mreilly.icestation-第21节
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hick metal deck when it hit。
Despite the chaos all around him； Shane Schofield kept his eyes locked on the retractable bridge three stories above him。 He took in the distance。
Thirty feet。 Maybe thirty…five。
He wasted no time； raised his Maghook； flicked a switch marked M with his thumb…and saw a red light on the head of the grappling hook activate…aimed； and fired。
The grappling hook shot up into the air。 However； this time the claws of the hook didn't spring outward。 This time it was set on magnet。
The bulbous magnetic head of the Maghook thunked into the underside of the retractable steel bridge and stuck there。
Schofield did some quick calculations in his head。 〃Shit；〃 was all he said when he finished。
Then he handed the launcher to Kirsty and said； 〃Three words； honey： don't let go。〃
She took the launcher in both hands and looked at Schofield； puzzled。
He smiled at her reassuringly。 〃Just hold on。〃
Then he pressed down firmly on a small black button on the grip of the Maghook。
Suddenly Kirsty flew up out of the water as the Maghook reeled her upward like some bizarre kind of fishing rod。
She was light； so the Maghook had little difficulty whisking her up to the bridge。 Schofield knew it would have been considerably slower if his weight were also being…
A killer whale shot up out of the water after Kirsty。
Schofield's jaw dropped as he saw the massive whale lift its entire body out of the water in a magnificent vertical leap。
Kirsty was still moving rapidly upward； pulled up by the Maghook。 She looked down and saw the whale emerge from the water beneath her like the Devil ing out of Hell itself。 Saw it e roaring up toward her； its body rotating as it rose into the air。
And then all of a sudden Kirsty came to a jarring halt。
The whale kept ing upward。
Kirsty squealed in surprise； looked up； and saw that she had hit the underside of the bridge。
She couldn 't go any farther up！
The whale opened its jaws wide as it reached the zenith uf its leap 。 。 。
Kirsty gripped the Maghook as hard as she could and quiickly brought her legs up tightly against her chest just as the killer's teeth jammed shut with a loud crunch； ing together barely a foot below her butt； the lowest part of her body。
Kirsty watched as the huge black…and…white whale fell away beneath her； diminishing in size until it disappeared back into the pool below。 The animal must have been at least thirty feet long； and it had lifted its entire body vertically out of the wat…
Suddenly a hand appeared in front of Kirsty's face and she almost had a heart attack； almost let go of the Maghook。
〃It's OK；〃 a voice said。 〃It's me。〃
Kirsty looked up and found herself looking into the friendly eyes of the Marine she knew as Mr。 Book。 She took his hand； and he hauled her up onto the retractable bridge。
She was breathing heavily； almost crying。 Buck Riley hearing her； looked at her in amazement。 After a second； Kirsty reached into her pocket and pulled out a plastic puffer for her asthma。
She drew in two long puffs and caught her breath。 When； finally； she was able to speak she looked at Riley； shook her head； and said； 〃They definitely don't have that at Sea World。〃
Schofield was still down in the pool。 Two of the killer whales circled him ominously。 He noticed that these two appeared to be smaller than the other killers。 Juveniles； maybe。
He tilted his head upward and yelled； 〃Book！ I need my Maghook！〃
Up on the bridge； Riley immediately dropped to his belly and leaned out over the edge of the narrow metal platform。 He reached out underneath the platform and tried to deactivate the magnet on Schofield's grappling hook。
〃I need it now； Book！〃 Schofield's voice sailed up through the shaft of the ice station。
〃I'm trying！ I'm trying！〃 Riley said。
〃Try faster！〃
Riley stretched his arm out under the platform； tried to reach the switch marked M on the grip that activated and deactivated the Maghook's powerful magnet。
As he did so； however； a strange thing happened。
For a brief second； Riley could have sworn that he heard Kirsty speaking to someone on the bridge above him。
〃Help the diver； Wendy。 Help the diver。〃
Riley blinked to himself。 Must be hearing things。
Down in the pool； Schofield thought it was all over。 The two killers on either side of him were closing in as they circled； shutting off any possible escape route。
Suddenly one of them seemed to break out of his circle and swing around。 Schofield swallowed。 He was ing round for the kill。
