Steal The Sun(战争间谍)-第50章

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daughter。　We　have　much　to　talk　about。”
Manzanar
40　Hours　20　Minutes　After　Trinity
The　black　desert　night　was　crisscrossed　by　golden　rectangles　of　light　from　barracks　windows。
After　9：00　A。M。　most　of　the　inhabitants　of　Manzanur　stayed　inside。
Vanessa　buttoned　her　dark　jacket　against　the　wind　and　set　off　between　two　rows　of　barracks。
Conversations　among　the　people　still　outside　gusted　with　the　wind；　words　in　Japanese　and
English；　but　nothing　that　had　any　meaning　to　her。　By　the　time　conversation　reached　her；　it　had
been　shredded　by　the　wind。　Each　time　she　tracked　the　sounds　to　a　group　of　people；　the
conversation　died。
“Good　evening；”　said　Vanessa；　coming　up　to　a　group　of　two　men　and　a　woman。　“I’m　Vanessa
Lyons；　from　the　British　Broadcasting　Company。　I　believe　Colonel　Mahan　made　an
announcement　to　the　camp　about　me　earlier　this　evening。”
The　three　people　bowed　politely。　There　was　a　murmur　of　low…voiced　greetings。
“Have　you　been　in　Manzanar　since　it　was　built？”
No　one　answered。　The　three　people　bowed　again；　but　said　nothing。　If　they　understood　English；
they　did　not　reveal　it。
“Where　did　you　live　before？”
The　Japanese　bowed　to　Vanessa　and　silently　walked　away。
The　next　group　she　approached　did　not　speak　English　either。　They　listened　to　her；　bowed
politely　and　melted　into　the　darkness　with　more　bows　and　apologies。　Vanessa　tried　several　other
groups　with　no　better　luck。　The　Japanese　had　built　their　own　society　in　Manzanar；　closed　and
circumspect；　all　but　impenetrable。　It　would　take　time　and　luck　to　find　an　inmate　who　would　help
her。
Impatience　and　anxiety　tightened　the　lines　of　her　mouth。　If　anyone　should　decide　to　do　more
than　a　cursory　check　on　her　BBC　credentials；　she　would　have　a　lot　of　explanations　to　make。　She
had　to　find　the　Oshiga　apartment　before　that　happened。
Finally　she　tried　a　group　of　four　boys；　all　in　their　early　teens；　all　with　the　casual　mannerisms　of
Americans。
“Good　evening；”　said　Vanessa；　smiling　brilliantly。　“I’m　Miss　Lyons　of　the　British　Broadcasting
Company。　I’m　supposed　to　interview　the　Oshiga　family；　but　I’ve　lost　my　way。”
“Which　Oshiga　family？”　asked　one　of　the　boys。
“The　one　from　San　Francisco。　He　owned　a　flower　shop　called　the　Fragrant　Petal。”
The　boy　smiled　apologetically。
“Sorry；　Miss　Lyons。　Perhaps　Mrs。　Tamamura　can　help　you。　She’s　from　San　Francisco。　She　went
down　to　the　washhouse　just　a　while　ago。　Perhaps　she　is　still　there。”
The　boy　pointed　down　the　row　of　barracks。　Vanessa　saw　a　well…lit　building。　When　she　turned
back；　the　last　boy　was　closing　the　barracks　door　behind　him。
Vanessa　strode　down　the　dirt　path　to　the　washhouse。　There　were　five　women　inside；　all　past
middle　age。　They　looked　up　from　their　laundry；　bowed　and　waited　for　her　to　speak。
“Good　evening；”　Vanessa　said。　“Is　one　of　you　Mrs。　Tamamura？”
The　women　looked　at　Vanessa　for　a　moment；　then　bowed　gain。
“Ta…ma…mu…ra；”　said　Vanessa　slowly。
There　was　no　response。
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“Oshiga？”　said　Vanessa。　“Ana　O…shi…ga？”
The　women　blinked；　folded　their　hands；　and　bowed　politely。
“No　Eng…lish；”　said　one　of　the　women　with　soft　finality。
Vanessa’s　smile　was　brittle。　She　turned　on　her　heel　and　left　without　another　word。
After　the　human　warmth　of　the　washroom；　the　night　seemed　even　colder；　filled　with　wind　that
tasted　of　sand。　She　started　up　another　row；　toward　the　USO　barracks　on　the　far　side　of　camp。
