cc.iceberg-第21章

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　Sandecker　toyed　with　the　cigar。　〃I　suppose　you　know　what　you're　talking　about；　Major？〃
　〃Hell；　no　。　。　。　sir；〃　Pitt　answered。　〃Without　the　facts；　I'm　guessing。　But　you　and　Hunnewell　didn't　guess。　There　wasn't　the　slightest　doubt　in　your　minds　that　the　derelict　was　the　Lax；　a　ship　that　had　been　listed　as　missing　for　over　a　year。　You　had　absolute　proof。
　
　How　or　where　it　came　from　I　can't　say；　but　you　had　it。〃
　
　Pitts　green　eyes　blazed　into　Sandecker's。　〃At　this　point　my　crystal　ball　gets　foggy。　I　was　surprised；　but　Hunnewell　was　genuinely　stunned　when　we　found　that　the　Lax　was　burned　to　junk。　This　factor　wasn't　in　the　script；　was　it；　Admiral？　In　fact；　everything；　including　your　wellplanned　scheme；　began　to　go　down　the　drain。　Someone　you　didn't　count　on　was　working　against　you。　Someone　with　resources　you　or　whatever　agency　in　our　government　that　is　cooperating　with　you　never　considered。
　〃You　lost　control。　Even　the　Russians　were　thrown　off　the　track。　You're　up　against　a　shrewd　mind；　Admiral。　And　the　message　is　written　in　neon　lights；　this　guy　doesn't　play　for　ice　cream　and　cake　at　birthday　parties。
　
　He　kills　people　like　an　exterminator　kills　tetes。　The　name　of　the　game　as　advertised　is　zirconium。　I　don't　buy　it。　People　might　kill　one　or　two　persons　for　a　fortune；　but　not　in　wholesale　lots。　Hunnewell　was　your　friend　for　many　years；　Admiral；　mine　for　only　a　few　days；　and　I　lost　him。　He　was　my　responsibility　and　I　failed。　His　contributions　to　society　outstrip　anything　I'm　capable　of。　Better　I'd　have　died　on　that　beach'instead　of　him。〃
　
　Sandecker　showed　no　reaction　to　any　of　this。　His　unblinking　eyes　never　left　Pitts　face　as　he　sat　behind　the　desk　thoughtfully　tapping　the　fingers　of　his　right　hand　on　the　glass　top。　Then　he　stood　up；　came　around　the　desk　and　put　his　hands　on　Pitts　shoulders。
　〃Bullshit！〃　he　said　quietly　but　firmly。　〃It　was　a　miracle　you　both　made　it　to　shore。　There　isn't　a　bookmaker　in　the　world　who　would　give　odds　on　an　unarmed　helicopter　knocking　a　machine…gun…toting　jet　out　of　the　sky。　I'm　the　one　to　blame。　I　had　a　hint　of　what　was　going　to　happen　and　I　wasn't　smart　enough　to　read　the　cards。　I　didn't　deal　you　in　on　the　action　because　it　wasn't　necessary。　You　were　the　best　man　I　could　lay　my　hands　on　for　a　tricky　chauffeur　job。　As　soon　as　you　got　Hunnewell　here　to　Reykjavik；　I　was　going　to　put　you　on　the　next　flight　back　to　California。〃　He　paused　to　check　his　watch。　〃There's　an　Air　Force　reconnaissance　jet　leaving　for　Tyler　Field；　New　Jersey；　in　one　hour　and　six　minutes。　You　can　make　connections　for　the　West　Coast　when　you　get　there。〃
　〃No；　thanks；　Admiral。〃　Pitt　rose　from　the　chair　and　walked　to　the　window；　staring　over　the　city's　peaked　and　sun…splashed　roofs。　〃I've　heard　that　Icelandic　women　are　coolly　beautiful。　I'd　like　to　see　for　myself。〃
　〃I　can　make　that　an　order。〃
　〃No　good；　sir。　I　understand　what　you're　trying　to　do；　and　I'm　grateful。　The　first　attempt　on　my　life　and　Hunnewell's　was　only　half　successful。　The　second　was　much　more　elaborate　and　cunning　and　was　reserved　for　me　alone。　The　third　should　be　a　masterpiece。　I'd　like　to　stick　around　and　see　how　it's　going　to　be　staged。〃
　〃Sorry；　Dirk。〃　Sandecker　was　back　on　friendly　terms　again。　〃I'm　not　going　to　throw　your　life　away　with　the　wave　of　a　hand。　Before　I　stand　at　your　graveside；　I'll　have　you　locked　up　and　standing　in　front　of　a　court…martial　for　willful　destruction　of　government　property。〃
　Pitt　smiled。　〃I've　been　meaning　to　talk　to　you　about　service　regulations；　Admiral。〃　He　came　across　the　room　and　casually　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　desk。　〃For　the　past　year　and　a　half；　I　have　faithfully　carried　out　all　directives　issued　from　your　office。　I've　questioned　none　of　them。　However；　the　time　has　e；　the　walk　in；　to　get　a　few　facts　straight。　Number　one：　if　it　was　possible…and　it　isn't…for　you　to　court…martial　me；　I　doubt　if　the　Air　Force　would　take　it　lightly　if　one　of　their　officers　was　tried　by　a　naval　court。　Second；　and　most　important：　NUMA　is　not　the　bridge　of　the　flagship　of　the　fleet。　Therefore；　you　are　not　my　manding　officer。
