cc.fireice-第68部分

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red　in　order　of　their　seating。　Mason　counted　the　answers。　Sixteen。　Everyone　was　connected。　His　2IC　called　in　from　the　other　helicopter。　He　and　his　men　were　ready。
　
　Mason　slipped　a　cell　phone　out　of　his　assault　vest　and　punched　out　a　number。　The　phone　used　a　special　encryption　algorithm　that　connected　Mason　directly　to　the　other　assault　teams。
　
　As　Mason's　unit　headed　due　east　of　Boston　at　the　chopper's　maximum　speed　of　one　hundred　forty…five　miles　per　hour；　the　other　squadrons　were　on　similar　missions　to　the　south。　The　Delta　Force　was　in　the　group　off　of　Charleston；　South　Carolina；　and　an　air　force　special　operations　regiment　was　in　the　southernmost　track　east　of　Miami。　On　this　mission；　the　navy　would　be　in　charge。　Which　meant　Mason　was　calling　the　shots。　If　he　got　taken　out　of　action；　the　Delta　leader　would　take　charge；　then　the　SOAR　officer。
　
　〃This　is　Omega　One；〃　he　said。　〃e　in；　Omega　Two。〃
　〃Omega　Two；　and　how　are　you？〃
　
　Mason　smiled　at　the　bad　rhyme。　On　joint　training　exercises；　he　had　e　to　know　and　respect　the　Delta　Force　leader；　a　wisecracking　African…American　named　Joe　Louis；　after　the　great　champion　boxer。
　
　〃We're　right　on　schedule；　Joe。　T　minus　ten。〃
　〃Roger。　Hey；　Zack；　couldn't　the　navy　brass　e　up　with　something　more　imaginative　than　Omega。　Maybe　something　like　the　Three　Bears？〃
　〃Doubt　if　the　admiral　would　like　being　called　Goldilocks。　Besides；　it　was　the　air　force's　turn　to　name　this　mission。〃
　〃Figures。　Fly　boys。　T　minus　eight。〃
　〃Call　when　you　make　visual　contact。〃
　〃When　we　do；　I　will　call　you。　Over　and　out。〃
　
　Mason　punched　another　button　and　got　Will　Carmichael；　leader　of　Omega　Three。　In　contrast　to　Louis；　Carmichael　went　by　the　book。　Even　his　spontaneous　ments　seemed　to　be　programmed。　He　reported　that　his　team　was　right　on　schedule；　then　added；　〃Pieceacake。〃
　
　Mason　knew　from　hard　experience　that　dropping　out　of　the　sky　onto　a　huge　and　possibly　heavily　armed　moving　ship　in　open　ocean　and　disarming　an　unknown　explosive　was　not　exactly　a　piece　of　cake。　They　had　rehearsed　boarding　vessels　at　sea　dozens　of　times；　but　this　was　the　real　McCoy。　The　mission　depended　on　delaying　detection　until　the　last　possible　moment。　The　HH　60…H　helicopter　was　ideal　for　the　job。　It　was　relatively　quiet；　had　an　infrared　jammer　and　suppressor　system；　a　radar　threat…warning　receiver　and　other　electronic　eyes　and　ears。　In　addition；　the　helicopter　had　sharp　teeth：　two　M…60　machine　guns　and　a　Hellfire　missile　system。
　
　〃T　minus　four；〃　the　pilot's　voice　droned。
　
　Mason　turned　and　held　up　four　fingers。　It　was　an　unnecessary　gesture　because　all　his　men　were　plugged　into　the　helicopter's　munications　system；　but　he　did　it　for　emphasis。　The　tension　was　so　thick　he　could　have　cut　it　with　the　knife　at　his　belt。　It　seemed　only　seconds　passed　before　the　pilot　said；　〃Visual　contact。〃
　
　Mason　donned　his　night…vision　goggles　and　ordered　his　platoon　to　do　the　same。　He　made　out　the　silhouette　of　an　enormous　ship　plowing　wake　through　the　sea。　He　called　the　other　teams　to　report　visual　contact。　Both　had　sighted　their　targets。　He　said　he　would　call　as　soon　as　he　was　aboard　the　LZ；　military　shorthand　for　landing　zone；　and　quickly　slipped　his　phone　back　into　its　pouch。
　
