alistairmaclean.seawitch-第13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！


n　a　wide　sweeping　turn　to　port。　Two　minutes　later　the　Georgia　was　on　a　parallel　course　to　the　Torbello；　alongside　its　port　quarter…the　bridge　of　a　tanker　lies　very　far　aft…paralleling　its　course　at　the　same　speed　and　not　more　than　thirty　yards　away。　Cronkite　moved　out　onto　the　wing　of　the　Georgia's　bridge　and　lifted　his　loud…hailer。
　〃Coast　Guard。　Please　stop。　This　is　a　request；　not　an　order。　We　think　your　vessel's　in　great　danger。　Your　permission；　please；　to　bring　a　trained　research　party　aboard。　For　the　safety　of　your　men　and　the　ship；　don't　break　radio　silence　on　any　account！〃
　Captain　Thompson；　an　honest　sailor　with　no　criminal　propensities　whatsoever；　used　his　own　loud…hailer。
　〃What's　wrong？　Why　is　this　boarding　necessary？〃
　〃It's　not　a　boarding。　I　am　making　a　request　for　your　own　good。　Believe　me；　I'd　rather　not　be　within　five　miles　of　you。　It　is　necessary。　I'd　rather　e　aboard　with　my　lieutenant　and　explain　privately。　Don't　forget　what　happened　to　your　sister　ship；　the　Crusader；　in　Galveston　harbor　last　night。〃
　Captain　Thompson；　clearly；　had　not　forgotten　and　was；　of　course；　pletely　unaware　that　Cronkite　was　the　man　responsible　for　what　had　happened　to　his　sister　ship：　a　ringing　of　bells　from　the　bridge　was　indication　enough　of　that。　Three　minutes　later　the　Torbello　lay　stopped　in　the　calm　waters。　The　Georgia　edged　up　alongside　the　Torbello　until　its　midships　were　just　ahead　of　the　bulk　of　the　tanker's　superstructure。　At　this　point　it　was　possible　to　step　from　the　Georgia's　deck　straight　onto　the　deck　of　the　deep…laden　tanker；　which　was　what　Cronkite　and　Mulhooney　proceeded　to　do。　They　paused　there　until　they　had　made　sure　that　the　Georgia　was　securely　moored　fore　and　aft　to　the　tanker；　then　climbed　a　series　of　panionways　and　ladders　up　to　the　bridge。
　Both　men　were　quite　unrecognizable。　Cronkite　had　acquired　a　splendidly　bushy　black　beard；　a　neatly　trimmed　mustache　and　dark　glasses　and；　with　his　smartly　tailored　uniform　and　slightly　rakish　peaked　cap；　looked　the　epitome　of　the　petent　and　dashing　coast…guard…cutter　captain　which　he　was　not。　Mulhooney　was　similarly　disguised。
　There　was　only　Captain　Thompson　and　an　idle　helmsman　on　the　bridge。　Cronkite　shook　the　captain's　hand。
　〃Good　morning。　Sorry　to　disturb　you　when　you　are　proceeding　about　your　lawful　business　and　all　that；　but　you　may　be　glad　we　stopped　you。　First；　where　is　your　radio　room？〃　Captain　Thompson　nodded　to　a　door　set　in　back　of　the　bridge。　〃Fd　like　my　lieutenant　to　check　on　the　radio　silence。　This　is　imperative。〃　Again；　Captain　Thompson；　now　feeling　distinctly　uneasy；　nodded。　Cronkite　looked　at　Mulhooney。　〃Go　check；　Dixon；　will　you？〃
　Mulhooney　passed　through　into　the　radio　room；　closing　the　door　behind　him。　The　radio　operator　looked　up　from　his　transceiver　with　an　air　of　mild　surprise。
　〃Sorry　to　disturb。〃　Mulhooney　sounded　almost　genial；　a　remarkable　feat　for　a　man　totally　devoid　of　geniality。　〃I'm　from　the　Coast　Guard　cutter　alongside。　The　captain　told　you　to　keep　radio　silence？〃
　〃That's　just　what　I'm　doing。〃
