mreilly.icestation-第75节

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　Gant　unslung　her　MP…5　as　she　raced　through　the　bulkhead　doorway　that　led　back　to　the　fissure　and　the　main　cavern。　She　fired　wildly　behind　her。　Then　she　dived　into　the　horizontal　fissure　and　rolled　through　it　just　as　Montana　appeared　in　the　bulkhead　doorway　behind　her　and　let　off　another　burst　of　gunfire。　
　Another　line　of　bullet　holes　raked　across　the　ice　wall　around　Gant；　only　this　time　the　line　of　bullet　holes　cut　across　the　middle　of　her　body。　
　Two　bullets　lodged　in　her　breastplate。　One　opened　up　a　jagged　red　hole　in　her　side。　
　Gant　stifled　a　scream　as　she　rolled　through　the　fissure；　clutching　her　side。　She　clenched　her　teeth；　saw　the　trickle　of　blood　seep　between　her　fingers。　The　pain　was　excruciating。　
　As　she　rolled　out　of　the　fissure　and　into　the　main　cavern；　she　saw　the　elephant　seals　over　by　the　spaceship；　and　indeed；　no　sooner　was　she　out　of　the　fissure　than　she　saw　one　of　the　seals　lift　its　head　and　look　over　in　her　direction。　
　It　was　the　male。　The　big　bull　with　its　fearsome　lower　fangs。　It　must　have　returned　sometime　in　the　last　half　hour；　Gant　thought　
　The　male　barked　at　her。　Then　it　began　to　move　its　massive　body　toward　her；　his　bulging　layers　of　fat　rippling　with　every　lumbering　stride。　
　The　bullet　wound　in　Gant's　side　burned。　
　She　crawled　on　her　backside　away　from　the　fissure；　keeping　one　eye　on　the　approaching　elephant　seal　and　the　other　on　the　fissure　itself。　A　snail　trail　of　her　blood　stained　the　frosty　floor　behind　her；　betraying　her　path。　
　
　Montana　emerged　from　the　horizontal　fissure；　gun　first。　
　Gant　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　
　He　saw　the　trail　of　blood　on　the　floor；　leading　off　to　the　right；　around　and　behind　a　large　boulder　of　ice。　
　Montana　followed　the　trail　of　blood。　He　quickly　came　round　the　ice　boulder　and　let　rip　with　a　burst　of　gunfire。　He　hit　nothing。　Gant　wasn't　there。　Her　MP…5　just　lay　there　on　the　floor　behind　the　ice　boulder。　
　Montana　spun。　
　Where　the　hell　was　she？　
　
　Gant　saw　Montana　e　back　round　the　ice　boulder　and　catch　sight　of　her。　
　She　was　now　sitting　on　the　floor　in　front　of　the　horizontal　fissure；　clutching　at　her　side　with　both　hands。　It　had　taken　all　of　her　strength…and　both　of　her　hands…to　get　to　her　feet　and　run　back　to　the　left…hand　side　of　the　fissure　without　spilling　any　more　blood　before　Montana　had　emerged　from　the　hole。　She　had　actually　intended　to　go　back　in　through　the　fissure；　but　she　had　only　managed　to　get　this　far。　
　Montana　smiled；　walked　slowly　over　to　her。　He　stood　in　front　of　her；　with　his　back　to　the　main　part　of　the　cavern。　
　〃You're　a　plete　son　of　a　bitch；　you　know　that；〃　Gant　said。　
　Montana　shrugged。　
　〃It's　not　even　an　alien　fucking　spaceship；　and　you're　still　killing　us；〃　Gant　said；　looking　out　into　the　cavern　behind　Montana。　
　〃It's　not　just　the　ship　anymore；　Gant。　It's　what　you　know　about　the　ICG。　That's　why　you　can't　be　allowed　to　go　back。〃　
　Gant　looked　Montana　right　in　the　eye。　〃Do　your　fucking　worst。〃　
　Montana　raised　his　gun　to　fire；　but　at　that　moment　a　bloodcurdling　roar　echoed　across　the　cavern。　
