cc.floodtide-第25章

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t　thing　to　cross　his　mind　was　the　specter　of　an　outside　source　who　was　responsible　for　this　disaster。
　
　
　
　Two　of　his　guards　came　running　up　to　him。　Lo　Han　recognized　them　as　the　men　from　his　water　patrol。
　〃Lo　Han；〃　one　of　the　men　panted；　out　of　breath　after　running　nearly　four　hundred　yards　out　and　back　through　the　passageway　to　the　floating　log　hut。
　He　stared　at　them　angrily。　〃Wang　Hui；　Li　San；　why　aren't　you　men　on　the　water　with　your　craft？〃
　〃We　couldn't　reach　them；〃　explained　Wang　Hui。　〃The　door　was　locked。　Before　we　could　force　it　open　the　hut　was　on　fire；　and　we　had　to　escape　back　into　the　tunnel　or　be　burned　alive。〃
　〃The　door　was　locked！〃　Lo　Han　bellowed。　〃Impossible。　I　personally　instructed　that　no　lock　be　installed。〃
　〃I　swear　to　you；　Lo　Han；〃　said　Li　San；　〃the　door　was　barred　from　the　inside。〃
　〃Perhaps　it　became　blocked　from　the　explosion；〃　offered　Wang　Hui。
　〃Nonsense…〃　Lo　Han　broke　off　as　a　voice　came　over　his　portable　radio。　〃Yes；　what　is　it？〃　he　snapped。
　The　quiet；　petent　voice　of　his　second　in　mand；　Kung　Chong；　came　through　the　earpiece。　〃The　two　men　who　were　late　in　relieving　the　cell…block　security　guards　。。。〃
　〃Yes；　what　about　them？〃
　〃They　have　been　found　bound　and　beaten　on　the　vacant　second　level　of　the　building。〃
　〃Bound　and　beaten；〃　blurted　Lo　Han。　〃There　is　no　mistake？〃
　〃It　looks　like　the　work　of　a　professional；〃　stated　Kung
　Chong　flatly。
　〃Are　you　saying　our　security　has　been　infiltrated？〃
　〃It　would　seem　so。〃
　〃Launch　an　immediate　search　of　the　grounds；〃　demanded　Lo　Han。
　〃I　have　already　given　the　order。〃
　
　Lo　Han　slipped　the　radio　into　his　pocket　and　gazed　at　the　dock　that　was　still　blazing　from　end　to　end。　There　has　to　be　a　connection　between　the　men　who　were　assaulted　in　the　prison　building　and　the　insane　collision　of　the　yacht　by　the　catamaran；　he　thought。　Still　ignorant　of　Pitt's　rescue　of　the　doomed　immigrants；　Han　could　not　bring　himself　to　believe　that　American　law…enforcement　agents　had　sent　an　undercover　team　to　destroy　Qin　Shang's　operation。　He　eliminated　that　thought　as　unrealistic；　considering　the　situation。　That　would　make　them　responsible　for　the　murders　of　Chu　Deng　and　his　crew　of　enforcers；　an　act　not　generally　conceived　by　FBI　or　INS　agents。　No；　if　American　investigators　had　the　slightest　clue　of　the　covert　activities　taking　place　on　Orion　Lake；　a　tactical　assault　team　would　already　be　swarming　over　the　grounds。　It　was　painfully　obvious　to　Lo　Han　that　this　was　no　professionally　planned　intrusion　by　an　army　of　trained　agents。　It　was　an　operation　conducted　by　one；　surely　no　more　than　two；　men。
　
　But　whom　were　they　working　for？　Who　was　paying　them？　Certainly　not　a　peting　smuggling　operation　or　one　of　the　established　criminal　syndicates。　They　wouldn't　be　so　stupid　as　to　start　a　territory　fight；　not　while　Qin　Shang　had　the　backing　of　the　People's　Republic　of　China。
　
　Han's　gaze　traveled　from　the　burning　pier　and　the　sunken　ships　to　the　cabin　across　the　lake。　He　stood　there　transfixed　and　recalled　the　arrogant　fisherman　who　flaunted　his　catch　the　day　before。　He　may　not　be　what　he　seemed。　Probably　no　fisherman　or　a　simple　businessman　on　vacation；　Lo　Han　deduced；　and　yet　he　did　not　act　like　an　agent　of　the　Immigration　Service　or　the　FBI。　Whatever　his　motive；　the　fisherman　was　Lo　Han's　only　suspect　within　a　hundred　miles。
　
　Content　that　he　had　eliminated　the　worst…case　scenario；　Lo　Han　began　to　breathe　a　little　easier。　He　took　his　radio　and　called　a　name。　The　voice　of　Kung　Chong　answered。
　〃Are　there　suspicious　sightings　of　vehicles？〃　Lo　Han　asked。
　〃The　roads　and　skies　are　empty；〃　Kung　Chong　assured　him。
　〃Any　unusual　activity　across　the　lake？〃
　〃Our　cameras　reveal　some　movement　among　the　trees　behind　the　cabin　but　no　signs　of　the　occupant　inside。〃
　〃I　want　a　raid　on　that　cabin。　I　must　know　who　we're　dealing　with。〃
　〃A　raid　will　take　time　to　organize；〃　said　Kung　Chong。
　〃Buy　time　by　sending　in　a　man　to　sabotage　his　automobile　so　he　can't　escape。〃
　〃Should　something　go　wrong；　won't　we　be　risking　a　confrontation　with　the　local　law　authorities？〃
