cc.fireice-第76节

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m　know　all　was　well。　His　signal　was　returned　a　second　later。　Radio　talk　would　be　kept　to　a　minimum　as　they　swept　the　ship　from　one　end　to　the　other。
　
　Mason　got　on　his　cell　phone。　〃Omega　Three。　Stern　LZ　secured。　No　assets　encountered。　Report　in；　Omega　Two。〃
　〃Omega　Two。　Stern　secured。　No　one　home；　so　we　will　roam。〃
　〃This　is　Omega　One。　Proceed　according　to　plan　and　cut　out　the　lousy　poetry。〃
　〃Roger；〃　Louis　answered；　although　it　must　have　killed　him　not　to　say　〃Dodger。〃
　〃Omega　Three。　All　A…OK。〃
　
　Mason　ordered　the　teams　forward。　They　broke　into　two　squads　on　both　sides。　One　squad　formed　the　base　element；　taking　up　firing　positions　to　protect　the　other　group　as　it　raced　forward。　Then　the　assault　team　became　the　fire　team　and　the　other　squad　leapfrogged　ahead　in　a　maneuver　that　quickly　covered　ground。
　
　Within　minutes；　they　had　rendezvoused　in　the　bow　of　the　ship　with　the　port　team。　Mason　ordered　his　2IC　to　probe　the　bridge　and　superstructure　while　he　took　his　squad　to　the　decks　below。　Using　the　same　leapfrog　technique；　Mason　and　his　men　made　rapid　progress　through　the　storage　areas　and　holds。　They　stopped　in　front　of　one　door　that　was　welded　shut。　Since　they　couldn't　get　in；　no　one　could　get　out；　so　they　moved　on。　They　burst　into　the　boiler　room　with　guns　ready。　The　engines　were　going；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　boiler　men　or　engineers。
　
　A　voice　crackled　in　Mason's　earpiece。　〃Up　Squad。　Gone　through　the　crew　and　officers'　quarters。　Beds　all　made。　No　one　here。　Spooky　as　hell。〃
　〃Boiler　room。　Engines　are　purring　away。　No　one　here　either。〃
　
　The　squads　continued　into　the　ship；　and　still　they　encountered　no　one。　After　a　thorough　search；　they　climbed　back　to　the　main　deck。
　
　The　voice　of　the　2IC　came　onto　Mason's　radio。　〃Lieu…　tenant；　I　think　you　should　get　up　to　the　bridge　as　quickly　as　possible。〃
　
　Moving　quickly；　Mason　led　his　team　to　the　wheelhouse。　On　the　way；　they　passed　men　who　were　stationed　on　the　decks　and　wings　of　the　bridge　keeping　watch。
　
　〃Anything？〃　Mason　said　to　the　man　who　carried　the　shotgun。
　
　〃No；　sir。〃
　
　Mason　made　his　way　into　the　wheelhouse。　The　2IC　and　several　of　his　team　were　waiting　for　him。　Nothing　seemed　out　of　place。　〃What　did　you　want　to　show　me？〃
　〃This　is　it；　sir。　Nothing。　There's　nobody　here。〃
　
　As　he　looked　around　at　the　puter　monitors　glowing　with　blue　light　and　the　blinking　faces　of　the　digital　readouts；　the　truth　dawned　on　Mason。　He　and　his　men　were　the　only　human　beings　on　the　great　ship。
　
　
　CALLS　WERE　ING　in　from　the　other　Omega　teams。　Louis　and　Carmichael　reported　that　the　Ataman　II　and　III　were　deserted。　As　he　listened　to　the　reports；　Mason　detected　a　change　in　the　ship's　movement。　He　was　sure　of　it。　The　ship　had　stopped　its　forward　motion。　He　went　over　to　the　big　window　that　overlooked　the　deck　and　stared　out　into　the　darkness。　Something　was　definitely　happening。　He　couldn't　be　sure；　but　the　ship　seemed　to　be　moving　laterally。
　
