mreilly.icestation-第48部分

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　Schofield　ventured　out　onto　his　own　skirt；　his　arms　outstretched。　
　〃e　on；　honey！〃　he　called。　〃You　can　do　it！〃　
　Kirsty　tentatively　stepped　forward。　
　The　ground　raced　by　beneath　them。　
　〃Reach　out！　Reach　out！　And　jump　now！〃　Schofield　yelled。　〃I'll　catch　you！〃　
　Kirsty　jumped。　
　A　timid；　little　girl's　jump。　
　Schofield　lunged　forward　and　clutched　hold　of　her　parka　and　pulled　her　inside　the　cabin　of　his　speeding　black　hovercraft。　
　Once　they　were　safely　inside；　he　asked；　〃Are　you　OK？〃　
　As　Kirsty　opened　her　mouth　to　answer　him；　the　whole　hovercraft　was　rocked　by　a　ferocious　impact。　The　two　of　them　were　both　thrown　against　the　frame　of　the　open　doorway。　Kirsty　screamed　as　she　fell　out　through　the　door；　but　Schofield　threw　out　his　hand　and　snatched　her　gloved　hand　just　in　time。　
　They'd　been　rammed　from　the　right。　Schofield　snapped　round　to　see　what　had　hit　them。　
　Another　British　hovercraft。　
　Schofield　pulled　Kirsty　back　inside　the　cabin　and　braced　himself　for　the　next　impact。　
　It　never　came。　
　Instead；　the　whole　right…hand　side　of　his　hovercraft's　cabin　simply　exploded　inward。　
　Kirsty　screamed　and　Schofield　dived　on　top　of　her；　shielding　her　from　the　flying　debris。　He　tried　to　peer　out　through　the　smoke　to　see　where　the　British　hovercraft　was；　to　see　what　its　owners　were　doing。　
　But　he　couldn't　see　the　hovercraft。　
　He　just　saw　smoke　and　haze。　
　And　then；　after　a　moment；　Schofield　heard　the　thud　of　feet　landing　on　the　skirt　of　his　hovercraft　and　he　felt　a　knot　tighten　in　his　stomach　as　he　saw　two　wraithlike　figures　emerge　from　the　smoke　and　enter　his　cabin　with　their　guns　raised。　
　
　
　
　The　two　SAS　mandos　emerged　from　the　smoky　haze。　Schofield　was　on　the　ground；　covering　Kirsty；　totally　exposed。　
　〃Scarecrow！　Duck！〃　Book's　voice　shouted　loudly　in　his　ear。　
　Schofield　ducked　and　immediately　heard　the　sharp　whoosh！　whoosh！　of　two　bullets　flying　low　over　his　head　and　the　first　SAS　man　dropped　like　a　stone…shot　by　Book；　from　the　other　hovercraft。　
　The　second　SAS　mando　was　momentarily　startled；　and　that　was　all　Schofield　needed。　He　sprang　to　his　feet　like　a　cat　and　tackled　the　SAS　man　and　both　men　went　flying　against　the　dashboard　of　the　hovercraft。　
　The　ensuing　hand…to…hand　fight　was　all　one…way　traffic。　
　The　SAS　guy　was　all　over　Schofield。　One　hit　to　his　injured　throat　and　Schofield　couldn't　breathe；　another　to　the　rib　cage　and　Schofield　heard　one　of　his　ribs　snap。　He　doubled　over　and　the　SAS　man　grabbed　him　by　his　collar　and　belt　and　hurled　him　out　through　the　destroyed　forward　windscreen　of　the　speeding　hovercraft。　
　Schofield　thudded　against　the　forward　hood　of　the　hovercraft。　His　body　ached；　he　couldn't　breathe。　He　coughed　up　blood　as　he　looked　up…　
　…just　in　time　to　see　the　SAS　mando　reach　for　his　holster　and　draw　his　service　pistol。　
　At　the　sight　of　the　gun；　suddenly　Schofield's　breath　came　back　to　him　and　everything　became　clear。　
　Speeding　hovercraft。　
　Man；　gun。　
　Certain　death。　
　His　body　aching；　Schofield　rolled　forward；　toward　the　rounded　bow　of　the　hovercraft。　The　black　rubber　skirt　dropped　away　in　front　of　him。　The　ground　rushed　by　beneath　it　at　seventy　miles　an　hour。　
　You　are　going　to　die。。。。　
　Schofield　found　a　handhold　and　quickly　lowered　his　feet　over　the　bow　of　the　speeding　hovercraft。　His　feet　touched　the　speeding　earth　and　skipped　up　off　the　surface。　
