cc.floodtide-第91章

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　For　the　first　time　in　nearly　an　hour；　she　spoke　into　her　miniature　radio　and　hailed　Lieutenant　Stowe。　〃The　towboat　has　dropped　off　the　barge　and　moored　it　alongside　a　dock　near　what　looks　like　a　large　warehouse。〃
　Lieutenant　Jefferson　Stowe；　in　mand　of　the　launch；　answered　quickly　over　the　transmitter　and　receiver　set　around　his　head。　〃We　confirm。　The　towboat　is　about　to　pass　us　going　in　the　opposite　direction。　What　is　your　situation？〃
　〃About　as　exciting　as　watching　a　tree　bee　petrified。　Except　for　a　security　guard　on　the　other　side　of　a　tall　fence；　who's　busy　watching　a　TV　program　in　his　shack；　there　isn't　another　soul　in　sight。〃
　〃Are　you　saying　your　objective　is　a　washout？〃　asked　Stowe。
　〃I　need　more　time　for　an　investigation；〃　answered　Julia。
　〃Not　too　long；　I　hope。　Captain　Lewis　is　hardly　a　patient　man；　and　the　helicopter　only　has　another　hour　of　fuel　left。　And　that's　only　the　half　of　it。〃
　〃What's　the　other　half？〃
　〃Your　decision　to　jump　on　the　towboat　came　so　fast　none　of　my　crew　or　I　got　dinner。〃
　〃You're　joking。〃
　〃Not　about　growing　coast　guardsmen　missing　a　meal；〃　Stowe　said　humorously。
　〃You　will　stand　by；　and　not　desert　me。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　replied　Stowe；　the　humor　in　his　voice　quickly　fading。　〃I　only　hope　the　towboat　didn't　simply　park　the　barge　overnight　in　expectation　of　moving　it　to　a　trash　fill　in　the　morning。〃
　〃I　don't　think　that's　the　case；〃　said　Julia。　〃One　of　the　buildings　has　a　railroad　siding　leading　in　and　out　of　it。　This　place　would　make　an　ideal　layout　to　transport　smuggled　immigrants　to　destinations　around　the　country。〃
　〃I'll　request　Captain　Lewis　to　check　the　railroad　pany　for　freight…train　schedules　that　call　for　stops　at　the　mill；〃　Stowe　offered　reasonably。　〃Meanwhile；　I'll　run　the　launch　into　a　small　inlet　across　the　bayou　about　a　hundred　yards　south　of　you。　We'll　stand　by　here　until　I　hear　otherwise。〃　There　was　a　slight　pause。　〃Ms。　Lee。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Don't　get　your　hopes　up；〃　said　Stowe　evenly。　〃I've　just　spotted　a　shabby；　run…down　sign　that's　sitting　at　a　crazy　angle　on　the　bank　of　the　bayou。　Would　you　like　to　know　what　it　says？〃
　〃Yes；　do　tell　me；〃　Julia　answered；　deliberately　robbing　her　words　of　irritation。
　〃Felix　Bartholomeaux　Sugar　Processing　Plant　Number　One。　Established　1883。　You're　apparently　moored　at　a　long…abandoned　sugar　mill。　From　my　vantage　point；　the　plex　looks　deader　than　a　fossilized　dinosaur　egg。〃
　〃Then　why　would　it　be　protected　by　a　security　guard？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Stowe　replied　honestly。
　〃Hold　on！〃　Julia　snapped　unexpectedly。　〃I　heard　something。〃
　
　She　went　quietly；　listening；　and　Stowe　cooperated　by　asking　no　questions。　As　if　far　away；　she　heard　the　muted　clank　of　metal　against　metal。　At　first；　she　thought　it　came　from　somewhere　within　the　deserted　sugar　mill；　but　then　she　realized　the　sound　was　muffled　by　the　water　beneath　the　barge。　Furiously；　she　threw　the　plastic　trash　bags　aside　until　she　could　squirm　a　passage　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　barge's　hull。　Then　she　pressed　her　ear　against　the　damp；　rusting　metal　of　the　bilge　keel。
　This　time　she　heard　muffled　voices　whose　vibrations　telegraphed　through　the　steel。　She　could　not　distinguish　words；　but　what　she　heard　came　through　as　men　shouting　harshly。　Julia　fought　her　way　back　to　the　top　of　the　trash…bag　pile；　checked　to　see　the　guard　was　still　occupied　and　then　leaned　over　the　side　of　the　barge；　peering　down　into　the　water。　There　were　no　telltale　lights　in　the　depths；　and　it　was　too　dark　to　see　more　than　a　few　inches　past　the　surface。
　〃Lieutenant　Stowe；〃　she　said　softly。
　〃I'm　here。〃
　〃Can　you　see　anything　in　the　water　between　the　dock　and　the　barge？〃
　〃Not　from　here。　But　I　have　you　in　view。〃
　Julia　instinctively　turned　and　stared　across　the　bayou；　but　all　she　saw　was　darkness。　〃You　can　follow　my　actions？〃
　〃Through　a　night…vision　scope。　I　didn't　want　anybody　sneaking　up　on　you　without　you　knowing　about　it。〃
