cc.floodtide-第89节
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at sarcastic wit。 A worthy opponent？〃 Qin Shang shook his head wearily。 〃Not really。 But an opponent to be savored； not like fine caviar； but more like an American hamburger…coarse； mon and primitive。〃
〃If he but knew where to look he would be able to view the pitiful remains of those who wished you ill and tried to obstruct your ambitions。〃
〃Pitt will be eliminated；〃 Qin Shang said in a cold voice。 〃So far he has merely thwarted a pair of minor projects that can be easily restored。 My only concern with him now is why is he in Louisiana when my sources here in Washington informed me that NUMA was taken off all investigations involving immigrant smuggling？ His dogged persistence in annoying me is a mystery。〃
〃A misguided vendetta against you； perhaps？〃
〃Pitt is what the Americans call a righteous do…gooder；〃 said Qin Shang with a rare flash of humor。 〃And therein lies his flaw。 When he makes a mistake； as he surely will； his demise will e because he took a moral road。 He has never learned that money and power； when arranged in appropriate designs； cannot lose。〃 He paused to pat her on the knee。 〃Do not trouble yourself over Dirk Pitt； my little songbird。 He will die very soon。〃
April 29； 2000 The Lower Mississippi River
TWENTY MILES SOUTH OF THE HEAD OF PASSES； THAT PART OF the lower Mississippi that branches into three major channels leading into the Gulf of Mexico； two large helicopters took turns dropping onto the open stern deck of the United States and discharging their cargo of men and equipment。 Then they lifted into the air again and flew west toward the port of Sun…gari。 The operation lasted little more than fifteen minutes while the ship continued moving at a speed of twenty…five knots； as dictated by her automated control systems。
A tight unit of heavily armed men from Qin Shang's private security forces； led by a former colonel from the Chinese People's Liberation Army； dressed in work clothes usually worn by the men who worked the river； and carrying automatic weapons and portable missile launchers； dispersed throughout the decks as maritime crewmen went to the engine room and wheelhouse； where they took manual mand of the ship's systems。 Before reaching the Southwest Pass； the channel most often used by oceangoing vessels entering the river； the great liner slowed as it was met by the boat carrying the pilot who would navigate the ship upriver to New Orleans。
The pilot was a heavy man with a beer belly。 He was sweating heavily and dabbing a red bandanna across his balding head after climbing the rope ladder when he stepped into the wheelhouse。 He gave a wave and walked up to Captain Li Hung…chang； who until two days before had manded the Sung Lien Star。
〃Howdy； Captain； Sam Boone。 I got lucky and won a lottery of river pilots for the honor of taking this here monstrosity up to New Orleans；〃 he proclaimed； pronouncing Orleans as Auwlans。
〃That won't be necessary；〃 said Hung…chang without bothering to introduce himself。 He pointed toward the short Chinese man standing at the helm who was the rudder master。 〃My first officer will do the job。〃
Boone looked at Hung…chang queerly。 〃You're funnin' me； right？〃
〃No；〃 answered Hung…chang。 〃We are quite capable of running the ship to our destination under our own mand。〃 He nodded at two guards who were nearby。 They took Boone by the arms and began leading him away。
〃Now wait just a damned minute；〃 snorted Boone； fighting off the guards。 〃You're violating maritime law。 You're headin' for a calamity if you're dumb enough to try navigatin' it yourself。 You don't know the river like an experienced pilot。 We have rigorous standards。 I've been taking ships up and down the delta for twenty…five years。 It might look easy to you； but believe you me； it ain't。〃
Hung…chang nodded at the guards。 〃Lock him up。 Knock him unconscious if you have to。〃
〃You're crazy！〃 Boone shouted over his shoulder as he was dragged away。 〃You'll ran her aground sure as hell！〃
〃Is he right； Ming Lin？〃 Hung…chang asked the rudder master。 〃Will you run us aground？〃
Lin turned and smiled a narrow smile。 〃I've taken this ship upriver over two hundred times in puter…generated virtual reality in three dimensions。〃
〃Have you ever run aground？〃 Hung…chang persisted。
〃Twice；〃 replied Ming Lin without taking his eyes off the river channel。 〃The first two times I tried it； but never after。〃
Hung…chang's dark amber eyes gleamed。 〃Please keep your speed within the limit。 We can allow curiosity； but we cannot afford to arouse suspicion； not for the next several hours。〃
