Steal The Sun(战争间谍)-第6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！


The　hair　on　Finn’s　arms　and　neck　moved　in　an　animal　reflex。　He　wanted　to　believe　that　Groves
was　insane；　because　no　man　should　have　the　power　to　save　or　lose　a　world。　Yet　he　did　not　want
to　believe　that　the　most　secret　project　in　America；　the　project　he　was　sworn　to　protect；　was　in
the　hands　of　a　madman。
Finn　did　not　know　which　alternative　was　worse　–　Groves　sane　or　Groves　insane。　Finn　was　not
even　sure　he　wanted　to　choose。　All　he…was　sure　of　was　that　his　body　was　flushed　with　adrenaline；
poised　to　fight；　to　kill；　to　flee　if　necessary；　jungle　reflexes　screaming　at　him　until　he　sweated；　but
Page　14
there　was　nothing　to　fight；　nothing　to　flee；　nothing　to　do　but　sit　and　listen　to　a　man　who　might
or　might　not　be　mad。
“Welcome　to　the　Manhatten　Project；”　said　Groves；　watching　Finn。　“That　was　just　the　start。
You’re　going　to　hear　it　all；　beginning　to　end；　and　then　you’ll　know　why　for　the　next　few　weeks
you’ll　be　the　most　important　man　on　earth。”　He　smiled　and　gestured　toward　a　hot　plate　on　top
of　a　filing　cabinet。　“Pour　us　some　coffee；　Captain。”
“It　should　be　tea；”　said　Finn　as　he　handed　Groves　a　cup。　Then　Finn　took　his　cup；　sat　down；　and
stared　at　the　General。　“Convince　me　that　I’m　not　in　Wonderland。”
“And　that　I’m　not　the　Mad　Hatter？”　Groves’　smile　was　grim。　“That　shouldn’t　take　long。　The
OSS　reports　that　the　Russians　are　gearing　up　to　invade　Japan　and　plan　on　taking　China　along　the
way。”
Finn　nodded。　He　had　guessed　as　much。　It　was　Stalin’s　style　to　take　and　control。　But　Finn　knew
the　Russians；　if　they　held　that　much　of　the　world；　there　would　be　no　peace　until　America　was
annihilated。
“The　only　way　we　can　prevent　that　is　to　end　the　war　before　the　Russians　can　invade　China　or
Japan；”　continued　Groves；　“or　before　we’re　sucked　into　invading　Japan　ourselves。　The　only　way
we　can　do　that　is　to　use　the　atomic　bomb　to　end　the　war。”　Groves　looked　haunted　for　a
moment。　“Assuming　the　damn　things　works；”　he　muttered。　“No；　it　will　work。　It　has　to！”
“What　do　you　mean？　Aren’t　you　sure？”
A　curt　gesture　from　Groves　silenced　Finn。
“Later；”　said　Groves。　“For　now；　just　listen。”　His　voice　became　angry；　then　thickened　with
contempt　as　he　spoke。　“A　few　of　our　own　scientists　are　petitioning　the　President　not　to　use　the
bomb。　They　act　as　though　it’s　morally　superior　to　kill　the　enemy　one　by　one　with　bayonets。”
“And　then；”　he　continued；　“there　are　the　scientists　who　want　to　arrange　a　demonstration　–　invite
the　Japs　over；　explode　the　bomb；　and　then　say；　‘Now　that　we’ve　frightened　you；　why　don’t　you
be　nice　boys　and　surrender。’”　Groves　grinned。　“Scientists。”
“Perhaps　they　have　the　right　idea。　Seeing　the　equivalent　of　20；000　tons　of　TNT　go　up　at　once
might　make　even　the　most　fanatical　soldier　surrender。”
Groves　looked　sour。　“Maybe；　maybe　not。　But　between　the　sob　sisters　crying　not　to　use　the
bomb；　and　the　gun　soldiers　crying　about　their　guts…and…glory　invasion；　Truman　has　his　ass　in　a
sling。　Politics　–　God；　the　messes　the　politicians　get　us　into。”　Groves　glared　at　Finn。　“So　there
will　be　a　demonstration；　and　it　by　God　better　work！”
Groves　unlocked　a　drawer；　reached　in　and　pulled　out　a　thin　file。　“The　test　is　scheduled　for　0200
on　the　16th。　Two　days　from　now。　I　want　this　Jap　spy　to　see　it；　but　I　don’t　want　him　to　know　we
