cc.fireice-第66节

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le　that　was　big　enough　to　cover　several　houses。　Crystal　chandeliers　hung　from　vaulted　ceilings　that　were　covered　with　figures　of　cupids　and　nymphs。　On　each　side　of　the　room　was　a　row　of　square…built　columns　whose　sides　were　carved　and　covered　with　gold　leaf。
　

　The　crowd　was　a　cross　section　of　Boston's　powerful　and　influential。　Fat；　red…nosed　pols　whose　bellies　strained　at　the　buttons　of　their　rented　tuxedos　jostled　each　other　for　room　at　the　huge　center　table；　which　groaned　under　the　weight　of　Russian　delicacies　of　every　description。　At　the　other　exreme；　painfully　thin　women　sat　at　rococo　tables　and　picked　at　their　food　as　if　it　were　poisoned。　Waspish　businessmen　gathered　in　knots　to　discuss　how　best　to　help　the　wealthy　Razov　spend　his　money。　Legions　of　attorneys；　financiers；　Beacon　Hill　lobbyists　and　staff　people　flitted　from　table　to　table　like　bees　in　search　of　nectar。　At　the　far　end　was　a　dais；　but　instead　of　a　gold　throne　it　held　a　band　that　played　a　lively　Russian　folk　tune。　The　musicians　were　dressed　like　Cossacks；　Austin　noted　with　disfort。
　
　While　Austin　and　Kaela　looked　for　a　place　to　light；　there　was　a　roll　of　drums　from　the　band。　The　public…relations　man　in　the　crested　blazer　took　the　stage；　effusively　thanked　everyone　for　ing　and　said　that　their　host　would　like　to　say　a　few　words。　Moments　later；　a　middle…aged　man　wearing　a　plain　blue　suit　climbed　the　stage　and　took　the　microphone。　At　his　heel　were　two　Russian　wolfhounds…lean；　regal…looking　dogs　with　snow…white　fur。
　
　Austin　edged　closer　for　a　good　look　at　Razov。　The　Russian　didn't　look　like　an　arch　villain。　Except　for　his　hatchet…faced　profile　and　deathly　pale　skin；　he　was　quite　ordinary。　Austin　reminded　himself　that　history　is　full　of　men　of　unremarkable　appearance　who　have　rained　unbounded　misery　on　their　fellow　human　beings。　Hitler　could　have　passed　as　the　starving　artist　he　once　was。　Roosevelt　had　called　Stalin　〃Uncle　Joe；〃　as　if　he　were　a　kindly　old　relative　instead　of　a　mass　murderer。　Razov　began　to　talk。
　
　Speaking　English　with　only　a　trace　of　an　accent；　he　said；　〃I　wish　to　thank　you　all　for　ing　to　this　party　honoring　your　wonderful　city。〃　Gesturing　toward　the　wolfhounds；　he　said；　〃Sasha　and　Gorky　are　very　happy　to　have　you　here　too。〃　The　dogs　were　the　ice　breakers　he　wanted　them　to　be。　After　the　crowd　had　responded　with　laughter　and　applause；　the　hounds　were　taken　away　by　a　handler。　Razov　waved　good…bye　to　the　dogs　and　grinned　at　the　audience。　He　spoke　in　a　deep　baritone　and　with　an　authoritative　manner。　He　had　the　gift　of　appearing　to　look　people　directly　in　the　eye。　Within　minutes；　he　had　everyone　in　the　room　hanging　on　his　every　word。　Even　the　pols　had　stopped　their　gluttony　to　listen。
　
　〃It　gives　me　great　pleasure　to　be　here　in　America's　cradle　of　independence。　Only　a　few　miles　from　here　is　Bunker　Hill；　and　a　little　farther；　Lexington；　where　the　shot　was　fired　that　was　'heard　'round　the　world。'　Your　great　institutions　of　learning　and　medical　centers　are　legendary。　You　have　done　much　to　inspire　my　country；　and　in　return　I　wish　to　announce　the　opening　of　a　Russian　trade　center　that　will　foster　the　smooth　flow　of　merce　between　our　two　great　countries。〃
