mreilly.icestation-第9节

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　〃What's　a　crabeater？〃　Hollywood　Todd　asked　from　over　by　the　winch　controls。　
　〃It's　another　kind　of　seal；〃　Kirsty　said。　〃A　big；　fat　seal。　Killers　eat　them　in　about　three　bites。〃　
　〃They　eat　seals？'　Hollywood　said；　genuinely　surprised。　
　〃Uh…huh；〃　Kirsty　said。　
　〃Whoa。〃　Having　barely　graduated　high　school；　Hollywood　couldn't　exactly　claim　to　possess　a　love　for　books　or　academia。　School　had　been　a　hard　time。　He'd　joined　the　Marines　two　weeks　after　graduating　and　thought　it　was　the　best　decision　he'd　ever　made。　
　He　looked　down　at　Kirsty；　assessing　her　size　and　age。　〃How　e　you　know　all　this　stuff？〃　
　Kirsty　shrugged　self…consciously。　〃I　read　a　lot。〃　
　〃Oh。〃　
　Beside　Hollywood；　Gant　began　to　laugh　softly。　
　〃What're　you　laughing　at？〃　Hollywood　asked。　
　〃You；〃　Libby　Gant　said；　smiling。　〃I　was　just　thinking　about　how　much　you　read。〃　
　Hollywood　cocked　his　head。　〃I　read。〃　
　〃Sure　you　do。〃　
　〃I　do。〃　
　〃ic　books　don't　count；　Hollywood。〃　
　〃I　don't　just　read　ic　books。〃　
　〃Oh；　yeah；　I　forgot　about　your　prized　subscription　to　Playboy　magazine。〃　
　Kirsty　began　to　chuckle。　
　Hollywood　noticed　and　frowned。　〃Ha…ha。　Yeah；　well；　least　I　know　I　ain't　gonna　be　no　college　professor；　so　I　don't　try　to　be　somethin'　I'm　not。〃　He　raised　his　eyebrows　at　Gant。　〃What　about　you；　Dorothy；　you　ever　try　to　be　somethin'　you're　not？〃　
　Libby　Gant　lowered　her　glasses　slightly；　revealing　sky　blue　eyes。　She　gave　Hollywood　a　sad　look。　〃Sticks　and　stones；　Hollywood。　Sticks　and　stones。〃　
　Gant　replaced　her　glasses　and　turned　back　to　look　at　the　whales　down　in　the　pool。　
　Kirsty　was　confused。　When　she'd　been　introduced　to　Gant　earlier；　she'd　been　told　that　her　real　name　was　Libby　and　that　her　nickname　was　Fox。　After　a　few　moments；　Kirsty　asked　innocently；　〃Why　did　he　call　you　Dorothy？〃　
　Gant　didn't　answer。　She　just　kept　looking　down　at　the　pool　and　shook　her　head。　
　Kirsty　spun　to　face　Hollywood。　He　gave　her　a　cryptic　smile　and　a　shrug。　〃Everybody　knows　Dorothy　liked　the　scarecrow　better　than　the　others。〃　
　He　smiled　as　if　that　explained　everything　and　went　back　about　his　work。　Kirsty　didn't　get　it。　
　Gant　just　leaned　on　the　rail；　watching　the　killer　whales；　determinedly　ignoring　Hollywood。　The　two　killers　were　still　scanning　the　station；　looking　for　Wendy。　For　an　instant　one　of　them　seemed　to　see　Gant　and　stopped。　It　cocked　its　head　to　one　side　and　just　looked　at　her。　
　〃It　can　see　me　from　all　the　way　down　there？〃　Gant　said；　glancing　at　Kirsty。　〃I　thought　whales　were　supposed　to　have　poor　eyesight　out　of　the　water。〃　
　〃For　their　size；　killer　whales　have　bigger　eyes　than　most　other　whales；〃　Kirsty　said；　〃so　their　eyesight　out　of　the　water　is　better。〃　She　looked　at　Gant。　〃You　know　about　them？〃　
　〃I　read　a　lot；〃　Gant　said；　casting　a　sideways　glance　at　Hollywood；　before　turning　back　to　face　the　killers。　
　The　two　killer　whales　continued　to　prowl　slowly　around　the　pool。　Gliding　through　the　still　water；　they　seemed　patient；　calm。　Content　to　bide　their　time　until　their　prey　appeared。　Down　on　the　pool　deck　Gant　saw　Schofield　and　the　two　Marine　divers　watching　the　killer　whales　as　they　ominously　circled　the　pool。　
