alistairmaclean.seawitch-第33部分

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le　recovery。　Marina　stared　at　him　in　astonishment；　then　in　something　approaching　relieved　ire。
　〃Why；　you　deceiving　。。。〃
　〃That's　no　way　to　talk　to　a　wounded　man。〃　He　was　pulling　off　his　white　coat；　coat　and　shirt。　*Tve　never　seen　you　cry　before。　Makes　you　look　even　more　beautiful。　And　that's　real　blood。〃　He　turned　to　Dr。　Greenshaw。　〃Superficial　wound　on　the　left　shoulder；　a　scratch　on　the　right　forearm。　Dead…eye　Dick　himself。　Now　do　a　real　good　job　on　me；　Doc。　Right　arm　bandaged　from　elbow　to　wrist。　Left　arm　bandaged　from　shoulder　to　above　the　elbow　with　a　great　big　sling。　Marina；　even　ravishing　beauties　like　you　carry　face　powder。　I　hope　you're　no　exception。〃
　Not　yet　mollified；　she　said　stiffly：　〃I　have　some。　Baby　powder；〃　she　added　nastily。
　〃Get　it；　please。〃
　Five　minutes　later；　Mitchell　had　been　rendered　into　the　epitome　of　the　walking　wounded。　His　right　arm　was　heavily　bandaged　and　his　left　arm　was　swathed　in　white　from　shoulder　to　wrist。　The　sling　was　voluminous。　His　face　was　very　pale。　He　left　for　his　room　and　returned　a　few　seconds　later。
　〃Where　have　you　been？〃　she　asked　suspiciously。
　He　reached　inside　the　depths　of　the　sling　and　pulled　out　his　silenced　。38。　〃Fully　loaded。〃　He　returned　it　to　its　hiding　place；　where　it　was　quite　invisible。
　〃Never　give　up；　do　you？〃　Her　voice　held　a　curious　mixture　of　awe　and　bitterness。
　〃Not　when　I'm　about　to　be　vaporized。〃
　Dr。　Greenshaw　stared　at　him。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Our　friend　Cronkite　has　heisted　a　couple　of　…tactical　nuclear　weapons。　He　plans　to　finish　off　the　Seawitch　in　Fourth　of　July　style。　He　should　be　here　about　now。　Now；　Doc；　I　want　you　to　do　something　for　me。　Take　the　biggest　medical　bag　you　have　and　tell　Gregson　that　it　is　your　humanitarian　duty　to　go　into　the　occidental　quarters　to　help　any　of　the　dying；　or；　if　necessary；　put　them　out　of　their　agony。　I　know　they've　got　a　fair　supply　of　hand　grenades　in　there。　I　want　some。〃
　
　〃No　sooner　said　than　done。　God；　you　look　awful！　Destroys　my　faith　in　myself　as　a　doctor。〃
　They　went　outside。　Cronkite's　helicopter　was　indeed　just　touching　down。　Cronkite　himself　was　the　first　out；　followed　by　Mulhooney；　the　three　bogus　officers　who　had　stolen　the　nuclear　weapons；　the　mandeered　pilot　and；　lastly；　Easton。　Easton　was　the　unknown　quantity。　Mitchell　did　not　appreciate　it　at　the　time　but　Easton's　Starlight　had　been　so　badly　damaged　by　the　depth　charge　that　it　was　no　longer　serviceable。　Less　than　four　miles　away　what　appeared　to　be　a　coast　guard　cutter　was　heading　straight　for　the　Sea…witch。　It　required　no　guessing　to　realize　that　this　was　the　missing　Hammond；　the　infamous　Tiburon；　the　present　Georgia。
　Dr。　Greenshaw　approached　Gregson。　（Td　like　to　have　a　look　at　what　you've　left　of　those　quarters。　Maybe　there's　someone　still　alive　in　there　。　。　。〃
　Gregson　pointed　to　an　iron　door。　4Tm　more　interested　in　who's　in　there。　Spicer〃…this　to　one　of　his　men…〃a　bazooka　shot　at　that　lock。〃
　'That's　hardly　necessary；〃　Greenshaw　said　mildly。　〃A　knock　from　me　is　all　that's　needed。　That's　mander　Larsen；　the　boss　of　the　oil　rig。　He's　no　enemy　of　yours。　He　just　sleeps　here　because　he　likes　his　privacy。〃　Dr。　Greenshaw　knocked。　〃mander　Larsen；　ifs　okay。　It's　me；　Greenshaw。　e　on　out　If　you　don't；　there're　some　people　who're　going　to　blast　your　door　down　and　you　with　it。　e　on；　man。〃
