scoonts.theminotaur-第24节

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　〃A…6s　mostly。　Last　year　I　flew　the　F…14　some。〃
　〃Wow；　those　fighters！　Did　you　see　Top　Gun？〃
　〃Uh…huh。〃
　〃My　dad　bought　that　movie　for　me。　I　must　have　watched　it　a　couple　dozen　times。　When　I　grow　up　I'm　gonna　fly　fighters。〃　He　paused；　apparently　considering　the　implications　of　this　bold　statement。　〃What's　it　really　like？〃　he　asked；　not　quite　so　confident。　Jake　was　still　trying　to　explain　when　they　rounded　the　corner　and　he　saw　the　strange　car　in　the　driveway。　When　he　saw　the　blue　Department　of　Defense　bumper　sticker　with　the　three　stars　on　it；　he　knew。　Vice　Admiral　Henry。　He　led　the　boy　inside。
　The　admiral　was　wearing　jeans　and　a　heavy　jacket　today。　He　and　another　man　in　a　coat　sat　at　the　dining　room　table　with　Callie　drinking　coffee；　David　marched　over　to　her　and　held　the　wing　so　she　could　see　it。　〃He　let　the　nose　fall　in　a　turn　and　crashed。　We　can　fix　it；　though。〃
　〃Good　morning；　Admiral。〃
　〃Jake；　I'd　like　you　to　meet　Luis　Camacho。〃
　〃Hi。〃　Jake　leaned　across　the　table…and　shook　hands。　Camacho　was　in　his　early　fifties　with　no　tan；　a　man　who　spent　his　life　indoors。　Even　though　he　wore　a　jacket　his　spare　tire　was　evident；　but　his　handshake　was　firm　and　quick。　He　didn't　smile。　Jake　got　the　impression　that　he　was　not　a　man　who　smiled　often。
　〃Nice　place　you　have　here；〃　Camacho　said。
　〃We　like　it；〃　Callie　said。　〃Would　you　all　like　a　quiet　place　to　talk？〃
　The　admiral　stood。　〃I　thought　we　could　take　a　walk　along　the　beach。　Be　a　shame　to　drive　all　the　way　over　here　from　Washington　and　not　walk　on　the　beach。〃
　The　three　men　left　David　working　on　the　glider　at　the　kitchen　table。　He　was　telling　Callie　about　servos　and　receivers　when　they　went　out　the　door。
　〃Nice　day；〃　Admiral　Henry　muttered　as　they　walked　toward　the　beach　trail　at　the　end　of　the　street。
　〃They're　all　nice　here；〃　Jake　said。　〃Raw　and　rainy　at　times；　but　nice。〃
　〃Luis　is　from　the　FBI。〃
　〃Got　credentials？〃　Camacho　produced　them　from　a　pocket　and　passed　them　to　Jake；　who　looked　the　ID　card　and　badge　over　carefully　and　returned　them　without　ment
　Henry　stopped　at　the　end　of　the　little　path　that　led　through　the　waist…high　dune　and　looked　right　and　left；　up　and　down　the　beach。　He　turned　right；　south；　and　walked　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　toward　the　area　with　the　fewest　people。　He　didn't　even　glance　toward　the　ocean。　Out　on　the　horizon　a　large　containership　was　making　its　way　north；　perhaps　to　round　Cape　Henlopen　and　go　up　the　Delaware。
　〃Yesterday　you　wanted　to　know　what　really　happened　in　West　Virginia　after　Harold　Strong　was　killed。〃
　〃Yessir。〃
　〃I　told　you　the　truth；　but　I　left　a　few　things　out。　Camacho　here　was　with　me　that　morning。　We　met　with　Trooper　Keadle　and　the　local　prosecutor；　guy　named　Don　Cookman。　They　weren't　happy　campers。　They　knew　murder　when　they　saw　it　and　cooperation　smacked　of　cover…up。　So　Luis　got　on　the　phone　to　Washington　and　the　director　of　the　FBI　drove　up　along　with　the　forensic　team。　We　got　cooperation　with　a　capital　C　from　then　on。〃