　
　While　Razov　was　going　over　the　details　of　his　investment；　Austin　whispered　into　Kaela's　ear。　〃Time　for　me　to　poke　around。　I'll　meet　you　back　at　the　launch。〃
　
　Kaela　squeezed　his　hand。　〃I'll　be　waiting；〃　she　said。　Austin　edged　his　way　toward　a　side　door　and　stepped　out　into　the　coolness　of　the　night。　With　most　people　in　the　salon　listening　to　Razov　speak；　the　decks　were　virtually　deserted。　He　bumped　into　only　one　person；　a　waiter　who　pressed　a　plate　loaded　down　with　sausages　and　boneless　prime　rib　into　his　hand。　Austin　was　going　to　throw　the　plate　over　the　side　as　soon　as　the　waiter　was　out　of　sight；　but　decided　he'd　look　less　conspicuous　if　he　wandered　around　the　boat　with　the　plate　in　his　hands。
　
　He　sauntered　toward　the　front　of　the　yacht　until　he　came　to　a　roped…off　section。　A　sign　in　English　hung　from　the　rope：　PRIVATE。　The　deck　beyond　the　sign　was　in　darkness。　Razov　had　kept　his　strong…arm　boys　out　of　sight　so　as　not　to　scare　the　guests。　But　as　Austin　was　checking　the　off…limits　area；　a　stocky　man　with　the　unmistakable　bulge　of　weapon　under　his　suit　walked　by。　He　saw　Austin　and　said；　〃Is　preevat；〃　in　a　thick　Russian　accent。
　
　Austin　gave　him　a　drunken　smile　and　offered　his　plate。　〃Sausage？〃
　
　The　guard　replied　with　a　sour　look　and　kept　on　his　rounds。　Austin　waited　until　he　was　out　of　sight　and　prepared　to　duck　under　the　rope。　He　turned　at　the　sound　of　a　light　patter　on　the　deck　and　saw　two　white　ghosts　sprinting　in　his　direction。　Razov's　wolfhounds。　Trailing　their　leashes；　they　jumped　up　on　his　chest　and　almost　knocked　him　down；　then　stuck　their　long　curved　snouts　into　the　plate　he　was　carrying。　He　put　the　food　down　on　the　deck。　The　dogs　noisily　gobbled　down　the　sausages　and　prime　rib；　licked　the　plate　clean；　then　looked　up　at　Austin　as　if　be　were　holding　out　on　them。
　
　Someone　was　running　toward　them。　It　was　the　dogs'　trainer。　He　said　something　in　Russian　that　might　have　been　an　apology；　grabbed　the　leashes　and　led　the　dogs　away。　Austin　waited　until　he　was　once　more　alone；　then　ducked　under　the　ropes　into　the　restricted　area。　He　made　his　way　forward；　as　silent　as　a　ghost。　With　his　black　outfit　he　easily　melted　into　the　shadows。
　
　After　a　few　minutes；　he　stopped　at　a　vent　that　was　taller　dim　he　was　by　a　foot。　He　reached　into　his　pocket；　brought　out　an　object　about　the　size　and　shape　of　a　Palm　Pilot　and　hit　the　On　button。　The　small　dial　glowed　pale　green；　and　a　set　of　numbers　appeared。　Yaeger's　〃sniffer〃　was　ready　to　go　to　work。
　
　An　excited　Yaeger　had　called　while　Austin　was　getting　ready　to　go　to　Boston。　〃I　think　I　know　how　to　plug　into　the　yacht's　system；〃　Yaeger　said。　〃Wi…Fi。〃

　
　Austin　no　longer　blinked　at　the　strange　language　Yaeger　used。　He　assumed　that　puter　geniuses　like　Yaeger　were　on　another　planet　and　sometimes　they　reverted　to　their　native　tongue。　He'd　asked　for　an　explanation。　Yaeger　said　that　Wi…Fi　was　shorthand　for　the　wireless　puter　networks　that　were　ing　into　use　at　major　plexes。
