mreilly.icestation-第22部分

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　rear　two　covering　their　pursuers　behind；　with　a　space　of　about　ten　yards　between　the　two　pairs。　
　Earlier；　Montana　had　reported　that　all　four　of　the　French　mandos　were　wearing　night…vision　goggles。　They　had　e　prepared。　
　They　continued　to　move　down　the　shaft　fast。　
　Schofield　had　expected　them　to　waste　time　in　the　tunnels　as　they　tried　to　adopt　a　defensive　position。　But　the　French　soldiers　seemed　to　have　other　ideas。　They　darted　into　the　C…deck　tunnels　only　for　so　long　as　it　took　the　Marines　pursuing　them　from　the　levels　above　to　join　them。　Then　suddenly　they　appeared　on　the　catwalk　again　and　made　for　the　rung…ladder　leading　down　to　D…deck。　
　At　that　moment；　Schofield　recalled　something　Trevor　Barnaby　had　once　said　about　strategy。　
　〃Good　strategy　is　like　magic；〃　Barnaby　had　said。　〃Make　your　enemy　look　at　one　hand　while　you're　doing　something　with　the　other。〃　
　〃They're　moving　for　the　southwest　ladder；〃　Montana's　voice　said　in　Schofield's　earpiece。　〃Scarecrow；　you　down　there？〃　
　Schofield　moved　forward　along　the　D…deck　catwalk；　the　world　green　before　his　eyes。　〃We're　on　it。〃　
　He　and　Gant　approached　the　southwest　corner　of　D…deck；　saw　the　rung…ladder　that　led　up　to　C…deck。　
　Schofield　spoke　into　his　mike。　〃Rebound；　where　are　you？〃　
　〃Finishing　up　now；　sir；〃　Rebound's　voice　replied　from　the　storeroom　down　on　E…deck。　
　〃Flanking　west；　Sarge；〃　the　voice　of　José　〃Santa〃　Cruz　said　over　the　inter。　
　Montana's　voice：　〃Keep　'em　ing；　Cruz。　Then　send　'em　down　to　the　Scarecrow。〃　
　On　D…deck；　Schofield　and　Gant　arrived　at　the　rung…ladder。　They　crouched；　leveled　their　weapons　at　the　empty　ladder。　They　heard　boots　stomping　fast　on　the　metal　catwalk　above　them；　heard　the　distinctive　snap…phew！　of　a　crossbow　being　fired。　
　〃They're　ing　to　the　ladder；〃　Santa　Cruz's　voice　said。　
　More　footsteps　clanged　on　the　metal　grating。　
　Any　second　now　。。。　
　Any　second。。。　
　And　then　suddenly；　clunk；　clunk。　
　What　the　hell…　
　〃Marines！　Eyes　shut！　Flasher　on　the　ground！〃　Santa　Cruz's　voice　yelled　suddenly。　
　Schofield　immediately　squeezed　his　eyes　shut　just　as　he　heard　the　stun　grenade　bounce　on　the　metal　deck　above　him。　
　The　stun　grenade　went　off…like　a　flashbulb　on　a　camera…　and　for　a　brief　instant　the　whole　of　Wilkes　Ice　Station　flared　white。　
　Schofield　was　about　to　open　his　eyes　when　suddenly　there　came　a　new　noise　from　his　right。　It　sounded　like　someone　doing　up　a　zipper　really；　really　fast。　
　Schofield　spun　right　and　opened　his　eyes；　and　his　green　world　streaked　laterally。　His　eyes　searched　the　empty　shaft；　but　he　saw　nothing。　
　〃Ah；　shit！〃　Cruz　said。　〃Sir！　One　of　them　just　went　over　the　railing！〃　
　The　zipping　sound　that　Schofield　had　just　heard　suddenly　made　sense。　It　had　been　the　sound　of　someone　rappelling　down　the　central　shaft　on　a　rope。　
　Schofield　froze　for　a　split　second。　
　Such　a　move　wasn't　a　defensive　move　at　all。　
　It　was　a　coordinated　move；　a　planned　move；　an　attacking　move。　
　The　French　weren't　actually　on　the　run。　
　They　were　carrying　out　a　plan　of　their　own。　
　Make　your　enemy　look　at　one　hand　while　you're　doing　something　with　the　other。。。。　
　Like　a　chess　player　caught　in　check　a　second　before　he　intends　to　play　his　own　killing　move；　Schofield　felt　his　mind　start　to　spin。　
　What　were　they　up　to？　
　What　was　their　plan？　
