cc.vixen03-第61章

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n　evenly　spaced　set　of　reddening　holes　through　his　jacket　sleeve　did　it　dawn　on　him　what　was　happening。
　〃Get　your　men　over　the　side！〃　he　yelled　at　Fergus。　〃The　bastards　are　shooting　at　us！〃
　He　didn't　have　to　repeat　the　message。　Instantly；　Fergus　scrambled　across　the　deck；　ordering　and　in　some　cases　physically　shoving　his　men　into　the　dubious　safety　of　the　river。　Miraculously；　Kiebel　was　the　only　one　who　had　been　hit。　Alone　in　broad　view　on　the　bridge；　he　stood　as　though　on　a　stage　in　the　eyes　of　the　Iowa's　gunners。
　Kiebel　brought　the　boat　so　close　alongside　the　Iowa's　hull　that　the　sideboard　bumpers　were　crushed　against　the　vast　wall　of　steel　and　torn　off。　It　was　a　wise　move；　the　gunners　above　could　not　depress　their　sights　low　enough　to　do　more　than　shoot　away　part　of　the　patrol　boat's　radar　mast。　Then　Kiebel　broke　into　open　water；　the　bullet　splashes　falling　fifty　feet　to　starboard；　attesting　to　the　bad　aim　of　his　startled　adversaries。　The　gap　between　them　widened。　He　stole　a　quick　glance　aft　and　was　relieved　to　see　that　Fergus　and　his　men　were　gone。
　He　had　run　interference　for　the　SEALs。　It　was　their　ball　game　now。　Gratefully；　Kiebel　turned　over　the　helm　to　his　first　officer　and　watched　dourly　as　a　chief　petty　officer　broke　open　a　first…aid　kit　and　started　cutting　away　the　blood…soaked　sleeve　of　his　jacket。
　〃Son　of　a　bitch；〃　Kiebel　muttered。
　〃Sorry；　sir；　you'll　just　have　to　grit　your　teeth　and　bear　it。〃
　〃That's　easy　for　you　to　say；〃　snorted　Kiebel。　〃You　didn't　lay　out　two　hundred　bucks　for　the　coat。〃
　Jogging　his　way　across　the　pedestrian　walk　of　the　Arlington　Memorial　Bridge；　Donald　Fisk；　an　inspector　with　the　Bureau　of　Customs；　gasped　out　the　crisp　city　air　in　wispy　clouds　of　vapor。
　He　was　on　the　return　leg；　passing　around　the　Lincoln　Memorial；　his　thoughts　trailing　from　nowhere　to　nowhere　from　the　boredom　of　the　exercise；　when　a　strange　sound　brought　him　to　a　halt。　As　it　became　louder；　it　reminded　him　of　the　roar　of　a　speeding　freight　train。　Then　it　turned　into　a　screaming　whoosh；　and　suddenly　a　massive　crater　ap…peared　in　the　middle　of　Twenty…third　Street；　followed　by　a　thunderous　clap　and　a　shower　of　dirt　and　asphalt。
　Standing　rigidly　still　after　the　explosion；　Fisk　was　amazed　to　find　he　was　untouched。　The　projectile　had　passed　over　him　and　struck　the　street　at　an　angle；　spraying　its　destructive　force　ahead　of　its　trajectory。
　A　hundred　yards　away；　a　man　driving　a　delivery　truck　had　his　windshield　blown　inward。　He　managed　to　stop　the　truck　and　stagger　from　the　cab；　his　face　sliced　to　hamburger。
　Dazed；　he　held　his　hands　in　front　of　him　and　screamed；　〃I　can't　see！　Help　me！　Someone　please　help　me！〃
　Fisk　shook　off　the　cold　shivers　of　shock　and　ran　toward　the　stricken　driver。　The　early…morning　traffic　rush　was　still　an　hour　away　and　the　street　was　empty。　He　wondered　how　he　could　call　the　police　and　an　ambulance。　The　only　other　vehicle　he　saw　was　a　street　sweeper　calmly　whisking　its　way　up　Independence　Avenue　as　though　nothing　had　hap…pened。
　〃Angus　Two；〃　Fawkes　called。　〃Report　effect　of　fire。〃
　〃Man；　you　sure　tore　up　the　street。〃
　〃Keep　your　remarks　to　a　minimum；〃　said　Fawkes　irritably。　〃Your　transmission　is　no　doubt　being　pinpointed。〃
　〃I　read；　big　man。　Your　cock　shot　is　seventy…five　yards　short　and　one　hundred　eighty　yards　to　the　left。〃
　〃You　heard；　Mr。　Shaba。〃
　〃Adjusting；　Captain。〃
　〃Fire　as　you　bear；　Mr。　Shaba。〃
　〃Aye；　sir。〃
　Buried　in　the　seventeen…hundred…ton　steel　turret；　black　South　African　gunners　sweated　and　loaded　the　gaping　breeches；　shouting　and　cursing　in　tune　with　the　clanging　hoist　machinery；　while　five　decks　below；　the　magazine　crew　sent　up　the　shells　and　the　silk　bags　containing　the　pow…der。　First　the　conical…nosed　twenty…seven…hundred…pound　armor…piercing　projectile　was　shoved　into　the　breech's　throat　by　a　power　rammer；　followed　by　the　powder　charge；　weighing　six　hundred　pounds。　Next　the　huge　downswing　carrier　breech　was　twisted　shut；　providing　a　gas…tight　seal。　Then；　on　mand；　the　great　gun　spat　its　devastating　vehemence　and　recoiled　four　feet　into　its　steel　lair。
