inca.gold-第17节

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　　　　〃For　what　purpose？〃
　　　　Giordino　rolled　his　eyes。　〃I　know　that　look。　He's　hatching　another　Machiavellian　scheme。〃
　　　　〃Nothing　too　contrived；〃　Pitt　said　patiently。　〃I　figure　that　after　the　bushwhackers　land　and　begin　chasing　around　the　ruins　searching　for　us；　we'll　borrow　their　helicopter　and　fly　off　to　the　nearest　four…star　hotel　and　a　refreshing　bath。〃
　　　　There　was　a　moment　of　incredulous　stillness。　They　all　stared　at　Pitt　as　if　he'd　just　stepped　out　of　a　Martian　space　capsule。　Giordino　was　the　first　to　break　the　stunned　silence。
　　　　〃See；〃　he　said　with　a　wide　grin。　〃I　told　you　so。〃

　　　　Pitt's　estimate　of　an　hour　and　a　half　was　shy　by　only　ten　minutes。　The　stillness　of　the　valley　was　broken　by　the　throb　of　rotor　blades　whipping　the　air　as　two　Peruvian　military　helicopters　flew　over　the　crest　of　a　saddle　between　mountain　peaks　and　circled　the　ancient　buildings。　After　a　cursory　reconnaissance　of　the　area；　they　descended　in　a　clearing　amid　the　ruins　less　than　100　meters　（328　feet）　from　the　front　of　the　conical　temple　structure。　The　troops　spilled　out　rapidly　through　the　rear　clamshell　doors　under　the　beating　rotor　blades　and　lined　up　at　rigid　attention　as　though　they　were　standing　for　inspection。
　　　　These　were　no　ordinary　soldiers　dedicated　to　preserving　the　peace　of　their　nation。　They　were　mercenary　misfits　who　hired　themselves　out　to　the　highest　bidder。　At　the　direction　of　the　officer　in　charge；　a　captain　incongruously　attired　in　full　dress　uniform；　the　two　platoons　of　thirty　men　each　were　formed　into　one　closely　packed　battle　line　led　by　two　lieutenants。　Satisfied　the　line　was　straight；　the　captain　raised　a　swagger　stick　above　his　head　and　motioned　for　the　officers　under　his　mand　to　launch　the　assault　on　the　temple。　Then　he　climbed　a　low　wall　to　direct　the　one…sided　battle　from　what　he　thought　was　a　safe　viewpoint。
　　　　The　captain　shouted　encouragement　to　his　men；　urging　them　to　bravely　charge　up　the　steps　of　the　temple。　His　voice　echoed　because　of　the　hard　acoustics　of　the　ruins。　But　he　broke　off　and　uttered　a　strange　awking　sound　that　became　a　fit　of　gagging　pain。　For　a　brief　instant　he　stiffened；　his　face　twisted　in　inprehension；　then　he　folded　forward　and　pitched　off　the　wall；　landing　with　a　loud　crack　on　the　back　of　his　head。
　　　　A　short；　dumpy　lieutenant　in　baggy　bat　fatigues　rushed　over　and　knelt　beside　the　fallen　captain；　looked　up　at　the　funeral　palace　in　dazed　understanding；　opened　his　mouth　to　shout　an　order；　then　crumpled　over　the　body　beneath　him；　the　sharp　crack　of　a　Type　56…1　rifle　the　last　thing　he　heard　before　death　swept　over　him。
　　　　From　the　landing　on　the　upper　level　of　the　temple；　flat　on　his　stomach　behind　a　small　barricade　of　stones；　Pitt　stared　down　at　the　line　of　confused　troops　through　the　sights　of　the　rifle　and　fired　another　four　rounds　into　their　ranks；　picking　off　the　only　remaining　officer。　There　was　no　look　of　surprise　or　fear　on　Pitt's　face　at　seeing　the　overwhelming　mercenary　force；　only　a　set　look　of　determination　in　the　deep　green　eyes。　By　resisting　he　was　providing　a　diversion　to　save　the　lives　of　thirteen　innocent　people。　Merely　firing　over　the　troops'　heads　to　momentarily　slow　the　assault　was　a　futile　waste　of　time。　These　men　had　e　to　kill　all　witnesses　to　a　criminal　operation。　Kill　or　be　killed　was　a　cliché；　but　it　held　true。　These　men　would　give　no　quarter。
