mreilly.icestation-第36部分

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　Everyone　on　the　deck　stared　at　the　bloody　carcass；　the　understanding　visible　on　their　faces。　
　There　was　something　down　in　that　water。　
　Something　that　had　killed　a　killer　whale。　
　Schofield　took　a　deep　breath　and　turned　to　face　Sarah。　〃Want　to　reconsider？〃　he　said。　
　Sarah　stared　at　the　dead　killer　whale　for　a　few　seconds。　Then　she　looked　back　at　Schofield。　
　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃No　way。〃　
　
　
　
　Schofield　paced　nervously　around　the　pool　deck；　alone。　
　He　watched　as　in　the　middle　of　the　pool　the　winch's　cable　plunged　into　the　water。　At　the　end　of　that　cable　was　the　diving　bell；　and　inside　the　diving　bell　were　three　of　his　Marines　plus　Sarah　Hensleigh。　The　cable　entered　the　water　at　a　steady　speed；　as　fast　as　it　could　go。　
　The　winch　had　been　lowering　the　diving　bell　into　the　water　for　almost　an　hour　now。　Three　thousand　feet　was　a　long　way；　almost　a　kilometer；　and　Schofield　knew　it　would　take　some　time　before　it　reached　that　depth。　
　Schofield　stood　on　the　deserted　deck。　Twenty　minutes　earlier；　he　had　sent　Book；　Snake；　and　Rebound　topside　to　try　to　raise　McMurdo　Station　on　the　portable　radio　again…he　had　to　know　when　a　full…strength　American　force　was　going　to　arrive　at　Wilkes。　
　Now　he　stood　alone　on　E…deck；　the　station　around　him　silent　save　for　the　rhythmic　mechanical　thumping　of　the　winch　mechanism　up　on　C…deck。　The　repetitive　thump…thump…thump　of　the　winch　had　an　almost　soothing　effect　on　him。　
　Schofield　pulled　Sarah　Hensleigh's　silver　locket　out　of　his　pocket。　It　glistened　in　the　white　fluorescent　light　of　the　station。　He　turned　it　over　in　his　hand。　There　was　some　writing　engraved　on　the　back　of　it…　
　And　then　suddenly　there　came　a　noise　and　Schofield's　head　snapped　round。　It　had　only　lasted　for　an　instant；　but　he　had　definitely　heard　it。　
　It　had　been　a　voice。　A　male　voice。　But　a　voice　that　had　been　speaking　in。。。　
　。。　。　French。　
　Schofield's　eyes　fell　instantly　upon　the　VLF　transmitter　that　sat　on　the　deck　a　few　feet　away　from　him。　
　Suddenly　the　transmitter　emitted　a　shrill　whistling　sound。　And　then　the　voice　came　again。　
　〃La　hyène；　c'est　moi；　le　requin；〃　the　voice　said。　〃La　hyène；　c'est　moi；　le　requin。　Présentez　votre　rapport。　Je　renouvele。　Présentez　votre　rapport。〃　
　Rebound；　Schofield　thought。　Shit。　I　need　Rebound。　But　he　was　outside　with　the　others　and　Schofield　needed　a　French　speaker　now。　
　〃Rebound；〃　Schofield　said　into　his　helmet　mike。　
　The　reply　came　back　immediately。　〃Yes；　sir？〃　Schofield　could　hear　the　swirling　wind　in　the　background。　
　〃Don't　say　a　word；　Rebound。　Just　listen；　OK；〃　Schofield　said；　pressing　a　button　on　his　belt　that　kept　his　helmet　microphone　switched　on。　He　leaned　in　close　to　the　VLF　transmitter　so　that　his　helmet　mike　was　near　the　transmitter's　speaker。　
　The　French　voice　came　again。　
　〃La　hyène。　Vous　avez　trois　heures　pour　présenter　votre　rapport。　Je　renouvele；　Vous　avez　trois　heures　pour　présenter　votre　rapport。　Si　vous　ne　le　presentez　pas　lorsque　I'heure　nous　serons　contraint　de　lancer　l'engine　d'efface。　Je　renouvele。　Si　vous　ne　le　présentez　pas　lorsque　I'heure　nous　serons　contraint　de　lancer　l'engine　d'efface。　C'est　moi；　le　requin。　Finis。〃　
