mreilly.icestation-第9部分

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　〃Where　are　you？〃　Snake　asked　as　he　stood；　picked　up　his　rifle；　and　started　jogging　back　through　the　snow　toward　the　main　dome。　
　〃I'm　at　the　main　entrance；〃　Schofield's　voice　said。　〃Just　inside　the　front　door。　I　need　you　to　take　up　a　covering　position　from　the　rear。〃　
　〃Already　on　it。〃　
　With　the　driving　snow；　visibility　was　limited；　so　the　hovercraft　proceeded　slowly　through　the　plex。　Kaplan　hurried　along　parallel　to　it；　a　hundred　yards　away。　The　vehicle　came　to　a　halt　outside　the　main　dome　of　the　ice　station。　It　was　slowly　beginning　to　lower　itself　from　its　cushion　of　air　when　Shake　dropped　into　the　snow　forty　meters　away　and　began　to　set　up　his　sniper　rifle。　
　He　had　just　put　his　eye　to　his　telescopic　sight　when　the　side　door　of　the　hovercraft　slid　open　and　four　figures　stepped　out　of　it　into　the　snowstorm。　
　
　
　
　〃Good　evening；〃　Schofield　said　with　a　crooked　smile。　
　The　four　French　scientists　just　stood　there　in　the　doorway　to　the　ice　station；　dumbstruck。　They　stood　in　two　pairs；　with　each　pair　carrying　a　large　white　container　between　them。　
　In　front　of　them　stood　Schofield；　with　his　MP…5　held　casually　by　his　side。　Behind　Schofield　stood　Hollywood　and　Montana；　with　their　MP…5s　raised　to　shoulder　height　and　their　eyes　looking　straight　down　the　barrels　of　their　guns。　Guns　that　were　pointed　right　at　their　new　visitors。　
　Schofield　said；　〃Why　don't　you　e　inside。〃　
　
　〃The　others　are　safely　back　at　d'Urville；〃　the　leader　of　this　new　group　said　as　he　sat　down　at　the　table　in　the　dining　room　alongside　his　French　colleagues。　Like　the　others；　he　had　just　passed　a　thorough　pat…down　search。　
　He　had　a　lean　face；　hollow；　with　sunken　eyes　and　high　cheekbones。　He　had　said　his　name　was　Jean　Petard；　and　Schofield　recognized　the　name　from　his　list。　He　also　remembered　the　short　bio　that　had　appeared　under　the　name。　It　had　said　that　Petard　was　a　geologist；　studying　natural　gas　deposits　in　the　continental　shelf。　The　names　of　the　other　three　Frenchmen　were　also　on　the　list。　
　The　four　original　French　scientists　were　also　there　in　the　dining　room…Champion；　Latissier；　Cuvier；　and　Rae。　The　remaining　residents　of　Wilkes　were　now　back　in　their　quarters。　Schofield　had　ordered　that　they　remain　there　until　he　and　his　squad　had　checked　out　the　occupants　of　this　newly　arrived　hovercraft。　Montana　and　Lance　Corporal　Augustine　〃Samurai〃　Lau；　the　sixth　and　last　member　of　Schofield's　team；　stood　guard　by　the　door。　
　〃We　hurried　back　as　fast　as　we　could；〃　Jean　Petard　added。　〃We　brought　fresh　food　and　some　battery…powered　blankets　for　the　return　trip。〃　
　Schofield　looked　over　at　Libby　Gant。　She　was　over　by　the　far　wall　of　the　dining　room；　examining　the　two　white　containers　the　Frenchmen　had　brought　with　them。　
　〃Thank　you；〃　Schofield　said；　turning　back　to　face　Petard。　'Thank　you　for　all　you　have　done。　We　arrived　here　only　several　hours　after　you　did　and　the　people　here　have　told　us　how　good　you　have　been　to　them。　We　thank　you　for　your　efforts。〃　
　〃But　of　course；〃　Petard　said；　his　English　fluent。　〃One　must　look　after　one's　neighbors。〃　He　offered　a　wry　smile。　〃You　never　know　when　you　yourself　might　be　in　need　of　assistance。〃　
　〃No；　you　don't。〃　
　At　that　moment　Snake's　voice　crackled　over　Schofield's　earpiece：　〃Lieutenant；　we　have　another　contact　crossing　the　trip　wire。〃　
