johngardner.winloseordie-第44部分

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nal；　for　he　might　soon　be　in　range。　Then　the　blinking　cursor　vanished。
There　was　a　slight　time…lag　before　Bond　realised　the　other　pilot　had　probably　pulled　up　to　gain　height；　rolled　over　and　was　high　above　him　now。　heading　back　towards　him。　He　lifted　the　nose；　allowing　the　radar　to　search　the　air；　and；　sure　enough；　the　second　Harrier　was　above　and　closing。
　He　put　the　aircraft　into　a　gentle　climb；　all　his　senses　jangling　and　ready　for　the　rasp　or　the　beep　which　would　tell　him　the　Spaniard　had　released　a　second　missile　the　moment　he　came　within　range　…　the　pilot's　name　returned　to　his　memory　without　any　conscious　thought　…　Pantano。
　Fifteen　miles；　and　the　aircraft　were　closing　at　a　bined　speed　of　around　1。200　knots。　Seconds　later；　the　marker　on　the　HUD　began　to　pulse　and　the　beep　in　his　ears　told　him　he　had　locked　on。
　Bond　released　the　Sidewinder；　and　saw　the　flashing　cursor　break　to　his　left。　The　rasp　came　into　his　own　ears；　and　he　knew　they　had　both　fired　missiles　at　the　same　momenl。
　He　punched　out　four　flares　and　turned　left；　climbing。　Seconds　later　there　was　an　explosion　behind　at　about　a　mile。　Pantano's　missile　had　gone　for　the　flares。　Then；　without　warning　Bond's　aircraft　shuddered　and　cracked　as　30mm　shells　ripped　into　the　fuselage　behind　him。
　He　stood　the　Harrier　on　its　left　wing；　then　reversed　to　the　right。　Pantano　had　Viffed。　slightly　above　him　and　at　a　range　of　around　1。000　feel。　Bond　armed　another　Sidewinder；　heard　the　lock…on　signal；　and　pressed　the　button。　As　he　did　so；　another　withering　hail　of　30mm　shells　ripped　across　his　left　wing　and　the　Harrier　juddered　again；　wallowed；　then　seemed　to　leap　forward　towards　the　great　blossom　of　fire　as　the　Sidewinder　caught　Pantano's　Harrier。
　It　was　like　a　slow…motion　film。　One　minute　the　aircraft　was　there；　firing　a　deadly　swarm　from　its　Aden　guns；　then　the　white　flash　filled　Bond's　vision　and　he　saw　the　'plane　break　into　a　dozen　pieces。
　He　overshot　the　destroyed　Harrier；　and　saw　only　one　plete　wing；　twirling　and　fluttering　down　like　a　deformed　autumn　leaf。　He　reduced　speed　and　turned；　10　set　course　for　the　coast；　and　as　he　did　so。　his　Harrier　grumbled；　juddering　and　shaking。　He　fought　the　controls；　realising　that　he　had　no　true　stability。　The　shells　from　the　Aden　guns　had　probably　ripped　away　pan　of　his　elevators；　and　a　section　of　tailplane。
Altitude　10；000　feet　and　falling。　The　Harrier　was　in　a　gentle　descent　and　Bond　could　just　about　hold　her　nose　at　a　five…to…　ten…degree　angle。　He　was　between　twenty　and　thirty　miles　from　the　coast　and　losing　height　rapidly；　hauling　back　continuously　on　the　stick　to　stop　the　nose　from　dropping　and　the　entire　aircraft　hurtling　into　a　dive　from　which　he　could　never　recover。
　The　engine　sounded　as　though　someone　had　poured　a　ton　of　sand　into　it。　and　he　had　switched　on　the　auto…signal　which　would　allow　the　base　af　Rota　to　（rack　him　in。　He　was　down　to　3。000　feel　before　he　saw　the　coast　in　the　distance；　and　by　then　the　whole　Harrier　was　shaking　and　clanking　around　him　as　though　it　was　about　to　break　up　at　any　minute。　The　sink…rate　was　being　faster；　and　Bond　knew　there　was　only　one　thing　left。　He　would　have　to　punch　out。　and　pray　that　the　shells　from　the　other　Harrier　had　not　damaged　the　Martin　Baker　ejector　seat。
