dk.nightchills-第11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！


　〃No；〃　Dawson　said。　〃So　long　as　Ogden　has　the　puter…　and　a　plete　data　file　of　his　past　research…he　can　handle　everything　himself。　For　ten　years　he's　had　a　full　lab　staff　to　do　the　drudgery；　but　most　of　that　kind　of　work　is　behind　him　now。；'
　〃If　he　quits　at　Brockert；〃　Klinger　said；　〃there　will　be　an　exhaustive　security　investigation。　They'll　want　to　know　why　he　quit…and　they'll　find　out。〃
　They　were　talking　about　Salsbury　as　if　he　were　somewhere　else　and　unable　to　hear　them；　and　he　didn't　like　that。　He　moved　away　from　the　window；　took　two　steps　toward　the　general　and　said；　〃I'm　not　leaving　my　position　at　Brockert。　I'll　report　for　work　as　usual；　five　days　a　week；　from　nine　to　four。　While　I'm　there　I'll　labor　diligently　on　a　useless　research　project。〃
　〃When　will　you　find　time　to　work　at　this　lab　Leonard's　setting　up　for　you？〃
　〃In　the　evenings；〃　Salsbury　said。　〃And　on　weekends。　Besides　that；　I've　accumulated　a　lot　of　sick　leave　and　vacation　time。　I'll　take　most　of　it…but　I'll　spread　it　out　evenly　over　the　next　year　or　so。〃
　Klinger　stood　up　and　went　to　the　elegant　copper　and　glass　bar　cart　that　a　servant　had　left　a　few　feet　from　the　easy　chairs。　His　thick　and　hairy　arms　made　the　crystal　decanters　look　more　delicate　than　they　actually　were。　As　he　poured　another　double　shot　of　brandy　for　himself；　he　said；　〃And　what　role　do　you　see　me　playing　in　all　of　this？〃
　Salsbury　said；　〃Leonard　can　get　the　puter　system　I　need。　But　he　can't　provide　me　with　a　magnetic　tape　file　of　all　the　research　I've　done　for　CDA　or　a　set　of　master　program　tapes　designed　for　my　research。　I'll　need　both　of　those　before　Leonard's　puters　are　worth　a　penny　to　me。　Now；　given　three　or　four　weeks；　I　could　make　duplicates　of　those　tapes　at　Brockert　without　much　risk　of　being　caught。　But　once　I've　got　eighty　or　ninety　cumbersome　mag　tapes　and　five…hundred…yard　print…outs；　how　do　I　get　them　out　of　Brockert？　There's　just　no　way。　Security　procedures；　entering　and　leaving；　are　tight；　too　tight　for　my　purpose。　Unless　。　。
　〃I　see；〃　Klinger　said。　He　returned　to　his　chair　and　sipped　at　his　brandy。
　Sliding　forward　to　the　edge　of　his　seat；　Dawson　said；　〃Ernst；　you're　the　ultimate　authority　for　security　at　Brockert。　You　know　more　about　that　system　than　anyone　else。　If　there's　a　weak　spot　in　their　security；　you're　the　man　to　find　it…or　make　it。〃
　Studying　Salsbury　as　if　he　were　assessing　the　danger　and　questioning　the　wisdom　of　being　associated　with　someone　of　such　obviously　inferior　character；　Klinger　said；　〃I'm　supposed　to　let　you　smuggle　out　nearly　one　hundred　magnetic　tapes　full　of　top…secret　data　and　sophisticated　puter　programs？〃
　Ogden　nodded　slowly。
　〃Can　you　do　it？〃　Dawson　asked。
　〃Probably。〃
　〃That's　all　you　can　say？〃
　〃There's　a　better　than　even　chance　it　can　be　done。〃
　〃That's　not　sufficient；　Ernst。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Klinger　said；　slightly　exasperated。　〃I　can　do　it。　I　can　find　a　way。〃
　Smiling；　Dawson　said；　〃I　knew　you　could。〃
　〃But　if　I　did　find　a　way　and　was　caught　either　during　or　after　the　operation…I'd　be　dumped　into　Leavenworth　and　left　to　rot。　Earlier；　when　I　used　the　word　'treason；'　I　wasn't　tossing　it　around　lightly。〃
　〃I　didn't　suppose　you　were；〃　Dawson　said。　〃But　you　wouldn't　be　required　ever　to　see　these　mag　tapes；　let　alone　touch　them。　That　would　be　a　risk　that　only　Ogden　would　have　to　take。　They　could　convict　you　of　nothing　more　serious　than　negligence　for　permitting　or　overlooking　the　gap　in　security。〃
　〃Even　so；　I'd　be　forced　into　early　retirement　or　drummed　out　of　the　service　with　only　a　partial　pension。〃
　Amazed；　Dawson　shook　his　head　and　said；　〃I'm　offering　him　one…third　of　a　partnership　that　will　earn　millions；　and　Ernst　is　worrying　about　a　government　pension。〃
