scoonts.theminotaur-第98节

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　to　build　structures　and　engines　with　capabilities　undreamed　of　ten　years　ago：　last　year's　cutting…edge　designs　are　obsolete　before　we　can　get　them　into　production　f　It's　like　something　out　of　science　fiction。　This　must　have　struck　you　these　past　six　months？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Caplinger　nodded　as　he　seated　himself　behind　the　desk。　He　just　couldn't　stay　still　for　any　length　of　time；　Jake　thought。　〃It　struck　me　five　years　ago　when　I　became　SECDEF。　I　listened　to　the　briefings　in　awe。　This　black　magic　was　real。　It's　not　just　Star　Wars；　it's　everything。　Jet　engines　with　over　three　times　the　thrust　per　pound　of　Soviet　engines　are　real；　ready　for　deployment。　Stealth　obsoletes　their　radar　systems。　America　is　preparing　to　deploy　a　new　generation　of　weaponry　that　will　make　obsolete　everything　the　Russian　generals　have　bled　the　Soviet　Union　to　get　for　the　last　forty　years。　They　have　reached　the　end　of　their　string。　If　this　is　table　stakes；　they　have　bet　their　last　ruble；　and　we　have　raised。〃
　〃The　Minotaur；〃　Jake　said　slowly；　〃gave　them　the　awful　truth。〃
　〃Chapter　and　verse。　Imagine　the　horror　in　Moscow　as　the　true　dimensions　of　their　dilemma　sank　in。　The　rumors　and　hints　they　had　heard　were　all　true！　The　United　States　was　even　farther　ahead　technologically　than　the　worst　pessimists　predicted。　It　was　a　nightmare。〃
　〃They　could　have　ordered　a　first　strike；〃　Tarkington　said。　〃Started　World　War　III　before　their　military　situation　became　hopeless。〃
　〃Yes。　But　they　didn't。　They　are；　after　all；　sane。〃
　〃Jee…sus！〃　Tarkington　came　out　of　his　chair　like　a　coiled　spring。　He　planted　himself　in　front　of　Caplinger's　desk。　〃What　if　they　had？〃
　〃Then　none　of　us　would　be　alive　now；　would　we；　Lieutenant？　Please　sit　down。〃
　〃Who　missioned　you　to　play　God　with　the　universe；　Caplinger？　Where　does　it　say　in　the　Constitution　that　you　have　the　right　to　bet　the　existence　of　every　living　thing　on　this　planet；　for　whatever　reason？〃
　Caplinger　rose　from　his　chair　and　leaned　across　the　desk；　until　his　face　was　only　a　foot　from　Toad's。　〃What　ivory　tower　did　you　crawl　down　from？　You　think　we　should　just　strum　our　banjos　and　sing　folk　songs　and　pray　that　nuclear　war　never　happens？　Sit　down　and　shut　the　fuck　up！〃
　Tarkington　obeyed。　The　cords　in　his　neck　were　plainly　visible。
　〃What　is　he；　Captain？〃　Caplinger　jerked　a　thumb　at　Toad。　〃Your　conscience　that　you　drag　around？〃
　〃He's　a　man　who　cares；〃　Jake　Grafton　said　slowly。　〃He　sincerely　cares。〃
　〃We　all　do；〃　Caplinger　replied；　cooling　down　and　taking　his　seat　again。　He　rubbed　his　hand　across　his　balding　dome　several　times。　〃We　all　care；　Tarkington。　You　think　I　enjoy　this？〃
　〃Yep。　That's　precisely　what　I　think。〃
　Caplinger　rubbed　his　face。　〃Maybe　you're　right。〃　He　toyed　with　a　pen　on　his　desk。　〃Yeah。　I　guess　'enjoy'　isn't　the　right　word。　But　I　do　get　satisfaction　from　it。　Yes；　I　do。〃　He　looked　at　Tarkington。　〃This　is　my　contribution。　Is　that　so　terrible？〃
　〃That　retired　woman　that　Albright　killed…I'll　bet　she　enjoyed　her　little　walk…on　role　in　your　drama。　Didn't　she　have　any　rights？〃
