atlantis.found-第82部分

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　　　　　〃Ramp　opened　and　locked；　Captain；〃　Hendricks　informed　Stafford。
　　　　　The　sergeant's　voice　took　Cleary　by　surprise。　He　immediately　realized　that　he　had　forgotten　to　disconnect　his　munications　cord　from　the　inter　jack。
　　　　　Cleary　gave　the　men　the　hand　and　arm　signal　indicating　fifteen　seconds　from　exit。　His　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　red　caution　light。　The　sixty…five…man　team　was　massed　into　a　tightly　pressed　group；　with　Sharpsburg　now　perched　inches　from　the　edge　of　the　ramp。
　　　　　Simultaneously；　as　the　crimson　caution　light　blinked　off　and　the　jump　light　flashed　a　vivid　green；　Cleary　pointed　to　the　open　ramp。
　　　　　As　if　jolted　by　a　shock　of　electricity；　Lieutenant　Sharpsburg　dove　from　the　aircraft；　soaring　off　into　cloud…shrouded　nothingness。　With　his　arms　and　legs　spread；　he　was　swept　out　of　sight　as　swiftly　as　if　he'd　been　jerked　by　a　giant　spring。　His　team　was　no　more　than　a　few　feet　behind　as　they　were　also　swallowed　up　in　the　clouds；　followed　swiftly　by　Jacobs　and　his　SEAL　team。　Then　came　Garnet　and　his　Marines。　As　the　last　Marine　stepped　off　the　ramp　edge；　Cleary　leaped　and　was　gone。
　　　　　For　a　long　moment；　Hendricks　and　Joquin　stood　and　stared　into　the　white　oblivion；　unable　to　believe　what　they　had　just　witnessed。　Almost　as　if　mesmerized；　Hendricks　spoke　into　the　inter　on　his　oxygen　mask。　〃Captain；　they're　gone。〃
　
　
　　　　　Brannon　lost　no　time　in　easing　the　throttles　forward　until　the　airspeed　instruments　read　two　hundred　knots；　half　the　C…17's　cruising　speed。　The　cargo　door　was　closed　and　the　oxygen　system　in　the　cargo　bay　replenished。　Stafford's　next　act　of　business　was　to　switch　to　a　secure　frequency　and　radio　the　U。S。　South　Atlantic　mand　Headquarters　to　report　that　the　jump　went　as　scheduled。　Then　he　turned　to　Brannon。
　　　　　〃I　hope　they　make　it；〃　he　said　quietly。
　　　　　〃If　they　do；　it　will　be　because　you　sent　them　out　into　a　blast　of　air　a　good　two　hundred　and　fifty　miles　an　hour　less　in　strength　than　our　normal　cruising　speed。〃
　　　　　〃I　hope　to　God　I　didn't　give　them　away；〃　said　Stafford；　without　remorse。　〃But　it　seemed　certain　death　to　subject　them　to　such　an　explosive　gust。〃
　　　　　〃You　won't　get　an　argument　from　me；〃　Brannon　said　somberly。
　　　　　Stafford　sighed　heavily　as　he　reengaged　the　automatic　pilot。　〃Not　our　responsibility　any　longer。　We　dropped　them　right　on　a　dime。〃　Then　he　paused；　staring　into　the　ominous　white　clouds　that　whipped　past　the　windshield　and　obscured　all　view。　〃I　pray　they　all　get　down　safely。〃
　　　　　Brannon　looked　at　him　askance。　〃I　didn't　know　you　were　a　praying　man。〃
　　　　　〃Only　during　traumatic　times。〃
　　　　　〃They'll　make　it　down；〃　said　Brannon；　with　a　sense　of　optimism。　〃It's　after　they　hit　the　ground　that　hell　could　break　loose。〃
　　　　　Stafford　shook　his　head。　〃I　wouldn't　want　to　go　up　against　those　guys　that　just　jumped。　I'll　bet　their　attack　will　be　a　walk　in　the　park。〃
　　　　　Stafford　had　no　idea　how　dead　wrong　he　was。
　
　　　　　The　radar　operator　in　the　security　building　headquarters　next　to　the　control　center　picked　up　a　phone　as　he　studied　the　line　sweep　around　his　radar　screen。　〃Mr。　Wolf。　Do　you　have　a　moment？〃
　　　　　A　few　minutes　later；　Hugo　Wolf　walked　briskly　into　the　small　darkened　room　filled　with　electronic　units。　〃Yes；　what　is　it？〃
　　　　　〃Sir；　the　American　supply　aircraft　suddenly　reduced　its　speed。〃
