cc.floodtide-第106部分

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　was　in　full　control；　he　felt　as　if　he　was　falling　into　a　deep　crevasse　with　some　unspeakable　minotaur　rushing　toward　him　out　of　the　depths。　He　could　see　the　giant　ship　now；　more　imagined　than　real；　but　materializing　out　of　the　night；　the　colossal　funnels　looming　ominous　and　threatening。
　There　could　be　no　error　in　judgment。　He　fought　off　an　urge　to　pull　a　toggle　and　veer　off　to　avoid　crashing　into　the　unyielding　superstructure　and　smashing　his　body　to　pulp。　Al；　he　knew　with　dead　certainty；　would　follow　him　without　an　instant's　hesitation　whatever　the　consequence。　He　spoke　into　the　radio　attached　inside　his　helmet。
　
　〃Al？〃
　〃Here。〃
　〃Do　you　see　the　ship？〃
　〃Like　standing　on　railroad　tracks　inside　a　tunnel　watching　an　express　train　e　at　you。〃
　〃She's　slowing　down　through　the　bend。　We'll　get　one　chance　and　one　chance　only　before　she　picks　up　speed　again。〃
　〃Just　in　time　for　the　buffet；　I　hope；〃　he　said；　still　hungry　after　not　eating　since　breakfast。
　〃I'm　going　to　make　a　left　turn　and　land　on　the　open　deck　behind　the　aft　runnel。〃
　〃Right　behind　you；〃　Giordino　said　laconically。　〃Mind　the　ventilators　and　don't　forget　to　step　aside　for　me。〃
　Giordino's　resolution　conveyed　the　loyalty　he　felt　toward　his　best　friend。　That　he　would　have　acpanied　Pitt　into　the　deepest　reaches　of　hell　went　without　saying。　They　acted　as　one；　almost　as　if　each　read　the　other's　mind。　From　now　until　they　came　down　on　the　deck　of　the　United　States；　no　more　conversation　would　pass　between　them。　It　wasn't　necessary。
　
　Not　requiring　power　to　land；　Pitt　and　Giordino　hit　the　kill　switches　to　their　little　motors　to　cut　off　all　sound　of　their　final　approach。　Pitt　set　up　for　his　circular　course　and　firmly　pulled　on　the　left　toggle　in　preparation　for　a　sweeping　hook　turn。　Under　their　canopies；　like　a　pair　of　black　flying　reptiles　out　of　the　Mesozoic　era　about　to　attack　a　galloping　Sphinx；　they　swung　over　the　east　levee　and　then　made　a　tight　corkscrew　turn　toward　the　approaching　ship；　timing　their　descent　to　e　from　astern　for　their　landing；　much　like　a　hobo　running　from　a　field　onto　a　railroad　track　to　catch　the　last　freight　car　of　a　train。
　
　No　gunfire　erupted　from　the　ship。　No　shells　reached　up　and　shredded　their　canopies。　They　were　ing　in　unseen；　undetected　and　unheard　by　the　armed　men　defending　the　ship。　With　the　helicopters　down；　the　Chinese　fighting　force　was　no　longer　focusing　on　what　it　thought　was　an　empty　sky。
　
　As　the　deck　with　its　two　rows　of　low　ventilators　came　into　view　behind　the　huge　funnel；　Pitt　expertly　adjusted　and　buried　both　toggles；　causing　his　canopy　to　stall　as　he　gradually　flared　down　in　the　clear　space　between　the　ventilators。　His　landing　gear…his　legs　and　feet…lightly　touched　down　on　the　surface　of　the　deck　as　his　lifeless　canopy　collapsed　with　the　barest　of　whispers　behind　him。　Not　waiting　to　congratulate　himself　for　landing　uninjured；　he　quickly　pulled　the　canopy　and　caged　motor　off　to　one　side。　Three　seconds　later；　Giordino　dropped　out　of　the　sky　and　made　a　picture…perfect　landing　less　than　six　feet　away。
　〃Is　this　where　one　of　us　is　supposed　to　say；　'So　far；　so　good'？〃　said　Giordino　softly　as　he　released　his　harness　and　engine　pack。
　〃No　gunshot　holes　and　no　broken　bones；〃　Pitt　whispered。　〃Who　could　ask　for　anything　more？〃
　They　moved　into　the　shadow　of　the　funnel　and；　while　Giordino　searched　the　darkness　for　signs　of　life；　Pitt　set　a　new　frequency　on　his　helmet　radio　and　hailed　Rudi　Gunn；　who　was　with　the　sheriff's　deputies　and　a　team　of　Army　demolition　experts　on　the　highway　above　the　Mystic　Canal。
　〃Rudi；　this　is　Pitt。　Do　you　read　me？〃
　Before　a　reply　came　back；　he　stiffened　as　a　blast　from　the　Aserma　Bulldog　intermingled　with　the　staccato　fire　of　an　automatic　rifle。　He　spun　around　and　saw　Giordino　crouched　on　one　knee；　aiming　the　shotgun　at　an　unseen　target　on　the　aft　end　of　the　deck。
　〃The　natives　aren't　at　all　friendly；〃　Giordino　said　with　glacial　calm。　〃One　of　them　must　have　heard　our　motors；　and　came　to　investigate。〃
　〃Rudi；　please　answer；〃　Pitt　said；　an　urgent　tone　in　his　voice。　〃Dammit；　Rudi；　talk　to　me。〃