want　him　to　see　it。　I’ll　give　you　as　many　men　as　you　need　to　track　him　down。”
“More　warning　would　have　helped；”　said　Finn。　“If　he’s　any　good；　he’ll　smell　a　setup。”
“Truman　didn’t　make　up　his　mind　until　yesterday。　I　called　you　in　immediately。”
Finn　took　the　folder　and　read　it　quickly。　There　was　little　hard　information；　a　testimony　to　the
Japanese　spy’s　skill　and　elusiveness。　Once　the　padding　of　speculation　was　stripped　away；　all　that
remained　was　that　Kestrel　had　been　born　of　an　old　Japanese　family；　had　been　raised　in　the
samurai　tradition；　entered　the　Imperial　Army　as　an　officer；　studied　physics　in　the　United　States；
spied　in　Lisbon　and　was　a　master　of　unarmed　combat。
There　was　one　picture；　taken　when　Kestrel　graduated　from　the　University　of　California　at
Berkeley。　The　picture　was　twelve　years　old；　but　Finn　recognized　the　man　he　had　seen　in　the
Green　Parrot。　The　clean　line　of　the　chin；　the　tilt　of　the　head；　the　alert　eyes；　the　smile　that　was
confident　without　being　aggressive　–　all　were　unchanged　by　the　years　between　Berkeley　and
Juarez。
“Is　that　the　man　you　saw？”　asked　Groves。
“Yes。　He　was　in　the　Green　Parrot　yesterday；　talking　to　a　Mexican　whore　called　Rubia。　She’s　very
good　at　sucking　information　out　of　GIs。　She　gives　the　information　to　Refugio　and　he　sells　it　to
whoever　is　interested。　I’ll　just　make　sure　that　Rubia　gets　the　right　information。”
Page　15
“Won’t　she　be　suspicious？”
“You　haven’t　seen　my　agent。　Twenty　and　looks　fifteen。　That　red…headed　son　of　a　bitch　is　the　only
person　I　know　who　lies　better　than　a　whore。　He’s　been　to　Rubia　a　lot　lately。　She　won’t　be
suspicious。”
Groves　grimaced。　“I　don’t　like　depending　on　a　prostitute。”
“She’s　just　the　bait。　I’ll　give　Kestrel　the　hook　myself；　through　a　more　reliable　source。　Ana
Oshiga；　Takagura　Omi’s　secretary。”
“That　traitorous　bitch；”　muttered　Groves。
“If　Kestrel　is　any　good　as　a　spy　–　and　that　skinny　file　says　he’s　damn　good　–　he’ll　have　collected
enough　information　by　now　to　be　red　hot　on　the　subject　of　Los　Alamos。　And　he’s　a　samurai　as
well　as　a　spy。　What　I’ll　tell　him　will　make　the　test　irresistible。”
“You’re　sure？”
“The　only　way　I　can　be　sure　is　to　sack　him　up　and　bring　him　myself。”
“No。　It　can’t　be　official。　Anyway；　I　want　you　at　the　test　site。　Or　rather；　above　it。”　Groves　smiled
grimly。　“You　don’t　believe　me　yet；　not　really。　After　the　test　you　will。　Then　you’ll　know　how
important　the　rest　of　your　job　is　–　guarding　the　uranium　on　its　way　to　Tinian。”　He　drummed　his
knuckles　on　the　table。　“Could　you　send　one　of　your　agents　with　Kestrel？”
“Why　don’t　I　just　give　him　an　engraved　invitation　signed　by　President　Truman　and　the　Joint
Chiefs　of　Staff？”　Finn　closed　the　folder　and　dropped　it　on　the　desk。　“Where　do　you　want　him；
and　when？”
“By　0100　of　the　16th；　Kestrel　should　be　on　the　north　side　of　Oscura　Peak。　That’s　fifty　miles；
north…northwest　of　Alamogordo。　That　should　give　him　a　good　view　of　Trinity　Site；　where　we’ll
detonate　the　bomb。”
“If　I’m　that　specific；　he’ll　know　it’s　official。　I　have　to　give　him　just　enough　pieces　to　let　him
discover　the　answer　himself。”　Finn　frowned。　“How　close　does　he　have　to　get　to　be　impressed？”
“Any　closer　to　the　blast　than　five　miles　and　he’ll　be　cooked。”
“How　about　just　curling　his　hair？”　suggested　Finn　dry…
“Ten　miles。　Twenty。　Thirty。　Maybe　more。”
“Thirty　miles！”
“If　the　atomic　bomb　works；　it’ll　be　as　obvious　as　sunrise。”
“You　keep　saying　‘if。’　Don’t　you　know？”
