mreilly.icestation-第38部分

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　〃Lieutenant；　you　have　to　believe　me。　I　can　only　imagine　what　you've　been　told；　and　I　know　it　must　look　bad；　but　you　have　to　listen　to　me。　I　didn't　do　it。　I　swear；　I　didn't　do　it。　I　could　never　do　something　like　that。〃　
　Renshaw　took　a　deep　breath；　spoke　slowly。　
　〃Lieutenant；　this　station　is　not　what　it　appears　to　be。　Things　have　been　happening　here…strange　things…long　before　you　and　your　men　got　here。　You　can't　trust　anyone　at　this　station；　Lieutenant。〃　
　〃But　you　expect　me　to　trust　you？〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃Yes。　Yes；　I　do；〃　Renshaw　said　pensively。　〃And　that　obviously　creates　a　problem；　doesn't　it？　After　all；　as　far　as　you're　concerned；　four　days　ago　I　killed　a　man　with　a　hypodermic　needle　filled　with　industrial…strength　Drano。　Right？　Hmmm。〃　Renshaw　took　a　step　forward；　toward　Schofield。　〃But　I　intend　to　rectify　this　situation；　Lieutenant　Schofield。　Conclusively。　Which　is　why　。。。　I'm　going　to　do　this。〃　
　Renshaw　stood　right　next　to　the　bed；　towering　over　Schofield；　his　eyes　hard。　
　Schofield　tensed。　He　was　totally　defenseless。　He　had　no　idea　what　Renshaw　was　about　to…　
　Snap！　The　leather　strap　around　Schofield's　left　arm　suddenly　went　limp　and　fell　to　the　floor。　A　second　later；　the　strap　around　his　right　arm　did　the　same。　
　His　arms　were　free　again。　Renshaw　had　released　the　leather　straps　that　had　bound　them　to　the　bed。　
　Schofield　sat　up　as　Renshaw　moved　farther　down　the　bed　and　undipped　the　clasps　that　fastened　the　straps　around　his　legs。　
　For　a　long　moment；　Schofield　just　stared　at　him。　Finally；　he　said；　〃Thank　you。〃　
　〃Don't　thank　me；　Lieutenant；〃　Renshaw　said。　〃Believe　me。　And　promise　me　this：　promise　me　that　when　this　is　all　over；　you'll　check　out　Bernie　Olson's　body。　Look　at　his　tongue　and　his　eyes。　They　will　explain　everything。　You're　my　only　hope；　Lieutenant。　You're　the　only　person　who　can　prove　my　innocence。〃　
　
　Now　that　he　was　free　to　move　again；　Schofield　sat　up　on　the　bed。　He　touched　his　neck。　It　throbbed　with　pain。　He　looked　at　his　throat　in　a　nearby　mirror。　Renshaw　had　sutured　the　wound　well。　Nice；　close　stitches。　
　Renshaw　offered　him　a　rectangular　length　of　adhesive　gauze。　〃Here。　Put　this　on　over　the　stitches。　It'll　act　like　a　Band…Aid；　keep　the　wound　tightly　closed。〃　
　Schofield　took　the　adhesive　gauze　and　fastened　it　firmly　over　the　wound　on　his　neck。　He　looked　down　at　the　rest　of　his　body。　Renshaw　had　removed　most　of　his　body　armor…　he　was　dressed　only　in　his　full…body　camouflage　fatigues；　with　his　gray　turtleneck　shirt　underneath。　He　was　still　wearing　his　boots　and　his　battered　ankle/knee　guards。　His　weapons…　his　pistol；　his　knife；　his　MP…5　and　his　Maghook…and　his　silver　antiflash　glasses　all　sat　on　a　table　on　the　far　side　of　the　room。　
　Schofield　saw　the　room's　closed　door　again；　and　something　twigged　in　his　memory。　He　remembered　being　told　that　the　door　to　Renshaw's　room　had　been　sealed　shut；　riveted　to　its　frame　by　Renshaw's　fellow　scientists。　But　he　also　remembered　something　else；　something　that　someone　had　said　only　moments　before　he　had　been　shot　Something　about　Renshaw's　door　being　broken　down。。。。　
　Suddenly　Schofield　asked；　〃How　did　I　get　here？〃　
　〃Oh；　easy。　I　just　stuffed　your　body　inside　the　dumbwaiter　and　sent　it　up　to　this　level；〃　Renshaw　said。　
　〃No；　I　mean；　I　thought　you　were　locked　in　this　room？　How　did　you　get　out？〃　
