cc.themediterraneancaper2-第2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！


ext。　It　erupted　in　a　gigantic　roar　of　flames　that　rose　hundreds　of　feet　into　　the　air。
　In　the　tower　the　sergeant　lay　on　the　floor；　looking　dazedly　at　a　red　trail　of　　blood　that　oozed　from　his　chest。　He　gently　pulled　the　black　notebook　from　his　　breast　pocket　and　stared　in　fascinated　surprise　at　a　small。　neat　hole　in　the　　middle　of　the　cover。　A　dark　veil　began　to　circle　his　eyes　and　he　shook　it　off。　　Then　he　struggled　to　his　knees　and　looked　around　the　room。
　Glittering　fragments　of　broken　glass　blanketed　the　floor；　the　radio　equipment；　　the　furniture。　In　the　center　of　the　room；　the　air　conditioner　lay　upside　down'　　like　a　dead　mechanical　animal：　its　legs　thrown　stiffly　in　the　air　and　its　　coolant　trickling　onto　the　floor　from　several　round　punctures。　The　sergeant　dull　　peered　up　at　the　radio。　Miraculously　It　was　untouched。　Painfully；　he　crawled　　across　the　floor　slicing　his　knees　and　hands　on　the　crystal　slivers。　He　reached　　the　microphone　and　grasped　it　tightly；　bloodying　the　black　plastic　handle。
　Darkness　crowded　the　sergeant's　thoughts。　What　is　the　proper　procedure；　he　　wondered？　What　does　one　say　at　a　time　like　this？　Say　something　his　mind　shouted；　　say　anything！
　〃To　all　who　can　hear　my　voice。　MAY　DAY！　MAY　DAY！　This　is　Brady　Field。　We　are　　under　attack　by　an　unidentified　aircraft。　This　is　not　a　drill；　I　repeat；　Brady　　Field　is　under　attack。。。〃
　　　1
　Major　Dirk　Pitt　adjusted　the　headset　on　his　thick　black　hair　and　slowly　turned　the　channel　crank　on　the　radio；　trying　to　fine…tune　the　reception。　He　listened　　intently　for　a　few　moments；　his　dark；　sea…green　eyes　reflecting　a　trace　of　　bewilderment　A　frown　cut　his　forehead　in　a　series　of　grooves　and　hung　there　in　　the　tanned　leathery　skin。
　It　wasn't　that　the　words　crackling　over　the　receiver　weren't　understandable。　They　were。　He　just　didn't　believe　them。　He　listened　again；　and　listened　hard　　over　the　droning　roar　of　the　PBY　Catalina's　twin　engines。　The　voice　he　heard　was　　fading；　when　it　should　have　been　getting　stronger。　The　volume　control　was　turned　　to　full　on；　and；　Brady　Field　was　only　thirty　miles　away。　Under　those　conditions；　　the　air　traffic　operator's　voice　should　have　blasted　Pitt's　eardrums　out。　The　　operator　is　either　losing　power　or　he's　seriously　injured；　thought　Pitt　He　　pondered　a　minute　and　then　reached　over　to　his　right　and　shook　the　sleeping　　figure　in　the　co…pilot's　seat。
　〃e　out　of　it；　sleeping　beauty。〃　He　spoke　in　a　tone　that　was　soft　and　　effortless；　yet　had　a　way　of　making　itself　heard　in　a　throbbing　airplane　or　a　　crowded　room。
　Captain　Al　Giordino　wearily　raised　his　head　and　yawned　loudly。　The　fatigue　of　　sitting　in　an　old　vibrating　PBY　flying　boat　for　thirteen　hours　straight　was　　evident　in　his　dark；　bloodshot　eyes。　He　flung　his　arms　upward；　puffed　out　his　barrel　chest　and　stretched。　Then　he　came　erect　and　leaned　forward；　peering　out　　in　the　distance　beyond　the　cockpit　windows。
　〃Are　we　over　the　First　Attempt　yet？〃　Giordino　mumbled　through　another　yawn。
　〃Almost；〃　replied　Pitt。　〃There's　Thasos　dead　ahead。〃
　〃Oh　hell；〃　Giordino　grunted；　then　grinned。　〃I　could　have　slept　another　ten　　minutes。　Why'd　you　wake　me？〃
　〃I　intercepted　a　message　from　Brady　Control　that　said　the　field　was　under　attack　　by　an　unidentified　aircraft〃
　〃You　can't　be　serious；〃　Giordino　said　incredulously。　〃It　must　be　some　kind　of　a　　joke。〃
　〃No；　I　don't　think　so。　The　control　operator's　voice　didn't　sound　like　it　was　　faking。'　Pitt　hesitated　and　kept　an　eye　on　the　water　only　fifty　feet　away　as　it　　flashed　under　the　PBY's　hull。　Just　for　practice　he　had　wave…hopped　the　last　two　　hundred　miles；　a　means　of　keeping　his　reflexes　honed　and　sharp。
　〃It　might　be　that　Brady　Control　was　telling　the　truth；〃　said　Giordino；　peering　　through　the　cockpit　windshield。　〃Look　over　there　toward　the　eastern　part　of　the　　island。〃
