mreilly.icestation-第49章

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　Barnaby　said；　〃Mr。　Nero；　if　you　please。〃　
　The　big　man　named　Nero　calinly　raised　his　pistol　and　fired　at　Champion　from　point…blank　range。　
　Champion's　head　exploded。　Blood　and　brains　instantly　splattered　against　the　side　of　Snake's　face。　
　Henri　Rae；　the　second　French　scientist；　began　to　whimper。　
　Barnaby　turned　to　face　him。　〃Are　you　French；　too？〃　
　Rae　began　to　sob。　
　Barnaby　said；　〃Mr。　Nero。〃　
　Rae　saw　it　ing　and　he　screamed；　〃No！〃　just　as　Nero　raised　his　gun　again　and　a　moment　later　the　other　side　of　Snake's　face　was　splattered　all　over　with　blood。　
　
　In　the　pitch…darkness　of　the　crawl　space　at　the　base　of　the　elevator　shaft；　Mother　snapped　up　at　the　sound　of　the　gunshots。　
　Damn　it；　she　thought。　She　must　have　blacked　out　again。　
　Got　to　stay　awake；　she　thought。　
　Got　to　stay　awake。。。。　
　Mother　stared　at　the　clear　plastic　fluid　bag　she　had　brought　with　her。　It　was　connected　by　a　tube　to　an　intravenous　drip　that　was　stuck　into　her　arm。　
　The　fluid　bag　was　now　empty。　
　Had　been　for　the　last　twenty　minutes。　
　Mother　began　to　shiver。　She　felt　cold；　weak。　Her　eyelids　began　to　close。　
　She　bit　her　tongue；　trying　to　force　her　eyes　open　with　the　jolt　of　pain。　
　It　worked　for　the　first　few　times。　And　then　it　didn't。　
　Alone　at　the　base　of　the　elevator　shaft；　Mother　lapsed　into　unconsciousness。　
　
　Out　on　E…deck；　Trevor　Barnaby　stepped　forward；　his　eyes　narrowing。　〃Sergeant　Kaplan。　Snake。　You've　been　a　naughty　boy；　haven't　you？〃　
　Snake　said　nothing。　
　〃Are　you　ICG；　Snake？　A　turncoat？　A　traitor　to　your　own　unit？　I　bet　the　Scarecrow　wasn't　too　pleased　when　he　found　out。　Is　that　why　he　chained　you　to　a　pole　and　left　you　here　for　me？〃　
　Snake　swallowed。　
　Barnaby　stared　at　him　coldly。　〃It's　what　I　would　have　done。〃　
　At　that　moment；　a　young　SAS　corporal　came　up　behind　Barnaby。　〃Sir。〃　
　〃Yes；　Corporal。〃　
　〃Sir；　the　charges　are　being　set　around　the　perimeter。〃　
　〃At　what　range？〃　
　〃Five　hundred　yards；　sir。　In　an　arc；　like　you　ordered。〃　
　〃Good；〃　Barnaby　said。　Soon　after　he　had　arrived　at　Wilkes；　Barnaby　had　ordered　that　eighteen　Tritonal　charges　be　placed　in　a　semicircular　arc　on　the　landward　side　of　the　station。　They　were　to　have　a　special　purpose。　A　very　special　purpose。　
　Barnaby　said；　〃Corporal；　how　long　do　you　expect　the　laying　of　the　charges　to　take？〃　
　〃Allowing　for　the　drilling；　sir；　I'd　say　another　hour。〃　
　〃Fine；〃　Barnaby　said。　〃When　they're　all　set；　bring　me　the　detonation　unit。〃　
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　the　corporal　said　〃Oh；　and；　sir；　there's　one　other　thing。〃　
　〃Yes。〃　
　〃Sir；　the　prisoners　who　fell　from　the　American　hovercraft　have　just　arrived。　What　should　we　do　with　them？〃　
　Barnaby　had　already　been　told　via　radio　of　the　soldier　and　the　little　girl　who　had　fallen　from　one　of　the　escaping　hovercrafts　and　been　picked　up　by　his　men。　
　〃Take　the　girl　to　her　quarters。　Keep　her　there；〃　Barnaby　said。　〃Bring　the　Marine　to　me。〃　
　
　Libby　Gant　was　standing　in　a　dark　corner　of　the　underground　cavern；　alone。　The　beam　of　her　flashlight　illuminated　a　small　horizontal　fissure　in　the　ice　wall。　
　The　fissure　was　at　ground　level；　at　the　point　where　the　ice　wall　met　the　floor。　It　was　about　two　feet　high　and　stretched　horizontally　for　about　six　feet。　
　Gant　crouched　on　her　hands　and　knees　and　peered　down　into　the　horizontal　fissure。　She　saw　nothing　but　darkness。　There　did；　however；　appear　to　be　empty　space　in　there…　
　〃Hey！〃　
　Gant　turned。　
　She　saw　Sarah　Hensleigh　standing　underneath　the　spacecraft　at　the　other　end　of　the　cavern；　over　by　the　pool；　waving　her　arms。　
　〃Hey！〃　Hensleigh　called　excitedly。　〃e　and　have　a　look　at　this。〃　
　Gant　walked　over　to　the　big　black　spaceship。　Montana　was　already　there　when　she　arrived。　Santa　Cruz　was　standing　guard　over　by　the　pool。　