　Caplinger　looked　away。
　Toad　pressed。　〃You　just　chopped　her　like　she　was　nothing。　Is　that　what　we　are　to　you？　Pawns？　Rita…you　have　the　right　to　stuff　my　wife　through　the　meat　grinder　for　the　greater　good？　You　asshole！〃
　After　a　while　Caplinger　said；　〃We　took　big　risks；　but　the　reward　was　worth　it。〃　He　set　his　jaw。　〃It　was　worth　it；〃　he　insisted。
　Neither　officer　replied。
　Caplinger　examined　both　their　faces。　〃e；　gentlemen。　Let's　have　another　cup　of　coffee。〃　Toad　didn't　get　out　of　his　chair。　He　had　the　corncob　pipe　in　his　hands　as　the　other　two　men　left　the　room。
　In　the　kitchen　Jake　said；　〃Somebody's　liable　to　shoot　Gorbachev；　you　know。　He's　threatening　to　break　a　lot　of　rice　bowls。　Revolutions　from　the　top　rarely　work。〃
　〃Even　if　Gorbachev　dies；　the　Soviet　Union　will　never　be　the　same。　If　the　old　guard　tries　to　clamp　down；　sooner　or　later　there'll　be　another　Russian　Revolution；　from　the　bottom　next　time。　There's　going　to　be　another　revolution　in　China；　sooner　or　later。　The　munists　can't　go　backwards；　though　they　can　sure　try。〃
　〃Why　were　they　so　concerned　about　the　Minotaur's　identity？〃
　〃'They'　is　a　very　broad　term。　The　GRU　wanted　evidence　that　the　Minotaur's　revelations　were　false；　to　discredit　them。　When　Camacho　gave　them　the　name　of　the　Secretary　of　Defense；　they　were　left　with　an　empty　bag。　The　men　in　the　Politburo　realized　that　it　was　entirely　possible　the　United　States　government　was　providing　the　information　as　a　matter　of　policy。　That　possibility　had　to　be　weighed。
　〃The　implications　are　difficult；〃　he　added；　searching　for　words。　〃Perhaps　the　best　way　to　say　it　is　this：　Some　of　the　Soviet　decision　makers　saw　America；　maybe　for　the　first　time；　as　we　see　ourselves…strong　and　confident；　with　excellent　reasons　for　being　confident。　Frightened　men　start　wars；　and　we　aren't　frightened。〃
　Back　in　the　den；　Jake　asked；　〃So　we　still　don't　know　the　identity　of　the　three　deep　moles；　the　sleepers？〃
　〃Let's　say　we're　resigned　to　the　fact　that；　if　the　agents　exist；　they　will　probably　not　be　revealed。　But　we　achieved　so　much！　The　changes　in　the　Soviet　Union　the　last　three　years　have　been　profound。〃
　〃You　play　your　fucking　games；〃　Toad　murmured；　〃and　the　little　guys　get　left　holding　the　bag。　Like　Camacho。〃
　〃Ah；　I　hear　the　voice　of　the　eternal　private　plaining　because　the　generals　are　willing　to　sacrifice　him　to　achieve　a　military　objective。〃
　〃Sorry；　I　didn't　read　about　your　little　war　in　the　papers。　And　I　didn't　volunteer　to　fight　it。〃
　〃America　was　Luis　Camacho's　adopted　home。　He　loved　this　country　and　he　loved　its　people。　He　knew　exactly　what　he　was　doing　every　step　of　the　way。　Like　you　and　your　wife　when　you　fly；　he　knew　the　risks。　You　think　his　job　was　easy？　Having　Albright　right　next　door？　Camacho　had　a　wife　and　kid。　You　think　he　had　no　nerves？〃
　Toad　sat　silently　with　his　arms　folded　across　his　chest；　staring　out　the　window。　Jake　and　Caplinger　talked　a　while　longer。　It　was　almost　4　P。M。　when　Caplinger　said；　〃By　the　way；　Captain；　you　did　an　excellent　job　presenting　the　TRX　plane　and　Athena　to　Congress。　I'm　looking　forward　to　getting　a　ride　in　an　A…12　someday。〃
