cc.floodtide-第91节

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Valley；　over　the　sunken　ruins　of　Morgan　City　and　into　the　Gulf　as　we　speak。〃
　〃Let　us　suppose　Qin　Shang　destroys　the　levee　and　opens　a　vast　spillway　from　the　Mississippi　into　the　canal　he's　had　dredged　into　the　Atchafalaya；〃　Pitt　speculated。　〃What　would　be　the　result？〃
　〃In　one　word；　catastrophic；〃　answered　Montaigne。　〃Pushed　by　a　spring　runoff　current　of　seven　miles　an　hour；　a　turbulent　flood　tide　twenty；　maybe　thirty　feet　high　would　explode　down　the　Mystic　Canal　and　rage　across　the　valley。　The　lives　of　two　hundred　thousand　residents　living　on　three　million　acres　will　be　endangered。　Most　of　the　marshlands　will　bee　permanently　inundated。　The　wall　of　water　will　sweep　away　whole　towns；　causing　a　tremendous　death　toll。　Hundreds　of　thousands　of　animals；　cows；　horses；　deer；　rabbits；　family　dogs　and　cats　swept　away　as　though　they'd　never　been　born。　Oyster　beds；　shrimp　nurseries　and　catfish　farms　will　be　destroyed　by　the　sudden　decrease　in　salinity　due　to　the　overpowering　flow　of　fresh　water。　Most　of　the　alligator　population　and　water　life　will　vanish。〃
　〃You　paint　a　grim　picture；　General；〃　said　Sandecker。
　〃That's　only　the　pitiful　part　of　the　forecast；〃　said　Montaigne。　〃On　the　economic　side；　the　surge　would　collapse　the　highway　and　railroad　bridges　that　cross　the　valley；　closing　down　all　transportation　from　east　to　west。　Generating　plants　and　high…voltage　lines　will　likely　be　undermined　and　destroyed；　disrupting　electrical　service　for　thousands　of　square　miles。　The　fate　of　Morgan　City　would　be　sealed。　It　will　cease　to　exist。　Interstate　gas　pipelines　will　rupture；　cutting　off　major　portions　of　natural　gas　to　every　state　from　Rhode　Island　and　Connecticut　to　the　Carolinas　and　Florida。
　〃And　then　we　have　the　unrepairable　damage　to　what's　left　of　the　Mississippi；〃　he　continued。　〃Baton　Rouge　would　bee　a　ghost　town。　All　barge　and　water　traffic　would　cease。　The　Great　American　Ruhr　Valley；　with　its　industrial　magnitude　of　oil　refineries；　petrochemical　plants　and　grain　elevators；　could　no　longer　operate　efficiently　beside　a　polluted　creek。　Without　fresh　water；　without　the　river's　ability　to　scour　a　channel；　it　would　soon　build　a　wasteland　of　silt。　Isolated　from　interstate　merce；　New　Orleans　would　go　the　way　of　Babylon；　Angkor　Wat　and　Pueblo　Bonito。　And　like　it　or　not；　all　oceangoing　shipping　would　be　diverted　from　New　Orleans　to　Sungari。　The　terrible　loss　to　the　economy　alone　would　be　measured　in　the　tens　of　billions　of　dollars。〃
　〃There's　a　thought　that　brings　on　a　migraine；〃　muttered　Giordino。
　〃Speaking　of　relief。〃　Montaigne　looked　at　Captain　Lewis。　〃I　don't　suppose　you　have　a　bottle　of　whiskey　on　board？〃
　〃Sorry；　sir；〃　replied　Lewis　with　a　slight　shake　of　the　head。　〃No　alcohol　allowed　on　a　Coast　Guard　ship。〃
　〃It　never　hurts　to　ask。〃
　〃How　would　the　new　river　pare　to　the　old？〃　Pitt　asked　the　general。
