scoonts.theminotaur-第87节

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　gym　bag　under　the　table；　he　extracted　the　pistol　from　the　bag　and　laid　it　on　his　lap。
　The　waitress　didn't　give　his　four…day　beard　a　second　glance。　〃Gimme　a　Bud。〃
　He　drank　the　first　one　quickly；　then　nursed　the　second。　Twenty　minutes　passed；　then　thirty。
　What　if　Albright　doesn't　show？
　Judy　got　a　sick　feeling　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　The　beer　felt　like　it　was　going　to　e　up。　He　stared　at　the　door；　scrutinizing　every　face。
　When　Albright　came　in；　Judy　almost　shouted。
　He　walked　the　length　of　the　room　and　sat　into　the　booth。　Only　then　did　Judy　realize　his　hands　were　empty。
　〃Jesus；〃　Albright　said。　〃You　look　bad。〃
　〃Had　a　little　trouble。〃
　〃I　guess　you　did。　I　read　about　it。　Dealing；　are　you？〃
　〃A　crock。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Albright　ordered　a　Corona。　He　sat　looking　around。
　〃Where'd　you　spend　the　weekend？〃
　〃In　an　alley。〃
　〃Smart。〃
　〃They　haven't　caught　me　yet。〃
　〃You　wired？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Are　you　wearing　a　wire？〃
　〃Hell　no。　Where's　the　fucking　money？〃
　〃You　got　it？〃
　〃Yeah；　right　here。　You　wanta　see　it？〃
　〃Okay。　Show　me。〃
　Judy　passed　him　the　gym　bag。　〃The　side　pocket。　Look　but　don't　take　it　out。〃　Albright　did　as　requested。
　〃So；　you　got　it？〃
　〃What's　it　look　like？〃
　〃What　it　looks　like；　my　friend；　is　a　five…and…a…quarter…inch　floppy　disk；　which　could　have　anything　under　the　sun　on　it。　It　could　even　be　empty。　You　didn't　think　I　was　just　going　to　take　it　on　faith　that　you're　an　honorable　gentleman　and　hand　you　all　that　lettuce；　did　you？〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃
　The　Corona　came。　Albright　took　his　time　squeezing　the　lime　slice　and　dropping　it　down　the　neck　of　the　bottle。　〃Your　good　health；〃　he　said；　and　took　a　sip。
　〃Where　is　it？〃
　〃Where　is　what？〃
　〃The　bread；　asshole。〃
　〃Out　in　my　car。〃
　〃You　want　the　disk；　you　go　get　it。〃
　〃I　need　to　see　what's　on　the　disk　first。　What　say　we　both　go　out　there　and　I'll　check　the　disk　on　my　laptop。　I　brought　it　along；　just　in　case。〃
　〃Uh…uh。　No　money；　no　disk。〃
　〃You　make　me　very　suspicious；　my　friend。　Your　refusal　to　e　outside　indicates　there　is　a　very　good　possibility　you　are　wearing　a　wire。　The　possibility　is　even　higher　that　the　file　I　want　is　not　on　this　disk。〃　Albright　grinned。　〃You　see　how　it　is。〃
　〃What　I　see　is　this：　I've　got　it　and　you　aren't　leaving　here　with　it　until　I　see　the　money。〃
　〃When　did　you　copy　this　disk？〃
　〃Friday　afternoon。〃
　〃When　did　the　admiral　e　by？〃
　〃About　ten　minutes　later。〃
　Albright　looked　at　the　faces　around　him；　then　turned　back　to　Judy。　〃Even　if　you　think　you　have　the　file…I　will　grant　you　your　good　faith…I　doubt　seriously　if　it　is　the　information　I　want。　Not　on　Friday　afternoon；　with　NIS　and　the　FBI　just　ten　minutes　away。　They　were　waiting　for　you。　It　was　a　trap。〃
　〃I　got　the　file；〃　Judy　insisted。
　〃No。　I　think　not。〃　Albright　started　to　slide　out　of　the　booth。　Something　hard　hit　his　leg；　and　he　stopped。
　〃Is　that　what　I　think　it　is？〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　you　think。　Use　your　hand；　gently；　and　fed。〃