　He　wrestled　with　the　stick　and　rudder　bar。　desperately　trying　to　get　the　aircraft　closer　to　the　coast　before　getting　out。　The　voice　in　his　head　started　to　repeat　the　procedure　and　what　was　supposed　to　happen。
　The　Martin　Baker　was　a　Type　9A　Mark　2　and　the　firing　handle　was　between　his　legs；　at　the　Front　of　the　seat　pan。　One　pull　and。　provided　everything　worked；　the　canopy　would　blow　and　the　seat　would　begin　its　journey　upwards　at　minimum　velocity；　before　the　rocket…assist　tired　and　shot　the　pilot；　restrained　in　his　seat；　well　clear　of　the　aircraft。
　The　forting　words　of　some　instructor　at　Yeovitton　came　back　to　him。　'The　seat　will　save　you　even　at　zero　height；　and　with　a　very　high　sink　rate。'
　Well；　he　had　a　very　high　sink　rate　now。　down　to　about　1。000　feet　and　at　least　seven　miles　from　the　coast。　The　Harrier　wallowed；　down　to　around　800　feet。　His　port　wing　dropped　alarmingly；　and　he　realised　that　he　was　at　the　point　of　stalling。　Almost　at　that　moment　he　caught　the　glint　of　helicopter　blades；　and　realised　it　was　now　or　never。　Yet。　in　the　few　seconds　before　reaching　down　to　the　ejector　handle。　Bond　pushed　the　port　rudder　hard；　in　an　attempt　to　swing　the　aircraft　away　from　the　coast。　He　did　not　want　this　melal　brick；　still　carrying　dangerous　weaponry；　to　plough　into　the　land。　The　nose　swung　wildly；　then　dropped。
　He　knew　the　nose　would　never　e　up　again；　and　he　felt　the　lurch　forward　as　the　Harrier　began　what　could　only　be　a　death　dive。
Bond　pulled　on　the　ejector　lever。
　For　what　seemed　to　be　an　eternity　nothing　happened；　then　he　felt　the　slight　kick　in　his　backside；　saw　the　canopy　leap　upwards。　The　air　was　like　a　solid　wall　as　the　rocket　shot　him　clear　of　the　falling；　crippled　Harrier。　There　was　a　thump　and　the　sudden　slight　jar　as　the　parachute　opened　and　he　was　swinging　safe　and　free　below　the　canopy。
　Below　to　his　left　he　saw　the　white　churning　water　which　marked　the　spot　where　the　Harrier　had　gone　in。　Then　he　heard　die　forting　sound　of　the　US　rescue　chopper　nearby。
　He　was　now　separated　from　the　seal；　and　seemed　to　be　dropping　faster　towards　the　sea；　which　came　up　and　exploded　around　him。　The　buoyancy　gear　inflated　and　brought　him　to　the　surface　as　he　twisted　and　banged　down　on　（he　quick　release　lock　which　freed　him　from　any　parachute　drag。
The　helicopter　plucked　him　out　of　the　sea　five　minutes　later。
It　was　early　evening　and　the　weather　had　picked　up；　the　sun　red。　throwing　long　shadows　across　USNB　Rota。
　Bond　sat　in　a　small　room；　with　a　US　Marine　Corps　Major；　a　Royal　Marine　Special　Boat　Squadron　Major。　mander　Mike　Carter　and　Beat　rice。　On　the　table　in　frontof　them　lay　a　plete　set　of　plans；　showing　the　layout　of　Invincible。
　An　hour　before；　he　had　received　a　plete　briefing；　on　a　secure　line　from　London。　BAST　had　given　them　until　dawn；　around　six　in　the　morning。　Then　they　would　kill　the　first　of　the　VIP　hostages。　They　knew　the　message　had　been　relayed　to　London　from　Bassam　Baradj　in　his　suite　at　The　Rock　Hotel；　Gibraltar。
