cc.vixen03-第56节

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　Tracking　out　a　path　to　the　forward　shell　magazines；　he　moved　sound…lessly　along　the　passageway。　He　had　covered　but　a　short　distance　when　the　ship　rocked　under　a　barrage　of　solid　blows。　Dust　accumulated　during　the　Iowa's　long　years　in　mothballs　erupted　in　smothering　clouds。　Pitt　flung　out　his　arms　to　maintain　his　balance；　lurched；　and　grabbed　the　frame　of　a　door　that　had　opportunely　swung　open。　He　stood　there　choking　back　the　dust　while　the　tremors　subsided。
　He　almost　missed　it；　would　have　missed　it　if　an　indefinable　curiosity　hadn't　tugged　at　his　mind。　Not　a　curiosity；　really；　rather　an　incongruity　caught　within　his　peripheral　vision。　He　beamed　the　flashlight　on　a　brown　shoe…an　expensive；　handcrafted　brown　shoe…and　saw　it　was　attached　to　the　leg　of　a　black　man　stylishly　attired　in　a　business　suit　with　vest。　His　hands　were　tied　wide　apart　by　ropes　wrapped　to　overhead　pipes。
　
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　Hiram　Lusana　could　not　distinguish　the　features　of　the　man　standing　in　the　doorway　of　his　prison。　He　looked　large；　but　not　as　large　as　Fawkes。　That　was　all　Lusana　could　tell；　the　flashlight　in　the　stranger's　hands　blinded　him。
　〃I　take　it　you　lost　the　ship's　popularity　contest；〃　came　a　voice　that　sounded　more　friendly　than　hostile。
　The　dark　form　behind　the　light　moved　closer　and　Lusana　felt　his　bonds　being　loosened。　〃Where　are　you　taking　me？〃
　〃Nowhere。　But　if　you　value　social　security　in　your　old　age；　I　suggest　you　get　the　hell　off　this　boat　before　it's　blown　to　pieces。〃
　〃Who　are　you？〃
　〃Not　that　it　matters；　the　name's　Pitt。〃
　〃Are　you　part　of　Captain　Fawkes's　crew？〃
　〃No；　I'm　free…lance。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　Pitt　untied　Lusana's　left　hand　and　started　on　the　other　without　answer…ing。
　〃You　are　an　American；〃　said　Lusana；　more　confused　than　ever。　〃Have　you　taken　the　ship　from　the　South　Africans？〃
　〃We're　working　on　it；〃　said　Pitt；　sorely　wishing　he'd　brought　along　a　knife。
　〃Then　you　don't　know　who　I　am。〃
　〃Should　I？〃
　〃My　name　is　Hiram　Lusana。　I　am　the　leader　of　the　African　Army　of　Revolution。〃
　Pitt　finished　with　the　last　knot　and　stood　back；　aiming　the　light　at　Lusana's　face。　〃Yes；　I　see　that　now。　What's　your　involvement？　I　thought　this　was　a　South　African　show。〃
　〃I　was　kidnapped　boarding　an　airplane　back　to　Africa。〃　Lusana　gently　pushed　the　light　aside。　Then　a　thought　flooded　his　mind。　〃You　know　about　Operation　Wild　Rose？〃　he　asked。
　〃Only　since　last　night。　My　government；　however；　was　aware　of　it　months　ago。〃
　〃Impossible；〃　said　Lusana。
　〃Suit　yourself。〃　Pitt　turned　and　started　for　the　doorway。　〃Like　I　said；　you　better　jump　ship　before　the　party　gets　out　of　hand。〃
　Lusana　hesitated；　but　only　for　a　second。　〃Wait！〃
　Pitt　turned。　〃Sorry；　I　can't　spare　the　time。〃
　〃Please　hear　me　out。〃　Lusana　moved　closer。　〃If　your　government　and　the　news　media　discover　my　presence　here；　they　will　have　no　choice　but　to　overlook　the　truth　and　hold　me　responsible。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃Let　me　prove　my　innocence　in　this　ugly　affair。　Tell　me　what　I　can　do　to　help。〃
