scoonts.theminotaur-第6章

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o　do　with　the　political　maneuvering。　So　he　was　still　in　the　navy。　But　his　shot　at　flag　rank　had　vaporized　like　a　drop　of　water　on　a　hot　stove。　Not　that　he　really　ever　hoped　to　make　admiral　or　even　cared。
　He　lay　down　on　the　couch　and　sipped　at　the　drink。　Maybe　the　whole　problem　was　that　he　just　didn't　care　about　any　of　it　anymore。　Let　the　other　guys　do　the　sweating。　Let　them　dance　on　the　tightrope。　Let　someone　else　pick　up　the　bodies　of　those　who　fell。　He　put　the　glass　on　the　floor　and　rolled　over　on　his　side。　Maybe　he　was　depressed…that　soul　doctor。。。　Yes；　depression；　that　was　probably。。。
　When　he　awoke　it　was　two　in　the　morning　and　the　lights　were　off。　Callie　had　covered　him　with　a　blanket。　He　went　upstairs；　undressed；　and　crawled　into　bed　with　her。
　The　wind　whipped　the　occasional　raindrops　at　a　steep　angle　and　drove　the　gray　clouds　at　a　furious　pace　as　Jake　and　Callie　strolled　the　beach。　They　were　out　for　their　usual　morning　walk；　which　they　took　rain　or　shine；　fair　weather　or　foul。　Both　wore　shorts　and　were　barefoot；　they　carried　the　flip…flops　they　had　worn　to　traverse　the　seashell　mix　that　covered　the　street　in　front　of　their　house　that　led　to　the　beach。　Both　were　wearing　old　sweatshirts　over　sweaters。　Callie's　hair　whipped　in　the　wind。
　Jake　critically　examined　the　contours　of　sand　around　the　piles　that　supported　a　huge　house　some　ignorant　optimist　had　constructed　on　the　dune　facing　the　beach。　The　first　hurricane；　Jake　suspected；　would　have　the　owner　tearing　his　hair。　The　sand　looked　firm　now。　Shades　obscured　all　the　windows。　The　house　was　empty。　Only　three　or　four　other　people　were　visible　on　the　beach。
　Birds　scurried　along　the　sand；　racing　after　retreating　waves　and　probing　furiously　for　their　breakfast。　Gulls　rode　the　air　currents　with　their　noses　pointed　out　to　sea。　He　watched　the　gulls　and　tried　to　decide　if　the　Gentle　Lady　could　soar　with　them。　The　moving　air　had　to　have　some　kind　of　an　upward　vector　over　the　sand。　Perhaps　if　he　kept　the　plane　above　the　dune。　The　dune　was　low；　though。　He　would　see。
　Callie's　hand　found　his　and　he　gave　it　a　squeeze。　He　led　her　down　into　the　surf；　where　the　ice…cold　water　swirled　about　their　feet　Toad　Tarkington　said　to　say　hi。
　〃He　called？〃
　〃Stopped　by　yesterday　afternoon。　He's　going　to　the　Pentagon　too。〃
　〃Oh。〃
　〃If　you　teach　summer　school；　we'll　see　more　of　each　other　this　summer；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　be　together　every　evening　at　the　apartment　in　Washington　as　well　as　every　weekend　here。〃
　Her　hand　gripped　his　fiercely　and　she　turned　to　face　him。
　He　grinned。　〃Monday　morning；　off　I　go；　wearing　my　uniform；　vacation　over…〃
　She　hugged　him　and　her　lips　made　it　impossible　to　continue　to　speak。　Her　hair　played　across　his　cheeks　as　the　ebbing　surf　tugged　at　the　sand　under　him。
　
　3
　
　It　was　almost　9　A。M。　when　the　subway　train…the　Metro…ground　to　a　halt　at　the　Pentagon　station。　Jake　Grafton　joined　the　civilian　and　military　personnel　exiting　and　followed　the　thin　crowd　along　the　platform。　Rush　hour　for　all　23。000　people　who　worked　in　this　sprawling　five…story　building　was　long　over。　The　little　handful　that　Jake　acpanied　seemed　to　foe　made　up　of　stragglers　and　visiting　civilians。
　Just　ahead　of　Jake　a　man　and　a　woman　in　casual　clothes　led　two　small　children。　When　they　came　to　the　long　escalator；　the　kids　squealed　joyfully　and　started　to　run　up　the　moving　stair。　Each　parent　grabbed　a　small　arm；　then　a　hand。
　The　sloping　staircase　was　poorly　lighted。　As　he　looked　at　the　dim　lights；　Jake　noticed　the　plaster　on　the　ceiling　was　peeling　away　on　spots。
　At　the　head　of　the　escalator　two　corridors　led　in；　one　from　either　one；　and　more　people　joined　the　procession；　which　trudged　ever　upward　on　long；　wide　staircase　toward　the　lights　above。
　At　the　head　of　the　stair　was　a　large　hall；　and　the　abeam　of　people　walked　up；　some　heading　for　the　main　entrance；　some　moving　cautiously　toward　the　visitors'　tour　area。　The　couple　that　Jake　had　followed　led　their　progeny　in　that　direction　with　an　admonition　to　behave。　Jake　approached　the　two　Department　of　Defense　policemen　scrutinizing　passes　at　the　security　booth。　〃I　have　an　appointment　with　Vice　Admiral　Henry。〃
