cc.floodtide-第18章

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e　again。〃
　〃Those　two　are　usually　as　thick　as　thieves。　It's　a　rare　moment　when　they're　not　causing　mischief　together。〃
　〃You　want　me　to　brief　Al　on　the　situation　and　then　send　him　out　to　Orion　Lake　to　bring　Dirk　back　to　Washington？〃
　Sandecker　nodded。　〃A　good　idea。　Pitt　will　listen　to　Giordino。　You　go　along　as　backup。　Knowing　Dirk；　if　I　called　and　ordered　him　to　report　back　to　work；　he'd　hang　up　the　phone。〃
　〃You're　absolutely　right；　Admiral；〃　Gunn　said；　smiling。　〃That's　exactly　what　he　would　do。〃
　
　JULIA　LEE'S　THOUGHTS；　CERTAIN　BELIEFS　RATHER；　CENTERED　around　an　overwhelming　sense　of　defeat。　Deep　down；　she　knew　she　had　botched　her　mission。　She　had　made　the　wrong　moves；　said　the　wrong　things。　There　was　a　feeling　of　emptiness；　shrouded　by　despair　in　her　mind。　She　had　learned　much　about　the　smugglers'　operation。　There　were　ashes　in　her　mouth　as　she　realized　that　it　was　all　for　nothing。　The　vital　information　she　had　obtained　might　never　be　passed　on　to　the　Immigration　and　Naturalization　Service　so　they　could　apprehend　the　smugglers。
　
　She　felt　a　sea　of　pain　from　her　sadistically　inflicted　injuries；　sick　and　empty　and　debased。　She　was　also　deathly　tired　and　hungry。　Her　self…assurance　had　gotten　the　better　of　her。　She　failed　by　not　acting　meek　and　subjugated。　By　using　the　skills　taught　her　during　her　training　as　a　special　INS　agent　and　given　enough　time；　she　could　have　easily　escaped　her　captors　before　being　submitted　to　a　life　of　rape。　Now　it　was　too　late。　Julia　was　too　badly　hurt　to　make　an　all…out　physical　effort。　It　was　all　she　could　do　to　stand　upright　without　getting　dizzy　and　losing　her　balance　before　falling　to　her　knees。
　
　Because　of　dedication　to　her　work；　Julia　had　few　close　friends。　The　men　in　her　life　had　passed　through　as　if　they　were　part　of　a　reception　line；　little　more　than　acquaintances。　Sadness　settled　over　her　at　the　thought　of　never　seeing　her　mother　and　father　again。　Strangely；　she　was　conscious　of　no　fear　or　revulsion。　Whatever　was　to　happen　to　her　in　the　next　few　hours；　nothing　could　change　it。
　
　Through　the　steel　deck　she　sensed　the　engines　ing　to　a　stop。　Without　headway　the　ship　began　rolling　in　the　swells。　A　minute　later　the　anchor　chain　clattered　through　the　hawsehole。　The　Indigo　Star　had　anchored　just　outside　the　territorial　limits　of　the　United　States　to　evade　law　enforcement　action。
　
　Julia's　watch　had　been　taken　from　her　during　the　interrogation；　and　all　she　could　be　certain　about　the　time　was　that　it　was　sometime　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　She　looked　around　at　the　other　forty　or　more　pathetic　individuals　huddled　hi　the　cargo　hold；　thrown　in　there　after　the　interrogations。　They　all　began　chattering　excitedly；　thinking　they　had　at　last　reached　America　and　were　going　ashore　to　begin　a　new　life。　Julia　might　have　felt　the　same；　but　she　knew　better。　The　truth　would　strike　savagely　and　with　cold　indifference。　Any　expectation　of　happiness　was　short…lived。　They　had　all　been　deceived。　These　were　the　intelligent　ones；　those　of　wealth　and　substance。　They　had　been　defrauded　and　robbed　by　the　smugglers；　and　yet　they　still　had　the　look　of　hope　about　them。
　
　Julia　was　certain　their　immediate　future　would　be　one　of　terror　and　extortion。　She　looked　with　great　sadness　at　two　families　with　young　children　and　prayed　they　would　live　to　escape　the　smugglers　and　the　domination　by　the　criminal　cartels　waiting　on　shore。
　
　Two　hours　was　all　the　time　the　crew　of　smugglers　needed　to　transfer　the　illegal　Chinese　aliens　onto　trawlers　belonging　to　a　fishing　fleet　owned　by　Qin　Shang　Maritime。　Manned　by　documented　Chinese　who　had　taken　out　their　citizenship　papers；　the　fleet　carried　out　legitimate　fishing　operations　when　not　transporting　illegal　immigrants　from　the　mother　ship　to　transit　points　in　small　harbors　and　coves　along　the　Olympic　Peninsula　coast。　There；　buses　and　cargo　trucks　waited　to　carry　them　to　destinations　throughout　the　country。
　
