mac.thepearlharbormurders-第30节

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　brother…now！　Hurry！〃
　Don　did　as　he　was　told；　even　as　planes　were　gliding　by　overhead；　housetop　level。　The　boy　heard　gunfire　and　realized　it　was　ing　from　above；　and　the　dirt　road　nearby　puffed　up；　making　little　dust　clouds；　as　the　pilot　strafed　the　area。
　As　dust　danced　on　the　road；　Don…momentarily　frozen…yelled；　〃Jerry！〃
　And　then　the　boy　turned　and　ran　back　to　the　house；　and　his　mommy。　When　he　got　there；　Don　saw　their　next…door　neighbor；　a　Navy　lieutenant；　in　his　p。j。's。；　out　on　his　own　front　yard。
　The　funny　thing　was；　the　grown　man　was　crying　too；　crying　for　his　mommy。
　FBI　agent　Sterling　was　at　the　wheel　of　the　black　Ford　with　Burroughs　in　front；　and　Hully　was　in　the　backseat；　sitting　forward；　like　a　kid。
　As　they　headed　for　the　Japanese　Consulate；　downtown；　Burroughs　was　dismayed　to　see　civilians　failing　to　take　cover；　standing　out　in　their　yards　and　on　the　sidewalks；　staring　skyward；　pointing　at　the　plumes　of　black　smoke；　some　laughing；　convinced　they　were　watching　the　military　training　exercise　to　end　all　such　exercises。
　Perhaps　they　were；　he　thought。
　At　first　the　traffic　was　nonexistent；　the　streets　vacant；　spookily；　ominously　so；　and　as　the　spectators　began　to　get　the　point…as　radios　around　the　city　informed　them　this　was　〃the　real　McCoy！〃…the　citizens　of　Honolulu　scrambled　inside；　leaving　the　sidewalks　and　front　yards　empty；　as　well。
　For　several　blocks；　the　emptiness…punctuated　by　the　muffled　sound　of　explosions…was　eerie；　almost　as　if　the　world　had　ended；　leaving　behind　only　brick　and　concrete。
　Suddenly；　vehicles　were　everywhere；　speeding；　careening；　civilian　autos　and　taxicabs　packed　with　sailors　and　soldiers　desperate　to　get　back　to　their　ships　and　posts；　delivery　vans　and　ambulances　and　fire　trucks；　sirens　screaming。。。。
　Soon　the　FBI　agent's　Ford　was　snarled　in　traffic。
　Sterling；　pounding　the　wheel　impatiently；　turned　to　Burroughs。　〃You　really　think　Yoshikawa　alias　Mori…mura　knew　today　was　the　day？〃
　Burroughs　shrugged；　sighed；　the　German's　little　automatic　was　in　his　hand。　〃Maybe　not。　Maybe　he　just　knew　that　some　Sunday　soon；　Oahu　would　be　the　target。〃
　Sterling's　smile　was　bitter；　he　shook　his　head。　〃All　I　keep　thinking　is　'poinsettias　and　hibiscus。'　〃
　From　the　back；　Hully　said；　〃That　radiophone　call？〃
　〃Code；〃　Burroughs　said。
　Sterling　nodded。　〃Code；　all　right…for　certain　kinds　of　ships。〃
　Burroughs　glanced　at　his　son。　〃Maybe　that　bastard　did　know…our　esteemed　vice　consul。〃
　Traffic　began　to　move　again…as　sirens　wailed；　and　the　sky　roared。
　〃If　we　can　ever　get　to　the　Consulate；〃　Sterling　said；　through　tight　teeth；　〃we'll　just　ask　the　son　of　a　bitch。〃
　On　a　windy　plain　ten　miles　north　of　Pearl　Harbor　lay　Wheeler　Field；　the　Pacific's　largest　American　fighter　base。　U…shaped　barricades　had　been　constructed　to　protect　Wheeler's　nearly　one　hundred　fighter　planes；　Army　Air　Force　P…40s　and　P…36s；　this　morning；　however；　the　planes　were　clustered　on　the　runways；　wingtip　to　wing…tip…playing　out　General　Short's　antisabotage　strategy；　a　policy　the　other　Oahu　bases　were　following；　as　well。　Japanese　planes　pounced　on　the　sitting　ducks；　dropping　bombs；　unleashing　cannon　fire　and　machine…gun　blasts；　chewing　up　the　rows　of　parked　fighters；　fuel　tanks　igniting；　leaving　the　hangars；　enlisted　men's　barracks　and　PX　in　flames。
