mreilly.icestation-第55节

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　Schofield　and　Kirsty　never　stopped　moving。　
　They　skipped　across　the　roof　of　the　British　hovercraft；　and　as　they　did　so　Schofield　pointed　his　pistol　straight　down　and　fired　three　quick　shots　into　the　roof　beneath　him；　and　then　suddenly　they　were　on　the　other　side　of　the　hovercraft　and　Schofield　could　see　Renshaw's　hovercraft　in　front　of　them。　
　The　orange　hovercraft　swung　in　closer　just　as　Schofield　and　Kirsty　leaped　off　the　skirt　of　the　British　hovercraft。　They　landed　safely　on　the　skirt　of　Renshaw's　craft；　and　it　instantly　peeled　away　from　the　black　British　hovercraft。　
　Schofield　looked　back　at　the　British　hovercraft…saw　a　star　of　blood　on　the　forward　windshield。　Someone　inside　the　hovercraft　was　still　moving；　clambering　forward　in　an　attempt　to　grab　the　steering　vane。　
　Schofield　figured　that　he　must　have　hit　the　driver　and　now　whoever　was　still　in　there　was　desperately　trying　to　regain　control　of　the…　
　Too　late。　
　The　British　hovercraft　looked　like　a　stunt　car　leaping　off　a　ramp　as　it　shot　off　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　It　sailed　through　the　air　for　a　moment…soaring　high…before　gravity　took　its　course　and　the　hovercraft　began　to　arc　downward。　Schofield　caught　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　the　man　inside　it　as　the　hovercraft　dropped　below　the　edge　of　the　cliff　top　and　disappeared　forever。　
　Schofield　turned　to　see　the　sliding　side　door　of　the　orange　hovercraft　open　in　front　of　him　and　he　saw　Renshaw's　smiling　face　appear。　
　〃Can　I　drive　this　thing　or　what？〃　Renshaw　said。　
　
　
　
　Now　there　was　only　one　British　hovercraft　remaining。　Outnumbered　now　by　two…to…one　it　kept　its　distance。　
　Schofield　grabbed　Renshaw's　Marine　helmet　and　put　it　on。　He　keyed　the　helmet　mike。　〃Rebound；　you　still　out　there？　
　〃Yeah。〃　
　〃Is　everyone　OK？〃　
　〃More　or　less。〃　
　〃What　about　the　hovercraft？〃　Schofield　asked。　
　〃She's　a　bit　beat　up；　but　she's　OK。　We've　got　full　power　again；〃　Rebound's　voice　said。　
　〃Good；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Good。　Listen；　if　we　take　care　of　this　last　guy；　do　you　think　you　can　get　a　head　start　and　make　it　to　McMurdo？〃　
　〃We'll　get　there。〃　
　〃All　right；　then；〃　Schofield　said　as　he　looked　down　at　Kirsty。　〃Stand　by。　You're　about　to　get　another　passenger。〃　
　Schofield　got　Renshaw　to　pull　his　hovercraft　alongside　Rebound's　transport。　He　wanted　to　put　Kirsty　on　the　transport　and　then　send　it　on　its　way　to　McMurdo　while　he　and　Renshaw　took　care　of　the　last　British　hovercraft。　
　The　two　speeding　hovercrafts　came　together。　
　Both　side　doors　slid　open。　
　Book　appeared　in　the　side　door　of　Rebound's　transport　raft。　Schofield　stood　with　Kirsty　in　the　door　of　the　orange　French　hovercraft　opposite　him。　
　The　last　British　hovercraft　hovered　ominously　behind　them；　two　hundred　yards　astern。　
　〃OK；　let's　go；〃　Book's　voice　said　in　Schofield's　earpiece。　
　Schofield　said　to　Kirsty；　〃You　ready？〃　
　〃Uh…huh；〃　she　said。　
　They　stepped　out　onto　the　skirt　together。　
　
　In　the　cabin　of　the　transport　craft；　Rebound　was　keeping　a　wary　eye　on　the　British　hovercraft。　
