Steal The Sun(战争间谍)-第6部分

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emotions　were　appalled　by　the　deadly　possibility。　Only　a　man　who　had　felt　the　sickening
intimacy　of　his　enemy’s　blood　flooding　over　his　hands；　blood　as　thick　and　red　as　his　own
pouring　out　in　a　final　bright　gush　of　life；　only　men　who　had　fought　and　bled；　killed　and　died
within　sight　of　their　enemies　knew　what　death　was　and　what　it　was　not。　Death　was　not　glorious
or　brave；　cowardly　or　sublime。　Death　was　irrevocable；　green　on　green。
He　wondered　if　Groves　knew　that　simple　truth；　or　if　it　mattered　what　the　General　knew　or　did
not　know。　Finn　knew。　Man　had　gone　from　caves　and　clubs　to　cities　and　bombs。　The　progression
was　not　accidental　or　incidental。　It　was　inevitable。　Today　it　was　not　enough　to　wage　war　on　men。
You　must　also　devastate　the　enemy’s　ability　to　manufacture　arms　–　his　cities。　The　industrial
revolution　had　ensured　that　cities　and　the　means　of　producing　weapons　were　inseparable。
“Military　targets”　had　become　a　phrase　without　meaning。　Detroit　made　cars　in　peacetime；　tanks
in　wartime　and　the　civilian　population　lived　there　all　the　time；　Detroit　was　a　city。
Groves’　voice　rose；　dragging　Finn　out　of　his　own　thoughts。　He　looked　at　his　watch　and　was
startled　to　see　how　much　time　had　passed　since　Groves　answered　the　phone。
“Yes；”　said　Groves；　“I　know　about　that　traitorous　petition！”
Groves　paused；　then　laughed　harshly。　“Humane　war？　For　the　love　of　Christ！　What　do　scientists
know　about　humanity　or　war？　It’s　all　a　game　to　them；　and　the　Army　is　supplying　their　toys！”
The　silence　stretched　until　Groves’　breathing　seemed　unnaturally　loud。　When　he　spoke　again；　his
voice　was　brittle。
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“Then　tell　those　scientists　that　it　is　being　arranged　–　over　my　protests。　Tojo’s　engraved
invitation；”　Groves　glared　at　Finn；　“will　go　out　this　morning。”　Groves　paused。　“Guarantees？　I
can’t　even　guarantee　that　the　goddamn　bomb　works；　much　less　that　we’ll　find　the　Jap　spy　in　time
for　him　to　see　it　go　off！”　Pause。　“No。　It’s　too　late　to　get　fancy。　It’s　set　to　go　in　forty…eight　hours。
If　your　scientists　don’t　like　it；　Dr。　Lawrence；　they　can　sit　and　wring　their　hands　at　the　bottom　of
the　tower！”
Groves　put　down　the　receiver　with　enough　force　to　jangle　the　bell。　He　looked　through　Finn。
Then　Groves　blinked　and　seemed　to　snap　into　focus。
“Did　you　hear　enough？”　asked　Groves。
“The　more　I　hear；　the　less　I　believe。”
“Get　used　to　it。　Have　you　seen　any　new　Japanese　faces　in　Juarez？”
“I　was　watching　one　when　your　men　found　me。”
“Describe　him。”
“Mid…thirties；　silver　at　temples；　military　bearing；　looks　fairly　impressive。　I　didn’t　get　close
enough　to　see　more。”
“Sounds　like　him。”　Groves　smiled。　“He　was　the　Emperor’s　chief　operator　in　Europe；
headquartered　in　Lisbon。　Code　name；　Kestrel。　He　specialized　in　technological　matters；　a
scientist　as　well　as　a　spy。　I　want　you　to　lure　him　to　the　bomb　test。”
“You　want　me　to　give　the　biggest　secret　of　the　century　to　an　enemy　spy？”　asked　Finn；　cutting
