cc.vixen03-第60章

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eer　crap；　if　you　want　my　opinion。〃
　〃I'm　not　any　happier　about　this　outing　than　you；〃　said　Kiebel。　〃I　take　my　picnics　as　they　e。〃　He　grinned。　〃Maybe　it's　a　surprise　party　with　booze　and　wild　women。〃
　〃At　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　neither　holds　much　interest。　Not　out　in　the　open；　at　any　rate。〃
　〃We'll　know　soon。　Two　more　miles　till　we　round　Sheridan　Point。　Then　our　objectives　should　be　within　…　〃　Suddenly　Kiebel　broke　off　and　cocked　his　head；　listening。　〃You　hear　that？〃
　Fergus　cupped　his　ears　and　turned；　facing　the　patrol　boat's　wake。　〃Sounds　like　a　helicopter。〃
　〃ing　like　a　bat　out　of　hell　without　lights；〃　Kiebel　added。
　〃My　God！〃　Fergus　exclaimed。　〃The　Marines　have　jumped　the　gun。　They're　going　in　ahead　of　schedule。〃
　An　instant　later　every　head　on　the　patrol　boat　turned　upward　as　a　helicopter　roared　past　at　two　hundred　feet；　a　dim　shadow　against　a　gray　sky。　All　were　so　engrossed　in　the　mysterious；　darkened　craft　they　didn't　notice　the　vague　shape　trailing　below　and　slightly　to　the　rear　of　the　copter　until　it　swept　over　the　decks　and　carried　away　the　radio　antennae。
　〃What　in　hell　was　that？〃　blurted　Kiebel　in　genuine　astonishment。
　Pitt　would　have　been　only　too　glad　to　supply　the　answer　if　he'd　had　the　time。　Strapped　in　the　harness；　dangling　under　the　NUMA　helicopter　only　thirty　feet　above　the　river；　he　barely　managed　to　extend　his　legs　forward　as　he　crashed　into　the　patrol　boat's　antennae。　His　feet　took　most　of　the　shock；　and　foftunately…　damned　fortunately；　he　thought　later…　none　of　the　wiring　had　entangled　his　body；　sectioning　him　like　a　lettuce　slicer。　As　it　was；　he　would　carry　a　nice　welt　across　his　buttocks　where　a　piece　of　thin　tubing　had　made　brief　contact。
　
　The　rising　sun　cooperated　by　hiding　behind　a　low　range　of　dark　clouds；　its　filtered　light　obscuring　any　detail　of　the　surrounding　countryside。　The　air　was　keen；　barbed　with　the　energy　of　its　chill；　a　polar　frigidity　that　stabbed　through　Pitt's　heavy　clothing。　His　eyes　were　watering　like　faucets　and　his　cheeks　and　forehead　smarted　with　the　intensity　of　over…loaded　pincushions。
　Pitt　was　on　a　ride　no　amusement　park　in　the　country　could　equal。　The　Potomac　was　a　blur　as　he　soared　over　its　lazy　current　at　nearly　two　hundred　miles　an　hour。　Trees　edging　the　banks　hurtled　by　like　cars　on　a　Los　Angeles　freeway。　He　looked　skyward　and　made　out　a　small　pale　oval　against　the　black　doorway　of　the　helicopter　and　recognized　it　as　the　anxious　face　of　Admiral　Sandecker。
　He　felt　a　sideways　motion　as　Steiger　banked　the　craft　around　a　wide　bend　in　the　river。　The　long　umbilical　cable　that　held　him　to　a　winch　in　the　cargo　partment　arched　in　the　opposite　direction；　swinging　him　out…ward；　like　the　end　child　in　a　playground　game　of　crack　the　whip。　The　momentum　twisted　him　sideways　and　he　found　himself　looking　at　the　grounds　of　Mount　Vernon。　Then　the　cable　straightened　and　the　huge　mass　of　the　Iowa　swung　into　view；　her　forward　guns　trained　ominously　upstream。
　Overhead；　Steiger　eased　back　on　the　throttle　and　slowed　the　flight　of　the　helicopter。　Pitt　felt　the　harness　straps　pressing　into　his　chest　at　the　deceleration　and　braced　himself　for　the　drop。　The　superstructure　of　the　ship　filled　up　the　windshield　in　front　of　the　control　cabin　when　Steiger　gently　eased　the　helicopter　into　a　hovering　position　above　the　starboard　side　of　the　ship；　behind　the　main　bridge。
　〃Too　fast！　Too　fast！〃　Steiger　muttered　over　and　over；　fearful　that　Pitt　would　be　swinging　ahead　of　the　hovering　helicopter　like　a　weight　on　the　bottom　of　a　pendulum。
　Steiger's　fears　were　justified。　Pitt　was　indeed　pitching　forward　on　an　uncontrollable　course；　high　above　the　main　deck；　where　he'd　planned　to　land。　Narrowly　missing　an　empty　five…inch…gun　turret；　he　came　to　the　end　of　his　arc。　It　was　now　or　never。　He　made　his　decision　and　hit　the　quick…release　buckle　and　dropped　clear　of　the　harness。
