mreilly.icestation-第58部分

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　Like　a　bizarre　two…ton　ballet　dancer；　Schofield's　hovercraft　did　a　plete　lateral　180…degree　spin　right　in　front　of　Book's　hovercraft　and　the　two　British　hovercrafts。　
　In　the　cabin；　Schofield　quickly　jammed　the　big　vehicle　into　reverse　and　engaged　the　turbofan　again。　
　Now　he　was　travelling　backward！　
　At　eighty　miles　per　hour。　
　In　front　of　Book　and　the　two　British　hovercrafts！　
　Schofield　thrust　his　MP…5　out　through　the　driver's　side　window　and　let　rip　with　an　extended　burst　of　gunfire。　
　The　front　windshield　of　the　left…hand　British　hovercraft　exploded　with　bullet　holes。　Schofield　could　see　the　men　behind　the　windshield　convulse　as　they　were　hit　by　the　barrage　of　gunfire。　
　The　shot　British　hovercraft　immediately　peeled　away　from　Book's　hovercraft　and　faded　back　into　the　distance。　
　
　Book　was　still　in　hell。　
　The　British　hovercraft　to　his　left　was　gone　now；　but　the　one　on　his　right　was　ramming　him　with　renewed　intensity。　
　The　two　hovercrafts　careered　across　the　flat　expanse　of　ice；　side　by　side；　their　engines　roaring。　
　And　then　suddenly　Book　saw　the　side　door　of　the　British　hovercraft　open。　A　thick　black　gun　barrel　protruded　from　it。　
　〃Oh；　shit〃　Book　said。　
　A　puff　of　smoke　appeared　from　the　end　of　the　gun　barrel…　it　was　an　M…60　grenade　launcher…and　a　second　later　the　whole　side　door　of　Book's　hovercraft　suddenly　exploded　inward。　
　Wind　rushed　into　the　cabin。　
　They'd　blown　open　the　side　of　his　hovercraft！　
　At　that　moment；　a　small　black　object　flew　in　through　the　hole　in　the　side　of　the　hovercraft　and　clattered　across　the　floor　of　the　cabin。　
　Book　saw　it　immediately。　
　It　was　a　small　black　cylindrical　object　with　blue　numbers　written　along　its　side。　As　it　rolled　across　the　floor　of　the　cabin；　it　looked　like　an　ordinary　grenade；　but　as　Book　knew；　it　was　a　whole　lot　more　than　that。　
　It　was　a　nitrogen　charge。　
　The　signature　weapon　of　the　SAS。　
　The　most　advanced　grenade　in　the　world。　It　even　had　a　tamper　mechanism　so　that　you　couldn't　pick　it　up　and　throw　it　back　at　the　person　who　threw　it　at　you。　Standard　time　delay：　five　seconds。　
　Get　out　of　the　hovercraft！　Book's　mind　screamed。　
　Book　dived　for　the　left…hand　side　of　the　cabin…the　side　furthest　away　from　the　British　hovercraft…and　reached　for　the　door。　He　slid　it　open　fast。　
　Five。。。　
　Freezing　Antarctic　wind　rushed　at　his　face。　Slicing　horizontal　snow　lashed　his　eyes。　Book　didn't　care。　Snow　wouldn't　kill　him；　and　a　fall　from　the　hovercraft　might。　But　the　nitrogen　charge　definitely　would。　
　Four。。。　three。。。　
　Book　dived　out　into　the　freezing　wind　and　immediately　jammed　the　sliding　door　shut　behind　him。　He　lay　flat　against　the　top　of　the　black　rubber　skirt　that　ran　around　the　base　of　the　speeding　hovercraft。　His　face　was　pressed　awkwardly　up　against　the　outside　of　the　windows　of　the　cabin。　The　screaming；　speeding　wind　assaulted　his　ears。　
　Two。。。　one。。。　
　Book　prayed　to　God　that　the　reinforced　Lexan　glass　windows　of　the　hovercraft　could　withstand　the…　
　The　nitrogen　charge　went　off　inside　the　hovercraft。　
　Smack！　
　A　wave　of　ice　blue　liquid　nitrogen　slapped　hard　against　the　glass　right　in　front　of　Book's　face。　Book　instinctively　jerked　his　head　back。　
　He　stared　in　amazement　at　the　interior　of　the　hovercraft's　cabin。　Supercooled　liquid　nitrogen　had　splattered　itself　against　every　exposed　surface　inside　the　cabin。　
　Every　exposed　surface。　
　The　whole　of　the　inside　of　the　window　in　front　of　him　was　dripping　with　gooey　blue　poxy。　Book　sighed　with　relief。　The　reinforced　glass　had　held；　just。　
　And　then　suddenly　。。。　craaaaack…！　
　Book　pulled　his　head　back　just　as　the　window…snap…frozen　by　the　liquid　nitrogen　and　contracting　rapidly…broke　out　into　a　thousand　spiderwebs。　
　〃Book！〃　
　Book　spun　and　saw　Rebound's　hovercraft　pull　up　alongside　his　own。　He　could　see　Rebound　through　the　windscreen；　sitting　in　the　driver's　seat。　
　〃Get　on！〃　
　Rebound's　hovercraft　nudged　closer　to　Book's。　The　side　door　of　Rebound's　hovercraft　slid　open。　The　rubber　skirts　of　the　two　hovercrafts　touched　briefly；　then　parted　again。　
　〃Jump！〃　Rebound　said；　his　voice　loud　in　Book's　earpiece。　
