cc.goldenbuddha-第48节

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out　of　the　water　to　check。〃　
　〃It　doesn't　seem　to　be　getting　any　worse；〃　Julia　Huxley　said。　
　〃No；　it　doesn't；〃　Seng　said。　〃We　are　in　the　low　red　and　staying　there。　If　the　engine　can　run　at　those　temperatures　for　a　little　longer；　we　might　just　make　it　out　of　here　alive。〃　
　Huxley　scanned　the　water　through　the　fog　as　they　raced　along。　She　turned　and　caught　a　quick　glimpse　of　the　Zodiac　being　piloted　by　Kasim　off　the　starboard　stern。　The　pair　of　diesel　cruisers　had　yet　to　get　close　enough　to　catch　sight　of　either　vessel；　and　if　they　maintained　their　speed　they　never　would。　
　〃Too　bad　we　can't　ask　for　a　time　out；〃　Huxley　said；　〃so　I　can　clean　the　water　intake。〃　
　Eddie　Seng　strained　to　hear　Huxley's　voice　over　the　noise　of　his　racing　outboard　motor。　Something　else　was　causing　his　ears　to　perk　upa　slight　thumping　ing　from　the　bow。　Then；　through　the　fog；　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　R…44。　And　a　voice　came　over　the　radio。　
　
　THE　MAND　BRIDGE　on　the　Gale　Force　was　a　buzz　of　shouted　instructions。　Messages　were　repeated　more　than　once　as　the　news　that　the　Oregon　was　starting　a　turn　back　to　land　was　relayed　from　radar　operator　to　captain；　captain　to　helmsman；　then　around　to　the　other　officers。　The　event　was　relayed　to　the　captains　of　the　corvette　and　the　frigate；　who　immediately　began　to　slow。　
　Captain　Ching　figured　it　would　take　the　Oregon　close　to　a　nautical　mile　to　plete　the　turn。　
　Once　again；　Ching　would　underestimate。　
　
　WITH　MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS　ENGINES　powering　the　Oregon；　there　was　no　need　to　slow　down　to　change　directions　on　the　drives。　There　were　no　shafts　to　twist；　no　props　to　bend；　no　gears　to　strip。　The　water　jets　from　the　stern　came　out　of　a　rectangular　shaft　with　a　scoop　on　the　end　that　could　be　diverted　like　the　thrust　of　a　Harrier　jet　engine　to　the　fore　or　to　the　rear。　With　the　push　of　a　few　buttons；　one　of　the　propulsion　engineers　could　divert　the　flow　of　one　engine　forward　and　one　back　and　the　Oregon　would　almost　pivot　on！　her　keel；　so　long　as　the　speeds　were　kept　below　thirty　knots。　Such　an…j　abrupt　maneuver　made　for　a　rough　ridethe　ship　would　kneel　over　and　the　gunwales　would　dip　almost　into　the　waterbut　the　Corporation　had　done　it　more　than　once。　Other　than　a　few　broken　dishes　and　other　objects　being　tossed　around；　the　Oregon　had　been　none　the　worse　for　the　wear。　
　
　The　engineer　plotted　in　a　turn…radius　profile　on　the　puter　that　resembled　a　U…turn。　Then　he　alerted　the　control　room　that　they　were　ready。　Once　the　ship　mander　gave　the　order；　the　engineer　simply　pushed　a　button　and　held　on　to　a　nearby　table　as　the　Oregon　threaded　herself　across　the　surface　of　the　water　as　if　she　were　on　rails。　Down　in　the　engine　room；　Sam　Pryor　glanced　over　at　Gunther　Reinholt；　who　had　just　disconnected　his　IV　and　was　sipping　from　a　cup　of　strong　coffee　after　inputting　the　mand　for　the　turn。　
　
　〃Elementary；　Mr。　Reinholt；〃　Pryor　said；　smiling。　〃Indubitably；　Mr。　Pryor；〃　Reinholt　said。　
　Both　men　stared　at　the　lying…down　U…shaped　track　on　the　puter　screen　for　a　second。　
　〃Mr。　Chairman；〃　Reinholt　said　over　the　inter；　〃we're　ready　when　you　are。〃　
