tc.thebearandthedragon-第17部分

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　〃Upwards　of　seventy　billions。　And　all　we　need　do　is　purchase　some　special　equipment；　the　best　of　which　es　from　the　American　pany　Caterpillar。〃
　〃Is　that　necessary；　Sergey？〃
　〃rade　President；　the　Americans　are　our　friends；　after　a　fashion；　and　it　will　not　hurt　us　to　remain　on　good　terms　with　their　President。　And　besides；　their　heavy　equipment　is　the　world's　finest。〃
　〃Better　than　the　Japanese？〃
　〃For　these　purposes；　yes；　but　slightly　more　expensive；〃　Golovko　answered；　thinking　that　people　really　were　all　the　same；　and　despite　the　education　of　his　youth；　in　every　man　there　seemed　to　be　a　capitalist；　looking　for　ways　to　cut　costs　and　increase　his　profits；　often　to　the　point　of　forgetting　the　larger　issues。　Well；　that　was　why　Golovko　was　here；　wasn't　it？
　〃And　who　will　want　the　money？〃
　A　rare　chuckle　in　this　office：　〃rade　President；　everyone　wants　to　have　money。　In　realistic　terms；　our　military　will　be　at　the　front　of　the　line。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　the　Russian　president　agreed；　with　a　resigned　sigh。　〃They　usually　are。　Oh；　any　progress　in　the　attack　on　your　car？〃　he　asked；　looking　up　from　his　briefing　papers。
　Golovko　shook　his　head。　〃No　notable　progress；　no。　The　current　thinking　is　that　this　Avseyenko　fellow　was　the　actual　target；　and　the　automobile　was　just　a　coincidence。　The　militia　continues　to　investigate。〃
　〃Keep　me　posted；　will　you？〃
　〃Of　course；　rade　President。〃
　
　
　
　
　　CHAPTER　5
　　Headlines
　　
　Sam　Sherman　was　one　of　those　whom　age　hadn't　treated　kindly；　though　he　himself　hadn't　helped。　An　avid　golfer；　he　moved　from　lie　to　lie　via　cart。　He　was　much　too　overweight　to　walk　more　than　a　few　hundred　yards　in　a　day。　It　was　rather　sad　for　one　who'd　been　a　first…string　guard　for　the　Princeton　Tigers；　once　upon　a　time。　Well；　Winston　thought；　muscle　just　turned　to　blubber　if　you　didn't　use　it　properly。　But　the　overweight　body　didn't　detract　from　the　sharpness　of　his　brain。　Sherman　had　graduated　about　fifth　in　a　class　not　replete　with　dummies；　double…majoring　in　geology　and　business。　He'd　followed　up　the　first　sheet　of　parchment　with　a　Harvard　MBA；　and　a　Ph。D。　from　the　University　of　Texas；　this　one　in　geology　as　well；　and　so　Samuel　Price　Sherman　could　not　only　talk　rocks　with　the　explorers　but　finance　with　his　board　members；　and　that　was　one　of　the　reasons　why　Atlantic　Richfield　stock　was　as　healthy　as　any　oil　issue　in　the　known　world。　His　face　was　lined　by　a　lot　of　low　sun　and　field　grit；　and　his　belly　swollen　by　a　lot　of　beers　with　the　roughnecks　out　in　many　godforsaken　places；　plus　hot　dogs　and　other　junk　food　preferred　by　the　men　who　drifted　into　such　employment。　Winston　was　surprised　that　Sam　didn't　smoke；　too。　Then　he　spotted　the　box　on　the　man's　desk。　Cigars。　Probably　good　ones。　Sherman　could　afford　the　best；　but　he　still　had　the　Ivy　League　manners　not　to　light　up　in　front　of　a　guest　who　might　be　offended　by　the　blue　cloud　they　generated。
　Atlantic　Richfield's　home　office　was　elsewhere；　but　as　with　most　major　corporations；　it　didn't　hurt　to　have　a　set　of　offices　in　Washington；　a　better　to　influence　members　of　Congress　with　the　occasional　lavish　party。　Sherman's　personal　office　was　in　a　corner　on　the　top　floor；　and　plush　enough；　with　a　thick　beige　carpet。　The　desk　was　either　mahogany　or　well…seasoned　oak；　polished　like　glass；　and　probably　cost　more　than　his　secretary　made　in　a　year　or　two。
