cc.fireice-第23部分

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uggler。　I　was　never　caught。〃　He　thumped　the　deck　with　his　heel　and　flashed　his　fourteen…karat　grin。　〃Twin　diesels；〃　he　said　proudly。　〃Thirty　knots　cruising　speed。　When　do　you　wish　to　go？〃
　〃I'm　expecting　three　other　people　from　the　United　States　today。　I　have　to　round　up　some　equipment　as　well。　How　about　tomorrow　morning？〃
　〃The　boat　will　be　fueled　up　and　ready　at　dawn。〃
　〃What　about　crew？〃　Austin　said。　〃I　don't　want　to　place　anyone　in　danger　after　what　happened　to　Mehmet。〃
　〃Thank　you。　I　will　keep　two　crewmen；　my　most　trusted。　I　will　warn　them　about　the　danger；　so　they　can　make　a　choice。　I　know　what　they　will　say。　They　are　cousins　to　Mehmet；　too。〃
　
　They　shook　hands　on　the　deal。　Austin　said　he　would　be　there　with　the　sun。　He　left　before　Kemal　wanted　to　seal　the　agreement　with　another　cup　of　raki。　His　head　was　spinning　on　the　walk　back　to　the　Argo；　though　by　the　time　he　returned　to　the　NUMA　ship；　the　fresh　air　off　the　Bosporus　had　cleared　away　most　of　the　alcoholic　vapors。　He　went　up　to　the　bridge　to　see　Captain　Atwood；　who　was　poring　over　some　charts。
　
　〃How's　the　television　star？〃　he　asked。
　
　〃You've　obviously　heard　about　what　a　natural　I　am　before　the　cameras；〃　Atwood　replied。　〃Okay；　I　admit　it；〃　he　said；　with　a　sheepish　grin。　〃I　had　a　good　time　filming　with　those　crazy　characters。　My　guess　is　that　they'll　edit　out　my　pretty　mug　in　favor　of　the　lovely　Miss　Dorn。〃
　〃Would　you　blame　them？〃
　〃Hell　no！　Not　in　a　hundred　years。　I'm　surprised　you　didn't　make　a　move　on　the　lady。　Losing　your　touch？〃
　〃My　heart　belongs　only　to　NUMA；〃　Austin　said；　placing　his　hand　on　his　chest。　〃Which　brings　up　why　I'm　here。　I'm　going　to　need　some　help；　no　questions　asked。〃
　
　The　captain　cocked　his　head。　He　had　known　Austin　a　long　time　and　never　knew　the　man　to　leave　business　of　any　sort　unfinished。
　
　〃We'll　do　what　we　can；　as　long　as　it　doesn't　involve　putting　the　Argo　or　its　crew　in　jeopardy。〃
　〃It　won't。　All　I　need　is　the　loan　of　some　gear。〃　Austin　summarized　his　wish　list　and　asked　that　the　equipment　be　delivered　to　the　Turgut。　None　of　it　would　be　a　problem；　the　captain　said。　While　Atwood　ordered　up　the　requested　gear；　Austin　went　to　his　cabin　and　plugged　in　his　laptop　puter。　He　called　up　a　mercial　satellite…imaging　pany　off　the　Internet　and　requested　photos　of　a　location　on　the　Russian　coast　of　the　Black　Sea。　He　examined　the　photos　closely；　but　wasn't　surprised　when　nothing　unusual　popped　out　at　him。　The　Soviets　would　not　be　advertising　their　secret　base。
　
　He　punched　out　a　number　on　his　Globalstar　phone。　It　was　still　early　back　in　the　States；　but　he　knew　from　his　days　of　working　with　the　CIA　that　Sam　Leahy　would　be　in　his　office。
　
　〃How's　the　weather　at　Langley？〃　Austin　said；　when　Leahy's　brass…lunged　voice　came　on　the　phone。
　
　There　was　a　pause。　〃You've　got　the　wrong　number；　pal。　If　you're　looking　for　a　goddamn　weather　report；　call　the　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency。　Hell；　I　hear　the　smart　alecks　at　NUMA　know　everything　there　is　to　know。〃
　〃Almost　everything；　Sam。　That's　why　I'm　calling　for　your　help。〃
　〃I　knew　you'd　e　crawling　back　to　the　pany。　Great　hearing　from　you。　How　have　you　been；　you　old　sea　dog？〃
　〃I'm　fine。　They　still　have　you　tied　to　a　desk？〃
　〃Not　for　long。　Retirement　is　in　six　months。　Then　it's　running　fishing　charters　on　the　Chesapeake。　I　could　use　a　first　mate　if　you　ever　get　tired　of　the　Washington　rat　race。〃
