cc.goldenbuddha-第49节

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　ACROSS　THE　ROOM；　Juan　Cabrillo　was　on　the　satellite　telephone　i　to　Langston　Overholt　in　Virginia。　
　〃We　had　to　sink　the　vessel　closest　to　us；〃　he　said。　〃But　there's　a　corvette　and　a　frigate　still　to　contend　with。〃　
　Overholt　was　pacing　in　his　office　while　talking　on　the　speaker　phone。　In　front　of　his　desk；　sitting　in　a　chair　and　dressed　in　full　uniform；　was　a　United　States　Navy　mander　who　was　attached　to　the　CIA。　〃I　have　a　naval　officer　here　in　my　office。　My　superiors　are　worried　about　fallout　if　you　attack　and　sink　the　other　two　ships。　How　far　away　from　you　are　they？〃　
　〃We　are　in　no　imminent　danger　for　a　few　more　minutes；〃　Cabrillo　stated。　
　〃If　we　can　stop　them　in　their　tracks；〃　Overholt　asked；　〃can　you　affect　an　escape？〃　
　Cabrillo　thought　for　a　minute　before　answering。　〃We　can　retrieve　our　men　and　the　object　we　came　for　and　be　back　at　full　steam　in　five　to　ten　minutes；〃　he　said。　〃As　long　as　the　Chinese　don't　launch　any　planes　at　us；　I　think　we　will　be　home　free。〃　
　〃As　of　this　instant；〃　Overholt　said；　〃the　only　radio　transmission　that　got　through　was　about　a　helicopter　attacking　a　harbor　police　boat。　Right　now；　at　least　as　far　as　the　Chinese　are　concerned；　you're　just　a　cargo　ship　they　can't　reach　on　the　radio。　That　could　change；　however；　once　the　survivors　of　the　ship　you　sank　are　collected。〃　
　〃By　then　we　should　be　far　out　to　sea　traveling　south；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃and　back　into　the　fog　bank。　With　the　electronics　on　board；　we　can　hide　from　ship…to…sea　radar。　The　fog　will　keep　us　hidden　from　above。〃　Overholt　turned　to　the　navy　mander。　〃Will　this　new　device　affect　our　ship　as　well？〃　
　〃Not　if　they　turn　all　the　electronics　off　as　it　passes　alongside。〃　
　〃Juan；〃　Overholt　said；　〃did　you　hear　that？〃　
　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　don't　understand。〃　
　〃It's　a　new　toy　the　navy　has；〃　Overholt　said；　〃called　a　FRITZY。　It　is　designed　to　short　out　electrical　circuits　and　we　believe　it　will　disable　the　remaining　ships。　What　we'll　need　you　to　do　is　shut　down　all　the　systems　on　the　Oregon　when　we　give　you　the　order。〃　
　Eric　Stone　was　scanning　the　radar　and　said；　〃We're　ing　up　on　the　Zodiacs　now。〃　
　〃Slow　to　stop；〃　Cabrillo　ordered。　〃Prepare　to　take　our　people　aboard。〃　
　
　ADAMS　CLIMBED　TO　three　thousand　feet；　then　dove　toward　the　harbor　boat　in　the　steepest　angle　the　R…44　could　handle。　He　could　feel　his　body　go　light　in　the　seat；　and　then　tighten　against　the　shoulder　harness。　Through　the　Plexiglas　bubble　windscreen；　the　harbor　boat　came　into　view；　then　grew　in　size　as　he　streaked　down　from　above。　　The　bow　gunner　tried　firing　on　the　helicopter；　but　his　arc　of　fire　was　limited　by　the　wheelhouse　directly　behind　him。　The　gunner　got　off　a　few　hundred　rounds　while　the　helicopter　was　still　high　in　the　air；　but　the　rounds　went　wide　and　then　he　could　fire　no　more。　
