mreilly.icestation-第6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！


field　found　himself　gripping　his　automatic　pistol　a　little　more　tightly。　
　
　The　two　men　emerged　from　the　darkened　entry　tunnel　into　brightly　lit；　wide　open　space。　Schofield　found　himself　standing　on　a　thin　metal　catwalk　overlooking　a　wide；　cylindrical　chasm　of　empty　space。　
　Wilkes　Ice　Station　opened　in　front　of　him；　a　giant　subterranean　structure。　Narrow　black　catwalks　ran　around　the　circumference　of　the　underground　cylinder；　surrounding　the　wide　central　shaft。　At　the　base　of　the　enormous　cylinder　Schofield　saw　a　circular　pool　of　water；　in　the　middle　of　which　sat　the　station's　diving　bell。　
　〃This　way；〃　Luc　said；　guiding　Schofield　to　the　right。　〃They're　all　in　the　dining　room。〃　
　As　he　entered　the　dining　room　preceded　by　Luc；　Schofield　felt　like　an　adult　entering　a　preschool　classroom：　a　stranger　who　by　the　simple　fact　of　his　size　and　bearing　just　doesn't　fit　in。　
　The　group　of　five　survivors　sat　in　a　tight　circle　around　the　table。　The　men　were　unshaven；　the　women　unkempt。　They　all　looked　exhausted。　They　looked　up　wearily　as　Schofield　entered　the　room。　
　There　were　two　other　men　in　the　room；　standing　behind　the　table。　Unlike　the　people　seated　at　the　table；　these　two；　like　Luc；　seemed　alert；　clean；　and　fresh。　One　of　them　was　holding　a　tray　of　steaming　drinks。　He　froze　in　midstep　as　soon　as　he　saw　Schofield　walk　into　the　room。　
　French　scientists　from　d'Urville；　Schofield　thought。　Here　in　response　to　the　distress　signal。　
　Probably。　
　At　first；　no　one　said　anything。　
　Everyone　in　the　room　just　looked　at　Schofield；　taking　in　his　helmet　and　his　silver　antiflash　glasses；　his　body　armor　and　his　snow　fatigues；　the　MP…5　machine　pistol　slung　over　his　shoulder；　the　。44　automatic　in　his　hand。　
　Snake　came　in　behind　Schofield；　and　all　eyes　switched　to　him：　similarly　garbed；　similarly　armed。　A　clone。　
　〃It's　OK；〃　Luc　said　gently　to　the　others。　〃They　are　Marines。　They　are　here　to　rescue　you。〃　
　One　of　the　women　let　out　a　gasp　of　air。　〃Oh；　Jesus；〃　she　said。　Then　she　started　to　cry。　〃Oh；　thank　God。〃　
　American　accent；　Schofield　noted。　The　woman　pushed　back　her　chair　and　came　toward　him；　tears　pouring　down　her　cheeks。　〃I　knew　you'd　e；〃　she　said。　〃I　knew　you'd　e。〃　
　She　clutched　Schofield's　shoulder　plate　and　began　sobbing　into　his　chest。　Schofield　showed　no　emotion。　He　held　his　pistol　clear　of　her；　as　he'd　been　trained　to　do。　
　〃It's　OK；　ma'am；〃　was　all　he　said　as　he　guided　her　gently　to　a　nearby　seat。　〃It's　OK。　You're　all　right　now。〃　
　Once　she　was　seated；　he　turned　to　face　the　others。　〃Ladies　and　gentleman。　We　are　Reconnaissance　Unit　Sixteen　of　the　United　States　Marine　Corps。　My　name　is　Lieutenant　Shane　Schofield；　and　this　is　Sergeant　Scott　Kaplan。　We　are　here　in　response　to　your　distress　signal。　We　have　instructions　to　secure　this　station　and　ensure　that　each　of　you　is　unharmed。〃　
　One　of　the　men　at　the　table　let　out　a　sigh　of　relief。　
　Schofield　went　on。　〃So　that　you're　under　no　illusions；　I　will　tell　you　now　that　we　are　a　Reconnaissance　Unit。　We　will　not　be　extracting　you。　We　are　a　front…line　unit。　We　travel　fast；　and　we　travel　light。　Our　task　is　to　get　here　quickly　and　make　sure　that　you　are　all　OK。　If　there's　an　emergency　situation；　we　will　extract　you；　if　not；　our　orders　are　to　secure　this　station　and　wait　for　a　fully　equipped　extraction　team　to　arrive。〃　
　Schofield　turned　to　face　Luc　and　the　other　two　men　standing　behind　the　table。　〃Now；　I　presume　you　gentlemen　are　from　d'Urville。　Is　that　correct？〃　
　The　man　with　the　tray　in　his　hands　swallowed　loudly；　his　eyes　wide。　
　〃Yes；〃　Luc　said。　〃That　is　correct。　We　heard　the　message　on　the　radio；　and　we　came　as　soon　as　we　could。　To　help。〃　
　As　Luc　spoke；　a　woman's　voice　crackled　over　Schofield's　earpiece。　〃Unit　Two；　sweep　is　clear。〃　
　〃Unit　Three。　We　have　found　three…no；　actually；　make　that　four…contacts　in　the　drilling　room。　We're　on　our　way　up　now。〃　
　Schofield　nodded　at　Luc。　〃Your　names？〃　
　〃I　am　Professor　Luc　Champion；〃　Luc　said。　〃This　is　Professor　Jean…Pierre　Cuvier；　and　holding　the　tray　there　is　Dr。　Henri　Rae。〃　