　Montana　spun　just　in　time　to　see　the　big　bull　elephant　seal　e　charging　across　the　cavern　toward　him；　roaring　loudly。　The　floor　shook　with　its　every　booming　stride。　
　Gant　took　the　opportunity　and　rolled　quickly　back　through　the　horizontal　fissure　behind　her。　She　fell　in　a　clumsy　heap　to　the　floor　of　the　tunnel　behind　the　fissure。　
　The　big　seal　loped　across　the　cavern　at　incredible　speed；　covering　the　distance　between　the　ship　and　the　fissure　in　seconds。　
　Montana　raised　his　gun；　fired。　
　But　the　animal　was　too　big；　too　close。　
　From　inside　the　tunnel；　Gant　looked　up　and　saw　Montana's　outline　on　the　other　side　of　the　translucent　ice　wall　above　her。　
　And　then　suddenly…whump！…she　saw　Montana's　body　get　slammed　up　against　the　other　side　of　the　translucent　ice　wall。　A　grotesque　star…shaped　explosion　of　blood　flared　out　from　Montana's　body　as　the　big　seal　slammed　him　against　the　ice　wall　with　thunderous　force。　
　Slowly；　painfully；　Gant　got　to　her　feet　and　peered　out　through　the　horizontal　fissure　into　the　main　cavern。　
　She　saw　the　elephant　seal　extract　his　fangs　from　Montana's　belly。　The　long；　blood…slicked　teeth　came　clear　of　his　wet　suit　and　Montana　just　dropped　to　the　floor。　The　elephant　seal　stood　over　his　prone　body　in　triumph。　
　And　then　suddenly　Gant　heard　Montana　groan。　
　He　was　still　alive。　
　Just　barely；　but…yes…definitely　alive。　Gant　then　watched　as　the　big　seal　bent　down　over　Montana　and　ripped　a　large　chunk　of　flesh　from　his　rib　cage。　
　
　
　
　Schofield　strode　into　the　radio　room　on　A…deck　on　the　tick　of　ten　o'clock。　Renshaw　and　Kirsty　came　in　behind　him。　Schofield　sat　down　in　front　of　the　radio　console；　keyed　the　microphone。　
　〃Attention；　McMurdo。　Attention；　McMurdo。　This　is　the　Scarecrow。　Do　you　copy？〃　
　There　was　no　reply。　
　Schofield　repeated　his　message。　
　No　reply。　
　And　then　suddenly：　〃Scarecrow；　this　is　Romeo；　I　read　you。　Give　me　a　Sit…Rep。〃　
　Romeo；　Schofield　thought。　Romeo　was　the　call　sign　of　Captain　Harley　Roach；　the　manding　officer　of　Marine　Force　Reconnaissance　Unit　Five。　Schofield　had　met　Romeo　Roach　on　a　couple　of　occasions　before。　He　was　six　years　older　than　Schofield；　a　good　soldier；　and　a　legend　with　the　ladies…　hence　his　call　sign；　Romeo。　
　What　was　more；　he　was　a　Marine。　Schofield　smiled。　He　had　a　Marine　on　the　line。　
　〃Romeo；〃　Schofield　said；　relief　sweeping　over　him。　〃Situation　is　as　follows：　we　are　in　control　of　the　target　objective。　I　repeat；　we　are　in　control　of　the　target　objective。　Heavy　losses　have　been　sustained；　but　the　target　objective　is　ours。〃　The　target　objective；　of　course；　was　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　Schofield　sighed。　〃What　about　you；　Romeo？　Where　are　you？〃　
　〃Scarecrow；　we　are　currently　in　hovercrafts；　in　a　holding　pattern　approximately　one　mile　from　the　target　objective…　〃　
　Schofield's　head　jerked　up。　
　One　mile。。。。　
　But　that　was　right　outside　the　front　door。。。。　
　〃…and　we　are　under　orders　to　hold　here　until　further　instructed。　We　have　strict　instructions　not　to　enter　the　station。〃　
　Schofield　couldn't　believe　it　
