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！
nd selected a bination of 〃remote and live video。〃 Under normal circumstances he would have preferred to concentrate on a live video display of the images recorded by the camera under the water； but this trip it was vital that he focus his attention on the events that he hoped to incite at the retreat。 He intended only to view the progress of the AUV from time to time to keep it on course。
He moved the joystick on a small remote handbox。 The vehicle immediately responded and went into a dive。 The acoustic telemetry and control system performed flawlessly； and the vehicle shot forward at almost four knots。 The counter rotating thrusters were balanced perfectly； preventing the vehicle from corkscrewing through the water。
〃Every move a picture；〃 Pitt said； staring in the direction of Shang's retreat as he stretched out on a pair of vinyl seat cushions that doubled as safety floats should the boat's occupants be thrown in the water。 Then he propped his feet on a bench seat and nestled the remote…control box of the AUV between his legs。 Using the levers and joystick on the remote he directed the vehicle's movements like a model submarine。 He leveled it out at a depth of sixty feet and worked it slowly toward Shang's boat dock； sweeping it back and forth as though he were plowing a field。
To the uninformed it might have looked as if Pitt was playing with a toy； but the exercise was more than a game。 He meant to test Shang's security systems。 The first experiment was to detect any underwater sensors。 After running several lines that gradually closed to within ten yards of the boat dock with no response； it seemed apparent Shang's security systems did not extend into the lake。 They apparently failed to consider penetration from the water as a threat。
It's show time； Pitt thought silently。 He pulled gently on the lever that sent the AUV rising to the surface。 The little submersible broke water in plain sight a few yards to one side of the dock。 He timed the response。 Surprisingly； a full three minutes passed before the walls on the windowless huts swung up and guards with Steyr tactical machine pistols slung over their shoulders came charging out across the grounds on off…road motorcycles。 They looked to Pitt like Chinese…made copies of the Japanese Suzuki RM 250cc supercross bike。 They spread out in formation and took up positions along the sandy beach。 Thirty seconds later； the wall on the hut at the end of the floating dock facing the lake also flew open as two guards riding Chinese…built personal watercraft； these designed along the lines of the Japanese Kawasaki Jet Ski； sprinted after the AUV。
Not what Pitt called a rapid deployment。 He expected better from veteran security specialists。 Even the ultralights remained hidden in their hangar。 It seemed the incursion by the AUV did not warrant an all…out search effort。
Pitt immediately sent the submersible into a dive； and because it was visible in the clear water； he cut a steep turn that brought it under the yacht beside the dock。 He needn't have worried about the guards on the watercraft sighting the little sub。 They churned the surface of the water to such a froth by racing around in circles； it was impossible for them to see into the depths。 Pitt observed that neither of the men on the water…craft wore any type of diving equipment； not even masks and snorkels； a solid indication they were not prepared to engage in underwater investigation。 Professionals on land but amateurs in the water； Pitt mused。
Finding no hint of an intruder along the beach； the men guarding the grounds climbed off their dirt bikes and stood watching the antics of the water derby。 Any attempt at piercing Shang's retreat by land could only be undertaken with any chance of success by a team from the Special Forces； who were experts in the art of stealth and camouflage。 By water it was another story。 A diver could easily swim under the dock and the yacht without fear of being discovered。
While he guided the AUV back to the sailboat； Pitt reeled in his fishing line until it was just under the surface。 Then he sneaked the mounted salmon from the Foley cabin's fireplace into the water and ran the hook； still with the impaled night crawler； through the dried open mouth。 Waving his arms conspicuously； he lifted the long…deceased salmon out of the water and held it in the air for all prying eyes to see。 The two security guards on the watercraft circled him at less than fifty feet； rocking the sailboat in their wakes。 Reasonably assured they would not attempt to seize him on state…government…owned water； he ignored them。 Instead； Pitt faced the guards lining the shore and waved the fish back and forth like a signal flag。 He watched as the guards； finding nothing suspicious they could put their teeth into； returned to the log security huts。 Feeling there was no point in hanging around and greatly relieved the AUV hadn't been discovered by the guards； who seemed more interested in a fisherman than what was under the water； Pitt pulled up the anchor； raised the sail and； with the little robotic submersible following obediently behind and below the surface； headed back toward the Foleys' boathouse。 After securing the sailboat and replacing the AUV in the ice chest； he removed an eight…millimeter videocassette from the camera and dropped it in his pocket。
After checking to see if the probing eye of the surveillance camera was still obstructed by the broom； he relaxed with a bottle of Martin Ray chardonnay。 Pleased with himself but prudent and wary； Pitt laid his faithful； scratched and worn old Colt 。45 automatic in his lap under a napkin。 A gift from his father； the gun had saved his life on more than one occasion； and he never traveled without it。 After he cleared up the kitchen and brewed a pot of coffee； he walked into the living room； inserted the cassette from the AUV's camera package in a special adapter and slipped it into the slot of a VCR mounted on top of the cabin's television set。 Then he sat hunched directly in front of the screen so the images could not be exposed to any camera still undiscovered in the living room。