　〃The　last　of　my　worries。　If　my　instincts　are　correct；　the　man　is　dangerous　and　a　threat　to　our　employer　who　pays　us　and　pays　us　well。〃
　〃Do　you　wish　to　terminate　him？〃
　〃I　believe　that　to　be　the　safest　alternative；〃　Lo　Han　said；　nodding　to　himself。　〃Be　warned。　There　must　be　no　mistakes。　It　is　not　wise　to　incur　the　wrath　of　Qin　Shang。〃
　〃Mr。　Pitt？〃　Julia　Lee's　whisper　was　barely　audible　in　the　darkness。
　〃Yes。〃　Pitt　had　parked　the　watercraft　in　a　small　inlet　that　opened　onto　the　lake　beside　the　cabin；　approaching　through　the　woods　until　he　found　Julia　and　her　brood。　He　sat　down　heavily　on　a　fallen　tree　and　began　pulling　off　his　dry　suit。　〃Is　everyone　all　right？〃
　〃They're　alive；〃　she　answered　in　a　soft　voice　with　just　a　trace　of　huskiness。　〃But　they're　not　all　right。　They're　soaked　to　the　skin　and　freezing。　Everyone　needs　dry　clothes　and　medical　attention。〃
　Pitt　gently　touched　the　bullet　wound　in　his　hip。　〃I'll　second　that。〃
　〃Why　can't　they　go　inside　your　cabin　where　they　can　be　warm　and　find　something　to　eat？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃Not　a　good　idea。　I　haven't　been　to　town　for　almost　two　days　and　my　cupboard　is　bare。　Better　we　herd　them　into　the　boathouse。　I'll　bring　them　whatever　food　I　have　left　and　every　blanket　I　can　find。〃
　
　〃You're　not　making　sense；〃　she　said　flatly。　〃They'd　be　more　fortable　in　the　cabin　than　some　smelly　old　boathouse。〃
　
　A　stubborn　woman；　this　one；　Pitt　thought；　and　self…sufficient　too。　〃Did　I　forget　to　mention　the　surveillance　cameras　and　listening　bugs　that　grow　like　mushrooms　in　nearly　every　room？　I　think　it　best　if　your　friends　across　the　lake　observe　no　one　but　me。　If　they　suddenly　see　the　ghosts　of　the　people　they　believe　they　drowned　watching　television　and　drinking　my　tequila；　they'll　e　charging　in　here　with　every　gun　blazing　before　our　side's　posse　arrives。　No　sense　in　getting　them　all　riled　up　before　their　time。〃
　〃They've　been　monitoring　you　from　across　the　lake？〃　she　asked；　puzzled。
　〃Someone　over　there　thinks　I　have　beady　eyes　and　can't　be　trusted。〃
　She　looked　at　his　face；　trying　to　distinguish　his　features；　but　saw　no　details　in　the　dark。　〃Who　are　you；　Mr。　Pitt？〃
　〃Me？〃　he　said；　pulling　his　feet　out　of　the　dry　suit。　〃I'm　just　an　ordinary　guy　who　came　to　the　lake　to　unwind　and　fish。〃
　〃You　are　far　from　ordinary；〃　she　said　softly；　turning　and　gazing　at　the　dying　flames　and　smoldering　embers　of　the　dock。　〃No　ordinary　man　could　have　acplished　what　you　did　tonight。〃
　〃And　you；　Ms。　Lee？　Why　is　a　highly　intelligent　lady　who　speaks　flawless　English　and　associates　with　a　bunch　of　illegal　immigrants　thrown　into　a　lake　with　weights　tied　around　her　ankles？〃
　〃You　know　they're　illegals？〃　〃If　they're　not；　they　don't　hide　it　very　well。〃　She　shrugged。　〃I　guess　it's　useless　to　pretend　I'm　somebody　I'm　not。　I　can't　flash　my　badge；　but　I'm　a　special　undercover　agent　with　the　Immigration　and　Naturalization　Service。　And　I　would　be　most　grateful　if　you　could　get　me　to　a　telephone。〃
　〃I've　always　been　putty　in　the　hands　of　women。〃　He　walked　over　to　a　tree；　reached　up　under　the　branches　and　returned。　He　handed　her　his　Indium　satellite　phone。　〃Call　your　superiors　and　tell　them　what's　going　on　here；〃　he　advised。　〃Tell　them　the　building　on　the　lake　is　a　prison　for　illegal　immigrants。　For　what　purpose；　I　can't　say。　Tell　them　the　lake　bed　is　littered　with　hundreds；　maybe　thousands　of　dead　bodies。　Why；　I　can't　say。　Tell　them　the　security　is　first…rate　and　the　guards　are　heavily　armed；　and　tell　them　to　get　here　fast　before　the　evidence　is　either　shot；　drowned　or　burned　to　death。　Then　tell　them　to　call　Admiral　James　Sandecker　at　the　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency　and　say　his　special　projects　director　wants　to　e　home　and　to　send　a　taxi。〃
　Julia　looked　at　Pitt's　face　in　the　dim　starlight；　trying　to　read　something；　her　eyes　wide　and　questioning；　her　lips　slowly　forming　the　words。　〃You　are　an　amazing　man；　Dirk　Pitt。　A　director　of　NUMA。　I'd　have　never　guessed　in　a　thousand　years。　Since　when　do　they　train　marine　scientists　to　be　assassins　and　arsonists？〃
　〃Since　midnight；〃　he　said　briefly　as　he　turned　and　set　off　for　t