　There　was　the　turning　of　a　heavy　key　and　Larsen　emerged。　He　looked　dazed；　almost　shell…shocked；　as　well　he　might。　He　said：　〃What　the　hell　goes　on？〃
　〃You've　been　taken　over；　friend；〃　Gregson　said。　Larsen　was　dressed；　Greenshaw　was　pleased　to　note；　in　a　voluminous　lumberjacket　cinched　at　the　waist。　〃Search　him。〃　They　searched　and　found　nothing。
　〃Where's　Scoffield？〃　Larsen　said。　Greenshaw　said：　〃In　the　other　quarters。　He　should　be　okay。〃　〃Palermo？〃
　〃Dead。　And　all　his　men。　At　least　I　think　so。　I'm　just　going　to　have　a　look。〃　Stooping　his　shoulders　to　look　more　nearly　eighty　than　seventy；　Dr。　Greenshaw　shambled　along　the　shattered　corridor；　but　he　could　have　saved　himself　the　trouble　of　acting。　Gregson　had　just　met　Cronkite　outside　the　doorway　and　the　two　men　〃were　talking　in　animated　and　clearly　self…congratulatory　terms。
　After　the　first　few　steps；　Greenshaw　realized　that　there　could　be　nobody　left　alive　in　that　charnel　house。　Those　who　were　dead　were　very　dead　indeed；　most　of　them　destroyed　beyond　recognition；　either　cut　up　by　machine…gun　fire；　shattered　by　bazookas　or　shriveled　by　the　fiame…throwers。　But　he　did　find　the　primary　reason　of　his　visit…a　box　of　hand　grenades　in　prime　condition　and　a　couple　of　Schmeisser　subautomatics；　fully　loaded。　A　few　of　the　grenades　he　stuffed　into　the　bottom　of　his　medical　bag。　He　peered　out　one　of　the　shattered　windows　at　the　back　and　found　the　area　below　in　deep　shadow。　He　carefully　lowered　some　grenades　to　the　platform　and　the　two　Schmeissers　beside　them。　Then　he　made　his　way　outside　again。
　It　was　apparent　that　Cronkite　and　Lord　Worth　had　already　met；　although　the　meeting　could　not　have　been　a　normal　one。　Lord　Worth　was　lying　apparently　senseless　on　his　back；　blood　flowing　from　smashed　lips　and　apparently　broken　nose；　while　both　cheeks　were　badly　bruised。　Marina　was　bending　over　him；　daubing　at　his　wounds　with　a　flimsy　handkerchief。　Cronkite；　his　face　unmarked　but　his　knuckles　bleeding；　had　apparently；　for　the　moment　at　least；　lost　interest　in　Lord　Worth；　no　doubt　waiting　until　Lord　Worth　had　regained　full　consciousness　before　starting　in　on　him　again。
　Lord　Worth　whispered　between　smashed　lips：　〃Sorry；　my　darling；　sorry；　my　beloved。　My　fault　and　all　my　fault。　The　end　of　the　road。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Her　voice　was　as　low　as　his　own；　but　strangely　there　were　no　tears　in　her　eyes。　〃But　not　for　us。　Not　while　Michael　is　alive。〃
　Lord　Worth　looked　at　Michael　through　rapidly　closing　eyes。　〃What　can　a　cripple　like　that　do？〃
　She　said　quietly　but　with　utter　conviction：　〃He'll　kill　Cronkite　and　his　whole　mob。〃
　He　tried　to　smile　through　his　smashed　lips。　〃I　thought　you　hated　killing。〃
　〃Not　vermin。　Not　people　who　do　things　like　this　to　you。〃
　Mitchell　spoke　quietly　to　Dr。　Greenshaw；　then　botH　men　approached　Cronkite　and　Gregson；　who　broke　off　what　appeared　to　be　either　a　discussion　or　an　argument。　Dr。　Greenshaw　said：　〃You've　done　your　damn　murderous　work　all　too　well；　Gregson。　There's　hardly　a　soul　hi　there　even　recognizable　as　a　human　being。〃
　Cronkite　said：　〃Who's　he？〃
　〃A　doctor。〃
　Cronkite　looked　at　Mitchell；　who　was　looking　worse　by　the　minute；　〃And　this？〃
　〃A　scientist。　Shot　by　mistake。〃
　〃He's　in　great　pain；〃　Greenshaw　said。　〃Fve　no　X…ray　equipment；　but　I　suspect　the　arm's　broken　just　below　the　shoulder。〃
　Cronkite　was　almost　jovial；　the　joviality　of　a　man　now　almost　detached　from　reality。　〃An　hour　from　now　he　won't　be　feeling　a　thing。〃
