mreilly.icestation-第16部分

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　Sarah　spun　around　in　the　water。　All　five　of　the　French　soldiers　who　had　been　on　B…deck　when　it　blew　were　scattered　around　the　pool。　Three　Marines　were　also　in　the　pool。　One　of　them；　Sarah　noticed；　was　floating　facedown　in　the　water。　
　A　scream　echoed　down　through　the　central　shaft　of　the　station。　
　A　shrill；　high…pitched　squeal。　
　The　scream　of　a　little　girl。　
　Sarah's　head　snapped　to　look　upward。　There；　high　above　her；　hanging　by　one　hand　from　the　downturned　railing　of　the　B…deck　catwalk；　was　Kirsty。　The　Marine　who　had　been　with　them　when　the　catwalk　had　collapsed　was　lying　facedown　on　the　broken　metal　platform；　reaching　down　desperately；　trying　to　grab　Kirsty's　hand。　
　Just　then；　as　she　was　looking　up　at　Kirsty；　Sarah　felt　the　immense　weight　of　one　of　the　killers　rush　through　the　water　between　her　and　Conlon。　The　massive　animal　brushed　against　the　side　of　her　leg。　
　And　then　suddenly　Sarah　heard　a　shout。　
　It　had　e　from　the　other　side　of　the　pool；　and　Sarah　spun　around　just　in　time　to　see　one　of　the　French　mandos…his　face　blistered　and　scorched　from　the　fireball…　swimming　frantically　for　the　edge　of　the　pool；　his　terrified；　panicked　whimpers　interrupted　only　by　short；　desperate　breaths。　
　It　was　the　only　movement　in　the　whole　pool。　Nobody　else　had　even　dared　to　move。　
　Almost　immediately；　a　towering　black　dorsal　fin　appeared　alongside　the　desperate　swimmer。　After　a　second；　it　slowed；　and　then　it　ominously　sank　below　the　surface　behind　him。　
　The　result　was　as　violent　as　it　was　sudden。　
　With　a　hideous　crack；　the　French　mando's　body　suddenly　snapped　backwards　in　the　water。　He　turned　in　the　water　and　opened　his　mouth　to　scream；　but　nothing　came　out。　His　eyes　just　went　wide。　He　must　have　seen　that　the　whale　had　crushed　the　whole　of　his　lower　body　with　its　bite　and　was　now　holding　him　firmly　within　its　mighty　jaws。　
　The　whale's　second　yank　was　even　more　powerful　than　the　first。　It　pulled　the　Frenchman　under　with　such　force　that　the　man's　head　jolted　backward　and　slapped　down　hard　against　the　water　as　he　went　under　and　disappeared　forever。　
　Sarah　Hensleigh　gasped。　〃Oh；　Jesus。。。。〃　
　
　Buck　Riley's　section　of　catwalk　was　still　attached　to　the　ice　wall。　Just。　It　hung　downward　at　a　steep　angle；　out　over　the　central　shaft。　
　The　three　scientists…Riley　didn't　know　their　names…had　all　been　too　slow。　The　sudden　collapse　of　the　catwalk　had　caught　all　three　of　them　by　surprise。　Too　slow　to　get　a　handhold；　they　had　all　fallen　down　into　the　shaft。　
　Riley's　reflexes　had　been　quicker。　When　the　catwalk　had　fallen　away　beneath　him；　he　had　hit　the　deck　and　immediately　garnered　a　fingerhold　in　the　grating　of　the　catwalk　itself。　
　The　little　girl　had　also　been　fast。　
　As　soon　as　the　floor　had　dropped　away　beneath　her；　she　had　fallen　to　the　catwalk　and　immediately　started　to　slide　toward　the　edge。　
　Her　feet　had　gone　over　the　edge　first；　followed　quickly　by　her　waist　and　then　her　chest。　Just　as　her　head　fell　clear　of　the　railing；　she　threw　out　a　desperate　hand　and　miraculously　caught　hold　of　the　hand　railing。　
　The　railing　held　for　a　second；　but；　weakened　by　the　force　of　the　gas　explosion；　it　suddenly　buckled　and　snapped　and　swung　out　over　the　edge　of　the　catwalk；　so　that　it　now　hung　upside　down　out　over　the　shaft。　
