cc.fireice-第13节

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fading　into　the　woodwork。　He　was　the　bureaucratic　equivalent　of　a　shape…shifter；　a　legendary　being　that　can　change　form　at　will。　He　had　survived　three　premiers　and　countless　Politburo　members　with　his　ability　to　avoid　definition。　He　hadn't　allowed　himself　to　be　photographed　in　years。　The　photos　clipped　to　his　personnel　files　were　of　dead　men。　He　resisted　attempts　to　give　him　a　title。　In　the　various　evolutions　of　his　long　career；　he　was　known　simply　as　an　aide。
　
　In　keeping　with　his　faзade；　Petrov　enclosed　his　athletic　physique　in　one　of　the　baggy　monotone　suits　that　had　long　been　the　uniform　of　the　Kremlin's　faceless　gray　men。　His　pepper…and…salt　hair　was　worn　over　the　collar　of　his　cheap　shirt　as　if　he　could　not　afford　a　regular　haircut。　The　glass　in　his　wire…rimmed　spectacles　was　plain　and　intended　to　give　him　a　professorial　look。　Disguise　had　its　limitations；　though。　He　could　cover　his　scar；　but　no　sartorial　sleight　of　hand　could　hide　the　lively　intelligence　that　glinted　in　the　slate…　blue　eyes；　and　his　chiseled　profile　projected　a　ruthless　determination。
　
　The　caller　was　an　earnest　young　man　named　Aleksei；　whom　Petrov　had　personally　recruited　as　an　agent。　〃There　is　a　new　development　in　the　south；〃　he　said；　making　no　effort　to　hide　his　excitement。
　
　The　four　cardinal　directions　had　bee　a　rough　verbal　shorthand　in　alerting　Petrov　to　the　general　location　of　trouble　in　the　vortex　of　assassinations；　murders；　rebellions　and　unrest　that　swirled　around　in　the　far　ers　of　the　old　Soviet　empire。　Petrov　thought　he　was　about　to　hear　more　bad　news　from　the　Republic　of　Georgia。
　
　〃Go　ahead；〃　Petrov　said　automatically。
　
　〃An　American　ship　violated　Russian　territory　in　the　Black　Sea　earlier　today。〃
　〃What　sort　of　ship？〃　Petrov　said；　with　barely　disguised　irritation。　Far　more　weighty　matters　occupied　his　mind。
　
　〃It　was　a　survey　vessel　from　the　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency。〃
　〃NUMA？〃　Petrov　tightened　his　grip　on　the　phone。　〃Go　on；〃　he　said；　trying　to　keep　his　voice　level。
　
　〃Our　observers　identified　the　vessel　as　the　Argo。　I　checked　on　the　ship's　permit。　The　vessel　is　only　allowed　to　conduct　operations　in　the　open　sea。　Several　munications　were　picked　up　between　the　ship　and　an　aircraft。　The　pilot　of　the　plane　indicated　his　intention　to　enter　Russian　territory。〃
　〃Did　the　plane　actually　cross　our　borders？〃
　〃We　don't　know；　sir。　There　were　no　radar　sightings。〃
　〃Well；　this　is　not　exactly　an　invasion；　Aleksei。　Is　it　not　a　matter　that　should　be　taken　up　with　the　U。S。　State　Department？〃
　〃Not　in　this　case；　sir。　The　plane　gave　its　positions；　so　we　were　able　to　chart　its　course。　It　was　flying　near　Department　Three　Thirty…one　when　the　pilot　made　plans　to　rendezvous　with　the　ship。〃
　
　Petrov's　lips　parted　in　a　silent　curse。　〃You're　certain　of　their　position？〃
　〃Absolutely。〃
　〃Where　is　the　NUMA　ship　now？〃
　〃The　coastguard's　dispatched　a　helicopter　to　the　scene。　The　ship　has　left　Russian　territorial　waters　and　appears　to　be　on　its　way　to　Istanbul。　We're　continuing　to　monitor　radio　messages。
