cc.vixen03-第63节

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　the　shoulder。
　〃Make　for　that　cruise　ship；〃　he　said　in　a　very　tired　and　very　relieved　voice。
　Pitt　did　not　watch　the　Minerva　as　it　veered　off　and　headed　toward　safety。　He　watched　the　projectile　until　its　blue　skin　blended　against　the　blue　of　the　rolling　water　and　faded　from　sight。
　Designed　for　a　descent　rate　of　eighteen　feet　per　second；　the　projectile　hurtled　past　one　thousand　feet　without　blowing　off　its　warhead。　The　detonation　mechanism　lagged　until　it　was　too　late。　At　nearly　three　hundred　sixty　feet　per　second　the　biological　organism；　carrying　its　threat　of　agony　and　mass　extinction；　plunged　into　the　waiting　arms　of　the　abysmal　sea。
　Pitt　was　still　watching　when　the　tiny　white　scar　from　the　splash　was　closed　over　by　the　relentless　swells。
　There　is　something　heartsickening　about　seeing　a　proud　ship　die。　The　President　felt　deeply　moved；　his　eyes　centered　on　the　billowing　pillars　of　smoke　rolling　from　the　Iowa　as　the　fireboats　edged　close　to　the　inferno　in　a　futile　effort　to　extinguish　the　flames。
　He　sat　with　Timothy　March　and　Dale　Jarvis；　the　Joint　Chiefs　having　returned　to　their　respective　offices　in　the　Pentagon　to　begin　launching　the　expected　investigations；　dictating　the　expected　reports；　and　issuing　the　expected　directives。　In　a　few　hours　the　shock　would　wear　off　and　the　news　media　would　start　shouting　for　blood；　anyone's　blood。
　The　President　had　settled　on　a　course　of　action。　The　public　outcry　had　to　be　softened。　Nothing　would　be　gained　by　proclaiming　the　raid　as　another　day　of　infamy。　The　pieces　were　to　be　swept　under　the　carpet　of　confusion　as　delicately　as　possible。
　〃Word　has　just　e　in　that　Admiral　Bass　has　died　at　Bethesda　Naval　Hospital；〃　Jarvis　announced　softly。
　〃He　must　have　been　a　strong　man　to　have　carried　the　terrible　burden　of　the　Quick　Death's　secret　all　these　years；〃　said　the　President。
　〃That's　the　end　of　it；　then；〃　March　murmured。*
　〃There　is　still　Rongelo　Island；〃　said　Jarvis。
　〃Yes；〃　the　President　said；　nodding　wearily；　〃there　is　still　that。〃
　〃We　cannot　allow　any　trace　of　the　organism　to　remain。〃
　The　President　looked　at　Jarvis。　〃What　do　you　propose？〃
　〃Erase　the　island　from　the　map；〃　Jarvis　replied。
　〃Impossible；〃　said　March。　〃The　Soviets　would　raise　holy　hell　if　we　set　off　a　bomb。　The　moratorium　on　aboveground　nuclear　tests　has　been　respected　by　both　nations　for　two　decades。〃
　A　thin　smile　touched　Jarvis's　lips。　〃The　Chinese　have　yet　to　sign　the　pact。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃So　we　take　apage　from　Operation　Wild　Rose；〃　explained　Jarvis。　〃We　send　one　of　our　missile…carrying　subs　as　close　as　we　dare　to　the　Chinese　mainland；　then　order　it　to　launch　a　nuclear　warhead　at　Rongelo　Island。〃
　March　and　the　President　exchanged　thoughtful　glances。　Then　they　turned　to　Jarvis；　waiting　for　the　rest　of　it。
　〃As　long　as　American　preparations　for　a　test　are　nonexistent　and　none　of　our　surface　ships　or　aircraft　are　within　two　thousand　miles　of　the　blast　area；　there　is　no　tangible　evidence　the　Russians　can　use　to　build　a　case　against　us。　On　the　other　hand；　their　spy　satellites　cannot　help　but　record　the　missile　trajectory　as　originating　from　Chinese　territory。〃