　〃Lieutenant；〃　one　of　his　men　called。　〃Look　at　this。〃　The　man　was　standing　in　front　of　a　large　puter　monitor。　Pictured　on　the　screen　was　what　looked　like　an　archery　target。　The　image　of　a　ship　was　slightly　off　to　one　side　of　the　bull's…eye。　The　ship　was　turning　on　its　axis　as　it　moved　closer　to　the　center　of　the　concentric　circles。　Red　lights　flashed　intermittently　on　both　sides　of　the　ship　image。　The　situation　became　clear　to　Mason　in　an　instant。　The　ship　was　a　drone。　The　vessel　and　its　sister　ships　were　being　controlled　from　another　location。
　
　Mason　ordered　his　2IC　to　secure　the　bridge　and　called　the　choppers　and　told　them　to　land。　Then　he　instructed　Joe　Baron　to　assemble　with　the　squad　members　trained　in　explosives　on　the　foredeck。　He　called　the　other　Omega　teams　and　instructed　them　to　proceed　to　the　main　objective；　the　bombs。　Mason　raced　down　to　the　first　level　and　led　the　way　inside　the　ship；　with　Baron　and　the　other　SEALs　pounding　down　the　stairs　behind　him　until　they　came　to　the　sealed　door　they　had　seen　on　their　first　exploration。
　
　The　lieutenant　checked　their　location　against　the　ship's　diagram。　They　were　outside　the　bomb　chamber。　Baron　got　to　work　right　away　and　taped　strips　of　plastic　explosive　C…4　onto　the　door。　He　inserted　the　blasting　cap　into　the　puttylike　material　and　ran　an　attached　wire　around　a　corner。　Mason　and　the　other　men　cleared　out　of　the　area　and　squatted　a　safe　distance　away；　with　their　hands　covering　their　ears。　Baron　squeezed　the　M…57　firing　device　attached　to　the　other　end　of　the　wire。　A　loud；　hollow　thump　echoed　through　the　passageway。　They　rushed　back　to　the　smoking　door；　now　marked　by　a　ragged…edged　square　hole。　Baron；　who　was　as　skinny　as　an　eel；　easily　wriggled　through。　The　others　handed　their　packs　to　Baron；　then　squeezed　through　the　opening　after　him。　Flashlight　beams　stabbed　the　darkness。　Then　someone　found　a　wall　switch；　and　the　chamber　was　flooded　with　light。
　
　The　SEAL　team　was　standing　on　a　platform　with　a　large　rectangular　opening　in　the　center。　The　missile　hung　down　through　the　opening　from　the　ceiling；　held　in　place　by　gantries　that　extended　from　the　walls　like　helping　hands。　There　was　silence　as　the　men　gazed　with　awe　at　the　huge　cylinder。　The　light　gleamed　off　the　metal　skin　and　the　rotor　housings。
　
　〃Look　sharp。　No　time　for　sightseeing！〃　Mason　barked。
　
　Baron　ran　his　fingers　over　the　surface　of　the　missile。　Then　he　inspected　the　intricate　network　of　hoses　and　elecical　connections　that　snaked　down　to　the　missile　from　a　ole　in　the　ceiling。　He　sucked　his　breath　in。　〃Man；　I've　ever　seen　anything　like　this。〃
　〃The　question　is；　can　you　deactivate　it？〃
　
　Baron　grinned　and　rubbed　his　palms　together。　〃Does　the　pope　live　in　Rome？〃
　〃No；　actually　he　lives　in　the　Vatican。〃
　〃Close　enough。〃　Baron　dug　into　his　pack；　pulled　out　a　stethoscope　and　plugged　it　into　his　ears。　He　listened　at　several　points　on　the　outside　of　the　missile；　smiling　and　frowning　like　a　heart　specialist　examining　a　patient。
　
　〃She's　all　dressed　up　and　ready　to　go。　I　can　hear　humming。〃
　〃What　about　those　connections？〃　Mason　asked。
　
