mreilly.icestation-第49节

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　〃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　you　blew　it。　Now；　you'd　better　pray　that　we　break　through　their　line　and　get　to　McMurdo。　Because　if　we　don't；　this　whole　station…and　whatever's　buried　down　in　the　ice　beneath　it…is　gonna　be　lost　forever。〃　
　Schofield　stopped　by　the　entrance　to　the　south　tunnel　and　turned　around。　〃And　in　the　meantime；　you　can　take　your　chances　with　Trevor　Barnaby。〃　
　With　that；　Schofield　turned　away　from　Snake　and　entered　the　south　tunnel。　He　immediately　swung　right　and　entered　Mother's　storeroom。　Mother　was　seated　on　the　floor　by　the　wall　again。　She　looked　up　when　Schofield　came　in。　
　〃Trouble？〃　she　said。　
　〃As　always；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Can　you　move？〃　
　〃What's　happening？〃　
　〃Our　favorite　ally　just　sent　their　best　troops　in　to　take　this　station。〃　
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　
　〃The　SAS　are　on　their　way　and　they　don't　sound　friendly。〃　
　〃How　many？〃　
　〃Twenty　hovercrafts。〃　
　〃Shit；〃　Mother　said。　
　〃That's　what　I　thought。　Can　you　move？〃　Schofield　was　already　probing　around　behind　Mother's　chair；　to　see　if　he　could　gather　together　all　of　her　fluid　bags　and　intravenous　drips。　
　〃How　long　till　they　get　here？〃　Mother　asked。　
　Schofield　looked　quickly　at　his　watch。　〃Twenty　minutes。〃　
　〃Twenty　minutes；〃　Mother　said。　
　Behind　her；　Schofield　quickly　grabbed　two　fluid　lines。　
　〃Scarecrow。。。；〃　she　said。　
　〃Just　a　second。〃　
　〃Scarecrow。〃　
　Schofield　stopped　what　he　was　doing　and　looked　up　at　Mother。　
　〃Stop；〃　Mother　said　gently。　
　Schofield　looked　at　her。　
　Mother　said；　〃Scarecrow。　Get　out　of　here。　Get　out　of　here　now。　Even　if　we　had　a　full　squad　of　twelve　swordsmen；　we'd　never　be　able　to　hold　off　an　entire　platoon　of　SAS　mandos。〃　Swordsman　was　Mother's　term　for　a　Marine；　a　reference　to　the　sword　of　honor　that　every　Marine　wore　when　in　full　dress　uniform。　
　〃Mother。。。〃　
　〃Scarecrow；　the　SAS；　they　aren't　regular　troops　like　we　are。　They　are　killers；　trained　killers。　They　are　trained　to　go　into　a　hostile　zone　and　kill　everyone　in　sight。　They　don't　take　prisoners。　They　don't　ask　questions。　They　kill。〃　Mother　paused。　〃You　have　to　evacuate　the　station。〃　
　〃I　know。〃　
　〃And　you　can't　do　that　with　a　one…legged　old　hag　like　me　weighing　you　down。　If　you're　gonna　run　that　blockade；　you're　gonna　need　people　who　can　move；　people　who　can　move　fast。〃　
　〃I'm　not　going　to　leave　you　here…〃　
　〃Scarecrow。　You　have　to　get　to　McMurdo。　You　have　to　get　reinforcements。〃　
　〃And　then　what？〃　
　〃And　then　what？　And　then　you　can　e　back　here　with　a　fucking　battalion　of　swordsmen；　you　nuke　these　British　sons　of　bitches；　you　rescue　the　girl；　and　you　save　the　fucking　day。　That's　what。〃　
　Schofield　just　stared　at　Mother。　She　returned　his　gaze；　looked　him　squarely　in　the　eye。　
　〃Go；〃　she　said　softly。　〃Go　now。　I'll　be　all　right。〃　
　Schofield　didn't　say　anything；　he　just　continued　to　stare　at　her。　
　Mother　shrugged　nonchalantly。　〃I　mean；　hey；　like　I've　said　before；　it's　nothing　one　good　kiss　from　a　fine…looking　man　like　you　wouldn't…〃　
