cc.themediterraneancaper2-第48章

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a　shattered　airplane　that　sat　on　the　broad　deck。
　〃Now　I　know　where　the　yellow　Albatros　materialized　from；〃　said　Pitt。　〃An　old　Japanese　I…Boat；　capable　of　launching　a　small　scout　plane。　They　haven't　been　in　use　since　World　War　II。〃
　〃Yes；　a　handsome　specimen；〃　von　Till　said　jovially。　〃I'm　honored　you　could　identify　it。　Sunk　by　an　American　destroyer　off　Iwo　Jima　in　1945；　raised　by　Minerva　Lines　in　1951。　I've　found　the　bination　of　submarine　and　aircraft　a　most　useful　method　of　delivering　small　cargoes　into　areas　that　demand　extreme　discretion。〃
　〃A　handy　toy　for　also　attacking　United　States　airfields　and　research　ships；〃　Pitt　added。
　〃Touché；　Major；〃　von　Till　murmured。　〃At　dinner　the　other　night　you　guessed　that　the　plane　came　from　the　sea。　You　were　groping　blindly；　but　you　came　much　closer　than　you　thought。〃
　〃I　can　see　that　now。〃　Pitt　shot　a　quick　glance　at　the　tunnel　entrance。　Two　more　guards　leaned　negligently　against　the　walls　of　the　opening；　their　machine　pistols　hung　carelessly　over　their　shoulders。　Pitt　started　to　say：　〃The　antique　Albatros…〃
　〃Correction。〃　von　Till　interrupted。　〃A　replica　of　an　Albatros。　For　my　purposes　a　slow；　bi…wing　aircraft　was　the　most　efficient　means　of　landing　and　taking　off　on　short　fields；　dark　beaches；　or　in　water　beside　a　ship；　the　lower　wing　can；　or　should　I　say　could　fold　downward　in　the　shape　of　hydrofoil　pontoons。　I　used　the　Albatros　D…3　design　with　a　more　modern　engine；　of　course；　because　the　aerodynamics　provided　the　perfect　answer　to　my　requirements　And　an　old　shabby　looking　airplane　would　never　be　suspected　of。　shall　we　say；　slightly　illegal　activities。　A　pity　it　will　never　fly　again。〃
　Von　Till　pulled　a　box　of　cigarettes　from　his　breast　pocket　and　lit　one。　Then　he　went　on。
　〃My　delivery　plane　was　never　meant　to　be　armed　or　flown　in　bat　It　was　only　after　I　had　no　alternative　but　to　assault　Brady　Field　and　your　precious　research　ship　that　I　had　the　guns　installed；　a　drastic　move　perhaps　but　your　mander　Gunn　refused　to　be　discouraged　by　my　subtle　efforts　to　sabotage　his　expedition。　There　was　little　to　fear　from　a　Sunday　swimmer　or　a　diving　tourist　discovering　my　little　underwater　modus　operandi　However；　a　trained　ocean　scientist；　that　was
　something　else　again。　I　could　not　take　the　risk。　The　raid　was；　I　am　still　convinced；　an　excellent　plan。　Colonel　Lewis　would　have　had　no　choice　but　to　order　the　its　name　escapes　me；　ah　yes；　the　First　Attempt　to　evacuate　the　Thasos　coast　if　the　attack　had　continued　unhindered。　You　couldn't　have　known；　of　course；　that　the　Albatros　intended　to　make　a　token　strafing　run　against　the　ship　immediately　after　it　neutralized　the　airfield。　Inopportunely；　Major　Pitt；　you　blundered　onto　the　scene　and　ruined　everything。〃
　〃The　fortunes　of　war；〃　Pitt　offered　sarcastically。
　〃It　is　a　shame　Willie　cannot　be　here　to　hear　you　say　that。〃
　〃Where　is　good　old　peeping…Tom　Willie？〃　Pitt　asked。
　〃Willi　was　the　pilot；〃　von　Till　answered。　〃When　the　Albatros　crashed　into　the　sea；　poor　Willie　was　trapped　in　the　wreckage。　He　drowned　before　we　could　reach　him。〃　Von　Till's　face　abruptly　became　hard　and　menacing。　〃It　seems　you　cost　me　my　chauffeur　and　pilot　as　well　as　my　dog。〃
　〃Gullibility　on　Willie's　part；〃　Pitt　said　quietly。　〃I　suckered　him　with　the　same　old　balloon　trick　that　the　British　used　on　Kurt　Heibert。　As　to　the　dog；　before　you　sic　another　one　of　your　hydrophobic　bitches　on　your　next　unsuspecting　dinner　guest；　I　suggest　you　count　your　table　utensils。〃
　Von　Till　looked　at　Pitt　curiously　for　a　moment　Then　he　nodded　knowingly。　〃Remarkable；　quite　remarkable。　You　killed　my　champion　hound　with　a　knife　from　my　own　dinner　table。　Most　ungracious　of　you；　Major；　to　say　the　least　May　I　ask　how　you　were　forewarned？〃
　〃Premonition；〃　Pitt　replied。　〃No　more；　no　less。　You　should　never　have　tried　to　kill　me。　That　was　your　first　mistake。〃
　〃It　is　a　pity　your　escape　from　the　labyrinth　only　prolonged　your　existence　by　a　few　hours。〃
　Pitt　nonchalantly　glanced　past　von　Till　and　Darius。
