cc.floodtide-第88部分

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　a　rock；　crashing　onto　the　stern　deck　before　exploding　in　a　solid　wall　of　flame　that　shot　straight　up　in　the　air。　Within　seconds；　the　stem　became　a　raging　inferno；　radiating　heat　and　fire　with　the　energy　of　a　blast　furnace。
　
　Giordino　threw　the　gun　aside　as　the　shooting　pain　in　his　broken　leg　returned　with　a　vengeance。　He　gazed　approvingly　at　the　blazing；　twisted　tongue　of　fire　shooting　into　the　sky。　〃Damn；〃　he　murmured　softly。　〃I　forgot　the　marshmallows。〃
　
　THE　EXPLOSION　THUNDERED　IN　THE　EARS　OF　THE　SOLDIERS　and　sheriff's　deputies　who　had　stopped　just　half　a　mile　from　the　two　semitrucks　and　trailers。　The　sky　tore　apart　in　a　violent；　demented　convulsion　of　pressed　air　as　the　horrendous　detonation　tore　the　heart　out　of　the　levee。　Seconds　later；　the　eruption　of　the　pressure　wave　stunned　them；　followed　by　a　blast　of　dirt　from　the　levee　and　concrete　from　the　highway。　Then　flaming　metal　from　the　shattered　trucks　rained　down　from　a　world　in　chaos。　As　if　given　a　universal　order；　everyone　ducked　behind　or　under　his　vehicle　to　shield　himself　from　the　storm　of　debris。
　
　Sandecker　threw　up　an　arm　to　protect　his　eyes　from　the　blinding　flash　and　flying　fragments。　The　air　felt　thick　and　charged　with　electricity　as　a　great　roar　pounded　his　ears。　A　huge　ball　of　fire　rose　and　mushroomed；　spreading　into　the　sky；　transforming　into　a　swirling　black　cloud　that　blotted　out　the　stars。
　
　And　then　all　eyes　turned　back　to　where　a　hundred　yards　of　highway；　the　levee　and　the　two　big　trucks　once　stood。　All　had　disintegrated。　None　of　those　standing　there　in　shock　were　prepared　for　the　horrific　spectacle　that　avalanched　through　the　vanished　remains　of　the　levee。　To　a　man　they　stood　numbed　by　the　rumbling　reverberation　in　their　ears　that　slowly　faded；　only　to　be　replaced　with　a　far　more　ominous　sound；　an　unbelievably　loud　hissing　and　sucking　sound　as　a　seething　wall　of　water　gushed　catastrophically　into　the　waiting　arms　of　the　Mystic　Canal；　dredged　by　Qin　Shang　for　this　very　event。
　
　For　one　long；　terrible　minute　they　stared　bleakly　through　disbelieving　eyes；　hypnotically　drawn　to　a　cataract　so　violent　that　it　could　not　be　conceived　unless　witnessed。　They　watched　impotently　as　millions　of　gallons　of　water　poured　through　the　breach　in　the　highway　and　levee；　dragged　by　the　natural　laws　of　gravity　and　impelled　by　the　force　of　the　river's　mass　and　current。　It　exploded　into　a　wall　of　boiling　water　with　nothing　to　stop　its　great　momentum　as　it　began　draining　off　the　main　flow　of　the　Mississippi。
　
　The　great　destroying　flood　tide　was　on　its　way；　oblivion　in　the　making。
　
　Unlike　ocean　tidal　waves；　there　was　no　trough。　Behind　the　crest；　the　fluid　mass　moved　without　the　slightest　suggestion　of　distortion；　its　texture　smooth　and　rolling；　surging　with　immeasurable　energy。
　
　What　was　left　of　the　abandoned　town　of　Calzas　was　inundated　and　swept　away。　Nearly　thirty　feet　high；　the　irresistible；　seething　mass　engulfed　the　marshlands　as　it　hurled　toward　the　waiting　arms　of　the　Atchafalaya　River。　A　small　cabin　cruiser；　with　its　four　occupants　in　the　wrong　part　of　the　river；　at　the　wrong　time；　was　sucked　into　the　breach；　where　it　plunged　dizzily　through　the　wild　maelstrom　and　vanished。　No　act　of　man　could　halt　the　raging　wall　of　uncontrollable　water　as　it　rushed　across　the　valley　before　advancing　toward　the　Gulf；　where　its　muddy　flow　would　be　absorbed　by　the　sea。
