cc.floodtide-第13章

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ril　nights　in　Washington　could　be　far　too　chilly　for　fort。　A　graduate　of　the　Naval　Academy；　Gunn　had　served　in　submarines　until　he　became　the　admiral's　chief　aide。　When　Sandecker　resigned　to　form　NUMA；　Gunn　had　followed　him　and　was　appointed　director　in　charge　of　operations。　He　looked　across　at　Sandecker　through　horn…rimmed　glasses；　studied　the　luminescent　dial　of　his　watch　and　then　broke　the　silence。
　
　He　spoke　in　a　voice　mixed　with　fatigue　and　irritation。　〃Do　you　have　any　idea；　Admiral；　why　the　President　demanded　to　see　us　at　one　o'clock　in　the　morning？〃
　
　Sandecker　turned　his　gaze　from　the　passing　lights　and　shook　his　head。　〃I　haven't　a　clue。　Judging　from　Morton　Laird's　tone；　it　was　an　invitation　we　couldn't　refuse。〃
　〃I'm　not　aware　of　any　crisis　going　on；〃　muttered　Gunn　wearily；　〃domestic　or　foreign；　that　calls　for　middle…of…the…night　secrecy。〃
　〃Nor　I。〃
　〃Does　the　man　ever　sleep？〃
　〃Three　hours　between　four　and　seven　A。M。；　according　to　my　sources　inside　the　White　House。　Unlike　the　previous　three　presidents；　who　served　in　Congress　and　were　good　friends；　this　one；　a　two…term　governor　of　Oklahoma；　is　almost　a　total　stranger　to　me。　In　the　short　time　he's　been　in　office　since　the　former　chief　executive　had　a　debilitating　stroke；　this　is　the　first　chance　we've　had　to　talk。〃
　Gunn　glanced　over　in　the　darkness。　〃You　never　met　Dean　Cooper　Wallace　when　he　was　vice　president？〃
　Sandecker　shook　his　head。　〃From　what　I'm　told；　he　has　no　use　for　NUMA。〃
　The　limousine　driver　turned　off　Pennsylvania　Avenue　and　circled　into　the　barricaded　drive　to　the　White　House；　stopping　at　the　northwest　gate。　〃Here　we　are；　Admiral；〃　he　announced　as　he　came　around　and　opened　the　rear　door。
　
　A　uniformed　member　of　the　Secret　Service　checked　San…decker's　and　Gunn's　IDs　and　crossed　off　their　names　on　a　visitors'　list。　Then　they　were　escorted　through　the　building's　entrance　and　led　to　the　West　Wing　reception　room。　The　receptionist；　an　attractive　lady　in　her　late　thirties　with　auburn　hair　tied　in　an　old…fashioned　bow；　rose　and　smiled　warmly。　The　sign　on　her　desk　read　
　ROBIN　CARR。
　
　〃Admiral　Sandecker；　mander　Gunn；　a　great　pleasure　to　meet　you。〃
　〃You　work　long　hours；〃　said　Sandecker。
　〃Fortunately；　my　time　clock　ticks　in　unison　with　the　President's。〃
　〃Any　chance　for　a　cup　of　coffee？〃　asked　Gunn。
　The　smile　faded。　〃I'm　sorry；　but　I'm　afraid　there　isn't　time。〃　She　quickly　sat　down；　picked　up　a　phone　and　simply　said；　〃The　Admiral　is　here。〃
　
　Within　ten　seconds；　the　new　President's　chief　of　staff；　Morton　Laird；　who　had　replaced　the　hospitalized　former　president's　right…hand　man；　Wilbur　Hutton；　appeared　and　shook　hands。　〃Thank　you　for　ing；　gentlemen。　The　President　will　be　pleased　to　see　you。〃
　
　Laird　came　from　the　old　school。　He　was　the　only　chief　of　staff　in　recent　history　who　wore　three…piece　suits　with　vests　that　sported　a　large　gold　chain　attached　to　a　pocket　watch。　And　unlike　most　of　his　predecessors；　who　came　out　of　Ivy　League　schools；　Laird　was　a　former　professor　of　munications　from　Stanford　University*　A　tall；　balding　man　with　rimless　spectaclesr　he　peered　through　glistening　fox…brown　eyes　beneath　heavily　thicketed　eyebrows。　He　oozed　charm　and　was　one　of　the　few　men　in　the　executive　office　whom　everyone　genuinely　liked。　He　turned　and　motioned　for　Sandecker　and　Gunn　to　follow　him　into　the　Oval　Office。
　
　The　famous　room；　whose　walls　had　witnessed　a　thousand　crises；　the　lonely　burdens　of　power　and　agonized　decisions　that　affected　the　lives　of　billions　of　people；　was　empty。
　Before　either　Sandecker　or　Gunn　could　ment；　Laird　turned　and　said；　〃Gentlemen；　what　you　will　observe　in　the　next　twenty　minutes　is　vital　to　our　nation's　security。　You　must　swear　never　to　breathe　a　word　to　anyone。　Do　I　have　your　oath　of　honor？〃
　〃I　venture　to　say　that　in　all　my　years　of　service　to　my　government；　I've　learned　and　kept　more　secrets　than　you　have；　Mr。　Laird；〃　said　Sandecker　with　total　conviction。　〃I　will　vouch　for　mander　Gunn's　integrity。〃