　
　〃Say　you're　running　a　big　hospital；〃　Yaeger　explained。　〃You　want　your　people　to　have　access　to　vital　information　so　that　if　they're　away　from　their　puters　on　the　other　side　of　the　building；　they　don't　have　to　go　running　back。　You　set　up　a　wireless　puter　network　that　only　covers　the　building　or　plex。　The　key　staff　carry　laptop　puters。　They　simply　switch　them　on；　tune　in　to　the　right　frequency　and　they　have　instant　access　to　the　main　system。〃
　〃That's　very　interesting；　Hiram；　but　what's　it　got　to　do　with　our　problem？〃
　〃Everything。　The　Ataman　yacht　has　Wi…Fi。〃
　
　Austin　still　wasn't　sure　where　Yaeger　was　going；　but　Hiram's　enthusiasm　was　contagious。　〃How　do　you　know　this？〃
　〃It's　Max's　idea；　really。　After　we　fell　flat　on　our　faces　trying　to　decipher　Ataman's　code；　she　started　to　pullout　everything　she　could　find　on　the　yacht。　There　wasn't　a　lot；　because　Ataman　built　the　ship　at　its　yard　on　the　Black　Sea。　But　the　electronics　were　beyond　anything　the　Russians　had；　so　they　bought　American　equipment　and　had　it　installed　by　a　French　team。　Max　got　into　the　French　pany's　file。　They　set　up　Wi…Fi　for　the　yacht。〃
　〃I　can　see　a　hospital　using　something　like　that；　but　why　a　yacht？〃
　〃Think　of　it；　Kurt。　A　boat　that　size　is　a　munity　unto　itself。　Say　you're　the　purser；　and　a　question　on　the　payroll　es　up　while　you're　away　from　your　office　at　the　other　end　of　the　boat。　You　flick　on　your　laptop；　and　there　you　have　it。　Same　thing　goes　for　the　chef。　Maybe　he's　in　his　cabin　and　has　to　check　inventory。　Or　you're　the　first　mate　and　you're　on　break　in　the　mess　hall　when　you　need　information　on　who's　manning　a　shift。〃
　〃How's　this　help　with　our　main　problem；　the　missing　password？〃
　
　〃The　password　must　be　in　that　ship。　If　Max　and　I　could　plug　directly　into　the　network。　we　could　take　stuff　out　at　our　leisure　and　look　closely　at　it。〃
　〃What's　stopping　you？〃
　〃A　couple　of　things。　First　of　all；　the　information　is　bound　to　be　encrypted　against　unauthorized　use。　Second；　the　wireless　signal　is　a　weak　one　that　only　covers　the　yacht　itself。　I　need　somebody　to　place　a　'sniffer'　on　board。〃
　〃You're　talking　puter　weird　again。〃
　〃Sorry。　A　sniffer　is　simply　a　device　that　can　tap　into　the　network；　pump　up　the　signal　and　send　it　to　the　waiting　arms　of　Max。〃
　〃Impressive。　You　say　the　files　would　be　encrypted。　What's　to　say　the　code　won't　stop　you　again？〃
　〃Nothing。　But　it's　not　a　dedicated　encryption　like　the　one　on　the　mystery　ship。　We　can　e　in　sideways　from　different　angles。　And　besides；　Max　is　determined。〃
　〃Nothing　like　a　determined　woman；　even　a　cybernetic　one。　Where　can　I　pick　up　these　electronic　noses？〃
　〃There's　a　NUMA　courier　on　the　way　over　with　a　package。　Instructions　included。〃
　
　The　instructions　had　been　simple。　Click　the　sniffer　on；　check　to　make　sure　it's　picking　up　a　signal；　then　use　the　magnet　attached　to　the　back　of　the　transmitter　to　attach　it。　Yaeger　had　given　him　a　second　sniffer　for　backup。
　
　Now　Austin　reached　into　the　vent　and　placed　the　sniffer　out　of　sight。　Then　he　worked　his　way　over　to　a　lifeboat　and　felt　his　w