alistairmaclean.seawitch-第20节

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　〃Four　things。〃　Martin　dipped　his　head　so　that　Farquharson　couldn't　see　his　nervous　swallowing。　One　thing　would　have　been　bad　enough。
　〃In　the　first　place；　that　sentry　gate　should　be　kept　permanently　locked。　It　should　only　be　opened　after　a　phone　call　to　your　HQ　and　an　electronic　link　for　opening　the　gate　installed　in　your　office。　What's　to　prevent　a　person　or　persons　with　a　silenced　automatic　disposing　of　your　sentry　and　driving　straight　up　here？　Second；　what　would　prevent　people　walking　through　the　open　doorway　and　spraying　us　all　with　submachine　guns？　That　door　should　have　been　shut　the　moment　we　passed　through。〃　The　corporal　started　to　move　but　Farquharson　stopped　him　with　upraised　hand。
　〃Third；　all　people　who　are　not　base　personnel…such　as　we…should　be　fingerprinted　on　arrival。　I　will　arrange　to　have　your　guards　trained　in　those　techniques。　Fourth；　and　most　important；　show　me　the　controls　for　those　doors。〃
　〃This　way；　sir。〃　The　corporal　led　the　way　to　a　small　console。　〃The　red　button　opens；　the　green　one　closes。〃
　Farquharson　pressed　the　green　button。　The　massive　door　hissed　slowly　closed。　〃Unsatisfactory。　Totally。　Those　are　the　only　controls　to　operate　the　door？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Martin　looked　very　unhappy　indeed。
　〃We　shall　have　another　electronic　link　established　with　your　HO；　which　will　render　those　buttons　inoperable　until　the　correct　signal　is　sent。〃　Farquharson　was　showing　signs　of　irritation。　〃I　would　have　thought　ah*　those　things　were　self…evident。〃
　Martin　smiled　weakly。　〃They　are　now；　sir。〃
　〃What　percentage　of　explosives；　bombs　and　shells　stored　here　are　conventional？〃
　〃Close　to　ninety…five　per　cent；　sir。〃
　〃Fd　like　to　see　the　nuclear　weapons　first。〃
　〃Of　course；　sir。〃　A　now　thoroughly　demoralized　Martin　led　the　way。
　The　TNW　section　was　partmented　off　but　not　sealed。　One　side　was　lined　with　what　appeared　to　be　shells；　stowed　on　racks；　the　other；　with　pear…shaped　metal　canisters　about　thirty　inches　high；　with　buttons；　a　clockface　and　a　large　knurled　screw　on　top。　Beyond　them　were　stacked　suitcases；　each　with　two　leather　handles。
　Breckley　indicated　the　pear…shaped　canisters。　〃What　are　those？　Bombs？〃
　〃Both　bombs　and　land　mines。〃　Martin　seemed　glad　to　talk　and　take　his　mind　off　his　troubles。　〃Those　controls　on　top　are　relatively　simple。　Before　you　get　at　those　two　red　switches　you　have　to　unscrew　those　two　transparent　plastic　covers。　The　switches　have　then　to　be　turned　ninety　degrees　to　the　right。　They　are　then　still　in　the　safe　position。　They　then　have　to　be　flipped　ninety　degrees　to　the　left。　This　is　the　ready…to…activate　position。
　〃Before　that　is　done；　you　have　to　put　the　time　setting　on　the　clock。　That　is　done　by　means　of　this　knurled　knob　here。　One　plete　turn　means　a　one…minute　time　delay　which　will　show　up　on　this　clockface　here。　It　registers　in　seconds；　as　you　can　see。　Total　time　delay　is　thirty　minutes…　thirty　turns。〃
　〃And　this　black　button？〃
