rl.thebourneultimatum-第166章

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hington；〃　and　the　northern　waters　of　Long　Island　Sound　that　housed　the　naval　base　at　〃New　London。〃
　The　madness　had　reached　〃America。〃　Police　cars；　their　sirens　wailing；　sped　through　the　streets；　men　shouting　into　radios　as　people　in　various　stages　of　dress　and　undress　ran　out　of　buildings　and　stores；　screaming　about　the　terrible　earthquake　that　had　hit　this　leg　of　the　Volkhov；　one　even　more　severe　than　the　catastrophe　in　Armenia。　Even　with　the　surest　knowledge　of　devastating　infiltration；　the　leaders　of　Novgorod　could　not　reveal　the　truth。　It　was　as　if　the　seismic　geologists　of　the　world　were　forgotten；　their　discoveries　unfounded。　The　giant　forces　beneath　the　earth　did　not　collide　and　erupt　in　terrible　swift　immediacy；　instead；　they　worked　in　relays；　sending　a　series　of　crippling　body　blows　from　north　to　south。　Who　questions　authority　in　the　panic　of　survival？　Everyone　in　〃America〃　was　being　prepared；　primed　for　what　they　knew　not。
　They　found　out　roughly　ten　minutes　after　the　destruction　of　a　large　part　of　the　diminutive　〃Great　Britain。〃　Bourne　reached　the　pressed；　miniaturized　outlines　of　〃Washington；　D。C。〃　when　the　conflagration　began。　The　first　to　plunge　into　flames；　the　sound　of　its　detonation　delayed　only　by　milliseconds；　was　the　wooden　duplicate　of　the　Capitol　dome；　it　blew　into　the　yellowed　sky　like　the　thin；　hollow　replica　it　was。　Moments　later…only　moments…the　Washington　Monument；　centered　in　its　patch　of　grassy　park；　crumpled　with　a　distant　boom　as　if　its　false　base　had　been　shoveled　away　by　a　thunderous　ground…moving　machine。　In　seconds　the　artificial　set　piece　that　was　the　White　House　collapsed　in　flames；　the　explosions　dulled　both　audibly　and　visibly；　for　〃Pennsylvania　Avenue〃　was　awash　in　fire。
　Bourne　knew　where　he　was　now。　The　tunnel　was　between　〃Washington〃　and　〃New　London；　Connecticut〃！　It　was　no　more　than　five　minutes　away！　He　drove　the　jeep　down　to　the　street　paralleling　the　river；　and　again　there　were　frightened；　hysterical　crowds。　The　police　were　shouting　through　loudspeakers；　first　in　English　and　then　in　Russian；　explaining　the　terrible　consequences　if　anyone　tried　to　swim　across　the　water；　the　searchlights　swinging　back　and　forth；　picking　up　the　floating　bodies　of　those　who　had　tried　in　the　northern　pounds。
　〃The　tunnel；　the　tunnel！　Open　the　tunnel！〃
　The　screams　from　the　excited　crowds　became　a　chant　that　could　not　physically　be　denied；　the　underground　pipeline　was　about　to　be　assaulted。　Jason　leaped　out　of　the　surrounded　jeep；　pocketing　the　remaining　three　flares；　and　propelled　his　way；　arms　and　shoulders　working　furiously；　often　fruitlessly；　through　the　crushing；　crashing　bodies。　There　was　nothing　else　for　it；　he　pulled　out　a　flare　and　ripped　the　release　from　its　recess。　The　spewing　flame　had　its　effect；　heat　and　fire　were　catalysts。　He　ran　through　the　crowd；　pummeling　everyone　in　front　of　him；　shoving　the　blinding；　spitting　flare　into　terrified　faces；　until　he　reached　the　front　and　faced　a　cordon　of　guards　in　the　uniforms　of　the　United　States　Army。　It　was　crazy；　insane！　The　world　had　gone　nuts！
　No！　There！　In　the　fenced…off　parking　lot　was　the　fuel　truck！　He　broke　through　the　cordon　of　guards；　holding　up　his　puterized　release　card；　and　ran　up　to　the　soldier　with　the　highest…ranking　insignia　on　his　uniform；　a　colonel　with　an　AK…47　strapped　to　his　waist　who　was　as　panicked　as　any　officer　of　high　rank　he　had　ever　seen　since　Saigon。
　〃My　identification　is　with　the　name　'Archie'　and　you　can　clear　it　immediately。　Even　now　I　refuse　to　speak　our　language；　only　English！　Is　that　understood？　Discipline　is　discipline！〃
　〃Togda？〃　yelled　the　officer；　questioning　the　moment；　then　instantly　returning　to　English　in　a　maddeningly　Boston　accent。　〃Of　course；　we　know　of　you；〃　he　cried；　〃but　what　can　I　do？　This　is　an　uncontrollable　riot！〃
　〃Has　anyone　passed　through　the　tunnel　in　the　last；　say；　half　hour？〃
　〃No　one；　absolutely；　no　one！　Our　orders　are　to　keep　the　tunnel　closed　at　all　costs！〃
　〃Good。　。。。　Get　on　the　loudspeakers　and　disperse　the　crowds。　Tell　them　the　crisis　has　passed　and　the　danger　with　it。〃