　〃Sounds　tempting。　Put　me　down　for　a　charter　at　the　very　least。　Right　now　I　could　use　some　information。　What　do　you　know　about　Soviet　sub　bases？〃
　〃Broad　subject。　Anything　in　particular　you'd　like　to　know？〃
　〃Yes。　How　were　they　physically　constructed？〃
　〃To　begin　with；　they　were　big。　They　had　to　be　large　enough　to　acmodate　the　babies　like　the　Typhoon；　with　a　length　of　five　hundred　fifty…seven　feet。　The　beam　alone　was　seventy…five　feet。　Those　monsters　were　armed　with　twenty　nukes　a　piece。　The　Soviets　wanted　them　protected　from　a　nuclear　attack；　so　they　built　the　pens　deep。　They　learned　from　the　German　U…boat　pen　construction　that　held　up　pretty　well　under　Allied　bombing。　Basically；　they'd　blast　a　tunnel　out　of　a　hillside　and　line　it　with　several　yards　of　reinforced　granite。〃
　〃Do　you　have　any　data　on　the　where　and　how　of　these　bases？〃
　〃I　can　get　it。〃　Austin　heard　an　unspoken　conditional　in　the　answer。　〃It　would　really　be　a　help　if　you　could　dig　out　what　you　can。〃
　〃No　problem。　Lots　of　that　stuff　has　been　declassified　anyhow。　But　I'll　hold　you　to　that　promise　to　do　a　charter。〃
　
　Austin　was　relieved。　He'd　expected　Leahy　to　say　he　would　have　to　run　the　request　through　his　higher…ups。　〃You　provide　the　bait　and　I'll　bring　the　beer。〃
　
　Austin　gave　Leahy　his　e…mail　address；　thanked　him　again　and　hung　up。　He　worked　out　some　logistical　problems　on　his　puter；　then　he　went　out　to　check　on　the　preparations　for　his　trip　with　Captain　Kemal。　The　equipment　he'd　asked　for　was　stacked　in　boxes　on　the　deck　and　ready　to　go。　A　truck　was　on　its　way　to　run　the　equipment　to　the　Turgut。　Austin　had　done　all　he　could　until　he　heard　from　the　Special　Assignments　Team。　He　didn't　have　to　wait　long。　As　he　was　taking　an　equipment　inventory；　his　phone　buzzed。　It　was　Joe　Zavala　calling。
　
　〃We're　at　the　airport；〃　Zavala　said。
　
　〃What　took　you　so　long？〃
　
　Zavala　sighed　loudly。　〃That's　gratitude　for　you。　You　yanked　me　out　of　the　arms　of　the　most　beautiful　woman　on　the　planet。〃
　〃Every　woman　you've　ever　been　involved　with　was　the　most　beautiful　woman　on　the　planet。〃
　〃What　can　I　say？　I　am　a　fortunate　man。〃
　〃One　day　you'll　thank　me　for　rescuing　you　from　the　bonds　of　matrimony。〃
　〃Matrimony！　A　sobering　thought。　Don't　even　joke　about　it。〃
　〃We　can　talk　about　your　love　life　later。　How　soon　will　you　be　at　the　Argo？〃
　〃Gamay　is　nailing　down　a　cab　and　Paul　is　humping　the　luggage　out　to　the　curb。　We'll　be　there　sooner　than　you　can　spell　Constantinople。〃
　
　Within　the　hour；　Zavala　and　the　Trouts　arrived　at　the　hotel。　After　a　brief　reunion；　Zavala　said；　〃Not　that　it　matters；　but　we　were　wondering　if　you　could　give　us　a　hint　why　we　raced　halfway　across　the　world　at　warp　speed。〃
　〃I　missed　your　smiling　faces？〃
　〃Right；〃　Zavala　said。　〃That's　why　you　asked　me　to　bring　along　your　shooting　iron　and　my　own　metal　delivery　system。〃
　〃I'll　admit　I　had　an　ulterior　motive；　but　I'm　not　lying　when　I　say　it's　good　to　see　you。〃
　
　Austin　glanced　around　at　the　other　members　of　the　Special　Assignments　Team　and　grinned　with　pleasure　at　their　eager　expressions。　Then　he　began　to　outline　his　plan。
　
　…12…
　ROCKY　POINT；　MAINE
　
