mreilly.icestation-第20部分

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　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　with　an　enormous　crash。　The　huge　whale　slid　fast　across　the　deck；　carried　forward　by　the　weight　of　its　own　inertia。　It　rolled　smoothly　onto　its　side　as　it　moved；　so　that　its　jaws　opened　vertically；　and　then；　with　almost　effortless　grace；　it　caught　one　of　the　Frenchmen　in　its　mouth　and　bit　down　hard。　
　The　big　animal's　sliding　movement　stopped　and　it　ground　to　a　halt；　with　the　French　soldier…screaming　madly；　blood　pouring　from　his　mouth…held　tightly　within　its　jaws。　The　whale　then　began　to　shuffle　its　enormous　frame　awkwardly　backward　along　the　deck。　After　a　few　moments；　it　reached　the　edge　and　fell　back　into　the　water；　taking　the　screaming　Frenchman　down　with　it。　
　Wendy　had　known。　You　weren't　truly　safe　from　the　killers　until　you　were　well　clear　of　the　water's　edge。　
　The　six　people　remaining　on　the　deck　understood　at　once。　
　Get　away　from　the　edge。　
　Schofield　saw　Gant　join　Rebound　on　the　other　side　of　the　pool。　Saw　them　both　hurriedly　pick　up　Mother　by　the　shoulders　and　start　to　drag　her　away　from　the　edge。　As　they　did　so；　Schofield　caught　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　Mother's　lower　body。　The　bottom　half　of　one　of　her　legs　was　missing。　
　At　that　moment　there　came　a　sudden　resounding　whump！　from　behind　Schofield　and　he　felt　the　deck　beneath　him　shudder　violently。　He　spun　instantly；　faced　the　pool；　and　saw　the　smiling　face　of　one　of　the　killer　whales　sliding　across　the　deck　toward　him！　
　The　whale　slid　across　the　deck　fast。　
　Schofield　was　still　on　his　knees。　
　The　whale　rolled　onto　its　side；　opened　its　mouth　wide。　
　Schofield　dived　away　from　the　massive　creature；　saw　the　battered　ejection　seat　lying　on　the　deck　four　feet　behind　him。　If　he　could　just　get　to　it　and　leap　over　it；　he'd　be　safe。　He　scrambled　across　the　deck　on　his　hands　and　knees；　toward　the　big　ejection　seat。　
　The　whale　kept　ing。　Fast。　
　Schofield　clawed　at　the　deck；　crawled　as　fast　as　he　could。　Not　fast　enough。　He　wasn't　going　to　make　it。　
　He　wasn't　going　to　be　able　to　get　over　the　ejection　seat　in　time。　
　Schofield　saw　water　spread　out　on　the　deck　all　around　him。　The　wash　from　the　advancing　killer　whale。　
　It　was　right　behind　him！　
　Schofield's　adrenaline　surged　and　he　dived　forward。　He　knew　he　wasn't　going　to　make　it　over　the　chair；　so　he　slammed　himself；　back　first；　into　the　ejection　seat。　
　He　was　now　facing　the　pool；　〃sitting〃　in　the　battered　ejection　seat　as　it　lay　crumpled　on　its　side。　He　looked　up　and　the　killer　whale　filled　his　entire　field　of　vision。　
　It　was　right　on　top　of　him！　Less　than　a　meter　away。　It　came　roaring　toward　him。　
　There　was　no　chance　of　it　slowing　down。　
　No　chance　of　it　missing　him。　
　And　Shane　Schofield　shut　his　eyes　as　the　killer　whale's　jaws　came　slamming　down　around　his　head。　
　
　
　
　There　came　a　sudden　otherworldly　clang！；　a　noise　louder　than　anything　Schofield　had　ever　heard　in　his　life。　
　He　had　expected　to　feel　pain…sharp；　sudden；　burning　pain…as　the　killer　whale's　teeth　chomped　down　hard　on　his　head。　But　strangely；　he　didn't　feel　any　pain。　
　Bewildered；　he　opened　his　eyes。。。　
　。。。　and　saw　two　long　rows　of　razor…sharp　teeth　stretching　away　from　him　into　darkness。　In　between　the　two　long　rows　of　teeth　sat　an　obscenely　fat；　pink　tongue。　
　It　took　a　second　for　his　brain　to　put　it　all　together。　
