mreilly.icestation-第51部分

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　The　amount　of　damage　that　had　been　done　to　the　bodies　had　stunned　her。　Heads　and　limbs　missing；　whole　sections　of　flesh　literally　chewed　to　the　bone；　the　whole　scene　itself　soaked　in　blood。　
　What　on　earth　could　have　done　it？　Gant　thought。　
　As　she　thought　about　the　bodies；　her　gaze　wandered　over　to　the　pool。　She　saw　the　round　holes　in　the　ice　walls　above　it…the　enormous　ten…foot　holes。　They　were　identical　to　the　ones　she　had　seen　in　the　underwater　ice　tunnel　on　the　way　here。　
　Gant　had　a　strange　feeling　about　those　holes；　about　the　bodies；　about　the　cave　itself。　It　was　almost　as　if　the　cave　were　some　kind　of…　
　〃This　is　absolutely　incredible；〃　Sarah　Hensleigh　said　as　she　came　over　and　stood　beside　Gant。　Hensleigh　hurriedly　brushed　a　strand　of　long　dark　hair　from　her　face。　She　was　practically　brimming　with　excitement　at　the　discovery　of　the　spaceship。　
　〃It　has　no　markings　on　it　whatsoever；〃　she　said。　〃The　whole　ship　is　pletely　and　utterly　black。〃　
　Gant　didn't　care　much　for　Sarah　Hensleigh　right　now。　In　fact；　she　didn't　care　much　for　the　spaceship　either。　
　In　fact；　the　more　she　thought　about　it…about　the　spaceship　and　the　cavern　and　the　half…eaten　bodies　and　the　SAS　up　in　the　station…Gant　couldn't　help　but　think　that　there　was　no　way　in　the　world　that　she　would　ever　be　leaving　Wilkes　Ice　Station　alive。　
　
　The　SAS　team's　entry　into　Wilkes　Ice　Station　was　fast　and　fluid…professional。　
　Black…clad　men　charged　into　the　station　with　their　guns　up。　They　fanned　out　quickly；　moved　in　pairs。　They　opened　every　door；　checked　every　room。　
　〃A…deck；　clear！〃　one　voice　yelled。　
　〃B…deck；　clear！〃　another　voice　yelled。　
　Trevor　Barnaby　strode　out　onto　the　A…deck　catwalk　and　surveyed　the　abandoned　station　like　a　newly　crowned　king　looking　out　over　his　domain。　He　looked　down　upon　the　station　with　a　cold；　even　gaze。　A　thin　smile　creased　his　face。　
　The　SAS　troops　made　their　way　down　to　E…deck；　where　they　found　Snake　and　the　two　French　scientists　handcuffed　to　tihe　pole。　Two　SAS　mandos　covered　them　while　more　black…clad　troops　poured　down　the　rung…ladders　and　disappeared　inside　the　tunnels　of　E…deck。　
　Four　SAS　mandos　raced　into　the　south　tunnel。　Two　took　the　doors　to　the　left。　Two　took　the　doors　to　the　right　
　The　two　on　the　right　came　to　the　first　door；　kicked　it　in；　looked　inside。　
　A　storeroom。　Battered　wooden　shelves。　Some　scuba…diving　tanks　on　the　floor。　
　But　empty。　
　They　moved　down　the　corridor；　guns　up。　It　was　then　that　one　of　them　saw　the　dumbwaiter；　saw　the　two　stainless…steel　doors　glistening　in　the　cold　white　light　of　the　tunnel。　
　With　a　short　whistle；　the　lead　SAS　man　caught　the　attention　of　the　other　two　mandos　in　the　tunnel。　He　pointed　with　two　fingers　at　the　dumbwaiter。　The　other　two　men　understood　instantly。　They　positioned　themselves　on　either　side　of　the　dumbwaiter　while　the　leader　and　the　fourth　SAS　mando　aimed　their　guns　at　the　stainless…steel　doors。　
　The　leader　nodded　quickly　and　the　two　men　on　either　side　of　the　dumbwaiter　instantly　yanked　it　open；　and　the　leader　let　rip　with　a　sudden　burst　of　gunfire。　
　The　bare　walls　of　the　empty　dumbwaiter　were　ripped　to　shreds。　
　
　Mother　squeezed　her　eyes　shut　as　the　SAS　mando's　gunfire　roared　loudly　less　than　a　foot　above　her　head。　
　She　was　sitting　in　plete　darkness；　at　the　base　of　the　dumbwaiter's　miniature　elevator　shaft；　curled　up　in　a　tight　ball；　in　the　crawl　space　underneath　the　dumbwaiter。　
