cc.goldenbuddha-第7节

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llic　grind；　and　the　truck　leaped　forward。　The　streets　were　as　before；　the　auto　traffic　thin；　while　Cubans　were　enjoying　a　balmy　evening　outside　on　their　balconies；　sitting　at　chairs　and　tables　on　the　sidewalks　or　drinking　in　the　cantinas；　dancing　and　singing。　
　Seng　cocked　his　ear　out　the　window　and　listened　for　any　sound　of　alarms　or　sirens。　There　came　only　the　strains　of　music　in　the　night　air。　The　harshest　sound　came　from　the　truck's　muffler；　which　seemed　to　be　ing　loose　from　the　engine　header　pipe。　The　rattle　of　the　exhaust　soon　drowned　out　the　city　noise。　He　saw　Cubans　glance　at　the　truck　and　then　turn　away。　Loose　exhaust　pipes　and　rusted…out　mufflers　were　
　mon　on　the　old　cars　that　traveled　the　streets　of　Santiago。　The　city's　inhabitants　had　more　entertaining　thoughts　on　their　minds。　
　The　truck　driver　drove　maddeningly　slow；　but　Seng　knew　better　than　to　push　him。　A　truck　casually　taking　its　time　through　town　would　arouse　no　suspicion。　After　what　seemed　an　hour；　but　was　only　fifteen　minutes；　the　driver　pulled　up　alongside　a　warehouse　dock　and　stopped。　A　quick　look　up　and　down　the　deserted　dock　and　Seng　began　goading　everyone　toward　the　maintenance　shed。　The　five…minute　journey　to　the　shed　was　uneventful。　
　Their　luck　still　held。　The　only　activity　was　centered　on　the　two　cargo　ships　unloading　their　big　containers。　Though　still　apprehensive；　Seng　finally　began　to　relax。　He　motioned　them　through　the　door　of　the　maintenance　shed　and　down　the　wooden　stairs。　In　the　darkness　he　saw　the　vague　shape　of　the　Nomad　sub's　pilot；　standing　on　the　floating　dock　and　helping　the　Cubans　on　board。　The　other　pilot　was　down　below；　packing　them　tightly　inside　the　narrow　confines　of　the　Nomad's　main　cabin。　
　When　Seng　and　Julia　Huxley；　the　last　to　board；　climbed　onto　the　sub's　upper　deck；　the　pilot　quickly　cast　off　the　mooring　lines；　looked　up　briefly　and　said；　〃You　made　good　time。〃　
　〃Get　to　the　ship　as　fast　as　this　craft　can　take　us；〃　Seng　replied。　〃We　couldn't　help　setting　off　an　alarm。　I'm　surprised　Cuban　security　forces　aren't　already　breathing　down　our　neck。〃　
　〃If　they　haven't　tracked　you　here；〃　said　the　pilot　confidently　as　he　closed　and　sealed　the　hatch；　〃they'll　never　guess　where　you　came　from。〃　
　〃At　least　not　until　the　Oregon's　found　missing　from　her　assigned　anchorage。〃　
　In　seconds　the　sub　was　dropping　beneath　the　surface　of　the　dark　water。　Fifteen　minutes　later　it　surfaced　inside　the　moon　pool　of　the　Oregon。　Divers　attached　the　hook　and　cable　of　the　big　overhead　crane；　and　the　Nomad　was　lifted　delicately　until　it　was　even　with　the　second　deck　and　moored　to　the　balcony。　Huxley's　medical　team　was　waiting　along　with　several　members　of　the　ship's　crew　to　help　the　Cubans　to　the　Oregon's　well…equipped　hospital。　
　The　time　was　three　minutes　past　eleven。　
　A　thin　man；　his　hair　white　before　his　time；　recognized　Cabrillo　as　an　officer　and　walked　unsteadily　up　to　him。　〃Sir；　my　name　is　Juan　Tural。　Can　you　tell　me　who　you　people　are　and　why　you　rescued　my　friends　and　me　from　Santa　Ursula？〃　
