mreilly.icestation-第43节

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　And　then　suddenly　the　man　looked　up；　slowly　scanning　the　shaft　of　the　station；　and　Schofield　saw　his　face。　
　He　frowned。　
　He　was　looking　at　his　own　face。　
　Schofield　turned　immediately　to　Renshaw。　〃When　did　you　record　this…〃　
　〃Just　keep　watching。〃　
　Schofield　turned　back　to　the　screen。　
　He　saw　himself　stop　next　to　the　pool　and　speak　into　his　helmet　mike。　There　was　no　sound；　he　could　just　see　his　own　mouth　moving。　He　stopped　talking　and　took　a　step　across　the　deck。　
　And　then　he　stopped。　
　He　had　stepped　on　something。　
　Schofield　saw　himself　bend　down　and　examine　some　broken　glass　on　the　deck。　He　seemed　to　look　about　him。　And　then　suddenly　his　head　cocked　to　the　side。　He　was　listening　to　something。　Listening　to　someone　speaking　over　his　helmet　inter。　
　The　Shane　Schofield　on　the　screen　then　stood　up　and　was　starting　to　turn　when　suddenly　his　whole　body　jolted　violently　and　a　small　spray　of　blood　exploded　out　from　his　neck。　He　stopped　instantly　and　swayed　slightly；　and　then　he　raised　his　hand　to　his　neck　and　held　it　out　in　front　of　his　face。　It　had　blood　all　over　it。　
　And　then　his　knees　buckled　and　he　fell　in　a　heap　to　the　deck。　He　just　lay　there　on　the　deck；　motionless。　
　Schofield　stared　at　his　own　image　on　the　screen。　
　He　had　just　seen　himself　get　shot。。。。　
　He　turned　to　Renshaw。　
　Renshaw　just　nodded　back　at　the　screen。　〃There's　more；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃A　lot　more。〃　
　Schofield　swung　back　to　face　the　screen。　
　He　saw　his　own　body　lying　on　the　pool　deck；　unmoving。　It　lay　there　for　a　while。　
　Nothing　happened。　
　And　then　suddenly　someone　stepped　into　the　frame。　
　Schofield　felt　his　adrenaline　rush　as　he　watched　the　screen。　He　was　about　to　see　the　person　who　had　shot　him。　
　The　first　thing　he　saw　was　the　helmet。　
　It　was　another　Marine。　
　A　man。　Schofield　could　tell　by　the　way　he　walked。　But　he　couldn't　see　his　face。　
　The　Marine　walked　slowly　over　to　Schofield's　unmoving　body。　He　was　in　no　hurry。　He　pulled　his　automatic　pistol　from　his　holster　as　he　approached　Schofield's　body；　pulled　back　the　slide；　cocking　the　gun。　
　Schofield　stared　at　the　screen　intently。　
　The　Marine；　his　face　still　obscured　by　his　helmet；　bent　down　over　Schofield's　body　and　placed　two　fingers　on　Schofield's　blood…covered　throat。　
　〃He's　checking　your　pulse；〃　Renshaw　whispered。　
　That　was　exactly　what　he　was　doing；　Schofield　saw。　The　Marine　on　the　screen　waited　several　seconds　with　his　fingers　on　Schofield's　neck。　
　Schofield　didn't　take　his　eyes　off　the　screen。　
　The　Marine　on　the　screen　stood　up；　satisfied　that　Schofield　had　no　pulse。　He　uncocked　his　pistol；　put　it　back　in　its　holster。　
　〃And。。。　look　at　that；〃　Renshaw　said。　〃There's　nothing　there。〃　Renshaw　turned　to　face　Schofield。　〃Lieutenant；　I　do　believe　your　heart　just　stopped　beating。〃　
　Schofield　didn't　even　look　at　Renshaw　as　he　spoke。　His　eyes　were　glued　to　the　screen。　
　〃Now　look　at　what　he　does　here；〃　Renshaw　said。　'This　is　his　fatal　mistake。。。。〃　