　　　　　〃Yes；　I'm　aware　of　that。　Our　radio　intercepted　a　message　from　them　saying　they　were　having　engine　trouble。〃
　　　　　〃Do　you　think　it　might　be　a　ruse？〃
　　　　　〃Has　it　strayed　from　its　normal　flight　path？〃　asked　Hugo。
　　　　　The　radar　operator　shook　his　head。　〃No；　sir。　The　plane　is　ten　miles　out。〃
　　　　　〃You　see　nothing　else　on　the　screen？〃
　　　　　〃Only　the　usual　interference　during　and　immediately　after　an　ice　storm。〃
　　　　　Hugo　put　a　hand　on　the　operator's　shoulder。　〃Follow　her　course　to　make　sure　she　doesn't　double　back；　and　keep　a　sharp　eye　for　a　hostile　intrusion　from　the　sea　or　air。〃
　　　　　〃And　behind　us；　sir？〃
　　　　　〃Now；　who　do　you　think　would　have　the　powers　to　cross　the　mountains　or　trek　over　the　ice　shelf　in　the　middle　of　an　ice　storm？〃
　　　　　The　operator　shrugged。　〃No　one。　Certainly　no　one　who　is　human。〃
　　　　　Hugo　grinned。　〃Exactly。〃
　
　
　　　　　Air　Force　General　Jeffry　Coburn　laid　the　phone　back　in　its　receiver　and　looked　across　the　long　table　in　the　war　room　deep　beneath　the　Pentagon。　〃Mr。　President；　Major　Cleary　and　his　unified　mand　have　exited　the　aircraft。〃
　　　　　The　Joint　Chiefs　and　their　aides　were　seated　in　a　theaterlike　section　of　a　long　room　whose　massive　walls　were　covered　with　huge　monitors　and　screens　showing　scenes　of　Army　bases；　Navy　ships；　and　Air　Force　fields　around　the　globe。　The　current　status　of　ships　at　sea　and　military　aircraft　in　the　air　were　constantly　monitored；　especially　the　big　transports　carrying　the　hastily　assembled　Special　Forces　from　the　United　States。
　　　　　One　huge　screen　that　lay　against　the　far　wall　held　a　montage　of　telephoto　images　taken　of　the　Destiny　Enterprises　mining　facility　at　Okuma　Bay。　The　photos　in　the　montage　were　not　from　an　overhead　view；　but　appeared　to　be　pieced　together　and　conceptualized　after　being　shot　from　an　aircraft　several　miles　off　to　one　side　of　the　facility。　There　were　no　overhead　images　because　the　military　had　no　spy　reconnaissance　satellites　orbiting　over　the　South　Pole。　The　only　direct　radio　contact　with　Cleary's　assault　force　came　from　a　civilian　munications　satellite　used　by　United　States　ice　research　stations　on　the　Ross　Ice　Shelf　that　was　linked　to　the　Pentagon。
　　　　　Another　screen　revealed　President　Dean　Cooper　Wallace；　six　members　of　his　cabinet；　and　a　team　of　his　close　advisers；　who　were　seated　around　a　table　in　the　secure　room　deep　beneath　the　White　House。　The　directors　of　the　CIA　and　FBI；　and　Ron　Little　and　Ken　Helm；　were　also　present　on　a　direct　link　with　the　war　room；　along　with　Congresswoman　Loren　Smith；　who　had　been　invited　because　of　her　intimate　knowledge　of　Destiny　Enterprises。　While　they　acted　as　advisers　to　the　President　on　what　had　been　given　the　code　name　Apocalypse　Project；　Admiral　Sandecker　sat　with　the　joint　Chiefs　at　the　Pentagon　and　acted　as　consultant　on　their　end。
　　　　　〃What　is　the　countdown；　General？〃　asked　the　President。
　　　　　〃One　hour　and　forty…two　minutes；　sir；〃　General　Amos　South；　head　of　the　joint　Chiefs；　answered。　〃That　is　the　time　our　scientists　tell　us　when　tidal　currents　are　at　their　height　to　separate　the　ice　shelf　and　carry　it　out　to　sea。〃
　　　　　〃Just　how　accurate　is　this　intelligence？〃
　　　　　〃You　might　say　it　es　from　the　horse's　mouth；〃　Loren　replied。　〃The　timetable　was　revealed　by　Karl　Wolf　himself　and　was　confirmed　by　the　nation's　top　glaciologists　and　experts　on　nanotechnology。〃
