cc.goldenbuddha-第46部分

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　〃This　is　an　old　cargo　ship；〃　Rhee　said　loudly。　〃I　doubt　she'll　put　up　much　of　a　fight。〃　
　Rhee　had　no　way　of　knowing　it；　but　he'd　just　made　the　biggest　error　of　his　life。　
　
　CABRILLO　BURST　INTO　the　control　room；　shedding　his　grimy　rain　suit　while　at　the　same　time　removing　the　dental　appliance　that　made　his　teeth　appear　as　stubs。　He　tossed　both　to　the　side　and　tugged　at　his　fake　beard　as　he　spoke。　〃Okay；　what's　the　situation？〃　
　〃We　just　intercepted　a　munique　from　the　Chinese　navy　to　their　high…speed　hydrofoil。　They've　been　ordered　to　intercept　usa　naval　frigate　and　a　fast…attack　corvette　are　following。〃　
　〃Any　other　ships？〃　
　〃No；〃　Hanley　said。　〃That's　the　only　Chinese　navy　firepower　currently　in　Macau。〃　
　〃Where's　our　team　with　the　Golden　Buddha？〃　Cabrillo　asked　as　he　tossed　the　beard　aside；　then　spit　out　a　sliver　of　latex　left　over　from　the　false　teeth　mold。　
　〃They　are　driving　at　full　speed　out　of　port；〃　Stone　said；　pointing　to　a　screen。　〃But　it　looks　like　they　have　picked　up　a　tail。〃　
　〃Get　me　Adams；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃While　he's　making　his　way　here；　have　the　deckhands　drop　the　walls　on　the　helicopter　pad　and　start　raising　the　Robinson　from　the　lower　hangar。〃
　〃Got　it；〃　Stone　said。　
　〃Max；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃get　me　Langston　Overholt　on　a　secure　line。〃　Hanley　started　to　assemble　the　satellite　link。　
　Cabrillo　stared　at　the　screen　showing　the　progress　of　the　Zodiacs　and　the　ship　pursuing　them。　Then　he　glanced　over　at　another　screen　that　showed　the　Oregon's　location　and　the　path　of　the　Chinese　navy　vessels　giving　chase。　The　screens　were　filled　with　blinking　lights　and　estimated　paths。　
　〃Adams　will　be　here　in　a　second；〃　Stone　said。　
　〃Sound　battle　stations；〃　Cabrillo　said　quietly。　
　Stone　pushed　a　button　and　a　loud　whooping　noise　filled　the　Oregon。　
　Belowdecks　in　the　sick　bay；　Gunther　Reinholt　heard　the　sound　and　sat　up　in　bed。　Swiveling　to　one　side；　he　slid　his　feet　into　a　pair　of　carpet　slippers。　Rising　to　his　full　height；　he　reached　around　and　tightened　his　hospital　gown　around　his　body。　Then　with　one　hand　on　his　IV　drip；　which　was　hanging　from　a　stainless…steel　rack　with　a　wheeled　base；　he　began　to　shuffle　from　the　sick　bay　to　the　engine　room。　
　Reinholt　knew　that　if　the　Oregon　went　to　war；　they　would　need　every　hand　on　station。　
　
　THE　CAPTAIN　OF　the　Chinese　navy　hydrofoil　Gale　Force；　Deng　Ching；　stared　through　the　square　floor…to…ceiling　windows　of　the　control　room　with　a　pair　of　high…powered　binoculars。　His　craft　had　risen　up　to　her　full　height　of　twelve　feet　above　the　water　a　few　moments　before。　The　hydrofoil　was　now　reaching　speeds　of　nearly　fifty　knots。　Ching　turned　and　glanced　at　the　radar　screen。　The　cargo　ship　was　still　a　distance　away；　but　the　gap　was　closing。
　〃Are　the　sailors　on　the　forward　guns　locked　and　loaded？〃　he　asked　his　second　in　mand。
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　the　officer　replied。
　〃Once　we　draw　closer；　I'll　want　to　send　a　volley　over　their　heads；〃　
　Ching　said。　〃That　should　be　enough；〃　the　second　in　mand　agreed。　