　The　signal　cut　off　and　there　was　silence。　When　he　was　sure　that　it　was　finished；　Schofield　said；　〃Did　you　get　all　that；　Rebound？〃　
　〃Most　of　it；　sir。〃　
　〃What　did　they　say？〃　
　〃They　said：　Hyena。　You　have　three　hours　to　report。　If　you　do　not　report　by　that　time　we　will　be　pelled　to　launch　the　'l'engine　d'efface；'　the　erasing　device。〃　
　〃The　erasing　device；〃　Schofield　said　flatly。　〃Three　hours。　You　sure　about　that；　Rebound？〃　
　Schofield　grabbed　his　wristwatch　as　he　spoke。　It　was　an　old　Casio　digital。　He　started　the　stopwatch　on　it。　The　seconds　began　to　tick　upward。　
　〃Very　sure；　sir。　They　said　it　all　twice；〃　Rebound　said。　
　Schofield　said；　〃Good　work；　Private。　All　right。　Now　all　we　have　to　do　is　figure　out　where　these　guys　are…〃　
　〃Uh；　excuse　me；　sir？〃　It　was　Rebound　again。　
　〃What　is　it？〃　
　〃Sir；　I　think　I　have　an　idea　where　they　might　be。〃　
　〃Where？〃　
　〃Sir；　at　the　end　of　that　transmission　we　just　heard；　they　said　'c'est　moi；　le　requin'。　Now；　I　missed　the　start　of　the　transmission。　Did　they　say　that　at　the　very　beginning？　'C'est　moi；　le　requin'？〃　
　Schofield　didn't　know；　he　didn't　speak　French。　It　had　all　sounded　the　same　to　him。　He　tried　to　replay　the　radio　message　in　his　head。　〃They　may　have；〃　he　said。　〃No；　wait；　yes。　Yes；　I　think　they　did　say　that。　Why？〃　
　Rebound　said；　〃Sir；　le　requin　is　French　for　'shark。'　'C'est　moi　le　requin'　means　'this　is　Shark。'　You　know；　like　a　military　code　name。　The　French　unit　here　at　the　station　was　called　Hyena　and　that　one　we　just　heard　was　called　Shark。　You　know　what　I'm　thinking；　sir…〃　
　〃Oh；　damn；〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃That's　right。　I'm　thinking　they're　out　on　the　water　somewhere。　Somewhere　off　the　coast。　I'll　bet　you　a　million　bucks　that　Shark　is　a　warship　or　something　sailing　off　the　coast　of　Antarctica。〃　
　〃Oh；　damn；〃　Schofield　said　again；　this　time　with　feeling。　
　It　made　sense　that　whoever　sent　that　message　was　a　ship　of　some　kind。　And　not　just　because　of　its　code　name。　As　Schofield　knew；　because　of　their　extraordinarily　long　wavelengths；　VLF　transmissions　were　monly　used　by　surface　vessels　or　submarines　out　in　the　middle　of　the　ocean。　That　was　why　the　French　mandos　had　brought　the　VLF　transmitter　with　them。　To　keep　in　contact　with　their　warship　off　the　coast。　
　Schofield　started　to　feel　ill。　
　The　prospect　of　a　frigate　or　a　destroyer　patrolling　the　ocean　a　hundred　miles　off　the　coast　was　bad。　Very　bad。　Especially　if　it　was　aiming　some　kind　of　weapon…in　all　likelihood；　a　battery　of　nuclear…tipped　cruise　missiles…at　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　
　It　had　never　occurred　to　him　that　the　French　might　not　bring　an　erasing　device　with　them　but　would　rather　leave　it　with　an　outside　agent…like　a　destroyer　off　the　coast…with　instructions　to　fire　upon　the　station　if　that　destroyer　did　not　receive　a　report　by　a　given　time。　
　Shit；　Schofield　thought。　Shit。　Shit。　Shit。　
　There　were　only　two　things　in　the　world　that　could　stop　the　launch　of　that　erasing　device。　One；　a　report　ing　in　from　twelve　dead　Frenchmen　sometime　within　the　next　three　hours。　That　wasn't　going　to　happen。　
