mreilly.icestation-第58章

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in　the　whole　station…began　to　flicker　on　and　off；　like　a　strobe。　On。　Off。　On。　Off。　
　In　the　flickering　light　of　the　tunnel；　Schofield　grabbed　Kir…sty's　hand　and　took　off　toward　the　central　shaft。　Once　they　got　to　the　catwalk；　they　hurried　up　the　nearest　rung…ladder　to　A…deck。　
　Schofield　strode　around　the　A…deck　catwalk；　heading　toward　the　main　entrance　to　the　station。　The　station　around　him　nickered　black　and　white。　Darkness；　light；　darkness；　light。　
　If　he　could　just　get　to　the　British　hovercrafts；　he　thought；　he　might　be　able　to　get　away　and　get　back　to　McMurdo。　
　There　was　movement　everywhere。　Shouts　echoed　through　the　station　as　the　shadows　of　SAS　mandos　raced　around　the　catwalks　in　the　flickering　light；　searching　for　Schofield。　
　Schofield　saw　that　some　of　the　British　mandos　had　tried　to　put　on　night…vision　goggles。　
　But　night　vision　would　be　useless　now。　With　the　station's　lights　flickering　on　and　off；　anyone　wearing　night…vision　goggles　would　be　blinded　every　time　the　lights　came　on…which　was　every　couple　of　seconds。　
　They　reached　the　main　entrance　passageway；　just　as　an　SAS　soldier　came　bursting　out　of　it　onto　the　catwalk。　The　SAS　man　collided　with　Schofield；　and　Schofield　was　almost　bowled　over　the　catwalk's　railing。　
　The　SAS　man　hit　the　deck；　rose　to　his　knees；　raised　his　gun　to　fire；　but　Schofield　let　fly　with　a　powerful　kick　that　connected　with　the　soldier's　jaw　and　sent　him　crashing　down　to　the　catwalk。　
　Schofield　was　about　to　step　over　the　downed　soldier's　body　when　suddenly　he　saw　a　large　black　satchel　stretched　over　the　man's　shoulder。　He　grabbed　it；　opened　it。　
　He　saw　two　silver　canisters　inside　the　satchel。　Two　silver　canisters　with　green　bands　painted　around　them。　
　Tritonal　80/20　charges。　
　Schofield　frowned。　
　He　had　wondered　earlier　why　the　British　would　bring　Tritonal　charges　to　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　Tritonal　was　an　extremely　powerful　explosive；　usually　used　for　demolition　purposes。　Why　would　Barnaby　have　it　here？　
　Schofield　grabbed　the　satchel　off　the　unconscious　man's　shoulder。　
　As　he　did　so；　however；　he　heard　shouts　ing　from　inside　the　entrance　passageway。　Then　he　heard　footsteps；　and　the　click　of　safeties　being　removed　from　MP…5s。　
　The　SAS　mandos　outside；　the　perimeter　team。。。　
　They　were　ing　back　inside！　
　〃Kirsty！　Get　down！〃　he　yelled。　He　spun　quickly　and　brought　both　of　his　guns　up　just　as　the　first　SAS　mando　charged　in　through　the　main　entrance　of　Wilkes　Ice　Station。　
　The　first　man　went　down　in　a　hail　of　blood　and　bullets。　
　The　second　and　the　third　learned　from　his　error；　and　they　entered　the　station　firing。　
　〃Back　inside！〃　Schofield　yelled　to　Kirsty。　〃We　can't　go　this　way！〃　
　
　Schofield　slid　down　the　nearest　rung…ladder　with　Kirsty　on　his　back。　
　They　hit　B…deck。　A　bullet　pinged　off　the　steel　ladder　next　to　Schofield's　eyes。　
　Schofield　heard　more　voices　over　his　British　headset：　
　〃…the　fuck　did　he　go…〃　
　〃…took　the　girl！　Killed　Maurice；　Hoddle；　and　Hopkins…〃　
　〃…saw　him　on　A…deck…〃　
　And　then　Schofield　heard　Barnaby's　voice。　〃Nero！　The　lights！　Either　get　them　on　or　get　them　off！　Find　that　fucking　fuse　box！〃　
　The　station　was　in　chaos；　absolute　chaos。　There　was　no　steady　light；　just　the　terrible　incessant　flickering。　
　Schofield　saw　shadows　on　the　other　side　of　B…deck。　
　Can't　go　there。　
　He　looked　out　over　the　central　shaft；　and　in　a　flickering　instant；　his　eyes　fell　on　the　retractable　bridge　on　C…deck。　
　The　bridge　on　C…deck。。。。　
　Schofield　quickly　checked　his　inventory。　
　One　Glock　pistol。　One　MP…5。　Neither　of　which　would　be　enough　to　take　out　twenty　SAS　mandos。　
