cc.floodtide-第87部分

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　Pitt　grabbed　Giordino's　arm　to　get　his　attention。　〃We've　got　to　get　to　the　bridge…〃
　His　voice　was　cut　off　in　a　painful　gasp；　his　arms　and　legs　suddenly　thrust　into　the　air　as　his　body　was　catapulted　against　a　ventilator；　driving　the　air　from　his　lungs。　A　tremendous　blast　rang　in　his　ears　as　the　deck　beneath　him　was　heaved　up　in　an　enormous　explosion。　A　shell　from　a　howitzer　had　smashed　into　the　crew's　cabins　below　and　burst；　leaving　a　jagged　hole　filled　with　tangled　wreckage　and　shattered　metal。　Almost　before　the　debris　had　settled；　Pitt　was　fighting　off　the　blackness　that　seeped　into　his　vision。　With　agonizing　slowness　he　forced　himself　to　sit　up。　His　first　words　muttered　through　a　cut　and　bleeding　lip　were；　〃Damn　the　Army；　damn　their　hides。〃　But　he　knew　they　were　just　doing　their　job；　fighting　for　their　own　lives；　and　doing　it　well。
　The　mist　slowly　cleared　from　his　mind；　but　there　were　still　blinding　flashes　of　white　and　orange　colors　before　his　eyes。　He　looked　down　and　saw　that　Giordino　was　lying　across　his　legs。　He　reached　out　and　shook　his　shoulder。　〃Al；　are　you　hurt？〃
　Giordino　blinked　one　of　his　dark　brooding　eyes　open　and　stared　up。　〃Hurt？　I　feel　like　I've　had　root　canals　all　over　my　body。〃
　As　they　lay　recovering；　another　wave　of　shells　pounded　into　the　ship。　The　tanks　had　lowered　their　guns　now　and　were　firing　into　the　steel　hull。　Now　their　high…explosive　antitank　armor　began　to　score；　burning　through　the　steel　hull　plates　before　smashing　into　one　of　the　thousands　of　the　ship's　bulkheads　and　exploding。　One　howitzer　zeroed　in　on　the　bridge　and　soon　the　structure　became　a　mass　of　jagged　wreckage　that　looked　as　if　a　giant　had　chopped　it　with　a　cleaver。　The　great　ship　stubbornly　bored　through　the　exploding　hell；　looming　huge　in　front　of　the　gunners　as　they　loaded　and　fired　with　incredible　calm。　The　national　guardsmen；　often　called　weekend　warriors；　fought　like　seasoned　veterans。　But　like　a　wounded　whale　that　shook　off　a　cloud　of　harpoons　and　swam　on；　the　United　States　absorbed　the　punishment　they　dished　out　without　so　much　as　a　fractional　drop　in　speed。
　
　The　ship　was　almost　past　the　gauntlet　now。　Desperately；　the　forces　on　the　levee　loosed　one　final　wall　of　devastating　fire　that　tore　the　night　air　apart。　A　crescendo　of　explosions　rocked　the　battered；　once…proud　superliner。　There　was　no　fire；　no　mushrooming　balls　of　flame　or　billowing　clouds　of　smoke。　Her　designer　William　Francis　Gibbs；　would　have　been　saddened　by　her　mauling　but　pleased　that　his　fetish　for　fireproofing　had　resisted　any　attempt　to　turn　his　achievement　into　a　fiery　shambles。　In　his　mand　vehicle；　Colonel　Turner　watched　in　utter　frustration　as　the　juggernaut　showed　her　stern　and　disappeared　into　the　night。
　
　Without　warning；　three　figures　rushed　out　of　the　blackness　toward　Pitt　and　Giordino。　A　burst　of　gunfire　cut　across　the　deck。　Giordino　stumbled　but　regained　his　feet；　firing　off　a　blast　from　the　12…gauge　Aserma　that　dropped　the　Chinese　who　had　managed　to　squeeze　the　trigger　of　his　Chinese…copied　Kalash…nikov　AKM　automatic　rifle。　Then　the　remaining　four　men　fell　on　each　other　in　a　thrashing　melee　of　bodies。　Pitt　felt　the　muzzle　of　a　gun　jam　into　his　ribs；　but　he　knocked　it　aside　a　millisecond　before　a　stream　of　bullets　whipped　past　his　hip。　He　brought　the　Colt's　barrel　down　on　his　opponent's　head　once；　twice；　three　times　and　clubbed　him　to　the　deck。　In　icy　disregard　for　his　injury；　Giordino　thrust　his　shotgun　against　his　assailant's　chest　at　the　same　time　he　pulled　the　trigger。　The　Aserma's　muzzle　erupted　with　a　muffled　roar　that　knocked　the　Chinese　fighter　backward　as　if　he　had　been　jerked　off　his　feet　by　a　horse　galloping　in　the　opposite　direction。　Only　then　did　the　feisty　little　Italian　crumple　to　the　deck。
