cc.themediterraneancaper2-第39部分

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　The　ominous　black　tunnel　was　now　strangely　empty；　the　two　guards　had　disappeared。　Not　so　the　five　guards　who　lined　the　cavern　wall　with　the　machine　pistols…they　looked　as　menacing　as　ever。
　〃Your　reception　mittee　leads　me　to　believe　you　were　expecting　us；〃　Pitt　murmured　quietly。
　〃Of　course　we　were　expecting　you；〃　von　Till　acknowledged　matter…of…factly。　〃Good　friend　Darius　here　informed　me　of　your　impending　arrival。　The　exact　time　became　apparent　when　the　First　Attempt　began　acting　suspiciously；　no　captain　in　his　right　mind　would　run　his　ship　that　close…in　to　the　Thasos　cliffs。〃
　〃How　many　pieces　of　silver　did　it　take　for　Darius　to　turn　traitor？〃
　〃The　exact　sum　wouldn't　be　of　interest　to　you；〃　said　von　Till。　〃The　fact　is。　Darius　has　been　in　my　employ　for　ten　years。　You　might　say　that　our　association　has　proved　to　be　quite　mutually　rewarding。〃
　Pitt　stared　into　Darius'　coal…black　eyes。　〃No　matter　how　you　slice　it。　it　still　add　up　to　treason。　That's　your　second　mistake；　von　Till　Hiring　a　slimey　cockroach　of　a　bastard　like　Darius。　it's　bound　to　backfire。〃
　Darius　shivered　in　involuntary　rage。　The　Luger　protruded　from　his　massive　fist　as　if　it　were　a　mutant　growth　extension；　and　it　was　aimed　unsteadily　at　Pitt's　navel。
　Von　Till　shook　his　head　tiredly。　〃Antagonizing　Darius　will　only　make　you　very；　very　dead。〃
　〃What's　the　difference。　You're　going　to　kill　all　of　us　anyway。〃
　〃Premonition　again。　Major？　It　serves　you　well。〃　Von　Till　spoke　cheerfully。　Too　cheerfully　to　suit　Pitt。
　〃I　hate　surprises；〃　Pitt　said　caustically。　〃How　and　when？〃
　With　a　practiced　flourish；　von　Till　pushed　back　his　sleeves　and　carefully　studied　the　dial　of　his　watch。　〃In　eleven　minutes　to　be　exact。　That　is　all　the　time　I　can　afford。〃
　〃Why　not　now？〃　Darius　growled。　〃Why　wait？　We　have　other　business　at　hand。〃
　〃Patience　Darius；〃　von　Till　chided。　〃You're　not　thinking。　We　can　use　the　extra　hands　to　load　our　supplies　on　board　the　submarine。〃　He　gazed　down　at　Pitt　and　smiled　〃Because　of　your　wound。　Major。　you're　excused　The　rest　of　your　men　can　begin　by　carrying　the　equipment　you　see　on　the　dock　into　the　forward　hatch。〃
　〃We　don't　work　for　butchers；〃　Pitt　spoke　softly　and　evenly。
　〃Very　well；　if　you　insist。〃　Von　Till　beamed　at　Darius。　〃Shoot　away　his　left　ear。　With　your　next　bullet；　take　off　his　nose。　After　that　his…〃
　〃Stow　it；　you　sadistic　old　hun。〃　The　words　fairly　spat　from　Woodson's　lips。　〃We'll　load　your　goddamned　pigboat。〃
　They　had　no　choice。　Pitt　had　no　choice。　He　could　only　sit　by　helplessly　and　watch　as　Spencer　and　Hersong　began　attacking　a　small　mountain　of　wooden　crates　on　the　dock　and　passing　them　to　Knight　and　Thomas　on　the　sub。　Woodson　vanished　into　the　hatch；　only　his　arms；　rising　occasionally　above　the　deck　to　receive　a　crate；　revealed　his　whereabouts。
　The　burning　sensation　returned　to　Pitt's　leg　in　earnest　now。　If　he　hadn't　known　better；　he'd　have　sworn　that　a　microscopic　little　man　was　running　back　and　forth　through　his　wound　with　a　flamethrower。　One　or　twice　he　nearly　blacked　out；　each　time　he　fought　desperately　to　hold　on　until　the　engulfing　waves　of　darkness　subsided。　On　sheer　will　power　alone　he　kept　his　voice　on　a　conversational　tone。
　〃You　only　answered　the　when　half　of　my　question；　von　Till。〃
　〃Does　the　method　of　your　demise　really　matter　that　much　to　you？'
　〃Like　I　said。　I　hate　surprises。〃
