cussler.blueandgold-第71章

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　possible。〃
　
　〃You　know　the　results；〃　Francesca　said　levelly。　〃You're　talking　about　turning　much　of　the　world　into　desert。　The　consequences　would　be　terrible。〃
　
　〃Terrible　for　some；　but　not　those　who　control　the　world's　water。　We　could　get　any　price　we　ask。〃
　
　〃From　desperate　people。　You　would　soon　be　exposed　as　the　monster　you　are。〃　
　
　　〃To　the　contrary。　Gogstad　will　say　that　we　are　ready　to　move　water　from　Alaska；　British　Columbia；　and　the　Great　Lakes　to　other　parts　of　the　world　in　the　tanker　fleet　I　have　been　building。　When　Gogstad's　beautiful　tankers　appear　off　the　coast　we　will　be　hailed　as　heroes。〃
　
　〃You're　already　apparently　rich　beyond　the　dreams　of　many。　Why　do　you　need　more　wealth？〃
　
　〃This　could　benefit　the　world　in　the　long　run。　I　will　prevent　wars　from　being　fought　over　water。〃
　
　〃Apax　Gogstad；　imposed　by　force。〃
　
　〃Force　will　not　be　necessary。　I　will　reward　those　who　bend　to　my　will；　punish　those　who　don't。〃
　
　〃By　letting　them　wither　and　die。〃
　
　〃If　that's　necessary；　yes。　You　must　wonder　where　your　desalination　process　fits　in。〃
　
　〃I　assume　you　would　never　allow　it　to　spoil　your　mad　plot。〃
　
　〃To　the　contrary；　your　process　is　an　important　part　of　my　scheme。　I　don't　intend　to　keep　my　tankers　at　sea　forever。　They　are　only　a　stopgap　measure　while　the　world　builds　the　fantastic　infrastructure　that　will　run　water　down　from　the　polar　ice　cap。　Vast　agricultural　areas　that　have　gone　to　desert　will　have　to　be　invigorated　with　huge…scale　irrigation。〃
　
　〃No　country　could　afford　that。　Whole　nations　will　go　bankrupt。〃
　
　'~11　the　better　to　snatch　them　up　at　a　fire　sale。　Eventually　I　will　build　desalting　plants　using　the　Cabral　process；　but　I　alone　will　control　their　output。〃
　
　〃Again　to　the　highest　bidder。〃
　
　〃Of　course。　Now　let　me　present　my　new　offer。　I　will　place　you　in　a　lab　with　everything　you　need　at　your　mand。〃
　
　〃If　I　say　no？〃
　
　〃Then　I　will　turn　your　NUMA　friend　over　to　the　Kradzik　brothers。　She　will　not　die　quickly　or　pleasantly。〃
　
　〃She's　an　innocent。　She　has　no　part　in　this。〃
　
　〃Nonetheless　she　is　a　nail　that　must　be　hammered　down　if　necessary。〃　
　
　　Francesca　was　silent　for　a　moment。　Then　she　said；　〃How　do　I　know　I　can　trust　you？〃
　
　〃You　can't　trust　me；　Dr。　Cabral。　You　should　know　that　you　can　never　trust　anyone。　But　you　are　intelligent　enough　to　see　that　you　are　far　more　valuable　to　me　than　your　friend's　life　and　that　I　am　willing　to　trade。　As　long　as　you　cooperate；　she　lives。　Do　you　agree？〃
　
　This　woman　and　the　deeds　hatched　in　the　dark　recesses　of　her　brilliant　mind　revolted　Francesca。　Brynhild　was　obviously　a　megalomaniac　and；　like　so　many　of　her　ruthless　predecessors；　was　impervious　to　the　sufferings　of　the　innocent。　Francesca　had　not　survived　ten　years　among　savage　headhunters；　blood…sucking　bats；　and　stinging　insects　and　plants　without　inner　resources。　She　could　be　as　Machiavellian　as　the　most　devious。　Living　in　the　jungle　had　given　her　the　quiet　ferocity　of　a　stalking　jaguar。　Since　her　escape　she　had　been　consumed　with　the　desire　for　revenge。　She　knew　it　was　wrong　and　misplaced；　but　it　sustained　and　helped　maintain　her　grip　on　her　sanity。　She　pushed　her　thirst　for　vengeance　aside　for　the　moment。　This　woman　must　be　stopped。
　
　Suppressing　a　smile；　she　bowed　her　head　in　submission　and　with　a　feigned　catch　in　her　voice　said；　〃You　win。　I　will　help　in　developing　the　process。〃
　
　'Agreed。　I'll　show　you　the　facility　you'll　be　working　in。　You'll　be　quite　impressed。〃
　
　〃I　want　to　talk　to　Gamay　to　make　sure　she　is　all　right。〃
　
　Brynhild　punched　a　button　on　the　inter。　Two　men　in　dark　green　uniforms　appeared。　Francesca　was　relieved　to　see　that　they　were　not　the　Kradziks。
　
　〃Take　Dr。　Cabral　to　see　our　other　guest；〃　Brynhild　ordered。　〃Then　bring　her　back　to　me。〃　She　turned　to　Francesca。　〃You　have　ten　minutes。　I　want　you　to　get　to　work　immediately。〃
　
