atlantis.found-第91部分

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on　a　one…sided　conversation　with　the　saviors　of　the　mission；　who　carried　no　radios　and　whose　words　could　not　be　heard　intelligibly　over　Cleary's　throat　microphone。
　　　　　Unable　to　contain　his　exhilaration；　the　President　snatched　up　a　phone　and　spoke　sharply。　〃Major　Cleary；　this　is　the　President。　Do　you　read　me？〃
　　　　　There　was　a　flicker　of　static；　and　then　Cleary's　voice　answered。　〃Yes；　Mr。　President；　I　hear　you　loud　and　clear。〃
　　　　　〃Until　now；　I　was　told　not　to　interfere　with　your　munications；　but　I　believe　everybody　here　would　like　a　coherent　report。〃
　　　　　〃I　understand；　sir；〃　Cleary　said；　finding　it　next　to　impossible　to　believe　he　was　actually　talking　to　his　mander　in　chief。　〃I'll　have　to　make　it　quick；　Mr。　President。　We　still　have　to　round　up　the　Wolfs；　their　engineers；　and　the　last　of　their　security　guards。〃
　　　　　〃I　understand；　but　please　brief　us　on　this　macabre　vehicle　that　came　on　the　scene。　Who　does　it　belong　to　and　who　was　operating　it？〃
　　　　　Cleary　told　him；　but　failed　miserably　at　attempting　to　describe　the　snow　monster　that　had　burst　forth　from　the　ice　at　the　last　minute　and　snatched　victory　virtually　from　the　mouth　of　defeat。
　　　　　Everyone　sat　and　listened；　bewildered；　but　nobody　was　more　bewildered　than　Admiral　Sandecker　when　informed　that　two　men　from　his　government　agency　who　were　under　his　direct　authority　had　driven　sixty　miles　across　the　barren　ice　in　a　monstrous　1940　snow　vehicle　and　helped　crush　a　small　army　of　mercenary　security　guards。　He　was　doubly　stunned　when　he　heard　the　names　Dirk　Pitt　and　Al　Giordino；　who　he　thought　were　due　to　land　in　Washington　within　the　hour。
　　　　　〃Pitt　and　Giordino；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head　in　wonderment。　〃I　should　have　known。　If　anyone　can　make　a　grand　entrance　where　they're　not　expected；　it's　them。〃
　　　　　〃I'm　not　surprised；〃　said　Loren；　with　a　smile　across　her　lovely　face。　〃There　was　no　way　Dirk　and　Al　were　going　to　stand　by　passively　and　wait　for　the　world　to　stop。〃
　　　　　〃Who　are　these　people？〃　demanded　General　South；　angrily。　〃Where　does　NUMA　get　off　interfering　in　a　military　operation？　Who　authorized　their　presence？〃
　　　　　〃I　would　be　proud　to　say　I　did；〃　Sandecker　said；　staring　directly　at　South　without　giving　an　inch；　〃but　it　simply　would　not　be　true。　These　men；　make　that　my　men；　acted　on　their　own　initiative；　and　it　looks　to　me　that　it　was　a　damned　good　thing　they　did。〃
　　　　　The　argument　died　before　it　had　begun。　It　never　left　the　minds　of　those　present　in　the　war　rooms　of　the　Pentagon　and　White　House　that　without　the　intervention　of　Pitt　and　Giordino；　there　would　have　been　no　estimating　the　frightful　aftermath。
　
　
　　　　　Pitt's　and　Giordino's　ears　should　have　been　burning；　but　without　a　link　to　Cleary's　headgear　radio；　they　could　not　hear　what　was　said　half　a　world　away。　Pitt　sat　on　the　step　of　the　Snow　Cruiser　and　pulled　the　bandages　off　his　face；　revealing　several　cuts　that　would　require　stitches。
　　　　　Cleary　looked　down　at　him。　〃You're　certain　the　Wolfs　are　still　here？〃
　　　　　Pitt　nodded。　〃Karl；　the　head　of　the　family；　and　one　sister；　Elsie；　must　be　in　tears　at　seeing　the　aircraft　they'd　planned　to　use　to　flee　the　facility　has　been　rendered　nonflyable。〃
　　　　　〃Can　you　and　Mr。　Giordino　lead　me　to　the　hangar？〃
　　　　　Pitt　cracked　a　smile。　〃I'd　consider　it　an　honor　and　a　privilege。〃