　〃The　most　important　of　them　all。　No　cover　and　no　turning。　You　might　want　to　get　at　it　in　a　hurry。　Depressing　that　stops　the　clock　and；　in　fact；　deactivates　the　bomb。〃
　〃What's　the　area　of　damage？〃
　〃pared　to　the　conventional　atom　bomb；　tiny。　The　vaporization　area　would　be　a　quarter…mile　radius。　Perhaps　less。　The　blast；　shock　and　radiation　areas　would；　of　course；　be　considerably　greater。〃
　〃You　mean　they　can　be　used　as　both　bombs　and　mines？〃
　〃Instead　of　mines；　maybe　I　should　have　said　an　explosive　device　for　use　on　land。　As　bombs　the　setting　would　probably　be　only　six　seconds…　in　tactical　warfare　they　would　be　carried　by　low…flying　supersonic　planes。　They'd　be　about　two　　　miles　clear　by　the　time　the　bomb　went　off　and　moving　too　fast　for　the　shock　waves　to　catch　up　with　them。　For　land　use…well；　say　you　wanted　to　infiltrate　an　ammunition　dump。　You'd　check　how　long　it　would　take　you　to　infiltrate　there；　calculate　how　long　it　would　take　you　to　get　out　and　clear　of　the　blast　zone；　and　set　the　timer　accordingly。
　〃The　missiles　here…〃
　〃We've　seen　and　heard　enough；〃　Farquharson　said。　〃Kindly　put　your　hands　up。〃
　Five　minutes　later；　with　the　furiously　reluctant　assistance　of　Martin；　they　had　loaded　two　of　the　bombs；　safely　concealed　in　their　carrying　cases；　into　the　trunk　of　their　car。　In　the　process　the　purpose　of　the　two　carrying　handles　became　clear：　each　bomb　must　have　weighed　at　least　ninety　pounds。
　Farquharson　went　back　inside；　looked　indifferently　at　the　two　bound　men；　pressed　the　button　and　slipped　through　the　doorway　as　the　door　began　to　close。　He　waited　until　the　door　was　pletely　shut；　then　climbed　into　the　front　seat　beside　Martin；　who　was　at　the　wheel　this　time。　Farquharson　said：　〃Remember；　one　false　move　and　you're　a　dead　man。　We　will；　of　course；　have　to　kill　the　sentry　too。〃
　There　were　no　false　moves。　About　a　mile　from　the　building　the　car　stopped　by　a　thicket　of　stunted　trees。　Martin　was　marched　deep　into　the　thicket；　bound；　gagged　and　attached　to　a　tree　just　in　case　he　might　have　any　ideas　about　jack…knifing　his　way　down　to　the　roadside。　Farquhar…son　looked　down　at　him。
　〃Your　security　was　lousy。　We'll　phone　your　HQ　in　an　hour　or　so；　let　them　know　where　they　can　find　you。　I　trust　there　are　not　too　many　rattlesnakes　around。〃
　
　
　Chapter　6
　
　Jtto　BERTSON　looked　up　from　the　radio　console。　〃Chief　McGarrity。〃
　Mitchell　took　the　phone。　〃Mitchell？　We've　found　the　kidnapers'　estate　wagon。　Down　by　the　Wyanee　Swamp。〃　McGarrity　sounded　positively　elated。　〃I'm　going　there　personally。　Tracker　dogs。　Til　wait　for　you　at　the　Walnut　Tree　crossing。〃　Mitchell　replaced　the　receiver　and　said　to　Roomer：　〃McGarrity's　got　it　all　wrapped　up。　He's　found　the　estate　wagon。　Well　。　。　。　someone　did；　but　of　course　it　will　be　made　clear　eventually　that　it　was　McGarrity。〃
　〃Empty；　of　course。　Doesn't　that　old　fool　know　that　this　makes　it　more　difficult；　not　easier？　At　least　we　knew　what　transport　they　were　using。　Not　any　more。　He　didn't　mention　anything　about　bringing　along　a　newspaper　photographer　that　he　just　sort　of　accidentally　bumped　into？〃
　〃Tracker　dogs　were　all　he　mentioned。〃
　〃Did　he　suggest　anything　for　the　dogs　to　sniff　at？〃　Mitchell　shook　his　head；　Roomer　shook　his　and　called　to　Jenkins。　〃Will　you　get　Louise；　please？〃
