cc.floodtide-第42部分

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　It　was　then　Cabrillo　realized　his　Oerlikons　had　gone　silent。　He　stood　still　and　stared　at　the　twin　guns　sitting　dead　in　the　center　of　a　large　wooden　shipping　crate　with　its　four　walls　peeled　out。　The　barrels　pointed　impotently　at　the　destroyer　as　if　neglected；　their　automated　electronic　controls　severed　by　thirty…seven…millimeter　shells。　He　knew　with　sick　certainty　that　without　its　covering　fire；　their　chances　for　survival　were　rapidly　going　down　the　drain。　Too　late　did　he　feel　the　Oregon's　stern　dip　and　her　bow　raise　as　Hanley's　big　engines　kicked　the　ship　forward。　For　the　first　time　he　felt　fear　and　hopelessness　as　he　stared　down　the　twin　throats　of　the　destroyer's　one…hundred…millimeter　guns；　waiting　for　them　to　destroy　his　dedicated　crew　and　ship。
　
　Having　momentarily　forgotten　the　fight　raging　on　the　deck　in　the　midst　of　the　destruction；　he　blinked　and　glanced　downward。　Bloodied　bodies　were　heaped　and　scattered　like　a　truckload　of　human　refuse　dumped　in　the　street。　He　stared　with　bile　welling　up　in　his　throat。　The　appalling　carnage　had　taken　less　than　two　minutes；　a　gory　rampage　that　had　left　no　man　still　alive　uninjured。　Or　so　he　thought。
　
　Then；　like　the　flicker　of　a　camera　shutter；　he　saw　a　figure　sway　to　his　feet　and　begin　staggering　drunkenly　across　the　deck　toward　the　Oerlikons。
　
　Although　protected　by　the　body　armor　around　their　torsos；　James　and　Meadows　were　both　down　with　wounds　in　the　legs。　Seng　had　taken　two　bullets　through　his　right　arm。　Sitting　with　his　back　against　the　railing；　he　tore　off　a　shirtsleeve；　wadded　it　up　and　calmly　pressed　it　against　his　wounds　to　stem　the　flow　of　blood。　Giordino　lay　beside　him；　barely　conscious。　One　of　the　Chinese　marines　had　clubbed　him　on　the　top　of　his　head　with　the　butt　of　an　automatic　rifle　in　almost　the　same　instant　as　Giordino　had　savagely　sunk　his　fist　into　his　opponent's　stomach　nearly　to　the　vertebra。　Both　men　had　toppled　to　the　deck　together；　the　marine　withering　in　pain　and　gasping　for　air；　Giordino　knocked　nearly　senseless。
　
　Pitt；　seeing　that　his　friend　was　not　seriously　wounded；　threw　off　the　coat　with　the　mannequin　arms　and　struggled　painfully　toward　the　silent　Oerlikons；　muttering　to　himself。　〃Twice。　Would　you　believe　it。　Twice　in　the　same　place。〃　He　held　one　hand　over　the　entry　wound　only　an　inch　above　the　still…bandaged　hole　in　his　hip　where　he'd　taken　a　bullet　at　Orion　Lake。　The　other　hand　gripped　a　Chinese　machine　pistol　he'd　snatched　off　a　dead　marine。
　
　From　his　vantage　point　on　the　bridge　wing；　Cabrillo　stood　rooted　in　awe　of　the　unbelievable　sight　of　Pitt　contemptuously　brushing　aside　the　air　filled　with　the　maddening　clatter　of　the　Chengdo's　storm　of　thirty…seven…millimeter　shells　that　scythed　across　the　Oregon's　cargo　deck。　The　fire　splattered　all　around　him　like　rain；　chewing　up　the　wooden　crates　stacked　on　the　deck。　He　heard　them　shriek　past　his　head　and　felt　their　demented　breeze　as　they　passed　within　inches　of　his　face　and　neck。　Miraculously；　none　struck　him　during　his　harrowing　journey　to　the　Oerlikons。
　
　Pitt's　face　was　not　pleasant　to　see。　To　Cabrillo　it　seemed　like　a　mask　of　unholy　rage；　the　vivid　green　eyes　burning　with　furious　determination。　It　was　a　face　Cabrillo　would　never　forget。　He　had　never　seen　a　man　with　such　a　sardonic　contempt　for　death。
　
