cc.floodtide-第96节

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　Sandecker　passed　the　microphone　back　to　Marchand　and　sagged　into　the　rear　seat；　anxiety　and　defeat　etched　in　his　eyes。　〃That　bastard　Qin　Shang　has　outsmarted　us　all；　and　there　isn't　a　damned　thing　we　can　do　about　it　except　stand　by　helplessly　and　watch　a　lot　of　people　die。〃
　〃And　let　us　not　forget　Dirk　and　Al；〃　he　said　grimly。　〃They　must　be　taking　it　from　the　Chinese　as　well　as　Olson's　tanks　and　howitzers。〃
　〃God　help　them；〃　Sandecker　murmured。　〃God　help　everybody　who　lives　on　or　near　the　Atchafalaya　River　if　the　United　States　es　through　the　chaos。〃
　
　THE　UNITED　STATES　did　not　reel；　she　barely　quivered　as　the　guns　on　the　turrets　of　the　six　tanks　opened　up　on　her；　their　flashes　lighting　up　the　sky。　At　less　than　two　hundred　yards　it　was　impossible　to　miss。　As　if　by　witchcraft；　black；　jagged　holes　appeared　in　the　funnels　and　upper　decks　that　once　housed　the　cocktail　lounges；　cinemas　and　libraries。　As　Admiral　Sandecker　had　predicted；　every　round　in　the　first　salvo　from　the　tanks'　120…millimeter　guns　was　ineffective。　The　armor…penetrating　rounds　passed　through　the　ship's　aluminum　bulkheads　as　if　they　were　made　of　cardboard；　buried　themselves　in　the　marshlands　on　the　other　side　of　the　west…bank　levee　and　exploded　harmlessly。　The　106…millimeter　mortar　rounds　fired　from　the　launchers　of　the　M125　carriers　arched　high　into　the　sky　and　rained　down　on　the　exposed　decks；　gouging　craters　in　the　decks　below　but　causing　little　serious　damage。　The　tried…and…true　155…millimeter　high…explosive　fragmentation　shells　that　spat　from　the　Paladin　self…propelled　howitzers　were　a　different　story。　Their　fire　battered　the　superliner　unmercifully；　causing　significant　destruction　but　none　that　affected　her　vital　machinery　deep　within　the　bowels　of　her　hull。
　
　One　shell　plowed　into　what　had　been　the　main　dining　room　in　the　center　of　the　hull　and　burst；　shattering　the　bulkheads　and　the　old　stairway。　The　second　exploded　against　the　base　of　the　foremast　and　toppled　it　over　the　side。　The　great　ship　shook　off　the　onslaught。　And　then　it　was　the　turn　of　the　Chinese　weapons　team　of　professional　fighters　who　were　geared　to　put　up　a　tactical　confrontation　despite　the　odds。　The　battle　was　not　about　to　be　one…sided。　There　would　be　no　turning　the　cheek　after　the　first　slap。
　
　Their　missile　launchers；　though　armed　for　surface…to…air　and　not　antitank；　lashed　out。　One　struck　the　lead　tank　without　penetrating　its　armor　but　burst　against　the　barrel　of　the　120…millimeter　gun；　effectively　putting　it　out　of　action。　It　also　killed　the　tank　mander；　who　was　standing　in　the　hatch　observing　the　results　of　the　barrage　and　who　never　expected　return　fire。　Another　projectile　struck　the　circular　opening　in　the　roof　of　the　mortar　carrier；　killing　two　men；　wounding　three　and　setting　the　vehicle　on　fire。
　
　Colonel　Robert　Turner；　directing　the　fire　from　within　his　XM4　mand…and…control　vehicle；　was　slow　to　prehend　the　magnitude　of　his　mission。　The　last　thing　he　would　have　predicted　was　for　the　old　passenger　liner　to　shoot　back。　It's　downright　outrageous；　he　thought。　He　immediately　called　Olson　and　said　in　a　voice　vague　with　shock；　〃We're　taking　hits；　General。　I　just　lost　my　mortar　unit。〃
