tc.redstormrising-第46部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



KEFLAVIK；　ICELAND
Edwards　was　surveying　the　damage　through　binoculars　when　he　heard　the　message　e　in…and　could　not　answer　it。　Now　what　do　I　do？　He　looked　around　and　saw　one　useful　thing；　a　Hammer　Ace　radio。　He　took　the　oversized　backpack　and　ran　down　the　steps。　He　had　to　find　the　Marine　officers　and　warn　them。
The　hovercraft　raced　up　Djupivogur　Cove　and　came　to　land　a　minute　later　less　than　a　mile　from　the　airbase。　The　troopers　gratefully　noted　the　smoother　ride　as　their　craft　spread　out　to　line　abreast；　three　hundred　yards　between　them　as　they　tore　across　the　flat；　rocky　gorse　toward　the　NATO　air　base。
〃What　in　the　hell…〃　a　Marine　corporal　said。　Like　a　dinosaur　ing　to　the　picnic；　a　massive　object　appeared　on　the　horizon；　apparently　ing　overland　at　high　speed。
〃You！　Marine；　get　over　here！〃　Edwards　screamed。　A　jeep　with　three　enlisted　men　stopped；　then　raced　toward　him。　〃Get　me　to　your　CO　fast！〃
〃CO's　dead；　sir；〃　the　sergeant　said。　〃CP　took　a　hit；　Lieutenant…fuckin'　gone！〃
〃Where's　the　alternate？〃
〃Elementary　school。〃
〃Go；　I　gotta　let　them　know；　we　got　bad　guys　ing　in　from　the　seas　hit！　You　got　a　radio。〃
〃Tried　calling；　sir；　but　no　answer。〃　The　sergeant　turned　south　down　International　Highway。　At　least　three　missiles　had　landed　here；　judging　by　the　smoke。　All　around；　the　small　city　that　had　been　the　Keflavik　air　base　was　a　loose　collection　of　smoking　fires。　A　number　of　people　in　uniforms　were　running　around；　doing　things　that　Edwards　didn't　have　time　to　guess　at。　Was　anybody　in　charge？
The　elementary　school　had　also　been　hit。　The　third　of　the　building　still　standing　was　a　mass　of　flame。
〃Sergeant；　that　radio　work？〃
〃Yes；　sir；　but　it　ain't　tuned　into　the　perimeter　guards。〃
〃Well；　fix　it！〃
〃Right。〃　The　sergeant　dialed　into　a　different　frequency。
The　Lebeds　halted　in　two　pairs；　each　a　quarter　mile　from　the　perimeter。　The　bow　door　on　each　opened；　and　out　rolled　a　pair　of　BMD　infantry　assault　vehicles；　followed　by　mortar　crews　who　began　at　once　to　set　up　their　weapons。　The　73mm　guns　and　missile　launchers　on　the　minitanks　began　to　engage　the　Marine　defensive　positions　as　the　reinforced　pany　in　each　vehicle　advanced　slowly　and　skillfully；　using　their　cover　and　taking　advantage　of　their　fire　support。　The　assault　force　had　been　handpicked　from　units　that　had　fought　in　Afghanistan。　Every　man　had　been　under　fire　before。　The　Lebeds　immediately　turned　crablike　and　sped　back　to　sea　to　pick　up　yet　more　infantrymen。　Already；　elements　of　two　elite　airborne　battalions　were　engaging　a　single　pany　of　Marines。
The　frantic　words　on　the　platoon　radio　nets　were　all　too　clear。　The　base　electrical　supply　was　cut；　and　along　with　it　the　main　radios。　The　Marine　officers　were　dead；　and　there　was　no　one　to　coordinate　the　defense。　Edwards　wondered　if　anyone　really　knew　what　the　hell　was　going　on。　He　decided　that　it　probably　didn't　matter。
〃Sergeant；　we　gotta　get　the　hell　outa　here！〃
〃You　mean　run　away！〃
〃I　mean　get　away　and　report　what's　happened　here。　Looks　like　we　lost　this　one；　Sarge。　Somebody's　gotta　report　in　so　they　don't　send　any　more　planes　to　land　here。　What's　the　fastest　way　to　Reykjavik？〃
〃Dammit；　sir；　there's　Marines　out　there…〃
〃You　wanna　be　a　Russian　prisoner？　We　lost！　I　say　we　gotta　report　in　and　you'll　do　what　I　Goddamned　tell　you；　Sergeant；　you　got　that！〃
〃Aye　aye；　sir。〃
〃How　we　fixed　for　weapons？〃
On　his　own；　a　private　ran　to　what　was　left　of　the　school。　A　Marine　was　lying　there　facedown；　a　pool　of　red　spreading　from　some　invisible；　fatal　wound。　The　private　came　back　with　the　man's　M…16；　field　pack；　and　ammo　belt；　handing　the　collection　to　Edwards。
〃We　all　got　one　now；　sir。〃
〃Let's　get　the　hell　outa　here。〃
The　sergeant　threw　the　jeep　into　gear。　〃How　we　gonna　report　in？〃
〃Let　me　worry　about　that；　okay？〃
〃You　say　so。〃　The　sergeant　turned　the　jeep　pletely　around；　back　up　International；　toward　the　wrecked　satellite　antennae。

