cussler.blueandgold-第27节

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　Paul　was　working　a　few　feet　directly　in　front　of　Gamay。　He　had　severed　two　lines　and　was　about　to　work　on　the　third。　He　had　bee　overconfident　and　had　released　his　safety　grip　on　the　framework　when　the　blimp　swerved。　Not　expecting　the　sudden　maneuver；　he　lost　his　balance　and　tumbled　off。　Gamay　yelled　helplessly。
　
　The　gondola　was　jerked　violently　and　nosed　down。　Gamay　leaned　over　and　saw　Paul　clutching　the　line　immediately　above　the　dangling　raft；　which　twisted　violently；　snapping　back　and
　forth　like　a　child's　swing　in　the　wind。　The　blimp's　forward　motion　had　slowed　almost　to　a　stop。　She　looked　up　at　the　envelope；　which　had　bee　a　formless　blob；　then　back　under　the　gondola。　Paul　was　still　hanging　on。　Trout　didn't　want　to　be　under　the　blimp　when　it　came　down。　He　cut　the　line　and　plunged　feet　first　into　the　water　from　a　height　of　about　fifty　feet。　As　he　came　to　the　surface　the　raft　hit　the　water　with　a　great　splash。
　
　Gamay　was　operating　on　pure　adrenaline。　She　unsnapped　her　harness；　climbed　out　onto　the　side　of　the　gondola；　took　a　deep　breath；　and　dove　off。　Despite　the　shakiness　of　the　platform　and　the　fact　that　it　was　plunging　rapidly　toward　the　water；　Gamay　did　a　classic　swan　dive　that　would　have　earned　her　a　top　score　in　an　Olympic　petition。　She　hit　the　water　with　arms　out　stretched；　her　body　straight；　went　deep；　then　kicked　her　way　quickly　back　to　the　shimmering　surface。　Just　in　time　to　see　the　airship　e　down　directly　on　top　of　the　raft。
　
　The　raft　disappeared　under　the　layered　folds　of　the　envelope　along　with　any　hope　it　could　be　used　to　float　their　way　home。　She　was　more　concerned　about　Paul　for　the　moment　and　was　relieved　beyond　words　when　she　heard　his　voice　calling；　although　she　still　couldn't　see　him。
　
　Pulled　under　by　the　gondola；　the　envelope　sank；　taking　the　raft　with　it。　She　saw　Paul's　head　bobbing　on　the　other　side　of　the　sinking　airship。　He　waved；　and　they　swam　toward　each　other；　meeting　in　the　middle。　They　treaded　water　for　a　few　moments；　gazing　with　awe　at　the　cascading　streams。　Then；　taking　advantage　of　the　push　from　the　water　rippling　out　from　the　falls；　they　began　to　swim　for　the　distant　shore。
　
　Chapter　13
　FBI　special　agent　Miguel　Gomez　leaned　his　beefy　wrestler's　body　back　in　his　swivel　chair；　laced　his　fingers　behind　his　head；　and　gazed　in　wonderment　at　the　two　men　sitting　on　the　other　side　of　his　desk。
　
　〃You　gentlemen　must　like　tortillas　one　hell　of　a　lot　to　want　to　see　Enrico　Pedralez。〃
　
　Austin　said；　〃We'll　pass　on　the　tortillas。　We　just　want　to　ask　Pedralez　a　few　questions。〃
　
　〃Impossible；〃　the　agent　said　flatly；　shaking　his　head　for　emphasis。　His　eyes　were　as　dark　as　raisins；　and　they　had　the　sad　and　wary　expression　cops　get　when　they　have　seen　it　all。
　
　〃I　don't　understand；〃　Austin　said；　a　hint　of　impatience　in　his　voice。　〃You　make　an　appointment　with　his　secretary。　You　go　in　and　have　a　chat。　Just　like　any　businessman。〃
　
　〃The　Farmer　isn't　just　any　businessman。〃
　
　〃The　Farmer？　I　was　unaware　he　was　into　agriculture；　too。〃