　The　ominous　black　tunnel　was　now　strangely　empty；　the　two　guards　had　disappeared。　Not　so　the　five　guards　who　lined　the　cavern　wall　with　the　machine　pistols…they　looked　as　menacing　as　ever。
　〃Your　reception　mittee　leads　me　to　believe　you　were　expecting　us；〃　Pitt　murmured　quietly。
　〃Of　course　we　were　expecting　you；〃　von　Till　acknowledged　matter…of…factly。　〃Good　friend　Darius　here　informed　me　of　your　impending　arrival。　The　exact　time　became　apparent　when　the　First　Attempt　began　acting　suspiciously；　no　captain　in　his　right　mind　would　run　his　ship　that　close…in　to　the　Thasos　cliffs。〃
　〃How　many　pieces　of　silver　did　it　take　for　Darius　to　turn　traitor？〃
　〃The　exact　sum　wouldn't　be　of　interest　to　you；〃　said　von　Till。　〃The　fact　is。　Darius　has　been　in　my　employ　for　ten　years。　You　might　say　that　our　association　has　proved　to　be　quite　mutually　rewarding。〃
　Pitt　stared　into　Darius'　coal…black　eyes。　〃No　matter　how　you　slice　it。　it　still　add　up　to　treason。　That's　your　second　mistake；　von　Till　Hiring　a　slimey　cockroach　of　a　bastard　like　Darius。　it's　bound　to　backfire。〃
　Darius　shivered　in　involuntary　rage。　The　Luger　protruded　from　his　massive　fist　as　if　it　were　a　mutant　growth　extension；　and　it　was　aimed　unsteadily　at　Pitt's　navel。
　Von　Till　shook　his　head　tiredly。　〃Antagonizing　Darius　will　only　make　you　very；　very　dead。〃
　〃What's　the　difference。　You're　going　to　kill　all　of　us　anyway。〃
　〃Premonition　again。　Major？　It　serves　you　well。〃　Von　Till　spoke　cheerfully。　Too　cheerfully　to　suit　Pitt。
　〃I　hate　surprises；〃　Pitt　said　caustically。　〃How　and　when？〃
　With　a　practiced　flourish；　von　Till　pushed　back　his　sleeves　and　carefully　studied　the　dial　of　his　watch。　〃In　eleven　minutes　to　be　exact。　That　is　all　the　time　I　can　afford。〃
　〃Why　not　now？〃　Darius　growled。　〃Why　wait？　We　have　other　business　at　hand。〃
　〃Patience　Darius；〃　von　Till　chided。　〃You're　not　thinking。　We　can　use　the　extra　hands　to　load　our　supplies　on　board　the　submarine。〃　He　gazed　down　at　Pitt　and　smiled　〃Because　of　your　wound。　Major。　you're　excused　The　rest　of　your　men　can　begin　by　carrying　the　equipment　you　see　on　the　dock　into　the　forward　hatch。〃
　〃We　don't　work　for　butchers；〃　Pitt　spoke　softly　and　evenly。
　〃Very　well；　if　you　insist。〃　Von　Till　beamed　at　Darius。　〃Shoot　away　his　left　ear。　With　your　next　bullet；　take　off　his　nose。　After　that　his…〃
　〃Stow　it；　you　sadistic　old　hun。〃　The　words　fairly　spat　from　Woodson's　lips。　〃We'll　load　your　goddamned　pigboat。〃
　They　had　no　choice。　Pitt　had　no　choice。　He　could　only　sit　by　helplessly　and　watch　as　Spencer　and　Hersong　began　attacking　a　small　mountain　of　wooden　crates　on　the　dock　and　passing　them　to　Knight　and　Thomas　on　the　sub。　Woodson　vanished　into　the　hatch；　only　his　arms；　rising　occasionally　above　the　deck　to　receive　a　crate；　revealed　his　whereabouts。
　The　burning　sensation　returned　to　Pitt's　leg　in　earnest　now。　If　he　hadn't　known　better；　he'd　have　sworn　that　a　microscopic　little　man　was　running　back　and　forth　through　his　wound　with　a　flamethrower。　One　or　twice　he　nearly　blacked　out；　each　time　he　fought　desperately　to　hold　on　until　the　engulfing　waves　of　darkness　subsided。　On　sheer　will　power　alone　he　kept　his　voice　on　a　conversational　tone。
　〃You　only　answered　the　when　half　of　my　question；　von　Till。〃
　〃Does　the　method　of　your　demise　really　matter　that　much　to　you？'
　〃Like　I　said。　I　hate　surprises。〃
　Von　Till　studied　Pitt　in　cold　speculation；　then　he　shrugged。　〃I　suppose　it　does　no　harm　to　hide　the　inevitable。〃　He　paused　to　check　his　watch　again。　〃You　and　your　men　will　be　shot　A　bit　barbaric　and　ruthless；　I　grant；　but　I　prefer　to　think　of　it　as　a　rather　humane　death；　especially　when　pared　to　being　buried　alive。〃
　Pitt　thought　for　a　moment　〃The　loading　of　supplies　and　equipment。　those　men　removing　the　guns　from　the　wrecked　Albatros；　it　all　spells　get…away。　You're　folding　your　tent；　von　Till；　and　stealing　off　into　the　night　Then　after　you've　left；　one　minute；　five　minutes；　maybe　even　half　an　hour。　explosive　charges　will　detonate　and　seal　the　cavern　under　tons　of　rock；　entombing　the　six　of　us　and　erasing　all　evidence　of　your　underwater　smuggling　operation。〃
　Von　Till　looked　at　Pitt　in　puzzled　suspicion。　〃Go　on；　Major。　I　find　your　assumptions　extremely　fasci