mreilly.icestation-第48节

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　〃It　didn't　suit　me；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Tell　me　about　the　ICG。〃　
　Snake　smiled　a　cold；　thin　smile。　Then　he　began　to　laugh　softly。　
　〃You're　a　dead　man；〃　he　said　quietly。　Then　he　turned　to　face　the　others。　〃You're　all　going　to　die。〃　
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃You　wanted　to　know　about　the　ICG；〃　Snake　said。　〃I　just　told　you　about　the　ICG。〃　
　〃The　ICG　is　going　to　kill　us？〃　
　〃The　ICG　will　never　let　you　live；〃　Snake　said。　〃It's　not　possible。　Not　after　what　you've　seen　here。　When　the　United　States　Government　gets　their　hands　on　that　spaceship…or　whatever　it　is　that's　down　there…it　can't　possibly　allow　a　handful　of　grunts　like　you　to　know　about　it。　You're　all　going　to　die。　Count　on　it。〃　
　Snake's　words　hung　in　the　air。　Everyone　on　the　deck　was　silent。　
　Their　reward　for　arriving　at　Wilkes　Ice　Station　so　quickly　and　defending　it　against　the　French　was　to　be　a　death　sentence。　
　〃Wonderful；〃　Schofield　said。　〃That's　just　wonderful。　I　bet　you're　pretty　fucking　proud　of　yourself；〃　he　said　to　Snake。　
　〃My　loyalty　to　my　country　is　greater　than　my　loyalty　to　you；　Scarecrow；〃　Snake　said　defiantly。　
　Schofield's　teeth　began　to　grind。　He　stepped　forward。　Book　held　him　back。　
　〃Not　now；〃　Book　said　quietly。　〃Not　here。〃　
　〃Lieutenant！〃　a　woman's　voice　yelled　from　somewhere　high　up　in　the　station。　Schofield　looked　up。　
　Abby　Sinclair　was　leaning　out　over　the　railing　of　A…deck。　〃Lieutenant！〃　she　yelled。　〃It's　time！〃　
　
　Schofield　strode　into　the　radio　room　on　A…deck。　Book　and　James　Renshaw　came　in　behind　him。　Rebound　had　stayed　down　on　E…deck　to　keep　an　eye　on　Snake。　
　Abby　was　already　seated　at　the　radio　console。　She　did　a　double　take　when　she　saw　Renshaw　enter　the　room。　
　〃Hello；　Abby；〃　Renshaw　said。　
　〃Hello；　James；〃　Abby　said；　cautiously。　
　She　turned　to　Schofield。　〃The　break　should　be　over　us　any　second　now。〃　She　flicked　a　switch　on　the　console。　The　sound　of　static　began　to　wash　out　from　two　wall…mounted　speakers。　
　Shhhhhhhhhh。　
　〃That's　the　sound　of　the　solar　flare；〃　Abby　said。　〃But　if　you　wait　just。。。　a。。。　few。。。　seconds　。。。〃　
　Abruptly　the　shooshing　sound　cut　off　and　there　was　silence。　
　〃And　there　it　is；〃　Abby　said。　〃There's　your　break；　Lieutenant。　Go　for　it。〃　
　Schofield　sat　down　at　the　console　and　grabbed　the　microphone。　
　He　hit　the　talk　button；　but　just　as　he　was　about　to　speak；　a　strange　high…pitched　whistling　sound　suddenly　blared　out　from　the　wall…mounted　speakers。　It　sounded　like　feedback；　interference。　
　Schofield　released　the　microphone　instantly；　looked　at　Abby。　〃What　did　I　do？　Did　I　press　something？〃　
　Abby　frowned；　flicked　a　couple　of　switches。　〃No。　You　didn't　do　anything。〃　
　〃Is　it　the　solar　flare？　Could　you　have　got　the　timing　wrong？〃　
　〃No；〃　Abby　said　firmly。　
　She　flicked　some　more　switches。　
　Nothing　happened。　
　The　system　didn't　seem　to　be　responding　to　what　she　was　doing。　The　high…pitched　whistling　sound　filled　the　radio　room。　Abby　said；　〃There's　something　wrong；　this　isn't　interference　from　the　flare。　This　is　something　else。　This　is　different。　It's　almost　as　if　it's　electronic。　As　though　someone　was　jamming　us。。。。〃　