　
　Sandecker；　Olson　and　the　other　men　on　the　highway　could　do　nothing　but　watch　the　nightmarish　disaster　like　eyewitnesses　at　a　train　derailment；　unable　to　fathom　the　unrelenting　cataclysm　that　could　penetrate　and　crush　concrete；　wood；　steel　and　flesh。　They　watched　silently　in　the　face　of　what　appeared　to　promise　inevitable　calamity；　their　faces　tightened　in　expressionless　masks。　Gunn　shivered　and　looked　away　toward　the　Mississippi。
　
　〃The　ship！〃　he　shouted　above　the　rush　of　the　flood。　He　pointed　excitedly。　〃The　ship！〃
　
　In　almost　the　same　terror…bred　moment　in　time；　the　United　States　came　rushing　past。　Mesmerized　by　the　awesome　spectacle　of　the　unleashed　flood　tide；　they　had　forgotten　about　her。　Their　eyes　followed　Gunn's　outstretched　hand　and　finger；　seeing　an　unending　black　silhouette　emerge　from　the　night；　a　tangible　monster　from　the　darkness。　Her　superstructure；　fore　and　aft；　was　blasted　into　a　shell…torn；　jagged　mass　of　indescribable　shambles。　Her　foremast　was　gone；　her　funnels　raked　and　holed；　great　gaps　of　twisted　steel　ripped　into　the　sides　of　her　hull。
　
　But　still　she　came；　propelled　by　her　great　engines；　bent　on　adding　her　weight　to　the　devastation。　There　was　no　stopping　her。　She　passed　them　by　at　a　tremendous　rate　of　speed；　her　bows　throwing　up　a　great　sheet　of　water　as　she　drove　against　the　current　under　full　power。　Despite　the　fact　she　had　been　used　to　cause　death　and　destruction；　she　looked　magnificent。　No　man　who　saw　her　that　night　would　ever　forget　that　they　were　seeing　a　legend　die。　No　drama　was　ever　played　to　a　more　climactic　ending。
　
　They　stared　enthralled；　expecting　to　see　her　hull　turn　and　slant　across　the　river　in　preparation　of　her　role　of　being　a　dam　to　cast　the　Mississippi　away　from　her　established　channel　forever。　Their　convictions　seemed　verified　as　waterspouts　burst　alongside　her　hull。
　〃Mother　of　God！〃　muttered　Olson　in　shock。　〃They've　blown　the　charges！　She's　going　down！〃
　Any　shred　of　misplaced　hope　any　of　them　had　of　the　Corps　stemming　the　flow　was　gone　now　as　the　glorious　superliner　began　to　settle　in　the　water。
　
　But　the　United　States　was　not　headed　on　a　course　to　bury　her　bows　in　the　east　bank　with　her　stern　slanted　across　the　river　toward　the　west。　She　was　running　straight　up　the　center　of　the　main　channel；　ever　so　slowly　curving　toward　the　Niagara…like　falls　roaring　through　the　breach。
　
　Pitt　stood　and　clutched　the　wheel；　now　jammed　against　its　stop。　He　had　turned　the　rudder　as　far　as　it　could　go。　His　calculated　determination　could　do　no　more。　He　felt　the　ship　shudder　as　the　explosive　charges　blew　great　holes　in　her　bottom；　and　he　cursed　himself　for　not　being　able　to　control　the　speed　or　somehow　reverse　the　port　propellers　and　twist　the　ship　in　a　tighter　turn。　But　the　automated　control　system　had　been　shut　down　by　damage　from　the　Army's　gunfire；　making　it　impossible　without　a　crew　down　in　the　engine　room　to　carry　out　his　course　change。　Then；　with　torturous　slowness；　almost　miraculously；　he　watched　as　the　bow　began　easing　toward　port。
　
　Pitt　felt　his　heart　jump。　Imperceptibly　at　first；　but　as　the　angle　slowly　increased；　the　river's　current　began　nudging　her　starboard　bow　sideways。　It　was　as　though　the　United　States　refused　to　give　up　and　was　not　about　to　pass　from　the　ages　with　a　black　mark　against　her　remarkable　history。　She　had　survived　forty…eight　long　years　of　sailing　the　seas　and　being　laid　up；　and　unlike　many　of　her　sister　ships　who　went　quietly　to　the　scrap　yard；　she　was　not　going　willingly　to　her　death；　but　with　her　heart　and　soul　resisting　to　the　end。
