danbrown.deceptionpoint-第38部分

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　Tolland　tried　to　stand　up；　but　he　was　still　attached　to　Rachel。　Repositioning　himself；　he　began　detaching　their　interlocking　carabiners。
　Rachel　looked　weak　as　she　tried　to　sit　up。　〃We　didn't。。。　go　over？〃　Her　voice　was　bewildered。
　〃We　fell　onto　a　lower　block　of　ice；〃　Tolland　said；　finally　unfastening　himself　from　her。　〃I've　got　to　help　Corky。〃
　Painfully；　Tolland　attempted　to　stand；　but　his　legs　felt　feeble。　He　grabbed　the　tether　and　heaved。　Corky　began　sliding　toward　them　across　the　ice。　After　a　dozen　or　so　pulls；　Corky　was　lying　on　the　ice　a　few　feet　away。
　Corky　Marlinson　looked　beaten。　He'd　lost　his　goggles；　suffered　a　bad　cut　on　his　cheek；　and　his　nose　was　bleeding。　Tolland's　worries　that　Corky　might　be　dead　were　quickly　allayed　when　Corky　rolled　over　and　looked　at　Tolland　with　an　angry　glare。
　〃Jesus；〃　he　stammered。　〃What　the　hell　was　that　little　trick！〃
　Tolland　felt　a　wave　of　relief。
　Rachel　sat　up　now；　wincing。　She　looked　around。　〃We　need　to。。。　get　off　of　here。　This　block　of　ice　looks　like　it's　about　to　fall。〃
　Tolland　couldn't　have　agreed　more。　The　only　question　was　how。
　They　had　no　time　to　consider　a　solution。　A　familiar　high…pitched　whir　became　audible　above　them　on　the　glacier。　Tolland's　gaze　shot　up　to　see　two　white…clad　figures　ski　effortlessly　up　onto　the　edge　and　stop　in　unison。　The　two　men　stood　there　a　moment；　peering　down　at　their　battered　prey　like　chess　masters　savoring　checkmate　before　the　final　kill。
　　
　Delta…One　was　surprised　to　see　the　three　escapees　alive。　He　knew；　however；　this　was　a　temporary　condition。　They　had　fallen　onto　a　section　of　the　glacier　that　had　already　begun　its　inevitable　plunge　to　the　sea。　This　quarry　could　be　disabled　and　killed　in　the　same　manner　as　the　other　woman；　but　a　far　cleaner　solution　had　just　presented　itself。　A　way　in　which　no　bodies　would　ever　be　found。
　Gazing　downward　over　the　lip；　Delta…One　focused　on　the　gaping　crevasse　that　had　begun　to　spread　like　a　wedge　between　the　ice　shelf　and　the　clinging　block　of　ice。　The　section　of　ice　on　which　the　three　fugitives　sat　was　dangerously　perched。。。　ready　to　break　away　and　fall　into　the　ocean　any　day　now。
　Why　not　today。。。　
　Here　on　the　ice　shelf；　the　night　was　rocked　every　few　hours　by　deafening　booms…the　sound　of　ice　cracking　off　parts　of　the　glacier　and　plummeting　into　the　ocean。　Who　would　take　notice？
　Feeling　the　familiar　warm　rush　of　adrenaline　that　acpanied　the　preparation　for　a　kill；　Delta…One　reached　in　his　supply　pack　and　pulled　out　a　heavy；　lemon…shaped　object。　Standard　issue　for　military　assault　teams；　the　object　was　called　a　flash…bang…a　〃nonlethal〃　concussion　grenade　that　temporarily　disoriented　an　enemy　by　generating　a　blinding　flash　and　deafening　concussion　wave。　Tonight；　however；　Delta…One　knew　this　flash…bang　would　most　certainly　be　lethal。
　He　positioned　himself　near　the　edge　and　wondered　how　far　the　crevasse　descended　before　tapering　to　a　close。　Twenty　feet？　Fifty　feet？　He　knew　it　didn't　matter。　His　plan　would　be　effective　regardless。
　With　calm　bred　from　the　performance　of　countless　executions；　Delta…One　dialed　a　ten…second　delay　into　the　grenade's　screw…dial；　slid　out　the　pin；　and　threw　the　grenade　down　into　the　chasm。　The　bomb　plummeted　into　the　darkness　and　disappeared。
　Then　Delta…One　and　his　partner　cleared　back　up　onto　the　top　of　the　berm　and　waited。　This　would　be　a　sight　to　behold。
