cc.floodtide-第84部分

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allowed　himself　the　luxury　of　a　cup　of　tea。
　〃Only　twelve　more　miles　until　we're　there；〃　said　Ming　Lin。　His　words　were　not　a　report　but　came　as　casually　as　a　statement　that　the　weather　was　mild。　〃Twenty　minutes；　twenty…five　at　most。〃
　Hung…chang　was　just　finishing　his　tea　when　a　crewman　who　was　standing　watch　on　the　starboard　bridge　wing　leaned　through　the　door　of　the　wheelhouse。　〃Aircraft；　Captain。　Approaching　from　the　north。　Sounds　like　helicopters。〃
　He　had　hoped　for　a　radar　installation；　but　Qin　Shang；　knowing　the　United　States　was　on　her　final　voyage　saw　no　reason　for　the　added　expense。　〃Can　you　tell　how　many？〃
　〃I　count　two　ing　straight　down　the　river；〃　replied　the　crewman；　staring　through　night…vision　glasses。
　
　No　need　for　panic；　thought　Hung…chang。　They　were　either　state　law…enforcement　craft　that　could　do　little　but　issue　warnings　for　the　ship　to　stop；　or　those　chartered　by　the　news　media。
　
　He　raised　his　night…vision　glasses　and　peered　upriver。　Then　the　veins　in　his　neck　became　taut　as　he　recognized　the　helicopters　as　belonging　to　the　military。
　
　In　the　same　moment　a　long　row　of　floodlights　blinked　on；　illuminating　the　river　as　brightly　as　daylight；　and　he　saw　a　convoy　of　armored　tanks　rise　from　the　opposite　side　of　the　east　levee　and　tram　their　guns　on　the　river　channel　where　the　ship　was　about　to　pass。　Hung…chang　was　surprised　to　see　no　rocket　launchers。　Not　trained　in　military　weapons　systems；　he　did　not　recognize　the　National　Guard's　older　M1A1　tanks　with　their　105…millimeter　guns。　But　he　knew　well　the　damage　they　were　capable　of　against　the　unarmored　superliner。
　
　The　two　helicopters；　Sikorsky　H…76　Eagles；　split　apart　and　flew　past　the　side　of　the　ship　on　a　height　even　with　the　upper　deck。　One　slowed　and　hovered　above　the　stern　while　the　other　circled；　drew　even　with　the　wheelhouse　and　trained　a　bright　spotlight　on　it。
　
　A　voice　from　a　loudspeaker　boomed　above　the　thump　of　the　rotor　blades。　〃Bring　your　ship　to　a　halt　immediately！〃
　Hung…chang　gave　no　orders　to　ply。　The　fates　had　suddenly　turned　against　him。　The　Americans　must　have　somehow　been　warned。　They　knew！　Damn　them！　They　knew　that　Qin　Shang　intended　to　destroy　the　levee　and　use　the　superliner　as　a　diverting　dam。
　〃Halt　immediately！〃　the　voice　came　again。　〃We　are　ing　aboard　to　secure　your　ship！〃
　Hung…chang　hesitated　as　he　weighed　his　chances　of　running　the　gauntlet。　He　counted　six　tanks　lined　up　on　the　levee　ahead。　Lacking　missiles　with　powerful　warheads；　the　enemy　would　find　the　great　ship　next　to　impossible　to　sink　by　tank　gunfire　alone。　The　big　engines　were　well　below　the　waterline　and　immune　to　destruction　from　the　surface。　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　Bayou　Goula　and　the　Mystic　Canal　were　only　fifteen　minutes　away　now。　For　a　moment；　he　considered　stopping　the　ship　and　surrendering　to　the　American　military。　But　he　was　mitted。　To　quit　now　would　mean　a　loss　of　face。　He　would　do　nothing　to　dishonor　his　family。　He　made　the　decision　to　keep　going。
　As　if　to　bind　his　mitment；　one　of　the　Chinese　special　forces　team　fired　an　SA…7　Russian…made　man…portable　infrared　homing　antiaircraft　missile　at　the　helicopter　hovering　over　the　stern。　At　less　than　two　hundred　yards　it　was　impossible　to　miss；　even　without　the　homing　system。　The　missile　struck　the　helicopter's　boom　behind　the　fuselage　and　blasted　it　off。　Horizontal　control　was　lost　and　the　craft　spun　crazily　in　circles　before　falling　into　the　river　and　sinking　out　of　sight；　but　not　before　the　two　crewmen　and　ten　troops　inside　managed　to　struggle　clear。
