cc.floodtide-第26节

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　〃You　put　the　fear　of　God　in　the　pilot　of　the　other　two。　They're　not　about　to　make　the　same　mistakes　as　his　buddy。　They'll　lay　back　out　of　range　of　your　Colt；　take　their　time　and　pepper　away　at　us　at　a　safer　altitude。〃
　〃How　much　farther　until　we're　out　of　the　canyon？〃　〃Four；　maybe　five　miles。〃
　
　They　exchanged　looks；　she　seeing　the　fierce　determination　in　his　eyes；　he　seeing　her　head　and　shoulders　sag　from　severe　fatigue；　mental　and　physical。　It　didn't　take　a　physician　to　see　Julia　was　half…dead　from　lack　of　sleep。　She　had　run　on　sheer　guts　as　far　as　she　could　go；　and　had　e　to　the　end　of　the　road。　She　turned　slightly　and　stared　at　the　bullet　holes　that　had　splintered　the　bow　of　the　Chris…Craft。
　〃We're　not　going　to　make　it；　are　we？〃　she　muttered　the　words　dully。
　〃Hell　yes；　we're　going　to　make　it！〃　he　answered　as　if　he　truly　believed　it。　〃I　didn't　interrupt　my　vacation　and　go　to　all　the　work　of　bringing　you　and　these　people　this　far　to　let　it　end　now。〃
　
　She　gazed　at　his　dark；　craggy　face　for　a　long　moment；　then　shook　her　head　in　defeat。　〃I　can't　get　off　a　straight　shot　if　the　ultralights　stay　more　than　a　hundred　yards　away；　not　at　that　distance　against　a　moving　target　from　a　boat　that's　bounding　all　over　the　place。〃
　
　〃Do　the　best　you　can。〃　Hardly　brilliant　words　of　encouragement；　Pitt　conceded；　but　his　mind　was　on　other　matters　as　he　swerved　around　a　series　of　large　boulders　protruding　from　the　river。　〃Another　ten　minutes　and　we'll　be　home　free。〃　〃What　if　they　both　e　at　the　same　time？〃　〃You　can　bet　on　it。　Take　your　time　and　divide　your　fire；　two　shots　at　one　then　two　shots　at　the　other。　Maintain　a　show　of　resistance；　just　enough　to　keep　them　from　getting　too　cocky　and　ing　in　too　close。　The　farther　they　stay　away；　the　more　difficult　for　the　gunners　to　fire　with　any　accuracy。　I'll　throw　the　boat　all　over　the　river　to　spoil　their　aim。〃
　
　Pitt　had　read　Kung　Chong's　mind　correctly。　The　Chinaman　ordered　his　pilots　to　attack　from　a　higher　altitude。　〃I　have　lost　one　aircraft　and　two　good　men；〃　he　dutifully　reported　to　LoHan。
　
　〃How？〃　asked　Lo　Han　simply。
　〃By　gunfire　from　the　boat。〃
　〃Not　inconceivable　that　professionals　would　carry　automatic　weapons。〃
　〃I　am　ashamed　to　say；　Lo　Han；　the　defensive　fire　es　from　a　woman　with　one　automatic　pistol。〃
　〃A　woman！〃　Lo　Han's　voice　came　through　Kung　Chong's　earpiece　as　angry　as　he　ever　heard　it。　〃We　have　lost　face；　you　and　I。　Conclude　this　unfortunate　occasion　and　do　it　now。〃
　〃Yes；　Lo　Han。　I　will　faithfully　carry　out　your　orders。〃
　〃I　anxiously　await　your　announcement　of　victory。〃
　〃Soon；　very　soon；〃　Kung　Chong　said　confidently。　〃Success　or　death。　I　promise　you　one　or　the　other。〃
　
　During　the　next　three　miles；　the　tactics　worked。　The　two　remaining　ultralights　pressed　home　their　attack；　weaving　violently　from　side　to　side　to　escape　the　few　pathetic　shells　sent　in　their　direction；　but　making　it　next　to　impossible　for　the　gunners　to　train　their　machine　pistols。　Two　hundred　yards　away　from　the　Chris…Craft　they　split　apart　and　closed　in　on　the　runabout　from　two　sides。　It　was　a　shrewd　maneuver　that　enabled　them　to　converge　their　fire。