　Salsbury　was　perspiring　heavily。　The　back　of　his　shirt　was　soaked　and　felt　like　a　cold　press　against　his　skin。　To　Klinger
　he　said；　〃You've　told　us　that　you　can　do　it。　But　the　big　question　is　whether　you　will　do　it。〃
　Klinger　stared　into　his　brandy　glass　for　a　while；　then　finally　looked　up　at　Salsbury　and　said；　〃Once　you've　perfected　the　drug…what's　our　first　step？〃
　Getting　to　his　feet；　Dawson　said；　〃We'll　establish　a　front　corporation　in　Liechtenstein。〃
　〃Why　there？〃
　Liechtenstein　did　not　require　that　a　corporation　list　its　true　owners。　Dawson　could　hire　lawyers　in　Vaduz　and　appoint　them　as　corporate　officers…and　they　could　not　be　forced　by　law　to　reveal　the　identities　of　their　clients。
　〃Furthermore；〃　Dawson　said；　〃I　will　acquire　for　each　of　us　a　set　of　forged　papers；　plete　with　passports；　so　that　we　can　travel　and　do　business　under　assumed　names。　If　the　lawyers　in　Vadnz　are　forced　by　extralegal　means　to　reveal　the　names　of　their　clients；　they　still　won't　endanger　us　because　they　won't　know　our　real　names。〃
　Dawson's　caution　was　not　excessive。　The　corporation　would　quite　rapidly　bee　an　incredibly　successful　venture；　so　successful　that　a　great　many　powerful　people　in　both　business　and　government　would　eventually　be　prying　at　it　quietly；　trying　to　find　out　who　lay　behind　the　phony　officers　in　Vaduz。　With　Salsbury's　drug　and　extensive　programs　of　carefully　structured　subliminals；　the　three　of　them　could　establish　a　hundred　different　businesses　and　literally　demand　that　customers；　associates；　and　even　rivals　produce　a　substantial　profit　for　them。　Every　dollar　they　earned　would　seem　to　be　spotlessly　clean；　produced　by　a　legitimate　form　of　merce。　But；　of　course；　a　great　many　people　would　feel　that　it　was　not　at　all　legitimate　to　manipulate　the　petition　and　the　buying　public　by　means　of　a　powerful　new　drug。　In　the　event　that　the　corporation　got　caught　using　the　drug…stolen；　as　it　was；　from　a　U。S。　weapons　research　project…what　had　once　appeared　to　be　excessive　caution　might　well　prove　no　more　than　adequate。
　〃And　once　we've　got　the　corporation？〃　Klinger　asked。
　Money　and　business　arrangements　were　Dawson's　vocation
　and　his　avocation。　He　began　to　declaim　almost　in　the　manner　of　a　Baptist　preacher；　full　of　vigor　and　fierce　intent；　thoroughly　enjoying　himself。　〃The　corporation　will　purchase　a　walled　estate　somewhere　in　Germany　or　France。　At　least　one　hundred　acres。　On　the　surface　it　will　appear　to　be　an　executive　retreat。　But　in　reality　it　will　be　used　for　the　indoctrination　of　mercenary　soldiers。〃
　〃Mercenaries？〃　Klinger's　hard；　broad　face　expressed　the　institutional　soldier's　disdain　for　the　free…lancer。
　The　corporation；　Dawson　explained；　would　hire　perhaps　a　dozen　of　the　very　best　mercenaries　available；　men　who　had　fought　in　Asia　and　Africa。　They　would　be　brought　to　the　pany　estate；　ostensibly　to　be　briefed　on　their　assignments　and　to　meet　their　superiors。　The　water　supply　and　all　bottled　beverages　on　the　estate　would　be　used　as　media　for　the　drug。　Twenty…four　hours　after　the　mercenaries　had　taken　their　first　few　drinks；　when　they　were　primed　for　total　subliminal　brainwashing；　they　would　be　shown　four　hours　of　films　on　each　of　three　successive　days…travelogues；　industrial　studies；　and　technical　documentaries　detailing　the　use　of　a　variety　of　weapons　and　electronic　devices…which　would　be　presented　as　essential　background　material　for　their　assignments。　Unknowingly；　of　course；　they　would　be　watching　twelve　hours　of　sophisticated　subliminals　telling　them　to　obey　without　question　any　order　prefaced　by　a　certain　code　phrase；　and　when　those　three　days　had　passed；　all　twelve　men　would　cease　to　be　merely　hired　hands　and　would　bee　something　quite　like　programmed　robots。
