cc.vixen03-第16章

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　〃Stupid　kids；〃　he　muttered　amid　the　stillness　of　death。　〃Damn　stupid　kids。〃
　Like　a　marathon　runner　who　had　dropped　out　of　the　race　a　mile　from　the　finish；　Fawkes　ached　with　exhaustion　and　regret。　Slowly　he　returned　to　the　Bushmaster；　sopping　with　a　handkerchief　the　trickles　of　blood　that　ran　down　his　cheek。　He　reached　inside　the　door；　set　the　frequency　dial　on　the　mobile　radio；　and　hailed　the　Pembroke　constable。　When　he　finished　his　report；　he　stood　and　cursed　and　tossed　poorly　aimed　stones　at　the　arriving　vultures。
　
　14
　
　〃He's　late；〃　Pieter　De　Vaal；　Minister　of　the　South　African　Defence　Forces；　said　in　Afrikaans。　He　lifted　the　window　of　the　coach　and　leaned　out；　searching　the　road　bordering　the　railroad　siding。　His　words　were　directed　at　a　tall；　slender　man　with　pelling　blue　eyes　and　dressed　in　the　uniform　of　an　army　colonel。
　〃If　Patrick　Fawkes　is　late；〃　the　colonel　said；　swirling　the　drink　in　his　hand；　〃there　must　be　a　good　reason　for　it。〃　。
　De　Vaal　turned　from　the　open　window　and　brushed　both　hands　through　a　thicket　of　gray　wavy　hair。　He　looked　more　like　a　professor　of　ancient　languages　than　like　the　iron…willed　head　of　the　second　largest　j　military　power　on　the　continent。　Not　that　he　had　exactly　inherited　a　plum　job。　De　Vaal　was　the　fifth　defense　minister　in　seven　years。　His　pre…decessor　had　lasted　less　than　five　months。
　〃Typical　English　performance；〃　he　said　impatiently。　〃An　Englander　lives　only　for　gin；　the　queen；　and　a　practiced　air　of　indifference。　They　cannot　be　relied　upon。〃
　〃If　you　so　much　as　even　imply　to　his　face　that　he　is　English；　Heer　Minister；　Fawkes　will　bee　most　uncooperative。〃　Colonel　Joris　Zeegler　downed　his　drink　and　poured　another。　〃Fawkes　is　a　Scotsman。　I　respectfully　suggest；　sir；　that　you　try　not　to　forget　that。〃
　De　Vaal　made　no　show　of　anger　at　Zeegler's　insubordinate　tone。　He　regarded　advice　from　his　intelligence　chief　seriously。　It　was　no　secret　within　the　Ministry　that　De　Vaal's　success　in　smashing　the　advances　by　outside　terrorists　and　suppressing　local　uprisings　was　due　largely　to　the　ingenious　infiltration　of　the　insurgent　organizations　by　Zeegler's　highly　trained　operatives。
　〃Englander；　Scotsman…I　would　prefer　dealing　with　an　Afrikaner。〃　〃I　agree；〃　said　Zeegler。　〃But　Fawkes　is　the　best　qualified　to　offer　an　opinion　on　the　project。　A　month…long　puter　search　of　experienced　military　personnel　proved　that。〃　He　opened　a　file　folder。　〃Twenty…five　years　Royal　Navy。　Fifteen　of　them　in　ship's　engineering。　Two　years　captain　of　HMS　Audacious。　Final　time　in　service　spent　as　engineering　director　of　the　Grimsby　Royal　Navy　Shipyard。　Purchased　a　farm　in　northern　Natal　and　retired　there　eleven　years　ago。〃
　〃And　what　does　your　puter　make　of　the　fact　that　he　coddles　his　Bantu　workers？〃
　〃I　must　admit　that　offering　his　blacks　and　coloreds　shares　of　his　farm　profits　is　the　gesture　of　a　liberal。　But　there　can　be　no　denying　Fawkes　has　built　up　the　finest　estate　in　northern　Natal　in　an　extremely　short　length　of　time。　His　people　are　loyal　beyond　belief。　Woe　to　the　radical　who　tries　to　stir　up　trouble　on　the　Fawkes　farm。〃
　De　Vaal　was　in　the　midst　of　formulating　another　pessimistic　statement　when　there　was　a　knock　on　the　door。　A　young　officer　entered　and　came　to　attention。
　〃Forgive　the　interruption；　Herr　Minister；　but　Captain　Fawkes　has　arrived。〃
　〃Show　him　in；〃　De　Vaal　said。
　Fawkes　ducked　his　head　under　the　low　doorway　and　entered。　De　Vaal　stared　up　at　him　in　silence。　He　had　not　expected　someone　of　such　proportions；　nor　someone　whose　face　was　freshly　cut　in　a　dozen　places。　He　extended　his　hand。
　〃Captain　Fawkes；　this　is　indeed　a　pleasure；〃　De　Vaal　said　in　Afri…kaans。　〃It　was　good　of　you　to　make　the　trip。〃
　Fawkes　crushed　De　Vaal's　hand　within　his。　〃Sorry；　sir；　but　I　do　not　speak　your　language。〃
　De　Vaal　smoothly　slipped　into　English。　〃Forgive　me；〃　he　said　with　a　feint　smile。　〃I　forget　that　you　Eng…ah…Scotsmen　do　not　take　to　strange　tongues。〃
　〃We're　just　dunderheaded；　I　guess。〃
　〃Pardon　me　for　saying　so；　Captain；　but　you　look　as　though　you　shaved　with　a　branch　of　thorns。〃