　　　　　General　South's　voice　cut　into　the　brief　conversation。　〃Major　Cleary；　I　am　directing　you　to　regroup；　do　what　you　can　for　your　wounded；　and　secure　the　rest　of　the　facility。　Then　wait　for　the　main　Special　Forces　unit；　which　should　be　landing　inside　half　an　hour。〃
　　　　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　Cleary。　〃But　first　there　is　a　little　unfinished　business　to　settle。〃　He　pulled　out　the　connector　between　his　mike　and　receiving　unit；　turned　to　Pitt；　and　fixed　him　with　an　〃Where　is　this　hangar？〃
　　　　　〃About　half　a　mile；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Are　you　thinking　of　rounding　up　a　hundred　people　with　the　few　men　you　have　left？〃
　　　　　Cleary's　lips　spread　in　a　shifty　grin。　〃Don't　you　think　it　and　proper　that　the　men　who　have　gone　through　hell　should　the　final　kill？〃
　　　　　〃You'll　get　no　argument　from　me。〃
　　　　　〃Are　you　two　up　to　acting　as　guides？〃
　　　　　〃Did　you　get　permission　from　Washington？〃
　　　　　〃I　neglected　to　ask。〃
　　　　　Pitt's　opaline　green　eyes　took　on　a　wicked　look。　Then　he　said；　not？　Al　and　I　never　could　pass　up　a　diabolical　scheme。〃
　
　　　　　It　would　be　a　classic　understatement　to　say　that　Karl　Wolf　was　horrified　and　enraged　when　he　laid　eyes　on　the　broken　wreckage　of　his　aircraft。　His　grand　scheme　was　in　tatters；　as　he　and　his　scientists　and　engineers　milled　around　the　hangar　in　fear　and　confusion。　To　his　knowledge；　the　mechanism　to　break　away　the　ice　shelf　was　still　set　to　e　online　in　less　than　four　minutes。
　　　　　Misguided　by　Hugo；　who　told　them　his　guards　at　the　control　center　were　still　locked　in　a　life…or…death　struggle　with　the　Special　Forces　teams；　Karl　had　no　perception　that　the　Fourth　Empire　had　died　before　it　was　born；　or　that　Project　Valhalla　was　aborted。
　　　　　The　Wolfs　stood　in　a　solemn　group；　unable　to　accept　the　full　impact　of　the　disaster；　unable　to　believe　the　incredible　story　of　a　huge　vehicle　that　had　run　amok　and　smashed　their　aircraft；　before　heading　off　toward　the　battle　raging　in　front　of　the　control　center。　They　stood　stunned　with　disbelief　at　the　sudden　reversal　of　their　long…cherished　plans。　Hugo　was　the　only　one　missing　from　his　family　members。　mitted　to　the　end；　he　had　disregarded　their　predicament　and　was　feverishly　organizing　the　remaining　members　of　his　security　force　for　the　final　resistance　against　the　Americans　he　knew　for　certain　were　short　minutes　away　from　assaulting　the　hangar。
　　　　　Then　Karl　said；　〃Well；　that's　it；　then。〃　He　turned　to　Blondi。　〃Send　a　message　to　our　brother　Bruno　on　board　the　Ulrich　Wolf。　Explain　the　situation　and　tell　him　to　send　backup　aircraft　here　immediately　with　all　speed。　We　haven't　another　moment　to　lose。〃
　　　　　Blondi　didn't　waste　time　with　questions。　She　took　off　at　a　run　toward　the　radio　inside　the　control　room　at　the　edge　of　the　airstrip。
　　　　　〃Will　it　be　possible　to　land　on　the　Ulrich　Wolf　during　the　early　stages　of　the　cataclysm？〃　Elsie　Wolf　asked　her　brother。　Her　face　was　pale　with　anguish。
　　　　　Karl　looked　at　his　chief　engineer；　Jurgen　Holtz。　〃Do　you　have　an　answer　for　my　sister；　Jurgen？〃
　　　　　A　frightened　Holtz　looked　down　at　the　icy　floor　of　the　hangar　and　replied　woodenly。　〃I　have　no　way　of　calculating　the　exact　arrival　time　of　the　expected　hurricane　winds　and　tidal　waves。　Nor　can　I　predict　their　initial　strength。　But　if　they　reach　the　Ulrich　Wolf　before　our　flight　can　land；　I　fear　the　result　can　only　lead　to　tragedy。〃
　　　　　〃Are　you　saying　we're　all　going　to　die？〃　demanded　Elsie。
　　　　　〃I'm　saying　we　won't　know　until　the　time　es；〃　Holtz　said　soberly。
