cussler.blueandgold-第43节

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　Zavala　nodded。　〃The　sooner　the　story　is　published；　the　better。　How　soon　before　you　run　it？〃
　
　〃Soon。　We're　putting　the　final　pieces　in　place。　We　want　to　know　why　Gogstad　has　built　so　many　supertankers。〃
　
　〃That　certainly　fits　in　with　their　plans　to　ship　bulk　water。〃
　
　〃Yes；　we　know　they　have　the　contracts　in　place　to　move　glacier　water　from　Alaska；　but　we've　crunched　the　numbers。　There　are　far　too　many　tankers　for　the　existing　market；　even　if　you　add　China。〃　
　
　　〃It　takes　a　while　to　build　a　ship。　Maybe　they　want　to　be　ready。　They'll　mothball　the　ships　until　the　time　is　ripe。〃
　
　〃That's　the　strange　thing。　These　ships　aren't　being　moth　balled。　Each　tanker　has　a　captain　and　a　crew。　They're　just　sitting　in　Alaskan　waters　as　if　they're　waiting。〃
　
　〃Waiting　for　what？〃
　
　〃That's　what　we　would　like　to　know。〃
　
　〃Something's　going　on；〃　Zavala　murmured。
　
　〃My　reporter's　nose　for　news　says　the　same　thing。〃
　
　Zavala　got　a　cold　feeling　as　if　one　of　those　slimy　tentacles　they　talked　about　had　tapped　him　on　the　shoulder。　He　recalled　the　conversation　he　had　had　with　Austin　about　the　unseen　fears　that　sometimes　e　beneath　the　sea。　As　usual；　Kurt's　intuition　was　on　the　mark。　Zavala's　own　instincts　were　telling　him　that　a　big；　hungry　something　lay　hidden　in　the　blue　shadows；　watching　and　waiting。　And　its　name　was　Gogstad。
　
　Chapter　23
　CIA　director　Erwin　LeGrand　beamed　proudly　as　his　fourteen…year…old　daughter；　Katherine；　trotted　over　on　the　back　of　her　chestnut　gelding。　She　slipped　out　of　the　saddle　and　presented　her　father　with　the　trophy　for　first　place；　English　style。
　
　〃This　is　for　your　office；　Dad；〃　she　said　with　excitement　in　her　cornflower…blue　eyes。　〃It's　for　being　the　best　father　in　the　world。　You're　the　one　who　bought　me　Val　and　paid　for　all　those　expensive　riding　lessons。〃
　
　LeGrand　took　the　trophy　and　put　his　arm　around　his　daughter's　shoulders；　thinking　how　much　she　looked　like　her　mother。　〃Thank　you；　Katie；　but　I　wasn't　the　one　who　worked　so　hard　to　show　Valiant　who's　boss。〃　He　smiled。　〃I'll　only　take　it　on　the　condition　that　it's　on　loan。　As　soon　as　I've　bragged　to　everyone　at　the　agency；　it's　going　back　in　your　trophy　case　with　the　others。〃
　
　LeGrand's　pride　was　mixed　with　guilt。　True；　he　had　sup　ported　his　daughter's　love　for　riding　financially；　but　this　was　the　first　event　he　had　attended　in　years。　The　country　club　photographer　came　over；　and　LeGrand　posed　with　his　daughter　and　her　horse；　wishing　as　he　did　that　his　wife　were　still　alive　to　make　the　picture　plete。
　
　Katie　led　Val　back　to　the　stable；　and　LeGrand　ambled　across　the　field；　chatting　with　his　assistant；　a　plain　but　extremely　intelligent　woman　named　Hester　Leonard。　LeGrand　was　sometimes　likened　in　press　reports　to　a　beardless　Lincoln；　a　parison　based　on　his　reputation　for　honesty　and　his　resemblance　to　the　sixteenth　president。　He　was　tall　and　homely；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　the　character　etched　into　his　large　features。　He　had　earned　a　reputation　for　integrity　in　running　the　world's　largest　intelligence…gathering　organization；　and　in　another　age　with　no　TV　and　sound　bites；　he　would　have　been　considered　seriously　as　a　candidate　for　president。
