cc.floodtide-第112章

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mmigrants　and　goods　throughout　middle　America　and　the　eastern　states。〃
　Qian　Miang　gazed　at　Qin　Shang　queerly。　〃Unfortunately；　Internal　Affairs　Minister　Yin　Tsang　died　an　untimely　death。〃
　〃A　great　tragedy；〃　Qin　Shang　said　with　a　straight　face。
　〃A　new　directive　has　been　approved；　one　that　places　our　priorities　along　the　West　Coast　for　the　purchase　of　existing　facilities；　such　as　our　acquisitions　of　the　United　States　naval　bases　in　Seattle　and　San　Diego。〃
　〃The　new　directive？〃
　Qian　Miang　paused　before　answering　to　taste　a　stew　called　curried　beef。　〃President　Lin　Loyang　has　given　Project　Pacifica　his　total　blessing；〃　Qian　Miang　answered。
　〃Project　Pacifica？　I　have　not　been　informed　of　it。〃
　〃Because　of　your　recent　difficulties　with　the　Americans；　all　concerned　thought　it　best　if　you　not　be　involved。〃
　〃Can　you　tell　me　its　purpose；　or　do　our　nation's　leaders　feel　I　am　no　longer　worthy　of　their　trust？〃
　〃Not　at　all；〃　replied　Qian　Miang。　〃You　are　still　held　in　high　esteem。　Project　Pacifica　is　a　long…range　plan　to　split　the　United　States　into　three　countries。〃
　Qin　Shang　looked　puzzled。　〃Forgive　me；　but　I　find　that　nothing　more　than　an　outlandish　fantasy。〃
　〃Not　fantasy；　old　friend；　but　a　certainty。　Pacifica　may　not　bee　a　reality　in　our　lifetimes；　but　with　the　migration　over　the　next　forty　to　fifty　years　of　millions　of　our　countrymen；　respected　geographic　scientists　are　predicting　a　new　Pacific…rim　nation　stretching　from　Alaska　to　San　Francisco。〃
　〃The　United　States　went　to　war　in　eighteen　sixty…one　to　prevent　the　Confederacy　from　secession。　They　could　easily　do　it　again　to　keep　their　house　united。〃
　〃Not　if　the　central　government　was　struck　from　two　sides　instead　of　one。　What　may　even　e　earlier　than　Pacifica；〃　Qian　Miang　explained；　〃is　Hispania；　another　new　nation　of　Spanish…speaking　people　that　will　spread　from　Southern　California　across　Arizona；　New　Mexico　and　the　lower　half　of　Texas。〃
　〃I　find　it　all　but　impossible　to　think　of　the　United　States　divided　into　three　sovereign　nations；〃　said　Qin　Shang。
　〃Look　how　the　borders　of　Europe　have　changed　in　the　past　hundred　years。　The　United　States　can　no　more　remain　united　for　eternity　than　the　Roman　Empire。　And　the　beauty　of　Project　Pacifica　is　that　when　it　es　to　pass；　the　People's　Republic　of　China　will　have　the　power　to　control　the　entire　economy　of　the　countries　surrounding　the　Pacific　Ocean；　including　Taiwan　and　Japan。〃
　〃As　a　loyal　citizen　of　my　country；〃　said　Qin　Shang；　〃I　would　like　to　think　I　helped　in　some　small　way　to　make　it　a　reality。〃
　〃You　have；　my　friend；　you　have；〃　Qian　Miang　assured　him。　〃But　first；　you　must　leave　the　country　by　no　later　than　two　o'clock　this　afternoon。　That's　when；　according　to　my　sources　at　the　Justice　Department；　you　will　be　taken　into　custody。〃
　〃And　accused　of　murder？〃
　〃No；　willful　destruction　of　federal　property。〃
　〃It　sounds　rather　mundane。〃
　〃Only　the　first　tier　of　the　government's　case。　The　murder　conspiracy　at　Orion　Lake　es　later。　They　also　intend　to　indict　you　for　the　smuggling　of　illegal　immigrants；　guns　and　drugs。〃
　〃I　imagine　the　news　media　must　be　gathering　like　locusts。〃
　〃Make　no　mistake；〃　said　Qian　Miang；　〃the　fallout　will　be　great。　But　if　you　quietly　disappear　and　keep　a　low　profile　while　conducting　business　from　your　offices　in　Hong　Kong；　I　believe　we　can　weather　the　storm。　Congress　and　the　White　House　are　not　about　to　throw　a　shroud　over　relations　between　our　two　governments　because　of　the　acts　of　one　man。　We　will；　of　course；　deny　all　knowledge　of　your　activities　while　our　Information　Ministry　creates　a　flood　of　misleading　information　by　throwing　all　blame　on　Taiwanese　capitalists。〃
　〃Then　I　am　not　to　be　thrown　to　the　dogs。〃
　〃You　will　be　protected。　The　Justice　Department　and　State　Department　will　demand　your　extradition；　but　you　can　rest　assured　it　will　never　happen；　certainly　not　to　a　man　of　your　wealth　and　power。　You　have　many　years　of　service　to　the　People's　Republic　left。　I　speak　for　our　countrymen　when　I　say　that　we　do　not　want　to　lose　you。〃
　〃I　am　honored；〃　Qin　Shang　said　solemnly。　〃Then　this　is　good…bye。〃
