mreilly.icestation-第52节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Smack！　
　A　wave　of　ice　blue　liquid　nitrogen　slapped　hard　against　the　glass　right　in　front　of　Book's　face。　Book　instinctively　jerked　his　head　back。　
　He　stared　in　amazement　at　the　interior　of　the　hovercraft's　cabin。　Supercooled　liquid　nitrogen　had　splattered　itself　against　every　exposed　surface　inside　the　cabin。　
　Every　exposed　surface。　
　The　whole　of　the　inside　of　the　window　in　front　of　him　was　dripping　with　gooey　blue　poxy。　Book　sighed　with　relief。　The　reinforced　glass　had　held；　just。　
　And　then　suddenly　。。。　craaaaack…！　
　Book　pulled　his　head　back　just　as　the　window…snap…frozen　by　the　liquid　nitrogen　and　contracting　rapidly…broke　out　into　a　thousand　spiderwebs。　
　〃Book！〃　
　Book　spun　and　saw　Rebound's　hovercraft　pull　up　alongside　his　own。　He　could　see　Rebound　through　the　windscreen；　sitting　in　the　driver's　seat。　
　〃Get　on！〃　
　Rebound's　hovercraft　nudged　closer　to　Book's。　The　side　door　of　Rebound's　hovercraft　slid　open。　The　rubber　skirts　of　the　two　hovercrafts　touched　briefly；　then　parted　again。　
　〃Jump！〃　Rebound　said；　his　voice　loud　in　Book's　earpiece。　
　Book　tried　to　get　to　his　feet。　
　〃e　on！〃　Rebound　said　urgently。　
　Book　tried　to　keep　his　eyes　focused　on　the　black　rubber　skirt　of　Rebound's　hovercraft。　Tried　not　to　look　at　the　white　streaks　of　snow　racing　by　at　eighty　miles　an　hour　beneath　the　two　speeding　hovercrafts。　
　And　then　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he　saw　it。　
　Saw　the　black　hovercraft　materialize　in　the　background　behind　Rebound's　hovercraft。　
　Suddenly　Book　heard　Rebound　yell；　〃Get　there；　Scarecrow！〃　and　then　he　saw　the　side　door　of　the　British　hovercraft　open。　Saw　the　Milan　antitank　missile　launcher　appear　inside　it。　
　And　then　Book　saw　the　familiar　puff　of　smoke　and　he　saw　the　missile　shoot　out　of　its　launcher　and　fly　through　the　air　toward　him；　its　looping　white　smoke　trail　spiraling　crazily　behind　it；　and　in　that　instant；　in　that　moment；　Book　knew　it　was　too…　
　〃Book！　For　God's　sake；　jump！　Jump　now！　Shit！〃　
　Book　jumped。　
　
　
　
　
　Book　flew　through　the　air。　
　As　he　flew；　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he　saw　the　British　hovercraft　explode　as　it　was　hit　by　an　American　Stinger。　But　it　had　got　its　own　missile　off　before　it　had　been　hit。　Book　saw　the　white…tipped　missile　roll　through　the　air　toward　him。　
　And　then　suddenly　his　hands　came　down　hard　on　the　black　rubber　skirt　of　Rebound's　hovercraft　and　he　forgot　about　the　British　missile　as　he　scratched　desperately　for　a　handhold。　
　Just　as　his　feet　were　about　to　hit　the　speeding　ground；　Book　got　a　grip　on　a　tie…down　stud　on　the　skirt　of　Rebound's　hovercraft　and　he　looked　up　just　in　time　to　see　the　British　missile　slam　into　the　rear　of　his　recently　abandoned　hovercraft　and　blow　it　to　smithereens。　
　
　〃Have　you　got　him？〃　Schofield　said　into　his　helmet　mike。　
　Schofield　was　still　racing　along　in　front　of　Rebound's　hovercraft…still　travelling　backward。　He　could　see　Rebound's　transport　speeding　across　the　ice　plain　behind　him。　
　〃We　got　him；〃　Rebound　replied。　〃He's　inside。〃　
　〃Good；〃　Schofield　said。　