　
　〃WE'RE　GOING　TO　do　a　fast　turn　and　bunch　up　the　three　ships　chasing　us；〃　Cabrillo　said　over　a　scrambled　radio　link。　〃You　will　need　to　take　out　the　pair　of　cruisers　fast　so　the　Zodiacs　can　slow　before　they　run　up　on　the　stern　of　the　frigate。〃　
　〃Understand；〃　Adams　said。　
　〃We'll　alert　Seng　and　Kasim　to　slow　as　soon　as　the　cruisers　are　disabled。〃　
　〃I'll　blow　all　the　ordnance　of　the　port　pod　on　the　lead　cruiser；〃　Adams　said；　〃and　the　starboard　on　the　following　craft。　That　should　stop　them　cold。〃　
　〃Do　your　best　to　hit　them　in　the　sterns；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃If　possible；　we　want　to　keep　casualties　to　a　minimum。〃　
　
　AT　ALMOST　THE　same　instant　that　the　lead　harbor　police　patrol　boat　caught　sight　of　Kasim's　Zodiac　in　the　lessening　fog；　the　lookout　also　reported　a　helicopter　approaching　from　out　to　sea。　Adams　had　turned　and　looped　the　R…44　around　to　intercept　the　lead　boat　straight　on　her　rear　quarter。　Placing　the　crosshairs　on　the　firing　screen　on　the　rear　third　of　the　forty…six…foot　aluminum　ship；　Adams　flipped　a　switch　so　all　the　missiles　were　targeted　to　the　same　spot　just　above　the　waterline。　Then　he　took　a　deep　breath　and　squeezed　the　trigger。　
　The　lookout　caught　a　quick　glimpse　of　the　bubble　canopy　of　the　helicopter　a　second　before　the　port　weapons　pod　erupted　with　a　volley　of　four　missiles。　The　missiles　were　smallonly　slightly　thicker　than　a　man's　armbut　their　noses　were　packed　with　high　explosives。　With　a　six…foot　plume　of　fire　belching　from　the　rear；　the　missiles　raced　across　the　gap　and　slammed　into　the　side　of　the　lead　cruiser　and　severed　the　bow　from　the　stern　as　easily　as　a　machete　through　a　pineapple。　
　The　captain　just　had　time　to　sound　the　alarm　to　abandon　ship　before　the　bow　started　sinking。　
　
　〃NOW；　MR。　REINHOLT；〃　Cabrillo　said　as　an　alarm　sounded　throughout　the　ship。　
　Reinholt　reached　up　to　the　console　and　pushed　a　red　button；　then　took　hold　of　the　table　next　to　him　in　a　death　grip。　The　Oregon　keeled　over　and　started　to　turn。　It　was　as　if　the　ship　were　on　the　track　of　a　roller　coaster。　The　g　forces　were　severe。　Everyone　in　the　ship　clutched　the　nearest　immovable　object　and　bent　their　knees　like　mogul　skiers　on　a　gnarly　slope。　A　few　moments　later；　the　Oregon　came　out　of　the　fallen　U　and　rolled　upright　again。　
　Lincoln；　sitting　in　a　tall　fire　control　chair　with　a　seat　belt　across　his　lap；　shouted；　〃Yeah；　baby。〃　
　〃We'll　pass　abreast　of　the　hydrofoil　in　twenty　seconds；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃Hit　them　in　the　pontoon；　Mr。　Lincoln；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　
　〃WHAT　THE…〃　CHING　started　to　say　as　he　watched　the　massive　r　T　cargo　shlp　change　directions。　〃Hard　a'　port；〃　he　ordered　But　before　the　order　could　be　earned　out；　the　Oregon　was　almost　alongside　them。　
　
　〃EVERYWHERE　I　GO；　I'm　just　a　gigolo　。　。　。；〃　Lincoln　sang　as　he　lined　up　his　target　and　fired。　
　The　missile　battery　on　the　bow　of　the　Oregon　popped　up　and　rotated　toward　the　target。　Now；　at　Lincoln's　mand；　a　pair　of　Harpoon　missiles　burst　from　their　launchers　and　streaked　across　the　distance。　They　slammed　into　the　thin　slab…sided　pontoon　that　reached　down　into　the　water　and　blew　it　off　as　cleanly　as　a　guillotine　would　a　finger。　