　Which　meant　the　second　option　was　the　only　option。　
　Schofield　had　to　get　in　contact　with　the　U。S。　forces　at　McMurdo　Station。　And　not　just　to　find　out　when　American　reinforcements　would　be　arriving　at　Wilkes。　No；　now　he　had　to　tell　the　Marines　at　McMurdo　about　a　French　warship　sailing　somewhere　off　the　coast　with　a　phalanx　of　cruise　missiles　trained　on　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　It　would　then　be　up　to　the　people　at　McMurdo　to　take　out　that　warship…within　three　hours。　
　Schofield　keyed　his　mike　again。　〃Book；　you　hear　all　that？〃　
　〃Yeah；〃　Buck　Riley's　voice　said。　
　〃Any　luck　with　McMurdo？〃　
　〃Not　yet。〃　
　〃Keep　trying；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Over　and　over。　Until　you　get　them　on　the　line。　Gentlemen；　the　stakes　in　this　game　have　just　been　raised。　If　we　don't　get　through　to　McMurdo　in　less　than　three　hours；　we're　all　gonna　be　vaporized。〃　
　
　
　
　〃Scarecrow；　this　is　Fox；〃　Gant's　voice　said。　〃I　repeat。　Scarecrow；　this　is　Fox。　Hey；　Scarecrow？　Are　you　out　there？〃　
　Schofield　was　out　on　the　pool　deck　on　E…deck；　watching　the　cable　descend　into　the　pool；　thinking　about　cruise　missiles。　It　had　been　about　ten　minutes　since　he　had　heard　the　transmission　from　the　French　vessel；　Shark。　Book；　Rebound；　and　Snake　were　all　still　outside　trying　to　raise　McMurdo。　
　Schofield　keyed　his　mike。　〃I　hear　you；　Fox。　How　are　you　doing　down　there？〃　
　〃We　are　ing　to　three　thousand　feet。　Preparing　to　stop　the　cable。〃　
　There　was　a　short　pause。　
　〃OK。　We　are　stopping　the　cable。。。　now。〃　
　As　Gant　said　the　word　〃now；〃　the　cable　plunging　into　the　water　suddenly　jolted　to　a　stop。　She　had　stopped　its　descent　from　inside　the　diving　bell。　
　〃Scarecrow；　I　have　the　time　as　1410　hours；〃　Gant　said。　〃Please　confirm。〃　
　〃I　confirm　the　time　as　1410　hours；　Fox；〃　Schofield　said。　It　was　standard　deep…diving　practice　to　confirm　the　time　at　which　a　dive　was　to　start。　Schofield　didn't　know　that　he　was　following　exactly　the　same　procedure　that　the　scientists　from　Wilkes　had　followed　only　two…and…a…half　days　earlier。　
　〃Copy　time　at　1410　hours。　Turning　over　to　self…contained　air。　Preparing　to　leave　the　diving　bell。〃　
　
　Gant　kept　Schofield　updated　on　the　dive。　
　The　four　divers…Gant；　Montana；　Santa　Cruz；　and　Sarah　Hensleigh…turned　over　to　self…contained　air　without　incident　and　left　the　diving　bell。　A　few　minutes　later；　Gant　reported　that　they　had　found　the　entrance　to　the　underwater　ice　tunnel　and　that　they　were　beginning　their　ascent。　
　Schofield　continued　to　pace　around　the　deck；　deep　in　thought。　
　He　thought　about　the　divers　from　Wilkes　who　had　disappeared　down　in　the　cavern；　about　the　cavern　itself　and　what　was　in　it；　about　the　French　and　their　snatch…and…grab　effort　to　seize　whatever　was　down　there；　about　erasing　devices　being　fired　from　warships　off　the　coast；　about　the　possibility　that　one　of　his　own　men　had　killed　Samurai；　and　about　Sarah　Hensleigh's　smile。　It　was　all　too　much。　
　His　helmet　inter　crackled　to　life。　〃Sir；　Book　here。〃　
　〃Any　luck？〃　
　〃Not　a　goddam　thing；　sir