cc.fireice-第38部分

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s　than　ocean　scientists。
　
　〃I　didn't　know　NUMA　had　its　own　SWAT　team；〃　he　said　with　wonder。
　
　〃We　don't。　Are　you　okay？〃
　〃I　feel　as　if　I've　been　run　over　by　a　bulldozer；　but　other　than　that　I'm　fine；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　neck　where　the　saber　had　whacked　him。　〃I　won't　be　wearing　a　tie　for　a　while。　This　may　sound　like　a　dumb　question；　Mr。　Austin；　but　what　are　you　and　your　friend　doing　here？〃
　〃Your　turn　first。　Last　I　heard；　your　sub　was　diving　for　relics　on　the　bottom　of　the　Aegean。〃
　
　The　young　man's　shoulders　sagged　slightly。　〃It's　a　long　story；〃　he　said；　with　weariness。
　
　〃We　don't　have　much　time。　See　if　you　can　tell　me　what　happened　in　thirty　seconds。〃
　
　Kreisman　chuckled　at　Austin's　audacity。　〃I'll　do　my　best。〃
　
　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　delivered　a　condensed　version　of　events。
　
　〃A　guest　scientist　we　had　on　board；　a　guy　named　Pulaski；　pulled　a　gun　on　us　and　hijacked　the　NR…1。　We　were　transported　on　the　back　of　a　giant　submarine。　This　whole　thing　is　so　unbelievable。〃　He　paused；　expecting　a　skeptical　reaction。　Seeing　none　in　Austin's　attentive　eyes；　he　continued。　〃They　transferred　the　crew　to　a　salvage　ship。　They　made　us　work　on　an　old　sunken　freighter。　Tricky　retrieval　stuff　using　the　manipulators。　Then　the　big　sub　brought　us　here。　They　kept　the　captain　and　pilot　with　the　NR…1。　We　were　held　prisoner　underground。　When　they　brought　us　up　today；　we　thought　we　were　going　back　to　the　NR…1。　Instead　they　herded　us　onto　that　field。　The　guards　who'd　been　watching　us　disappeared；　and　those　cowboys　with　the　fur　hats　started　trying　to　break　us　up。〃　He　rubbed　his　neck　again。　〃Who　are　those　SOBs？〃
　
　Zavala　was　signaling　to　Austin。　〃Sorry；〃　he　said。　〃Our　thirty　seconds　appears　to　be　up。〃
　
　He　went　to　the　window；　and　Zavala　handed　him　the　binoculars。　〃The　members　of　the　polo　club　are　having　an　argument；〃　he　said　lazily。
　
　Austin　peered　through　the　binoculars　at　the　Cossacks；　who　were　still　gathered　in　the　field。　Some　riders　had　dismounted　and　were　waving　their　arms　in　the　air。
　
　Lowering　the　glasses；　Austin　said；　〃They　could　be　exchanging　borscht　recipes；　but　my　guess　is　that　they're　adding　our　names　to　the　guest　list　for　a　slice…and…dice　party。〃
　
　Zavala　looked　as　if　he　had　a　stomachache。　〃You　have　a　way　with　words。　How　can　we　decline　the　invitation　without　hurting　their　feelings？〃
　
　Scratching　his　chin　in　thought；　Austin　said；　〃We've　got　a　couple　of　options。　We　can　run　for　the　beach　and　swim　out　to　sea；　hoping　our　fur…hatted　friends　won't　have　settled　their　differences。　Or　we　can　hole　up　below。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　see　the　same　problems　I　do；〃　Zavala　said。　〃If　they　catch　us　in　the　open；　we're　sitting　ducks。　If　we　go　back　down　to　the　sub　pen；　we've　only　got　dive　gear　for　two　people。〃　Austin　nodded。　〃I　suggest　that　we　go　with　a　double。　You　and　the　crew　run　for　the　beach。　I'll　stay　here；　and　if　the　riders　move　in　I'll　draw　them　into　the　sub　base；　where　they'll　be　at　a　disadvantage　on　foot。　I'll　escape　the　way　we　came。　Like　a　fish　slipping　through　a　hole　in　a　net。〃
　〃Your　chances　would　be　better　if　we　were　watching　each　other's　back。〃
　〃Someone　has　to　cover　for　the　sub　crew。　They　look　pretty　beat…up。〃
　
　Ensign　Kreisman　had　edged　closer。　〃Excuse　me　for　eavesdropping。　I　went　through　SEAL　training　when　I　joined　the　navy。　I　washed　out；　but　I　still　know　the　drill。　I　can　take　the　men　out　of　here。〃
　
　Austin　sized　up　the　determined　set　of　Kreisman's　jaw　and　decided　he　would　be　wasting　time　arguing　with　the　young　navy　man。　〃Okay；　it's　your　show。　Run　for　the　beach　and　start　swimming。　A　fishing　boat　will　pick　you　up。　We'll　stay　here　and　cover　you　as　long　as　we　can。　I'd　urge　you　to　get　going。　Joe　will　ride　shotgun　part　of　the　way。〃
　
　If　the　ensign　wondered　how　Austin　had　arranged　for　an　at…sea　pickup；　he　didn't　show　it。　He　snapped　his　arm　in　a　crisp　salute　and　rounded　up　his　rades。　Then　they　climbed　out　of　the　back　of　the　warehouse　through　a　window。　While　Zavala　escorted　the　crew　to　the　beach；　Austin　kept　watch。　The　Cossacks　still　seemed　disorganized。　He　got　on　his　hand　radio　and　called　Captain　Kemal。