　THE　IMAGE　ON　the　oversized　puter　monitor　looked　like　the　profile　of　a　very　tall　tortoise。　Leroy　Jenkins　clicked　the　puter　mouse　until　the　shell　flattened　as　if　it　had　been　run　over　by　an　eighteen…wheeler。　Jenkins　made　some　putations　from　the　numbers　on　the　screen；　then　exploded　with　the　blue…lightning　curses　he　usually　reserved　for　a　tangled　lobster　pot　line。　He　turned　away　from　the　puter　and　swiveled　his　chair　so　he　was　facing　a　big　picture　window。　From　its　position　high　on　the　hill；　the　tall　white　clapboard　house　offered　an　unequaled　view　of　the　harbor　and　the　sea　beyond。
　
　The　harbor　swarmed　with　activity。　Front…end　loaders　scooped　scattered　debris　into　a　waiting　line　of　dump　trucks。　Forklifts　normally　used　to　hoist　boats　onto　multistory　racks　for　winter　storage　were　plucking　battered　wrecks　from　the　parking　lot　and　lining　them　up　where　their　owners　could　claim　them。　Cranes　had　been　brought　in　to　pick　remnants　of　the　motel　off　the　breakwaters。
　
　Jenkins's　boat　was　tied　up　at　the　town　pier　with　the　others　lucky　enough　to　have　been　out　of　the　way　when　the　big　wave　struck。　Jenkins　rubbed　his　eyes　and　turned　back　to　the　puter　to　enter　some　new　numbers。　After　a　few　minutes；　he　shook　his　head　in　frustration。　He　had　gone　through　the　modeling　process　dozens　of　times；　feeding　in　different　binations　of　data；　and　his　findings　still　didn't　make　sense。　Jenkins　was　grateful　when　the　doorbell　rang。　He　went　out　into　the　hallway　and　yelled　down　the　stairs；　〃e　in。〃
　
　The　door　opened　and　Charlie　Howes　stepped　inside。　〃Not　bothering　you；　am　I？〃　the　police　chief　said。
　

　〃Hell　no；　Charlie。　e　on　up。　I　was　just　fiddling　around　on　the　puter。〃
　
　The　chief　climbed　to　the　second…floor　office。　〃You've　done　a　nice　job　with　the　house；〃　he　said；　glancing　around　at　the　well…ordered　space　with　its　neatly　arranged　filing　cabinets　and　bookcases。
　
　〃Thanks；　Charlie。　Wish　I　could　claim　credit。〃　He　picked　up　a　framed　photograph　of　a　handsome　middle…aged　woman　who　was　smiling　directly　at　the　camera　from　a　sailboat　cockpit。　〃Mary　knew　that　I'd　need　more　than　lobstering　to　keep　my　brain　from　fossilizing。　Setting　up　my　office　in　the　attic　space　was　her　idea。　You　know　how　she　was。　She　could　make　a　silk　purse　out　of　a　sow's　ear。〃
　〃She　didn't　do　a　bad　job　of　filing　down　some　of　your　rough　edges。〃
　
　Jenkins　laughed。　〃I　consider　that　a　miracle；　given　the　material　she　had　to　work　with。〃　He　glanced　out　the　window　again。　〃Looks　like　they're　making　progress　down　there。〃
　〃Getting　the　harbor　cleared　out　real　fast。　There　was　some　worry　about　oil　spills　from　the　fuel　tanks；　but　the　environmental　people　from　the　state　got　it　under　control。　I　needed　a　break　from　the　press　people。　Started　getting　in　the　way　anyhow；　with　all　the　insurance　guys　showing　up。〃　He　jerked　his　head　toward　the　puter。　〃See　you've　been　workin'。　Got　things　figured　out　yet？〃
　〃Been　trying。　Pull　up　a　seat　and　take　a　look。　I　could　use　your　detective's　intuition。〃
　
　Despite　the　chief's　folksy　language　and　country　ways；　he　was　no　bumpkin。　Howes　had　a　master's　degree　in　criminal　science　from　the　state　university。　He　replied　with　a　skeptical　snort；　dragged　a　stool　next　to　Jenkins's　chair　and　squinted　into　the　puter　monitor。
　
　〃What's　that　thing　that　looks　like　a　pregnant　snake？〃　Jenkins　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃Rorschach　would　have　a　field　day　with　you。　What　do　you　know　about　tsunamis？〃
　〃I　know　I　never　want　to　see　one　again　！〃
　〃That's　a　good　start。　Let　me　don　my　professor's　hat；　and　I'll　give　you　a　crash　course。〃　He　wrote　out　the　words　tsu　and　nami　on　a　pad　of　paper。　〃These　words　represent　the　Japanese　characters　for　'harbor'　and　'wave。'　An　international　conference　adopted　the