Steal The Sun(战争间谍)-第56部分

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Finn　looked　at　the　middle…aged　Army　major　who　had　volunteered　to　fly　a　stranger　over　the
Sierras　on　a　stormy　night。　“I’m　glad　it　doesn’t　show。”
The　pilot　laughed；　then　cursed　as　an　updraft　hurled　the　little　Piper　toward　the　stars。　“At　least
you’re　not　puking　all　over　the　place。”
Finn　stretched　as　much　as　he　could　in　the　small　cockpit　and　wished　for　coffee。　Suddenly　he
leaned　to　the　right；　staring　out　his　window　between　the　last　streamers　of　storm。　“Lights　at　three
o’clock！”
The　pilot　checked　his　gauges。　“Manzanar。　Where　do　we　land？”
“On　the　highway。　There　are　roadblocks　five　miles　on　either　side　of　the　camp。　Pick　one　and　set
me　down　as　close　to　it　as　you　can。”
The　pilot　gave　Finn　a　speculative　look；　but　asked　no　questions。
The　roadblocks　were　lit　by　flares　and　headlights　shining　along　the　black　surface　of　the　highway。
The　pilot　brought　the　plane　in　low；　tracing　the　road　with　his　landing　light。　In　the　beam；　smoke
from　the　flares　bent　across　the　highway　in　a　diagonal　line。　The　plane　jerked　and　shuddered　in　the
grip　of　the　wind。
“Hang　on；”　said　the　pilot。　“This　could　be　a　bitch。”
The　pilot　was　good；　the　plane　bounced　only　once。　Even　on　the　ground；　the　wind　jerked　at　the
Piper　as　it　taxied　toward　the　Army　Jeeps　parked　in　the　traffic　lanes；　blocking　and　at　the　same
time　illuminating　the　highway。　The　plane　stopped　six　feet　from　the　Jeeps。
Finn　looked　over　at　the　pilot　and　nodded　appreciatively。　“Nice　work。”
The　pilot　sighed。　“I’m　damn　glad　I　don’t　have　to　do　it　again。”
With　no　wasted　motions；　Finn　unbuckled　himself；　grabbed　the　radiation　counter；　and　climbed
out　of　the　plane。　The　night　shuddered　with　wind。
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The　guardhouse　showed　as　a　black　blot　in　the　middle　of　the　road。　The　private　stopped　the　Jeep
next　to　the　field…stone　building。　As　Finn　climbed　out；　the　guardhouse　door　opened；　illuminating
him　with　a　wash　of　light。　The　Jeep　turned　and　gunned　back　toward　the　highway；　leaving　Finn
alone　with　the　man　who　was　emerging　from　the　small　stone　house。
“Captain　Anderson？”
“Yes。”　The　captain　looked　oddly　at　Finn。　“I　was　told　to　expect　you　–　and　to　stay　out　of　your
way。”
“Any　trouble？”　Finn　asked；　following　Anderson　back　into　the　guardhouse。
“Not　yet。　The　Englishwoman　was　trying　to　interview　people；　but　she　didn’t　have　much　luck。　The
Japanese　are　very　polite；　but　they　don’t　say　much。”
“They　lived　in　paper　houses　for　centuries；”　said　Finn。　“They’ve　raised　civility　to　an　art　–　and
turned　it　into　armor。”
Anderson　smiled　sardonically。　“Last　I　heard；　she　was　in　the　USO　canteen。　Not　many　people　are
out　at　this　hour。　A　few　gamblers　going　back　to　angry　wives；　or　some　kids　sneaking　off　to　be
alone。　She’ll　probably　give　up　and　go　to　bed　soon。”
Finn　disagreed；　but　said　only；　“Is　there　any　rumor　of　new　Japanese　in　the　camp？”
Captain　Anderson　paused　as　though　listening　to。　the　wind。　“Agent　Coughlan　asked　the　same
thing。　I’ve　done　what　I　could　to　find　out；　but　–　have　you　ever　been　around　a　prison？”　Without
