mreilly.icestation-第19部分

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hick　metal　deck　when　it　hit。　
　Despite　the　chaos　all　around　him；　Shane　Schofield　kept　his　eyes　locked　on　the　retractable　bridge　three　stories　above　him。　He　took　in　the　distance。　
　Thirty　feet。　Maybe　thirty…five。　
　He　wasted　no　time；　raised　his　Maghook；　flicked　a　switch　marked　M　with　his　thumb…and　saw　a　red　light　on　the　head　of　the　grappling　hook　activate…aimed；　and　fired。　
　The　grappling　hook　shot　up　into　the　air。　However；　this　time　the　claws　of　the　hook　didn't　spring　outward。　This　time　it　was　set　on　magnet。　
　The　bulbous　magnetic　head　of　the　Maghook　thunked　into　the　underside　of　the　retractable　steel　bridge　and　stuck　there。　
　Schofield　did　some　quick　calculations　in　his　head。　〃Shit；〃　was　all　he　said　when　he　finished。　
　Then　he　handed　the　launcher　to　Kirsty　and　said；　〃Three　words；　honey：　don't　let　go。〃　
　She　took　the　launcher　in　both　hands　and　looked　at　Schofield；　puzzled。　
　He　smiled　at　her　reassuringly。　〃Just　hold　on。〃　
　Then　he　pressed　down　firmly　on　a　small　black　button　on　the　grip　of　the　Maghook。　
　Suddenly　Kirsty　flew　up　out　of　the　water　as　the　Maghook　reeled　her　upward　like　some　bizarre　kind　of　fishing　rod。　
　She　was　light；　so　the　Maghook　had　little　difficulty　whisking　her　up　to　the　bridge。　Schofield　knew　it　would　have　been　considerably　slower　if　his　weight　were　also　being…　
　A　killer　whale　shot　up　out　of　the　water　after　Kirsty。　
　Schofield's　jaw　dropped　as　he　saw　the　massive　whale　lift　its　entire　body　out　of　the　water　in　a　magnificent　vertical　leap。　
　Kirsty　was　still　moving　rapidly　upward；　pulled　up　by　the　Maghook。　She　looked　down　and　saw　the　whale　emerge　from　the　water　beneath　her　like　the　Devil　ing　out　of　Hell　itself。　Saw　it　e　roaring　up　toward　her；　its　body　rotating　as　it　rose　into　the　air。　
　And　then　all　of　a　sudden　Kirsty　came　to　a　jarring　halt。　
　The　whale　kept　ing　upward。　
　Kirsty　squealed　in　surprise；　looked　up；　and　saw　that　she　had　hit　the　underside　of　the　bridge。　
　She　couldn　't　go　any　farther　up！　
　The　whale　opened　its　jaws　wide　as　it　reached　the　zenith　uf　its　leap　。　。　。　
　Kirsty　gripped　the　Maghook　as　hard　as　she　could　and　quiickly　brought　her　legs　up　tightly　against　her　chest　just　as　the　killer's　teeth　jammed　shut　with　a　loud　crunch；　ing　together　barely　a　foot　below　her　butt；　the　lowest　part　of　her　body。　
　Kirsty　watched　as　the　huge　black…and…white　whale　fell　away　beneath　her；　diminishing　in　size　until　it　disappeared　back　into　the　pool　below。　The　animal　must　have　been　at　least　thirty　feet　long；　and　it　had　lifted　its　entire　body　vertically　out　of　the　wat…　
　Suddenly　a　hand　appeared　in　front　of　Kirsty's　face　and　she　almost　had　a　heart　attack；　almost　let　go　of　the　Maghook。　
　〃It's　OK；〃　a　voice　said。　〃It's　me。〃　
　Kirsty　looked　up　and　found　herself　looking　into　the　friendly　eyes　of　the　Marine　she　knew　as　Mr。　Book。　She　took　his　hand；　and　he　hauled　her　up　onto　the　retractable　bridge。　
　She　was　breathing　heavily；　almost　crying。　Buck　Riley　hearing　her；　looked　at　her　in　amazement。　After　a　second；　Kirsty　reached　into　her　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　plastic　puffer　for　her　asthma。　
　She　drew　in　two　long　puffs　and　caught　her　breath。　When；　finally；　she　was　able　to　speak　she　looked　at　Riley；　shook　her　head；　and　said；　〃They　definitely　don't　have　that　at　Sea　World。〃　
　
　Schofield　was　still　down　in　the　pool。　Two　of　the　killer　whales　circled　him　ominously。　He　noticed　that　these　two　appeared　to　be　smaller　than　the　other　killers。　Juveniles；　maybe。　