MV　JULIUS　FUCIK
〃Aircraft　sighted；　port　bow！〃　a　lookout　screamed。　Kherov　raised　his　binoculars　to　his　eyes　and　swore　softly。　He　saw　what　could　only　be　missiles　dangling　from　each　wing　of　the　multiengined　aircraft。

PENGUIN　8
〃Well；　lookie　what　we　got　here；〃　the　Orion's　pilot　said　quietly。　〃Our　old　friend；　the　Doctor　Lykes。　bat；　Flight；　what　else　is　around？〃
〃Nothin'；　Flight；　not　another　surface　ship　for　over　a　hundred　miles。〃　They　had　just　pleted　a　plete　circuit　of　the　horizon；　scanning　with　their　surface…search　radar。
〃And　it's　for　Goddamned　sure　those　hovercraft　didn't　e　in　off　no　submarine。〃　The　pilot　adjusted　course　to　pass　within　two　miles　of　the　ship；　with　the　sun　behind　the　four…engine　patrol　aircraft。　His　copilot　examined　the　ship　through　binoculars。　Onboard　TV　cameras　operated　by　the　weapons　crew　would　provide　even　better　close…up　pictures。　They　saw　a　pair　of　helicopters　warming　up。　Someone　aboard　the　Fucik　panicked　and　fired　a　hand…held　SA…7　missile。　It　failed　to　lock　onto　the　Orion　and　blazed　off　directly　into　the　low　sun。

MV　JULIUS　FUCIK
〃Idiot！〃　Kherov　growled。　The　smoke　from　the　rocket　motor　didn't　even　e　close　to　the　aircraft。　〃He'll　shoot　at　us　now。　All　ahead　flank！　Helmsman；　be　alert！〃

PENGUIN　8
〃Okay；〃　the　pilot　said；　turning　away　from　the　merchantman。　〃Tacco；　we　got　a　target　for　your　Harpoons。　Any　luck　with　Keflavik？〃
〃Negative；　but　Sentry　One　is　relaying　the　data　into　Scotland。　They　say　a　bunch　of　missiles　hit　Keflavik；　looks　like　the　place　is　closed　whether　we　keep　it　or　not。〃
The　pilot　cursed　briefly。　〃Okay。　We'll　blow　this　pirate　right　out　of　the　water。〃
〃Roge；　Flight；〃　the　tactical　coordinator　replied。　〃Two　minutes　before　we　can　launch　the…damn！　I　got　a　red　light　on　the　portside　Harpoon。　The　sucker　won't　arm。〃
〃Well；　play　with　the　bastard！〃　the　pilot　growled。　It　didn't　work。　In　the　haste　to　get　off　the　ground；　the　missile's　control　cables　had　not　been　fully　attached　by　the　weary　ground　crew。
〃Okay；　I　got　one　working。　Ready！〃
〃Shoot！〃
The　missile　dropped　clear　of　the　wing　and　fell　thirty　feet　before　its　engine　ignited。　Fucik's　weather　deck　was　lined　with　paratroopers；　many　holding　hand…launched　SAMs　and　hoping　to　intercept　the　ining　ASM。
〃Tacco；　see　if　you　can　raise　an　F…15。　Maybe　they　can　rip　this　baby　up　with　twenty…millimeters。〃
〃Doing　that　already。　We　got　a　pair　of　Eagles　ing　in；　but　they're　skosh　fuel。　One　or　two　passes'll　be　all　they　can　manage。〃
Forward；　the　pilot　had　binoculars　to　his　eyes；　watching　the　whitepainted　missile　skimming　the　wavetops。　〃Go；　baby；　go　。

