cussler.blueandgold-第47章

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　〃We'll　start　with　the　two　outside　tires　under　the　fuselage　and　the　nose　wheel。　We'll　get　to　the　inside　tires　if　we　can。〃
　
　They　quickly　uncoiled　the　air　hose　and　fed　the　air　into　the　tires。　The　rattle　of　the　pressor　was　slightly　slower　than　their　heartbeats。　Austin　stopped　pumping　air　and　listened。　The　pounding　had　stopped　although　the　back　door　was　still　firmly　secured。　Austin　didn't　like　it。　The　halt　could　mean　the　attackers　were　preparing　to　blow　the　door。　He　didn't　have　time　to　worry。　Another　horrendous　explosion　came　from　the　front　of　the　hangar。　The　blast　sent　them　both　sprawling　face…first　onto　the　oil…soaked　concrete　floor。　A　second　rocket　had　been　fired　to　open　up　the　gap　below　the　first　hole。　Smoke　from　burning　vegetation　hovered　near　the　ceiling。
　
　〃We're　out　of　time！〃　Austin　yelled。　〃We'll　have　to　stop　for　air　at　a　gas　station。　Leave　the　belly　hatch　open。　As　soon　as　I　hear　the　engines　cranking　I'll　hit　the　wall　switch。　While　the　door's　on　its　way　up　I'll　run　for　the　plane。〃
　
　〃Don't　forget　to　detach　the　plane　from　its　power　umbilical；〃　Zavala　said　as　he　ran　for　the　belly　hatch。
　
　Austin　took　up　his　post　next　to　the　wall　with　his　hand　on　the　switch。　He　knew　the　odds　were　against　them　but　hoped　American　wartime　engineering　would　prove　its　worth。
　
　Zavala　scrambled　into　the　pilot's　high　seat　and　peered　through　the　plastic　cowling。　The　dials　blurred　as　he　stared　at　the　strange　instrument　panel。　This　was　going　to　be　a　fast　learning　curve。　He　blinked　his　eyes　and　relaxed；　trying　to　remember　the　procedure　he　used　to　fly　the　Catalina；　trying　not　to　look　at　every　dial；　only　for　needles　that　indicated　trouble。　All　systems　checked　out　fine。　The　center…line　console　between　the　two　pilot　stations　contained　the　radio　and　the　fuel　and　air　speed　gauges。　His　fingers　flew　over　the　switches；　and　the　dials　lit　up　like　a　pinball　machine　display。
　
　Holding　his　breath；　he　hit　the　ignition　switches　for　the　engines　one　at　a　time。　The　turbines　began　with　a　throaty　rumble　and　worked　themselves　up　to　a　high　pitch。　Satisfied　that　the　engines　were　working；　he　waved　at　Austin；　who　stood　next　to　the　wall。　Austin　waved　back。
　
　As　Zavala　jumped　into　the　copilot's　seat　and　adjusted　the　fuel　feed；　Austin　hit　the　wall　switch。　A　thin　line　of　daylight　began　to　shine　under　the　rising　door。　Kurt　dashed　beneath　the　plane　and　disconnected　the　umbilical。　Then；　using　the　sledge　hammer　he　had　set　aside　for　the　task；　he　knocked　the　wooden　wheel　chocks　away。　Austin　groped　his　way　through　the　smoke；　pulled　himself　into　the　plane；　and　battened　the　hatch。
　
　The　hot　exhaust　from　engines　blasted　the　rear　of　the　building。　Anything　not　nailed　down　was　blown　against　the　wall　by　the　tremendous　force　or　melted　by　the　intense　heat。　The　noise　was　so　loud　it　was　almost　impossible　to　think；　and　hot；　choking　fumes　and　smoke　filled　the　hangar。
　
　Austin　crashed；　gasping　for　breath；　into　the　copilot's　seat。　〃She's　all　yours；　pal。〃
　
　Zavala　gave　him　the　thumbs…up　sign。　〃She's　a　little　cranky　but　not　bad　for　an　old　gal。〃
　
　Zavala's　eyes　were　glued　on　the　rising　door。　He　kept　the　brakes　set　and　pushed　each　throttle　forward　until　they　were　at　full　power。　If　they　had　the　luxury　of　a　full　crew；　Zavala　would　have　relied　on　a　flight　engineer　to　tell　him　if　the　engines　were　running　the　way　they　should；　but　the　best　he　could　do　was　rely　on　his　experienced　ear。　It　was　impossible　to　distinguish　individual　engines；　but　the　unbroken　roar　was　a　good　sign。
　
　The　door　seemed　to　catch　for　an　instant；　then　it　pulled　free。　He　released　the　brakes；　and　the　plane　lurched　forward。　Zavala　pushed　the　throttle　levers　smoothly　forward　and　let　out　a　rebel　yell　as　the　power　from　thousands　of　pounds　of　thrust　pushed　the　plane　out　into　the　open；　but　his　jubilation　was　short…lived。
