mreilly.icestation-第50部分

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to　his　hovercraft's　cabin。　As　he　fell　backward　he　looked　up；　and　the　last　thing　he　saw　before　he　hit　the　floor　of　the　cabin　was　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　Book…lunging　forward；　off　balance…　desperately　trying　to　get　hold　of　Kirsty's　hands　as　she　fell　down　in　between　the　two　speeding　hovercrafts。　
　
　
　
　Book　and　Kirsty　fell。　
　The　black　rubber　skirt　of　one　of　the　hovercrafts　filled　Book's　field　of　vision　as　he　tumbled　down　between　the　two　hovercrafts。　
　He　held　Kirsty　by　the　hand；　and　as　they　fell　he　pulled　her　close　to　his　body　and　rolled　in　the　air　so　that　when　they　hit　the　ground　he　would　take　the　brunt　of　the　fall。　
　And　then　suddenly；　concussively；　they　hit　the　speeding　ground。　
　
　〃Book　is　down！　Book　is　down！〃　Rebound's　voice　yelled　loudly　in　Schofield's　earpiece。　〃The　little　girl　fell　with　him！〃　
　Schofield's　hovercraft　shot　across　the　ice　plain；　totally　out　of　control。　
　The　missile's　impact　to　the　rear　of　the　hovercraft　had　destroyed　its　rear　fan　and　half　its　tail　rudder；　causing　the　hovercraft　to　fishtail　wildly　and　shoot　left…and　head　straight　for　the　cliff　edge。　
　Renshaw　grappled　desperately　with　the　steering　yoke；　but　with　its　tail　rudder　half…destroyed；　the　hovercraft　would　only　turn　left。　Renshaw　heaved　on　the　steering　yoke；　and　gradually　the　hovercraft　began　to　turn　in　a　slow；　wide　arc　so　that　it　was　now　careering　across　the　cliff　tops　back　toward　Wilkes　Ice　Station！　
　〃Rebound！〃　Schofield　yelled　into　his　helmet　mike；　ignoring　Renshaw's　efforts　to　keep　control　of　the　hovercraft。　
　〃What？〃　
　〃Get　out　of　here！〃　
　〃What！〃　
　Schofield　said　fiercely；　〃We've　been　hit　bad　over　here！　We're　fucked；　our　game's　over。　Go！　Get　to　McMurdo！　Get　help！　You're　the　only　chance　we've　got！〃　
　〃But　what　about…〃　
　〃Go！〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　At　that　moment；　Renshaw　said；　〃Ah；　Lieutenant。。。〃　
　Schofield　wasn't　listening。　He　was　watching　Rebound's　hovercraft　as　it　sped　away　in　the　other　direction；　into　the　driving　snow。　
　Then　he　looked　out　through　the　side　window　of　his　destroyed　hovercraft　and　saw　in　the　distance　a　small　dark　lump　on　the　ice　plain。　
　Book　and　Kirsty。　
　〃Lieutenant。。。〃　
　Schofield　saw　the　last　British　hovercraft　approach　Book　and　Kirsty；　saw　it　slow　to　a　halt　beside　Book's　doubled…over　body。　Black…clad　men　got　out　of　the　hovercraft　
　Schofield　just　stared。　〃Damn。〃　
　Beside　him；　Renshaw　was　wrestling　with　the　steering　yoke。　〃Lieutenant！　Hold　on！'　
　At　that　moment；　as　Renshaw　pulled　on　it；　the　steering　yoke　snapped　and　broke　and　suddenly　the　hovercraft　spun　laterally　to　the　left　and　performed　a　slingshot；　and　in　an　instant　Schofield　and　Renshaw　were　traveling　backward　again。　
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing！〃　Schofield　yelled。　
　〃I　was　trying　to　avoid　that！'　Renshaw　yelled　as　he　pointed　out　through　the　destroyed　rear　end　of　the　hovercraft…the　end　that　was　now　their　leading　edge。　
　Schofield　followed　Renshaw's　finger　and　his　eyes　widened。　
　They　were　hurtling…in　reverse…toward　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　
　
　〃Why　can't　this　fucking　day　just　end；〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃I　think　it's　about　to；〃　Renshaw　said　flatly。　
　Schofield　shoved　Renshaw　out　of　the　driver's　seat　and　slid　into　it。　He　began　to　pump　the　brake　pedal。　
　No　response。　
　The　hovercraft　continued　to　rush　toward　the　edge。　
　〃I　tried　that！〃　Renshaw　said。　〃No　brakes！〃　