across　Groves’　words。　“That’s　a　textbook　definition　of　treason；　General。”　His　voice　was　calm
but　he　felt　adrenaline　sliding　into　his　blood　and　questions　hammering　in　his　mind。
“Those　are　your　orders；”　said　Groves；　smiling。
Finn　shook　his　head　in　disbelief。　“I’d　like　those　orders　in　writing。”
“So　would　I；　Captain。　So　would　I。　But　neither　of　us　will　get　them。”　He　looked　at　Finn　with　eyes
that　were　sane　and　desperately　tired。　“The　President　has　been　pressured　into　offering　the　Japs　a
preview　of　what　hell　will　be　like　if　they　don’t　surrender。”
“If　the　President　read　my　Okinawa　report；　he　knows　there’s　nothing　we　can　teach　the　Japs　about
hell。”
Groves　looked　down。　He　fiddled　with　the　chocolate　box；　lifting　and　replacing　the　lid。　His
expression　was　haunted；　his　hands　clumsy。　Finn　had　seen　other　men　act　like　that　when　caught
between　two　conflicting　impera…　tives。　Finn　sensed　that　one　imperative　was　Groves’　legendary
obsession　with　secrecy；　the　other　was　a　direct　order　to　forgo　secrecy。　Finn　would　have　had　more
sympathy；　had　he　not　guessed　that　he　was　caught　in　the　same　box。
“Christ　on　a　crutch！”　Groves　snarled；　staring　at　Finn。　“I　never　know　what　you’re　thinking　and
I’ve　got　to　know　before　I　trust　you　with　the　whole　goddamn　world！”
Finn　waited　tensely；　but　Groves　did　not　continue。　“I’m　thinking；”　said　Finn　at　last；　“that　you’re　a
man　in　a　box。　I’m　thinking　that　I’m　in　the　same　box。　I’m　thinking　that　I　wish　to　hell　I　had　some
idea　how　big　the　goddamn　box　is！”
“As　big　as　the　world。　As　small　as　an　atom。”　Groves　laughed　oddly；　watching　Finn。　“No；　I’m　not
crazy　–　no　crazier　than　I　have　to　be　to　get　the　job　done。　You’ve　got　a　head　full　of　questions
about　Los　Alamos　and　the　bomb　and　Kestrel　and　you　and　me；　but　believe　me；　you　don’t　want
to　know　the　answers；　not　really；　because　then　you’ll　be　as　crazy　as　I　am。　You’ll　have　to　measure
every　blink；　every　breath；　every　thought　you　have　or　don’t　have　against　one　awesome　truth：　in
your　hands　will　be　the　power　to　save　or　lose　a　world。　Not　just　a　war；　Captain。　A　world。”
The　hair　on　Finn’s　arms　and　neck　moved　in　an　animal　reflex。　He　wanted　to　believe　that　Groves
was　insane；　because　no　man　should　have　the　power　to　save　or　lose　a　world。　Yet　he　did　not　want
to　believe　that　the　most　secret　project　in　America；　the　project　he　was　sworn　to　protect；　was　in
the　hands　of　a　madman。
Finn　did　not　know　which　alternative　was　worse　–　Groves　sane　or　Groves　insane。　Finn　was　not
even　sure　he　wanted　to　choose。　All　he…was　sure　of　was　that　his　body　was　flushed　with　adrenaline；
poised　to　fight；　to　kill；　to　flee　if　necessary；　jungle　reflexes　screaming　at　him　until　he　sweated；　but
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there　was　nothing　to　fight；　nothing　to　flee；　nothing　to　do　but　sit　and　listen　to　a　man　who　might
or　might　not　be　mad。
“Welcome　to　the　Manhatten　Project；”　said　Groves；　watching　Finn。　“That　was　just　the　start。
You’re　going　to　hear　it　all；　beginning　to　end；　and　then　you’ll　know　why　for　the　next　few　weeks
you’ll　be　the　most　important　man　on　earth。”　He　smiled　and　gestured　toward　a　hot　plate　on　top
of　a　filing　cabinet。　“Pour　us　some　coffee；　Captain。”