　Greenshaw　said　wearily：　〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean。　I　want　to　take　him　back　to　the　sick　bay　and　give　him　a　pain…killing　injection。〃
　〃Why；　sure：　I　want　everyone　to　be　fully　prepared　for　what's　about　to　happen。〃
　〃And　what's　that？〃
　　〃Later；　later。〃
　Greenshaw　and　the　unsteady　Mitchell　moved　off。　They　reached　the　sick　bay；　passed　inside；　went　through　the　opposite　side　and　made　their　unobserved　way　to　the　radio　room。　Greenshaw　stood　guard　just　inside　the　door　while　Mitchell；　ignoring　the　bound　operator；　went　straight　to　the　transceiver。　He　raised　the　Roamer　inside　twenty　seconds。
　〃Give　me　Captain　Conde。〃
　〃Speaking。〃
　〃On　your　next　circuit　out　to　the　oil　tank　get　around　behind　it；　then　head　south　at　full　speed。　The　Seawitch　has　been　taken　over；　but　I'm　sure　there's　nobody　here　who　can　operate　the　antiaircraft　guns。　Stop　at　twenty　miles　and　issue　a　general　warning　to　all　ships　and　aircraft　not　to　approach　within　twenty　miles　of　the　Seawitch。　You　have　its　co…ordinates。〃
　〃Yes。　But　why…〃
　〃Because　there's　going　to　be　a　mighty　big　bang。　Christ's　sake；　don't　argue。〃
　〃Don't　argue　about　what？〃　a　voice　behind　Mitchell　said。
　Mitchell　turned　round　slowly。　The　man　behind　the　pistol　was　smiling　a　smile　that　somehow　lacked　a　genuine　warmth。　Greenshaw　had　been　pushed　to　one　side　and　the　gun　moved　in　a　slow　arc　covering　them　both。　〃I　got　a　hunch　Gregsoa　would　like　to　see　you　both。〃
　Mitchell　rose；　turned；　half…staggered　and　clutched　his　right　forearm　inside　the　sling。　Greenshaw　said　sharply：　〃God's　sake；　man；　can't　you　see　he's　ill？〃
　The　man　glanced　at　Greenshaw　for　just　a　second；　but　a　second　was　all　that　Mitchell　required。　The　bullet　from　the　silenced　。38　took　the　gunman　through　the　heart。　Mitchell　peered　through　the　doorway。　There　was　a　fair　degree　of　shadow　there；　no　one　in　sight　and　the　edge　of　the　platform　not　more　than　twenty　feet　away。　A　few　seconds　later　the　dead　man　vanished　over　the　edge。　Mitchell　and　Greenshaw　returned　to　the　main　body　of　the　pany　via　the　sick　bay。　Cronkite　and　Gregson　were　still　in　deep　discussion。　Larsen　stood　some　distance　apart；　apparently　in　a　state　of　profound　dejection。　Greenshaw　approached　him　and　said　quietly：　〃How　do　you　feel？〃
　〃How　would　you　feel　if　you　knew　they　intended　to　kill　us　all？〃
　〃You'll　feel　better　soon。　Round　the　back　of　the　building；　when　you　get　the　chance；　you'll　find　some　hand　grenades　which　should　rest　fortably　inside　that　lumberjacket　of　yours。　You'll　also　find　two　loaded　Schmeissers。　I　have　a　few　grenades　in　my　bag　here。　And　Mitchell　has　his　。38　inside　his　sling。〃
　Larsen　took　care　not　to　show　his　feelings。　He　looked　as　morose　as　ever。　All　he　said　was：　〃Boy；　oh　boy；　oh　boy。〃
　Lord　Worth　was　on　his　feet　now；　supported　by　his　daughter。　Mitchell　joined　them。　〃How　do　you　feel？〃
　Lord　Worth　mouthed　his　words　with　understandable　bitterness。　〃I'm　in　great　shape。〃
　〃You'll　feel　better　soon。〃　He　lowered　his　voice　and　spoke　to　Marina。　〃When　I　give　the　word；　say　you　want　to　go　to　the　ladies'　room。　But　don't　go　there。　Go　to　the　generator　room。　You'll　see　a　red　lever　there　marked　'Deck　Lights。'　Pull　it　down。　After　you　count　twenty；　throw　it　back　on　again。〃
　Cronkite　and　Gregson　appeared　to　have　finished　their　discussion。　From　Cronkite's　smile　it　appeared　that　his　view　had　prevailed。　Lord　Worth；　Marina；　Larsen；　Greenshaw　and　Mitchell　stood　together；　a　forlorn　and　huddled　group。　Facing　them　were　the　ranks　of　Cronkite；　Mul…hooney；　Easton；　and　the　bogus　Colonel　Farqu…harson；　Lieuten