cc.iceberg-第16章

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t　dared　argument。　〃Shall　we　mence？〃
　Sandecker　heard　Pitt　out；　then　said：　〃　'God　save　thee；'　that's　what　he　said？〃
　〃That's　all　he　said。　Then　he　was　gone。　I'd　hoped　Dr。　Hunnewell　might　have　offered　me　a　clue　to　the　whereabouts　of　the　Lax　between　the　time　it　vanished　and　the　time　it　became　inbedded　in　the　iceberg；　but　he　volunteered　nothing　except　a　historical　sketch　of　Kristjan　Fyrie　and　a　lecture　on　zirconium。〃
　He　did　as　he　was　told。　I　didn't　want　you　involved　〃That　was　two　days　ago。　Now　I'm　involved　up　to　my　neck。〃　Pitt　leaned　over　the　desk　toward　the　older　man。　〃Let's　have　it；　You　sly　old　fox。　What　in　hell　is　going　on？〃
　Sandecker　grinned。　〃For　your　sake；　I'm　going　to　take　that　as　a　pliment。〃　He　pulled　out　a　bottom　drawer　and　propped　his　feet　on　it。
　〃I　hope　you　know　what　you're　letting　yourself　in　for。〃
　〃I　don't　have　the　vaguest　idea；　but　tell　me　anyway。
　〃All　right　then。〃　Sandecker　leaned　back　in　his　swivel　chair　and　puffed　several　times　on　his　cigar。　〃This　is　what　took　place　as　far　as　it　goes…too　many　pieces　are　missing　for　even　a　fifty　percent　glimpse　at　the　overall　picture。　About　a　year　and　a　half　ago；　Fyrie's　scientists　successfully　designed　and　constructed　a　nuclear　undersea　probe　that　could　identify　fifteen　to　twenty　different　mineral　elements　on　the　ocean　floor。　The　p　e　opera　y　posing　elements　to　neutrons　given　off　by　a　laboratory…produced　element　called　celtinium…279。　When　activated　by　the　neutrons；　the　elements　on　the　ocean's　bottom　gave　off　gamma　rays；　which　were　then　analyzed　and　counted　by　a　tiny　detector　on　the　probe。　During　tests　off　Iceland；　the　probe　detected　and　measured　mineral　samples　of　manganese；　gold；　nickel；　titanium；　and　zirconium…the　zirconium　in　huge　and　unheard…of　amounts。〃
　〃I　think　I　see。　Without　the　probe；　the　zirconium　could　never　be　found　again；〃　Pitt　said　thoughtfully。
　〃The　prize　then　is　not　the　rare　elements；　but　rather　the　probe　itself。〃
　〃Yes；　the　probe　opens　a　vast　and　untapped　frontier　for　undersea　mining。　Whoever　owns　it　won't　control　the　world；　of　course；　but　possession　could　lead　to　a　direct　reshuffling　of　private　financial　empires　and　a　healthy　shot　in　the　arm　for　the　treasury　of　any　country　with　a　continental　shelf　containing　a　rich　storehouse　of　minerals。〃
　
　Pitt　was　silent　for　a　few　moments。　〃God；　is　it　worth　all　the　killing？〃
　
　Sandecker　hesitated。　〃It　depends　upon　how　bad　somebody　wants　it。　There　are　men　who　wouldn't　kill　for　every　cent　in　the　world；　and　there　are　others　who　wouldn't　hesitate　to　slit　a　throat　for　the　price　of　a　meal。〃
　〃In　Washington；　you　informed　me　that　Fyrie　and　his　scientific　team　were　on　their　way　to　the　U。S。　to　open　negotiations　with　our　defense　contractors。　I　take　it　that　was　a　little　white　lie？〃
　Sandecker　smiled。　〃Yes；　that　was　actually　an　understatement。　Fyrie　was　scheduled　to　meet　with　the　President　and　present　him　with　the　probe。〃　He　looked　at　Pitt；　and　then　said　more　Positively：　〃I　was　the　first　One　Fyrie　notified　when　the　tests　on　the　probe　proved　successful。　I　don't　know　what　Hunnewell　told　you　about　Fyrie；　but　he　was　a　visionary　a　gentle　man　who　wouldn't　step　on　an　ant　or　a　flower。　He　knew　the　far　reaching　good　the　probe　would　bring　to　mankind；　he　also　knew　what　unscrupulous　interests　would　do　to　exPloit　it　once　the　probe　fell　into　their　hands；　so　he　decided　to　turn　it　over　to　the　nation　that　he　'was　certain　would　make　beneficial　and　charitable　use　of　its　potential…so　much　noble　crap　in　my　book。　But　you　have　to　give　the　do…gooders　of　the　earth　credit；　they　make　an　honest　stab　at　helping　the　rest　of　us　ungrateful　rabble。〃
　His　face　looked　pained。　〃A　goddamned　shame。　Kristjan　Fyrie　would　be　alive　this　minute　if　he'd　been　rotten　and　selfish。〃
　