　　　　　〃We'll　never　have　time　to　transfer　the　Amenes　artifacts　from　the　damaged　planes　after　Bruno　arrives；〃　said　Karl；　staring　distraught　at　the　family's　personal　executive　jet；　sitting　broken　like　a　child's　toy　〃We'll　take　only　relics　of　the　Third　Reich。〃
　　　　　〃I'm　going　to　need　every　able…bodied　male　and　female　who　can　shoot　a　weapon。〃　The　voice　came　from　behind　Karl。　It　was　Hugo；　whose　black　uniform　was　splattered　with　blood　from　the　dead　guard　who'd　failed　to　tell　him　of　the　havoc　in　the　hangar。　〃I　realize　we　have　many　frightened　and　disoriented　people　on　our　hands；　but　if　we　are　to　survive　until　rescued　by　our　brothers　and　sisters　at　the　shipyard；　we　must　hold　out　against　the　American　fighting　force。〃
　　　　　〃How　many　of　your　fighting　men　have　survived？〃　asked　Karl。
　　　　　〃I'm　down　to　twelve。　That's　why　I　require　all　the　reserves　I　can　find。〃
　　　　　〃Do　you　have　enough　weapons　for　us　all？〃
　　　　　Hugo　nodded。　〃Guns　and　ammo　can　be　found　in　the　arsenal　room　at　the　entrance　of　the　hangar。〃
　　　　　〃Then　you　have　my　permission　to　recruit　any　and　everyone　who　wants　to　see　their　loved　ones　again。〃
　　　　　Hugo　looked　his　brother　in　the　eyes。　〃It　is　not　my　place；　brother；　to　ask　them　to　fight　and　die。　You　are　the　leader　of　our　new　destiny。　You　are　whom　they　respect　and　venerate。　You　ask；　and　they　will　follow。〃
　　　　　Karl　stared　into　the　faces　of　his　brother　and　two　sisters；　seeing　his　own　expression　of　foreboding　in　their　eyes。　With　a　mind　as　cold　as　an　iceberg　and　a　heart　of　stone；　he　had　no　misgivings　about　ordering　his　people　to　lay　down　their　lives　so　that　he　and　his　siblings　might　survive。
　　　　　〃Assemble　them；〃　he　said　to　Elsie；　〃and　I　will　tell　them　what　they　must　do。〃
　
　　　　　Leaving　four　of　his　men　who　were　not　hurt　seriously　to　tend　the　wounded　and　stand　guard　over　the　surviving　security　guards；　Cleary　and　twenty…two　able…bodied　men　of　his　remaining　team；　led　by　Pitt　and　Giordino；　who　knew　the　way　to　the　hangar；　entered　the　main　tunnel　in　tactical　formation；　with　two　of　Garnet's　Delta　Force　acting　as　forward　flanking　scouts。
　　　　　Lieutenant　Jacobs　was　more　than　surprised　to　meet　up　with　Pitt　and　Giordino　again；　and　even　more　amazed　to　find　that　they　were　the　madmen　who'd　driven　the　Snow　Cruiser　into　the　battle　zone　only　minutes　before　Cleary　and　his　men　would　have　ended　up　like　Custer　and　the　Seventh　Cavalry　at　the　Little　Bighorn。
　　　　　Moving　cautiously；　the　column　rounded　the　first　bend　in　the　tunnel　and　moved　past　the　deserted　construction　equipment　and　the　doorways　leading　into　the　empty　storerooms。　Walking　through　the　ice　tunnel　seemed　far　different　to　Pitt　and　Giordino　than　when　they　had　careened　through　it　in　the　Snow　Cruiser。　Pitt　smiled　to　himself　at　seeing　the　long　gouges　in　the　ice　caused　by　his　reckless　driving　when　escaping　the　armored　Sno…cat。
　　　　　When　they　reached　an　abandoned　tow　vehicle；　attached　to　a　small　train　of　four　flatbed　cars　that　had　been　used　to　haul　supplies　and　cargo　throughout　the　tunnel　labyrinth；　they　halted　their　advance　and　used　the　equipment　for　cover；　as　Cleary　questioned　Pitt　and　Giordino。
　　　　　〃How　far　to　the　hangar　from　here？〃　he　asked。
　　　　　〃About　another　five　hundred　yards　before　the　tunnel　opens　into　it；〃　Pitt　answered。
　　　　　〃Is　there　any　place　between　here　and　there　they　could　set　up　a　barricade？〃
　　　　　〃Every　ten　feet；　if　they　had　the　time　and　blocks　of　ice。　But　I　doubt　they　could　have　built　anything　substantial　in　the　few　short　minutes　since　they　lost　their　battle