cc.vixen03-第17章

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　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　Wild　Rose。〃
　The　lights　of　Pembroke　blinked　on　one　by　one　in　the　evening　dusk。　A　light　rain　had　pelted　the　windows　of　the　coach；　leaving　a　myriad　of　streaks　down　the　dust…coated　glass。　Fawkes's　reading　spectacles　clung　to　his　great　nose　and　magnified　his　eyes　as　they　darted　back　and　forth　over　the　pages　without　pause。　He　was　so　engrossed　in　what　he　was　reading　he　absentmindedly　chewed　on　the　stem　of　a　pipe　that　had　long　since　burned　out。
　It　was　a　few　minutes　past　eight　o'clock　when　he　closed　the　cover　of　Operation　Wild　Rose。　He　sat　there　for　a　long　moment　as　though　in　contemplation。　Finally　he　shook　his　head　tiredly。
　〃I　pray　to　God　it　never　es　to　this；〃　he　said　quietly。
　〃I　share　your　sentiments；〃　said　De　Vaal。　〃But　the　time　is　fast　appreaching　when　our　backs　will　be　against　the　wall　and　Operation　Wild　Rose　may　well　be　our　final　hope　of　escaping　annihilation。〃
　〃I　still　fail　to　see　what　you　gentlemen　want　from　me。〃
　〃Merely　your　opinion；　Captain；〃　said　Zeegler。　〃We've　made　feasibil…ity　studies　of　the　plan　and　know　what　the　puters　say　about　its　chances　of　success。　We're　hoping　your　years　of　experience　will　supply　the　pros　and　cons　as　judged　by　a　human。〃
　〃I　can　tell　you　the　scheme　is　damn　near　impossible；〃　said　Fawkes。　〃And　for　my　money　you　can　add　'insane'　as　well。　What　you're　proposing　is　terrorism　at　its　worst。〃
　〃Exactly；〃　agreed　De　Vaal。　〃By　using　a　black　hit…and…run　force　mas…querading　as　members　of　the　African　Army　of　Revolution；　we　can　swing　international　sympathy　away　from　the　blacks　and　to　the　white　cause　of　South　Africa。〃
　〃We　must　have　the　support　of　countries　like　the　United　States　to　survive；〃　Zeegler　explained。
　〃What　happened　in　Rhodesia　can　happen　here；〃　De　Vaal　went　on。　〃All　private　property；　farms；　stores；　banks；　seized　and　nationalized。　Blacks　and　whites　slaughtered　in　the　streets；　thousands　exiled　from　the　continent　with　barely　the　clothes　on　their　backs。　A　new　black　munist…oriented　government；　a　despotic；　tribal　dictatorship　sup…pressing　and　exploiting　their　own　people　in　virtual　slavery。　You　can　be　certain；　Captain　Fawkes；　that　if　and　when　our　government　topples；　it　will　not　be　replaced　by　one　with　democratic　majority　rule　in　mind。〃
　〃We　don't　know　for　sure　that　that　will　happen　here；〃　said　Fawkes。　〃And　even　if　we　could　look　into　a　crystal　ball　and　predict　the　worst；　it　would　not　condone　unleashing　Operation　Wild　Rose。〃
　〃I'm　not　after　a　moral　judgment；〃　De　Vaal　said　sternly。　〃You've　stated　the　plan　is　impossible。　I　will　accept　that。〃
　After　Fawkes　left；　De　Vaal　poured　himself　another　drink。　〃The　cap…tain　was　frank。　I'll　give　that　to　him。〃
　〃He　was　also　quite　right；〃　said　Zeegler。　〃Wild　Rose/s　terrorism　at　its　worst。〃
　〃Perhaps；〃　De　Vaal　muttered。　〃But　what　choice　does　one　have　when　one　is　winning　battles　while　losing　the　war？〃
　〃I　am　not　a　grand　strategist；〃　Zeegler　replied。　〃But　I'm　certain　Opera…tion　Wild　Rose　is　not　the　answer；　Minister。　I　urge　you　to　shelve　it。〃
　De　Vaal　considered　Zeegler's　words　for　several　moments。　〃All　right；　Colonel。　Gather　all　data　pertaining　to　the　operation　and　seal　it　in　the　Ministry　vault　with　the　other　contingency　plans。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Zeegler；　his　relief　obvious。
　De　Vaal　contemplated　the　liquid　in　his　glass。　Then　he　looked　up　with　a　thoughtful　expression。
　〃A　pity；　a　great　pity。　It　just　might　have　worked。〃
　Fawkes　was　drunk。
　If　a　monstrous　claw　had　reached　down　and　plucked　away　the　long　mahogany　bar　of　the　Pembroke　Hotel；　he　would　have　fallen　flat　on　his　bandaged　face。　Dimly；　he　saw　that　he　was　the　only　patron　left　in　the　room。　He　ordered　another　drink；　noting　in　a　mild　sort　of　sadistic　glee　that　it　was　long　past　closing　time　and　the　five…foot…five…inch　bartender　was　uneasy　about　asking　him　to　leave。
　〃Are　you　all　right；　sir？〃　the　bartender　probed　cautiously。
　〃No；　dammit！〃　Fawkes　roared。　〃I　feel　bloody…well　awful。〃
　〃Beggin'　your　pardon；　but　if　it　makes　you　feel　so　bad；　why　do　you　drink　it？〃
