Steal The Sun(战争间谍)-第28章

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There　was　another　long　silence。　Only　the　hiss　of　static　told　Groves　that　the　line　was　still　open。
“Is　there　anything　else；　General？”
“Put　the　package　back　together　and　sail　at　0800　as　ordered；”　said　Groves　brusquely。　“With　one
difference。　Finn　won’t　be　sailing　with　you。　He’ll　stay　behind　and　find　out　what　the　hell
happened。”
“You’re　sure　his　security　clearance　is　up　to　the　job？”
Groves　ignored　the　sarcastic　question。
“Thanks　for　the　help；　Admiral。　The　next　time　I　want　something　delivered；　I’ll　use　the　Army。”
General　Groves　broke　the　connection；　sat　down　in　a　desk　chair　and　immediately　began　to　dial
another　number。　After　the　third　try；　he　gave　up。　His　hands　were　shaking　too　much　to　continue。
Lattimer　took　the　phone　from　him。
“What　number；　sir？”
“Washington。　Hoover。　Federal　Bureau　of　Investigation。　Goddamn　everything　to　hell！”
Lattimer　wiped　the　sweat　off　his　lips　and　began　to　dial。
Juarez
2　Hours　7　Minutes　After　Trinity
Takagura　Omi　picked　up　the　receiver；　silencing　the　telephone’s　strident　ring。　At　the　moment；　the
patriarch　of　Mexico’s　Oriental　population　was　alone　in　his　office；　waiting　for　this　call。　Kestrel’s
voice　came　to　him　across　the　wire；　distorted　by　distance　and　emotion。　He　spoke　rapid　Japanese。
“Just　before　dawn；”　said　Kestrel；　“my　host　staged　an　incredible　event。　I　was　blinded　by　the　light；
deafened　by　the　sound　and　felt　heat　as　from　a　rising　sun。　I　was　at　least　ten　miles　away　from　the
event。　It　was　like　nothing　ever　before　seen　on　earth。”
Takagura　waited；　but　Kestrel　said　no　more。　With　a　sigh；　Takagura　spoke。　“Are　you　sure　Japan
has　seen　nothing　like　it？　Not　even　the　resemblance　between　baby　and　adult？”
“Japan　has　nothing　like　what　I　saw。　Please　advise　our　father　that　a　new　sun　rose　this　morning；
and　it　rose　on　a　new　world。　Old　ideas　of　honor　and　ignominy　must　be　examined　in　the　light　of
the　new　sun。　Do　you　understand　me？”
“Are　you　advising　our　father　to　bow　to　a　barbarian　dawn？”
“Even　samurai　can’t　fight　the　sun。”
Potsdam
2　Hours　13　Minutes　After　Trinity
（Cable　received　by　President　Truman。　Decoded。）
URANIUM　STOLEN　FROM　HUNTERS　POINT。　REPEAT。　URANIUM　STOLEN。　WILL
KEEP　YOU　ADVISED。　MAJ。　GEN。　LESLIE　GROVES
（Reply。　Decoded。）
FIND　THAT　URANIUM　BY　0530；　18　JULY；　OR　I　WILL　BE　FORCED　TO　MAKE　GO
DECISION　FOR　FINAL　STAGES　OF　OPERATION　DOWNFALL。　ONCE　I　HAVE
DONE　THAT；　THERE　IS　NO　TURNING　BACK。　REPEAT。　FIND　URANIUM　BY　0530；　18
JULY；　NEW　MEXICO　TIME；　OR　MANHATTAN　PROJECT　WILL　BE　NOTHING　BUT　A
FOOTNOTE　IN　THE　HISTORY　OF　WORLD　WAR　II。　PRESIDENT　HARRY　S　TRUMAN
（Reply。　Decoded。）
RESPECTFULLY　REMIND　MR。　PRESIDENT　THAT　BOMBING　IS　NOT　SCHEDULED
FOR　SEVERAL　WEEKS。　PLEASE　GIVE　US　MORE　TIME　TO　RECOVER　URANIUM。
MAJ。　GEN。　LESLIE　GROVES
Page　60
（Reply。　Decoded。）
ONLY　A　HORSE’S　ASS　WOULD　GO　TO　WAR　WITH　ONE　BOMB。　DO　WHATEVER
YOU　HAVE　TO。　BUT　RECOVER　URANIUM　BY　0530　OF　JULY　18。　IF　YOU　DON’T；
THE　SHOW　WILL　GO　ON　WITHOUT　YOU。
THAT　IS　FINAL。　REPEAT。　FINAL。　PRESIDENT　HARRY　S　TRUMAN
Washington；　D。C。
2　Hours　26　Minutes　After　Trinity
“Gencral　Groves　is　on　the　line　now；　sir；”
J。　Edgar　Hoover’s　manicured　hand　closed　over　the　phone。　Although　he　had　rushed　to　his　office
after　receiving　the　President’s　extraordinary　call；　Hoover　was　dressed　to　the　same　exacting
standard　he　required　of　his　agents。
“Good　morning；　General。”　Hoover’s　voice　was　moderate；　his　diction　as　precise　as　the　crease　in
his　pants。　“The　President　told　me　you　would　give　your　complete　cooperation　in　the　Bureau’s
investigation　of　the　incident　at　Hunters　Point。”
“You　must　have　had　a　fuzzy　connection；　Mr。　Hoover。”
“What？”
“The　FBI　is　cooperating　with　me；　not　the　other　way　around。”
Groves’　voice　was　gruff　and　uncompromising。　He　was　one　of　the　few　officials　in　Washington
who　did　not　owe　J。　Edgar　Hoover　the　time　of　day。
“The　President；”　said　Hoover　coldly；　“didn’t　tell　me　what　he　needed　the　FBI　to　investigate。　My
men　are　the　best　in　the　world；　General；　but　they　must　at　least　know　the　nature　of　the　crime　they
are　to　solve。”
“Theft　of　a　highly　secret　material。”
