cc.floodtide-第26章

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ed　at　Julia　through　eyes　warm　with　sympathy。
　The　other　man；　with　thinning　blond　hair；　his　gray　eyes　peering　through　rimless　spectacles；　was　a　stranger　to　Julia。　There　was　no　hint　of　sympathy　in　his　eyes。　If　anything；　he　looked　as　if　he　was　about　to　sell　her　an　insurance　policy。
　〃Julia；〃　said　Russell；　〃I'd　like　to　introduce　Peter　Harper。　He　flew　in　from　Washington　to　debrief　you。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　said　Julia；　struggling　to　sit　up　in　bed；　wincing　from　the　pain　that　shot　through　her　chest。　〃You're　the　executive　associate　missioner　for　field　operations。　I'm　happy　to　meet　you。　Your　reputation　is　a　bit　of　a　legend　throughout　the　Service。〃
　〃I'm　flattered。〃　Harper　shook　Julia's　outstretched　hand　and　was　surprised　at　the　firmness　of　her　grip。　〃You've　had　a　tough　time　of　it；〃　he　said。　〃missioner　Monroe　sends　his　congratulations　and　thanks；　and　wishes　me　to　say　that　the　Service　is　proud　of　your　performance。〃
　
　He　makes　it　sound　as　if　I　was　taking　a　curtain　call　after　a　play；　Julia　thought。　〃But　for　one　man；　I　wouldn't　be　here　to　receive　the　pliment。〃
　〃Yes；　we'll　e　to　him　later。　Right　now；　I'd　like　a　verbal　accounting　of　your　mission　to　infiltrate　the　smugglers'　operation。〃
　〃We　didn't　mean　to　put　you　back　in　harness　so　soon；〃　interrupted　Russell　in　a　quiet　voice。　〃A　full　written　report　of　your　activities　can　wait　until　you're　up　and　about。　But　for　now；　we'd　like　you　to　tell　us　everything　you've　learned　about　the　smugglers　and　their　procedures。〃
　〃From　the　time　I　became　Ling　T'ai　and　paid　the　smugglers　for　passage　in　Beijing？〃　Julia　asked。
　〃From　the　beginning；〃　said　Harper；　taking　a　tape　recorder　from　his　briefcase　and　setting　it　on　the　bed。　〃Starting　with　your　entry　into　China。　We'd　like　to　hear　it　all。〃
　
　Julia　looked　at　Harper　as　she　began。　〃As　Arthur　can　tell　you；　I　traveled　to　Beijing；　China；　with　a　group　of　Canadian　tourists。　After　we　arrived　in　the　city　I　deserted　the　group　during　a　walking　tour　of　the　city。　Being　of　Chinese　descent　and　speaking　the　language；　I　had　no　problem　with　melting　into　the　people　crowding　the　streets。　After　changing　into　more　suitable　clothes；　I　began　making　discreet　inquiries　about　emigrating　to　a　foreign　country。　As　it　turned　out　the　newspapers　ran　stories　and　advertisements　promoting　emigration　outside　China's　borders。　I　answered　an　ad　by　an　outfit　calling　themselves　Jingzi　International　Passages。　Their　offices；　coincidentally；　were　on　the　third　floor　of　a　modern　building　owned　by　Qin　Shang　Maritime　Limited。　The　price　to　be　smuggled　into　the　United　States　was　the　equivalent　of　thirty　thousand　American　dollars。　When　I　attempted　to　haggle；　I　was　told　in　no　uncertain　terms　to　pay　up　or　leave。　I　paid。〃
　
　Then　Julia　related　the　story　of　her　terrible　ordeal　after　boarding　the　outwardly　luxurious　cruise　ship　that　became　a　hell　ship。　She　told　of　the　inhuman　cruelty；　the　lack　of　food　and　sanitation　facilities；　the　brutality　of　the　enforcers；　her　interrogation　and　beating；　the　transfer　of　the　able…bodied　to　boats　that　took　them　unknowingly　to　a　life　of　slavery　ashore　while　those　of　some　wealth　were　diverted　to　the　prison　at　Orion　Lake　and　placed　in　cages　until　they　could　be　squeezed　for　more　money。　The　very　young；　the　elderly　and　those　who　could　not　physically　endure　a　life　of　servitude　were　quietly　murdered　by　drowning　in　the　lake。
　
　She　narrated　in　exacting　detail　the　entire　smuggling　operation　calmly　and　unemotionally；　covering　every　foot　of　the　mother　ship　and　drawing　illustrations　of　the　smaller　craft　used　to　ferry　the　aliens　into　the　U。S。　Using　her　trained　skills　in　identification；　she　described　the　facial　features　and　approximate　body　measurements　of　every　smuggler　she　came　in　contact　with；　supplying　whatever　names　she　was　able　to　obtain。
