inca.gold-第24节

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　　　　〃I'm　sorry　about　your　brother；〃　Sarason　said　without　emotion。
　　　　〃I　can't　believe　he's　gone；〃　muttered　Chaco；　strangely　unmoved。　〃His　death　doesn't　seem　possible。　The　elimination　of　the　archaeologists　should　have　been　a　simple　affair。〃
　　　　〃To　say　your　people　bungled　the　job　is　an　understatement；〃　said　Sarason。　〃I　warned　you　those　two　divers　from　NUMA　were　dangerous。〃
　　　　〃My　brother　did　not　expect　organized　resistance　by　an　army。〃
　　　　〃An　army　of　one　man；〃　Sarason　said　acidly。　〃I　observed　the　action　from　a　tomb。　A　lone　sniper　atop　the　temple　killed　the　officers　and　held　off　two　squads　of　your　intrepid　mercenaries；　while　his　panion　overpowered　the　pilots　and　mandeered　their　helicopter。　Your　brother　paid　dearly　for　his　overconfidence　and　stupidity。〃
　　　　〃How　could　a　pair　of　divers　and　a　juvenile　group　of　archaeologists　scourge　a　highly　trained　security　force？〃　Chaco　asked　in　bewilderment。
　　　　〃If　we　knew　the　answer　to　that　question；　we　might　learn　how　they　knocked　the　pursuing　helicopter　out　of　the　air。〃
　　　　Chaco　stared　at　him。　〃They　can　still　be　stopped。〃
　　　　〃Forget　it。　I'm　not　about　to　pound　the　disaster　by　destroying　a　U。S。　government　ship　and　all　on　board。　The　damage　is　already　done。　According　to　my　sources　in　Lima；　full　exposure；　including　Miller's　murder；　was　municated　to　President　Fujimori's　office　by　Dr。　Kelsey　soon　after　she　boarded　the　ship。　By　this　evening；　the　story　will　be　broadcast　all　over　the　country。　The　Chachapoyan　end　of　our　operation　is　a　washout。〃
　　　　〃We　can　still　bring　the　artifacts　out　of　the　valley。〃　The　recent　demise　of　Chaco's　brother　had　not　fully　pushed　aside　his　greed。
　　　　Sarason　nodded。　〃I'm　ahead　of　you。　A　team　is　on　its　way　to　remove　whatever　pieces　survived　the　rocket　attack　launched　by　those　idiots　under　your　brother's　mand。　It's　a　miracle　we　still　have　something　to　show　for　our　efforts。〃
　　　　〃I　believe　there　is　a　good　possibility　a　clue　to　the　Drake　quipu　may　still　be　found　in　the　City　of　the　Dead。〃
　　　　〃The　Drake　quipu。〃　Sarason　repeated　the　words　with　a　faraway　look　in　his　eyes。　Then　he　shrugged。　〃Our　organization　is　already　working　on　another　angle　for　the　treasure。〃
　　　　〃What　of　Amaru？　Is　he　still　alive？〃
　　　　〃Unfortunately；　yes。　He'll　live　the　rest　of　his　days　as　a　eunuch。〃
　　　　〃Too　bad。　He　was　a　loyal　follower。〃
　　　　Sarason　sneered。　〃Loyal　to　whoever　paid　him　best。　Tupac　Amaru　is　a　sociopathic　killer　of　the　highest　order。　When　I　ordered　him　to　abduct　Miller　and　hold　him　prisoner　until　we　concluded　the　operation；　he　put　a　bullet　in　the　good　doctor's　heart　and　threw　him　in　the　damned　sinkhole。　The　man　has　the　mind　of　a　rabid　dog。〃
　　　　〃He　may　still　prove　useful；〃　said　Chaco　slowly。
　　　　〃Useful；　how？〃
　　　　〃If　I　know　his　mind；　he'll　swear　vengeance　on　those　responsible　for　his　newly　acquired　handicap。　It　might　be　wise　to　unleash　him　on　Dr。　Kelsey　and　the　diver　called　Pitt　to　prevent　them　from　being　used　by　international　customs　investigators　as　informants。〃
〃We'd　be　skating　on　thin　ice　if　we　turned　a　crazy　man　like　him　loose。　But　I'll　keep　your　suggestion　in　mind。〃
