cc.floodtide-第85节

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　The　guard　was　smart　enough　to　know　he　was　in　a　no…win　situation。　He　looked　up　and　down　the　passageway　in　hope　of　finding　help。　But　he　was　alone。　Slowly；　he　acted　as　if　his　hold　was　loosening　around　the　woman's　neck　while　his　other　hand　inched　toward　a　gun　in　a　holster　at　his　hip。
　
　Pitt　caught　the　movement　and　rammed　the　muzzle　of　the　Colt　into　the　guard's　eye。　〃Not　a　wise　gamble；　my　friend。〃　He　smiled　pleasantly；　his　teeth　gleaming　in　the　pale　light。
　The　guard　gasped　in　pain；　dropped　his　hold　on　the　woman　and　clutched　both　hands　to　his　eye。　〃Oh　God；　you　blinded　me！〃
　〃No　such　luck；〃　Pitt　said　briefly　as　he　yanked　the　guard　into　the　chamber　by　the　collar。　He　didn't　have　to　order　the　woman；　she　had　already　rushed　by　him　and　thrown　herself　into　her　husband's　arms。　〃The　worst　you　can　expect　is　a　bloodshot　eyeball　for　a　few　days。〃
　
　Pitt　kicked　the　big　door　closed；　crouched　down　and　hurriedly　removed　the　guards'　revolvers　from　their　holsters。　Then　he　searched　them　for　concealed　weapons。　The　guard　he'd　knocked　unconscious　carried　a　small　。32…caliber　automatic　strapped　to　his　pants　belt　behind　his　back；　the　other　had　a　bowie　knife　stuffed　in　one　boot。　Then　he　checked　them　for　size　to　see　which　one　came　closest　in　height　and　weight。　They　were　both　considerably　shorter；　but　one　nearly　matched　his　chest　and　waist　measurements。
　
　As　he　began　to　switch　clothes；　Pitt　spoke　to　the　hushed　horde　who　stared　back　at　him　as　if　he　was　some　kind　of　deity。　〃Do　any　of　you　speak　English？〃
　
　Two　people　made　their　way　toward　him。　One　was　an　elderly　man　with　a　long　white　beard；　the　other　an　attractive　woman　in　her　mid…thirties。　〃My　father　and　I　can　speak　English；〃　she　said。　〃We　both　taught　languages　at　Chungking　University。〃
　
　Pitt　swept　his　hand　around　the　chamber。　〃Please　tell　them　to　bind　and　gag　these　men　and　hide　their　bodies　as　far　away　from　the　door　as　possible；　where　they　can't　be　easily　found。〃
　The　father　and　daughter　nodded。　〃We　understand；〃　he　replied。　〃We　will　also　caution　them　to　remain　quiet。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　said　Pitt；　as　he　stripped　off　his　wet　suit。　〃Am　I　correct　in　saying　that　you　have　all　been　treated　badly　by　the　smugglers　who　are　extorting　you　for　more　money？〃
　〃Yes；〃　answered　the　woman；　〃all　you　say　is　true。　We　were　subjected　to　unspeakable　conditions　during　the　voyage　from　China。　After　we　arrived　in　the　United　States；　we　were　brought　here　by　the　enforcers　from　Qin　Shang　Maritime；　where　we　were　turned　over　to　an　American…Chinese　crime　syndicate。　It　is　they　who　are　extorting　us　for　more　money　by　threatening　to　either　kill　or　force　us　into　indentured　slavery　if　we　do　not　pay。〃
　〃Tell　them　all　to　take　heart；〃　said　Pitt　solemnly。　〃Help　is　on　the　way。〃
　
　He　finished　dressing；　grinning　when　he　noticed　that　a　good　three　inches　of　socks　showed　between　the　guard's　shoes…two　sizes　too　small…and　the　bottom　cuffs　of　the　trousers。　While　the　guards　were　dragged　to　the　other　end　of　the　chamber　and　bound；　Pitt　slipped　one　revolver　and　the　Colt　automatic　inside　his　pants　and　buttoned　the　shirt　over　them。　Next　he　adjusted　the　holster　containing　the　second　guard's　revolver　at　his　side。　Then；　with　a　quick　look　of　encouragement　to　the　poor　wretched　immigrants；　he　stepped　into　the　passage；　quietly　closed　the　door　and　locked　it。