　
　Gomez　couldn't　hold　back　a　toothy　grin。　〃Guess　you　could　call　it　agriculture。　Did　you　hear　about　the　big　search　for　bodies　buried　at　a　couple　of　ranches　just　over　the　border？〃
　
　〃Sure；〃　Austin　said。　〃It　was　in　all　the　papers。　They　found　dozens　of　corpses；　probably　people　killed　by　drug　dealers。〃
　
　〃I　was　one　of　the　FBI　field　agents　the　Mexicans　allowed　to　e　in　on　that　operation。　The　ranches　were　owned　by　Enrico；　or；　rather；　in　the　names　of　guys　who　worked　for　Pedralez。〃　
　
　　Zavala；　who　was　sitting　in　the　other　chair；　said；　〃You're　telling　us　the　tortilla　king　is　a　drug　dealer？〃
　
　Gomez　leaned　forward　onto　his　desk　and　counted　on　his　fingers。　〃Drugs；　prostitution；　extortion；　kidnapping；　Medicaid　fraud；　purse　snatching；　and　making　a　public　nuisance　of　himself。　You　name　it。　His　organization　is　like　any　other　conglomerate　that　doesn't　put　all　its　eggs　in　one　basket。　The　bad　boys　are　taking　their　cue　from　Wall　Street。　Diversification　is　the　byword　in　the　Mexican　mafia　these　days。〃
　
　〃Mafia；〃　Austin　said。　〃That　might　present　a　little　problem。〃
　
　〃Nothing　little　about　it；〃　the　agent　said。　He　was　on　a　roll。　〃The　Mexican　mafia　makes　the　Sicilians　look　like　choir　boys。　The　old　Cosa　Nostra　would　whack　a　guy；　but　it　was　hands　off　the　family。　The　Russian　mob　will　wipe　out　your　wife　and　kids　if　you　get　out　of　line；　but　even　with　them；　it's　purely　business。　With　the　Mexicans；　it's　personal。　Anyone　who　gets　in　their　way　is　of　fending　their　machismo。　Enrico　doesn't　just　kill　his　enemies；　he　grinds　them；　their　relatives；　and　their　friends　into　powder。〃
　
　〃Thanks　for　the　warning；〃　Austin　said；　unfazed　by　the　agent's　monologue。　〃Now　will　you　tell　us　how　we　go　about　seeing　him？〃
　
　Gomez　let　out　a　whooping　laugh。　He　had　wondered　about　this　pair　since　they　walked　into　his　office　and　flashed　their　NUMA　identification。　He　only　knew　of　the　National　Underwater　&　Marine　Agency　by　name；　that　it　was　the　undersea　equivalent　of　NASA。　Austin　and　Zavala　didn't　fit　in　with　his　preconceived　notion　of　ocean　scientists。　The　bronze…skinned　man　with　the　penetrating　blue…green　eyes　and　albino　hair　looked　as　if　he　could　knock　down　walls　with　those　battering…ram　shoulders。　His　partner　was　soft…spoken；　and　a　slight　smile　played　around　his　lips；　but　with　a　mask　and　a　sword　he　would　have　been　a　casting　director's　ideal　choice　to　play　Zorro。
　
　〃Okay；　guys；〃　Gomez　said；　shaking　his　head　in　defeat。　〃Since　it　is　still　against　the　law　to　assist　a　suicide；　I　would　feel　better　if　you　told　me　what's　going　down。　Why　is　NUMA　interested　in　a　tortilla　plant　owned　by　a　Mexican　crook？〃　
　
　　〃There　was　an　underwater　explosion　in　the　cove　behind　the　plant　Pedralez　owns　in　Baja　California。　We　want　to　ask　him　if　he　knows　anything。　We're　not　the　FBI。　We're　simply　a　scientific　organization　looking　for　a　few　answers。〃
　
　〃Doesn't　matter。　All　feds　are　the　enemy。　Asking　questions　about　his　business　would　be　considered　an　aggressive　act。　
　
　　〃I　think　I　see　where　you're　going　with　this。　How　do　you　let　Enrico　know　they're　available？〃
　