　The　dumbwaiter　shuddered　and　shook　under　the　weight　of　the　SAS　mando's　gunfire。　Its　walls　blew　out；　and　jagged；　splintered　holes　appeared　all　over　it。　Dust　and　wood　shavings　showered　down　on　Mother；　but　she　just　kept　her　eyes　firmly　shut。　
　And　then　at　that　moment；　as　the　gunfire　echoed　loudly　in　her　ears；　a　jarring　thought　hit　Mother。　
　They　could　fire　their　guns　safely　inside　the　station　again。。。。　
　The　amount　of　flammable　gas　in　the　station's　atmosphere　must　have　dissipated…　
　And　then　abruptly　the　gunfire　ceased　and　the　doors　of　the　dumbwaiter　closed　and　all　of　a　sudden　there　was　silence　again；　and　for　the　first　time　in　three　whole　minutes　Mother　let　out　a　breath。　
　
　
　
　Schofield　and　Renshaw　plummeted　down　the　face　of　the　cliff　and　plunged　into　the　ocean。　
　The　cold　hit　them　like　an　anvil；　but　Schofield　didn't　care。　His　adrenaline　was　pumping　and　his　body　heat　was　already　high。　Most　experts　would　give　you　about　eight　minutes　to　live　in　the　freezing　Antarctic　waters。　But　with　his　thermal　wet　suit　on　and　his　adrenaline　pumping；　Schofield　gave　himself　at　least　thirty。　
　He　swam　upward；　searching　for　air；　and　then　suddenly　he　broke　the　surface　and　the　first　thing　he　saw　was　the　largest　wave　he　had　ever　seen　in　his　life　bearing　down　upon　him。　The　wave　crashed　down　against　him　and　drove　him…　slammed　him…back　against　the　base　of　the　ice　cliff。　
　The　impact　knocked　the　wind　out　of　him；　and　his　lungs　clawed　for　air。　
　Suddenly　the　wave　subsided　and　Schofield　felt　himself　get　sucked　down　into　a　trough　between　two　waves。　He　let　himself　float　in　the　water　for　a　few　seconds　while　he　got　his　breath　and　his　bearings。　
　The　sea　around　him　was　absolutely　mountainous。　Forty…foot　waves　surrounded　him。　A　mammoth　wave　smashed　into　the　cliffs　twenty　yards　to　his　right。　Icebergs…some　as　tall　and　as　wide　as　New　York　skyscrapers；　others　as　long　and　flat　as　football　fields…hovered　a　hundred　yards　off　the　coast；　silent　sentries　guarding　the　ice　cliffs。　
　Abruptly　Renshaw　burst　up　out　of　the　water　right　next　to　Schofield。　The　short　scientist　immediately　began　gulping　in　air　in　hoarse；　heaving　breaths。　For　an　instant；　Schofield　worried　about　how　Renshaw　would　cope　with　the　extreme　cold　of　the　water；　but　then　he　remembered　Renshaw's　Neoprene　bodysuit。　Hell；　Renshaw　was　probably　warmer　than　he　was。　
　At　that　moment　Schofield　saw　another　towering　wave　ing　toward　them。　
　〃Go　under！〃　he　yelled。　
　Schofield　took　a　deep　breath　and　dived；　and　suddenly　the　world　went　eerily　silent。　
　He　swam　downward；　saw　Renshaw　swimming　alongside　him；　hovering　in　the　water。　
　And　then　he　saw　an　explosion　of　white　foam　fan　out　above　their　heads　as　the　wave　on　the　surface　crashed　with　all　its　might　against　the　cliff。　
　Schofield　and　Renshaw　surfaced　again。　
　As　he　bobbed　and　swayed　in　the　water；　Schofield　saw　the　entire　side　door　of　a　hovercraft　float　past　him　in　the　water。　
　〃We　have　to　get　farther　out；〃　he　said。　〃If　we　stay　here　any　longer；　we're　gonna　get　pulverized　against　these　cliffs。〃　
　〃Where　to？〃　Renshaw　said。　
　〃OK；〃　Schofield　said。　〃See　that　iceberg　out　there？〃　He　pointed　at　a　large　berg　that　looked　like　a　grand　piano　on　its　side；　about　two　hundred　yards　out　from　the　cliffs。　
　〃I　see　it。〃　
　〃That's　where　we're　going；〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃All　right。〃　
　〃OK；　then。　On　three。　One。　Two。　Three。〃　