　〃What　do　you　think　of　that？〃　Hensleigh　pointed　at　something　on　the　underbelly　of　the　ship。　
　Gant　saw　it；　frowned。　It　looked　like　a　keypad　of　some　sort。　
　Twelve　buttons；　arranged　in　three　columns；　four　buttons　per　column；　with　what　looked　like　a　rectangular　screen　at　the　top　of　it。　
　But　there　was　something　very　odd　about　this　〃keypad。〃　
　There　were　no　symbols　on　any　of　the　keys。　
　Like　the　rest　of　the　ship；　the　keypad　was　pletely　and　utterly　black…black　buttons　on　a　black　background。　
　And　then　Gant　saw　that　there　was　one　button　that　did　have　markings　on　it。　The　second　button　in　the　middle　column　had　a　small　red　circle　printed　on　it。　
　〃What　do　you　think　it　is？〃　Montana　asked。　
　〃Who　knows；〃　Hensleigh　said。　
　〃It　could　be　a　way　to　open　it　up；〃　Gant　suggested。　
　Hensleigh　snorted。　〃Not　likely。　Do　you　know　any　aliens　that　use　keypads？〃　
　〃I　don't　know　any　aliens。〃　Gant　said。　〃Do　you？〃　
　Hensleigh　ignored　her。　〃There's　no　telling　what　it　is；〃　she　said。　〃It　could　be　an　ignition　key；　or　a　weapons　system。。。〃　
　〃Or　a　self…destruct　mechanism；〃　Gant　said　dryly。　
　〃I　say　we　just　press　it　and　find　out；〃　Hensleigh　said。　
　〃But　which　button　do　we　press？〃　Montana　said。　
　〃The　one　with　the　circle　on　it；　I　suppose。〃　
　Montana　pursed　his　lips　in　thought。　He　was　the　senior　man　down　here。　It　was　his　call。　He　looked　to　Gant。　
　Gant　shook　her　head。　〃We're　not　here　to　see　what　it　does。　We're　just　here　to　hold　it　until　the　cavalry　arrives。〃　
　Montana　looked　to　Santa　Cruz；　who　had　e　over　from　the　pool　to　look。　
　〃Press　it；〃　Cruz　said。　〃If　I'm　gonna　buy　it　for　this　fuckin'　thing；　I　wanna　see　what's　inside　it。〃　
　Montana　turned　back　to　face　Sarah　Hensleigh。　She　nodded。　〃Let's　see　what　it　does。〃　
　At　last；　Montana　said；　〃OK。　Press　it。〃　
　Sarah　Hensleigh　nodded　and　took　a　deep　breath。　Then　she　stretched　out　with　her　hand　and　pressed　the　button　with　the　red　circle　on　it。　
　At　first；　nothing　happened。　
　Sarah　Hensleigh　lifted　her　finger　off　the　keypad　and　looked　up　at　the　spaceship　above　her；　as　if　she　expected　it　to　take　off　or　something。　
　Suddenly　there　came　a　soft　harmonic　tone；　and　the　screen　above　the　keypad　began　to　glow。　
　And　then　another　second　later；　a　sequence　of　symbols　appeared　across　the　screen。　
　〃Oh；　shit〃　Montana　said。　
　〃What　the　。。。〃　Hensleigh　said。　
　The　screen　read：　
　
　〃Numbers？〃　Montana　said。　
　〃English？〃　Sarah　Hensleigh　said。　〃What　the　hell　is　this　thing？〃　
　For　her　part；　Gant　just　shook　her　head。　And　as　she　walked　away　from　the　〃spaceship〃　she　began　to　laugh　softly。　
　
　
　
　Schofield　and　Renshaw　lay　flat　on　their　backs　of　the　cold　hard　surface　of　the　iceberg；　listening　to　the　rhythmic　sound　of　the　waves　crashing　against　the　ice　cliffs　two　hundred　yards　away。　
　They　just　lay　there　for　a　while；　catching　their　breath。　
　After　a　few　minutes；　Schofield　reached　around　with　his　hand　until　he　found　a　small　black　unit　attached　to　his　waist。　He　pressed　a　button　on　the　unit。　
　Beep！　
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Renshaw　said；　not　looking　up。　
　〃Initializing　my　GPS　unit；〃　Schofield　said；　still　lying　on　his　back。　〃It's　a　satellite　location　system　that　uses　the　Navistar　Global　Positioning　System。　Every　Marine　has　one；　for　use　in　emergencies。　You　know；　so　people　can　find　us　if　we　end　up　on　a　life　raft　out　in　the　middle　of　the　ocean。　I　figured　this　wasn't　too　much　different；〃　he　sighed。　〃In　a　dark　room　on　a　somewhere；　a　flashing　red　dot　just　appeared　on　someone's　screen。〃　
　〃Does　that　mean　they're　gonna　e　for　us？〃　Renshaw　asked。　
　〃We'll　be　long　dead　by　the　time　anybody　gets　here。　But　they'll　at　least　be　able　to　find　our　bodies。〃　
　Renshaw　said；　〃Oh；　great。　It's　nice　to　see　my　tax　dollars　at　work。　You　guys　build　a　satellite　location　system　so　that　they　can　find　my　body。　Wow。〃　
