atlantis.found-第111部分

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　desperately　attempting　to　shake　free　from　the　aircraft；　but　the　tangled　wreckage　held；　and　the　Cruiser's　mammoth　tires　began　to　lose　their　grip　on　the　ice　and　spin　uselessly。
　　　　　Pitt　threw　the　Snow　Cruiser　into　forward　and　then　reverse；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　rock　a　car　mired　in　mud。　Finally；　after　a　series　of　vicious　metallic　shrieks；　the　wing　released　its　grip　and　dropped　awkwardly；　its　wingtip　touching　the　ice　and　looking　like　a　piece　of　torn　and　tangled　aluminum　with　a　reservation　at　the　scrap　yard。　Then；　without　flinching　or　betraying　the　slightest　expression　of　emotion；　Pitt　pitched　the　Snow　Cruiser　in　the　direction　of　the　executive　jet。
　　　　　〃You　don't　screw　around；　do　you？〃　Giordino　said　in　resigned　amusement。
　　　　　〃Listen！〃　Pitt　snarled。　〃If　this　scum　fixed　it　for　an　apocalypse　to　strike　the　world；　they　can　damn　well　stay　here　and　suffer　along　with　everyone　else。〃
　　　　　The　words　were　hardly　out　of　his　mouth　when　the　battered　Snow　Cruiser　pulverized　the　tail　assembly　of　the　Wolfs'　private　jet　that　sat　much　lower　to　the　ground　than　the　much　larger　aircraft。　No　contest　this　time；　the　Snow　Cruiser　ripped　off　the　vertical　and　horizontal　stabilizers　as　if　they　were　a　balsawood　tail　on　a　model　airplane。　Its　fuselage　effectively　sliced　into　two　parts；　the　executive　jet　collapsed　disjointedly；　the　wings　and　bow　pointing　upward　as　if　in　a　takeoff　mode。
　　　　　Giordino　shook　his　head　in　wonder　and　said　admiringly；　〃You'll　never　get　invited　back　if　you　leave　a　mess　everywhere　you　go。〃
　　　　　Pitt　turned　to　Giordino；　a　smile　as　wide　as　the　horizon　on　his　face。　〃Time　sure　flies　when　you're　having　fun。〃
　　　　　Pitt　looked　up　and　saw　a　Sno…cat　suddenly　appear　in　the　cracked　and　broken　remains　of　the　rearview　mirror。　He　wasn't　overly　concerned；　at　least　not　yet。　The　Snow　Cruiser；　he　estimated；　was　probably　five　miles　an　hour　or　more　faster。
　　　　　He　threw　the　big　Cruiser　through　the　tunnel；　striking　and　skidding　off　the　ice　walls　in　a　daring　attempt　to　inch　ahead　of　the　security　guards　in　the　Sno…cat。　He　careened　through　the　bends；　temporarily　out　of　the　line　of　fire；　gaining　time　and　widening　the　gap　until　the　Sno…cat　no　longer　came　into　view。
　　　　　〃You've　lost　them；〃　said　Giordino；　brushing　the　shattered　glass　from　the　rear　window　off　his　shoulders　as　calmly　as　if　it　were　dandruff。
　　　　　〃Not　for　long；〃　said　Pitt　patiently。　〃Once　we　break　into　the　open；　we'll　be　fair　game。〃
　　　　　Four　minutes　later；　they　cleared　the　final　bend　in　the　tunnel；　running　past　equipment　that　had　been　abandoned　and　doors　leading　into　empty　storerooms；　and　two　minutes　after　that；　the　Snow　Cruiser　roared　free　under　a　blue　sky；　exiting　less　than　half　a　mile　from　the　center　of　the　main　pound。
　　　　　At　long　last　they　reached　their　destination　and　had　their　view　of　the　mining　facility　for　the　first　time。　They　had　exited　the　tunnel　at　one　end　of　the　pound。　Unlike　most　ice　stations；　which　were　mostly　buried　under　snow　and　ice；　the　Wolfs　had　kept　the　buildings　and　roads　running　between　them　swept　clean　and　clear。　The　smaller　buildings　stood　in　circular　fashion　around　the　two　main　structures　prising　the　extraction　plant　and　the　control　center。
　　　　　The　thunder　of　gunfire　abruptly　tore　the　chilling　air；　as　flames　clawed　upward　from　several　buildings；　with　black　smoke　rolling　high　into　the　sky　before　flattening　under　an　inversion　layer。　Explosions　sent　debris　flying　into　the　air；　accented　with　bursts　from　automatic　weapons。　Bodies　could　be　seen　sprawled　in　the　streets；　bloodied　red　and　grotesque　in　the　snow；　two　black　uniforms　for　every　one　in　white　camouflage　fatigues。
　　　　　〃It　would　appear；〃　Pitt　said　grimly；　〃the　party　has　started　without　us。〃
　
　　　　　Despite　the　long；　hard　training；　and　the　bravery　and　dedication　of　Team　Apocalypse　in　attempting　to　stop　the　cataclysm；　the　mission　was　about　to　collapse。　They　were　taking　hits　and　falling　wounded　and　dead　for　nothing。　They　had　not　achieved　one　fragment　of　advantage。　Disaster　was　piling　on　disaster；　when　Cleary's　worst　fears　were　realized。　Jacobs's　SEALS；　unable　to　strike　the　flank　of　the　barricade；　were　inexorably　driven　into　the　same　perimeter　along　with　the　other　teams。　The　trap　was　plete。　Every　hole　was　plugged。　The　entire　assault　force　was　boxed　in　with　no　way　out。