waiting　for　an　answer；　the　captain　continued。　“The　inmates　run　them。　Any　prison　–　every　prison。
But　especially　this　one。　We　don’t　know　any　more　about　these　people　than　we　did　the　day　they
arrived。　Less；　really。　We　thought　they　were　enemies；　then。　Now　–　who　knows？”
Anderson　poured　coffee　out　of　a　vacuum　flask　into　two　cups　as　he　talked。　He　handed　one　cup
to　Finn。　Finn　drank　steaming　coffee　and　studied　the　schematic　of　Manzanar　on　the　guardhouse
wall。　The　camp　was　a　warren　of　barracks　laid　out　in　military　rows；　functional　living　quarters　for
several　thousand　men；　women　and　children。　Almost　one…fifth　of　the　inmates　were　U。S。　citizens。
The　rest　were　Japanese　nationals。　All　had　reason　to　resent　the　government　he　represented。
Even　if　Manzanar’s　population　remained　neutral；　the　camp　gave　Kestrel　thousands　of　Japanese
faces　to　lose　himself　among。　Finn　glanced　at　the　clock　on　the　guardhouse　wall。　Less　than　six
hours　left。　Six　hours；　thousands　of　Japanese　and　two　lumps　of　uranium　that　could　be　buried
anywhere。
Finn　turned　back　to　the　captain。　“Every　prison　has　informants。”
“There’s　just　no　point；　here。　The　Japanese　aren’t　going　to　riot。　It’s　not　their　way。　The　ones　who
felt　differently　never　came　to　Manzanar　in　the　first　place。”
“Would　they　tell　you　if　one　of　Hirohito’s　spies　dropped　in　for　a　visit？”
“It　would　depend　on　what　the　spy　wanted　from　them。　They　solve　their　own　problems　in　there；
and　they　don’t　make　any　waves　while　they　do　it。　Oh；　every　once　in　a　while　Mr。　Oshiga　will　ask
the　colonel’s　advice；　but　it’s　just　a　polite　gesture。　They　are　very　polite。”
“Oshiga？　Takeo　Oshiga？”　asked　Finn。
“No。　Masataka。　He’s　Takeo’s　uncle；　I　believe。　Or　grandfather。　The　Japanese　in　Manzanar　may
bow　to　us；　but　they　obey　Masataka　Oshiga。”
Finn　turned　back　to　the　wall　map　for　a　moment；　as　though　willing　it　to　reveal　the　location　of　a
Japanese　spy；　the　daughter　of　a　San　Francisco　flower　seller；　and　the　uranium　whose　value　was
measured　in　lives　as　well　as　dollars。　Somewhere　inside　Manzanar　a　second　sun　waited　to　rise；　a
sun　that　would　kill　thousands　and　thereby　save　hundreds　of　thousands　from　dying　in　an　invasion
of　Japan。
“Look；”　said　Captain　Anderson；　“why　don’t　I　call　out　the　troops　and　search　the　place　one
apartment　at　a　time？”
“No。”　Finn’s　tone　was　smooth；　final；　leaving　no　possibility　of　question。　He　faced　the　captain。
“All　I　need　is　one　of　your　men　for　a　few　minutes。　I’ll　meet　him　by　the　front　fence。　Which
barracks　does　Takeo’s　family　live　in？”
“Thirty…nine；　apartment　A。　Back　by　the　rear　fence；　first　row；　near　the　washhouse。”
Page　139
“Does　Masataka　live　there　too？”
“No。”
“Good。　What’s　the　name　of　Masataka’s　wife？”
“Kiku。”
Finn　reached　back　under　his　jacket；　snaked　out　his　。45　and　checked　it。　Anderson　stared　at　the
gun。
“Jesus。　You　aren’t　going　to　shoot　her；　are　you？”
Finn　returned　the　gun　to　its　holster　in　the　small　of　his　back　and　picked　up　the　radiation　counter
again。　“If　you　don’t　hear　from　me　in　an　hour；　call　General　Groves。　He’ll　tell　you　what　to　do。”
