cc.floodtide-第28节

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two　seconds　later；　Admiral　Sandecker　would　be　stuck　with　the　chore　of　writing　my　eulogy。〃
　
　〃When　we　flew　over　Foley's　cabin；　the　place　was　swarming　with　guys　in　black　ninja　suits。　Naturally　thinking　the　worst；　I　shoved　the　throttles　to　the　board　and　we　took　off　after　you。　After　finding　you　being　strafed　by　a　bunch　of　shady　characters　flying　ultralights；　we　just　naturally　crashed　the　party。〃
　〃And　saved　a　dozen　lives；〃　Pitt　added。　〃But　where　in　hell　did　you　e　from？　The　last　I　heard　you　were　in　Hawaii　and　Rudi　was　in　Washington。〃
　
　〃Lucky　for　you；〃　said　Gunn；　〃Admiral　Sandecker　was　handed　a　priority　project　by　the　President。　As　much　as　he　disliked　cutting　off　your　rest　and　recuperation；　he　ordered　Giordino　and　me　to　meet　in　Seattle。　We　both　arrived　last　night；　then　borrowed　a　helicopter　at　the　NUMA　marine…science　center　at　Bremerton　to　e　pick　you　up。　After　you　called　the　admiral　this　morning　and　told　him　what　you'd　discovered　and　that　you　were　making　a　run　for　it　down　the　river；　Al　and　I　took　off　and　dashed　across　the　Olympic　Peninsula　in　forty　minutes　flat。〃
　〃That　Machiavellian　old　sea　dog　sent　you　thousands　of　miles　just　to　put　me　back　to　work？〃　Pitt　asked　in　mild　amazement。
　Gunn　smiled。　〃He　told　me　that　he　was　reasonably　certain　that　if　he'd　called　himself；　you'd　have　uttered　unrepeatable　words　over　the　phone。〃
　〃That　old　man　knows　me　pretty　well；〃　Pitt　admitted。
　〃You've　had　a　rough　time；〃　said　Gunn　sympathetically。　〃Perhaps　I　can　talk　him　into　letting　you　lay　low　for　a　few　days　longer。〃
　〃Not　a　bad　idea；〃　Giordino　added　candidly。　〃You　look　like　the　rat　the　cat　dragged　in。〃
　〃Some　vacation；〃　Pitt　said　finally。　〃I　hope　I　never　have　another　like　it。　I'd　like　to　think　of　it　as　being　over。〃
　Gunn　motioned　toward　the　edge　of　the　dock。　〃The　helicopter　isn't　far。　Think　you　can　make　it　okay？〃
　〃There　are　a　few　things　I'd　like　to　take　care　of　before　you　rush　me　off；〃　Pitt　said；　giving　both　men　a　cold　eye。　〃First；　I'd　like　to　get　Sam　Foley's　Chris…Craft　to　the　nearest　boat　yard　for　repairs　and　an　engine　overhaul。　Second；　it　might　be　nice　if　we　found　a　doctor　who　wouldn't　ask　a　lot　of　questions　while　he　attends　to　a　gunshot　wound　in　my　hip。　And　third；　I'm　starved。　I'm　not　going　anywhere　until　I've　been　fed　breakfast。〃
　〃You're　wounded？〃　both　men　said　in　unison。
　〃Hardly　a　life…threatening　puncture；　but　I'm　not　keen　to　get　gangrene。〃
　The　show　of　obstinacy　was　tremendously　effective。　Giordino　nodded　at　Gunn。　〃You　find　Dirk　a　doctor；　I'll　take　care　of　the　boat。　Then　we'll　check　out　the　nearest　restaurant。　This　looks　like　a　good　town　for　boiled　crab。〃
　
　〃There　is　one　more　thing；〃　said　Pitt。
　The　two　men　stared　at　him　expectantly。
　〃What's　this　urgent　project　I　have　to　drop　everything　for？〃
　〃It　involves　an　underwater　investigation　of　a　strange　shipping　port　near　Morgan　City；　Louisiana；〃　answered　Gunn。
　〃What's　so　strange　about　a　shipping　port？〃
　〃Its　location　in　a　swamp；　for　one　thing。　That；　and　the　fact　the　developer　is　the　head　of　a　large…scale　international　alien…smuggling　empire。〃
