cc.floodtide-第95章
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uggled upward； gaining a grip and pulling himself higher； then climbing toward the upper rim of the chute。
Automatic grasped in one hand and only dimly aware of the curious prickling sensation moving up the nape of his neck； he heard voices drifting into the chute； voices that were not speaking English。 He also became strongly aware of the heavy； sickening odor of human bodies packed too long in a stifling atmosphere。 Pitt raised his head until his eyes could see over the edge of the chute。 He found himself gazing down from a height of twelve feet into a large chamber scarcely lit by a small dirty skylight in the ceiling。 The walls of the chamber were dingy brick； the floor concrete。
Standing； lying or crouched in the stale atmosphere of the chamber； packed together shoulder to shoulder with little or no room to move about； were over three hundred men； women and children in varying states of sickness； malnutrition and fatigue。 All appeared to be Chinese。 Pitt scanned the chamber but saw no guards。 The mass of humanity below was sealed in what was once the sugar…processing room； the only entrance was barred by a thick wooden door。
As he watched； the door abruptly swung open； and an Asian wearing the same uniform Giordino had taken off the guard at the dock roughly pushed a man into the crowded chamber。 A woman； who Pitt assumed was the man's wife； had her arms tightly pinned by another guard in a passage outside。 The door slammed shut with an echoing thud； and the man； in a highly emotional state； pounded on it and cried out in Chinese； clearly begging the guards not to take the woman away。
Without misgivings or thoughts of personal risk； Pitt dropped out of the chute opening onto the floor below； landing on his feet between two women； knocking both into people packed around them； creating a ripple in the mass。 The women stared at him in startled curiosity but said nothing。 No one else gave indication of his sudden appearance。
Pitt didn't bother to beg their pardon。 He moved quickly through the huddled crowd of bodies toward the door。 Reaching it； he gently pushed the sobbing man aside and then rapped on the door with the butt of his Colt。 It was a familiar knock； one long； four short； two long； often given by someone friendly with the occupants on the other side。 After the second try； Pitt's brazenness was rewarded。 As he'd hoped； the guard's curiosity was aroused by the inprehensible rap instead of the crazed pounding from a distraught husband。
The lock clacked and the door was thrown open again； only this time with Pitt standing behind it。 A guard burst back into the chamber； grabbing the husband by the collar and shaking him like a fruit tree。 The other guard still stood in the passage； pinning the woman's arms cruelly behind her back。 He spoke angrily in perfect English。
〃Tell that dumb bastard for the last time； he isn't getting his wife back until he forks over another ten thousand U。S。 dollars。〃
Pitt's arm whirled in a blurred arc downward； the butt of the Colt in his hand connecting solidly on the side of the first guard's head； sending him unconscious to the concrete floor。 Then Pitt stepped into the open doorway； gun pointed steadily at the head of the man with the young woman。
〃I don't mean to intrude； but I believe you have something that belongs to someone else。〃
The guard's jaw； already open at seeing his colleague crumpled in a heap； dead to the world； began working furiously as he stared pop…eyed at the apparition in the black wet suit。 〃Who the hell are you？〃
〃I was hired by your captives to act as their agent；〃 Pitt said； smiling。 〃Now let the girl go。〃
The guard had guts； Pitt had to admit that。 One arm moved up and encircled the young woman's neck。 〃Drop the gun or by God I'll snap her neck。〃
Pitt stepped forward and raised the Colt until the muzzle was only a few inches from the guard's left eye。 〃I'll blow your eyes out if you do。 Is that what you want； to spend the rest of your days as a blind man？〃
The guard was smart enough to know he was in a no…win situation。 He looked up and down the passageway in hope of finding help。 But he was alone。 Slowly； he acted as if his hold was loosening around the woman's neck while his other hand inched toward a gun in a holster at his hip。
Pitt caught the movement and rammed the muzzle of the Colt into the guard's eye。 〃Not a wise gamble； my friend。〃 He smiled pleasantly； his teeth gleaming in the pale light。
The guard gasped in pain； dropped his hold on the woman and clutched both hands to his eye。 〃Oh God； you blinded me！〃
〃No such luck；〃 Pitt said briefly as he yanked the guard into the chamber by the collar。 He didn't have to order the woman； she had already rushed by him and thrown herself into her husband's arms。 〃The worst you can expect is a bloodshot eyeball for a few days。〃
Pitt kicked the big door closed； crouched down and hurriedly removed the guards' revolvers from their holsters。 Then he searched them for concealed weapons。 The guard he'd knocked unconscious carried a small 。32…caliber automatic strapped to his pants belt behind his back； the other had a bowie knife stuffed in one boot。 Then he checked them for size to see which one came closest in height and weight。 They were both considerably shorter； but one nearly matched his chest and waist measurements。
As he began to switch clothes； Pitt spoke to the hushed horde who stared back at him as if he was some kind of deity。 〃Do any of you speak English？〃
Two people made their way toward him。 One was an elderly man with a long white beard； the other an attractive woman in her mid…thirties。 〃My father and I can speak English；〃 she said。 〃We both taught languages at Chungking University。〃
Pitt swept his hand around the chamber。 〃Please tell them to bind and gag these men and hide their bodies as far away from the door as possible； where they can't be easily found。〃
The father and daughter nodded。 〃We understand；〃 he replied。 〃We will also caution them to remain quiet。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Pitt； as he stripped off his wet suit。 〃Am I correct in saying that you have all been treated badly by the smugglers who are extorting you for more money？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered the woman； 〃all you say is true。 We were subjected to unspeakable conditions during the voyage from China。 After we arrived in the United States； we were brought here by the enforcers from Qin Shang Maritime； where we were turned over to an American…Chinese crime syndicate。 It is they who are extorting us for more money by threatening to either kill or force us into indentured slavery if we do not pay。〃
〃Tell them all to take heart；〃 said Pitt solemnly。 〃Help is on the way。〃
He finished dressing； grinning when he noticed that a good three inches of socks showed between the guard's shoes…two sizes too small…and the bottom cuffs of the trousers。 While the guards were dragged to the other end of the chamber and bound； Pitt slipped one revolver and the Colt automatic inside his pants and buttoned the shirt over them。 Next he adjusted the holster containing the second guard's revolver at his side。 Then； with a quick look of encouragement to the poor wretched immigrants； he stepped into the passage； quietly closed the door and locked it。
Twenty feet to the left of the door the passage ended in a tangled mass of old rusty machinery that filled it from floor to ceiling。 Pitt went right and came to a stairway ascending to a corridor that opened onto a series of rooms with huge copper pots that had corroded over the decades until the once…bright metal had changed to a patinated green。
Pitt entered one of what had been the sugar cane cooking rooms and peered through a long row of dusty windows。 Below him was a vast storage and shipping terminal。 A pair of railroad tracks ran between two loading docks before stopping at a concrete barrier。 Broad doors on one end of the floor were spread open to acmodate three freight cars that were being backed down a slope by a diesel…eiectric lootive painted in the blue and orange colors of the Louisiana & Southern Railroad。
Next to the building near the railroad tracks； Pitt could se
