cc.vixen03-第28章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　became　embedded　in　the　skull；　above　the　brow。
　The　stunned　informer　cried　out；　chopped　Machita's　hand　away；　and　plucked　the　thin　shaft　from　his　head。　Machita　grabbed　the　razor　blade　taped　to　his　forearm　and　swung　it　at　Emma's　throat　in　a　sweeping　backhand　slash。　But　his　wrist　was　smashed　downward　by　the　devil's　pitchfork；　snapping　the　bone。
　The　devil　was　genuine。　He　was　one　of　Emma's　acplices。　Machita　countered　by　throwing　open　the　safety　bar　and　lashing　out　with　his　feet；　catching　the　costumed　man　in　the　groin；　feeling　his　heels　sink　deeply　into　soft　flesh。　Then　the　car　swung　back　into　blackness　and　the　devil　was　left　behind。
　Machita　whipped　his　body　back　to　face　Emma；　but　found　the　seat　beside　him　empty。　A　brief　stream　of　sunlight　flashed　several　meters　to　the　left　of　the　car　as　a　door　was　opened　and　closed。　Emma　had　vanished　out　an　exit；　taking　the　basket　of　money　with　him。
　
　29
　
　〃Gross　stupidity；〃　said　Colonel　Jumana　with　fiendish　satisfaction。　〃You　must　pardon　me　for　saying　it；　my　General；　but　I　told　you　so。〃
　Lusana　stared　pensively　out　the　window　at　a　formation　of　men　drilling　on　the　parade　grounds。　〃A　mistake　in　judgment；　Colonel；　nothing　more。　We　will　not　lose　the　war　because　we　have　lost　two　million　dollars。〃
　A　sheepish　Thomas　Machita　sat　at　the　table；　his　face　beaded　with1　perspiration；　staring　vacantly　at　the　cast　covering　his　wrist。　〃There　was　no　way　of　knowing…〃
　He　stiffened　as　Jumana　stormed　to　his　feet；　the　colonel's　face　radiating　pure　anger　as　he　snatched　Emma's　envelope　and　hurled　it　into　Machita's　face。　？
　〃No　way　of　knowing　you　were　being　set　up？　You　fool！　There　you　sit；　our　glorious　chief　of　intelligence；　and　you　can't　even　kill　a　man　in　the　dark。　Then　you　add　insult　to　injury　by　giving　him　two　million　dollars　for　an　envelope　containing　operating　procedures　for　military　garbage　re：；　moval。〃
　〃Enough！〃　snapped　Lusana。
　There　was　silence。　Jumana　took　a　deep　breath；　then　slowly　stepped　backward　to　his　chair。　Anger　seethed　in　his　eyes。　〃Stupid　mistakes；〃　he　said　bitterly；　〃do　not　win　wars　of　liberation。〃
　〃You　make　too　much　of　it；〃　Lusana　said　stonily。　〃You　are　a　superb　leader　of　men；　Colonel　Jumana；　and　a　tiger　in　battle；　but　as　with　most　professional　soldiers；　you　are　sadly　lacking　in　administrative　style。〃
　〃I　beg　you；　my　General；　do　not　take　your　wrath　out　on　me。〃　Jumana　pointed　an　accusing　finger　at　Machita。　〃He　is　the　one　who　deserves　punishment。〃
　A　sense　of　frustration　enveloped　Lusana。　Regardless　of　intelligence　or　education；　the　African　mind　retained　an　almost　childlike　innocence　toward　blame。　Blood…soaked　rituals　still　inspired　them　with　a　higher　sense　of　justice　than　did　a　serious　conference　across　a　table。　Wearily；　Lusana　looked　at　Jumana。
　〃The　mistake　was　mine。　I　alone　am　responsible。　If　I　had　not　given　Major　Machita　the　order　to　kill　Emma；　Operation　Wild　Rose　might　be　lying　in　front　of　us　this　minute。　Without　murder　on　his　mind；　I　trust　the　major　would　have　checked　the　contents　of　the　envelope　before　he　turned　over　the　money。〃
　〃You　still　believe　the　plan　to　be　valid？〃　Jumana　asked　incredulously。
　〃I　do；〃　Lusana　said　firmly。　〃Enough　to　warn　the　Americans　when　I　fly　to　Washington　next　week　to　testify　at　the　congressional　hearings　on　aid　to　African　nations。〃
　〃Your　priorities　are　here；〃　said　Machita；　his　eyes　expressing　alarm。　〃I　beg　you；　my　General；　send　someone　else。〃
　〃There　is　none　better　qualified；〃　Lusana　assured　him。　〃I　am　still　an　American　citizen　with　a　number　of　high　contacts　who　sympathize　with　our　fight。〃
　〃Once　you　leave　here；　you　will　be　in　grave　danger。〃
　〃We　all　deal　in　danger；　do　we　not？〃　asked　Lusana。　〃It　is　our　rade…in…arms。〃　He　turned　to　Jumana。　〃Colonel；　you　will　be　in　mand　during　my　absence。　I　shall　furnish　you　with　explicit　orders　for　the　conduct　of　our　operation。　I　expect　you　to　see　that　they　are　carried　out　to　the　letter。〃
　Jumana　nodded。
　A　fear　began　to　swell　inside　Machita；　and　he　could　not　help　wondering　if　Lusana　was　paving　the　road　to　his　own　downfall　and　releasing　a　tidal　wave　of　blood　that　would　soon　surge　across　the　whole　of　Africa。
　