　Adams　raced　down　in　a　steep　dive。　When　he　was　only　eighty　feet　above　the　stern；　he　pulled　back　on　the　cyclic　and　up　on　the　collective。　This　slowed　the　dive；　then　began　to　raise　the　nose。　Just　as　the　R…44　hit　the　bottom　of　her　arc；　Adams　flipped　up　the　cover　and　down　on　the　toggle　switch。　Both　pods　dropped　from　the　sides　of　the　helicopter　and　plunged　straight　down　into　the　stern　of　the　last　harbor　police　boat。　A　static　spark　from　the　pods　being　cut　loose　fired　one　of　the　remaining　missiles　and　it　streaked　down　the　last　twenty　feet；　igniting　the　rear　of　the　boat　in　a　maelstrom　of　destruction。　
　With　the　weight　and　drag　of　the　pods　gone；　Adams　found　he　had　better　control。　Turning　the　Robinson　toward　the　direction　of　the　Oregon；　he　began　to　scan　the　water　for　the　outline　of　the　ship。　〃Scratch　two；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃I'm　ing　home。〃　
　WHEN　A　PERSON　is　far　out　in　the　ocean　and　the　weather　is　bad；　the　sight　of　anything　man…made　brings　fort　and　solace。　For　the　seven　people　and　one　Golden　Buddha　on　the　small　boats　being　chased　by　the　Chinese　navy；　the　bow　of　the　Oregon　looming　up　through　the　fog　was　as　wele　as　the　sight　of　four　of　a　kind　to　a　losing　poker　player。　
　〃Steer　over　to　the　davits；〃　Hanley　said　over　the　radio。　〃We　need　to　get　you　aboard　fast。〃　
　The　two　Zodiac　pilots　eased　their　boats　into　a　pair　of　davits　located　off　the　port　and　starboard　stern　of　the　Oregon。　The　deckhands　had　the　boats　and　the　people　hoisted　through　the　air　and　back　on　the　deck　in　less　than　two　minutes。　Murphy　was　climbing　off　the　Zodiac　when　Franklin　Lincoln　walked　over。　
　〃I　played　with　your　toy；〃　he　said。　〃You　can　put　another　ship　sticker　on　the　console。〃　
　Murphy　smiled。　〃Good　shooting；　Tex。〃
　〃Everyone　okay？〃　Lincoln　asked。　
　〃All　but　Jones；〃　Murphy　said；　pointing。　〃We　need　to　carry　him　to　sick　bay。〃　
　Lincoln　walked　across　the　deck　to　the　second　Zodiac　and　stared　inside。　〃Jones；〃　he　said；　smiling；　〃you　look　pitiful。〃　
　〃Don't　make　me　laugh；〃　Jones　said。　〃My　ribs　are　killing　me。〃　
　〃You　do　what　you　set　out　to　do？〃　Lincoln　asked。　
　〃Always；〃　Jones　said；　pointing　to　the　case　containing　the　Golden　Buddha。　〃Now　get　me　below　to　the　sick　bay　and　fill　me　up　with　painkillers。〃　
　〃Up　you　go；〃　Lincoln　said　as　he　reached　into　the　inflatable　and　carefully　lifted　Jones　from　the　floor　as　easily　as　plucking　a　puppy　from　a　litter。　
　
　THREE　MINUTES　TO　fire；〃　a　voice　said　over　the　inter　on　board　the　Santa　Fe。　
　Down　in　the　launch　bay；　the　pair　of　modified　Tomahawk　cruise　missiles　with　the　experimental　FRITZY　electronic　destruction　modules　sat　ready　to　launch。　The　FRITZY　system　used　a　burst　of　electronic　waves　to　scramble　the　circuitry　of　any　powered　electronics。　Captain　Farragut　was　waiting　anxiously　for　the　launch。　The　anxiety　did　not　stem　from　being　worried　about　his　crew's　actionsthey　were　highly　trained　and　would　perform　the　task　flawlessly。　It　was　caused　by　the　unknown。　Farragut　was　curious　if　FRITZY　was　all　it　was　cracked　up　to　beand　if　he　could　soon　claim　the　crown　as　the　first　mander　to　use　it　in　battle。　That　fact　might　help　at　promotion　time；　at　the　very　least　it　would　be　worth　a　few　free　drinks　once　the　Santa　Fe　made　port　again。　〃Doors　open；　sir；〃　the　chief　of　boat　said；　〃and　all　is　in　order。〃　
　Only　when　all　the　lights　on　the　Oregon　went　dark　in　the　fog　did　he　it　a　second　thought。　
