cc.floodtide-第32节

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nd　cut　them　all　loose　before　they　drowned。　Then　she　described　how　he　herded　everyone　to　the　temporary　safety　of　the　shore；　how　he　forted　and　fed　them　at　his　cabin　and　provided　a　means　of　escape　minutes　before　the　arrival　of　the　smugglers'　security　force。　She　told　how　that　enduring　man　of　iron　killed　five　of　the　enforcers　who　were　set　on　murdering　the　escaped　immigrants；　how　he　took　a　bullet　in　the　hip　and　acted　as　if　it　never　happened。　She　gave　an　account　of　his　blowing　up　the　dock　and　yacht　at　the　retreat；　the　harrowing　battle　down　the　river　to　Grapevine　Bay；　her　shooting　the　two　ultralights　out　of　the　sky；　and　the　indomitable　courage　of　the　man　at　the　wheel　of　the　runabout　who　threw　his　body　over　the　children　when　it　was　thought　they　were　about　to　be　blasted　out　of　the　water。
　
　Julia　told　them　everything　she　had　witnessed　since　leaving　China。　But　she　couldn't　explain　how　or　why　the　man　from　NUMA　came　to　be　under　the　catamaran　at　the　exact　moment　she　and　the　others　were　dropped　into　the　cold　waters　of　the　lake；　nor　could　she　explain　why　he　made　a　reconnaissance　of　the　prison　building　on　his　own　initiative。　She　did　not　know　his　incentive。　It　was　as　though　Pitt's　involvement　was　a　dream　sequence。　How　else　could　she　explain　his　presence　and　actions　on　Orion　Lake？　Finally；　she　ended　her　account　by　saying　his　name；　her　voice　trailing　off　into　silence。
　
　〃Dirk　Pitt；　the　special　projects　director　for　NUMA？〃　Harper　blurted。
　
　Russell　turned　to　Harper；　who　was　staring　at　Julia　in　disbelief。　〃It's　true。　Pitt　was　the　one　who　helped　reveal　the　retreat　as　a　prison　and　provided　the　people　in　our　district　office　in　Seattle　with　vital　information　to　conduct　the　raid。　Without　his　timely　appearance　and　exceptional　courage；　Agent　Lee　would　have　died　and　the　mass　killing　at　Orion　Lake　would　have　gone　on　indefinitely。　Thanks　to　him；　the　macabre　operation　was　exposed；　enabling　our　Seattle　district　office　to　shut　it　down。〃
　
　Harper　looked　at　Julia　steadily。　〃A　man　materializes　in　the　dead　of　night　underwater　who　is　not　a　trained　undercover　agent　nor　a　member　of　the　Special　Forces　but　a　marine　engineer　with　the　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency　and　singlehand…edly　kills　the　crew　of　a　murder　boat　and　destroys　a　yacht　and　an　entire　dock。　Then　he　leads　you　through　a　gauntlet　of　smugglers　who　strafe　a　boatload　of　illegal　immigrants　from　light　aircraft　while　they're　speeding　down　a　river　in　a　seventy…year…old　boat。　An　incredible　story；　to　say　the　least；　Ms。　Lee。〃
　〃And　every　word　of　it　true；〃　said　Julia　firmly。
　〃missioner　Monroe　and　I　met　with　Admiral　Sandecker　of　NUMA　only　a　few　nights　ago；　asking　for　their　help　in　bating　Qin　Shang's　smuggling　operation。　It　seems　unimaginable　that　they　could　have　acted　so　quickly。〃
　〃Although　we　never　had　time　to　pare　notes；　I'm　certain　Dirk　acted　on　his　own　without　orders　from　his　superior。〃
　
