mreilly.icestation-第24章

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　A　voice　crackled　over　his　helmet　inter。　〃Scarecrow；　this　is　Montana。〃　
　〃What　is　it？〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃I've　set　up　the　range　finders　around　the　outer　perimeter　just　like　you　wanted。　You　wanna　e　up　and　check　it　out？〃　
　〃Yes；　I　do；〃　Schofield　said。　〃I'll　be　up　in　a　minute。　Where　are　you？〃　
　〃Southwest　corner。〃　
　〃Wait　for　me；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Have　you　had　any　luck　getting　through　to　McMurdo？〃　
　〃Not　yet。　There's　a　shitstorm　of　interference　on　every　frequency。　I　can't　get　through。〃　
　〃Keep　trying；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Scarecrow；　out。〃　
　Schofield　turned　and　was　about　to　leave　the　mon　room　when　someone　tapped　him　lightly　on　the　shoulder。　He　turned。　It　was　Sarah　Hensleigh。　She　was　smiling。　
　〃I　just　remembered；〃　she　said。　〃There　is　a　medical　doctor　at　this　station　after　all。〃　
　
　After　the　battle　was　over；　the　Marines　had　found　the　two　French　scientists；　Luc　Champion　and　Henri　Rae；　cowering　in　a　cupboard　in　the　dining　room　on　A…deck。　
　They　had　not　offered　any　resistance。　Indeed；　as　they　had　been　dragged　unceremoniously　out　of　the　cupboard　to　face　their　conquerors　the　horror　on　their　faces　had　said　it　all。　They　had　backed　the　wrong　side　in　this　fight。　The　men　they　had　deceived　were　now　their　captors。　The　price　for　their　treachery　would　be　high。　
　Both　men　had　been　taken　down　to　E…deck；　where　they　were　handcuffed　to　a　pole　in　plain　view。　Schofield's　team　had　work　to　do；　and　Schofield　didn't　want　to　waste　any　of　his　manpower　guarding　the　two　French　scientists。　By　cuffing　the　two　Frenchmen　to　a　pole　out　in　the　open　the　Marines　down　on　E…deck　could　work　as　well　as　keep　an　eye　on　them。　
　Schofield　stepped　out　onto　the　B…deck　catwalk。　He　was　about　to　speak　into　his　helmet　mike　when　Sarah　Hensleigh　came　out　onto　the　catwalk　behind　him。　
　〃I　have　something　I　have　to　ask　you；〃　she　said。　〃Something　I　couldn't　ask　you　back　in　the　mon　room。〃　
　Schofield　held　up　a　hand；　spoke　into　his　helmet　mike：　〃Rebound。　This　is　Scarecrow。　How's　Samurai？〃　
　Rebound's　voice　came　in　over　his　earpiece。　〃I've　managed　to　stop　the　bleeding　for　the　moment；　sir；　but　he's　still　pretty　bad。〃　
　〃Stable？〃　
　〃As　stable　as　I'm　gonna　get　him。〃　
　〃All　right；　listen。　I　want　you　to　go　down　to　E…deck　and　grab　that　French　scientist　named　Champion；　Luc　Champion；〃　Schofield　said。　He　looked　at　Sarah　as　he　spoke。　〃I've　just　been　informed　that　our　good　friend　Monsieur　Champion　is　a　surgeon。〃　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Rebound　said　eagerly。　He　seemed　relieved　that　someone　more　qualified　might　be　able　to　take　over　Samurai's　care。　But　then　he　seemed　to　check　himself。　〃Uh；　sir。。。〃　
　〃What　is　it？〃　
　〃Can　we　trust　him？〃　
　〃No；〃　Schofield　said　firmly　as　he　began　to　climb　up　the　rung…ladder　toward　A…deck。　He　motioned　for　Sarah　to　follow　him　up。　〃Not　a　whit。　Rebound；　you　just　tell　him　that　if　Samurai　dies；　so　does　he。〃　
　〃Gotcha。〃　
　Schofield　reached　the　top　of　the　rung…ladder　and　stepped　up　onto　the　A…deck　catwalk。　He　helped　Sarah　up　behind　him。　Almost　immediately；　he　saw　Rebound　emerge　from　the　dining　room　doorway　not　far　away　and　jog　for　the　opposite　rung…ladder。　He　was　going　down　to　E…deck　to　get　Champion。　
　Schofield　and　Sarah　headed　for　the　main　entrance　to　the　station。　As　they　walked　along　the　catwalk；　Schofield　looked　down　at　the　station　beneath　him　and　thought　about　his　people。　
　They　were　scattered　everywhere。　
　Montana　was　outside。　Riley　and　Gant　were　down　on　E…deck；　getting　the　scuba　gear　ready　for　the　dive　to　the　cave。　Snake　was　smack　in　the　middle；　in　the　alcove　on　C…deck；　fixing　the　winch　controls。　And　Santa　Cruz　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　since　he　was　off　conducting　a　search　of　the　station　for　erasers。　