Lights　and　music　streamed　out　of　the　building。　BBC　credentials　in　hand；　she　entered　the
barracks　and　began　asking　about　a　family　called　Oshiga　that　had　once　lived　in　San　Francisco。
Above　the　Sierras；　California
41　Hours　47　Minutes　After　Trinity
The　Piper　Super　Cub　bounced　and　sideslipped；　caught　by　the　edge　of　a　storm　massed　over　the
high　Sierras。　Finn　braced　himself　and　stared　down　at　the　land　below；　straining　to　catch　a　glimpse
of　Manzanar’s　distant　lights　between　filaments　of　cloud。　But　except　for　an　occasional　explosion
of　lightning；　he　could　see　nothing。
He　wedged　himself　against　the　window　and　closed　his　eyes；　fighting　the　tension　that　was　making
his　nerves　leap。　He　breathed　slowly；　deeply；　letting　tension　drain　out　of　his　body　until　he　was
poised　without　being　tight；　alert　without　being　jumpy。　It　required　all　of　his　discipline　to　remain
that　way。　An　hour　into　the　flight；　Coughlan　had　radioed　that　a　blond　woman　with　a　British
accent　and　BBC　credentials　had　entered　Manzanar。　She　had　come　alone。　She　was　using　the　name
Vanessa　Lyons。　She　said　she　was　working　on　a　story　about　Japanese…Americans　in　relocation
camps。
Finn　remembered　the　dead　Mexican　boy　with　the　maimed　hand。　She　must　have　tortured　the
name　Manzanar　out　of　the　boy。　She　was　almost　certainly　responsible　for　the　assassination
attempt　at　the　cemetery。　She　was　ruthless；　intelligent　and　had　the　nerves　of　a　tightrope　walker。
The　only　good　news　Coughlan　had　passed　on　was　that　Riley　was　off　the　critical　list。
Lightning　burned　across　the　night；　followed　by　enormous　thunder。　Finn　did　not　open　his　eyes。
“Not　much　bothers　you；　does　it？”　said　the　pilot。
Finn　looked　at　the　middle…aged　Army　major　who　had　volunteered　to　fly　a　stranger　over　the
Sierras　on　a　stormy　night。　“I’m　glad　it　doesn’t　show。”
The　pilot　laughed；　then　cursed　as　an　updraft　hurled　the　little　Piper　toward　the　stars。　“At　least
you’re　not　puking　all　over　the　place。”
Finn　stretched　as　much　as　he　could　in　the　small　cockpit　and　wished　for　coffee。　Suddenly　he
leaned　to　the　right；　staring　out　his　window　between　the　last　streamers　of　storm。　“Lights　at　three
o’clock！”
The　pilot　checked　his　gauges。　“Manzanar。　Where　do　we　land？”
“On　the　highway。　There　are　roadblocks　five　miles　on　either　side　of　the　camp。　Pick　one　and　set
me　down　as　close　to　it　as　you　can。”
The　pilot　gave　Finn　a　speculative　look；　but　asked　no　questions。
The　roadblocks　were　lit　by　flares　and　headlights　shining　along　the　black　surface　of　the　highway。
The　pilot　brought　the　plane　in　low；　tracing　the　road　with　his　landing　light。　In　the　beam；　smoke
from　the　flares　bent　across　the　highway　in　a　diagonal　line。　The　plane　jerked　and　shuddered　in　the
grip　of　the　wind。
“Hang　on；”　said　the　pilot。　“This　could　be　a　bitch。”
The　pilot　was　good；　the　plane　bounced　only　once。　Even　on　the　ground；　the　wind　jerked　at　the
Piper　as　it　taxied　toward　the　Army　Jeeps　parked　in　the　traffic　lanes；　blocking　and　at　the　same
time　illuminating　the　highway。　The　plane　stopped　six　feet　from　the　Jeeps。
Finn　looked　over　at　the　pilot　and　nodded　appreciatively。　“Nice　work。”
The　pilot　sighed。　“I’m　damn　glad　I　don’t　have　to　do　it　again。”
With　no　wasted　motions；　Finn　unbuckled　himself；　grabbed　the　radiation　counter；　and　climbed
out　of　the　plane。　The　night　shuddered　with　wind。
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The　guardhouse　showed　as　a　black　blot　in　the　middle　of　the　road。　The　private　stopped　the　Jeep