　〃How　can　I？　The　fires　are　everywhere；　the　explosions　everywhere！〃
　〃They'll　stop　soon。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃
　〃I　know！　Do　as　I　say！〃
　〃Do　as　he　says！〃　roared　a　voice　behind　Bourne；　it　was　Benjamin；　his　face　and　shirt　drenched　with　sweat。　〃And　I　hope　to　hell　you　know　what　you're　talking　about！〃
　〃Where　did　you　e　from？〃
　〃Where　you　know；　how　is　another　question。　Try　scaring　the　shit　out　of　Capital　HQ　for　a　chopper　ordered　by　an　apoplectic　Krupkin　from　a　hospital　bed　in　Moscow。〃
　〃　'Apoplectic'…not　bad　for　a　Russian…〃
　〃Who　gives　me　such　orders？〃　yelled　the　officer　of　the　guard。　〃You　are　only　a　young　man！〃
　〃Check　me　out；　buddy；　but　do　it　quick；〃　answered　Benjamin；　holding　out　his　card。　〃Otherwise　I　think　I'll　have　you　transferred　to　Tashkent。　Nice　scenery；　but　no　private　toilets。　。。。　Move；　you　asshole！〃
　〃Cal…if…fornia；　here　I…〃
　〃Shut　up！〃
　〃He's　here！　There's　the　fuel　truck。　Over　there。〃　Jason　pointed　to　the　huge　vehicle　that　dwarfed　the　scattered　cars　and　vans　in　the　fenced　parking　area。
　〃A　fuel　truck？　How　did　you　figure　it　out？〃　asked　the　astonished　Benjamin。
　〃That　tank's　got　to　hold　close　to　a　hundred　thousand　pounds。　bined　with　the　plastics；　strategically　placed；　it's　enough　for　the　streets　and　those　fake　structures　of　old；　dried　wood。〃
　〃Slushaytye！〃　blared　the　myriad　loudspeakers　around　the　tunnel；　demanding　attention；　as　indeed　the　explosions　began　to　diminish。　The　colonel　climbed　on　top　of　the　low；　concrete　gate　house；　a　microphone　in　his　hand；　his　figure　outlined　in　the　harsh　beams　of　powerful　searchlights。　〃The　earthquake　has　passed；〃　he　cried　in　Russian；　〃and　although　the　damage　is　extensive　and　the　fires　will　continue　throughout　the　night；　the　crisis　has　passed！　。。。　Stay　by　the　banks　of　the　river；　and　our　rades　in　the　maintenance　crews　will　do　their　best　to　provide　for　your　needs。　。。。　These　are　orders　from　our　superiors；　rades。　Do　not　give　us　reason　to　use　force；　I　plead　with　you！〃
　〃What　earthquake？〃　shouted　a　man　in　the　front　ranks　of　the　panicked　multitude。　〃You　say　it's　an　earthquake　and　we　are　all　told　it　is　an　earthquake　but　your　brains　are　in　your　bowels！　I've　lived　through　an　earthquake　and　this　is　no　earthquake。　It　is　an　armed　attack！〃
　〃Yes；　yes！　An　attack！〃
　〃We　are　being　attacked！〃
　〃Invaded！　It's　an　invasion！〃
　〃Open　the　tunnel　and　let　us　out　or　you'll　have　to　shoot　us　down！　Open　the　tunnel！〃
　The　protesting　chorus　grew　from　all　sections　of　the　desperate　crowd　as　the　soldiers　held　firm；　their　bayonets　unsheathed　and　affixed　to　their　rifles。　The　colonel　continued；　his　features　contorted；　his　voice　nearly　matching　the　hysteria　of　his　frenzied　audience。
　〃Listen　to　me　and　ask　yourselves　a　question！〃　he　screamed。　〃I'm　telling　you；　as　I　have　been　told；　that　this　is　an　earthquake　and　I　know　it's　true。　Further；　I　will　tell　you　how　I　know　it's　true！　。。。　Have　you　heard　a　single　gunshot？　Yes；　that　is　the　question！　A　single　gunshot！　No；　you　have　not！　。。。　Here；　as　in　all　the　pounds　and　in　every　sector　of　those　pounds；　there　are　police　and　soldiers　and　trainers　who　carry　weapons。　Their　orders　are　to　repel　by　force　any　unwarranted　displays　of　violence；　to　say　nothing　of　armed　invaders！　Yet　nowhere　has　there　been　any　gunfire…〃
　〃What's　he　shouting　about？〃　asked　Jason；　turning　to　Benjamin。
　〃He's　trying　to　convince　them　it　is…or　was…an　earthquake。　They　don't　believe　him；　they　think　it's　an　invasion。　He's　telling　them　it　couldn't　be　because　there's　been　no　gunfire。〃
　〃Gunfire？〃
　〃That's　his　proof。　Nobody's　shooting　at　anybody　and　they　sure　as　hell　would　be　if　there　was　an　armed　attack。　No　gunshots；　no　attack。〃
　〃Gunshots　。。。　？〃　Bourne　suddenly　grabbed　the　young　Soviet　and　spun　him　around。　〃Tell　him　to　stop！　For　God's　sake；　stop　him！〃
　〃What？〃
　〃He's　giving　the　Jackal　the　opening　he　wants…he　needs！〃
　〃Now　what　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃Gunfire　。。。　gunshots；　confusion！〃
　〃Nyet！〃　screamed　a　woman；　breaking　through　the　crowd　and　shouting　at　the　officer　in　the　center　of　the　searchlight　beams。　〃The　explosions　are　bombs！　They　e　from　bombers　above！〃
　〃You　are　foolish；〃　cried　the　colonel；　replying　in　Russian。　〃If　it　was　an　air　ra