cc.fireice-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！


　
　Eight　months　later；　Petrov's　prediction　came　true。　During　the　Cold　War；　the　United　States　pursued　a　daring　intelligence　operation。　When　the　secret　was　finally　unveiled　years　later；　one　writer　called　it　Blind　Man's　Bluff；　a　dangerous　game　played　by　a　few　intrepid　sub　manders　and　their　crews　whereby　they　would　bring　their　subs　within　a　few　miles　of　the　Soviet　coast　to　gather　intelligence。　One　scheme　involved　planting　an　electronic　pod　to　listen　in　on　underwater　munications　cables。
　
　In　his　drab　Moscow　office；　Petrov　lit　up　one　of　the　thin　Havana　cigars　he　had　made　on　special　order　and　puffed　out　a　mouthful　of　smoke。　His　mind　drifted　back　through　the　years；　and　in　the　purple　cloud　that　swirled　in　front　of　him；　he　saw　the　morning　mists　rising　off　the　dark；　cold　surface　of　the　Barents　Sea　as　his　ship　cut　through　the　water　at　full　speed。
　
　He　had　been　in　Moscow　trying　to　extract　funds　for　new　equipment　from　a　strategically　placed　apparatchik　who　was　plaining　about　tight　purse　strings。　One　of　Petrov's　assistants　had　called　and　said　that　a　strange　message　had　been　picked　up　from　an　unknown　ship　close　to　Russian　shores。　The　coded　message　was　short；　as　if　the　operator　were　in　a　hurry。　The　Soviet　cryptographers　were　trying　to　decipher　the　message。　The　only　reason　someone　would　risk　sending　a　message　would　be　if　he　were　in　trouble；　Petrov　thought；　as　the　bureaucrat　blathered　on。　Petrov　was　well　aware　that　American　subs　had　e　into　the　Barents　Sea。　Could　one　of　these　boats　be　in　trouble？
　
　He　broke　off　his　meeting　and　caught　a　plane　to　Murmansk；　where　his　survey　ship　was　waiting。　The　vessel　had　supplemented　its　scientific　gear　with　depth　charges；　guns　and　a　trained　plement　of　armed　marines。　By　the　time　his　ship　was　under　way；　the　code　had　been　broken。　The　message　consisted　of　one　word：　Stranded。　He　ordered　all　ships　and　aircraft　to　be　on　the　lookout　for　strange　vessels　on　or　under　the　surface。
　
　Despite　the　Soviets'　vigilance；　however；　the　Talon　carried　out　a　picture…perfect　rescue　operation。　The　American　ship　came　in　during　the　night　with　a　Russian…language　expert　on　board　who　gave　a　phony　identification　when　the　ship　was　picked　up　on　radar。　The　ID　wasn't　perfect；　but　it　bought　time。　Another　American　submarine；　whose　propeller　had　been　made　to　operate　noisily；　drew　the　Russians'　attention　away。　The　stranded　submarine　was　in　about　three　hundred　feet　of　water；　sitting　flat　on　the　bottom；　its　power　out　after　an　electrical　explosion。　The　hundred…man　crew　was　rescued　in　a　matter　of　hours；　using　a　special　diving　bell。
　
　Petrov　had　finally　figured　out　the　decoy　ruse　and　was　speeding　in　his　ship　to　the　rescue　site。　The　ship　followed　the　munications　cable　until　magnetometer　readings　showed　a　huge　mass　of　ferrous　material。　It　could　only　be　the　U。S。　sub。　A　ship　was　rapidly　moving　out　of　the　area；　and　Petrov　recognized　the　Talon。　Speaking　in　English；　Petrov　hailed　the　ship　by　its　name　and　ordered　it　to　stop。
　
　A　familiar　voice　responded　over　the　radio。　〃Ivan；　is　that　you？〃　said　the　man　who　called　himself　John　Doe。　〃Nice　to　hear　your　voice　again。〃
　〃Prepare　to　be　boarded　or　your　ship　will　be　sunk。〃
　
　A　roar　of　laughter　burst　from　the　radio。　〃Hell；　Ivan；　I　thought　you　Russians　were　better　chess　players　than　that。〃
　〃Frankly；　I　prefer　stud　poker。〃
　〃Which　is　obviously　where　you　learned　how　to　bluff。　Nice　try；　rade。〃