　Schofield　frowned。　Now　things　were　starting　to　happen　a　little　too　fast。　Four　French　scientists　he　could　handle。　Another　four　and　the　French　were　starting　to　show　a　little　too　much　interest　in　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　But　now；　if　there　were　more　of　them…　
　〃Wait；　Lieutenant；　it's　all　right。　It's　one　of　ours。　It's　Riley's　hovercraft。〃　
　Schofield　let　out　a　sigh　of　relief　that　he　hoped　nobody　saw　and　headed　out　of　the　room。　
　
　Over　by　the　wall　of　the　dining　room；　Libby　Gant　was　sifting　through　the　two　large　containers　that　the　French　scientists　had　brought　with　them。　She　pushed　aside　a　couple　of　blankets　and　some　fresh　bread。　There　was　also　some　canned　meat　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　container。　Corned　beef；　ham；　that　sort　of　thing。　All　were　packed　in　sealed　cans；　the　kind　that　has　a　key　attached　to　the　side　that　you　use　to　peel　back　the　lid。　
　Gant　pushed　a　couple　of　the　cans　aside　and　was　looking　for　more　beneath　them　when　suddenly　one　of　the　cans　caught　her　eye。　
　There　was　something　wrong　about　it。　
　It　was　a　little　larger　than　the　other；　medium…sized　cans…　about　fourteen　inches　in　length…and　it　was　roughly　triangular　in　shape。　At　first　Gant　couldn't　tell　what　it　was　that　struck　her　about　this　particular　can。　It　was　just　that　something　about　it　didn't　look　right。。。　
　And　then　she　realized。　
　The　seal　on　this　can　had　been　broken。　
　The　peel…back　lid；　it　seemed；　had　been　opened　and　then　set　back　into　place。　It　was　barely　visible。　Just　a　thin　black　line　around　the　edge　of　the　lid。　If　you　were　only　giving　the　cans　a　cursory　glance；　you　would　almost　certainly　miss　it。　
　Gant　turned　to　look　back　at　Schofield；　but　he　had　left　the　room。　She　looked　up　quickly　at　the　French　scientists；　and　as　she　did　so；　she　saw　Petard　exchange　a　quick　glance　with　the　one　named　Latissier。　
　
　Schofield　met　Buck　Riley　at　the　main　entrance。　The　two　men　stood　out　on　the　A…deck　catwalk；　about　thirty　feet　away　from　the　dining　room。　
　〃How　was　it？〃　Schofield　asked。　
　〃Not　good；〃　Riley　said。　
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　
　〃That　signal　we　lost；　it　was　a　hovercraft。　French　markings。　From　d'Urville。　It　had　crashed　into　a　crevasse。〃　
　Schofield　looked　up　sharply　at　Riley。　〃Crashed　into　a　crevasse？〃　He　looked　back　quickly　at　the　Frenchmen　in　the　dining　room。　Only　moments　earlier；　Jean　Petard　had　said　that　the　other　hovercraft　had　arrived　safely　back　at　d'Urville。　
　〃What　happened？〃　Schofield　said。　〃Thin　ice？〃　
　〃No。　That's　what　we　thought　at　first。　But　then　Rebound　got　a　closer　look。〃　
　Schofield　turned　back　around。　〃And？〃　
　Riley　gave　him　a　serious　look。　〃There　were　five　dead　bodies　in　that　hovercraft；　sir。　And　all　of　them　had　been　shot　through　the　back　of　the　head。〃　
　Gant's　voice　exploded　across　Schofield's　helmet　inter。　
　〃Sir；　this　is　Fox。　There's　something　wrong　here。　Their　food　containers　have　been　promised。〃　
　Schofield　spun　around　and　saw　Libby　Gant　ing　out　of　the　dining　room。　She　was　walking　quickly　toward　him；　carrying　a　food　can　of　some　sort；　peeling　the　lid　back。　
　Behind　her　Schofield　saw　Petard；　in　the　dining　room；　rising　to　his　feet；　watching　Gant；　and　then　watching　Schofield　himself。　
　It　was　then　that　their　eyes　met。　
　It　was　only　for　an　instant；　but　that　was　all　either　man　needed。　In　that　moment；　there　was　a　flash　of　understanding。　
　Gant　cut　across　Schofield's　line　of　sight　with　Petard。　She　had　opened　the　can　now　and　was　pulling　something　out　of　it。　The　object　she　extracted　from　the　can　was　small　and　black；　and　it　looked　a　little　like　a　small　crucifix；　the　only　difference　being　that　the　shorter；　horizontal　beam　of　the　object　was　bent　in　a　semicircle。　
