cc.vixen03-第28节

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　〃There　must　be　a　mistake。〃
　〃Perhaps；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Maybe　the　mystery　will　be　cleared　up　when　the　wreck　of　the　aircraft　is　raised　and　thoroughly　inspected。〃
　〃I　thought　you　said　it　vanished。〃
　〃I　discovered　the　wreckage；〃　Pitt　answered。
　Pitt　studied　Bass　closely　for　any　discernible　reaction。　There　was　none。　He　decided　to　leave　the　admiral　alone　to　collect　his　thoughts。
　〃I'm　sorry　to　have　troubled　you；　Admiral。　I　must　have　gotten　my　signals　mixed。〃
　Pitt　turned　and　began　walking　up　the　path　back　to　the　inn。　He'd　covered　nearly　fifty　feet　when　Bass　yelled　after　him。
　〃Mr。　Pitt！〃
　Pitt　turned。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Are　you　staying　at　the　inn？〃
　〃Until　tomorrow　morning。　Then　I　must　be　on　my　way。〃
　The　admiral　nodded。　When　Pitt　reached　the　pines　bordering　Anchor…age　House；　he　took　another　look　toward　the　pond。　Admiral　Bass　was　calmly　forking　the　lily　pads　onto　the　bank；　as　if　their　brief　conversation　had　simply　been　about　crops　and　the　weather。
　
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　Pitt　enjoyed　a　leisurely　dinner　with　the　other　guests　at　the　inn。　The　dining　room　had　been　designed　in　the　style　of　an　eighteenth…century　country　tavern；　with　old　flintlock　rifles；　pewter　drinking　cups；　and　weathered　farm　implements　hanging　on　the　walls　and　rafters。
　The　food　was　about　as　homemade　as　any　Pitt　had　ever　tasted。　He　ate　two　helpings　each　of　the　fried　chicken；　brandied　carrots；　baked　corn；　and　sweet　potatoes；　and　barely　had　room　for　the　three…inch…thick　wedge　of　apple　pie。
　Heidi　moved　about　the　tables；　serving　coffee　and　making　small　talk　with　the　guests。　Pitt　noted　that　most　were　of　social…security　age。　Younger　couples；　he　mused；　probably　found　the　peaceful　serenity　of　a　country　inn　boring。　He　finished　an　Irish　coffee　and　stepped　out　onto　the　porch。　A　full　moon　rose　in　the　east　and　turned　the　pines　to　silver。　He　eased　into　a　vacant　bentwood　rocker　and　propped　his　feet　on　the　porch　railing　and　waited　for　Admiral　Bass　to　make　the　next　move。
　The　moon　had　arched　overhead　nearly　twenty　degrees　when　Heidi　came　out　and　wandered　slowly　in　his　direction。　She　stood　in　back　of　him　for　a　moment　and　then　said；　〃There　is　no　moon　so　bright　as　a　Virginia　moon。〃
　〃You　won't　get　an　argument　from　me；〃　said　Pitt。
　〃Did　you　enjoy　your　dinner？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　my　eyes　were　bigger　than　my　stomach。　I　gorged　myself。　My　pliments　to　your　chef。　His　down…home　cooking　style　is　poetry　to　the　palate。〃
　Heidi's　smile　went　from　friendly　to　beautiful　in　the　glow　of　the　moon。　〃She'll　be　happy　to　hear　it。〃
　Pitt　made　a　helpless　gesture。　〃A　lifetime　of　chauvinistic　tendencies　is　hard　to　suppress。〃
　She　settled　her　tightly　packed　bottom　on　the　railing　and　faced　him；　her　expression　suddenly　turning　serious。　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Pitt；　why　did　you　e　to　Anchorage　House？〃
　Pitt　stopped　rocking　and　stared　squarely　into　her　eyes。　〃Is　this　a　survey　to　check　the　effectiveness　of　your　advertising　or　are　you　just　plain　inquisitive？〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　I　didn't　mean　to　pry；　but　Walter　seemed　very　upset　when　he　returned　from　the　pond　this　evening。　I　thought　that　maybe…〃
