cc.fireice-第19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！


　〃Neither　do　I。　I'm　a　scientist　with　NUMA　now。〃
　〃You're　being　disingenuous。　You　have　a　reputation　for　bending　the　rules。　I　know　about　your　Special　Assignments　Team。　My　office　has　press　accounts　of　the　NUMA　team's　role　in　the　Andrea　Doria　conspiracy　and　the　plot　to　take　over　the　freshwater　resources　of　the　world。〃
　〃We　like　to　keep　busy　in　our　spare　time。〃
　〃Then　keep　busy　with　your　ocean　science。〃　Austin　folded　his　arms　over　his　chest。　〃Let　me　see　if　I　understand　this　correctly；　Ivan。　You　want　us　to　count　fish　while　your　madman　goes　on　a　terror　spree　in　our　country。〃
　〃We　have　every　intention　of　stopping　Razov　before　it　gets　to　that。　Your　interference　may　already　have　spoiled　any　chance　we　have　of　containing　him。　If　you　don't　stay　out；　I　will　consider　you　an　enemy　of　the　Russian　people　and　will　act　accordingly。〃
　〃Thanks　for　the　advice。〃　Austin　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃I　hate　to　break　off　our　reunion；　but　I'm　late　for　dinner　with　a　lovely　young　woman。　So　if　you're　through。　。　。〃
　〃Yes；　I'm　through。〃　Petrov　barked　an　order　in　Russian。　The　men　guarding　Austin　pulled　him　to　his　feet　and　attempted　to　herd　him　toward　the　door。　He　stood　his　ground　and　said；　〃Nice　seeing　you　again；　Ivan。　Sorry　for　past　encounters。〃
　〃What's　past　is　past。　It's　the　future　that　we　should　both　be　concerned　about。〃　Petrov's　hand　went　to　his　scar。　〃You　know；　Mr。　Austin；　you　taught　me　a　very　valuable　lesson。〃
　
　Which　is？〃
　〃Know　your　enemy。〃
　
　Austin　was　hustled　down　the　dark　hallway　into　the　rickety　elevator。　Minutes　later；　he　was　in　the　taxi。　The　driver　kept　the　car　more　or　less　under　Mach　I。　Before　long；　they　pulled　up　at　the　exact　point　where　he'd　been　kidnapped。
　
　〃Out；〃　said　the　driver。
　
　Austin　was　glad　to　ply。　He　had　to　jump　back　to　keep　his　toes　from　being　crushed　as　the　car　sped　off　in　a　squeal　of　tires。　He　watched　the　taillights　vanish　around　a　corner；　then　walked　to　the　Argo's　slip。　Back　aboard　the　ship；　he　called　the　hotel　where　Kaela　was　staying。　When　she　didn't　answer　her　room　phone；　he　asked　the　desk　if　she'd　left　a　message。
　
　〃Yes；　sir；　there's　a　message　from　Ms。　Dorn；〃　the　desk　clerk　said。
　
　〃Would　you　read　it　to　me；　please。〃
　〃Of　course。　It　says；　'Waited　an　hour。　Something　more　important　must　have　e　up。　Went　to　dinner　with　the　boys。　Kaela。'　〃
　
　Austin　frowned。　The　message　said　nothing　about　getting　together　at　another　time。　He　would　have　to　mend　fences　in　the　morning。　Meanwhile；　he　went　out　on　the　Argo's　deck　and　paced　from　one　end　of　the　ship　to　the　other；　trying　to　remember　every　detail　of　the　dialogue　with　Ivan。　As　he　walked；　his　lips　tightened　in　determination。　Damned　if　he　was　going　to　ignore　a　threat　to　his　country。　The　best　way　to　get　Austin　to　do　something　was　to　tell　him　he　couldn't　do　it。　He　went　back　into　his　cabin　and　punched　out　a　number　on　his　cell　phone。
　
　
　FIVE　THOUSAND　MILES　away；　Josй　〃Joe〃　Zavala　plucked　the　purring　cell　phone　from　the　dashboard　holder　of　his　1961　Corvette　convertible　and　answered　with　a　cheery　hello。　Zavala　had　been　thinking　how　all　was　right　with　the　world。　He　was　young；　。healthy　and　on　an　undemanding　work　project　that　left　him　plenty　of　free　time。　At　his　side　was　a　lovely　blond　statistical　analyst　from　the　Department　of　merce。　They　were　driving　along　a　country　road　in　MacLean；　Virginia；　on　their　way　to　a　candlelight　dinner　at　a　romantic　old　inn。　The　warm　air　pleasantly　tousled　his　thick　black　hair。　After　dinner　it　would　be　back　to　the　former　district　library　building　in　Arlington；　where　he　lived；　for　a　nightcap。　Then；　who　knows？　The　possibilities　were　endless。　This　could　be　the　start　of　a　long　relationship；　long　being　a　relative　term　in　Zavala's　world。
