cc.fireice-第38节

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　〃When　the　threat　to　your　country　bees　apparent；　you'll　feel　different。　We　need　each　other。〃
　〃That's　another　problem。　You　still　haven't　told　me　what　this　threat　is。〃
　〃Only　because　I　don't　know。〃
　〃Yet　you're　still　convinced　it's　real。〃
　〃Oh　yes；　Mr。　Austin。　Knowing　the　players　in　this　drama；　I'd　say　it's　very　real。〃
　
　Austin　still　didn't　know　how　much　to　believe　Ivan；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　the　Russian's　seriousness。　〃Maybe　one　of　the　Cossacks　could　tell　us　something。〃
　
　Petrov's　lips　tightened　in　a　smile。　〃We　both　should　have　thought　about　that　earlier。　Their　leader　was　the　big　man　with　the　red　beard。　Dead　men　tell　no　tales；　unfortunately。〃
　〃Sorry；　but　it　couldn't　be　helped　under　the　circumstances。　I'm　curious。　How　long　were　you　and　your　boys　hiding　in　the　woods？〃
　〃Since　dawn。　We　landed　a　few　miles　up　the　coast　and　made　our　way　overland　at　night。　I　saw　the　fishing　boat　arrive　and　suspected　you　were　on　it。　We　didn't　know　you　had　landed　and　were　quite　surprised　to　see　you　pop　up　out　of　nowhere。　Congratulations　on　a　successful　infiltration。〃
　
　Austin　ignored　the　pliment。　〃Then　you　saw　that　the　submarine　crew　was　in　trouble？〃
　〃We　observed　the　men　being　rounded　up　and　marched　to　the　field。　To　answer　your　unspoken　question；　yes；　we　would　have　intervened。　My　men　were　readying　for　the　attack。　Then　you　and　your　friend　arrived　and　our　intervention　hardly　seemed　necessary。　From　the　damage　you　inflicted；　I　thought　a　platoon　of　U。S。　Marines　had　landed。　It's　doubtful　how　much　the　Cossacks　could　have　told　us。　They　are　nothing　more　than　bandit　scum　whose　sole　function　was　to　guard　this　plex。〃　Petrov　walked　over　to　the　altar　and　touched　the　photograph　above　it。　〃The　last　of　the　tsars；〃　he　said。
　
　〃That's　quite　a　headpiece；〃　Austin　said；　pointing　to　the　jeweled　crown　in　the　picture。
　
　〃Whoever　wears　the　crown　of　Ivan　the　Terrible　will　rule　Russia；〃　Petrov　said。　Seeing　Austin's　perplexed　expression；　he　smiled。　〃An　old　Russian　proverb。　Don't　look　for　hidden　auguries　in　the　words；　they　mean　what　they　say。　Whoever　is　strong　enough　to　keep　all　that　weight　on　his　head；　and　brutish　and　terrible　enough　to　possess　the　crown；　will　find　those　same　qualities　of　use　in　ruling　this　land。〃
　〃Where's　the　crown　now？〃
　〃It　disappeared　with　a　great　deal　of　the　tsar's　other　treasure　that　went　missing　after　the　revolution。　When　the　White　government　came　into　Yekaterinburg；　where　the　tsar　was　probably　murdered；　they　found　a　list　of　items　belonging　to　the　imperial　family。　Some　items　were　recovered；　but　it　is　generally　conceded　that　the　list　represented　only　a　portion　of　the　items　the　family　had　with　them　in　exile。　The　most　valuable　items；　the　crown　included；　have　never　been　found。〃
　〃Was　there　a　list　of　the　missing　treasure？〃
　〃The　Soviets　made　such　a　list；　but　it　has　never　turned　up。　It's　assumed　that　the　KGB　had　the　list　before　the　overthrow　of　munism。　I've　made　inquiries　that　lead　me　to　believe　the　list　is　still　in　existence；　but　its　whereabouts　is　a　mystery。〃
