mreilly.icestation-第61部分

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　Schofield　jammed　his　pistol　back　into　its　holster　and　looked　down　at　Kirsty。　He　saw　the　tears　in　her　eyes。　
　As　he　looked　down　at　her；　Schofield　realized　that　he　was　still　wearing　his　silver　antiflash　glasses。　He　took　the　silver　glasses　off　and　crouched　down　in　front　of　Kirsty。　
　〃Hey；〃　he　said。　〃It's　OK。　It's　all　right。　I'm　not　going　to　die　on　you。I　am　not　going　to　die　on　you。〃　Schofield　smiled。　〃I　mean；　hey；　I　can't　die。　I'm　the　hero　of　this　story。〃　
　Despite　herself；　Kirsty　smiled。　Schofield　smiled；　too。　
　And　then；　to　his　surprise；　Kirsty　stepped　forward　and　hugged　him。　Schofield　returned　her　hug。　
　As　he　held　her；　though；　he　heard　a　strange　noise。　A　noise　that　he　had　not　heard　before。　
　It　was　a　loud；　rhythmic；　crashing　noise。　
　Boom。　
　Boom。　
　Boom。　
　It　sounded　to　Schofield　like…　
　Like　waves　crashing　on　a　beach。　
　With　a　sickening　rush；　Schofield　realized　where　they　were。　They　were　near　the　cliffs。　Their　evasive　maneuvers　during　the　hovercraft　chase　had　taken　them　out　near　the　sheer　three…hundred…foot　cliffs　that　towered　over　the　bay。　The　loud；　booming　noise　that　he　was　hearing　was　the　sound　of　the　mountainous　waves　of　the　ocean　smashing　against　the　ice　cliffs。　
　He　was　still　holding　Kirsty　in　his　arms。　As　he　held　her；　though；　something　behind　her　caught　his　eye。　
　Attached　to　the　side　of　the　British　hovercraft's　dashboard　was　a　small　partment；　mounted　on　the　wall。　Its　door　hung　ajar。　Inside　the　partment；　Schofield　could　see　two　silver　canisters。　They　were　each　about　a　foot　long；　and　cylindrical　in　shape。　Each　silver　canister　had　a　wide　green　band　painted　across　its　midsection。　Schofield　saw　some　lettering　stencilled　onto　the　side　of　one　of　the　silver　canisters：　TRITONAL　80/20。　
　Tritonal　80/20？　he　thought。　Why　on　earth　would　the　British　bring　that　to　Wilkes？　
　Tritonal　80/20　was　a　highly　concentrated　explosive　poxy…　a　highly　bustible　liquid　filler　that　was　used　in　air…launched　drop　bombs。　Tritonal　wasn't　nuclear；　but　when　it　blew；　it　blew　big　and　it　blew　hot。　One　kilogram　of　the　stuff…　the　amount　contained　in　each　of　the　canisters　Schofield　was　now　looking　at…could　level　a　small　building。　
　Schofield　released　Kirsty　gently；　put　his　glasses　back　on；　and　moved　toward　the　partment　near　the　dashboard。　He　pulled　one　of　the　silver…and…green　canisters　from　it。　
　He　came　back　to　Kirsty。　〃Are　you　all　right；　now？〃　
　〃Yeah；〃　she　said。　
　〃Good；〃　Schofield　said；　sliding　the　Tritonal　charge　into　one　of　his　long　thigh　pockets。　〃Because　I　really　have　to　get　back　to…〃　
　Schofield　never　saw　it　ing。　
　The　impact　threw　him　off　his　feet。　
　His　whole　hovercraft　lurched　suddenly　to　the　left。　
　He　looked　out　through　the　gaping　hole　in　the　right…hand　side　of　his　speeding　hovercraft　and　saw　one　of　the　two　remaining　British　hovercrafts　racing　across　the　ice　plain　right　alongside　him！　
　It　rammed　them　again。　
　Hard。　
　So　hard；　in　fact；　that　Schofield　felt　his　hovercraft　slide　sideways；　to　the　left。　
　〃What　the…〃　he　said　aloud。　
　He　looked　left　and　in　a　sudden　terrifying　instant　he　realised　what　they　were　doing。　
　〃Oh；　no；〃　he　said。　〃Oh；　no。。。。〃　
　They　were　trying　to　ram　him　off　the　cliff。　
　
　Schofield　began　to　wrestle　with　the　steering　vane　of　his　hovercraft；　but　it　was　no　use。　
　There　was　nowhere　he　could　go。　
　With　no　room　to　move…no　room　to　get　a　run…up…he　just　found　himself　shunting　the　speeding　British　hovercraft　ineffectually。　
　The　British　hovercraft　rammed　them　again；　and　Schofield　snapped　to　look　forward。　He　saw　the　cliff　edge　racing　by　less　than　ten　yards　off　to　his　left。　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　tiny　white…crested　waves　beyond　it。　They　were　a　long　way　down。　
　Then　he　looked　out　to　his　right；　out　through　the　hole　in　the　side　of　his　speeding　hovercraft；　and　saw　the　black　British　hovercraft　whipping　across　the　ice　plain　beside　him。　He　saw　it　widen　the　gap　between　the　two　hovercrafts　and　then　suddenly　rush　back　in　at　them。　
　The　two　hovercrafts　collided　again　and　Schofield　felt　his　hovercraft　jolt　farther　toward　the　edge。　
　Five　yards　to　go。　
　The　two　hovercrafts　raced　along　the　edge　of　the　cliff　top；　three　hundred　feet　above　the　churning　white　waves　of　the　Southern　Ocean。　
