cc.themediterraneancaper2-第37部分

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d　don't　return　home　without　a　goddamn　Teaser。　Admiral　James　Sandecker；　NUMA；　Washington。'〃
　〃I'd　say　the　Admiral　is　a　bit　off　his　usual　form；〃　murmured　Pitt。　〃He　used　'goddamn'　only　twice。〃
　〃Please　lead　me　out　of　the　dark；〃　Gunn　asked　mildly。　'What　possible　assistance　could　we　be　to　INTERPOL？〃
　Pitt　pondered　a　moment　Gunn　would　have　to　be　led　up　to　a　crucial　decision；　it　was　decidedly　too　early　to　bare　all　the　facts。　Pitt　dodged　the　question。
　〃We　may　be　the　only　hope　left　to　destroy　von　Till　and　his　empire。　It　may　mean　taking　a　few　risks；　but　the　stakes　are　high。〃
　Gunn　removed　his　glasses　and　stared　sharply　at　Pitt。　〃How　high？〃
　〃Enough　heroin　to　hop…up　the　entire　population　of　the　United　States　and　Canada；〃　Pitt　said　slowly。　〃A　hundred　and　thirty　tons　worth　to　be　exact〃
　Gunn　betrayed　no　sign　of　surprise。　He　calmly　held　up　his　glasses　to　the　light；　examining　the　lenses　for　smudges。　Satisfied　there　were　none；　he　replaced　the　horned…rims　over　his　low　set　ears。
　〃Off　hand　I'd　say　that's　a　pretty　fair　amount　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　about　this　last　night　when　you　brought　the　girl　on　board？〃
　〃I　needed　more　time　and　more　answers；　and　right　now　I'm　still　short　on　both。　But　I　think　I've　run　on　to　something　that　will　put　this　whole　insane　puzzle　into　a　transparent　pattern。〃
　〃I　still　don't　know　what　you　expect　from　me。〃
　〃We've　got　to　hit　von　Till　below　the　belt；　way　below　the　belt。　This　is　an　underwater　show。　I　need　every　able…bodied　man　you　can　spare　with　scuba　gear　and　weapons　that　can　be　carried　in　water；　diving　knifes；　spear　guns；　anything。〃
　〃What　guarantee　can　you　give　me　that　no　one　will　get　hurt？〃
　〃Absolutely　none；〃　Pitt　said　quietly。
　Gunn　stared　at　Pitt　for　a　full　ten　seconds；　his　face　expressionless。　〃You　realize　the　seriousness　of　what　you're　asking　me？　Most　of　the　men　aboard　this　ship　are　scientists；　not　mandos。　They're　tigers　with　a　salinometer；　a　nansen　bottle　or　a　microscope；　but　their　skill　at　knifing　another　man　in　the　guts　or　shooting　a　barbed　spear　into　a　navel　leaves　much　to　be　desired。〃
　〃What　about　the　crew？'
　〃All　good　men　to　have　on　your　side　in　a　bar　room　brawl；　but　like　most　professional　seamen；　they　have　an　unhealthy　dislike　for　any　activity　below　the　surface。　They　can't；　or　rather　won't；　put　on　a　face　mask　and　dive。〃　Gunn　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　sorry　Dirk；　you're　asking　too　much…〃
　〃e　off　it；〃　Pitt　snapped　rudely。　〃This　isn't　the　Little　Big　Horn　and　I'm　not　asking　you　to　send　the　Seventh　Cavalry　against　Sitting　Bull　and　the　Sioux　nation。　Look；　not　fifty　miles　from　here　a　Minerva　Lines
　freighter　is　churning　across　the　Aegean　with　a　cargo　that　is　as　lethal　as　any　nuclear　bomb。　If　that　amount　of　heroin　were　dumped　on　the　market　in　the　States；　our　grandchildren　would　still　be　suffering　from　the　cultural　shockwaves。　It's　a　nightmarish　thought。〃
　Pitt　paused；　letting　his　words　sink　in。　He　lit　a　cigarette　and　then　continued。
