jdavid.footprintsofthunder-第12部分

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ing　clothes。　Kyle　decided　they　were　either　rangers　or　state　police。　Two　other　men　wore　ties。　Kyle　was　introduced　around　to　handshakes　and　〃glad　you're　heres〃　from　everyone　in　the　shed；　ments　that　made　Kyle　apprehensive。　The　two　men　in　ties　turned　out　to　be　FBI　agents；　and　Jenkins；　who　had　wet　armpits；　turned　out　to　be　in　charge。
　〃Glad　you　made　it；　Officer　Kyle。　We've　been　waiting　for　you。　I　understand　you've　had　some　experience　at　this。〃
　〃I'll　do　whatever　I　can。〃　Kyle　tried　to　say　it　like　he　meant　it。
　〃Good。　I　understand　you　finished　top　of　your　class　in　marksmanship　too。〃
　Jenkins　was　referring　to　Kyle's　training　in　special　weapons　and　tactics。　It　had　been　another　opportunity　to　spend　a　couple　of　weeks　with　his　buddies；　drink　beer；　and　end　up　with　a　little　extra　in　his　paycheck。
　Kyle　laughed；　and　then　said；　〃Oh　not　me；　sir。　I　wasn't　at　the　top　of　my　class。〃
　〃Oh；　where　did　you　finish？〃　Jenkins　seemed　concerned。　〃Second；〃　Kyle　said　reluctantly。
　Jenkins　looked　relieved；　and　his　partner　broke　into　a　smile。　〃That　should　be　good　enough；〃　he　said。　〃You're　much　too　modest；　Officer　Kyle。〃
　Kyle　grinned　weakly；　nodded；　and　promised　himself　never　to　take　another　special　training　course　again。
　〃Now　listen　up　everyone；〃　Jenkins　said。　〃Now　that　Officer　Kyle　has　arrived　we　can　get　started。　We　are　going　to　assign　a　few　of　you　to　positions　inside　the　cave。　There　are　only　two　entrances　to　the　cave　where　the　hostages　are　being　held。　Most　of　you　will　be　assigned　to　positions　around　the　main　entrance。　Fortunately；　the　egress　is　actually　quite　narrow　and　you　will　have　a　clear　line　of　fire。　Unfortunately；　if　you　do　fire　you　can't　miss　the　target　or　the　ricochet　could　kill　a　hostage。〃
　〃Won't　a　hollow　point　load　minimize　ricochet？〃　one　of　the　state　policemen　asked。
　〃Minimize；　yes；　eliminate；　no。　There　will　be　no　firing　unless　1　give　the　word；〃
　〃Excuse　me；　Agent　Jenkins；〃　Kyle　interrupted。　He　didn't　like　the　direction　of　the　meeting。　〃I　seem　to　remember　from　my　training　that　the　best　way　to　handle　hostage　situations　is　to　negotiate。　The　best　weapon　in　these　situations　is　time。　Wear　the　criminal　down；　maybe　send　in　some　tainted　food。　I'd　say；　for　the　hostages　sakes；　we　should　give　this　another　day　or　so　before　we　attempt　a　rescue。〃
　Jenkins　stared　at　him　quizzically。
　〃Thanks　for　your　advice；　but　this　situation　is　a　little　different　for　a　couple　of　reasons。　First；　we　are　getting　no　demands。　Every　time　we　attempt　to　negotiate　he　refuses　to　talk。　He　doesn't　seem　to　want　anything　and　has　no　political　agenda　that　we　can　discern。　Second；　the　man　holding　the　hostages　seems　to　have　a　deadline　in　mind。　He　keeps　saying　things　like　'it　will　be　over　soon'　and　'I'll　let　them　go　when　it's　over。'　It's　a　vague　deadline；　apparently　meaningful　only　to　him；　but　he　appears　to　be　getting　more　agitated。　If　he　does　go　off　the　deep　end　。　。　。　well；　I'm　not　waiting　for　that　to　happen。〃
　He　was　staring　at　Kyle　when　he　paused；　so　Kyle　nodded　firmly　with　a　serious　look。　As　expected；　Agent　Jenkins　took　that　as　agreement。
　〃Officer　Kyle；〃　he　continued；　〃we've　got　a　special　job　for　you。〃
　Kyle　felt　like　saying　〃Yippee。〃
　〃These　rangers　here〃…once　again　Jenkins　nodded　toward　the　other　climbers〃tell　me　there　is　another　entrance　to　that　cave。　They　say　that　getting　there　is　not　an　easy　climb。　That's　why　we　waited　for　someone　with　your　experience。　They'll　show　you　the　way。　We'll　give　you　four　hours　to　get　into　position。　Then　we　cut　the　lights　and　you　position　yourself　in　the　cave。　Then　we'll　distract　him　and　you　can　take　him　from　behind。〃
　As　it　turned　out　four　hours　was　barely　enough。　The　other　climbers；　Jay；　Kimberly；　and　Shirley；　were　rangers。　All　were　athletic　and　had　the　weathered　appearance　of　people　who　spent　more　time　outdoors　than　in。　None　looked　older　than　mid…twenties。　Both　Shirley　and　Kimberly　were　somewhere　between　plain　and　pretty。　They　were　both　brunettes；　with　short　hair；　but　Shirley　seemed　more　animated；　and　her　face　had　a　few　laugh　lines。　As　the　leader；　Shirley　directed　Kyle　to　leave　his　kermantle　and　other　gear　in　his　car。　This　was　strictly　a　free　climb。