　〃So；　how　do　you　like　working　for　the　government；　George？〃
　〃It's　really　a　fun　change　of　pace。　Now　I　can　play　with　all　the　things　I　used　to　bitch　about　…　so；　I　guess　I've　kinda　given　up　my　right　to　bitch。〃
　〃That　is　a　major　sacrifice；　buddy；〃　Sherman　replied　with　a　laugh。　〃It's　kinda　like　going　over　to　the　enemy；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Well；　sometimes　you　gotta　pay　back；　Sam；　and　making　policy　the　right　way　can　be　diverting。〃
　〃Well；　I　have　no　plaints　with　what　you　guys　are　doing。　The　economy　seems　to　like　it。　Anyway；〃　Sherman　sat　up　in　his　fortable　chair。　It　was　time　to　change　subjects。　Sam's　time　was　valuable；　too；　as　he　wanted　his　guest　to　appreciate。　〃You　didn't　e　here　for　small　talk。　What　can　I　do　for　you；　Mr。　Secretary？〃
　〃Russia。〃
　Sherman's　eyes　changed　a　little；　as　they　might　when　the　last　card　was　laid　in　a　high…stakes　game　of　stud。　〃What　about　it？〃
　〃You　have　a　high…powered　exploration　team　working　with　the　Russians。。。　they　find　anything　nice？〃
　〃George；　that's　sensitive　stuff　you're　asking。　If　you　were　still　running　Columbus；　this　would　constitute　insider…trading　information　stuff。　Hell；　I　can't　buy　any　more　of　our　stock　now；　based　on　this　stuff。〃
　〃Does　that　mean　you'd　like　to？〃　TRADER　asked　with　a　smile。
　〃Well；　it'll　be　public　soon　enough　anyway。　Yeah；　George。　Looks　like　we've　found　the　biggest　goddamned　oil　field　ever；　bigger　'n　the　Persian　Gulf；　bigger　'n　Mexico；　damned　sight　bigger　than　Prudhoe　Bay　and　Western　Canada　bined。　I'm　talking　big；　billions　and　billions　of　barrels　of　what　looks　like　the　very　best　light…sweet　crude；　just　sitting　there　and　waiting　for　us　to　pump　it　out　of　the　tundra。　It's　a　field　we'll　measure　in　years　of　production；　not　just　barrels。〃
　〃Bigger　than　the　P。G。？〃
　Sherman　nodded。　〃By　a　factor　of　forty　percent；　and　that's　a　very　conservative　number。　The　only　beef　is　where　it　is。　Getting　that　crude　out　is　going　to　be　a　mother…humper　…　to　get　started；　anyway。　We're　talking　twenty　billion　dollars　just　for　the　pipeline。　It'll　make　Alaska　look　like　a　kindergarten　project；　but　it'll　be　worth　it。〃
　〃And　your　end　of　it？〃　the　Secretary　of　the　Treasury　asked。
　That　question　generated　a　frown。　〃We're　negotiating　that　now。　The　Russians　seem　to　want　to　pay　us　a　flat　consulting　fee；　like　a　billion　dollars　a　year　…　they're　talking　a　lot　less　than　that　now；　but　you　know　how　the　hog…tradin'　works　at　this　stage；　right？　They　say　a　couple　of　hundred　million；　but　they　mean　a　billion　a　year；　for　seven　to　ten　years；　I'd　imagine。　And　that　isn't　bad　for　what　we'd　have　to　do　for　the　money；　but　I　want　a　minimum　of　five　percent　of　the　find；　and　that's　not　at　all　an　unreasonable　request　on　our　part。　They　have　some　good　people　in　the　geology　business；　but　nobody　in　the　world　can　sniff　out　oil　in　ice　like　my　people　can；　and　they've　got　a　lot　to　learn　about　how　to　exploit　something　like　this。　We've　been　there　and　done　that　in　these　environmental　conditions。　Ain't　nobody　knows　this　like　we　do；　even　the　guys　at　BP；　and　theyre　pretty　good　…　but　we're　the　best　in　the　world；　George。　That's　the　barrel　we　have　them　over。　They　can　do　it　without　us；　but　with　us　helping；　they'll　make　a　ton　more　cash；　and　a　hell　of　a　lot　faster；　and　they　know　that；　and　we　know　they　know　that。　So；　I　got　my　lawyers　talking　to　their　lawyers　…　actually；　they　have　diplomats　doing　the　negotiating。〃　Sherman　managed　a　grin。　〃They're　dumber　than　my　lawyers。〃
