atlantis.found-第86部分

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　　　　　〃On　our　way；　Wizard；〃　acknowledged　Garnet；　whose　mission；　as　assigned　to　his　Marine　Recon　Team；　was　to　secure　the　generating　plant　and　cut　off　all　power　to　the　facility。
　　　　　〃Scarecrow？〃
　　　　　Lieutenant　Miles　Jacobs　of　the　Navy　SEALs　answered　quickly。　〃I　hear　you；　Wizard。〃　Jacobs　and　his　team　were　to　circle　around　and　assault　the　control　center　from　the　side　facing　the　sea。
　　　　　〃You　have　the　farthest　to　go；　Scarecrow。　You'd　better　get　a　move　on。〃
　　　　　〃We're　halfway　there；〃　Jacobs　replied　confidently；　as　he　and　his　SEALs　began　moving　out　down　a　side　road　that　led　in　the　direction　of　the　control　center。
　　　　　〃Lion？〃
　　　　　〃Ready　to　sweep；〃　answered　Captain　Sharpsburg　of　the　Army　Delta　Force　cheerfully。
　　　　　〃I　will　acpany　you。〃
　　　　　〃Happy　to　have　an　old　hand　along。〃
　　　　　〃Let's　move　out。〃
　　　　　There　was　no　synchronizing　of　watches；　no　further　voice　contact；　as　the　teams　divided　and　made　their　way　to　their　assigned　targets。　There　was　no　need。　They　all　knew　what　they　had　to　do；　having　been　fully　briefed　on　the　horrendous　consequences　should　they　fail。　Cleary　had　no　doubts　that　his　men　would　fight　like　demons　or　die　without　hesitation　to　stop　the　Wolfs　from　launching　the　apocalypse。
　　　　　They　moved　lightly；　almost　fluidly；　in　offensive　formation；　two　men　ten　yards　ahead　on　either　flank；　and　two　men　covering　their　rear。　Every　fifty　yards；　they　stopped；　dropped　to　the　ground；　or　took　whatever　available　cover　presented　itself；　while　Cleary　studied　the　terrain　and　checked　with　the　Marines　and　the　SEAL　teams。
　　　　　〃Tin　Man；　report。〃
　　　　　〃Sweep　is　clear。　Approaching　within　three　hundred　yards　of　target。〃
　　　　　〃Scarecrow？　Have　you　encountered　anything？〃
　　　　　〃If　I　wasn't　sure；　I'd　say　the　place　is　abandoned；〃　answered　Jacobs。
　　　　　Cleary　did　not　reply。　He　rose　from　his　crouched　position　as　Sharpsburg　moved　his　Lion　team　forward。
　　　　　On　the　face　of　it；　the　facility　seemed　like　a　bleak　and　austere　layout。　Cleary　saw　nothing　special　about　it；　but　then　trepidation　began　to　mount。　The　pound　appeared　totally　deserted。　No　workers　showed　themselves。　No　vehicles　moved。　It　was　too　quiet。　The　entire　inner　pound　was　cloaked　in　a　cold；　eerie　silence。
　
　
　　　　　Karl　Wolf　stared　at　an　array　of　monitors　in　the　headquarters　of　his　security　guards　on　a　floor　below　the　main　control　center。　He　watched　with　bemused　interest　as　Cleary　and　his　assault　teams　made　their　way　through　the　roads　of　the　plex。
　　　　　〃You'll　have　no　problem　preventing　them　from　interrupting　our　launch　time？〃　he　asked　Hugo；　who　was　standing　next　to　him。
　　　　　〃None；〃　Hugo　assured　him。　〃We　have　contemplated　and　drilled　for　such　an　intrusion　many　times。　Our　fortifications　are　in　place；　the　barricades　raised；　and　our　armored　Sno…cats　awaiting　my　orders　to　move　into　battle。〃
　　　　　Karl　nodded　in　satisfaction。　〃You　have　done　well。　Still；　these　are　the　elite　of　the　American　fighting　forces。〃
　　　　　〃Not　to　worry；　brother。　My　men　are　just　as　well　trained　as　the　Americans。　We　heavily　outnumber　them　and　have　the　advantage　of　fighting　on　our　ground。　The　element　of　surprise　is　in　our　favor；　not　theirs。　They　do　not　suspect　that　they　are　walking　into　a　trap。　And　we　can　travel　through　the　facility's　underground　utility　tunnels；　emerge　inside　buildings；　and　attack　their　flanks　and　rear　before　they　realize　what　is　happening。〃
　　　　　〃Your　overall　strategy？〃　Karl　asked。
