cc.vixen03-第25章

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　〃A　rip…off。　A　two…million…dollar　rip…off。〃
　〃You　don't　buy　it；　then？〃
　〃No；　sir。　Frankly；　I　do　not。〃　Jumana　rose　to　his　feet　and　brushed　off　his　bat　uniform。　〃I　think　this　Emma　has　fed　Major　Machita　cheap　bits　and　pieces　as　a　buildup　for　the　big　score。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃This　report　tells　us　nothing。　It　only　indicates　that　the　whites　are　going　to　launch　a　major　terrorist　strike　somewhere　in　the　world　with　a　group　of　blacks　posing　as　AAR　followers。　The　South　Africans　are　not　so　stupid　as　to　risk　international　repercussions　on　such　an　absurd　ploy。〃
　Lusana　cast　his　line。　〃But　suppose…just　suppose…Prime　Minister　Koertsmann　has　seen　the　handwriting　on　the　wall。　He　might　be　tempted　to　take　a　desperate　gamble；　a　last　throw　of　the　dice。〃
　〃But　how？〃　asked　Jumana。　〃Where？〃
　〃The　answers　to　those　questions；　my　friend；　e　only　with　two　million　Yankee　dollars。〃
　〃I　still　only　see　this　Operation　Wild　Rose　as　a　swindle。〃
　〃Actually；　the　scheme　smacks　of　genius；〃　Lusana　continued。　〃If　the　strike　involved　heavy　casualties；　the　nation　that　was　the　victim　would　then　be　provoked　into　turning　their　sympathies　away　from　our　cause　and　voting　arms　and　aid　for　Koertsmann's　government。〃
　〃The　questions　are　unending；〃　said　Jumana。　〃What　nation　is　singled　out　as　the　target？〃
　〃The　United　States　is　my　guess。〃
　Jumana　threw　the　envelope　to　the　ground。　〃Ignore　this　stupid　decep…tion；　my　General。　Put　the　money　to　better　use。　Heed　my　proposal　for　a　series　of　raids　to　throw　fear　into　the　hearts　of　the　whites。〃
　Jumana　was　met　with　a　steely　stare。　〃You　know　my　feelings　on　butchery。〃
　Jumana　pushed　ahead。　〃A　thousand　hit…and…run　assaults　on　cities；　villages；　and　farms；　from　one　end　of　the　country　to　the　other；　would　put　us　in　Pretoria　by　Christmas。〃
　〃We　will　continue　to　conduct　a　sophisticated　war；〃　Lusana　said　cold…ly。　〃We　will　not　act　like　primitive　rabble。〃
　〃In　Africa　it　is　often　necessary　to　drive　the　people　with　an　iron　hand。　They　seldom　know　what　is　best　for　them。〃
　〃Tell　me；　Colonel；　I'm　always　willing　to　learn：　who　knows　what's　best　for　the　African　people？〃
　Jumana's　face　purpled　with　controlled　anger。　〃Africans　know　what　is　best　for　Africans。〃
　Lusana　ignored　the　slur　against　his　American　blood。　He　could　sense　the　impulses　swirling　in　Jumana：　the　hatred　of　all　things　foreign；　the　driving　ambition　and　the　newly　discovered　luxury　of　power　mingled　with　a　distrust　of　modern　ways；　an　almost　childlike　acceptance　of　blood…thirsty　savagery。　Lusana　began　to　wonder　if　he　hadn't　made　an　enor…mous　error　in　appointing　Jumana　to　a　high　level　of　mand。
　Before　Lusana　could　focus　on　the　problems　that　might　arise　between　them；　the　soft　padding　sound　of　feet　emanated　from　beyond　the　lip　of　the　riverbank。
　The　security　guards　tensed　and　then　relaxed　as　Major　Machita　dog…trotted　down　the　path　into　view。　He　came　to　a　halt　in　front　of　Lusana　and　saluted。
　〃One　of　my　agents　has　just　arrived　from　Pretoria　with　Emma's　report　on　the　Fawkes…farm　raid。〃
　〃What　did　he　uncover？〃
　〃Emma　says　he　was　unable　to　find　evidence　the　Defence　Forces　had　a　hand　in　it。〃
　Lusana　looked　thoughtful。　〃So　it's　back　to　the　opening　play。〃
　〃It　seems　incredible　that　a　force　can　murder　nearly　fifty　people　and　go　unidentified；〃　said　Machita。
　〃Could　Emma　have　lied？〃
　〃Possibly。　But　he　would　have　no　reason　for　doing　so。〃
　Lusana　did　not　answer。　He　turned　his　attention　back　to　the　fish。　His　line　whispered　over　the　running　water。　Machita　looked　questioningly　at　Jumana；　but　the　colonel　avoided　his　gaze。　Machita　stood　there　confused　for　a　moment；　wondering　what　had　caused　the　atmosphere　of　tension　that　hovered　over　his　two　superiors。　After　a　long　uneasy　silence　he　nodded　at　the　envelope。
　〃You've　reached　a　decision　concerning　Operation　Wild　Rose；　Gen…eral？〃
　〃I　have；〃　Lusana　answered　as　he　reeled　the　line　in。
　Machita　remained　silent；　waiting。
　〃I　intend　to　pay　Emma　his　thirty　pieces　of　silver　for　the　rest　of　the　plan；〃　Lusana　finally　said。
　Jumana　raged。　〃No；　it　is　a　fraud！　Even　you；　my　General；　are　not　entitled　to　throw　our　army's　funds　away　stupidly。〃