　〃How　do　they　get　in　here？〃　Gant　said　to　Kirsty。　〃What　do　they　do…swim　in　under　the　ice　shelf？〃　
　Kirsty　nodded。　〃That's　right。　This　station　is　only　about　a　hundred　yards　away　from　the　ocean；　and　the　ice　shelf　out　that　way　isn't　very　deep；　maybe　five　hundred　feet。　The　killers　just　swim　in　under　the　ice　shelf　and　surface　here　inside　the　station。〃　
　Gant　looked　down　at　the　two　killer　whales　on　the　far　side　of　the　pool。　They　seemed　so　calm；　so　cold；　like　a　pair　of　hungry　crocodiles　searching　for　their　next　meal。　
　Then；　their　survey　plete；　the　two　killer　whales　slowly　began　to　submerge。　In　a　moment　they　were　gone；　replaced　by　two　sets　of　ripples。　Their　eyes　had　remained　open　the　whole　way　down。　
　〃Well；　that　was　sudden；〃　Gant　said。　
　Her　eyes　moved　from　the　now…empty　pool　to　the　diving　platform　beside　it。　She　saw　Montana　emerge　from　the　south　tunnel　with　some　scuba　tanks　slung　over　his　shoulders。　Sarah　Hensleigh　had　told　them　that　there　was　a　small　goods　elevator　in　the　south　tunnel…a　〃dumbwaiter〃…that　they　could　use　to　bring　their　diving　gear　down　to　E…deck。　Montana　had　been　using　it　just　now。　
　Gant's　gaze　moved　to　the　other　side　of　the　platform；　where　she　saw　Schofield　standing　with　his　head　bowed；　holding　a　hand　to　his　ear；　as　though　he　were　listening　to　something　on　his　helmet　inter。　And　then　suddenly　he　was　heading　toward　the　nearest　rung…ladder；　speaking　into　his　helmet　mike　as　he　walked。　
　Gant　watched　as　Schofield　stopped　at　the　base　of　the　rung…ladder　on　the　far　side　of　the　station　and　turned　to　look　directly　at　her。　His　voice　crackled　over　her　helmet　inter。　〃Fox。　Hollywood。　A…deck。　Now。〃　
　As　she　hastened　toward　the　rung…ladder　nearest　her；　Gant　spoke　into　her　helmet　mike。　〃What　is　it；　sir？〃　
　Schofield's　voice　was　serious。　〃Something　just　set　off　the　trip　wire　outside。　Snake's　up　there。　He　says　it's　a　French　hovercraft。〃　
　
　Snake　Kaplan　drew　a　bead　on　the　hovercraft。　
　The　lettering　on　the　side　of　the　vehicle　glowed　bright　gfeen　in　his　night…vision　gunsights。　It　read：　DUMONT　D'URVILLE…　02。　
　Kaplan　was　lying　in　the　snow　on　the　outskirts　of　the　station　plex；　bracing　himself　against　the　driving　wind　and　snow；　following　the　newly　arrived　hovercraft　through　the　sights　of　his　Barrett　M82A1A　sniper　rifle。　
　Gunnery　Sergeant　Scott　〃Snake〃　Kaplan　was　forty…five　years　old；　a　tall　man　with　dark；　serious　eyes。　Like　most　of　the　other　Marines　in　Schofield's　unit；　Kaplan　had　customized　his　uniform。　A　weathered　tattoo　of　a　fearsome…looking　cobra　with　its　jaws　bared　wide　had　been　painted　onto　his　right　shoulder　plate。　Underneath　the　picture　of　the　snake　were　the　words：　KISS　THIS。　
　A　career　soldier；　Kaplan　had　been　with　the　Marine　Corps　for　twenty…seven　years；　during　which　time　he　had　risen　to　the　magic　rank　of　Gunnery　Sergeant；　the　highest　rank　an　enlisted　Marine　can　reach　while　still　getting　his　hands　dirty。　Indeed；　although　further　promotion　was　possible；　Snake　had　decided　to　stay　at　Gunnery　Sergeant　rank；　so　that　he　could　remain　a　senior　member　of　a　Marine　Force　Reconnaissance　Unit。　