　
　Julia　took　her　time　and　fired　a　round　whenever　she　saw　an　opportunity　for　a　remote　hit　while　Pitt　madly　twisted　the　wheel　and　sent　the　speeding　runabout　zigzagging　from　one　bank　to　the　other　in　an　effort　to　escape　the　sporadic　spray　of　bullets　that　splattered　the　water　around　them。　He　stiffened　when　he　heard　the　thud　of　strikes　behind　him　as　one　burst　of　gunfire　cut　across　the　mahogany　hatch　over　the　engine　partment　between　the　dual　cockpits。　But　the　big　Chrysler　marine　engine's　throaty　roar　never　slackened。　On　instinct　his　eyes　swept　the　instrument　panel；　and　he　noted　ominously　that　the　needle　on　the　oil…pressure　gauge　was　suddenly　falling　into　the　red　zone。
　
　Sam　Foley　will　be　madder　than　hell　when　he　gets　his　boat　back；　Pitt　thought。
　
　Two　miles　to　go。　The　stench　of　scorched　oil　began　to　waft　from　the　engine　partment。　The　engine　revolutions　were　slowly　dropping　off；　and　Pitt　mentally　pictured　metal　grinding　against　metal　from　lack　of　oil。　It　was　only　a　matter　of　minutes　before　the　bearings　burned　out　and　the　engine　froze。　All　the　ultralight　pilots　have　to　do　now；　Pitt　savvied；　is　circle　over　the　boat　and　blast　everyone　to　bloody　bits。　He　pounded　the　steering　wheel　in　maddened　frustration　as　they　came　at　him　together；　wingtip　to　wingtip。
　
　They　came　head…on　with　no　deviation；　and　much　lower　this　time；　knowing　time　was　running　out；　keenly　aware　that　once　the　boat　and　its　occupants　broke　into　the　open　bay；　there　would　be　spectators　to　report　the　murders。
　
　Then；　magically；　the　pilot　of　the　ultralight　that　rolled　off　to　the　left　of　the　Chris…Craft　suddenly　slumped　in　his　seat　and　his　arms　fell　to　his　sides。　One　of　Julia's　bullets　had　taken　the　pilot　in　the　chest　and　torn　through　his　heart。　The　aircraft　sheered　off　violently；　its　wingtip　brushed　the　water　and　then　it　cartwheeled　crazily　across　the　wake　of　the　boat　before　disappearing　into　the　uncaring　river。
　
　There　was　no　time　to　celebrate　Julia's　phenomenal　shot。　Their　situation　went　from　bad　to　worse　as　she　fired　her　last　shell。　The　pilot　on　the　last　ultralight；　seeing　the　return　fire　slacken　and　finally　die；　and　the　Chris…Craft　slow　considerably　with　smoke　beginning　to　curl　from　the　engine　partment；　threw　caution　to　the　winds　and　came　at　them　no　more　than　five　feet　above　the　water。
　
　The　Chris…Craft　was　limping　along　at　less　than　ten　miles　an　hour。　The　race　for　survival　was　almost　over。　Pitt　looked　up　and　saw　the　Chinese　gunner　in　the　inner　ultralight。　The　eyes　were　covered　by　stylish　sunglasses；　and　his　lips　stretched　in　a　tight　grin。　He　waved　a　salute　and　lifted　his　weapon；　finger　tightening　on　the　trigger。
　
　In　a　final　act　of　defiance；　Pitt　shook　his　fist　in　the　air　and　raised　the　third　digit。　Then　he　threw　his　body　over　Julia　and　the　two　children　in　what　he　knew　was　a　futile　effort　to　use　his　body　as　a　shield。　He　tensed；　waiting　for　the　bullets　to　tear　into　his　back。
　