　Even　in　her　delirious　state　of　mind；　Rachel　Sexton　had　a　very　good　idea　what　the　attackers　had　just　dropped　into　the　crevasse。　Whether　Michael　Tolland　also　knew　or　whether　he　was　reading　the　fear　in　her　eyes　was　unclear；　but　she　saw　him　go　pale；　shooting　a　horrified　glance　down　at　the　mammoth　slab　of　ice　on　which　they　were　stranded；　clearly　realizing　the　inevitable。
　Like　a　storm　cloud　lit　by　an　internal　flash　of　lightning；　the　ice　beneath　Rachel　illuminated　from　within。　The　eerie　white　translucence　shot　out　in　all　directions。　For　a　hundred　yards　around　them；　the　glacier　flashed　white。　The　concussion　came　next。　Not　a　rumble　like　an　earthquake；　but　a　deafening　shock　wave　of　gut…churning　force。　Rachel　felt　the　impact　tearing　up　through　the　ice　into　her　body。
　Instantly；　as　if　a　wedge　had　been　driven　between　the　ice　shelf　and　the　block　of　ice　supporting　them；　the　cliff　began　to　shear　off　with　a　sickening　crack。　Rachel's　eyes　locked　with　Tolland's　in　a　freeze…frame　of　terror。　Corky　let　out　a　scream　nearby。
　The　bottom　dropped　out。
　Rachel　felt　weightless　for　an　instant；　hovering　over　the　multimillion…pound　block　of　ice。　Then　they　were　riding　the　iceberg　down…plummeting　into　the　frigid　sea。
　
　　
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　The　deafening　grating　of　ice　against　ice　assaulted　Rachel's　ears　as　the　massive　slab　slid　down　the　face　of　the　Milne　Ice　Shelf；　sending　towering　plumes　of　spray　into　the　air。　As　the　slab　splashed　downward；　it　slowed；　and　Rachel's　previously　weightless　body　crashed　down　onto　the　top　of　the　ice。　Tolland　and　Corky　landed　hard　nearby。
　As　the　block's　downward　momentum　plunged　it　deeper　into　the　sea；　Rachel　could　see　the　foaming　surface　of　the　ocean　racing　upward　with　a　kind　of　taunting　deceleration；　like　the　ground　beneath　a　bungee…jumper　whose　cord　was　a　few　feet　too　long。　Rising。。。　rising。。。　and　then　it　was　there。　Her　childhood　nightmare　was　back。　The　ice。。。　the　water。。。　the　darkness。　The　dread　was　almost　primal。
　The　top　of　the　slab　slipped　below　the　waterline；　and　the　frigid　Arctic　Ocean　poured　over　the　edges　in　a　torrent。　As　the　ocean　rushed　in　all　around　her；　Rachel　felt　herself　sucked　under。　The　bare　skin　on　her　face　tightened　and　burned　as　the　saltwater　hit。　The　flooring　of　ice　disappeared　beneath　her；　and　Rachel　fought　her　way　back　to　the　surface；　buoyed　by　the　gel　in　her　suit。　She　took　in　a　mouthful　of　saltwater；　sputtering　to　the　surface。　She　could　see　the　others　floundering　nearby；　all　of　them　tangled　in　tethers。　Just　as　Rachel　righted　herself；　Tolland　yelled　out。
　〃It's　ing　back　up！〃
　As　his　words　echoed　above　the　tumult；　Rachel　felt　an　eerie　upwelling　in　the　water　beneath　her。　Like　a　massive　lootive　straining　to　reverse　direction；　the　slab　of　ice　had　groaned　to　a　stop　underwater　and　was　now　beginning　its　ascent　directly　beneath　them。　Fathoms　below；　a　sickening　low　frequency　rumble　resonated　upward　through　the　water　as　the　gigantic　submerged　sheet　began　scraping　its　way　back　up　the　face　of　the　glacier。
　The　slab　rose　fast；　accelerating　as　it　came；　swooping　up　from　the　darkness。　Rachel　felt　herself　rising。　The　ocean　roiled　all　around　as　the　ice　met　her　body。　She　scrambled　in　vain；　trying　to　find　her　balance　as　the　ice　propelled　her　skyward　along　with　millions　of　gallons　of　seawater。　Buoying　upward；　the　giant　sheet　bobbed　above　the　surface；　heaving　and　teetering；　looking　for　its　center　of　gravity。　Rachel　found　herself　scrambling　in　waist…deep　water　across　the　enormous；　flat　expanse。　As　the　water　began　pouring　off　the　surface；　the　current　swallowed　Rachel　and　dragged　her　toward　the　edge。　Sliding；　splayed　flat　on　her　stomach；　Rachel　could　see　the　edge　looming　fast。