　Schofield　turned　to　look　at　Renshaw。　〃At　least　I　can　leave　a　note　attached　to　our　bodies　telling　whoever　finds　us　exactly　what　happened　at　the　station。　At　least　then　they'll　know　the　truth。　About　the　French；　about　Barnaby。〃　
　Renshaw　said；　〃Well；　that　makes　me　feel　better。〃　
　Schofield　propped　himself　up　on　his　elbow　and　looked　out　toward　the　cliffs。　He　saw　the　mountainous　waves　of　the　Southern　Ocean　smash　against　them　and　explode　in　spectacular　showers　of　white。　
　Then；　for　the　first　time；　he　took　in　the　iceberg　around　him。　
　It　was　big。　In　fact；　it　was　so　big　it　didn't　even　rock　in　the　heavy　seas。　Above　the　surface；　the　whole　thing　must　have　been　at　least　a　mile　long。　Schofield　couldn't　even　begin　to　guess　how　large　it　was　under　the　surface。　
　It　was　roughly　rectangular　in　shape；　with　an　enormous　white　peak　at　one　end。　The　rest　of　the　iceberg　was　uneven　and　cratered。　It　looked　to　Schofield　like　a　ghostly　white　moonscape。　
　He　stood　up。　
　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　Renshaw　said；　not　getting　up。　〃You　gonna　walk　home？〃　
　〃We　should　keep　moving；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Keep　warm　for　as　long　as　we　can　and；　while　we're　at　it；　see　if　there's　some　way　we　can　get　back　to　the　coast。〃　
　Renshaw　shook　his　head　and　reluctantly　got　to　his　feet　and　followed　Schofield　out　across　the　uneven　surface　of　the　iceberg。　
　
　They　trudged　for　almost　twenty　minutes　before　they　realized　they　were　going　in　the　wrong　direction。　
　The　iceberg　stopped　abruptly　and　they　saw　nothing　but　sea　stretching　away　to　the　west。　The　nearest　iceberg　in　that　direction　was　three　miles　away。　Schofield　had　hoped　they　might　be　able　to　〃iceberg…hop〃　back　to　the　coast。　It　wouldn't　happen　in　this　direction。　
　They　headed　back　the　way　they　had　e。　
　They　made　very　slow　going。　Icicles　began　to　form　around　Renshaw's　eyebrows　and　lips。　
　〃You　know　anything　about　icebergs？〃　Schofield　asked　as　they　walked。　
　〃A　little。〃　
　〃Educate　me。〃　
　Renshaw　said；　〃I　read　in　a　magazine　once　that　the　latest　trend　among　assholes　with　too　much　money　is　'iceberg　climbing。'　Apparently　it's　quite　popular　among　mountaineer　types。　The　only　problem　is　that　eventually　your　mountain　melts。〃　
　〃I　was　thinking　about　something　a　little　more　scientific；〃　Schofield　said。　〃Like；　do　they　ever　float　back　in　toward　the　coast？〃　
　〃No；〃　Renshaw　said。　〃Ice　in　Antarctica　moves　from　the　middle　out。　Not　the　other　way　round。　Icebergs　like　this　one　break　off　from　coastal　ice　shelves。　That's　why　the　cliffs　are　sheer。　The　ice　overhanging　the　ocean　gets　too　heavy　and　it　just　breaks　off；　being〃…Renshaw　waved　his　hand　at　the　iceberg　around　them…〃an　iceberg。〃　
　〃Uh…huh；〃　Schofield　said　as　he　trudged　across　the　ice。　
　〃You　get　some　big　ones；　though。　Really　big　ones。　Icebergs　bigger　than　whole　countries。　I　mean；　hell；　take　this　baby。　Look　how　big　she　is。　Most　large　icebergs　live　for　about　ten　or　twelve　years　before　they　ultimately　melt　and　die。　But　given　the　right　weather　conditions…and　if　the　iceberg　were　big　enough　to　begin　with…an　iceberg　like　this　could　float　around　the　Antarctic　for　up　to　thirty　years。〃　
　〃Great；〃　Schofield　said　dryly。　
　They　came　to　the　spot　where　Renshaw　had　hauled　Schofield　out　of　the　water　after　Schofield　had　destroyed　the　French　submarine。　
　〃Nice；〃　Renshaw　said。　〃Forty　minutes　of　walking　and　we're　back　where　we　started。〃　
　They　started　up　a　small　incline　and　came　to　the　spot　where　the　French　submarine's　torpedo　had　hit　the　iceberg。　
　It　looked　like　a　giant　had　taken　a　huge　bite　out　of　the　side　of　the　iceberg。　
　The　large　landslide　of　ice　that　had　just　fallen　away　under　the　weight　of　the　explosion　had　left　a　huge　semicircular　hole　in　the　side　of　the　berg。　Sheer　vertical　walls　stretched　down　to　the　w