mreilly.icestation-第88部分

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　Schofield　spun　in　the　water；　looked　about　himself；　then　snapped　up　to　look　at　the　lens…like　surface　again。　
　And　at　that　moment；　the　lens　shattered。　
　
　Elephant　seals　plunged　into　the　water　from　every　side。　Others　roared　out　of　the　submerged　holes　in　the　walls　and　charged　at　Schofield　and　the　others。　Their　shrieks　and　barks　and　whistles　filled　the　water。　
　Kirsty　and　Renshaw　broke　the　surface　first；　right　near　the　edge　of　the　pool。　Renshaw…still　in　the　water…pushed　hard　against　the　underside　of　Kirsty's　tanks；　forcing　her　out　of　the　water。　
　Kirsty　stumbled　frantically　up　onto　dry　land；　slipped　and　fell；　flat　onto　her　face；　and　turned　just　in　time　to　see　Renshaw　get　one　arm　out　of　the　water　and　begin　to　haul　himself　out　when…yank…Renshaw　was　suddenly　wrenched　violently　under　the　churning　surface。　
　Kirsty　screamed　but　cut　herself　off　when　she　saw　an　enormous　shape　rise　up　out　of　the　water　in　front　of　her。　
　She　dived　away　from　the　water's　edge　just　as　one　of　the　elephant　seals　launched　itself　out　of　the　water　and　crashed　down　onto　the　ice　in　front　of　her。　Kirsty　staggered　and　stumbled　away　from　the　edge；　turned；　and　saw　that　the　giant　seal　was　loping　across　the　flat　floor　of　the　cavern；　chasing　her！　
　Kirsty　clawed　at　the　icy　ground；　lost　her　footing；　slipped；　and　fell。　
　The　elephant　seal　charged。　Kirsty　lay　sprawled　on　the　floor　of　the　cavern；　totally　exposed；　staring　up　at　the　gigantic　demon　bearing　on　her　and…　
　And　then　suddenly　boom！　the　elephant　seal's　face　exploded　in　a　fountain　of　blood　and　the　big　seal　went　crashing　headfirst　to　the　ground。　
　Kirsty　stared　in　awe　as　the　elephant　seal　dropped　to　the　floor；　revealing　behind　it：　Schofield；　hovering　in　the　pool　thirty　feet　away；　with　his　pistol　extended。　
　He　had　just　shot　the　seal　through　the　back　of　the　head！　
　Kirsty　almost　fainted。　
　
　Under　the　surface；　James　Renshaw　was　absolutely　panic…stricken。　
　One　of　the　seals　had　pulled　him　under　and　now　it　had　him；　had　his　foot　in　its　mouth！　
　Renshaw　looked　down　in　desperation；　and　then　suddenly　he　frowned。　The　seal　that　had　him　looked　smaller　than　the　others；　and　it　had　those　distinctive　lower　fangs　that　he　had　seen　on　the　larger　male　before。　
　A　juvenile　male？　Renshaw　thought。　
　And　then　another　thought　hit　him。　
　If　it's　young；　you　might　have　a　chance　to　get　out　of　this。　
　So；　with　his　spare　foot；　Renshaw　kicked　the　small　seal　hard　in　the　snout。　
　The　seal　instantly　squealed　with　pain　and　released　his　foot；　and　Renshaw　bolted　for　the　surface。　
　He　burst　up　out　of　the　water　a　second　later　and　saw　the　edge　of　the　pool　right　in　front　of　him。　Then　he　grabbed　the　nearest　rock　and　hauled　himself　out　of　the　water　just　as　another；　much　larger　seal；　probably　the　juvenile's　mother；　swept　through　the　water　behind　him　and　narrowly　missed　biting　his　feet　clean　off。　
　
　Schofield　was　swimming　madly　for　the　edge　of　the　pool。　
　As　he　swam；　he　caught　fleeting　glimpses　of　the　cave　around　him…he　saw　Kirsty　over　on　one　side　of　the　pool；　saw　Renshaw　over　on　the　other。　And　then　he　saw　the　the　ship；　the　big　black　ship；　standing　like　an　enormous；　silent　bird　of　prey　in　the　middle　of　the　massive　subterranean　cavern。　
　And　then　suddenly　his　view　of　the　big　black　ship　was　obliterated　by　the　sight　of　the　big　bull　seal　rising　up　out　of　the　water　right　in　front　of　him！　
　The　big　seal　was　already　moving　fast　and　it　plowed　into　Schofield　at　phenomenal　speed　and　Schofield　gasped　as　he　felt　the　wind　get　knocked　out　of　him　and　he　went　under。　
　The　bull　seal　had　rammed　into　his　chest　with　its　long　lower　fangs。　Ordinarily；　Schofield　guessed；　this　would　have　been　enough　to　kill　any　would…be　victim；　since　the　big　seal's　fangs　would　pierce　the　victim's　chest　
　But　not　with　Schofield。　
　He　was　still　wearing　his　body　armor；　and　the　bull　seal's　fangs　had　lodged　in　his　Kevlar　breastplate。　
　The　elephant　seal　drove　him　downward；　pushing　against　his　chest。　Schofield　struggled；　but　it　was　no　use。　By　virtue　of　his　breastplate　he　was　practically　impaled　on　the　big　animal's　fangs。　