　
　Leonard's　cell　phone　buzzed；　and　she　put　it　to　her　ear。　〃Sir；〃　she　said　hesitantly；　〃call　for　you　from　Langley。〃
　
　LeGrand　scowled；　muttering　under　his　breath　about　no　peace　for　the　wicked。　He　made　no　motion　to　take　the　phone。　〃Didn't　I　ask　that　I　not　be　disturbed　for　two　hours　while　I　was　in　McLean　unless　it　was　extremely　urgent？〃
　
　〃It's　John　Rowland；　and　he　says　it　is　of　utmost　importance。〃
　
　〃Rowland？　Well；　in　that　case。　。　。　〃　He　took　the　phone　and　stuck　it　in　his　ear。　〃Hello；　John；〃　he　said；　frown　changing　to　a　smile。　〃No　apology　needed。　You're　just　in　time　to　hear　the　good　news。　Katie　won　first　place　in　English　riding　at　the　country　club。。。。　Thank　you。　Now；　what's　so　important　that　it　interrupts　possibly　the　most　important　moment　of　Katie's　life？〃
　
　LeGrand's　brow　furrowed。　〃No；　I've　never　heard　of　it　。　。　。　yes；　of　course　。　。　。　wait　for　me　in　my　office。〃
　
　He　handed　the　phone　to　his　aide；　looked　at　the　trophy；　and　shook　his　head。　〃Tell　the　car　to　e　around　and　pick　me　up　immediately　at　the　stable。　We've　got　to　get　back　to　Langley　immediately。　Then　put　a　call　in　to　my　office　and　tell　them　to　render　any　assistance　that　John　Rowland　asks　for。　I've　got　to　say　my　good…byes　and　make　amends。　Hell；　this　will　probably　cost　me　another　horse。〃　He　loped　off　to　offer　his　apologies　to　his　daughter。
　
　Twenty　minutes　later　the　black　limo　squealed　to　a　halt　in　front　of　CIA　headquarters。　LeGrand　got　out；　striding　through　the　lobby　on　his　long　legs。　An　assistant　met　him　inside　the　door。　He　snatched　the　folder　from　his　aide's　hand　and　scanned　the　material　in　the　elevator。　Moments　later　he　stepped　into　his　office。　John　Rowland　was　waiting　with　a　nervous　young　man　he　introduced　as　a　fellow　analyst　named　Browning。
　
　Rowland　and　the　director　shook　hands　like　the　old　friends　they　were。　Years　before；　both　were　at　the　same　level　in　the　agency。　But　LeGrand　had　political　ambition　and　the　drive　to　climb　to　the　top　of　the　ladder。　Rowland　was　content　to　stay　in　his　post　where　he　was　known　as　a　mentor　for　the　young　analysts　ing　through　the　ranks。　LeGrand　put　unquestioning　faith　in　Rowland；　who　on　more　than　one　occasion　had　saved　his　boss　from　stepping　into　a　cow　flap。
　
　〃I　just　read　the　material　you　got　off　the　database。　What's　your　take　on　it？〃
　
　Rowland　lost　no　time　outlining　his　analysis。
　
　〃This　thing　can't　be　stopped？〃　LeGrand　said。
　
　〃The　protocol　has　been　activated。　The　sanction　will　be　carried　out　to　the　end。〃
　
　〃Damn！　Heads　are　going　to　roll　when　I'm　through。　Who's　the　target？〃
　
　Rowland　handed　him　a　sheet　of　paper。　LeGrand　read　the　name　on　it；　and　the　color　drained　from　his　face。
　
　〃Call　the　Secret　Service。　Tell　them　we've　learned　of　an　assassination　plot　against　the　speaker　of　the　House。　He　needs　protection　immediately。　Dear　God；〃　he　said。　〃Can　anyone　tell　me　how　something　like　this　happens？〃
　
