cussler.blueandgold-第18节

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e　of　water　imperialism。　If　what　you're　saying　is　true；　you're　laying　the　groundwork　for　a　water　monopoly。〃
　
　〃Let　me　pose　a　scenario；　Dr。　Dearborn。　The　drought　persists。　The　Colorado　River　is　unable　to　meet　demand。　The　cities　are　dying　of　thirst。　You　wouldn't　have　lawyers　debating　water　allocation；　you'd　have　gunfights　at　the　water　hole　as　in　the　old　days。　Think　about　it。　Thirst…crazed　mobs　in　the　street；　attacking　all　authority。　The　plete　breakdown　of　order。　The　Watts　riots　would　be　a　schoolyard　fight　by　parison。〃
　
　Dearborn　nodded　like　a　man　in　a　trance。　〃You're　right；〃　he　said；　clearly　troubled。　〃But；　if　you'll　pardon　me　。　。　。　it　just　doesn't　seem　right。〃
　
　She　cut　him　short。　〃This　is　a　fight　for　survival；　professor。　We　live　or　we　die　according　to　our　will。〃
　
　Defeated；　Dearborn　leaned　back；　arms　folded；　and　shook　his　head。
　
　Kinkaid　took　up　the　cudgels。　〃Don't　let　her　confuse　the　issue　with　her　phony　scenarios；　Professor　Dearborn。〃
　
　〃Apparently　I　have　not　been　able　to　change　your　mind。〃
　
　Kinkaid　stood　and　said；　〃No；　but　I'll　tell　you　what　you　did　do。　You've　given　me　some　good　ammunition　for　when　I　bring　this　matter　up　again　before　mittee。　I　wouldn't　be　surprised　if　antitrust　action　is　merited。　I'll　bet　my　colleagues　who　voted　for　the　Colorado　River　bill　would　change　their　minds　if　they　knew　that　the　whole　system　was　going　to　be　under　the　thumb　of　one　corporation。〃　〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　that；〃　Brynhild　said。
　
　〃You're　going　to　be　a　damned　lot　more　sorry　when　I　get　through　with　you。　I　want　to　leave　your　private　amusement　park　immediately。〃
　
　She　gazed　at　him　with　sadness。　She　admired　strength　even　when　it　was　used　against　her。
　
　〃Very　well。〃　She　spoke　into　a　radio　she　had　clipped　to　her　belt。　〃It　will　take　a　few　minutes　to　get　your　luggage　and　ready　the　helicopter。〃
　
　The　door　to　the　hall　opened；　and　the　man　who　had　escorted　Kinkaid　earlier　guided　him　from　the　chamber。
　
　When　they　were　gone；　Brynhild　said；　〃While　some　may　consider　this　drought　a　disaster；　it　presents　a　golden　opportunity。　The　Colorado　River　is　only　part　of　our　plan。　We　are　continuing　to　acquire　control　over　water　systems　around　the　country。　You　are　all　in　a　position　to　influence　the　success　of　our　goals　in　operations　in　your　munities。　There　will　be　great　reward　for　every　one　in　this　room；　beyond　your　imagination　in　fact。　At　the　same　time　you　will　be　doing　something　for　the　mon　good　as　well。〃　Her　eyes　swept　both　sides　of　the　table。　〃Anyone　who　wants　to　leave　now　can　do　so。　I　only　request　that　you　give　your　word　to　keep　your　silence　about　this　meeting。〃
　
　The　guests　exchanged　glances　and　some　uneasily　shifted　their　weight；　but　nobody　accepted　her　offer　of　an　exit　visa。　Not　even　Dearborn。
　
　Waiters　materialized　magically；　placed　pitchers　of　water　on　the　tables　and　a　glass　in　front　of　each　man。
　
　Brynhild　looked　around　the　assemblage。　〃It　was　William　Mulholland　who　was　most　responsible　for　bringing　water　to　Los　Angeles。　He　pointed　to　Owens　Valley　and　said；　'There　it　is。　Take　it。'　〃