　〃You　think　it　was　because　of　something　I　said；〃　Pitt　said；　finishing　for　her。
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Are　you　related　to　the　admiral？〃
　It　was　the　magic　question；　for　she　began　talking　about　herself。　She　was　a　lieutenant　mander　in　the　Navy；　she　was　assigned　to　the　Norfolk　Navy　Yard；　she　had　enlisted　out　of　Wellesley　College　and　had　eleven　years　to　go　to　retirement；　her　ex…husband　had　been　a　colonel　in　the　Marines　and　had　ordered　her　about　like　a　recruit；　she'd　had　a　hysterec…tomy；　so　no　children；　no；　she　was　not　related　to　the　admiral；　she　had　met　him　when　he　was　a　guest　lecturer　at　a　Naval　College　seminar；　and　she　came　down　to　Anchorage　House　whenever　she　could　sneak　off　from　her　duties；　she　made　no　bones　about　the　fact　that　she　and　Bass　had　a　May…December　affair　going。　Just　when　it　was　getting　interesting；　she　stopped　and　peered　at　her　watch。
　〃I'd　better　run　along　and　see　to　the　other　guests。〃　She　smiled；　and　again　that　transformation。　〃If　you　get　tired　of　just　sitting；　I　suggest　you　take　a　stroll　to　the　top　of　the　rise　beside　the　inn。　You'll　find　a　lovely　view　of　the　lights　of　Lexington。〃
　Her　tone；　it　seemed　to　Pitt；　was　more　one　of　mand　than　of　suggestion。
　Heidi　had　been　only　half　right。　The　view　from　the　rise　was　not　only　lovely：　it　was　breathtaking。　The　moon　illuminated　the　entire　valley　and　the　streetlights　of　the　town　twinkled　like　a　distant　galaxy。　Pitt　had　been　standing　there　only　a　minute　when　he　became　aware　of　a　presence　behind　him。
　〃Admiral　Bass？〃　he　inquired　casually。
　〃Please　raise　your　hands　and　do　not　turn　around；〃　Bass　ordered　brusquely。
　Pitt　did　as　he　was　told。
　Bass　did　not　make　a　full　body　search　but　instead　slipped　out　Pitt's　wallet　and　beamed　a　flashlight　on　its　contents。　After　a　few　moments　he　clicked　off　the　light　and　returned　the　wallet　to　Pitt's　pocket。
　〃You　may　lower　your　hands；　Mr。　Pitt；　and　turn　around　if　you　wish。〃
　〃Any　reason　for　the　melodramatics？〃　Pitt　tilted　his　head　at　the　re…volver　poised　in　Bass's　left　hand。
　〃It　seems　you've　exhumed　an　excessive　amount　of　information　about　a　subject　that　belongs　buried。　I　had　to　be　certain　of　your　identity。〃
　〃Then　you're　satisfied　that　I'm　who　I　say　I　am？〃
　〃Yes；　I　called　your　boss　at　NUMA。　Jim　Sandecker　served　under　my　mand　in　the　Pacific　during　World　War　Two。　He　gave　me　an　impres…sive　list　of　your　credentials。　He　also　wanted　to　know　what　you　were　doing　in　Virginia　when　you　were　supposed　to　be　on　a　salvage　tender　off　the　coast　of　Georgia。〃
　〃I've　not　made　Admiral　Sandecker　privy　to　my　findings。〃
　〃Which；　as　you　claimed　earlier；　at　the　pond；　were　the　remains　of　Vixen　03。〃
　〃She　exists；　Admiral。　I've　touched　her。〃
　Bass's　eyes　flashed　with　hostility。　〃You're　not　only　bluffing；　Mr。　Pitt；　but　you're　also　lying。　I　demand　to　know　why。〃
　〃My　case　is　not　built　on　lies；〃　said　Pitt　evenly。　〃I　have　two　other　reputable　witnesses　and　videotaped　pictures　as　proof。〃
　A　look　of　inprehension　shadowed　Bass's　face。　〃Impossible！　She　disappeared　over　the　ocean。　We　spent　months　searching　for　her　and　didn't　find　a　trace。〃
