Steal The Sun(战争间谍)-第8章

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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　lead　the　damn　Jap　up　the　mountain。　Just　give
him　enough　information　that　he　can’t　stay　away　and　follow　him　long　enough　to　be　sure　he’s
going　in　the　right　direction。　Then　get　your　ass　to　Fort　Bliss。”
“And　when　I　get　to　Hunters　Point？”
Groves　smiled。　“Beginning　at　0700　of　the　16th；　you’ll　stand　guard　over　a　billion　dollars’　worth
of　uranium　235；　the　guts　of　the　only　atomic　bomb　that　will　be　left　in　the　world。　The　uranium　will
be　loaded　on　the　battleship　Indianapolis　by　0700。　The　ship　will　weigh　anchor　at　0800。　You　will
sit　on　that　uranium　until　you　deliver　it　to　Colonel　Paul　Tibbets　on　a　Pacific　island　called　Tinian。
Then　he；　not　you；　will　become　the　most　important　man　in　the　world。　Do　you　understand　your
orders？”
“Yes。　But　why　send　me　to　Hunters　Point？　I　don’t　know　a　damn　thing　about　atomic　bombs　or
battleships。”
“You’re　a　survivor；　Captain。　You　should　have　died　twenty　times　in　Burma　or　Mexico；　but　you
didn’t。　If　the　Indianapolis　is　attacked　and　men　with　their　skin　on　fire　and　their　guts　hanging　out
run　around　screaming；　you　wouldn’t　panic。　You’d　get　that　uranium　into　the　special　raft　we’re
shipping　with　you。　You　wouldn’t　stop　to　play　Good　Samaritan；　you　wouldn’t　let　wounded
survivors　into　the　raft　with　you；　you　wouldn’t　do　one　fucking　thing　but　keep　that　uranium　afloat。
There　aren’t　many　men　I　could　say　that　about。　But　I’ve　read　the　reports　about　you。　I’ve　watched
you。　You’re　as　fast　and　nasty　as　those　rattlers　you　grew　up　with。　You’ll　get　the　job　done　no
matter　who　you　have　to　kill。　Is　that　clear　enough　for　you？”
“Yes；　sir。　Very　clear。”
“Good。　Now　come　with　me。　I　want　you　to　see　the　material　you’ll　be　guarding。　Uranium　235　has
some　special　characteristics　you　should　be　aware　of。”　Groves　laughed　as　though　he　had　made　a
joke；　but　did　not　explain　the　punchline。　“Captain。”
“Yes？”
“If　that　uranium　goes　to　the　bottom　of　the　Pacific；　I’d　advise　you　to　go　with　it　all　the　way。　And
don’t　bother　holding　your　breath。”
This　time　General　Groves　did　not　laugh。
Moscow
97　Hours　Before　Trinity
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（Excerpt　from　NKVD　document　sent　by　courier　to　Vanessa　Lyons。　Decoded。）
COMMENCE　IMMEDIATELY　FINAL　STAGES　OF　BRONX　INTERCEPT。　DO　NOT
FAIL。　STALINGRAD　WILL　BE　AVENGED。　LAVRENTI　BERIA
Los　Alamos
97　Hours　Before　Trinity
Silently；　Finn　followed　General　Groves　through　the　administrative　building。　Once　it　had　been　a
dormitory　for　wealthy　boys。　Now　it　was　a　warren　of　small　offices。　Beyond　the　windows；　the
Jemez　Mountains　lifted　their　rugged　faces　to　the　sky。
There　was　a　stretch　of　dusty　gravel　lined　by　rectangular　government…issue　buildings。　To　the　east；
the　sky　grew　lighter　second　by　second；　a　lemon…colored　dawn　was　bleaching　into　a　white　desert
day。　Lights　in　all　the　buildings　were　still　on。　They　had　been　on　when　Finn　arrived　at　midnight。
Los　Alamos　recognized　neither　night　nor　day；　only　the　consuming　imperatives　of　war。
Once　the　plateau　had　been　a　beautiful　setting　for　a　boarding　school。　The　cabins　remained；　but
were　surrounded　by　angular　buildings　and　signs　that　said；　RESTRICTED；　MOST
RESTRICTED；　or　POSITIVELY　NO　ADMITTANCE。　A　high　fence　enclosed　Los　Alamos；
giving　it　the　appearance　of　a　prison　camp；　an　appearance　reinforced　by　guards　who　patrolled　the
perimeter　of　the　fence　with　dogs　and　automatic　weapons。
The　faint　scent　of　heat　and　dust　gave　way　to　something　more　subtle；　more　pervasive。　Finn’s　neck
prickled。　He　could　almost　smell　the　acrid　sweat　of　tension；　of　sleeplessness；　of　fear。　It　was　the
odor　of　men　living　under　inhuman　pressure　because　each　day　brought　more　impossible
demands；　demands　that　must　be　met　because　the　alternative　was　unthinkable。
“Until　seven　months　ago；”　said　Groves；　as　they　walked；　“we　were　afraid　that　the　Germans
would　build　an　atomic　bomb　before　we　did。　England　couldn’t　have　held　out　against　that。　The
English　Channel　would　have　become　a　German　bathtub。　That　would　have　made　the　Normandy
invasion　impossible。　If　the　Germans　had　put　the　bomb　together　first；　there　would　have　been　no
V…E　Day。”
The　General　kept　his　voice　low　out　of　habit。　Finn　sensed　a　t