　THE　OLD　MAN　WITH　THE　SCYTHE；　TO　PlTT'S　GREAT　RELIEF；　either　decided　he　had　urgent　business　at　a　catastrophe　elsewhere；　or　Pitt　wasn't　worth　taking　and　threw　him　back。　The　bullets　Pitt　expected　to　feel　plowing　through　his　flesh　never　came　because　they　were　never　fired。
　
　He　firmly　believed　the　last　sound　he　was　about　to　hear　in　this　life　was　the　soft　report　of　a　suppressed　machine　pistol。　Instead；　the　rapid　beat　of　rotor　blades　reverberated　in　the　air；　rotor　blades　whirling　at　top　speed；　drowning　out　the　exhaust　and　unpleasant　noises　from　inside　the　big　Chrysler。　With　a　thundering　roar　acpanied　by　a　great　gust　of　wind　that　flattened　every　hair　on　every　head；　a　huge　shadow　flashed　over　the　Chris…Craft。　Before　anyone　prehended　what　was　happening；　a　big　t　irquoise　helicopter　with　the　letters　NUMA　painted　on　its　tail　boom；　swept　down　the　river　straight　at　the　yellow　ultralight　like　an　avenging　hawk　swooping　on　a　canary。
　
　〃Oh　God　no！〃　Julia　moaned。
　〃Never　fear！〃　Pitt　shouted　jubilantly。　〃This　one's　on　our　side。〃
　He　recognized　the　McDonnell　Douglas　Explorer；　a　fast；　no…tail　rotor　helicopter　with　twin　engines　and　a　top　speed　in　excess　of　170　miles　an　hour；　as　a　craft　he'd　often　flown。　The　forward　fuselage　looked　like　those　on　most　rotorcraft；　but　the　tail　boom；　with　its　dual　vertical　stabilizers；　extended　to　the　rear　like　a　thin　corona　cigar。
　〃Where　did　it　e　from？〃
　〃My　ride　showed　up　early；〃　Pitt　said；　swearing　to　put　the　pilot　in　his　will。
　
　Every　pair　of　eyes　in　the　runabout　and　on　the　remaining　ultralight　were　trained　on　the　intruder　as　it　charged　through　the　air。　Two　figures　could　be　seen　through　the　transparent　bow　of　the　helicopter。　The　copilot　was　wearing　a　baseball　cap　turned　backward　and　peered　through　horn…rim　glasses。　The　pilot　wore　a　reed　hat　like　those　woven　on　tropical　beaches　and　a　brightly　flowered　Hawaiian　aloha　shirt。　A　gargantuan　cigar　was　clenched　between　his　teeth。
　
　Kung　Chong　was　no　longer　grinning。　His　expression　was　one　of　abject　shock　and　fear。　It　flashed　through　his　mind　that　the　new　bully　on　the　playground　wasn't　about　to　back　off。　He　took　stock　and　saw　that　the　runabout；　though　barely　making　headway；　would　soon　reach　the　mouth　of　the　river　leading　into　Grapevine　Bay。　From　his　height　he　could　already　see　a　small　fleet　of　fishing　boats　heading　out　to　sea　around　the　final　bend　in　the　river。　Houses　on　the　outskirts　of　a　town　perched　along　the　shoreline。　People　walked　along　the　beaches。　His　chance　for　terminating　the　escaped　immigrants　and　the　devil　responsible　for　the　chaos　at　Orion　Lake　had　evaporated。　Kung　Chong　had　no　choice　but　to　order　his　pilot　to　break　off　the　attack。　In　an　attempt　to　dodge　its　attacker；　the　ultralight　pulled　up　sharply　and　curled　a　turn　so　tight　its　wing　tipped　on　a　vertical　angle。
　
　The　pilot　of　the　NUMA　helicopter　had　been　there　before。　He　easily　second…guessed　his　opponent。　There　was　never　a　flicker　of　pity　or　indecision。　The　face　was　expressionless　as　he　easily　matched　the　ultralight's　steep　turn　and　closed　the　distance　between　them。　Then　came　a　crunching　sound　as　the　landing　skids　of　the　helicopter　ripped　through　the　ultralight's　flimsy　wing。
　
　The　men　in　the　open　seats　fro