cc.floodtide-第114节

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vents。　Tormented；　struggling　and　dying　with　no　one　near　him　to　see　except　his　most　vicious　enemy　was　not　what　Pitt　had　in　mind。
　Pitt　longed　to　drive　the　Newtsuit　forward；　using　his　own　manipulator　pincers　to　smash　Qin　Shang's　viewing　window　of　the　submersible；　but　they　were　too　short　and　would　have　easily　been　knocked　away　by　the　arms　on　the　submersible。　Also；　an　aggressive　attack　was　not　part　of　his　plan。　He　looked　into　the　twin　jaws　of　death；　saw　the　evil　leer　on　Qin　Shang's　face　and　maneuvered　his　cumbersome　pressure　suit　backward　in　a　losing　effort　to　stall　for　time。
　Directing　the　articulated　joints　of　the　Newtsuit；　he　leaned　over　and　used　the　manipulator　pincers　to　pick　up　a　short　length　of　pipe　that　was　lying　on　the　deck。　Then　he　swung　the　pipe　to　ward　off　the　deadly　arms　of　the　submersible。　It　was　almost　a　laughable　gesture。　Qin　Shang　guided　his　claws　toward　Pitt　from　two　sides。　Almost　as　if　he　was　snatching　candy　from　a　baby；　he　seized　the　pipe　and　tore　it　from　the　Newtsuit's　pincers。　If　spectators　could　have　seen　the　fight　through　the　murk；　it　would　have　looked　like　a　ballet　between　two　huge　animals　in　slow　motion。　All　movement　at　that　depth　was　hindered　by　the　surrounding　water　pressure。
　Then　Pitt　felt　the　Newtsuit　e　to　an　abrupt　halt　as　he　backed　it　against　the　forward　bulkhead　of　the　Princess　Dou　Wart's　superstructure。　Now　there　was　no　room　to　escape　the　onslaught。　The　uneven　fight　had　only　lasted　eight　or　nine　minutes。　Pitt　could　see　the　satanic　grin　on　Qin　Shang's　face　as　his　sadistic　opponent　closed　in　for　the　kill。
　Then；　unexpectedly；　without　warning；　a　vague　shape　came　gliding　silently　out　of　the　gloom　like　a　great　incarnate　vulture。　Stretched　prone　inside　a　submersible　with　the　configuration　of　a　small　airplane　with　stubby　wings　and　a　tail　assembly；　Giordino　angled　the　Sappho　TV　from　above　and　dropped　behind　the　Sea　Lotus。　With　grim　concentration　he　operated　the　controls　to　a　viselike　talon　that　protruded　from　beneath　the　craft。　Clutched　in　the　talon　was　a　small　round　ball　less　than　three　inches　in　diameter　that　was　attached　to　a　small　suction　device。　pletely　oblivious；　Qin　Shang's　attention　was　focused　on　murdering　Pitt。　Then　Giordino　pressed　the　ball　and　suction　device　against　the　pressure　hull　of　the　Sea　Lotus　until　it　adhered。　After　that　he　tilted　the　Sappho　TVs　bow　sharply　upward　and　banked　away；　quickly　disappearing　into　the　watery　void。
　
　Twenty　seconds　later　a　sharp　thump　sounded　through　the　water。　At　first　Qin　Shang　was　mystified　as　he　felt　the　Sea　Lotus　shudder。　Too　late　he　realized　that　Pitt's　brave　defiance　against　overwhelming　odds　was　a　diversion　for　an　attack　from　another　source。　And　then　he　watched　in　growing　horror　as　a　spiderweb　of　tiny　fractures　spread　across　the　upper　wall　of　the　pressure　chamber。　Suddenly　water　burst　inside　as　if　shot　from　a　small　cannon。　The　pressure　chamber　maintained　its　integrity　and　did　not　implode；　but　the　ining　flood　spelled　its　doom。
　