　It　just　seemed　to　sit　there；　watching　them。　
　〃What　are　you　doing；　you　son　of　a　bitch？〃　Rebound　said　aloud。　
　
　Book　yelled；　〃OK；　send　her　over！〃　
　Schofield　and　Kirsty　edged　forward；　toward　the　edge　of　their　hovercraft's　skirt　The　wind　buffeted　them　relentlessly。　
　On　the　other　skirt　in　front　of　them；　Book　reached　for　Kirsty's　outstretched　hands。　Schofield　held　her　from　behind。　The　transfer　was　almost　plete…　
　And　then　suddenly　Rebound's　voice　burst　across　their　helmet　inters：　〃Oh；　fuck！　It　just　launched！〃　
　Schofield　and　Book　both　snapped　around　at　the　same　time。　
　They　saw　the　smoke　trail　first。　
　It　spiraled　through　the　air。　A　thin　white　vapor　trail。　
　And　in　front　of　it。。。　a　missile。　
　Its　source…the　last　British　hovercraft。　
　It　was　another　Milan　antitank　missile；　and　it　stayed　low；　close　to　the　ground。　It　rocketed　through　the　air；　covering　the　distance　between　them　fast；　and　then　suddenly；　with　shocking　intensity；　it　slammed　into　the　back　of　Schofield's　orange　hovercraft　and　detonated。　
　The　hovercraft　jolted　ferociously　with　the　impact；　and　Schofield　lost　his　grip　on　Kirsty　and　fell　back　into　his　hovercraft's　cabin。　As　he　fell　backward　he　looked　up；　and　the　last　thing　he　saw　before　he　hit　the　floor　of　the　cabin　was　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　Book…lunging　forward；　off　balance…　desperately　trying　to　get　hold　of　Kirsty's　hands　as　she　fell　down　in　between　the　two　speeding　hovercrafts。　
　
　
　
　Book　and　Kirsty　fell。　
　The　black　rubber　skirt　of　one　of　the　hovercrafts　filled　Book's　field　of　vision　as　he　tumbled　down　between　the　two　hovercrafts。　
　He　held　Kirsty　by　the　hand；　and　as　they　fell　he　pulled　her　close　to　his　body　and　rolled　in　the　air　so　that　when　they　hit　the　ground　he　would　take　the　brunt　of　the　fall。　
　And　then　suddenly；　concussively；　they　hit　the　speeding　ground。　
　
　〃Book　is　down！　Book　is　down！〃　Rebound's　voice　yelled　loudly　in　Schofield's　earpiece。　〃The　little　girl　fell　with　him！〃　
　Schofield's　hovercraft　shot　across　the　ice　plain；　totally　out　of　control。　
　The　missile's　impact　to　the　rear　of　the　hovercraft　had　destroyed　its　rear　fan　and　half　its　tail　rudder；　causing　the　hovercraft　to　fishtail　wildly　and　shoot　left…and　head　straight　for　the　cliff　edge。　
　Renshaw　grappled　desperately　with　the　steering　yoke；　but　with　its　tail　rudder　half…destroyed；　the　hovercraft　would　only　turn　left。　Renshaw　heaved　on　the　steering　yoke；　and　gradually　the　hovercraft　began　to　turn　in　a　slow；　wide　arc　so　that　it　was　now　careering　across　the　cliff　tops　back　toward　Wilkes　Ice　Station！　
　〃Rebound！〃　Schofield　yelled　into　his　helmet　mike；　ignoring　Renshaw's　efforts　to　keep　control　of　the　hovercraft。　
　〃What？〃　
　〃Get　out　of　here！〃　
　〃What！〃　
　Schofield　said　fiercely；　〃We've　been　hit　bad　over　here！　We're　fucked；　our　game's　over。　Go！　Get　to　McMurdo！　Get　help！　You're　the　only　chance　we've　got！〃　
　〃But　what　about…〃　
　〃Go！〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　At　that　moment；　Renshaw　said；　〃Ah；　Lieutenant。。。〃　
　Schofield　wasn't　listening。　He　was　watching　Rebound's　hovercraft　as　it　sped　away　in　the　other　direction；　into　the　driving　snow。　