next　to　the　field…stone　building。　As　Finn　climbed　out；　the　guardhouse　door　opened；　illuminating
him　with　a　wash　of　light。　The　Jeep　turned　and　gunned　back　toward　the　highway；　leaving　Finn
alone　with　the　man　who　was　emerging　from　the　small　stone　house。
“Captain　Anderson？”
“Yes。”　The　captain　looked　oddly　at　Finn。　“I　was　told　to　expect　you　–　and　to　stay　out　of　your
way。”
“Any　trouble？”　Finn　asked；　following　Anderson　back　into　the　guardhouse。
“Not　yet。　The　Englishwoman　was　trying　to　interview　people；　but　she　didn’t　have　much　luck。　The
Japanese　are　very　polite；　but　they　don’t　say　much。”
“They　lived　in　paper　houses　for　centuries；”　said　Finn。　“They’ve　raised　civility　to　an　art　–　and
turned　it　into　armor。”
Anderson　smiled　sardonically。　“Last　I　heard；　she　was　in　the　USO　canteen。　Not　many　people　are
out　at　this　hour。　A　few　gamblers　going　back　to　angry　wives；　or　some　kids　sneaking　off　to　be
alone。　She’ll　probably　give　up　and　go　to　bed　soon。”
Finn　disagreed；　but　said　only；　“Is　there　any　rumor　of　new　Japanese　in　the　camp？”
Captain　Anderson　paused　as　though　listening　to。　the　wind。　“Agent　Coughlan　asked　the　same
thing。　I’ve　done　what　I　could　to　find　out；　but　–　have　you　ever　been　around　a　prison？”　Without
waiting　for　an　answer；　the　captain　continued。　“The　inmates　run　them。　Any　prison　–　every　prison。
But　especially　this　one。　We　don’t　know　any　more　about　these　people　than　we　did　the　day　they
arrived。　Less；　really。　We　thought　they　were　enemies；　then。　Now　–　who　knows？”
Anderson　poured　coffee　out　of　a　vacuum　flask　into　two　cups　as　he　talked。　He　handed　one　cup
to　Finn。　Finn　drank　steaming　coffee　and　studied　the　schematic　of　Manzanar　on　the　guardhouse
wall。　The　camp　was　a　warren　of　barracks　laid　out　in　military　rows；　functional　living　quarters　for
several　thousand　men；　women　and　children。　Almost　one…fifth　of　the　inmates　were　U。S。　citizens。
The　rest　were　Japanese　nationals。　All　had　reason　to　resent　the　government　he　represented。
Even　if　Manzanar’s　population　remained　neutral；　the　camp　gave　Kestrel　thousands　of　Japanese
faces　to　lose　himself　among。　Finn　glanced　at　the　clock　on　the　guardhouse　wall。　Less　than　six
hours　left。　Six　hours；　thousands　of　Japanese　and　two　lumps　of　uranium　that　could　be　buried
anywhere。
Finn　turned　back　to　the　captain。　“Every　prison　has　informants。”
“There’s　just　no　point；　here。　The　Japanese　aren’t　going　to　riot。　It’s　not　their　way。　The　ones　who
felt　differently　never　came　to　Manzanar　in　the　first　place。”
“Would　they　tell　you　if　one　of　Hirohito’s　spies　dropped　in　for　a　visit？”
“It　would　depend　on　what　the　spy　wanted　from　them。　They　solve　their　own　problems　in　there；
and　they　don’t　make　any　waves　while　they　do　it。　Oh；　every　once　in　a　while　Mr。　Oshiga　will　ask
the　colonel’s　advice；　but　it’s　just　a　polite　gesture。　They　are　very　polite。”
“Oshiga？　Takeo　Oshiga？”　asked　Finn。
“No。　Masataka。　He’s　Takeo’s　uncle；　I　believe。　Or　grandfather。　The　Japanese　in　Manzanar　may
bow　to　us；　but　they　obey　Masataka　Oshiga。”
Finn　turned　back　to　the　wall　map　for　a　moment；　as　though　willing　it　to　reveal　the　location　of　a
Japanese　spy；　the　daughter　of　a　San　Francisco　flower　seller；　and　the　uranium　whose　value　was
measured　in　lives　as　well　as　dollars。　Somewhere　inside　Manzanar　a　second　sun　waited　to　rise；　a
sun　that　would　kill　thousands　and　thereby　save　hundreds　of　thousands　from　dying　in　an　invasion
of　Japan。
“Look；”　said　Captain　Anderson；　“why　don’t