　
　LANGSTON　OVERHOLT　SAT　in　his　office　in　Langley；　Virginia。　On　his　left　ear　was　the　secure　telephone　connected　to　Cabrillo　on　the　Oregon。　His　right　ear　was　occupied　by　a　telephone　connected　to　the　admiral　in　mand　of　the　Pacific　theater。　〃Presidential　directive　four　twenty…one；〃　he　said　to　the　admiral。　〃Now；　what　do　you　have　nearby？〃
　〃We're　checking　now；〃　the　admiral　said。　〃I'll　know　in　a　few　minutes。〃
　〃Can　you　bring　some　force　to　bear　on　the　Chinese　without　it　being　tied　to　the　U。S。？〃　
　〃Understood；　Mr。　Overholt；〃　the　admiral　said。　〃Force　from　afar。〃
　〃That's　it　exactly；　Admiral。〃
　〃Leave　it　to　the　navy；〃　the　admiral　said。　〃We'll　e　up　with　something。〃　The　telephone　went　dead。　Overholt　replaced　the　receiver　and　spoke　to　Cabrillo。　
　〃Hold　tight；　Juan；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Help's　a　ing。〃
　〃Fair　enough；〃　Cabrillo　said　before　disconnecting。　
　
　IN　THE　MOVIES；　when　a　submarine　goes　to　battle　stations；　it　does　so　with　much　whooping　from　sirens　and　gongs。　Men　scurry　down　narrow　passageways　as　they　race　to　their　stations　and　the　tension　that　es　over　the　big　screen　is　palpable　and　thick。　Reality　is　somewhat　different。　Noise　inside　or　outside　a　submarine　is　the　enemyit　can　lead　to　detection　and　death。　On　board　the　United　States　Navy　Los　Angeles…class　attack　submarine　Santa　Fe；　the　motions　for　battle　were　more　like　a　roadie　setting　up　a　rock　concert　than　the　chaos　of　someone　yelling　〃fire〃　in　a　crowded　theater。　A　red　light　signaling　action　pulsed　from　numerous　fixtures　mounted　in　all　the　rooms　and　passageways。　The　crew　moved　with　purpose；　but　not　haste。　The　action　they　would　take　had　been　rehearsed　a　thousand　times。　They　were　as　natural　to　the　crew　as　shaving　and　showering。　The　mander　of　the　Santa　Fe；　Captain　Steven　Farragut；　stood　on　the　mand　deck　and　received　the　condition　reports　from　his　crew　with　practiced　ease。　
　〃Electric　check　pleted　on　packages　one　and　two；〃　an　officer　reported。　
　〃Acknowledged；〃　Farragut　said。　
　〃Boat　rising　to　optimal　firing　depth；〃　the　driver　reported。　
　〃Excellent；〃　Farragut　said　easily。　
　〃Countermeasures　and　detection　at　one　hundred　percent；〃　another　j　officer　reported。　
　〃Perfect；〃　Farragut　said。　
　〃Sensors　report　clear；　sir；〃　the　chief　of　boat　said。　〃We　appear　to　be　j　alone　out　here。　We　can　mence　operation　inside　of　eight；　repeat　eight；　j　minutes。〃　
　〃Acknowledged；〃　Farragut　said。　
　The　great　beast　was　rising　from　the　depths　and　preparing　to　bite　if　i　necessary。　
　
　ADAMS　BURST　INTO　the　control　room　of　the　Oregon。　He　was　dressed　in　a　tan　flight　suit　that　he　was　zipping　up　as　he　approached。　
　〃Mr。　Chairman；〃　he　said；　smiling　a　blindingly　white　smile；　〃what　can　I　do　for　you？〃　
　Cabrillo　pointed　to　one　of　the　puter　screens。　〃George；　we　have　a　situation。　We　have　the　two　Zodiacs　along　with　seven　of　our　people　trying　to　get　out　of　Macau　waters。　We　can't　turn　to　pick　them　up　because　we're　being　pursued　ourselves。〃　Cabrillo　pointed　to　another　screen。　〃You　can　see　they　also　have　a　tail。　You　need　to　provide　support。〃　
　〃I'll　mount　the　experimental　weapons　pods　Mr。　Hanley　designed　for　the　Robinson。　That　gives　me　mini…rockets　and　a　small　chain　gun；　so　I　can　cover　their　exit。〃　
