cc.floodtide-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


igrants　before　sending　them　ashore　in　leaky　boats　and　rafts。　Many　were　given　life　jackets　and　thrown　over　the　side。　Hundreds　drowned　before　reaching　the　beach。　Now；　the　smugglers　have　bee　far　more　sophisticated；　secreting　the　immigrants　in　mercial　shipping　and；　in　an　increasing　number　of　cases；　the　smugglers　sail　brazenly　into　port　before　sneaking　them　past　immigration　agents。〃
　
　〃What　happens　after　the　immigrants　safely　arrive　in　the　country？〃　asked　Gunn。
　〃Local　Asian　crime　gangs　take　over；〃　Harper　answered。　〃Those　immigrants　lucky　enough　to　have　money　or　relatives　already　living　in　the　U。S。　are　released　directly　into　their　destination　munity。　Most；　however；　cannot　pay　the　fee　for　entry。　Consequently；　they　are　forced　to　remain　concealed；　generally　in　remote　warehouses。　Here；　they're　locked　away　for　weeks　or　even　months；　and　threatened　by　being　told　that　if　they　try　to　escape　they　will　be　turned　over　to　American　law　enforcement　and　imprisoned　for　half　their　lives　merely　because　they　are　illegal　entrants。　The　gangs　frequently　use　torture；　beatings　and　rape　to　frighten　the　captives　into　signing　their　lives　away　as　indentured　servants。　Once　the　aliens　cave　in　they　are　forced　to　work　for　the　crime　syndicates　in　drug　dealing；　prostitution；　in　illegal　sweatshops　and　other　gang…related　activities。　Those　in　good　physical　condition；　usually　the　younger　men；　must　sign　a　contract　requiring　them　to　repay　their　smuggling　fee　at　high　rates　of　interest。　Then　they　are　found　jobs　in　laundries；　restaurants　or　manufacturing　working　fourteen　hours　a　day；　seven　days　a　week。　It　takes　from　six　to　eight　years　for　the　illegal　immigrant　to　pay　off　his　debt。〃
　〃After　obtaining　the　necessary　forged　documents；　many　of　them　bee　bona　fide　American　citizens；〃　Monroe　continued。　〃As　long　as　the　United　States　has　a　demand　for　cheap　labor；　efficient　smuggling　enterprises　will　exploit　it　with　illegal　immigration　that　is　already　increasing　to　epidemic　proportions。〃
　〃There　must　be　any　number　of　ways　to　cut　off　the　flow；〃　Sandecker　said；　helping　himself　to　a　cup　of　coffee　from　a　silver　urn　on　a　nearby　cart。
　〃Short　of　throwing　up　an　international　blockade　around　the　Chinese　mainland；　how　can　you　stop　them？〃　asked　Gunn。
　〃The　answer　is　simple；〃　replied　Laird。　〃We　can't；　certainly　not　under　international　law。　Our　hands　are　tied。　All　any　nation　can　do；　including　the　United　States；　is　recognize　the　threat　as　a　major　international　security　concern　and　take　whatever　emergency　measures　that　are　required　to　protect　its　borders。〃
　
　〃Like　calling　out　the　Army　and　Marines　to　defend　the　beaches　and　repel　invaders；〃　suggested　Sandecker　wryly。
　The　President　gave　Sandecker　a　sharp　look。　〃You　seemed　to　have　missed　the　point；　Admiral。　What　we're　facing　is　a　peaceful　invasion。　I　simply　can't　whistle　up　a　curtain　of　missiles　against　unarmed　men；　women　and　children。〃
　
　Sandecker　pressed　on。　〃Then　what's　stopping　you；　Mr。　President；　from　directing　a　joint　operation　by　the　armed　forces　to　effectively　seal　our　borders？　By　doing　so；　you'd　probably　cut　the　flow　of　illegal　drugs　into　the　country　as　well。〃
　The　President　shrugged。　〃The　thought　has　crossed　smarter　minds　than　mine。〃
　〃Stopping　illegals　is　not　the　mission　of　the　Pentagon；〃　said　Laird　firmly。
　〃Perhaps　I've　been　misinformed。　But　I've　always　been　under　the　impression　that　the　mission　of　our　armed　forces　was　to　protect　and　defend　the　security　of　the　United　States。　Peaceful　or　not；　I　still　read　this　as　an　invasion　of　our　sovereign　shores。　I　see　no　reason　why　Army　infantry　and　Marine　divisions　can't　help　Mr。　Monroe's　understaffed　border　patrolmen；　why　the　Navy　can't　back　up　Admiral　Ferguson's　overextended　Coast　Guard　and　why　the　Air　Force　can't　fly　aerial　reconnaissance　missions。〃
　〃There　are　political　considerations　beyond　my　control；〃　the　President　said；　a　certain　hardness　creeping　into　his　voice。
　〃Like　not　retaliating　with　tough　trade　sanctions　on　Chinese　imports　because　they　buy　billions　of　dollars'　worth　of　industrial　and　agricultural　products　from　us　every　year？〃