　〃We　are　a　corporation；　and　we　were　contracted　to　do　this　job。〃　
　〃Who　hired　you？〃　
　〃Friends　of　yours　in　the　United　States；〃　answered　Cabrillo。　〃That's　all　that　I　can　say。〃　
　〃Then　you　had　no　idealistic　purpose；　no　political　cause？〃　
　Cabrillo　smiled　slightly。　〃We　always　have　a　purpose。〃　
　Tural　sighed。　〃I　had　hoped　that　salvation；　when　it　came；　would　e　from　another　quarter。〃　
　〃Your　people　did　not　have　the　means　to　do　it。　It's　that　simple。　That　is　why　they　came　to　us。〃　
　〃It's　a　great　pity　your　only　motivation　was　money。〃　
　〃It　wasn't。　Money　is　simply　the　vehicle；〃　said　Cabrillo。　〃It　allows　our　corporation　to　pick　its　fights　and　to　fund　our　charity　projects。　It's　a　liberty　none　of　us　had　when　we　were　employed　by　our　respective　governments。〃　He　glanced　at　his　chronograph。　〃Now　if　you'll　excuse　me；　we're　not　out　of　the　woods　just　yet。〃　
　Then　he　turned　and　left　Tural　staring　after　him　as　he　walked　away。　
　
　ELEVEN　SEVENTEEN。　IF　they　were　going　to　make　a　run　for　it；　now　was　the　time；　thought　Cabrillo。　The　alarm　had　long　been　answered　at　the　prison；　and　by　now　patrols　were　certainly　roaming　the　city　and　the　countryside　in　search　of　the　escaped　prisoners　and　their　rescuers。　Their　only　link　was　the　truck　driver；　but　he　could　not　provide　any　information　to　the　Cuban　security　forces；　even　if　he　was　captured　and　tortured。　His　original　contact　had　made　no　mention　of　the　Oregon。　As　far　as　the　driver　knew；　the　rescue　team　had　e　from　a　landing　party　on　another　part　of　the　island。　
　Cabrillo　lifted　a　phone　and　called　down　to　the　Corporation's　president　in　the　engine　room。　〃Max？〃　
　Hanley　answered　almost　immediately。　〃Juan。〃　
　〃Have　the　ballast　tanks　been　pumped　dry？〃　
　〃Tanks　are　dry　and　the　hull　is　raised　for　speed。〃　
　〃The　tide　is　about　to　turn　and　will　swing　us　around。　We'd　better　leave　while　our　bow　is　still　aimed　toward　the　main　channel。　As　soon　as　the　anchor　es　free；　I'll　set　the　engines　very　slow。　No　sense　in　alerting　any　observers　on　the　shore　to　a　sudden　departure。　At　the　first　alarm　or　when　we　reach　the　main　channel；　whichever　es　first；　I'll　enter　the　program　for　full　speed。　We'll　need　every　ounce　of　power　your　engines　can　give。〃　
　〃You　think　you　can　get　us　through　a　narrow　channel　in　the　dead　of　night　at　full　speed　without　a　pilot？〃　
　〃The　ship's　puter　system　read　every　inch　of　the　channel　and　the　buoy　markers　on　the　way　in。　Our　escape　course　is　plotted　and　programmed　into　the　automatic　pilot。　We'll　leave　it　to　Otis　to　take　us　out。〃　Otis　was　the　crew's　name　for　the　ship's　automated　control　systems。　It　could　steer　the　Oregon　within　inches　of　the　intended　route。　
　〃puterized　automated　controls　or　not；　it　won't　be　an　easy　matter　to　race　through　a　tight　channel　at　sixty　knots。〃　
　〃We　can　do　it。〃　Cabrillo　punched　off　and　hit　another　code。　〃Mark；　give　me　a　status　on　our　defense　systems。〃　
　Mark　Murphy；　the　Oregon's　weapons　specialist；　replied　in　his　west　Texas　drawl；　〃If　any　of　them　Cuban　missile　launchers　so　much　as　hiccups；　we'll　take　them　out。〃　
　〃You　can　expect　aircraft　once　we're　in　the　open　sea。〃　
　〃Nuthin'　we　cain't　handle。〃　
