璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第93部分

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‘I　think　it‘s　time；‘　Tait　said。
‘I　think　you‘re　right。‘　Zacharias　turned　hard　left；　arming　his　cluster　munitions。　The　F…105　skimmed　over　the　ridge；　dropping　back　down　again　while　his　eyes　checked　the　next　ridge；　six　miles　and　fifty　seconds　away。
‘His　radar　is　still　up；‘　Tait　reported。　‘He　knows　we‘re　ing。‘
‘But　he‘s　only　got　one　left。‘　Unless　his　reload　crews　are　really　hot　today。　Well；　you　can‘t　allow　for　everything。
‘Some　light　flak　at　ten　o‘clock。‘　It　was　too　far　to　be　a　matter　of　concern；　though　it　did　tell　him　which　way　out　not　to　take。　‘There‘s　the　plateau。‘
Maybe　they　could　see　him；　maybe　not。　Possibly　he　was　just　one　moving　blip　amid　a　screen　full　of　clutter　that　some　radar　operator　was　striving　to　understand。　The　Thud　moved　faster　at　low　level　than　anything　ever　made；　and　the　camouflage　motif　on　the　upper　surfaces　was　effective。　They　were　probably　looking　up。　There　was　a　wall　of　jamming　there　now；　part　of　the　plan　he‘d　laid　out　for　the　other　Weasel　bird；　and　normal　American　tactics　were　for　a　medium…altitude　approach　and　steep　dive。　But　they‘d　done　that　twice　and　failed；　and　so　Zacharias　decided　to　change　the　technique。　Low　level；　he‘d　Rockeye　the　place；　then　the　other　Weasel　would　finish　things　off。　His　job　was　killing　the　mand　van　and　the　mander　within。　He　jinked　the　Thud　left　and　right；　up　and　down；　to　deny　a　good　shooting　track　to　anybody　on　the　ground。　You　still　had　to　worry　about　guns；　too。
‘Got　the　star！‘　Robin　said。　The　SA…6　manual；　written　in　Russian；　called　for　six　launchers　around　a　central　control　point。　With　all　the　connective　paths；　the　typical　Guideline　site　looked　just　like　a　Star　of　David；　which　seemed　rather　blasphemous　to　the　Colonel；　but　the　thought　only　hovered　at　the　edge　of　his　mind　as　he　centered　the　mand　van　on　his　bombsight　pipper。
‘Selecting　Rockeye；‘　he　said　aloud；　confirming　the　action　to　himself。　For　the　last　ten　seconds；　he　held　the　aircraft　rock　steady。　‘Looking　good　。。。　release　。。。　now！‘
Four　of　the　decidedly　un…aerodynamic　canisters　fell　free　of　the　fighter‘s　ejector　racks；　splitting　open　in　midair；　scattering　thousands　of　submunitions　over　the　area。　He　was　well　beyond　the　site　before　the　bomblets　landed。　He　didn‘t　see　people　running　for　slit　trenches；　but　he　stayed　low；　reefing　the　Thud　into　a　tight　left　turn；　looking　up　to　make　sure　he‘d　gotten　the　place　once　and　for　all。　From　three　miles　out　his　eyes　caught　an　immense　cloud　of　smoke　in　the　center　of　the　Star。
That‘s　for　Al；　he　allowed　himself　to　think。　No　victory　roll；　just　a　thought；　as　he　leveled　out　and　picked　a　likely　spot　to　egress　the　area。　The　strike　force　could　e　in　now；　and　that　SAM　battery　was　out　of　business。　Okay。　He　selected　a　notch　in　the　ridge；　racing　for　it　just　under　Mach…1；　straight　and　level　now　that　the　threat　was　behind　him。　Home　for　Christmas。
The　red　tracers　that　erupted　from　the　small　pass　startled　him。　That　wasn‘t　supposed　to　be　there。　No　deflection　on　them；　just　ing　right　in。　He　jinked　up；　as　the　gunner　had　thought　he　would；　and　the　body　of　the　aircraft　passed　right　through　the　stream　of　fire。　It　shook　violently　and　in　the　passage　of　a　second　good　changed　to　evil。
