cyclops-第41章
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〃I'm sorry； Admiral；〃 said Fawcett； 〃but the President's schedule is airtight。 There is no way I can squeeze you in。〃
〃Get me in；〃 Sandecker demanded through tight lips。
〃Not possible；〃 replied Fawcett firmly。
Sandecker slowly braced his arms and hands sacrilegiously on the paperwork strewn on Fawcett's desk and leaned over until only a few inches separated their noses。
〃You tell the son of a bitch；〃 he snarled； 〃that he just killed three of my best friends。 And unless he gives me a damned good reason why； I'm going to walk out of here； hold a press conference； and reveal enough dirty secrets to scar his precious administration for the rest of his term。 Am I getting through to you； Dan？〃
Fawcett sat there； rising anger unable to overe shock。 〃You'll only destroy your own career。 What would be the sense？〃
〃You're not paying attention。 I'll run it by you again。 The President is responsible for the deaths of three of my dearest friends。 One of them you knew。 His name was Dirk Pitt。 If it wasn't for Pitt； the President would be resting on the bottom of the sea instead of sitting in the White House。 Now； I demand to know for what purpose Pitt died。 And if it costs me my career as chief of NUMA； then you can damn well let it。〃
Sandecker's face was so close that Fawcett could have sworn the admiral's red beard had a life force all its own。 〃Pitt's dead？〃 he said dumbly。 〃I haven't heard=
〃Just tell the President I'm here；〃 Sandecker cut in； his voice turned to steel。 〃He'll see me。〃
The news came so abruptly； so coldly； that Fawcett was startled。 〃I'll inform the President about Pitt；〃 he said slowly。
〃Don't bother。 If I know； he knows。 We're tuned into the same intelligence sources。〃
〃I need time to find out what this is all about；〃 Fawcett said。
〃You don't have time；〃 said Sandecker stonily。 〃The President's nuclear energy bill is ing up for a vote before the Senate tomorrow。 Think what might happen if Senator George Pitt is told the President had a hand in murdering his son。 I don't have to paint you a picture of what will happen when the senator stops throwing his weight in support of presidential policies and starts opposing them。〃
Fawcett was shrewd enough to recognize an ambush looming in the distance。 He pushed himself back from the desk； clasped his hands and stared at them for a few moments。 Then he stood and walked toward the hallway。
〃e with me； Admiral。 The President is in a meeting with Defense Secretary Jess Simmons。 They should be wrapping up about now。〃
Sandecker waited outside the Oval Office while Fawcett entered； pardoned himself； and spoke a few whispered words to the President。 Two minutes later Jess Simmons came out and exchanged a friendly greeting with the admiral； followed by Fawcett； who motioned for him to e in。
The President came from behind his desk and shook Sandecker's hand。 His face was expressionless； his body loose and posed； and his intelligent eyes locked on the hard； burning stare of his visitor。
He turned to Fawcett。 〃Would you please excuse us； Dan？ I'd like to speak with Admiral Sandecker privately。〃
Wordlessly Fawcett stepped out and closed the door behind him。 The President gestured toward a chair and smiled。 〃Why don't we sit down and relax。〃
〃I'd rather stand；〃 Sandecker said flatly。
〃As you wish。〃 The President eased into an overstuffed armchair and crossed his legs。 〃I'm sorry about Pitt and the others；〃 he said without preamble。 〃No one meant for it to happen。〃
〃May I respectfully ask what in hell is going on？〃
〃Tell me something； Admiral。 Would you believe that when I asked for your cooperation in sending out a crew on the blimp it went far beyond a mere hunt for a missing person？〃
〃Only if there was a solid explanation to back you up。〃
〃And would you also believe that besides looking for her husband； Mrs。 LeBaron was part of an elaborate deception to open a direct line of munication between myself and Fidel Castro？〃
Sandecker stared at the President； his anger momentarily placed on hold。 The admiral was not awed in the least by the nation's leader。 He had seen too many Presidents e and go； seen too many of their human frailties。 He could not think of one he'd have set on a pedestal。
〃No； Mr。 President； I can't buy that；〃 he said； his tone sarcastic。 〃If my memory serves me； you have a very capable Secretary of State in Douglas Oates； who is backed by an occasionally efficient State Department。 I'd have to say they're better equipped to municate with Castro through existing diplomatic channels。〃
The President smiled wryly。 〃There are times negotiations between unfriendly countries must deviate from normal standards of statesmanship。 Surely； you must believe that。〃
〃I do。〃
〃You don't involve yourself with politics； matters of state； Washington social parties； cronies or cliques； do you； Admiral？〃
〃That's right。〃
〃But if I gave you an order； you'd obey it。〃
〃Yes； sir； I would；〃 Sandecker replied without hesitation。 〃Unless； of course； it was illegal； immoral； or unconstitutional。〃
The President considered that。 Then he nodded and held out his hand toward a chair。 〃Please； Admiral。 My time is limited； but I'll briefly explain what's going down。〃 He paused until Sandecker was seated。 〃Now then。 。 。
〃Five days ago a highly classified document written by Fidel Castro was smuggled out of Havana to our State Department。 Basically it was a proposal for paving the way for positive and constructive relations between Cuba and America。〃
〃What's so startling about that？〃 Sandecker asked。 〃He's been angling for closer ties since President Reagan kicked his ass out of Grenada。〃
〃True；〃 the President acknowledged。 〃Until now the only agreement we've reached over the bargaining table was a deal raising immigration quotas for dissident Cubans ing to America。 This new stance； however； went way beyond。 Castro wants our help in throwing off the Russian yoke。〃
Sandecker looked at him； skeptical。 〃Castro's hatred of the U。S。 is an obsession。 Why； hell； he still holds rehearsals for an invasion。 The Russians aren't about to be shoved out。 Cuba represents their only toehold in the Western Hemisphere。 Even if they suffered from a moment of madness and yanked their support； the island would sink in an economic quagmire。 Cuba can't possibly stand on its own feet； it doesn't have the resources。 I wouldn't buy Fidel's act if Christ himself applauded。〃
〃The man is mercurial；〃 admitted the President。 〃But don't underestimate his intentions。 The Soviets are buried in their own economic quagmire。 The Kremlin's paranoia against the outside world has driven their military budget to astronomical heights they can no longer afford。 Their citizens' standard of living is the worst of any industrialized nation。 Their agricultural harvests； industrial goals； and oil exports have all fallen into the cellar。 They've lost the means to continue pumping massive aid to the Eastern bloc countries。 And in Cuba's situation； the Russians have reached a point where they're demanding more while supplying less。 The days of the billion…dollar aid grants； soft loans； and cheap arms supplies have passed。 The free ride is over。〃
Sandecker shook his head。 〃Still； if I were in Castro's shoes； I'd consider it a bad trade。 There is no way Congress would vote billions of dollars to subsidize Cuba； and the island's twelve million people could barely exist without imported goods。〃
The President glanced at the clock on the mantel。 〃I've only got another couple of minutes。 Anyway； Castro's greatest fear doesn't e from economic chaos or a counterrevolution。 It es from the slow； steady creep of Soviet influence into every corner of his government。 The people from Moscow chip off a little here； steal a little there； waiting patiently to make the right moves until they can dominate the government and control the country's resources。 Only now has Castro awakened to the fact that his friends in the Kremlin are attempting to steal the country out from under him。 His brother； Raul； was stunned when he became alerted to the heavy infiltration of his officer corps by fell