　〃Every　dealer　has　a　client　list　so　buyers　can　be　quickly　matched　up　to　acquisitions。　You　never　know　when　an　unusual　collectible　will　e　up；　or　how　long　a　dealer　may　be　able　to　keep　the　transaction　exclusive。　I'll　call　a　couple　of　dealers　and　tell　them　I　have　to　unload　the　pistols　in　a　hurry。　I'll　make　it　sound　as　if　I'm　in　desperate　straits。　A　crook　can　never　resist　the　chance　to　cheat　someone。〃
　
　〃What　if　Enrico　has　pistols　like　these？〃
　
　〃They're　relatively　rare。　But　if　he　does　have　copies；　he　might　want　them　for　the　same　reason　I　did；　for　future　trades。　The　main　thing　is　having　the　opportunity　to　talk　to　him。　He'd　still　want　to　see　them；　hold　them　in　his　hands。　It's　a　collector　thing。〃
　
　〃Say　a　dealer　gets　several　anonymous　queries。　How　do　we　know　which　is　Enrico？〃
　
　〃We　know　he　doesn't　e　north　of　the　border。　If　I　am　asked　to　go　to　Mexico　to　make　the　deal；　we'll　know　he's　it。〃
　
　They　returned　the　files　to　Gomez　and　told　him　of　their　plan。
　
　〃Might　work。　Might　not。　It's　dangerous　as　hell。　No　guarantee　he's　going　to　talk；　even　if　you　do　get　to　meet　him。〃
　
　〃We've　considered　that　possibility。〃
　
　Gomez　nodded。　〃Look；　I　hate　to　have　something　happen　to　a　nice　fellow　like　you。　I　can't　protect　you　outright　because　the　Mexicans　are　a　little　sensitive　about　gringo　cops　treading　on　their　territory。　I　can　make　certain　that　if　he　does　kill　you　his　life　won't　be　worth　a　plugged　peso。〃
　
　〃Thanks；　Agent　Gomez。　My　survivors　will　be　reassured。〃
　
　〃Best　I　can　do。　I'll　line　up　a　few　assets。　Let　me　know　when　this　thing　is　happening。〃
　
　They　shook　hands；　and　the　NUMA　men　headed　back　to　the　hotel。　Austin　brought　out　the　dark　brown　wood　case　from　his　duffel　bag；　opened　the　lid；　and　removed　one　of　the　pistols。
　
　〃These　are　almost　identical　to　a　pair　I　have　in　my　collection。　They　were　made　by　a　gunsmith　named　Boutet　about　the　time　of　Napoleon's　Egyptian　campaign。　He　incorporated　the　Sphinx　and　the　Pyramids　into　the　barrel。　These　were　probably　made　for　an　Englishman。〃　He　sighted　at　a　floor　lamp。　〃The　butt　is　cut　round　instead　of　square　like　the　continental　type。　But　the　rifling　is　multigrooved　in　the　French　style。〃　He　replaced　the　pistol　in　its　green　baize。　〃I'd　say　this　is　irresistible　bait　for　any　collector。〃
　
　Austin　consulted　his　list　of　dealers　and　called　around。　He　made　sure　the　dealers　knew　he　was　extremely　interested　in　selling　the　pistols；　even　at　a　loss；　and　that　he　was　leaving　San　Diego　the　next　day。　Austin　believed　the　best　cover　stories　are　at　least　partially　true。　He　said　his　boat　sank　and　he　needed　cash　to　pay　off　his　bills。　Then　he　and　Zavala　went　over　possible　eventualities　and　how　best　to　respond　to　them。
　
　An　hour　after　he　began　putting　feelers　out；　Austin　received　an　excited　call　from　a　particularly　vulpine　dealer　with　a　slightly　shady　reputation。　His　name　was　Latham。
　
　〃I　have　a　potential　client　for　your　pistols；〃　Latham　said　with　excitement。　〃He's　very　interested　and　would　like　to　see　them　as　soon　as　possible。　Can　you　meet　him　in　Tijuana　today？　It's　not　far。〃
　
　Austin　curled　his　thumb　and　forefinger　and　silently　mouthed　a