　〃How　did　you　know　about　the　crown　without　the　list？〃
　〃I've　seen　this　and　other　photos　of　it。　It's　made　in　two　parts；　representing　the　east　and　west　empires。　The　double…headed　eagle　was　the　crest　of　the　Romanovs。　The　orb　the　eagle　surmounts　is　a　symbol　of　earthly　power。〃
　〃It　must　be　worth　a　fortune。〃
　〃The　crown's　value　can't　be　measured　in　dollars　or　rubles。　This　crown　and　the　other　treasure　came　from　the　sweat　and　toil　of　the　Russian　serfs；　who　saw　the　tsar　as　god…like。　The　tsar　was　the　richest　man　in　the　world。　He　had　revenue　from　the　crown　lands；　a　million　square　miles；　including　gold　and　silver　mines；　and　owned　incredible　riches。　Our　sovereigns　had　an　almost　barbaric　taste　for　the　glitter　of　gold　and　gems。　Tsar　is　Russian　for　'Caesar。'　Emirs　and　shahs　laid　gifts　of　incredible　value　at　his　feet。〃
　〃The　family　in　the　photo　doesn't　look　as　if　it's　enjoying　all　that　wealth。〃
　〃They　knew　the　crown　was　more　of　a　curse　than　a　blessing。　It　was　reserved　for　the　frail　head　of　the　young　boy；　Alexander；　although　it's　doubtful　he　would　have　lived　long　enough　to　take　his　father's　place。　He　had　hemophilia；　un…　controllable　bleeding；　you　know？　A　real　problem　among　European　royalty　…　all　those　intermarriages。　Anyway；　other　relatives　would　have　stepped　in　to　claim　the　throne。〃
　〃Any　idea　who　built　this　shrine？〃
　〃I　thought　it　might　be　Razov　at　first。　I　could　see　him　sitting　here；　imagining　that　he　will　someday　bee　the　ruler　of　Russia。　But　the　decadent　trappings　of　the　apartment　in　the　main　plex　puzzle　me。　Razov　is　almost　ascetic　in　his　convictions。　The　monk；　on　the　other　hand；　is　said　to　be　debauched。　It's　odd　how　much　he　resembles　Rasputin　in　his　depraved　lifestyle。　My　guess　is　that　Boris　spent　more　time　here　than　Razov。　Razov　would　like　to　bring　back　the　past。　In　his　madness；　Boris　lives　it。〃
　〃That's　quite　a　role　reversal。〃
　〃Perhaps；　but　one　thing　is　certain：　They　both　must　be　stopped；〃　Petrov　said；　his　eyes　boring　into　Austin's。　〃And　you　must　help　me。〃
　
　Austin　was　still　skeptical。　〃I'll　think　about　it；　Ivan。　Right　now　I　need　some　fresh　air。〃
　
　Petrov　gripped　Austin　by　the　arm。　〃Maybe　your　own　countryman　can　persuade　you。　You　remember　the　words　of　the　great　American　patriot…philosopher　Thomas　Paine。　He　said　he　was　not　defending　a　few　acres　of　ground；　but　a　cause。〃
　
　Austin　knew　the　dossier　Petrov　had　on　him　would　have　mentioned　the　volumes　of　philosophy　that　lined　his　bookshelves。
　
　〃What　is　your　cause；　Ivan？〃
　〃Perhaps　it's　the　same　as　yours。〃
　〃Don't　take　this　the　wrong　way；　but　I　can't　see　you　waving　the　flag　for　motherhood；　apple　pie　and　the　American　way。〃
　〃I　did　my　share　of　waving　the　hammer　and　sickle　as　a　Young　Pioneer　marching　in　the　May　Day　parades。　There　are　deeper　issues　here。　Don't　let　our　past　get　in　the　way。　Judge　me　by　the　present；　so　that　both　our　countries　will　have　a　future。〃
　
　Austin　saw　a　slight　softening　in　Petrov's　rock…hard　eyes。　Maybe　the　man　was　human　after　all。　〃Guess　we're　stuck　with　each　other；　whether　we　like　it　or　not。〃
　〃Then　you'll　work　with　me？〃