　And　so　the　little　girl　hung　there；　one…handed　and　screaming；　from　the　upside…down　railing　of　the　catwalk；　fifty　feet　above　the　killer…whale…infested　pool。　
　〃Don't　look　down！〃　Riley　yelled；　as　he　reached　for　her　hand。　He　had　already　seen　the　killer　whales　down　in　the　pool；　had　just　seen　one　of　them　take　the　French　mando。　He　didn't　want　the　little　girl　seeing　them。　
　The　little　girl　was　crying；　sobbing；　〃Don't　let　me　fall！〃　
　〃I　won't　let　you　fall；〃　Riley　said　as　he　lay　on　his　stomach　stretched　out　as　far　as　he　could；　trying　to　grab　her　wrist。　Small；　isolated　spot　fires　burned　on　the　remnants　of　the　catwalk　all　around　him。　
　His　hand　was　about　a　foot　away　from　the　girl's　when　he　saw　her　frightened　eyes　begin　to　dart　around。　
　〃What's　your　name？〃　Riley　said　suddenly；　trying　to　distract　her。　
　〃〃My　hand　is　hot；〃　she　whimpered。　
　Riley　looked　back　along　the　railing。　About　five　yards　to　his　left；　a　small　spot　fire　licked　at　the　point　where　the　downed　railing　met　the　catwalk。　
　〃1　know　it's　hot；　honey。　I　know　it　is。　Just　keep　holding　on。　What　did　you　say　your　name　was？〃　
　'Kirsty。〃　
　〃Hi；　Kirsty。　My　name's　Buck；　but　you　can　just　call　me　Book　like　everybody　else　does。〃　
　〃Why　do　they　call　you　that？〃　
　Riley　cast　a　sideways　glance　at　the　spot　fire　licking　against　the　railing。　
　Not　good。　
　Under　the　intense　heat　of　the　explosion；　the　black　paint　on　the　railing　had　broken　out　into　dry；　paperlike　flakes。　If　the　fire　came　into　contact　with　those　flakes；　the　whole　railing　would　go　up　in　flames。　
　Riley　kept　reaching　out　for　Kirsty's　hand；　stretched　harder。　Half　a　foot　away。　He　almost　had　her。　
　〃Do　you　always〃…Riley　breathed　a　weak　half…laugh…　〃ask　this　many　questions？〃　He　grimaced　as　he　stretched。　〃If　you〃…breath…〃really　wanna　know〃…breath…〃it's　because；　once〃…breath…〃one　of　my　friends　found　out　I　was　writing　a　book。〃　
　〃Uh…huh。。。。〃　Kirsty's　eyes　began　to　wander　again。　
　〃Kirsty。　Now　listen　to　me；　honey。　I　want　you　keep　your　eyes　looking　right　at　me　now；　OK。　Right　at　me。〃　
　〃OK；〃　she　said。　
　Then　she　looked　down。　
　Riley　swore。　
　
　Rebound　had　been　less　than　three　yards　away　from　the　French　mando　when　he　had　been　taken　under。　The　sheer　violence　of　the　Frenchman's　death　had　scared　the　living　shit　out　of　him。　
　Now；　the　whole　pool　was　silent。　
　Rebound　hovered　in　the　pool；　looking　desperately　about　himself。　The　water　was　cold　and　the　bullet　wound　in　his　shoulder　stung；　but　he　barely　even　noticed　them　now。　
　Mother　was　treading　water　next　to　him；　her　face　watchful。　Waiting；　with　tense　anticipation。　Legs's　body　floated　facedown　in　the　water　next　to　her；　a　halo　of　blood　slowly　fanning　out　from　its　head；　seeping　into　the　clear；　blue　water　around　it。　
　The　four　remaining　French　mandos　were　also　still　in　the　pool。　They　pletely　ignored　Rebound　and　Mother；　their　battle　forgotten；　at　least　for　the　moment。　
　Last　of　all；　Rebound　saw　the　scientists…two　women　and　one　man。　
　Ten　people　in　all　were　in　the　pool；　and　not　one　of　them　moved。　
　Not　one　of　them　dared　to　move。　
　They　had　all　had　seen　the　French　mando　go　under　moments　before。　
　The　lesson：　if　you　don't　move；　they　might　not　take　you。　
　Rebound　held　his　breath　as　three　massive　shadows　glided　slowly　through　the　water　beneath　him。　
　He　heard　a　sudden　click　and　turned　to　see　Mother　holding　her　MP…5　poised　above　the　surface。　
　Jesus；　Rebound　thought。　If　there　was　anyone　in　the　world　who　had　the　balls　to　take　down　a　killer　whale　with　a　gun；　it　had　to　be　Mother。　
　More　silence。　
　Don't　move。。。。　