‘Robin！‘　a　voice　gasped　over　the　inter；　but　the　main　noise　was　from　wailing　alarms；　and　Zacharias　knew　in　a　fatal　instant　that　his　aircraft　was　doomed。　It　got　worse　almost　before　he　could　react。　The　engine　died　in　flames；　and　then　the　Thud　started　a　roll…yaw　that　told　him　the　controls　were　gone。　His　reaction　was　automatic；　a　shout　for　ejection；　but　another　gasp　from　the　back　made　him　turn　just　as　he　yanked　the　handles　even　though　he　knew　the　gesture　was　useless。　His　last　sight　of　Jack　Tait　was　blood　that　hung　below　the　seat　like　a　vapor　trail；　but　by　then　his　own　back　was　wrenched　with　more　pain　than　he‘d　ever　known。
‘Okay；‘　Kelly　said　and　fired　off　a　flare。　Another　boat　started　tossing　small　explosive　charges　into　the　water　to　drive　the　fish　away　from　the　area。　He　watched　and　waited　for　five　minutes；　then　looked　at　the　safety　man。
‘Area‘s　clear。‘
‘Fire　in　the　hole；‘　Kelly　said；　repeating　the　mantra　three　times　more。　Then　he　twisted　the　handle　on　the　detonator。　The　results　were　gratifying。　The　water　around　the　legs　turned　to　foam　as　the　rig‘s　legs　were　chopped　off　bottom　and　top。　The　fall　was　surprisingly　slow。　The　entire　structure　slid　off　in　one　direction。　There　was　an　immense　splash　as　the　platform　hit；　and　for　one　incongruous　moment　it　appeared　as　though　steel　might　float。　But　it　couldn‘t。　The　see…through　collection　of　light　I…beams　sank　below　sight；　to　rest　right　on　the　bottom；　and　another　job　was　done。　‘
Kelly　disconnected　the　wires　from　the　generator　and　tossed　them　over　the　side。
‘Two　weeks　early。　I　guess　you　really　wanted　that　bonus；‘　the　executive　said。　A　former　Navy　fighter　pilot；　he　admired　a　job　well　and　quickly　done。　The　oil　wasn‘t　going　anywhere；　after　all。　‘Dutch　was　right　about　you。‘
"；The　Admiral　is　a　good　guy。　He‘s　done　a　lot　for　Tish　and　me。‘
‘Well；　we　flew　together　for　two　years。　Bad…ass　fighter　jock。　Good　to　know　those　nice　things　he　said　were　true。‘　The　executive　liked　working　with　people　who‘d　had　experiences　like　his　own。　He‘d　forgotten　the　terror　of　bat　somehow。　‘What‘s　with　that？　I‘ve　been　meaning　to　ask。‘　He　pointed　to　the　tattoo　on　Kelly‘s　arm；　a　red　seal；　sitting　up　on　his　hind　flippers　and　grinning　impudently。
‘Something　we　all　did　in　my　unit；‘　Kelly　explained　as　offhandedly　as　he　could。
‘What　unit　was　that？‘
‘Can‘t　say。‘　Kelly　added　a　grin　to　mute　the　refusal。
‘I　bet　it‘s　something　to　do　with　how　Sonny　got　out　…　but　okay。‘　A　former　naval　officer　had　to　respect　the　rules。　‘Well；　the　check‘ll　be　in　your　account　by　the　end　of　the　business　day；　Mr　Kelly。　I‘ll　radio　in　so　your　wife　can　pick　you　up。‘
Tish　Kelly　was　glowing　her　me…too　look　at　the　women　in　The　Stork　Shop。　Not　even　three　months　yet；　she　could　wear　anything　she　wanted　…　well；　almost。　Too　soon　to　shop　for　anything　special；　but　she　had　the　free　time　and　wanted　to　see　what　the　options　were。　She　thanked　the　clerk；　deciding　that　she‘d　bring　John　here　in　the　evening　and　help　him　pick　something　out　for　her　because　he　liked　doing　that。　Now　it　was　time　to　pick　him　up。　The　Plymouth　wagon　they‘d　driven　down　from　Maryland　was　parked　right　outside；　and　she‘d　learned　to　navigate　the　streets　of　the　coastal　town。　It　was　a　nice　break　from　the　cold　autumn　rain　of　their　home；　to　be　here　on　the　Gulf　Coast　where　the　summer　was　never　really　gone　for　more　than　a　few　days。　She　brought　the　wagon　onto　the　street；　heading　south　for　the　oil　pany‘s　huge　support　yard。　Even　the　traffic　lights　were　in　her　favor。　One　changed　to　green　in　such　a　timely　fashion　that　her　foot　didn‘t　even　have　to　touch　the　brakes。
