tc.patriotgames-第111部分

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carry　his　coffin　out　of　the　church；　and　he　was　damned　if　he'd　pass　up　the　chance　to　get　the　people　who'd　killed　him。

　　　　A　State　Police　car　had　taken　the　lead。　The　FBI　was　now　on　the　Francis　Scott　Key　Bridge；　crossing　over　Baltimore　Harbor。　The　next　trick　was　to　get　from　the　expressway　to　the　marine　terminal。　A　trooper　said　he　knew　a　shortcut；　and　he　led　the　procession　of　three　cars。　A　twenty…foot　boat　was　going　under　the　bridge　at　that　very　moment。

　　　　〃Target　ing　right；　appears　to　be　heading　towards　a　ship　tied　to　the　quay；　bearing　three…five…two；〃　His　Highness　reported。　
　　　　〃That's　it；〃　Ryan　said。　〃We　got　'em。〃　
　　　　〃Chief；　let's　close　up　some；〃　Jackson　ordered。
　　　　〃They　might　spot　us；　sir　　the　rain's　slacking　off。　If　they're　heading　to　the　north；　I　can　close　up　on　their　port　side。　They're　heading　for　that　ship　　you　want　us　to　hit　them　right　when　they　get　there？〃　Chief　Znamirowski　asked。　
　　　　〃That's　right。〃
　　　　〃Okay。　I'll　get　somebody　on　the　searchlight。　Captain　Peters；　you'll　want　to　get　your　Marines　on　the　starboard　side。　Looks　like　surface　action　starboard；〃　Chief　Z　noted。　Navy　regulations　prohibited　her　from　serving　on　a　batant　ship；　but　she'd　beaten　the　game　after　all！
　　　　〃Right。〃　Peters　gave　the　order　and　Breckenridge　got　the　Marines　in　place。　Ryan　left　the　pilothouse　and　went　to　the　main　deck　aft。　He　had　already　e　to　his　decision。　Sean　Miller　was　out　there。