　Pitt　read　the　sincerity　in　Lusana's　eyes。　He　pulled　an　old　Colt　。45　automatic　from　his　belt　and　passed　it　to　the　black　man。　〃Take　this　and　cover　my　ass。　I　need　both　hands　to　hold　the　flashlight　and　read　a　diagram。〃
　Somewhat　taken　aback；　Lusana　accepted　the　gun。　〃You'd　trust　me　with　this？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Pitt　said　offhandedly。　〃What　would　you　gain　by　shooting　a　total　stranger　in　the　back？〃
　And　then　he　motioned　for　Lusana　to　follow　and　quickly　darted　down　the　passageway　toward　the　forward　part　of　the　ship。
　Turret　number　two　had　survived　the　onslaught　from　the　Satan　mis…siles。　Her　steel　plating　was　gouged　and　sprung　in　eight　places　but　never　penetrated。　The　port…outside　gun　barrel　was　severely　fractured　at　the　recoil　base　of　the　turret。
　Dazed；　Fawkes　saw　all　this　through　the　shattered　remains　of　the　glass　in　the　bridge　windows。　Magically；　he　was　untouched。　He　had　been　standing　behind　one　of　the　few　remaining　steel　bulkheads　when　the　Satans　had　unerringly　zeroed　in　on　number…two　turret。　He　snatched　the　microphone。
　〃Shaba；　this　is　the　captain。　Do　you　hear　me？〃
　The　only　reply　was　a　faint　ripple　of　static。
　〃Shaba！〃　Fawkes　shouted。　〃Speak　up；　man。　Report　your　damage。〃
　The　speaker　crackled　to　life。　〃Cap'n　Fawkes？〃
　The　voice　was　unfamiliar。　〃Aye；　this　is　the　captain。　Where　is　Shaba？〃
　〃Below　in　the　magazine；　sir。　The　hoist；　she's　broken。　He　went　to　fix　it。〃
　〃Who　is　this？〃
　〃Obasi；　Cap'n。　Daniel　Obasi。〃　The　voice　had　an　adolescent　pitch。
　〃Did　Shaba　leave　you　in　charge？〃
　〃Yes　sir；〃　Obasi　said　proudly。
　〃How　old　are　you；　son？〃
　There　was　a　harsh；　coughing　sound。　〃Sorry；　Cap'n。　The　smoke；　she's　real　bad。〃　More　coughing。　〃Seventeen。〃
　Good　Lord；　Fawkes　thought。　De　Vaal　was　to　have　sent　him　experi…enced　men；　not　boys　whose　names　and　faces　he　had　yet　to　see　in　daylight。　He　was　in　mand　of　a　crew　who　were　pletely　unknown　to　him。　Seventeen。　A　mere　seventeen　years　old。　The　thought　sickened　him。　Was　it　worth　it？　God；　was　his　personal　revenge　worth　the　terrible　price？　Steeling　his　determination；　Fawkes　said；　〃Are　you　able　to　operate　the　guns？〃
　〃I　think　so。　All　three　are　loaded　and　breeched　tight。　The　men　don't　look　too　good；　though。　Concussion；　I　think。　Most　of　them　are　bleedin'　through　the　ears。〃
　〃Where　are　you　now；　Obasi？〃
　〃In　the　turret　officer's　booth；　sir。　It's　awful　hot　down　here。　I　don't　know　if　the　men　can　take　much　more。　Some　are　still　out。　One　or　two　may　be　dead。　No　way　of　tellin'；　I　guess　the　ones　that's　dead　are　the　ones　bleedin'　through　the　mouth。〃
　Fawkes　squeezed　the　microphone　handle；　his　face　filled　with　indeci…sion。　When　the　ship　went；　as　he　knew　it　surely　must；　he　wanted　to　be　standing　on　the　bridge；　the　last　battleship　captain　to　die　at　his　station。　The　silence　over　the　radiophone　became　heavy　with　torment。　Ever　so　slightly　the　curtain　lifted　and　Fawkes　glimpsed　the　terrible　dimension　of　his　actions。
　〃I'm　ing　down。〃
　〃The　outside　deck　hatch　is　jammed　tight；　sir。　You'll　have　to　e　up　from　the　magazines。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Obasi。　Stand　by。〃　Fawkes　paused　to　remove　his　old　Royal　Navy　cap　and　wipe　the　sweat　and　grime　oozing　from　the　pores　of　his　forehead。　He　gazed　through　the　splintered　windows　and　studied　the　river。　The　cold　mists　rose　along　the　shallows　and　reminded　him　of　the　Scottish　lochs　on　just　such　a　morning。　Scotland：　it　seemed　a　thousand　years　since　he'd　seen　Aberdeen。