　〃Go　on；〃　Jake　prompted　when　the　admiral　fell　silent。
　The　admiral　turned　to　face　him。　〃You're　asking　too　damn　much；　Jake。〃
　〃I'm　not　asking　for　anything　other　than　what　I　need　to　know　to　do　my　job。〃
　〃Like　shit。〃
　〃Would　you　let　yourself　be　led　along　by　the　nose　if　you　were　me？　Jesus　Christ；　Admiral；　my　predecessor　was　murdered！　I　got　a　wife　over　there〃…he　pointed　back　toward　his　house…〃who　would　like　to　have　me　alive　for…〃
　〃What　do　you　want　to　know？〃
　〃Why　was　Strong　killed？　What　did　you　tell　those　people　in　West　Virginia？　Why　the　silence　on　a　murder？　Who　and　what　are　you　investigating？〃　He　looked　at　Camacho。　〃Who　the　hell　are　you？〃
　Camacho　spoke　first；　〃I'm　special　agent　in　charge　of　the　Washington…area　FBI　group　that　handles　counterespionage。　That's　why　the　locals　in　West　Virginia　cooperated。　That's　why　Trooper　Keadle　called　me　when　you　left　his　office　Thursday。　That's　why　he　called　me　when　mander　Judy　showed　up　that　afternoon　to　search　Harold　Strong's　cabin。〃　He　turned　and　started　down　the　beach；　still　talking。　Admiral　Henry　and　Jake　Grafton　trailed　along。　〃Why　was　Strong　killed？　If　we　knew　that　we　would　be　almost　there。　It　wasn't　personal　or　domestic。　No　way。　It　was　a　hit；　a　contract。　He　got　taken　out　by　someone　who　knew　precisely　what　they　were　doing；　a　cool　customer。　So　the　hypothesis　that　seems　most　likely　is　that　he　knew　something　he　shouldn't。　That　leads　us　to　his　job…the　ATA　program。〃
　〃That　sea　story　about　a　Minotaur…that　was　true？〃
　〃Yeah；　that's　the　code　name。　But　we　don't　know　if　it's　one　guy　or　several；〃　the　agent　said；　with　a　glance　at　Tyler　Henry；　who　picked　that　moment　to　look　out　to　sea。
　〃I　thought；〃　Jake　said；　〃that　these　spy　things　usually　get　broken　when　you　get　somebody　to　talk。〃
　〃That's　the　history。　It'd　be　nice　if　we　knew　who　to　put　the　screws　to　to　clean　up　this　little　mess。　But　we　don't。　So　right　now　we're　busy　doing　it　the　hard　way。〃　He　led　the　two　naval　officers　along　the　beach　as　he　talked　and　answered　questions。　When　Jake　remembered　to　glance　out　to　sea；　the　containership　was　no　longer　in　sight。
　〃Let's　transfer　Smoke　Judy；〃　Jake　suggested　to　the　admiral。
　Henry　just　stared　at　him。
　〃Dunedin　said　if　I　got　goosey；　I　could　get　rid　of　him。〃
　〃I'd　rather　you　left　him　in　place；〃　Camacho　said。　〃I've　already　made　that　request　to　Admiral　Henry　and　now　I'll　make　it　to　you。〃
　〃Going　to　be　real　tough　to　pretend　I　don't　know　anything。〃
　〃You　don't　know　anything；〃　Henry　growled。　He　jerked　his　thumb　at　Camacho。　〃If　he　talked　to　you　for　a　week；　you　still　wouldn't　know　anything。　I　sure　as　hell　don't。〃
　An　hour　later；　as　they　came　single　file　through　the　dune　trail；　Henry　said；　〃Now　you　know　as　much　as　I　do；　which　is　precious　little。　On　Monday　you　tell　that　chief　in　officer　personnel　to　tear　up　your　retirement　papers。〃
　〃Yessir。〃
　〃Don't　ever　pull　that　stunt　on　me　again；　Grafton。〃
　〃Or。。？〃
　〃Don't　you　abandon　ship　and　leave　me　and　Dunedin　up　to　our　necks　alone　in　this　sack　of　shit。〃
　After　the　two　men　had　departed　in　the　admiral's　car；　Jake　went　back　into　the　house。　Callie　was　sitting　on　the　couch　reading　a　book。　〃David　got　your　plane　fixed；　but　his　mother　called　and　he　went　home　for　lunch。　He　said　he　would　e　back　later　and　help　you　fly　it。〃