Hung…chang was chosen by Qin Shang's personal orders to captain the United States upriver to New Orleans。 Not only did Qin Shang trust him explicitly； but his decision was also based on expediency。 Having a captain at the helm who was experienced in ocean liners was not a necessity。 By selecting a snip's captain and his crew who were already in America and within a short helicopter flight of the approaching liner； Qin Shang saved time and the expense of sending a crew from Hong Kong。 His ulterior motive was that he did not believe more experienced cruise…ship chief officers were as expendable as the captain and crew of the Sung Lien Star。
Hung…chang's duties consisted of little more than greeting the customs inspectors and immigration officials and acting the conquering hero to the crowds of people lining the riverbanks。 His true function was mostly for ornamentation。 Besides twenty heavily armed security men on Qin Shang's payroll； his crew of fifteen was primarily made up of demolition experts mixed in with a few engineers to stand by in case there was a call for emergency repairs if the ship was attacked。
He turned a blind eye to the dangerous part of the journey。 Twenty…four hours； that was all the time Qin Shang had requested of his services。 His evacuation； when the moment came； was well timed and organized。 Helicopters were standing by to swoop in and pick up the fighting men and crew once the charges were detonated and the ship was scuttled in precisely the right spot。 Qin Shang had given his assurances that Hung…chang would be a rich man when he returned home； providing； of course； the operation went as conceived。
He sighed。 All that troubled him now was navigating the sharp bends in the river； avoiding other ships and passing under the six bridges that faced him after New Orleans。 The distance from the Head of Passes to the city was ninety…five miles。 Although the navigation channel for oceangoing traffic in the lower reaches of the river averaged more than forty feet deep by one thousand feet wide； no ship the size of the United States had ever traveled on the Mississippi before。 The narrow inland waterway channel was not dredged for a vessel of her huge bulk and restricted maneuverability。
After passing Venice； the last town on the west bank that was accessible by highway； the levees were lined with thousands of people who had turned out to see the grand spectacle of the great liner's passage up the river。 Students had been temporarily let out of schools to witness an event that had never before taken place and would not again。 Hundreds of small private boats trailed after the ship； tooting and honking their horns； and were kept a safe distance away from her churning wake by two escorting Coast Guard boats that had appeared after the United States had emerged from the Head of Passes。
They all stood； many in awed silence； others waving and cheering； as the United States negotiated the sharp bends of the river； her bow brushing the edge of the channel on the west bank； her stem and slowly turning propellers thrashing past the east bank that protruded around the bend。 This was late April going on May； and the spring runoff far to the north that came flowing down from the Mississippi's tributaries had raised the water level above the base of the levees。 Hung…chang was thankful for extra water between the keel and river bottom。 It gave him an extra margin for success。
He readjusted the buckle on the strap of his binoculars； squared the cap on his head； then stepped out onto the bridge wing。 He ignored the pass mounted on a stand that responded to the ship's every change of direction as it moved over the curling river。 He was glad the waterway had been emptied of traffic in anticipation of the big ship's passage。 It would be a different story after New Orleans； but he would deal with that problem when the time came。
He looked up at the sky and was relieved to see the weather had cooperated。 The day was warm with only a whisper of a breeze。 A twenty…mile…an…hour wind against the gigantic hull of the ship could have caused disaster by pushing her broadside into the bank during navigation of a sharp river bend。 The azure…blue cloudless sky and the sunlight reflected off the water surface； giving it a green； almost clean； look。 Because he was ascending the river the green channel buoys swayed aimlessly on his left while the red navigation buoys rolled to his right。
He waved back at the people standing on the levee amid a sea of parked cars and pickup trucks。 From his height nine stories above the water he looked down on the