　Schofield　felt　a　chill　run　up　the　length　of　his　spine。　〃Jamming　us？〃　
　〃It's　as　if　there's　someone　between　us　and　McMurdo；　stopping　our　signal　getting　through；〃　Abby　said。　
　〃Scarecrow。。。；〃　a　voice　said　from　somewhere　behind　Schofield。　
　Schofield　spun。　
　It　was　Rebound。　
　He　was　standing　in　the　doorway　to　the　radio　room。　
　〃I　thought　I　told　you　to　stay　down　with…〃　
　〃Sir；　you　better　see　this；〃　Rebound　said。　〃You　better　see　this　now。〃　He　held　up　his　left　hand。　
　In　it　was　the　portable　viewscreen　that　Schofield　had　brought　inside　from　the　hovercrafts　earlier。　The　small　TV　screen　that　displayed　the　findings　of　the　two　range　finders　mounted　on　top　of　the　hovercrafts　outside。　Rebound　crossed　the　radio　room　quickly　and　handed　the　screen　to　Schofield。　Schofield　looked　at　the　screen　and　his　eyes　instantly　widened　in　horror。　
　〃Oh；　Christ；〃　he　said。　The　screen　was　filled　with　red　blips。　They　looked　like　a　swarm　of　bees；　converging　on　a　point；　were　all　approaching　the　center　of　the　screen。　Schofield　counted　twenty　red　blips。　Twenty。。。。　
　All　of　them　converging　on　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　〃Good　God。。。。〃　
　And　then　suddenly　he　heard　a　voice。　A　voice　that　made　his　blood　run　cold。　It　came　from　the　speakers　that　lined　the　walls　of　the　radio　room。　Loud　and　hard；　as　if　it　were　a　message　from　God　himself。　
　〃Attention；　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　Attention；〃　the　voice　said。　
　It　was　a　crisp　voice；　clipped　and　cultured。　
　〃Attention　American　forces　at　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　As　you　will　now　no　doubt　be　aware；　your　munication　lines　have　been　intercepted。　It　is　no　use　attempting　to　contact　your　base　at　McMurdo…you　will　not　get　through。　You　are　advised　to　lay　down　your　arms　immediately。　If　you　do　not　lay　down　your　defenses　before　our　arrival；　we　will　be　forced　to　make　an　offensive　entry。　Such　an　entry；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　will　be　painful。〃　
　Schofield's　eyes　went　wide　at　the　sound　of　the　voice。　The　English　accent　was　all　too　apparent。　
　It　was　a　voice　that　Schofield　knew　well。　A　voice　from　his　past。　
　It　was　the　voice　of　Trevor　Barnaby。　Brigadier　General　Trevor　J。　Barnaby　of　Her　Majesty's　SAS。　
　
　
　FIFTH　INCURSION　
　16　June　1551　hours　
　
　〃Oh；　Jesus；〃　Rebound　said。　
　〃How　long　till　they　get　here？〃　Book　asked。　
　Schofield's　eyes　were　glued　to　the　portable　viewscreen。　He　looked　at　the　box　at　the　bottom　of　the　screen。　In　it　was　a　wire…frame　picture　of　a　hovercraft。　The　wire…frame　hovercraft　rotated　within　the　box。　Beneath　it　were　the　words：　BELL　TEXTRON　SR。N7…S…LANDING　CRAFT　AIR　CUSHIONED　（UK）。　
　〃It's　the　SAS；〃　Rebound　said　in　disbelief。　〃It's　the　fucking　SAS。〃　
　〃Take　it　easy；　Rebound；〃　Schofield　said。　〃We're　not　dead　yet。〃　
　He　turned　to　Book。　〃Thirty…four　miles　out。　ing　in　at　eighty　miles　an　hour。〃　
　〃Definitely　not　friendly；〃　Book　said。　
　Schofield　said；　〃Thirty…four　miles　at　eighty　miles　an　hour。　That　gives　us；　what…〃　
　〃Twenty…six　minutes；〃　Abby　said　quickly。　
　〃Twenty…six　minutes。〃　Schofield　swallowed。　〃Shit。〃　
　The　room　fell　silent。　