　

　〃What　about　the　aircraft？〃
　〃No　sign　of　it。〃
　〃There　was　a　thorough　visual　inspection　of　their　landing　site；　I　assume。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　The　landing　party　reported　seeing　about　an　acre　of　burned　grass。　There　were　many　footprints　and　evidence　of　horses。〃
　
　Horses。　Petrov　had　the　feeling　someone　had　walked　on　his　grave。
　
　〃I　want　you　to　follow　the　progress　of　the　ship。　If　it　makes　port；　place　it　under　twenty…four…hour　surveillance。　Alert　me　to　any　development　that　has　to　do　with　this　vessel。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Is　that　all？〃
　〃Send　me　the　printed　conversations　between　the　pilot　and　ship。〃
　〃I'll　do　that　immediately。〃
　
　Petrov　praised　the　agent　for　his　thoroughness　and　hung　up。　The　fax　machine　hummed　a　few　minutes　later　and　spat　out　several　sheets　of　paper。　Petrov　studied　the　double…spaced　transcript　of　the　conversation　between　the　Argo's　captain　and　the　man　in　the　aircraft。　His　fingers　stiffened　as　he　read。　the　first　sentence。
　
　〃Austin　to　Argo。〃
　
　Austin。　It　couldn't　be。
　
　Petrov　took　a　deep　breath　to　steady　his　nerves。　Austin　was　a　mon　name　in　the　United　States；　and　NUMA　was　a　large　organization。　He　tried　to　persuade　himself　that　it　was　sheer　coincidence；　but　as　he　read　the　transcript；　his　lips　curled　into　a　grim　smile。　There　was　no　mistaking　the　pilot's　wisecracking　tone。　The　irreverent　reference　to　the　director　of　NUMA　clinched　it。　He　was　reading　pure　Kurt　Austin。　Petrov　reached　into　the　dusty　file　cabinet　and　extracted　a　thick　folder　marked　NUMA；　Kurt　Austin。　The　dossier's　well…worn　pages　told　him　what　he　already　knew　by　heart。　Austin　had　been　born　in　Seattle；　his　father　the　wealthy　owner　of　a　marine　salvage　pany。　The　sea　had　shaped　his　adventurous　personality。　He　could　sail　as　soon　as　he　could　walk；　and　as　he　grew　older；　he　acquired　a　taste　for　racing　speedboats；　although　in　recent　years　he　had　taken　up　sculling　on　the　Potomac。　He　lived　in　a　converted　boathouse　below　the　Palisades　in　Washington；　D。C。；　less　than　a　mile　from　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency　at　Langley。　He　enjoyed　philosophy；　collected　dueling　pistols；　listened　to　progressive　jazz。　。　。　。
　
　Petrov　read　further；　though　his　eyes　barely　registered　the　words。　After　studying　for　his　master's　in　systems　management　at　the　University　of　Washington；　Austin　had　attended　a　highly　rated　Seattle　dive　school　and　trained　as　a　professional。　He'd　brought　these　skills　to　bear　working　on　North　Sea　oil　rigs；　then　returned　to　his　father's　salvage　pany　before　being　lured　into　government　service　by　a　little　known　branch　of　the　CIA　that　specialized　in　underwater　intelligence…gathering。　At　the　end　of　the　Cold　War；　the　CIA　had　closed　down　the　branch　and　NUMA　director　Admiral　James　Sandecker　had　hired　Austin　to　head　up　a　special　assignments　team　being　assembled　for　oceanographic　research。
　
