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！
Pitt swirled the tequila in his glass and stared thoughtfully at the liquid curling around the ice cubes。 What is so important in Antarctica that Wolf has to squeeze in a visit； Pitt wondered。 It seemed to him that the new leader of the Fourth Empire would be flying toward his fleet in preparation for the big event instead of to the polar continent。 Getting there and back would take two days。 It didn't figure。
The following day； twenty…seven of the two…hundred…member Wolf dynasty； the dominant principals of Destiny Enterprises and the chief architects of the Fourth Empire； met at Destiny's corporate offices。 They assembled in the spacious boardroom with its teak…paneled walls and handsomely carved forty…foot…long conference table； also carved from teak。 A large oil painting of Ulrich Wolf hung above the mantel of a fireplace at one end of the room。 The family patriarch stood ramrod…straight in a black SS uniform； jaw thrust out； black eyes staring at some distant horizon beyond the painting。
The twelve women and fifteen men waited patiently while being served fifty…year…old port from crystal glasses。 At precisely ten o'clock； Karl Wolf stepped from the chairman's suite and took his seat at the end of the table。 For a few moments； his gaze swept the faces of his brothers； sisters； and cousins seated expectantly around the table。 His father； Max Wolf； sat at his left。 Bruno Wolf was to his right。 Karl Wolf's lips were parted in a slight smile； and he looked to be in a cheerful mood。
〃Before we begin our final meeting in the office of Destiny Enterprises and our beloved city of Buenos Aires； I should like to express my admiration for the way you and your loved ones have acplished so much in so little time。 Every member of the Wolf family has performed far beyond expectations； and we should all be proud that none has proved a disappointment。〃
〃Hear； hear；〃 exclaimed Bruno。 The chant was taken up around the table； acpanied by a round of applause。
〃Without my son's leadership；〃 announced Max Wolf； 〃the great crusade； conceived by your grandfathers； could never have achieved fulfillment。 I am proud of your eminent contribution to the ing new world order and elated that our family； with the blood of the Fuhrer flowing through your veins； is now on the verge of making the Fourth Reich a reality。〃
More applause erupted around the table。 To a stranger； everyone in the room； with the exception of Max Wolf； looked as if he or she had been cloned。 The same facial features； body build； eyes and hair it was as if the boardroom had bee a hall of mirrors。
Karl shifted his eyes to Bruno。 〃Are those who are not present here today on board the Ulrich Wolf？〃
Bruno nodded。 〃All family members are fortably settled in their residence quarters。〃
〃And the supplies and equipment？〃
Wilhelm Wolf raised a hand and reported。 〃Food stocks have been loaded and stored aboard all four vessels。 All ship's personnel are on board and accounted for。 Every piece of equipment and all electronic systems have been tested and retested。 They all function perfectly。 Nothing has been left to chance or overlooked。 Every contingency has been considered and alternatives prepared。 The ships are in total readiness for the onslaught of even the strongest tidal waves anticipated by our puter projections。 All that is left is for the rest of us to fly to the Ulrich Wolf and wait for the resurrection。〃
Karl smiled。 〃You will have to go without me。 I will follow later。 It is critical that I oversee the final preparations at our mining operation at Okuma Bay。〃
〃Do not be late；〃 said Elsie； smiling。 〃We might have to sail without you。
Karl laughed。 〃Never fear； dear sister。 I have no intention of missing the boat。〃
Rosa raised her hand。 〃Did the American scientist decipher the Amenes inscriptions before she escaped the ship？〃
Karl shook his head。 〃Unfortunately； whatever information she discovered； she took with her。〃
〃Can't our agents retrieve it？〃 asked Bruno。
〃I fear not。 She is too well protected at the American Embassy。 By the time we devised a plan and mounted an operation to seize her again； it would be too late。 The deadline would be upon us。〃
Albert Wolf； the paleoecologist of the family； who was an expert in ancient environments and their effects on primeval plant and animal life； motioned to speak。 〃It would have been most beneficial to have studied a narrative by those who lived through the last cataclysm； but I believe our puter projections have given us a fairly accurate picture of what to expect。〃
〃Once the ships are swept into open water；〃 said Elsie； 〃our first priority is to ensure that they are rigidly sealed against all contamination from ash； volcanic gases； and smoke。〃
〃You may rest easy on that problem； cousin；〃 said Berndt Wolf； the family's engineering genius。 〃The ship's interiors are designed to bee pletely airtight in a matter of seconds。 Then specially constructed filtering equipment takes over。 All systems have been exactingly tested and have proven one hundred percent efficient。 A pure； breathable atmosphere for an extended period of time is a confirmed reality。〃
〃Have we decided on what part of the world we will e ashore after it's safe to do so？〃 asked Maria Wolf。
〃We're still in the process of accumulating data and calculating projections；〃 answered Albert。 〃We must determine exactly how the cataclysm and tidal waves will alter the world's coasts。 It will be mostly a matter of analyzing the situation after the havoc has abated。〃
Karl glanced down the table at his kinsmen。 〃Much will depend on how the landmasses have changed。 Europe may bee inundated as far as the Urals in Russia。 Water may fill the Sahara Desert。 Ice will cover Canada and the United States。 Our first priority is to survive the onslaught and wait patiently before deciding on where to establish a headquarters city for our new world order。〃
〃We have several sites under consideration；〃 said Wilhelm。 〃The prime considerations are a port； such as San Francisco； where we can moor the ships； preferably a location with nearby land suitable for growing crops and orchards； and a centralized area that facilitates transportation and the spread of our authority around the new world。 Much will depend upon the extent of the cataclysm。〃
〃Do we have any idea how long we must remain on board the ships before we can venture ashore？〃 asked Gerda Wolf； whose expertise was education and who had been chosen to supervise the fleet's school systems。
Albert looked at her and smiled。 〃Certainly no longer than we have to； my sister。 Years will pass； but we have no way of predicting exactly how long it will take before we can safely begin our conquest of the land。〃
〃The people who survive on high ground？〃 queried Maria。 〃How will we treat them？〃
〃There will be pitifully few；〃 replied Bruno。 〃Those who we can find and round up will be placed in secure areas to cope as best they can。〃
〃We're not going to assist them？〃
Bruno shook his head。 〃We cannot weaken our own food supplies before our people have the