　Renshaw　offered　him　a　sly　smile。　〃Just　call　me　Harry　Houdini。〃　
　Renshaw　crossed　to　the　other　side　of　the　room　and　stood　in　front　of　the　two　television　monitors。　〃Don't　worry；　Lieutenant。　I'll　show　you　how　I　got　out　of　here　in　a　minute。　But　first；　I've　got　something　here　that　I　think　you'll　want　to　see。〃　
　〃What？〃　
　Renshaw　smiled　again。　The　same　sly　smile　as　before。　
　〃How　would　you　like　to　see　the　man　who　shot　you？〃　he　said。　
　
　
　
　Schofield　stared　at　Renshaw　for　a　long　moment。　
　Then；　slowly；　he　swung　his　legs　off　the　bed。　His　neck　stung；　and　he　had　a　monster　of　a　headache　from　the　concussion。　He　walked　gingerly　across　the　room　and　stood　next　to　Renshaw　in　front　of　the　two　television　monitors。　
　〃Aren't　you　cold？〃　he　asked；　looking　at　Renshaw's　rather　casual　attire。　
　Renshaw　pulled　open　his　shirt；　Superman…style；　revealing　a　blue　wet　suit…like　undergarment。　〃Neoprene　bodysuit；〃　he　said　proudly。　〃They　use　'em　on　the　shuttle；　for　space　walks　and　the　like。　It　could　be　a　hundred　below　in　here　and　I　wouldn't　notice　it。〃　
　Renshaw　flicked　on　one　of　the　monitors；　and　a　black…and…white　image　appeared　on　the　screen。　
　The　image　was　grainy；　but　after　a　few　seconds　Schofield　realized　what　he　was　looking　at。　
　It　was　a　view　of　the　pool　at　the　base　of　the　ice　station。　
　It　was　a　strange　view；　however…taken　from　an　overhead　camera　somewhere…one　that　looked　directly　down　on　a　section　of　the　pool　and　its　surrounding　deck。　
　〃This　is　a　live　feed；〃　Renshaw　said。　〃It　es　from　a　camera　mounted　on　the　underside　of　the　bridge　that　spans　C…deck。　It　looks　straight　down　on　the　pool。〃　
　Schofield　squinted　as　he　looked　at　the　black…and…white　image　on　the　screen。　
　Renshaw　said；　〃The　scientists　who　work　at　this　station　e　down　on　six…monthly　rotations；　so　we　just　inherit　each　other's　rooms。　The　guy　who　had　this　room　before　me　was　a　crazy　old　marine　biologist　from　New　Zealand。　Strange　guy。　He　just　loved　killer　whales；　couldn't　get　enough　of　them。　God；　he'd　watch　them　for　hours；　liked　to　watch　them　when　they　came　up　for　air　inside　the　station。　Gave　them　names　and　everything。　God；　what　was　his　name　。。。　Carmine　something。　
　〃Well；　anyway；　old　Carmine　attached　a　camera　to　the　underside　of　the　bridge…so　he　could　keep　an　eye　on　the　pool　from　his　room。　When　he'd　see　them　on　his　monitor；　he'd　hustle　on　down　to　E…deck　and　watch　them　up　close。　Hell；　sometimes　the　old　bastard　would　watch　'em　from　inside　the　diving　bell；　so　he　could　get　right　up　close。〃　
　Renshaw　looked　at　Schofield　and　laughed。　〃I　guess　you're　the　last　person　in　the　world　I　should　be　talking　to　about　having　a　close　look　at　killer　whales。〃　
　Schofield　turned；　remembering　the　terrifying　battle　with　the　killer　whales　earlier。　〃You　saw　all　that？〃　
　〃Did　I？〃　Renshaw　asked。　〃Are　you　kidding？　You　bet　I　saw　it。　Hell；　I　got　it　all　on　tape。　I　mean；　yikes；　did　you　see　those　big　bastards？　Did　you　see　the　way　they　hunted？　Did　you　see　the　plexity　of　their　hunting　behavior？　Like　the　way　they　would　always　make　a　pass　by　their　intended　victim　before　they　came　in　for　the　kill？〃　
　〃I　must　have　missed　that；〃　Schofield　said　flatly。　
　〃I　tell　you；　they　did　it。　Every　time。　Every　single　time。　I've　read　about　it　before。　You　know　what　I　think　it　is？　It's　the　whale　staking　his　claim。　It's　the　whale　telling　all　the　other　whales　that　this　person　is　his　kill。　Hey；　I　could　show　it　to　you　if　you…〃　
　〃You　said　there　was　something　else　I　should　see；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Something　about　the　man　who　shot　me。〃　
