cc.vixen03-第70章

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tion　the　violent　shaking　rattled　everything　that　wasn't　tied　down。　Pitt　alternated　his　gaze　be…tween　the　projectile　and　Weir。
　The　head　physicist　from　Stransky　Instruments　bent　over　the　laser　head。　He　showed　no　signs　of　fear　or　anxiety。　If　anything；　he　seemed　to　be　enjoying　himself。
　〃I　don't　see　any　beam；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Is　it　working？〃　〃Sorry　to　shatter　your　conceptions；〃　answered　Weir；　〃but　the　argon　laser　beam　is　invisible。〃　〃How　can　you　zero　it　in？〃
　〃With　this　thirty…dollar　telescopic　rifle　sight。〃　He　patted　the　round　tube；　which　had　been　hastily　screwed　to　the　laser。　〃It　won't　win　me　the　Nobel　Prize；　but　it　should　suffice。〃
　Pitt　lay　on　his　stomach　and　crawled　until　his　head　was　past　the　threshold　of　the　open　hatch。　The　blasting　cold　tore　at　his　head　bandage；　causing　one　end　of　the　gauze　to　flap　like　a　flag　in　a　hurricane。　The　projectile　was　hanging　below　the　helicopter；　trailing　at　a　slight　angle　toward　the　tail　rotor。　Staring　at　it；　Pitt　found　it　difficult　to　believe　a　universe　of　agony　and　death　could　be　crammed　into　so　small　a　package。　〃Closer；〃　Weir　shouted。　〃I　need　another　ten　feet。〃　〃Move　in　ten　feet；〃　Pitt　said　over　the　microphone。　〃Any　closer　and　we　can　use　a　pair　of　scissors；〃　Giordino　muttered。　If　he　was　tense　with　anxiety；　he　didn't　show　it。　His　face　displayed　the　expression　of　one　who　was　half　dozing。　Only　the　burning　eyes　gave　any　hint　of　the　concentration　required　for　precision　flying。　The　sweat　felt　like　it　was　exploding　inside　his　cast　and　the　nerve　endings　in　his　leg　screamed　at　the　irritation。
　Pitt　could　make　out　something　now…a　blackening　color　in　the　twisted　shroud　lines　above　the　projectile。　The　invisible　beam　had　locked　in　and　was　melting　the　nylon　strands。　How　many　were　there？　he　wondered〃　perhaps　as　many　as　fifty。
　〃She's　overheating！〃　Two　words　and　a　skipped　heartbeat。　〃Too　cold　in　here　with　that　hatch　open；〃　Weir　yelled。　〃The　coolant　tubes　have　frozen　up。〃
　Weir's　eyes　returned　to　the　telescopic　sight。　Pitt　could　see　several　lines　parting；　their　charred　ends　snapping　horizontally　and　lashing　out　in　the　airstream。　The　acrid　smell　of　burning　insulation　began　to　invade　the　cabin。
　〃The　tube　won't　take　much　more；〃　said　Weir。
　Another　half…dozen　shroud　lines　burned　free；　but　the　rest　remained　taut　and　undamaged。　Weir　suddenly　straightened　up　and　tore　off　his　smoldering　gloves。
　〃God；　I'm　sorry！〃　he　shouted。　〃The　tube　is　gone！〃
　The　Quick　Death　projectile　still　hung　ominously　beneath　the　Minerva。
　Thirty　seconds　dragged　by　while　Pitt　lay　there；　staring　at　the　deadly　projectile　swinging　through　the　sky。　There　was　no　expression　on　his　face；　just　a　peculiar　preoccupation。　Then　he　broke　the　silence。
　〃We've　lost　the　laser；〃　he　announced　without　elaboration。
　〃Damn；　damn；　damn！〃　Steiger　snarled。　〃Where　did　our　luck　go？〃　His　voice　was　almost　savage　in　bitterness　and　frustration。
　〃So　now？〃　Admiral　Sandecker　asked　calmly。　；　〃You　break　off　and　put　that　turkey　in　a　dive；〃　Pitt　answered。
　〃A　what？〃
　〃The　last　card　in　the　deck。　Head　into　a　dive。　When　you　build　up　sufficient　g…forces；　pull　up。　Maybe　Abe's　luck　will　change　and　your　unwanted　passenger　will　drop　free。〃
　〃It'll　be　sticky；〃　said　Steiger。　〃I'll　have　to　do　it　on　instruments。　I　can't　see　shit　with　the　canopy　covering　the　windshield。〃
　〃We'll　stay　with　you；〃　Giordino　said。
　〃Don't　e　too　close　or　you'll　catch　our　cold；〃　Steiger　replied。　He　eased　the　helicopter　clear　of　the　chase　plane。　〃Let's　pray　this　baby　isn't　constipated。〃　Then　he　pushed　the　control　stick　forward。
　The　Minerva　tipped　over　and　down　on　a　seventy…degree　angle。　San…decker　braced　his　feet　against　the　base　of　Steiger's　seat　and　clawed　for　a　handhold。　To　the　men　watching　in　rapt　fascination　from　the　Catlin；　the　helicopter's　nose　pointed　straight　at　the　sea。
　〃Ease　your　angle　of　descent；〃　said　Pitt。　〃The　projectile　is　beginning　to　trail　back　toward　your　tail　rotor。〃
　〃I　read　you；〃　said　Steiger；　his　words　tense　and　strained。　〃It's　like　jumping　off　a　building　with　your　eyes　closed。〃