　Dive…bombers　swooped　so　low；　inflicting　their　damage；　that　phone　lines　got　snagged；　and　men　on　the　ground　could　see　the　gold　teeth　in　the　grins　of　Jap　pilots　as　they　flashed　by。　No　time　to　fight　back；　unarmed　airmen　died　in　their　beds；　or　running　for　their　planes；　or　for　safety；　though　the　base　had　no　air…raid　shelters。　Their　ammunition…locked　away　to　keep　local　saboteurs　from　getting　it；　courtesy　of　General　Short…　was　out　of　reach；　stored　in　one　of　the　burning　hangars；　bullets　popping　like　popcorn　in　the　conflagration。
　Then　the　planes　soared　away；　leaving　thirty…nine　men　dead；　and　many　more　wounded。
　Just　north　of　Wheeler；　at　the　suburban　sprawl　that　was　Schofield　Barracks；　sounds　resembling　explosions　roused　the　interest　of　soldiers；　who…upon　glancing　outside　the　mess　hall…saw　a　plane　with　a　black　canopy　and　fuselage　marked　with　a　red　spot；　circling　the　roof　of　the　building　housing　HQ。　Breakfast　trays　in　hand；　several　soldiers　were　arguing　over　whether　this　was　a　Jap　plane　or　some　strange　Navy　craft；　when　buglers　trumpeted　an　alert。　The　men　tossed　their　trays　and　ran　from　the　mess　hall　into　the　quadrangle；　others　sought　out　rifles；　and　two　artillerymen　ran　to　the　rooftop　and　fired　at　planes　with　Browning　Automatic　Rifles；　emptying　clips　at　the　dive…bombers。
　One　of　the　Jap　planes　crashed。
　Cheers　went　up。
　Then　a　new　topic　of　conversation　took　over　among　the　frightened　young　soldiers：　how　much　would　it　hurt　to　be　shot　by　a　Jap　bullet？　Was　it　true　the　Nips　only　used　。25　caliber　ammo？
　Admiral　Kimmel　had　gotten　up　early　on　this　fine　Sunday　morning；　every　other　weekend；　he　would　meet　with　General　Short　for　eighteen　holes　of　golf。　Today；　Lieutenant　Colonel　Throckmorton　and　Colonel　Fielder　would　be　joining　them。
　He'd　recently　moved　into　this　house　at　Makalapa　Heights；　about　five　minutes　from　HQ；　and　the　place　was　underfurnished…severely　lacking　the　touch　his　wife　would　have　brought　to　it。　On　days　off　like　this；　he　missed　her　dearly；　but　most　of　his　time　was　so　filled　with　work；　he　scarcely　remembered　he　had　any　private　life。
　This　week　had　been　filled　with　protracted　discussions　over　whether　the　fleet　should　be　kept　in　Pearl　Harbor　or　sent　to　sea；　and　now　this　business　was　looming　of　the　supposed　espionage　activities　that　Adam　Sterling…a　good　man；　if　overeager…and　the　ever…imaginative　Ed　Burroughs　had　brought　to　his　attention　last　night。
　He　was　still　in　his　pajamas；　and　hadn't　even　shaved　yet；　when　mander　Murphy；　duty　officer　at　HQ；　called　to　say　the　Ward　had　ash…canned　a　sub　near　the　harbor。
　〃Sorry　to　bother　you　on　Sunday　morning；　sir；〃　Murphy　said。
　Kimmel　realized　this　was　probably　just　another　false　alarm…incorrect　reports　of　subs　in　the　outlying　area　were　mon。
　But　he　said；　〃You　acted　correctly；　mander…　all　submerged　sub　contacts　must　be　regarded　as　hostile。。。。I'll　be　right　down。〃