　His　head　was　inside　the　killer　whale's　month！　
　But　for　some　reason…some　unfathomable；　incredible　reason…he　was　still　alive。　
　It　was　then　that　Schofield　looked　up　and　saw　that　his　head　was　surrounded　on　three　sides　by　the　battered　steel　headrest　of　the　ejection　seat。　
　The　killer　whale's　ferocious　bite　had　e　down　hard　on　the　headrest；　on　either　side　of　Schofield's　head。　But　the　steel　headrest　had　been　strong　enough　to　withstand　the　incredible　force　of　the　bite…it　had　halted　the　big　whale's　teeth　only　millimeters　short　of　Schofield's　ears。　Now；　two　severe　dents　in　the　headrest　jutted　inward　on　either　side　of　his　head。　One　of　them…sharp　and　jagged…had　drawn　a　tiny　bead　of　blood　from　his　left　ear。　
　Schofield　couldn't　see　anything　else。　His　entire　upper　body；　from　chest　to　head；　was　pletely　covered　by　the　killer　whale's　mouth。　
　Suddenly　the　ejection　seat　jolted　beneath　him。　
　It　scraped　loudly　against　the　metal　deck；　and　Schofield　fell　back　into　the　seat　as　the　whole　thing　lurched　forward。　
　The　movement　stopped　suddenly；　almost　as　soon　as　it　had　begun；　and　Schofield　rocked　forward　and　shuddered　to　a　halt。　He　suddenly　realized　what　was　happening。　
　The　whale　was　dragging　him　back　toward　the　pool。　
　The　ejection　seat　jolted　once　again；　and　he　felt　the　seat　slide　another　three　feet　across　the　deck。　
　In　his　mind's　eye；　Schofield　could　picture　the　whale's　movements。　It　was　probably　shuffling　backward…as　the　other　one　had　done　before　with　the　Frenchman…undulating　its　massive　body　back　across　the　deck　as　it　dragged　the　four…hundred…pound　ejection　seat　toward　the　edge　of　the　deck。　
　The　ejection　seat　moved　again　and　Schofield　felt　a　sudden　rush　of　warm　air　wash　over　his　face。　
　It　had　e　from　within　the　whale。　
　Schofield　couldn't　believe　it。　The　killer　whale　was　huffing　and　puffing；　breathing　hard　as　it　held　this　unusually　heavy　prize　within　its　jaws　and　dragged　it　back　toward　the　water！　Schofield　wriggled　in　his　seat　as　another　rush　of　warm　air　hit　his　face　and　the　seat　jolted　once　again。　
　His　feet　were　still　sticking　out　from　the　base　of　the　ejection　seat；　out　from　the　side　of　the　whale's　propped…open　mouth。　If　he　could　just　wriggle　down　that　way；　he　thought；　he　might　be　able　to　slip　out　of　the　chair…and　out　of　the　whale's　mouth…before　it　reached　the　water。　
　Schofield　moved　slowly；　gingerly；　easing　himself　down　in　the　ejection　seat；　not　wanting　to　alert　the　whale　to　his　plan。　
　Suddenly　the　seat　lurched　sideways。　It　screeched　hideously　as　it　slid　across　the　metal　deck。　Schofield　quickly　grabbed　hold　of　the　armrests　to　stop　himself　from　falling　forward　onto　the　big　animal's　teeth。　
　He　lowered　himself　farther。　Now　his　waist　was　out　of　the　chair　and　his　eyes　were　level　with　the　whale's　sharp；　pointed　teeth。　The　whale　grunted　as　it　heaved　on　the　heavy　steel　chair。　
　Slowly；　Schofield　lowered　himself　an　inch　farther　out　of　the　chair。　
　And　then　he　encountered　a　problem。　
　He　was　now　sitting　so　low　in　the　ejection　seat　that　he　couldn't　keep　a　hold　on　the　armrests　anymore。　He　needed　something　to　hold　onto；　something　from　which　he　could　push　himself　out　of　the　seat。　He　desperately　looked　around　himself；　searching　for　something　to　grab　onto。　
　Nothing。　
　There　was　absolutely　nothing　to　hold　onto。　
　And　then　his　gaze　fell　upon　the　killer　whale's　teeth　in　front　of　him。　