　The　seal　took　Schofield　down。　Down　and　down；　on　the　end　of　its　nose。　Bubbles　shot　out　from　its　heaving　mouth　as　it　expelled　vast　quantities　of　air　in　its　exertion。　
　Schofield　had　to　do　something。　
　He　reached　into　his　pocket；　searched　for　whatever　lay　in　there。　
　He　pulled　out　a　British　nitrogen　charge；　looked　at　it　for　a　second。　
　Oh；　what　the　hell；　he　thought　
　Schofield　quickly　pulled　the　pin　on　the　nitrogen　charge　and　ammed　the　live　grenade　into　the　open　jaws　of　the　big　elephant　seal。　
　Then　he　pushed　himself　off　the　big　animal's　fangs　and　the　seal　shot　past　him　in　the　water。　It　quickly　realized　that　it　had　lost　Schofield；　and　when　it　did；　the　big　seal　began　to　turn　around。　
　It　was　then　that　the　nitrogen　charge　went　off。　
　
　The　bull　seal's　head　exploded。　Then　it　imploded。　And　then　most　shocking　thing　of　all　happened。　A　wave　of　ice　shot　out　from　the　dead　seal's　body。　At　first　Schofield　didn't　know　what　it　was；　and　then　suddenly　he　realized。　
　It　was　the　liquid　nitrogen　from　the　charge；　expanding　through　the　water；　freezing　the　water　as　it　went！　Shit。　He　hadn't　counted　on　that！　The　wall　of　ice　shot　through　the　water　toward　Schofield；　constantly　expanding；　like　a　living；　breathing　ice　formation　growing　through　the　water。　
　Schofield　watched　it　with　wide　eyes。　If　it　enveloped　him；　he　would　be　dead　in　an　instant。　
　Get　out　of　here！　
　And　then　suddenly　Schofield　felt　something　nudge　against　his　shoulder　and　he　turned。　
　It　was　Wendy！　
　Schofield　grabbed　her　harness　and　Wendy　took　off　immediately。　
　The　wall　of　ice　behind　them　gave　chase；　expanding　through　the　water　at　phenomenal　speed；　building　upon　itself　at　an　exponential　rate。　
　Wendy　swam　hard；　pulling　Schofield　with　her。　She　was　small；　but　she　hauled　Schofield　through　the　water　at　incredible　speed。　
　The　ice　wall　closed　in　on　them。　
　Another　elephant　seal　swung　in　behind　them；　spying　an　easy　meal；　but　the　ice　wall　caught　the　big　seal；　enveloped　it　within　its　expanding　mass；　and　swallowed　it　whole；　froze　it　within　its　icy　belly。　
　Wendy　swam；　toward　the　surface；　deftly　avoiding　any　elephant　seals　that　tried　to　cut　across　her　path。　
　She　saw　the　surface；　pulled　Schofield　toward　it。　
　Behind　them；　the　wall　of　ice　had　lost　its　momentum。　The　nitrogen　from　the　charge　had　ceased　expanding。　The　ice　wall　fell　away　behind　them。　
　With　Schofield　clutching　onto　her　harness；　Wendy　made　her　run　for　the　surface。　Elephant　seals　came　at　them　from　every　side。　It　was　like　a　roller…coaster　ride　as　Wendy　ducked　and　weaved　and　banked　and　turned　to　avoid　the　biting　teeth　of　the　elephant　seals　charging　at　her　and　Schofield　from　every　side。　
　And　then　suddenly　Wendy　spotted　a　gap　and　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　surface。　
　She　went　for　it。　
　Elephant　seals　lunged　and　snapped　at　them　from　every　side；　but　Wendy　was　too　quick。　She　hit　the　surface　at　full　speed　and　exploded　out　of　the　water。　
　Wendy　shot　out　from　the　water；　with　Schofield　holding　onto　her　harness。　They　both　hit　the　icy　floor　of　the　cavern　with　a　clumsy　thud；　and　Schofield　found　himself　lying　on　his　belly。　He　quickly　rolled　over　onto　his　back…　
　…only　to　see　an　elephant　seal　leap　high　out　of　the　water　behind　him　and　e　rushing　down　toward　him！　
　Schofield　rolled。　The　elephant　seal　slammed　down　onto　the　ground　right　next　to　him。　Schofield　leaped　to　his　feet；　spun　around；　looked　for　the　others。　
　〃Lieutenant！　Over　here！　Over　here！〃　Sarah　Hensleigh's　voice　yelled。　
　Schofield　snapped　around　and　saw　Hensleigh　waving　from　inside　a　small　horizontal　hole　in　the　wall　about　fifty　yards　away。　
　Renshaw；　Kirsty…and　Wendy；　too…were　already　moving　toward　the　horizontal　fissure。　Schofield　took　off　after　them。　As　he　ran　across　the　cavern；　he　saw　Kirsty　roll　in　through　the　horizontal　hole；　then　he　saw　Wendy　go　in　after　her；　then　Renshaw。　
　Suddenly　a　wash　of　static　cut　across　his　consciousness　and　a　voice　yelled　loudly　in　his　ear。　
　〃…you　out　there？　Scarecrow；　are　you　out　there？　Please　respond！〃　It　was　Romeo。　
　〃What　is　it；　Romeo？〃　
　〃Jesus！　Where　have　you　been？　I've　been　trying　to　get　you　for　the　last　ten　minutes。〃　
　〃I've　been　busy。　What　is　it？〃　
　〃Get　out　of　the　station。　Get　out　of