　Outwardly；　they　would　not　appear　to　have　changed。　They　would　look　and　behave　as　they　always　had　done。　Nevertheless；　they　would　obey　any　order　to　lie；　steal；　or　kill　anyone；　obey　without　hesitation；　so　long　as　that　order　was　preceded　by　the　proper　code　phrase。
　〃As　mercenary　soldiers；　they　would　be　professional　killers　to　begin　with；〃　Klinger　said。
　〃That's　true；〃　Dawson　said。　〃But　the　glory　lies　in　their　unconditional；　unquestioning　obedience。　As　hired　mercenaries；　they　would　be　able　to　reject　any　order　or　assignment　that　they
　didn't　like。　But　as　our　programmed　staff；　they　will　do　precisely　what　they　are　told　to　do。〃
　〃There　are　other　advantages；　too；〃　Salsbury　said；　not　unaware　that　Dawson；　now　that　he　was　in　a　proselytizing　mood；　resented　being　nudged　from　the　pulpit。　〃For　one　thing；　you　can　order　a　man　to　kill　and　then　to　erase　all　memory　of　the　murder　from　both　his　conscious　and　subconscious　mind。　He　would　never　be　able　to　testify　against　the　corporation　or　against　us；　and　he　would　pass　any　polygraph　examination。〃
　Klinger's　Neanderthal　face　brightened　a　bit。　He　appreciated　the　importance　of　what　Salsbury　had　said。　〃Even　if　they　used　pentothal　or　hypnotic　regression…he　still　couldn't　remember？〃
　〃Sodium　pentothal　is　much　overrated　as　a　truth　serum；〃　Salsbury　said。　〃As　for　the　other。　。　…　Well；　they　could　put　him　in　a　trance　and　regress　him　to　the　time　of　the　murder。　But　he　would　only　draw　a　blank。　Once　he　has　been　told　to　erase　the　event　from　his　mind；　it　is　beyond　his　recall　just　as　surely　as　obsolete　data　is　beyond　the　recall　of　a　puter　that　has　had　its　memory　banks　wiped　clean。〃
　Having　finished　his　second　brandy；　Klinger　returned　to　the　bar　cart。　This　time　he　filled　a　twelve…ounce　tumbler　with　ice　and　Seven…Up。
　Salsbury　thought；　He's　right　about　that：　any　man　who　doesn't　keep　a　clear　head　here；　tonight；　is　plainly　suicidal。
　To　Dawson；　Klinger　said；　〃Once　we've　got　these　twelve　'robots'　what　do　we　do　with　them？〃
　Because　he　had　spent　the　last　three　months　thinking　about　that　while　he　and　Saisbury　worked　out　the　details　of　their　approach　to　the　general；　Dawson　had　a　quick　answer。　〃We　can　do　anything　we　want　with　them。　Anything　at　all。　But　as　a　first　step…I　thought　we　might　use　them　to　introduce　the　drug　into　the　water　supplies　of　every　major　city　in　Kuwait。　Then　we　could　saturate　that　country　with　a　multimedia　subliminal　campaign　specially　structured　for　the　Arab　psyche；　and　within　a　month　we　could　quietly　seize　control　without　anyone；　even　the　government　of　Kuwait；　knowing　what　we've　done。〃
　〃Take　over　an　entire　country　as　a　first　step？〃　Klinger　asked　incredulously。
　Preaching　again；　striding　back　and　forth　between　Salsbury　and　the　general；　gesturing　expansively；　Dawson　said；　〃The　population　of　Kuwait　is　less　than　eight　hundred　thousand。　The　greatest　part　of　that　is　concentrated　in　a　few　urban　areas；　chiefly　in　Hawaii　and　the　capital　city。　Furthermore；　all　of　the　members　of　the　government　and　virtually　all　of　the　wealthy　reside　in　those　metropolitan　centers。　The　handful　of　super…rich　families　who　own　desert　enclaves　get　their　water　by　truck　from　the　cities。　In　short；　we　could　take　control　of　everyone　of　influence　within　the　country…giving　us　a　behind…the…scenes　managerial　dictatorship　over　the　Kuwait　oil　reserves；　which　pose　twenty　percent　of　the　entire　world　supply。　That　done；　Kuwait　would　bee　our　base　of　operations；　from　which　we　could　subvert　Saudi　Arabia；　Iraq；　Yemen；　and　every　other　oil…exporting　nation　in　the　Mid…East。〃
　〃We　could　smash　the　OPEC　cartel；〃　Klinger　said　thoughtfully。
　〃Or　strengthen　it；〃　Dawson　said。　〃Or　alternately　weaken　and　strengthen　it　in　order　to　cause　major　fluctuations　in　the　value　of　oil　stocks。　Indeed；　we　could　affect　the　entire　stock　market。　And　because　we'd　know　about　each　fluctuation　well　in　advance；　we　could　take　ra