　
　She　told　how　she；　the　elderly　aliens　and　the　family　with　two　children　were　forced　into　the　confining　cabin　of　the　black　catamaran；　how　they　were　eventually　bound　and　their　feet　tied　with　iron　weights　before　being　dropped　through　an　open　hatch　into　the　lake。　She　told　how　a　man　in　diving　gear　had　miraculously　appeared　and　cut　them　all　loose　before　they　drowned。　Then　she　described　how　he　herded　everyone　to　the　temporary　safety　of　the　shore；　how　he　forted　and　fed　them　at　his　cabin　and　provided　a　means　of　escape　minutes　before　the　arrival　of　the　smugglers'　security　force。　She　told　how　that　enduring　man　of　iron　killed　five　of　the　enforcers　who　were　set　on　murdering　the　escaped　immigrants；　how　he　took　a　bullet　in　the　hip　and　acted　as　if　it　never　happened。　She　gave　an　account　of　his　blowing　up　the　dock　and　yacht　at　the　retreat；　the　harrowing　battle　down　the　river　to　Grapevine　Bay；　her　shooting　the　two　ultralights　out　of　the　sky；　and　the　indomitable　courage　of　the　man　at　the　wheel　of　the　runabout　who　threw　his　body　over　the　children　when　it　was　thought　they　were　about　to　be　blasted　out　of　the　water。
　
　Julia　told　them　everything　she　had　witnessed　since　leaving　China。　But　she　couldn't　explain　how　or　why　the　man　from　NUMA　came　to　be　under　the　catamaran　at　the　exact　moment　she　and　the　others　were　dropped　into　the　cold　waters　of　the　lake；　nor　could　she　explain　why　he　made　a　reconnaissance　of　the　prison　building　on　his　own　initiative。　She　did　not　know　his　incentive。　It　was　as　though　Pitt's　involvement　was　a　dream　sequence。　How　else　could　she　explain　his　presence　and　actions　on　Orion　Lake？　Finally；　she　ended　her　account　by　saying　his　name；　her　voice　trailing　off　into　silence。
　
　〃Dirk　Pitt；　the　special　projects　director　for　NUMA？〃　Harper　blurted。
　
　Russell　turned　to　Harper；　who　was　staring　at　Julia　in　disbelief。　〃It's　true。　Pitt　was　the　one　who　helped　reveal　the　retreat　as　a　prison　and　provided　the　people　in　our　district　office　in　Seattle　with　vital　information　to　conduct　the　raid。　Without　his　timely　appearance　and　exceptional　courage；　Agent　Lee　would　have　died　and　the　mass　killing　at　Orion　Lake　would　have　gone　on　indefinitely。　Thanks　to　him；　the　macabre　operation　was　exposed；　enabling　our　Seattle　district　office　to　shut　it　down。〃
　
　Harper　looked　at　Julia　steadily。　〃A　man　materializes　in　the　dead　of　night　underwater　who　is　not　a　trained　undercover　agent　nor　a　member　of　the　Special　Forces　but　a　marine　engineer　with　the　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency　and　singlehand…edly　kills　the　crew　of　a　murder　boat　and　destroys　a　yacht　and　an　entire　dock。　Then　he　leads　you　through　a　gauntlet　of　smugglers　who　strafe　a　boatload　of　illegal　immigrants　from　light　aircraft　while　they're　speeding　down　a　river　in　a　seventy…year…old　boat。　An　incredible　story；　to　say　the　least；　Ms。　Lee。〃
　〃And　every　word　of　it　true；〃　said　Julia　firmly。
　〃missioner　Monroe　and　I　met　with　Admiral　Sandecker　of　NUMA　only　a　few　nights　ago；　asking　for　their　help　in　bating　Qin　Shang's　smuggling　operation。　It　seems　unimaginable　that　they　could　have　acted　so　quickly。〃
　〃Although　we　never　had　time　to　pare　notes；　I'm　certain　Dirk　acted　on　his　own　without　orders　from　his　superior。〃
　
　By　the　time　Harper　and　Russell　had　asked　her　a　barrage　of　questions　and　changed　the　cassette　in　the　recorder　four　times；　Julia　was　fighting　a　losing　battle　with　fatigue。　She　had　journeyed　far　beyond　the　call　of　duty；　and　now　all　she　wanted　was　sleep。　After　her　face　returned　to　an　assemblage　of　normality；　she　hoped　to　see　her　family；　but　not　before。
　
　Almost　in　a　trancelike　state；　she　wondered　how　Dirk　Pitt　would　have　described　the　events　had　he　been　there。　She　smiled；　knowing　that　he　would　have　probably　reacted　by　making　a　joke　out　of　the　whole　exploit；　making　light　of　his　actions　and　participation。　How　odd；　she　thought；　that　I　can　predict　his　reactions　and　thoughts　when　I　knew　him　for　less　than　a　few　hours。