　
　Twenty　feet　to　the　left　of　the　door　the　passage　ended　in　a　tangled　mass　of　old　rusty　machinery　that　filled　it　from　floor　to　ceiling。　Pitt　went　right　and　came　to　a　stairway　ascending　to　a　corridor　that　opened　onto　a　series　of　rooms　with　huge　copper　pots　that　had　corroded　over　the　decades　until　the　once…bright　metal　had　changed　to　a　patinated　green。
　
　Pitt　entered　one　of　what　had　been　the　sugar　cane　cooking　rooms　and　peered　through　a　long　row　of　dusty　windows。　Below　him　was　a　vast　storage　and　shipping　terminal。　A　pair　of　railroad　tracks　ran　between　two　loading　docks　before　stopping　at　a　concrete　barrier。　Broad　doors　on　one　end　of　the　floor　were　spread　open　to　acmodate　three　freight　cars　that　were　being　backed　down　a　slope　by　a　diesel…eiectric　lootive　painted　in　the　blue　and　orange　colors　of　the　Louisiana　&　Southern　Railroad。
　Next　to　the　building　near　the　railroad　tracks；　Pitt　could　see　a　parked　pair　of　white　stretch　limousines；　their　drivers　talking　together　while　watching　with　interest　as　the　train　rolled　past。
　
　It　became　startlingly　clear　to　Pitt　that　the　immigrants　he'd　just　left　were　about　to　be　loaded　on　the　freight　cars。　Acpanied　by　a　growing　knot　in　his　stomach；　he　also　observed　that　the　loading　docks　were　manned　by　nearly　a　dozen　guards。　After　seeing　all　there　was　to　see；　he　sat　down　below　the　window；　back　to　the　wall；　and　considered　the　situation。
　
　Stopping　the　smugglers　from　boarding　the　immigrants　onto　the　train　looked　grim。　Stalling　them　was　a　tactic　that　lay　open；　but　what　good　would　delaying　the　inevitable　do？　He　might　take　out　four　or　five　of　the　guards　before　they　recovered　from　surprise　and　blasted　him；　but　where　were　the　percentages　in　that？　There　was　almost　no　hope　of　terminating　the　departure；　but　there　was　a　slim　chance　of　bringing　it　to　a　standstill；　at　least　for　the　next　few　hours。
　
　Pitt　removed　his　small　arsenal　and　studied　the　two　。357　magnum　revolvers；　the　bowie　knife　and　his　steadfast　old　Colt。　The　six…shot　revolvers　gave　him　twelve　rounds。　Many　years　ago　he　had　redesigned　the　grip　on　the　Colt　to　hold　a　twelve…shot　magazine。　The　revolvers　were　loaded　with　hollow…point　cartridges；　excellent　for　stopping　power　and　producing　extreme　tissue　damage　in　man　and　animal；　but　not　efficient　for　what　Pitt　had　in　mind。　His　。45　packed　Winchester　185…grain　Sil…vertips；　which　were　not　as　brutal　on　flesh　but　had　better　penetration。　He　had　twenty…four　chances　to　stop　the　train's　departure。　Only　one　lucky　shot　would　do　it。　The　problem　was　that　although　he　had　more　than　enough　killing　power；　he　was　woefully　short　in　the　metal…piercing　department。　His　intent　was　to　strike　a　vital　part　of　the　diesel　engines　and　electric　generators；　shutting　down　all　power　to　the　drive　wheels。
　
　Pitt　sighed；　rose　to　his　knees；　took　the　revolvers　in　both　hands　and　menced　firing；　aiming　at　the　louvered　sides　of　the　lootive。
