Steal The Sun(战争间谍)-第21章

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“Ghost　has　had　kittens；”　said　Finn。
Jorge　shrugged；　but　anticipation　tugged　at　the　corner　of　his　mouth。　“Again？”
“Again。　These　things　happen；”　continued　Finn；　sitting　on　his　heels　so　that　his　eyes　were　on　a
level　with　the　boy’s。
“Yes；”　Jorge　said；　rubbing　a　scratch　on　the　back　of　his　left　hand。　“My　mother　is　the　same　way。”
Finn　smiled；　but　his　voice　did　not　change。　The　cat’s　well…being　was　a　serious　thing　to　the　boy。
His　family　had　been　too　poor　to　buy　milk　for　the　starving　gray　kitten　Jorge　had　brought　home。
Finn’s　oblique　intervention　had　saved　the　cat’s　life　and　the　boy’s　pride。
“Ghost　has　a　hard　time　with　kittens；　for　she　has　no　husband　to　help　her；”　Finn　said。　“But　she’s
used　to　that　by　now。”
“Yes；”　agreed　Jorge　with　a　sigh。　“It’s　hard　on　her。”
“Ghost　could　survive　by　herself；”　said　Finn。
“Yes。”　The　boy　seemed　to　shrink　back　into　himself。
“But；”　Finn’s　hand　opened；　revealing　two　silver　American　dollars；　“a　little　canned　milk　would
make　it　easier　for　her。”
“Yes！”　said　Jorge；　his　eyes　reflecting　the　silver　shine　of　the　coins。
“I　must　go　for　a　while；　and　Ghost　can’t　buy　or　open　cans　of　milk。”
Jorge　nodded。
“Will　you　do　that　for　her？”　asked　Finn；　holding　out　the　two　coins。
“Oh　yes！　But；”　said　Jorge；　putting　his　hands　behind　his　back　to　lessen　the　silver　temptation　of　the
dollars；　“that　is　too　much　money。　That　would　buy　milk　for　every　kitten　in　Mexico。”
Finn　laughed。　“There　is　no　other　favor；”　he　said；　gently　pulling　the　boy’s　hands　to　the　front　of
his　body　and　giving　him　the　coins。　“While　you　are　at　the　store；　get　some　milk　for　your　brothers
and　sisters　as　well。”
“My　mother　–　“　began　Jorge；　closing　his　hands　without　taking　the　coins。
“Your　mother；”　said　Finn；　“is　too　pregnant　to　shop　for　kittens　and　milk。”
Jorge　hesitated。　Finn　waited。
“Yes；”　said　the　boy　at　last；　“she　is　too　much　pregnant。”
Jorge’s　hands　closed　around　the　coins；　one　dollar　to　each　brown　palm；　one　smile　for　each　silver
dollar。　A　rare　thing；　two　smiles　so　close　together。
Before　the　boy　could　speak；　Finn　stood　up。　“Gracia；　Jorge。　The　cat　and　I　thank　you。”
Finn　turned　away。
“Se？or？”
“Yes？”　said　Finn；　looking　back　over　his　shoulder；　his　eyes　pale　in　the　deep　shadow　of　his　hat。
“When　will　you　be　back？”
Finn　smiled　but　did　not　answer。　He　went　into　the　house　and　began　packing；　wondering　how
long　it　would　take　Ana’s　information　to　reach　Kestrel；　and　what　Kestrel　would　do　when　he
heard　about　two　dawns　rising　on　an　“obscure　New　Mexican　peak。”
The　suitcase　snapped　shut。　Finn　grabbed　it；　locked　the　house　and　got　behind　the　wheel　of　the
car。　As　he　started　the　Ford；　he　hoped　Ana　was　clever　enough　to　connect　“obscure　peak”　with
the　mountain’s　Spanish　name　–　Oscura　Peak。
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Juarez
23　Hours　Before　Trinity
The　man　was　past　middle　age；　his　skin　mottled　by　time　and　poverty。　His　face　was　lined　by　grime
and　sweat；　but　like　many　peasants　who　could　not　afford　sugar；　his　teeth　were　still　good。　His　eyes
were　strange；　with　an　epicanthú　fold　that　was　neither　Oriental　nor　quite　Indio；　but　some　thing　in
between。
Kestrel　ran　his　dirty　hands　through　his　hair　again　dulling　the　silver　patches　at　his　temples　even
more。　He　stared　at　the　driver’s　license；　then　at　the　mirror。　Deliberately；　he　rubbed　his　thumb
across　the　picture　on　the　license；　further　blurring　it。　He　compared　the　mirror’s　image　and　the
license；　which　he　had　insisted　must　belong　to　a　real　person。
The　match　was　not　exact；　but　it　was　good　enough　for　most　purposes。　For　the　rest；　if　someone
looked　too　closely；　the　license　would　be　the　least　of　Kestrel’s　worries。
A　shoji　slid　on　its　rails　with　a　smooth；　secret　sound。　Kestrel’s　right　hand　went　to　his　waist　where
a　hidden　knife　waited。
“Ana？”
“Yes。”
Kestrel’s　hands　returned　to　the　business　of　making　himself　look　like　an　Indio　peasant。　“Any
difficulties？”
“No。”　Ana’s　voice　was　lifeless；　as　it　had　been　since　the　moment　Kestrel　said　he　must　go　to
Alamogordo　and　she　to　San　Francisco。　She　closed　the　shoji　behind　her。　“Nisei　Battalion
