cc.fireice-第75节

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ing；　but　thrived　on　it。　Still　only　in　his　thirties；　Mason　had　been　involved　in　missions　that　ranged　from　an　aborted　plan　to　shoot　down　Saddam　Hussein's　helicopter　to　security　at　the　Olympics　in　Atlanta。
　
　Officially；　he　was　the　leader　of　a　SEAL　group　on　the　East　Coast。　Unofficially；　he　was　liaison　to　the　Joint　Special　Operations　mand；　an　amalgam　of　SEALs；　Delta　Force　and　the　160th　Special　Operations　Aviation　Regiment　known　as　SOAR。　The　shadow　force　maintained　its　own　helicopter　support。　The　assault　teams　specialized　in　attacking　at…sea　targets　such　as　shipping　or　oil　rigs。　The　joint　mand　was　authorized　to　conduct　preemptive　strikes　against　terrorists　and　terrorism。
　
　The　orders　for　the　mission　had　bypassed　the　normal　links　in　the　chain　of　mand。　This　job　had　been　directly　authorized　by　the　secretary　of　the　navy；　who　had　handed　the　problem　off　to　the　admiral　in　mand　of　the　Naval　Special　Warfare　mand　in　Coronado；　California。　The　admiral　had　been　told　to　avoid　the　usual　red　tape；　and　have　the　operations　decisions　made　at　the　lowest　possible　level。　Mason　would　report　directly　to　Coronado　from　the　field。
　
　After　Sandecker　talked　to　him；　Sid　Sparkman　had　gone　to　the　president　and　told　him　the　truth　about　his　connection　to　Ataman。　He'd　admitted　to　being　seduced　by　the　chance　to　make　billions　of　dollars；　but　he'd　said　he　had　no　inkling　of　Razov's　plans　against　the　United　States。　He'd　handed　in　his　written　resignation；　to　be　announced　at　the　pleasure　of　the　president。　And　he　had　offered　himself　up　as　a　sacrificial　lamb。　If　the　operation　blew　up　in　their　faces；　Sparkman　would　take　responsibility　for　the　rogue　action　to　contain　the　damage。　Ever　the　pragmatist；　the　president　pocketed　the　resignation；　accepted　Sparkman's　offer　and　told　him　to　call　the　naval　secretary。
　
　Based　in　Little　Creek；　Virginia；　Mason's　SEAL　team　was　chosen　because　it　had　been　trained　in　boarding　a　ship　at　sea。　The　mission　goal　was　simple：　Swarm　aboard　the　ship　without　warning　and　deactivate　a　bomb。　Mason　knew　that　reaching　that　goal　would　be　the　hard　part。
　
　〃ing　up　on　target；〃　the　pilot　said；　with　a　lazy　drawl；　interrupting　Mason's　meditations。　〃T　minus　ten　minutes。〃
　
　Despite　his　calm　demeanor；　Mason　couldn't　avoid　the　adrenaline　rush　and　excitement　of　a　SEAL　mission。　He　was　what　was　known　as　an　〃operator；〃　one　who　had　joined　the　navy　for　action。　He　glanced　at　his　Chase…Durer　Swiss　watch；　turned　and　gave　the　men　behind　him　a　ten…fingered　signal　like　a　basketball　player　making　a　two…handed　free　throw。
　
　Dressed　in　black　uniforms；　their　exposed　faces　streaked　with　war　paint；　the　SEALs　were　barely　visible　in　the　cabin's　dim　light。　As　an　elite　force；　SEALs　were　given　leeway　in　dress　and　weapon。　Some　wore　〃drive…on　rags；〃　Rambo…style　around　their　heads；　others　the　more　traditional　floppy　hats　with　the　brim　turned　up　at　front。
　