　　　　　Grenade　shrapnel　slashed　Cleary's　chin　and　a　bullet　struck　him　in　the　hand。　Of　his　officers；　Sharpsburg　was　down　with　wounds　in　an　arm　and　shoulder。　Garnet　was　coughing　blood　from　a　hit　in　the　throat。　Only　Jacobs　was　still　unscathed；　as　he　shouted　encouragement　to　the　men　and　directed　their　fire。
　　　　　Then；　unexpectedly；　the　security　guards　ceased　firing。　The　Special　Forces　maintained　a　ragged　counterfire　until　Cleary　ordered　them　to　stop　all　action；　wondering　what　card　the　Wolfs　were　about　to　play　next。
　　　　　A　voice；　distinct　and　refined；　came　over　loudspeakers　on　the　buildings　around　the　facility；　echoing　up　and　down　the　roads　a　voice　whose　message　was　relayed　to　Washington　through　the　microphones　worn　by　the　special　force。
　　　　　〃Please　give　me　your　attention。　This　is　Karl　Wolf。　I　send　greetings　to　the　American　assault　teams　who　are　attempting　to　infiltrate　the　Destiny　Enterprises　mining　facility。　You　must　know　by　now　that　you　are　heavily　outnumbered；　surrounded；　and　entrapped　with　no　means　of　escape。　Further　bloodshed　is　pointless。　I　advise　you　to　disengage　and　retire　back　to　the　ice　shelf；　where　you　can　be　evacuated　by　your　own　people。　You　will　be　allowed　to　carry　your　dead　and　wounded　with　you。　If　you　do　not　ply　in　the　next　sixty　seconds；　you　will　all　die。　The　choice　is　yours。〃
　　　　　The　message　came　as　a　jolt。
　　　　　Cleary　refused　to　accept　inevitable　defeat。　He　stared　helplessly　at　the　huddled　and　bullet…torn　corpses　of　the　dead　and　the　bleeding　bodies　of　the　wounded。　The　eyes　of　those　ready　and　able　to　fight　on　still　reflected　fearlessness　and　tenacity。　They　had　fought　savagely；　bled；　and　died。　They　had　given　all　that　was　humanly　possible。　But　they　could　do　no　more　than　go　down　fighting；　a　last　stand；　unknown　and　unmourned。
　　　　　The　redoubtable　Cleary　by　now　had　only　twenty…six　men　in　fighting　condition　left　out　of　the　original　sixty…five　who　had　parachuted　from　the　C…17。　They　were　assailed　from　the　front　and　scourged　from　the　rear　by　the　remaining　armored　Sno…cats。　He　fought　off　a　venomous　pessimism　and　a　bitterness　he'd　never　known　before。　It　seemed　hopeless　to　mount　another　assault；　but　he　was　determined　to　make　one　more　try。　To　push　forward　would　amount　to　nothing　more　than　a　suicide　charge。　And　yet　there　was　no　thought　of　disengaging。　Every　man　knew　that　if　they　didn't　die　here　and　now；　they　would　certainly　die　when　the　Earth　went　mad。　With　deep　misgivings；　Cleary　regrouped　what　was　left　of　his　mand　for　a　final　assault　on　the　control　center。
　　　　　Then；　in　the　silence　of　the　temporary　ceasefire；　he　heard　what　sounded　like　a　car　horn　blaring　in　the　distance。　Soon　it　became　louder；　and　every　head　on　the　battlefield　turned　and　stared；　mystified。
　　　　　And　then　the　thing　was　upon　them。
　
　　　　　〃What　is　happening？〃　Loren　burst　over　the　murmur　of　male　voices　at　hearing　the　vocal　burst　of　confusion　over　the　speakers。
　　　　　Everyone　in　the　war　rooms　of　the　Pentagon　and　White　House　automatically　glanced　up　at　the　monitors　displaying　static　photos　of　the　facility。　For　long；　disbelieving　moments；　everyone　sat　in　open　amazement；　listening　spellbound　to　what　they　heard　through　the　munications　speakers。
　　　　　〃My　God！〃　Admiral　Eldridge　uttered　in　a　stunned　croak。
　　　　　〃What　in　the　devil　is　going　on　down　there？〃　demanded　the　President。
　　　　　〃I　have　no　idea；　Mr。　President；〃　muttered　General　South；　unable　to　prehend　the　chaotic　words　of　the　Special　Forces　teams；　who　all　seemed　to　be　shouting　at　once。　〃I　have　no　idea；〃　he　repeated　vaguely。
　
　　　　　Something　totally　macabre　was　happening　on　the　battle　site　of　the　mining　facility。　The　men　of　the　Special　Forces　team；　as　well　as　the　security　guards；　swung　in　shock。　Cleary　found　himself　staring　through　unblinking　eyes　with　a　stark；　unfettered　expression　of　bewilderment　at　a　monstrous　red　juggernaut　rolling　on　enormous　donut　tires　that　burst　into　view　like　a　crazy　man's　nightmare。　He　watched　in　hypnotic　fascination　as　the　giant　vehicle　smashed　into　both　armored　Sno…