　〃The　Bureau　of　Narcotics　and　the　Customs　Department　will　be　waiting。　They've　set　a　trap。　If；　and　that's　a　big　if；　all　goes　well；　the　heroin　and　the　smugglers；　plus　half　the　illegal　drug　sellers　in　the　States；　will　be　neatly　scooped　up　and　salted　away　behind　bars。〃
　〃Then　what's　the　problem？〃　Gunn　pressed。　〃Where　do　the　divers　fit　into　the　picture？〃
　〃Let's　just　say　I　have　a　nagging　doubt。　Von　Till　hasn't　e　within　a　nautical　mile　of　being　caught　with　the　goods；　so　to　speak；　for　decades。　Legally；　our　government　agents　can't　board　the　cargo　Ship　until　it　touches　the　United　States'　continental　shelf；　three　weeks　away。　By　then　von　Till　might　sense　that　INTERPOL　is　behaving　overly　cagey。　Rather　than　cooperate　with　the　good　guys　and　sail　into　the　trap；　he'd　have　to　reroute　the　ship　at　the　last　minute　or　else　dump　the　heroin　in　the　Atlantic。　That　leaves　the　narcotic　agents　and　the　customs　inspectors　standing　around　with　nothing　to　do　but　play　with　themselves。　The　only　sure　way；　the　safe　way；　is　to　stop　the　ship　now；　before　it　leaves　the　Mediterranean。〃
　〃You're　the　man　who　said　it…legally　it　can't　be　done。〃
　〃There　is　one　way；〃　Pitt　drew　on　the　cigarette；　then　slowly　let　the　smoke　trickle　through　his　nose。
　〃Prove　a　solid　case　against　von　Till　and　Minerva　Lines　before　morning。〃
　Gunn　shook　his　head　again。　〃Even　then；　boarding　a　ship　in　international　waters；　particularly　a　ship　that　is　registered　to　a　friendly　nation；　can　lead　to　political　repercussions。　I　doubt　if　any　country　would　want　to　touch　it〃
　〃There　is　one　opportunity；〃　Pitt　said。　〃The　ship　stops　at　Marseilles　for　fuel。　INTERPOL　would　have　to　work　fast　If　they　received　the　necessary　evidence　and　rushed　through　the　legal　paperwork　they　could　seize　the　ship　in　port。〃
　Gunn　leaned　against　the　doorway　and　gave　Pitt　a　penetrating　stare。　〃The　catch　is　that　you　want　to　risk　the　lives　of　the　people　under　my　mand。〃
　〃It　has　to　be；〃　Pitt　said　quietly。〃
　〃I　think　you're　hedging；〃　Gunn　said　slowly。　〃You're　up　to　your　ears　in　stormy　waters。　I　don't　like　any　of　it　I'm　responsible　to　NUMA　for　this　ship　and　its　personnel。　All　that　interests　me　is　the　safe　pletion　of　this　expedition。　Why　us？　I　don't　see　why　INTERPOL　or　the　local　police　can't　conduct　their　own　search　operation。　Finding　divers　on　the　mainland　is　no　problem。〃
　This　was　getting　too　damn　awkward；　Pitt　thought。　At　this　stage　of　the　game　he　couldn't　let　on　that　Zacynthus　was　very　much　against　even　the　slightest　harassment　of　von　Till。　Pitt　had　known　Gunn　for　a　little　over　a　year；　and　in　that　time　they　had　bee　good　friends。　The　mander　was　a　smart　customer。　The　next　scene　would　have　to　be　played　cool；　very　cool　indeed。　Pitt　gazed　suspiciously　at　the　busy　radio　operator　for　a　moment；　then　turned　back　to　Gunn。
　〃Call　it　fate；　coincidence　or　any　other　term　you　wish　to　choose；　that　put　the　First　Attempt　at　Thasos　at　the　exact　moment　to　expose　a　beautifully　planned　criminal　conspiracy。　Von　Till's　entire　smuggling　operation　depends　upon　the　use　of　a　submarine；　maybe　more　than　one；　we　don't　know　yet　The　heroin　is　the　biggest　job　he's　ever　undertaken。　It's　damn　hard　for　the　mind　to　conceive；　but　he　could　easily　net　over　two　hundred　million　dollars　on　this　one　shipment。　He　planned　well；　nothing　could　stand　in　his　way。　