　〃Made　any　radio　calls　since　leaving　the　Sea…witch？〃
　〃Only　the　routine　half…hourly　on…course；　on…time　calls。'*
　〃Do　they　acknowledge　those？　I　have　my　reasons　for　asking。〃　Mulhooney　carefully　refrained　from　saying　what　his　reasons　were。
　〃No。　Well；　just　the　usual　'roger　and　out'　business。〃
　Allstair　
　〃What's　the　call…up　frequency？〃
　The　operator　pointed　to　the　console。　〃Preset。〃
　Mulhooney　nodded　and　walked　casually　behind　the　operator。　Just　to　make　sure　that　the　operator　kept　on　maintaining　radio　silence；　Mulhooney　clipped　him　over　the　right　ear　with　his　pistol。　He　then　returned　to　the　bridge；　where　he　found　Captain　Thompson　in　a　state　of　considerable　and　understandable　perturbation。
　Captain　Thompson；　a　deep　anxiety　pounded　by　a　self…defensive　disbelief；　said：　〃What　you're　telling　me　in　effect　is　that　the　Torbello　is　a　floating　time　bomb。〃
　〃A　bomb；　certainly。　Maybe　lots　of　bombs。　Not　only　possible　but　almost　certain。　Our　sources　of　information…sorry；　Fm　not　at　liberty　to　divulge　those…are　as　nearly　perfect　as　can　be。〃
　〃God's　sake；　man；　no　one　would　be　so　crazy　as　to　cause　a　huge　oil　slick　in　the　Gulf。〃
　Cronkite　said：　〃It's　your　assumption；　not　mine；　that　we're　dealing　with　sane　minds。　Who　but　a　crazy　man　would　have　endangered　Galveston　by　blowing　up　your　sister　tanker　there？〃
　The　captain　fell　silent　and　pondered　the　question　gloomily。
　Cronkite　went　on：　〃Anyway；　it's　my　intention…with　your　consent；　of　course…to　search　the　engine　room；　living　acmodations　and　every　storage　space　on　the　ship。　With　the　kind　of　search　crew　I　have　it　shouldn't　take　more　than　half　an　hour。〃
　Seawitch
　〃What　kind　of　preset　time　bomb　do　you　think　it　might　be？〃
　〃I　don't　think　it's　a　time　bomb…or　bombs…　at　all。　I　think　that　the　detonator…or　detonators　…will　be　a　certain　radioactivated　device　that　can　be　triggered　by　any　nearby　craft；　plane　or　helicopter。　But　I　don't　think　it's　fixing　to　happen　till　you're　close　to　the　U。S。　coast。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃So　we'll　have　maximum　pollution　along　the　shores。　There'll　be　a　national　holler　against　Lord　Worth　and　the　safety　standards　aboard　Ms…　ah…rather　superannuated　tankers；　maybe　resulting　in　closing　down　the　Seawitch　or　the　seizing　of　any　of　Worth's　tankers　that　might　enter　American　territorial　waters。〃　In　addition　to　his　many　other　specialized　qualifications；　Cronkite　was　a　consummate　liar。　〃Okay　if　I　call　my　men？〃　Captain　Thompson　nodded　without　any　noticeable　enthusiasm。
　Cronkite　lifted　the　loud…hailer　and　ordered　the　search　party　aboard。　They　came　immediately；　fourteen　of　them；　all　of　them　wearing　stocking　masks；　all　of　them　carrying　machine　pistols。　Captain　Thompson　stared　at　them　in　stupefaction；　then　turned　and　stared　some　more　at　Cronkite　and　Mulhooney；　both　of　whom　had　pistols　leveled　at　him。　Cronkite　may　have　been　looking　satisfied　or　even　triumphant；　but　such　was　the　abundance　of　his　ersatz　facial　foliage　that　it　was　impossible　to　tell。
　
　Captain　Thompson；　in　a　stupefaction　that　was　slowly　turning　into　a　slow　burn；　said：　〃What　the　hell　goes？〃
