cc.vixen03-第45章

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　Lusana　nodded。　〃A　'favorite　son'　of　the　Srona　tribe。　He　spent　over　eight　years　in　South　African　prisons　before　I　arranged　his　escape。　He　has　strong　support　throughout　Transvaal　province。　Politically；　I　thought　it　an　expedient　move　to　name　him　my　second…in…mand。〃
　〃As　with　too　many　Africans　who　are　suddenly　thrust　into　a　position　of　power；　he　apparently　conjured　up　fantasies　of　grandeur。〃
　Lusana　stood　and　leaned　wearily　against　a　shelf　of　books。　〃The　idiot；〃　he　muttered；　almost　to　himself。　〃Can't　he　understand　that　he's　destroy…ing　the　very　cause　he's　fighting　for？〃
　Daggat　rose　and　put　his　hand　on　Lusana's　shoulder。　〃I　suggest　you　catch　the　first　flight　back　to　Mozambique；　Hiram；　and　regain　control　of　your　movement。　Issue　news　releases　denying　the　AAR's　involvement　in　the　massacre。　Blame　it　on　the　other　insurgent　groups；　if　you　have　to；　but　get　out　from　under　and　put　your　house　in　order。　I'll　do　what　I　can　to　soften　adverse　reaction　at　this　end。〃
　Lusana　extended　his　hand。　〃Thank　you；　Congressman。　I'm　grateful　for　all　you've　done。〃
　Daggat　shook　his　hand　warmly。
　〃And　your　submittee。　How　will　they　vote　now？〃　Lusana　said。
　Daggat　smiled　confidently。　〃Three　to　two　in　favor　of　aid　to　the　AAR；　providing　you　offer　a　convincing　performance　in　front　of　the　news　cameras　when　you　deny　any　involvement　with　the　Tazareen　massacre。〃
　Colonel　Joris　Zeegler　had　taken　over　the　basement　of　a　schoolhouse　ten　miles　from　the　boundary　separating　Natal　province　and　Mozambique。　While　class　continued　on　the　top　two　floors；　Zeegler　and　several　ranking　officers　of　the　Defence　Forces　studied　aerial　maps　and　a　scale　mock…up　of　the　AAR　headquarters；　not　twenty…five　miles　away；　across　the　border。
　Zeegler　squinted　through　a　wisp　of　smoke　curling　from　the　cigarette　that　dangled　in　his　mouth　and　tapped　a　pointer　on　a　miniature　building　in　the　center　of　the　mock…up。
　〃The　former　university…administration　building；〃　he　said；　〃is　used　by　Lusana　as　his　nerve　center。　A　Chinese…supplied　munications　net…work；　field…staff　offices；　intelligence　section；　indoctrination　rooms_　they're　all　housed　there。　They've　gone　too　bloody　far　this　time。　Destroy　it　and　everyone　in　it　and　you　cut　off　the　head　of　the　AAR。〃
　〃Begging　your　pardon；　sir〃…this　from　a　big　red…faced　captain　with　a　bushy　mustache…〃but　it　was　my　understanding　that　Lusana　was　in　America。〃
　〃Quite　correct。　He's　in　Washington　this　very　minute；　on　his　hands　and　knees；　begging　the　Yanks　for　financial　support。〃
　〃Then　what　bloody　good　is　cutting　off　the　serpent's　head　if　the　brain　lies　elsewhere？　Why　not　wait　until　he　returns　and　bag　the　head　bugger　as　well？〃
　Zeegler　gave　him　a　cold；　condescending　stare。　〃Your　metaphor　needs　refining；　Captain。　However；　to　answer　your　question　。。。　it　will　not　be　practical　to　await　Lusana's　return。　Our　intelligence　sources　have　con…firmed　that　Colonel　Randolph　Jumana　has　engineered　a　mutiny　within　the　ranks　of　the　AAR。〃
　Surprised　looks　were　exchanged　among　the　officers　clustered　around　the　model。　It　was　the　first　they'd　heard　of　Lusana's　ouster。
　〃Now　is　the　time　to　strike；〃　he　went　on。　〃By　brutally　murdering　helpless　women　and　children　at　Tazareen；　Jumana　has　thrown　open　the　door　for　retaliation。　An　across…the…border　raid　on　AAR　headquarters　has　been　approved　by　the　Prime　Minister。　The　usual　diplomatic　protests　from　Third　World　countries　are　to　be　expected；　of　course。　A　formality；　nothing　more。〃
　A　tough…looking　customer　with　the　rank　of　major　and　dressed　in　camouflage　fatigues　raised　his　hand。　Zeegler　acknowledged　him。
　〃Your　intelligence　report　also　mentions　the　presence　of　Vietnamese　advisers　and　possibly　a　few　Chinese　observers。　Surely　our　government　will　suffer　repercussions　if　we　snuff　the　bastards。〃
　〃Accidents　happen；〃　Zeegler　said。　〃If　a　foreign　national　by　chance　stumbles　into　your　line　of　fire；　do　not　lose　sleep　if　a　stray　bullet　sends　him　straightaway　to　Buddhaland。　They　have　no　business　being　in　Africa。　Defence　Minister　De　Vaal　is　aware　of　the　likelihood　and　has　consented　to　let　that　particular　problem　rest　on　his　shoulders。〃