　They　were　seconds　away　from　their　target。　At　the　last　moment；　when　it　seemed　as　if　they　were　going　to　slam　into　the　side　of　the　ship；　the　Seahawks　cut　their　speed；　swooped　up　and　over　the　vessel　and　hovered　over　each　side　of　the　wide　stern　deck。　Thermal…imaging　viewers　scanned　the　ship　for　heat　areas　that　would　indicate　human　presence。　Satisfied　the　deck　was　clear；　the　pilot　maneuvered　the　aircraft　past　the　masts　and　antennae　and　hovered　at　fifty　feet。
　
　Every　man　knew　that　this　was　when　the　teams　were　at　their　most　vulnerable。　As　they　had　practiced　dozens　of　times；　the　SEALs　dropped　a　two…inch…thick　rope　that　was　secured　to　the　hoist　bracket　down　to　the　deck；　then　they　donned　heavy　welder　gloves。　Mason　stood　in　the　door；　got　a　good　grip　on　the　line　and　jumped。　Using　the　upper　body　strength　that　was　a　product　of　rigorous　SEAL　training；　he　checked　his　controlled　fall　before　his　feet　touched　the　deck；　quickly　moving　aside　to　avoid　the　next　man　down。
　
　Both　helicopters　were　emptied　within　ninety　seconds。　As　soon　as　they　hit　the　deck；　the　boarders　threw　their　gloves　away。　The　first　four　men　down　adopted　a　circular　formation　that　was　reinforced　as　the　others　joined　them。　The　helicopters　darted　off　like　startled　dragonflies　and　hovered　a　few　hundred　yards　from　the　ship　on　either　side。　They　would　await　the　word　that　the　ship　had　been　secured；　or　that　the　mission　had　failed。　Their　orders　were　to　evacuate　the　assault　team　and　sink　the　ship　with　well…placed　missiles。
　
　Mason　swept　his　eyes　around。　He　was　glad　to　see　that　the　ordnance　expert；　Joe　Baron；　had　made　it　safely。　Mason　could　handle　explosives　in　a　pinch；　but　Baron　was　a　pro。　The　lieutenant　pulled　a　light　stick　from　his　vest　and　snapped　it　back　and　forth　so　that　the　chemicals　inside　mixed　and　glowed　a　cold　blue。　He　waved　the　light　stick　to　let　the　port　team　know　all　was　well。　His　signal　was　returned　a　second　later。　Radio　talk　would　be　kept　to　a　minimum　as　they　swept　the　ship　from　one　end　to　the　other。
　
　Mason　got　on　his　cell　phone。　〃Omega　Three。　Stern　LZ　secured。　No　assets　encountered。　Report　in；　Omega　Two。〃
　〃Omega　Two。　Stern　secured。　No　one　home；　so　we　will　roam。〃
　〃This　is　Omega　One。　Proceed　according　to　plan　and　cut　out　the　lousy　poetry。〃
　〃Roger；〃　Louis　answered；　although　it　must　have　killed　him　not　to　say　〃Dodger。〃
　〃Omega　Three。　All　A…OK。〃
　
　Mason　ordered　the　teams　forward。　They　broke　into　two　squads　on　both　sides。　One　squad　formed　the　base　element；　taking　up　firing　positions　to　protect　the　other　group　as　it　raced　forward。　Then　the　assault　team　became　the　fire　team　and　the　other　squad　leapfrogged　ahead　in　a　maneuver　that　quickly　covered　ground。
　
　Within　minutes；　they　had　rendezvoused　in　the　bow　of　the　ship　with　the　port　team。　Mason　ordered　his　2IC　to　probe　the　bridge　and　superstructure　while　he　took　his　squad　to　the　decks　below。　Using　the　same　leapfrog　technique；　Mason　and　his　men　made　rapid　progress　through　the　storage　areas　and　holds。　They　stopped　in　front　of　one　door　that　was　welded　shut。　Since　they　couldn't　get　in；　no　one　could　get　out；　so　they　moved　on。　They　burst　into　the　boiler　room　with　guns　ready。　The　engines　were　going；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　boiler　men　or　engineers。
　
　A　voice　crackled　in　Mason's　earpiece。　〃Up　Squad。　Gone　through　the　crew　and　officers'　quarters。　Beds　all　made。　No　one　here。　Spooky　as　hell。〃
　〃Boiler　room。　Engines　are　purring　away。　No　one　here　either。〃
　
　The　squads　continued　into　the　ship；　and　still　they　encountered　no　one。　After　a　thorough　search；　they　climbed　back　to　the　main　deck。
　