　
　〃What　are　they　using？〃　Olson　demanded。
　〃They're　firing　portable　missiles　at　us　from　the　ship！　Fortunately；　they　don't　appear　to　be　armor…piercing。　But　I've　taken　casualties。〃　As　he　spoke　another　missile　blew　the　treads　off　a　third　tank；　but　its　crew　gamely　kept　up　their　rate　of　fire；　hammering　the　rapidly　passing　liner。
　〃What　is　the　effect　of　your　fire？〃
　〃Severe　damage　to　the　superstructure　but　no　vital　hits。　It's　like　trying　to　stop　a　charging　rhino　with　air…pellet　guns。〃
　〃Don't　let　up！〃　Olson　ordered。　〃I　want　that　ship　stopped。〃
　
　Then；　almost　as　suddenly　as　the　hail　of　missiles　from　the　ship　was　launched；　their　fire　slackened　off。　Not　until　later　was　the　reason　known。　Pitt　and　Giordino；　risking　their　lives　to　halt　the　counterfire；　had　shot　down　the　two　Chinese　missile…launching　teams。
　
　Scuttling　across　the　deck　on　their　stomachs　to　avoid　the　hurricane　of　shrapnel　and　to　make　aim　difficult　for　the　Chinese　riflemen　who　had　discovered　their　presence；　they　moved　around　the　giant　aft　funnel　and　lay　prone；　peering　cautiously　down　onto　the　lifeboat　deck；　whose　davits　were　now　empty。　Almost　directly　below；　four　Chinese　soldiers　crouched　behind　a　steel　bulwark；　busily　loading　and　firing　their　portable　missiles；　pletely　disregarding　the　hail　of　explosions　erupting　around　them。
　
　〃They're　murdering　our　guys　on　the　levee；〃　Giordino　shouted　in　Pitt's　ear；　his　words　barely　heard　over　the　bedlam。
　〃Take　the　two　on　the　left；〃　Pitt　yelled　back。　〃The　others　are　mine。〃
　
　Giordino　took　careful　aim　with　the　shotgun　and　fired　two　shots。　The　two　men　beneath　him　never　knew　what　hit　them。　They　fell　to　the　deck　like　stuffed　dolls　in　almost　the　same　moment　as　Pitt's　Colt　dropped　their　rades　a　few　feet　away。　Now；　but　for　a　curtain　of　small…arms　fire　that　was　directed　at　any　soldier　who　showed　himself　through　a　hatch　in　the　armored　vehicles；　no　missiles　came　from　the　ship。
　
　Pitt　grabbed　Giordino's　arm　to　get　his　attention。　〃We've　got　to　get　to　the　bridge…〃
　His　voice　was　cut　off　in　a　painful　gasp；　his　arms　and　legs　suddenly　thrust　into　the　air　as　his　body　was　catapulted　against　a　ventilator；　driving　the　air　from　his　lungs。　A　tremendous　blast　rang　in　his　ears　as　the　deck　beneath　him　was　heaved　up　in　an　enormous　explosion。　A　shell　from　a　howitzer　had　smashed　into　the　crew's　cabins　below　and　burst；　leaving　a　jagged　hole　filled　with　tangled　wreckage　and　shattered　metal。　Almost　before　the　debris　had　settled；　Pitt　was　fighting　off　the　blackness　that　seeped　into　his　vision。　With　agonizing　slowness　he　forced　himself　to　sit　up。　His　first　words　muttered　through　a　cut　and　bleeding　lip　were；　〃Damn　the　Army；　damn　their　hides。〃　But　he　knew　they　were　just　doing　their　job；　fighting　for　their　own　lives；　and　doing　it　well。
　The　mist　slowly　cleared　from　his　mind；　but　there　were　still　blinding　flashes　of　white　and　orange　colors　before　his　eyes。　He　looked　down　and　saw　that　Giordino　was　lying　across　his　legs。　He　reached　out　and　shook　his　shoulder。　〃Al；　are　you　hurt？〃