　Pitt　grinned　knowingly。　It　was　a　well…advertised　fact　that　Admiral　Sandecker；　in　spite　of　his　boiler…plate　exterior；　was　at　hart　a　humanitarian；　and　he　rarely　disguised　his　disgust　and　hatred　for　greed…driven　industrialists…an　outspoken　trait　that　didn't　exactly　make　him　in　great　demand　as　a　guest　at　society　dinner　parties。
　〃Isn't　it　possible；〃　Pitt　asked；　〃for　American　engineers　to　develop　our　own　probe？〃
　〃Yes；　in　fact　we　already　have　one；　but　pared　with　Fyrie's　probe；　it　operates　with　all　the　efficiency　of　a　bicycle　next　to　a　sportscar。　His　people　made　a　breakthrough　that　is　ten　years　ahead　of　anything　we　or　the　Russians　are　currently　developing。〃
　〃Any　ideason　who　stole　the　probe？〃
　Sandecker　shook　his　head。　〃None。　It's　obviously　a　well…financed　organization。　Beyond　that　we're　playing　blindman's　buff　in　a　swamp。〃
　〃Which　country　would　have　the　necessary　resources　to…〃
　〃You　can　forget　that　speculation；〃　Sandecker　interrupted。　〃The　National　Intelligence　Agency　is　Positive　no　foreign　government　is　in　the　act。　Even　the　Chinese　would　think　twice　before　killing　two　dozen　people　over　an　innocent；　nondestructive　scientific　instrument。　No；　it's　got　to　be　a　private　motive。　For　what　purpose　besides　financial　gain；〃　he　shrugged　helplessly；　〃we　can't　even　guess。〃
　〃All　right；　so　the　mysterious　organization　has　the　probe；　so　they　strike　a　bonanza　on　the　sea　floor。　How　do　they　raise　it？〃
　〃They　can't；〃　Sandecker　replied。　〃Not　without　highly　technical　equipment。〃
　〃It　doesn't　make　sense。　If　they've　had　the　probe　over　a　year；　what　good　has　it　done　them？〃
　〃They've　put　the　probe　to　good　use　all　right；〃　Sandecker　said　seriously；　〃testing　every　square　foot　of　the　continental　shelf　on　the　Atlantic　shore　of　North　and　South　America。　And　they　used　the　Lax　to　do　it。〃
　Pitt　stared　at　him　curiously。　〃The　Lax？　I　don't　follow。〃
　〃Do　you　remember　Dr。　Len　Matajic　and　his　assistant　　Sandecker　flicked　an　ash　into　the　wastebasket。　〃Jack　O'Riley？〃
　Pitt　frowned；　recalling。　〃I　air…dropped　supplies　。　to　them　three　months　ago　when　they　set　up　camp　on　an　ice　floe　in　Baffin　Bay。　Dr。　Matajic　was　studying　currents　below　a　depth　of　ten　thousand　feet；　trying　to　prove　a　pet　theory　of　his　that　a　deep　layer　of　warm　water　had　the　capacity　to　melt　the　Pole　if　only　one　percent　of　it　could　be　diverted　upward。〃
　〃What　was　the　last　you　heard　of　them？〃
　Pitt　shrugged。　〃I　left　for　the　Oceanlab　Project　in　California　as　soon　as　they　began　routine　housekeeping。　Why　ask　me？　You　planned　and　coordinated　their　expedition。
　〃Yes；　I　planned　the　expedition；〃　Sandecker　repeated　slowly。　He　screwed　the　knuckles　of　his　index　fingers　into　his　eyes；　then　pushed　the　hands　together　and　folded　them。　〃Matajic　and　O'Riley　are　dead。　The　plane　bringing　them　back　from　the　ice　floe　crashed　in　the　sea。No　trace　was　found。〃
　〃Strange；　I　hadn't　heard。　It　must　have　just　happened。〃
　Sandecker　put　another　match　to　his　cigar。　〃A　month　ago　yesterday；　to　be　exact。〃
　Pitt　stared　at　him。　〃Why　the　secrecy？　Nothing　was　mentioned　in　broadcast　about　their　ac'ident。　As　your　special　projects　director；　I　should　have　been　one　of　the　first　to　be　informed。〃
　〃Only　one　other　man　besides　myself　was　aware　of　their　deaths…the　radio　operator　who　took　their　last　message。　I've　made　no　announcement　because　I　couldn't　try　to　bring　them　back　from　their　watery　grave。〃
　〃Sorry；　Admiral；〃　Pitt　said。　〃You've　lost　me　pletely。〃
　〃All　right　then；〃　Sandecker　said　heavily。　〃Five　weeks　ago　I　received　a　signal　from　Matajic。　Seems　O'Riley；　while　on　a　scouting　trek；　spotted　a　fishing　trawler　that　had　moored　to　the　north　end　of　their　ice　floe。　Not　being　socially　aggressive；　he　returned　to　base　and　informed　Matajic。　Then　together；　they　trolled　back　and　paid　a　friendly　call　on　the　fishermen　to　determine　if　they　needed　assistance。　An　odd　bunch；　Matajic　said。
