scoonts.theminotaur-第97章

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　〃I　told　him　about　the　mander's　troubles；〃　Camacho　replied。
　〃You　told　him？〃　The　admiral's　eyes　widened。　〃Good　God！　Who　are　you　working　for；　anyway？〃
　〃I'm　on　your　side；　Admiral。〃
　〃Hallelujah！　I　hate　to　think　of　the　mess　we'd　be　in　if　you　weren't。〃
　〃Why　my　wife？〃　Jake　asked。
　〃You'd　been　given　guardianship　of　the　holy　grail；　Athena。　You；　a　captain。　Smoke　Judy　worked　for　you。　Admiral　Henry　knew　Judy　was　a　bad　apple；　and　he　knew　I　knew。〃
　〃It's　a　wonder　he　slept　nights。〃　Dunedin　muttered。
　〃Are　you　saying　he　didn't　trust　me？〃　Jake　said　doggedly。
　〃Tyler　Henry　didn't　trust　anyone。　He　didn't　just　cut　the　cards；　he　insisted　on　shuffling　every　time。　But　I　don't　think　it　was　you　he　was　really　worried　about。　It　was　me。　He　didn't　want　you　corrupted　by　me。〃
　〃Say　again？〃
　〃He　thought　I　might　recruit　you；　so　he　was　looking　for　clues　in　the　only　place　he　could。〃　Camacho　stood。　Dreyfus　got　to　his　feet　a　second　later。　〃Gentlemen；　that's　the　crop。　That's　all　you　get。〃
　〃Not　so　fast；　Camacho；〃　the　admiral　said；　pointing　toward　the　chairs。　〃You　can　hike　when　I　finish　this　interview。　I　have　a　few　more　questions　to　ask；　and　so　you　sit　right　there　and　I'll　do　the　asking。〃
　Camacho　obeyed。　Dreyfus　remained　erect。　〃You　can　wait　outside；〃　the　admiral　said。
　〃He　can　stay；〃　Camacho　said。　Dreyfus　sat。
　〃Who　approved　this　operation？〃
　〃My　superiors。〃
　〃Who　are？〃
　〃The　Assistant　Director　and　the　Director。　And　the　mittee。〃
　〃What　I　want　to　know　is　this：　who　gave　you　the　green　light　to　screw　around　with　the　U。S。　Navy？　As　if　we　didn't　have　enough　troubles。〃
　〃My　superiors。〃
　〃I　want　names；　mister！　I　want　to　know　the　names　of　the　idiots　who　authorized　a　covert　operation　that　resulted　in　the　death　of　a　vice　admiral　and　jeopardized　congressional　approval　of　the　A…12。　I　want　some　ass！　The　CNO　is　going　to　want　blood。　George　Ludlow；　Royce　Caplinger；　if　they　don't　know　about　this…〃
　〃Ask　them。　Any　more　questions？〃
　〃Ludlow？　Caplinger？　They　knew？〃
　〃The　people　who　have　to　know；　know。　You　said　those　names；　I　didn't。　Now　if　you　will　excuse　me；　I've　said　all　I　can　say　and　I　have　work　to　do。〃　Dreyfus　reached　the　door　before　Camacho　got　pletely　out　of　his　chair。
　〃The　FBI　Director　better　be　there　pouring　oil　on　the　water　when　I　get　to　those　hearings；　Camacho；〃　Jake　said。
　〃And　if　he　isn't？〃　Dreyfus　asked　with　exaggerated　politeness。
　〃Then　you'd　better　be　there　with　a　warrant　if　you　want　me　to　keep　quiet。　I　have　this　nasty　little　habit　of　answering　questions　by　telling　the　truth。〃
　Camacho　just　nodded　and　strolled　for　the　door；　which　Dreyfus　opened　and　held。　〃Thank　you　both；〃　he　told　the　naval　officers；　then　stepped　through。
　When　the　door　was　shut　behind　them；　Dunedin　said；　〃Too　bad　we　don't　know　any　truth　to　answer　questions　with。〃
　〃We　know　a　little。〃
　〃You've　still　got　a　lot　to　learn；　Jake。　Truth　isn't　something　you　can　extrapolate　from　a　tiny　piece。　And　believe　me；　those　two　have　given　us　the　tiniest　piece　they　could。　If　it　was　a　piece　of　the　truth　at　all；　which　is　debatable。〃
　
　On　Monday　morning　Jake　signed　his　report；　which　remended　the　TRX　prototype　as　the　plane　the　navy　should　buy；　and　hand…carried　it　to　Admiral　Dunedin's　office。　The　admiral　flipped　through　it　to　see　that　the　changes　he　wanted　were　made；　then　he　signed　the　prepared　endorsement。　From　there　Jake　carried　it　over　to　the　program　coordinator's　office。　mander　Rob　Knight　was　tapping　a　letter　on　his　word　processor　when　Jake　came　in。
　〃This　is　it；　huh？〃
　〃Yep。〃　Jake　pulled　up　a　chair。　Knight　reviewed　the　changes；　then　signed　the　routing　slip。　〃Congratulations。　Another　milestone　passed。〃
　〃Think　we'll　get　this　plane？〃
　〃Looks　good。　Looks　good。〃　Knight　grinned。　He　spent　a　large　portion　of　his　time　talking　to　congressional　staffers　on　behalf　of　the　CNO's　office。　〃They　know　we　need　it。　They　know　it's　a　good　buy。　The　only　really　iffy　thing　is　the　choice　of　prototypes。　Duquesne　knows　this　is　ing　and　he's　loading　his　guns。〃
　〃What's　he　going　to　e　at　me　with？〃