　〃You've　been　through　more　than　any　of　us　had　any　right　to　expect；〃　said　Russell；　seeing　that　Julia　was　having　a　hard　time　keeping　her　eyes　open。
　〃You're　a　credit　to　the　service；〃　Harper　said　sincerely　as　he　switched　off　the　recorder。　〃A　fine　report。　Because　of　you　an　important　link　in　the　smuggling　of　illegal　immigrants　is　history。〃
　〃They'll　just　pop　up　somewhere　else；〃　said　Julia；　stifling　a　yawn。
　Russell　shrugged。　〃Too　bad　we　don't　have　enough　evidence　to　convict　Qin　Shang　in　an　international　court　of　law。〃
　
　Julia　suddenly　became　alert。　〃What　are　you　saying？　Not　enough　evidence？　I　have　proof　the　phony　cruise　ship；　filled　with　illegal　aliens；　was　registered　to　Qin　Shang　Maritime　Limited。　That　alone；　plus　the　bodies　lying　in　Orion　Lake；　should　be　enough　to　indict　and　convict　Qin　Shang。〃
　
　Harper　shook　his　head。　〃We　checked。　The　ship　was　legally　registered　to　an　obscure　shipping　pany　in　Korea。　And　though　Shang's　representatives　handled　all　real…estate　transactions；　the　Orion　Lake　property　is　in　the　name　of　a　holding　pany　in　Vancouver；　Canada；　by　the　name　of　Nanchang　Investments。　Offshore　corporations　with　one　dummy　corporation　leading　to　another　in　different　countries　is　quite　mon；　and　makes　it　tough　to　trace　the　thread　to　the　mother　pany　and　its　owner；　directors　and　stockholders。　As　rotten　as　it　sounds；　no　international　court　of　law　would　convict　Qin　Shang。〃
　
　Julia　looked　vacantly　through　the　window　of　her　room。　Between　two　buildings　she　could　just　make　out　the　gray；　ominous　buildings　of　Alcatraz；　the　famous　and　now　abandoned　prison。　〃Then　everything；〃　she　said　disgustedly；　〃the　sacrifice　of　innocent　people　in　the　lake；　my　ordeal；　Pitt's　heroic　efforts；　the　raid　on　the　retreat…all　for　nothing。　Qin　Shang　will　laugh　up　his　sleeve　and　go　on　operating　as　if　it　was　all　a　minor　inconvenience。〃
　
　〃On　the　contrary；〃　Harper　assured　her。　〃Your　information　is　invaluable。　Nothing　es　easy；　and　it　will　take　time；　but　sooner　or　later　we're　going　to　put　Qin　Shang　and　his　kind　out　of　business。〃
　
　〃Peter　is　right；〃　added　Russell。　〃We've　only　won　a　minor　skirmish　in　the　war；　but　we've　cut　off　an　important　tentacle　of　the　octopus。　We　also　have　a　new　insight　into　China's　smuggling…operations　policy。　Our　jobs　have　bee　a　bit　easier　now　that　we　know　which　back　alleys　to　investigate。〃
　
　Harper　gathered　up　his　briefcase　and　headed　for　the　door。　〃We'll　be　on　our　way　and　let　you　rest。〃
　Russell　patted　her　gently　on　the　shoulder。　〃I　wish　I　could　send　you　on　extended　leave；　courtesy　of　the　INS；　but　headquarters　wants　you　in　Washington　as　soon　as　you're　up　and　about。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　ask　a　favor；〃　said　Julia；　stopping　both　men　at　the　door。
　〃Name　it；〃　said　Russell。
　〃Except　for　a　brief　visit　with　my　mother　and　father　here　in　San　Francisco；　I　would　like　to　return　to　duty　by　the　beginning　of　next　week。　I　formally　request　that　I　remain　on　the　investigation　of　Qin　Shang。〃
　Russell　looked　at　Harper；　who　smiled。　〃That　goes　without　saying；〃　said　Russell。　〃Why　do　you　think　they　want　you　in　Washington？　Who　in　INS　knows　more　about　Shang's　alien…smuggling　operation　than　you？〃
　
　After　they　left；　Julia　made　one　last　effort　to　fight　off　creeping　drowsiness。　She　picked　up　the　bedside　phone；　dialed　an　outside　line　and　then　the　area　code　and　number　for　long…distance　information。　Obtaining　the　number；　she　called　the　NUMA　headquarters　building　in　Washington　and　asked　for　Dirk　Pitt。
　
　She　was　put　through　to　his　secretary；　who　informed　her　that　Pitt　was　out　on　vacation　and　had　not　returned　to　work　yet。　Julia　hung　up　the　phone　and　settled　her　head　into　the　pillows。　In　some　odd　man