　Fourteen　miles　away；　Donald　Fisk　was　attending　the　injured　truck　driver　as　the　ining　freight　thundered　down　from　the　sky　and　smashed　into　the　Lincoln　Memorial。　In　one　thousandth　of　a　second　the　hollow　ballistic　cone　on　the　projectile　disintegrated　as　it　crashed　into　the　white　marble。　Then　the　heavy　slug　of　hardened　steel　behind　punched　its　way　deep　into　the　memorial　and　exploded。
　To　Fisk　it　seemed　the　thirty…six　Doric　columns　peeled　outward　like　the　petals　of　a　flower　before　crumbling　to　the　manicured　landscape。　Then　the　roof　and　inner　walls　collapsed　as　great　chunks　of　marble　bounced　down　the　steps　like　children's　wooden　blocks　and　a　violent　burst　of　white　dust　spiraled　heavenward。
　As　the　rumble　of　the　explosion　trailed　off　across　Washington；　Fisk　slowly　rose　to　his　feet　in　numbed　bewilderment。
　〃What　happened？〃　shouted　the　blinded　truck　driver。　〃For　God's　sake；　tell　me　what's　happening！〃
　〃Don't　panic；〃　said　Fisk。　〃There's　been　another　explosion。〃
　The　driver　grimaced　and　clenched　his　teeth　in　agony。　Nearly　thirty　splinters　of　glass　had　buried　themselves　in　his　face。　One　eye　was　filled　with　congealing　blood；　the　other　was　gone；　sliced　through　to　the　retina。
　Fisk　took　off　his　sweatshirt　and　pressed　it　in　the　driver's　hands。　〃Twist；　tear；　or　bite　it　if　you　must　to　stand　the　pain；　but　keep　your　hands　away　from　your　face。　I'm　going　to　leave　you　for　a　few　moments。〃　He　paused　as　his　ears　caught　the　distant　sound　of　approaching　sirens。　〃The　police　are　ing。　An　ambulance　will　be　right　behind　them。〃
　The　truck　driver　nodded　and　sat　on　the　curb；　wadding　the　shirt　in　a　ball　and　squeezing　the　cloth　until　his　knuckles　turned　ivory。　Fisk　ran　across　the　traffic　circle；　strangely　ill　at　ease　without　something　to　cover　his　naked　chest。　Dodging　the　jagged　chunks　of　marble　that　littered　the　memorial's　stairway；　he　trotted　up　to　what　had　once　been　the　doorway　facing　the　mall's　reflecting　pool。
　Suddenly　he　stiffened；　and　stopped　in　astonishment。
　There；　amid　the　vast　pile　of　rubble　and　the　settling　dust；　the　figure　of　Abraham　Lincoln　sat　virtually　unscathed。　The　walls　and　roof　of　the　structure　had　somehow　parted　as　they　crumbled；　crashing　around；　but　not　upon；　the　nineteen…foot　statue。
　Unmarred　and　unchipped；　the　hauntingly　melancholy　face　of　Lincoln　still　gazed　downward　solemnly；　into　infinity。
　
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　General　Higgins　slammed　the　phone　receiver　into　its　cradle。　It　was　his　first　show　of　temper。　〃We　missed　the　spotter；〃　he　said　bitterly。　〃Our　monitor　units　zeroed　his　location；　but　he'd　flown　the　coop　by　the　time　our　nearest　patrol　arrived。〃
　〃Obviously　a　mobile　unit；〃　said　Timothy　March。　〃With　three　out　of　four　cars　on　the　road　carrying　a　CB　radio；　identifying　the　bastard　will　be　next　to　impossible。〃
　〃Our　special…forces　team　and　the　city　police　are　setting　up　roadblocks　at　key　intersections　around　the　Capitol　area；〃　said　Higgins。　〃If　we　can　keep　the　spotter　out　of　visual　contact　of　his　targets；　he　won't　be　able　to　report　range　corrections　to　the　ship。　Then　Fawkes　will　be　firing　blind。〃
　The　President's　eyes　were　locked　on　the　viewing　screen；　staring　sadly　at　the　enlarged　satellite　picture　of　the　demolished　Lincoln　Memorial。　〃Shrewd　planning　on　their　part；〃　he　muttered。　〃A　few　dead　would　mean　little　more　than　a　newspaper　headline　to　most　Americans。　But　destroy　a　revered　national　monument　and　you　touch　everyone。　Rest　assured；　gentlemen；　by　this　evening　a　lot　of　mad　Americans　are　going　to　seek　a　way　to　vent　their　anger。〃
　〃If　the　next　shell　contains　the　QD　。　。　。〃　Jarvis's　voice　trailed　off。
　〃It's　like　playing　Russian　roulette；〃　March　said。　〃Two　shells　fired。　That　means　the　odds　are　down　to　two　out　of　thirty…six。〃
　Higgins　looked　across　the　table　at　Admiral　Kemper。　〃What　do　you　figure　as　the　Iowa's　rate　of　fire？〃
　〃The　time　span　between　shells　one　and　two　was　four　minutes；　ten　seconds；〃　Kemper　answered。　〃Slow　by　half　pared　to　former　war…time　efficiency；　but　respectable　in　view　of　forty…year…old　obsolete　equipment　and　a　skeleton　crew。〃
　〃What　puzzles　me；〃　said　March；　〃is　why　Fawkes　is　only　using　the　turret's　center　gun。　He　seems　to　be　making　no　attempt　to　operate　the　ot