　Loren　Smith　rose　from　behind　her　desk　and　held　out　her　hand　as　Frederick　Daggat　was　ushered　into　her　office。　He　smiled　his　best　politi…cian's　smile。　〃I　hope　you'll　forgive　my　intrusion　。。。　ah　。。。　Congress…woman。〃
　Loren　grasped　his　hand　firmly。　It　never　failed　to　amuse　her　to　see　a　man　stumble　over　her　title。　They　never　seemed　to　get　the　hang　of　saying　〃　Congresswoman。〃
　〃I'm　happy　for　the　interruption；〃　she　said；　motioning　him　toward　a　chair。　To　his　surprise；　she　held　out　a　box　of　cigars。　He　took　one。
　〃This　is　indeed　a　treat。　I　hardly　expected　。。。　do　you　mind　if　I　light　up？〃
　〃Please　do；〃　she　said；　smiling。　〃I　grant　that　it　looks　a　bit　incongruous　for　a　woman　to　pass　out　cigars；　but　the　practical　value　bees　apparent　when　you　consider　that　my　male　visitors　outnumber　the　females　by　twenty　to　one。〃
　Daggat　expelled　a　large　blue　cloud　toward　the　ceiling　and　fired　his　first　broadside。　〃You　voted　against　my　initial　proposal　to　budget　aid　to　the　African　Army　of　Revolution。〃
　Loren　nodded。　She　didn't　speak；　for　she　was　waiting　for　Daggat　to　make　his　full　pitch。
　〃The　white　government　of　South　Africa　is　on　the　verge　of　self…destruction。　The　nation's　economy　has　plummeted　in　the　last　few　years。　Its　treasury　is　exhausted。　The　white　minority　have　cruelly　and　ruthlessly　treated　the　black　majority　as　slaves　far　too　long。　For　ten　years；　in　the　time　since　blacks　took　over　the　government　in　Rhodesia；　Afrikaners　have　bee　hardened　and　pletely　merciless　in　their　dealings　with　their　Bantu　citizens。　Internal　riots　have　taken　over　five　thousand　lives。　This　bloodbath　must　not　continue　any　longer。　Hiram　Lusana's　AAR　is　the　only　hope　for　peace。　We　must　support　it；　both　financially　and　militar…ily。〃
　〃I　was　under　the　impression　that　Hiram　Lusana　was　a　munist。〃
　Daggat　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　afraid　you　labor　under　a　misapprehen…sion；　Congresswoman　Smith。　I　admit　that　Lusana　allows　the　use　of　Vietnamese　military　advisers；　but　I　can　personally　assure　you　that　he　is　not　and　never　has　been　a　pawn　of　international　munism。〃
　〃I'm　glad　to　hear　that。〃　Loren's　voice　was　toneless。　In　her　mind　Daggat　was　trying　to　sell　a　bill　of　goods　and　she　was　determined　not　to　buy。
　〃Hiram　Lusana　is　a　man　of　high　ideals；〃　Daggat　continued。　〃He　does　not　permit　the　slaughter　of　innocent　women　and　children。　He　does　not　condone　indiscriminate　bloodthirsty　attacks　on　cities　and　villages；　as　do　'he　other　insurgent　movements。　His　war　is　aimed　strictly　against　gov…ernment　installations　and　military　targets。　I；　for　one；　feel　that　Congress　should　back　the　leader　who　conducts　his　affairs　with　virtuous　ra…tionality。〃
　〃e　down　off　the　cross；　Congressman。　You　know　it　and　I　know　it：　Hiram　Lusana　is　a　rip…off　artist。　I've　examined　his　FBI　file。　It　reads　like　a　biography　of　a　Mafia　hit　man。　Lusana　spent　half　his　life　in　prison　for　every　crime　from　rape　to　assault；　not　to　mention　draft　dodging　and　a　plot　to　bomb　the　state　capital　of　Alabama。　After　an　extremely　lucrative　armored…car　robbery；　he　went　into　the　dope…peddling　business　and　made　a　fortune。　Then　he　skipped　the　country　to　beat　paying　taxes。　I　think　you'll　agree　he's　not　exactly　an　all…American　hero。〃
　〃He　was　never　legally　charged　with　the　armored…car　holdup。〃
　Loren　shrugged。　〃Okay；　we'll　give　him　the　benefit　of　the　doubt　on　that　one。　But　his　other　crimes　hardly　qualify　him　to　lead　aholy　crusade　to　free　the　downtrodden　masses。〃
　〃What's　history　is　history；〃　Daggat　said；　pressing　on。　〃Regardless　of　his　shady　past；　Lusana　is　still　our　only　hope　of　providing　a　stable　government　after　the　blacks　take　over　the　South　African　Parliament。　You　cannot　deny　that　it　is　in　the　best　interests　of　Americans　to　claim　him　as　a　friend。〃
　〃Why　back　any　side？〃
　Daggat's　eyebrow　shot　up。　〃Do　I　detect　a　leaning　toward　isolation…ism？〃
　〃Look　what　it　got　us　in　Rhodesia；〃　continued　Loren。　〃Within　a　few　months　after　our　former　secretary　of　state's　ingenious　plan　to　transfer　white…minority　rule　to　the　black　majority　took　effect；　civil　war　broke　out　between　the　radical　splinter　factions　and　set　the　country's　progress　back　ten　years。　Can　you　promise　that　we　won't　see　a　repeat　perfo