　
　When　he　heard　the　voice　of　his　friend　and　colleague；　Zavala's　reaction　was　a　happy　one。　A　slight　smile　cracked　the　ends　of　his　lips　〃Buona　sera；　Kurt；　old　amigo。　How's　your　vacation？〃
　〃Over。　So　is　yours；　I'm　sorry　to　say。〃
　
　Zavala's　smile　faded　and　a　pained　expression　came　onto　his　darkly　handsome　features；　as　Austin　laid　out　his　plans　for　Joe's　immediate　future。　With　a　mighty　sigh；　he　replaced　the　phone；　looked　soulfully　into　the　dreamy　and　pliant　blue　eyes　of　his　date　and　said；　〃I'm　afraid　I've　got　bad　news。　My　grandmother　just　died。〃
　
　
　WHILE　ZAVALA　TRIED　to　cushion　his　date's　disappointment　with　an　improvised　list　of　outrageous　promises；　Paul　Trout's　six…foot…eight　figure　was　bent　like　a　praying　mantis　over　a　lab　counter　at　the　Woods　Hole　Oceanographic　Institution　in　Massachusetts；　examining　mud　samples　from　the　deepest　parts　of　the　Atlantic　Ocean。　Although　the　work　was　potentially　messy；　Trout's　white　lab　coat　was　spotless。　He　wore　one　of　his　trademark　bright　bow　ties；　and　his　light　brown　hair　was　parted　down　the　middle　and　bed　back　at　the　temples。
　
　Trout　grew　up　in　Woods　Hole；　where　his　father　was　a　Cape　Cod　fisherman；　and　he　returned　to　his　roots　whenever　he　got　the　chance。　He　had　developed　friendships　with　many　of　the　scientists　at　the　world…renowned　institute　and　often　lent　them　his　skills　as　a　deep…ocean　geologist。
　
　Trout's　intense　concentration　was　broken　by　the　sound　of　his　name　being　called。　Keeping　his　head　lowered　to　the　sample；　he　peered　upward　and　saw　a　lab　tech　standing　there。
　
　〃Call　just　came　in　for　you；　Dr。　Trout；〃　she　said；　handing　him　a　phone。　Trout's　mind　was　still　on　the　ocean　bottom；　and　when　he　heard　Austin's　voice　he　assumed　the　head　of　the　Special　Assignments　Team　was　at　NUMA　headquarters。
　
　〃Kurt；　are　you　already　back　home？〃
　〃Actually；　I'm　calling　from　Istanbul；　where　you'll　be　in　twenty…four　hours。　I've　got　a　job　for　you　in　the　Black　Sea。〃
　
　Trout　blinked　his　hazel　eyes。　〃Istanbul。　The　Black　Sea？〃　His　reaction　was　the　plete　opposite　of　Zavala's。　〃I've　always　wanted　to　work　there。　My　colleagues　will　be　green　with　envy。〃
　〃How　soon　can　you　leave？〃
　〃I'm　up　to　my　ears　in　mud；　but　I　can　leave　for　Washington　immediately。〃
　
　There　was　silence　at　the　other　end　of　the　line　as　Austin　pictured　Trout　in　a　pool　of　muck。　Austin　was　used　to　Trout's　Yankee　eccentricities　and　decided　he　didn't　want　to　know　the　details。　He　simply　said；　〃Could　you　pass　this　along　to　Gamay？〃
　〃Finestkind；　Cap；〃　Trout　said；　using　an　old　fisherman's　expression　that　spoke　for　itself。　〃See　you　tomorrow。〃
　
　
　TWENTY　FEET　BELOW　the　surface　of　the　water　east　of　Marathon　in　the　Florida　Keys；　Trout's　wife；　Gamay；　was　chiseling　away　with　a　dive　knife　at　a　big　brain　coral。　She　broke　off　a　small　piece　and　put　it　in　a　mesh　bag　hanging　from　her　weight　belt。　Gamay　had　donated　some　of　her　working　vacation　as　a　marine　biologist　to　a　conservation　group　studying　the　deterioration　of　coral　growth　in　the　Keys。　The　news　wasn't　good。　The　coral　was　worse　than　the　year　before。　The　growth　that　had　not　been　killed　outright　by　the　poisonous　run…off　from　south　Florida　was　brown　and　discolored；　totally　unlike　the　vibrant　colors　to　be　found　in　the　healthy　reefs　of　the　Caribbean　and　Red　Sea。