　〃I'll　know　more　by　tomorrow。　I'll　be　over　at　nine　with　a　guy　from　the　Office　of　Legislative　Affairs　to　brief　you　on　expected　questions；　suggested　answers；　how　to　keep　your　cool…all　the　good　stuff。　You'll　be　testifying　with　Admiral　Dunedin　and　he'll　go　first。　But　you're　the　guy　they'll　try　to　rip。　You　originated　the　remendation。　If　they　can　get　you　to　admit　you're　an　inpetent；　lying　idiot；　then　Dunedin；　CNO；　SECNAV；　SECDEF；　they　all　have　to　reconsider。　So　wear　your　steel　underwear。〃
　Jake's　next　stop　was　CNO's　office。　He　had　to　talk　to　the　executive　assistant…the　EA…and　wait　an　hour；　but　with　the　CNO's　blessing　on　his　document；　he　walked　it　down　to　the　Secretary　of　the　Navy's　office。　After　the　obligatory　half　hour　wait　while　the　EA　reviewed　the　document；　Ludlow　invited　him　in。
　〃How　close　is　this　to　the　draft　I　saw？〃
　〃Pretty　close；　sir。　Vice　Admiral　Dunedin　and　CNO　wanted　some　changes；　and　they're　incorporated。〃
　〃Are　you　prepared　to　defend　this　report　on　the　Hill？〃
　〃Yessir。〃
　Ludlow　quizzed　him　for　an　hour　on　the　technical　aspects　of　the　report。　Apparently　satisfied；　he　acpanied　Jake　to　the　door。　〃Just　don't　get　cute　with　the　elected　ones。　Be　open；　aboveboard；　a　good　little　sailor。〃
　
　Smoke　Judy　changed　into　his　running　clothes　and　stowed　ha　rags　behind　a　Dumpster　in　a　Georgetown　alley。　God；　he　smelled　ripe。　But　what　the　hell…they　sold　this　stink　in　a　bottle　now；　didn't　they？　He　would　probably　have　women　crawling　all　over　him。　Everyone　would　think　he　just　ran　five　miles　and　dropped　by　for　a　tall；　cool　Perrier。　Just　as　trendy　as　a　pair　of　Gucci　shoes。
　He　walked　the　four　blocks　to　the　bar　carrying　the　gym　bag　in　his　right　hand。　The　place　was　packed；　just　like　last　week。　If　anyone　noticed　his　aroma；　they　didn't　show　it。
　He　made　his　way　through　the　crowd　and　into　the　men's　room；　where　he　washed　his　face　and　neck　and　arms　as　thoroughly　as　possible。　He　even　used　a　paper　towel　on　his　armpits　without　taking　his　shirt　off。
　Whew！　He　felt　better。
　He　stepped　out　of　the　men's　room　and　stood　looking。　A　two…person　booth　opened　up　at　the　back　of　the　room；　so　he　immediately　slipped　into　it。　Holding　the　gym　bag　under　the　table；　he　extracted　the　pistol　from　the　bag　and　laid　it　on　his　lap。
　The　waitress　didn't　give　his　four…day　beard　a　second　glance。　〃Gimme　a　Bud。〃
　He　drank　the　first　one　quickly；　then　nursed　the　second。　Twenty　minutes　passed；　then　thirty。
　What　if　Albright　doesn't　show？
　Judy　got　a　sick　feeling　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　The　beer　felt　like　it　was　going　to　e　up。　He　stared　at　the　door；　scrutinizing　every　face。
　When　Albright　came　in；　Judy　almost　shouted。
　He　walked　the　length　of　the　room　and　sat　into　the　booth。　Only　then　did　Judy　realize　his　hands　were　empty。
　〃Jesus；〃　Albright　said。　〃You　look　bad。〃
　〃Had　a　little　trouble。〃
　〃I　guess　you　did。　I　read　about　it。　Dealing；　are　you？〃
　〃A　crock。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Albright　ordered　a　Corona。　He　sat　looking　around。
　〃Where'd　you　spend　the　weekend？〃
　〃In　an　alley。〃
　〃Smart。〃
　〃They　haven't　caught　me　yet。〃
　〃You　wired？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Are　you　wearing　a　wire？〃
　〃Hell　no。　Where's　the　fucking　money？〃
　〃You　got　it？〃
　〃Yeah；　right　here。　You　wanta　see　it？〃
　〃Okay。　Show　me。〃
　Judy　passed　him　the　gym　bag。　〃The　side　pocket。　Look　but　don't　take　it　out。〃　Albright　did　as　requested。
　〃So；　you　got　it？〃
　〃What's　it　look　like？〃
　〃What　it　looks　like；　my　friend；　is　a　five…and…a…quarter…inch　floppy　disk；　which　could　have　anything　under　the　sun　on　it。　It　could　even　be　empty。　You　didn't　think　I　was　just　going　to　take　it　on　faith　that　you're　an　honorable　gentleman　and　hand　you　all　that　lettuce；　did　you？〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃
　The　Corona　came。　Albright　took　his　time　squeezing　the　lime　slice　and　dropping　it　down　the　neck　of　the　bottle。　〃Your　good　health；〃　he　said；　and　took　a　sip。
　〃Where　is　it？〃
　〃Where　is　what？〃
　〃The　bread；　asshole。〃
　〃Out　in　my　car。〃
　〃You　want　the　disk；　you　go　get　it。〃
　〃I　need　to　see　what's　on　the　disk　first。　What　say　we　both　go　out　there　and　I'll　check　the　disk　on　my　laptop。　I　brought　it　along；　just　in　case。〃
　〃Uh…uh。　No　money；　no　disk。〃
　〃You　make　me　very　suspicious；　my　friend。　Your　refusal　to　e　outside　indicates　there　is　a　very　good　possibility　you　are　wear