The killer turned in a slow； wide arc until he was pointing right at Schofield。 His body was only a foot or so beneath the surface； and his high dorsal fin sliced easily through the waves in the pool。 He was moving at such powerful speed that he created a rolling bow wave in front of his submerged black…and…white head。
The bow wave raced across the water； on a collision course with Shane Schofield。
Schofield looked around himself。 There was nowhere to go this time； no weapon to use。
Out of sheer desperation he pulled out his Desert Eagle pistol； raised it above the water。
If it had to e to this； he thought； then it had to e to this。
The killer charged toward him。
And then suddenly a black missilelike object plunged into the water right in front of Schofield's face； right in between him and the killer whale。
Whatever it was； it was so sleek that it entered the water with barely even a splash； and once in； it zoomed away from him at phenomenal speed。
Both killers saw it instantly and immediately lost interest in Schofield。 Even the one that had been charging at him only seconds before abruptly altered its path and raced off in pursuit of this new quarry。
Schofield was stunned。 What had it been？ It had looked almost like a。。。 a seal of some sort。
And then； miraculously； a Maghook dropped into the water right in front of him。
Schofield grabbed it before it sank and immediately looked upward。 Up on the bridge he saw Book Riley lying on his belly； with one arm stretched out underneath the bridge。
Schofield looked at the Maghook and suddenly felt a new lease on life e over him。
Just then； a small pointed black head popped up out of the water right in front of him and he fell backward in surprise。
It was Wendy。 Kirsty's little Antarctic fur seal。
Her cute red collar glistened with wetness； and her soft black eyes looked right into his。 If it was possible； Schofield could have sworn that the little seal was smiling…having a ball of a time swimming around in the pool； evading the less agile killer whales。
Then he realized。 Wendy must have been the object that had dived into the pool in between him and the charging killer whale。
Suddenly Wendy's head snapped left。
She'd heard something； sensed something。
Then she gave what looked like a final happy nod to Schofield before she ducked back under the water and sped off down the length of the pool。
She swam fast。 Speeding just underneath the surface of the water like a tiny black torpedo。 Cutting left； ducking right； and then disappearing suddenly as she dropped into a steep vertical dive。 No sooner had she moved than three black dorsal fins appeared behind her and immediately gave chase； before they themselves vanished beneath the surface in hot pursuit。
Schofield took the opportunity and swam for the nearest edge。 He was three feet from the deck when a sudden surge of water rocked him and he rolled in the water as the giant body of one of the killers swept past him at a frightening speed。 Schofield immediately tensed for another fight； but the whale just barreled past him； in search of the elusive Wendy。
Schofield breathed again； swam forward； and grabbed hold of the deck。 He climbed up out of the water and saw the。 battered ejection seat lying crumpled on its side on the deck in front of him。 Then he turned around； surveyed the chaos around him。
Sarah and Abby were long out of the water and were now hurrying into the tunnels of E…deck。 Not far from them were Rebound and Mother。 Rebound was kneeling over Mother。 He appeared to be applying pressure to a wound of some kind on Mother's leg。
On the other side of the pool Schofield saw the two surviving French mandos； also safely out of the water。 Soaking wet； they were just getting to their feet on the deck。 One of them saw Schofield and began to reach for his crossbow。
Just then； a sudden movement caught Schofield's eye and he turned and saw a familiar black shadow whipping down the length of the pool。
Wendy。
Three larger black…and…white shapes raced through the water behind her。 The killers in pursuit。
Wendy was travelling at tremendous speed； just below the surface。 Her flippers would occasionally sweep backward with a powerful stroke and then fall in by her sides so that her body remained as streamlined as possible。 She looked like a bullet shooting through the pool； alternately appearing and disappearing in the murky red clouds that stained the icy water。
She was heading for the deck； for that part of the deck on which the two French mandos stood。 And she wasn't slowing down。
In fa