　At　last；　after　achieving　what　seemed　the　impossible；　Pitt　lifted　the　machine　pistol　and　shot　away　the　shredded　remnants　of　the　cable　leading　to　the　fire…control　room；　giving　the　twin　barrels　freedom　of　movement。　Then　he　moved　behind　the　twin　guns　and　took　manual　control；　his　right　hand　clutching　the　trigger　grip；　which　had　been　installed　but　never　operated。　It　was　as　if　the　old　Oregon　had　e　to　life　again；　like　a　badly　battered　fighter　who　rose　from　the　canvas　at　the　count　of　nine　and　began　punching。　His　aim　was　not　what　Cabrillo　expected。　Instead　of　spraying　the　Chengdo's　bridge　and　thirty…seven…millimeter…gun　mounts；　Pitt　unleashed　the　Oerlikons'　bined　1；400…round…per…minute　firepower　against　the　turret；　whose　hundred…millimeter　guns　were　aimed　at　and　about　to　devastate　the　freighter。
　
　Though　it　seemed　like　a　useless；　defiant　gesture…the　hurricane　of　small　shells　merely　splattered　and　ricocheted　off　the　heavily　armored　turret…Cabrillo　realized　what　Pitt　was　attempting　to　do。　Stark　madness；　he　thought；　sheer；　unfettered　madness　to　attempt　the　impossible。　Even　with　a　solid　support　to　rest　the　barrel　of　his　rifle；　only　a　superb　marksman　could　have　put　a　bullet　down　the　barrel　of　any　one　of　the　turret's　gun　muzzles　from　a　ship　rising　and　falling　on　the　ocean　swells。　But　Cabrillo　overlooked　the　awesome　firepower　of　the　Oerlikons　at　Pitt's　mand；　not　realizing　the　law　of　averages　was　on　his　side。　Three　shells；　one　directly　behind　the　other；　entered　the　muzzle　of　the　center　gun　and　swept　down　its　barrel；　impacting　with　the　shell　that　had　been　freshly　loaded　in　the　breech　and　detonating　its　warhead　at　almost　the　same　instant　it　was　fired。
　
　In　a　moment　stolen　from　hell；　the　big　one…hundred…millimeter　shell　burst；　causing　a　sympathetic　explosion　inside　that　peeled　the　turret　open　like　a　tin　can　covering　a　Fourth　of　July　cherry　bomb；　instantly　turning　it　into　a　shambles　of　jagged　steel。　Then；　as　if　on　cue；　the　Oregon's　last　two　torpedoes　smashed　into　the　Chengdo's　hull；　one　of　them　miraculously　entering　through　a　previous　hole　made　by　one　of　its　predecessors。　The　destroyer　shuddered　as　a　great　thunderous　roar　exploded　in　her　bowels；　lifting　her　hull　nearly　clear　of　the　water。　A　blossoming　ball　of　fire　bloomed　around　her；　and　then；　like　a　great；　mortally　wounded　animal；　she　shuddered　and　died。　Three　minutes　later　she　was　gone　amid　a　great　hissing　sound　and　column　of　black　smoke　that　spiraled　upward　and　merged　with　the　night　sky；　hiding　the　stars。
　
　The　shock　wave　swept　against　the　Oregon；　and　the　following　tidal　surge　from　the　sinking　destroyer　rocked　her　as　if　she　was　landlocked　in　an　earthquake。　On　the　bridge；　Cabrillo　had　not　seen　the　final　death　throes　of　the　Chengdo。　Only　seconds　before　Pitt's　shrewdly　directed　fire　turned　her　into　a　smoldering　wreck；　the　destroyer's　light　guns　had　converged　their　fire　on　the　bridge；　pounding　it　into　a　shower　of　debris　and　shattered　glass；　as　if　struck　by　a　thousand　sledgehammers。　Cabrillo　felt　the　air　tear　apart　around　him　in　a　concert　of　explosions。　His　arms　flailed　at　the　air　as　he　was　struck　and　hurled　backward　from　the　bridge　into　the　wheelhouse。　He　fell　to　the　deck；　closed　his　eyes　tightly　and　wrapped　his　arms　around　the　brass　binnacle　and　held　on。　A　shell　had　smashed　through　his　right　leg　below　the　knee；　but　Cabrillo　experienced　no　pain。　And　then　he　heard　a　tremendous　eruption　and　felt　a　rush　of　air；　followed　by　an　almost　eerie　silence。
　