　〃We're　going　to　have　to　do　some　digging　to　get　all　the　de　tails；〃　Rowland　said。　〃We　only　know　that　the　protocol　was　triggered　by　simultaneous　queries　to　the　intelligence…gathering　munity　that　came　from　the　National　Underwater　&　Marine　Agency。〃
　
　〃NUMA？〃　The　air　over　LeGrand's　head　crackled　blue　as　he　gave　an　impressive　demonstration　of　his　renowned　skill　for　inventive　expletive。　He　slammed　his　big　hand　down　on　the　desk　with　enough　force　to　topple　the　pen　from　its　holder　and　yelled　at　the　nearest　assistant。　〃Get　James　Sandecker　on　the　phone。〃
　
　Chapter　24
　〃Were　about　twenty　minutes　from　Albany；〃　Buzz　Martin　said。
　
　　Austin　looked　out　the　window　of　Martin's　two…engine　Piper　Seneca。　The　visibility　was　as　unlimited　as　when　they　had　left　Baltimore　earlier　that　afternoon。　Austin　could　practically　read　the　names　on　the　boats　dotting　the　upper　reaches　of　the　Hudson　River。
　
　〃Thanks　again　for　the　lift。　My　partner　Joe　Zavala　usually　chauffeurs　me　around　on　these　junkets；　but　he's　still　in　California。〃
　
　Martin　gave　Austin　a　thumbs…up　sign。　〃Hell；　I'm　the　one　who　should　be　thanking　you。　I'm　sure　you　could　have　got　up　here　on　your　own。〃
　
　〃Probably；　but　my　motives　are　not　unselfish。　I　need　you　to　identify　your　father。〃
　
　Martin　glanced　off　at　the　Catskill　Mountains　to　the　west。　〃I　wonder　if　I'll　even　recognize　him　after　all　these　years。　It's　been　a　long　time。　He　could　have　changed　a　lot。〃　A　cloud　passed　over　his　sunny　features。　〃Damn；　ever　since　you　called　and　asked　me　to　fly　you　up　here；　I've　been　trying　to　figure　out　what　I'm　going　to　say　to　him。　I　don't　know　whether　to　hug　him　or　hit　the　old　bastard。〃
　
　〃You　might　shake　his　hand　for　starters。　Taking　a　swing　at　your　long…lost　father　is　no　way　to　start　a　family　reunion。〃　
　
　　Martin　chuckled。　〃Yeah；　you're　right。　But　I　can't　stop　being　angry　with　him。　I　want　him　to　tell　me　why　he　left　my　mother　and　me　and　why　he　stayed　hidden　all　these　years；　making　us　think　he　was　dead。　Good　thing　my　mother　is　gone。　She　was　an　old…fashioned　girl；　and　it　would　have　killed　her　to　think　she　had　married　while　her　first　husband　was　still　alive。　Hell；〃　he　said　with　a　catch　in　his　voice；　〃I　just　hope　I　don't　start　bawling。〃
　
　He　picked　up　the　microphone　and　called　the　Albany　control　tower　for　landing　instructions。　Within　minutes　they　were　on　the　ground。
　
　The　car　rental　counter　had　no　lines；　and　before　long　they　were　driving　out　of　the　city　in　a　four…wheel…drive　Pathfinder。　Austin　headed　southwest　on　Route　88　toward　Binghamton　through　rolling　hills　and　small　farms。　About　an　hour　from　Albany　he　left　the　main　highway　and　drove　north　to　Cooperstown；　an　idyllic　village　whose　neat　main　street　looked　like　a　set　from　a　Frank　Capra　movie。　From　Cooperstown　they　headed　west　on　a　winding　two…lane　country　road。　This　was　James　Fenimore　Cooper's　Leatherstocking　country；　and　with　a　little　imagination　Austin　could　picture　Hawkeye　skulking　through　the　wooded　valleys　with　his　Indian　panions。　Towns　and　houses　grew　even　farther　apart。　In　this　part　of　the　world　the　cows　outnumbered　the　people。
　
　Even　with　a　map　it　was　hard　to　find　the　place　they　were