alistairmaclean.seawitch-第42部分

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　a　hunch　Gregsoa　would　like　to　see　you　both。〃
　Mitchell　rose；　turned；　half…staggered　and　clutched　his　right　forearm　inside　the　sling。　Greenshaw　said　sharply：　〃God's　sake；　man；　can't　you　see　he's　ill？〃
　The　man　glanced　at　Greenshaw　for　just　a　second；　but　a　second　was　all　that　Mitchell　required。　The　bullet　from　the　silenced　。38　took　the　gunman　through　the　heart。　Mitchell　peered　through　the　doorway。　There　was　a　fair　degree　of　shadow　there；　no　one　in　sight　and　the　edge　of　the　platform　not　more　than　twenty　feet　away。　A　few　seconds　later　the　dead　man　vanished　over　the　edge。　Mitchell　and　Greenshaw　returned　to　the　main　body　of　the　pany　via　the　sick　bay。　Cronkite　and　Gregson　were　still　in　deep　discussion。　Larsen　stood　some　distance　apart；　apparently　in　a　state　of　profound　dejection。　Greenshaw　approached　him　and　said　quietly：　〃How　do　you　feel？〃
　〃How　would　you　feel　if　you　knew　they　intended　to　kill　us　all？〃
　〃You'll　feel　better　soon。　Round　the　back　of　the　building；　when　you　get　the　chance；　you'll　find　some　hand　grenades　which　should　rest　fortably　inside　that　lumberjacket　of　yours。　You'll　also　find　two　loaded　Schmeissers。　I　have　a　few　grenades　in　my　bag　here。　And　Mitchell　has　his　。38　inside　his　sling。〃
　Larsen　took　care　not　to　show　his　feelings。　He　looked　as　morose　as　ever。　All　he　said　was：　〃Boy；　oh　boy；　oh　boy。〃
　Lord　Worth　was　on　his　feet　now；　supported　by　his　daughter。　Mitchell　joined　them。　〃How　do　you　feel？〃
　Lord　Worth　mouthed　his　words　with　understandable　bitterness。　〃I'm　in　great　shape。〃
　〃You'll　feel　better　soon。〃　He　lowered　his　voice　and　spoke　to　Marina。　〃When　I　give　the　word；　say　you　want　to　go　to　the　ladies'　room。　But　don't　go　there。　Go　to　the　generator　room。　You'll　see　a　red　lever　there　marked　'Deck　Lights。'　Pull　it　down。　After　you　count　twenty；　throw　it　back　on　again。〃
　Cronkite　and　Gregson　appeared　to　have　finished　their　discussion。　From　Cronkite's　smile　it　appeared　that　his　view　had　prevailed。　Lord　Worth；　Marina；　Larsen；　Greenshaw　and　Mitchell　stood　together；　a　forlorn　and　huddled　group。　Facing　them　were　the　ranks　of　Cronkite；　Mul…hooney；　Easton；　and　the　bogus　Colonel　Farqu…harson；　Lieutenant…Colonel　Dewings；　Major　Breckley；　Gregson　and　his　killers；　a　formidable　group　and　armed　to　the　teeth。
　Cronkite　spoke　to　a　man　by　his　side。　〃Check。〃
　The　man　lifted　a　walkie…talkie；　spoke　into　it　and　nodded。　He　said　to　Cronkite：　〃Charges　secured　in　position。〃
　〃Excellent。　Teh1　them　to　go　due　north　for　twenty　miles　and　stay　there。〃　This　was　done。　Unfortunately　for　Cronkite；　his　view　to　the　west　was　blocked　by　the　shattered　building　behind　him　and　he　could　not　see　that　the　Roomer　was　already　proceeding　steadily　to　the　south。
　
　Cronkite　smiled。　〃Well；　Worth；　it's　the　end　of　the　road　for　both　you　and　the　Seawitch。〃　He　dug　into　a　pocket　and　produced　a　black　pear…shaped　metal　container。　〃This　is　a　radioactive　detonating　device。　Note　this　small　switch　here。　It's　supposed　to　be　good　for　sixty　minutes；　but　I　have　already　run　off　ten　minutes　of　it。　Fifty　more　minutes　and　poof：　the　Seawitch；　you；　Worth；　and　everyone　aboard　will　be　vaporized。　Nobody's　going　to　feel　a　thing；　I　assure　you。〃
　〃You　mean　you　intend　to　kill　all　my　innocent　employees　aboard　the　rig？　Cronkite；　you　are　stark　raving　mad。〃
　〃Never　saner。　Can't　have　any　witnesses　left　to　identify　us。　Then　we　destroy　two　of　the　helicopters；　cripple　your　derrick　crane；　smash　your　radio　room　and　take　off　in　the　other　two　helicopters。　You　could；　of　course；　figure　on　jumping　into　the　Gulf；　but　your　chances　of　survival　would　be　about　the　same　as　a　suicide　jumping　off　the　Golden　Gate　Bridge。〃
　Mitchell　nudged　Marina。　She　said　in　a　faint　voice：　〃May　I　go　to　the　ladies'　room？〃
　Cronkite　was　joviality　itself。　〃　'Course。　But　make　it　snappy。〃
　Fifteen　seconds　later　the　deck　lights　went　out。