　Then　he　looked　out　through　the　side　window　of　his　destroyed　hovercraft　and　saw　in　the　distance　a　small　dark　lump　on　the　ice　plain。　
　Book　and　Kirsty。　
　〃Lieutenant。。。〃　
　Schofield　saw　the　last　British　hovercraft　approach　Book　and　Kirsty；　saw　it　slow　to　a　halt　beside　Book's　doubled…over　body。　Black…clad　men　got　out　of　the　hovercraft　
　Schofield　just　stared。　〃Damn。〃　
　Beside　him；　Renshaw　was　wrestling　with　the　steering　yoke。　〃Lieutenant！　Hold　on！'　
　At　that　moment；　as　Renshaw　pulled　on　it；　the　steering　yoke　snapped　and　broke　and　suddenly　the　hovercraft　spun　laterally　to　the　left　and　performed　a　slingshot；　and　in　an　instant　Schofield　and　Renshaw　were　traveling　backward　again。　
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing！〃　Schofield　yelled。　
　〃I　was　trying　to　avoid　that！'　Renshaw　yelled　as　he　pointed　out　through　the　destroyed　rear　end　of　the　hovercraft…the　end　that　was　now　their　leading　edge。　
　Schofield　followed　Renshaw's　finger　and　his　eyes　widened。　
　They　were　hurtling…in　reverse…toward　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　
　
　〃Why　can't　this　fucking　day　just　end；〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃I　think　it's　about　to；〃　Renshaw　said　flatly。　
　Schofield　shoved　Renshaw　out　of　the　driver's　seat　and　slid　into　it。　He　began　to　pump　the　brake　pedal。　
　No　response。　
　The　hovercraft　continued　to　rush　toward　the　edge。　
　〃I　tried　that！〃　Renshaw　said。　〃No　brakes！〃　
　The　hovercraft　raced　toward　the　cliff　edge；　traveling　backward；　totally　out　of　control。　
　Schofield　grabbed　the　broken　steering　vane。　No　steering　either。　
　They　would　have　to　jump…　
　But　the　thought　came　too　late。　
　The　cliff　edge　rushed　toward　them；　too　fast。　
　And　then　all　of　a　sudden　they　ran　out　of　ground　and　Schofield　felt　his　stomach　lurch　sickeningly　as　the　hovercraft　shot　out　from　the　cliff　top　and　flew　out　at　incredible　speed　into　the　clear；　open　sky。　
　
　SIXTH　INCURSION　
　16　June　1635　hours　
　
　The　hovercraft　fell　through　the　air；　rear　end　first。　
　Inside　the　cabin；　Schofield　snapped　around　in　his　chair　to　look　out　through　the　shattered　forward　windshield　of　the　hovercraft。　He　saw　the　cliff　edge　high　above　him　getting　smaller　and　smaller　as　it　got　farther　and　farther　away。　
　In　the　seat　beside　him；　Renshaw　was　hyperventilating。　〃We're　gonna　die。　We　are　really　gonna　die。〃　
　The　hovercraft　went　vertical…its　tail　pointing　down；　its　nose　pointing　up…and　suddenly　Schofield　saw　nothing　but　sky。　
　They　were　falling　fast。　
　Through　the　side　window　of　the　hovercraft；　Schofield　saw　the　vertical　cliff　face　streaking　past　them　at　phenomenal　speed。　
　Schofield　grabbed　his　Maghook　and　put　his　nose　in　Renshaw's　face；　silencing　him。　〃Grab　my　waist　and　don't　let　go。〃　
　Renshaw　stopped　his　whimpering　and　stared　at　Schofield　for　a　second。　Then　he　quickly　wrapped　his　arms　around　his　waist。　Schofield　raised　his　Maghook　above　his　head　and　fired　it　up　through　the　destroyed　forward　windshield　of　the　falling　hovercraft。　
　The　Maghook　shot　through　the　air　in　a　high　arc…its　steel　grappling　hook　snapping　open　in　midflight；　its　rope　splaying　out　in　a　crazy；　wobbling　line　behind　it。　
　The　hook　came　down　hard　on　the　edge　of　the