　〃You　looked　in　the　wrong　place；　Admiral。　Vixen　03　lies　under　a　mountain　lake　in　Colorado。〃
　Bass's　tough　facade　seemed　to　dissolve；　and　in　the　moonlight　Pitt　suddenly　saw　him　as　a　tired；　worn　old　man。　The　admiral　lowered　the　pistol　and　swayed　drunkenly　toward　a　bench　at　the　edge　of　the　overlook。　Pitt　reached　out　a　hand　to　steady　him。
　Bass　nodded　thanks　and　sank　onto　the　bench。　〃I　suppose　it　had　to　happen　someday。　I　wasn't　fool　enough　to　think　the　secret　could　last　forever。〃　He　looked　up　and　clutched　Pitt's　arm。　〃The　cargo。　What　of　the　cargo？〃
　〃The　canisters　have　broken　their　moorings；　but　otherwise　they　seemed　reasonably　intact。〃
　〃Thank　God　for　that；　at　least；〃　sighed　Bass。　〃Colorado；　you　say。　The　Rocky　Mountains。　So　Major　Vylander　and　his　crew　never　made　it　out　of　the　state。〃
　〃The　flight　originated　in　Colorado？〃　asked　Pitt。
　〃Buckley　Field　was　Vixen　03's　point　of　origin。〃　He　held　his　head　in　his　hands。　〃What　went　wrong　so　early？　They　must　have　gone　down　shortly　after　takeoff。〃
　〃It　looks　as　though　they　had　mechanical　problems　and　tried　to　ditch　in　the　only　open　space　they　could　find。　It　being　winter；　the　lake　was　frozen　over；　and　they　were　fooled　into　thinking　they　were　ing　down　in　a　field。　The　weight　of　the　aircraft　then　broke　through　the　ice　and　sank　in　a　deep　section　of　the　lake；　deep　enough　so　that　after　the　ice　melted　in　the　spring；　her　outline　could　not　be　distinguished　from　the　air。〃
　〃And　all　this　time　we　thought。　。　。〃　Bass's　voice　trailed　off　and　he　sat　there　in　silence。　Finally　he　said　softly；　〃Those　canisters　must　be　re…trieved。〃　
　〃Do　they　contain　nuclear　material？〃　Pitt　asked。
　〃Nuclear　material　。　。　。〃　Bass　repeated；　his　tone　vague。　〃Is　that　what　you　think？〃
　〃The　date　stated　in　Vixen　O3's　flight　plan　could　have　put　her　in　the　South　Pacific　in　time　for　the　Bikini　H…bomb　tests。　I　also　found　a　metal　tag　on　one　of　the　crewmen；　marked　with　the　symbol　for　radioactivity。〃
　〃You　misread　the　evidence；　Mr。　Pitt。　True；　the　canisters　were　origi…nally　designed　to　house　nuclear　naval　shells。　But　the　night　Vylander　and　his　crew　disappeared　they　were　used　for　a　far　different　purpose。〃
　〃It's　been　suggested　they're　empty。〃
　Bass　sat　like　a　wax　statue。　〃If　only　it　were　that　simple；〃　he　murmured。　〃Unfortunately；　there　are　other　instruments　of　war　besides　the　nuclear　kind。　You　might　say　that　Vixen　03　and　her　crew　were　carriers。〃
　〃Carriers？〃
　〃A　plague；〃　said　Bass。　〃The　canisters　contain　the　Doomsday　organism。〃
　
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　An　uneasy　silence　settled　over　the　two　men　as　Pitt　digested　the　enormity　of　the　admiral's　revelation。
　〃I　see　by　your　expression　you　are　shocked；〃　said　Bass。
　〃　'Doomsday　organism；'　〃　Pitt　repeated　quietly。　〃It　has　a　terrifying　ring　of　finality　about　it。〃
　〃An　apt　description；　I　assure　you；〃　said　Bass。　〃Technically　speaking；　it　possessed　an　impressive…sounding　biochemical　name　that　was　thirty　letters　long　and　quite　unpronounceable。　The　military　designation；　though；　was　short　and　sweet。　We　simply　called　it　'QD；'　short　for　'quick　death。'　〃
　〃You　refer　to　this　'QD'　in　the　past　tense。〃
　The　admiral　made　a　helpless　gesture。　〃Force　of　habit。　Until　your　discovery