“Yes。　Well…？”
Groves　said　nothing。
“What；　precisely；　was　stolen？”
“Until　ten　minutes　ago；　there　were　four　men　in　the　United　States　who　had　the　security　clearance
to　answer　your　question。　I　just　gave　official　clearance　to　a　fifth。　His　name　is　Finn。　He’s　in　charge
of　the　Hunters　Point　investigation。　He’ll　tell　your　agents　what　he　thinks　they　need　to　know　in
order　to　help　him。”
“That’s　arrogant　nonsense！　I　can’t　send　my　agents　on　a　Top　Secret　snipe　hunt　when　I　don’t　even
know　–　“
“Can’t　or　won’t？”　cut　in　Groves。　“The　President　told　you　to　cooperate。　Who’s　running　this
country　–　you　or　Truman？”
“The　President；　of　course！”　snapped　Hoover。　“Not　you。”
“At　least　we　agree　on　who’s　President。　Now　you　just　hang　up　and　get　on　the　telephone　to
Potsdam　and　let　President　Truman　explain　what　bis　FBI　agents　can　or　can’t　do。”
Over　California
2　Hours　26　Minutes　After　Trinity
The　pitch　of　the　C…46’s　engines　changed　slightly；　waking　Finn。　He　stretched　stiffly　and　looked
out　the　window。　Beneath　the　plane’s　nose；　night　had　dissolved　into　luminous　gray。　He　tapped
the　copilot’s　shoulder。
“How　long？”
“About　twenty　minutes。”　He　looked　at　Finn’s　jeans　and　boots；　then　at　his　face。　“Uh；　should　I　be
calling　you；　‘sir’？”
“Don’t　bother。”　Finn　flexed　his　body；　trying　to　restore　circulation　to　stiff　muscles。　“How
soon？”
“Half　an　hour；　at　most。　I’m　already　picking　up　commercial　radio　from　San　Franc。　Uh；　I　want　to
Page　61
thank　you　for　not　throwing　up　all　over　the　place　back　there。　We　did　the　best　we　could；　but　it　was
a　sure…enough　bastard。”　He　motioned　toward　a　spare　set　of　earphones　hanging　from　a　clip。
“Catch　up　on　the　world。　The　news　is　just　coming　on。”
Finn　pulled　on　the　headphones。　The　reception　was　scratchy；　but　the　level　unaccented　voice　of
the　newscaster　came　through　clearly。
“…　Truman　arrived　yesterday　in　Potsdam　for　a　summit　meeting　that　most　analysts　agree　will　set
the　shape　of　the　postwar　world。　His　meetings　with　English　and　Soviet　leaders　begin　later　today。”
Finn　smiled　to　himself；　imagining　what　Truman　would　tell　Stalin　about　the　atomic　bomb。
“In　news　closer　to　home；　Congress　begins　debate　today　on　aid　for　veterans。　In　New　Mexico；　a
munitions　dump　exploded　with　a　flash　that　was　seen　fifty　miles　away　and　a　boom　that　was　heard
five　times　as　far。　No　one　was　hurt。”
Finn’s　pulse　raced　and　the　words　of　the　newscaster　faded　as　he　lifted　off　the　headset；　staring　at
the　earphones　without　seeing　them。　That　was　no　ammo　dump　that　had　exploded。　There　was　not
enough　ammunition　in　the　entire　state　of　New　Mexico　to　account　for　a　blast　that　could　be　heard
for　250　miles。　Manhattan　Project　had　given　birth　today；　spectacularly。　He　tried　to　calculate　the
explosive　power　involved；　but　gave　up；　accepting　Groves’　estimate　of　20；000　tons　of　TNT。
There　was　only　one　kind　of　target　big　enough　to　warrant　such　a　bomb　–　a　city。　Manhattan’s　child
was　raw；　awesome　power；　power　intended　to　terrify　an　enemy　into　submission。
He　hoped　it　would　do　just　that。　He　hoped　that　children　would　never　again　rain　down　into　the
sea。　The　death　of　a　city　was　a　terrible　price　to　pay　for　the　end　of　the　war；　but　was　a　lesser　evil
than　an　invasion　that　killed　millions　by　ones　and　twos　and　drove　mothers　to　destroy　their　own
children。
Finn　left　the　disembodied　newsman’s　voice　dangling　from　a　cockpit　clip。　He　returned　to　his
bench　and　dozed　against　the　wall；　dreaming　in　shades　of　green；　a　familiar　dream；　where　children
struggled　and　screamed　silently　but　still　could　not　fly。
The　tires　shrieked　as　the　plane　touched　the　runway　at　Alameda　Air　Station　outside　of　Oakland。
A　crisp　seaman　met　him　at　the　foot　of　the　ladder。
“Captain　Finn；”　he　said；　saluting。　“I　have　a　message　for　you　from　Code　Name　Relief。”
Finn；　expecting　to　hear　of　the　bomb’s　success；　yawned　and　said；　“Give　it　to　me。”
“The　message　is：　‘Someone　opened　the　oyster。　The　pearl　is　gone。’”
Adrenaline　flashed　through　Finn’s　body；　burning　away　the　drugged　residue　of　a　sleepless　night。
The　world　narrowed　to　a　single　instant　–　now。　He　leaned　toward　the　sailor。　“Repeat　that。”
“Yes；　sir；”　said　the　sailor；　backing　a