cc.vixen03-第54节

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　〃Please　see　to　it　the　machine…gun　crews　man　their　stations　and　prepare　to　repel　boarders。〃　Repel　boarders。　My　God；　Fawkes　thought。　When　was　the　last　time　a　captain　of　a　capital　ship　gave　that　mand？
　〃Is　this　a　drill；　sir？〃
　〃No；　Mr。　Shaba；　this　is　no　drill。　I　fear　American　extremists　who　support　the　enemies　of　our　country　may　attempt　to　take　the　ship。　You　will　instruct　your　men　to　fire　at　any　person；　vessel；　or　aircraft　that　endangers　the　welfare　of　this　ship　and　her　crew。　Your　men　may　begin　by　driving　off　a　terrorist　boat　that　is　approaching　from　the　west。〃
　〃Aye；　Captain。〃　The　radio　could　not　hide　the　excitement　in　Shaba's　voice。
　Fawkes　felt　a　growing　urge　to　order　his　unsuspecting　crew　off　the　Iowa；　but　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　admit　he　was　murdering　sixty…eight　innocent　men；　men　who　had　been　deceived　into　believing　they　were　serving　a　country　that　treated　them　little　better　than　cattle。　Fawkes　had　a　method　of　casting　off　any　cold　tentacles　of　guilt。　He　forced　an　image　of　a　burned…out　farm　and　the　charred　bodies　of　his　wife　and　children　into　his　mind　and　his　resolve　for　the　task　at　hand　quickly　hardened。
　He　picked　up　the　mike　again。　〃Main　battery。〃
　〃Main　battery　ready；　Captain。〃
　〃Single　fire　on　mand。〃　He　glanced　once　more　at　his　putations　on　the　chart　beside　him。　〃Range；　twenty…three　thousand　nine　hundred　yards。　Target　bearing；　oh…one…four　degrees。〃
　Fawkes　stared　hypnotically　at　the　three　sixty…eight…foot　guns　stretch…ing　out　of　the　number…two　main…battery　turret；　each　barrel　and　its　mechanism　weighing　134　tons；　obediently　lifting　its　herculean　muzzle　to　an　elevation　of　fifteen　degrees。　Then　they　stopped；　waiting　for　the　mand　to　unleash　their　awesome　power。　Fawkes　paused；　took　a　deep　breath；　and　pushed　the　〃transmit〃　button。
　〃Are　you　in　position；　Angus　Two？〃
　〃Say　the　word；　man；〃　replied　the　spotter。
　〃Mr。　Shaba？〃
　〃Standing　by　to　fire；　sir。〃
　This　was　it。　The　journey　that　had　begun　on　a　farm　in　Natal　had　relentlessly　run　its　course　to　this　moment。　Fawkes　stepped　outside　to　the　bridge　wing　and　raised　the　AAR　battle　flag　on　a　makeshift　staff。　Then　he　returned　to　the　control　room　and　spoke　the　fateful　words。
　〃You　may　fire；　Mr。　Shaba。〃
　To　the　men　on　the　Coast　Guard　patrol　boat　it　was　as　if　they　had　sailed　into　a　holocaust。　Though　only　one　gun　of　the　triple　battery　had　fired　directly　over　the　Iowa's　bow；　the　blast　created　a　path　of　turbulence　and　a　great　arm　of　incandescent　gas　that　reached　out　and　engulfed　the　small　craft。　Most　of　the　men　standing　were　knocked　to　the　deck。　The　ones　facing　the　Iowa　at　the　moment　of　discharge　actually　had　their　hair　singed　and　were　blinded　for　the　next　several　moments　by　the　flash。
　Almost　before　the　effects　of　the　muzzle　blast　had　dissipated；　Lieuten…ant　mander　Kiebel　had　taken　the　helm　and　thrown　the　boat　in　a　sharply　cut　S　turn。　Then　the　windshield　across　the　bridge　shattered　and　fell　away。　For　a　fraction　of　a　second　he　thought　he　was　being　attacked　by　wasps。　He　could　feel　the　hum　as　they　flew　past　his　cheeks　and　hair。　Only　after　his　right　arm　was　jerked　from　the　wheel　and　he　looked　down　to　see　an　evenly　spaced　set　of　reddening　holes　through　his　jacket　sleeve　did　it　dawn　on　him　what　was　happening。