　
　As　if　on　signal；　the　waiters　poured　the　glasses　full　and　re　treated。　
　Raising　her　glass　high；　she　said；　〃There　it　is。　Take　it。〃
　
　She　put　the　glass　to　her　lips　and　took　a　long　drink。　The　others　followed　suit　as　if　in　a　strange　munion　ritual。
　
　〃Good；〃　she　said。　〃Now　for　the　next　step。　You　will　go　home　and　wait　for　a　call。　When　a　request　is　made　you　will　ply　without　question。　Nothing　that　transpired　at　this　meeting　can　be　divulged。　Not　even　the　fact　that　you　were　here。〃
　
　She　scanned　each　face。　〃If　there　are　no　more　questions；〃　she　said；　making　clear　by　her　tone　that　debate　had　ended；　〃please　enjoy　yourselves。　Dinner　will　be　served　in　the　dining　hall　in　ten　minutes。　I　have　brought　in　a　five…star　chef；　so　I　don't　think　you　will　be　displeased。　There's　entertainment　from　Las　Vegas　after　dinner；　and　you　will　be　shown　to　your　rooms。　You　will　leave　after　breakfast　tomorrow　morning；　in　the　sequence　you　arrived。　I　will　see　you　at　the　next　meeting；　exactly　a　month　from　now。〃
　
　With　that；　she　left　the　table；　strode　across　the　room　and　through　the　double　doors　she　had　entered　by；　walking　down　a　corridor　and　into　an　anteroom。　Two　men　stood　in　the　room；　legs　wide　apart；　arms　folded　behind　their　backs；　their　deep…set　black　eyes　glued　to　the　flickering　screens　that　took　up　one　wall。　They　were　identical　twins　dressed　alike　in　matching　black　leather　jackets。　They　had　the　same　stocky　physiques；　high　cheekbones；　hair　the　color　of　wet　hay；　and　dark；　beetling　brows。
　
　〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　our　guests？〃　she　said　with　derision。　〃Will　these　worms　serve　their　purpose　and　loosen　the　soil？〃
　
　The　analogy　was　lost　on　the　brothers；　who　had　only　one　thing　on　their　minds。
　
　Speaking　in　an　eastern　European　accent；　the　man　on　the　right　said；　〃Whom　do　you　want　。　。　。〃
　
　〃。　。　。　us　to　eliminate？〃　said　the　man　on　the　left；　finishing　the　sentence。
　
　Their　monotone　voices　were　exactly　alike。　Brynhild　smiled　with　satisfaction。　The　answer　reaffirmed　her　conviction　that　she　had　made　the　right　decision　rescuing　Melo　and　Radko　Kradzik　from　the　NATO　forces　that　wanted　to　bring　the　notorious　brothers　before　the　World　Court　at　the　Hague　charged　with　crimes　against　humanity。　The　twins　were　classic　sociopaths　and　would　have　made　a　mark　for　themselves　even　without　the　Bosnian　war。　Their　paramilitary　status　conferred　semi…legitimacy　on　the　murder；　rape；　and　torture　they　carried　out　in　the　name　of　national　ism。　It　was　difficult　to　imagine　these　monsters　ever　having　been　in　a　mother's　womb；　but　somewhere　they　had　forged　the　ability　to　intuit　what　the　other　was　thinking。　They　were　the　same　men；　only　in　separate　bodies。　Their　bond　made　them　doubly　dangerous　because　they　could　act　without　verbal　munication。　Brynhild　had　stopped　trying　to　tell　them　apart。　〃Whom　do　you　think　should　be　eliminated？〃
　
　One　man　reached　out　with　a　hand　whose　clawlike　fingers　seemed　to　be　made　for　inflicting　pain　and　reversed　the　video　tape。　The　other　twin　pointed　to　a　man　in　a　blue　suit。
　
　〃Him；〃　they　said　simultaneously。
　