　
　The　ship　flew　the　flag　of　Iceland；　yet　most　of　the　crew　were　Arabs；　while　the　rest　represented　at　least　six　different　countries　including　the　United　Sates。　It　seems　a　bearing　had　burned　out　in　their　diesel　engine。　Rather　than　drift　around　while　repairs　were　made；　they　decided　to　tie　up　on　the　ice　flow　to　let　the　crew　stretch　their　legs。　〃Nothing　suspicious　in　that；〃　Pitt　mented。
　〃The　captain　and　crew　invited　Matajic　and　O'Riley　on　board　for　dinner；〃　Sandecker　continued。　〃This　courteous　act　seemed　harmless　enough　at　the　time。　Later；　it　was　seen　as　an　obvious　attempt　to　avoid　suspicion。　By　sheer　coincidence；　it　backfired。〃
　〃SO　Our　two　scientists　were　also　on　the　list　to　see　something　they　shouldn't　have。〃
　〃You　guessed　it。　Some　years　previously；　Kristjan　Fyrie　had　entertained　Dr。　Hunnewell　and　Dr。　Matajic　aboard　his　yacht。　The　exterior　of　the　trawler　had　been　altered；　Of　course；　but　the　instant　Matajic　stepped　into　the　main　salon；　he　recognized　the　ship　as　the　Lax。
　
　If　he　had　said　nothing；　e　and　O'Riley　might　have　been　alive　today。　Unfortunately；　he　innocently　asked　why　the　proud　and　plush　Lax　that　he　remembered　had　been　converted　into　a　mon　fishing　trawler。　It　was　an　honest　question；　but　one　that　had　cruel　consequences。〃
　〃They　could　have　been　murdered　then　and　there　and　their　bodies　weighted　and　dropped　into　the　sea…no　one　would　have　ever　known。〃
　〃It's　one　thing　for　a　ship　to　go　down　at　sea　with　all　hands。　The　newspapers　forgot　the　Lax　one　week　after　it　disappeared。　But　two　men　and　a　government　research　station；　not　likely。　The　press　would　have　exaggerated　and　harped　on　the　enigma　of　the　abandoned　ice　station　for　years。　No；　if　Matajic　and　O'Riley　had　to　be　eliminated；　there　were　less　conspicuous　methods。〃
　〃Shooting　an　unarmed　plane　out　of　the　air　without　telltale　witnesses；　for　example？〃
　〃That　appears　to　be　the　pattern；〃　Sandecker　said　softly。　〃It　wasn't　until　our　two　scientists　had　returned　to　their　base　camp　that　Matajic　began　to　have　doubts。　The　captain　of　the　trawler　had　simply　passed　his　mand　off　as　a　sister　ship　to　Fyrie's　Lax。　It　was　a　possibility；　Matajic　told　himself。　But　if　the　ship　earned　its　keep　as　a　fishing　trawler；　where　were　the　fish？　Even　the　distinct　aroma　had　been　missing。　He　got　on　the　radio　and　contacted　me　at　NUMA　headquarters；　told　me　the　story　along　with　his　suspicions；　and　suggested　that　the　Coast　Guard　make　a　routine　investigation　of　the　trawler。　I　ordered　them　to　stand　by　while　I　sent　a　supply　plane　north　to　return　them　to　Washington　as　quickly　as　possible　to　make　a　detailed　report。〃　Sandecker　tapped　the　cigar　ashes　into　the　wastebasket　again；　a　grim　expression　on　his　face。　〃I　was　too　late。　The　captain　of　the　trawler　must　have　monitored　Matajic's　message。　The　pilot　made　it　to　the　ice　floe　and　picked　them　up。　After　that；　the　three　of　them　vanished。〃
　
　Sandecker　reached　inside　his　breast　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　worn　and　folded　piece　…of　paper。　〃This　is　Matajic's　last　message。〃
　
　Pitt　took　the　paper　from　the　admiral's　hand　and　unfolded　it　across　the　desk。　It　read：
　　MAYDAY！　MAYDAY！
　THE　BASTARD'S　ATTACKING。　BLACK。　NUMBER　ONE　ENGINE　IS　。　。　。　The　words　abruptly　ended。
　〃Enter　the　black　jet。〃
　〃Exactly。　With　his　only　witnesses　out　of　the　way；　the　captain's　problem　'was　now　the　Coast　Guard；　whom　he　was　sure　would　show　up　at　any　moment。〃
　Pitt　looked　at　Sandecker　speculatively。　〃But　the　Coast　Guard　didn't　e。　They　were　never　invited。
　
　You've　yet　to　fully　explain　why　you　maintained　silence　even　after　you　were　certain　three　of　NUMA's　men　were　killed；　murdered　like　cattle　by　a　group　of　traveling　butchers。〃
　〃At　the　time　I　didn't　really　know。〃　The　vagueness　wasn't　like　Sandecker。　Normally　he　was　as　decisive　and　direct　as　a　bolt　of　li