　〃Get　your　men　over　the　side！〃　he　yelled　at　Fergus。　〃The　bastards　are　shooting　at　us！〃
　He　didn't　have　to　repeat　the　message。　Instantly；　Fergus　scrambled　across　the　deck；　ordering　and　in　some　cases　physically　shoving　his　men　into　the　dubious　safety　of　the　river。　Miraculously；　Kiebel　was　the　only　one　who　had　been　hit。　Alone　in　broad　view　on　the　bridge；　he　stood　as　though　on　a　stage　in　the　eyes　of　the　Iowa's　gunners。
　Kiebel　brought　the　boat　so　close　alongside　the　Iowa's　hull　that　the　sideboard　bumpers　were　crushed　against　the　vast　wall　of　steel　and　torn　off。　It　was　a　wise　move；　the　gunners　above　could　not　depress　their　sights　low　enough　to　do　more　than　shoot　away　part　of　the　patrol　boat's　radar　mast。　Then　Kiebel　broke　into　open　water；　the　bullet　splashes　falling　fifty　feet　to　starboard；　attesting　to　the　bad　aim　of　his　startled　adversaries。　The　gap　between　them　widened。　He　stole　a　quick　glance　aft　and　was　relieved　to　see　that　Fergus　and　his　men　were　gone。
　He　had　run　interference　for　the　SEALs。　It　was　their　ball　game　now。　Gratefully；　Kiebel　turned　over　the　helm　to　his　first　officer　and　watched　dourly　as　a　chief　petty　officer　broke　open　a　first…aid　kit　and　started　cutting　away　the　blood…soaked　sleeve　of　his　jacket。
　〃Son　of　a　bitch；〃　Kiebel　muttered。
　〃Sorry；　sir；　you'll　just　have　to　grit　your　teeth　and　bear　it。〃
　〃That's　easy　for　you　to　say；〃　snorted　Kiebel。　〃You　didn't　lay　out　two　hundred　bucks　for　the　coat。〃
　Jogging　his　way　across　the　pedestrian　walk　of　the　Arlington　Memorial　Bridge；　Donald　Fisk；　an　inspector　with　the　Bureau　of　Customs；　gasped　out　the　crisp　city　air　in　wispy　clouds　of　vapor。
　He　was　on　the　return　leg；　passing　around　the　Lincoln　Memorial；　his　thoughts　trailing　from　nowhere　to　nowhere　from　the　boredom　of　the　exercise；　when　a　strange　sound　brought　him　to　a　halt。　As　it　became　louder；　it　reminded　him　of　the　roar　of　a　speeding　freight　train。　Then　it　turned　into　a　screaming　whoosh；　and　suddenly　a　massive　crater　ap…peared　in　the　middle　of　Twenty…third　Street；　followed　by　a　thunderous　clap　and　a　shower　of　dirt　and　asphalt。
　Standing　rigidly　still　after　the　explosion；　Fisk　was　amazed　to　find　he　was　untouched。　The　projectile　had　passed　over　him　and　struck　the　street　at　an　angle；　spraying　its　destructive　force　ahead　of　its　trajectory。
　A　hundred　yards　away；　a　man　driving　a　delivery　truck　had　his　windshield　blown　inward。　He　managed　to　stop　the　truck　and　stagger　from　the　cab；　his　face　sliced　to　hamburger。
　Dazed；　he　held　his　hands　in　front　of　him　and　screamed；　〃I　can't　see！　Help　me！　Someone　please　help　me！〃
　Fisk　shook　off　the　cold　shivers　of　shock　and　ran　toward　the　stricken　driver。　The　early…morning　traffic　rush　was　still　an　hour　away　and　the　street　was　empty。　He　wondered　how　he　could　call　the　police　and　an　ambulance。　The　only　other　vehicle　he　saw　was　a　street　sweeper　calmly　whisking　its　way　up　Independence　Avenue　as　though　nothing　had　hap…pened。