　Schofield　still　had　the　satchel　he　had　stolen　from　the　SAS　man　who　had　e　in　from　outside。　Two　Tritonal　charges　were　in　the　satchel。　He　also　had　the　two　nitrogen　charges　he　had　liberated　from　the　very　first　SAS　mando　he　had　killed　after　flying　up　out　of　the　water　on　the　Maghook。　
　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　looking　down　at　the　narrow　retractable　bridge　on　the　deck　beneath　him。　〃It's　time　to　end　this。〃　
　
　In　the　ghostly　flickering　light　of　the　station；　Schofield　and　Kirsty　stepped　out　onto　the　retractable　bridge　on　C…deck。　
　If　anybody　had　seen　them；　they　would　have　seen　them　walk　right　out　onto　the　middle　of　the　bridge；　would　then　have　seen　him　crouch　down　on　one　knee　and　do　something　to　the　bridge　for　several　minutes。　
　And　then；　when　he　was　done；　they　would　have　seen　Schofield　just　crouch　down　next　to　Kirsty　and　wait。　
　
　A　few　minutes　later；　the　British　found　the　fuse　box　and　the　flickering　stopped　and　the　lights　to　the　station　came　on　again。　The　station　glowed　white　under　its　bright　fluorescent　lights。　
　It　didn't　take　the　SAS　long　to　spot　Schofield　and　Kirsty。　
　Schofield　stood　up　on　the　bridge　as　the　remainder　of　the　SAS　unit…about　twenty　men…adopted　positions　on　the　C…deck　catwalk；　surrounding　him。　It　was　a　strange　sight…Schofield　and　Kirsty　out　in　the　middle　of　the　shaft；　standing　in　the　center　of　the　retractable　bridge；　while　the　SAS　took　up　positions　on　the　circular　catwalk　all　around　them。　
　The　SAS　raised　their　guns　。。。　
　。。。　just　as　Schofield　held　one　of　the　Tritonal　charges　high　above　his　head。　
　Good　strategy　is　like　magic。　Make　your　enemy　look　at　one　hand　while　you're　doing　something　with　the　other。。。。　
　〃Hold　your　fire；〃　Barnaby's　voice　came　over　Schofield's　headset。　〃Hold　your　fire。〃　
　Schofield　saw　Barnaby　step　out　onto　the　pool　deck　fifty　feet　below　him；　alone。　All　of　the　SAS　platoon　except　for　Barnaby　were　up　on　C…deck；　surrounding　Schofield。　
　Schofield　glanced　at　the　pool　next　to　Barnaby。　The　killer　whales　were　nowhere　to　be　seen。　Good。　
　〃I've　armed　the　Tritonal　charge！〃　Schofield　shouted。　〃And　my　finger　is　holding　the　arm　button　down！　The　timer　is　set　for　two　seconds！　If　you　shoot　me；　I'll　drop　the　charge　and　we　all　die！〃　
　Schofield　stood　with　his　feet　spread　apart　out　in　the　middle　of　the　retractable　bridge。　Kirsty　was　kneeling　at　his　feet；　huddled　beneath　him。　Schofield　hoped　that　the　SAS　didn't　see　his　hands　shaking。　He　hoped　they　didn't　see　that　his　shoelaces　were　missing。　
　〃And　if　you　shoot　the　girl；〃　Schofield　said；　seeing　one　of　the　SAS　men　lower　his　sights　at　Kirsty；　〃I'll　definitely　drop　the　charge。〃　
　As　he　spoke；　Schofield　cast　a　worried　glance　over　at　the　alcove　on　the　catwalk。　
　If　they　retracted　the　bridge。。。　
　Barnaby　shouted　up　to　him；　〃Lieutenant；　this　is　very　unpleasant。　You　have　killed　no　less　than　six　of　my　men。　Have　no　doubt；　we　will　kill　you。〃　
　〃I　want　safe　passage　out　of　here。〃　
　〃You're　not　going　to　get　it；〃　Barnaby　said。　
　〃Then　we　all　go　up　in　flames。〃　
　Barnaby　shook　his　head。　〃Lieutenant　Schofield；　this　is　not　you。　You　would　sacrifice　your　own　life；　I　know　that。　Because　I　know　you。　But　I　also　know　that　you　could　never　sacrifice　the　girl。〃　
　Schofield　felt　his　blood　chill。　
　Barnaby　was　right。　Schofield　could　never　kill　Kirsty。　Bar…　naby　was　calling　his　bluff。　Schofield　glanced　again　at　the　alcove　over　on　the　catwalk。　The　alcove　that　housed　the　bridge　controls。　
　Nero　caught　him　looking。　
　Schofield　watched　intently　as　Nero　looked　from　Schofield　to　the　alcove　and　then　back　at　Schofield　again。　
　〃This　is　Nero；〃　Schofield　heard　Nero's　voice　whisper　over　the　headset。　〃Subject　is　looking　at　the　bridge　controls　over　here。　He　looks　pretty　nervous　about　it。〃　
　Make　your　enemy　look　at　one　hand。。。　