　Their　backgrounds　couldn't　have　been　more　different。　Austin　and　Petrov。　Like　the　American；　Petrov　had　salt　water　in　his　veins；　but　his　beginnings　were　more　humble。　He'd　been　born　the　only　son　of　a　poor　fisherman。　As　a　Young　Pioneer；　his　intelligence　and　athletic　ability　were　noticed　by　a　visiting　political　missar；　and　he　was　taken　to　Moscow　and　made　a　ward　of　the　state。　He　never　saw　his　parents　or　siblings　again。　Even　worse；　he　didn't　care　to　see　them；　the　Soviet　state　had　bee　his　new　family。　He　attended　the　finest　Soviet　schools；　excelling　in　engineering；　served　a　stint　in　the　KGB　as　a　submarine　officer；　and　later　moved　to　naval　intelligence。　Like　Austin；　Petrov　had　also　served　in　a　little…known　ocean　intelligence　branch。　Unlike　Austin's　group；　which　concentrated　on　oceanographic　research；　Petrov's　people　were　authorized　to　carry　out　their　duties　by　any　means；　including　force。
　
　Their　paths　had　rust　crossed　after　an　Israeli　submarine　clandestinely　sank　an　Iranian　container　ship　carrying　nuclear　weapons。　Petrov　was　ordered　to　retrieve　the　weapons　at　all　costs：　The　container　ship　could　be　an　embarrassment；　because　the　weapons　had　been　stolen　from　the　Soviet　arsenal。　Meanwhile；　the　U。S。　was　performing　a　balancing　act　between　its　Arab　allies　and　Israel；　and　Washington　had　worried　that　if　Iran　knew　how　the　ship　had　been　sunk；　they　would　declare　a　holy　war　that　would　spread　around　the　region。　Austin　had　been　made　the　director　of　an　attempt　to　salvage　the　container　ship　and　destroy　the　evidence。
　
　Ships　from　the　USSR　and　the　U。S。　had　arrived　over　the　sunken　container　ship　at　about　the　same　time。　Neither　ship　would　give　way　to　the　other。　The　standoff　dragged　on　for　days。　Warships　from　both　countries　hovered　on　the　horizon。　It　was　a　tense　time。　Petrov　was　awaiting　orders　from　Moscow　when　he　was　called　to　the　bridge　to　hear　a　message　from　the　American　ship。
　
　〃This　is　the　U。S。　vessel　Talon　calling　unknown　Soviet　salvage　ship。　e　in；　please。〃　The　caller　spoke　in　heavily　accented　Russian。
　
　〃Soviet　salvage　ship　to　Talon；〃　Petrov　replied　in　the　American…accented　English　he　had　learned　at　the　state　schools。
　
　〃Do　you　mind　if　we　speak　in　English？〃　the　American　said。　〃My　Russian　is　a　little　rusty。〃
　〃No　problem。　I　assume　you　called　to　let　us　know　you　will　be　moving　off…site。〃
　〃No；　actually　I　called　to　check　on　your　caviar　supply。〃　Petrov　smiled。　〃It　is　more　than　adequate；　thank　you。　Now　let　me　ask　a　question。　When　will　your　ship　be　departing？〃
　〃Your　mand　of　English　isn't　as　good　as　I　thought。　We　have　no　intention　of　leaving　international　waters。〃
　〃Then　the　responsibility　for　any　repercussions　will　be　on　your　head。〃
　〃Sorry；　we're　not　accepting　repercussions。〃
　〃Then　we　have　no　alternative　but　to　force　the　situation。〃
　〃Let's　see　if　we　can　settle　this　thing　amicably；　tovarich；〃　the　American　replied　casually。　〃We　both　know　what's　on　that　wreck　and　what　a　pain　it　could　cause　our　respective　countries。　So　here's　my　suggestion：　We　pull　back　while　you　go　down　and　retrieve　your；　uh；　stolen　property。　We'll　even　give　you　a　hand　if　you'd　like。　When　you're　finished　with　your　salvage　work；　you　leave　and　we'll　dispose　of　the　evidence。　What　do　you　say？〃
　〃Interesting　proposition。〃
　〃I　think　so。〃
　〃How　do　I　know　I　can　trust　you？〃
　〃Action　speaks　louder　than　words。　I've　given　the　order　to　move　back　a　half　mile。〃
　
　P