　
　Pitt　dropped　to　his　friend's　side。　〃Where　are　you　hit？〃
　〃The　bastard　got　me　in　the　leg　above　the　knee；〃　Giordino　answered　in　a　hoarse　grunt。　〃I　think　it's　broken。〃
　〃Let　me　take　a　look。〃
　Giordino　pushed　Pitt　away。　〃Never　mind　me。　Get　to　the　bridge　and　stop　this　tub　before　the　levee　blows。〃　Then　he　forced　a　grin　through　the　pain。　〃That's　what　we　came　for。〃
　There　were　only　two　more　miles　left　to　go　and　five　minutes　to　get　there。　And　then　Pitt　was　charging　like　a　demon；　struggling　through　the　shattered　wreckage　toward　the　remains　of　the　wheelhouse。　He　fought　his　way　through　the　maze　of　fallen　wires　left　by　the　broken　foremast　and　came　to　a　shocked　halt。　The　bridge　structure　hardly　existed　anymore。　Nothing　could　be　recognized　of　it。　The　walls　of　the　wheelhouse　looked　to　have　collapsed　outward。　Miraculously；　the　interior　console　had　survived　with　minor　damage。　The　body　of　Captain　Li　Hung…chang　lay　on　the　floor　covered　with　glass　and　debris。　His　fixed　expression；　his　open；　staring　eyes　and　few　spots　of　blood　on　his　uniform　almost　made　him　seem　as　though　he　was　looking　up　through　the　vanished　roof；　staring　at　the　stars。　Pitt　instantly　recognized　that　he　had　been　killed　by　concussion。
　
　The　master　helmsman　still　stood；　his　lifeless　hands　gripping　the　wheel。　It　seemed　that　a　curse　from　the　devil　had　refused　to　let　him　fall　beside　his　captain。　Pitt　saw　with　blood…chilling　horror　that　his　head　was　gone；　taken　off　cleanly　at　the　shoulders。
　
　Pitt　glanced　through　the　shattered　remains　of　the　bridge　window。　Mystic　Canal　was　less　than　a　mile　away。　Far　below；　the　crew　had　abandoned　the　engine　room　and　were　rushing　onto　the　outer　decks　in　expectation　of　being　evacuated　by　helicopter。
　
　All　gunfire　had　stopped　now　and　the　thunderous　tumult　became　a　hushed　and　unimaginable　silence。　Pitt's　hands　played　over　the　levers　and　switches　of　the　console；　trying　frantically　to　cut　all　power　throughout　the　ship。　But　without　a　chief　engineer　to　carry　out　the　mands；　the　enormous　turbines　ignored　any　attempt　to　stop　them。　No　power　on　earth　could　stop　the　United　States　now。　Her　massive　bulk　and　incredible　impetus　drove　her　on。　In　his　final　moment　of　life　Ming　Lin　had　begun　to　rum　the　wheel　and　send　the　ship　on　an　oblique　angle；　lining　her　up　to　be　scuttled；　as　dictated　by　Qin　Shang's　master　plan。　Her　bow　was　already　ing　around　toward　the　east　bank　of　the　river。
　
　Pitt　knew　the　explosive　charges　far　below　in　the　ship's　bilge　were　set　and　timed　to　go　off　and　sink　the　ship　at　any　second。　He　wasted　no　time　in　staring　helplessly　at　the　obscene　apparition　at　the　helm。　He　pushed　the　mutilated　body　off　to　one　side　and　took　the　wheel　at　the　exact　instant　the　trucks　on　the　highway；　now　only　a　few　hundred　yards　away；　exploded　with　a　thunderous　roar　that　shook　the　ground　and　churned　the　river。　He　felt　the　icy　needles　of　disaster　in　his　spine。　Hopelessness　swamped　him　in　a　fleeting　rage。　But　his　resolve；　his　infinite　endurance；　would　never　allow　him　to　fail。　He　had　developed　a　sixth　sense　after　having　survived　death　over　the　years。　The　fear　of　hopelessness　came　and　went。　He　was　oblivious　to　anything　and　everything；　except　for　what　he　must　do。