　　　　　〃To　gradually　siphon　them　into　a　pocket　in　front　of　the　control　center；　where　we　can　destroy　them　at　our　leisure。〃
　　　　　〃Our　ancestors　who　fought　so　many　heroic　battles　against　the　Allies　during　the　war　would　be　proud　of　you。〃
　　　　　Obviously　pleased　by　his　brother's　pliment；　Hugo　clicked　his　heels　and　made　a　stiff　bow。　〃I　am　honored　to　serve　the　Fourth　Empire。〃　Then　he　looked　up　and　gazed　at　the　monitors；　studying　the　progress　of　the　American　fighting　teams。　〃I　must　go　now；　brother；　and　direct　our　defenses。〃
　　　　　〃How　long　do　you　estimate　it　will　take　your　men　to　crush　the　attackers？〃
　　　　　〃Thirty　minutes；　certainly　no　more。〃
　　　　　〃That　doesn't　leave　you　and　your　men　much　time　to　reach　and　board　the　aircraft。　Do　not　delay；　Hugo。　I　have　no　wish　to　leave　you　and　your　brave　men　behind。〃
　　　　　〃And　lose　our　dream　of　being　the　founding　fathers　of　a　brave　new　world？〃　Hugo　said　spiritedly。　〃I　don't　think　so。〃
　　　　　Karl　motioned　toward　the　digital　clock　mounted　between　the　monitors。　〃Twenty…five　minutes　from　now；　we　shall　set　the　ice　shelf　detaching　systems　on　automatic。　Then　everyone　in　the　control　center　will　leave　through　the　underground　tunnel　that　leads　to　the　worker's　main　dormitory　safely　beyond　the　battlefield。　From　there；　we'll　take　electric　vehicles　to　the　aircraft　hangar。〃
　　　　　〃We　shall　not　fail；〃　said　Hugo；　with　iron　resolve。
　　　　　〃Then　good　luck　to　you；〃　said　Karl。　He　solemnly　shook　Hugo's　hand；　before　turning　and　stepping　into　the　elevator　that　would　take　him　to　the　control　room　above。
　
　
　　　　　Cleary　and　the　Lion　team　were　only　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards　from　the　entrance　of　the　control　center　when　Garnet's　voice　came　over　his　inter。　〃Wizard；　this　is　Tin　Man。　There's　something　wrong　here。　。　。〃
　　　　　In　that　instant；　Cleary　spotted　the　barricade　blocking　the　road　in　front　of　the　control　center；　saw　the　dark　muzzles　of　guns　propped　on　its　crest。　He　opened　his　mouth　to　shout；　but　it　was　too　late。　A　deafening　volley　laid　down　by　the　security　guards　exploded　in　front　of　the　Delta　Force　from　every　direction。　The　blasts　from　two　hundred　guns　swamped　and　reverberated　off　the　walls　of　the　buildings；　cutting　the　icy　air　with　a　deafening　roar。
　　　　　Garnet　and　his　Marines　were　caught　in　the　open　and　exposed；　but　they　laid　down　a　covering　fire　and　took　whatever　cover　they　could　find　along　the　buildings。　Despite　the　ruthless　fusillade；　they　continued　advancing　toward　the　power　station；　until　Garnet　recognized　an　ice　barricade　that　was　nearly　impossible　to　distinguish　against　the　white　background　until　he　was　less　than　a　hundred　yards　away。　His　men　began　a　counterfire；　firing　their　Eradicator　rifles'　fragmentation　missiles　at　the　security　guards　behind　the　barricades。
　　　　　In　front　of　the　control　center；　at　almost　the　same　moment；　Cleary　found　himself　facing　the　same　type　of　ice　wall　and　blistering　fire　that　Garnet　was　experiencing。　Vulnerable　to　the　heavy　fire；　the　lead　man　on　the　left　flank　of　the　Delta　Force　caught　bullets　in　a　knee　and　thigh　and　he　went　down。　Moving　flat　on　his　stomach；　Sharpsburg　grabbed　the　wounded　man　by　his　boots　and　pulled　him　around　the　corner　of　the　building。