　〃Until　we　meet　in　our　homeland；〃　said　Qian　Miang。　〃By　the　way；　how　did　you　find　the　date　pancakes？〃
　〃Please　tell　the　chef　that　he　should　use　sweet　rice　flour　instead　of　cornstarch。〃
　The　Boeing　737　soared　through　a　cloudless　sapphire　sky　and　made　a　sweeping　bank　to　the　west　as　it　passed　over　the　Mississippi　Delta。　The　pilot　glanced　out　his　side　window　and　down　at　the　marshlands　of　Plaquemines　Parish。　Five　short　minutes　later；　the　aircraft　crossed　over　the　green…brown　waters　of　the　Mississippi　River　at　the　little　town　of　Myrtle　Grove。　At　the　instructions　of　his　employer；　the　pilot　had　flown　in　a　southwesterly　direction　from　Washington　to　Louisiana　before　turning　due　west　on　a　course　that　would　take　the　plane　over　Sungari。
　
　Qin　Shang　sat　in　a　fortable　chair　in　his　luxurious　private　jet　and　stared　through　the　view　port　as　the　golden　pyramids　of　his　dockside　warehouses　and　administration　buildings　grew　on　the　horizon。　The　afternoon　sun's　rays　flashed　off　the　gold　galvanized　walls　with　blinding　intensity；　causing　the　precise　effect　Qin　Shang　had　demanded　from　his　architects　and　construction　pany。
　
　At　first；　he　tried　to　put　the　port　from　his　mind。　It　was；　after　all；　merely　an　investment　gone　bad。　But　Qin　Shang　had　poured　too　much　of　himself　into　the　project。　The　finest；　most　modern　and　efficient　shipping　port　in　the　world；　lying　desolate　and　seemingly　abandoned；　haunted　him。　He　gazed　down　and　saw　no　ships　at　the　docks。　All　Qin　Shang　Maritime　ships　arriving　in　the　Gulf　from　overseas　had　been　diverted　to　Tampico；　Mexico。
　
　He　picked　up　the　phone　to　the　cockpit　and　ordered　the　pilot　to　make　a　circle　over　the　port。　He　pressed　his　face　against　the　window　as　the　pilot　banked　to　give　him　a　good　view。　After　a　few　moments　Qin　Shang's　mind　began　to　drift；　and　he　gazed　without　really　seeing　the　empty　docks；　the　big；　deserted　cargo…loading　cranes　and　the　vacant　buildings。　That　he　had　e　within　the　snap　of　a　finger　from　pulling　off　the　greatest　enterprise　in　history　and　achieving　what　no　man　had　ever　attempted　before　gave　him　little　satisfaction。　He　was　not　a　man　who　could　block　failure　from　his　mind　and　go　on　to　the　next　project　without　a　backward　glance。
　
　〃You　will　be　back；〃　came　the　musically　soothing　voice　of　his　private　secretary；　Su　Zhong。
　The　beginnings　of　anger　stirred　inside　Qin　Shang。　〃Not　any　time　soon。　If　I　so　much　as　step　foot　on　American　shores　again；　I　will　be　thrown　into　one　of　their　federal　prisons。〃
　〃Nothing　is　forever。　American　governments　change　with　every　election。　Politicians　e　and　go　like　migrating　lemmings。　New　ones　will　have　no　personal　memories　of　your　affairs。　Time　will　soften　all　condemnation。　You　will　see；　Qin　Shang。〃
　〃You　are　good　to　say　so；　Su　Zhong。〃
　〃Do　you　wish　me　to　hire　a　crew　to　maintain　the　facility？〃she　asked。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said　with　a　curt　nod。　〃When　I　return　in　ten　or　twenty　years　from　now；　I　want　to　see　Sungari　looking　exactly　as　it　does　now。〃
　〃I　am　worried；　Qin　Shang。〃
　He　looked　at　her。　〃Why？〃
　〃I　do　not　trust　the　men　in　Beijing。　There　are　many　who　have　an　envious　hatred　of　you。　I　fear　they　may　use　your　misfortune　to　take　advantage。〃
　〃Like　an　excuse　to　assassinate　me？〃　he　said　with　a　thin　smile。 。
　She　dropped　her　head；　unable　to　gaze　into　his　eyes。　1　ask　forgiveness　for　my　unseemly　thoughts。〃
　
　Qin　Shang　rose　from　his　chair　and　took　Su　Zhong　by　the　hand。　〃Do　not　worry；　my　little　swallow。　I　have　already　conceived　a　plan　to　make　me　indispensable　to　the　Chinese　people。　I　shall　give　them　a　gift　that　will　last　two　thousand　years。〃　Then　he　led　her　into　the　spacious　bedroom　in　the　aft　section　of　the　aircraft。　〃Now；〃　he　said　softly；　〃you　can　help　me　forget　my　ill　fortune。〃
　
　AFTER　HIS　MEETING　WITH　DIRK　AND　JULIA；　ST。　JULIEN　PERL…mutter　rolled　up　his　sleeves　and　went　to　work。　Once　he　walked　the　trail　leading　to　a　lost　ship；　he　became　obsessed。　No　lead；　no　rumor；　no　matter　how　seemingly　insignificant；　was　left　unexplored。　Though　his　diligence　and　persistence　had　paid　off　in　ferreting　out　any　number　of　answers　and　solutions　that　led　searchers　to　successful　shipwreck　discoveries；　he　failed　more　often　th