　
　The　big　green　helicopter　was　directly　in　the　line　of　takeoff。　
　The　helicopter　had　landed　after　blasting　the　second　hole；　and　now　it　sat　on　the　tundra　about　a　half　mile　away。　Men　in　dark　green　uniforms　were　outside　the　hangar　preparing　for　an　assault　when　the　wing　emerged　like　a　monstrous　black　bird　hatching　from　its　egg。　Their　surprise　quickly　turned　to　terror；　and　they　scattered　like　leaves　before　the　wind。
　
　The　helicopter　pilot　was　leaning　against　the　chopper　smoking　a　cigarette　when　he　saw　the　monstrous　aircraft　bearing　down　in　his　direction。　He　jumped　back　into　the　helicopter；　where　he　was　faced　with　an　immediate　decision。　He　could　stay　where　he　was　and　be　rammed。　He　could　fire　his　rockets　or　guns　at　the　oning　wing　and　hope　that　his　hurried　shots　would　hit　the　slim　fuselage。　Or　he　could　head　for　the　sky。
　
　Austin　was　distracted　by　the　sound　of　a　giant　woodpecker　rapping　on　the　fuselage。　Zavala　thought　it　was　one　of　the　engines　falling　apart　and　was　only　partially　relieved　when　Austin　said；　〃They're　shooting　at　us。　Are　you　going　to　fly　this　rig　or　drive　it　all　the　way　to　Nome？〃
　
　Because　of　the　unusual　position　of　the　instrument　panel；　Zavala　could　not　see　all　the　gauges。　Aiming　for　the　helicopter　to　keep　the　plane　on　a　straight　line；　Zavala　shouted　at　Austin　to　call　out　the　air　speed。
　
　〃Forty！〃　Austin　yelled。
　
　Zavala　was　surprised　at　how　quickly　the　plane　accelerated；　despite　its　huge　mass　and　the　partially　deflated　tires。　He　had　to　maintain　a　firm　hand　on　the　controls　to　keep　the　nose　from　lifting。
　
　〃Sixty！〃
　
　The　landing　gear　hit　the　water　of　the　shallow　lake；　but　the　plane's　speed　continued　to　increase。
　
　〃Eighty！〃
　
　Even　as　Austin　called　out；　Zavala　felt　the　lightness　on　the　wheel　indicating　that　the　plane　was　near　takeoff　speed。
　
　〃One　hundred！〃
　
　Zavala　counted　to　ten；　then　pulled　back　on　the　wheel。　Both　men　practically　drove　their　feet　through　the　floorboards　as　they　pressed　on　imaginary　accelerators。　The　massive　plane　seemed　to　leap　into　the　air。　Zavala　had　assumed　that　they　would　easily　clear　the　helicopter；　but　once　the　plane　was　up　at　an　angle　all　he　could　see　was　blue　sky。
　
　The　helicopter　pilot　had　finally　chosen　a　course　of　action；　but　it　was　the　wrong　one。　He　mistakenly　assumed　that　the　huge　bat…shaped　aircraft　lumbering　across　the　permafrost　in　his　direction　would　hit　the　chopper　on　the　ground。　He　lifted　off　about　the　same　time　Zavala　got　the　wing　airborne。
　
　From　his　level　in　the　copilot's　seat；　Austin　had　a　clear　view　of　the　chopper　rising　into　the　path　of　the　flying　wing。　Unaware　of　the　impending　collision；　Zavala　had　been　concentrating　on　the　takeoff。　From　his　reading　Zavala　knew　that　the　wing's　rapid　acceleration　would　blow　the　covers　off　the　slow…moving　landing　gear。　The　gear　had　been　designed　for　slower…moving　propeller…driven　planes　and　took　too　long　to　retract。　Pilots　pensated　by　retracting　the　gear　while　the　plane　was　only　a　few　hundred　feet　off　the　ground　and　pulling　the　nose　up　at　a　fairly　steep　angle。
　
　If　not　for　the　unusual　maneuver　the　aircraft　would　have　collided。　Instead　they　missed　by　several　feet；　but　there　was　a　horrendous　metallic　crunch　as　the　landing　gear　grazed　the　whirling　rotors。　The　rotors　disintegrated；　and　the　helicopter　seemed　to　hang　for　a　moment　before　it　plummeted　back　to　the　ground；　where　it　exploded　in　a　ball　of　flame。　The　wing　wobbled　from　the　impact；　but　Zavala　got　it　back　under　control。　He　kept　climbing　before　he　leveled　off　at　five　thousand　feet。
　