　　　　　Cleary　ducked　below　a　stairway　leading　into　a　small　storehouse。　Shards　of　ice　rained　down　on　his　shoulders　as　a　stream　of　shells　burst　into　the　icicles　hanging　from　the　roof　above　him。　Then　a　shot　struck　his　body　armor　square…on　above　his　heart；　sending　him　staggering　backward；　alive　but　with　a　pain　in　his　chest　as　if　someone　were　pounding　it　with　a　sledgehammer。　Sergeant　Carlos　Mendoza；　who　was　the　best　shot　of　the　team；　lined　up　the　crosshairs　through　the　scope　of　his　Eradicator　on　the　Wolf　security　guard　who'd　shot　Cleary　and　squeezed　the　trigger。　A　black　figure　jerked　up　from　the　crest　of　the　barricade　before　falling　back　and　disappearing。　The　sergeant　then　selected　his　next　target　and　fired　away。
　　　　　More　bullets　slammed　into　the　roof　above　Cleary；　scattering　ice　slivers　in　a　hundred　different　directions。　He　saw　too　late　that　Wolf's　security　force　was　prepared　and　waiting　for　them。　The　fortifications　had　been　designed　and　constructed　for　just　such　an　attack。　He　painfully　discovered　that　the　lack　of　proper　intelligence　was　killing　them。　He　also　began　to　perceive　that　his　attacking　force　was　badly　outnumbered　by　the　defenders。
　　　　　Cleary　cursed　himself　for　relying　on　untested　information。　He　cursed　the　Pentagon　and　the　Central　Intelligence　Agency；　who'd　estimated　the　Wolf　security　force　at　no　more　than　twenty　to　twenty…five　men。　He　cursed　his　lack　of　intuition；　and　in　the　heat　of　the　moment　he　cursed　himself　for　making　the　biggest　mistake　in　his　military　life。　He　had　badly　underestimated　his　enemy。
　　　　　〃Tin　Man！〃　he　shouted　into　his　microphone。　〃Report　your　situation！〃
　　　　　〃I　count　sixty　or　more　hostiles　blocking　the　road　in　front　of　us；〃　Garnet's　voice　replied　in　a　monotone；　as　steady　as　if　he　were　describing　cows　in　a　pasture。　〃We　are　under　heavy　fire。〃
　　　　　〃Can　you　force　the　issue　and　secure　the　power　plant？〃
　　　　　〃We　are　unable　to　advance　due　to　extremely　accurate　fire。　These　are　not　your　garden…variety　security　people　we're　facing。　They　know　what　they're　doing。　Can　you　send　a　team　to　relieve　the　pressure；　Wizard？　If　we　could　band　together　in　a　flanking　movement；　I　think　we　can　take　the　barricade。〃
　　　　　〃Negative；　Tin　Man；〃　replied　Cleary。　He　well　knew　that　the　Recons　were　the　elite　of　the　Marine　Corps。　If　they　couldn't　advance；　nobody　could。　〃We're　also　halted　by　heavy　fire　from　at　least　eighty　hostiles　and　cannot　send　support。　I　repeat；　I　cannot　spare　men　to　support　you。　Extricate　as　best　you　can　and　link　up　with　Lion。〃
　　　　　〃Understood；　Wizard。　Withdrawing　now。〃
　　　　　With　his　Marines　open　and　exposed；　Garnet　was　frustrated　to　learn　that　he　could　expect　no　support；　but　had　to　retreat　and　find　Cleary　and　Sharpsburg's　Delta　Force　team　through　the　maze　of　roads　running　through　the　facility。　He　wasted　no　time　in　considering　going　against　orders　and　continuing　the　assault。　Charging　a　barricade　manned　by　three　times　his　force　across　an　open　road　was　suicidal　and　would　acplish　nothing　but　the　massacre　of　his　mand。　He　was　left　with　no　choice　but　to　begin　an　orderly　withdrawal；　carrying　out　their　wounded　as　they　withdrew　from　the　murderous　fire。
　　　　　Having　advanced　halfway　around　the　control　center；　Jacobs　and　his　SEALS　were　jolted　by　the　thunder　of　conflict　and　the　shocking　reports　from　Cleary　and　Garnet。　He　urged　his　men　forward　in　hopes　of　securing　the　control　center　from　the　rear　and　removing　the　heat　from　teams　Tin　Man　and　Lion。　The　SEALs　were　only　a　hundred　yards　from　the　control　center　building　when　two　armored　Sno…cats　turned　the　corner　ahead　and　opened　fire　on　them。
　　　　　Jacobs　watched　helplessly　as　two　of　his　men　were　cut　down。　Madder　than　hell；　he　held　the　trigger　on　his　Eradicator　rifle　until　the　final　round　ejected　from　the　clip；　then　his　sergean