　There　was　a　rustle　as　the　SEALs　patted　the　pouches　of　their　assault　vests　and　laid　reassuring　hands　on　their　automatic　weapons。　Most　in　the　team　carried　Colt　automatic　rifles；　the　shortened　version　of　the　M…16　that　fired　rounds　with　no　cartridges；　allowing　them　to　carry　more　ammunition。　One　man；　who　was　built　like　a　bull；　carried　the　M…60　E3；　a　light　machine　gun　that　normally　requires　two　men　to　operate。　Another　was　armed　with　a　12…gauge　shotgun　whose　slugs　could　penetrate　metal。　In　addition　to　his　own　rifle；　the　explosives　expert　carried　a　rucksack　that　contained　C…4　plastic　charges　and　fuses。
　
　Mason　manded　the　sixteen…man　platoon　that　would　board　the　starboard　side。　His　executive　officer；　〃2IC；〃　for　second　in　mand；　headed　the　group　that　would　secure　the　port　deck。　No　matter　how　heavily　armed　they　were；　thirty…two　men　posed　a　small　attack　force　for　a　target　as　huge　as　the　Ataman　Explorer。　The　last　thing　the　SEALs　wanted　to　do　was　get　into　a　firefight　with　a　vastly　superior　force。　Their　main　weapon　would　be　surprise；　their　allies　would　be　confusion　and　shock。
　
　〃m　check；〃　Mason　said。　Like　the　men　in　his　platoon；　he　carried　a　Motorola　MX300　radio　with　throat　mike　and　earpiece。　The　men　answered　in　order　of　their　seating。　Mason　counted　the　answers。　Sixteen。　Everyone　was　connected。　His　2IC　called　in　from　the　other　helicopter。　He　and　his　men　were　ready。
　
　Mason　slipped　a　cell　phone　out　of　his　assault　vest　and　punched　out　a　number。　The　phone　used　a　special　encryption　algorithm　that　connected　Mason　directly　to　the　other　assault　teams。
　
　As　Mason's　unit　headed　due　east　of　Boston　at　the　chopper's　maximum　speed　of　one　hundred　forty…five　miles　per　hour；　the　other　squadrons　were　on　similar　missions　to　the　south。　The　Delta　Force　was　in　the　group　off　of　Charleston；　South　Carolina；　and　an　air　force　special　operations　regiment　was　in　the　southernmost　track　east　of　Miami。　On　this　mission；　the　navy　would　be　in　charge。　Which　meant　Mason　was　calling　the　shots。　If　he　got　taken　out　of　action；　the　Delta　leader　would　take　charge；　then　the　SOAR　officer。
　
　〃This　is　Omega　One；〃　he　said。　〃e　in；　Omega　Two。〃
　〃Omega　Two；　and　how　are　you？〃
　
　Mason　smiled　at　the　bad　rhyme。　On　joint　training　exercises；　he　had　e　to　know　and　respect　the　Delta　Force　leader；　a　wisecracking　African…American　named　Joe　Louis；　after　the　great　champion　boxer。
　
　〃We're　right　on　schedule；　Joe。　T　minus　ten。〃
　〃Roger。　Hey；　Zack；　couldn't　the　navy　brass　e　up　with　something　more　imaginative　than　Omega。　Maybe　something　like　the　Three　Bears？〃
　〃Doubt　if　the　admiral　would　like　being　called　Goldilocks。　Besides；　it　was　the　air　force's　turn　to　name　this　mission。〃
　〃Figures。　Fly　boys。　T　minus　eight。〃
　〃Call　when　you　make　visual　contact。〃
　〃When　we　do；　I　will　call　you。　Over　and　out。〃
　
　Mason　punched　another　button　and　got　Will　Carmichael；　leader　of　Omega　Three。　In　contrast　to　Louis；　Carmichael　went　by　the　book。　Even　his　spontaneous　ments　seemed　to　be　programmed。　He　reported　that　his　team　was　right　on　schedule；　then　added；　〃Pieceacake。〃
　