　The　voice　of　the　2IC　came　onto　Mason's　radio。　〃Lieu…　tenant；　I　think　you　should　get　up　to　the　bridge　as　quickly　as　possible。〃
　
　Moving　quickly；　Mason　led　his　team　to　the　wheelhouse。　On　the　way；　they　passed　men　who　were　stationed　on　the　decks　and　wings　of　the　bridge　keeping　watch。
　
　〃Anything？〃　Mason　said　to　the　man　who　carried　the　shotgun。
　
　〃No；　sir。〃
　
　Mason　made　his　way　into　the　wheelhouse。　The　2IC　and　several　of　his　team　were　waiting　for　him。　Nothing　seemed　out　of　place。　〃What　did　you　want　to　show　me？〃
　〃This　is　it；　sir。　Nothing。　There's　nobody　here。〃
　
　As　he　looked　around　at　the　puter　monitors　glowing　with　blue　light　and　the　blinking　faces　of　the　digital　readouts；　the　truth　dawned　on　Mason。　He　and　his　men　were　the　only　human　beings　on　the　great　ship。
　
　
　CALLS　WERE　ING　in　from　the　other　Omega　teams。　Louis　and　Carmichael　reported　that　the　Ataman　II　and　III　were　deserted。　As　he　listened　to　the　reports；　Mason　detected　a　change　in　the　ship's　movement。　He　was　sure　of　it。　The　ship　had　stopped　its　forward　motion。　He　went　over　to　the　big　window　that　overlooked　the　deck　and　stared　out　into　the　darkness。　Something　was　definitely　happening。　He　couldn't　be　sure；　but　the　ship　seemed　to　be　moving　laterally。
　
　〃Lieutenant；〃　one　of　his　men　called。　〃Look　at　this。〃　The　man　was　standing　in　front　of　a　large　puter　monitor。　Pictured　on　the　screen　was　what　looked　like　an　archery　target。　The　image　of　a　ship　was　slightly　off　to　one　side　of　the　bull's…eye。　The　ship　was　turning　on　its　axis　as　it　moved　closer　to　the　center　of　the　concentric　circles。　Red　lights　flashed　intermittently　on　both　sides　of　the　ship　image。　The　situation　became　clear　to　Mason　in　an　instant。　The　ship　was　a　drone。　The　vessel　and　its　sister　ships　were　being　controlled　from　another　location。
　
　Mason　ordered　his　2IC　to　secure　the　bridge　and　called　the　choppers　and　told　them　to　land。　Then　he　instructed　Joe　Baron　to　assemble　with　the　squad　members　trained　in　explosives　on　the　foredeck。　He　called　the　other　Omega　teams　and　instructed　them　to　proceed　to　the　main　objective；　the　bombs。　Mason　raced　down　to　the　first　level　and　led　the　way　inside　the　ship；　with　Baron　and　the　other　SEALs　pounding　down　the　stairs　behind　him　until　they　came　to　the　sealed　door　they　had　seen　on　their　first　exploration。
　
　The　lieutenant　checked　their　location　against　the　ship's　diagram。　They　were　outside　the　bomb　chamber。　Baron　got　to　work　right　away　and　taped　strips　of　plastic　explosive　C…4　onto　the　door。　He　inserted　the　blasting　cap　into　the　puttylike　material　and　ran　an　attached　wire　around　a　corner。　Mason　and　the　other　men　cleared　out　of　the　area　and　squatted　a　safe　distance　away；　with　their　hands　covering　their　ears。　Baron　squeezed　the　M…57　firing　device　attached　to　the　other　end　of　the　wire。　A　loud；　hollow　thump　echoed　through　the　passageway。　They　rushed　back　to　the　smoking　door；　now　marked　by　a　ragged…edged　square　hole。　Baron；　who　was　as　skinny　as　an　eel；　easily　wriggled　through。　The　others　handed　their　packs　to　Baron；　then　squeezed　through　the　opening　after　him。　Flashlight　beams　stabbed　the　darkness。　Then　someone　found　a　wall　switch；　and　the　chamber　was　flooded　with　light。
　
　The　SEAL　team　was　standing　on　a　platform　with　a　large　rectangular　opening　in　the　center。　The　missile　hung　down　through　the　opening　from　the　ceiling；　held　in　place　by　gantries　that　extended　from　the　walls　like　helping　hands。　There　was　silence　as　the　men　gazed　with　awe　at　the