alistairmaclean.seawitch-第31章

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impeccable…is　that　Lord　Worth　was　today　closeted　with　Benton；　the　Secretary　of　State；　in　Washington。　My　further　information　is　that　Benton　was　only　partially　convinced　by　Lord　Worth's　suspicions。　He　was；　unfortunately；　wholly　convinced　when　the　news　came　through　of　Cron…kite's　irresponsible　folly　in　kidnaping　Lord　Worth's　two　daughters。　As　a　result；　a　United　States　cruiser　and　destroyer；　both　armed　with　the　most　sophisticated　weaponry；　have　moved　out　into　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。　An　American　nuclear　submarine　is　already　patrolling　those　waters。　Another　American　vessel　is　already　shadowing　your　destroyer；　Mr。　Patinos：　your　destroyer；　with　its　vastly　inferior　detecting　equipment；　is　wholly　unaware　of　this。　Additionally；　at　a　Louisiana　air　base；　a　squadron　of　supersonic　fighter…bombers　is　on　instant　alert。
　〃The　Americans　are　no　longer　in　any　mood　to　play　around。　My　information　is　that　they　are　prepared　for　a　showdown　and　are　prepared　for　the　eyeball…to…eyeball　confrontation　which　John　Kennedy　had　with　Khrushchev　over　Cuba。　The　Russians；　clearly；　would　never　risk　a　local　nuclear　confrontation　where　the　home…territory　advantages　are　so　overwhelmingly　American。　Neither　side　would　dream　of　mounting　a　pre…emptive　strike　over　the　issue　of　a　few　pennies　on　a　barrel　of　oil。　But　if　the　hot　line　between　Washington　and　Moscow　begins　to　burn；　national　prestige　will　make　it　difficult　for　either　side　to　back　down　until　they　arrive　at　a　face…saving　formula；　which　could　take　quite　some　time　and　would；　much　worse；　generate　overwhelming　worldwide　publicity。　　This　would　inevitably　involve　us。　　So　I　would　advise　you；　Mr。　Borosoff　and　Mr。　Patinos；　to　call　off　your　dogs　of　war　before　that　hot　line　starts　burning。　That　way；　and　only　in　that　way；　can　we　survive　with　our　good　names　left　un…besmirched。　I　blame　neither　of　you　gentlemen。　You　may　have　given　the　nod　to　Cronkite；　but　you　did　not　reckon　on　the　possibility　that　Cronkite　　　would　　　carry　　　matters　　　to　　　such　　　ridiculous　lengths。　Please；　please　believe　me　that　the　Americans　will　not　hesitate　to　blast　your　ships　out　of　the　water。〃
　Oil　ministers　do　not　bee　oil　ministers　because　they　are　mentally　retarded。　Patinos　smiled　a　smile　of　wry　resignation。　〃I　do　not　relish　the　thought　of　personal　ruin。　Nor　do　I　relish　the　thought　of　being　a　scapegoat　for　my　government。〃　He　looked　across　at　Borosoff。　〃We　call　off　the　dogs　of　war？〃
　Borosoff　nodded。　〃Back　to　their　kennels　and　no　alas。　I　wish　to　return　to　my　Russia　and　this　will　give　me　great　face；　for　they　will　not　have　to　lose　face　in　the　world。〃
　Mr。　A　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　His　relief　was　manifest。　〃Well；　that　would　seem　to　cover　that。〃
　〃It　covers　most　of　it；〃　Benson　said。　〃But　not　all。　Another　very　unpleasant　and　potentially　terrifying　crime　occurred　this　afternoon。　I　heard　of　it　only　an　hour　ago　and　it　will　be　the　hottest　topic　in　the　nation　tonight。　I　only　hope　to　God　that；　although　we　were　in　no　way　responsible　for　it；　we　won't　be　implicated　in　it　A　place　called　Netley　Rowan　Arsenal　was　broken　into　this　afternoon。　It's　supposed　to　be　just　another　arms　depot　insofar　as　the　public　is　concerned…　and　so；　mainly；　it　is。　But　it's　also　a　TNW　arsenal。　TNW　means　'tactical　nuclear　weapons。*　Two　of　them　were　stolen　in　the　break…in　and　appear　to　have　vanished　without　trace。〃
　〃God　above！〃　The　expression　and　tone　of　the　man　from　Honduras　accurately　reflected　the　shocked　feelings　of　all　around　the　table。　〃Cron…kite？〃
　〃I'd　bet　on　it。　No　proof；　naturally；　but　who　the　hell　else？〃
　Henderson　said：　〃No　disrespect　to　Mr。　Boro…soff　here；　but　couldn't　the　Russians；　say；　have　been　seeking　a　prototype？〃
　Benson　looked　as　weary　as　his　voice　sounded。　〃The　Russians　already　have　God　knows　how　many　of　those　things。　It's　public　knowledge　that　they　have　thousands　of　them　deployed　along　the　border　between　the　Warsaw　pact　and　NATO　countries…many　of　them；　it　is　suspected；　more　sophisticated　than　ours。　The　Russians　need　our　TNWs　the　way　they　need　bows　and　arrows。〃　Borosoff；　despite　the　anxiety　he　shared　with　the　others；　permitted　himself　the　ghost　of　a　smile　of　placency；　〃Cronkite。　The　man's　running　wild。〃