　By　the　time　Harper　and　Russell　had　asked　her　a　barrage　of　questions　and　changed　the　cassette　in　the　recorder　four　times；　Julia　was　fighting　a　losing　battle　with　fatigue。　She　had　journeyed　far　beyond　the　call　of　duty；　and　now　all　she　wanted　was　sleep。　After　her　face　returned　to　an　assemblage　of　normality；　she　hoped　to　see　her　family；　but　not　before。
　
　Almost　in　a　trancelike　state；　she　wondered　how　Dirk　Pitt　would　have　described　the　events　had　he　been　there。　She　smiled；　knowing　that　he　would　have　probably　reacted　by　making　a　joke　out　of　the　whole　exploit；　making　light　of　his　actions　and　participation。　How　odd；　she　thought；　that　I　can　predict　his　reactions　and　thoughts　when　I　knew　him　for　less　than　a　few　hours。
　〃You've　been　through　more　than　any　of　us　had　any　right　to　expect；〃　said　Russell；　seeing　that　Julia　was　having　a　hard　time　keeping　her　eyes　open。
　〃You're　a　credit　to　the　service；〃　Harper　said　sincerely　as　he　switched　off　the　recorder。　〃A　fine　report。　Because　of　you　an　important　link　in　the　smuggling　of　illegal　immigrants　is　history。〃
　〃They'll　just　pop　up　somewhere　else；〃　said　Julia；　stifling　a　yawn。
　Russell　shrugged。　〃Too　bad　we　don't　have　enough　evidence　to　convict　Qin　Shang　in　an　international　court　of　law。〃
　
　Julia　suddenly　became　alert。　〃What　are　you　saying？　Not　enough　evidence？　I　have　proof　the　phony　cruise　ship；　filled　with　illegal　aliens；　was　registered　to　Qin　Shang　Maritime　Limited。　That　alone；　plus　the　bodies　lying　in　Orion　Lake；　should　be　enough　to　indict　and　convict　Qin　Shang。〃
　
　Harper　shook　his　head。　〃We　checked。　The　ship　was　legally　registered　to　an　obscure　shipping　pany　in　Korea。　And　though　Shang's　representatives　handled　all　real…estate　transactions；　the　Orion　Lake　property　is　in　the　name　of　a　holding　pany　in　Vancouver；　Canada；　by　the　name　of　Nanchang　Investments。　Offshore　corporations　with　one　dummy　corporation　leading　to　another　in　different　countries　is　quite　mon；　and　makes　it　tough　to　trace　the　thread　to　the　mother　pany　and　its　owner；　directors　and　stockholders。　As　rotten　as　it　sounds；　no　international　court　of　law　would　convict　Qin　Shang。〃
　
　Julia　looked　vacantly　through　the　window　of　her　room。　Between　two　buildings　she　could　just　make　out　the　gray；　ominous　buildings　of　Alcatraz；　the　famous　and　now　abandoned　prison。　〃Then　everything；〃　she　said　disgustedly；　〃the　sacrifice　of　innocent　people　in　the　lake；　my　ordeal；　Pitt's　heroic　efforts；　the　raid　on　the　retreat…all　for　nothing。　Qin　Shang　will　laugh　up　his　sleeve　and　go　on　operating　as　if　it　was　all　a　minor　inconvenience。〃
　
　〃On　the　contrary；〃　Harper　assured　her。　〃Your　information　is　invaluable。　Nothing　es　easy；　and　it　will　take　time；　but　sooner　or　later　we're　going　to　put　Qin　Shang　and　his　kind　out　of　business。〃
　
　〃Peter　is　right；〃　added　Russell。　〃We've　only　won　a　minor　skirmish　in　the　war；　but　we've　cut　off　an　important　tentacle　of　the　octopus。　We　also　have　a　new　insight　into　China's　smuggling…operations　policy。　Our　jobs　have　bee　a　bit　easier　now　that　we　know　which　back　alleys　to　investigate。〃
　
　Harper　gathered　up　his　briefcase　and　headed　for　the　door。　〃We'll　be　on　our　way　and　let　you　rest。〃
