cc.floodtide-第19节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


n；　their　chances　of　picking　out　a　nearly　invisible　head　on　dark　waters　were　unlikely。　Then　suddenly；　the　boat's　motor　died　to　an　idle　and　it　drifted　to　a　stop　not　fifty　feet　away。
　
　Pitt　should　have　ignored　the　boat　and　moved　on。　There　was　still　plenty　of　juice　left　in　the　Stingray's　batteries　to　take　him　back　to　the　cabin。　He　should　have　moved　on；　having　seen　more　than　he　was　ever　meant　to　see。　Law…enforcement　authorities　had　to　be　notified　quickly　before　any　further　harm　came　to　the　unknown　human　beings　imprisoned　inside　the　retreat。　He　was　cold　and　exhausted　and　looked　forward　to　a　shot　of　tequila　and　a　chair　in　front　of　a　warm　fire。　He　should　have　listened　to　an　inner　voice　telling　him　to　get　the　hell　away　from　Orion　Lake　while　the　getting　was　still　good。　His　inner　voice　might　as　well　have　pleaded　with　his　sinus　passages　for　all　the　good　it　did。
　
　Some　unfathomable　fascination　attracted　him　to　the　eerielooking　catamaran。　There　was　something　sinister　about　its　appearance　in　the　night。　No　one　walked　the　decks；　no　lights　showed　anywhere。
　
　Downright　diabolic；　he　thought。　A　strange；　indescribable　malignance　seem　to　vent　from　its　decks。　Then　it　began　to　dawn　on　Pitt　that　this　just　might　be　the　ferry　that　transported　dead　souls　across　the　River　Styx。　He　rolled　beneath　the　surface　and　aimed　the　Stingray　in　a　downward　and　then　upward　arc　that　would　bring　him　beneath　the　twin　hulls　of　the　mysterious　vessel。
　
　THE　　　　FORTY…EIGHT　　　　MEN；　　　　WOMEN　　　　AND　　　　CHILDREN　　　　WERE　crammed　so　tightly　inside　the　square　cabin　of　the　black　boat　that　there　was　no　room　for　anyone　to　sit。　They　all　stood　pressed　together；　breathing　the　stale　air。　The　night　outside　the　cabin　was　cool；　but　inside　the　body　heat　made　it　hot　and　stifling。　The　only　ventilation　came　from　a　small　grate　in　the　cabin　roof。　A　few　were　already　unconscious；　having　collapsed　from　the　terror　induced　by　claustrophobia；　but　their　bodies　were　unable　to　fall。　Instead　their　heads　sagged　and　rolled　with　the　rocking　of　the　boat。　Everyone　was　strangely　silent。　Perhaps　defeated　and　powerless　to　dictate　their　fate；　the　prisoners　lapsed　into　a　strange　lethargy　like　those　sent　by　the　Nazis　to　the　concentration　camps　in　World　War　II。
　
　Julia　stood　listening　to　the　sound　of　the　waves　lapping　against　the　hull　of　the　boat　and　the　soft　beat　of　the　twin　diesel　engines；　wondering　where　she　was　being　taken。　The　water　was　smooth　now。　The　swells　of　the　ocean　had　been　left　behind　twenty　minutes　ago。　She　assumed　they　were　inside　a　quiet　bay　or　traveling　on　a　river。　She　knew　with　reasonable　clarity　that　she　was　back　somewhere　in　the　United　States。　This　was　her　home　ground。　She　refused　to　let　herself　bee　pliant；　and　though　she　was　still　weak　and　dizzy；　she　was　determined　to　fight　her　way　out　of　this　insane　predicament　and　survive。　Too　much　depended　on　her　survival。　By　escaping　and　reporting　the　information　she　had　gathered　on　the　smuggling　syndicate　to　her　superiors　at　INS；　she　could　stop　the　ghastly　suffering　and　killing　of　thousands　of　illegal　immigrants。
　
　In　the　wheelhouse　above　the　cabinlike　prison；　two　of　the　smuggling　crew's　four　enforcers　began　cutting　rope　into　short　lengths　while　the　captain；　who　stood　at　the　helm；　threaded　his　way　up　the　Orion　River　in　the　dark。　The　only　light　came　from　the　stars；　and　his　eyes　never　strayed　from　the　radar　screen。　After　another　ten　minutes；　he　alerted　the　others　to　the　fact　that　they　were　passing　from　the　river　into　the　lake。　Just　as　the　black　boat　was　about　to　e　under　the　bright　lights　positioned　at　Qin　Shang's　retreat；　the　helmsman　picked　up　the　boat's　phone　and　spoke　a　few　words　in　Chinese。　Almost　before　he　set　the　phone　back　in　its　cradle；　the　lights　inside　the　main　building　and　those　placed　around　the　shore　blinked　out；　throwing　the　entire　lake　into　a　cloak　of　blackness。　Guided　by　a　small　red　light　on　a　buoy；　the　helmsman　expertly　slipped　the　catamaran　around　the　broad　transom　of　Shang's　magnificent　yacht　and　came　alongside　the　pilings　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　dock。　Two　enforcers　jumped　clear　and　slipped　the　mooring　lines　over　their　cleats　as　the　helmsman　set　the　twin　diesel　engines　on　idle。
　
　For　the　next　three　or　four　minutes　there　was　no　sound　outside　the　crowded　cabin。　A　flurry　of　questions；　a　swarm　of　anxieties；　framed　themselves　in　the　thoughts　of　Julia　and　the　illegal　immigrants。　But　they　didn't　know　in　what　order　to　assess　them；　and　the　continuing　nightmare　of　their　voyage　still　overshadowed　any　attempt　at　clear　thinking。　And　then　the　door　was　opened　on　the　rear　wall　of　the　cabin。　The　fresh　air　that　came　from　a　breeze　drifting　down　from　the　mountains　seemed　like　a　miracle。　At　first；　all　they　could　see　outside　was　darkness；　then　an　enforcer　moved　into　the　doorway。
