　bee　attorneys　and　doctors。　They　arrived。　Now　it's　the　blacks'　turn。　And　they'll　do　it；　too；　provided　they're　not　hindered　by　men　like　you；　who　rabble…rouse　at　every　oppor…tunity。　Now　I'll　thank　you　to　get　the　hell　out　of　my　office。〃
　Daggat　stared　at　her；　his　face　a　mask　of　anger。　Then　his　lips　cracked　slowly　into　a　grin。　He　held　the　cigar　at　arm's　length　and　let　it　drop　onto　the　carpet。　Then　he　turned　and　stormed　from　the　office。
　〃You　look　like　a　boy　who　just　had　his　bicycle　stolen；〃　said　Felicia　Collins。　She　was　sitting　in　one　corner　of　Daggat's　limousine；　filing　her　long　nails。
　Daggat　slid　in　beside　her　and　motioned　for　the　driver　to　move　on。　He　stared　stonily　ahead；　his　face　blank。
　Felicia　slipped　the　emery　board　back　in　her　purse　and　waited；　her　eyes　apprehensive。　Finally　she　broke　the　silence。　〃I　take　it　Loren　Smith　turned　you　down。〃
　〃The　foulmouthed　white　bitch；〃　he　said；　almost　spat。　〃She　thinks　she　can　treat　me　like　some　nigger　stud　on　a　pre…Civil　War　plantation。〃
　〃What　on　earth　are　you　talking　about？〃　she　asked；　surprised。　〃I　know　Loren　Smith。　She　hasn't　got　a　prejudiced　bone　in　her　body。〃
　Daggat　turned。　〃You　know　her？〃
　〃Loren　and　I　were　high…school　classmates。　We　still　get　together　from　time　to　time。〃　A　hardness　came　over　Felicia's　face　that　had　not　been　there　before。　〃You　have　something　evil　on　your　crafty　mind；　Frederick。　What　is　it？〃
　〃I've　got　to　have　Congresswoman　Smith's　support　if　I　am　to　push　through　my　bill　to　send　arms　and　aid　to　the　AAR。〃
　〃Would　you　like　me　to　talk　to　Loren？　Lobby　on　Hiram's　behalf？〃
　〃That　and　more。〃
　She　tried　to　read　his　thoughts。　〃More？〃
　〃I　want　you　to　get　something　on　her。　Something　I　can　use　to　twist　her　to　our　way　of　thinking。〃
　Felicia　stared　at　him；　stunned。　〃Blackmail　Loren？　You　don't　know　what　you're　asking。　I　can't　spy　on　a　good　friend。　No　way。〃
　〃Your　choice　is　clear：　a　girlish　school　friendship　in　exchange　for　the　freedom　of　millions　of　our　brothers　and　sisters　who　are　enslaved　by　a　tyrannical　government。〃
　〃And　if　I　can't　dig　any　dirt？〃　Felicia　said；　searching　for　an　out。　〃It's　no　secret　her　political　career　is　unblemished。〃
　〃Nobody　is　perfect。〃
　〃What　would　I　look　for？〃
　〃Loren　Smith　is　an　attractive　single　woman。　She　must　have　a　sex　life。〃
　〃What　if　she　does？〃　Felicia　argued。　〃Every　single　girl　has　her　share　of　love　affairs。　And　as　long　as　she　has　no　husband；　you　can't　manufacture　a　scandal　out　of　adultery。〃
　Daggat　smiled。　〃How　astute　of　you。　We　shall　do　exactly　that…　manufacture　a　scandal。〃
　〃Loren　deserves　better。〃
　〃If　she　throws　her　support　to　our　cause；　she　needn't　worry　about　her　secrets'　going　public。〃
　Felicia　bit　her　lip。　〃No；　I　will　not　stab　a　friend　in　the　back。　Besides；　Hiram　would　never　pardon　such　a　malignity。〃
　Daggat　refused　to　play　her　game。　〃Indeed？　You　may　have　slept　with　the　savior　of　Africa；　but　I　doubt　if　you　ever　truly　read　the　man　beneath　the　skin。　Look　up　his　past　sometime。　Hiram　Lusana　makes　Al　Capone　and　Jesse　James　look　like　sissies。　It　gets　thrown　in　my　face　every　time　I　stand　up　for　him。〃　Then　Daggat's　eyes　narrowed。　〃Aren't　you　forgetting　how　he　literally　sold　you　to　me？〃
　〃I　haven't　forgotten。〃
　Felicia　turned　away　and　stared　out　the　window。
　Daggat　squeezed　her　hand。　〃Don't　worry；〃　he　said；　smiling。　〃Nothing　will　happen　that　will　leave　any　scars。〃
　She　raised　his　hand　and　kissed　it；　but　she　didn't　believe　his　words；　not　for　an　instant。
　
　30
　
　Unlike　her　famous　parent　ship　the　Monitor；　the　Chenago　was　virtually　unknown　to　all　but　a　handful　of　naval　historians。　missioned　during　June　of　1862　in　New　York；　she　was　immediately　ordered　to　join　the　Union　fleet　blockading　the　entrance　to　Savannah。　The　unfortunate　Chenago　never　had　a　chance　to　fire　her　guns：　an　hour　away　from　her　assigned　station　she　met　a　heavy　sea　and　foundered；　entombing　her　entire　crew　of　forty…two　men　ninety　feet　below　the　waves。
　Pitt　sat　in　the　conference　room　of　the　NUMA　salvage　ship　Visalia　and　studied　a　stack　of　underwater　photos　taken　by　divers　of　the　Chenago's　grave。　Jack　Folsom；　the　brawny　salvagemaster；　chewed　a　massive　wad　of　gum　and　looked　on；　waiting　for　the　inevitable　questions。