　On　three；　both　men　drew　deep　breaths　and　went　under。　They　kicked　off　the　cliff　and　breaststroked　their　way　through　the　clear　Antarctic　water。　Explosions　of　white　foam　flared　out　above　their　heads　as　they　made　their　way　through　the　water。　
　Ten　yards。　Twenty。　
　Renshaw　ran　out　of　breath；　surfaced；　took　a　quick　gulp　of　air；　and　then　went　under　again。　Schofield　did　the　same；　clenching　his　teeth　as　he；　too；　ducked　beneath　the　waves　again。　His　newly　broken　rib　burned　with　pain。　
　Fifty　yards　out　and　the　two　men　broke　the　surface　again。　They　were　beyond　the　breaking　waves　now；　so　they　stretched　out　into　freestyle；　powering　over　the　vertiginous　peaks　of　the　towering　forty…foot　waves。　
　At　last；　they　came　to　the　base　of　the　iceberg。　It　loomed　above　them；　a　wall　of　white；　sheer　in　some　places；　beautifully　curved　and　grooved　in　others。　Magnificent　vaulted　tunnels　disappeared　into　the　virgin　ice。　
　The　big　berg　leveled　off　at　one　point；　descending　to　the　ocean；　where　it　formed　a　kind　of　ledge。　Schofield　and　Renshaw　made　for　the　ledge。　
　When　they　got　there；　they　saw　that　the　ledge　was　actually　poised　about　three　feet　above　the　water。　
　〃Push　off　my　shoulder；〃　Schofield　said。　
　Renshaw　obeyed　and　quickly　hoisted　his　left　foot　onto　Schofield's　shoulder　and　pushed　off　it。　
　The　little　man's　hands　reached　up　and　clasped　the　ice　ledge；　and　he　awkwardly　hauled　himself　up　onto　it。　Then　he　lay　flat　on　the　edge　of　the　ledge　and　reached　back　down　for　Schofield。　
　Schofield　reached　up　and　Renshaw　began　to　haul　him　up　out　of　the　water。　Schofield　was　almost　on　the　ledge　when　suddenly　Renshaw's　wet　hands　slipped　off　his　wrist　and　Schofield　fell　clumsily　back　down　into　the　water。　
　
　Schofield　plunged　underwater。　
　Silence。　Total　silence。　Like　the　womb。　
　The　blasting　explosions　of　the　waves　crashing　against　the　ice　cliffs　no　longer　assaulted　his　ears。　
　The　massive　white　underbelly　of　the　iceberg　filled　his　vision。　It　stretched　down　and　down　until　it　disappeared　into　the　cloudy　depths　of　the　ocean。　
　And　then　suddenly　Schofield　heard　a　sound　and　he　snapped　upright　in　the　water。　The　sound　traveled　well　in　the　water　and　he　heard　it　clearly。　
　Vmmmmmm。　
　It　was　a　low；　droning；　humming　sound。　
　Vmmmmmm。　
　Schofield　frowned。　It　sounded　almost。。。　mechanical。　Like　a　motorized　door　opening　somewhere。　Somewhere　close。　
　Somewhere。。。　behind　him。　
　Schofield　spun　around　instantly。　
　And　then　he　saw　it。　
　It　was　so　huge…so　monstrously　huge…that　the　mere　sight　of　it　sent　his　heart　into　overdrive。　
　It　was　just　hovering　there　in　the　water。　
　Silent。　Huge。　
　Looming　over　Schofield　as　he　hovered　in　the　water　alongside　the　iceberg。　
　It　must　have　been　at　least　a　hundred　meters　long；　its　hull　black　and　round。　Schofield　saw　the　two　horizontal　stabilizing　fins　jutting　out　from　either　side　of　the　conning　tower；　saw　the　cylindrical　snub　nose　of　the　bow；　and　suddenly　his　heart　was　pumping　very　loudly　inside　his　head。　
　Schofield　couldn't　believe　his　eyes。　
　He　was　looking　at　a　submarine。　
　
　
　
　Schofield　burst　up　out　of　the　water。　
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　Renshaw　asked　from　up　on　the　ledge。　
　〃Not　anymore；〃　Schofield　said　before　he　quickly　took　another　breath　and　submerged　again。　
　The　world　was　silent　again。　
　Schofield　swam　a　little　deeper　and　stared　at　the　massive　submarine　in　awe。　It　was　about　thirty　yards　away　from　him；　but　he　could　see　it　clearly。　The　enormous　submarine　just　sat　there…pletely　submerged…hoveri