cc.vixen03-第24章

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　〃Were　you　dozing？〃
　She　offered　him　a　fluid　smile。　〃Just　daydreaming。〃
　〃It's　beginning　to　get　cool。　You'd　better　e　inside。〃
　He　took　her　hand　and　pulled　her　to　her　feet。　She　gazed　at　him　mis…chievously　for　a　moment　and　then　unclasped　the　bikini's　bra　and　pushed　her　bare　breasts　against　his　chest。　〃There　is　still　time　to　make　love　before　dinner。〃
　It　was　a　tease　and　they　both　knew　it。　Since　they　had　left　Lusana's　camp　。｜　together；　she　had　responded　to　his　sexual　manipulations　with　all　the　　'　abandon　of　a　robot。　It　was　a　part　she　had　never　played　before。
　〃Why？〃　he　asked　simply。
　Her　expressive　coffee　eyes　studied　him。　〃Why？〃
　〃Why　did　you　leave　Lusana　and　e　with　me？　I　am　not　a　man　whose　looks　turn　women's　heads。　I've　looked　at　this　ugly　face　of　mine　in　the　mirror　every　day　for　forty　years　and　I'm　not　about　to　kid　myself　into　thinking　I'm　superstar　material。　You　did　not　have　to　behave　like　a　bartered　cow；　Felicia。　Lusana　didn't　own　you；　nor　do　I；　and　I　suspect　no　man　ever　will。　You　could　have　told　us　both　to　go　to　hell　and　yet　you　came　with　me　willingly；　too　willingly。　Why？〃
　She　felt　her　stomach　tingle　as　her　nostrils　detected　his　strong　male　scent；　and　she　took　his　face　in　her　hands。　〃I　suppose　I　jumped　from　Hiram's　bed　into　yours　merely　to　prove　that　if　he　didn't　need　me；　I　could　just　as　easily　do　without　him。〃
　〃A　perfectly　human　reaction。〃
　She　kissed　him　on　the　chin。　〃Forgive　me；　Frederick。　In　a　sense；　Hiram　and　I　both　used　you：　he　to　gain　your　goodwill　for　congressional　support；　and　I　in　an　adolescent　game　to　make　him　jealous。〃
　He　smiled。　〃This　is　one　time　in　my　life　that　I　can　honestly　say　I'm　happy　I　was　taken　advantage　of。〃
　She　took　him　by　the　hand　and　led　him　into　the　bedroom　and　expertly　undressed　him。　〃This　time；〃　she　said；　her　voice　low；　〃I'm　going　to　show　you　the　real　Felicia　Collins。〃
　It　was　well　past　eight　o'clock　when　they　finally　released　each　other。　She　was　far　stronger　than　Daggat　had　believed　possible。　There　was　no　plumbing　the　depths　of　her　passion。　He　lay　in　bed　for　several　minutes；　listening　to　her　humming　in　the　shower。　Then　he　wearily　rose　and　pulled　on　a　short　kimono；　sat　down　at　a　desk　littered　with　important…looking　documents；　and　began　sorting　through　them。
　Felicia　padded　from　the　bathroom　and　slipped　on　a　belted　wrap　dress　in　a　red　and　white　zebra　print。　She　approved　of　what　she　saw　reflected　in　the　full…length　mirror。　Her　figure　was　slim　and　solid；　the　vitality　that　flowed　through　her　lithe　muscles　overshadowed　the　soreness　that　was　there　from　the　vigorous　exertions　of　early　evening。　Thirty…two　years　old　and　still　damned　provocative；　she　decided。　There　were　still　a　few　good　years　left　before　she　could　allow　her　agent　to　accept　matronly　roles　for　her；　unless；　of　course；　a　producer　offered　a　blockbuster　script　and　a　hefty　percentage　of　the　net。
　〃Do　you　think　he　can　win？〃　Daggat　asked；　interrupting　her　reverie。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon。〃
　〃I　asked　you　if　Lusana　can　defeat　the　South　African　Defence　Forces。〃
　〃I'm　hardly　one　to　offer　a　valid　prediction　on　the　oute　of　the　revolution；〃　Felicia　said。　〃My　part　in　the　AAR　was　simply　that　of　a　fund　raiser。〃
　He　grinned。　〃Not　to　mention　providing　entertainment　to　the　troops；　particularly　generals。〃
　〃A　fringe　benefit；〃　she　said；　and　laughed。
　〃You　haven't　answered　the　question。〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃Even　with　an　army　of　one　million　men；　Hiram　could　never　hope　to　defeat　the　whites　in　a　knockdown；　drag…out　conflict。　The　French　and　the　Americans　lost　in　Vietnam　for　the　same　reason　the　majority　government　fell　in　Rhodesia：　guerrillas　fighting　under　the　cover　of　heavy　jungle　have　all　the　advantages。　Unfortunately　for　the　black　cause；　eighty　percent　of　South　Africa　is　arid；　open　country；　better　suited　for　armored　and　air　warfare。〃
　〃Then；　what's　his　angle？〃
　〃Hiram　is　counting　on　worldwide　popular　support　and　economic　sanctions　to　strangle　the　white　ruling　class　into　submission。〃
　Daggat　rested　his　chin　on　his　huge　hands。　〃Is　he　a　munist？〃