　〃While　you're　on　that　subject；　Admiral；〃　said　Laird　with　emphasis；　〃you　should　be　aware　that　the　Chinese　have　replaced　the　Japanese　as　the　biggest　purchaser　of　U。S。　Treasury　bonds。　It　is　not　in　our　best　interest　to　harass　them。〃
　Gunn　could　see　the　anger　reddening　his　chief's　face；　while　the　President's　was　turning　pale。　He　stepped　into　the　debate　quietly。　〃I'm　sure　Admiral　Sandecker　understands　your　difficulties；　Mr。　President；　but　I　believe　we're　both　in　the　dark　as　to　how　NUMA　can　help。〃
　〃I'll　be　happy　to　brief　you　on　your　involvement；　Jim；〃　said　Ferguson　to　his　old　friend。
　〃Please　do；〃　Sandecker　said　testily。
　〃It's　no　secret　the　Coast　Guard　is　stretched　too　thin。　Over　the　past　year　we've　seized　thirty…two　vessels　and　intercepted　over　four　thousand　illegal　Chinese　aliens　off　Hawaii　and　the　East　and　West　coasts。　NUMA　has　a　small　fleet　of　research　vessels…〃
　〃Stop　right　there；〃　interrupted　Sandecker。　〃There　is　no　way
　I　will　permit　my　ships　and　scientists　to　stop　and　board　vessels　suspected　of　carrying　illegal　immigrants。〃
　〃Not　our　intention　to　put　weapons　in　the　hands　of　marine　biologists；〃　Ferguson　assured　the　admiral；　his　voice　calm　and　unperturbed。　〃What　we　need　from　NUMA　is　information　on　possible　alien　landing　sites；　undersea　conditions　and　geology　along　our　coastlines；　bays　and　inlets　that　the　smugglers　can　take　advantage　of。　Put　your　best　people　on　it；　Jim。　Where　would　they　offload　their　human　cargo　if　they　were　the　smugglers？〃
　〃Also；〃　added　Monroe；　〃your　people　and　vessels　can　act　as　intelligence　gatherers。　NUMA's　turquoise…painted　ships　are　known　and　respected　throughout　the　world　as　ocean…science　research　vessels。　Any　one　of　them　could　sail　within　a　hundred　yards　of　a　suspected　ship　filled　with　aliens　without　arousing　the　suspicions　of　the　smugglers。　They　can　report　what　they　observe　and　continue　on　with　their　research。〃
　〃You　must　understand；〃　said　the　President　wearily　to　San…decker；　〃I'm　not　asking　you　to　drop　your　agency's　priorities。　But　I　am　ordering　you　and　NUMA　to　give　whatever　assistance　possible　to　Mr。　Monroe　and　Admiral　Ferguson　to　reduce　the　flow　of　illegal　aliens　from　China　into　the　United　States。〃
　〃There　are　two　particular　areas　we'd　like　your　people　to　investigate；〃　said　Harper。
　〃I'm　listening；〃　muttered　Sandecker；　beginning　to　show　a　famt　trace　of　curiosity。
　〃Are　you　familiar　with　a　man　by　the　name　of　Qin　Shang？〃　asked　Harper。
　〃I　am；〃　answered　Sandecker。　〃He　owns　a　shipping　empire　called　Qin　Shang　Maritime　Limited　out　of　Hong　Kong　that　operates　a　fleet　of　over　a　hundred　cargo　ships；　oil　tankers　and　cruise　ships。　He　once　made　a　personal　request　through　a　Chinese　historian　to　search　our　data　files　for　a　shipwreck　he　was　interested　in　finding。
　〃If　it　floats；　Shang　probably　owns　it；　including　dockside　facilities　and　warehouses　in　nearly　every　major　port　city　in　the　world。　He　is　as　shrewd　and　canny　as　they　e。〃
　〃Isn't　Shang　the　Chinese　mogul　who　built　that　huge　port　facility　in　Louisiana？〃　asked　Gunn。
　〃One　and　the　same；〃　answered　Ferguson。　〃On　Atchafalaya　Bay　near　Morgan　City。　Nothing　but　marshlands　and　bayous。　According　to　every　developer　we　questioned；　there　is　absolutely　no　logic　in　pouring　hundreds　of　millions　of　dollars　into　a　shipping　port　eighty　miles　from　the　nearest　major　city　and　with　no　transportation　network　leading　from　it。〃
　〃Has　it　got　a　name？〃　inquired　Gunn。
　〃The　port　is　called　Sungari。〃
　〃Shang　must　have　a　damned　good　reason　for　throwing　big　money　into　a　swamp；〃　said　Sandecker。
　〃Whatever　his　logic；　we've　yet　to　learn　what　it　is；〃　Monroe　admitted。　〃That's　one　of　two　areas　where　NUMA　can　help　us。〃
　〃You'd　like　to　use　a　NUMA　research　ship　and　its　technology　to　nose　around　Shang's　newly　constructed　shipping　port；〃　assumed　Gunn。
　Ferguson　nodded。　〃You　get　the　picture；　mander。　There's　more　to　Sungari　than　what　meets　the　eye；　and　it's　probably　out　of　sight　underwater。〃
　The　President　stared　pointedly　at　Sandecker　with　a　faint　smile。　〃No　other　government　agency　has　the　brains　and　technology　of　NUMA　for　underwater　investigation。〃
　Sandecker　stared　back。　〃You　haven't　made　it　clear　what　Shang　has　to　do　with　alien　smuggling。〃
　〃According　to　our