mreilly.icestation-第25章

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　For　a　while；　Riley　seemed　to　evaluate　her。　Then；　abruptly；　he　looked　away。　
　〃Not　many　people　know　what　happened　to　his　eyes；〃　he　said。　〃Hell；　until　today；　not　that　many　people　had　even　seen　his　eyes。〃　
　There　was　a　short　silence。　
　〃Is　that　why　his　call　sign　is　Scarecrow？〃　Gant　said　softly。　〃Because　of　his　eyes？〃　
　Riley　nodded。　〃Norman　McLean　gave　it　to　him。〃　
　〃The　general？〃　
　〃The　General。　When　McLean　saw　Schoneld's　eves；　he　said　he　looked　like　a　scarecrow　McLean　had　once　had　guarding　his　cornfield　back　in　Kansas。　Apparently；　it　was　one　of　those　scarecrows　that　had　two　slits　for　each　eye；　you　know；　like　a　plus　sign。〃　
　〃Do　you　know　how　it　happened？〃　Gant　asked　gently。　
　At　first　Riley　didn't　answer。　Then；　finally；　he　nodded。　But　he　didn't　say　anything。　
　〃What　happened？〃　
　Riley　took　a　deep　breath。　He　put　down　the　helium　pressor　he　was　holding　in　his　hand　and　looked　at　Gant。　〃Shane　Schofield　wasn't　always　in　mand　of　a　ground　Recon　Unit；〃　he　began。　〃He　used　to　be　a　pilot；　based　on　the　Wasp。〃　
　The　USS。　Wasp　is　the　flagship　of　the　United　States　Marine　Corps。　It　is　one　of　seven　Landing　Helicopter　Dockships　in　the　Corps；　and　it　is　the　battle　center　for　any　major　Marine　expedition。　Most　casual　observers　mistake　it　for　an　aircraft　carrier。　
　What　a　lot　of　people　don't　know　about　the　Marine　Corps　is　that　it　maintains　a　sizable　aviation　wing。　Although　this　air　wing　is　used　primarily　to　transport　troops；　it　is　also　used　to　support　ground　attacks。　For　this　purpose　it　is　equipped　with　lethal　AH…1W　Cobra　Attack　Helicopters…instantly　recognizable　because　of　their　skinny　shape…and　British…made　（but　American…modified）　AV…8B　Harrier　II　fighter　jets；　or；　as　they　are　more　widely　known　throughout　the　world；　Harrier　jump　jets。　Harriers　are　the　only　attack　planes　in　the　world　with　the　ability　to　take　off　and　land　vertically。　
　〃Schofield　was　a　Harrier　pilot　on　the　Wasp。　One　of　the　best；　so　they　tell　me；〃　Riley　said。　〃He　was　in　Bosnia　in　1995；　during　the　worst　of　the　fighting　there；　flying　patrol　missions　over　the　no…fly　zone。〃　
　Gant　watched　Riley　closely　as　he　spoke。　He　was　staring　off　into　space　as　he　recounted　the　story。　
　〃One　day；　late　in　1995；　he　got　shot　down　by　a　mobile　Serbian　missile　battery　that　Intelligence　said　didn't　exist。　I　think　they　found　out　later　that　it　was　a　two…man　strike　team　in　a　jeep　with　six　American…made　Stingers　in　the　backseat。　
　〃Anyway；〃　Book　said；　〃Schofield　managed　to　eject　a　second　before　the　Stingers　took　out　his　fuel　tanks。　He　came　down　bang　in　the　middle　of　Serb…held　territory。〃　
　Riley　turned　to　face　Gant。　
　〃Our　lieutenant　survived　for　nineteen　days　in　the　Serbian　woodlands…alone…while　over　a　hundred　Serbian　troops　swept　the　forest　looking　for　him。　When　they　found　him；　he　hadn't　eaten　in　ten　days。　
　〃They　took　him　to　a　deserted　farmhouse　and　tied　him　to　a　chair。　Then　they　beat　him　with　a　wooden　plank　with　nails　stuck　into　it　and　asked　him　questions。　Why　was　he　flying　over　this　area？　Was　he　a　spy　plane？　They　wanted　to　know　how　much　he　knew　about　their　positions　because　they　thought　he　was　up　there　providing　air　support　for　U。S。　ground　forces　inside　Serb　territory。〃　
　〃U。S。　ground　forces　were　inside　Serbian　territory？〃　Gant　asked。　
　Riley　nodded　silently。　〃There　were　two　SEAL　teams　in　there。　Carrying　out　covert　surgical　hits　on　Serbian　leadership　positions。　Night　hits。　Good　hits。　They'd　been　causing　chaos　among　the　Serbs；　absolute　chaos。　They'd　be　in　and　out　before　anyone　knew　they　even　existed。　They'd　go　in；　slash　their　victims'　throats；　and　then　vanish　into　the　night。　They　were　so　good　that　some　of　the　locals　started　saying　they　were　ghosts　e　to　haunt　them　for　what　they　were　doing　to　their　own　people。〃　