　　　　〃I　hear　a　boat；〃　one　of　the　troopers　said　quietly。
　　　　〃Yeah。〃　Powers　fed　a　round　into　his　shotgun。　He　looked　aft。　There　were　people　there　with　guns。　He　heard　footsteps　behind　him　　more　police！
　　　　〃Who's　in　charge　here？〃　a　corporal　asked。
　　　　〃I　am；〃　Powers　replied。　〃You　stay　here。　You　two；　move　aft。　If　you　see　a　head　e　out　from　behind　a　container；　blow　it　the　hell　off。〃
　　　　〃I　see　it！〃　So　did　Powers。　A　white　fiberglass　boat　appeared　a　hundred　yards　off；　ing　slowly　up　to　the　ship's　ladder。
　　　　〃Jesus。〃　It　seemed　full　of　people；　and　every　one；　he'd　been　told；　had　an　automatic　weapon。　Unconsciously　he　felt　the　steel　plating　on　the　ship's　side。　He　wondered　if　it　would　stop　a　bullet。　Most　troopers　now　wore　protective　body　armor；　but　Powers　didn't。　The　Sergeant　flipped　off　the　safety　on　his　shotgun。　It　was　just　about　time。
　　　　The　boat　approached　like　a　car　edging　into　a　parking　space。　The　helmsman　nosed　the　boat　to　the　bottom　of　the　acmodation　ladder　and　someone　in　the　bow　tied　it　off。　Two　men　got　out　onto　the　small　lower　platform。　They　helped　someone　off　the　boat；　then　started　to　carry　him　up　the　metal　staircase。　Powers　let　them　get　halfway。
　　　　〃Freeze！　State　Police！〃　He　and　two　others　pointed　shotguns　straight　down　at　the　boat。　〃Move　and　you're　dead；〃　he　added；　and　was　sorry　for　it。　It　sounded　too　much　like　TV。
　　　　He　saw　heads　turn　upward；　a　few　mouths　open　in　surprise。　A　few　hands　moved；　too；　but　before　anything　that　looked　like　a　weapon　moved　in　his　direction；　a　two…foot　searchlight　blazed　down　on　the　boat　from　seaward。
　　　　Powers　was　thankful　for　the　light。　He　saw　their　heads　snap　around；　then　up　at　him。　He　could　see　their　expressions　now。　They　were　trapped　and　knew　it。
　　　　〃Hi；　there。〃　A　voice　came　across　the　water。　It　was　a　woman's　voice　on　a　loudspeaker。　〃If　anybody　moves；　I　have　ten　Marines　to　blow　you　to　hell…and…gone。　Make　my　day；〃　the　voice　concluded。　Sergeant　Powers　winced　at　that。
　　　　Then　another　light　came　on。　〃This　is　the　U。S。　Coast　Guard。　You　are　all　under　arrest。〃
　　　　〃Like　hell！〃　Powers　screamed。　〃I　got　'em！〃　It　took　another　minute　to　establish　what　was　going　on　to　everyone's　satisfaction。　The　big；　gray　Navy　patrol　boat　came　right　alongside　the　smaller　boat；　and　Powers　was　relieved　to　see　ten　rifles　pointed　at　his　prisoners。
　　　　〃Okay；　let's　put　all　the　guns　down；　people；　and　e　up　one　at　a　time。〃　His　head　jerked　around　as　a　single　pistol　shot　rang　out；　followed　by　a　pair　of　shotgun　blasts。　The　Sergeant　winced；　but　ignored　it　as　best　he　could　and　kept　his　gun　zeroed　on　the　boat。
　　　　〃I　seen　one！〃　a　trooper　said。　〃About　a　hundred　feet　back　of　us！〃
　　　　〃Cover　it；〃　Powers　ordered。　〃Okay；　you　people　get　the　hell　up　here　and　flat　down　on　the　deck。〃
　　　　The　first　two　arrived；　carrying　a　third　man　who　was　wounded　in　the　chest。　Powers　got　them　stretched　out；　facedown　on　the　deck；　forwards　of　the　front　rank　of　containers。　The　rest　came　up　singly。　By　the　time　the　last　was　up；　he'd　counted　twelve；　several　more　of　them　hurt。　They'd　left　behind　a　bunch　of　guns　and　what　looked　like　a　body。
　　　　〃Hey；　Marines；　we　could　use　a　hand　here！〃
　　　　It　was　all　the　encouragement　he　needed。　Ryan　was　standing　on　the　YP's　afterdeck；　and　jumped　down。　He　slipped　and　fell　on　the　deck。　Breckenridge　arrived　immediately　behind　him　and　looked　at　the　body　the　terrorists　had　left　behind。　A　half…inch　hole　had　been　drilled　in　the　man's　forehead。
　　　　〃I　thought　I　got　off　one　good　round。　Lead　on；　Lieutenant。〃　He　gestured　at　the　ladder。　Ryan　charged　up　the　steps；　pistol　in　hand。　Behind　him；　Captain　Peters　was　screaming　something　at　him；　but　Jack　simply　didn't　care。
　　　　〃Careful；　we　have　bad　guys　down　that　way　in　the　container　stacks；〃　Powers　warned。
　　　　Jack　went　around　the　front　rank　of　metal　boxes　and　saw　the　men　facedown　on　the　deck；　hands　behind　their　necks；　with　a　pair　of　troopers　standing　over　them。　In　a　moment　there　were　six　Marines　there；　too。
　　　　Captain　Peters　came　up　and　went　to　the　police　Sergeant；　who　seemed　to　be　in　mand。
　　　　〃We　have　at　least　two　more；　maybe　four；　hiding　in　the　container　rows；〃　Powers　said。
　　　　〃Want　some　help　flushing　them　out？〃
　　　　〃Yeah；　let's　go　do　it。〃　Powers　grinned　in　the　darkness。　He　assembled　all　of　his　men；　leaving　Breckenridge　and　three　Marines　to　guard　the　men　on　the　deck。　Ryan　stayed　there；　too。　He　waited　for　the　others　to　move　aft。
　　　　Then　he　started　looking　at　faces。