　Both　men　stared　at　the　approaching　mound　rising　out　of　the　sea。　The　beaches　　bordering　the　surf　were　yellow　and　barren；　but　the　round　sloping　hills　were　　green　with　trees。　The　colors　danced　in　the　heat　waves　and　vividly　contrasted　　against　the　encircling　blue　of　the　Aegean。　On　the　eastern　side　of　Thasos　a　large　　pillar　of　smoke　rose　into　the　windless　sky　and　fanned　a　giant；　spiral…shaped；　black　cloud。　The　PBY's　bow　soared　closer　to　the　island；　and　soon　they　could　　distinguish　the　orange　movement　of　flames　at　the　base　of　the　smoke。
　Pitt　grabbed　the　mike　and　pressed　the　button　on　the　side　of　the　handgrip。　〃Brady　Control；　Brady　Control；　this　is　PBY…086；　over。〃　There　was　no　response。
　Pitt　repeated　the　call　twice　more。
　〃No　answer？〃　queried　Giordino。
　〃Nothing；〃　returned　Pitt。
　〃You　said　an　unidentified　aircraft。　I　take　it；　that　means　one？〃
　〃That's　precisely　what　Brady　Control　said　before　they　went　off　the　air。〃
　〃It　doesn't　make　sense。　Why　would　one　plane　attack　a　United　States　Air　Force　Base？〃
　〃Who　knows；〃　Pitt　said；　easing　the　control　column　back　slightly。　〃Maybe　it's　an　irate　Greek　farmer　who's　tired　of　our　jets　scaring　his　goals。　Anyway。　it　can't　be　a　full…scale　attack；　or　Washington　would　have　notified　us　by　now。　We'll　have　to　wait　and　see〃　He　rubbed　his　eyes　and　blinked　away　the　drowsiness。　〃Get　ready；　I'm　going　to　take　her　up；　circle　in　over　those　hills　and　e　down　out　of　the　sun　for　a　closer　look。〃
　〃Take　it　nice　and　easy。〃　Giordino's　eyebrows　came　together　and　he　grinned　a　serious　grin。　〃This　old　bus　is　way　overmatched　if　that's　a　rocket　firing　jet　down　there。〃
　〃Don't　worry；〃　Pitt　laughed。　〃My　main　goal　in　life　is　to　stay　healthy　as　long　as　possible。〃　He　pushed　the　throttles　forward；　and　the　two　Pratt　&　Whitney　Wasp　engines　increased　their　beat。　His　large；　brown　hands　moved　efficiently；　pulling　back　on　the　control　column；　and　the　plane　aimed　its　flat　snout　at　the　sun。　The　big　Catalina　rose　steadily；　gaining　altitude　by　the　second；　and　circled　above　the　Thasos　mountains　in　the　direction　of　the　growing　smoke　cloud。
　Suddenly；　a　voice　broke　in　over　Pitt's　headset。　The　unexpected　sound　nearly　deafened　his　ears　before　he　could　lower　the　volume…the　same　voice　be　heard　before；　but　stronger　this　time。
　〃This　is　Brady　Control　calling。　We　are　under　attack！　I　repeat；　we　are　under　attack！　e　in　anybody；　please　reply！〃　The　voice　was　near　hysteria。
　Pitt　replied；　〃Brady　Control；　this　is　PBY…086。　Over。〃
　〃Thank　God；　someone　answered；〃　the　voice　gasped。
　〃I　tried　to　raise　you　before；　Brady　Control；　but　you　faded　and　went　off　the　air。〃
　〃I　was　hit　in　the　first　attack；　I。。　。　I　must　have　passed　out　I'm　all　right　now。〃　The　words　sounded　broken；　but　coherent
　〃We're　approximately　ten　miles　west　of　you　at　six　thousand　feet。〃　Pitt　spoke　slowly　and　did　not　repeat　his　position。　〃What　is　your　situation？〃
　〃We　have　no　defense。　All　our　aircraft　were　destroyed　on　the　ground。　The　nearest　interceptor　squadron　is　seven　hundred　miles　away。　They'll　never　get　here　in　time。　Can　you　assist？〃
　Pitt　shook　his　head　from　side　to　side　from　habit。　〃Negative　Brady　Control。　My　top　speed　is　under　one　hundred　ninety　knots　and　I　only　have　a　couple　of　rifles　on　board。　We'd　be　wasting　our　time　engaging　a　jet。〃
　〃Please　assist；〃　the　voice　pleaded。　〃Our　attacker　is　not　a　jet　bomber　but　a　World　War　I　biplane。　I　repeat；　our　attacker　is　a　World　War　I　biplane。　Please　assist。〃
　Pitt　and　Giordino　merely　looked　at　each　other；　dumbfounded。　It　was　a　full　ten　seconds　before　Pitt　could　pull　his　senses　back　into　reign。
　〃Okay；　Brady　Control；　we're　ing　in。　But　you'd　better　know　your　aircraft　identification　or　you're　going　to　make　a　pair　of　little　old　silver…haired　mother　damn　sad　if　my　co…pilot　and　I　buy　the　farm。　Over　and　out。〃　Pitt　turned　to　Giordino　and　spoke　quickly　without　facial　expression　his　tone　confident　and　calculating。　〃Go　aft　and　throw　open　the　side　hatches。　Use　one　of　the　carbines　and　make　like　a　sharpshooter。〃
　〃I　can't　believe　what　I'm　hearing；〃　Giordino　said　stunned。
　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃I　can't　quite　accept　it　either；　but　we've　got　to　give　those　guys　down　there　on　the　ground　a　helping　hand。　Now　hurry　it　up。〃
　〃I'll　do　it；〃　Giordino　muttered。　〃But　I　still　don't　believe　it。〃
　〃Yours　is　not　to　reason　why；　my　friend；〃　Pitt　lightly　punched　Giordino　on　the　arm　and　smiled　briefly。
　〃Good　luck。〃
　〃Save　it　for　yourself；　you　bleed　just　as　easil