　Albright　did　so。　〃I　see。〃
　〃Turn　back　around。　Face　me。〃
　Albright　obeyed。　He　took　another　sip　of　beer。　〃Now　what？〃
　〃Now　I　want　that　money。〃
　〃How　do　you　propose　to　get　it？〃
　〃You　had　better　think　of　something　I　tike　real　fucking　quick　or　you　aren't　walking　out　of　here。　I'm　going　to　blow　your　cock　off　with　the　first　one；　then　I'm　going　to　put　one　right　in　your　solar　plexus。　Who　knows；　an　ambulance　could　get　here　so　fast　you　might　live。　But　you'll　be　in　a　wheelchair　for　the　rest　of　your　life　and　you're　going　to　do　all　your　peeing　sitting　down。〃
　Albright　wasn't　fazed。　〃Do　you　have　any　suggestions？〃
　〃You　do　the　suggestions。　You　have　one　minute。〃
　〃Hmmm。〃
　〃I　got　nothing　to　lose；　Albright。　I　will　pull　this　trigger。　Believe　it！〃
　〃You'll　be　caught。〃
　〃Probably；　but　they're　going　to　try　me　for　killing　a　vice　admiral；　not　for　blowing　the　cock　off　a　mie　spy。　Who　knows；　with　you　on　my　record；　I　may　get　probation。　You　got　forty　seconds。〃
　〃Who　knows。　Indeed；　who　knows。〃　Albright　considered。
　〃Thirty　seconds。〃
　〃Quiet。　I'm　thinking。〃　He　took　a　deep　breath；　then　exhaled　slowly。　〃Look　to　your　left。　Against　the　bar。　There　is　a　man　there　wearing　a　UCLA　sweatshirt。　Look　at　his　hand。〃
　Warily；　Smoke　glanced　left；　then　back　at　Albright。　The　man　across　the　booth　was　watching　him　with　an　amused　look。　Judy　looked　again。　The　man　at　the　bar　had　a　pistol；　and　it　was　pointed　straight　at　him。
　〃I　didn't　e　alone。　You　pull　that　trigger　and　he　will　kill　you　before　you　pull　it　again。〃
　In　spite　of　himself；　Judy　looked　again。　It　sure　looked　like　a　real　pistol；　an　automatic；　held　low；　shielded　by　the　body　of　the　man　beside　him。　The　gunman　was　looking　straight　into　his　eyes。
　〃So；〃　said　Harlan　Albright。　〃Here　is　how　it　will　be。　You　will　put　your　gun　back　in　the　gym　bag。　We　will　walk　out　to　my　car…oh　yes；　I　do　have　a　car。　We　will　put　the　disk　in　the　laptop　and　check　it。　If　indeed　it　contains　the　Athena　file；　I　will　give　you　the　money。　If　not；　we'll　shake　hands；　and　you'll　go　your　way；　I　mine。〃
　〃I　oughta　just　shoot　you；　here　and　now。〃
　〃As　you　say；　I　may　live。　You　most　certainly　won't。　Your　choice。〃
　〃I'm　busted。　I　got　nothing。　They…〃　He　swallowed　hard。　Tears　were　obstructing　his　vision。　〃They　emptied　the　file。　It　was　a　setup。　Nothing　there　but　the　title　pages　of　thirty　documents；　each　document　just　one　page。　Honest。　I　got　what　you　wanted　to　buy。　I'm　desperate！　I　need　the　money。〃
　Albright　nodded。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃C'mon；　mister；〃　he　pleaded。　〃I'll　do　you　a　deal。　The　title　pages　must　be　worth　something。　I　got　fifteen　bucks　to　my　name。　That's　it！　Fifteen　lousy　bucks。〃　He　was　sobbing。
　〃I　think　not。〃　Albright　looked　around。　Spectators　were　watching　Judy。　It　was　past　time　to　go。　Albright　took　out　his　wallet　and　tossed　all　the　currency　he　had　on　the　table。　〃There's　something　over　a　hundred　and　forty　there。　You　take　it。〃
　Judy　seized　the　bills。　He　scooped　them　up　with　his　left　hand；　then　fumbled　below　the　table　with　the　gun。　〃I　need　the　gym　bag。　Here〃…he　held　out　the　disk…〃You　take　it。　I　don't　want　it。〃
　〃Good　luck；〃　Albright　said；　and　then　rose　and　walked　toward　the　entrance；　leaving　Judy　holding　the　disk　and　staring　after　him。　When　Albright　was　through　the　door；　the　gunman　on　Smoke's　left　followed　him。