　Book　tried　to　get　to　his　feet。　
　〃e　on！〃　Rebound　said　urgently。　
　Book　tried　to　keep　his　eyes　focused　on　the　black　rubber　skirt　of　Rebound's　hovercraft。　Tried　not　to　look　at　the　white　streaks　of　snow　racing　by　at　eighty　miles　an　hour　beneath　the　two　speeding　hovercrafts。　
　And　then　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he　saw　it。　
　Saw　the　black　hovercraft　materialize　in　the　background　behind　Rebound's　hovercraft。　
　Suddenly　Book　heard　Rebound　yell；　〃Get　there；　Scarecrow！〃　and　then　he　saw　the　side　door　of　the　British　hovercraft　open。　Saw　the　Milan　antitank　missile　launcher　appear　inside　it。　
　And　then　Book　saw　the　familiar　puff　of　smoke　and　he　saw　the　missile　shoot　out　of　its　launcher　and　fly　through　the　air　toward　him；　its　looping　white　smoke　trail　spiraling　crazily　behind　it；　and　in　that　instant；　in　that　moment；　Book　knew　it　was　too…　
　〃Book！　For　God's　sake；　jump！　Jump　now！　Shit！〃　
　Book　jumped。　
　
　
　
　
　Book　flew　through　the　air。　
　As　he　flew；　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he　saw　the　British　hovercraft　explode　as　it　was　hit　by　an　American　Stinger。　But　it　had　got　its　own　missile　off　before　it　had　been　hit。　Book　saw　the　white…tipped　missile　roll　through　the　air　toward　him。　
　And　then　suddenly　his　hands　came　down　hard　on　the　black　rubber　skirt　of　Rebound's　hovercraft　and　he　forgot　about　the　British　missile　as　he　scratched　desperately　for　a　handhold。　
　Just　as　his　feet　were　about　to　hit　the　speeding　ground；　Book　got　a　grip　on　a　tie…down　stud　on　the　skirt　of　Rebound's　hovercraft　and　he　looked　up　just　in　time　to　see　the　British　missile　slam　into　the　rear　of　his　recently　abandoned　hovercraft　and　blow　it　to　smithereens。　
　
　〃Have　you　got　him？〃　Schofield　said　into　his　helmet　mike。　
　Schofield　was　still　racing　along　in　front　of　Rebound's　hovercraft…still　travelling　backward。　He　could　see　Rebound's　transport　speeding　across　the　ice　plain　behind　him。　
　〃We　got　him；〃　Rebound　replied。　〃He's　inside。〃　
　〃Good；〃　Schofield　said。　
　It　was　then　that　Schofield　heard　the　gunfire。　
　His　head　immediately　snapped　left　and　he　saw　them。　
　It　was　the　same　British　hovercraft　that　had　blasted　open　the　side　of　Book's　hovercraft。　Only　now　it　had　a　fearsome…looking　general…purpose　machine　gun…or　〃Gimpy〃　as　it　is　known…sticking　out　of　its　open　side　door。　The　large　heavy…duty　machine　gun　was　mounted　on　a　tripod；　and　Schofield　saw　a　three…foot　tongue　of　fire　flare　out　from　its　barrel　as　it　emitted　a　deafening　ungodly　roar。　
　Rebound's　hovercraft　took　the　brunt　of　the　machine　gun's　fury。　Sparks　and　bullet　holes　and　cracks　and　puncture　marks　burst　out　all　over　it。　
　A　thin　line　of　black　smoke　began　to　rise　up　from　the　rear　of　Rebound's　hovercraft。　The　hovercraft　visibly　began　to　slow。　
　〃Scarecrow！〃　Rebound　yelled。　〃We've　got　a　serious　problem　here！〃　
　〃I'm　ing！〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃I'm　hit　bad　and　slowing　down！　I　need　to　off…load　some　weight　so　I　can　maintain　my　speed！〃　
　Schofield　was　thinking　fast。　He　was　still　traveling　backward　across　the　ice　plain。　Rebound's　hovercraft　was　off　to　his　right；　the　British　hovercraft　off　to　his　left。　
　At　last；　Schofield　said；　〃Mr。　Renshaw　。。。〃　
　〃What？〃　
　〃Take　the　wheel。〃　
　〃What？〃　Renshaw　said。　
　〃It's　just　like　driving　a　car；　only　with　a　little　less　responsiveness；〃　Schofield　said。　
　Renshaw　stepped　into　the　driver's　seat；　took　hold　of　the　steering　yoke。　
　〃Now；　shut　your　eyes；〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃Huh？〃　
　〃Just　do　it；〃　Schofield　said　as　he　calmly　raised　his　MP…5　。。。　
　。。。　and　blasted　the　forward　windshield　of　his　own　hovercraft！　
　Renshaw　covered　his　eyes　as　shards　of　glass　exploded　out　all　around　him。　When　he　opened　his　eyes　again　he　had　a　pletely　clear　view　of　the　two　hovercrafts　speeding　along　the　ice　plain　〃behind〃　him。　
　〃OK；〃　Schofield　said；　〃pull　us　over　in　front　of　the　black　one。〃　
　Renshaw　gently　applied　pressure　to　the　steering　yoke。　The　hovercraft　slid　smoothly　over　to　the　left；　so　that　it　was　in　front　of　the　black　British　hovercraft　that　was　blasting　away　at　Rebound's　hovercraft。　
　〃All　right；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Hold　it　here。〃　
　Schofield