　They　set　off　through　the　trees　following　a　little…used　hiking　trail。　It　climbed　gradually；　but　steadily。　Kyle　soon　found　himself　breathing　hard　but　tried　to　disguise　it。　After　about　a　mile　they　branched　off　onto　a　barely　discernible　path。　Another　half　mile　through　the　trees；　up　a　rocky　slope；　and　there　they　faced　a　door　in　the　side　of　the　hill；　a　big　wooden　door　painted　institutional　green；　with　a　hasp　and　large　lock。　Shirley　unlocked　the　door　and　led　the　way　in。　Kyle　hesitated。　Standing　there　on　the　side　of　a　mountain；　about　to　enter　the　door　to　the　underworld；　felt　magical；　unreal；　and　unsettling。
　The　trip　inside　the　cave　was　anything　but　magical。　Shirley　and　the　others　were　small　enough　and　lithe　enough　for　spelunking；　but　Kyle　was　built　more　for　digging　tunnels；　not　crawling　through　them。　Twice　he　got　stuck。　Shirley　had　to　pull　on　one　end　and　rangers　Kimberly　and　Jay　pushed　on　the　other。　After　three　hours　of　crawling　on　his　belly；　squeezing　through　rock…strewn　passages；　and　being　pushed　and　pulled　by　his　guides；　Kyle　was　tired；　sore；　and　had　a　new　appreciation　for　toothpaste。
　They　finally　reached　a　chamber　large　enough　to　stand　in。　Shirley；　who　didn't　seem　to　be　winded；　put　her　finger　to　her　lips　and　pointed　up　at　the　ceiling；　where　Kyle　spotted　a　dark　hole。　When　Kyle　shone　his　helmet　light　toward　it；　Shirley　slapped　her　hand　over　it　and　jerked　him　to　one　side。
　〃Careful；　he　might　see　it；〃　she　whispered。　〃You'll　have　to　go　first　from　here。　We'll　follow　you。〃
　〃But　I　don't　know　the　way。　Why　don't　you　lead？〃
　〃You　have　to　go　first。　You've　got　the　gun。　Once　we're　in　the　chimney　we　can't　pass　each　other。　If　you　get　stuck；　you'll　have　to　get　yourself　unstuck。〃
　Kyle　thought　about　offering　Shirley　his　pistol。　He　thought　about　it　seriously。
　〃All　right；〃　he　said　finally；　〃is　it　just　straight　up？〃
　〃You　need　to　shinny　up　the　chimney　about　thirty　feet。　There　you'll　find　a　horizontal　tube　to　follow　for　another　hundred　feet。　Be　quiet；　because　you'll　be　above　the　cave　with　the　hostages。　Don't　worry　about　falling　through　the　opening。　The　light　from　the　cave　below　should　outline　it。〃
　〃When　I　drop　into　the　cave　which　way　is　the　cover？〃
　〃Right　is　closer；〃　Shirley　said。　Then　she　looked　him　up　and　down。　〃But　I　think　we've　got　too　much　man　and　too　little　rock。　You'll　have　to　scrunch　down　pretty　small。　If　you　have　time；　go　left　instead。　There's　some　pretty　good　stalagmites　to　hide　behind　if　you　can　make　it。〃
　Shirley　smiled　at　him　again　and　then　pointed　up　to　the　hole　in　the　roof　of　the　cave。　It　was　smooth　on　the　inside；　and　he　had　to　stand　on　his　tiptoes　to　feel　a　rock　ledge。　He　was　too　stretched　out　to　get　any　lift　out　of　his　legs；　so　he　pulled　himself　up　with　his　arms　and　then　jammed　his　elbows　over　the　ledge　to　hold　himself。　As　he　started　kicking　his　legs；　he　realized　he　must　look　silly　to　Shirley。　Then　he　felt　hands　on　his　rear　shoving　him　up　into　the　cave　until　he　had　his　legs　wedged　into　the　opening。　Then　one　of　the　hands　came　back　and　patted　his　bottom。　He　hoped　the　hand　had　been　Shirley's　or　Kimberly's　and　not　Jay's。
　He　put　his　back　against　the　wall　and　his　knees　against　the　edge　and　began　to　inch　his　way　up；　first　pushing　his　back　up　and　then　his　knees。　The　little　light　from　the　helmets　of　the　rangers　faded　as　each　entered　the　chimney。　It　was　perfectly　dark；　Kyle　thought；　if　you　can　use　the　word　perfect　to　describe　a　condition　where　your　most　valuable　sense　is　useless。　The　chimney　widened　and　Kyle　had　to　use　more　leg　strength。　He　wanted　to　slow　his　ascent；　but　every　time　he　did　he　was　bumped　by　the　energetic　climber　below　him。
　He　nearly　fell　out　of　the　chimney　when　he　reached　the　horizontal　tube。　He　inched　up　with　his　legs；　and　when　he　brought　his　back　up　he　flopped　inside。　Kyle　managed　to　roll　over　and　began　inching　his　way　along　the　tube。　His　eyes；　perfectly　dark　adapted；　could　see　light　up　ahead。　As　he　approached　the　opening　to　the　cave　below　he　slowed　his　pace。　He　could　feel　the　climber　behind　bumping　into　his　feet；　and　he　reached　the　opening　with　fifteen　minutes　to　spare。
　Someone　tugged　on　his　pant　leg　and　then　whispered　into　his　shoes。　It　was