　Jake　nodded　and　poured　a　cup　of　coffee。
　〃Want　to　tell　me　about　it？〃
　〃Huh？〃
　〃Jake。。。〃　Her　voice　had　that　time…to…e…clean；　no…more…nonsense　tone。　That　tone　in　her　voice　always　got　his　attention；　perhaps　because　his　mother　had　used　it　so　effectively　some　years　ago。
　〃Admiral　Henry's　my　boss's　boss。　Camacho's　a　civilian。　They　drove　over　here　to　talk　about　a　problem　at　the　office。　A　classified　problem。　That's　all　I　can　say。　You　want　coffee？〃
　She　nodded　yes。　When　he　handed　it　to　her　she　said；　〃So　you　are　working　on　the　ATA　program？〃
　〃Callie；　for　Christ's　sake。　I　told　you　I　was。　I　don't　lie　to　you。〃
　She　sipped　her　coffee　for　a　bit。　〃David　likes　you；〃　she　said。
　It　made　him　nervous　when　she　shifted　subjects　like　that　〃He's　a　great　kid；〃　he　said　nonmittally。　〃Honest；　Callie。　I　tell　you　the　truth。　If　something's　classified　and　I　can't　talk　about　it；　I　just　say　so。　You　know　that！　You　know　me！〃
　She　nodded　her　agreement　and　picked　up　the　book。　He　waited　a　moment；　slightly　baffled；　then　wandered　outside　with　his　coffee　cup　in　his　hand。　Women！　Any　man　who　thinks　he's　got　them　figured　out　should　be　declared　inpetent　and　incarcerated　to　protect　himself。
　
　The　cursors　were　running　all　over　the　scope　when　it　occurred　to　Toad　to　check　the　velocities　in　the　inertial。　They　were　all　gone　to　hell。　〃Hold　this　heading；〃　he　growled　at　Rita　as　he　consulted　his　kneeboard　cards。　He　pushed　the　buttons　to　take　the　inertial　out　of　the　system；　then　typed　in　a　wind　he　thought　would　work。
　〃Okay；〃　he　told　her。　〃This　run；　no　inertial　and　no　radar。　puter　dead　reckoning　and　the　IR…that's　all　we'll　use。　We'll　even　leave　the　laser　off。　Go　in　at　a　hundred　feet　and　let's　see　if　we　can　hit　anything。〃　Below　two　hundred　feet　system　deliveries　in　the　A…6　were　degraded；　probably；　Toad　suspected；　due　to　the　trigonometry　of　low　grazing　angles。
　She　lowered　the　left　wing　and　let　the　nose　sag　down　into　the　turn。　When　she　leveled　the　wings　they　were　on　the　run…in　line　at　a　hundred　feet；　throttles　against　the　stops；　bouncing　moderately　in　the　turbulence　as　the　engines　moaned　through　their　helmets。
　He　got　the　reticle；　or　cross　hair；　on　the　IR　display　onto　the　tower。　The　cross　hairs　started　drifting。　The　wind　he　typed　into　the　puter　was　wrong。　He　pushed　the　velocity　correct　switch；　then　held　the　cross　hairs　on　the　tower　bulls…eye。
　〃Master　Arm　on；　in　attack；　and　in　range。〃
　〃I'm　mitted；〃　she　said。　This　meant　she　had　squeezed　the　mit　trigger　on　the　stick；　authorizing　the　puter　to　release　the　weapon。
　Toad　glanced　out　his　side　window。　The　desert　was　right　there；　close　enough　to　touch；　racing　by　beneath　them。　He　came　back　to　the　IR　scope。　All　okay。　If　Moravia　got　distracted　and　let　the　nose　fall　just　a　smidgen；　they　would　be　a　fireball　rolling　across　the　desert　so　quickly　they　would　never　even　know　what　happened。　〃Release　ing；〃　he　advised。　The　cursors　started　to　drift　in　close　and　he　held　them　on　the　base　of　the　tower。
　When　the　release　came　she　eased　back　on　the　stick　and　Toad　felt　the　G　press