　〃Fuel　and　electrical。　I　could　cut　them；　but　that　might　tell　this　baby　it's　operating　on　its　own。〃
　〃In　other　words；　it　might　start　the　launch。〃
　
　Baron　nodded。　〃I've　got　to　cut　the　heart　out　of　this　thing。〃　He　ran　his　fingers　along　the　slightly　raised　edge　of　a　panel　on　the　side　of　the　missile。　Then　he　dug　out　a　set　of　tools　from　his　rucksack；　and　after　a　couple　of　tries　found　a　lug　that　fit　the　nuts　holding　the　panel　cover　on。　Using　a　battery…operated　wrench；　he　started　to　unbolt　the　panel　cover。
　
　Like　a　sportscaster　broadcasting　play…by…play；　Mason　kept　up　a　running　account　of　Baron's　work　for　the　other　teams；　instructing　them　to　stay　one　step　behind。　His　men；　in　the　meantime；　had　scoured　the　area　and　e　up　with　one…inch　cable　they'd　found　in　a　storeroom。　They　ran　the　cable　under　the　thrusters；　hoping　to　rig　up　restraints　on　the　projectile。
　
　Baron　was　making　slow　progress。　He　stripped　some　bolts　that　had　rusted　in　the　dampness　of　the　big　room　and　had　to　use　a　special　attachment　to　get　a　grip　on　them。　He　was　leaning　against　the　missile；　his　head　close　to　the　exterior。　All　at　once；　he　stopped　his　work　and　listened。
　
　〃Crap！〃　he　said。
　
　〃What's　wrong？〃　asked　Mason；　who'd　been　peering　intently　over　Baron's　shoulder。　Baron　started　to　answer；　but　Mason　stilled　him　with　a　hand　signal。　The　21C　was　calling　from　the　wheelhouse。
　
　〃I　don't　know　if　this　means　anything；　Lieutenant；　but　all　the　screens　and　panels　are　going　crazy　up　here。〃
　〃Stand　by。〃　Turning　to　Baron；　he　said。　〃That　was　the　wheelhouse。　The　instruments　are　showing　unusual　activity。〃　Mason　cocked　an　ear。　A　loud　humming　that　grew　in　intensity　filled　the　chamber。
　
　Baron　looked　around　as　if　he　could　see　the　sound。　〃The　damned　thing　is　about　to　launch。〃
　〃Can　you　do　anything？〃　Mason　said　evenly。
　
　〃There's　a　chance。　If　I　can　get　this　panel　off；　maybe　I　can　sabotage　its　activation　circuit。　Stand　by　with　those　wire　cutters。〃
　
　Baron　unscrewed　another　bolt　and　was　working　on　the　next　one　when　they　heard　a　new　noise；　like　the　grinding　of　great　gears。　The　sound　was　ing　from　below。　They　looked　down；　which　probably　saved　them　from　eye　damage　when　the　electrical　conduits　and　hoses　blew　off　the　sides　of　the　missile　a　few　feet　above　their　heads。　They　dove　onto　their　stomachs。　Below　them；　the　moon　pool　gates　started　to　move　apart。
　
　Then　the　rotors　inside　the　thruster　housings　began　to　whir。
　
　As　the　moon　pool　fully　opened；　there　was　another　explosion　and　the　gantries　holding　the　missile　blew　off。　The　jerry…rigged　cables　snapped　like　thread　and　the　loose　ends　sliced　the　air　and　would　have　decapitated　anyone　in　the　way。
　
　Then　the　bomb　dropped。
　
　
　VOICES　WERE　YELLING　in　Mason's　ear。　The　other　teams　were　seeing　similar　developments。　Joe　Louis　was　yelling。　〃Omega　Two。　Bomb　has　dropped。〃
　
　Then　Carmichael's　voice　came　on。　〃Omega　Three。　So　has　ours。〃
　
　Mason　and　his　men　crawled　to　the　edge　of　the　opening　once　occupied　by　the　bomb　and　stared　down。　Waves　and　froth　created　where　the　missile　splashed　into　the　sea　and　its　thrusters　dug　in。　As　they　peered　into　the　dark　roiling　sea；　it　was　as　if　they　were　look