　Julia；　the　last　one　to　be　taken　from　the　cargo　hold；　was　led　roughly　by　an　enforcer　to　the　outer　deck。　She　could　barely　walk；　and　he　half　dragged　her。　Ki　Wong　was　standing　by　the　disembarkation　ramp。　He　held　up　a　hand　and　stopped　the　enforcer　before　he　could　escort　her　down　the　ramp　to　a　strange…looking　black　boat；　bobbing　in　the　waves　beside　the　ship。
　〃One　final　word；　Ling　T'ai；〃　he　said　in　a　low；　cold　voice。　〃Now　that　you've　had　a　chance　to　think　over　my　offer；　perhaps　you've　had　a　change　of　mind。〃
　〃If　I　agree　to　bee　your　slave；〃　she　murmured　through　her　swollen　lips。　〃What　then？〃
　He　gave　her　his　best　jackal　grin。　〃Why　nothing。　I　don't　expect　you　to　bee　a　slave。　That　opportunity　has　long　since　passed。〃
　〃Then　what　do　you　want　from　me？〃
　〃Your　cooperation。　I'd　like　you　to　tell　me　who　else　was　working　with　you　on　board　the　Indigo　Star。〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；〃　she　muttered　contemptuously。
　He　stared　at　her　and　shrugged　smugly。　Then　he　reached　in　his　coat　pocket；　drew　out　a　piece　of　paper　and　pushed　it　at　her。　〃Read　this；　and　see　that　I　was　right　about　you。〃
　〃You　read　it；〃　she　said　with　her　last　shred　of　defiance。
　He　held　the　paper　under　a　deck　light　and　squinted　his　eyes。　〃　〃The　fingerprint　and　description　you　sent　via　satellite　were　analyzed　and　identified。　The　woman　Ling　T'ai　is　an　INS　agent　by　the　name　of　Julia　Marie　Lee。　Suggest　you　deal　with　her　in　an　expeditious　manner。'　〃
　If　Julia　had　a　tiny　thread　of　hope；　it　was　abruptly　swept　away。　They　must　have　taken　her　prints　after　she　was　battered　unconscious。　But　how　was　it　possible　for　a　band　of　Chinese　smugglers　to　make　her　ID　within　a　few　hours　from　any　source　but　the　FBI　in　Washington；　D。C。？　The　organization　had　to　be　far　more　plex　and　sophisticated　than　she　and　the　field　investigators　at　the　INS　suspected。　She　was　not　about　to　give　Wong　the　slightest　degree　of　satisfaction。
　〃I　am　Ling　T'ai。　I　have　nothing　more　to　say。〃
　〃Then　neither　do　I。〃　Wong　made　a　gesture　with　his　hand　toward　the　waiting　black　boat。　〃Goodbye；　Miss　Lee。〃
　As　the　enforcer　took　her　by　the　arm　and　pulled　her　off　the　counterfeit　cruise　ship；　Julia　looked　back　up　the　ramp　at　Wong；　who　still　stood　on　the　cruise　ship's　deck。　The　bastard　was　sneering　at　her。　She　stared　up　at　him　with　pure　hatred　in　her　eyes。
　〃You　will　die；　Ki　Wong；〃　she　said　caustically。　〃You　will　die　very　soon。〃
　He　returned　her　stare　more　out　of　amusement　than　annoyance。　〃No；　Miss　Lee。　It　is　you　who　will　die　soon。〃
　
　STILL　SICKENED　BY　WHAT　THE　AUV　HAD　DISCOVERED；　PITT　spent　the　final　hour　of　daylight　staring　across　the　lake　at　Qin　Shang's　retreat　through　his　telescope。　The　maid　on　her　rounds　at　the　guesthouses；　the　same　two　golfers　knocking　balls　all　over　the　landscape…they　were　the　only　people　he　ever　observed。　Most　curious；　he　thought。　No　cars　or　delivery　trucks　entered　or　left　the　grounds；　nor　did　the　security　guards　ever　reveal　themselves　again。　Pitt　could　not　believe　they　stayed　shut　up　in　the　little　windowless　huts　day　and　night　without　relief。
　
　He　called　no　one　at　NUMA　to　inform　them　of　the　grisly　discovery；　nor　did　he　contact　local　law　enforcement。　He　took　it　upon　himself　to　attempt　to　uncover　the　mystery　of　how　the　bodies　came　to　be　carpeting　the　bottom　of　the　lake。　That　Qin　Shang　was　using　the　lake　depths　as　a　depository　for　his　murder　victims　seemed　obvious。　But　there　was　more　to　learn　before　he　blew　the　whistle。
　
　Satisfied　there　was　nothing　more　to　see；　he　set　the　telescope　aside　and　carried　the　second　big　carton　sent　by　Yaeger　into　the　boathouse。　It　was　so　heavy　and　bulky　he　had　to　use　a　small　hand　truck　to　roll　the　carton　and　its　contents　across　the　dock。　Cutting　open　the　lid；　he　removed　a　pact　portable　electric　pressor　and　plugged　its　cord　into　an　overhead　light　socket。　Then　he　connected　the　pressor　to　the　dual…manifold　air　valve　on　twin　eighty…cubic…foot　diver's　air　cylinders。　It　popped　away　with　less　noise　than　the　exhaust　of　an　idling　car　engine。
　
　He　returned　to　the　cabin　and　lazily　watched　the　sun　descend　over　the　small　range　of　mountains　between　Orion　Lake　and　the　sea。　After　darkness　settled　over　the　lake；　Pitt　ate　a　light　dinner　and　then　watched　satellite　television。　At　ten　o'clock　he　made　ready　for　bed　and　turned　out　the　lights。　Gambling　the　surveillance　cameras　in