　Mr。　A　said：　〃You　think　he's　so　totally　crazy　as　to　use　a　nuclear　device　against　the　Seawitch？〃
　〃I　do　not　profess　to　understand　the　workings　of　an　obviously　diseased　mind；〃　Benson　said。　〃He's　capable　of　anything。〃
　Patinos　said：　〃What's　this　weapon　like？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　phoned　the　Pentagon；　a　very　senior　official　there；　but　although　he's　an　old　friend　of　mine；　he　refused　to　release　highly　classified　information。　All　I　know　is　that　it　can　be　used　as　a　land…based　time　bomb…I　suppose　that　ineludes　the　sea　as　well…or　as　an　aircraft　bomb。　It　can　only　be　used　in　a　limited　number　of　supersonic　fighter…bombers；　which　will　already；　I　suppose；　be　under　the　heaviest　security　guard　ever；　which　would　strike　me　as　a　superfluous　precaution　as　there　is　no　chance　that　Cronkite；　even　with　his　obviously　wide　range　of　contacts；　could　know　anyone　who　could　fly　one　of　those　planes。〃
　〃So　what　happens？〃
　〃I　think　we'd　better　consult　an　astrologer　on　that　one。　All　I　know　is　that　Cronkite　has　gone　stark　raving　mad。〃
　Cronkite；　aboard　the　Georgia；　would　have　thought　the　same　of　them。　He　had　a　job　to　do　and　he　was　doing　it　to　the　best　of　his　ability。　Had　he　known　of　the　possible　withdrawal　of　the　warships　that　had　sailed　from　Cuba　and　Venezuela；　he　would　not　have　been　unduly　concerned。　He　had　had　some　vague　idea　that　they　might　have　been　useful　to　him　in　some　way；　but　he　had　primarily　wished　to　have　them　as　a　cover　and　a　smokescreen。　Cronkite's　vendetta　against　Lord　Worth　was　a　highly　personal　and　extremely　vindictive　one　and　he　wanted　no　other　than　himself　to　administer　the　coup　de　grace。　Retribution　exacted　through　the　medium　of　other　hands　would　not　do　at　all。
　Meantime；　he　was　well　content。　He　was　convinced　that　the　Seawitch　was　in　his　hands。
　e　the　dawn　it　would　be　doubly　in　his　hands。　He　knew　of　their　defenses　and　radar。　The　Starlight；　under　Easton；　was　waiting　until　full　darkness　before　it　moved　hi　for　the　initial　attack；　and　as　rain　had　been　falling　steadily　for　some　time　now　and　the　lowering　sky　blotted　out　the　quarter…moon；　it　promised　to　be　as　nearly　dark　as　it　ever　bees　at　sea。
　A　message　was　brought　to　him　from　the　radio　office。　Cronkite　glanced　at　it　briefly；　picked　up　the　phone　to　the　helipad　and　reached　the　pilot　in　his　shelter。　〃Ready　to　go；　Wilson？〃
　〃Whenever　you　say；　Mr。　Cronkite。〃
　〃Then；　now。〃　Cronkite　closed　a　rheostat　switch　and　a　dull　glow　of　light　outlined　the　helipad；　just　enough　to　let　Wilson　make　a　clean　takeoff。　The　helicopter　made　a　half…circle；　switched　on　its　landing　light　and　made　a　smooth　landing　on　the　calm　waters　less　than　a　hundred　yards　from　the　stationary　Georgia。 …
　Cronkite　called　the　radar1　room。　〃You　have　him　on　the　screen？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　He's　making　an　instrument　approach　on　our　radar。〃
　〃Let　me　know　when　he's　about　three　miles　out。〃
　Less　than　a　minute　later　the　operator　gave　him　the　word。　Cronkite　turned　the　rheostat　to　full　and　the　helipad　became　brilliantly　illuminated。
　A　minute　later　a　helicopter；　landing　lights　on；　appeared　from　the　north　through　the　driving　rain。　Just　over　another　minute　later　it　touched　down　as　delicately　as　a　moth；　an　understandable　precaution　by　the　pilot；　in　view　of　the　cargo　he　was　carrying。　The　fueling　hoses　were　connected　immediately。　The　door　opened　and　three　men　descended…the　alleged　Colonel　Farquharson；　Lieutenant　Colonel　Dewings　and　Major　Breck…ley；　who　had　been　responsible　for　the　Netley　Rowan　Arsenal　break…in。　They　helped　unload　two　large；　double…handed　and　obviously　very　heavy　suitcases。　Cronkite；　with　suitable　admonitions　as　to　delicacy　in　handling；　showed　crew　members　where　to　stow　the　cases　in　shelter。
　Within　ten　minutes　the　helicopter　was　on　its　way　back　to　the　mainland。　Five　minutes　after　that；　the　Georgia's　own　helicopter　had　returned　and　ail　the　helipad　lights　were　switched　off。
　
　Chapter　8
　
　JIT　was　due　only　to　cruel　ill　luck　and　the　extremely　jittery　state　of　Durand's　nerves　that　John　Roomer　and　Melinda　Worth　found　themselves　the　first　patients　in　Dr。　Greenshaw's　sick　bay。
　Durand　was　in　a　highly　apprehensive　state　of　mind；　a　mood　that　transferred　itself　all