　〃At　the　present　time　we　control　the　flow　of　the　Mississippi　at　the　Old　River　Control　Structure　located　about　forty…five　miles　upriver　from　Baton　Rouge。　Our　purpose　is　to　maintain　a　distribution　of　thirty　percent　into　the　Atchafalaya　and　seventy　percent　into　the　Mississippi。　When　the　two　rivers　merge　with　their　full　potential　of　a　hundred…percent　flow　along　a　straighter　path　at　half　the　distance　to　the　Gulf　pared　to　the　channel　through　New　Orleans；　you're　going　to　have　one　hell　of　a　big　river　with　current　flowing　at　a　great　rate　of　speed。〃
　〃Is　there　no　way　to　plug　the　gap　should　it　occur？〃　asked　Stewart。
　Montaigne　thought　for　a　moment。　〃With　the　right　preparation；　there　are　any　number　of　responses　the　Corps　can　make；　but　the　longer　it　takes　to　get　our　equipment　in　place；　the　more　time　the　flood　widens　the　hole　in　the　levee。　Our　only　salvation　is　that　the　dominant　current　of　the　Mississippi　would　continue　in　the　channel　until　the　levee　erodes　far　enough　to　accept　the　entire　flow。〃
　〃How　long　do　you　think　that　would　take？〃
　〃Difficult　to　project。　Perhaps　two　hours；　perhaps　two　days。〃
　〃Would　the　process　be　speeded　up　if　Qin　Shang　sank　barges　diagonally　across　the　Mississippi　to　divert　the　main　flow？〃　queried　Giordino。
　Montaigne　thought　a　moment；　then　said；　〃Even　if　a　tow　unit　consisting　of　enough　barges　to　block　the　entire　width　of　the　river　could　be　pushed　into　the　correct　position　and　sunk…not　an　easy　maneuver　even　by　the　best　towboat　pilots…the　river's　main　current　would　still　flow　over　the　barges　due　to　their　low　profile。　Sitting　on　the　riverbed；　their　upper　cargo　roofs　would　still　have　a　good　thirty　to　thirty…five　feet　of　water　flowing　over　them。　As　a　diversionary　dam；　the　concept　would　not　prove　practical。〃
　〃Is　it　possible　for　you　to　begin　preparations　for　an　all…out　effort？〃　asked　Captain　Lewis。　〃And　have　your　men　and　equipment　in　position　ready　to　go　if　and　when　Qin　Shang　destroys　the　levee？〃
　〃Yes；　it's　possible；〃　answered　Montaigne。　〃It　won't　e　cheap　to　the　taxpayers。　The　problem　I　face　in　issuing　the　order　is　that　it's　based　simply　on　conjecture。　We　may　suspect　Qin　Shang's　motives；　but　without　absolute　proof　of　his　intentions；　my　hands　are　tied。〃
　Pitt　said；　〃I　do　believe；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　we've　fallen　into　the　'close　the　barn　door　after　the　horse　has　escaped'　syndrome。〃
　〃Dirk　is　right；〃　Sandecker　said　solidly。　〃We'd　be　far　better　off　to　stop　Qin　Shang's　operation　before　it　takes　place。〃
　〃I'll　contact　the　St。　Mary　Parish　sheriff's　department　and　explain　the　situation；〃　volunteered　Harper。　〃I'm　sure　they　will　cooperate　and　send　deputies　to　guard　the　levee。〃
　〃A　sound　proposition；〃　agreed　Montaigne。　〃I'll　go　one　step　further。　My　West　Point　classmate；　General　Oskar　Olson；　mands　the　National　Guard　in　Louisiana。　He'll　be　glad　to　send　a　contingent　of　troops　to　back　up　the　sheriff's　deputies　if　I　make　it　a　personal　request。〃
　〃The　first　men　on　the　scene　should　search　out　and　disarm　the　explosives；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃They'll　need　equipment　to　torch　open　the　iron　door　to　a　tunnel　that　Dirk　and　I　discovered　that　runs　under　the　highway　and　levee；〃　suggested　Giordino。　〃Inside　the　tunnel　is　where　the　explosives　are　likely　stored。〃