　There　were　Marines　outside　Wilkes　Ice　Station；　right　outside　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　Only　one　mile　out　The　first　thing　Schofield　wanted　to　know　was…　
　〃Romeo；　how　long　have　you　been　out　there？〃　
　〃Ah；　about　thirty…eight　minutes　now；　Scarecrow；〃　Romeo's　voice　said。　
　Thirty…eight　minutes；　Schofield　thought　with　disbelief。　A　squad　of　Recon　Marines　had　been　sitting　on　their　asses　outside　Wilkes　for　the　last　half　hour。　
　Suddenly　a　voice　came　over　Schofield's　helmet　inter…　not　over　the　radio　room's　speakers。　It　was　Romeo。　
　〃Scarecrow；　I　gotta　talk　to　you　privately。〃　
　Schofield　clicked　off　the　station's　radio　and　spoke　into　his　helmet　mike。　Romeo　was　using　the　closed…circuit　Marine　channel。　
　〃Romeo；　what　the　fuck　are　you　doing？〃　Schofield　said。　He　couldn't　believe　it。　While　he　had　been　inside　the　station　doing　battle　with　Trevor　Barnaby；　a　whole　unit　of　Marines　had　been　arriving　at　Wilkes　Ice　Station　and　waiting　outside。　
　〃Scarecrow；　it's　a　fucking　circus　out　here。　Marines。　Green　Berets。　Hell；　there's　a　whole　goddamn　platoon　of　Army　Rangers　out　here　patrolling　the　one…mile　perimeter。　National　mand　and　the　Joint　Chiefs　sent　every　unit　they　could　find　to　cover　this　station。　But　the　thing　is；　once　we　got　here；　they　ordered　us　to　wait　until　a　Navy　SEAL　team　arrived。　Scarecrow；　my　orders　are　very　clear：　if　any　one　of　my　men　moves　toward　that　station　before　that　SEAL　team　arrives；　he　is　to　be　fired　upon。〃　
　Schofield　was　stunned。　For　a　moment　he　didn't　say　anything。　
　Suddenly　the　situation　became　clear　to　him。　
　He　was　in　exactly　the　same　position　that　Andrew　Trent　had　been　in　in　Peru。　He　had　got　to　the　station　first　He　had　found　something　inside　it　And　now　they　were　sending　a　SEAL　team…the　most　ruthless；　most　deadly　special　forces　unit　the　United　States　possesses…into　the　station。　
　A　line　from　Andrew　Trent's　e…mail　suddenly　popped　into　Schofield's　head：　
　USMC　PERSONNEL　DEPARTMENT　HAS　YOU　LISTED　AS　DEAD。　
　Schofield　swallowed　deeply　as　the　horror　of　the　realization　hit　him。　
　They　were　sending　in　the　SEALs。　
　They　were　sending　in　the　SEALs　to　kill　him。　
　
　
　SEVENTH　INCURSION　
　16　June　2200　hours　
　
　〃Romeo；　listen　to　me；〃　Schofield　said　quickly。　〃The　ICG　planted　men　in　my　unit。　One　of　my　own　men　began　killing　my　wounded。　That　SEAL　team　they're　sending　in　is　going　to　e　in　here　and　kill　me。　You　have　to　do　something。〃　
　Schofield　felt　a　chill　run　down　his　spine　when　he　realized　that　he　was　saying　to　Romeo　exactly　the　same　thing　that　Andrew　Trent　had　said　to　him　from　that　temple　in　Peru。　
　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃　Romeo　said。　
　〃Tell　them　that　there's　nothing　in　here；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Tell　them　there's　no　spaceship　buried　in　the　ice。　Tell　them　it's　just　an　old　Air　Force　black　project　that　got　left　down　here　for　some　reason。〃　
　〃Uh；　Scarecrow；　I　have　no　information　on　what's　inside　that　station。　I　don't　know　anything　about　spaceships　buried　in　the　ice　or　Air　Force　black　projects。〃　
　〃Well；　that's　what　this　is　all　about；　Romeo。　Listen　to　me。　I　have　fought　French　paratroopers　for　this　station。　I　have　fought　Trevor　Barnaby　and　a　platoon　of　SAS