　In　the　end　he　didn't　have　time　to　think　about　it；　because　no　sooner　had　he　heard　Santa　Cruz's　message　than　a　volley　of　arrows　thudded　into　the　ice　wall　all　around　him。　Schofield　ducked　and　spun　and　saw　Gant　dive　to　the　floor　behind　him；　and　then　he　spun　back　round　and　before　he　knew　what　was　happening　a　figure　slid　down　the　rung…ladder　in　front　of　him　and　Schofield　found　himself　standing　face…to…face　with　the　Frenchman　he　knew　as　Jacques　Latissier。　
　
　
　
　Rebound　was　crouched　over　Mother　in　the　storeroom　on　E…deck。　
　Mother　had　tough　veins；　and；　to　make　it　even　more　difficult；　Rebound　was　wearing　his　night…vision　goggles　as　he　tried　to　get　the　needle　into　her　arm。　He'd　missed　the　vein　on　his　first　four　attempts；　and　he　had　only　now　just　managed　to　get　the　IV　line　flowing　into　Mother's　arm。　
　The　IV　done；　Rebound　stood　up　and　was　about　to　leave　Mother　when；　strangely；　he　heard　the　sound　of　soft　footsteps　hurrying　down　the　tunnel　outside　the　darkened　storeroom。　
　Rebound　froze。　
　Listened。　
　The　sound　of　the　footsteps　faded　as　they　hurried　off　down　the　southern　tunnel　outside。　
　Rebound　stepped　forward　and　grabbed　the　doorknob　and　slowly；　quietly；　turned　it。　The　door　opened　and　he　peered　out　into　the　tunnel　through　his　night…vision　goggles。　
　He　looked　left　and　saw　the　pool。　Small　waves　lapped　against　the　sides　of　the　deck。　
　He　looked　right　and　saw　a　long；　straight　tunnel　stretching　away　from　him　into　darkness。　He　recognized　it　immediately　as　the　elongated　southern　tunnel　of　E…deck　that　led　to　the　station's　drilling　room。　
　Since　it　was　the　lowest　level　in　the　ice　station；　E…deck　housed　the　station's　drilling　room…the　room　from　which　the　scientists　dolled　down　into　the　ice　to　obtain　their　ice　cores。　So　as　to　maximize　the　depths　to　which　the　scientists　could　drill；　the　drilling　room　had　been　constructed　as　far　into　the　ice　shelf　as　possible…to　the　south　of　the　station；　where　the　ice　was　deepest。　The　room　was　connected　to　the　main　station　plex　by　a　long；　narrow　tunnel　that　stretched　for　at　least　forty　meters。　
　Rebound　heard　the　soft　footsteps　disappear　down　the　long　tunnel　to　his　right。　
　After　a　short　moment　of　pause；　he　raised　his　Maghook　and　ventured　out　into　the　tunnel　after　them。　
　
　Schofield　fired　his　Maghook　at　Latissier。　
　The　Frenchman　ducked　fast　and　the　grappling　hook　thundered　over　the　top　of　him　and　flew　through　the　rung…ladder　behind　him。　The　hook　looped　itself　over　one　of　the　rungs　and　knotted　itself　tight　against　the　ladder。　
　Schofield　threw　his　Maghook　down　and　raised　his　crossbow　at　the　same　time　as　Latissier　leveled　his　own　at　him。　
　The　two　men　fired　at　the　same　time。　
　The　arrows　whistled　through　the　air；　crossing　each　other　in　midnight。　
　Latissier's　arrow　slammed　into　Schofield's　armored　shoulder　plate。　Schofield's　arrow　lodged　in　Latissier's　hand　as　the　big　Frenchman　covered　his　face　with　his　forearm。　He　roared　with　pain　as　he　frantically　began　to　reload　his　crossbow　with　his　good　hand。　
　Schofield　quickly　looked　down　at　his　own　crossbow。　
　The　French　crossbows　had　five　circular　rubber　slots　on　their　sides　in　which　spare　arrows　were　kept　for　quick　reloading。　Schofield's　crossbow　had　five　empty　slots。　
　The　mando　he　had　taken　it　from　must　have　used　all　but　the　last　of　his　arrows　earlier。　Now　there　were　none　left。　
　Schofield　didn't　hesitate。　
　He　took　five　quick　steps　forward　and　hurled　himself　at　Latissier。　He　slammed　into　the　Frenchman　and　the　two　soldiers　went　sprawling　onto　the　catwalk　behind　the　rung…ladder。　