　〃Heaven　help　me；〃　Pitt　said　piously；　throwing　up　his　hands。
　〃Say　it　isn't　true。〃
　〃You　have　a　problem？〃　Giordino　asked。
　〃I've　been　up　to　my　ears　in　illegal　immigrants　for　the　past　twelve　hours…that's　the　problem。〃
　〃It's　truly　amazing　how　you　can　gather　on…the…job　experience　with　such　ease。〃
　Pitt　fixed　his　friend　with　an　icy　stare。　〃I　suppose　our　divine　government　thinks　the　port　is　being　used　to　smuggle　in　aliens。〃
　〃The　facility　is　far　too　elaborate　for　that　alone；〃　replied　Gunn。　〃We've　been　given　the　job　of　discovering　its　true　purpose。〃
　〃Who　built　and　developed　the　port？〃
　〃An　outfit　by　the　name　of　Qin　Shang　Maritime　Limited　out　of　Hong　Kong。〃
　Pitt　didn't　throw　an　apoplectic　fit。　He　didn't　even　bat　an　eyelid。　He　did　look；　however；　as　if　he'd　been　punched　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　His　face　took　on　the　expression　of　a　man　in　a　horror　movie　who　just　found　out　his　wife　ran　away　with　the　monster。　His　fingers　bit　deeply；　painfully；　into　Gunn's　arm。　〃You　did　say　Qin　Shang？〃
　〃That's　right；〃　answered　Gunn；　wondering　how　he　would　explain　the　black…and…blue　marks　at　his　gym。　〃He　directs　an　empire　of　malignant　activities。　Possibly　the　fourth…richest　man　in　the　world。　You　act　as　though　you　know　him。〃
　〃We've　never　met；　but　I'm　safe　in　saying　he　hates　my　guts。〃
　〃You're　kidding；〃　said　Giordino。
　Gunn　looked　puzzled。　〃Why　would　a　man　who　has　more　money　than　a　New　York　City　bank　hate　an　ordinary　screwup　like　you？〃
　〃Because；〃　Pitt　said　with　a　fiendish　grin；　〃I　torched　his　yacht。〃
　
　When　Kung　Chong　failed　to　report　the　destruction　of　the　runabout；　and　efforts　to　contact　him　were　returned　by　silence；　Lo　Han　knew　his　trusted　assistant　and　the　five　men　who　flew　with　him　were　all　dead。　The　realization　was　acpanied　by　the　sickening　certainty　that　the　devil　who　caused　so　much　grief　had　escaped。
　
　He　sat　alone　in　the　mobile　security　vehicle；　trying　to　make　some　sense　of　the　disaster。　His　black　eyes　had　a　vacant　stare；　his　face　was　tight　and　cold。　Kung　Chong　had　reported　seeing　immigrants　in　the　runabout。　Their　appearance　seemed　a　mystery　since　all　the　prisoners　were　accounted　for　in　their　cells。　Then　a　thought　exploded　in　his　mind。　Chu　Deng。　That　idiot　on　the　catamaran　must　have　somehow　allowed　the　immigrants　marked　for　execution　to　escape。　There　was　no　other　conclusion。　The　man　who　was　taking　them　to　safety　must　have　been　in　the　pay　of　the　American　government。
　
　Then；　as　if　to　ram　home　the　revelation；　his　eyes　traveled　to　the　video　monitors　and　observed　two　large　helicopters　landing　beside　the　main　building。　In　a　synchronized　assault　armored　cars　broke　through　the　barricade　on　the　road　leading　to　the　main　highway。　Men　poured　from　the　aircraft　and　vehicles　and　rushed　into　the　building。　There　was　no　pause；　no　demand　for　those　inside　to　lay　down　their　weapons　and　surrender　peacefully。
　
　The　raiders　burst　inside　the　prison　pound　before　Lo　Man's　guards　knew　what　was　happening。　It　was　as　if　the　INS　agents　knew　the　prisoners　were　to　be　killed　in　the　event　of　a　raid。　It　became　obvious　that　they　were　well　informed　by　someone　who　had　made　a　reconnaissance　of　the　retreat。