　
　Unerringly；　as　if　Pitt　had　ordained　it；　the　ship's　bow　stem　cut　into　the　steep　slope　on　the　edge　of　the　channel　and　forged　through　the　bottom　mud　on　an　oblique　angle　to　the　levee　two　hundred　feet　beyond　the　breach。　On　a　sharper　angle　she　might　have　driven　straight　through。
　
　The　power　of　the　river's　flow　through　the　gash　blown　out　by　the　explosion　came　into　play　and　helped　slew　her　massive　hull　laterally　against　the　breach。　And　then　as　suddenly　as　the　vast　surge　had　burst　into　the　marshlands；　it　was　dying；　falling　off　to　a　small　torrent　that　curled　around　the　liner's　still…flailing　propellers　at　the　stern。
　
　At　last　she　came　to　a　plete　stop；　her　four　great　bronze　screws　beating　against　the　riverbed；　embedding　their　blades　in　the　mud　until　they　could　turn　no　more。　The　United　States；　the　once…grand　superliner　of　America's　shipping　fleet；　had　finished　her　final　voyage。
　
　Pitt　stood　like　a　man　who　had　run　a　triathlon；　his　head　dropped　over　the　wheel；　his　hands　still　locked　on　the　rim。　He　was　dead…tired；　his　body；　never　fully　recovered　from　the　injuries　received　on　an　island　off　the　coast　of　Australia　only　a　few　weeks　before；　shrieking　for　a　rest。　He　was　so　brain…weary　he　could　not　distinguish　any　separation　of　the　bruises　and　abrasions　suffered　from　the　explosions　or　the　fight　with　the　Chinese　defenders　of　the　ship。　They　all　blended　into　a　growing　sea　of　torment。
　
　It　took　nearly　a　full　minute　before　he　became　dimly　aware　that　the　ship　was　no　longer　moving。　His　legs　could　hardly　keep　him　upright　as　he　released　the　helm　and　turned　to　go　search　for　Giordino。　But　his　friend　was　already　standing　in　the　shattered　doorway；　leaning　on　the　Kalashnikov　AKM　that　he　used　to　shoot　down　the　helicopter；　using　it　as　a　cane。
　
　〃I　have　to　tell　you；〃　Giordino　said　with　a　slight　grin；　〃your　docking　technique　leaves　much　to　be　desired。〃
　〃Give　me　another　hour　of　practice　and　I'll　get　the　hang　of　it；〃　Pitt　replied　in　a　tone　barely　above　a　whisper。
　
　On　shore；　the　sickening　moment　of　panic　had　passed。　They　no　longer　looked　out　across　a　broken　levee　and　saw　a　roaring；　unstoppable　flood。　The　flow　had　fallen　off　to　that　of　a　rushing　stream。　Every　man　on　the　highway　cheered　and　shouted　exultantly；　all　except　Sandecker。　He　gazed　at　the　United　States　through　saddened　eyes。　His　face　was　weary　and　haggard。　〃No　seaman　likes　to　see　a　ship　die；〃　he　said　somberly。　〃But　what　a　noble　death；〃　said　Gunn。　〃I　suppose　there　is　nothing　left　for　her　but　to　be　scrapped。〃　〃It　would　cost　too　many　millions　to　restore　her。〃　〃Dirk　and　Al；　bless　their　hides；　prevented　a　major　disaster。〃　〃A　lot　of　people　will　never　know　how　much　they　owe　those　two　characters；〃　Gunn　agreed。
　
　Already；　a　long　convoy　of　trucks　and　equipment　was　descending　on　both　ends　of　the　break。　Towboats　pushing　barges　loaded　with　huge　stones　were　arriving　from　up　and　down　the　river。　Directed　by　General　Montaigne；　the　Army　Corps　of　Engineers；　seasoned　veterans　at　making　emergency　repairs　along　the　river；　rapidly　deployed。　Every　available　man　and　piece　of　equipment　from　New　Orleans　to　Vicksburg　had　been　marshaled　to　restore　the　levee　and　put　the　highway　back　in　serviceable　order　for　auto　and　truck　traffic。
　
　Thanks　to　the　massive　hull　of　the　United　States　acting　as　a　barrier；　the　flood　tide　that　hurt