cyclops-第54章
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ink sailed toward him like a safe falling from a high building； he knew his reaction came a split second too late。 He threw up his hands instinctively in a hopeless gesture to ward off the flying mass of iron and porcelain。
Pitt's salvation came from the door。 The latch caught the main crush from one corner of the washbasin and was smashed out of its catch。 The door burst open and Pitt was knocked backward into the hallway； crashing in a heap at the feet of the startled guard。 A shooting pain in his groin and right arm pounded the agonies already piercing his side and head。 Gray…faced； waves of nausea sweeping over him； he shook away the beckoning unconsciousness and came to his feet； his hands spread on the wall for support。
Gly tore the sink from the doorway where it had bee jammed and stared at Pitt with a look that could only be described as murderous。 〃You're a dead man； Pitt。 You're going to die slowly； an inch at a time； begging to be put out of your agony。 The next time we meet I'll snap every bone in your body and tear your heart out。〃
There was no fear in Pitt's eyes。 The pain was draining away； to be replaced with elation。 He had survived。 He hurt； but the way was clear。
〃The next time we meet；〃 he said vengefully； 〃I'll carry a big club。〃
Pitt slept after the guard helped him back to his cell。 When he woke up it was three hours later。 He lay there for several minutes until his mind slowly shifted into gear。 His body and face were an unending sea of contusions； but no bones were broken。 He had survived。
He sat up and swung his feet to the floor； waiting for a few moments of dizziness to pass。 He pushed himself to his feet and began doing stretching exercises to ease the stiffness。 A wave of weakness swept over him； but he willed himself to reject it； continuing the drill until his muscles and joints became limber。
The guard came and went with dinner； and Pitt adroitly jammed the latch again； a maneuver he had honed so there would be no fumbling； no last…minute bungle。 He paused； and hearing no footsteps or voices； stepped into the corridor。
Time was a luxury。 There was too much to acplish and too few hours of darkness to manage it。 He regretfully wished he could say his farewells to Giordino and Gunn； but every minute he lingered in the pound depleted his odds of success。 The first order of business was to find Jessie and take her with him。
She was behind the fifth door he tried； lying on the concrete floor with nothing under her but a dirty blanket。 Her naked body was pletely unmarked； but her once lovely face was grotesquely swollen with purplish bruises。 Gly had shrewdly worked his evil by humiliating her virtue and brutalizing a beautiful woman's most valued asset her face。
Pitt bent over and cradled her head in his arms； his expression tender； but his eyes insane with rage。 He was consumed with revenge。 He shook with a madness for savage vengeance that went far beyond anything he had experienced before。 He gritted his teeth and gently shook her awake。
〃Jessie。 Jessie； can you hear me？〃
Her mouth trembled open as her eyes focused on him。 〃Dirk；〃 she moaned。 〃Is it you？〃
〃Yes； I'm taking you out of here。〃
〃Taking。 。 。 how？〃
〃I've found a way for us to escape the pound。〃
〃But the island。 Raymond said it's impossible to escape from the island。〃
〃I've hidden the outboard motor from the inflatable boat。 If I can build a small raft=
〃No！〃 she whispered adamantly。
She struggled to sit up； a look of concentration crossing the swollen mask that was her face。 He lightly gripped her by the shoulders and held her down。
〃Don't move；〃 he said。
〃You must go alone；〃 she said。
〃I won't leave you like this。〃
She shook her head weakly。 〃No。 I would only increase your chances of getting caught。〃
〃Sorry；〃 Pitt said flatly。 〃Like it or not； you're ing。〃
〃Don't you understand；〃 she pleaded。 〃You're the only hope for saving all of us。 If you make it back to the States and tell the President what's happening here； Velikov will have to keep us alive。〃
〃What does the President have to do with this？〃
〃More than you know。〃
〃Then Velikov was right。 There is a conspiracy。〃
〃Don't waste time conjecturing。 Go； please go。 By saving yourself you can save all of us。〃
Pitt felt an overwhelming surge of admiration for Jessie。 She looked like a discarded doll now； battered and helpless； but he realized her outer beauty was matched by an inner one that was brave and resolute。 He leaned over and kissed her lightly on puffed and split lips。
〃I'll make it；〃 he said confidently。 〃Promise me you'll hang on till I get back。〃
She tried to smile； but her mouth couldn't respond。 〃You crazy clown。 You can't return to Cuba。〃
〃Watch me。〃
〃Good luck；〃 she murmured softly。 〃Forgive me for messing up your life。〃
Pitt grinned； but the tears were welling in his eyes。 〃That's what men like about women。 They never let us get bored。〃
He kissed her again on the forehead and turned away； his tanned fists white…knuckled by his side。
The climb up the emergency…shaft ladder made Pitt's arms ache； and when he reached the top he rested for a minute before pushing the lid aside and crouching in the darkness of the garage。 The two soldiers were still engaged in a game of chess。 It seemed to be a nightly routine to pass the boring hours of standby duty。 They seldom bothered to glance at the vehicles parked outside their office。 There was no reason to anticipate trouble。 They were probably mechanics； Pitt reasoned； not security guards。
He reconnoitered the garage area tool benches； lubrication racks； oil and parts storage； trucks； and construction equipment。 The trucks had spare five…gallon fuel cans attached to their beds。 Pitt lightly tapped the cans until he found one that was full。 The rest were all half empty or less。 He groped around a tool bench until he found a rubber tube and used it to siphon gas from one of the truck's tanks。 Two cans containing ten gallons were all he could carry。 The problem he faced now was getting them through the vent in the roof。
Pitt took a towrope that was hanging from one wall and tied the ends to the handles on the gas cans。 Holding the middle in a loop； he climbed to the support girders。 Slowly； watching to see that the mechanics kept their attention on the chess game； he pulled the cans to the roof one at a time and pushed them ahead of him into the vent。
In another two minutes he was lugging them across the yard into the culvert that ran under the wall。 He quickly spread the bars apart and hurried outside。
The sky was clear and the quarter…moon floated in a sea of stars。 There was only a whisper of wind and the night air was cool。 He fervently hoped the sea was calm。
For no particular reason he skirted the opposite side of the road this time。 It was slow going。 The heavy cans soon made his arms feel as though they were separating at the joints。 His feet sank into the soft sand； and he had to stop every two hundred yards to catch his breath and allow the growing ache in his hands and arms to subside。
Pitt tripped and sprawled on the edge of a wide clearing surrounded by a thick grove of palm trees； so thick their trunks almost touched each other。 He reached out and swept around with his hands。 They touched a metal network that blended into the sand and became nearly invisible。
Curious； he left the gas cans and crawled cautiously around the edge of the clearing。 The metal grid rose two inches off the ground and extended across the entire diameter。 The center dropped away until it became concave like a bowl。 He ran his hands over the trunks of the palm trees circling the rim。
They were fake。 The trunks and fronds were constructed out of aluminum tubes and covered with realistic sheathing made from sanded plastic。 There were over fifty of them； painted with camouflage to deceive American spy planes and their penetrating cameras。
The bowl was a giant dish…shaped radio and television antenna and the bogus palm trees were hydraulic arms that raised and lowered it。 Pitt was st