　
　The　men　in　the　second　helicopter　flying　opposite　the　liner's　bridge　were　not　as　lucky。　The　next　missile　blew　it　apart　in　an　explosive　burst　of　fire；　sending　flaming　debris　and　bodies　crashing　into　the　dark　current　of　the　river；　their　grave　swept　clean　by　the　seething　wake　from　the　ship's　propellers。
　
　During　the　death　and　destruction；　Hung…chang　and　the　Chinese　fighting　force　were　unaware　of　the　low…pitched　buzzing　sound　approaching　from　upriver。　Nor　did　any　of　them　see　the　two　black　parachutes　that　fleetingly　hid　the　stars　in　the　night　sky。　Every　eye　was　turned　toward　the　menacing　guns　of　the　tanks；　every　mind　concentrating　on　running　the　gauntlet　of　devastating　fire　they　knew　was　about　to　ravage　them。
　
　Captain　Hung…chang　spoke　quietly　into　the　ship's　phone　to　the　engine　room。　〃Full　ahead；　all　engines。〃
　
　TEN　MINUTES　EARLIER；　FROM　A　SCHOOLYARD　A　BLOCK　FROM　the　river；　Pitt　and　Giordino　lifted　into　the　night　sky。　After　donning　helmets　and　harnesses；　they　strapped　small　motors　that　were　mounted　on　backpacks　across　their　shoulders。　Next；　they　hooked　into　a　thirty…foot…wide　canopy　with　over　fifty　suspension　lines　spread　on　the　turf　and　started　their　little　three…horsepower　engines　that　were　about　the　same　size　as　those　used　on　power　mowers　and　chainsaws。　For　stealth；　the　exhaust　manifolds　were　specially　muffled；　emitting　only　a　soft　popping　sound。　The　propellers；　looking　more　like　the　wide　blades　on　a　fan　and　encased　behind　a　wire　cage　so　as　not　to　entangle　their　lines；　bit　the　air。　After　Pitt　and　Giordino　ran　a　few　steps；　the　thrust　of　the　motors　took　over；　the　230…square…foot　canopies　inflated　and　the　two　men　lifted　into　the　sky。
　
　Except　for　wearing　a　steel　helmet　and　a　body…armor　vest；　the　only　weapon　Giordino　carried　was　Pitt's　12…gauge　Aserma　Bulldog；　which　was　slung　across　his　chest。　Pitt　elected　his　battle…scarred　Colt　automatic。　Heavier　weapons　would　have　made　it　difficult　to　keep　the　paraplanes　and　their　tiny　engines　in　the　air。　There　were　other　considerations　as　well。　Their　mission　was　not　to　engage　in　bat　but　to　reach　the　wheelhouse　and　gain　control　of　the　ship。　The　Army　assault　team　was　relied　on　to　handle　any　fighting。
　Too　late；　only　after　they　were　in　the　air；　did　they　see　the　Array　helicopters　shot　out　of　the　sky。
　Less　than　an　hour　after　the　United　States　bypassed　New　Orleans；　Pitt　and　Giordino　met　with　General　Oskar　Olson；　General　Montaigne's　old　army　buddy　and　mander　of　the　National　Guard　of　Louisiana；　at　the　Guard　Headquarters　in　Baton　Rouge；　the　state　capital　of　Louisiana。　He　had　strictly　forbidden　Pitt　and　Giordino　to　acpany　his　assault　team；　brushing　aside　their　argument　that　they　were　the　only　marine　engineers　on　the　scene　familiar　with　the　deck　plan　of　the　United　States；　and　knowledgeable　enough　to　take　control　of　the　wheel…house　and　stop　the　ship　before　it　reached　Bayou　Gouia。
　
　〃This　is　an　Army　show；〃　Olson　declared；　rapping　the　knuckles　of　one　hand　into　the　palm　of　the　other。　For　a　man　in　his　late　fifties；　he　was　youthful…looking；　confident　and　buoyant。　He　was　about　the　same　size　as　Pitt　but　with　a　slight　paunch　at　the　waist　that　es　to　most　all　men　as　they　age。　〃There　may　be　bloodshed。　I　can't　allow　civilians　to　get　hurt；　and　certainly　not　you；　Mr。　Pitt；　not　the　son　of　a　United　States　senator。　I　don't　need　the　hassle。　If　my　men　can't　stop　the　ship；　I'll　order　them　to　run　it　ashore。〃