　〃What　about　the　extraction　system？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　〃I　can't　pull　seven　people　aboard；〃　Adams　said；　〃I　don't　have　the　payload。〃　
　〃That's　not　what　I　was　thinking；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Let　me　explain。〃　
　
　CAPTAIN　CHING　STARED　at　the　radar　screen。　He　had　been　told　the　ship　he　was　supposed　to　intercept　was　an　aging　cargo　ship　named　the　Oregon。　From　the　description　given　by　the　pilot；　the　vessel　was　little　more　than　a　bucket　of　rust。　Somehow；　Ching　was　beginning　to　doubt　thatGale　Force　was　steaming　at　fifty　knots；　and　if　the　radar　on　the　puter　screen　was　correct；　the　cargo　ship　was　doing　forty…five。　At　the　current　speeds；　the　Oregon　would　be　safely　in　international　waters　in　less　than　five　minutes。　Then　there　would　be　the　risk　of　a　major　incident　if　the　sailors　on　Gale　Force　attempted　a　boarding。　〃Give　me　full　speed；〃　Ching　ordered　the　engine　room。　
　
　〃THE　HYDROFOIL　IS　accelerating；〃　Hanley　noted。　〃At　the　increased　speed；　they　will　intercept　us　a　minute　or　two　before　we　reach　the　demarcation　line。〃　
　Cabrillo　glanced　at　the　screen　showing　the　water　in　front　of　the　Oregon。　The　clouds　were　finally　clearing　and　soon　they　would　be　free　of　the　fog　bank。　
　〃Let's　raise　them　on　the　radio；〃　Cabrillo　said；　〃and　explain　the　situation。〃　
　Stone　started　tuning　the　radio　while　Cabrillo　reached　for　a　different　microphone。　
　〃Engine　room；〃　he　said。　
　〃Sir；〃　a　voice　said；　〃this　is　Reinholt。〃　
　Cabrillo　didn't　bother　to　ask　why　the　ailing　engineer　was　not　in　sick　bay　as　he　had　been　ordered。　The　man　had　obviously　felt　well　enough　to　help。　
　〃Reinholt；〃　Cabrillo　said　quickly；　〃is　there　any　way　to　coax　out　a　few　more　knots？〃　
　〃We're　on　it；　sir；〃　Reinholt　answered。　
　
　DOWN　BELOWDECKS；　THE　weapons　pods　had　already　been　attached　to　both　sides　of　the　R…44。　While　the　elevator　lifted　the　helicopter　up　to　launch　height；　Adams　slid　a　pair　of　Nomex　flight　gloves　over　his　hands；　then　slid　a　pair　of　yellow…tinted　sunglasses　over　his　eyes。　He　stepped　from　foot　to　foot　in　anticipation；　and　as　soon　as　the　elevator　stopped　and　locked　in　place；　he　raced　over；　did　a　quick　preflight　and　checked　the　underneath　harness；　then　stepped　to　the　pilot's　door　of　the　Robinson　and　cracked　it　open。　He　was　sliding　into　the　seat　as　a　deckhand　raced　over。　
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　pull　the　pins？〃　the　deckhand　asked。　〃Arm　me；〃　Adams　said　quickly；　〃then　clear　the　deck。　I'm　out　of　here　as　soon　as　I　have　operating　temps。〃　
　The　man　bent　down；　removed　the　pins　from　the　missiles　and　checked　the　power　to　the　mini…gun。　Once　he　was　finished；　he　popped　his　head　inside　the　door　again。　
　〃Check　your　weapons　console。〃　
　Adams　stared　at　the　small　screen　attached　to　the　side　of　the　dashboard。　〃I'm　green。〃　
　The　deckhand　shut　the　door　and　raced　away。　Adams　waited　until　he　was　clear；　then　engaged　the　starter。　Four　minutes　and　twenty…eight　seconds　later；　using　the　surface　wind　from　the　accelerating　Oregon　as　a　crutch；　Adams　lifted　from　the　deck；　then　pivoted　the　R…44　in　midair；　turned　and　headed　back　toward　Macau。　
　
　THE　ZODIACS　WERE　skimming　across　the　water　at　thirty