　Schofield　could　hear　Rebound's　breathing。　He　was　breathing　fast；　hyperventilating。　
　Everyone　watched　Schofield；　waited　for　him　to　make　the　call。　
　Schofield　took　a　deep　breath；　tried　to　evaluate　the　situation。　The　SAS…the　British　Special　Air　Service；　the　most　dangerous　special　forces　unit　in　the　world…was　on　its　way　to　Wilkes　Ice　Station　right　now。　
　And　it　was　being　led　by　Trevor　Barnaby…the　man　who　had　taught　Shane　Schofield　everything　he　knew　about　covert　incursionary　warfare。　The　man　who　in　the　eighteen　years　he　had　been　in　mand　of　the　SAS　had　never　once　failed　in　a　mission。　
　On　top　of　all　that；　Barnaby　was　also　jamming　Schofield's　radio；　stopping　him　from　getting　in　contact　with　McMurdo。　Stopping　him　from　making　contact　with　the　only　people　in　the　world　who　were　capable　of　taking　out　the　French　warship　that　was　hovering　off　the　coast；　waiting　to　launch　its　missiles　at　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　
　Schofield　checked　his　stopwatch。　It　read：　
　2：02：31　
　2：02：32　
　2：02：33　
　Shit；　he　thought。　
　Less　than　an　hour　until　they　launched。　
　Shit。　It　was　all　happening　too　fast。　It　was　as　if　the　whole　world　were　closing　in　around　him。　
　Schofield　looked　at　the　range　finder　viewscreen　again；　looked　at　the　swarm　of　dots　approaching　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　
　Twenty　hovercrafts；　he　thought。　Probably　two　or　three　men　in　each。　That　meant　a　minimum　of　fifty　men。　
　Fifty　men。　
　And　what　did　Schofield　have？　
　Three　good　men　in　the　station　proper。　Three　more　down　in　the　cave。　Mother　down　in　the　storeroom　and　Snake　handcuffed　to　a　pole　on　E…deck。　
　The　situation　didn't　just　look　bad。　
　It　looked　hopeless。　
　Either　they　stayed　here　and　fought　a　suicidal　battle　with　the　SAS；　or　they　ran…made　a　break　for　McMurdo　in　the　hovercrafts…and　brought　back　reinforcements　later。　
　There　really　was　no　choice　at　all。　
　Schofield　looked　up　at　the　small　group　gathered　around　him。　
　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃We　get　out　of　here。〃　
　
　Schofield's　feet　clanged　loudly　as　they　landed　hard　on　the　cold　metal　floor　of　E…deck。　Schofield　strode　quickly　across　the　deck　toward　the　south　tunnel　and　Mother's　storeroom。　
　〃What's　going　on？〃　a　voice　called　out　from　the　other　side　of　the　deck。　Snake。　〃Trouble；　Lieutenant？〃　
　Schofield　approached　the　handcuffed　soldier。　He　saw　the　two　French　scientists　kneeling　on　the　deck　on　either　side　of　him。　They　just　stared　resignedly　at　the　deck。　
　〃You　made　a　mistake；〃　Schofield　said　to　Snake。　〃You　started　killing　your　own　men　too　soon。　You　should　have　waited　until　you　were　sure　we　had　this　station　secured。　Now　we've　got　twenty　British　hovercrafts　speeding　toward　us　and　no　reinforcements　in　sight。　They're　going　to　be　here　in　twenty…three　minutes。〃　
　Snake's　face　remained　impassive；　cold。　
　〃And　you　know　what？〃　Schofield　said。　〃You're　gonna　be　here　when　they　arrive。〃　He　began　to　walk　away。　
　〃You're　going　to　leave　me　here？〃　Snake　said　in　disbelief。　
　〃Yes。〃　
　〃You　can't　do　that。　You　need　me；〃　Snake　said。　
　Schofield　looked　at　his　watch　as　he　walked。　
　Twenty…two　minutes　until　the　SAS　arrived。　
　〃Snake；　you　had　your　chance　and　yo