　In　the　end　it　was　Mitchell；　with　his　extraordinary　capacity　to　see　in　the　dark；　who　ran　round　the　corner　of　the　shattered　building；　retrieved　the　two　Schmeissers…he　didn't　bother　about　the　grenades…returned　and　thrust　one　into　Larsen's　hands。　In　eight　seconds　two　men　with　submachine　guns　can　achieve　an　extraordinary　amount　of　carnage。　Larsen　was　firing　blind　but　Mitchell　could　see　and　pick　out　his　targets。　They　were　helped　in　a　most　haphazard　fashion　by　Dr。　Greenshaw；　who　flung　grenades　at　random；　inflicting　even　more　damage　on　the　already　shattered　building　but　not　actually　injuring　anyone。
　The　lights　came　on　again。
　There　were　still　seven　people　left　alive…Cron…kite；　Mulhooney；　Easton；　Gregson　and　three　of　his　men。　To　those　seven　Mitchell　said：　〃All　right；　drop　your　guns。〃　Shattered　and　stunned　though　the　survivors　were；　they　still　had　enough　wits　left　to　ply　at　once。
　Marina　arrived　back　and　was　promptly　sick　in　a　very　unladylike　fashion。
　Mitchell　put　down　his　Schmeisser　and　advanced　on　Cronkite。　〃Give　me　that　detonating　device。〃
　Cronkite　removed　it　slowly　from　his　pocket　and　lifted　his　arm　preparatory　to　throwing　it　over　the　side。　Whatever　else；　it　would　have　meant　the　destruction　of　the　Seawitch。　Cronkite　screamed　in　agony　as　the　bullet　from　MitchelTs　。38　shattered　his　right　elbow。　Mitchell　caught　the　detonating　device　even　before　it　could　reach　the　deck。
　He　said　to　Larsen：　〃Are　there　two　absolutely　secure　places；　with　no　windows　and　iron　doors；　which　can　be　locked　without　any　possibility　of　opening　them　from　the　inside？〃
　〃Just　two。　Safe　as　Fort　Knox　vaults。　Along　here。〃
　〃Search　these　guys　and　search　them　thoroughly。　Make　sure　they　haven't　even　got　a　penknife。〃
　Larsen　searched。　〃Not　even　a　penknife。〃　He　led　them　to　a　steel…reinforced　cell…like　structure　and　he　and　Mitchell　ushered　them　inside。
　In　spite　of　his　agony；　Cronkite　said：　〃You're　not　going　to　leave　us　in　here；　for　God's　sake！〃
　〃Same　as　you　were　going　to　leave　us。〃　Mitchell　paused；　then　added　soothingly：　〃As　you　said；　you　won't　feel　a　thing。〃　He　closed　the　door；　double…locked　it　and　put　the　key　in　his　pocket。　He　said　to　Larsen：　〃The　other　cell？〃
　〃Along　here。〃
　〃This　is　madness！〃　Lord　Worth's　voice　was　almost　a　shout。　〃The　Seawitch　is　safe　now。　Why　in　God's　name　destroy　it？〃
　Mitchell　ignored　him。　He　glanced　at　the　timing　device　on　the　detonator。　〃Twenty…nine　minutes　to　go。　We'd　better　move。〃　He　placed　the　device　on　the　floor　of　the　cell；　locked　the　door　and　sent　the　key　spinning　far　out　over　the　Gulf。　〃Get　the　men　out　of　the　occidental　buildings；　and　out　of　the　sensory；　radar；　sonar　and　radio　rooms　and　make　sure　that　all　the　helicopter　pilots　are　safe。〃　He　glaaced　at　his　watch。　〃Twenty…five　minutes。〃
　
　Everyone　moved　with　alacrity　except　for　Lord　Worth；　who　merely　stood　with　a　stunned　look　on　his　face。　Larsen　said：　〃Do　we　need　this　mad　rush？〃
　Mitchell　said　mildly：　〃How　do　we　know　that　the　settings　on　that　detonator　are　accurate？〃
　The　mad　rush　redoubled　itself。　Thirteen　minutes　before　the　deadline　the　last　of　the　helicopters　took　off　and　headed　south。　The　first　to　land　on　the　Roomer's　helipad　held　Mitchell；　Larsen；　Lord　Worth　and　his　daughter；　in　addition　to　the　doctor　and　several　rig　men；　while　the　other　helicopters　still　hovered　overhead。　They　were　still　only　about　fourteen　miles　south　of　the　Seawitch；　which　was　as　far　as　the　Roamer　had　succeeded　in　getting。　But　Mitchell　reckoned　the　margin　of　safety　more　than　sufficient。　He　spoke　to　Conde；　who　assured　him　that　every　vessel　and　aircraft　had　been　warned　to　keep　as　far　away　as　possible　from　the　danger　area。
　When　the　Seawitch　blew　up；　dead　on　schedule；　it　did　so　with　a　spectacular　effect　that　would　have　satisfied　even　the　most　ghoulish。　There　was　even　a　miniature　mushroom　cloud　such　as　the　public　had　bee　accustomed　to　in　the　photographs　of　detonating　atom　bombs。　Seventeen　seconds　later；　those　on　the　Roamer　heard　the　thunderclap　of　sound；　and　shortly　afterward　a　series　of　miniature　but　harmless　tidal　waves　rocked　but　did　not　unduly　disturb　the　Roamer。
　
　After　Mitchell　had　told　Conde　to　broadcast　the　news　to　all　aircraft　and　shipping；　he　turned　to　find　a　stony…faced　Marina　confronting　him。
　〃Well；　you've　lost　Daddy　his　Seawitch。　I　do　hope　you're　satisfied　with　yourself。〃
　〃My；　my；　how　bitter　we　are。　Yes；　it's　a　satisfactory　job；　even　if　I　have　to　say　it　myself：　obviously　nobody　else　is　going　to。〃
　〃Why？　Why？　Why？〃