　〃I　can't　speak　for　NUMA；　but　I'll　do　what　I　can；〃　Austin　said；　extending　his　hand。　〃C'mon；　partner；　I've　got　something　else　that　will　interest　you。〃　He　led　the　way　down　through　the　labyrinth　to　the　submarine　pen。　Petrov　recognized　the　sub　immediately。
　
　〃It's　an　India　class；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　designed　to　carry　submersibles　for　use　by　special…operations　forces。〃
　〃Any　idea　how　it　got　here？〃
　〃There's　a　booming　market　in　the　world　for　Soviet　armaments。〃
　〃This　isn't　exactly　a　box　of　AK…47s。〃
　〃My　country　has　always　done　things　on　a　grand　scale。　For　the　right　price；　you　could　probably　buy　a　battleship。　As　you　know；　the　Soviet　Union　launched　dozens　of　huge　subs　during　the　Cold　War。　Many　have　been　mothballed　or　other…　wise　demissioned。　But　given　the　sad　state　of　our　armed　forces；　anything　is　possible。　This　could　be　an　important　lead。　I　can't　imagine　anyone　making　a　purchase　this　big　without　somebody　knowing　about　it。　I'll　run　a　discreet　check。　Tell　me　about　these　men　from　your　NR…1　submarine。　What　did　they　have　to　say？〃
　〃I　talked　to　one　of　them。　The　sub　was　hijacked　by　someone　posing　as　a　scientist；　transported　on　the　back　of　that　submarine　and　made　to　work　salvaging　cargo　from　an　old　freighter。　The　fact　that　they're　still　holding　the　captain　and　pilot　indicates　that　they　have　more　work　planned　for　the　NR…l。〃　Austin　rapped　the　stone　floor　with　his　heel。　〃Maybe　you　can　look　into　the　ownership　of　this　place。〃
　〃I　already　have。　The　property　is　still　owned　by　the　Russian　government。　About　two　years　ago；　it　was　leased　to　a　private　corporation。　They　said　they　wanted　to　establish　a　fish…processing　plant　here。〃
　〃From　what　I've　seen；　the　leaseholder　was　more　interested　in　what　was　under　the　ground　than　on　top　of　it。　Any　leads　on　the　corporation？〃
　〃Yes。　We　got　a　break　there。　It　was　a　straw　for　Ataman。〃
　
　Austin　nodded。　〃Why　does　that　not　surprise　me？　I　should　get　back　above。　Joe　will　wonder　what　happened　to　us。〃
　
　They　followed　the　network　of　corridors　and　stairs　that　took　them　back　to　the　surface。　It　was　a　relief　to　break　out　into　the　sunshine　and　fresh　air。　To　Austin's　surprise；　the　soccer　field　was　clear　of　carnage。
　
　Petrov　sensed　the　question　on　Austin's　lips。　〃Before　we　went　below；　I　ordered　my　men　to　drag　the　dead　into　the　woods　and　bury　them。〃
　〃That　was　considerate　of　you。〃
　〃There　was　nothing　considerate　about　it。　I　wanted　nothing　left　that　could　be　seen　from　the　air。〃　They　walked　across　the　field　toward　the　downed　helicopter。　〃I've　taken　care　of　the　dead；〃　he　said；　glancing　toward　the　helicopter。　〃I　will　leave　it　up　to　you　to　deal　with　the　living。〃
　
　
　IT　WAS　A　wonder　that　the　chopper　had　been　able　to　land　as　softly　as　it　had。　The　Cossacks　had　shot　high；　and　the　upper　cockpit　and　engine　housing　were　riddled　with　bullet　holes。　Kaela　sat　on　the　ground　nearby　with　her　legs　crossed；　writing　in　a　shorthand　notebook。　Austin　put　on　his　most　winning　smile。　Kaela　felt　his　shadow　and　looked　up。
　
　〃Small　world；〃　he　said；　with　his　best　show　of　tooth　enamel。

　
　Kaela　skewered　Austin　with　a　hard　stare。　Undaunted；　Austin　plunked　onto　the　ground　beside　her。　〃Nice　of　you　to　go　to　all　this　trouble　jus