cc.vixen03-第48章

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　〃I　was　wrong；〃　he　said　quietly。
　Pitt　remained　silent；　waiting；　his　hands　clasped。
　〃The　missing　gas　shells　were　sold。〃
　Pitt　was　still　silent；　but　there　was　murder　in　his　eyes。
　〃A　mistake；〃　Mapes　said　thinly。　〃The　arsenal　crew　took　the　shells　from　the　wrong　lot　number。　The　original　shipping　order　called　for　the　removal　of　forty　pieces　of　heavy　naval　ordnance　from　Lot　Sixteen。　I　can　only　assume　that　the　first　digit；　the　one；　did　not　emerge　on　the　shipping　crew's　carbon　copy；　and　they　simply　read　it　as　Lot　Six。〃
　〃I　think　it　appropriate　to　say；　Mapes；　that　you　run　a　sloppy　ship。〃　Pitt's　fingers　bit　into　the　flesh　of　his　hands。　〃What　name　is　on　the　purchase　order？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　there　were　three　orders　filled　during　the　same　month。〃
　God；　Pitt　thought；　why　is　it　nothing　ever　es　easy？　〃I'll　take　a　list　of　the　buyers。〃
　〃I　hope　you　appreciate　my　position；〃　said　Mapes。　The　clipped　busi…ness　tone　was　back。　〃If　my　customers　got　wind　of　the　fact　I　disclosed　their　arms　sales　。。。　I　think　you　understand　why　this　matter　must　remain　confidential。〃
　〃Frankly；　Mapes；　I'd　like　to　stuff　you　in　one　of　your　own　cannon　and　pull　the　lanyard。　Now　give　me　that　list　before　I　yank　the　Attorney　General　and　Congress　down　around　your　ears。〃
　A　faint　pallor　clouded　Mapes's　face。　He　took　up　a　pen　and　wrote　the　names　of　the　buyers　on　a　pad。　Then　he　tore　off　the　paper　and　handed　it　to　Pitt。
　One　shell　had　been　ordered　by　the　British　Imperial　War　Museum；　in　London。　Two　had　gone　to　the　Veterans　of　Foreign　Wars；　Dayton　City　Post　9974；　Oklahoma。　The　remaining　thirty…seven　were　purchased　by　an　agent　representing　the　African　Army　of　Revolution。　No　address　was　given。
　Pitt　slipped　the　paper　into　his　pocket　and　rose　to　his　feet。　〃I'll　send　a　team　of　men　to　remove　the　other　gas　shells　in　the　tunnel；〃　he　said　coldly。　He　detested　Mapes；　detested　everything　the　fat　little　death　merchant　stood　for。　Pitt　couldn't　bring　himself　to　leave　without　one　final　shot。
　〃Mapes？〃
　〃Yes？〃
　A　thousand　insults　swirled　in　Pitt's　mind；　but　he　could　not　sort　out　any　one　in　particular。　Finally；　as　Mapes's　expectant　expression　turned　to　puzzlement；　Pitt　spoke。
　〃How　many　men　did　your　merchandise　kill　and　maim　last　year；　and　the　year　before　that？〃
　〃I　do　not　concern　myself　with　what　others　do　with　my　goods；〃　Mapes　said　offhandedly。
　〃If　one　of　those　gas　shells　went　off；　you'd　be　responsible　for　perhaps　millions　of　deaths。〃
　〃Millions；　Mr。　Pitt？〃　Mapes's　eyes　hardened。　〃To　me　the　term　is　merely　a　statistic。〃
　
　46
　
　Steiger　set　the　Spook　F…140　jet　fighter　down　lightly　on　the　airstrip　at　Sheppard　Air　Force　Base；　outside　Wichita　Falls；　Texas。　After　checking　in　with　the　flight…operations　officer；　he　signed　out　a　car　from　the　base　motor　pool　and　drove　north　across　the　Red　River　into　Oklahoma。　He　turned　onto　State　Highway　Fifty…three　and　pulled　over　to　the　side　of　the　road；　he　felt　a　sudden　urge　to　relieve　himself。　Though　it　was　a　few　minutes　past　one　in　the　afternoon；　no　car；　no　sign　of　life；　was　visible　for　miles。
　Steiger　could　not　remember　seeing　such　flat　and　desolate　farm　coun…try。　The　wind…swept　landscape　was　barren　except　for　a　distant　shed　and　an　abandoned　hay　rake。　It　was　a　depressing　sight。　If　someone　had　placed　a　gun　in　Steiger's　hand；　he'd　have　been　tempted　to　shoot　himself　out　of　sheer　melancholy。　He　zipped　up　his　fly　and　returned　to　the　car。
　Soon　a　water　tower　appeared　beside　the　arrow…straight　road　and　grew　larger　through　the　windshield。　Then　a　small　town　with　precious　few　trees　materialized　and　he　passed　a　sign　weling　him　to　Dayton　City；　Queen　City　of　the　Wheat　Belt。　He　pulled　into　a　dingy　old　gas　station　that　still　sported　glass　tanks　above　its　pumps。
　An　elderly　man　in　mechanic's　coveralls　emerged　from　a　grease　pit　and　shuffled　up　to　the　passenger　window。　〃Can　I　help　ya？〃
　〃I'm　looking　for　VFW　Post　Ninety…nine　seventy…four；〃　said　Steiger。
　〃If　yer　speakin'　at　the　luncheon；　yer　late；〃　admonished　the　old　man。
　〃I'm　here　on　other　business；〃　Steiger　said；　smiling。