　Von　Till　studied　Pitt　in　cold　speculation；　then　he　shrugged。　〃I　suppose　it　does　no　harm　to　hide　the　inevitable。〃　He　paused　to　check　his　watch　again。　〃You　and　your　men　will　be　shot　A　bit　barbaric　and　ruthless；　I　grant；　but　I　prefer　to　think　of　it　as　a　rather　humane　death；　especially　when　pared　to　being　buried　alive。〃
　Pitt　thought　for　a　moment　〃The　loading　of　supplies　and　equipment。　those　men　removing　the　guns　from　the　wrecked　Albatros；　it　all　spells　get…away。　You're　folding　your　tent；　von　Till；　and　stealing　off　into　the　night　Then　after　you've　left；　one　minute；　five　minutes；　maybe　even　half　an　hour。　explosive　charges　will　detonate　and　seal　the　cavern　under　tons　of　rock；　entombing　the　six　of　us　and　erasing　all　evidence　of　your　underwater　smuggling　operation。〃
　Von　Till　looked　at　Pitt　in　puzzled　suspicion。　〃Go　on；　Major。　I　find　your　assumptions　extremely　fascinating。〃
　〃You're　running　on　a　tight　time　schedule；　and　you're　running　scared。　Under　our　feet；　beneath　this　dock；　rests　a　hundred　and　thirty　tons　of　heroin…loaded　into　the　sub　at　Shanghai　and　carried　across　the　Indian　Ocean　and　through　the　Suez　Canal　by　a　Minerva　Lines　freighter。　I　have　to　hand　it　to　you；　anyone　else　would　have　tried　to　sneak　the　heroin　into　the　United　States　through　the　backdoor　without　fanfare。　Not　so　Bruno　von　Till。　BBD&O　together　with　J。　Walter　Thompson　and　all　the　other　agencies　on　Madison　Avenue　couldn't　have　created　a　more　professional　job　of　advertising　the　Queen　Artemisia's　illegal　cargo　and　final　destination。　It　was　shrewd　thinking。　Even　though　INTERPOL　agents　have　finally　unriddled　your　underwater　transportation；　it　makes　little　difference。　All　their　eyes　are　still　trained　on　the　Queen　Artenusia。　Do　you　follow　me？〃
　They　stood　mute　and　offered　no　affirmative　or　negative　reply。　〃As　Darius　has　undoubtedly　informed　you；〃　Pitt　went　on；　〃Inspector　Zacynthus　and　the　Bureau　of　Narcotics　are　currently　wasting　their　time　and　efforts　in　preparing　a　trap　for　the　ship　when　it　reaches　Chicago。　I　shudder　to　think　of　the　four　letter　words　that　will　fall　on　Lake　Michigan　when　they　discover　nothing　but　the　ship's　crew　wearing　their　best　actor's　smiles　and　the　holds　filled　with　nothing　but　the　cocoa　from　Ceylon。〃
　Pitt　paused　and　shifted　his　throbbing　leg　to　a　more　fortable　position。　He　noticed　that　Knight　and　Thomas　had　joined　Woodson　below　the　hatch。　Then　he　continued。
　〃It　must　be　a　great　source　of　satisfaction　to　know　that　INTERPOL　has　taken　your　bait；　hook；　line　and　sinker。　They're　totally　unaware　that　the　sub　and　the　heroin　were　dropped　here　last　night　in　order　to　be　transferred　to　the　next　Minerva　Line's　ship　that　happens　past；　which；　by　the　way；　should　be　the　Queen　Jocasta；　bound　for　New　Orleans　with　a　cargo　of　Turkish　tobacco　and　due　to　drop　anchor　a　mile　off　shore　in　approximately　ten　minutes。　That's　why　you're　running　scared；　von　Till。　Time　has　caught　up　with　you；　and　you　have　to　gamble　on　a　rendezvous　with　your　ship　in　broad　daylight；〃
　〃You　have　a　vivid　imagination；〃　von　Till　said　contemptuously。　But　Pitt　could　see　the　lines　of　concern　in　the　old　man's　face。　〃There　is　absolutely　no　way　you　can　prove　your　wild　theories。〃
　Pitt　ignored　his　words。　He　said：　〃Why　should　I　bother？　I'm　going　to　die　in　a　few　minutes　anyway。〃
　〃You　have　a　point。　Major；〃　von　Till　said　slowly。　〃I　pliment　you。　Your　perception　is　excellent。　I　see　no　harm　in　admitting　that　you　are　correct　in　everything　you　have　said。　with　one　exception：　The　Queen　Jocasta　will　not　dock　in　New　Orleans。　At　the　last　minute；　it　will　alter　course　for　Galveston；　Texas。〃