　The　Gale　Force　was　still　making　fast　forward　speed　when　she　was　hit。　Once　the　pontoon　allowing　her　to　ride　up　above　the　waterline　disappeared；　her　main　deck　lurched　to　the　side；　then　began　to　topple　over。　She　didn't　quite　flip　over　on　her　backit　was　more　of　a　crippled　disintegration　into　the　water。　The　helmsman　managed　to　place　the　engines　in　neutral　before　she　flipped；　and　that　saved　lives　if　not　the　ship。　
　A　minute　after　being　hit；　the　Gale　Force　had　her　decks　awash　and　she　was　rapidly　sinking。　
　Captain　Deng　Ching　was　bleeding　from　his　nose　and　mouth　after　slamming　into　the　mand　console。　He　was　in　a　daze　from　pain。　The　second　in　mand　gave　the　order　to　abandon　ship。　
　
　〃A　HELICOPTER　JUST　attacked；〃　the　captain　of　the　rapidly　sinking　harbor　police　boat　shouted　into　a　portable　radio　as　he　climbed　into　the　emergency　raft。　〃Our　boat　is　sinking。〃　
　〃Understood；〃　the　captain　of　the　second　harbor　boat　said。　〃We'll　e　pick　you　up。〃　
　〃I'll　shoot　a　flare。〃　
　〃We'll　watch　for　it。〃　
　Then　the　captain　turned　to　a　sailor　nearby。　〃Man　the　deck　gun；〃　he　said　quickly；　〃and　if　any　aircraft　approaches；　shoot　it　down。〃　
　The　first　time　had　worked　so　well；　Adams　decided　to　do　it　again。　Once　again　approaching　from　the　port　side；　he　lined　up　the　crosshairs　on　the　second　harbor　boat　and　pushed　the　button。　Nothing　happened。　Perhaps　the　starboard　weapons　pod　had　been　splashed　with　more　seawater　than　had　the　port。　Maybe　it　was　simply　that　the　few　extra　minutes　of　time　had　allowed　the　fog　and　rain　to　seep　into　the　circuitry。　It　could　have　been　a　glitchthis　was　the　first　time　the　weapons　pod　had　been　usedand　rarely　did　a　system　work　flawlessly　the　first　time　out。　
　Whatever　the　case；　the　missiles　wouldn't　fire　from　the　tubes。　
　The　R…44　passed　over　the　harbor　patrol　boat　just　as　the　sailor　yanked　back　the　lever　on　the　deck　gun　and　flicked　off　the　safety。　He　pivoted　the　gun　to　the　correct　height　and　started　shooting　at　the　rear　of　the　retreating　helicopter。　Adams　felt　the　cyclic　get　mushy　as　a　single　bullet　nicked　a　control　rod　to　the　main　rotor。　He　flew　away　into　the　fog　to　assess　the　situation。　
　〃Control；〃　he　said　over　a　secure　channel　on　the　radio。　〃I've　eliminated　one　target；　but　now　my　horse　is　wounded　and　they　broke　my　bow。〃　
　Hanley　took　the　call　in　the　control　room　of　the　Oregon。　He　scanned　the　radar　screen　before　answering。　〃Do　you　have　control　of　the　craft？〃　
　〃It's　not　too　bad；〃　Adams　said　calmly。　〃I　think　I　can　set　her　down　okay。〃　
　〃We're　ing　in　your　direction　now；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Blow　the　pods　and　bring　the　ship　home。〃　
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Adams　asked。　
　〃There's　a　toggle　switch　on　the　weapons　control　panel；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Flip　up　the　cover　and　lower　the　switch　and　the　racks　will　drop　free。　We'll　deal　with　the　second　boat。〃　
　Adams　started　an　arc　toward　the　harbor　boat。　〃Give　me　a　second；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　an　idea。〃　
　
　ACROSS　THE　ROOM；　Juan　Cabrillo　was　on　the　satellite　telephone　i　to　Langston　Overholt　in　Virginia。　
　〃We