　Schofield　nodded　slowly；　taking　the　names　in；　paring　them　to　a　list　he'd　seen　on　the　Shreveport　two　days　previously。　It　had　been　a　list　of　the　names　of　every　French　scientist　stationed　at　d'Urville。　Champion；　Cuvier；　and　Rae　were　on　it。　
　There　was　a　knock　on　the　door　and　Schofield　turned。　
　Sergeant　Morgan　〃Montana〃　Lee　stood　in　the　doorway　to　the　dining　room。　Montana　Lee　was　a　nugget　of　a　man；　stocky　and；　at　forty…six　years　of　age；　the　oldest　member　of　the　unit。　He　had　a　pug　nose　and　a　heavyset；　weathered　face。　Ten　yards　behind　him　stood　his　partner；　Corporal　Oliver　〃Hollywood〃　Todd。　Tall；　black；　and　lean；　Hollywood　Todd　was　twenty…one　years　old。　
　And　in　between　the　two　Marines　stood　the　fruits　of　their　sweep。　
　One　woman。　
　One　man。　
　One　young　girl。　
　And　one　seal。　
　
　
　
　〃They　got　here　about　four　hours　ago；〃　Sarah　Hensleigh　said　
　Schofield　and　Hensleigh　were　standing　on　A…deck；　out　on　the　catwalk　that　looked　out　over　the　rest　of　the　ice　station。　
　As　Hensleigh　had　already　explained；　Wilkes　Ice　Station　was　essentially　a　great　big　vertical　cylinder　that　had　been　bored　into　the　ice　shelf。　It　dived　five　stories　straight　down；　all　the　way　to　sea　level。　
　Indented　at　regular　intervals　on　the　walls　of　the　cylinder　were　metal　catwalks　that　ran　around　the　circumference　of　the　cylinder。　Each　catwalk　was　joined　to　the　one　above　it　by　steep；　narrow　rung…ladders；　so　that　the　whole　structure　looked　kind　of　like　a　fire　escape。　
　Branching　out　from　each　catwalk；　burrowing　into　the　icy　walls　of　the　cylinder；　was　a　series　of　tunnels　that　formed　the　different　levels　of　the　station。　Each　level　was　made　up　of　four　straight　tunnels　that　branched　out　from　the　central　shaft　to　meet　a　curved　outer　tunnel　that　ran　in　a　wide　circle　around　the　central　well。　The　four　straight　tunnels　roughly　equated　the　four　points　on　a　pass；　so　they　were　simply　labeled　north；　south；　east；　and　west。　
　Each　catwalk/level　of　Wilkes　Ice　Station　was　labeled　A　through　E…A…deck　being　the　highest；　E…deck　signifying　the　wide　metal　platform　that　surrounded　the　large　pool　of　water　at　the　base　of　the　massive　underground　structure。　On　C…deck；　the　middle　level；　Sarah　said；　a　narrow　retractable　bridge　was　able　to　extend　across　the　wide　central　shaft　of　the　station。　
　〃How　many？〃　Schofield　asked。　
　〃There　were　five　of　them　at　first；〃　Sarah　said。　〃Four　stayed　here　with　us；　while　the　fifth　guy　took　the　others　back　to　d'Urville　on　their　hovercraft。〃　
　〃You　know　them？〃　
　Sarah　said；　〃I　know　Luc　and　I　know　Henri…who　I　think　wet　himself　when　he　saw　you　guys　walk　in…and　I　know　of　the　fourth　one；　Jacques　Latissier。〃　
　After　Montana　had　led　Hensleigh　into　the　dining　room　a　few　minutes　earlier；　it　hadn't　taken　long　for　Schofield　to　figure　out　that　she　was　the　person　to　speak　to　about　the　previous　week's　events　at　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　
　While　all　the　others　looked　either　dejected　or　tired；　Sarah　had　appeared　collected　and　in　control。　Indeed；　Montana　and　Hollywood　had　said　that　they'd　found　her　while　she　had　been　showing　one　of　the　French　scientists　the　core…drilling　room　down　on　E…deck。　His　name　had　been　Jacques　Latissier…a　tall　man　with　a　thick　black　beard…and　he　was　also　on　Schofield's　mental　list。　
　Sarah　Hensleigh　stared　out　over　the　central　shaft　of　the　station；　deep　in　thought。　Schofield　looked　at　her。　She　was　an　attractive　woman；　about　thirty…five；　with　dark　brown　eyes；　black　shoulder…length　hair；　and　high　arching　cheekbones。　Schofield　noticed　that　around　her　neck　she　wore　a　glistening　silver　locket　on　a　chain。　
　At　that　moment；　the　little　girl　came　out　onto　the　catwalk。　Schofield　guessed　that　she　must　have　been　about　ten。　She　had　short　blond　hair；　a　small　button　nose；　and　she　wore　thick　glasses　that　hung　down　awkwardly　over　her　cheeks。　She　looked　almost　ical　in　the　bulky　pink　parka　that　she　wore…it　had　a　terribly　oversize　wool…lined　hood　that　flopped　down　over　her　face。　
　And　behind　the　little　girl；　loping　out　onto　the　metal　catwalk；　came　the　seal。　
　〃And　who　is　this？〃　Schofield　asked。　
　〃This　is　my　daughter；　Kirsty；〃　Sarah　said；　putting　her　hand　on　the　little　girl's　shoulder。　〃Kirsty；　this　is　Lieutenant　Schofield。〃　
　〃Hi　there；〃