　The　SAS　man　in　the　cabin　seemed　to　be　amused　by　what　Schofield　was　doing；　and　he　paused　for　a　fraction　of　a　second　as　he　leveled　his　automatic　pistol　at　Schofield's　head。　
　Schofield…his　face　bruised；　his　teeth　bloody；　his　body　bent　over　the　inflated　skirt　at　the　bow　of　the　hovercraft…　looked　up　at　the　SAS　mando　and　smiled。　He　saw　the　SAS　mando　smile　back　at　him：　And　then　he　saw　him　raise　his　gun　a　little　higher。　
　At　that　moment；　Schofield　ducked　his　head　beneath　the　skirt　of　the　hovercraft。　He　heard　the　gun　go　off；　heard　the　bullet　ping　off　the　top　of　the　skirt。　
　Schofield　was　hanging　off　the　bow　of　the　speeding　hovercraft　now；　pressing　his　body　against　the　inflated　rubber　skirt。　His　feet　were　dragging　on　the　ground　as　it　rushed　by　beneath　him　at　incredible　speed。　
　Suddenly　he　heard　a　sound　and　he　looked　up　and　saw　the　SAS　man　standing　above　him；　on　the　forward　hood　of　the　hovercraft；　looking　down　at　him；　with　his　gun　still　in　his　hand。　
　And　as　the　SAS　mando　raised　his　gun　to　fire；　Shane　Schofield　knew　there　was　only　one　thing　he　could　do。　He　released　his　grip　on　the　inflated　rubber　skirt　and　disappeared　under　the　bow　of　the　hovercraft。　
　
　
　
　The　sound　of　the　turbofans　was　absolutely　ear…shattering。　
　Schofield's　helmet　slammed　down　against　the　ground；　and　Schofield　slid　on　his　back　underneath　the　hovercraft。　
　The　rush　of　air　and　the　deafening　roar　of　the　four　turbofans　above　him　was　like　being　in　a　wind　tunnel。　Schofield　saw　the　inflated　insides　of　the　skirt；　saw　the　rapidly　rotating　blades　of　the　turbofans…　
　And　then　he　shot　out　from　underneath　the　speeding　hovercraft；　and　the　deafening　roar　of　the　turbofans　was　gone　as　he　slid　on　his　back　across　the　flat；　icy　plain　behind　the　hovercraft　he　had　been　standing　on　only　moments　before。　
　Schofield　didn't　waste　any　time。　
　He　rolled　onto　his　stomach　as　he　aquaplaned　across　the　ice；　and　in　one　swift　movement　he　drew　his　Maghook　from　behind　his　back　and　looked　up　at　the　rear　of　the　hovercraft　as　it　sped　away　from　him。　He　raised　the　Maghook　and　fired。　
　The　bulbous　magnetic　head　of　the　Maghook　flew　through　the　air；　its　tail　of　rope　unspooling　wildly　behind　it。　The　magnet　thudded　into　the　metal　wall　of　the　cabin　just　above　the　hovercraft's　skirt　and　stuck；　and　Schofield　was　suddenly　yanked　forward　behind　the　speeding　hovercraft。　
　He　was　now　being　dragged　across　the　ice　plain　behind　the　speeding　hovercraft；　like　a　nailing　water…skier　trying　desperately　to　get　back　on　his　feet　again。　
　And　then　abruptly　the　ground　all　around　Schofield　was　raked　with　gunfire。　
　Schofield　spun　to　look　behind　him。　
　A　second　British　hovercraft　was　right　behind　him！　
　It　was　bearing　down　on　him；　as　if　it　were　about　to　trample　him。　
　Schofield　rolled　onto　his　back…holding　onto　his　Mag…hook's　launcher　with　one　hand…as　he　was　dragged　behind　the　first　hovercraft。　With　his　free　hand；　he　drew　his　Desert　Eagle　and　fired　back　at　the　pursuing　hovercraft。　The　Desert　Eagle　boomed；　ripped　open　several　holes　in　the　skirt　of　the　speeding　hovercraft。　
　But　the　hovercraft　didn't　slow　down。　
　It　was　almost　on　him。　
　It　only　had　to　get　over　him　and　then　slow　down　slightly；　and　then　the　hovercraft　would　lower　itself　and　he　would　be　chopped　to　shreds　by　the　turbofans　underneath　it。　
　The　turbofans　underneath　it。。。。　
　Schofield　desperately　searched　his　brain　for　something；　anything；　anything　that　he　could　use　to…　
　His　helmet。　