　
　Quickly　realizing　that　resistance　against　a　large　force　of　armed　law…enforcement　agents　was　hopeless；　Lo　Man's　security　force　meekly　submitted　individually　and　in　groups。　Numb　with　defeat；　Lo　Han　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　entered　a　series　of　codes　into　his　satellite　munication　system　and　waited　for　a　reply　from　Hong　Kong。
　
　A　voice　answered　in　Chinese。　〃You　have　reached　Lotus　II。〃
　〃This　is　Bamboo　VI；〃　said　Lo　Han。　〃Operation　Orion　has　been　promised。〃
　〃Say　again。〃
　〃Operation　Orion　is　in　the　process　of　being　closed　down　by　American　agents。〃
　〃This　is　not　wele　news；〃　replied　the　voice　on　the　other　end。
　〃I　regret　we　could　not　have　remained　in　business　until　Operation　Iberville　was　pleted。〃
　〃Were　the　prisoners　terminated　so　they　could　not　talk？〃
　〃No；　the　raid　was　conducted　with　astonishing　speed。〃
　〃Our　chairman　will　be　most　displeased　to　hear　of　your　failure。〃
　〃I　accept　all　blame　for　my　mismanagement。〃
　〃Can　you　make　good　your　escape？〃
　〃No；　it　is　too　late；〃　said　Lo　Han　solemnly。
　〃You　cannot　be　arrested；　Bamboo　VI。　You　know　that。　Nor　your　subordinates。　There　can　be　no　trail　for　the　Americans　to　follow。〃
　〃Those　who　were　aware　of　our　association　are　dead。　My　security　guards　are　merely　mercenaries　who　were　hired　to　do　a　job；　nothing　more。　They　are　ignorant　of　who　paid　them。〃
　〃Then　you　are　the　only　link；〃　said　the　voice　without　inflection。
　〃I　have　lost　face　and　must　pay　the　price。〃
　〃This；　then；　is　our　final　munication。〃
　〃I　have　one　final　act　to　perform；〃　Lo　Han　said　quietly。
　〃Do　not　fail；〃　the　voice　demanded　coldly。
　〃Good…bye；　Lotus　II。〃
　〃Good…bye；　Bamboo　VI。〃
　
　Lo　Han　watched　the　monitors　as　they　revealed　a　group　of　men　rushing　toward　the　mobile　security　vehicle。　They　were　attacking　the　locked　door　when　he　removed　a　small　nickel…plated　revolver　from　the　drawer　of　his　desk。　He　placed　the　barrel　inside　his　mouth　pointing　upward。　His　finger　was　tightening　on　the　trigger　when　the　first　INS　agent　burst　through　the　doorway。　The　blast　stopped　the　agent　dead　in　his　tracks　his　gun　leveled；　a　look　of　surprise　in　his　eyes　as　Lo　Han　jerked　back　in　his　chair；　then　fell　forward；　head　and　shoulders　falling　on　the　desk　as　the　revolver　dropped　from　his　hand　onto　the　floor。
　
　
　
　April　20；　2000　Hong　Kong；　China
　
　QIN　SHANG　DID　NOT　HAVE　THE　APPEARANCE　OF　A　CORRUPT　and　depraved　sociopath　who　had　indiscriminately　murdered　untold　thousands　of　innocent　people。　He　did　not　have　serpent's　fangs；　vertical　slit　eyes；　nor　a　forked　tongue　that　flicked　in　and　out。　There　was　no　aura　of　evil　about　him。　Sitting　at　a　desk　in　his　palatial　four…level　penthouse　atop　the　fifty…story　mirrored　tower　of　Qin　Shang　Maritime　Limited；　he　looked　no　different　than　any　other　Chinese　businessman　working　in　the　financial　hub　of　Hong　Kong。　Like　most　mass　murderers　throughout　history；　Qin　Shang　went　unobtrusive　and　unnoticed　whenever　he　strolled　down　the　street。
　
　Tall　for　most　Asian　men　at　five　feet；　eleven　inches；　he　was　heavy　around　the　waist；　weighing　in　at　210　pounds；　not　solid　but　wh