　〃You　can　see　what　goes。　Hijack。　A　very　popular　pastime　nowadays。　I　agree　that　nobody's　ever　hijacked　a　tanker　before；　but　there　always　has　to　be　a　first　time。　Besides；　it's　not　really　something　new。　Piracy　on　the　high　seas。　They've　been　at　it　for　thousands　of　years。　Don't　try　anything　rash；　Captain；　and　please　don't　try　to　be　a　hero。　If　you　all　behave；　no　harm　will　e　to　you。　Anyway；　what　could　you　possibly　do　with　fourteen　submachine　guns　lined　up　against　you？〃
　Within　five　minutes　all　the　crew；　officers　and　men；　including　the　recovered　radio　operator　but　with　one　other　exception；　were　herded　into　the　crew's　mess　under　armed　guard。　Nobody　had　even　as　much　as　contemplated　offering　resistance。　The　exception　was　an　unhappy…looking　duty　engineer　in　the　engine　room。　There　are　few　people　who　don't　look　slightly　unhappy　when　staring　at　the　muzzle　of　a　Schmeisser　from　a　distance　of　five　feet。
　Cronkite　was　on　the　bridge　giving　Mulhooney　his　final　instructions。
　〃Keep　on　sending　the　Seawitch　its　half…hour　on…time；　on…course　reports。　Then　report　a　minor　breakdown　in　two　or　three　hours…a　fractured　fuel　line　or　something　of　the　sort…enough　that　would　keep　the　Torbello　immobilized　for　a　few
　Seawitch
　hours。　You're　due　in　Galveston　tonight　and　I　need　time　and　room　to　maneuver。　Rather；　you　need　time　and　room　to　maneuver。　When　it　gets　dark　keep　every　navigational　light　extinguished　…in　fact；　every　light　extinguished。　Let's　don't　underestimate　Lord　Worth。〃　Cronkite　was　speaking　with　an　unaccustomed　degree　of　bitterness；　doubtless　recalling　the　day　Lord　Worth　had　taken　him　to　the　cleaners　in　court。　〃He's　a　very　powerful　man；　and　it's　quite　in　the　cards　that　he　can　have　an　air…and…sea　search　mounted　for　his　missing　tanker。〃
　Cronkite　rejoined　the　Georgia；　cast　off　and　pulled　away。　Mulhooney；　too；　got　under　way；　but　altered　course　ninety　degrees　to　port　so　that　he　was　heading　southwest　instead　of　northwest。　On　the　first　half　hour　he　sent　the　reassuring　report　to　the　Seawitch…〃on　course；　on　time。〃
　Cronkite　waited　for　the　Starlight　to　join　him；　then　both　vessels　proceeded　together　in　a　generally　southeasterly　direction　until　they　were　about　thirty…five　nautical　miles　from　the　Seawitch；　safely　over　the　horizon　and　out　of　reach　of　the　Seawitch's　radar　and　sonar。　They　stopped　their　engines　and　settled　down　to　wait。
　The　big　Boeing　had　almost　halved　the　distance　between　Florida　and　Washington。　Lord　Worth；　in　his　luxurious　stateroom　immediately　abaft　the　flight　deck；　was　making　up　for　time　lost　during　the　previous　night　and；　blissfully　unaware　of　the　slings　and　arrows　that　were　ing　at　him　from　all　sides；　was　soundly　asleep。
　Mitchell　had　been　unusually　but　perhaps　not　unexpectedly　late　in　waking　that　morning。　He　showered；　shaved　and　dressed　while　the　coffee　percolated；　all　the　time　conscious　of　a　peculiar　and　unaccustomed　sense　of　unease。　He　paced　up　and　down　the　kitchen；　drinking　his　coffee；　then　abruptly　decided　to　put　his　unease　at　rest。　He　lifted　the　phone　and　dialed　Lord　Worth's　mansion。　The　other　end　rang；　rang　again　and　kept　on　ringing。　Mitchell　replaced　the　receiver；　then　tried　again　with　the　same　result。　He　finished　his　co