　He　turned　to　Linda　Ross。　〃Linda？〃　
　〃All　systems　are　online；〃　she　replied　calmly。　
　Cabrillo　set　the　phone　in　its　cradle　and　relaxed；　lighting　up　a　thin　Cuban　cigar。　He　looked　around　at　the　ship's　crew；　standing　in　the　control　center。　They　were　all　staring　at　him；　waiting　expectantly。　
　〃Well；〃　he　said　slowly；　before　taking　a　deep　breath；　〃I　guess　we　　might　as　well　go。〃　
　He　gave　a　voice　mand　to　the　puter；　the　winch　was　set　in　motion；　and　the　anchor　slowly；　quietlythrough　Teflon　sleeves　the　team　had　inserted　inside　the　hawsehole；　which　deadened　the　clank　of　the　chainrose　from　the　bottom　of　the　harbor。　Another　mand　and　the　Oregon　began　to　inch　slowly　ahead。　
　Down　in　the　engine　room；　Max　Hanley　studied　the　gauges　and　instruments　on　the　huge　console。　His　four　big　magnetohydrodynamics　engines　were　a　revolutionary　design　for　maritime　transport。　They　intensified　and　pounded　the　electricity　found　in　saline　seawater　before　running　it　through　a　magnetic　core　tube　kept　at　absolute　zero　by　liquid　helium。　The　electrical　current　that　was　produced　created　an　extremely　high　energy　force　that　pumped　the　water　through　thrusters　in　the　stern　　for　propulsion。　
　Not　only　were　the　Oregon's　engines　capable　of　pushing　the　big　cargo　ship　at　incredible　speeds；　but　it　required　no　fuel　except　the　seawater　that　passed　through　its　magnetic　core。　The　source　of　the　propulsion　was　inexhaustible。　Another　advantage　was　that　the　ship　did　not　require　huge　fuel　tanks；　which　enabled　the　space　to　be　utilized　for　other　purposes。　
　There　were　only　four　other　ships　in　the　world　with　magnetohydrodynamics　enginesthree　cruise　ships　and　one　oil　tanker。　Those　who　had　installed　the　engines　in　the　Oregon　had　been　sworn　to　secrecy。　
　Hanley　took　proprietary　care　of　the　high…tech　engines。　They　were　reliable　and　rarely　caused　problems。　He　labored　over　them　as　if　they　were　an　extension　of　his　own　soul。　He　kept　them　finely　tuned　and　in　a　constant　state　of　readiness　for　extreme　and　extended　operation。　He　watched　now　as　they　automatically　engaged　and　began　pushing　the　ship　into　the　channel　that　led　to　the　sea。　
　Above　in　the　mand　center；　armored　panels　slid　noiselessly　apart；　revealing　a　large　window　on　the　forward　bulkhead。　The　murmur　among　　the　men　and　women　gazing　intently　at　the　lights　of　the　city　was　quiet；　as　though　the　men　manning　the　Cuban　defense　systems　could　hear　their　words。　
　Cabrillo　spotted　another　ship　leaving　the　harbor　ahead　of　them。　
　〃What　ship　is　that？〃　he　asked。　
　One　of　the　team　pulled　up　the　list　of　ship　arrivals　and　departures　on　his　puter　monitor。　〃She's　a　Chinese…registered　cargo　vessel　carrying　sugar　to　Hangchou；〃　he　reported。　〃She's　leaving　port　nearly　an　hour　ahead　of　her　scheduled　departure　time。〃
　〃Name？〃　asked　Cabrillo。　
　〃In　English；　the　Red　Dawn。　The　shipping　line　is　owned　by　the　Chinese　army。〃　
　〃Turn　out　all　the　outer　lights；　and　increase　speed　until　we　are　close　astern　of　the　vessel　ahead；〃　he　manded　the　puter。　〃We'll　use　her　as　a　decoy　to　lead　us　out。〃　The　outer　deck　and　navigation　lights　blinked　out；　leaving　the　ship　in　darkness　as　she　narrowed　the　gap　between