　
　
　〃I　SEE　YOU；〃　Hanley　said　to　Adams；　〃but　you　need　to　land　WE　SEE　now。'　
　Adams　was　making　his　approach　behind　the　stern　of　the　Oregon　and　lining　up　for　his　descent　onto　the　landing　pad。　
　〃Two　minutes　or　so；〃　Adams　said。　
　〃In　a　minute　thirty；〃　Hanley　said；　staring　at　a　timer；　〃your　electronics　will　cease　to　function。〃　
　〃Clear　the　decks；〃　Adams　said　loudly。　〃I'll　climb；　then　shut　the　engine　off　and　initiate　auto…rotation。〃　
　〃Fire…foam　the　decks；〃　Hanley　said　over　the　inter。　〃We　shut　down　all　the　electrical　power　in　one　minute。〃　
　Many　people　think　that　once　a　helicopter　loses　power　it　plunges　frpm　the　sky。　Actually；　if　power　to　the　rotor　is　lost；　the　pilot　can　use　the　wind　from　his　descent　to　spin　the　blades。　The　procedure；　auto…rotation；　is　tricky；　but　the　maneuver　has　saved　more　than　a　few　lives　over　the　years。　Usually　the　pilot　has　a　reasonably　large　field　or　clearing　to　land　on。　Doing　a　forced　auto…rotation　onto　a　pad　just　slightly　bigger　than　the　helicopter　herself　takes　nerves　of　steel　and　fortitude。　Adams　used　his　minute　to　gain　altitude。　Then　he　lined　up　behind　the　landing　pad。　When　his　watch　said　it　was　time；　he　flicked　off　the　governor　and　rolled　back　the　throttle。　The　R…44's　freewheeling　unit　engaged　and　the　drive　shaft　to　the　main　and　tail　rotor　disconnected。　
　Adams　reached　up　and　turned　off　the　key。　
　Suddenly；　without　the　noise　from　the　engine；　it　was　strangely　quiet；　the　only　sounds　the　whooshing　of　the　wind　racing　past　the　fuselage　and　the　sound　from　Adams's　lips　as　he　whistled　Bobby　Damn's　〃Mack　the　Knife。〃　The　R…44　was　making　a　steeper　descent　than　normal；　but　Adams　was　in　plete　control。　
　
　ONE　AWAY；〃　THE　chief　of　boat　said　quietly。　〃Now　two。〃　
　The　cruise　missiles　left　the　launch　tubes　and　streaked　skyward；　then　turned　and　dived　down　to　wave　level。　Programmed　to　the　target　by　a　sophisticated　puter；　the　missiles　raced　toward　the　Chinese　corvette　and　the　frigate　at　450　kilometers　an　hour。　Once　the　cruise　missiles　were　close　to　the　two　ships；　they　sent　out　a　concentrated　burst　of　electronic　friction　similar　to　that　emitted　after　an　atomic　bomb　blast。　The　electronic　circuits　throughout　both　ships　shorted　as　cleanly　as　if　a　switch　had　been　thrown。　The　engines　ceased　to　function　and　the　electronics　in　the　wheelhouse　and　below　went　black。　Both　ships　slowed　in　the　water　just　as　a　burst　of　wind　and　rain　raked　across　the　sea。　
　
　〃A…HA！〃　ADAMS　SHOUTED　as　the　wind　hit　the　R…44。　
　He　was　eighty　feet　back　of　the　stern　and　twenty　feet　in　the　air　when　he　initiated　his　flare。　Pulling　up　on　the　cyclic；　he　pitched　the　nose　up　using　the　drag　on　the　powerless　rotor　to　bleed　off　forward　speed。　He　was　four　feet　above　the　pad　when　the　forward　speed　ceased　and　the　Robinson　dropped　down　on　the　deck　with　a　thud。　The　foam　reached　halfway　up　the　fuselage　as　Adams　pulled　on　the　rotor　brake　to　stop　the　blades　from　spinning。　Then　he　unlocked　and　pushed　the　door　open。　Next；　he　began　to　unsnap　his　harness。　
　Richard　Truitt　waded　through　the　dissolving　foam　to　the　door　as　soon　as　the　rotor　stopped。　
　〃You　okay？〃　he　asked。　
　〃Shaken　but　not　stirred。〃　Ada