　Good　old　faithful　Lieutenant　Stowe。　Another　time；　another　place；　she　might　have　felt　a　growing　affection　for　him。　But　any　thought　of　love；　no　matter　how　fleeting；　created　an　image　of　Dirk　Pitt　in　her　mind。　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　was　infatuated　with　a　man；　and　her　independent　spirit　was　not　sure　how　to　accept　the　situation。　Almost　reluctantly；　she　refocused　her　concentration　on　discovering　the　covert　methods　of　Qin　Shang's　smuggling　operation。
　
　〃I　believe　there　must　be　another　vessel　or　partment　connected　to　the　bottom　of　the　barge；〃　she　reported。
　〃What　are　the　indications？〃　asked　Stowe。
　〃I　heard　voices　through　the　keel。　That　would　explain　how　the　Chinese　were　able　to　smuggle　the　illegal　immigrants　through　Sungari　and　past　immigration；　customs　and　the　Coast　Guard。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　buy　your　theory；　Ms。　Lee；　but　an　underwater　partment　that　is　carried　across　two　oceans　from　China　and　then　shifted　under　a　barge　for　a　voyage　up　a　Louisiana　bayou　to　a　railroad　terminal　in　an　abandoned　sugar　mill　may　get　you　an　award　for　literary　fiction；　but　it　won't　score　you　any　points　with　pragmatic　minds。〃
　〃I'll　stake　my　career　on　it；〃　Julia　said　positively。
　〃May　I　ask　your　intent？〃　Stowe's　tone　went　from　friendly　to　official。
　〃I　intend　to　gain　entry　into　the　mill　and　make　a　search。〃
　〃Not　a　smart　move。　Better　to　wait　until　morning。〃
　〃That　may　be　too　late。　The　immigrants　could　be　herded　into　freight　cars　and　transported　away　by　then。〃
　〃Ms。　Lee；〃　said　Stowe　coldly。　〃I　strongly　urge　you　to　think　this　thing　out　and　back　off。　I'll　swing　the　launch　across　the　bayou　and　pick　you　up　off　the　barge。〃
　Julia　did　not　feel　that　she　had　e　this　far　suddenly　to　walk　away。　〃No　thank　you；　Lieutenant　Stowe。　I'm　going　in。　If　I　find　what　I　hope　to　find；　you　and　your　men　can　e　running。〃
　〃Ms。　Lee；　I　must　remind　you　that　although　you're　under　the　protection　of　the　Coast　Guard；　we　are　not　a　Justice　Department　SWAT　team。　My　advice；　if　you　wish　to　take　it；　is　to　wait　until　daylight；　obtain　a　search　warrant　from　a　parish　judge　and　then　send　in　the　local　sheriff　to　investigate。　You'll　score　more　points　with　your　superiors　that　way。〃
　It　was　as　though　Julia　had　not　heard　Stowe。　〃Please　ask　Captain　Lewis　to　notify　Peter　Harper　in　Washington　and　alert　the　INS　office　in　New　Orleans。　Good　night；　Lieutenant　Stowe。　Let's　do　lunch　tomorrow。〃
　Stowe　tried　several　times　to　raise　Julia；　but　she　had　turned　off　her　little　radio。　He　looked　across　the　bayou　through　his　night…vision　scope　and　saw　her　jump　from　the　barge　and　run　the　length　of　the　dock；　disappearing　around　a　moss…covered　oak　tree　outside　the　chain…link　fence。
　Julia　stopped　when　she　reached　the　oak　and　hid　for　a　few　minutes　under　the　moss　that　hung　from　the　branches　above。　Her　eyes　slowly　panned　around　the　seemingly　deserted　buildings　of　the　sugar　mill。　No　lights　inside　the　doors　and　windows　leaked　through　the　weathered　cracks。　She　listened　but　only　heard　the　rhythmic　whine　and　rasp　of　cicadas；　an　indication　that　summer　was　just　around　the　corner。　The　balmy　air　lay　heavy　and　damp　with　no　breeze　to　cool　skin　moist　with　sweat。
　
　The　main　building　in　the　plex；　solid　and　substantial；　stood　three　stories　tall。　The　founder　must　have　been　influenced　by　medieval　architecture。　Ramparts　traveled　around　the　roof　with　four　turrets　that　once　held　the　pany's　offices。　The　walls　showed　only　enough　windows　to　provide　daylight　for　the　interior；　but　to　the　men　and　women　who　had　once　labored　there；　the　lack　of　ventilation　must　have　caused　incredibly　oppressive　working　conditions。　The　red…clay　bricks　looked　as　if　they　had　long　defied　the　mugginess；　but　green　moss　and　climbing　vines　were　slowly　invading　their　mortared　seams；　loosening　their　grip。　Already；　a　large　number　of　them　had　fallen　to　the　damp　earth　below。　To　Julia　the　unearthly　scene　of　a　once…thriving　business　humming　with　activity；　crowded　with　people　but　now　abandoned；　wore　the　expectant　air　of　a　place　long　overdue　for　the　wrecker's　ball。
　
　She　worked　her　way　through　the　shadows　of　the　vegetation　growing　along　the　fence　until　she　came　to　the　railroad　tracks　leading　through　a　heavily　padlocked　gate；　down　the　culvert　and　ending　at　a　massive　wooden　door　opening　into　the　basement　of　the　main　warehouse。　She　bent　down　and　studied　the　rails　under　a　light　on　a　nearby