　　　　Miller　was　looking；　too；　still　hoping　to　find　a　way　out。　He　turned　his　head　to　the　left　and　saw　Ryan　staring　at　him　from　twenty　feet　away。　They　recognized　each　other　in　an　instant；　and　Miller　saw　something；　a　look　that　he　had　always　reserved　for　his　own　use。
　　　　I　am　Death；　Ryan's　face　told　him。　
　　　　I　have　e　for　you。
　　　　It　seemed　to　Ryan　that　his　body　was　made　of　ice。　His　fingers　flexed　once　around　the　butt　of　his　pistol　as　he　walked　slowly　to　port；　his　eyes　locked　on　Miller's　face。　He　still　looked　like　an　animal　to　Jack；　but　he　was　no　longer　a　predator　on　the　loose。　Jack　reached　him　and　kicked　Miller's　leg。　He　gestured　with　the　pistol　for　him　to　stand；　but　didn't　say　a　word。　
　　　　You　don't　talk　to　snakes。　You　kill　snakes。
　　　　〃Lieutenant　。　。　。　〃　Breckenridge　was　a　little　slow　to　catch　on。
　　　　Jack　pushed　Miller　back　against　the　metal　wall　of　a　container；　his　forearm　across　the　man's　neck。　He　savored　the　feel　of　the　man's　throat　on　his　wrist。
　　　　This　is　the　little　bastard　who　nearly　killed　my　family。　Though　he　didn't　know　it；　his　face　showed　no　emotion　at　all。
　　　　Miller　looked　into　his　eyes　and　saw　。　。　。　nothing。　For　the　first　time　in　his　life；　Sean　Miller　knew　fear。　He　saw　his　own　death；　and　remembered　the　long…past　lessons　in　Catholic　school；　remembered　what　the　sisters　had　taught　him；　and　his　fear　was　that　they　might　have　been　right。　His　face　broke　out　in　a　sweat　and　his　hands　trembled　as；　despite　all　his　contempt　for　religion；　he　feared　the　eternity　in　hell　that　surely　awaited　him。
　　　　Ryan　saw　the　look　in　Miller's　eyes；　and　knew　it　for　what　it　was。　Goodbye；　Sean。　I　hope　you　like　it　there　。　。　。　
　　　　〃Lieutenant！〃
　　　　Jack　knew　that　he　had　little　time。　He　brought　up　the　pistol　and　forced　it　into　Miller's　mouth　as　his　eyes　bored　in　on　Sean's。　He　tightened　his　finger　on　the　trigger　just　as　he'd　been　taught。　A　gentle　squeeze；　so　you　never　know　when　the　trigger　will　break　。　。　。　
　　　　But　nothing　happened；　and　a　massive　hand　came　down　on　the　gun。
　　　　〃He　ain't　worth　it；　Lieutenant；　he　just　ain't　worth　it。〃　Breckenridge　withdrew　his　hand；　and　Ryan　saw　that　the　gun's　hammer　was　down。　He'd　have　to　cock　it　before　the　weapon　could　fire。　〃Think；　son。〃
　　　　The　spell　was　broken。　Jack　swallowed　twice　and　took　a　breath。　What　he　saw　now　was　something　less　monstrous　than　before。　Fear　had　given　Miller　the　humanity　that　he'd　lacked　before。　He　was　no　longer　an　animal；　after　all。　He　was　a　human　being；　an　evil　example　of　what　could　happen　when　a　man　lost　something　that　all　men　needed。　Miller's　breath　was　ing　in　gasps　as　Ryan　pulled　the　gun　out　of　his　mouth。　He　gagged；　but　couldn't　bend　over　with　Jack's　arm　across　his　throat。　Ryan　backed　away　and　the　man　fell　to　the　deck。　The　Sergeant　Major　put　his　hand　on　Ryan's　right　arm；　forcing　the　gun　downward。
　　　　〃I　know　what　you're　thinking；　what　he　did　to　your　little　girl；　but　it　isn't　worth　what　you'd　have　to　go　through。　I　could　tell　the　cops　you　shot　him　when　he　tried　to　run。　My　boys　would　back　me　up。　You'd　never　go　to　trial；　but　it　ain't　worth　what　it　would　do　to　you；　son。　You're　not　cut　out　to　be　a　murderer；〃　Breckenridge　said　gently。　〃Besides；　look　what　you　did　to　him。　I　don't　know　what　that　is　down　there；　but　it's　not　a　man；　not　anymore。〃　
　　　　Jack　nodded；　as　yet　unable　to　speak。　Miller　was　still　on　all　fours；　looking　down　at　the　deck；　unable　to　meet　Ryan's　eyes。　Jack　could　feel　his　body　again；　the　blood　coursing　through　his　veins　told　him　that　he　was　alive　and　whole。　I've　won；　he　thought；　as　his　mind　regained　control　of　his　emotions。　I've　won。　I've　defeated　him　and　I　haven't　destroyed　myself　doing　it。　His　hands　relaxed　around　the　pistol　grip。
　　　　〃Thanks；　Gunny。　If　you　hadn't　〃
　　　　〃If　you'd　really　wanted　to　kill　him；　you　would　have　remembered　to　cock　it。　Lieutenant；　I　had　you　figured　out　a　long　time　ago。〃　Breckenridge　nodded　to　reinforce　his　words。　〃Back　on　the　deck；　you；〃　he　told　Miller；　who　slowly　plied。
　　　　〃Before　any　of　you　people　think　you're　lucky；　I　got　a　hot　flash　for　you；〃　the　Sergeant　Major　said　next。　〃You　have　mitted　murder　in　a　place　that　has　a　gas　chamber。　You　can　die　by　the　numbers　over　here；　people。　Think　about　it。〃

　　　　The　Hostage　Rescue　Team　arrived　next。　They　found　the　Marines　and　state　troopers　on　the　deck；　working　their　way　aft。　It　took　a　few　minutes　to　determine　that　no　one　was　in　the　container　stacks。　The　remaining　four　ULA　members　had　used　an　alleyway　to　head　aft；　and　were　probably　in　the　superstructure。　Werner　took　over。　He　had　a　solid　perimeter。　Nobody　was　goi