　〃Congressman　Kinkaid？〃
　
　〃Yes；　he　didn't　。　。　。〃
　
　　〃。　。　。　like　what　you　said。〃
　
　〃And　the　others？〃
　
　Again　the　video　reversed　and　they　pointed。
　
　〃Professor　Dearborn？　A　pity；　but　your　instincts　are　probably　right。　We　can't　afford　to　have　anybody　with　even　the　trace　of　scruples。　Very　well；　cull　him　out　as　well。　Do　your　work　as　discreetly　as　possible。　I'm　scheduling　a　meeting　of　the　board　of　directors　soon　to　go　over　our　long…range　plans。　I　want　everything　in　place　before　then。　I　won't　tolerate　mistakes　the　way　those　fools　bungled　their　job　in　Brazil　ten　years　ago。〃
　
　She　whirled　from　the　room　and　left　the　twins　to　themselves。　The　men　remained　there　unmoving；　their　glittering　eyes　looking　at　the　screen　with　the　hungry　expression　of　a　cat　choosing　the　fattest　goldfish　in　the　tank　for　his　dinner。
　
　Chapter　8
　The　river　scenery　had　changed　little　since　Dr。　Ramirez　waved　good…bye　from　his　dock　and　wished　the　Trouts　a　safe　trip。　The　airboat　followed　mile　after　mile　of　the　twisting　and　unbroken　ribbon　of　dark　green　water。　An　unyielding　wall　of　trees　hemmed　the　river　in　on　both　sides　and　separated　it　from　the　eternal　night　of　the　forest。　At　one　point　they　had　to　stop　because　the　river　was　blocked　by　debris。　They　weled　the　break　from　the　mind…numbing　drone　of　the　airplane　engine。　They　tied　lines　around　the　entangled　logs　and　branches　and　unclogged　the　bottleneck。　The　job　was　time…consuming；　and　it　was　late　after　noon　when　the　leafy　ramparts　gave　way　to　brief　glimpses　of　open　space　and　cultivated　fields　along　the　river's　edge。　Then　the　forest　opened　up　to　reveal　a　cluster　of　grass　huts。
　
　Paul　reduced　speed　and　aimed　the　airboat's　blunt　prow　between　several　dugout　canoes　drawn　up　on　the　muddy　banking。　With　a　quick　goose　on　the　throttle；　he　slid　the　boat　onto　the　shore　and　cut　the　engine。　He　removed　the　NUMA　baseball　cap　he　had　been　wearing　backward　on　his　head　and　used　it　to　fan　his　face。
　
　〃Where　is　everybody？〃
　
　The　unearthly　quiet　was　in　sharp　contrast　to　Dr。　Ramirez's　settlement　where　the　natives　bustled　about　their　business　throughout　the　day。　This　place　appeared　to　be　deserted。　The　only　signs　of　recent　human　habitation　were　tendrils　of　gray　smoke　that　rose　from　fire　holes。　
　
　　〃This　is　very　weird；〃　Gamay　said。　〃It's　as　if　the　plague　struck。〃
　
　Paul　opened　a　storage　box　and　pulled　out　a　backpack。　Dr。　Ramirez　had　insisted　that　the　Trouts　borrow　a　long…barreled　Colt　revolver。　Moving　slowly；　Paul　placed　the　rucksack　between　them；　reached　inside；　unclipped　the　holster；　and　felt　the　reassuring　hardness　of　the　grip。
　
　〃It's　not　the　plague　I'm　worrying　about；〃　Paul　said　quietly；　scanning　the　silent　huts。　〃I'm　thinking　about　that　dead　Indian　in　the　canoe。〃

　
　Gamay　had　seen　Paul　reach　into　the　bag　and　shared　his　concern。
　
　〃Once　we　leave　the　boat　it　might　be　tough　getting　back　to　it；〃　she　said。　〃Let's　wait　a　few　more　minutes　and　see　what　hap　pens。〃
　
　Paul　nodded。　〃Maybe　they're　taking　a　siesta。　Let's　wake　them　up。〃　He　cupped　his　hands　to　his　mouth　and　came　out　with　a　loud　〃Hallooo！〃　The　only　reply　was　the　echo　of　his　voice。　He　tried　again。　No