　On　the　deck　below；　Pitt　released　the　trigger　grip　and　retraced　his　steps　through　the　wreckage　littering　the　cargo　deck。　He　reached　Giordino　and　helped　him　upright。　Giordino　put　his　arm　around　Pitt's　waist　to　steady　himself；　and　then　withdrew　it；　staring　at　a　hand　stained　with　red。　〃It　appears　to　me　that　you've　developed　a　leak。〃
　
　Pitt　gave　him　a　tight　grin。　〃I　must　remember　to　stick　my　finger　in　it。〃
　
　Assured　Pitt's　wound　was　not　serious；　Giordino　gestured　at　Seng　and　the　others　and　said；　〃These　guys　are　seriously　injured。　We　must　help　them。〃
　
　〃Do　what　you　can　to　make　them　fortable　until　the　ship's　surgeon　can　tend　to　them；〃　Pitt　said　as　he　looked　up　at　the　ruins　of　what　had　been　the　bridge；　now　a　tangled　mass　of　debris。　〃If　Cabrillo　is　still　alive　I　should　try　to　help　him。〃
　
　The　ladder　to　the　bridge　wing　from　the　cargo　deck　was　a　tangled　piece　of　scrap；　and　Pitt　had　to　scale　the　shell…riddled；　twisted　mass　of　steel　that　had　been　the　aft　superstructure　to　reach　the　wheelhouse。　The　shattered　interior　was　deadly　quiet。
　
　The　only　sounds　came　from　the　racing　beat　of　the　engines　and　the　rash　of　water　along　the　hull　as　the　badly　punished　ship　raced　from　the　scene　of　the　battle；　strangely　enhancing　the　eerie　silence。　Pitt　slowly　entered　Satan's　scrap　heap；　stepping　over　the　rabble。
　
　There　were　no　bodies　of　a　helmsman　or　first　officer　in　the　wheelhouse…all　fire…bat　systems　had　been　operated　from　the　control　center　under　the　forecastle。　Cabrillo　had　observed　and　directed　the　battle　alone　on　the　seldom…used　bridge。　Through　the　edge　of　unconsciousness　he　saw　a　vague　figure　approach　and　push　aside　the　splintered　remains　of　the　door。　Awkwardly；　he　straggled　to　sit　up。　One　leg　responded　but　the　other　proved　powerless。　His　thoughts　seemed　lost　in　a　fog。　He　was　only　dimly　aware　of　someone　kneeling　beside　him。
　
　〃Your　leg　took　a　nasty　hit；〃　said　Pitt　as　he　tore　off　his　shirt　and　tightened　it　above　the　wound　to　stop　the　bleeding。　〃How's　the　rest　of　you？〃
　Cabrillo　held　up　the　remains　of　a　shattered　pipe。　〃The　bastards　rained　my　best　briar。〃
　
　〃You're　lucky　it　wasn't　your　skull。〃　Reaching　up；　Cabrillo　grasped　Pitt's　arm。　〃You　made　it　through。　I　thought　you　bought　a　tombstone　for　sure。〃
　〃Didn't　someone　tell　you；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃I'm　indestructible；　thanks　in　large　part　to　the　body　armor　you　suggested　I　check　out。〃
　〃The　Chengdo？〃
　〃Settling　in　the　mud　on　the　bottom　of　the　China　Sea　about　now。〃
　〃Survivors　from　the　destroyer？〃
　〃Hanley　has　his　engines　wound　as　tight　as　they'll　go。　I　don't　think　he　has　any　inclination　to　slow　down；　turn　around；　go　back　and　see。〃
　〃How　badly　were　we　mauled？〃　Cabrillo　asked　as　his　eyes　began　to　focus　again。
　〃Other　than　looking　like　she　was　trampled　by　Godzilla；　there　isn't　any　damage　a　few　weeks　in　a　shipyard　won't　cure。〃　〃Casualties？〃
　〃About　five；　maybe　six　wounded；　including　yourself；〃　answered　Pitt。　〃No　dead　or　injured　below　decks　that　I'm　aware　of。〃
　〃I　want　to　thank　you；〃　said　Cabrillo。　He　could　feel　himself　getting　faint　from　loss　of　blood；　and　he　wanted　to　get　it　in。
　〃You　fooled　both　me　and　the　Chinese　boarding　party　with　your　fake…hands…in…the…air　routine。　If　you　hadn't　taken　them　out；　the　oute　might　have　been　different。〃
　〃I　had　help　from　four　good　men；〃　Pitt　said　as　he　knotted　the　tourniquet　on　Cabrillo's　leg。
　〃It　took　a　ton　of　guts　to　ran　across　that　shell…swept　deck　to　man　the　Oerlikons。〃
　Having　done　all　he　could　until　Cabrillo　could　be　carried　to　the　ship's　hospital；　Pitt　sat　ba