　〃You're　looking　good；〃　Pitt　said　reassuringly。　〃Not　too　fast。　Pass　seven　g…factors　and　you　lose　your　rotor　blades。〃
　〃Wouldn't　think　of　it。〃
　Four　thousand　feet。
　Giordino　did　not　attempt　to　match　Steiger　foot　for　foot。　He　lagged　behind；　keeping　the　Catlin　in　a　shallow　banking　dive；　corkscrewing　down　behind　the　Minerva。　Dr。　Weir；　his　job　finished；　groped　toward　the　warmth　of　the　control　cabin。
　The　sharp　tilt　to　the　helicopter's　cabin　floor　made　Admiral　Sandecker　feel　as　though　he　were　standing　with　his　back　against　a　wall。　Steiger's　eyes　danced　from　the　altimeter　to　the　air…speed　indicator　to　the　gauge　showing　the　artificial　horizon　and　back　again。
　Three　thousand　feet。
　Pitt　could　see　that　the　canopy　of　the　parachute　was　flapping　danger…ously　near　the　twirling　rotor；　but　he　remained　silent。　Steiger　had　enough　on　his　mind；　he　reasoned；　without　hearing　another　dire　warning。　He　watched　as　the　sea　rushed　up　to　meet　the　Minerva。
　Steiger　began　to　experience　a　mounting　vibration。　The　wind　noise　was　picking　up　as　his　speed　increased。　For　a　fleeting　second　he　considered　holding　the　stick　in　position　and　ending　the　torment。　But　then；　for　the　first　time　that　day；　he　thought　of　his　wife　and　children；　and　his　desire　to　see　them　again　stoked　a　fierce　determination　to　live。
　〃Abe；　now！〃　Pitt's　mand　boomed　over　his　earphones。　〃Pull　out！〃
　Steiger　hauled　back　on　the　stick。
　Two　thousand　feet。
　The　Minerva　shuddered　from　the　tremendous　gravitational　drag　that　attacked　every　rivet　of　her　structure。　She　hung　poised　as　the　projectile；　reacting　to　the　force　like　a　weight　at　the　end　of　a　giant　pendulum；　arched　outward。　The　surviving　shroud　lines　that　had　withstood　the　laser's　beam　tautened　like　banjo　strings。　In　twos　and　threes　they　began　to　fray。
　Just　as　the　Quick　Death　projectile　looked　as　though　it　was　going　to　whip　back　and　smash　the　helicopter；　it　tore　free　and　dropped　away。
　〃She's　gone！〃　shouted　Pitt。
　Steiger　was　too　drained　to　reply。　Fighting　the　blackness　framing　his　vision　from　the　sudden　pull…out；　Sandecker　struggled　to　his　knees　and　shook　Steiger　by　the　shoulder。
　〃Make　for　that　cruise　ship；〃　he　said　in　a　very　tired　and　very　relieved　voice。
　Pitt　did　not　watch　the　Minerva　as　it　veered　off　and　headed　toward　safety。　He　watched　the　projectile　until　its　blue　skin　blended　against　the　blue　of　the　rolling　water　and　faded　from　sight。
　Designed　for　a　descent　rate　of　eighteen　feet　per　second；　the　projectile　hurtled　past　one　thousand　feet　without　blowing　off　its　warhead。　The　detonation　mechanism　lagged　until　it　was　too　late。　At　nearly　three　hundred　sixty　feet　per　second　the　biological　organism；　carrying　its　threat　of　agony　and　mass　extinction；　plunged　into　the　waiting　arms　of　the　abysmal　sea。
　Pitt　was　still　watching　when　the　tiny　white　scar　from　the　splash　was　closed　over　by　the　relentless　swells。
　There　is　something　heartsickening　about　seeing　a　proud　ship　die。　The　President　felt　deeply　moved；　his　eyes　centered　on　the　billowing　pillars　of　smoke　rolling　from　the　Iowa　as　the　fireboats　edged　close　to　the　inferno　in　a　futile　effort　to　extinguish　the　flames。
　He　sat　with　Timothy　March　and　Dale　Jarvis；　the　Joint　Chiefs　having　returned　to　their　respective　offices　in　the　Pentagon　to　begin　launching　the　expected　investigations；　dictating　the　expected　reports；　and　issuing　the　expected　directives。　In　a　few　hours　the　shock　would　wear　off　and　the　news　media　would　start　shouting　for　blood；　anyone's　blood。
　The　President　had　settled　on　a　course　of　action。　The　public　outcry　had　to　be　softened。　Nothing　would　be　gained　by　proclaiming　the　raid　as　another　day　of　infamy。　The　pieces　were　to　be　swept　under　the　carpet　of　confusion　as　delicately　as　possible。
　〃Word　has　just　e　in　that　Admiral　Bass　has　died　at　Bethesda　Naval　Hospital；〃　Jarvis　announced　softly。
　〃He　must　have　been　a　strong　man　to　have　carried　the　terrible　burden　of　the　Quick　Death's　secret　all　these　years；〃　said　the　President。
　〃That's　the　end　of　it；　then；〃　March　murmured。*
　〃There　is　still　Rongelo　Island；〃　said　Jarvis。
　〃Yes；〃　the　President　said；　nodding　wearily；　〃there　is　still　that。〃
　〃We　cannot　allow　any　trace　of　the　organism　to　remain。〃
　The　President　looked　at　Jarvis。　〃What　do　you　propose？〃