　Schofield　watched　as　on　the　screen　the　Marine…his　face　still　masked　by　his　helmet…shoved　Schofield's　dead　body　across　the　deck　with　his　foot。　
　He　was　shoving　the　body　toward　the　pool。　
　After　two　strong　kicks；　Schofield's　body　was　lying　on　the　edge　of　the　deck；　right　next　to　the　water。　The　Marine　then　pushed　Schofield's　body　one　last　time　with　his　foot　and　the　body　fell　limply　into　the　water。　
　〃He　doesn't　know　it；〃　Renshaw　said；　〃but　that　guy　just　kick…started　your　heart。〃　
　〃How？〃　
　〃The　way　I　figure　it；　that　water's　so　cold；　it　acted　like　a　defibrillator…you　know；　those　electric…shock　paddles　they　use　on　TV　to　restart　peoples'　hearts。　The　shock　your　body　received　when　it　hit　that　water…and　let　me　tell　you；　that　would　have　been　one　hell　of　a　shock　to　a　body　that　wasn't　prepared　for　it…was　enough　to　jolt　your　heart　back　into　action。〃　
　Schofield　watched　the　screen。　
　The　Marine　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　deck　for　a　while；　watching　the　circle　of　ripples　that　indicated　the　spot　where　Schofield's　body　had　entered　the　inky　water。　After　about　thirty　seconds；　the　Marine　turned　and　looked　around　him。　
　And　at　that　moment；　as　the　Marine　turned；　Schofield　saw　something　that　made　his　blood　run　cold。　
　Oh；　no。。。；　he　thought。　
　The　Marine　then　turned　on　his　heel　and　quickly　walked　out　of　the　frame。　
　Schofield　turned　to　Renshaw；　his　mouth　agape。　
　〃It's　not　over　yet；〃　Renshaw　said；　interrupting　him　before　he　spoke。　〃Keep　watching。〃　
　Schofield　turned　back　to　face　the　screen。　
　He　saw　the　image　of　the　deck　and　the　pool。　Otherwise　there　was　nothing。　
　Nothing　was　happening。　
　Nothing　at　all。　
　There　was　no　one　on　the　deck。　No　movement　in　the　water。　
　A　full　minute　passed。　
　And　then　Schofield　saw　it。　
　〃What　the　hell。。。〃　he　said。　
　At　that　moment；　the　water　in　the　pool　seemed　to　part　of　its　own　accord　and　suddenly；　in　a　wash　of　bubbles　and　froth；　Schofield's　body…limp　and　lifeless…emerged　from　the　water。　
　Schofield　watched；　stunned。　
　But　it　was　what　came　after　his　body　that　truly　laid　him　cold。　
　Whatever　it　was；　it　was　absolutely　huge；　at　least　as　big　as　a　killer　whale。　
　But　this　was　no　killer　whale。　
　It　lifted　Schofield's　lifeless　body　out　of　the　water　and　deposited　it　gently　onto　the　deck。　Water　washed　out　onto　the　deck　all　around　Schofield's　limp　body　as　the　animal　leaped　up　onto　the　deck　after　him。　The　whole　deck　shuddered　under　its　immense　weight。　
　It　was　huge。　It　dwarfed　Schofield's　body。　Schofield　watched　it；　entranced。　
　It　was　a　seal　of　some　sort。　
　An　enormous；　gigantic　seal。　
　It　had　a　huge　blubbery　body；　layer　upon　layer　of　undulating　fat；　and　it　propped　itself　up　on　two　massive　foreflippers。　The　impression　that　Schofield　got　of　the　animal's　strength　was　overwhelming…to　hold　up　that　enormous　body　required　phenomenal　musculature。　It　must　have　weighed　at　least　eight　tons。　
　The　strangest　feature　of　all；　however；　was　the　animal's　teeth。　This　enormous　seal　had　two　long　inverted　fangs…fangs　that　protruded　from　its　lower　jaw　and　rose　up　in　front　of　its　nose。　
　〃What　the　hell　is　that？〃　Schofield　said　softly。　