　Christ；　Schofield　thought；　they　were　spread　all　over　the　place。　
　Schofield's　helmet　inter　crackled。　It　was　Santa　Cruz。　
　〃What　is　it；　Private？〃　Schofield　said。　
　〃Sir；　I've　conducted　a　search　of　the　station　and　I've　found　no　sign　of　any　erasing　device。〃　
　〃No　erasers？〃　Schofield　frowned。　〃Nothing　at　all？〃　
　〃Not　a　thing；　sir。　My　guess　is　they　didn't　expect　things　to　happen　so　fast；　so　they　didn't　get　a　chance　to　lay　any。〃　
　Schofield　thought　about　that。　
　Cruz　was　probably　right。　The　French　team's　plan　had　undoubtedly　been　cut　short　by　Buck　Riley's　arrival　at　the　station　and　his　accidental　discovery　of　what　had　really　happened　to　the　crashed　French　hovercraft。　The　French　mandos'　plan　had　been　to　win　the　Americans'　trust　and　then　shoot　them　in　the　back。　Since　that　plan　hadn't　e　to　fruition；　it　was　no　surprise　that　they　hadn't　been　able　to　set　any　erasers。　
　〃But　I　did　find　something；　sir；〃　Santa　Cruz　said。　
　〃What？〃　
　〃I　found　a　radio；　sir。〃　
　〃A　radio？〃　Schofield　said　dryly。　It　was　hardly　a　mind…blowing　discovery。　
　〃Sir；　this　ain　't　no　ordinary　radio。　It　looks　like　a　portable　VLF　transmitter。〃　
　That　got　Schofield's　attention。　A　VLF；　or　very　low　frequency；　transmitter　is　a　rare　device。　It　has　a　frequency　range　of　between　3　kHz　and　30　kHz；　which；　in　real　terms；　amounts　to　an　unbelievably　long　wavelength。　It　is　so　long…or；　in　radio　terms；　so　〃heavy〃…that　the　radio　signal　travels　as　a　ground　signal　that　follows　the　curvature　of　the　Earth's　surface。　
　Until　only　very　recently；　signals　traveling　at　such　low　frequencies　required　very　high…powered　transmitters；　which　were；　of　course；　very　large　and　cumbersome。　Thus　they　weren't　often　used　by　ground　forces。　Recent　developments　in　technology；　however；　had　resulted　in　heavy　but　nonetheless　portable；　VLF　transmitters。　They　looked　and　weighed　about　the　same　as　the　average　backpack。　
　The　fact　that　the　French　had　brought　such　a　transmitter　to　Wilkes　bothered　Schofield。　There　was　really　only　one　use　for　VLF　radio　signals；　and　that　was…　
　No；　that's　ridiculous；　Schofield　thought。　They　couldn't　have　done　that。　
　〃Cruz；　where　did　you　find　it？〃　
　〃Down　in　the　drilling　room；〃　Santa　Cruz's　voice　said。　
　〃Are　you　there　now？〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　〃Bring　it　out　to　the　pool　deck；〃　Schofield　said。　〃I'll　e　down　after　I　check　on　Montana　outside。〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　Schofield　clicked　off　his　inter。　He　and　Sarah　came　to　the　entrance　passageway。　
　〃What　are　erasers？〃　Sarah　asked。　
　〃What？　Oh；〃　Schofield　said。　He　only　just　remembered　that　Sarah　wasn't　a　soldier。　He　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Eraser　is　the　term　used　to　describe　an　explosive　device　that　is　planted　in　a　battlefield　by　a　covert　incursionary　force　for　use　in　the　event　that　their　mission　fails。　Most　of　the　time；　an　eraser　is　set　off　by　a　delay　switch；　which　is　just　an　ordinary　timer。〃　
　〃OK；　wait　a　minute。　Slow　down；〃　Sarah　said。　
　Schofield　sighed；　slowed　down。　〃Small　crack　units　like　these　French　guys　we　met　tonight　usually　find　themselves　fighting　in　places　where　they're　not　supposed　to　be；　right？　Like　there　would　probably　be　an　international　incident　if　it　could　be　proved　that　French　troops　were　in　a　U。S。　research　station　trying　to　kill　everybody；　right？〃　
　〃Yeah。。。。〃　
　〃Well；　there's　no　guarantee　that　these　crack　units　are　gonna　succeed　in　getting　what　they　came　for；　is　there；〃　Schofield　said。　〃I　mean；　hey；　they　might　e　up　against　a　team　of　tough　hombres　like　us　and　wind　up　dead。〃　
　Schofield　grabbed　a　parka　off　a　hook　on　the　wall　and　began　to　put　it　on。　
　He　said；　〃Anyway；　these　days；　nearly　all　elite　teams…the　French　Parachute　Regiment；　the　SAS；　the　Navy　SEALs…　nearly　all　of　them　carry　contingency　plans　just　in　case　they　fail　in　their　missions。　We　call　those　contingency　plans　'erasers'　because　that's　exactly　what　they're　designed　to　do：　erase　that　whole　team's　existence。　Make　it　look　like　that　team　was　never　there。　Sometimes　they're　called　cyanide　pills；　because　if　any　of　the　enemy　are　caught；　the　eraser　will　ultimately　act　as　their　suicide　pill。〃　