　Machita　caught　his　breath　and　tensed。　The　colonel　had　overstepped　his　rank。　And　yet　Lusana　kept　his　back　to　the　shore　and　nonchalantly　went　about　his　fishing。　〃I'll　remind　you；〃　he　said　over　his　shoulder　with　quiet　authority；　〃the　lion's　share　of　our　treasury　came　from　me。　What　is　mine　I　can　take　back　or　I　can　use　as　I　please。〃
　Jumana　clenched　his　hands　in　tight　knots　and　the　cords　in　his　neck　stood　out。　He　made　a　move　toward　the　water's　edge；　his　lips　drawn　back　over　his　teeth。　Then；　suddenly；　as　if　a　circuit　breaker　somewhere　in　his　gray　matter　had　overloaded　and　clicked　off；　all　expression　of　rage　vanished；　and　he　smiled。　His　words　came　casually；　but　with　an　under…current　of　bitterness。
　〃I　apologize　for　my　remarks。　I　am　overtired。〃
　Machita　decided　then　and　there　that　the　colonel　was　a　danger　that　bore　watching。　He　could　see　that　Jumana　would　never　fully　accept　the　posi…tion　of　number…two　man。
　〃Forget　it；〃　said　Lusana。　〃The　important　thing　now　is　to　lay　our　hands　on　Wild　Rose。〃
　〃I　will　make　arrangements　for　the　exchange；〃　said　Machita。
　〃You　will　do　more　than　that；〃　Lusana　said；　facing　the　shore　again。　〃You　will　create　a　plan　to　make　the　payoff。　Then　you　will　kill　Emma。〃
　Jumana's　mouth　hung　open。　〃　You　never　intended　to　give　away　the　two　million　dollars？〃　he　sputtered。
　Lusana　grinned。　〃Of　course　not。　If　you　had　been　patient；　you　could　have　spared　us　your　juvenile　outburst。〃
　Jumana　made　no　reply。　There　was　nothing　he　could　say。　He　widened　his　smile　and　shrugged。　It　was　then　Machita　caught　the　imperceptible　shift　of　the　eyes。　Jumana　was　not　looking　directly　at　Lusana；　his　vision　was　aimed　at　a　spot　in　the　river　ten　feet　upstream　from　the　general。
　〃Guards！〃　Machita　screamed；　pointing　frantically。　〃The　river！　Fire！　For　God's　sake；　fire！〃
　The　security　men's　reaction　time　measured　less　than　two　seconds。　Their　shots　exploded　in　Machita's　ears　and　the　water　erupted　a　few　feet　from　Lusana　in　a　hundred　shattered　geysers。
　Twenty　feet　of　hideous　brown　scale　burst　through　the　surface　and　rolled　over　and　over；　its　tail　thrashing　crazily　as　the　bullets　thudded　into　the　thick　hide　like　hail。　Then　the　firing　ceased　and　the　great　reptile　made　one　more　convulsive　revolution　and　sank　beneath　the　surface。
　Lusana　stood　in　his　wading　boots；　his　eyes　wide；　his　body　stunned　into　immobility。　He　stared　dazedly　into　the　clear　water　at　the　hulk　of　the　crocodile；　now　gracefully　tumbling　along　the　riverbed　in　the　current。
　On　the　bank；　Machita　trembled；　not　so　much　at　Lusana's　narrow　escape　as　at　the　satanic　expression　on　Jumana's　Neanderthal…shaped　face。
　The　bastard　had　known；　Machita　thought。　He　had　known　the　instant　the　crocodile　slithered　off　the　far　bank　and　homed　in　on　the　general；　and　yet　he　had　said　nothing。
　
　25
　
　Chesapeake　Bay；　USA…October　1988
　
　It　was　two　hours　before　dawn　when　Patrick　Fawkes　paid　the　cabdriver　and　walked　up　to　the　floodlit　gate　of　the　Forbes　Marine　Scrap　&　Salvage　pany。　A　uniformed　guard　turned　from　a　portable　TV　set　and　yawned　as　Fawkes　passed　a　small　folder　through　the　arched　window　of　the　gatehouse。　The　guard　scrutinized　the　signatures　and　pared　the　pho…tograph　with　the　man　before　him。　Then　he　passed　it　back。
　〃Wele　to　America；　Captain。　My　employers　have　been　expecting　you。〃
　〃Is　she　here？〃　Fawkes　asked　impatiently。
　〃Tied　up　to　the　east　dock；〃　replied　the　guard；　shoving　a　Xerox　copy　of　a　map　of　the　salvage　area　through　the　window。　〃Mind　your　step。　Since　the　energy　rationing；　the　yard's　night　lights　have　been　shut　off。　It's　darker　than　Hades　out　there。〃　As　Fawkes　passed　under　the　giant　der…ricks　toward　the　dock；　a　wind　swept　in　off　the　bay　and　carried　a　heavy　odor　to　his　nostrils：　the　pungent　perfume　of　the　waterfront。　He　inhaled　the　mingled　aromas　of　diesel　oil；　tar；and　salt　water。　It　never　failed　to　revive　his　spirits。
　He　came　to　the　dock　and　glanced　about　for　signs　of　human　activity。　The　night　crew　had　long　since　gone　home。　Only　a　seagull；　perched　on　a　wooden　piling；　returned　Fawkes's　gaze　out　of　one　beady　eye。
　After　another　hundred　yards；　Fawkes　stopped　at　a　huge　spectral　shape　that　loomed　in　the　darkness　beside　the　p