　Giordino　blinked　one　of　his　dark　brooding　eyes　open　and　stared　up。　〃Hurt？　I　feel　like　I've　had　root　canals　all　over　my　body。〃
　As　they　lay　recovering；　another　wave　of　shells　pounded　into　the　ship。　The　tanks　had　lowered　their　guns　now　and　were　firing　into　the　steel　hull。　Now　their　high…explosive　antitank　armor　began　to　score；　burning　through　the　steel　hull　plates　before　smashing　into　one　of　the　thousands　of　the　ship's　bulkheads　and　exploding。　One　howitzer　zeroed　in　on　the　bridge　and　soon　the　structure　became　a　mass　of　jagged　wreckage　that　looked　as　if　a　giant　had　chopped　it　with　a　cleaver。　The　great　ship　stubbornly　bored　through　the　exploding　hell；　looming　huge　in　front　of　the　gunners　as　they　loaded　and　fired　with　incredible　calm。　The　national　guardsmen；　often　called　weekend　warriors；　fought　like　seasoned　veterans。　But　like　a　wounded　whale　that　shook　off　a　cloud　of　harpoons　and　swam　on；　the　United　States　absorbed　the　punishment　they　dished　out　without　so　much　as　a　fractional　drop　in　speed。
　
　The　ship　was　almost　past　the　gauntlet　now。　Desperately；　the　forces　on　the　levee　loosed　one　final　wall　of　devastating　fire　that　tore　the　night　air　apart。　A　crescendo　of　explosions　rocked　the　battered；　once…proud　superliner。　There　was　no　fire；　no　mushrooming　balls　of　flame　or　billowing　clouds　of　smoke。　Her　designer　William　Francis　Gibbs；　would　have　been　saddened　by　her　mauling　but　pleased　that　his　fetish　for　fireproofing　had　resisted　any　attempt　to　turn　his　achievement　into　a　fiery　shambles。　In　his　mand　vehicle；　Colonel　Turner　watched　in　utter　frustration　as　the　juggernaut　showed　her　stern　and　disappeared　into　the　night。
　
　Without　warning；　three　figures　rushed　out　of　the　blackness　toward　Pitt　and　Giordino。　A　burst　of　gunfire　cut　across　the　deck。　Giordino　stumbled　but　regained　his　feet；　firing　off　a　blast　from　the　12…gauge　Aserma　that　dropped　the　Chinese　who　had　managed　to　squeeze　the　trigger　of　his　Chinese…copied　Kalash…nikov　AKM　automatic　rifle。　Then　the　remaining　four　men　fell　on　each　other　in　a　thrashing　melee　of　bodies。　Pitt　felt　the　muzzle　of　a　gun　jam　into　his　ribs；　but　he　knocked　it　aside　a　millisecond　before　a　stream　of　bullets　whipped　past　his　hip。　He　brought　the　Colt's　barrel　down　on　his　opponent's　head　once；　twice；　three　times　and　clubbed　him　to　the　deck。　In　icy　disregard　for　his　injury；　Giordino　thrust　his　shotgun　against　his　assailant's　chest　at　the　same　time　he　pulled　the　trigger。　The　Aserma's　muzzle　erupted　with　a　muffled　roar　that　knocked　the　Chinese　fighter　backward　as　if　he　had　been　jerked　off　his　feet　by　a　horse　galloping　in　the　opposite　direction。　Only　then　did　the　feisty　little　Italian　crumple　to　the　deck。
　
　Pitt　dropped　to　his　friend's　side。　〃Where　are　you　hit？〃
　〃The　bastard　got　me　in　the　leg　above　the　knee；〃　Giordino　answered　in　a　hoarse　grunt。　〃I　think　it's　broken。〃
　〃Let　me　take　a　look。〃
　Giordino　pushed　Pitt　away。　〃Never　mind　me。　Get　to　the　bridge　and　stop　this　tub　before　the　levee　blows。〃　Then　he　forced　a　grin　through　the　pain。　〃That's　what　we　came　for。〃
　There　were　only　two　more　miles　left