　Gant　said；　〃Did　Scarecrow　know　about　them？　The　SEAL　teams　inside　Serb　territory？〃　
　Book　was　silent　for　a　moment。　Then　he　said；　〃Yes。　Officially；　Schofield　was　patrolling　the　no…fly　zone。　Unofficially；　he　was　sending　grid　coordinates　of　Serb　leadership　farmhouses　to　the　SEALs　on　the　ground。　It　didn't　make　any　difference　anyway。　He　never　said　a　word。〃　
　Gant　watched　intently　as　Riley　took　a　deep　breath。　He　was　building　up　to　something。　
　〃In　any　case；〃　Book　said；　〃the　Serbs　decided　that　Schofield　had　been　carrying　out　reconnaissance　for　the　SEAL　teams；　that　he　had　been　spotting　strategic　targets　from　the　air　and　transmitting　their　coordinates　to　men　on　the　ground。　They　decided　that　since　he'd　been　seeing　things　that　he　wasn't　supposed　to　be　seeing；　they　would　cut　his　eyes　out。〃　
　〃What？〃　Gant　said。　
　Riley　said；　〃They　pulled　a　razor　blade　out　of　a　drawer　and　they　held　him　down。　Then　one　of　them　stepped　forward　and　slowly　cut　two　vertical　lines　down　across　Schofield's　eyes。　Apparently；　as　he　did　it；　the　man　with　the　razor　blade　quoted　something　from　the　Bible。　Something　about　if　your　hand　sins；　cut　it　off；　and　if　your　eyes　sin；　cut　them　out。〃　
　Gant　felt　sick。　They　had　blinded　Schofield。　〃What　did　they　do　then？〃　she　asked。　
　〃They　locked　him　in　a　cupboard　and　they　let　him　bleed。〃　
　Gant　was　still　shocked。　〃So　how　did　he　get　out？〃　
　〃Jack　Walsh　sent　a　Recon　team　to　go　in　and　get　him；〃　Riley　said。　
　Gant's　ears　pricked　up　at　the　name。　Every　Marine　knew　of　Captain　John　T。　Walsh。　He　was　the　captain　of　the　Wasp；　the　most　revered　Marine　in　the　Corps。　
　Some　thought　he　should　have　been　mandant；　the　highest…ranking　officer　in　the　United　States　Marine　Corps；　but　Walsh's　history　of　disdain　for　any　kind　of　politician　had　prevented　that。　The　mandant　is　required　to　liaise　regularly　with　members　of　Congress；　and　everyone　knew…Walsh　more　than　anyone…that　Jack　Walsh　wouldn't　be　able　to　stomach　that。　Besides；　Walsh　had　said　he　would　rather　mand　the　Wasp　and　liaise　with　soldiers。　The　Marines　loved　him　for　it。　
　Riley　went　on。　〃When　Scott　O'Grady　got　lifted　out　of　Bosnia　on　8　June　1995；　they　put　him　on　the　cover　of　Time　magazine。　He　met　the　President。　He　did　the　whole　PR　thing。　
　〃When　Shane　Schofield　got　lifted　out　of　Bosnia　five　months　later；　nobody　heard　a　thing。　There　were　no　TV　cameras　waiting　on　the　deck　of　the　Wasp　to　photograph　him　as　he　stepped　off　that　helicopter。　There　were　no　newspaper　reporters　there　to　take　down　his　story。　Do　you　know　why？〃　
　〃Why？〃　
　〃Because　when　Shane　Schofield　landed　on　the　Wasp　after　being　extracted　from　that　farmhouse　in　Bosnia　by　a　team　of　United　States　Marines；　he　was　the　worst…looking　thing　you　have　ever　seen。　
　〃The　extraction　had　been　bloody。　Fierce　as　hell。　The　Serbs　hadn't　wanted　to　give　up　their　prized　American　pilot　and　they'd　fought　hard。　When　that　chopper　returned　and　hit　the　tarmac　on　the　Wasp；　it　had　four　seriously　wounded　Marines　on　board。　It　also　had　Shane　Schofield。　
　〃The　medics　and　the　doctors　and　the　support　crews　charged　out　and　got　everybody　off　the　chopper　as　fast　as　they　could。　There　was　blood　everywhere；　wounded　men　screaming。　Schofield　was　taken　away　on　a　gurney。　He　had　blood　pouring　out　of　both　of　his　eyes。　The　extraction　had　been　so　fast…so　intense…that　no　one　had　even　had　a　chance　to　put　gauze　patches　over　his　eyes。〃　
　Riley　paused。　Gant　just　stared。　
　〃What　happened　after　that？〃　she　asked。　
　〃Jack　Walsh　copped　shit　from　the　White　House　and　the　Pentagon。　They　hadn't　wanted　him　to　send　anyone　in　for　Schofield　because　Schofield　wasn't　supposed　to　be　there　in　the　first　place。　The　White　House　didn't　want　the　'political　damage'　that　would　follow　from　an　American　search…and…rescue　mission　for　a　downed　spy　plane。　Walsh　told　them　where　to　shove　it；　said　they　could　fire　him　if　they　wanted　to。〃　