　The　three　men　on　the　other　sub　had　removed　the　guns　from　the　Albatros　and　mysteriously　dropped　out　of　sight。　Hersong　stepped　off　the　dock　and　passed　a　crate　through　the　hatch　to　Spencer。　who　had　now　vanished　into　the　hull　with　Thomas；　Knight　and　Woodson。　Pitt　spoke　quickly。　He　needed　every　second　now。
　〃One　question　before　Darius　gets　carried　away。　Out　of　old　world　courtesy。　you　can't　deny　me　that。〃
　Darius　stood　there。　his　evil　face　masked　with　murderous　intent。　He　looked　like　a　sadistic　kid　in　a　biology　class　who　could　hardly　wait　to　dissect　a　frog。
　〃Very　well；　Major；〃　von　Till　said　conversationally。
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃How　will　the　heroin　be　distributed　after　it's　unloaded　in　Galveston？〃
　Von　Till　smiled。　〃One　of　my　lesser　known　business　ventures　is　a　small　fleet　of　fishing　boats；　not　a　financially　rewarding　venture；　I　might　add；　but　one　that　bees　quite　useful　at　times。　At　the　moment；　my　boats　are　dropping　their　nets　in　the　Gulf　of　Mexico；　awaiting　my　signal　When　it　es；　they　will　raise　their　nets　and　arrive　in　port　at　the　exact　same　moment　as　the　Queen　Jocarta。　The　rest　is　simple：　the　ship　releases　the　submarine；　which　is　in　turn　led　by　the　fishing　boats　to　a　cannery。　The　cargo　is　then　unloaded　under　the　building；　and　the　heroin　is　packed　into　cans　labeled　catfood。　I　must　say；　it　is　ironic；　all　that　powder　being　shipped　into　every　one　of　your　fifty　states　in　catfood　cans。　The　joke　is　on　the　Bureau　of　Narcotics。　By　the　time　their　suspicions　are　aroused；　it　will　be　too　late。　The　heroin　will　have　already　been　received　and　carefully　hidden。　Admit　it；　Major。　doesn't　the　prospect　of　all　that　heroin　being　smelled；　swallowed；　or　injected　by　millions　of　your　own　countrymen　shock　your　holier…than…thou　Yankee　moral　standards？〃
　Now　Pitt　was　smiling。　〃It　might；　if　it　ever　came　to　pass。〃
　Von　Till's　eyes　narrowed。　Pitt　wasn't　acting　like　a　doomed　man。　Something　very　definitely　was　off　key。　〃It　will　e　to　pass。　I　promise　you　that。〃
　〃Millions　of　people；〃　Pitt　said　wonderingly。　〃You　stand　there　with　a　smile　on　your　ugly　mouth　and　openly　boast　of　the　misery　you're　going　to　extract　from　millions　of　people　for　a　few　lousy　dollars。〃
　〃Hardly　a　few　dollars。　Major。　I　think　half　a　billion　dollars　would　be　a　closer　figure。
　〃You'll　never　live　to　count　it；　much　less　spend　it。〃
　〃And　who　is　going　to　stop　me？　You；　Major？　Inspector　Zacynthus？　Possibly　a　lightning　bolt　from　the　sky？〃
　〃Wishing　will　make　it　so。〃
　〃I've　had　enough　of　his　stupid　words；〃　Darius　said　bitterly。　〃Now…now　let　him　pay　for　his　arrogance。〃
　The　supremely　grotesque　face　was　a　cloud　of　black　malevolence。　Pitt　didn't　like　the　look　he　didn't　like　the　look　at　all。　He　could　almost　feel　Darius'　finger　tighten　around　the　trigger　of　the　Luger。
　〃e　now；〃　Pitt　said　slowly。　〃Killing　me　now　wouldn't　be　sporting。　My　eleven　minutes　aren't　up　yet。〃　Actually　to　Pitt；　it　seemed　he　had　been　talking　for　hours。
　Von　Till　stood　silent　for　several　seconds　and　toyed　with　his　cigarette　Then　he　said：　〃There　is　one　point　that　intrigues　me；　Major。　Why　did　you　kidnap　my　niece？〃
　Pitt's　lips　tightened　to　a　sly　grin。　〃To　begin　with；　she's　not　your　niece。〃
　Darius'　face　went　blank。　〃You…you　could　not　have　known。〃
　〃I　knew；〃　said　Pitt　evenly。　〃Unlike　you；　von　Till；　I　didn't　have　the　benefit　of　an　informer；　but　I　knew。　All　in　all；　Zacynthus　gave　it　a　good　try；