　Felicia　tilted　her　head　back　and　laughed。　〃Hell；　Hiram　made　his　fortune　as　a　capitalist。　He's　too　ingrained　with　making　money　to　embrace　the　reds。〃
　〃Then　how　do　you　explain　his　Vietnamese　advisers　and　the　free　supplies　from　China？〃
　〃The　old　P。　T。　Barnum　sucker　routine。　The　Vietnamese　are　so　revolu…tion　happy　they'd　air…freight　guerrilla…warfare　specialists　into　the　Florida　swamps　if　someone　sent　them　an　invitation。　As　for　Chinese　generosity；　after　getting　booted　out　of　eight　different　African　nations　in　as　many　years；　they'll　kiss　anybody's　ass　to　keep　a　toehold　on　the　continent。〃
　〃He　could　be　miring　himself　in　quicksand　without　realizing　it。〃
　〃You　underestimate　Hiram；〃　said　Felicia。　〃He'll　send　the　Asians　packing　the　minute　they've　outlived　their　usefulness　to　the　AAR。〃
　〃Easier　said　than　done。〃
　〃He　knows　what　he's　doing。　Take　my　word　for　it。　Hiram　Lusana　will　be　sitting　in　the　Prime　Minister's　office　in　Cape　Town　nine　months　from　now。〃
　〃He　has　a　schedule？〃　Daggat　asked　incredulously。
　〃To　the　day。〃
　Slowly　Daggat　picked　up　the　papers　on　the　desk　and　shuffled　them　neatly　into　a　stack。
　〃Pack　your　things。〃
　Felicia's　neatly　plucked　brows　raised。　〃We're　leaving　Nairobi？〃
　〃We're　flying　to　Washington。〃
　She　was　taken　aback　by　his　sudden　air　of　authority。　〃Why　should　I　return　stateside　with　you？〃
　〃You　have　nothing　better　to　do。　Besides；　arriving　home　on　the　arm　of　a　respected　congressman　after　shacking　for　a　year　with　a　known　radical　revolutionary　might　go　a　long　way　in　restoring　your　image　in　the　eyes　of　your　fans。〃
　Outwardly　Felicia　pouted。　But　Daggat's　logic　made　sense。　Her　record　sales　had　fallen　off　and　calls　from　producers　had　taken　a　noticeable　downward　turn。　It　was　time；　she　quickly　deduced；　to　put　her　career　back　on　its　track。
　〃I'll　be　ready　in　half　an　hour；〃　she　said。
　Daggat　nodded　and　smiled。　An　edge　of　excitement　began　tp　form　inside　him。　If；　as　Felicia　indicated；　Lusana　was　the　odds…on　favorite　to　bee　South　Africa's　first　black　leader；　Daggat；　by　championing　a　winning　cause　on　Capitol　Hill；　could　assure　himself　of　immense　congres…sional　stature　and　voter　respect。　It　was　worth　the　gamble。　And　if　he　was　careful；　and　chose　his　words　and　programs　cleverly；　he　might　。　。　。　just　might。　。　。　stand　a　shot　at　the　vice…presidency；　the　major　stepping…stone　to　his　ultimate　goal。
　
　24
　
　Lusana　brought　his　hand　up　to　eye　level　and　then　snapped　the　rod　forward　with　a　deft　wrist　action。　The　small　wad　of　cheese　clung　to　the　hook；　plopped　daintily　into　the　river；　and　then　sank　out　of　sight。　The　fish　were　there。　Lusana's　instincts　began　to　vibrate　in　anticipation。　He　stood　thigh　deep　amid　the　shadows　of　the　trees　leaning　over　the　bank　and　slowly　reeled　in　the　line。
　On　his　eighth　cast　he　had　a　strike；　a　hard；　splashing　strike　that　nearly　tore　the　rod　from　his　relaxed　grip。　He　had　hooked　a　tiger　fish；　an　Old　World　relative　of　the　ferocious　piranha　of　the　South　American　Amazon。　He　gave　the　fish　its　head　and　eased　out　more　line。　He　had　little　choice；　the　rod　was　nearly　bent　double。　Then；　abruptly；　before　the　battle　had　a　chance　to　warm　up；　the　tiger　fish　circled　a　sunken　tree　stump；　broke　the　line；　and　escaped。
　〃I　did　not　think　it　possible　that　anyone　could　entice　a　tiger　fish　with　a　bit　of　cheese；〃　said　Colonel　Jumana。　He　was　sitting　on　the　ground；　his　back　resting　against　a　tree。　He　held　the　envelope　containing　the　brief　outline　of　Operation　Wild　Rose　in　his　hand。
　〃The　bait　is　irrelevant　if　the　prey　is　hungry；〃　said　Lusana。　He　waded　back　to　shore　and　began　tying　a　new　leader　to　his　line。
　Jumana　rolled　on　his　side　and　scanned　the　landscape　to　see　if　Lusana's　security　guards　were　properly　stationed　and　alert。　It　was　a　wasted　gesture。　No　soldiers　served　with　greater　fervor　and　loyalty。　They　were　lean　and　hard；　picked　by　Lusana　personally；　not　so　much　for　their　fearlessness　and　rugged　physiques　as　for　their　intelligence。　They　stood　poised　in　the　underbrush；　their　weapons　held　in　determined；　steady　hands。
　Lusana　turned　to　resume　his　casting。　〃What　do　you　make　of　it？〃　he　asked。
　Jumana　stared　at　the　envelope　and　twisted　his　face　in　a　skeptical　expression。
　〃A　rip…off。　A　two…million…dollar　rip…off。〃
　〃You　don't　buy　it；　then？〃