　
　〃You　are　all　right？〃　the　captain　said。　〃We　heard　guns　shooting。〃
　〃We're　okay。　Please　listen　carefully；　Captain。　In　a　few　minutes；　you　will　see　men　swimming　out　to　sea。　Go　in　as　close　to　the　beach　as　you　safely　can　and　pick　them　up。〃
　〃What　about　you　and　Joe？〃
　〃We'll　e　out　the　way　we　went　in。　Anchor　offshore　and　watch　for　us。〃　He　clicked　off。　Something　had　caught　his　eye。
　
　Austin　was　outside　the　warehouse　when　Zavala　returned　a　few　minutes　later。　〃I　went　as　far　as　the　dune。　They　should　be　in　the　water　by　now。〃
　〃Kemal's　been　alerted　for　a　pickup。〃　He　pointed　to　the　sky；　where　the　sun　glinted　off　metal。　〃What　do　you　make　of　that？〃　The　object　grew　from　a　pinpoint　to　the　size　of　a　flying　insect；　and　they　could　hear　the　beat　of　rotors。
　
　〃You　didn't　tell　me　the　Cossacks　had　an　air　force。〃
　
　Austin　peered　through　his　binoculars　at　the　helicopter　speeding　their　way。　〃Oh　hell　…　〃　Lombardo　hung　out　of　the　open　door　holding　a　video　camera。　〃That　sawed…off　little　idiot。〃
　
　As　Zavala　took　the　glasses　for　his　own　look；　the　helicopter　spun　around　so　that　the　other　side　came　into　view。　He　studied　the　figure　in　the　doorway；　then　lowered　the　glasses　and　gave　Austin　a　strange　look。
　
　〃You　need　your　eyes　examined；　my　friend。〃　He　handed　the　binoculars　back。
　
　This　time　when　Austin　looked；　he　swore　even　more　loudly。　Kaela's　dusky　face；　framed　by　windblown　dark　hair；　was　clearly　visible。　The　helicopter　was　practically　over　the　field。　Chastened　by　their　earlier　encounter；　the　TV　crew　must　have　instructed　the　pilot　to　stay　a　prudent　distance　from　the　ground。　They　couldn't　have　known　that　the　horsemen　had　substituted　modern　automatic　weapons　for　their　antique　rifles。　The　Cossacks　saw　the　helicopter　and　lost　no　time　targeting　the　aircraft　in　a　withering　fire。　Within　seconds；　the　engine　began　to　throw　off　oily　dark　smoke。　The　helicopter　shuddered　like　a　bird　buffeted　in　a　strong　wind；　then　it　dropped　from　the　sky。
　
　The　rotors　had　slowed　to　a　point　where　individual　blades　were　visible；　but　the　spin　was　enough　to　create　a　parachute　effect。　The　chopper　came　down　like　a　falling　leaf。　The　impact　with　the　ground　was　hard　enough　to　crumple　the　landing　gear；　but　the　fuselage　remained　intact。　Seconds　after　the　helicopter　hit；　Kaela；　Lombardo；　Dundee　and　another　man　spilled　out　like　dice　from　a　shaker。
　
　The　Cossacks　saw　the　stunned　crew　and　pilot；　and　their　frustration　and　anger　erupted　like　a　long…dormant　volcano。　They　swung　into　their　saddles　and　charged　down　on　the　hapless　foursome　at　a　mad　gallop。　Austin's　blood　went　cold。
　
　The　Cossacks　were　seconds　away　from　their　targets。　There　was　no　time　to　save　the　crew。　He　sprinted　toward　them　anyhow；　pistol　in　hand。　He　was　still　a　hundred　yards　away　when　the　Cossacks　started　to　pop　out　of　their　saddles　like　grain　being　harvested　by　a　giant；　invisible　scythe。
　
　The　charge　that　seemed　so　inevitable　faltered；　fell　apart；　then　stopped　pletely。　The　horsemen　milled　around　in　confusion。　More　Cossacks　dropped　from　their　saddles。
　
　Austin　saw　movement　at　the　edge　of　the　woods　bordering　the　field。　Men　clad　in　black　uniforms　were　emerging　from　the　trees。　They　advanced　slowly　and　deliberately　toward　the　horsemen；　weapons　at　their　shoulders；　firing　as　they　walked。　Seeing　themselves　overmatched；　the　Cossacks　rode　off　in　panic　toward　the　distant　woods。
　
　The　men　in　black　moved　relentlessly　after　the　retreating　horsemen。　Except　for　one。　He　broke　off　from　the　others　and　came　toward　where　Austin　and　Zavala　stood。　He　was　limping；　Austin　noticed。　As　the　man　drew　closer；　Zavala　automatically　raised　his　gun。　Austin　put　his　hand　on　the　barrel　and　gently　pushed　the　weapon　down。
　
　Petrov　stopped　a　few　yards　away。　The　pale　scar　on　his　face　stood　out　in　vivid　relief　against　his　sunburned　skin。　〃Hello；　Mr。　Austin。　A　pleasure　to　see　you　again。〃
　〃Hello；　Ivan。　You　have　no　idea　how　nice　it　is　to　see　you。〃
　〃I　think　I　do；〃　Petrov　said；　with　a　careless　laugh。　〃You　and　your　friend　must　join　me　for　a　shot　of　vodka。　We　can　talk　about　old　times　and　new　beginnings。〃
　
　Austin　turned　to　Zavala　and　nodded。　With　Petrov