　Bamaby's　voice：　〃The　bridge。　He　doesn't　want　us　to　open　the　bridge。　Mr。　Nero。　Retract　the　bridge。〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　Schofield　then　saw　Nero　walk　slowly　toward　the　alcove　and　reach　for　the　button　that　retracted　the　bridge。　He　made　a　point　of　watching　Nero　all　the　way…for　this　to　work　he　needed　the　British　to　think　that　he　was　worried　about　their　retracting　the　bridge。。。。　
　〃Watson；〃　Barnaby's　voice　said。　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　〃When　the　bridge　opens；　kill　him。　Take　him　out　with　a　head　shot。〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　〃Houghton。　Take　the　girl。〃　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　
　Schofield　felt　his　knees　begin　to　shake。　This　was　going　to　be　close。　Very；　very　close。　
　。。　。while　you're　doing　something　with　the　other。。。。　
　〃Are　you　ready？〃　Schofield　said　to　Kirsty。　
　〃Uh…huh。〃　
　In　the　alcove；　Nero　hit　the　large　rectangular　button　marked　
　BRIDGE。　
　There　came　a　loud　mechanical　clanking　sound　from　somewhere　within　the　walls　of　the　alcove　and　then　suddenly　the　bridge　underneath　Schofield's　feet　jolted　as　it　came　apart　at　the　center　and　began　to　retract。　
　
　As　soon　as　the　bridge　began　to　retract；　two　of　the　SAS　soldiers　fired　at　Schofield　and　Kirsty；　but　they　had　already　dropped　out　of　sight　and　the　bullets　whizzed　over　their　heads。　
　Schofield　and　Kirsty　let　themselves　fall　down　into　the　shaft。　
　They　fell　fast。　
　Down　and　down；　until　they　splashed　into　the　pool　at　the　bottom　of　the　station。　
　It　had　happened　so　fast　that　the　SAS　men　up　on　C…deck　didn't　know　what　was　going　on。　
　It　didn't　matter。　
　For　it　was　then　that　the　two　nitrogen　charges　that　Schofield　had　tied　to　the　ends　of　the　retractable　portions　of　the　bridge　suddenly　and　explosively　went　off。　
　
　
　
　It　was　the　way　that　Schofield　had　tied　the　nitrogen　charges　to　the　bridge　with　his　shoelaces　that　did　it。　
　He　had　tied　them　down　in　such　a　way　that　each　nitrogen　charge　lay　on　either　side　of　the　join　between　the　two　platforms　that　extended　out　to　form　the　bridge。　
　What　he　had　also　done；　however；　was　tie　the　pins　of　each　nitrogen　charge　to　the　opposite　platform；　so　that　when　the　bridge　parted；　the　retraction　of　the　two　platforms　would　pull　both　pins　from　their　grenades。　What　he　had　needed；　however；　was　for　the　SAS　to　retract　the　bridge。　
　And　right　up　until　they　exploded；　the　SAS　soldiers　never　saw　the　nitrogen　charges。　They　had　been　too　busy　looking　at　Schofield；　first；　as　he　held　the　（unarmed）　Tritonal　charge　above　his　head　and；　second；　as　he　and　Kirsty　fell　down　into　the　pool。　
　Make　your　enemy　look　at　one　hand　while　you're　doing　something　with　the　other。　
　As　he　hit　the　freezing　water；　Schofield　almost　smiled。　Trevor　Barnaby　had　taught　him　that。　
　
　The　two　nitrogen　charges　on　the　bridge　went　off。　
　Supercooled　liquid　nitrogen　blasted　out　in　every　direction　on　C…deck；　splattering　every　SAS　mando　on　the　surrounding　catwalk。　
　The　results　were　horrifying。　
　Nitrogen　charges　are　like　no　other　grenade…for　the　simple　fact　that　they　do　not　have　to　penetrate　the　skin　of　their　victims　in　order　to　kill　them。　
　The　theory　behind　their　effectiveness　is　based　on　the　special　qualities　of　water…water　is　the　only　naturally　occurring　substance　on　earth　that　expands　when　it　is　cooled。　When　a　human　body　is　hit　by　a　burst　of　supercooled　liquid　nitrogen；　that　body　bees　very　cold；　very　fast。　Blood　cells　freeze　instantly；　and　being　made　up　of　approximately　70％　water；　they　begin　to　expand　rapidly。　The　result：　total　body　hemorrhage。　
　And　when　every　single　blood　cell　in　a　human　body　explodes　it　makes　for　a　horrifying　sight。　
　The　SAS　men　on　C…deck　had　their　faces　exposed…and　that　was　where　the　liquid　nitrogen　hit　them。　So　it　was　in　their　faces　that　the　supercooled　liquid　nitrogen　took　its　most　devastating　effect。　The　blood　vessels　under　their　facial　skin…　veins；　arteries；　capillaries…instantly　began　to　rupture　and　then　suddenly；　spontaneously；　they　began　to　explode。　
　Black　lesions　instantly