cc.floodtide-第90节
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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 horde and saw the flat marsh and farmlands beyond。 Li Hung…chang felt like a spectator watching someone else play his role in a drama。
He began to speculate on the reception waiting along the waterfront in New Orleans； and he smiled to himself。 Millions of Americans would remember this day； he mused； but not for the reasons they had expected。
RUDI GUNN WAS WAITING FOR PITT AND GIOROINO WHEN they returned the shantyboat to Doug Wheeler's dock late the same afternoon。 His eyes were red from lack of sleep caused by sitting up most of the night waiting for Pitt's sporadic reports。 He wore khaki shorts and a white T…shirt with the words
ST。 MARY PARISH； GOOD OLD FASHION SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
printed across the back。
After replacing the fuel they had used and loading their equipment in the Marine Denizen's launch； Put and Giordino bade a fond farewell to Romberg； who raised his head from the deck and gave them a lethargic goodbye 〃Woof；〃 before promptly falling back to sleep。
As they cleared the dock； Giordino stood beside Gunn at the helm。 〃I'd say we could all use some dinner and a good night's sleep。〃
〃I'll second the motion；〃 Pitt yawned。
〃All you get is a thermos of coffee with chicory；〃 said Gunn。 〃The admiral flew into town along with Peter Harper of the Immigration Service。 Your presence has been requested on board the Coast Guard cutter Weehawken。〃
〃Last I saw of her；〃 said Pitt； 〃she was anchored just above Sungari。〃
〃She's now tied up at the Coast Guard dock near Morgan City；〃 Gunn enlightened him。
〃No dinner？〃 asked Giordino sadly。
〃No time；〃 Gunn replied。 〃Maybe if you act like good little boys； you can get a fast bite from the Weehawken's galley。〃
〃I promise to be good；〃 Giordino said with a wily shift to his eyes。
Pitt and Gunn exchanged disbelieving looks。 〃Never happen；〃 Gunn sighed。
〃Not in our lifetime；〃 Pitt agreed。
Peter Harper； Admiral Sandecker； Captain Lewis and Julia Lee were waiting for them in the wardroom of the Weehawken when they climbed on board。 Also present were Major General Frank Montaigne of the Army Corps of Engineers and Frank Stewart； captain of the Marine Denizen。 Lewis cordially asked if there was anything he could get them。 Before Giordino could open his mourn； Gunn said； 〃We had coffee on the ran from Wheeler's dock； thank you。〃
Pitt shook hands with Sandecker and Harper before giving Julia a light kiss on the cheek。 〃How long has it been since we've seen each other？〃 〃All of two hours。〃
〃Seems like an eternity；〃 he said with his devilish grin。 〃Stop；〃 she said； pushing him away。 〃Not here。〃 〃I suggest we get on with it；〃 said Sandecker restlessly。 〃We have a lot of ground to cover。〃
〃Not the least of which is Duncan Monroe's humble apology that he asked me to convey；〃 Harper said； making a show of penitence by pumping Pitt's and Giordino's hands。 〃I also wish to express my personal debt of gratitude to NUMA and to you gentlemen for ignoring our demands to disassociate yourselves from the investigation。 Without your timely intervention at Bartholomeaux； our assault team would have found nothing but a dead INS agent and an empty sugar mill。 The only unfortunate aspect was the killing of Ki Wong。〃
〃I suppose in hindsight I should have kneecapped him；〃
Giordino said without remorse。 〃But he was not a nice man。〃
〃I fully realize your act was justified；〃 admitted Harper；〃but with Ki Wong dead； we lost a direct link to Qin Shang。〃
〃Was he that essential to your case？〃 Captain Lewis queried Harper。 〃It seems to me you have more than enough proof to hang Qin Shang from the nearest tree。 He was caught red…handed smuggling nearly four hundred illegal immigrants into Sungari and then up Bayou Teche to Bartholomeaux。 All on vessels owned by his shipping pany and by men on his payroll。 What more could you want？〃
〃Proving the orders came directly from Qin Shang。〃
Sandecker seemed as puzzled as Lewis。 〃Surely you have all the evidence you need to indict him now。〃
〃We can indict；〃 acknowledged Harper； 〃but whether we can convict is another story。 We're looking at a long； drawn…out legal fight that federal prosecutors are not certain they can win。 Qin Shang will counterattack with a task force of highly paid and respected Washington attorneys。 He has the Chinese government and certain ranking members of Congress on his side； and also； I'm sorry to say； possibly the White House。 When we look at all the political lOUs that he will undoubtedly call due； you can see that we are not getting in the ring with a lightweight； but rather a very powerful and highly connected man。〃