　Zeegler　turned　his　attention　back　to　the　mock…up。
　〃Now；　gentlemen；　for　the　final　phase　of　the　attack。　We　have　decided　to　take　a　page　from　the　AAR　handbook　on　the　policing　of　a　battlefield。〃　He　smiled　without　humor。　〃Except　we　intend　to　go　them　one　better。〃
　Thomas　Machita　shivered　in　his　cell。　He　couldn't　remember　when　he　had　felt　so　cold。　The　temperature　of　the　African　interior　had　run　its　normal　course；　from　ninety　degrees　the　previous　afternoon　to　a　frosty　thirty　in　the　hours　prior　to　dawn。
　Jumana's　goons　had　dragged　Machita　from　the　radio　room　before　he　could　send　a　message　of　warning　to　Lusana　in　Washington。　They　sav…agely　pulverized　his　face　before　stripping　away　his　clothes　and　throwing　him　in　a　damp　little　cell　in　the　building's　basement。　One　eye　was　swollen　shut；　a　deep　gash　above　the　other　eyebrow　had　coagulated　during　the　night；　and　he　had　vision　after　wiping　away　the　clotted　blood。　His　lips　were　swollen　and　two　teeth　were　missing；　courtesy　of　a　well…aimed　rifle　butt。　He　shifted　his　position　on　a　filthy　pile　of　dried　leaves；　gasping　at　the　pain　that　stabbed　his　cracked　ribs。
　Machita　lay　in　dark　frustration；　gazing　vacantly　at　the　concrete　walls　of　his　prison　as　the　new　day's　light　filtered　through　a　small　barred　window　above　his　head。　The　cell　was　no　more　than　a　cube；　five　by　five　by　five　feet；　and　barely　allowed　enough　room　for　Machita　to　lie　down；　provided　he　raised　his　knees。　The　low　arched　door　to　the　basement　hall　was　three…inch…thick　mahogany　and　had　no　latch　or　handle　on　the　inside。
　He　heard　voices　through　the　window　and　painfully　pulled　himself　to　a　stooped　position　and　looked　out。　The　window　faced　the　camp's　parade　ground　at　eye　level。　Elite　mando　sections　were　lining　up　for　roll　call　and　inspection。　Across　the　way；　mess…hall　roof　vents　emitted　shimmer…ing　waves　of　heat　as　the　cooks　stoked　their　stoves　to　life。　A　pany　of　recruits　from　Angola　and　Zimbabwe　crawled　sleepily　from　their　tents　at　the　prodding　of　their　veteran　section　leaders。
　It　began　like　another　ordinary　day　of　political　indoctrination　and　bat　training；　but　this　day　was　to　be　far　different。
　His　eyes　aimed　intently　at　his　watch；　Joris　Zeegler　spoke　softly　into　a　field　radio。　〃Tonic　One？〃
　〃Tonic　One　in　position；　sir；〃　a　voice　crackled　over　the　receiver。
　〃Tonic　Two？〃
　〃Ready　to　fire；　Colonel。〃
　〃Ten　seconds　and　counting；〃　said　Zeegler。　〃Five；　four；　three；　two　。　。　。〃
　The　formation　of　mandos　on　the　parade　ground　dropped　to　the　ground　in　concert　as　though　by　mand。　Machita　could　not　believe　that　two　hundred　men　had　died　almost　instantly　as　a　salvo　of　gunfire　erupted　from　the　dense　bush　surrounding　the　perimeter　of　the　camp。　He　jammed　his　face　against　the　bars；　unmindful　of　his　pain；　twisting　his　head　to　see　better　through　his　one　functioning　eye。　The　firing　increased　in　intensity　as　confused　AAR　soldiers　began　a　hopeless　counterattack　against　their　unseen　enemy。
　He　could　distinguish　the　cracking　sounds　of　the　AAR's　Chinese　CK…88　automatic　rifles　from　the　Israeli…manufactured　Felo　guns　used　by　the　South　African　Defence　Forces。　The　Felo　gun　emitted　a　barking　noise　as　it　shotgunned　swarms　of　deadly　razor…sharp　disks　capable　of　severing　an　eight…inch　tree　trunk　with　one　burst。
　Machita　realized　the　South　Africans　had　crossed　the　border　in　a　lightning　raid　to　avenge　Tazareen。　〃Damn　you；　Jumana！〃　he　shouted　in　helpless　rage。　〃You　brought　this　upon　us。〃
　Bodies　were　dropping　everywhere　in　frenzied　contortions。　So　many　littered　the　parade　ground　it　was　impossible　to　walk　from　one　side　to　the　other　without　stepping　on　torn　flesh。　A　Defence　Forces　helicopter　swooped　over　the　main　dormitory；　where　a　pany　of　men　had　taken　cover。　A　bulky　packet　dropped　from　the　aircraft's　cargo　door　and　landed　on　the　roof。　Seconds　later　the　building　fragmented　in　a　thunderous　explosion　of　brick　and　dust。
　Still　the　South　African　ground　forces　had　not　shown　their　positions。　They　were　wiping　out　the　main　core　of　the　AAR　without　the　slightest　risk　to　themselves。　Brilliant　planning　and　execution　had　paid　the　whites　rich　dividends。
　The　green　and　brown　of　the　helicopter's　camouflage　blurred　into　Machita's　view　for　an　instant；　d