alistairmaclean.seawitch-第36节

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　〃Something　plicated？　I　mean；　a　VHP　number　or　something　of　the　kind？〃
　〃Something　very　unplicated。　You　can't　expect　a　soldier　in　the　heat　of　battle　to　remember　abstruse　numbers。　It's　simply　a　pear…shaped　device　with　a　plastic　seal。　Strip　that　off　and　turn　a　black　switch　through　three　hundred　and　sixty　degrees。　It's　important　to　remember　that　turning　this　switch　off　will　deactivate　the　detonating　mechanism　in　the　device。　It　can　be　turned　on　again　at　any　time。〃
　〃If　it　should　be　used　against　us　。。。　we　have　a　huge　oil…storage　tank　nearby。　Wouldn't　this　cause　a　massive　oil　slick？〃
　〃Sir…oil　is　by　nature　bustible　and　much　more　easily　vaporized　than　steel。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃Seems　to　me　you　need　a　squadron　of　super…sonic　fighter…bombers　out　there。　I'll　relay　the　request；　but　they'll　have　to　get　Pentagon　permission　first。〃
　〃Thank　you　again。〃
　Lord　Worth　and　Mitchell　left　for　the　former's　quarters。　Lord　Worth　said：　〃Two　things。　We're　only　assuming；　although　it　would　be　dangerous　not　to　assume；　that　those　damned　things　are　meant　for　us。　Besides；　if　we　keep　our　radar；　sonar　and　sensory　posts　manned　I　don't　see　how　Cron…kite　could　approach　and　deliver　them。〃
　〃It's　hard　to　see　how。　But　then；　it's　harder　to　figure　out　that　bastard's　turn　of　mind。〃
　From　Lord　Worth's　helicopter　Gregson　made　contact　with　the　Georgia。　〃We're　fifteen　miles　out。〃
　Cronkite　himself　replied；　〃We'll　be　airborne　in　ten。〃
　A　wall　radio　crackled　in　Lord　Worth's　room。　〃Helicopter　approaching　from　the　northeast。〃
　〃No　sweat。　Relief　crew。〃
　Lord　Worth　had　gone　back　to　his　shower　when　the　relief　helicopter　touched　down。　Mitchell　was　in　his　laboratory；　looking　very　professional　in　his　white　coat　and　glasses。　Dr。　Greenshaw　was　still　asleep。
　Apart　from　gagging　and　manacling　the　pilots；　the　helicopter　passengers　had　offered　them　no　violence。　They　disembarked　in　quiet　and　orderly　fashion。　The　drill　duty　crew　observed　their　arrival　without　any　particular　interest。　They　had　been　well…trained　to　mind　their　own　business　and　had　highly　personal　reasons　for　not　fraternizing　with　unknowns。　And　the　new　arrivals　were　unknowns。　Off　the　coast　Lord　Worth　owned　no　fewer　than　nine　oil　rigs…all　legally　leased　and　paid　for…　and　for　reasons　best　known　to　his　devious　self　he　was　in　the　habit　of　regularly　rotating　his　drill　crews。　The　new　arrivals　carried　the　standard　shoulder…slung　clothesbags。　Those　bags　did　indeed　contain　a　minimal　amount　of　clothes；　but　not　clothing　designed　to　be　worn：　the　clothes　were　there　merely　to　conceal　and　muffle　the　shape　of　the　machine　pistols　and　other　more　deadly　weapons　in　the　bags。
　Thanks　to　the　instructions　he　had　received　from　Cronkite　via　Durand；　Gregson　knew　exactly　where　to　go。　He　noted　the　presence　of　two　idly　patrolling　guards　and　marked　them　down　for　death。
　He　led　his　men　to　the　oriental　quarters；　where　they　laid　their　bags　on　the　platform　and　unzipped　them。　Windows　were　smashed　and　what　followed　was　sheer　savage　massacre。　Within　half　a　dozen　seconds　of　machine…gun　fire；　bazooka　fire　and　incinerating　flamethrowers；　all　of　which　had　been　preceded　by　a　flurry　of　tear…gas　bombs；　all　screaming　inside　had　ceased。　The　two　advancing　guards　were　mown　down　even　as　they　drew　their　guns。　The　only　survivor　was　Larsen；　who　had　been　in　his　own　private　room　in　the　back：　Palermo　and　all　his　men　were　dead。
　Figures　appeared　almost　at　the　same　instant　from　the　quarters　at　the　end　of　the　block。　Soundproofed　though　those　quarters　were；　the　noise　outside　had　been　too　penetrating　not　to　be　heard。　There　were　four　of　them…two　men　in　white　coats；　a　man　in　a　Japanese　kimono　and　a　black…haired　guard　in　a　wrap。　One　of　Gregson's　men　fired　twice　at　the　nearest　white…coated　figure；　and　Mitchell　staggered　and　fell　backward　to　the　deck。　Gregson　brutally　smashed　the　wrist　of　the　man　who　had　fired；　who　screamed　in　agony　as　the　gun　fell　from　his　shattered　hand。
　〃You　bastard　idiot！〃　Gregson's　voice　was　as　vicious　as　his　appearance。　〃The　hard　men　only；　Mr。　Cronkite　said。〃
　Gregson　was　nothing　if　not　organized。　He　detailed　five　groups　of　two　men。　One　group　herded　the　drilling…rig　crew　into　the　occidental　quarters。　The　second；　third　and　fourth　went　respectively　to　the　sensory　room；　the　sonar　room　and　the　radar　room。　There　they　tied　up　but　did　not　otherwise　harm　the　operators；　before　they　riddled　all　the　equipment　with　a　burst　of　machine…gun　bullets。　For　all　practical　purposes；　the　Seawitch　was　now　blind；　deaf　and　benumbed。　The　fifth　group　went　to　the　radio　room；　where　the　operator　was　tied　up　but　his　equipment　left　intact　Dr。　Greenshaw　approached　Gregson。　〃You　are　the　leader？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Tm　a　doctor。〃　He　nodded　to　Mitchell；　whose　white　coat　accentuated　the　stains