　And　then　suddenly　there　came　an　incredible　roar　as　one　of　the　whales　exploded　out　from　beneath　the　surface；　right　next　to　Mother。　
　It　lifted　half　of　its　enormous　body　out　of　the　water；　turned　onto　its　side　in　mid…air；　and　then　plowed　into　Legs's　motionless　body。　There　was　a　series　of　sickening　crunches　as　it　caught　the　dead　body　in　its　mouth　and　clamped　down　hard　with　its　teeth；　breaking　nearly　every　bone　in　it。　And　then　the　whale's　head　went　under　and　its　tail　appeared；　and　then　the　tail　disappeared　and　only　frothing　water　remained。　
　And　Legs's　body　was　gone。　
　Rebound　just　stayed　where　he　was；　hovering　in　the　water；　his　mouth　agape。　And　then；　slowly；　it　dawned　on　him。　
　Legs　hadn't　been　moving。　
　An　unspoken　understanding　instantly　spread　throughout　the　nine　remaining　people　in　the　pool。　
　The　killers　didn't　care　whether　they　were　moving　or　not。　。。。　
　The　nine　people　in　the　pool　moved　as　one；　breaking　out　into　frantic　swimming　strokes　as　the　killer　whales　rose　to　the　surface　beneath　them　and　menced　their　feeding　frenzy。　
　
　Up　on　what　was　left　of　B…deck；　Book　Riley　swore　again。　
　When　Kirsty　had　seen　the　pool；　seen　the　enormous　black…and…white　shapes　in　it；　her　lower　jaw　had　started　to　quiver。　Then；　when　she　saw　the　first　killer　leap　up　out　of　the　water　and　crunch　through　Legs's　dead　body；　she　started　to　hyperventilate。　
　〃OhmyGod；　ohmyGod；〃　she　sobbed。　
　Riley　began　to　hurry。　He　quickly　lowered　his　upper　body　out　over　the　edge　of　the　down…turned　catwalk；　so　that　he　was　now　practically　hanging　upside…down；　reaching　for　Kirsty　with　his　free　right　hand。　
　Their　hands　were　now　only　two　inches　apart。　
　He　almost　had　her。　
　And　then　all　of　a　sudden　he　heard　a　soft　whooshing　sound　from　somewhere　to　his　left。　
　Riley's　head　snapped　round。　
　〃No___〃　
　The　spot　fire　had　ignited　the　flakes　on　the　railing。　The　response　was　instantaneous。　A　small　orange　flame　began　to　race　along　the　length　of　the　railing；　devouring　the　dried　paint　flakes　in　its　path；　leaving　a　tiny　trail　of　fire　in　its　wake。　
　Riley's　eyes　went　wide。　
　The　trail　of　fire　was　rocketing　along　the　length　of　the　railing。　
　And　heading　right　for　Kirsty's　hand！　
　Kirsty　was　still　looking　down　at　the　killer　whales　in　the　pool。　She　swung　her　head　up　to　look　at　Riley；　and　in　an　instant　their　eyes　met　and　Riley　saw　the　absolute　terror　in　her　eyes。　
　Riley　stretched　down　as　far　as　he　could；　his　whole　upper　body　dangling　upside　down　off　the　downturned　catwalk；　in　a　desperate　effort　to　grab　her　hand。　
　The　orange　flame　raced　along　the　black　hand　railing；　its　fire　trail　lighting　up　the　railing　behind　it。　
　Riley's　hand　was　an　inch　away　from　Kirsty's。　
　He　stretched　again　and　felt　the　tips　of　his　fingers　brush　against　the　top　of　her　hand。　
　Another　inch。　Just　another　inch。。。　
　〃Mr。　Book！　Don't　let　me　fall！〃　
　And　then　suddenly　the　bright　orange　line　of　fire　cut　across　Riley's　field　of　vision　and　he　yelled　in　frustration。　
　〃No！〃　
　The　fire　trail　sped　across　the　railing　in　front　of　him；　right　underneath　Kirsty's　hand。　
　Riley　watched　in　helpless　horror　as　the　little　girl　squealed　with　pain　and　then　did　the　only　thing　her　body　knew　to　do　when　it　came　into　contact　with　fire。　
　She　let　go。　
　
　
　
　Kirsty　dropped　fast。　
　But　as　she　did　so；　Buck　Riley　released　his　grip　on　the　catwalk　above　him　and　lunged　forward　after　her。　He　dropped　three　feet　straight　down…one　arm　pointed　down；　the　other　pointed　up。