　
　A　sharp　rapping　sound　filled　her　ears。　Someone　was　signaling　from　the　surface。　Tucking　her　knife　back　in　its　sheath；　Gamay　increased　the　air　in　her　buoyancy　pensator；　and　with　a　few　flips　of　her　fins；　her　tightly　shaped　body　rose　from　the　coral。　She　surfaced　near　the　chartered　dive　boat　and　blinked　in　the　bright　Florida　sun。　The　boat's　skipper；　a　grizzled　old　〃conch〃　named　Bud；　after　the　beer　he　favored；　was　holding　a　ball…peen　hammer　he'd　used　to　tap　on　the　metal　stern　ladder。
　
　〃Harbormaster　just　called　on　the　radio；〃　Bud　yelled。　〃Says　your　husband　was　trying　to　get　in　touch　with　you。〃
　
　Gamay　swam　to　the　ladder；　handed　up　her　tank　and　weight　belt；　then　climbed　aboard。　She　wrung　the　seawater　out　of　her　dark　red　hair　and　wiped　her　face　down　with　a　towel。　She　was　tall；　and　slim　for　her　height；　and　had　she　cared　to　get　down　to　an　unhealthy　weight；　she　would　have　had　the　figure　of　a　fashion　model。　She　dug　the　coral　fragment　from　her　bag　and　held　it　up　for　Bud　to　see。
　
　He　shook　his　head。　〃My　dive　business　is　going　down　the　tubes　if　this　keeps　up。〃
　
　The　fisherman　was　right。　It　was　going　to　take　a　massive　mitment　from　everyone；　from　the　conchs　to　the　Congress；　to　bring　the　reefs　back　to　life。
　
　〃Did　my　husband　leave　a　message？〃　she　asked。
　
　〃Yeah；　says　to　get　in　touch　with　him　pronto。　That　someone　named　Kurt　called。　Guess　your　vacation　is　over。〃
　
　She　smiled；　showing　the　slight　space　between　her　dazzling　white　front　teeth；　and　tossed　the　piece　of　coral　to　Bud。　〃Guess　it　is；〃　she　said。
　
　…10…
　WASHINGTON；　D。C。
　
　WASHINGTON　SWELTERED　UNDER　a　hot　sun　that　bined　with　the　humidity　to　transform　the　nation's　capital　into　a　giant　steam　bath。　The　driver　of　the　turquoise　Jeep　Cherokee　shook　his　head　in　wonder　at　the　brave　clusters　of　tourists　ignoring　the　wilting　heat。　Noel　Coward　to　the　contrary；　he　thought；　mad　dogs　and　Englishmen　weren't　the　only　ones　to　go　out　in　the　midday　sun。
　
　Minutes　later；　the　Jeep　pulled　up　to　the　White　House　gate　and　the　man　at　the　wheel　handed　over　a　NUMA　identification　card　with　the　name　and　photo　of　Admiral　James　Sandecker。　While　one　guard　used　a　mirror　on　a　pole　to　check　underneath　the　vehicle　for　a　bomb；　the　other　returned　the　ill　to　the　driver；　a　trim　man　with　flaming　red　hair　and　a　Vandyke　beard。
　
　〃Good　day；　Admiral　Sandecker；〃　the　guard　said；　with　a　broad　grin。　〃Nice　to　see　you　again。　It's　been　a　few　weeks。　How　are　you　today；　sir？〃
　〃I'm　fine；　Norman；〃　said　Sandecker；　〃You're　looking　well。　How　are　Dolores　and　the　children？〃
　〃Thank　you　for　asking；〃　the　guard　said；　beaming　with　pride。　〃She's　great。　Kids　are　doing　well　in　school。　Jamie　wants　to　work　for　NUMA　when　she　gets　out　of　college。〃
　〃Splendid。　Make　sure　she　calls　me　directly。　The　agency　is　always　on　the　lookout　for　bright　young　people。〃
　
　The　guard　let　out　a　hearty　laugh。　〃It　won't　be　for　a　while。　She's　only　fourteen。〃　He　jerked　his　thumb　toward　the　White　House。　〃They're　all　in　there　waiting　for　you；　Admiral。〃
　〃Thank　you　for　letting　me　know；〃　Sandecker　replied。　〃Please　give　my　regards　to　Dolores。〃
　
　As　the　guard　waved　him　through　the　gate；　Sandecker　thought　how　being　gracious　had　more　than　its　immediate　rewards。　By　dealing　warmly　with　guards；　secretaries；　receptionists　and　others　considered　low　in　the　bureaucratic　hierarchy；