　〃I　have　no　idea；〃　Renshaw　said。　〃The　nose；　the　eyes；　the　shape　of　the　head。　It　looks　like　an　elephant　seal。　But　I've　never　seen　one　so　big。　Or　with　teeth　like　that。　Elephant　seals　have　large　lower　canines；　but　I've　never　seen　one　with　lower　canines　that　big　before。〃　
　The　seal　on　the　screen　was　on　the　deck　now。　It　ducked　its　head　over　Schofield's　body。　It　seemed　to　be　sniffing　him。　It　slowly　made　its　way　up　his　inanimate　body；　until　finally　its　long　whiskers　brushed　against　his　nose。　Schofield　didn't　move　at　all。　
　And　then；　slowly；　very　slowly；　the　big　seal　began　to　open　its　mouth。　
　Right　in　front　of　Schofield's　face！　
　Its　jaws　parted…a　hideous；　obscene　yawn…revealing　the　animal's　enormous　lower　fangs。　The　massive　seal　leaned　forward　and　lowered　its　head。　Its　mouth　began　to　close　around　Schofield's　head。。。。　
　Schofield　stared　at　the　screen；　his　eyes　went　wide。　
　The　seal　was　about　to　bite　his　head　off。　
　It　was　going　to　eat　him！　
　And　then　suddenly　the　giant　seal　spun。　At　first；　Schofield　was　surprised　at　how　quickly　the　big　animal　moved。　The　deck　beneath　it　shook　as　it　turned　its　hulking　frame　around。　
　It　had　seen　something　offscreen。　
　The　seal　began　to　bark。　
　There　was　no　sound　on　the　monitor；　but　Schofield　could　see　it　barking。　It　bared　its　teeth。　Barked　and　barked。　It　shuffled　around；　agitated；　adopted　an　aggressive　stance。　The　muscles　on　its　huge　foreflippers　bulged　as　it　moved。　
　And　then　suddenly　the　big　seal　turned　and　dived　back　into　the　pool。　The　huge　splash　it　created　sent　waves　sloshing　up　over　the　deck；　all　over　Schofield's　unmoving　body。　
　〃Wait　for　it；〃　Renshaw　said。　〃Here's　my　big　entrance。〃　
　At　that　moment；　Schofield　saw　another　man　step　into　the　frame。　This　man　was　not　wearing　a　Marine　helmet；　and　his　face　was　clearly　visible。　It　was　Renshaw。　
　On　the　screen；　Renshaw　hurried　forward　and　grabbed　Schofield's　body　by　the　armpits　and　dragged　him　quickly　out　of　the　camera's　field　of　vision…　
　Renshaw　hit　the　STOP　button　on　the　video　recorder。　
　〃And　that's　all　there　is；〃　he　said。　
　At　first；　Schofield　didn't　say　anything。　It　was　all　just　too　overwhelming。　
　First；　the　Marine　shooting　him　and　checking　his　pulse…　to　make　sure　that　he　was　dead…and　then　kicking　him　into　the　pool　so　that　there　would　be　no　trace。　
　And　then　the　elephant　seal。　
　The　massive　creature　that　had　lifted　Schofield's　body　out　of　the　water　and　placed　it　gently　on　the　poolside　deck　and　had　then　disappeared　back　into　the　murky　water。　
　Renshaw　said；　〃Now　do　you　understand　what　I　was　saying　about　you　being　clinically　dead？　That　guy　we　just　saw；　I　think　he　was　pretty　sure　that　you　were　dead。〃　
　Schofield　said；　〃He　was　ready　to　put　a　bullet　in　my　head　if　he　wasn't　sure。〃　
　He　shook　his　head　at　the　thought　of　what　he　had　just　seen。　Death；　it　seemed；　had　just　saved　him　from　death。　〃Holy　shit。。。；〃　he　breathed。　
　He　stared　blankly　into　space　for　a　few　moments；　taking　it　all　in。　Then　he　blinked　quickly；　returning　to　the　present。　
　〃Can　you　rewind　that　tape；　please；〃　he　said　to　Renshaw。　He　had　just　remembered　something　about　the　image　of　the　Marine　who　had　shot　him；　something　that　the　sight