　　　　Chaco　went　on。　〃What　plans　do　the　Solpemachaco　have　for　me？　I　am　finished　here。　Now　that　my　countrymen　will　know　I　have　betrayed　their　trust　with　regard　to　our　historical　treasures；　I　could　spend　the　rest　of　my　life　in　one　of　our　filthy　prisons。〃
　　　　〃A　foregone　conclusion。〃　Sarason　shrugged。　〃My　sources　also　revealed　that　the　local　police　have　been　ordered　to　pick　you　up。　They　should　arrive　within　the　hour。〃
　　　　Chaco　looked　at　Sarason　for　a　long　moment；　then　said　slowly　〃I　am　a　scholar　and　a　scientist；　not　a　hardened　criminal。　There　is　no　telling　how　much　I　might　reveal　during　lengthy　interrogation；　perhaps　even　torture。〃
　　　　Sarason　suppressed　a　smile　at　the　veiled　threat。　〃You　are　a　valuable　asset　we　cannot　afford　to　lose。　Your　expertise　and　knowledge　of　ancient　Andean　cultures　is　second　to　none。　Arrangements　are　being　made　for　you　to　take　over　our　collection　facilities　in　Panama。　There　you　will　direct　the　identification；　cataloguing；　and　restoration　operations　on　all　artifacts　we　either　purchase　from　the　local　huagueros　or　acquire　under　the　guise　of　academic　archaeological　projects　throughout　South　America。〃
　　　　Chaco　suddenly　looked　wolfish。　〃I'm　flattered。　Of　course　I　accept。　Such　an　important　position　must　pay　well。〃
　　　　〃You　will　receive　two　percent　of　the　price　the　artifacts　bring　at　our　auction　houses　in　New　York　and　Europe。〃
　　　　Chaco　was　too　far　down　the　rungs　of　the　organizational　ladder　to　be　privy　to　the　inner　secrets　of　the　Solpemachaco；　but　he　well　knew　the　network；　and　its　profits　were　vast。　〃I　will　need　help　getting　out　of　the　country。〃
　　　　〃Not　to　worry；〃　said　Sarason。　〃You'll　acpany　me。〃　He　nodded　out　a　window　at　the　ominous　black　aircraft　sitting　outside　the　motor　home；　the　big　threebladed　rotors　slowly　beating　the　air　at　idle。　〃In　that　aircraft　we　can　be　in　Bogota；　Colombia；　within　four　hours。〃
　　　　Chaco　couldn't　believe　his　luck。　One　minute　he　was　a　step　away　from　disgrace　and　prison　for　defrauding　his　government；　the　next　he　was　on　his　way　to　being　an　extremely　wealthy　man。　The　memory　of　his　sibling　was　rapidly　fading；　they　were　only　half…brothers　and　had　never　been　close　anyway。　While　Sarason　patiently　waited；　Chaco　quickly　gathered　some　personal　items　and　stuffed　them　in　a　suitcase。　Then　the　two　men　walked　out　to　the　aircraft　together。
　　　　Juan　Chaco　never　lived　to　see　Bogota；　Colombia。　Farmers　tilling　a　field　of　sweet　potatoes　near　an　isolated　village　in　Ecuador　paused　to　look　up　in　the　sky　at　the　strange　droning　sound　of　the　tilt…rotor　as　it　passed　overhead　500　meters　（1600　feet）　above　the　ground。　Suddenly；　in　what　seemed　a　horror　fantasy；　they　caught　sight　of　the　body　of　a　man　dropping　away　from　the　aircraft。　The　farmers　could　also　clearly　see　that　the　unfortunate　man　was　alive。　He　frantically　kicked　his　legs　and　clawed　madly　at　the　air　as　if　he　could　somehow　slow　his　plunging　descent。