　At　that　moment；　without　warning；　Schofield　leaned　forward　and　kissed　Mother　quickly　on　the　lips。　It　was　only　a　short　kiss…an　innocent　peck…but　Mother's　eyes　went　as　wide　as　saucers。　
　Schofield　stood　up。　Mother　took　a　deep　breath。　
　〃Whoa；　mama；〃　she　said。　
　〃Find　a　place　to　hide　and　stay　there；〃　Schofield　said。　〃I'll　be　back。　I　promise。〃　
　And　then　he　left　the　room。　
　
　
　
　The　hovercraft's　engine　roared　to　life。　
　In　the　driver's　seat；　Rebound　floored　the　accelerator。　The　needle　on　the　tachometer　bounced　up　to　6000　rpms。　
　At　that　moment；　the　second　Marine　hovercraft　came　gliding　across　the　hard…packed　snow。　Its　engine　revved　loudly　as　it　slid　to　a　halt　alongside　Rebound's　hovercraft。　
　Buck　Riley's　voice　came　over　Rebound's　radio。　〃Fifteen　minutes　to　go；　Rebound。　Let's　get　'em　over　to　the　main　building　and　load　'em　up。〃　
　
　Schofield　looked　at　his　watch　as　he　strode　quickly　round　the　outer　tunnel　of　B…deck。　
　Fifteen　minutes　to　go。　
　〃Fox。　Can　you　hear　me？〃　he　said　into　his　helmet　mike　as　he　walked。　While　he　waited　for　a　reply；　he　quickly　put　his　hand　over　the　microphone。　
　〃Let's　go；　people！〃　he　yelled。　
　The　remaining　residents　of　Wilkes…Abby　and　the　three　male　scientists；　Llewellyn；　Harris；　and　Robinson…were　hurrying　in　and　out　of　their　respective　rooms。　
　Llewellyn　and　Robinson　ran　past　Schofield。　They　were　dressed　in　thick　black　windbreakers。　They　hurried　off　toward　the　central　shaft　of　the　station。　
　Suddenly　Gant's　voice　came　over　Schofield's　earpiece。　〃Scarecrow；　this　is　Fox。　I　read　you。　You're　not　gonna　believe　what's　down　here。〃　
　〃Yeah；　well；　you're　not　gonna　believe　what's　up　here；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Sorry；　Fox；　but　you're　gonna　have　to　tell　me　about　it　later。　We're　in　big　trouble　up　here。　We've　got　a　whole　platoon　of　SAS　mandos　heading　toward　this　station　and　they're　gonna　be　here　in　about　fourteen　minutes。〃　
　〃Jesus。　What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　
　〃We're　gonna　pull　out。　We　have　to。　There's　just　too　many　of　them。　Our　only　chance　is　to　get　back　to　McMurdo　and　bring　back　the　cavalry。〃　
　〃What　should　we　do　down　here？〃　
　〃Just　stay　where　you　are。　Point　your　guns　at　that　pool　and　shoot　the　first　thing　that　pokes　its　head　out　of　the　water。〃　
　Schofield　looked　around　himself　as　he　spoke。　He　couldn't　see　Kirsty　anywhere。　
　〃Listen；　Fox；　I　have　to　go；〃　he　said。　
　〃Be　careful；　Scarecrow。〃　
　〃You；　too。　Scarecrow；　out。〃　
　Schofield　spun　instantly。　〃Where's　the　girl！〃　he　yelled。　
　He　received　no　reply。　
　Just　then　he　saw　Abby　emerge　from　her　room。　She　was　hurriedly　putting　on　a　heavy　blue　parka。　
　〃Abby！　Where's　Kirsty？〃　he　called。　
　〃I　think　she　went　back　to　her　room！〃　
　〃Where　is　her　room？〃　
　〃Down　the　tunnel！　On　the　left！〃　Abby　yelled；　pointing　down　the　tunnel　behind　Schofield。　
　Schofield　ran　down　the　outer　tunnel　of　B…deck；　looking　for　Kirsty。　
　Twelve　minutes　to　go。　
　He　threw　open　every　door　he　came　to。　
　First　door。　A　bedroom。　Nothing。　