　〃If　Qin　Shang　wants　to　cut　a　wide　breach；〃　said　Montaigne；　〃he'd　have　to　pack　additional　explosives　into　side　tunnels　that　branch　out　for　at　least　a　hundred　yards。〃
　〃I'm　certain　Qin　Shang's　engineers　have　figured　out　what　it　will　take　to　blow　a　giant　hole　in　the　levee；〃　said　Pitt　grimly。
　〃It　feels　good；〃　Sandecker　sighed；　〃to　finally　have　a　grip　on　Qin　Shang's　testicles。〃
　〃Now　all　we　need　to　know　is　the　scumbag's　time　schedule；〃　said　Giordino。
　At　that　moment　Lieutenant　Stowe　reentered　the　wardroom　and　handed　Captain　Lewis　another　munication。　As　he　read　the　message；　his　eyes　narrowed。　Then　he　peered　at　Pitt。　〃It　seems　the　pieces　of　the　puzzle　that　were　missing　have　appeared。〃
　〃If　the　message　is　for　me；〃　said　Pitt；　〃please　read　it　aloud　for　everyone。〃
　
　Lewis　nodded　and　began　reading。　〃　'To　Mr。　Dirk　Pitt；　NUMA；　on　board　Coast　Guard　ship　Weehawken。　Please　be　advised　that　the　former　passenger　liner　United　States　has　not　stopped　at　New　Orleans。　I　repeat；　has　not　stopped　at　New　Orleans。　With　total　disregard　to　scheduled　docking　procedures　and　weling　ceremonies；　the　ship　has　continued　upriver　toward　Baton　Rouge。　The　captain　has　refused　to　answer　all　radio　calls。'　〃　Lewis　looked　up。　〃What　do　you　make　of　it？〃
　
　〃Qin　Shang　never　intended　to　make　the　United　States　into　a　New　Orleans　hotel　and　gambling　casino；〃　Pitt　explained　dryly。　〃He　plans　to　use　it　as　a　diversionary　dam。　Once　the　ship's　nine…hundred…ninety…foot　hull　with　its　height　of　ninety　feet　is　scuttled　diagonally　across　the　river；　it　will　block　ninety　percent　of　the　Mississippi's　flow；　sending　one　enormous　flood　tide　through　the　shattered　levee　into　the　Atchafalaya。〃
　〃Ingenious；〃　murmured　Montaigne。　〃Then　there　would　be　no　stopping　the　full　force　of　the　surge　once　it　broke　through。　Nothing　in　this　world　could　stop　it。〃
　〃You　know　the　Mississippi　better　than　anyone　here；　General；〃　Sandecker　said　to　Montaigne。　〃How　long　do　you　think　it　will　take　the　United　States　to　reach　the　Mystic　Canal　below　Baton　Rouge？〃
　〃Depends；〃　the　general　replied。　〃She'd　have　to　slow　to　jockey　her　immense　bulk　around　several　sharp　turns　in　the　river；　but　she　could　use　her　top　speed　on　the　straighter　reaches。　From　New　Orleans　to　where　the　Mystic　Canal　stops；　just　short　of　the　Bayou　Goula　bend　of　the　Mississippi；　is　about　a　hundred　miles。〃
　〃With　her　interior　an　empty　steel　shell；〃　said　Pitt；　〃she　rides　high　in　the　water；　adding　to　her　potential　speed。　With　all　her　boilers　fired　up；　she　can　conceivably　cut　water　at　close　to　fifty　miles　an　hour。〃
　〃A　band　of　angels　would　be　powerless　to　help　any　barge　or　pleasure…craft　traffic　that's　caught　in　her　wash；〃　said　Giordino。
　Montaigne　turned　to　Sandecker。　〃She　could　arrive　on　site　in　less　than　three　hours。〃
　〃We　haven't　a　minute　to　lose　in　alerting　the　state　emergency　services　to　spread　the　alarm　and　begin　evacuating　every　resident　of　the　Atchafalaya　Valley；〃　said　Lewis；　his　face　grave。
　〃Almost　five…thirty；〃　Sandecker　said；　studying　his　watch。　〃We　have　only　until　eight…thirty　this　evening　to　stop　a　disaster　of　incalculable　magnitude。〃　He　paused　to　rub　his　eyes。　〃If　we　fail；　hundreds；　maybe　thousands　of　innocent　people　will　die　and　their　bodies　will　be　swept　out　into