　
　〃When　you　hear　your　name；　step　out　onto　the　dock；〃　he　instructed　them。
　
　At　first　it　was　difficult　for　those　in　the　middle　or　the　back　to　squeeze　through　the　overcrowded　cabin；　but　as　each　body　exited　through　the　door　those　who　remained　gave　a　collective　sigh　of　relief。　Most　of　those　who　left　the　boat　were　poorer　immigrants；　the　ones　who　could　not　pay　the　exorbitant　fare　to　reach　land；　any　land；　so　long　as　it　didn't　belong　to　the　People's　Republic　of　China。　Unknowingly；　they　had　signed　away　their　souls　to　a　life　of　servitude　to　the　smugglers；　who　in　turn　sold　them　to　criminal　syndicates　already　established　in　the　U。S。
　
　Soon；　only　Julia；　a　mother　and　father　weak　from　lack　of　food；　along　with　their　two　small　children；　who　looked　like　they　might　be　suffering　from　rickets；　and　eight　elderly　men　and　women　were　left　standing　in　the　cabin。　These　were　the　castoffs；　thought　Julia；　those　who　had　been　bled　dry　of　their　possessions；　who　had　no　more　money　to　give　and　were　too　helpless　and　frail　for　any　type　of　heavy　work。　These　were　the　ones；　including　herself；　who　were　not　going　ashore。
　
　As　if　to　confirm　her　worst　fears；　the　door　was　slammed　shut；　the　lines　were　cast　off　and　the　diesels　were　shifted　into　reverse；　increasing　their　throb。　It　seemed　as　though　the　boat　had　only　traveled　a　short　distance　when　the　engines　slowed　and　idled　again。　The　door　was　thrown　open　and　four　enforcers　entered。　Without　a　word　they　began　binding　everyone's　hands　and　feet。　Mouths　were　sealed　with　duct　tape　and　heavy　iron　weights　tied　to　their　ankles。　The　mother　and　father　made　a　feeble　defense　of　their　children　but　were　easily　subdued。
　
　This　was　it　then；　death　by　drowning。　Julia's　whole　mind；　her　every　nerve　became　instantly　concentrated　on　escaping。　She　sprinted　toward　the　door；　intent　on　reaching　the　outside　deck　and　throwing　herself　into　the　water；　making　a　swim　for　the　nearest　shore。　The　attempt　was　doomed　before　she　hit　the　door。　Debilitated　from　her　beating　the　day　before；　she　stumbled　rather　than　ran；　and　was　easily　swept　off　her　feet　by　one　of　the　enforcers　and　knocked　to　the　deck。　She　tried　to　fight　them；　pounding；　scratching；　biting　as　they　bound　her　feet　and　ankles。　Then　the　tape　was　adhered　across　her　lips　and　the　weight　tied　to　her　ankles。
　
　She　watched　in　icy　horror　as　a　hatch　in　the　middle　of　the　deck　was　lifted　open　and　the　first　body　dropped　through　into　the　water。
　
　Pitt　removed　his　thumb　from　the　speed　switch　on　the　Stingray　and　hovered　in　the　water　ten　feet　below　the　center　cabin　of　the　catamaran。　He　had　planned　to　surface　between　the　two　hulls　and　inspect　the　bottom　of　the　boat　when　suddenly　a　light　showed　above　him　and　a　heavy　splash　broke　the　water　followed　in　succession　by　several　more。
　
　What　in　God's　name　is　happening？　Pitt　wondered　as　bodies　came　raining　down　around　him。　Though　disbelieving　at　what　he　saw　and　shocked　at　the　abhorrent　sight；　his　reaction　time　was　nothing　short　of　incredible。　In　a　series　of　lightning　movements　he　released　his　grip　on　the　Stingray；　switched　on　the　dive　light　and　snatched　his　dive　knife　out　of　its　sheath。　In　movements　blurred　in　time；　he　began　grabbing　bodies；　slicing　the　ropes　binding　the　hands　and　ankles　and　slashing　away　the　iron　weights。　Once　the　ropes　were　cut　free；　he　pushed　the　body　toward　the　surface　and　swam　to　the　next　one。　He　worked　frantically；　hoping　against　hope　that　none　slipped　past　him　into　the　black　depths　of　the　lake；　never　knowing　at　first　whether　the　victims　were　already　dead；　but　fighting　to　save　them　all　regardless　of　his　fears。　Then　he　found　they　were　alive　when　he　gripped　a　young　girl　no　more　than　ten；　who　stared　back　at　him　through　terror…stricken　eyes。　She　looked　like　she　was　Chinese。　He　prayed　she　could　swim　as　he　thrust　her　toward　the　night　air。
　
　At　first；　he　kept　slightly　ahead　of　the　flow　of　victims；　but　he　soon　struggled　furiously　to　keep　pace。　Desperation　was　replaced　with　sheer　anger　as　he　saved　a　little　boy　no　more　than　four　years　old。　He　mentally　cursed　the　monsters　who　were　capable　of　such　inhumanity。　Not　taking　any　chances；　he　kicked　his　fins　upward；　quickly　found　the　floating　Stingray　and　placed　the　boy's　arms　around　it。　He　switched　off　the　dive　light　and　took　a　quick　glance　at　the　boat　to　see　if　the　crew　had　observed　their　victims　popping　to　the　surface。　All　on　board　appeared　quiet。　There　was　no　hint　of　alarm。　He　dove　under　again；　turning　on　the　dive　light。　Its　beam　picked　out　what　seemed　to　be　the　last　body　dumped　from　the　boat。　It　was　already　falling　p