　〃You　are　simply　my　boss…no　more；　no　less。　If　my　insubordination　infuriates　your　senses　and　naval　traditions；　then　you　have　no　other　choice　but　to　fire　me。　That's　the　way　it　is；　Admiral；　and　we　both　know　it。〃
　
　For　several　seconds　Sandecker　made　no　ment；　but　his　eyes　glinted　with　a　strange　sort　of　amusement。
　
　Then　he　threw　back　his　head　and　began　to　laugh；　a　roaring；　deep　laugh　that　filled　the　room　from　carpet　to　ceiling。　〃God！　If　there　is　anything　worse　than　a　cocky　Dirk　Pitt；　I　hope　it　bees　infected　with　syphilis　and　rots　in　hell。〃　He　returned　to　the　chair　behind　the　desk　and　sat　down；　hands　clasped　behind　his　head。　〃OK；　Dirk；　I'll　put　you　in　at　first　string；　but　you'll　be　required　to　play　straight　ball；　no　fancy　independent　plays。　Agreed？〃
　〃You're　the　boss。〃
　Sandecker　winced　noticeably。　〃Okay；　out　of　respect　for　your　ah　。　。　。　superior；　suppose　you　give　me　the　whole　story　from　the　beginning。　I've　read　the　written　words；　now　I　want　to　hear　it　orally；　direct　from　the　horse's　mouth。〃　He　peered　at　Pitt　with　an　expression　that　dared　argument。　〃Shall　we　mence？〃
　Sandecker　heard　Pitt　out；　then　said：　〃　'God　save　thee；'　that's　what　he　said？〃
　〃That's　all　he　said。　Then　he　was　gone。　I'd　hoped　Dr。　Hunnewell　might　have　offered　me　a　clue　to　the　whereabouts　of　the　Lax　between　the　time　it　vanished　and　the　time　it　became　inbedded　in　the　iceberg；　but　he　volunteered　nothing　except　a　historical　sketch　of　Kristjan　Fyrie　and　a　lecture　on　zirconium。〃
　He　did　as　he　was　told。　I　didn't　want　you　involved　〃That　was　two　days　ago。　Now　I'm　involved　up　to　my　neck。〃　Pitt　leaned　over　the　desk　toward　the　older　man。　〃Let's　have　it；　You　sly　old　fox。　What　in　hell　is　going　on？〃
　Sandecker　grinned。　〃For　your　sake；　I'm　going　to　take　that　as　a　pliment。〃　He　pulled　out　a　bottom　drawer　and　propped　his　feet　on　it。
　〃I　hope　you　know　what　you're　letting　yourself　in　for。〃
　〃I　don't　have　the　vaguest　idea；　but　tell　me　anyway。
　〃All　right　then。〃　Sandecker　leaned　back　in　his　swivel　chair　and　puffed　several　times　on　his　cigar。　〃This　is　what　took　place　as　far　as　it　goes…too　many　pieces　are　missing　for　even　a　fifty　percent　glimpse　at　the　overall　picture。　About　a　year　and　a　half　ago；　Fyrie's　scientists　successfully　designed　and　constructed　a　nuclear　undersea　probe　that　could　identify　fifteen　to　twenty　different　mineral　elements　on　the　ocean　floor。　The　p　e　opera　y　posing　elements　to　neutrons　given　off　by　a　laboratory…produced　element　called　celtinium…279。　When　activated　by　the　neutrons；　the　elements　on　the　ocean's　bottom　gave　off　gamma　rays；　which　were　then　analyzed　and　counted　by　a　tiny　detector　on　the　probe。　During　tests　off　Iceland；　the　probe　detected　and　measured　mineral　samples　of　manganese；　gold；　nickel；　titanium；　and　zirconium…the　zirconium　in　huge　and　unheard…of　amounts。〃
　〃I　think　I　see。　Without　the　probe；　the　zirconium　could　never　be　found　again；〃　Pitt　said　thoughtfully。
　〃The　prize　then　is　not　the　rare　elements；　but　rather　the　probe　itself。〃
　〃Yes；　the　probe　opens　a　vast　and　untapped　frontier　for　undersea　mining。　Whoever　owns　it　won't　control　the　world；　of　course；　but　possession　could　lead　to　a　direct　reshuffling　of　private　financial　empires　and　a　healthy　shot　in　the　arm　for　the　treasury　of　any　country　with　a　continental　shelf　containing　a　rich　storehouse　of　minerals。〃
　
　Pitt　was　silent　for　a　few　moments。　〃God；　is　it　worth　all　the　killing？〃
　
　Sandecker　hesitated。　〃It　depends　upon　how　bad　somebody　wants　it。　There　are　men　who　wouldn't　kill　for　every　cent　in　the　world；　and　there　are　others　who　wouldn't　hesitate　to　slit　a　throat　for　the　price　of　a　meal。〃
　〃In　Washington；　you　informed　me　that　Fyrie　and　his　scientific　team　were　on　their　way　to　the　U。S。　to　open　negotiations　with　our　defense　contractors。　I　take　it　that　was　a　little　white　lie？〃
　Sandecker　smiled。　〃Yes；　that　was　actually　an　understatement。　Fyrie　was　scheduled　to　meet　with　the　President　and　present　him　with　the　probe。〃　He　looked　at　Pitt；　and　then　said　more　Positively：　〃I　was　the　first　One　Fyrie　notified　when　the　tests　on　the　probe　proved　successful。　I　don't　know　what　Hunnewell　told　you　about　Fyrie；　but　he　was　a　visionary　a　gentle　man