　Schofield　was　still　watching　the　British　hovercraft　alongside　him。　
　As　it　widened　the　gap　between　the　two　hovercrafts　once　more…like　a　boxer　pulling　his　arm　back　in　preparation　for　the　next　blow…suddenly　Schofield　saw　another　hovercraft　materialize　in　the　distance　beyond　the　black　British　hovercraft。　
　He　blinked。　
　It　was　the　orange　French　hovercraft。　
　The　orange　hovercraft？　Schofield　thought。　
　But　the　only　person　in　that　hovercraft　was　。。。　
　Renshaw。　
　Schofield　saw　the　gaudy　orange　hovercraft　pull　alongside　the　speeding　British　hovercraft。　Now　there　were　three　hovercrafts　travelling　side　by　side　along　the　edge　of　the　ice　cliff！　
　Suddenly　the　British　hovercraft　rammed　them　again　and　ihe　skirt　of　Schofield's　hovercraft　jutted　out　over　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　Large　chunks　of　snow　were　thrown　off　the　edge。　They　became　tiny　specks　of　white　as　they　disappeared　into　the　churning　foam　of　the　sea　three　hundred　feet　below。　
　〃e　on。〃　Schofield　suddenly　grabbed　Kirsty's　hand。　
　〃What　are　we…〃　
　〃We're　leaving；〃　he　said。　
　Schofield　pulled　Kirsty　over　to　the　gaping　hole　in　the　right…hand　side　of　his　hovercraft。　
　He　saw　the　British　hovercraft　pull　away　from　them　again；　preparing　itself　for　the　killing　blow。　
　Schofield　swallowed。　He　would　have　to　time　this　just　right。。。。　
　He　drew　his　Desert　Eagle　pistol。　
　The　British　hovercraft　rushed　in　toward　them。　
　The　two　hovercrafts　collided；　and　in　that　instant　Schofield　leaped　across　onto　the　skirt　of　the　British　hovercraft；　pulling　Kirsty　with　him。　
　They　landed　on　the　skirt　of　the　speeding　British　hovercraft　just　as　their　own　went　careering　off　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　The　empty　hovercraft　rolled　through　the　air　for　an　instant　before　it　plummeted　three　hundred　feet　straight　down。　It　hit　the　water　with　a　stunning　impact　and　smashed　into　a　thousand　pieces。　
　Schofield　and　Kirsty　never　stopped　moving。　
　They　skipped　across　the　roof　of　the　British　hovercraft；　and　as　they　did　so　Schofield　pointed　his　pistol　straight　down　and　fired　three　quick　shots　into　the　roof　beneath　him；　and　then　suddenly　they　were　on　the　other　side　of　the　hovercraft　and　Schofield　could　see　Renshaw's　hovercraft　in　front　of　them。　
　The　orange　hovercraft　swung　in　closer　just　as　Schofield　and　Kirsty　leaped　off　the　skirt　of　the　British　hovercraft。　They　landed　safely　on　the　skirt　of　Renshaw's　craft；　and　it　instantly　peeled　away　from　the　black　British　hovercraft。　
　Schofield　looked　back　at　the　British　hovercraft…saw　a　star　of　blood　on　the　forward　windshield。　Someone　inside　the　hovercraft　was　still　moving；　clambering　forward　in　an　attempt　to　grab　the　steering　vane。　
　Schofield　figured　that　he　must　have　hit　the　driver　and　now　whoever　was　still　in　there　was　desperately　trying　to　regain　control　of　the…　
　Too　late。　
　The　British　hovercraft　looked　like　a　stunt　car　leaping　off　a　ramp　as　it　shot　off　the　edge　of　the　cliff。　It　sailed　through　the　air　for　a　moment…soaring　high…before　gravity　took　its　course　and　the　hovercraft　began　to　arc　downward。　Schofield　caught　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　the　man　inside　it　as　the　hovercraft　dropped　below　the　edge　of　the　cliff　top　and　disappeared　forever。　
　Schofield　turned　to　see　the　sliding　side　door　of　the　orange　hovercraft　open　in　front　of　him　and　he　saw　Renshaw's　smiling　face　appear。　
　〃Can　I　drive　this　thing　or　what？〃　Renshaw　said。　
　
　
　
　Now　there　was　only　one　British　hovercraft　remaining。　Outnumbered　now　by　two…to…one　it　kept　its　distance。　
　Schofield　grabbed　Renshaw's　Marine　helmet　and　put　it　on。　He　keyed　the　helmet　mike。　〃Rebound；　you　still　out　there？　
　〃Yeah。〃　
　〃Is　everyone　OK？〃　
　〃More　or　less。〃　
　〃What　about　the　hovercraft？〃　Schofield　asked。　
　〃She's　a　bit　beat　up；　but　she's　OK。　We've　got　full　power　again；〃　Rebound's　voice　said。　
　〃Good；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Good。　Listen；　if　we　take　care　of　this　last　guy；　do　you　think　you　can　get　a　head　start　and　make　it　to　McMurdo？〃　
　〃We'll　get　there。〃　
　〃All　right；　then；〃　Schofield　said　as　he　looked　down　at　Kirsty。　〃Stand　by。　You're　about　to　get　another