　〃I　encountered　an　ambush。　Bloody　little　devils　broke　my　windshield。　I　would　have　stopped　at　the　local　hospital；　but　I　was　running　late　for　our　meeting。〃
　De　Vaal　took　Fawkes　by　the　arm　and　steered　him　to　a　chair。　〃I　think　we　had　better　get　a　drink　in　you。　Joris；　will　you　do　the　honors？　Captain　Fawkes；　this　is　Colonel　Joris　Zeegler；　director　of　Internal　South　African　Defence。〃
　Zeegler　nodded　and　held　up　a　bottle。　〃I　take　it　you　prefer　whisky；　Captain？〃
　〃Aye；　that　I　do；　Colonel。〃
　De　Vaal　stepped　over　to　the　door　and　opened　it。　
　〃Lieutenant　Anders；　inform　Dr。　Steedt　that　we　have　a　patient　for　him。　I　suspect　you　will　find　him　in　his　partment；　dozing。〃
　He　closed　the　door　and　faced　the　room。　
　〃First　things　first。　Now　then；　Captain；　while　we　await　the　good　doctor；　perhaps　you　will　be　kind　enough　to　provide　us　with　a　detailed　report　of　your　ambush。〃
　The　doctor　came　and　went；　grumbling　good…naturedly　over　the　rhinoceros　hide　Fawkes　called　skin。　Except　for　two　wounds　that　called　for　three　stitches　each；　the　doctor　left　the　rest　unbandaged。　〃Lucky　for　you　those　scratch　marks　don't　match　fingernail　tracks；　or　you'd　have　a　tough　time　explaining　them　to　your　wife；〃　he　joked　as　he　snapped　shut　his　bag。
　〃You're　certain　the　attack　was　not　organized？〃　Zeegler　asked　after　the　doctor　departed。
　〃Not　likely；〃　Fawkes　replied。　〃They　were　only　ragged　bush　kids。　God　only　knows　what　devil　inspired　them　to　go　on　a　killing　spree。〃
　〃I　am　afraid　your　run…in　with　bloodthirsty　juveniles　is　not　an　isolated　occurrence；〃　De　Vaal　said　softly。
　Zeegler　nodded　in　agreement。　〃Your　story；　Captain；　fits　the　same　crude　modus　operandi；　if　you　will；　of　at　least　twelve　other　attacks　in　the　last　two　months。〃
　〃If　you　want　my　opinion；〃　Fawkes　snorted；　〃that　damned　AAR　is　in　back　of　it。〃
　〃Indirectly；　the　blame　can　be　laid　on　the　African　Army　of　Revolution's　doorstep。〃　Zeegler　drew　on　a　pencil…thin　cigar。
　〃Half　the　black　boys　between　the　ages　of　twelve　to　eighteen　from　here　to　Cape　Town　would　give　their　testicles　to　bee　an　AAR　soldier；〃　De　Vaal　injected。　〃You　might　call　it　a　form　of　hero　worship。〃
　〃You　have　to　give　the　devil　his　due；〃　said　Zeegler。　〃Hiram　Lusana　is　every　bit　as　shrewd　a　psychologist　as　he　is　a　propagandist　and　a　tacti…cian。〃
　〃Aye；〃　Fawkes　said；　looking　over　at　the　colonel。　〃I've　heard　a　great　deal　about　that　bastard。　How　did　he　e　to　be　leader　of　the　AAR？〃
　〃Self…imposed。　He's　an　American　black。　Seems　he　made　a　vast　sum　of　money　in　international　drug　smuggling。　But　wealth　was　not　enough。。He　entertained　dreams　of　power　and　grandeur。　So　he　sold　out　his　business　to　a　French　syndicate　and　came　to　Africa　and　began　organizing　and　equip…ping　his　own　army　of　liberation。〃
　〃Seems　a　staggering　undertaking　for　only　one　man；〃　said　Fawkes；　〃even　a　wealthy　one。〃
　〃Not　so　staggering　when　you　have　help；　and　lots　of　it；〃　Zeegler　explained。　〃The　Chinese　supply　his　arms　and　the　Vietnamese　train　his　men。　Fortunately；　our　security　forces　are　able　to　keep　them　in　a　state　of　almost　constant　rout。〃
　〃But　our　government　will　surely　fall　if　we　are　subjected　to　a　prolonged　economic　blockade；〃　added　De　Vaal。　〃Lusana's　game　plan　is　to　fight　a　clean　war　by　the　book。　No　terrorism；　no　killing　of　innocent　women　and　children。　His　forces　thus　far　have　attacked　only　military　installations。　Then；　by　playing　benevolent　savior；　he　can　gain　total　moral　and　financial　support　from　the　United　States；　Europe；　and　the　Third　World　powers。　Once　he　achieves　these　goals　he　can　exert　his　newly　acquired　influence　to　close　off　all　our　economic　dealings　with　the　outside　world。　Then　the　end　of　White　South　Africa　is　only　a　matter　of　weeks。〃
　〃Is　there　no　way　to　contain　Lusana？〃　asked　Fawkes。
　De　Vaal's　bushy　eyebrows　rose。　〃There　is　one　possibility；　provided　you　give　it　your　blessing。〃
　Fawkes　stared　at　the　Minister；　his　expression　one　of　bewilderment。　〃I'm　only　a　beached　sailor　and　a　farmer。　I　know　nothing　about　insurgent　warfare。　Of　what　use　can　I　be　to　the　Ministry　of　Defence？〃
　De　Vaal　did　not　answer　but　simply　passed　Fawkes　a　leather…bound　book　about　the　size　of　a　thin　bookkeeping　ledger。
　〃It's　called　Operation　Wil