　〃So；　you're　talking　about　explosives；〃　Sarah　said。　
　〃I'm　talking　about　special　explosives；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Most　of　the　time　erasers　are　either　chlorine…based　explosives　or　high…temperature　liquid　detonators。　They're　designed　to　wipe　off　faces；　vaporize　bodies；　destroy　uniforms　and　dog　tags。　They're　designed　to　make　it　look　like　you　were　never　there。　
　〃Erasers　are　actually　a　relatively　recent　phenomenon。　No　one　had　ever　really　heard　about　them　until　a　couple　of　years　ago　when　a　German　sabotage　team　was　caught　in　an　underground　missile　silo　in　Montana。　They　were　cornered；　so　they　pulled　the　pin　on　three　liquid…chlorine　grenades。　After　those　things　went　off；　there　was　nothing　left。　No　soldiers。　No　silo。　We　think　the　Germans　were　there　to　disable　some　ballistic　nuclear　missiles　that　we　said　didn't　exist。〃　
　〃A　German　sabotage　unit。　In　Montana；〃　Sarah　said　in　disbelief。　〃Correct　me　if　I'm　wrong；　but　isn't　Germany　supposed　to　be　our　ally？〃　
　〃Isn't　France　supposed　to　be　our　ally？〃　Schofield　replied；　raising　his　eyebrows。　〃It　happens。　More　often　than　you　think。　Attacks　from　so…called　'friendly'　countries。　They　even　have　a　term　for　it　at　the　Pentagon；　they　call　them　Cassius　Ops；　after　Cassius；　the　traitor　in　Julius　Caesar。〃　
　〃They　have　a　term　for　it？〃　
　Schofield　shrugged　into　his　coat。　〃Look　at　it　this　way。　America　used　to　be　one　of　two　superpowers。　When　there　were　two　superpowers；　there　was　a　balance；　a　check。　What　one　did　the　other　countered。　But　now　the　Soviets　are　history　and　America　is　the　only　real　superpower　left　in　the　world。　We　have　more　weapons　than　any　other　nation　in　the　world。　We　have　more　money　to　spend　on　weapons　than　any　other　nation　in　the　world。　Other　countries　would　go　broke　trying　to　keep　up　with　our　defense　spending。　The　Soviets　did。　There　are　a　lot　of　countries　out　there…some　of　whom　we　call　friends…　who　think　that　America　is　too　big；　too　powerful；　countries　who　would　really　like　to　see　America　take　a　fall。　And　some　of　those　countries…France；　Germany；　and　to　a　lesser　extent　Great　Britain…aren't　afraid　to　give　us　a　little　push　either。〃　
　〃I　never　knew；〃　Sarah　said。　
　〃Not　many　people　do；〃　Schofield　said。　〃But　it's　one　of　the　main　reasons　my　unit　was　sent　to　this　station。　To　defend　it　against　any　of　our　'allies'　who　might　decide　to　make　a　play　for　it。〃　
　Schofield　pulled　his　parka　tight　around　himself　and　grabbed　the　handle　to　the　main　door　leading　outside。　
　〃You　said　you　wanted　to　ask　me　about　something；〃　he　said。　〃Can　you　talk　as　you　walk？〃　
　〃Uh；　yeah；　I　guess　so；〃　Sarah　said　as　she　quickly　grabbed　a　parka　off　one　of　the　hooks。　
　〃Then　let's　go；〃　Schofield　said。　
　
　
　
　Down　on　E…deck；　Libby　Gant　was　checking　the　calibration　on　a　depth　gauge。　
　She　and　Riley　were　on　the　outer　perimeter　of　the　deck　that　surrounded　the　pool。　It　had　been　a　good　forty…five　minutes　since　they　had　seen　a　killer　whale；　but　they　weren't　taking　any　chances。　They　stayed　well　away　from　the　water's　edge。　
　Gant　and　Riley　were　checking　the　unit's　scuba　gear；　in　preparation　for　the　dive　that　would　be　made　in　the　station's　diving　bell。　
　They　were　alone　on　E…deck；　and　they　worked　in　silence。　Every　now　and　then；　Riley　would　wander　over　to　the　storeroom　in　the　south　tunnel　and　check　on　Mother。　
　Gant　put　down　the　depth　gauge　she　was　holding　and　grabbed　another。　〃What　happened　to　his　eyes？〃　she　asked　quietly；　not　looking　up　from　what　she　was　doing。　
　Riley　stopped　working　for　a　moment　and　looked　up　at　her。　When　he　didn't　speak　immediately；　Gant　raised　her　own　eyes。　
　For　a　while；　Riley　seemed　to　evaluate　her。　Then；　abruptly；　he　looked　a