　Flanked　by　the　guards；　Francesca　was　led　through　a　labyrinth　of　passageways　to　an　elevator　that　dropped　several　levels。　They　stopped　in　front　of　an　unmarked　door　opened　by　punching　out　the　code　on　a　keypad。　The　guards　stood　outside　while　Francesca　entered　the　small　windowless　room。　Gamay　was　sitting　on　the　edge　of　her　cot。　She　looked　groggy；　like　a　fighter　who　has　taken　one　too　many　punches。　She　brightened　and　smiled　when　she　saw　Francesca。　She　tried　to　rise；　but　her　legs　buckled　and　she　had　to　sit　again。
　
　Francesca　sat　on　the　cot　and　put　her　arm　around　her　friend's　shoulders。　'Are　you　all　right？〃
　
　Gamay　brushed　her　straggly　hair　aside。　〃My　legs　are　wobbly；　but　I'll　be　fine。　What　about　you？〃
　
　〃They　gave　me　a　stimulant。　I've　been　awake　for　some　time。　Your　drugs　will　wear　off　soon。〃
　
　〃Did　anyone　mention　what　happened　to　Paul？　He　was　up　stairs　when　the　kidnappers　broke　in。〃
　
　Francesca　shook　her　head。　Putting　aside　her　worst　fears；　Gamay　said；　〃Do　you　have　any　idea　where　we　are？〃
　
　〃No。　Our　host　didn't　tell　us。〃
　
　〃You　mean　you've　spoken　to　someone　I　can　thank　for　these　glorious　acmodations？〃
　
　〃Her　name　is　Brynhild　Sigurd。　Those　were　her　men　who　kid　napped　us。〃
　
　Gamay　started　to　reply；　but　Francesca　pursed　her　lips　and　shifted　her　eyes　from　left　to　right。　Gamay　caught　the　hint。　They　were　being　bugged　and　probably　watched。
　
　〃I　only　have　a　few　minutes。　I　just　wanted　you　to　know　I've　agreed　to　work　with　Ms。　Sigurd　on　my　desalting　process。　We'll　have　to　stay　here　until　the　project　is　plete。　I　don't　know　how　long　it　will　take。〃
　
　〃You're　going　to　work　with　the　person　who　kidnapped　us？〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　Francesca　replied　with　a　stubborn　tilt　of　her　chin。　〃I　wasted　ten　years　of　my　life　in　the　jungle。　There's　a　great　deal　of　money　to　be　made；　but　beyond　that　I　believe　Gogstad　has　the　best　chance　of　bringing　my　process　to　the　world　in　an　orderly　and　controlled　fashion。〃
　
　〃Are　you　sure　this　is　what　you　want　to　do？〃
　
　〃Yes；　I'm　absolutely　sure；〃　she　said。
　
　The　door　slid　open；　and　one　of　the　guards　motioned　for　Francesca　to　leave。　She　nodded；　then　leaned　over　and　gave
　Gamay　a　hug。　Then　she　stood　quickly　and　went　off　with　the　guards。　Alone　once　more；　Gamay　pondered　what　had　just　happened。　As　their　eyes　met　briefly；　Francesca　had　winked。　There　was　no　mistake　about　it。　Gamay　was　pleased　to　think　there　was　more　to　Francesca's　startling　announcement　that　she　was　working　for　the　enemy；　but　there　were　more　immediate　concerns。　She　lay　back　on　her　cot　and　closed　her　eyes。　Her　first　priority　was　to　give　her　body　and　brain　a　rest。　Then　she　would　try　to　figure　out　how　to　escape。
　
　Chapter　35
　The　man　floated　high　above　the　cobalt…blue　waters　of　Lake　Tahoe；　suspended　from　the　parasail　under　a　red…and…white　canopy　that　billowed　over　his　head　like　an　old…fashioned　round　parachute。　He　sat　in　a　reclining　Skyrider　chair　attached　by　a　towline　to　the　moving　winch　boat　two　hundred　feet　below。
　
　The　rider　clicked　on　his　handheld　radio。　〃Let's　go　around　for　one　more　pass；　Joe。〃
　
　Zavala；　who　was　at　the　wheel　of　the　boat；　waved　to　show　that　he　had　heard　Austin's　instruction。　He　put　the　ParaNautique　winch　boat　into　a　big；　slow　turn　that　would　take　them　back　along　the　lake's　California　side。
　
　The　maneuver　gave　Austin　a　sweeping　view　of　the　lake。　Lake　Tahoe　is　on　the　California…Nevada　border　in　the　Sierra　Nevada　about　twenty…three　miles　southwest　of　Reno。　Ringed　by　rugged　mountains　that　are　covered　with　snow　in　the　winter；　Tahoe　is　the　largest　alpine　lake　in　the　United　States。　It　is　more　than　a　mile　high；　more　than　sixteen　hundred　feet　deep。　The　lake　is　twenty　two　miles　long　and　about　a　dozen　miles　wide　and　lies　in　a　fault　basin　created　by　ancient　forces　deep　in　the　earth。　Two…thirds　of　its　two…hundred…square…mile　area　is　in　California。　At　the　north　end　it　empties　into　the　Truckee　River。　At　the　south　end　a　river　of　money　empties　into　the　coffers　of　the　high…rise　gambling　casinos　at　Stateline。　The　first　white　man　to　discover　the　lake　was　John　C。　
　Freemont　who　was　on　a　surveying　mission。　To　English　speakers　the　Washoe　Indian　name　for　the　lake；　Da…ow；　which　means　〃much　water；〃　sounded　like　Tahoe；　and　the　pronunciation　stuck。
　
　As　the　parasail　brought　Austin　around　in　a　wide　arc