Groves　slammed　his　hand　on　the　desk。　“There’s　more　to　this　than　whores　and　coded　messages；
Captain。　We’re　dealing　with　a　totally　new　kind　of　energy。　It　comes　from　the　binding　force　of　the
most　basic　structure　in　the　universe；　the　atom。　Have　I　lost　you？”
“No；　General；　I’m　standing　right　in　front　of　you。”
“See　if　you　can　stay　in　front　of　this。　We’re　building　two　kinds　of　atomic　bombs；　using　two
different　heavy　metals。　One　bomb　uses　plutonium；　one　uses　a　very　rare　isotope　–　type　–　of
uranium　called　U…235。　Both　plutonium　and　U…235　are　very　very　scarce。　The　uranium　bomb　is
relatively　simple。　The　plutonium　bomb　is　not。　Getting　it　to　go　off　is　like　setting　fire　to　a　bucket
of　water。　Everything　depends　on　sixty…four　perfectly　shaped　charges　set　in　a　perfect　circle
around　a　perfect　sphere　of　plutonium。　If　the　charges　go　off　simultaneously　–　and　by　God　I’m
talking　about　hundred…millionths　of　a　second！　–　the　plutonium　will　be　evenly　imploded；　critical
mass　will　be　reached；　and　BANG！　Still　with　me？”
Finn　nodded；　although　all　he　was　certain　of　was　that　he　was　getting　more　hard　information
about　Manhattan　in　two　minutes　than　he　had　in　two　years　of　digging。
“Now；　we’ve　had　hell’s　own　time　getting　the　plutonium’s　charges　to　go　off　together。　The　only
way　to　be　sure　we’ve　got　the　engineering　right　is　to　test　the　bomb。　The　scientists　want　that。　The
sob　sisters　want　that。　The　gun　soldiers　want　that　because　they　think　it　won’t　work　and　then　they’ll
get　their　goddamn　invasion。　But　I　don’t　want　the　test　because　once　that　fat　round　bomb　goes　off
we　only　have　one　atomic　bomb　left。”
“For　the　love　of　Christ　–　you　can’t　win　a　war　with　one　bomb；　no　matter　how　powerful　it　is。　You
Page　16
are　crazy；　General！”
“Maybe；”　agreed　Groves　as　he　picked　a　piece　of　chocolate　out　of　the　box。　“We　won’t　have
enough　plutonium　to　make　a　second　plutonium　bomb　until　August。　So　we’ll　wait　until　then　to
drop　the　uranium　bomb。　That　way；　if　one　atomic　bomb　doesn’t　convince　the　Japs；　we’ll　have　a
plutonium　bomb　to　follow　up。　But　one　bomb　should　do　it。”　Groves　looked　up　at　Finn。　“That’s
what　you’ll　be　guarding。　The　bomb　that　will　end　World　War　II。”
“If　the　bomb　works。”
“You　better　pray　it　does；　gun　soldier。”
Finn　looked　away　from　the　General。　The　smell　of　chocolate　seemed　the　only　real　thing　left　in　the
room。　The　past　ten　minutes　were　as　disjointed　and　bizarre　as　any　he　had　ever　survived。　Two
impossibly　powerful　bombs　made　of　metals　he　had　never　heard　of；　one　bomb　slated　for　a　test
and　one　for　Japan；　and　a　third　one　not　even　built　yet。　Tactics　that　seemed　foolish；　if　not
diastrous；　a　demonstration　that　wasted　half　an　arsenal　for　no　better　reason　than　politics。
“What　you’ve　told　me　doesn’t　make　sense；”　said　Finn；　his　voice　flat。
“It　doesn’t　have　to　–　you’re　a　captain；　not　a　general。　All　you　have　to　know　is　what　to　do。　First：
you　will　get　that　Jap　spy　in　place　no　later　than　2200；　July　15th。　Second：　you　will　drive　to　Fort
Bliss；　get　on　the　C…46　that　will　be　waiting　and　fly　over　the　test。　Third：　you　will　be　in　Hunters
Point　Naval　Shipyard　in　San　Francisco　by　0700　of　the　16th　of　July。”
“There’s　only　one　of　me；　General。　I　can’t　be　sure　Kestrel　stays　in　place　unless　I　stick　with　him。
That　doesn’t　give　me　much　time　to　get　to　Bliss　and　then　to　Trinity；　and　then　fly　on　to　San
Francisco。”
Groves　shrugged　irritably。　“I　didn’t　say　you　had　to　lea