　　　　Pitt　was　not　a　pitiless　man；　his　eyes　were　neither　steel　hard　nor　ice　cold。　For　him　there　was　no　enjoyment　in　killing　a　plete　stranger。　His　biggest　regret　was　that　the　faceless　men　responsible　for　the　crimes　were　not　in　his　sights。
　　　　Cautiously；　he　pulled　the　assault　rifle　back　from　the　tight　peephole　between　the　stones　and　surveyed　the　ground　below。　The　Peruvian　mercenaries　had　fanned　out　behind　the　stone　ruins。　A　few　scattered　shots　were　fired　upward　at　the　temple；　chipping　the　stone　carvings　before　ricocheting　and　whining　off　into　the　cliff　of　tombs　behind。　These　were　hardened；　disciplined　fighting　men　who　recovered　quickly　under　pressure。　Killing　their　officers　had　stalled　but　not　stopped　them。　The　sergeants　had　taken　mand　and　were　concentrating　on　a　tactic　to　eliminate　this　unexpected　resistance。
　　　　Pitt　ducked　back　behind　the　stone　barricade　as　a　torrent　of　automatic　weapons　fire　peppered　the　outside　columns；　sending　chips　of　stone　flying　in　all　directions。　This　came　as　no　surprise　to　him。　The　Peruvians　were　laying　down　a　covering　fire　as　they　crouched　and　dashed　from　ruin　to　ruin；　moving　ever　closer　to　the　base　of　the　stairs　leading　up　the　rounded　front　of　the　temple。　Pitt　moved　sideways　like　a　crab　and　edged　into　the　shelter　of　the　death　palace　before　rising　to　his　feet　and　running　to　the　rear　wall。　He　cast　a　wary　eye　out　an　arched　window。
　　　　Knowing　that　the　round　walls　of　the　temple　were　too　smooth　to　scale　for　an　attack　and　too　steep　for　the　defenders　to　escape；　none　of　the　soldiers　had　circled　around　to　the　rear。　Pitt　could　easily　predict　that　they　were　gambling　their　entire　force　on　a　frontal　assault　up　the　stairway。　What　he　hadn't　foreseen　was　that　they　were　going　to　reduce　a　lot　of　the　palace　of　the　dead　on　top　of　the　temple　to　rubble　before　charging　up　the　stairway。
　　　　Pitt　scurried　back　to　the　barricade　and　let　loose　a　long　burst　from　the　Chinese　automatic　rifle　until　the　final　shell　spit　across　the　stone　floor。　He　rolled　to　one　side　and　was　in　the　act　of　inserting　another　long；　curved　ammo　stick　in　the　gun's　magazine　when　he　heard　a　whoosh；　and　a　forty…millimeter　rocket　from　a　People's　Republic　of　China　Type　69　launcher　sailed　up　and　burst　against　one　side　of　the　temple　8　meters　（26　feet）　behind　Pitt。　It　detonated　with　a　thunderous　explosion　that　hurled　stone　like　shrapnel　and　tore　a　huge　hole　in　the　wall。　Within　seconds　the　ancient　shrine　to　the　death　gods　was　clogged　with　debris　and　the　evil　stench　of　high　explosives。
　　　　There　was　a　loud　ringing　in　Pitt's　ears；　the　reverberating　roar　of　the　detonation；　the　pounding　of　his　own　heart。　He　was　momentarily　blinded　and　his　nose　and　throat　were　immediately　filled　with　dust。　He　frantically　rubbed　his　eyes　clear　and　gazed　down　at　the　surrounding　ruins。　He　was　just　in　time　to　see　the　black　smoke　cloud　and　bright　flash　produced　by　the　rocket's　booster。　He　ducked　with　his　hands　over　his　head　as　another　rocket　slammed　into　the　ancient　stone　and　exploded　with　a　deafening　roar。　The　vicious　blow　pelted　Pitt　with　flying　rubble　and　the　concussion　knocked　the　breath　out　of　him。