The　truck　driver　frowned　as　the　light　changed　to　amber。　He　was　late；　and　running　a　little　too　fast；　but　the　end　of　his　six…hundred…mile　run　from　Oklahoma　was　in　sight。　He　stepped　on　the　clutch　and　brake　pedals　with　a　sigh　that　abruptly　changed　to　a　gasp　of　surprise　as　both　pedals　went　all　the　way　to　the　floor　at　the　same　speed。　The　road　ahead　was　clear；　and　he　kept　going　straight；　downshifting　to　cut　speed；　and　frantically　blowing　his　diesel　hom。　Oh　God；　oh　God；　please　don‘t　…
She　never　saw　it　ing。　Her　head　never　turned。　The　station　wagon　just　jumped　light　through　the　intersection；　and　the　driver‘s　lingering　memory　would　be　of　the　young　woman‘s　profile　disappearing　under　the　hood　of　his　diesel　tractor；　and　then　the　awful　lurch　and　shuddering　surge　upwards　as　the　truck　crushed　the　wagon　under　his　front　wheels。
The　worst　part　of　all　was　not　feeling。　Helen　was　her　friend。　Helen　was　dying；　and　Pam　knew　she　should　feel　something；　but　she　couldn‘t。　The　body　was　gagged；　but　that　didn‘t　stop　all　the　sounds　as　Billy　and　Rick　did　what　they　were　doing。　Breath　found　its　way　out；　and　though　her　mouth　couldn‘t　move；　the　sounds　were　those　of　a　woman　soon　to　leave　her　life　behind；　but　the　trip　had　a　price　which　had　to　be　paid　first；　and　Rick　and　Billy　and　Burt　and　Henry　were　doing　the　collecting。　She　tried　to　tell　herself　that　she　was　really　in　another　place；　but　the　awful　choking　sounds　kept　bringing　her　eyes　and　her　consciousness　back　to　what　reality　had　bee。　Helen　was　bad。　Helen　had　tried　to　run　away；　and　they　couldn‘t　have　that。　It　had　been　explained　to　them　all　more　than　once；　and　was　now　being　explained　again　in　a　way；　Henry　said；　that　they　would　be　sure　to　remember。　Pam　felt　where　her　ribs　had　once　been　broken；　remembering　her　lesson。　She　knew　there　was　nothing　she　could　do　as　Helen‘s　eyes　fixed　on　her　face。　She　tried　to　convey　sympathy　with　her　eyes。　She　didn‘t　dare　do　more　than　that；　and　presently　Helen　stopped　making　noise；　and　it　was　over；　for　now。　Now　she　could　close　her　eyes　and　wonder　when　it　would　be　her　turn。
The　crew　thought　it　was　pretty　funny。　They　had　the　American　pilot　tied　up　right　outside　their　sandbagged　emplacement　so　he　could　see　the　guns　that　had　shot　him　down。　Less　funny　was　what　their　prisoner　had　done；　and　they‘d　expressed　their　displeasure　for　it　with　fists　and　boots。　They　had　the　other　body；　too；　and　they　set　it　right　next　to　him；　enjoying　the　look　of　sorrow　and　despair　on　his　face　as　he　looked　at　his　fellow　bandit。　The　intelligence　officer　from　Hanoi　was　here　now；　checking　the　man‘s　name　against　a　list　he‘d　brought　along；　bending　down　again　to　read　off　the　name。　It　must　have　been　something　special；　the　gunners　all　thought；　from　the　way　he　reacted　to　it；　an　the　urgent　phone　call　he‘d　made。　After　the　prisoner　passed　out　from　his　pain；　the　intelligence　officer　had　swabbed　some　blood　from　the　dead　body　and　covered　the　live　one‘s　face　with　it。　Then　he‘d　snapped　a　few　photos。　That　puzzled　the　gun　crew。　It　was　almost　as　though　he　wanted　the　live　one　to　look　as　dead　as　the　body　next　to　him。　How　very　odd。
It　wasn‘t　the　first　body　he‘d　had　to　identify；　but　Kelly　had　thought　that　aspect　of　his　life　was　a　thing　left　far　behind。　Other　people　were　there　to　support　him；　but　not　falling　down　wasn‘t　the　same　thing　as　surviving；　and　there　was　no　consolation　at　a　moment　such　as　this。　He　walked　out　of　the　emergency　room；　people‘s　eyes　on　him；　doctors　and　nurses。　A　priest　had　been　called　to　perform　his　last　duty；　and　had　said　a　few　things　that　he　knew　were　unheard。　A　police