atlantis.found-第110部分

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；　and　planning　to　destroy　the　world　so　they　could　make　it　over　into　their　image。〃
　　　　　〃Too　bad　we　haven't　the　time　to　explore　the　place。〃
　　　　　〃There's　nothing　I'd　like　better　than　to　take　the　grand　tour；〃　said　Pitt；　shaking　off　his　captivation；　〃but　we　have　twenty…five　minutes　or　less　to　find　the　control　center。〃
　　　　　Wishing　they　could　linger；　Pitt　and　Giordino　reluctantly　turned　their　backs　on　the　great　edifice　and　hurried　back　to　the　square　and　climbed　into　the　Snow　Cruiser。　Still　following　the　tracks　left　by　a　Sno…cat；　Pitt　steered　the　big　cruiser　through　the　heart　of　the　haunting　ghost　city　and　rolled　it　into　a　tunnel　beyond　the　mausoleum　of　the　Amenes。　Pitt　drove　less　cautiously　the　closer　they　came　to　the　mining　pound；　while　Giordino　crouched　below　the　instrument　panel　with　his　Bushmaster　sticking　through　the　shattered　middle　windshield。
　　　　　Almost　a　mile　deeper　into　the　tunnel；　they　rounded　a　bend　and　found　themselves　confronted　with　an　electric　auto　ing　in　the　opposite　direction。　The　three　startled　security　guards　in　the　other　vehicle；　easily　recognizable　in　their　black　uniforms；　stared　incredulously　at　the　monster　bearing　down　on　them。　The　driver　panicked　and　slammed　on　his　brakes；　skidding　across　the　ice　floor　of　the　tunnel　without　reducing　his　speed　in　the　slightest。　The　other　two　guards　had　a　higher　regard　for　self…preservation　and　leaped　from　the　auto　in　a　futile　attempt　at　prolonging　their　lives。
　　　　　There　was　a　series　of　shrill　screeches　from　shredding　and　grinding　metal　as　the　Snow　Cruiser　smashed　into　the　electric　auto　and　rolled　over　it　as　though　it　were　a　tricycle　mashed　by　a　garbage　truck。　The　driver　disappeared；　along　with　his　crumpled　vehicle；　under　the　Cruiser；　while　the　other　two　guards　were　crushed　against　the　ice　walls　of　the　tunnel　by　the　great　tires。　As　Pitt　stared　back　in　his　side…view　mirror；　he　saw　only　a　pile　of　twisted　junk　sitting　flattened　on　the　floor　of　the　tunnel。
　　　　　Giordino　twisted　around　in　his　seat　and　stared　back　through　the　slanted　rear　window　of　the　control　cab。　〃I　hope　you　paid　your　insurance　premiums。〃
　　　　　〃Only　liability　and　property　damage。　I　never　take　out　collision。〃
　　　　　〃You　should　reconsider。〃
　　　　　Another　two　hundred　yards　through　the　tunnel；　groups　of　workers　in　red　coveralls　were　moving　wooden　crates　onto　a　train　of　flatbed　cars　that　were　connected　to　a　large　Sno…cat。　Forklifts　were　transporting　the　crates　past　a　thick　silver　steel　door　whose　mounting　bolts　led　deep　into　the　ice。　The　massive　door　looked　like　the　types　that　were　used　in　banks　to　safeguard　the　contents　of　their　vaults。　A　short　entryway　through　the　ice　led　into　a　spacious　cavern。
　　　　　Two　security　guards　stood　stunned　at　the　sight　of　the　gargantuan　Snow　Cruiser；　plunging　from　what　should　have　been　an　abandoned　tunnel。　They　stood　transfixed　in　the　glare　of　the　headlights。　Only　when　Giordino　fired　a　short　burst　from　his　Bushmaster　through　the　broken　windshield　into　the　forklift　did　workers　and　security　guards　e　alive　and　scramble　back　into　the　cavern　to　save　themselves　from　being　mashed　by　the　mechanical　avalanche　bearing　down　on　them。
　　　　　〃The　door！〃　Pitt　shouted；　slamming　on　the　brakes。
　　　　　Giordino　did　not　acknowledge　or　question。　Almost　as　if　he'd　read　Pitt's　mind；　he　leaped　from　the　Snow　Cruiser　and　ran　to　the　steel　door；　as　Pitt　squeezed　off　several　rounds　from　his　Colt　。45　through　the　doorway　to　the　cavern　to　cover　him。　Giordino　was　surprised　by　the　light　touch　it　took　to　push　the　door　closed。　He'd　expected　to　exert　every　ounce　of　strength　in　his　body；　but　the　heavy　steel　door　swung　as　easily　as　if　it　hung　in　air。　Once　it　clicked　against　its　stops；　he　turned　the　locking　wheel　until　the　bars　slid　into　their　sockets；　sealing　it　closed。　Then　he　found　a　chain　on　the　forklift　and　wrapped　it　around　the　wheel；　securing　the　end　to　a　wheel　of　a　flatbed　car　loaded　with　crates；　until　it　was　impossible　to　turn　from　the　inside。　Now　the　Wolf　security　guards　and　workers　were　effectively　imprisoned　without　any　prospect　of　a　quick　escape。
　　　　　〃I　wonder　what's　inside　the　crates？〃　Giordino　said；　as　he　climbed　back　into　the　control　cab。