documents　are　a　staple　of　Mexicali’s　forgers。”
“Are　they　good？”
“They　look　real　to　me；”　said　Ana；　but　her　voice　lacked　enthusiasm。　“They’re　–　“　She　looked　at
Kestrel　for　the　first　time；　astonished　by　the　change。　“Kestrel？”
Kestrel　laughed　and　started　to　touch　Ana’s　cheek。　She　recoiled　instinctively　from　the　rough；
dirty　hand。
“It’s　good；　neh？”　he　said；　smiling　at　her。
“Very　good。”
“Now；　tell　me　what　the　American　said。”
Ana　told　him。　“But　you　must　not　go　to　New　Mexico；”　she　finished。
Kestrel　concealed　his　impatience。　He　needed　Ana　too　much　to　alienate　her　now。　“I’m　only　an
Indio；”　he　said。　“Who　will　notice　me？”
“But　–　“
“And　then　I’ll　become　a　soldier；　a　loyal　member　of　the　Nisei　Battalion。　If　I　don’t　meet　you　in　San
Francisco；　I’ll　meet　you　in　Jacame。”　He　looked　at　her　for　a　long　moment。　“Japan　needs　you；
Ana。　I　need　you。　Will　you　do　what　I　ask？”
“Yes；　I’ll　–　“　Her　voice　thinned。　She　hesitated；　then　said；　“Yes。”
“Good。　Now　tell　me　again　what　you’ll　do　after　I　leave。”
“I’ll　drive　to　San　Francisco；　to　my　father’s　old　flower　shop。　I’ll　be　made　up　to　look　Mexican。”
Ana’s　voice　was　a　monotone　that　did　not　wholly　conceal　her　fear。　“Refugio’s　cousins　will　give
me　one　of　their　delivery　trucks。　I’ll　drive　it　to　Oakland　and　park　at　the　transfer　point　by
midnight　of　the　15th。　I’ll　hide　in　the　back　of　the　truck　until　Refugio　comes。　Then　I’ll　drive　him
back　to　the　flower　shop。　If　you　aren’t　there　by　noon　of　the　17th；　Refugio　will…　kill　the　woman。
His　cousins　will　bury　her。　I’ll　drive　to　Refugio’s　tunnel　and　cross　into　Mexico。　If　you…　If　you　are
still　missing；　I’ll　take　the　stolen　weapon　to　Takagura。　He’ll　have　the　rest　of　Refugio’s　money。”
“Excellent；”　said　Kestrel。　Then；　“Don’t　look　so　frightened；　Ana。　No　one　will　be　looking　for　you
in　America。”
“It’s　not　that。　It’s　Finn。　You　don’t　know　him；”　she　said　in　a　rush。　“He　was　playing　with　me；
smiling　and　so　arrogant　and　–　don’t　go！　It’s　a　trap！”
“Finn　would　not　bother　to　lure　me　into　America；　question　me；　and　kill　me。　If　he　wanted　me；　he
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would　have　come　for　me　by　now；　here；　in　Mexico。”
“But　he　said　‘an　obscure　peak。’　He　must　have　wanted　you　to　know　about　Oscura　Peak。”
“Perhaps　he　underestimated　your　cleverness　at　unraveling　his　game。　Perhaps　he’s　so　confident
that　he　has　become　careless。”
“Finn？”　Ana　laughed。　“It’s　a　trap！”
“I　am　samurai。”　He　turned　away　and　washed　his　hands　in　a　basin。　He　dried　them　carefully　before
he　took　the　forged　papers　from　Ana。　He　studied　them　with　thoroughness　that　he　gave　to　all
important　things。　“Yes。　Much　better　than　I　expeced。”　He　looked　up　from　the　papers。　“And
yours？”
“I　have　papers　under　my　own　name；　as　well　as　the　name　of　Ana　Ortega。”　She　pulled　coupons
out　of　her　purse。　“For　gasoline。　Take　half　of　them。”
“Your　own　name？”　said　Kestrel；　taking　a　second　book　of　coupons　she　held　out。
“They　just　updated　my　old　papers。　No　one　is　paying　much　attention　anymore。”
Kestrel　measured　the　bitterness　in　Ana’s　voice　and　wondered　if　his　lovemaking　had　given　her
enough　to　believe　in　after　all。
“Ana；　if　there　were　any　one　but　you　to　go！”
“I　know。　That’s　not　it。　It’s　not　San　Francisco。”
“Then　what？”
“Alamogordo！　Finn　did　everything　but　give　you　a　map！”
“Ana；　Ana；”　sighed　Kestrel。　“Did　Finn　invite　you　to　see　the　sun　rise　twice；　or　were　those　your
words？”
“Finn’s。”
Kestrel　smiled　at　his　opponent’s　irony。　“Then　I　must　go。　No　samurai　could　ignore　an　invitation
from　a　man　who　is　a　poet　as　well　as　a　warrior。”
“Finn　would　know　that　about　you；”　said　Ana　bitterly。
Kestrel　nodded；　a　gesture　that　acknowledged　her　truth　and　closed　the　subject　with　one　motion。
“The　uniform。　Is　it　ready？”
Ana　unwrapped　the　package　she　had　carried　into　the　room。　“American　uniforms　are　also　a
Mexicali　specialty；”　she　said。　Then；　whispering；　“Don’t　go。”
Kestrel　did　not　answer。　He　was　busy　inspecting　the　uniform　of　a　Nisei　soldier。　Everything　was
there　–　the　proper　shoulder　patches　with　unit　designations。　He　looked　up　and　smiled。
“This　is　very　good。”
Kestrel　rewrapped　the　uniform　and　packed　i