　Judy　lowered　his　head　to　the　table。
　〃Mister；〃　he　heard　someone　saying。　〃Mister；　you're　going　to　have　to　leave。　Please；　mister；〃　urged　the　hard；　insistent　voice；　〃you　can't　stay　here。〃
　
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　〃Senator　Duquesne　has　a　copy　of　your　service　record。〃
　〃What？　How'd　he　get　that？〃
　mander　Rob　Knight　shrugged。　〃God　only　knows；　and　he　won't　tell。　What's　in　your　service　record　that　would　do　him　any　good？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Jake　Grafton　said。
　〃He　may　not　use　any　part　of　it。　Probably　won't。　But　he　told　some　colleague's　aide；　figuring　you'd　hear　about　it　and　get　worried。〃
　〃What　a　guy。〃
　〃This　is　major…league　hardball；　Grafton。　And　he's　got　that　crackpot　Samuel　Dodgers　scheduled　to　testify　before　you　get　on　the　stand；　after　SECDEF　and　Dunedin　finish。〃
　〃He's　playing　Russian　roulette。　Dodgers　is　a　genius　with　the　personality　of　a　warthog。〃
　〃His　strategy；　apparently；　is　to　get　the　A…12　defeated。　The　story　I　hear　from　a　couple　aides　is　that　Athena　is　such　a　revolutionary　new　technology；　it　needs　to　be　produced　and　evaluated　before　the　navy　buys　any　stealth　airplanes…i。e。；　neither　prototype　will　be　purchased。　Then　Consolidated　can　participate　in　another　petition　for　a　more　conventional　design　that　makes　full　use　of　Athena's　capabilities。　The　argument　is　that　a　more　conventional　airplane　that　uses　Athena　exclusively　for　stealth　protection　will　save　the　government　several　billions。〃
　〃Is　he　going　to　try　this　out　on　Caplinger？〃
　〃Nope。　He's　going　to　let　Caplinger　and　Dunedin　testify；　then　wring　the　juice　out　of　Dodgers　and　dump　it　all　in　your　lap　in　the　hope　you'll　blow　it。〃
　〃Has　he　got　the　votes？〃
　〃Not　yet。　There　are　enough　fence　sitters　so　that　the　issue　is　very　much　up　in　the　air。　We　had　the　A…12　sold　to　the　Senate　and　the　House　mittees　until　Athena　came　along；　but　with　the　headlines　lately…and　the　budget　deficit…any　way　they　can　save　money　looks　better　and　better。〃
　Jake　knew　the　headlines　Knight　was　referring　to。　The　Soviets　under　Mikhail　Gorbachev　had　renounced　world　domination；　and　the　aftershocks　were　being　felt　in　capitals　around　the　world。　Gorbachev　was　well　on　his　way　to　being　the　most　popular　and　overexposed　human　on　the　planet；　eclipsing　rock　stars；　athletes；　and；　in　some　places；　even　God。　The　Cold　War　was　over；　according　to　some　mentators　and　politicians　with　their　own　agendas。　True　or　not；　the　perception　of　great　change　taking　place　in　the　〃evil　empire〃　had　profound　consequences　for　the　foreign　and　domestic　policy　of　every　Western　democracy；　and　none　more　so　than　the　United　States。
　The　two　officers　spent　the　morning　going　over　the　cost　projections　of　the　A…12；　which　were　based　on　an　optimum　purchase　schedule。　Any　proposal　that　kept　the　A…6　in　service　for　more　years　than　already　planned　would　also　have　to　include　the　escalating　costs　of　maintaining　and　repairing　this　aging　airframe。　These　costs　were　also　calculated。　Finally；　any　new　proposal　for　another　design　would　incur　huge　upfront　costs；　as　the　A…12　program　had；　and　to　kill　the　A…12　now　woul