　He　tilted　his　head　upward　and　yelled；　〃Book！　I　need　my　Maghook！〃　
　Up　on　the　bridge；　Riley　immediately　dropped　to　his　belly　and　leaned　out　over　the　edge　of　the　narrow　metal　platform。　He　reached　out　underneath　the　platform　and　tried　to　deactivate　the　magnet　on　Schofield's　grappling　hook。　
　〃I　need　it　now；　Book！〃　Schofield's　voice　sailed　up　through　the　shaft　of　the　ice　station。　
　〃I'm　trying！　I'm　trying！〃　Riley　said。　
　〃Try　faster！〃　
　Riley　stretched　his　arm　out　under　the　platform；　tried　to　reach　the　switch　marked　M　on　the　grip　that　activated　and　deactivated　the　Maghook's　powerful　magnet。　
　As　he　did　so；　however；　a　strange　thing　happened。　
　For　a　brief　second；　Riley　could　have　sworn　that　he　heard　Kirsty　speaking　to　someone　on　the　bridge　above　him。　
　〃Help　the　diver；　Wendy。　Help　the　diver。〃　
　Riley　blinked　to　himself。　Must　be　hearing　things。　
　
　Down　in　the　pool；　Schofield　thought　it　was　all　over。　The　two　killers　on　either　side　of　him　were　closing　in　as　they　circled；　shutting　off　any　possible　escape　route。　
　Suddenly　one　of　them　seemed　to　break　out　of　his　circle　and　swing　around。　Schofield　swallowed。　He　was　ing　round　for　the　kill。　
　The　killer　turned　in　a　slow；　wide　arc　until　he　was　pointing　right　at　Schofield。　His　body　was　only　a　foot　or　so　beneath　the　surface；　and　his　high　dorsal　fin　sliced　easily　through　the　waves　in　the　pool。　He　was　moving　at　such　powerful　speed　that　he　created　a　rolling　bow　wave　in　front　of　his　submerged　black…and…white　head。　
　The　bow　wave　raced　across　the　water；　on　a　collision　course　with　Shane　Schofield。　
　Schofield　looked　around　himself。　There　was　nowhere　to　go　this　time；　no　weapon　to　use。　
　Out　of　sheer　desperation　he　pulled　out　his　Desert　Eagle　pistol；　raised　it　above　the　water。　
　If　it　had　to　e　to　this；　he　thought；　then　it　had　to　e　to　this。　
　The　killer　charged　toward　him。　
　And　then　suddenly　a　black　missilelike　object　plunged　into　the　water　right　in　front　of　Schofield's　face；　right　in　between　him　and　the　killer　whale。　
　Whatever　it　was；　it　was　so　sleek　that　it　entered　the　water　with　barely　even　a　splash；　and　once　in；　it　zoomed　away　from　him　at　phenomenal　speed。　
　Both　killers　saw　it　instantly　and　immediately　lost　interest　in　Schofield。　Even　the　one　that　had　been　charging　at　him　only　seconds　before　abruptly　altered　its　path　and　raced　off　in　pursuit　of　this　new　quarry。　
　Schofield　was　stunned。　What　had　it　been？　It　had　looked　almost　like　a。。。　a　seal　of　some　sort。　
　And　then；　miraculously；　a　Maghook　dropped　into　the　water　right　in　front　of　him。　
　Schofield　grabbed　it　before　it　sank　and　immediately　looked　upward。　Up　on　the　bridge　he　saw　Book　Riley　lying　on　his　belly；　with　one　arm　stretched　out　underneath　the　bridge。　
　Schofield　looked　at　the　Maghook　and　suddenly　felt　a　new　lease　on　life　e　over　him。　
　Just　then；　a　small　pointed　black　head　popped　up　out　of　the　water　right　in　front　of　him　and　he　fell　backward　in　surprise。　
　It　was　Wendy。　Kirsty's　little　Antarctic　fur　seal。　
　Her　cute　red　collar　glistened　with　wetness；　and　her　soft　black　eyes　looked　right　into　his。　If　it　was　possible；　Schofield　could　have　sworn　that　the　little　seal　was　smiling…having　a　ball　of　a　time　swimming　around　in　the　pool；　evading　the　less　agile　killer　whales。　
　Then　he　realized。　Wendy　must　have　been　the　object　that　had　dived　into　the　pool　in　between　him　and　the　charging　killer　whale。　