　From　the　doorway　of　the　helicopter　Sandecker's　eyes　strained　in　the　early…morning　gloom；　his　insides　knotted；　his　breath　halted；　as　Pitt's　huddled　figure　fell　behind　the　forward　superstructure　and　vanished。　Then　the　Iowa　was　gone；　too；　as　Steiger　snapped　the　helicopter　into　a　steep　angle；　the　rotor　blades　biting　the　air；　dipping　over　the　forested　shore　and　out　of　sight。　As　soon　as　the　craft　leveled；　Sandecker　released　his　safety　strap　and　made　his　way　back　into　the　cockpit。
　〃Is　he　away？〃　Steiger　asked　anxiously。
　〃Yes；　he's　down；〃　answered　Sandecker。
　〃In　one　piece？〃
　〃We　can　but　hope；〃　Sandecker　said；　so　quietly　that　Steiger　hardly　heard　him　above　the　roar　of　the　engine。　〃That's　all　any　of　us　has　left。〃
　
　59
　
　Fawkes　was　not　overly　concerned　with　the　helicopter　so　long　as　it　continued　on　its　way。　He　did　not　see　a　human　form　drop　out　of　the　twilight；　as　his　attention　was　directed　to　the　boat　that　was　approaching　downriver　at　high　speed。　There　was　no　doubt　in　his　mind　that　it　was　a　weling　mittee；　courtesy　of　the　United　States　government。　He　spoke　into　a　microphone。
　〃Mr。　Shaba。〃
　〃Sir？〃　Shaba's　voice　crackled　back。
　〃Please　see　to　it　the　machine…gun　crews　man　their　stations　and　prepare　to　repel　boarders。〃　Repel　boarders。　My　God；　Fawkes　thought。　When　was　the　last　time　a　captain　of　a　capital　ship　gave　that　mand？
　〃Is　this　a　drill；　sir？〃
　〃No；　Mr。　Shaba；　this　is　no　drill。　I　fear　American　extremists　who　support　the　enemies　of　our　country　may　attempt　to　take　the　ship。　You　will　instruct　your　men　to　fire　at　any　person；　vessel；　or　aircraft　that　endangers　the　welfare　of　this　ship　and　her　crew。　Your　men　may　begin　by　driving　off　a　terrorist　boat　that　is　approaching　from　the　west。〃
　〃Aye；　Captain。〃　The　radio　could　not　hide　the　excitement　in　Shaba's　voice。
　Fawkes　felt　a　growing　urge　to　order　his　unsuspecting　crew　off　the　Iowa；　but　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　admit　he　was　murdering　sixty…eight　innocent　men；　men　who　had　been　deceived　into　believing　they　were　serving　a　country　that　treated　them　little　better　than　cattle。　Fawkes　had　a　method　of　casting　off　any　cold　tentacles　of　guilt。　He　forced　an　image　of　a　burned…out　farm　and　the　charred　bodies　of　his　wife　and　children　into　his　mind　and　his　resolve　for　the　task　at　hand　quickly　hardened。
　He　picked　up　the　mike　again。　〃Main　battery。〃
　〃Main　battery　ready；　Captain。〃
　〃Single　fire　on　mand。〃　He　glanced　once　more　at　his　putations　on　the　chart　beside　him。　〃Range；　twenty…three　thousand　nine　hundred　yards。　Target　bearing；　oh…one…four　degrees。〃
　Fawkes　stared　hypnotically　at　the　three　sixty…eight…foot　guns　stretch…ing　out　of　the　number…two　main…battery　turret；　each　barrel　and　its　mechanism　weighing　134　tons；　obediently　lifting　its　herculean　muzzle　to　an　elevation　of　fifteen　degrees。　Then　they　stopped；　waiting　for　the　mand　to　unleash　their　awesome　power。　Fawkes　paused；　took　a　deep　breath；　and　pushed　the　〃transmit〃　button。
　〃Are　you　in　position；　Angus　Two？〃
　〃Say　the　word；　man；〃　replied　the　spotter。
　〃Mr。　Shaba？〃
　〃Standing　by　to　fire；　sir。〃
　This　was　it。　The　journey　that　had　begun　on　a　farm　in　Natal　had　relentlessly　run　its　course　to　this　moment。　Fawkes　stepped　outside　to　the　bridge　wing　and　raised　the　AAR　battle　flag　on　a　makeshift　staff。　Then　he　returned　to　the　control　room　and　spoke　the　fateful　words。
　〃You　may　fire；　Mr。　Shaba。〃
　To　the　men　on　the　Coast　Guard　patrol　boat　it　was　as　if　they　had　sailed　into　a　holocaust。　Though　only　one　gun　of　the　triple　battery　had　fired　directly　over　the　Iowa's　bow；　the　blast　created　a　path　of　turbulence　and　a　great　arm　of　incandescent　gas　that　reached　out　and　engulfed　the　small　craft。　Most　of　the　men　standing　were　knocked　to　the　deck。　The　ones　facing　the　Iowa　at　the　moment　of　discharge　actually　had　their　hair　singed　and　were　blinded　for　the　next　several　moments　by　the　flash。
　Almost　before　the　effects　of　the　muzzle　blast　had　dissipated；　Lieuten…ant　mander　Kiebel　had　taken　the　helm　and　thrown　the　boat　in　a　sharply　cut　S　turn。　Then　the　windshield　across　the　bridge　shattered　and　fell　away。　For　a　fraction　of　a　second　he　thought　he　was　being　attacked　by　wasps。　He　could　feel　the　hum　as　they　flew　past　his　cheeks　and　hair。　Only　after　his　right　arm　was　jerked　from　the　wheel　and　he　looked　down　to　see　an　evenly　spaced　set　of　reddening　holes　through　his　jacket　sleeve　did　it　dawn　on　him　what　was　happeni