　Still　being　dragged　behind　the　first　hovercraft；　Schofield　quickly　holstered　his　gun　and　yanked　off　his　helmet。　
　He　would　have　to　get　this　just　right。　It　would　have　to　be　bouncing；　bouncing　high；　so　that　it　would　get　caught　up　in　the　fan　blades　of　the　pursuing　hovercraft。　
　Schofield　tossed　his　helmet　behind　him。　
　The　helmet　flew　through　the　air…it　seemed　to　float　for　an　eternity…and　then　it　bounced　on　its　dome　and　the　pursuing　hovercraft　roared　over　the　top　of　it。　
　Schofield　guessed　that　the　helmet　must　have　bounced　up　into　the　forward　fan　of　the　hovercraft；　because　in　that　moment；　in　that　sudden；　shocking　instant；　the　whole　hovercraft　just　snapped　over　on　itself　and　did　a　plete　seventy…mile…an…hour　cartwheel…it　just　flipped　over　on　itself　and　came　slamming　down　hard　on　its　own　cabin。　The　battered　hovercraft　slid　across　the　flat　icy　ground…on　its　roof；　right　behind　Schofield…for　about　fifty　yards　before　it　ground　to　a　halt　and　shrank　into　the　distance　behind　him。　
　Schofield　rolled　back　over　onto　his　stomach。　His　body　bounced　roughly　on　the　hard；　icy　ground　as　it　was　dragged　along　behind　the　first　hovercraft　at　phenomenal　speed。　Tiny　flecks　of　kicked…up　ice　assaulted　his　silver　antiflash　glasses。　
　Then　he　hit　the　black　button　on　his　Maghook…the　button　that　reeled　in　the　hook　without　demagnetizing　it…and　the　Maghook　began　to　reel　itself　in；　drawing　Schofield　forward；　toward　the　rear　of　the　speeding　hovercraft；　until　at　last　he　reached　the　black　rubber　skirt。　The　wind　from　the　hovercraft's　rear　turbofan　blasted　his　face；　but　Schofield　didn't　care。　He　grabbed　hold　of　a　tie…down　stud　on　top　of　the　skirt　and　hauled　himself　up　onto　the　hovercraft。　
　Five　seconds　later；　he　was　standing　in　the　open　left…hand　side　doorway　of　the　hovercraft。　He　got　there　just　in　time　to　see　the　SAS　mando　slap　Kirsty　hard　across　the　face　and　send　her　crashing　to　the　floor。　
　〃Hey！〃　Schofield　called。　
　The　SAS　man　turned　and　saw　him；　and　a　sneer　formed　around　his　mouth。　
　〃Kirsty；〃　Schofield　said；　never　once　taking　his　eyes　off　the　British　mando。　〃Cover　your　eyes；　honey。〃　
　Kirsty　covered　her　eyes。　
　The　SAS　mando　stared　at　Schofield　for　a　long　moment。　They　just　stood　there；　in　the　cabin　of　the　speeding　hovercraft；　like　two　gunfighters　facing　off　against　each　other　on　a　deserted　western　street　
　And　then　in　a　sudden　blur　of　movement　the　SAS　man　went　for　his　gun。　
　Schofield　went　for　his。　
　Both　guns　came　up　fast；　but　only　one　went　off。　
　
　
　
　〃You　can　open　your　eyes　now；〃　Schofield　said　as　he　stepped　forward…over　the　body　of　the　dead　SAS　mando…and　bent　down　beside　Kirsty。　
　Slowly；　Kirsty　opened　her　eyes。　
　Schofield　saw　the　bruise　forming　around　her　left　cheekbone。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　he　said　kindly。　
　〃No；〃　she　said；　tears　welling　in　her　eyes。　She　pulled　her　asthma　puffer　out　from　her　pocket　and　took　two　deep；　sobbing　puffs　on　it。　
　〃Me　neither；〃　Schofield　said；　taking　the　asthma　puffer　from　her　and　gulping　down　a　couple　of　puffs　himself　before　putting　the　puffer　in　his　pocket。　
　Then　he　stood　up　and　grabbed　the　steering　vane　of　the　British　hovercraft。　As　he　drove；　he　popped　the　clip　of　his　Desert　Eagle　and　jammed　in　a　fresh　magazine。　
　Kirsty　stepped　up　alongside　him。　〃When　you　。。。　when　you　went　under　the　hovercraft；〃　she　said；　〃I　thought。。。　I　thought　you　were　dead。〃　
　Schofield　jammed　his　pistol　back　into　its　holster　and　looked　down　at　Kirsty。　He　saw　the　tears　in　her　eye