　〃That　makes　two　of　us。〃
　Toad　picked　up　the　corncob　pipe　from　the　pipe　stand　again　and　examined　it　idly。　〃Why　did　Camacho　admit　his　past？〃
　Caplinger　smiled。　〃Who　knows　the　human　heart？　His　explanation；　which　I　read　very　carefully　after　Albright　approached　him　a　year　or　so　ago；　was　that　America　is　a　country　that　cares　about　people。　You　see；　he　was　a　cop。　A　cop　in　J。　Edgar　Hoover's　FBI。　But　in　spite　of　Hoover's　paranoid　insanities；　Luis　saw　that　the　vast　majority　of　the　agents　there　were　trying　their　best　to　enforce　the　laws　in　an　even；　fair　manner；　with　due　regard　to　the　rights　of　their　fellow　citizens。　Camacho　came　from　a　country　where　the　police　have　no　such　mission。　The　police　there　are　not　honest；　honorable　men。〃　He　shrugged。　〃Luis　Camacho　instinctively　understood　Hoover。　He　had　grown　up　in　a　nation　ruled　by　such　men。　But　Camacho　came　to　see　himself　as　a　public　servant　He　became　an　American。〃
　〃Thanks　for　your　time　today；　Mr。　Secretary。〃
　〃I'll　walk　you　to　your　car。〃
　He　led　them　through　the　kitchen　to　the　door　that　led　to　the　parking　area。　As　he　walked；　he　asked　Jake；　〃How'd　you　learn　I　was　the　Minotaur？〃
　〃I　didn't。　I　guessed。　Your　seeing　us　today　was　the　proof。〃
　〃You　guessed？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　My　wife　suggested　that　perhaps　the　Minotaur　was　a　role　played　by　an　actor；　an　intuitive　insight　which　seemed　to　me　to　explain　a　great　deal。　Then　I　remembered　that　ment　you　made　one　evening　at　dinner　in　China　Lake　this　past　summer；　something　to　the　effect　that　the　perception　of　reality　is　more　important　than　the　facts。　Camacho　had　said　that　the　people　who　had　to　know　about　this　operation　did　know。　By　implication　that　ment　included　you。　So　I　decided　you　were　probably　the　Minotaur。〃
　〃I　thought　your　notes　meant　blackmail；　until　I　saw　you　this　afternoon。〃
　〃I　thought　you　might。〃
　Jake　stepped　to　the　car　ten　feet　away　and　opened　the　door。
　〃All　our　scheming；〃　Caplinger　mused。　〃So　transparent。　No　wonder　Camacho　thought　Albright　saw　through　it。　Albright　was　no　fool。〃
　Royce　Caplinger　stopped　at　the　end　of　the　walk　to　look　at　the　clouds　building　above　the　mountains　to　the　west　He　started　as　something　hard　dug　into　his　back。
　In　his　ear　Toad　said；　〃You　miscalculated　once　too　often；　Caplinger。〃
　Catching　the　tone　but　not　the　words；　Jake　Grafton　turned　with　a　puzzled　look　on　his　face。
　The　lieutenant　had　his　arm　on　Caplinger's　shoulder。　He　jerked　the　older　man　sideways　until　he　was　between　him　and　Grafton。　〃Don't　move；　Captain！　I　swear　I'll　shoot　him　if　I　have　to。〃
　〃What…？〃
　〃That's　right；　Caplinger；〃　Toad　hissed　in　the　secretary's　ear。　〃I'll　pull　this　trigger　and　blow　your　spine　clean　in　half。　This　time　it　isn't　Matilda　Jackson　or　Rita　Moravia　or　Luis　Camacho。　It's　you！　You　thought　you　had　everything　figured；　didn't　you？　Minotaur！　You　were　wrong！　The　decision　has　been　made。　It's　time　for　you　to　die。〃
　The　secretary　tried　to　turn。　〃Now　listen…〃
　〃Tarkington！〃　Jake　Grafton　roared。
　Toad　twisted　the　man's　arm；　squeezing　as　hard　as　he　could。　〃The　decision　has　been　made！　They　decided。　It's　over　for　you。〃
　〃Please　l