As he watched the underwater video recorded by the AUV； he hardly expected to see anything that did not belong on the lake's bottom。 His primary interest was the area in and around the dock and the yacht moored beside it。 He sat patiently as the submersible swept back and forth over the shallower slopes before passing over the deep hole in the middle of the lake during its roundabout voyage toward Shang's dock。 The first few minutes revealed only an occasional fish that darted away from the mechanical intruder； weeds growing out of the silt； gnarled logs that had been washed down the feeding streams。 He smiled to himself when he observed several children's toys and bicycles just off a beach； as well as a pre…World War II automobile in deeper water。 Then； suddenly； odd patches of white appeared through the blue…green void。
Pitt stiffened and stared in horrified fascination as the patches of white materialized into human faces on heads attached to bodies heaped together or lying alone in the silt。 The lake bed was littered with what must have been hundreds of them； some piled three and four deep； perhaps more； many more。 They rested on the slope of the lake in forty feet of water and spread out of sight into the deepest part of the lake。 To Pitt it was like staring from a stage at a vast audience through an opaque curtain。 Those in the front seats were clear and distinct； but me mass of people seated further to the rear faded and were lost in the dark。 He couldn't begin to estimate the numbers。 The appalling thought that came to him was that the bodies scattered in the shallower waters were but a small portion of those that lay out of the AUV's camera range in the unseen deep of the lake。
The chilling fingers of revulsion touched the back of Pitt's neck as he saw a number of women and several children scattered among the sunken field of dead。 Many of them were elderly。 The icy； fresh water running down from the glaciers had maintained the bodies in a state of near…perfect preservation。 They appeared to be lying peacefully； as if asleep； slightly indented in soft silt。 On some the facial expressions were tranquil； on others the eyes bulged and mouths were thrust open in what was their final scream。 They lay undisturbed； unaffected by the frigid water temperature and the daily sequences of light and dark。 There was no sign of decay。
As the submersible passed directly within one meter of what looked like an entire family； he could see by the folds of the eyes and features of the faces that they were Oriental。 He could also see that their hands were tied behind them； their mouths taped and their feet roped to iron weights。
They had died at the hands of mass murderers。 There was no sign of gunshot or knife wounds。 Despite the myth； death by drowning is not a pleasant way to die。 Only fire can be more horrible。 When sinking rapidly into the deep； the eardrums burst； water rushes into the nostrils； causing incredible sinus pain； and the lungs feel as if they are seared by hot coals。 Nor was death swift。 The terror as they were bound； transported to the middle of the lake in the dead of night and then thrown； he guessed； from under the center cabin of the mysterious twin…hulled black boat； their screams muffled by the black water。 They were innocently trapped in some unknown conspiracy； and died terribly and in agony。
Orion Lake was more than a picture of idyllic； charming scenery； much more。 It was a graveyard。
ALMOST THREE THOUSAND MILES TO THE EAST； A SPRING drizzle fell over the heart of the city as a black limousine rolled silently over the wet； empty streets。 The darkened windows rolled up； its occupants unseen； the car seemed as if it was part of a nocturnal funeral procession carrying mourners to a cemetery。
The dominant capital in the world； Washington had a benign aura of antiquated grandeur。 This was especially true late at night when the offices were dark； the phones stopped ringing； the copy machines went mute and the distortions and exaggerations stopped coursing through the halls of the bureaucracy。 Its political transient residents had all gone home to sleep with visions of campaign fund…raisers dancing in their heads。 But for the lights and minimal traffic； the city took on a look of an abandoned Babylon or Persepolis。
Neither of the two men in the passenger partment spoke as the driver； seated at the wheel in front of the closed divider window； efficiently steered the limousine over the rain…slicked asphalt that mirrored the streetlights along the sidewalks。 Admiral James Sandecker stared out the window； his eyes staying unfocused as the driver turned onto Pennsylvania Avenue。 His mind was lost in thought。 Dressed in expensive sport coat and slacks； he didn't look the least bit tired。 When the call came from Morton Laird； the President's chief of staff； he was hosting a late…night supper for a group of visiting oceanographers from Japan in his office suite atop the NUMA building across the river in Arlington； Virginia。
Slight of build from jogging five miles a day and exercising in the NUMA employees' health center； Sandecker looked much younger than a man homing in on sixty…five years of age。 The respected director of NUMA since its founding； he had built a federal bureau of ocean sciences that was the envy of every maritime nation in the world。 Spirited and gutsy； he wasn't a man to take no for an answer。 Thirty years in the Navy； highly decorated； he was picked by a former president to head up NUMA when there wasn't a dime in funding nor congressional approval。 In fifteen years； Sandecker had stepped on many toes； made any number of enemies； but persevered until no member of Congress dared suggest he resign in favor of a political lackey。 Egocentric yet simple； he vainly dyed the gray that was seeping into his flaming red hair and Vandyke beard。
The man beside him； mander Rudi Gunn； wore a rumpled business suit。 He hunched his shoulders and rubbed his hands briskly。 The April nights in Washington could be far too chilly for fort。 A graduate of the Naval Academy； Gunn had