　The　hovercraft　raced　toward　the　cliff　edge；　traveling　backward；　totally　out　of　control。　
　Schofield　grabbed　the　broken　steering　vane。　No　steering　either。　
　They　would　have　to　jump…　
　But　the　thought　came　too　late。　
　The　cliff　edge　rushed　toward　them；　too　fast。　
　And　then　all　of　a　sudden　they　ran　out　of　ground　and　Schofield　felt　his　stomach　lurch　sickeningly　as　the　hovercraft　shot　out　from　the　cliff　top　and　flew　out　at　incredible　speed　into　the　clear；　open　sky。　
　
　SIXTH　INCURSION　
　16　June　1635　hours　
　
　The　hovercraft　fell　through　the　air；　rear　end　first。　
　Inside　the　cabin；　Schofield　snapped　around　in　his　chair　to　look　out　through　the　shattered　forward　windshield　of　the　hovercraft。　He　saw　the　cliff　edge　high　above　him　getting　smaller　and　smaller　as　it　got　farther　and　farther　away。　
　In　the　seat　beside　him；　Renshaw　was　hyperventilating。　〃We're　gonna　die。　We　are　really　gonna　die。〃　
　The　hovercraft　went　vertical…its　tail　pointing　down；　its　nose　pointing　up…and　suddenly　Schofield　saw　nothing　but　sky。　
　They　were　falling　fast。　
　Through　the　side　window　of　the　hovercraft；　Schofield　saw　the　vertical　cliff　face　streaking　past　them　at　phenomenal　speed。　
　Schofield　grabbed　his　Maghook　and　put　his　nose　in　Renshaw's　face；　silencing　him。　〃Grab　my　waist　and　don't　let　go。〃　
　Renshaw　stopped　his　whimpering　and　stared　at　Schofield　for　a　second。　Then　he　quickly　wrapped　his　arms　around　his　waist。　Schofield　raised　his　Maghook　above　his　head　and　fired　it　up　through　the　destroyed　forward　windshield　of　the　falling　hovercraft。　
　The　Maghook　shot　through　the　air　in　a　high　arc…its　steel　grappling　hook　snapping　open　in　midflight；　its　rope　splaying　out　in　a　crazy；　wobbling　line　behind　it。　
　The　hook　came　down　hard　on　the　edge　of　the　cliff　top　and　then　slid　quickly　backward　toward　the　edge；　its　claws　digging　into　the　snow。　
　The　hovercraft　continued　to　fall　through　the　air；　rear　end　first。　The　grappling　hook　found　a　purchase　on　the　cliff　top　and　suddenly　it　snapped　to　a　halt　and　held；　and　its　rope　went　instantly　taut…　
　…and　Schofield　and　Renshaw；　at　the　other　end　of　the　rope；　suddenly　shot　up　out　of　the　falling　hovercraft。　
　The　hovercraft　fell　away　beneath　them…fell　and　fell…　before　it　smashed　loudly　against　the　white…tipped　waves　one　hundred　and　fifty　feet　below　them。　
　Schofield　and　Renshaw　swung　back　in　toward　the　cliff　face。　The　hovercraft　had　launched　itself　a　good　distance　from　the　cliff；　so　they　had　a　long　way　to　swing　back；　and　when　they　hit　the　cliff　face　they　hit　it　hard。　
　The　impact　with　the　cliff　jarred　Renshaw's　grip　on　Schofield's　waist　and　he　fell　for　an　instant；　grabbing　Schofield's　right　foot　at　the　very　last　moment。　
　The　two　men　hung　there　for　a　full　minute；　halfway　down　the　sheer　vertical　cliff…face；　neither　one　of　them　daring　to　move。　
　〃You　still　there？〃　Schofield　asked。　
　〃Yeah；〃　Renshaw　said；　petrified。　
　〃All　right；　I'm　going　to　try　and　reel　us　up　now；〃　Schofield　said；　shifting　his　grip　on　his　launcher　slightly　so　that　he　could　press　down　on　the　black　button　that　reeled　in　the　rope　without　collapsing　the　grappling　hook。　
　Schofield　looked　up　at　the　cliff　edge　high　above　them。　It　must　have　been　at　least　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet　away。　He　figured　they　must　be　hanging　at　the　full　length　of　his　Mag…hook's　rope…　
　It　was　then　that　Schofield　saw　him。　
　A　man。　Standing　up　on　the　cliff　top；　peering　out　over　the　edge；　looking　down　at　them。　
　Schofield　froze。　
　The　man　was　wearing　a　black　balaclava。　