　〃This　is　your　last　warning。　Aircraft　will　be　overhead　in　five　minutes；　and　your　ship　will　be　destroyed　if　you　don't　stop。〃
　〃Too　little　and　too　late。　We'll　be　in　international　waters　in　three　minutes。　Our　State　and　Defense　Departments　are　aware　of　the　situation。　Looks　like　you're　out　of　luck。〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。　We　still　have　your　submarine　and　its　contents；　Mr。　Doe。　Our　scientists　will　have　a　field　day　dissecting　your　top…secret　equipment。〃
　〃That's　not　going　to　happen；　old　pal。〃
　〃I　think　it　will。　The　Glomar　Explorer　isn't　the　only　boat　that　can　raise　a　submarine。〃　Petrov　was　referring　to　an　earlier　U。S。　salvage　of　a　Soviet　submarine。
　
　〃I　wouldn't　get　near　that　boat　if　I　were　you。　It's　heavily　mined。〃
　〃Now　who's　bluffing；　Mr。　Doe？〃
　〃I'm　dead　serious；　Ivan。　The　sub　carried　two　hundred　pounds　of　HBX　explosives　in　case　something　like　this　happened。〃
　〃Why　would　you　care　if　I　were　killed？〃
　〃Look；　Ivan；　the　Cold　War's　not　going　to　last　forever。　Someday　we'll　bump　into　each　other　in　a　bar　and　you'll　buy　me　a　Stolichnaya　martini。〃　His　voice　lost　its　levity。　〃No　joke。　This　thing　will　self…destruct　in　about　twenty　minutes。　I　set　the　timer　myself。〃
　〃You're　lying。〃
　〃People　like　us　don't　lie　to　each　other；　old　pal。〃
　
　It　was　Ivan's　turn　to　laugh。　〃You've　seen　too　many　episodes　of　Mission　Impossible；　old　pal。〃
　
　He　clicked　off　the　radio。　There　was　noway　the　crew　could　have　been　evacuated　and　set　charges。　He　didn't　know　about　Austin's　expertise。　He　could　have　waited　twenty　minutes　to　see　if　Austin　was　telling　the　truth；　but　he　seethed　with　anger。　His　rage　overcame　his　good　judgment。　Petrov's　ship　carried　a　one…person　minisub　that　could　be　launched　quickly　for　reconnaissance；　and　Petrov　ordered　the　sub　readied　for　a　dive。
　
　Sitting　in　his　office　years　after　that　day；　he　examined　the　grayish…red　glow　of　cigar　ashes。　How　impetuous　and　foolish　he　had　been　as　a　younger　man。　He　had　jammed　the　bomb…shaped　sub　almost　straight　down。　Within　minutes；　his　lights　had　outlined　the　black　hulk　on　the　bottom；　and　he　saw　the　pod　near　the　cable　and　landed　near　it。　The　minisub's　retractable　metal　arm　had　the　pod　in　its　grip…when　there　was　a　blinding　flash　of　light　and　a　muffled　roar。　Petrov　felt　himself　flying　into　space。　Then　he　blacked　out。
　
　He　awoke　to　the　antiseptic　smell　of　a　Soviet　hospital。　His　broken　and　mangled　leg　was　in　traction；　and　the　right　side　of　his　face　was　heavily　bandaged　where　jagged　shards　of　plastic　or　metal　had　torn　his　skin　as　the　minisub　had　been　blown　to　the　surface；　where　it　had　been　retrieved　with　him　inside　it。　He　had　had　to　wear　a　hearing　aid　until　his　damaged　eardrums　healed。　He　spent　four　weeks　in　the　hospital　before　being　released　to　the　care　of　a　nurse　at　his　dacha；　the　country　home　he　maintained　outside　of　Moscow。
　
　Petrov　had　been　sitting　in　the　sunroom　reading　Tolstoy　when　the　nurse　brought　him　a　bouquet　of　red；　white　and　blue　carnations。　Tucked　in　with　the　flowers　was　a　small　card。
　
　Thinking　back　to　that　day；　Petrov　pulled　an　envelope　from　the　dossier。　The　card　he　extracted　had　yellowed　with　age；　but　the　large　block　letters　in　English　were　clearly　visible。
　
　〃Sorry　you　got　nailed；　Ivan。　Can't　say　I　didn't　warn　you。　Get　well　soon　so　we　can　have　that　drink。　First　round's　on　me。　John　Doe。〃
　