　Qin　Shang　froze　in　cold　fright　as　the　water　rose　higher　and　higher；　rapidly　filling　the　small　interior　of　the　submersible。　He　frantically　switched　on　the　pumps　to　drain　the　ballast　tanks　and　hit　the　lever　to　drop　the　heavy　weights　beneath　the　keel。　The　Sea　Lotus　sluggishly　ascended　for　several　feet　and　then　hung　there　as　the　flooding　water　neutralized　its　buoyancy。　Then　it　slowly　began　to　fall；　settling　into　the　bottom　and　throwing　up　a　thin　cloud　of　silt。
　
　Now　in　mindless　panic；　Qin　Shang　desperately　tried　to　open　the　outer　hatch　in　an　insane　attempt　to　reach　the　surface　430　feet　above；　an　impossible　gesture　because　of　the　immense　water　pressure　outside。
　
　Pitt　moved　the　Newtsuit　through　the　cloud　of　silt　and　gazed　through　the　submersible's　viewing　window；　remembering　the　sight　of　the　bodies　strewn　in　the　depths　of　Orion　Lake　as　the　Chinese　arch…criminal　pulled　himself　up　into　a　rapidly　pressing　air　pocket　for　one　last　breath　before　the　icy　water　of　the　lake　filled　his　nose　and　open；　screaming　mouth。　The　screams　were　soon　choked　off　until　the　only　sound　ing　from　the　Sea　Lotus　was　the　gurgling　of　escaping　bubbles。　Then；　as　if　set　on　a　timer；　the　halogen　lights　blinked　out；　throwing　the　submersible　into　total　darkness。
　
　Pitt　was　sweating　heavily　inside　the　Newtsuit。　He　stood　on　the　bottom；　staring　with　grim　satisfaction　at　the　underwater　tomb　of　Qin　Shang。　The　billionaire　shipping　magnate；　who　had　dominated　and　exploited　and　slain　thousands　of　innocent　people；　would　spend　eternity　in　the　deep　next　to　the　empty　treasure　ship　that　had　obsessed　most　of　his　waking　life。　It　was　a　fitting　end；　Pitt　thought　without　the　slightest　sense　of　pity。
　
　He　glanced　up　as　Giordino　reappeared　in　the　Sappho　IV。　〃You　took　your　sweet　time。　I　might　have　been　killed。〃
　
　Giordino　hovered　the　sub　until　their　faces　behind　the　protective　transparent　shields　were　no　more　than　two　feet　apart。　〃I　can't　tell　you　how　much　I　enjoyed　the　show；〃　he　laughed。　〃If　you　could　have　only　seen　yourself　in　that　Pillsbury　Doughboy　suit　playing　Errol　Flynn　with　a　pipe　as　a　sword。〃
　
　〃Next　time；　you　do　the　hard　part。〃
　〃Qin　Shang？〃　asked　Giordino。
　Pitt　pointed　a　pincer　at　the　inert　submersible。　〃Where　he　belongs。〃
　〃How　are　you　fixed　for　air？〃
　〃Down　to　twenty　minutes。〃
　〃No　time　to　waste。　Stand　still　until　I　can　connect　up　my　cable　to　the　lift　ring　on　top　of　your　helmet。　Then　I'll　tow　you　to　the　surface。〃
　〃Not　just　yet；〃　said　Pitt。　〃I've　got　a　little　task　to　perform。〃
　
　He　activated　the　little　thrusters　on　the　Newtsuit　and　moved　up　the　sides　of　the　superstructure　until　he　came　to　the　wheel…house。　The　bulkheads　had　been　torched　away　for　entry　and　for　the　removal　of　the　treasures　packed　in　the　passageways　and　former　passenger　staterooms。　He　quickly　studied　a　diagram　of　the　ship's　interior　that　he　had　taped　to　the　globular　view　plate　and　began　propelling　the　pressurized　suit　past　the　captain's　cabin　next　to　the　wheelhouse　to　the　next　cabin　beyond。　Amazingly；　the　furnishings　were　still　relatively　intact　and　jumbled　about　the　small　partment。　After　only　a　few　minutes'　search；　Pitt　found　what　he　was　looking　for　and　removed　a　small　pouch　from　the　utility　belt　on　the　Newtsuit　and　filled　it　with　objects　from　one　corner　of　the　cabin。