　Hold　on！　Rachel's　mother's　voice　was　calling　the　same　way　it　had　when　Rachel　was　just　a　child　floundering　beneath　the　icy　pond。　Hold　on！　Don't　go　under！
　The　wrenching　yank　on　her　harness　expelled　what　little　air　Rachel　had　left　in　her　lungs。　She　jerked　to　a　dead　stop　only　yards　from　the　edge。　The　motion　spun　her　in　place。　Ten　yards　away；　she　could　see　Corky's　limp　body；　still　tethered　to　her；　also　jolting　to　a　stop。　They　had　been　flowing　off　the　sheet　in　opposite　directions　and　his　momentum　had　stopped　her。　As　the　water　ran　off　and　grew　more　shallow；　another　dark　form　appeared　over　near　Corky。　He　was　on　his　hands　and　knees；　grasping　Corky's　tether　and　vomiting　saltwater。
　Michael　Tolland。
　As　the　last　of　the　wake　drained　past　her　and　flowed　off　the　iceberg；　Rachel　lay　in　terrified　silence；　listening　to　the　sounds　of　the　ocean。　Then；　feeling　the　onset　of　deadly　cold；　she　dragged　herself　onto　her　hands　and　knees。　The　'berg　was　still　bobbing　back　and　forth；　like　a　giant　ice　cube。　Delirious　and　in　pain；　she　crawled　back　toward　the　others。
　High　above　on　the　glacier；　Delta…One　peered　through　his　night…vision　goggles　at　the　water　churning　around　the　Arctic　Ocean's　newest　tabular　iceberg。　Although　he　saw　no　bodies　in　the　water；　he　was　not　surprised。　The　ocean　was　dark；　and　his　quarry's　weather　suits　and　skullcaps　were　black。
　As　he　passed　his　gaze　across　the　surface　of　the　enormous　floating　sheet　of　ice；　he　had　a　hard　time　keeping　it　in　focus。　It　was　receding　quickly；　already　heading　out　to　sea　in　the　strong　offshore　currents。　He　was　about　to　turn　his　gaze　back　to　the　sea　when　he　saw　something　unexpected。　Three　specks　of　black　on　the　ice。　Are　those　bodies？　Delta…One　tried　to　bring　them　into　focus。
　〃See　something？〃　Delta…Two　asked。
　Delta…One　said　nothing；　focusing　in　with　his　magnifier。　In　the　pale　tint　of　the　iceberg；　he　was　stunned　to　see　three　human　forms　huddled　motionless　on　the　island　of　ice。　Whether　they　were　alive　or　dead；　Delta…One　had　no　idea。　It　hardly　mattered。　If　they　were　alive；　even　in　weather　suits；　they'd　be　dead　within　the　hour；　they　were　wet；　a　storm　was　ing　in；　and　they　were　drifting　seaward　into　one　of　the　most　deadly　oceans　on　the　planet。　Their　bodies　would　never　be　found。
　〃Just　shadows；〃　Delta…One　said；　turning　from　the　cliff。　〃Let's　get　back　to　base。〃
　
　　
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　Senator　Sedgewick　Sexton　set　his　snifter　of　Courvoisier　on　the　mantelpiece　of　his　Westbrook　apartment　and　stoked　the　fire　for　several　moments；　gathering　his　thoughts。　The　six　men　in　the　den　with　him　sat　in　silence　now。。。　waiting。　The　small　talk　was　over。　It　was　time　for　Senator　Sexton　to　make　his　pitch。　They　knew　it。　He　knew　it。
　Politics　was　sales。
　Establish　trust。　Let　them　know　you　understand　their　problems。
　〃As　you　may　know；〃　Sexton　said；　turning　toward　them；　〃over　the　past　months；　I　have　met　with　many　men　in　your　same　position。〃　He　smiled　and　sat　down；　joining　them　on　their　level。　〃You　are　the　only　ones　I　have　ever　brought　into　my　home。　You　are　extraordinary　men；　and　I　am　honored　to　meet　you。〃
　Sexton　folded　his　hands　and　let　his　eyes　circle　the　room；　making　personal　contact　with　each　of　his　guests。　Then　he　focused　in　on　his　first　mark…the　heavyset　man　in　the　cowboy　hat。
　〃Space　Industries　of　Hou