Then　one　day　he　looks　out　of　his　window　and　there　sits　an　oceanographic　research　ship；　not　over　two　miles　away。　Learning　that　you　were　scouting　the　water　for　a　legendary　fish　he　began　to　run　scared。　There　was　a　good　chance　that　one　of　your　divers　might　discover　his　base　of　operation；　and　what's　most　important；　his　method　of　smuggling。　He　was　desperate。　He　couldn't　blow　you　out　of　the　water。　The　last　thing　he　wanted　was　a　full　scale　investigation　into　the　loss　of　this　ship。　There　was　no　hope　of　instigating　anti…American　riots　or　violence。　The　people　who　live　on　the　island　are　fun　loving　farmers　and　fishermen。　They　couldn't　care　less　about　staging　a　demonstration　against　a　scientific　expedition。　If　anything；　they　weled　you。　The　local　merchants　aren't　about　to　turn　down　free　spending　researchers。　Von　Till　gambled　on　a　long　shot。　He　staged　that　attack　on　Brady　Field；　hoping　Colonel　Lewis　would　order　you　out　of　the　area　as　a　safety　precaution。　When　this　failed　he　threw　caution　to　the　winds　and　came　directly　at　the　First　Attempt〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Gunu　said　hesitantly。　〃You　make　it　sound　logical。　Except　for　the　submarines。　No　civilian　can　go　to　his　nearest　yacht　broker　and　buy　a　submarine。〃
　〃The　only　way　von　Till　could　lay　his　hands　on　a　sub　without　attracting　attention　would　be　to　raise　one　that　was　sunk　in　shallow　water　during　time　of　war。〃
　〃You're　beginning　to　sound　interesting；〃　Gunn　said　quietly。　He　was　tuned　in　on　Pitt's　channel　now。　He　had　the　shrewd　look　of　an　old　prospector　who　just　discovered　a　map　to　a　hidden　gold　mine。
　Pitt　went　on。　〃This　is　a　job　for　professional　underwater　divers。　By　the　time　INTERPOL　could　put　together　a　team　of　their　own　it　would　be　too　late。〃　The　last　was　only　a　half…truth；　but　it　served　Pitt　admirably　to　drive　home　the　next　point。　〃The　time　is　now。　And　other　than　Cousteau　you've　got　the　finest　divers　and　equipment　in　the　Mediterranean。　I'm　not　going　to　give　you　any　crap　about　being　the　'last　hope　of　mankind'　or　that　'It's　better　to　sacrifice　a　few　to　save　millions。'　All　I'm　asking　you　for　is　a　few　volunteers　to　help　me　explore　the　cliffs　below　von　Till's　villa。　We　may　strike　out　and　find　nothing。　On　the　other　hand　we　may　uncover　enough　evidence　to　impound　the　ship　and　the　heroin　and　put　von　Till　away　for　good。　Hit　or　miss；　we've　got　to　try。〃
　Gunn　said　nothing。　His　expression　Indicated　deep　thought　and　concentration。　Pitt　looked　at　him；　considering；　and　then　threw　in　the　book。
　〃It　would　be　interesting　if　we　could　find　out　what　happened　to　the　yellow　Albatros。〃
　Gunn　looked　at　Pitt　across　the　cramped　radio　room　and　thoughtfully　jangled　some　loose　change　in　his　pocket。　A　more　hard…headed　and　determined　man　he　had　never　seen。　Gunn　remembered　that　he　had　trusted　Pitt's　judgment　on　that　Delphi　Ea　affair　in　Hawaii　last　year；　and　he　hadn't　been　let　down。　If　Pitt　said　he　was　going　to　kill　every　shark　in　the　sea；　Gunn　mused；　he　would　probably　damn　near　do　it。　He　studied　the　damp　and；　by　this　time；　pealing　bandages　on　Pitt's　body；　Jangled　the　change　in　his　pocket　again；　wondered　what　he　would　be　thinking　a