　〃Oh；　yeah；　right。　Right。　Sorry。〃　Schofield　just　stared　at　Renshaw　as　the　little　man　grabbed　a　videocassette　and　thrust　it　into　the　second　video　recorder。　He　was　a　strange　man。　Manic；　nervous；　and　yet　obviously　very　intelligent。　And　he　talked　a　lot。　It　seemed　that　when　he　spoke；　it　all　just　came　gushing　out。　Schofield　found　it　difficult　to　determine　exactly　how　old　he　was。　He　could　have　been　anything　from　twenty…nine　to　forty。　
　〃That's　it！〃　Renshaw　exclaimed　suddenly。　
　〃What？　What's　it？〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃Yaeger。　Carmine　Yaeger。　That　was　his　name。〃　
　〃Play　the　video；　would　you；〃　Schofield　said；　exasperated。　
　〃Oh；　yeah；　right。〃　Renshaw　hurriedly　hit　the　PLAY　button　on　the　VCR。　
　An　image　came　up　on　the　second　monitor。　It　was　almost　identical　to　the　one　that　was　on　the　first　monitor；　from　the　same　high…mounted　camera　looking　down　on　the　pool　and　its　surrounding　deck。　
　There　was　only　one　difference。　
　On　the　second　monitor's　screen；　someone　was　standing　on　the　deck。　
　Schofield　stared　at　the　screen　intently。　
　The　person　on　the　screen　was　a　man；　one　of　the　Marines。　He　was　alone。　
　Schofield　couldn't　tell　who　it　was　because　the　camera　was　positioned　directly　above　him。　All　he　could　see　was　the　top　of　the　man's　helmet　and　his　armored　shoulder　plates。　
　And　then　suddenly　the　man　looked　up；　slowly　scanning　the　shaft　of　the　station；　and　Schofield　saw　his　face。　
　He　frowned。　
　He　was　looking　at　his　own　face。　
　Schofield　turned　immediately　to　Renshaw。　〃When　did　you　record　this…〃　
　〃Just　keep　watching。〃　
　Schofield　turned　back　to　the　screen。　
　He　saw　himself　stop　next　to　the　pool　and　speak　into　his　helmet　mike。　There　was　no　sound；　he　could　just　see　his　own　mouth　moving。　He　stopped　talking　and　took　a　step　across　the　deck。　
　And　then　he　stopped。　
　He　had　stepped　on　something。　
　Schofield　saw　himself　bend　down　and　examine　some　broken　glass　on　the　deck。　He　seemed　to　look　about　him。　And　then　suddenly　his　head　cocked　to　the　side。　He　was　listening　to　something。　Listening　to　someone　speaking　over　his　helmet　inter。　
　The　Shane　Schofield　on　the　screen　then　stood　up　and　was　starting　to　turn　when　suddenly　his　whole　body　jolted　violently　and　a　small　spray　of　blood　exploded　out　from　his　neck。　He　stopped　instantly　and　swayed　slightly；　and　then　he　raised　his　hand　to　his　neck　and　held　it　out　in　front　of　his　face。　It　had　blood　all　over　it。　
　And　then　his　knees　buckled　and　he　fell　in　a　heap　to　the　deck。　He　just　lay　there　on　the　deck；　motionless。　
　Schofield　stared　at　his　own　image　on　the　screen。　
　He　had　just　seen　himself　get　shot。。。。　
　He　turned　to　Renshaw。　
　Renshaw　just　nodded　back　at　the　screen。　〃There's　more；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃A　lot　more。〃　
　Schofield　swung　back　to　face　the　screen。　
　He　saw　his　own　body　lying　on　the　pool　deck；　unmoving。　It　lay　there　for　a　while。　
　Nothing　happened。　
　And　then　suddenly　someone　stepped　into　the　frame。　
　Schofield　felt　his　adrenaline　rush　as　he　watched　the　screen。　He　was　about　to　see　the　person　who　had　shot　him。　
　The　first　thing　he　saw　was　the　helmet。　
　It　was　another　Marine。　
　A　man。　Schofield　could　tell　by　the　way　he　walked。　But　he　couldn't　see　his　face。　
　The　Marine　walked　slowly　over　to　Schofield's　unmoving　body。　He　was　in　no　hurry。　He　pulled　his　automatic　pistol　from　his　holster　as　he　approached　Schofield's　body；　pulled　back　the　slide；　cocking　the　gun。　
　Schofield　stared　at　the　screen　intently。　
　The　Marine；