　Second　door。　Locked。　A　three…ringed　biohazard　sign　on　it。　The　Biotoxin　Laboratory。　Kirsty　wouldn't　be　in　there。　
　Third　door。　Schofield　threw　it　open。　
　And　suddenly　he　stopped。　
　Schofield　hadn't　seen　this　room　before。　It　was　a　walk…in　freezer　of　some　sort；　the　kind　used　for　storing　food。　Not　anymore；　Schofield　thought。　Now　this　freezer　room　stored　something　else。　
　There　were　three　bodies　in　the　room。　
　Samurai；　Mitch　Healy；　and　Hollywood。　They　all　lay　on　their　backs；　face…up。　
　After　the　battle　with　the　French；　Schofield　had　ordered　that　the　bodies　of　his　fallen　men　be　taken　to　a　freezer　of　some　sort；　where　they　were　to　be　kept　until　they　could　be　returned　home　for　a　proper　burial。　This　was　obviously　where　the　bodies　had　been　taken。　
　There　was；　however；　a　fourth　body　in　the　freezer　room。　It　lay　on　the　floor　next　to　Hollywood's　body；　and　it　had　been　covered　over　with　a　brown　hessian　sack。　
　Schofield　frowned。　
　Another　body？　
　It　couldn't　have　been　one　of　the　French　soldiers；　because　they　had　not　been　moved　from　where　they　lay…　
　And　then　he　suddenly　Schofield　remembered。　
　It　was　Bernard　Olson。　
　Doctor　Bernard　Olson。　
　The　scientist　James　Renshaw　was　said　to　have　killed　several　days　before　Schofield　and　his　team　had　arrived　at　Wilkes。　The　residents　of　Wilkes　must　have　placed　his　body　in　here。　
　Schofield　checked　his　watch。　
　Eleven　minutes。　
　And　then　suddenly　he　remembered　something　that　Renshaw　had　said　to　him　after　he　had　woken　up　inside　his　room；　bound　to　the　bed。　When　Renshaw　had　released　Schofield　he　had　asked　him　to　do　something　odd。　He　had　asked　him…if　he　ever　got　the　chance…to　check　Olson's　body；　in　particular　the　tongue　and　the　eyes。　
　Schofield　didn't　understand　what　the　dead　man's　tongue　and　eyes　had　to　do　with　anything。　But　Renshaw　had　insisted　that　they　would　prove　his　innocence。　
　Ten　and　a　half　minutes。　
　Not　enough　time。　Got　to　get　out　of　here。　
　But　then；　Renshaw　had　saved　his　life。。。。　
　All　right。　
　Schofield　hurried　into　the　freezer　room　and　fell　to　his　knees　beside　the　brown　hessian　sack。　He　swept　it　off　the　body。　
　Bernard　Olson　stared　up　at　him　with　cold；　lifeless　eyes。　
　He　was　an　ugly　man…fat　and　bald；　with　a　pudgy；　wrinkled　face。　His　skin　was　bone　white　in　color。　
　Schofield　didn't　waste　any　time。　He　checked　the　eyes　first。　
　They　were　deeply　red　around　the　rims；　inflamed。　Horribly　bloodshot。　
　Then　he　turned　his　attention　to　the　dead　man's　mouth。　
　The　mouth　was　shut。　Schofield　tried　to　open　it；　but　the　jaw　was　locked　firmly　in　place。　It　wouldn't　open　an　inch。　
　Schofield　leaned　closer　and　prized　the　dead　man's　lips　apart　so　that　he　could　examine　the　tongue。　
　The　lips　came　apart。　
　〃Urghhh；〃　he　winced　as　he　saw　it。　He　swallowed　quickly；　held　back　the　nausea。　
　Bernie　Olson　had　bitten　his　own　tongue　off。　
　For　some　reason；　before　he　had　died；　Bernie　Olson　had　bitten　down　hard　with　his　teeth；　clamping　them　shut。　He　had　bitten　down　so　hard　that　he　had　cut　his　own　tongue　in　half。　
　Ten　minutes。　
　That's　enough；　time　to　go。　
　Schofield　ran　for　the　door；　and　as　he　passed　Mitch　Healy's　body　on　the　way　out；　h