　Winston　nodded。　Texas　turned　out　more　good　private…practice　attorneys　than　most　parts　of　America；　and　the　excuse　was　that　in　Texas　there　were　more　men　needin'　killin'　than　horses　needin'　stealin'。　And　the　oil　business　paid　the　best；　and　in　Texas；　like　everyplace　else；　talent　went　where　the　money　was。
　〃When　will　this　go　public？〃
　〃The　Russians　are　trying　to　keep　a　cork　in　it。　One　of　the　things　we're　getting　from　our　lawyers　is　that　they're　worried　about　how　to　exploit　this　one　…　really　who　to　keep　out　of　it；　you　know；　their　Mafia　and　stuff。　They　do　have　some　serious　corruption　problems　over　there；　and　I　can　sympathize　…〃
　Winston　knew　he　could　ignore　the　next　part。　The　oil　industry　did　business　all　over　the　world。　Dealing　with　corruption　on　the　small　scale　（ten　million　dollars　or　less）；　or　even　the　monstrous　scale　（ten　billion　dollars　or　more）；　was　just　part　of　the　territory　for　such　panies　as　Sam　Sherman　ran；　and　the　United　States　government　had　never　probed　too　deeply　into　that。　Though　there　were　federal　statutes　governing　how　American　panies　handled　themselves　abroad；　many　of　those　laws　were　selectively　enforced；　and　this　was　merely　one　such　example。　Even　in　Washington；　business　was　business。
　〃　…　and　so　they're　trying　to　keep　it　quiet　until　they　can　make　the　proper　arrangements；〃　Sherman　concluded。
　〃You　hearing　anything　else？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Sherman　asked　in　reply。
　〃Any　other　geological　windfalls；〃　Winston　clarified。
　〃No；　I'm　not　that　greedy　in　what　I　pray　for。　George；　I　haven't　made　it　clear　enough；　just　how　huge　this　oil　field　is。　It's　…〃
　〃Relax；　Sam；　I　can　add　and　subtract　with　the　best　of　'em；〃　SecTreas　assured　his　host。
　〃Something　I　need　to　know　about？〃　Sherman　only　saw　hesitation。　〃Give　and　take；　George。　I　played　fair　with　you；　remember？〃
　〃Gold；〃　Winston　clarified。
　〃How　much？〃
　〃They're　not　sure。　South　Africa　at　least。　Maybe　more。〃
　〃Really？　Well；　that's　not　my　area　of　expertise；　but　sounds　like　our　Russian　friends　are　having　a　good　year　for　a　change。　Good　for　them；〃　Sherman　thought。
　〃You　like　them？〃
　〃Yeah；　as　a　matter　of　fact。　They're　a　lot　like　Texans。　They　make　good　friends　and　fearsome　enemies。　They　know　how　to　entertain；　and　Jesus；　do　they　know　how　to　drink。　About　time　they　got　some　good　luck。　Christ　knows　they've　had　a　lot　of　the　other　kind。　This　is　going　to　mean　a　lot　for　their　economy；　and　damned　near　all　of　it's　going　to　be　good　news；　'specially　if　they　can　handle　the　corruption　stuff　and　keep　the　money　inside　their　borders　where　it'll　do　them　some　good；　instead　of　finding　its　way　onto　some　Swiss　bank's　puter。　That　new　Mafia　they　have　over　there　is　smart　and　tough。。。　and　a　little　scary。　They　just　got　somebody　I　knew　over　there。〃
　〃Really？　Who　was　that；　Sam？〃
　〃We　called　him　Grisha。　He　took　care　of　some　high　rollers　in　Moscow。　Knew　how　to　do　it　right。　He　was　a　good　name　to　know　if　you　had　some　special　requirements；〃　Sherman　allowed。　Winston　recorded　the　information　in　his　mind　for　later　investigation。
　〃Killed　him？〃
　Sherman　nodded。　〃Yup；　blew　him　away　with　a　bazooka　right　there　on　the　street　…　it　made　CNN；　remember？〃　The　TV　news　network　had　covered　it　as　a　crime　story　with　no　further　significance　except　for　its　dramatic　brutality；　a　story　gone　and　forgotten　in　a　single　day。
　George　Winston　vaguely　remembered　it；　and　set　it　aside。　〃How　often　you　go　over　there？〃
　〃Not　too　often；　twice　this　year。　Usually　hop　my　G…V　over　direct　out　of　Reagan　or　Dallas/Fort　Worth。　Long　flight；　but　it's　a　one…hop。　No；　I　h