　
　〃Is　that　your　only　plan　after　the　ship　is　secured？〃　asked　Pitt。
　〃How　else　do　you　stop　a　vessel　the　size　of　the　Empire　State　Building？〃
　〃The　length　of　the　United　States　is　more　than　the　width　of　the　river　below　Baton　Rouge。　Unless　someone　stands　at　the　helm　who　knows　how　to　mand　the　automated　systems；　the　ship　could　easily　go　out　of　control　and　swing　broadside　across　the　channel　before　ramming　both　bow　and　stern　into　the　riv…erbanks…a　barrier　that　would　effectively　block　all　barge　traffic　for　months。〃
　〃Sorry；　gentlemen；　I'm　mitted；〃　said　Olson；　smiling；　showing　even　but　gapped　white　teeth。　〃Only　after　the　ship　has　been　secured　will　I　allow　you　and　Mr。　Giordino　to　be　airlifted　aboard。　Then　you　can　do　your　thing　and　bring　that　monster　to　a　quick　halt　and　anchor　her　before　she　bees　a　menace　to　river　traffic。〃
　〃If　it's　all　the　same　to　you；　General；〃　said　Pitt　without　warmth；　〃Al　and　I　will　make　our　own　arrangements　to　e　aboard。〃
　Olson　did　not　immediately　absorb　Pitt's　words；　his　olive…brown　eyes　were　far　away。　They　were　the　eyes　of　an　old　warhorse　whose　nose　had　not　sniffed　the　smells　of　bat　for　two　decades　but　sensed　one　more　battle　was　ing　his　way。　〃I　warn　you；　Mr。　Pitt；　I　will　not　tolerate　any　foolishness　or　interference。　You　will　obey　my　orders。〃
　〃A　question；　General；　if　you　please？〃　said　Giordino。
　〃Shoot。〃
　〃If　your　team　fails　to　take　the　ship；　what　then？〃
　〃As　insurance；　I　have　a　squadron　of　six　MlAl　tanks；　two　self…propelled　howitzers　and　a　mobile　one…hundred…six…millimeter　mortar　on　their　way　to　the　levee　a　few　miles　downriver。　More　than　enough　firepower　to　blast　the　United　States　into　scrap。〃
　Pitt　gave　General　Olson　a　very　skeptical　look　indeed；　but　made　no　effort　to　reply。
　〃If　that's　it；　gentlemen；　I　have　an　attack　to　carry　out。〃　Then；　as　if　he　was　a　school　principal　dismissing　a　pair　of　unruly　boys；　General　Oskar　Olson　marched　back　to　his　office　and　closed　the　door。
　
　The　original　plan　of　landing　on　the　ship　after　it　was　seized　by　the　Army　assault　team　went　down　the　toilet　in　less　time　than　it　takes　to　tell；　Giordino　mused　ironically；　as　he　flew　less　than　fifty　feet　behind　Pitt　and　slightly　above。　He　didn't　need　a　diagram　on　a　blackboard　to　know　their　odds　of　being　riddled　with　bullets　or　blasted　into　tiny　molecules　by　heavy　firearms　were　somewhere　between　ordained　and　a　sure　thing。　And　if　those　options　weren't　bad　enough；　there　was　still　the　onslaught　from　the　Army　to　live　through。
　Dropping　onto　a　rapidly　moving　ship　in　the　dead　of　night　without　breaking　several　bones　will　not　be　a　routine　affair；　thought　Pitt。　Faced　with　an　inconceivable　landing；　their　biggest　difficulty　would　be　the　forty…mile…an…hour　speed　of　the　ship　versus　the　barely　twenty…five…mile　crawl　of　the　paraplanes。　Only　by　ing　in　downwind　of　the　ship　could　they　increase　their　airspeed。
　
　They　could　lower　the　odds　slightly；　he　reasoned；　by　flying　downriver；　meeting　the　ship　and　circling　in　as　it　slowed　while　turning　through　the　sharp　bend　at　the　old　Evan　Hall　plantation。
　Pitt　wore　yellow…lensed　glasses　to　soften　the　darkness；　and　relied　on　the　ambient　illumination　from　the　houses　and　cars　traveling　on　the　highways　and　roads　on　both　sides　of　the　river　to　guide　his　descent。　Though　he　was　in　full　control；　he　felt　as　if　he　was　falling　into　a　deep　crevasse　with　some　unspeakable　minota