　　　　Chaco　struck　the　ground　in　the　middle　of　a　small　corral　occupied　by　a　scrawny　cow；　missing　the　startled　animal　by　only　2　meters。　The　farmers　came　running　from　their　field　and　stood　around　the　crushed　body　that　was　embedded　nearly　half　a　meter　into　the　soil。　Simple　countryfolk；　they　did　not　send　a　runner　to　the　nearest　police　station　over　60　kilometers　（37　miles）　to　the　west。　Instead；　they　reverently　lifted　the　broken　remains　of　the　mysterious　man　who　had　dropped　from　the　sky　and　buried　him　in　a　small　graveyard　beside　the　ruins　of　an　old　church；　unlamented　and　unknown；　but　embellished　in　myth　for　generations　yet　to　e。

　　　　The　top　of　Shannon's　head　was　wrapped　turban　style　with　a　towel；　her　hair　still　wet　after　a　hot　blissful　bath　in　the　captain's　cabin。　She　had　allowed　the　Peruvian　female　students　to　go　first　before　luxuriating　in　the　steaming　water　while　sipping　wine　and　eating　a　chicken　sandwich　thoughtfully　provided　by　Pitt　from　the　ship's　galley。　Her　skin　glowed　all　over　and　smelled　of　lavender　soap　after　washing　the　sweat　and　grime　out　of　her　pores　and　the　jungle　mud　from　under　her　nails。　One　of　the　shorter　crewmen；　who　was　close　to　her　size；　lent　her　a　pair　of　coveralls。　The　only　female　crew　member；　a　marine　geologist；　had　used　most　of　her　wardrobe　to　reclothe　the　Peruvian　girls。　As　soon　as　Shannon　was　dressed　she　promptly　threw　the　swimsuit　and　the　dirty　blouse　in　a　trash　container。　They　held　memories　she'd　just　as　soon　forget。
　　　　After　drying　and　brushing　out　her　hair；　she　sneaked　a　bit　of　Captain　Stewart's　aftershave　lotion。　Why　is　it；　she　wondered；　men　never　use　talcum　powder　after　they　shower？　She　was　just　tying　her　long　hair　in　a　braid　when　Pitt　knocked　on　the　door。　They　stood　there　for　a　moment　staring　at　each　other　before　breaking　into　laughter。
　　　　〃I　hardly　recognized　you；〃　she　said；　taking　in　a　clean　and　shaven　Pitt　wearing　a　brightly　flowered　Hawaiian　aloha　shirt　and　light　tan　slacks。　He　was　not　what　you'd　call　devilishly　good…looking；　she　thought；　but　any　flaws　in　his　craggy　face　were　more　than　offset　by　a　masculine　magnetism　she　found　hard　to　resist。　He　was　even　more　tanned　than　she　was；　and　his　black；　wavy　hair　was　a　perfect　match　for　the　incredibly　green　eyes。
　　　　〃We　don't　exactly　look　like　the　same　two　people；〃　he　said　with　an　engaging　smile。　〃How　about　a　tour　of　the　ship　before　dinner？〃
　　　　〃I'd　like　that。〃　Then　she　gave　him　an　appraising　look。　〃I　thought　I　was　supposed　to　bunk　down　in　your　cabin。　Now　I　find　out　the　captain　has　generously　offered　me　his。〃
　　　　Pitt　shrugged。　〃The　luck　of　the　draw；　I　guess。〃
　　　　〃You're　a　fraud；　Dirk　Pitt。　You're　not　the　lecher　you　make　yourself　out　to　be。〃
　　　　〃I've　always　believed　intimacy　should　be　drifted　into　gradually。〃
　　　　She　suddenly　felt　uneasy。　It　was　as　though　his　piercing　eyes　could　read　her　mind。　He　seemed　to　sense　there　was　someone　else。　She　forced　a　smile　and　wrapped　her　arm　around　his。　〃Where　shall　we　begin？〃
　　　　〃You're　speaking　of　the　tour；　of　course。〃
　　　　〃What　else？〃
　　　　The　Deep　Fathom　was　a　state…of…the…art　scientific　work　boat；　and　she　looked　it。　Her　official　designation　was　Super…Seismic　Vessel。　She　was　primarily　designed　for　deep　ocean　geophysical　research；　but　she　could　also　undertake　a　myriad　of　other　subsea　activities。　Her　giant　stern　and　side　cranes；　with　their　huge　winches；　could　be