　〃It's　not　the　whisky　that　turns　my　guts。　It's　Operation　Wild　Rose。〃
　〃Sir？〃
　Fawkes　looked　furtively　around　the　room　and　then　leaned　across　the　bar。　〃What　if　I　was　to　tell　you　I　met　with　the　Minister　of　Defence　right　down　the　street　at　the　station；　in　his　private　railroad　car；　not　more　than　three　hours　ago？〃
　A　smug　smile　curled　the　bartender's　lips。　〃The　Minister　must　be　one　hell　of　a　wizard；　Mr。　Fawkes。〃
　〃Wizard？〃
　〃To　be　in　two　places　at　the　same　time。〃
　〃Make　your　point；　man。〃
　The　bartender　reached　under　a　shelf　and　threw　a　newspaper　on　the　bar　in　front　of　Fawkes。　He　pointed　to　an　article　on　the　front　page　and　read　aloud　the　caption。
　〃　'Defence　Minister　Pieter　De　Vaal　enters　Port　Elizabeth　Hospital　for　surgery。'　〃
　〃Impossible！〃
　〃That's　this　evening's　paper；〃　said　the　bartender。　〃You　have　to　admit…not　only　does　the　Minister　have　extraordinary　powers　of　recu…peration；　but　one　fast　train　as　well。　Port　Elizabeth　is　over　a　thousand　kilometers　to　the　south。〃
　Fawkes　snatched　up　the　paper；　shook　the　fuzziness　from　his　vision；　put　on　his　glasses；　and　read　the　story。　It　was　true。　Clumsily；　he　threw　a　wad　of　bills　at　the　bartender　and　staggered　through　the　doorway；　through　the　hotel　lobby；　and　into　the　street。
　When　he　reached　the　railroad　station；　it　was　deserted。　The　moon's　light　glinted　on　empty　rails。　De　Vaal's　train　was　gone。
　
　15
　
　They　came　with　the　rising　sun。　Somala　counted　at　least　thirty　of　them；　clothed　in　the　same　type　of　field　uniform　he　wore。　He　watched　as　they　crept　out　of　the　bush　like　shadows　and　disappeared　into　the　sugarcane。
　He　swept　the　acacia　tree　with　his　binoculars。　The　scout　in　the　blind　was　gone。　Probably　slipped　away　to　join　his　unit；　Somala　surmised。　But　who　were　they？　None　of　the　raiding　force　looked　familiar　to　him。　Could　they　be　members　of　another　insurgent　movement？　If　so；　why　did　they　wear　the　distinctive　black　beret　of　the　AAR？
　Somala　was　sorely　tempted　to　leave　his　hiding　place　inside　the　baobab　tree　and　approach　the　intruders；　but　he　thought　better　of　it　and　remained　motionless。　He　would　watch　and　observe。　Those　were　his　orders；　and　he　would　obey　them。
　The　Fawkes　farm　was　slowly　ing　to　life。　The　workers　in　the　pound　were　beginning　to　spread　out　and　mence　their　daily　chores。　Patrick　Fawkes；　Jr。；　passed　through　the　electricity…wired　gate　and　went　off　to　the　great　stone　barn；　where　he　began　tinkering　with　a　tractor。　The　guards　were　changing　at　the　gate；　and　the　fellow　who　had　manned　the　night　shift　was　standing　half　in；　half　out　of　the　enclosure；　swapping　small　talk　with　his　relief；　when　abruptly　and　silently　he　fell　to　the　ground。　Simultaneously；　the　other　guard　slumped　and　dropped。
　Somala　gaped　in　awe　as　a　wave　of　raiders　sprinted　out　of　the　sugar…cane　field　in　a　loose　skirmish　line　and　advanced　toward　the　house。　Most　were　carrying　Chinese　CK…88　assault　weapons；　but　two　of　their　number　knelt　and　aimed　long…barreled　rifles　with　scopes　and　silencers。
　The　CK…88s　opened　up　and　Fawkes　Junior　seemed　to　snap　to　attention　as　at　least　ten　slugs　ripped　through　his　body。　His　hands　splayed　and　clawed　at　empty　air；　and　then　he　crumpled　across　the　tractor's　unhooded　engine。　The　thunder　of　the　volley　alerted　Jenny　and　she　ran　to　an　upstairs　window。
　〃Oh　God；　Mama！〃　she　screamed。　〃There's　soldiers　in　the　yard　and　they've　shot　Pat。〃
　Myrna　Fawkes　grabbed　the　Holland　&　Holland　and　ran　to　the　front　door。　One　look　was　all　she　needed　to　see　that　the　defenses　had　been　breached。　Already　Africans　in　green　and　brown　mottled　uniforms　were　surging　through　the　open　gate　left　useless　by　the　broken　electrical　circuit。　She　slammed　the　door；　threw　the　lock；　and　yelled　up　the　stairs　to　Jenny。
　〃Get　on　the　radio　and　call　the　constable。〃
　Then　she　calmly　sat　down；　shoved　two　shells　containing　double…O　buckshot　into　the　breech　of　the　twelve…gauge；　and　waited。
　The　crackle　of　the　rifle　fire　suddenly　increased　and　the　shrill　cries　of　women　and　frightened　children　began　ing　from　the　pound。　Even　the　Fawkeses'　prize　cattle　were　not　spared。　Myrna　shut　out　the　bellows　of　their　dying　agony；　choking　off　a　dry　sob　at　the　waste　of　it　all。　She　lif