“It　should　be　tea；”　said　Finn　as　he　handed　Groves　a　cup。　Then　Finn　took　his　cup；　sat　down；　and
stared　at　the　General。　“Convince　me　that　I’m　not　in　Wonderland。”
“And　that　I’m　not　the　Mad　Hatter？”　Groves’　smile　was　grim。　“That　shouldn’t　take　long。　The
OSS　reports　that　the　Russians　are　gearing　up　to　invade　Japan　and　plan　on　taking　China　along　the
way。”
Finn　nodded。　He　had　guessed　as　much。　It　was　Stalin’s　style　to　take　and　control。　But　Finn　knew
the　Russians；　if　they　held　that　much　of　the　world；　there　would　be　no　peace　until　America　was
annihilated。
“The　only　way　we　can　prevent　that　is　to　end　the　war　before　the　Russians　can　invade　China　or
Japan；”　continued　Groves；　“or　before　we’re　sucked　into　invading　Japan　ourselves。　The　only　way
we　can　do　that　is　to　use　the　atomic　bomb　to　end　the　war。”　Groves　looked　haunted　for　a
moment。　“Assuming　the　damn　things　works；”　he　muttered。　“No；　it　will　work。　It　has　to！”
“What　do　you　mean？　Aren’t　you　sure？”
A　curt　gesture　from　Groves　silenced　Finn。
“Later；”　said　Groves。　“For　now；　just　listen。”　His　voice　became　angry；　then　thickened　with
contempt　as　he　spoke。　“A　few　of　our　own　scientists　are　petitioning　the　President　not　to　use　the
bomb。　They　act　as　though　it’s　morally　superior　to　kill　the　enemy　one　by　one　with　bayonets。”
“And　then；”　he　continued；　“there　are　the　scientists　who　want　to　arrange　a　demonstration　–　invite
the　Japs　over；　explode　the　bomb；　and　then　say；　‘Now　that　we’ve　frightened　you；　why　don’t　you
be　nice　boys　and　surrender。’”　Groves　grinned。　“Scientists。”
“Perhaps　they　have　the　right　idea。　Seeing　the　equivalent　of　20；000　tons　of　TNT　go　up　at　once
might　make　even　the　most　fanatical　soldier　surrender。”
Groves　looked　sour。　“Maybe；　maybe　not。　But　between　the　sob　sisters　crying　not　to　use　the
bomb；　and　the　gun　soldiers　crying　about　their　guts…and…glory　invasion；　Truman　has　his　ass　in　a
sling。　Politics　–　God；　the　messes　the　politicians　get　us　into。”　Groves　glared　at　Finn。　“So　there
will　be　a　demonstration；　and　it　by　God　better　work！”
Groves　unlocked　a　drawer；　reached　in　and　pulled　out　a　thin　file。　“The　test　is　scheduled　for　0200
on　the　16th。　Two　days　from　now。　I　want　this　Jap　spy　to　see　it；　but　I　don’t　want　him　to　know　we
want　him　to　see　it。　I’ll　give　you　as　many　men　as　you　need　to　track　him　down。”
“More　warning　would　have　helped；”　said　Finn。　“If　he’s　any　good；　he’ll　smell　a　setup。”
“Truman　didn’t　make　up　his　mind　until　yesterday。　I　called　you　in　immediately。”
Finn　took　the　folder　and　read　it　quickly。　There　was　little　hard　information；　a　testimony　to　the
Japanese　spy’s　skill　and　elusiveness。　Once　the　padding　of　speculation　was　stripped　away；　all　that
remained　was　that　Kestrel　had　been　born　of　an　old　Japanese　family；　had　been　raised　in　the
samurai　tradition；　entered　the　Imperial　Army　as　an　officer；　studied　physics　in　the　United　States；
spied　in　Lisbon　and　was　a　master　of　unarmed　combat。
There　was　one　picture；　taken　when　Kestrel　graduated　from　the　University　of　California　at
Berkeley。　The　picture　was　twelve　years　old；　but　Finn　recognized　the　man　he　had　seen　in　t