MV　JULIUS　FUCIK
〃Rocket　ing　in；　low　on　the　horizon；　portside。〃　At　least　we　have　good　lookouts；　Kherov　thought。　He　estimated　the　distance　to　the　horizon；　and　gave　the　missile　a　speed　of　a　thousand　kilometers　per　hour　。　。　。
〃Right　hard　rudder！〃　he　screamed。　The　helmsman　threw　the　wheel　over　as　far　as　it　would　go　and　held　it　down。
〃You　cannot　run　from　a　missile；　Kherov；〃　the　General　said　quietly。
〃I　know　this。　Watch；　my　friend。〃
The　black…hulled　vessel　was　turning　radically　to　starboard。　As　she　did　so；　the　ship　heeled　in　the　opposite　direction；　the　same　way　a　car　rolls　away　from　a　turn　on　a　flat　road；　which　artificially　raised　the　waterline　on　the　vulnerable　portside。
Some　enterprising　officers　aboard　fired　signal　flares；　hoping　to　decoy　the　missile　away；　but　all　the　missile's　microchip　brain　cared　about　was　the　enormous　blip　that　occupied　the　center　of　its　radar　seeker　head。　It　noted　that　the　ship's　heading　was　changing　slightly；　and　altered　its　own　course　accordingly。　Half　a　mile　from　the　target；　the　Harpoon　lurched　upward　from　its　ten…foot　altitude　in　its　programmed　〃pop…up〃　terminal　maneuver。　The　troopers　aboard　the　Fucik　instantly　fired　an　even　dozen　SAMs。　Three　locked　onto　the　Harpoon's　engine　exhaust　plume；　but　were　unable　to　turn　rapidly　enough　to　hit　the　ining　missile；　and　continued　past　it。　The　Harpoon　tipped　over　and　dove。

PENGUIN　8
〃All　right　。　。　。〃　the　pilot　whispered。　There　was　no　stopping　it　now。
The　missile　struck　the　Fucik's　hull　six　feet　above　the　waterline；　slightly　abaft　the　bridge。　The　warhead　exploded　at　once；　but　the　missile　body　kept　moving　forward；　spreading　two　hundred　pounds　of　jet　fuel　that　fireballed　into　the　lowest　cargo　deck。　In　an　instant；　the　ship　disappeared　behind　a　wall　of　smoke。　Three　paratroopers；　thrown　off　their　feet　by　the　impact；　accidentally　triggered　their　SAMs　straight　up。
〃Tacco；　your　bird　hit　just　fine。　We　got　warhead　detonation。　Looks　like　。　。　。　The　pilot's　eyes　strained　at　his　binoculars　to　assess　the　damage。

MV　JULIUS　FUCIK
〃Rudder　amidships！〃　Kherov　had　expected　to　be　knocked　from　his　feet；　but　the　missile　was　a　small　one；　and　JULIUS　FUCIK　still　had　thirty…five　thousand　tons　of　mass。　He　ran　out　to　the　bridge　wing　to　survey　the　damage。　As　the　ship　returned　to　an　even　keel；　the　ragged　hole　in　her　side　rose　ten　feet　from　the　lapping　waves。　Smoke　poured　from　the　hole。　There　was　fire　aboard；　but　the　ship　should　not　flood　from　the　blow；　the　captain　judged。　There　was　only　one　danger。　Kherov　rapidly　gave　orders　to　his　damage…control　teams；　and　the　General　sent　one　of　his　own　officers　to　assist。　A　hundred　of　the　paratroopers　had　been　trained　over　the　last　ten　days　in　shipboard　firefighting。　They　would　now　put　what　they　had　learned　to　use。

PENGUIN　8
The　Fucik　emerged　at　twenty　knots　from　the　smoke；　a　fifteen…foot　hole　in　the　ship's