　
　JULIA　HAD　NO　IDEA　OF　HOW　LONG　SHE　HAD　BEEN　UNCONSCIOUS。　The　last　thing　she　remembered　was　the　soft　face　of　a　woman；　a　very　beautiful　woman；　dressed　in　a　red　Oriental…silk　sheath　dress　slit　up　the　sides；　tearing　Julia's　blouse　from　her　shoulders。　As　the　haze　lifted　she　became　aware　of　a　fiery；　burning　sensation　that　coursed　through　her　body。　She　also　discovered　that　her　hands　and　feet　were　in　manacles　with　chains　running　around　her　waist　and　snaking　through　the　bars　of　a　gate；　brutally　pulling　her　arms　out　of　their　sockets；　leaving　her　toes　barely　touching　the　floor。　The　chains　were　worked　tight　and　looped　over　the　door；　making　it　impossible　for　her　to　move　even　fractionally。
　
　Only　the　cool；　damp　air　that　touched　and　tingled　her　bare　skin　gave　her　relief　from　the　searing　fire　flowing　in　her　veins。　She　slowly　came　to　realize　that　her　clothes　were　gone　and　she　was　dressed　in　little　else　but　her　bra　and　panties。
　
　The　woman；　who　looked　Eurasian；　stared　at　Julia　from　a　nearby　chair。　She　sat　with　her　legs　curled　under　her　and　smiled　a　catlike　smile　that　sent　a　shiver　running　through　Julia。　Her　hair　was　shiny　black　and　fell　in　a　long　cascade　down　her　back。　Her　shoulders　were　broad；　her　breasts　nicely　rounded；　her　slim
　
　waist　neatly　merging　with　trim　hips。　She　wore　makeup　with　skill　and　her　nails　were　incredibly　long。　But　it　was　her　eyes　that　drew　Julia's　interest。　The　scientific　term　was　heterochro…mia。　One　of　her　eyes　was　nearly　black　while　the　other　was　a　light　gray。　The　effect　was　hypnotic。
　
　〃Well？〃　she　said　sociably。　〃Wele　back　to　reality。〃
　〃Who　are　you？〃
　〃My　name　is　May　Ching。　I　serve　the　Dragon　Triad。〃
　〃Not　Qin　Shang？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Not　very　sporting　of　you　to　drug　me；〃　Julia　whispered　angrily；　fighting　off　the　internal　torment　raging　inside　her　body。
　〃I　suspect　you　did　no　less　to　Lin　Wan　Chu；　the　cook　on　board　the　Sung　Lien　Star；〃　said　May　Ching。　〃Where　is　she；　by　the　way？〃
　〃She's　being　treated　better　than　I　am。〃
　May　Ching　casually　lit　a　cigarette　and　blew　the　smoke　toward　Julia。　〃We　had　quite　a　chat；　you　and　I。〃
　〃I　was　interrogated？〃　Julia　exclaimed。　〃I　don't　remember。〃
　〃You　wouldn't。　The　very　latest　in　truth　serums。　Not　only　does　it　reverse　the　mind　to　a　child　of　five；　but　it　makes　the　body　feel　as　if　your　blood　turned　into　molten　lava。　Between　the　madness　and　the　agony；　no　man　or　woman；　regardless　of　how　strong…willed；　can　refuse　honest　answers　to　intimate　questions。　By　the　way；　just　so　you　won't　feel　unduly　embarrassed；　it　was　I　who　undressed　and　searched　you。　Clever　hiding　places　for　your　little　automatic　and　knife。　Most　men　wouldn't　have　thought　to　look　between　your　legs　and　inside　your　biceps。　Being　a　woman；　however；　your　radio　was　exactly　where　I　thought　it　would　be。〃
　〃You're　not　Chinese。〃
　〃Only　on　my　mother's　side；〃　answered　May　Ching。　〃My　father　was　British。〃
　At　that　moment　Ki　Wong　entered　the　room　with　another　man　whose　facial　features　were　also　Eurasian。　They　both　stood　in　front　of　Julia；　staring　at　her　lewdly。　Wong's　sallow　skin　stretched　tautly　and　contrasted　with　his　panion's　s