　Austin　had　almost　ended　his　life　and　career。　Now　the　same　man　was　poking　around　where　he　could　derail　Petrov's　carefully　laid　plans。　Austin　could　not　know　how　dangerous　his　meddling　was。　How　precarious　the　situation　was　in　Russia。　Throughout　his　country's　history；　it　had　been　afflicted　with　uncaring；　inept；　even　psychopathic　leaders。　Petrov　was　one　of　thousands　of　faceless　clones　who　did　the　bidding　of　their　masters　without　question　and　kept　them　in　power。　Now　his　fragile　nation　seemed　poised　for　another　orgy　of　self…　destruction。　The　furies　welling　up　in　the　soul　of　Mother　Russia　would　soon　sweep　across　the　country　from　Siberia　to　Saint　Petersburg。
　
　Petrov　read　the　card　again；　then　lifted　the　phone。　〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　a　trusted　assistant　who　occupied　an　office　in　another　part　of　the　agricultural　building。
　
　〃I　want　a　plane　ready　to　leave　for　Istanbul　in　one　hour。〃　Petrov　gave　orders　to　call　his　mistress　and　cancel　their　dinner　date。
　
　〃Is　there　any　particular　message　you　would　like　me　to　give　Miss　Kostikov？〃　the　assistant　asked。
　
　Petrov　pondered　the　question。　〃Yes；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。　〃Tell　her　I　must　go　to　repay　a　favor　to　an　old　friend。〃
　
　…7…
　NOVOROSSIYSK；　THE　BLACK　SEA
　
　〃　
　THE　BEARDED　MAN　sat　on　the　carpeted　floor　of　the　darkened　cabin；　legs　folded　in　a　lotus　position；　his　rough　peasant's　hands　clasped　loosely　in　his　lap。　He　had　been　locked　in　the　same　pose　for　more　than　two　hours；　the　only　sign　of　life　the　slight　rise　and　fall　of　his　narrow　chest。　His　pulse　was　barely　discernible；　and　his　lethargic　heartbeat　would　have　alarmed　a　cardiologist。　The　heavy…lidded　eyes　over　the　prominent　nose　were　closed；　but　he　was　neither　asleep　nor　awake。　The　thick　lips　were　curled　in　a　beatific　smile。　Unseen；　behind　the　thorny　brambles　that　guarded　the　dense　thicket　of　his　mind；　lurked　the　unfathomable　musings　of　a　madman。
　
　A　soft　knock　came　at　the　door。　The　bearded　man　showed　no　sign　that　he　had　heard　it。　The　knock　repeated；　louder　and　more　insistent　this　time。
　
　〃Yes；〃　the　man　said　in　Russian。　His　deep　voice　sounded　as　if　it　issued　from　the　depths　of　a　catab。
　
　The　door　opened　a　crack　and　a　young　man　dressed　in　the　uniform　of　a　ship's　steward　peered　into　the　room。　Light　from　the　passageway　fell　on　the　face　of　the　sitting　man。　The　steward　murmured　a　silent　prayer　his　grandmother　had　taught　him　to　ward　off　demons。　Mustering　the　courage　to　speak；　he　said；　〃Forgive　the　interruption；　sir。〃
　〃What　is　it？〃
　
　〃Mr。　Razov　asks　to　see　you　in　the　main　cabin。〃
　
　Deep…set　eyes　of　pale　yellow　opened　and　stared　out　of　the　bony　skull。　They　were　the　hypnotic　eyes　of　a　predator；　large　and　lustrous。
　
　A　pause。　Then；　〃Tell　him　I　will　be　there。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Under　the　spell　of　the　unrelenting　gaze；　the　terrified　steward　felt　the　strength　start　to　leave　his　legs。　He　slammed　the　door　shut　and　bolted　along　the　passageway。
　
　The　man　unfolded　his　body　and　stood　to　his　full　height　of　six　feet　four。　He　was　dressed　in　a　belted　tunic　of　black　cotton。　The　military　collar　of　his　shirt　was　tight　against　the　neck；　and　his　pants　were　tucked　into　low　boots　of　shiny　black　leather。　His　dark　brown　hair　was　worn　long　over　the　ears；　blending　into　a　full　beard　that　spilled　down　to　his　chest。
　
　He　worked　the　stiffness　from　his　muscles　joint　by　joint　and　took　great　gulps　of　air　into　his　starved　lungs。　When　all　his　vital　systems　were　operating　normally；　he　opened　the　cabin　door；　ducked　his　head；　and　stepped　out　into　the　corridor。　Moving　silently；　he　followed　the　passageway　and　climbed　onto　the　deck　of　the　four…