　It　was　then　that　Schofield　heard　the　gunfire。　
　His　head　immediately　snapped　left　and　he　saw　them。　
　It　was　the　same　British　hovercraft　that　had　blasted　open　the　side　of　Book's　hovercraft。　Only　now　it　had　a　fearsome…looking　general…purpose　machine　gun…or　〃Gimpy〃　as　it　is　known…sticking　out　of　its　open　side　door。　The　large　heavy…duty　machine　gun　was　mounted　on　a　tripod；　and　Schofield　saw　a　three…foot　tongue　of　fire　flare　out　from　its　barrel　as　it　emitted　a　deafening　ungodly　roar。　
　Rebound's　hovercraft　took　the　brunt　of　the　machine　gun's　fury。　Sparks　and　bullet　holes　and　cracks　and　puncture　marks　burst　out　all　over　it。　
　A　thin　line　of　black　smoke　began　to　rise　up　from　the　rear　of　Rebound's　hovercraft。　The　hovercraft　visibly　began　to　slow。　
　〃Scarecrow！〃　Rebound　yelled。　〃We've　got　a　serious　problem　here！〃　
　〃I'm　ing！〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃I'm　hit　bad　and　slowing　down！　I　need　to　off…load　some　weight　so　I　can　maintain　my　speed！〃　
　Schofield　was　thinking　fast。　He　was　still　traveling　backward　across　the　ice　plain。　Rebound's　hovercraft　was　off　to　his　right；　the　British　hovercraft　off　to　his　left。　
　At　last；　Schofield　said；　〃Mr。　Renshaw　。。。〃　
　〃What？〃　
　〃Take　the　wheel。〃　
　〃What？〃　Renshaw　said。　
　〃It's　just　like　driving　a　car；　only　with　a　little　less　responsiveness；〃　Schofield　said。　
　Renshaw　stepped　into　the　driver's　seat；　took　hold　of　the　steering　yoke。　
　〃Now；　shut　your　eyes；〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃Huh？〃　
　〃Just　do　it；〃　Schofield　said　as　he　calmly　raised　his　MP…5　。。。　
　。。。　and　blasted　the　forward　windshield　of　his　own　hovercraft！　
　Renshaw　covered　his　eyes　as　shards　of　glass　exploded　out　all　around　him。　When　he　opened　his　eyes　again　he　had　a　pletely　clear　view　of　the　two　hovercrafts　speeding　along　the　ice　plain　〃behind〃　him。　
　〃OK；〃　Schofield　said；　〃pull　us　over　in　front　of　the　black　one。〃　
　Renshaw　gently　applied　pressure　to　the　steering　yoke。　The　hovercraft　slid　smoothly　over　to　the　left；　so　that　it　was　in　front　of　the　black　British　hovercraft　that　was　blasting　away　at　Rebound's　hovercraft。　
　〃All　right；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Hold　it　here。〃　
　Schofield　wrapped　the　shoulder　strap　of　his　MP…5　around　his　neck　and　pulled　the　slide　on　his　Desert　Eagle　automatic　pistol；　cocking　it。　
　〃All　right；　Mr。　Renshaw。　Hit　the　brakes。〃　
　Renshaw　looked　up　at　Schofield　in　surprise。　〃What？〃　
　And　then　he　realized　what　Schofield　was　doing。　
　〃Oh；　no。　You　can't　be　serious…〃　
　〃Just　do　it；〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃All　right。。。。〃　
　Renshaw　shook　his　head；　and　then；　after　taking　a　deep　breath；　he　jammed　both　of　his　feet　down　as　hard　as　he　could　on　the　brake　pedal　of　the　hovercraft。　
　
　Schofield's　hovercraft　lost　all　of　its　forward　momentum　in　an　instant　and　the　British　hovercraft　behind　it　slammed　into　it　at　full　speed　and　the　two　hovercrafts　collided　nose…to…nose。　
　Renshaw　braced　himself　for　the　impact；　and　when　it　came　it　jolted　him　back　into　his　seat。　When　he　looked　up；　however；　he　couldn't　believe　his　eyes。　He　saw　Schofield　climbing　out　through　the　shattered　forward　windshield　of　their　hovercraft　and　up　onto　its　hood。　