　〃I　hear　you；　Dirk。〃　Gunn's　voice　came　resonant　and　precise　through　the　earphones　inside　Pitt's　helmet。　〃Are　you　on　the　ship？〃
　Gunn's　words　ended　just　as　Giordino　unleashed　another　two　rounds　from　his　shotgun。　〃It's　getting　a　bit　warm；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　think　we　should　hang　around。〃
　〃On　board；　safe　and　sound　for　the　moment；〃　Pitt　answered　Gunn。
　〃Is　that　gunfire？〃　the　unmistakable　voice　of　Admiral　San…decker　came　over　the　radio。
　〃Al　is　celebrating　the　Fourth　of　July　early。　Did　you　find　and　cut　the　detonators　on　the　explosives？〃
　〃Bad　news　on　this　end；〃　replied　Sandecker　soberly。　〃The　army　used　a　small　charge　to　blow　the　doors　to　the　tunnel　at　the　end　of　the　canal。　We　gained　entrance　and　found　an　empty　chamber。〃
　〃You've　lost　me；　Admiral。〃
　
　〃I　hate　to　be　the　bearer　of　sad　tidings；　but　there　are　no　explosives。　If　Qin　Shang　means　to　blast　a　hole　in　the　levee；　it's　not　anywhere　around　here。〃
　
　THERE　WAS　FAR　MORE　LIGHT　ON　THE　HIGHWAY　LEVEE　ABOVE　the　Mystic　Canal。　Portable　floodlights　and　flashing　red　and　blue　lights　lit　up　the　river　and　surrounding　countryside。　Eight　Army　vehicles　in　their　camouflage　paint　schemes　mingled　with　a　dozen　sheriff's　cars　from　Iberville　Parish。　Highway　barricades　had　north　and　southbound　traffic　backed　up　for　nearly　a　mile。
　
　The　group　of　men　standing　beside　an　Army　mand　vehicle　wore　expressions　of　grave　concern。　Admiral　Sandecker；　Rudi　Gunn；　Sheriff　Louis　Marchand　of　Iberville　Parish　and　General　Olson　looked　like　men　who　had　wandered　into　a　maze　with　no　exit。　General　Olson　was　especially　exasperated。
　〃A　fool's　errand；〃　he　snarled　angrily。　After　being　informed　his　helicopters　were　shot　down　and　a　dozen　of　his　men　feared　dead；　he　no　longer　put　up　a　cocky　front。　〃We　were　sent　on　a　fool's　errand。　All　this　talk　about　blowing　up　the　levee　is　a　myth。　We're　dealing　with　a　gang　of　international　terrorists。　That's　our　real　problem。〃
　〃I'm　forced　to　agree　with　the　general；〃　said　Sheriff　Marchand。　No　redneck；　this　man。　He　was　trim　and　smartly　dressed　in　a　tailored　uniform。　He　was　polished；　urbane　and　extremely　street…smart。　〃The　plan　to　blow　up　the　levee　to　divert　the　river　seems　most　implausible。　The　terrorists　who　stole　the　United　States　have　a　different　goal　in　mind。〃
　〃They　are　not　terrorists　in　the　usual　sense；〃　said　Sandecker。　〃We　know　for　a　fact　who　is　behind　the　operation；　and　they　did　not　steal　the　ship。　This　is　an　incredibly　plex　and　well…financed　operation　to　divert　the　flow　of　the　Mississippi　past　the　port　of　Sungari。〃
　〃Sounds　like　some　kind　of　fantastic　dream；〃　retorted　the　sheriff。
　〃A　nightmare；〃　Sandecker　said　flatly。　He　looked　at　Marchand。　〃What's　been　done　about　evacuating　residents　from　the　Atchafalaya　Valley？〃
　〃Every　sheriff's　department　and　all　military　personnel　are　alerting　the　farms；　towns　and　neighborhoods　to　the　possible　flood　and　ordering　them　to　go　to　higher　ground；〃　replied　the　sheriff。　〃If　there　is　a　threat　to　lives；　we　hope　to　keep　casualties　to　a　minimum。〃
　〃Most　residents　will　never　get　the　word　in　time；〃　Sandecker　said　seriously。　〃When　that　levee　splits　apart；　every　morgue　between　here　and　the　Texas　border　will　be　working　overtime。〃
　〃If　your　conclusion　is　correct；〃　said　Marchand；　〃and　I　pray　to　God　you　and　mander　Gunn　are　wrong；　we're　already　too　late　to　conduct　a　search　for　explosives　up　and　down　the　river　before　the　ship　arrives　some　time　in　the　next　hour…〃
　〃Make　that　fifteen　minutes；〃　interrupted　Sandecker。
　〃The　United　States　will　never　reach　here；〃　Olson　said　emphatically。　He　paused　to　glance　at　his　watch。　〃My　battle　group　of　national　guardsmen　under　the　able　mand　of　Colonel　Bob　Turner；　a　decorated　veteran　of　the　Gulf　War；　should　be　in　place　and　ready　to　fire　from　the　levee　at　point…blank　range　any　minute。〃
　〃You　might　as　well　send　bees　after　a　grizzly　bear；〃　snorted　Sandecker。　〃From　the　time　she　passes　in　front　of　your　fire…power　until　she　passes　out　of　sight　around　the　next　bend　your　men　will　have　no　more　than　eight　or　ten　minutes。　As　a　Navy　man；　I　can　tell　you　that　fifty　guns　won't　stop　a　ship　the　size　of　the　United　States　in　that　length　of　time。〃
　〃Our　high…velocity；