　〃What　about　Scarecrow？　What　happened　to　him？〃　
　〃He　was　blinded。　His　eyes　had　been　ripped　to　shreds。　They　took　him　to　Johns　Hopkins　University　Hospital　in　Maryland。　It's　got　the　best　eye　surgery　unit　in　the　country；　or　so　they　tell　me。〃　
　〃And？〃　
　〃And　they　fixed　his　eyes。　Don't　ask　me　how；　'cause　I　don't　know　how。　Apparently；　the　razor　blade　cuts　were　fairly　shallow；　so　there　was　no　damage　to　his　retinas。　The　real　damage；　they　said；　was　to　the　outer　extremities　of　his　eyes…the　irises　and　the　pupils。　Purely　physical　defects；　they　said。　Defects　which　could　be　fixed。〃　Riley　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　know　what　they　did…some　fancy　new　laser…fusing　procedure；　someone　told　me…but　they　did　it；　they　fixed　his　eyes。　Hell；　all　I　know　is　that　if　you　can　afford　it…and　in　Scarecrow's　case；　the　Corps　could…you　don't　need　glasses　these　days。　
　〃Of　course；　there　was　still　the　scarring　on　his　skin；　but　otherwise；　they　did　it。　Schofield　could　see　again。　Twenty…twenty。〃　Riley　paused。　〃There　was　only　one　hitch。〃　
　〃What　was　that？〃　
　〃The　Corps　wouldn't　let　him　fly　again；〃　Riley　said。　〃It's　standard　procedure　across　all　the　armed　forces：　once　you've　had　eye　trauma　of　any　kind；　you　can't　fly　a　military　airplane。　Hell；　if　you　wear　reading　glasses；　you're　not　allowed　to　fly　a　military　kite。〃　
　〃So　what　did　Scarecrow　do？〃　
　Riley　smiled。　〃He　decided　to　bee　a　line　animal；　a　ground　Marine。　He　was　already　an　officer　from　his　flying　days；　so　he　kept　his　mission。　But　that　was　all　he　kept。　He　had　to　start　all　over　again。　He　went　from　flight　status；　Lieutenant　mander；　to　ground　force；　Lieutenant　Second　Class；　in　an　instant。　
　〃And　he　went　back　to　school。　Back　to　the　Basic　School　at　Quantico。　And　he　did　every　course　they　had。　He　did　tactical　weapons　training。　He　did　strategic　planning。　Small　arms；　scout/sniper。　You　name　it；　he　did　it。　He　did　it　all。　Apparently；　he　said　he　wanted　to　be　like　those　men　who'd　e　in　and　got　him　out　of　Bosnia。　What　they'd　done　for　him　he　wanted　to　be　able　to　do。〃　
　Riley　shrugged。　〃As　you　can　probably　imagine；　it　didn't　take　long　for　him　to　get　noticed。　He　was　too　clever　to　stay　a　Second　Lieutenant　for　long。　After　a　few　months；　they　upped　him　to　Full　Lieutenant；　and　before　long；　they　offered　him　a　Recon　Unit。　He　took　it。　That　was　almost　two　years　ago　now。〃　
　Gant　had　never　known。　She　had　been　selected　for　Schofield's　Recon　Unit　only　a　year　ago；　and　it　had　never　occurred　to　her　to　wonder　how　Schofield　himself　had　bee　the　team's　mander。　That　sort　of　thing　was　officer　stuff；　and　Gant　wasn't　an　officer。　She　was　enlisted；　and　enlisted　troops　know　only　what　they　are　told　to　know。　Things　like　the　choice　of　team　mander　are　left　to　the　higher…ups。　
　〃I've　been　in　his　team　ever　since；〃　Riley　said　proudly。　
　Gant　knew　what　he　meant。　Riley　respected　Schofield；　trusted　his　judgment；　trusted　his　appraisal　of　any　given　situation。　Schofield　was　Riley's　mander　and　Riley　would　follow　him　into　hell。　
　Gant　would；　too。　Ever　since　she　had　been　in　Schofield's　Recon　team；　she　had　liked　him。　She　respected　him　as　a　leader。　
　He　was　firm　but　fair；　and　he　didn't　mince　words。　And　he　had　never　treated　her　any　differently　from　any　of　the　men　in　the　unit。　
　〃You　like　him；　don't　you？〃　Riley　said　softly。　
　〃I　trust　him；〃　Gant　said。　
　There　was　a　short　silence。　
　Gant　sighed。　〃I'm　twenty…six　years　old；　Book。　Did　you　know　that？〃　
　〃No。〃　
　〃Twenty…six　years　old。　God；〃　Gant　said；　lost　in　thought。　She　turned　to　Book。　〃Did　you　know　I　was　married　once？〃　
　〃No；　I　didn't。〃　
　〃Got　married　at　the　ripe　old　age　of　nineteen；　I　did。　Married　the　sweetest　man　you'd　ever　meet；　the　catch　of　the　town。　He　was　a　new　teacher　at　the　local　high　school；　just　arrived　from　New　York；　taught　English。　Gentle　guy；　quiet。　I　was　pregnant　b