　
　〃You'd　better　get　a　move　on；〃　came　Giordmo's　worried　voice。
　〃On　my　way；〃　Pitt　plied。
　
　With　three　minutes　to　spare；　the　Sappho　TV　and　the　Newtsuit　surfaced　one　behind　the　other　and　were　lifted　on　board　the　Ocean　Retriever。　As　the　technicians　worked　to　remove　Pitt　from　the　big　dive　suit；　he　looked　across　the　water　at　Qin　Shang's　Jade　Adventurer。　A　boarding　party　from　the　Coast　Guard　cutter　was　routinely　examining　the　ship's　papers　before　ordering　it　out　of　American　waters。
　
　When　he　was　finally　free　of　the　ponderous　suit；　Pitt　leaned　wearily　over　the　railing　and　gazed　down　into　the　water　as　Julia　came　up　behind　him　and　ran　her　arms　around　his　waist；　clasping　her　hands　across　his　stomach。　〃I　was　worried　about　you；〃　she　said　softly。
　〃I　put　my　trust　in　Al　and　Rudi；　knowing　they　would　never　fail。〃
　〃Is　Qin　Shang　dead？〃　she　asked；　certain　of　the　answer。
　He　held　her　head　between　his　hands　and　looked　down　into　her　gray　eyes。　〃He's　only　a　bad　memory　it　pays　to　forget。〃
　She　pulled　back；　her　face　suddenly　disturbed。　〃When　word　leaks　out　that　you　killed　him；　you're　going　to　be　in　big　trouble　with　the　government。〃
　Despite　the　exhaustion；　Pitt　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed。　〃Dearheart；　I'm　always　in　big　trouble　with　the　government。〃
　
　EPILOGUE
　
　FRITZ
　July　31；　2000　Washington；　D。C。
　
　PRESIDENT　DEAN　COOPER　WALLACE　WORKED　LATE　HOURS　IN　his　office　in　his　secret　living　quarters　at　Fort　McNair　and　thought　nothing　of　inconveniencing　his　staff　and　visitors　for　meetings　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　He　did　not　rise　from　behind　his　desk　as　missioner　Duncan　Monroe；　Admiral　Sandecker　and　Peter　Harper　were　escorted　into　the　office　by　his　newly　appointed　chief　of　staff；　Harold　Pecorelli。　Nor　did　he　invite　his　visitors　to　sit　down。
　
　Wallace　was　not　a　happy　man。
　
　The　news　media　was　crucifying　him　for　his　relations　with　Qin　Shang；　now　accused　of　conspiracy　for　the　destruction　and　deaths　along　the　Mississippi　River。　To　make　matters　worse；　the　Chinese　leaders　had　thrown　Qin　Shang　on　their　sacrificial　altar　and　denied　any　association　with　him。　The　head　of　Qin　Shang　Maritime　Limited　had　disappeared；　and　even　the　Chinese　government　was　at　a　loss　as　to　his　whereabouts。　The　Jade　Adventurer　was　still　at　sea　on　its　way　back　to　China。　Throughout　the　voyage　from　Lake　Michigan；　Captain　Chen　Jiang　had　maintained　radio　silence；　not　wanting　to　be　the　one　to　announce　Qin　Shang's　death　at　the　hands　of　the　Americans。
　
　At　the　same　time；　Wallace　took　great　delight　in　pretending
　
　that　he　played　a　key　role　in　the　discovery　and　salvage　of　the　Chinese　art　treasures。　Negotiations　were　already　under　way　for　their　return　to　mainland　China。　Photojournalists　and　television　news　cameras　had　a　field　day　recording　the　incredible　display　of　artifacts　as　they　were　removed　from　the　original　teak　packing　crates　and　prepared　for　preservation。　The　bones　of　Peking　man　by　themselves　caused　an　international　sensation。
　
　Advised　that　it　was　not　in　his　best　interests　to　interfere；　Wallace　rem