〃Wouldn't Chinese government leaders turn their backs on him if it meant a huge scandal？〃 inquired Frank Stewart。
Harper shook his head。 〃His services and influence in Washington cancel out any political liabilities that might result。〃
〃Surely； you have enough on Qin Shang to close down Sungari and cut off all shipping by Qin Shang Maritime into the United States；〃 probed General Montaigne； speaking for the first time。
〃Yes； it's within our power；〃 answered Harper。 〃But the billions of dollars' worth of Chinese goods that are pouring into the United States are carried on Qin Shang Maritime ships； subsidized by their government。 They'd be cutting their own throat if they sat by and remained silent while we slammed the door on Qin Shang's shipping line。〃 He paused to massage his temples。 Harper was clearly a man who did not relish losing a battle to forces beyond his control。 〃At the moment all we can do is prevent his smuggling operations from succeeding and hope that he makes a colossal mistake。〃
A knock came at the door； and Lieutenant Stowe entered。 He silently handed Captain Lewis a message and just as quietly departed。 Lewis scanned the wording and looked over the table at Frank Stewart。 〃A munication from your first officer；
Captain。 He said you wished to be kept informed on any new developments concerning the old luxury liner the United States。〃
Stewart nodded at Pitt。 〃Dirk is the one who is monitoring the ship's passage up the Mississippi。〃
Lewis handed the message to Pitt。 〃Pardon me for reading it； but it simply says the United States has passed under the Crescent City Connection and greater New Orleans bridges and is approaching the city's mercial waterfront； where it will be docked as a permanently floating hotel and casino。〃
〃Thank you； Captain。 Another puzzling project with Qin Shang's tentacles wrapped around it。〃
〃Quite a feat just sailing it up the river from the Gulf；〃 said Montaigne。 〃You might pare it with dropping a pin through a straw without it touching the sides。〃
〃I'm glad you're here； General；〃 said Pitt。 〃I have nagging questions that only you； as an expert on the river； can answer。〃
〃I'll be glad to try。〃
〃I have a crazy theory that Qin Shang built Sungari where he did because he intends to destroy a section of the levee and divert the Mississippi into the Atchafalaya； making it the most important port on the Gulf of Mexico。〃
It would be an overstatement to say that the men and one woman seated in the wardroom all accepted Pitt's fanciful scenario…all； that is； except General Montaigne。 He nodded his head like a professor who threw a trick question at a student and received the correct answer。 〃It may surprise you to learn； Mr。 Pitt； that I've had the same notion bouncing around inside my own head for the past six months。〃
〃Divert the Mississippi；〃 Captain Lewis said in a careful sort of voice。 〃There are many； myself included； who would say that's unthinkable。〃
〃Unthinkable； perhaps； but not unimaginable to a man with Qin Shang's diabolic mind；〃 Giordino said evenly。
Sandecker looked thoughtfully into the distance。 〃You've hit upon a rationale that should have been obvious from the first day of Sungari's construction。〃
Every eye was drawn to General Montaigne when Harper asked the obvious question。 〃Is it possible； General？〃
〃The Army Corps has been fighting Nature for over a hundred and fifty years to keep her from acplishing the same cataclysm；〃 answered Montaigne。 〃We all live with the nightmare of a great flood； greater than ever recorded since the first explorers saw the river。 When that happens； the Atchafalaya River will bee the main stream of the Mississippi。 And that section of 'Old Man River' that presently runs from the northern border of Louisiana to the Gulf will bee a silted…in tidal estuary。 It's happened in the ancient past and it will happen again。 If the Mississippi wants to head west； we can't stop her。 The event is only a matter of time。〃
〃Are you telling us that the Mississippi changes course on a set schedule？〃 asked Stewart。
Montaigne rested his chin on the head of his cane。 〃Not predictable by the hour or year； but it has wandered back and forth across Louisiana seven times in the past six thousand years。 Had it not been for man； and especially the Army Corps of Engineers； the Mississippi would probably be flowing down the Atchafalaya Valley； over the sunken ruins of