　
　With　unwavering　concentration；　he　gripped　the　wheel　and　desperately　spun　it；　turning　the　rudder　to　head　the　ship　on　a　new　course　before　her　bottom　was　blown　out。
　
　Back　on　the　deck　beneath　the　colossal　funnels　where　Pitt　had　left　him；　Al　Giordino　pulled　himself　up　against　the　base　of　a　ventilator。　The　pain　in　his　leg　had　receded　to　little　more　than　a　dull　ache。　Running　figures　suddenly　appeared；　dressed　head　to　toe　in　black　night…fighting　attire。　Believing　him　to　be　among　the　dead　scattered　about　the　deck；　they　rushed　past　and　ignored　him。　As　he　lay　there　a　black　helicopter　abruptly　shot　out　of　the　dark　and　darted　over　the　east　levee。　The　pilot　did　not　waste　moments　hovering　but　dove　right　in；　barely　clearing　the　aft　railing　by　less　than　two　feet　and　dropping　onto　the　same　deck　behind　the　rear　funnel　where　Giordino　and　Pitt　had　landed　their　paraplanes。　Almost　before　the　helicopter's　wheels　slammed　onto　the　deck；　Qin　Shang's　men　were　diving　inside　through　the　open　door　in　the　fuselage。
　
　Giordino　checked　the　drum　on　his　Aserma　shotgun　and　counted　seven　12…gauge　rounds　left。　He　leaned　to　one　side；　stretched　out　his　hand　and　retrieved　a　Kalashnikov　AKM　rifle　dropped　by　one　of　the　dead　ship　defenders。　He　punched　out　the　clip　and　noted　that　it　was　only　a　quarter　empty　before　shoving　it　back　in　the　magazine。　Wincing　from　pain；　he　struggled　to　one　knee　and　aimed　the　Aserma　at　the　helicopter；　keeping　the　AKM　automatic　rifle　as　a　backup。
　
　His　eyes　did　not　blink；　his　face　was　still。　There　was　no　sensation　of　coldness；　no　pitiless　thoughts　running　through　his　mind；　but　more　a　perception　of　detachment。　These　men　did　not　belong　here。　They　came　to　kill　and　cause　destruction。　To　Giordino's　way　of　thinking；　allowing　them　to　escape　unpunished　was　a　crime　in　itself。　He　stared　at　the　men　inside　the　helicopter；　who　began　to　laugh　with　satisfaction　in　the　belief　they　had　won　out　over　the　stupid　Americans。　Giordino　became　mad；　madder　than　he　had　ever　been。
　〃How　do　I　hate　you；〃　he　muttered　angrily。　〃Let　me　count　the　ways。〃
　
　With　the　last　man　aboard；　the　pilot　lifted　the　craft　vertically　into　the　air。　Buffeted　by　its　own　downdraft；　it　hung　for　a　few　moments　before　slipping　sideways　and　aiming　its　bow　toward　the　east。　At　that　instant；　Giordino　opened　up；　pumping　round　after　round　into　the　turbine　engines　mounted　below　the　rotor。　He　could　see　the　twelve…gauge　magnum…charged　pellets　tearing　holes　in　the　cowlings　but　without　seeming　effect。
　
　He　pumped　out　his　last　casing；　dropped　the　Aserma　and　snatched　up　the　AKM。　There　was　a　thin　wisp　of　smoke　ing　from　the　port　turbine　now；　but　the　helicopter　showed　no　other　signs　of　vital　damage。　There　was　no　infrared　laser　pointer　on　the　rifle；　and　Giordino　disregarded　the　night　scope　mounted　on　the　barrel。　A　large　target　at　this　distance　was　hard　to　miss。　He　peered　over　the　iron　sights　at　the　great　bird　about　to　disappear　and　pulled　the　trigger　evenly　on　semiautomatic。　After　pounding　the　final　shot　home；　Giordino　could　do　no　more　that　hope　that　he　had　at　least　wounded　the　bird　to　a　condition　where　it　could　not　reach　its　destination。　The　helicopter　seemed　to　hang　before　falling　backward　in　a　tail…low　attitude。　It　was　clearly　out　of　control　now　as　flames　shot　out　of　both　turbines。　Then　it　was　falling　like　a　rock；　crashing　onto　the　stern　deck　before　exploding　in　a