　
　The　two　hovercrafts　made　for　an　incredible　sight　They　were　now　joined　at　their　noses；　both　traveling　forward。　The　only　thing　was；　one　was　pointed　forward　while　the　other　was　pointing　backward。　
　In　three　fluid　steps　the　small　figure　of　Schofield　danced　across　the　forward　hood　of　the　leading　orange　hovercraft　and　leaped　across　onto　the　hood　of　the　pursuing　black　hovercraft。　
　Schofield's　feet　pounded　against　the　forward　hood　of　the　British　hovercraft。　Horizontal　snow　pelted　against　his　back　as　he　blasted　away　at　the　forward　windshield　of　the　British　hovercraft　with　his　MP…5。　The　windshield　shattered　and　Schofield　saw　the　driver　go　down　in　a　fountain　of　blood。　
　But　there　were　still　two　more　men　inside　the　cabin　who　any　second　now　would　be　turning　their　guns　on　him。　
　Schofield　ran　forward　and　leaped　onto　the　roof　of　the　speeding　hovercraft　just　as　a　volley　of　bullets　shot　out　from　inside　the　cabin。　
　He　slid　feet…first　across　the　roof　of　the　British　hovercraft。　The　left…hand　door　of　the　hovercraft　was　still　open；　and　Schofield　rolled　onto　his　stomach　and　reached　over　the　edge　of　the　roof　with　his　MP…5　and　jammed　it　in　through　the　open　side　door。　He　pulled　the　trigger　and　fired　blindly　at　his　unseen　enemy。　
　His　MP…5　went　dry；　and　Schofield　listened　and　waited。　If　either　of　the　two　SAS　mandos　had　survived　his　barrage　of　gunfire；　then　they　would　be　up　any　second　now。　
　No　one　came　out　of　the　hovercraft。　
　The　deafening　machine…gun　fire　from　the　tripod…mounted　machine　gun　had　ceased。　The　only　sound　that　Schofield　heard　was　the　whistling　of　the　wind　as　it　sped　past　his　ears。　
　Schofield　swung　himself　down　and　in　through　the　open　side　door　of　the　British　hovercraft。　
　None　of　the　SAS　mandos　had　survived　his　assault。　The　three　men　all　lay　on　the　floor　of　the　cabin；　covered　in　blood。　
　Schofield　stepped　over　to　the　driver's　chair。　
　〃Mr。　Renshaw；　can　you　hear　me？〃　he　said。　
　
　Inside　the　orange　French　hovercraft；　James　Renshaw　was　gripping　the　steering　yoke　so　hard　his　fingers　were　turning　white。　His　hovercraft　was　still　traveling　backward　at　incredible　speed。　
　〃Yeah；　I　hear　you；〃　Renshaw　said　into　his　oversized　helmet's　microphone。　
　〃You're　gonna　have　to　swing　her　around；〃　Schofield's　voice　said。　〃I　need　you　to　help　Rebound。　He　needs　to　offload　some　of　his　people　so　he　can　maintain　a　decent　speed。　I　need　you　to　take　a　couple　of　people　off　his　hovercraft。〃　
　〃I　can't　do　that！〃　Renshaw　said。　〃You　do　it。〃　
　〃Mr。　Renshaw。。。〃　
　〃All　right。　All　right。〃　
　Schofield's　voice　said；　〃Now；　do　you　want　me　to　take　you　through　it？〃　
　〃No；〃　Renshaw　said。　〃I　can　do　this。〃　
　〃Then　do　it。　I　gotta　go；〃　Schofield's　voice　said　quickly。　
　And　with　that；　Renshaw　saw　Schofield's　newly　acquired　black　British　hovercraft　peel　off　to　the　left　and　head　toward　Rebound's　wounded　hovercraft。　
　〃All　right；〃　Renshaw　said　to　himself　as　he　gripped　the　steering　yoke　even　more　firmly　in　his　hands。　〃I　can　do　this。　I　saw　him　do　it　before；　it　can't　be　that　hard。　Slingshot。。。。〃　
　Renshaw　slipped　the　hovercraft　into　neutral；　and　he　felt　the　big　vehicle　lose　a　l