　Suddenly　Wendy's　head　snapped　left。　
　She'd　heard　something；　sensed　something。　
　Then　she　gave　what　looked　like　a　final　happy　nod　to　Schofield　before　she　ducked　back　under　the　water　and　sped　off　down　the　length　of　the　pool。　
　She　swam　fast。　Speeding　just　underneath　the　surface　of　the　water　like　a　tiny　black　torpedo。　Cutting　left；　ducking　right；　and　then　disappearing　suddenly　as　she　dropped　into　a　steep　vertical　dive。　No　sooner　had　she　moved　than　three　black　dorsal　fins　appeared　behind　her　and　immediately　gave　chase；　before　they　themselves　vanished　beneath　the　surface　in　hot　pursuit。　
　Schofield　took　the　opportunity　and　swam　for　the　nearest　edge。　He　was　three　feet　from　the　deck　when　a　sudden　surge　of　water　rocked　him　and　he　rolled　in　the　water　as　the　giant　body　of　one　of　the　killers　swept　past　him　at　a　frightening　speed。　Schofield　immediately　tensed　for　another　fight；　but　the　whale　just　barreled　past　him；　in　search　of　the　elusive　Wendy。　
　Schofield　breathed　again；　swam　forward；　and　grabbed　hold　of　the　deck。　He　climbed　up　out　of　the　water　and　saw　the。　battered　ejection　seat　lying　crumpled　on　its　side　on　the　deck　in　front　of　him。　Then　he　turned　around；　surveyed　the　chaos　around　him。　
　Sarah　and　Abby　were　long　out　of　the　water　and　were　now　hurrying　into　the　tunnels　of　E…deck。　Not　far　from　them　were　Rebound　and　Mother。　Rebound　was　kneeling　over　Mother。　He　appeared　to　be　applying　pressure　to　a　wound　of　some　kind　on　Mother's　leg。　
　On　the　other　side　of　the　pool　Schofield　saw　the　two　surviving　French　mandos；　also　safely　out　of　the　water。　Soaking　wet；　they　were　just　getting　to　their　feet　on　the　deck。　One　of　them　saw　Schofield　and　began　to　reach　for　his　crossbow。　
　Just　then；　a　sudden　movement　caught　Schofield's　eye　and　he　turned　and　saw　a　familiar　black　shadow　whipping　down　the　length　of　the　pool。　
　Wendy。　
　Three　larger　black…and…white　shapes　raced　through　the　water　behind　her。　The　killers　in　pursuit。　
　Wendy　was　travelling　at　tremendous　speed；　just　below　the　surface。　Her　flippers　would　occasionally　sweep　backward　with　a　powerful　stroke　and　then　fall　in　by　her　sides　so　that　her　body　remained　as　streamlined　as　possible。　She　looked　like　a　bullet　shooting　through　the　pool；　alternately　appearing　and　disappearing　in　the　murky　red　clouds　that　stained　the　icy　water。　
　She　was　heading　for　the　deck；　for　that　part　of　the　deck　on　which　the　two　French　mandos　stood。　And　she　wasn't　slowing　down。　
　In　fact；　it　looked　to　Schofield　like　she　was　picking　up　speed　as　she　sped　toward　the　deck　with　the　three　black…and…white　specters　racing　through　the　water　behind　her。　
　Schofield　then　watched　in　amazement　as；　within　a　meter　of　the　deck；　Wendy　suddenly　launched　herself　out　of　the　water。　It　was　a　flat；　graceful　leap；　and　she　landed　smoothly　on　her　belly　on　the　deck　and　slid　forward　a　full　three　meters。　
　She　slid　right　past　the　two　bewildered　Frenchmen　standing　next　to　her。　
　But　she　didn't　stop　there。　No　sooner　had　she　stopped　sliding　than　she　was　up　on　her　foreflippers　and　galloping　as　fast　as　she　could；　away　from　the　water's　edge。　
　For　a　fleeting　instant　Schofield　wondered　why　she　would　do　that。　Surely　once　you　were　out　of　the　water　you　were　safe　from　the　killers。　
　And　then　Schofield　discovered　why　Wendy　did　what　she　did。　
　Like　a　demon　rising　from　the　depths；　one　of　the　pursuing　killer　whales　roared　out　of　the　water　and　hurled　its　massive　body　up　onto　the　deck；　landing　on　the　thick　metal　grating　wi