　Russell　patted　her　gently　on　the　shoulder。　〃I　wish　I　could　send　you　on　extended　leave；　courtesy　of　the　INS；　but　headquarters　wants　you　in　Washington　as　soon　as　you're　up　and　about。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　ask　a　favor；〃　said　Julia；　stopping　both　men　at　the　door。
　〃Name　it；〃　said　Russell。
　〃Except　for　a　brief　visit　with　my　mother　and　father　here　in　San　Francisco；　I　would　like　to　return　to　duty　by　the　beginning　of　next　week。　I　formally　request　that　I　remain　on　the　investigation　of　Qin　Shang。〃
　Russell　looked　at　Harper；　who　smiled。　〃That　goes　without　saying；〃　said　Russell。　〃Why　do　you　think　they　want　you　in　Washington？　Who　in　INS　knows　more　about　Shang's　alien…smuggling　operation　than　you？〃
　
　After　they　left；　Julia　made　one　last　effort　to　fight　off　creeping　drowsiness。　She　picked　up　the　bedside　phone；　dialed　an　outside　line　and　then　the　area　code　and　number　for　long…distance　information。　Obtaining　the　number；　she　called　the　NUMA　headquarters　building　in　Washington　and　asked　for　Dirk　Pitt。
　
　She　was　put　through　to　his　secretary；　who　informed　her　that　Pitt　was　out　on　vacation　and　had　not　returned　to　work　yet。　Julia　hung　up　the　phone　and　settled　her　head　into　the　pillows。　In　some　odd　manner　she　felt　transformed。　Here　I　am　acting　like　a　brazen　hussy；　she　thought；　pursuing　a　man　I　hardly　know。　Why；　she　wondered；　of　all　the　men　in　all　the　world；　why　did　someone　like　Dirk　Pitt　have　to　walk　into　my　life？
　
　PlTT　AND　GlORDINO　NEVER　MADE　IT　BACK　TO　WASHINGTON。　When　they　returned　the　helicopter　to　the　NUMA　marine…science　laboratory　in　Bremerton　through　a　rainstorm；　they　found　Admiral　Sandecker　waiting　for　them。　Most　men　in　Sandecker's　position　would　have　remained　in　a　dry　office；　sitting　fortably　on　a　couch　drinking　coffee；　making　others　e　to　him。　But　he　did　not　march　to　the　same　drummer　as　most。　Sandecker　stood　outside　in　a　misting　rain；　raising　his　arm　to　shield　his　face　from　the　clouds　of　spray　that　swirled　beneath　the　rotor　blades　of　the　aircraft。　He　remained　standing　until　the　blades　spun　to　a　stop　before　stepping　toward　the　hatch。　He　waited　patiently　until　Gunn　swung　it　open　and　dropped　to　the　ground；　followed　by　Giordino。
　〃I　expected　you　over　an　hour　ago；〃　grunted　Sandecker。
　〃We　weren't　forewarned　you'd　be　here；　Admiral；〃　said　Gunn。　〃When　last　we　spoke；　you　elected　to　remain　in　Washington。〃
　〃I　changed　my　mind；〃　Sandecker　said　gruffly。　Not　seeing　anyone　left　in　the　cockpit；　he　looked　at　Giordino。　〃Didn't　you　bring　Dirk　with　you？〃
　〃He　slept　like　a　rock　between　Grapevine　Bay　and　here；〃　answered　Giordino　without　his　usual　grin。　〃He's　not　in　the　best　of　shape。　As　if　he　wasn't　already　a　classic　case　of　battle　fatigue　when　he　arrived　at　Orion　Lake；　he　had　to　go　and　get　himself　shot　again。〃
　〃Shot？〃　Sandecker's　face　clouded。　〃Nobody　told　me　he'd　been　shot。　How　bad　is　it？〃
　〃Not　serious。　Luckily；　the　bullet　just　missed　the　pelvis；　going　hi　and　ing　out　the　upper　side　of　his　right　buttock。　A　doctor　in　Grapevine　examined　and　dressed　the　wound。　He　insisted　that　Dirk　shouldn't　be　up　and　running　around；　but　our　friend　laughed　and　demanded　we　find　a　bar；　claiming　a　couple　shots　of　tequila　would　make　him　as　good　as　new。〃
　〃Did　two　shots　of　tequila　do　it？〃　Sandecker　asked　cynically。
　〃More