　〃Forgive　me；　Admiral；〃　said　Laird。　〃It　es　with　the　territory。〃　Laird　walked　over　to　one　wall　and　tapped　a　concealed　switch　on　the　baseboard。　A　section　of　the　wall　slid　aside；　revealing　the　interior　of　an　elevator。　He　bowed　and　extended　his　hand。　〃After　you。〃
　
　The　elevator　was　small　and　could　hold　no　more　than　four　people。　The　walls　were　finished　in　a　polished　cedar。　There　were　only　two　buttons　on　the　control　panel；　one　up；　one　down。　Laird　pressed　DOWN。　The　false　wall　inside　the　Oval　Office　silently　returned　to　its　place　as　the　elevator　doors　met　and　sealed。　There　was　no　sensation　of　speed；　but　Sandecker　knew　they　were　dropping　at　a　rapid　pace　from　the　falling　sensation　in　his　stomach。　In　less　than　a　minute　the　elevator　slowed　and　came　to　a　soft　stop。
　
　〃We're　not　meeting　the　President　in　the　situation　room；〃　said　Sandecker；　more　as　a　statement　than　a　question。
　Laird　looked　at　nun　questioningly。　〃You　guessed？〃
　〃No　guess。　I've　been　there　on　several　occasions。　The　situation　room　sits　much　deeper　than　we've　traveled。〃
　〃You're　very　astute；　Admiral；〃　replied　Laird。　〃This　elevator　goes　less　than　half　the　distance。〃
　
　The　doors　smoothly　parted；　and　Laird　stepped　out　into　a　brightly　lit；　immaculately　maintained　tunnel。　A　Secret　Service　agent　stood　beside　the　open　doors　of　a　small；　customized　bus。　The　ulterior　was　fitted　out　like　a　small　office；　with　plush　leather　chairs；　a　horseshoe…shaped　desk；　a　well…stocked　minibar　and　pact　bathroom。　Once　everyone　was　fortably　seated；　the　Secret　Service　agent　eased　behind　the　wheel　and　spoke　into　a　microphone　with　an　earpiece　placed　on　his　head。　〃Swordfish　is　leaving　the　premises。〃　Then　he　engaged　the　transmission；　and　the　bus　moved　off　soundlessly　into　a　large　tunnel。
　〃Swordfish　is　my　code　name　with　the　Secret　Service；〃　Laird　explained　almost　sheepishly。
　〃Electric　motor；〃　mented　Sandecker　on　the　silent　running　of　the　bus。
　〃More　efficient　than　building　a　plicated　ventilation　system　to　draw　off　the　exhaust　fumes　of　gas　engines；〃　explained　Laird。
　Sandecker　stared　at　the　side　entrances　leading　off　from　the　main　tunnel　in　which　they　were　traveling。　〃There's　more　to　underground　Washington　than　most　people　imagine。〃
　〃The　system　of　passages　and　thoroughfares　beneath　the　city　form　an　intricate　maze　well　over　a　thousand　miles　in　length。　Not　exactly　public　knowledge；　of　course；　except　for　tunnels　built　for　sewage；　drainage；　steam　and　electrical　wiring；　but　there　is　an　extensive　network　in　daily　use　for　vehicular　transportation。　It　spreads　from　the　White　House　to　the　Supreme　Court；　Capitol　building；　State　Department；　under　the　Potomac　to　the　Pentagon；　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency　headquarters　in　Langley；　and　about　a　dozen　other　strategic　government　buildings　and　military　bases　in　and　around　the　city。〃
　〃Something　like　the　catabs　of　Paris；〃　said　Gunn。
　〃The　Paris　catabs　pale　in　parison　to　Washington's　underground　web；〃　said　Laird。　〃May　I　offer　you　gentlemen　a　drink？〃
　Sandecker　shook　his　head。　〃I'll　pass。〃
　〃Not　for　me；　thank　you；〃　answered　Gunn。　He　turned　to　the　admiral。　〃Did　you　know　about　this；　sir？〃
　〃Mr。　Laird　forgets　that　I've　been　a　Washington　insider　for　many　years。　I've　traveled　a　few　of　the　tunnels　from　time　to　time。　Because　they　run　below　the　water　tables；　it　takes　a　small　army　of　maintenance　people　to　fight　the　invading　damp　and　slime　to　keep　them　dry。　There　are　also　the　derelicts；　drug　dealers　and　criminals　who　use　them　for　warehousing　illegal　goods；　and　the　young　people　who　get　a　high　partying　in　dark　and　eerie　chambers。　And；　of　course；　reckless　daredevils　driven　by　curiosity　and　a　lack　of　claustrophobia　who　find　sport　in　exploring　the　passageways。　Many　of　them　are　experienced　cavers　who　find　unknown　labyrinths　a　challenge。〃
　〃With　so　many　intruders　wandering　in　and　out；　how　can　they　be　controlled？〃
　〃The　main　arteries　crucial　for　government　operations　are　guarded　by　a　special　security　force　which　monitors　them　by　video　and　infrared　sensors；〃　Laird　said　by　way　of　explanation。　〃Penetration　into　critical　areas　is　next　to　impossible。〃
　Gunn　said　slowly；　〃This　is　certainly　news　to　me。〃
　Sandecker　smiled　enigmatically。　〃The　President's　chief　of　staff　neglected　to　mention　the　escape　tubes。〃
　Laird