　Varied　options　had　been　put　forward。　The　Rock　Hotel　was　well…covered。　They　had　members　of　the　SAS　and　local　plain…clothes　men。　plus　one　senior　Secret　Intelligence　Service　man；　watching　out　in　case　Baradj　made　a　move。　At　first　it　had　been　thought　they　should　make　a　full　frontal　and　pull　Baradj。　for　they　knew　he　had　a　helicopter　and　pilot　standing　by　at　the　airport。　Nobody　had　attempted　to　alert　Baradj　or　his　pilot；　and　the　final　consensus　of　opinion　was　that　trying　to　take　Baradj　alive　was　dangerous。
　'Remove　their　leader　and　those　women　will　almost　certainly　kill。'　That　was　M's　personal　view；　and　one　shared　by　Bond。
　Baradj　had　given　them　a　latitude　and　longitude；　a　precise　point　at　sea　where　the　money　had　to　be　dropped　and　marked。　If　anyone　approached　him　during　or　after　the　pick…up　…　which　was　to　be　by　helicopter；　all　three　hostages　would　be　killed。
　'Whatever　else。'　Bond　had　said；　'he's　thought　out　the　operation；　and　we　just　cannot　risk　taking　the　fellow　on　the　Rock。　If　we　couldn't　gel　him　alive；　it　would　be　curtains　for　Mrs　T。　Gorby　and　President　Bush/
　It　had　now　been　agreed　that　a　rescue　attempt　had　to　be　made　long　before　anyone　tried　to　gel　hold　of　Baradj。　'We　can　con　Baradj　that　we're　meeting　the　deadline；　let　him　relax；　then　make　a　bid　to　get　the　hostages　off/　Bond's　was　the　last　word。　The　Ministry　of　Defence。　SIS。　the　Pentagon　and　Ihe　Kremlin　had　agreed　to　a　last…ditch　rescue　attempt。　The　local　forces　had　also　agreed　that　the　planning　and　logistics　should　be　left　to　Bond。　'Has　anyone　figured　out　how　Baradj　is　municating　with　InvincibleT　he　asked。
　'He　isn't。'　Mike　Carter　had　said。　'I　suspect　he'll　flash　them　a　code　word。　A　one　time　break　in　silence。　Probably　on　a　short　wave　from　Gib。　It'll　mean　either　they're　to　stand　by　because　we've　agreed；　or　kill；　because　we've　not　agreed。　Then　there's　the　other　one　…　kill；　we've　double…crossed　him。'
　'All　we　can　do　is　listen　out/　Bond's　jaw　had　set；　and　his　eyes　turned　to　that　dangerous　stone…like　look　as　he　tried　to　gauge　how　many　things　could　go　wrong。
Now。　in　the　low　hut　on　the　USNB　Rota；　he　was　going　through　possible　strategy　and　tactics。　'It　has　to　be　a　small　force/　He　looked　around　the　room。　'I　took　out　one　of　these　harpies；　which　leaves　them　with　fourteen…fifteen　if　the　wretched　man　Speaker　is　active；　sixteen　if　Baradj's　side…kick；　Hamarik。　is　able　to　function；　which　1　very　much　doubt。　The　situation　will　almost　certainly　be　that　their　tame　psycho；　the　woman　posing　as　Leading　Wren　Deeley；　will　he　locked　in　with　Ihe　hostages　…　or。　at　least；　close　to　them；　with　orders　to　start　killing　on　a　given　signal。　So；　our　first　job　will　be　to　get　down　here/　His　ringer　moved　to　the　Briefing　Room　one　deck　down　from　the　main　deck。　This　we　must　do　without　being　detected　if　possible/　Then　he　gave　a　worried　sigh。　'I　want　you　all　to　realise　that　I'm　really　only　guessing。　That　Briefing　Room　is　the　place　where　they　were　having　the　conference　meetings。　I'd　stake　money　on　the　three　of　ihem　being　kept　in　（here；　possibly　wiih　a　guard　on　th