　Schofield's　eyes　widened　when　he　saw　it　and　he　opened　his　mouth　to　shout；　but　it　was　too　late。　
　In　the　dining　room；　Petard　dived　for　the　two　white　containers；　just　as　Latissier…who　hadn't　been　patted　down　since　he　had　been　at　the　station　when　the　Marines　had　arrived…　threw　open　his　parka；　revealing　a　short…barreled　French…made　FA…MAS　assault　rifle。　At　the　same　time；　the　one　named　Cuvier　pulled　both　of　his　hands　free　of　his　pockets；　revealing　two　models　of　the　same　weapon　that　Gant　now　had　in　her　hand。　Cuvier　immediately　fired　one　of　them　at　Gant　just　as　she　turned　to　face　him　and　Schofield　saw　her　head　snap　backwards　with　the　impact　as　she　fell　to　the　floor。　
　Deafening　gunfire　exploded　through　the　silence　as　Latissier　jammed　his　finger　down　on　the　trigger　of　his　assault　rifle　and　sprayed　the　dining　room　with　a　blanket　of　suppressing　fire。　His　arc　of　gunfire　cut　through　the　air　like　a　scythe；　and　it　practically　ripped　Augustine　Lau　in　two。　
　Latissier　didn't　let　go　for　a　full　ten　seconds　and　the　sustained　burst　of　machine…gun　fire　caused　everybody　else　to　hit　the　deck。　
　Wilkes　Ice　Station　had　bee　a　battlefield。　
　And　everything　went　to　hell。　
　
　
　SECOND　INCURSION　
　16　June　0930　hours　
　
　〃This　is　Scarecrow！　This　is　Scarecrow！〃　Schofield　yelled　into　his　helmet　mike　as　he　ducked　into　a　doorway　amid　the　cacophony　of　gunfire。　〃I　count　eight　hostiles！　I　repeat；　eight　hostile　objects！　I　call　it　as　six　military；　two　civilians。　Civilians　are　probably　concealing　weapons　for　use　by　the　mandos。　Marines；　do　not　show　prejudice！〃　
　Chunks　of　ice　rained　down　all　around　him　as　Latissier's　stream　of　bullets　impacted　against　the　ice　wall　above　him。　
　It　was　the　sight　of　the　crossbow　that　did　it。　
　Each　of　the　elite　military　units　of　the　world　has　its　own　characteristic　weapon。　For　the　United　States　Navy　SEALs；　experts　in　close…quarter　bat；　it　is　the　Ruger　pump…action　twelve…gauge　shotgun。　For　the　British　Special　Air　Service…　the　famous　SAS…nitrogen　charges　are　the　signature　weapon。　For　U。S。　Marine　Force　Reconnaissance　Units　it　is　the　Armalite　MH…12　Maghook；　a　grappling　hook　that　also　contains　a　high…powered　magnet　for　adhesion　to　sheer　metallic　surfaces。　
　Only　one　elite　force；　however；　is　known　for　carrying　crossbows。　
　The　Premier　Régiment　Parachutiste　d'Infanterie　de　Marine；　the　crack　French　mando　unit…known　in　English　as　the　First　Marine　Parachute　Regiment。　It　is　the　French　equivalent　of　the　SAS　or　the　SEALs。　
　Which　is　to　say　that　it　is　not　a　regular　force　like；　for　example；　the　Marines。　It　is　one　step　higher。　It　is　an　offensive　unit；　an　attack　team；　an　elite　covert　force　that　exists　for　one　reason　and　one　reason　only：　to　go　in　first；　and　to　go　in　fast；　and　to　kill　everything　in　sight。　
　Which　was　why；　when　Schofield　saw　Gant　lift　the　small　hand…held　crossbow…it　was　about　the　size　of　a　。44　Magnum…from　inside　the　food　can；　he　knew　that　these　men　were　not　scientists　from　d'Urville。　They　were　soldiers。　Elite　soldiers。　
　Cleverly；　they　had　anticipated　that　he　would　know　the　names　of　all　the　scientists　at　d'Urville；　so　they　had　appropriated　their　names。　To　add　to　the　illusion；　they　had　also　brought　with　them　two　actual　scientists　from　the　French　research　station…Luc　Champion　and　Henri　Rae…people　whom　the　residents　of　Wilkes　would　know　personally。　
　The　final