　　　　　〃Artifacts　from　the　city　of　the　Amenes；　I'd　guess。〃　Pitt　ran　the　Snow　Cruiser　through　the　gears　until　he　had　regained　top　speed　again。　An　angel　perched　on　the　roof　of　the　cab　might　have　helped　them　this　far　on　their　wild　passage；　but　they　still　had　a　long　way　to　go。　True；　surprise　was　theirs；　but　it　seemed　remarkable　that　they　had　e　this　far　without　a　shot　being　fired　at　them；　a　situation　that　could　quickly　change；　Pitt　well　knew。　The　powers　of　their　angel　had　her　limits；　assuming　that　it　was　a　she。　Events　had　been　met　and　overtaken。　Once　the　Snow　Cruiser　burst　out　into　the　open；　it　would　be　a　different　story。　Every　gun　in　the　pound　would　train　on　it。
　　　　　At　a　wide　bend　in　the　tunnel；　they　suddenly　burst　out　into　the　almost　measureless　hangar　housing　the　Destiny　Enterprises　jet　aircraft。　Without　lifting　his　foot　from　the　gas　pedal；　Pitt　quickly　surveyed　the　two　Airbus　A340…300　passenger　and　cargo　planes　parked　in　the　center　of　the　hangar。　A　Sno…cat　with　a　train　of　flatbed　cars　was　stretched　beneath　the　cargo　door　of　the　first　aircraft；　the　familiar　wooden　crates　riding　up　inside　the　fuselage　on　a　conveyor　belt。　Wolf　Enterprise　engineers　and　workers　were　climbing　boarding　steps　at　the　other　plane　for　the　trip　to　the　giant　superships。　Sitting　off　to　one　side　was　a　sleek　executive　jet　that　was　in　the　process　of　being　refueled。
　　　　　Pitt　relaxed　slightly　at　seeing　no　security　guards。　〃What　have　we　here？〃
　　　　　〃Ah…ha！〃　Giordino　tensed；　seeing　Pitt's　leg　stiffen　as　if　he　were　trying　to　push　the　accelerator　pedal　through　the　floorboard。　He　raised　a　prudent　eye　over　the　instrument　panel　and　groaned　softly。　〃Are　you　going　to　do　what　I　think　you're　going　to　do？〃
　　　　　〃Once　you　drive　in　a　demolition　derby；〃　said　Pitt；　with　a　diabolical　gleam　in　his　eyes；　〃you　never　get　it　out　of　your　blood。〃
　　　　　The　reaction　from　everyone　in　the　hangar　at　seeing　the　Snow　Cruiser　appear　out　of　nowhere　was　the　same　as　that　of　the　others　who　had　confronted　it　in　the　tunnel　earlier。　They　all　froze　in　pure　astonishment；　the　expressions　on　their　faces　quickly　turning　to　inprehension　and　cold　fear　at　seeing　a　red　mechanical　demon　incarnate　burst　out　of　nowhere。
　　　　　Pitt　took　less　than　three　seconds　to　assess　his　route　of　destruction。　It　took　the　same　amount　of　time　for　all　to　realize　that　his　intentions　were　unmistakable。　With　a　mind…set　two　notches　beyond　tenacious；　he　set　a　course　across　the　ice　floor　of　the　hangar；　as　straight　as　the　crow　flies；　toward　the　first　Airbus。　The　aircraft　sat　high　off　the　ground；　but　not　high　enough　for　the　side　fenders　of　the　Snow　Cruiser。　The　right　front　panel　immediately　below　the　side　windows　of　the　control　cabin　caught　the　aircraft　eight　feet　inside　the　aft　section　of　the　port　wing；　crushing　the　ailerons　and　shredding　the　wingtip。
　　　　　The　cargo　loaders　and　aircraft　maintenance　crew　were　galvanized　into　action　and　flung　themselves　clear　as　the　leviathan　struck　the　aircraft；　pivoting　it　around　at　a　ninety…degree　angle　as　the　tires　on　the　landing　gear　skidded　over　the　ice。　They　sprawled；　desperately　slipping　and　scrambling　to　get　as　far　away　as　possible　from　the　thundering　titan　gone　mad。　The　only　sounds　they　identified　were　the　engines　racing　through　the　gear　changes。　Nothing　else　about　the　giant　machine　looked　remotely　familiar。　But　they　briefly　glimpsed　the　face　of　a　heavily　bandaged　Pitt　twisting　the　steering　wheel　back　and　forth；　and　Giordino　pointing　his　Bushmaster　menacingly　out　the　side　window。　They'd　seen　more　than　enough　to　call　for　security　guards；　but　their　frantic　appeal　came　much　too　late　to　stop　the　destruction。
　　　　　The　Snow　Cruiser　ripped　into　the　outer　wing　of　the　second　Airbus。　This　time　Pitt　cut　too　far　inside　the　wing。　In　a　horrible　screeching　sound；　the　devastated　wing　jackknifed　around　the　front　end　of　the　Snow　Cruiser　tire　and　hung　there。　Pitt　crammed　the　gearshift　into　reverse　and　jammed　down　the　gas　pedal。　The　Cruiser　backed　up；　pulling　the　aircraft　with　it。　Pitt　wrenched　the　steering　wheel　as　far　as　it　could　go；　desperately　attempting　to　shake　free　from　the　aircraft；　but　the　tangled　wreckage　held；　and　the　Crui