　〃Angus　Two；〃　Fawkes　called。　〃Report　effect　of　fire。〃
　〃Man；　you　sure　tore　up　the　street。〃
　〃Keep　your　remarks　to　a　minimum；〃　said　Fawkes　irritably。　〃Your　transmission　is　no　doubt　being　pinpointed。〃
　〃I　read；　big　man。　Your　cock　shot　is　seventy…five　yards　short　and　one　hundred　eighty　yards　to　the　left。〃
　〃You　heard；　Mr。　Shaba。〃
　〃Adjusting；　Captain。〃
　〃Fire　as　you　bear；　Mr。　Shaba。〃
　〃Aye；　sir。〃
　Buried　in　the　seventeen…hundred…ton　steel　turret；　black　South　African　gunners　sweated　and　loaded　the　gaping　breeches；　shouting　and　cursing　in　tune　with　the　clanging　hoist　machinery；　while　five　decks　below；　the　magazine　crew　sent　up　the　shells　and　the　silk　bags　containing　the　pow…der。　First　the　conical…nosed　twenty…seven…hundred…pound　armor…piercing　projectile　was　shoved　into　the　breech's　throat　by　a　power　rammer；　followed　by　the　powder　charge；　weighing　six　hundred　pounds。　Next　the　huge　downswing　carrier　breech　was　twisted　shut；　providing　a　gas…tight　seal。　Then；　on　mand；　the　great　gun　spat　its　devastating　vehemence　and　recoiled　four　feet　into　its　steel　lair。
　Fourteen　miles　away；　Donald　Fisk　was　attending　the　injured　truck　driver　as　the　ining　freight　thundered　down　from　the　sky　and　smashed　into　the　Lincoln　Memorial。　In　one　thousandth　of　a　second　the　hollow　ballistic　cone　on　the　projectile　disintegrated　as　it　crashed　into　the　white　marble。　Then　the　heavy　slug　of　hardened　steel　behind　punched　its　way　deep　into　the　memorial　and　exploded。
　To　Fisk　it　seemed　the　thirty…six　Doric　columns　peeled　outward　like　the　petals　of　a　flower　before　crumbling　to　the　manicured　landscape。　Then　the　roof　and　inner　walls　collapsed　as　great　chunks　of　marble　bounced　down　the　steps　like　children's　wooden　blocks　and　a　violent　burst　of　white　dust　spiraled　heavenward。
　As　the　rumble　of　the　explosion　trailed　off　across　Washington；　Fisk　slowly　rose　to　his　feet　in　numbed　bewilderment。
　〃What　happened？〃　shouted　the　blinded　truck　driver。　〃For　God's　sake；　tell　me　what's　happening！〃
　〃Don't　panic；〃　said　Fisk。　〃There's　been　another　explosion。〃
　The　driver　grimaced　and　clenched　his　teeth　in　agony。　Nearly　thirty　splinters　of　glass　had　buried　themselves　in　his　face。　One　eye　was　filled　with　congealing　blood；　the　other　was　gone；　sliced　through　to　the　retina。
　Fisk　took　off　his　sweatshirt　and　pressed　it　in　the　driver's　hands。　〃Twist；　tear；　or　bite　it　if　you　must　to　stand　the　pain；　but　keep　your　hands　away　from　your　face。　I'm　going　to　leave　you　for　a　few　moments。〃　He　paused　as　his　ears　caught　the　distant　sound　of　approaching　sirens。　〃The　police　are　ing。　An　ambulance　will　be　right　behind　them。〃
　The　truck　driver　nodded　and　sat　on　the　curb；　wadding　the　shirt　in　a　ball　and　squeezing　the　cloth　until　his　knuckles　turned　ivory。　Fisk　ran　across　the　traffic　circle；　strangely　ill　at　ease　without　something　to　cover　his　naked　chest。　Dodging　the　jagged　chunks　of　marble　that　littered　the　memorial's　stairway；　he　trotted　up　to　what　had　once　been　the　doorway　facing　the　mall's　reflecting　pool。
　Suddenly　he　stiffened；　and　stopped　in　astonishment。
　There；　amid　the　vast　pile　of　rubble　and　the　settling　dust；　the　figure　of　Abraham