He　opened　the　guardhouse　door　and　stood　for　a　moment　as　though　testing　the　wind。　The　door
closed　behind　him。　He　was　alone　in　the　desert　night。　As　he　faced　the　lights　of　Manzanar；　he　felt
the　skin　of　his　neck　tighten　and　move；　hidden　among　those　lights　was　the　power　to　change　the
world。
He　walked　toward　the　camp　with　long　strides。
Manzanar
42　Hours　19　Minutes　After　Trinity
The　USO　barracks　was　the　only　one　fully　lit。　The　wind　blew　through　cracks；　stirring　the
American　flags　that　were　draped　everywhere。　Vanessa　sat　at　a　table　just　inside　the　front　door；
smiling　and　talking　with　a　young；　slightly　drunk　lieutenant；　an　Isei；　second…generation　American。
He　lacked　the　personal　and　cultural　reserve　of　many　who　lived　in　Manzanar。　She　had　led　the
conversation　to　the　subject　of　life　in　San　Francisco　before　Pearl　Harbor。
“Did　you　know　the　Oshigas？”　she　asked。　“They　had　a　flower　shop　in　Little　Tokyo。　I　heard　he
was　sent　to　Manzanar。”
“You　bet；”　said　the　lieutenant；　finishing　off　his　beer。　“His　son　was　with　me　when　I　got　this。”　He
thumped　on　the　cast　covering　his　right　leg。　“Hell　of　a　fight。　We　were　lucky　to　come　out　alive。”
Vanessa　smiled；　concealing　the　leap　of　her　nerves。　Finally；　a　Japanese　who　was　not　afraid　to　talk。
“Is　the　whole　Oshiga　family　here？”
The　lieutenant　frowned。　“Ana　–　his　sister　–　went　to　Mexico。　It　nearly　killed　her　father。”
A　feral　alertness　swept　over　Vanessa。　“Mexico？”
“Juarez；　I　think。”　He　shrugged。　“It’s　not　a　popular　subject　with　the　Oshigas。”
“I　understand；”　she　murmured。　“They　are　loyal　Americans。”　Fools。　“Do　they　still　live　in
apartment　28B？”
“No；　it’s　39A；”　said　the　lieutenant；　signaling　for　another　beer。
Vanessa　controlled　the　impulse　to　leap　to　her　feet　and　run　out　of　there。　She　must　stay　for　a　few
minutes　more。　The　lieutenant　must　not　suspect　that　she　was　going　to　the　Oshigas’　apartment。　She
smiled　and　pretended　interest　in　what　the　lieutenant　was　saying　about　the　Italian　campaign。
Manzanar
42　Hours　29　Minutes　After　Trinity
“He　must　stay　here！”　said　Ana　fiercely；　her　voice　hoarse　from　the　long　argument　that　had
followed　her　appearance　with　Kestrel　in　her　father’s　apartment。　“You　can　see　he’s　ill！　What　harm
can　one　weak　stranger　do　to　any　of　you？”
“Tonight；　the　man　you　call　Kestrel　will　stay；”　said　Takeo。　“I　wouldn’t　dishonor　our　house　by
refusing　shelter　to　a　sick　man。”
Unconsciously；　Ana　looked　around　her　father’s　“house”　–　a　20’　by　25’　segment　of　barracks　–
with　a　combination　of　contempt　and　sadness。　Her　father　noticed　her　expression；　but　he　said
nothing　about　her　lack　of　respect。
“Tomorrow；”　Takeo　said；　“we　go　to　Masataka…san　and　ask　the　honor　of　his　wisdom。　He　will
hear　you；　and　the　man　Kestrel；　and　then　Masataka…san　will　decide　what　to　do。”
“But　–　“　began　Ana。
Page　140
“Enough；　daughter！”　whispered　Takeo。　“Masataka…san　is　wise。　He　will　tell　us　what　is　best　for　the
Japanese　in　Manzanar。”
“There　are　no　Japanese　in　Manzanar；”　hissed　Ana；　“just　2；000　faceless　Americans！”
Ana　turned　and　stalked　past　her　mother　to　the　apartment　door。　As　she　opened　it　and　stepped
out；　wind　snatched　the　door　out　of　her　grasp。