　〃We　might　pull　it　off　if　we　played　shadylike；〃　said　March；　warming　to　the　scheme。　〃The　Chinese　would；　of　course；　deny　any　involvement。　And　after　the　usual　nasty　accusations　from　the　Kremlin；　our　own　State　Department；　and　the　other　outraged　nations；　condemning　Peking；　the　episode　would　die　and　be　mostly　forgotten　inside　two　weeks。〃
　The　President　stared　into　space　as　he　battled　with　his　conscience。　For　the　first　time　in　nearly　eight　years　he　felt　the　total　vulnerability　of　his　office。　The　armor　of　power　was　filled　with　hairline　cracks　that　could　burst　apart　when　struck　by　the　unanticipated。
　At　last；　with　the　exertion　of　a　man　twice　his　age；　he　rose　from　his　chair。
　〃I　pray　to　God；〃　he　said；　his　eyes　filled　with　sadness；　〃I　am　the　last　man　in　history　who　willfully　orders　a　nuclear　strike。〃
　Then　he　turned　and　slowly　made　his　way　toward　the　elevator　that　would　take　him　up　to　the　White　House。
　
　Fool's　Mate
　
　Umkono；　South　Africa…January　1989
　
　The　heat　from　the　early…morning　sun　made　itself　felt　as　two　men　gently　slipped　the　cradle　ropes　through　their　hands　and　lowered　the　wooden　box　to　the　floor　of　the　grave。　Then　the　ropes　were　pulled　free；　making　a　soft　rustling　sound　as　they　snaked　around　the　sharp；　unsanded　edges　of　the　coffin。
　〃Sure　you　don't　want　me　to　fill　it　in？〃　asked　an　ebony…skinned　gravedigger　as　he　coiled　the　rope　around　a　sinewy　shoulder。
　〃Thanks；　I'll　take　care　of　it；〃　Pitt　said；　holding　out　several　South　African　rand　notes。
　〃No　pay；〃　said　the　gravedigger。　〃The　captain　was　a　friend。　I　could　dig　a　hundred　graves　and　never　repay　the　kindness　he　rained　upon　my　family　when　he　was　alive。〃
　Pitt　nodded　in　understanding。　〃I'll　borrow　your　shovel。〃
　The　digger　obliged；　shook　Pitt's　hand　vigorously；　and　flashed　an　enormous　smile。　Then　with　a　wave　he　set　foot　over　a　narrow　path　that　led　from　the　cemetery　to　the　village。
　Pitt　looked　around。　The　landscape　was　lush　but　harsh。　Steam　from　the　damp　undergrowth　wisped　above　the　plants　as　the　sun　rose　higher　in　the　sky。　He　rubbed　a　sleeve　over　his　sweat…soaked　forehead　and　stretched　out　under　a　mimosa　tree；　studying　its　blossoming　yellow　fluffy　balls　and　long　white　thorns　and　listening　to　the　honking　of　hornbills　in　the　dis…tance。　Then　he　turned　his　attention　back　to　the　large　granite　stone　sitting　at　the　head　of　the　grave　site。　
　HERE　LIE　THE　FAMILY　FAWKES
　Patrick　McKenzie
　Myrna　Clarissa
　Patrick　McKenzie；　Jr。
　Jennifer　Louise
　Joined　together　for
　all　eternity
　1988
　A　prophetic　man；　the　captain；　Pitt　thought。　The　stone　had　been　carved　in　its　entirety　months　before　Fawkes's　death　on　board　the　Iowa。　He　brushed　away　a　vagrant　ant　and　dozed　for　the　next　two　hours。　He　was　awakened　by　the　sound　of　a　car。
　The　uniformed　driver；　a　sergeant；　braked　the　Bentley；　slipped　from　behind　the　wheel；　and　opened　the　rear　door。　Colonel　Joris　Zeegler　stepped　out；　followed　by　Defence　Minister　Pieter　De　Vaal。
　〃Seems　peaceful　enough；〃　said　De　Vaal。