　　　　　〃Since　Admiral　Sandecker's　people　penetrated　Wolf's　organization；〃　explained　Ron　Little；　〃we　have　accumulated　considerably　more　intelligence　on　what　the　Wolfs　call　the　Valhalla　Project。　It　all　adds　up　to　them　doing　exactly　what　they　threaten；　cutting　off　the　Ross　Ice　Shelf　and　upsetting　Earth's　rotational　balance　in　order　to　cause　a　polar　shift。〃
　　　　　〃Triggering　a　cataclysm　of　unimaginable　destruction；〃　added　Loren。
　　　　　〃We've　e　to　the　same　conclusion　at　the　FBI；〃　said　Helm；　backing　up　Little。　〃We've　asked　experts　in　the　field　of　nanotechnology　to　study　the　facts；　and　all　agree。　The　Wolfs　have　the　scientific　and　engineering　capability　to　execute　such　an　unthinkable　act。〃
　　　　　The　President　stared　into　the　monitor　at　General　South。　〃I　still　say；　send　in　a　missile　and　stop　this　insanity　before　it　can　get　off　the　ground。〃
　　　　　〃Only　as　a　last　resort；　Mr。　President。　The　Joint　Chiefs　and　I　strongly　agree　that　it　is　too　risky。〃
　　　　　Admiral　Morton　Eldridge；　Chief　of　the　Navy；　entered　the　discussion。　〃One　of　our　aircraft　equipped　with　radar　intercept　systems　has　arrived　on　site。　They've　already　reported　that　the　Wolf　mining　facility　has　superior　radar　equipment　that　could　detect　an　ining　missile　from　an　aircraft　or　nearby　submarine　with　a　warning　time　of　three　minutes。　That's　more　than　enough　time　to　alert　and　panic　them　into　throwing　the　doomsday　switch　early；　a　situation　that　may　or　may　not　break　off　the　ice　shelf。　Again；　a　risk　that　is　a　poor　gamble　at　best。〃
　　　　　〃If；　as　you　say；〃　said　Wallace；　〃their　radar　equipment　is　rated　as　superior；　haven't　they　already　been　alerted　by　your　aircraft　and　the　signals　it　sends　out？〃
　　　　　Admiral　Eldridge　and　General　Coburn　exchanged　bemused　glances　before　Eldridge　replied。　〃Because　it　is　highly　classified；　it　is　known　only　by　a　select　few　that　our　new　radar　warning　systems　are　virtually　undetectable。　Our　radar　interception　aircraft　is　below　the　horizon。　We　can　bend　our　signals　to　read　theirs；　but　they　cannot　find　or　read　ours。〃
　　　　　〃Should　our　ground　force　be　unable　to　penetrate　the　Wolf　security　defenses；〃　said　South；　〃then；　of　course；　as　a　last　resort；　we'll　send　in　a　missile　from　our　nuclear　attack　sub　Tucson。〃
　　　　　〃She's　already　on　station　in　the　Antarctic？〃　asked　Wallace　incredulously。
　　　　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　Eldridge。　〃A　fortunate　coincidence。　She　was　on　an　ice　data…gathering　patrol　when　she　successfully　destroyed　the　Wolfs'　U…boat　that　was　firing　on　the　NUMA　research　ship　Polar　Storm。　Admiral　Sandecker　alerted　me　in　time　to　send　her　to　Okuma　Bay　before　the　final　countdown。〃
　　　　　〃What　about　aircraft？〃
　　　　　〃Two　Stealth　bombers　are　in　the　air　and　will　begin　a　holding　pattern　ninety　miles　from　the　facility　in　another　hour　and　ten　minutes；〃　answered　Coburn。
　　　　　〃So　we're　covered　from　air　and　sea；〃　said　Wallace。
　　　　　〃That　is　correct；〃　General　South　acknowledged。
　　　　　〃How　soon　before　Major　Cleary　and　his　force　begin　their　assault？〃
　　　　　South　glanced　up　at　a　huge　digital　clock　on　one　wall。　〃Depending　on　wind　and　overcast　conditions；　they　should　be　gliding　toward　their　target　and　landing　in　a　few　minutes。〃
　　　　　〃Will　we　receive　a　blow…by…blow　account　of　the　assault？〃
　　　　　〃We　have　a　direct　link　to　Major　Cleary's　ground　munications　through　the　satellite　that's　servicing　our　ice　stations　at　the　Pole　and　McMurdo　Sound。　But　since　he　and　his　men　will　be　extremely　busy　for　the　next　hour；　and　possibly　ing　under　hostile　fire；　we　do　not　think　it　wise　to　interfere　or　interrupt　their　field　munications。〃
　　　　　〃Then　we　have　nothing　to　do　but　wait　and　listen。〃　Wallace