　　　　For　a　moment　he　lay　motionless；　almost　lifeless。　Then　he　struggled　painfully　to　his　hands　and　knees；　coughing　dust；　seized　the　rifle；　and　crawled　back　into　the　interior　of　the　palace。　He　took　a　last　look　at　the　mountain　of　precious　artifacts　and　paid　a　final　call　on　Amaru。
　　　　The　grave　looter　had　regained　consciousness　and　glared　at　Pitt；　his　hands　clutching　his　groin；　now　clotted　with　dried　blood；　the　murderous　face　masked　in　hate。　There　was　a　strange　coldness　about　him　now；　an　utter　indifference　to　the　pain。　He　radiated　evil。
　　　　〃Your　friends　have　a　destructive　nature；〃　said　Pitt；　as　another　rocket　struck　the　temple。
　　　　〃You　are　trapped；〃　Amaru　rasped　in　a　low　tone。
　　　　〃Thanks　to　your　staged　murder　of　Dr。　Miller's　imposter。　He　made　off　with　your　radio　and　called　in　reinforcements。〃
　　　　〃Your　time　to　die　has　arrived；　Yankee　pig。〃
　　　　〃Yankee　pig；〃　Pitt　repeated。　〃I　haven't　been　called　that　in　ages。〃
　　　　〃You　will　suffer　as　you　have　made　me　suffer。〃
　　　　〃Sorry；　I　have　other　plans。〃
　　　　Amaru　tried　to　rise　up　on　an　elbow　and　say　something；　but　Pitt　was　gone。
　　　　He　rushed　to　the　rear　opening　again。　A　mattress　and　pair　of　knives　he　had　scrounged　from　living　quarters　inside　the　cliff　tomb　discovered　by　Giordino　and　Shannon　sat　beside　the　window。　He　laid　the　mattress　over　the　lower　sill；　then　lifted　his　legs　outside　and　sat　on　it。　He　cast　aside　the　rifle；　gripped　the　knives　in　outstretched　hands；　and　glanced　apprehensively　at　the　ground　20　meters　（65　feet）　below。　He　recalled　an　occasion　when　he　bungee…jumped　into　a　canyon　on　Vancouver　Island　in　British　Columbia。　Leaping　into　space；　he　mused；　went　against　all　human　nature。　Any　hesitation　or　second　thoughts　abruptly　ended　when　a　fourth　rocket　smashed　into　the　temple。　He　dug　the　heels　of　his　sneakers　into　the　steep　slope　and　jammed　the　knife　blades　into　the　stone　blocks　for　brakes。　Without　a　backward　glance；　he　launched　himself　over　the　side；　and　slid　down　the　wall；　using　the　mattress　as　a　toboggan/sled。

　　　　Giordino；　with　Shannon　and　the　students　trailing　behind　him　and　Rodgers　bringing　up　the　rear；　cautiously　climbed　a　stairway　from　an　underground　tomb　where　they　had　been　hiding　when　the　helicopters　landed。　Giordino　paused；　raised　his　head　slightly　over　a　fallen　stone　wall；　and　scanned　the　landscape。　The　helicopters　were　sitting　only　50　meters　（164　feet）　away；　engines　idling；　the　two…man　flight　crews　calmly　sitting　in　their　cockpits　watching　the　assault　on　the　temple。
　　　　Shannon　moved　beside　Giordino　and　looked　over　the　wall　just　in　time　to　see　a　rocket　bring　down　the　arched　entrance　of　the　upper　palace。　〃They'll　destroy　the　artifacts；〃　she　said　in　grief。
　　　　〃No　concern　over　Dirk？〃　Giordino　spared　her　a　brief　glance。　〃He's　only　risking　his　life　for　us；　fighting　off　an　army　of　mercenaries　so　we　can　steal　a　helicopt