　I　don't　believe　this；　he　thought　as　he　reached　up　with　both　hands　and　took　hold　of　two　of　the　killer　whale's　enormous　white　teeth。　
　Suddenly　the　ejection　seat　jolted　and　slid　again　and　Schofield　felt　it　lift　slightly　off　the　deck。　He　had　a　sudden　horrifying　thought。　
　It's　reached　the　edge　of　the　deck。　
　And　now　it's　tipping　over　it。。。　
　Holy　shit。　
　Schofield　gripped　the　whale's　teeth　tightly　and　pushed　hard　off　them；　and　hurled　himself　clear　of　the　ejection　seat。　He　slid　out　from　the　chair；　out　from　the　side　of　the　big　whale's　mouth；　and　fell　clumsily　onto　the　deck　just　in　time　to　see　the　killer　whale's　rear　end　drop　back　into　the　pool。　As　its　tail　entered　the　water；　the　big　whale's　body　tipped　upward；　and　its　head　reared　up；　lifting　the　entire　ejection　seat　off　the　deck。　Then　the　killer　whale's　enormous　black…and…white　frame　began　to　slide　downward；　into　the　water；　and　the　great　predator　took　its　prize　to　a　watery　grave。　
　
　
　
　Schofield　was　on　his　feet　in　seconds；　moving　quickly　across　the　deck　toward　Rebound；　Gant；　and　Mother　over　by　the　south　tunnel。　
　He　spoke　into　his　helmet　mike　as　he　ran。　〃Montana；　this　is　Scarecrow；　report。〃　
　〃Still　up　on　A…deck；　Scarecrow。　Snake　and　Santa　Cruz're　up　here　with　me。〃　
　〃How　many　up　there？〃　Schofield　asked。　
　〃I　count　it　as　five　military　and　two　civilian；〃　Montana's　voice　said。　〃But　two　of　the　military　guys　just　made　a　break　for　one　of　the　ladders　and　went　down　a　level。　What？　Oh；　fuck…〃　
　The　connection　cut　off。　Schofield　heard　a　scuffle。　
　〃Montana…〃　
　Suddenly　a　French　mando　stepped　out　onto　the　deck　in　front　of　Schofield　himself。　
　He　was　the　last　of　the　five　French　soldiers　who　had　fallen　into　the　pool；　the　only　one　of　them　to　e　out　of　it　alive。　He　looked　like　death　warmed　up…dripping　wet；　scowling；　and　mad　as　hell。　He　glared　at　Schofield；　then　raised　his　crossbow。　
　Without　missing　a　beat；　Schofield　drew　a　throwing　knife　from　a　sheath　strapped　to　his　knee　and　threw　it　underhanded。　The　knife　whistled　through　the　air　and　thudded　into　the　Frenchman's　chest。　He　dropped　instantly。　The　whole　thing　took　two　seconds。　Schofield　never　stopped　walking。　He　stepped　over　the　slumped　body；　retrieved　his　knife　and　the　dead　French　mando's　crossbow；　and　kept　moving。　
　He　spoke　into　his　helmet　mike　again：　〃Montana；　I　say　again；　are　you　all　right？〃　
　〃I　copy；　Scarecrow。　I'm　OK。　Revision　on　my　previous　count：　make　that　four　military　and　two　civilians。　Put　me　down　for　one　more　frog。〃　
　〃Put　me　down　for　one；　too；〃　Schofield　said。　
　Schofield　arrived　at　the　entrance　to　the　south　tunnel；　where　he　found　Gant　and　Rebound。　They　were　dragging　Mother　into　the　tunnel。　
　Schofield　saw　Mother's　leg　immediately。　A　bloody；　jagged　piece　of　bone　protruded　from　where　her　left　knee　should　have　been。　
　〃Put　her　somewhere　safe；　stop　the　flow；　and　give　her　a　hit　of　methadone；〃　he　said　quickly。　
　〃Got　it…；〃　Gant　said；　looking　up　at　him。　She　cut　herself　off　abruptly。　
　Schofield's　antiflash　glasses　had　been　lost　in　the　water　in　the　battle　with　the　killer　whales；　and　Gant　saw　his　eyes　for　the　first　time。　
　Two　prominent　vertical　scars　cut　down　across　both　of　his　eyes。　They　were　unmissable；　hideous。　Each　scar　stretched　downward　in　a　perfectly　straight　line　from　eyebrow　to　cheekbone；　scarring　the　eyelid　in　between。　
　Gant　winced　when　she　saw　them　and　regretted　it　as　soon　as　she　did　so。　She　hoped　Schofield　didn't　notice。　
　〃How　are　you　feeling；　Mother？〃　Schofield