　Louise　appeared　very　quickly。　Roomer　said：　〃We　need　a　piece　of　clothing　that　the　ladies　used　to　wear　a　lot。〃
　She　looked　uncertain。　〃I　don't　understand…〃
　〃Some　things　we　can　give　bloodhounds　to　sniff　so　that　they　pick　up　their　scent。〃
　〃Oh。〃　It　required　only　a　second's　thought。　〃Their　dressing　gowns；　of　course。〃　This　with　but　the　slightest　hint　of　disapproval；　as　if　the　girls　spent　most　of　the　day　lounging　about　in　those　garments。
　〃Handle　as　little　as　possible；　please。　Put　each　in　a　separate　plastic　bag。〃
　A　patrol　car　and　a　small　closed　police　van　awaited　them　at　the　Walnut　Tree　crossing。　McGarrity　was　standing　by　the　police　car。　He　was　a　small　bouncy　man　who　radiated　goodwill　and　only　stopped　smiling　when　he　was　vehemently　denouncing　corruption　in　politics。　He　was　a　police　chief　of　inparable　inpetence；　but　was　a　consummate　and　wholly　corrupt　politician；　whi^h　was　whv　he　was　police　chief。　He　shook　the　hands　of　Mitchell　and　Roomer　with　all　the　warmth　and　sincerity　of　an　incumbent　ing　up　for　re…election；　which　was　precisely　what　he　was。
　〃Glad　to　meet　you　two　gentlemen　at　last。　Heard　very　good　reports　about　you。〃　He　appeared　to　have　conveniently　forgotten　his　allegation　that　thev　gave　a　lot　of　trouble　to　the　local　law。　〃Appreciate　all　the　co…operation　you've　given　me…and　for　turning　up　here　now。　This　is　Ron　Stewart　of　the　Herald。〃　He　gestured　through　an　open　car　window　where　a　man；　apparently　festooned　in　cameras；　sat　in　the　back　seat。　〃Kind　of　accidentally　bumped　into　him。〃
　Mitchell　choked；　turning　it　into　a　cough。　〃Too　many　cigarettes。〃
　〃Same　failing　myself。　Driver's　the　dog　handler。　Driver　of　the　van　is　the　other　one。　Just　follow　us；　please。〃
　Five　miles　farther　on　they　reached　the　turn…off…one　of　many…into　the　Wyanee　Swamp。　The　foliage　of　the　trees；　almost　touching　overhead；　quickly　reduced　the　light　to　that　of　a　late　winter　afternoon。　The　increase　in　the　humidity　was　almost　immediately　noticeable；　as　was　the　sour；　nose…wrinkl　i　n　g　miasma　as　they　neared　the　swamp。　A　distinctly　unhealthy　atmosphere；　or　such　was　the　first　impression：　but　many　people　with　a　marked　aversion　to　what　passed　for
　civilization　lived　there　all　their　lives　and　seemed　none　the　worse　for　it。
　The　increasingly　rutted；　bumpy　road　had　bee　almost　intolerable　until　they　rounded　a　blind　corner　and　came　across　the　abandoned　station　wagon。
　The　first　essential　was；　apparently；　that　pictures　be　taken；　and　the　second　that　McGarrity　be　well…placed　in　each　one；　his　hand　preferably　resting　in　a　proprietorial　fashion　on　the　hood。　That　done；　the　cameraman　fitted　a　flash　attachment　and　was　reaching　for　the　rear　door　when　Roomer　clamped　his　wrist　not　too　gently。　〃Don't　do　that！〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃Never　been　on　a　criminal　case　before？　Fingerprints　is　why　not。〃　He　looked　at　McGarrity。　〃Expecting　them　soon？〃
　〃Shouldn't　be　long。　Out　on　a　case。　Check　on　them；　Don。〃　This　to　the　driver；　who　immediately　got　busy　on　his　radio。　It　was　clear　that　the　idea　of　bringing　fingerprint　experts　along　had　never　occurred　to　McGar