　He　replaced　the　cap　and　spoke　into　the　microphone　again。　〃Angus　Two；　e　in；　please。〃
　〃Gotcha；　big　Angus　One。〃
　〃Range？〃
　〃Eighty　yards　short　but　right　on　the　money。　Just　pensate　for　elevation　and　you　got　her；　man。〃
　〃Your　job　is　finished；　Angus　Two。　Take　care。〃
　〃Too　late。　I　think　the　dudes　in　the　khaki　suits　are　about　to　take　me　away。　So　long；　man。　It's　been　a　heavy　date。〃
　Fawkes　stared　at　the　receiving　end　of　the　microphone；　wanting　to　speak　words　of　appreciation　to　the　man　he'd　never　met；　to　thank　him　for　jeopardizing　his　life　even　if　it　was　for　a　price。　Whoever　Angus　Two　was；　it　would　be　a　long　time　before　he　could　spend　the　money　placed　in　a　foreign　bank　account　by　the　South　African　Defence　Ministry。
　〃A　street　sweeper；〃　snorted　Higgins。　〃　Fawkes's　spotter　drove　a　god…damned　city　street　sweeper。The　city　police　are　booking　him　now。〃
　〃That　explains　how　he　moved　through　the　roadblocks　without　arous…ing　suspicion；〃　said　March。
　The　President　seemed　not　to　hear。　His　attention　was　trained　on　the　Iowa。　He　could　clearly　make　out　small　forms　in　black　wet　suits　darting　from　cover　to　cover；　pausing　only　to　fire　their　weapons　before　moving　ever　closer　to　the　machine　guns　that　dwindled　their　numbers。　The　President　counted　ten　inert　SEALs　sprawled　on　the　decks。
　〃Can't　we　do　something　to　help　those　men？〃
　Higgins　gave　a　helpless　shrug。　〃If　we　open　up　from　shore；　we'd　probably　kill　more　SEALs　than　we'd　save。　I'm　afraid　there　is　little　we　can　do　for　the　moment。〃
　〃Why　not　send　in　the　Marine　assault　teams？〃
　〃Those　copters　are　sitting　ducks　once　they　land　on　thelowa　's　aft　deck。　They　each　carry　fifty　troops。　It　would　be　mass　slaughter。　We'd　ac…plish　nothing。〃
　〃I　agree　with　the　general；〃　said　Kemper。　〃The　Satans　bought　us　a　breather。　Number…two　turret　appears　to　be　knocked　out。　We　can　afford　to　give　the　SEALs　more　time　to　clear　the　decks　of　terrorist　opposition。〃
　The　President　sat　back　and　stared　at　the　men　surrounding　him。　〃Then　we　wait…is　that　what　you're　saying？　We　wait　and　watch　while　men　die　in　living　color　before　our　eyes　on　that　damned　TV　screen？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Higgins　answered。　〃We　wait。〃
　
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　Consulting　his　diagram　of　the　ship　while　on　the　run；　Pitt　unerringly　led　Lusana　down　a　series　of　darkened　passages　and　alleyways；　past　dank　empty　rooms；　until　he　finally　paused　at　a　bulkhead　door。　Then　he　wadded　the　diagram　in　a　ball　and　tossed　it　to　the　deck。　Lusana　stopped　obediently　and　waited　for　an　explanation。
　〃Where　are　we？〃　he　asked。
　〃Outside　the　projectile…storage　area；〃　Pitt　answered。　He　leaned　his　weight　against　the　door；　which　grudgingly　creaked　three　quarters　open。　Pitt　peered　into　a　dimly　lit　room　and　listened。　They　both　heard　men　shouting　against　the　metallic　clash　of　heavy　machinery；　the　rattle　of　chains；　and　the　hum　of　electric　motors。　The　sounds　seemed　to　e　from　above。　Cautiously；　Pitt