　Members　of　Recon　Units　don't　care　much　for　discussions　about　rank。　Membership　in　a　Marine　Force　Reconnaissance　Unit　alone　gives　one　privileges　to　which　even　some　officers　cannot　lay　claim。　It　is　not　unknown；　for　instance；　for　a　four…star　General　to　consult　a　senior　Recon　member　on　matters　of　bat　technique　and　weaponry。　Indeed；　Snake　himself　had　been　approached　on　several　such　occasions。　And　besides；　since　most　of　those　who　were　selected　for　the　Recons　were　Sergeants　and　Corporals　anyway；　rank　wasn't　really　an　issue。　They　were　with　the　Recons；　the　elite　of　the　United　States　Marine　Corps。　That　was　rank　in　itself。　
　Upon　the　unit's　arrival　at　Wilkes　Ice　Station；　Snake　had　been　put　in　charge　of　setting　up　the　laser　trip　wire　on　the　landward　side　of　the　station；　about　two　hundred　meters　out。　The　trip　wire　was　not　really　that　much　different　from　the　range　finder　units　on　the　hovercrafts。　It　was　merely　a　series　of　boxlike　units　through　which　a　tiny　invisible　laser　beam　was　directed。　When　something　crossed　the　beam；　it　triggered　a　flashing　red　light　on　Kaplan's　forearm　guard。　
　Moments　ago；　something　had　crossed　the　beam。　
　From　his　post　on　A…deck；　Kaplan　had　immediately　radioed　Schofield；　who；　sensibly；　had　ordered　a　visual　check。　After　all；　it　might　have　just　been　Buck　Riley　and　his　team；　returning　from　their　check　of　that　disappearing　signal。　Schofield　had　set　follow…up　time　at　two　hours；　and　it　had　been　nearly　that　long　since　Schofield's　team　had　arrived　at　the　station。　Buck　Riley　and　his　crew　were　due　here　any　minute　now。　
　Only　this　wasn't　Buck　Riley。　
　〃Where　is　it；　Snake？〃　Schofield's　voice　said　over　Snake's　helmet　inter。　
　〃Southeast　corner。　ing　through　the　outer　circle　of　buildings　now。〃　Snake　watched　as　the　hovercraft　slowly　made　its　way　through　the　station　plex；　carefully　negotiating　its　way　between　the　small　snow…covered　structures。　
　〃Where　are　you？〃　Snake　asked　as　he　stood；　picked　up　his　rifle；　and　started　jogging　back　through　the　snow　toward　the　main　dome。　
　〃I'm　at　the　main　entrance；〃　Schofield's　voice　said。　〃Just　inside　the　front　door。　I　need　you　to　take　up　a　covering　position　from　the　rear。〃　
　〃Already　on　it。〃　
　With　the　driving　snow；　visibility　was　limited；　so　the　hovercraft　proceeded　slowly　through　the　plex。　Kaplan　hurried　along　parallel　to　it；　a　hundred　yards　away。　The　vehicle　came　to　a　halt　outside　the　main　dome　of　the　ice　station。　It　was　slowly　beginning　to　lower　itself　from　its　cushion　of　air　when　Shake　dropped　into　the　snow　forty　meters　away　and　began　to　set　up　his　sniper　rifle。　
　He　had　just　put　his　eye　to　his　telescopic　sight　when　the　side　door　of　the　hovercraft　slid　open　and　four　figures　stepped　out　of　it　into　the　snowstorm。　
　
　
　
　〃Good　evening；〃　Schofield　said　with　a　crooked　smile。　
　The　four　French　scientists　just　stood　there　in　the　doorway　to　the　ice　station；　dumbstruck。　They　stood　in　two　pairs；　with　each　pair　carrying　a　large　white　container　between　them。　
　In　front　of　them　stood　Schofield；　with　his　MP…5　held　casually　by　his　side。　Behind　Schofie