　Pitt　didn't　disappoint　him。
　〃Is　the　hull　still　intact？〃
　Folsom　shifted　the　gum。　〃No　noticeable　transverse　cracks　that　we　can　tell。　Can't　see　it　all；　of　course；　since　seven　feet　of　keel　is　under　the　seafloor　and　the　interior　is　filled　with　a　yard　of　sand。　But　I'm　guessing　that　chances　of　a　longitudinal　break　are　slim。　I'll　lay　odds　that　we　can　lift　her　irt　one　piece。〃
　〃What　method　do　you　propose？〃
　〃Dollinger　variable　air　tanks；〃　answered　Folsom。　〃Sink　them　in　pairs　beside　the　hulk。　Then　attach　and　fill　with　air。　Same　basic　principle　that　hoisted　the　old　submarine　F…four　after　she　sank　off　Hawaii　way　back　in　1915。〃
　〃You'll　have　to　use　suction　pumps　to　remove　the　sand。　The　lighter　she　is；　the　less　chance　she'll　pull　apart。　The　thick　iron　plate　seems　to　have　stood　up　well；　but　the　heavy　oak　planking　behind　has　long　since　rotted　away　its　strength。〃
　〃We　can　also　remove　the　guns；〃　said　Folsom。　〃They're　accessible。〃
　Pitt　examined　a　copy　of　the　Chenago's　original　designs。　The　Monitor's　familiar　shape　contained　just　one　circular　gun　turret；　but　the　Chenago　possessed　two；　one　at　each　end　of　her　hull。　From　within　both　turrets　extended　twin　thirty…centimeter　Dahlgren　smoothbore　cannon；　weigh…ing　several　tons　apiece。
　〃The　Dollinger　tanks；〃　said　Pitt；　suddenly　thoughtful；　〃how　efficient　are　they　for　lifting　sunken　aircraft？〃
　Folsom　stopped　in　mid…chew　and　stared　at　Pitt。　〃How　big？〃
　〃A　hundred　and　seventy　or　eighty　thousand　pounds；　including　cargo。〃
　〃How　deep？〃
　〃One　hundred　forty　feet。〃
　Pitt　could　almost　hear　the　gears　whirring　in　Folsom's　brain。　Finally　the　salvagemaster　resumed　chewing　and　said；　〃I'd　remend　derricks。〃
　〃Derricks？〃
　〃Two　of　them　on　stable　platforms　could　easily　lift　that　much　weight；〃　said　Folsom。　〃Besides；　an　aircraft　is　a　fragile　piece　of　hardware。　If　you　used　the　Dollinger　tanks　and　they　got　the　least　bit　out　of　synchronization　during　the　lift；　they　could　tear　the　plane　apart。〃　He　paused　and　looked　at　Pitt　questioningly。　〃Why　all　the　hypothetical　questions？〃
　Pitt　smiled　a　pondering　smile。　〃You　never　know　when　we　might　have　to　bring　up　an　airplane。〃
　Folsom　shrugged。　〃So　much　for　fantasy。　Now　then；　getting　back　to　the　Chenago　。　。　。〃
　Pitt's　eyes　intently　followed　the　diagrams　Folsom　began　drawing　on　a　blackboard。　The　diving　program；　the　air　tanks；　the　ships　on　the　surface；　and　the　sunken　ironclad　all　took　shape　in　conjunction　with　Folsom's　running　mentary　on　the　planned　lift　operation。　To　all　appearances；　Pitt　seemed　keenly　interested；　but　nothing　he　saw　was　relayed　to　his　memory　cells；　his　mind　was　two　thousand　miles　away；　deep　in　a　Col…orado　lake。
　Just　as　Folsom　was　describing　the　proposed　towing　procedure　once　the　wreck　reached　sunlight　for　the　first　time　in　125　years；　a　Visalia　crewman　poked　his　head　through　the　hatchway　and　gestured　toward　Pitt。
　〃There's　a　shore…to…ship　call　for　you；　sir。〃
　Pitt　nodded；　reached　behind　him；　and　picked　up　a　phone　sitting　on　a　bulkhead　shelf。
　〃This　is　Pitt。〃
　〃You're　harder　to　track　down　than　the　abominable　snowman；〃　said　a　voice　through　the　background　static。
　〃Who　is　this？〃
　〃Talk　about　shabby　treatment；〃　said　the　voice　sarcastically；　〃I　slave　over　a　messy　desk　until　three　in　the　morning　doing　you　a　favor　and　you　don't　even　remember　my　name。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Paul；〃　Pitt　said；　laughing；　〃but　your　voice　sounds　about　two　octaves　higher　over　the　radiophone。〃
　Paul　Buckner；　a　longtime　pal　of　Pitt's　and　an　agent　of　the　Federal　Bureau　of　Investigation；　lowered　his　pitch　to　his　belt　buckle。　〃There；　is　that　any　better？〃
　〃Much。　Got　any　answers　for　me？〃
　〃Everything　you　asked　for；　and　then　some。〃
　〃I'm　listening。〃
　〃Well；　to　start　with；　the　rank　of　the　man　you　think　authorized　the　flight　orders　for　Vixen　03　obviously　was　not　correct。〃
　〃But　'General'　was　the　only　title　that　fit。〃
　〃Ain't　necessarily　so。　The　title　was　a　seven…letter　word。　All　that　was　readable　was　the　fifth　character；　which　was　an^？。　Quite　naturally；　it　was　assumed　that　since　Vixen　03　was　an　Air　Force　plane　piloted　by　an　Air　Force　crew；　its　flight　orders　could　only　be　au