　〃Do　you　have　a　building　pass；　sir？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Use　those　phones　right　over　there〃…he　pointed　at　telephones　by　the　tour　windows…〃and　someone　will　e　down　to　escort　you。〃
　〃Thanks。〃　Jake　called　and　a　yeoman　answered。　Five　minutes；　the　yeoman　said。
　Jake　stood　and　watched　the　people。　Men　and　women　wearing　the　uniforms　of　all　four　services　came　and　went；　most　walking　quickly；　carrying　briefcases；　folders；　gym　bags　and　small　brown　paper　bags　that　must　have　contained　their　lunches。　People　leaving　the　interior　of　the　building　walked　by　the　security　desk　without　a　glance　from　the　two　armed　DOD　policemen。
　〃Captain　Grafton？〃
　A　small　black　woman　in　civilian　clothes　stood　at　his　elbow。　〃Yes？〃　he　said。
　〃I'm　your　escort。〃　She　smiled　and　flashed　her　pass　at　the　guards　and　motioned　Jake　toward　the　metal　detector　that　stood　to　the　left　of　the　security　booth。　He　walked　through　it；　nothing　beeped；　and　the　woman　led　him　through　the　open　doors　into　another　huge　hallway；　this　one　lined　with　shops。　Directly　across　from　the　entrance　was　a　large　gedunk…a　store　selling　snacks；　magazines　and　other　sundries。
　〃I　was　expecting　a　yeoman。〃
　〃The　phone　started　ringing　and　he　sent　me　down。〃
　As　she　led　him　along　the　corridor；　he　asked；　〃How　long　did　it　take　you　to　learn　your　way　around　in　here？〃
　〃Oh；　I'm　still　learning…I've　only　been　here　five　years。　It's　confusing　at　times。〃
　They　went　up　a　long　ramp　that　opened　onto　the　A…Ring；　the　central　corridor　that　overlooked　the　five…acre　interior　courtyard。　As　they　proceeded　around　the　ring；　Jake　glanced　through　the　windows　at　the　grass　and　huge　trees　and　the　snack　bar　in　the　center。
　〃Have　you　ever　been　here　before？〃　she　asked。
　〃Nope；〃　said　Jake　Grafton。　〃I've　always　managed　to　avoid　it。〃
　After　she　had　gone　what　seemed　like　a　hundred　yards　or　so；　she　turned　right　and　ascended　a　staircase　with　a　ninety…degree　bend　in　it　and　at　the　top　turned　right。　They　were　still　on　the　A…Ring；　but　on　the　fourth　level。　After　another　fifty　feet　she　veered　left　down　a　corridor；　then　right　onto　another　corridor　that　zagged　away　at　an　angle。　〃Now　we're　walking　back　toward　the　outside　of　the　building；〃　she　said。　〃There　are　five　concentric　rings　in　the　Pentagon。　The　inner　is　the　A…Ring；　and　next　is　B；　and　so　forth；　with　the　outer　being　E。　They　are　connected　by　ten　radial　corridors　like　the　spokes　of　a　wagon　wheel。　It's　supposed　to　be　efficient　but　it　does　confuse　newers。〃　She　grinned。
　This　corridor　had　little　to　mend　it。　It　was　lit　by　fluorescent　lights；　and　over　half　the　tubes　were　dark。　The　walls　were　bare。　Not　a　picture　or　a　poster。　Dusty；　tied…down　furniture　was　stacked　along　one　wall。　It　looked　as　if　it　had　been　there　since　the　Elsenhower　administration。　Catching　Jake's　glance；　the　guide　said；　〃It's　been　there　for　three　months。　Some　of　the　offices　got　new　furniture。　This　is　the　old　stuff。〃　The　piles　were　posed　of　sofas　and　chairs　and　scarred　and　battered　metal…gray　desks。　〃These　places　on　the　ceiling　where　the　plywood　is？〃　Jake　looked。　The　plaster　was　falling　off　from　water　seepage　from　the　roof　and　asbestos　was　being　released。
　At　the　end　of　the　corridor　stood　a　magnificent　large　painting　of　Admiral　Dewey's　flagship；　Olympia；　entering　Manila　Bay。　Spots　illuminated　it。　The　guide　turned　right　and　Jake　followed。　The　overhead　blue　mantel　proclaimed：　〃Naval　Aviation。〃　Here　the　hallway　was　well　lit；　painted　a　yellowish　pastel　and　decorated　with　pictures　of　past　and　present　naval　and　marine　aircraft。　This　straight　stretch　was　long；　a　third　as　long　as　the　outside；　of　the　building。　Almost　at　the　end；　his　guide　turned　left　into　a　large　office。　The　sign　over　the　door　said：　〃Assistant；　Chief　of　Naval　Operations；　Air　Warfare。〃　Beside　the　door　was　a　blue　sign　that　read：　〃OP…05。〃　This　was　the　office　of　the　senior　U。S。　Naval　Aviator；　Mr。　Naval　Aviation。
　The　room　was　large　and　contained　numerous　windows　facing　south　across　the　huge　parking　lot　toward　Arlington。　Wooden　desks；　blue　drapes；　wainscoting　on　the　walls。
　A　mander　greeted　Jake。　〃I'm　a　little　early；〃　Jake　said；　glancing　at　his　watch。
　〃I'