　And　he　was　holding　a　machine　gun　in　his　hand。　
　〃Well？〃　Renshaw　said　from　down　near　Schofield's　feet。　〃What　are　you　waiting　for？〃　From　his　position；　Renshaw　wasn't　able　to　see　the　SAS　mando　up　on　the　cliff　top。　〃We're　not　going　up　any　more；〃　Schofield　said　flatly；　his　eyes　locked　on　the　black…clad　figure　at　the　top　of　the　cliff。　
　〃We're　not？〃　Renshaw　said。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　
　The　SAS　mando　was　looking　directly　down　at　Schofield　now。　
　Schofield　swallowed。　Then　he　glanced　down　at　the　smashing　waves　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet　below　him。　When　he　looked　up　again；　the　SAS　mando　was　pulling　a　long；　glistening　knife　from　its　sheath。　The　mando　then　bent　down　over　the　Maghook's　rope　at　the　top　of　the　cliff。　
　〃Oh；　no；〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃Oh；　no；　what？〃　Renshaw　said。　
　〃Are　you　ready　to　go　for　a　ride？〃　
　〃No；〃　Renshaw　said。　
　Schofield　said；　〃Breathe　all　the　way　down；　and　then　at　the　last　second；　take　a　deep　breath。〃　That　was　what　they　told　you　when　you　jumped　out　of　a　moving　helicopter　into　water。　Schofield　figured　the　same　principle　applied　here。　
　Schofield　looked　up　again　at　the　SAS　mando　at　the　top　of　the　cliff。　He　was　about　to　cut　the　rope。　
　〃All　right；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Let's　cut　the　crap。　I'll　be　damned　if　I'm　gonna　wait　for　you　to　cut　my　rope。　Renshaw；　are　you　ready？　We're　going。〃　
　And　at　that　moment；　Schofield　pressed　down　twice　on　the　trigger　of　the　Maghook。　
　At　the　top　of　the　cliff　the　claws　of　the　grappling　hook　responded　immediately　and　collapsed　inward；　and　in　doing　so　they　lost　their　purchase　on　the　snow。　The　hook　slithered　out　over　the　edge　of　the　cliff；　past　the　bewildered　SAS　mando；　and　Schofield；　Renshaw；　and　the　Maghook　fell…　together…down　the　cliff　face　and　into　the　crashing　waves　of　the　Southern　Ocean　below。　
　
　
　
　In　the　silence　of　the　ice　cavern；　Libby　Gant　just　stared　at　the　semi…eaten　bodies　that　lay　draped　over　the　rocks　in　front　of　her。　
　Since　they　had　arrived　in　the　cavern　about　forty　minutes　ago；　the　others…Montana；　Santa　Cruz；　and　Sarah　Hensleigh…　had　barely　even　looked　at　the　bodies。　They　were　all　totally　engrossed　in　the　big　black　spacecraft　on　the　other　side　of　the　underground　cavern。　They　walked　around　it；　under　it；　peered　at　its　black　metal　wings；　tried　to　look　in　through　the　smoked…glass　canopy　of　its　cockpit。　
　After　Schofield　had　informed　Gant　of　the　impending　arrival　of　the　British　troops　and　his　own　plan　to　flee；　she　had　set　up　two　MP…5s　on　tripods；　facing　the　pool　at　the　end　of　the　cavern。　If　the　SAS　tried　to　enter　the　cavern；　she　would　pick　them　off　one　by　one　as　they　broke　the　surface。　
　That　had　been　half　an　hour　ago。　
　Even　if　the　SAS　had　arrived　at　Wilkes　Ice　Station　by　now；　it　would　still　take　them　another　hour　to　lower　someone　down　in　the　diving　bell　and　a　further　hour　to　swim　up　the　underwater　ice　tunnel　to　the　cavern。　
　It　was　a　waiting　game　now。　
　After　Gant　had　set　up　the　tripods；　Montana　and　Sarah　Hensleigh　had　gone　back　to　examining　the　spacecraft。　Santa　Cruz　had　stayed　with　Gant　a　while　longer；　but　soon　he；　too；　went　back　over　to　look　at　the　fantastic　black　ship。　
　Gant　stayed　with　the　guns。　
　As　she　sat　there　on　the　cold；　icy　floor　of　the　cavern；　she　gazed　at　the　dismembered　bodies　on　the　far　side　of　the　pool。　
　The　amount　of　damage　that　had　been　done　to　the　bodies　had　stunned　her。　Heads　and　limbs　missing；　whole　sections　of　flesh　literally　chewed　to　the　bone；　the　whole　scene　itself　soak