　Around　five　minutes　later；　freshly　shaved　and　just　getting　into　uniform；　Kimmel　again　answered　the　phone　and　once　more　it　was　Murphy。
　But　this　time　the　businesslike　mander's　voice　was　strangely　shrill：　〃Sir；　we　have　a　message　from　the　signal　tower　saying　the　Japanese　are　attacking　Pearl　Harbor…and　this　is　no　drill！〃
　Kimmel　slammed　the　phone　down　and　ran　outside；　onto　the　front　lawn；　into　the　garden　which　overlooked　the　base；　buttoning　his　white　uniform　jacket　as　he　went。
　The　sky　was　filled　with　the　enemy…the　Rising　Sun　on　their　wings。　He　knew　at　once　this　was　no　casual　raid；　by　a　few　stray　planes。
　
　〃Unbelievable；〃　he　murmured。
　Aghast；　he　stood　frozen　among　the　flowers…poin…settias　and　hibiscus　in　bloom…watching　Jap　aircraft　swoop　down　on　the　base；　circling　in　figure　eights；　dropping　bombs；　turning　and　dropping　more；　machineguns　chattering。　Explosions　rocked　the　sky…and　ships；　fires　already　burning　fiercely　on　their　decks。　〃Impossible；〃　he　whispered。
　Four　miles　west　of　Pearl　Harbor；　the　Ewa　Marine　Corps　Air　Station　was　hit　by　two　squadrons　of　silver　planes　bisecting　the　field　at　two　hundred　mph；　fishtailing　to　better　lash　their　bullets　into　broad　patterns。
　Of　the　base's　forty…nine　fighters　and　scout　planes；　thirty　were　decimated　on　the　ground。
　Four　blocks　from　Beretania　Street；　the　black　Ford　managed　to　crawl　through　the　traffic　jam　and　make　it　across　Kuakini　Street；　bordering　Pauoa　Park；　where　on　the　left…hand　corner　squatted　the　two…story　concrete　pound　of　the　Japanese　Consulate。
　Sterling　pulled　up　in　front；　into　the　no…parking　zone；　and　Burroughs　and　his　son　hopped　out；　following　the　FBI　agent　up　the　stairs；　where…oddly…Consul　General　Nagao　Kita　stood　halfway　down。。。　in　his　dark　blue　silk　pajamas。
　Burroughs　had　met　the　usually　affable　Kita　before；　socially；　as　had　Sterling…the　consul　general　was　short；　plump；　with　dark　thick　hair；　and　a　broad；　bushy…browed　face　that；　with　its　flattened　pug　nose；　gave　him　the　appearance　of　a　cheerful　ex…prizefighter。
　〃Good　morning；　gentlemen；〃　Kita　said；　arms　folded；　smiling　like　a　friendly　genie。
　〃Don't　you　know　there's　a　war　on？〃　Sterling　demanded。
　Kita　shrugged。　〃This　is　just　another　American　exercise…an　elaborate　one；　I　admit。〃
　〃Take　a　look　at　the　color　of　that　smoke；〃　Sterling　said；　nodding　toward　the　sky。　〃It's　black；　not　white…　fuel　oil。　Your　planes　are　bombing　Pearl　Harbor。〃
　〃Nonsense。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　have　to　take　you　in　custody；　Mr。　Kita。　We're　at　war；　and　I　have　evidence　of　espionage　on　the　part　of　your　vice　consul。〃
　The　smile　disappeared　into　an　impassive　mask。　〃I'm　a　diplomat；　Mr。　Sterling。　Even　if　we　are　at　war…I　have　certain　rights。〃
　〃You　have　no　rights…American　boys　are　dying　right　now　in　this　vicious　underhanded　attack。　Where　is　your　vice　consul？　Where　is　Yoshikawa？〃
　Kita's　eyes　tightened。　〃I　know　no　one　by　that　name。〃
　〃I'll　settle　for　Morimura；　then。〃
　A　siren　screamed　and　tires　squealed　as　a　police　car　came　to　a　halt　next　to　the　black　Ford。　Three　uniformed　police　officers…two　Hawaiians　and　a　Chinese…　jumped　out；　shotguns　in　hand；　and　so　did　a　pla