　Gant　was　still　lying　facedown　on　the　catwalk　about　five　yards　away　when　she　saw　Schofield　tackle　Latissier。　She　leaped　to　her　feet　and　was　about　to　go　over　and　help　him　when　suddenly　another　French　mando　slid　down　the　rung…ladder　in　front　of　her　and；　through　a　pair　of　black　night…vision　goggles；　stared　right　into　her　eyes。　
　
　Rebound　slowly　made　his　way　down　the　long；　narrow　tunnel。　
　There　was　a　door　at　the　very　end　of　the　tunnel。　The　door　to　the　drilling　room。　It　was　ajar。　
　Rebound　listened　carefully　as　he　approached　the　half…open　door。　He　heard　soft；　shuffling　sounds　from　inside　the　drilling　room。　Whoever　had　run　past　the　storeroom　earlier　was　now　inside　the　drilling　room；　doing　something。　
　He　heard　the　man　speak　softly　into　a　microphone　of　some　sort。　He　said；　〃Le　piège　est　tendu。〃　
　Rebound　froze。　
　It　was　one　of　the　French　mandos。　
　Rebound　pressed　himself　flat　against　the　wall　next　to　the　door　and…still　wearing　his　night…vision　goggles…slowly　peered　around　the　door　frame。　
　It　was　like　looking　through　a　video　camera。　First；　Rebound　saw　the　door　frame；　saw　it　slide　out　to　the　right　of　his　green　viewscreen。　Then　he　saw　the　room　open　up　beyond　it。　
　And　then　he　saw　the　man…also　wearing　night…vision　goggles…standing　right　there　in　front　of　him；　with　a　crossbow　pointed　directly　at　Rebound's　face。　
　
　Even　though　the　French　mando　standing　in　front　of　her　was　wearing　night…vision　goggles；　Gant　could　tell　that　it　was　the　one　named　Cuvier。　
　Jean…Pierre　Cuvier。　The　one　who　had　shot　her　in　the　head　with　his　crossbow　right　at　the　start　of　all　this。　Even　now；　she　could　see　the　tip　of　that　same　arrow　sticking　out　from　the　front　of　her　helmet。　The　bastard　seemed　to　smile　when　he　realized　that　he　was　facing　off　against　the　American　woman　he　had　shot　earlier。　
　In　a　blur　of　green；　he　brought　his　crossbow　up　and　fired。　
　Gant　was　about　twenty　feet　away　and　she　actually　saw　the　arrow　dip　in　the　air　as　it　covered　the　distance　between　them。　She　sidestepped　quickly；　her　gun　hand　flailing　behind　her；　as　the　arrow　thudded　into　her　Maghook　and　sent　it　flying　from　her　hand。　
　And　then；　before　she　knew　it；　Cuvier　was　right　in　front　of　her　with　his　Bowie　knife　drawn。　He　came　in　fast；　his　long…bladed　hunting　knife　arcing　down　toward　Gant's　throat…　
　There　came　a　sudden　metallic　zing　as　Cuvier's　blade　came　to　a　jarring　halt。　
　Gant　had　caught　his　blow　with　her　own　knife。　
　The　two　soldiers　separated　and　began　to　circle　each　other　warily。　Cuvier　held　his　knife　underhanded。　Gant　held　hers　backhanded；　SEAL…style。　Both　still　wore　their　night…vision　goggles。　
　Suddenly　Cuvier　lunged　and　Gant　swatted　bis　blade　away。　But　the　Frenchman　had　a　longer　reach；　and　as　they　separated　again　he　swiped　at　Gant's　goggles　and　dislodged　them　from　her　head。　
　For　a　single　terrifying　moment　Gant　saw　nothing。　
　Just　blackness。　
　Total　blackness。　
　In　this　darkness；　without　her　goggles；　she　was　blind。　
　Gant　felt　the　catwalk　beneath　her　vibrate。　Cuvier　was　lunging　at　her　again。　
　Still　blind；　she　ducked　instinctively；　not　knowing　whether　it　was　the　right　move　or　not。　
　It　was　the　right　move。　
　She　heard　the　swish　of　Cuvier's　knife　as　it　sliced　through　the　darkness　above　her　helmet。　
　And　then　she　took　the　opportunity。　
　Gant　thrust　her　hands　forward　in　the　darkness　and　grabbed　Cuvier　by　the　lapels。　
　〃You　remember　giving　this　to　me；〃　she　said；　picturing　t