　〃This　sector　has　been　quiet　since　the　Fawkes　massacre；〃　Zeegler　replied。　〃I　believe　the　grave　is　this　way；　sir。〃
　Pitt　rose　to　his　feet　and　brushed　himself　off　as　they　approached。　〃It　was　good　of　you　gentlemen　to　e　so　far；〃　he　said；　extending　his　hand。
　〃No　great　effort；　I　assure　you；〃　De　Vaal　said　arrogantly。　He　ignored　Pitt's　outstretched　hand　and　sat　irreverently　on　the　Fawkes　headstone。　〃By　coincidence；　Colonel　Zeegler　had　arranged　an　inspection　tour　of　northern　Natal　Province。　A　short　detour；　a　brief　stop…off　in　the　schedule。　No　harm　done。〃
　〃This　won't　take　long；〃　said　Pitt；　casually　checking　his　dark　glasses　for　smudges。　〃Did　you　know　Captain　Fawkes？〃
　〃I　appreciate　the　fact　your　rather　strange　request　to　meet　me　in　a　rural　cemetery　came　down　from　high　sources　in　your　government；　but　I　want　it　understood　that　I'm　here　out　of　courtesy；　not　to　answer　questions。〃
　〃Understood；〃　Pitt　said。
　〃Yes；　I　once　met　Captain　Fawkes。〃　De　Vaal　gazed　into　space。　〃Back　in　October；　I　believe　it　was。　Soon　after　his　family　were　murdered。　I　expressed　my　condolences　on　behalf　of　the　Defence　Ministry。〃
　〃Did　he　accept　your　offer　to　mand　the　raid　on　Washington？〃
　De　Vaal　didn't　bat　an　eye。　〃Pure　rot。　The　man　was　mentally　unbal…anced　by　the　death　of　his　wife　and　children。　He　planned　and　conducted　the　raid　entirely　on　his　own。〃
　〃Did　he？〃
　〃My　position　and　rank　do　not　have　to　tolerate　rudeness。〃　De　Vaal　came　to　his　feet。　〃Good　day；　Mr。　Pitt。〃
　Pitt　let　him　walk　nearly　twenty　feet　before　he　said；　〃Operation　Wild　Rose；　Minister。　Our　intelligence　people　knew　about　it　almost　from　the　beginning。〃
　De　Vaal　stopped　in　midstride；　turned；　and　looked　at　Pitt。　〃They　knew？〃　He　walked　back　until　he　was　standing　face　to　face　with　the　man　from　NUMA。　〃They　knew　about　Wild　Rose？〃
　〃That　shouldn't　surprise　you；　of　all　people；〃　Pitt　said　affably。　〃After　all；　it　was　you　who　leaked　it　to　them。〃
　De　Vaal's　haughty　posure　cracked　and　he　looked　to　Zeegler　for　support。　The　colonel's　eyes　were　unblinking　and　his　face　was　as　hard　as　stone。　〃Preposterous；〃　De　Vaal　said。　〃You're　making　a　wild　accusation　based　on　the　wind。〃
　〃I　admit　to　a　few　holes　in　the　net；〃　said　Pitt。　〃But　I　came　into　the　game　late。　A　neat　scheme；　and　whatever　the　oute；　you　won；　Minister。　The　plan　was　never　meant　to　succeed。　Blaming　the　AAR　for　the　raid　in　order　to　drum　up　sympathy　for　the　South　African　white　minority　was　a　smoke　screen。　The　real　purpose　was　to　embarrass　and　topple　Prime　Minister　Koertsmann's　party　so　the　Defence　Ministry　could　have　an　excuse　for　stepping　in　with　a　new　military　government　headed　by　none　other　than　Pieter　De　Vaal。〃
　〃Why　are　you　doing　this？〃　De　Vaal　said　savagely。　〃What　do　you　hope　to　gain？〃
　〃I　don't　like　to　see　traitors　prosper；〃　Pitt　retorted。　〃Incidentally；　how　much　did　you　and　Emma　salt　away？　Three；　four；　five　million　dollars？〃
　〃You're　chasing　shadows；　Pitt。　Colonel　Zeegler；　here；　can　tell　you。　Emma　was　a　paid　agent　for　the　AAR。〃
　〃Emma　sold　doctored　reports　from　your　Defence　Ministry　files　to　any　black　revolutionary　sucker　enough　to　pay　for　them　and　split　the　take　with　you。　A　most　lucrative　side　venture；