　Mason　knew　from　hard　experience　that　dropping　out　of　the　sky　onto　a　huge　and　possibly　heavily　armed　moving　ship　in　open　ocean　and　disarming　an　unknown　explosive　was　not　exactly　a　piece　of　cake。　They　had　rehearsed　boarding　vessels　at　sea　dozens　of　times；　but　this　was　the　real　McCoy。　The　mission　depended　on　delaying　detection　until　the　last　possible　moment。　The　HH　60…H　helicopter　was　ideal　for　the　job。　It　was　relatively　quiet；　had　an　infrared　jammer　and　suppressor　system；　a　radar　threat…warning　receiver　and　other　electronic　eyes　and　ears。　In　addition；　the　helicopter　had　sharp　teeth：　two　M…60　machine　guns　and　a　Hellfire　missile　system。
　
　〃T　minus　four；〃　the　pilot's　voice　droned。
　
　Mason　turned　and　held　up　four　fingers。　It　was　an　unnecessary　gesture　because　all　his　men　were　plugged　into　the　helicopter's　munications　system；　but　he　did　it　for　emphasis。　The　tension　was　so　thick　he　could　have　cut　it　with　the　knife　at　his　belt。　It　seemed　only　seconds　passed　before　the　pilot　said；　〃Visual　contact。〃
　
　Mason　donned　his　night…vision　goggles　and　ordered　his　platoon　to　do　the　same。　He　made　out　the　silhouette　of　an　enormous　ship　plowing　wake　through　the　sea。　He　called　the　other　teams　to　report　visual　contact。　Both　had　sighted　their　targets。　He　said　he　would　call　as　soon　as　he　was　aboard　the　LZ；　military　shorthand　for　landing　zone；　and　quickly　slipped　his　phone　back　into　its　pouch。
　
　They　were　seconds　away　from　their　target。　At　the　last　moment；　when　it　seemed　as　if　they　were　going　to　slam　into　the　side　of　the　ship；　the　Seahawks　cut　their　speed；　swooped　up　and　over　the　vessel　and　hovered　over　each　side　of　the　wide　stern　deck。　Thermal…imaging　viewers　scanned　the　ship　for　heat　areas　that　would　indicate　human　presence。　Satisfied　the　deck　was　clear；　the　pilot　maneuvered　the　aircraft　past　the　masts　and　antennae　and　hovered　at　fifty　feet。
　
　Every　man　knew　that　this　was　when　the　teams　were　at　their　most　vulnerable。　As　they　had　practiced　dozens　of　times；　the　SEALs　dropped　a　two…inch…thick　rope　that　was　secured　to　the　hoist　bracket　down　to　the　deck；　then　they　donned　heavy　welder　gloves。　Mason　stood　in　the　door；　got　a　good　grip　on　the　line　and　jumped。　Using　the　upper　body　strength　that　was　a　product　of　rigorous　SEAL　training；　he　checked　his　controlled　fall　before　his　feet　touched　the　deck；　quickly　moving　aside　to　avoid　the　next　man　down。
　
　Both　helicopters　were　emptied　within　ninety　seconds。　As　soon　as　they　hit　the　deck；　the　boarders　threw　their　gloves　away。　The　first　four　men　down　adopted　a　circular　formation　that　was　reinforced　as　the　others　joined　them。　The　helicopters　darted　off　like　startled　dragonflies　and　hovered　a　few　hundred　yards　from　the　ship　on　either　side。　They　would　await　the　word　that　the　ship　had　been　secured；　or　that　the　mission　had　failed。　Their　orders　were　to　evacuate　the　assault　team　and　sink　the　ship　with　well…placed　missiles。
　
　Mason　swept　his　eyes　around。　He　was　glad　to　see　that　the　ordnance　expert；　Joe　Baron；　had　made　it　safely。　Mason　could　handle　explosives　in　a　pinch；　but　Baron　was　a　pro。　The　lieutenant　pulled　a　light　stick　from　his　vest　and　snapped　it　back　and　forth　so　that　the　chemicals　inside　mixed　and　glowed　a　cold　blue。　He　waved　the　light　stick　to　let　the　port　team　know　all　was　well。　His　signal　was　returned　a　second　later。　Radio　talk　would　be　kept　to　a　minimum　a