　The　Oklahoman　was　unimpressed。　He　took　an　oily　rag　from　his　pocket　and　wiped　his　equally　oily　hands。　〃Go　to　the　stop　sign　in　the　middle　of　town　and　turn　left。　Ya　can't　miss　it。〃
　Steiger　followed　the　instructions　and　pulled　into　the　gravel　parking　lot　of　a　building　strikingly　modern　pared　to　others　in　the　town。　Several　cars　were　leaving　the　area；　trailing　clouds　of　red　dust　behind　their　bumpers。　The　luncheon　was　over；　Steiger　surmised。　He　entered　and　stood　for　a　moment　at　the　edge　of　a　large　room　with　a　hardwood　floor。　The　dishes　on　several　tables　still　bore　the　wreckage　of　fried　chicken。　A　group　of　three　men　noticed　his　presence　and　waved。　A　tall；　gangly　individual　about　fifty　years　of　age　and　at　least　six　feet　five　inches　tall　separated　from　the　rest　and　sauntered　over　to　Steiger。　He　had　a　ruddy　face　and　short…clipped　shiny　hair　parted　down　the　middle。　He　offered　his　hand。
　〃Good　afternoon；　Colonel。　What　brings　you　to　Dayton　City？〃
　〃I'm　looking　for　the　post　mander；　a　Mr。　Billy　Lovell。〃
　〃I'm　Billy　Lovell。　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　〃How　do　you　do；〃　said　Steiger　politely。　〃My　name　is　Steiger；　Abe　Steiger。　I've　e　from　Washington　on　a　rather　urgent　matter。〃
　Lovell　stared　at　Steiger；　his　eyes　friendly　but　speculative。　〃You're　putting　me　on；　Colonel。　I　suppose　you're　going　to　tell　me　a　top…secret　Russian　spy　satellite　came　down　in　a　field　somewhere　near　town。〃
　Steiger　gave　a　casual　tilt　of　his　head。　〃Nothing　that　dramatic。　I'm　looking　for　a　couple　of　naval　shells　your　post　purchased　from　Phalanx　Arms。〃
　〃Oh；　them　two　duds？〃
　〃Duds？〃
　〃Yeah；　we　were　going　to　blow　'em　up　during　the　Veterans　Day　picnic。　Set　'em　on　an　old　tractor　and　popped　away　all　afternoon；　but　they　didn't　go　off。　We　tried　to　get　Phalanx　to　replace　'em。〃　Lovell　shook　his　head　sadly。　〃They　refused。　Claimed　all　sales　was　final。〃
　A　chilling　thought　passed　through　Steiger's　mind。　〃Perhaps　they're　not　the　self…detonating　type　of　ordnance。〃
　〃Nope。〃　Lovell　shook　his　head。　〃Phalanx　guaranteed　they　was　live　battleship　shells。〃
　〃Do　you　still　have　them？〃
　〃Sure；　right　outside。　You　passed　'em　ing　in。〃
　Lovell　led　Steiger　outside。　The　two　shells　bordered　the　entrance　to　the　post。　They　were　painted　white；　and　welded　to　their　sides　were　chains　that　stretched　along　the　walkway。
　Steiger　sucked　in　his　breath。　The　tips　of　the　shells　were　rounded。　They　were　two　of　the　missing　gas　shells。　His　knees　suddenly　turned　to　rubber；　and　he　had　to　sit　down　on　the　steps。　Lovell　stared　questioningly　at　Steiger's　dazed　expression。
　〃Somethin'　wrong？〃
　〃You　shot　at　these　things？〃　Steiger　asked　incredulously。
　〃Pumped　close　to　a　hundred　rounds　at　'em。　Nicked　the　heads　some；　but　that's　all。〃
　〃It's　a　miracle　。　。　。〃　Steiger　murmured。
　〃A　what？〃
　〃Those　are　not　explosive　shells；〃　Steiger　explained。　〃They're　gas　shells。　Their　firing　mechanisms　will　not　self…activate　until　the　parachutes　are　released。　Your　bullets　had　no　effect　because　unlike　ordinary　explo…sive　projectiles；　they　had　not　been　preset　to　detonate。〃
　〃Whooee！〃　gasped　Lovell。　〃You　mean　them　things　has　poison　gas　in　'em？〃
　Steiger　merely　nodded。
　〃My　Gawd；　we　might　have　wiped　out　half　the　county。〃
　〃And　then　some；〃　Steiger　muttered　under　his　breath。　He　rose　from　the　steps。　〃I'd　like　to　borrow　your　John　and　a　telephone；　in　that　order。〃
　〃Sure；　you　e　along。　The　John　is　down　the　hall　to　your　left　and　there's　a　phone　in　my　office。〃　Lovell　stopped　and　his　eyes　turned　canny。　〃If　we　give　you　them　shells　。　。　。　well；　I　was　wonderin'　。　。　。〃
　〃I　promise　you　and　your　post　will　receive　ten　sixteen…inch　shells　in　prime　explosive　condition；　enough　to　give　your　next　Veterans　Day　picnic　a　super　bang。〃
　Lovell　grinned　from　ear　to　ear。　〃You're　on；　Colonel。〃
　In　the　rest　room　Steiger　ran　cold　water　over　his　face。　The　eyes　that　stared　back　in　the　mirror　were　red　and　tired；　but　they　also　radiated　hope。　He　had　successfully　tracked　down　two　of　the　Quick　Death　warheads。　He　could　only　pray　that　Pitt　was　as　fortunate。
　Steiger　picked　up　the　phone　in　Lovell's　office　and　asked　the　operator　to　put　through　a　collect　long…distance　call。
　Pitt　was　asleep　on　a　couch　in　his　NUMA　office　when　his　secretary；　Zerri　Pochinsky；　leaned　over　and　gently　sho