　Zavala　realized　he　had　forgotten　to　breathe。　He　puffed　out　his　cheeks　and　gulped　air　into　his　lungs　so　quickly　the　effort　made　him　dizzy。　Austin　asked　him　to　do　a　damage　check。　He　did　a　visual　inspection　of　the　plane　from　his　perch。　The　fuselage　was　riddled　with　bullet　holes。　Scraps　of　aluminum　continued　to　peel　off；　and　a　second　engine　was　starting　to　smoke。
　
　〃She　looks　like　a　wedge　of　Swiss　cheese；　but　she's　a　tough　old　bird。〃
　
　He　put　the　flying　wing　on　a　course　that　would　take　them　into　the　vicinity　of　Nome。　There　was　no　need　for　altitude；　and　he　kept　the　plane　at　a　few　thousand　feet。　After　a　while　he　started　laughing。
　
　〃What's　so　funny；　padre？〃　Austin　called　out　from　his　perch；　where　he　was　fiddling　with　the　radio。
　
　〃I　was　just　wondering　what　they're　going　to　say　when　we　e　tooling　in　all　shot　up　with　a　fifty…year…old　stealth　bomber。〃
　
　〃Simple。　We'll　say　we　were　flying　a　mission　and　were　kid　napped　by　a　UFO。〃
　
　Zavala　shook　his　head。　〃That's　almost　as　unbelievable　as　the　real　story；〃　he　said。　
　The　arrival　of　the　bullet…riddled　flying　wing　had　been　the　biggest　event　to　hit　Nome　since　the　original　Iditarod。　Word　of　the　odd　shaped　black　plane　that　had　landed　without　landing　gear　on　a　sheet　of　foam　had　spread　like　wildfire；　and　before　long　it　was　surrounded　by　curious　townspeople。　Austin　had　called　Sandecker　from　the　airport　to　report　his　findings　and　to　request　some　muscle　power。　Sandecker　got　in　touch　with　the　Pentagon　and　learned　that　a　Special　Operations　team　was　on　maneuvers　at　Elendorf　Air　Force　Base　outside　Anchorage。　The　team　was　ordered　to　fly　into　Nome。　After　Austin　briefed　the　Special　Ops　leaders　at　a　strategy　session；　they　decided　to　send　the　helicopter　ahead　to　scope　the　situation　out；　with　a　quick　followup　by　the　main　assault　force。
　
　It　was　something　of　a　coincidence　that　Austin　and　Zavala　returned　to　the　secret　blimp　base　in　a　Pave　Hawk　helicopter。　The　sixty…four…foot…long　aircraft　was　the　same　kind　of　helicopter　that　patrolled　Area　51；　the　top…secret　location　that　UFO　buffs　say　holds　alien　remains　and　a　spaceship　that　crashed　in　Roswell；　New　Mexico。　The　helicopter　had　e　in　alone　at　a　speed　of　a　hundred　and　fifty　miles　per　hour；　flying　low　over　the　tundra　to　avoid　detection。　As　it　came　up　on　the　base；　it　made　one　pass　over　the　water…covered　airstrip；　scouring　the　ground　with　its　motion　and　vibration　sensors。　Finding　no　signs　of　life；　the　chopper　went　into　a　wide　circling　pattern。　On　board　was　a　crew　of　three；　eight　heavily　armed　Special　Operations　troops；　and　two　passengers；　Austin　and　Zavala；　who　scanned　the　skies　expectantly。　They　didn't　have　long　to　wait。　A　fixed…wing　plane　appeared　from　the　direction　of　the　sea　and　passed　over　the　base。　The　four…engine　turboprop　bat　Talon　was　especially　designed　for　inserting　a　Special　Operations　Team　under　any　conditions。　Dark　objects　dropped　from　the　fuselage　and　within　seconds　blossomed　into　twenty…six　parachutes。　The　paratroopers　floated　down　into　the　low　hills　behind　the　flying　wing　hangar。
　
　The　helicopter　continued　to　circle。　The　plane　brought　in　the　first　contingent　as　part　of　a　one…two　punch。　If　the　initial　assault　group　ran　into　trouble　the　chopper　would　blast　the　opposition　from　the　air　with　its　twin　7。62mm　guns　and　land　the　backup　force　where　it　was　most　needed。
　
　Several　tense　minutes　passed。　Then　the　voice　of　the　team　leader　on　the　ground　crackled　over　the　chopper's　radio。
　
　〃All　clear。　Okay　to　e　in。〃
　
　The　Hawk　darted　in　over　the　scattered　wreckage　of　the　ski　plane　and　the　blackened　hulk　of　the　chopper　that　had　been　dispatched　by　the　flying　wing。　It　landed　directly　in　front　of　the　hangar　whose　massive　door　gaped　wide　open　like　a　patient　in　a　dentist　chair。　A　contingent　of　camouflage…clad　Special　Ops　troops　armed　with　M…16Al　assault　rifles　and　grenade　launchers；　each　man　a　killing　machine　of　formidable　power；　guarded　the　outside　while　another　squad　explored　the　hangar's　c