cc.floodtide-第46章

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　had　been　gouged　away　by　the　explosive　charges。　He　watched　it　fall　out　of　sight　back　into　the　sediment　on　the　bottom。　〃So　long；　old　pal；　you　served　your　purpose。〃
　Pitt　stared　briefly　at　a　small　navigation　monitor。　〃Two　hundred　feet　to　the　antenna。　I　make　us　about　to　pass　under　the　liner's　screws。〃
　〃No　hits　in　the　last　minute；〃　said　Giordino。　〃We　must　have　left　our　angry　friends　behind　in　the　fog。　I　suggest　you　cut　back　on　your　throttles　and　conserve　whatever　battery　power　is　left。〃
　〃Nothing　left　to　conserve；〃　replied　Pitt；　pointing　to　the　instrument　dial　indicating　battery　power。　〃We're　down　to　one　knot　and　the　needle　is　in　the　red。〃
　Giordino　smiled　tightly。　〃It　would　make　my　day　if　Shang's　divers　got　lost　and　gave　up　the　chase。〃
　〃We'll　know　soon；〃　said　Pitt。　〃I'm　going　to　angle　up　and　out　of　the　cloud。　The　instant　we　break　into　clear　water；　look　astern　and　tell　me　what　you　see。〃
　〃If　they're　still　hanging　around；〃　said　Giordino；　〃and　they　spot　us　limping　along　at　half　a　knot；　they'll　be　all　over　us　like　maddened　wasps。〃
　Pitt　said　nothing　as　the　Sea　Dog　II　emerged　from　the　swirling　mud　storm。　He　squinted　his　eyes；　trying　to　pierce　the　velvet…green　water；　searching　for　the　antenna　line　and　Cabrillo's　diver。　A　vague　silhouette　wavering　seventy　to　eighty　feet　ahead　and　slightly　to　port　slowly　evolved　into　the　bottom　of　the　launch　rocking　in　the　waves　rolling　across　the　harbor。
　〃We're　almost　home！〃　Pitt　exclaimed；　his　spirits　lifted。
　
　
　〃Stubborn　little　devils；〃　said　Giordino　morosely。　〃Five　of　them　are　swimming　like　sharks　up　our　tail。〃
　〃Smart　fellas　to　catch　on　so　quick。　They　must　have　kept　one　man　in　the　clear　as　a　lookout。　Soon　as　he　caught　us　rising　out　of　the　gunk；　he　alerted　his　pals　by　radio。〃
　An　explosive　charge　smashed　against　one　of　the　Sea　Dog　IPs　tail　stabilizers　and　blew　it　away。　A　second　charge　narrowly　missed　the　hemispherical　nose　section。　Pitt　fought　for　control；　urging；　willing　the　submersible　on　a　straight　course　toward　the　launch。　The　instant　he　saw　one　of　Shang's　divers　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eyes；　overtaking　and　ing　in　from　the　flank　of　the　sub；　he　knew　it　was　all　but　over。　Without　battery　power　and　help　from　Cabrillo；　there　was　no　escape。
　〃So　near；　yet　so　far；〃　Giordino　mumbled；　staring　upward　at　the　keel　of　the　launch　as　he　waited　helpless　but　unperturbed　for　the　inevitable　final　assault。
　Then　suddenly　a　series　of　concussions　swamped　and　reverberated　all　around　the　submersible。　Pitt　and　Giordino　were　thrown　about　the　interior　like　rats　inside　a　rolling　pipe。　The　water　around　them　erupted　in　a　mass　of　froth　and　bubbles　that　raged　crazily　in　all　directions　before　heading　for　the　surface。　The　divers；　who　were　about　to　close　in　on　the　Sea　Dog　II；　died　instantly；　their　bodies　crushed　to　gelatin　by　the　sledgehammer　blows。　The　men　inside　the　sub　were　both　stunned　and　deafened　by　underwater　detonations。　They　were　saved　from　serious　injury　by　the　pressure　hull。
　
　It　took　several　moments　for　Pitt　to　realize　that　Cabrillo；　forewarned　of　the　chase　in　progress；　waited　until　the　submersible　and　its　attackers　were　close　enough　to　the　Oregon's　launch　to　throw　concussion　grenades　into　the　water。　Through　the　ringing　in　his　ears；　Pitt　heard　someone　calling　over　the　radio。
　
　〃You　guys　all　right　down　there？〃　came　Cabrifto's　wele　voice。
　〃My　kidneys　will　never　be　the　same；〃　Pitt　answered　back；　〃but　we're　behaving　ourselves。〃
　〃How　about　the　vigilantes？〃
　〃They　look　like　they　came　out　of　a　Jell…o　mold；〃　replied　Giordino。
　〃If　we　were　attacked　underwater；〃　Pitt　warned　Cabrillo；　〃it　stands　to　reason　they'll　e　after　you　on　the　surface。〃
　〃Funny　you　should　mention　mat；〃　said　Cabrillo　airily。　〃There　just　happens　to　be　a　small　cruiser　ing　this　way　as　we　speak。　Nothing　we　can't　handle；　of　course。　Sit　tight。　I'll　have　my　diver　hook　you　up　to　the　towline　after　we　greet　our　callers。〃
　〃Sit　tight；〃　Giordino　repeated　acidly。　〃We　have　no　power。　We're　dead　in　the　water。　He　must　think　we're　in　an　underwater　amusement　park。〃
　〃He　means　well；〃　Pitt　sighed　as　the　tension　inside　the　sub　eased。　He　lay　there　idly；　his　hands　loosely　holding　the　handgrips　of　his　now　nonfunctioning　controls；　staring　through　the　transparent　canopy　at　the　bottom　of　the　launch；　wondering　what　cards　Cabrillo　was　about　to　deal。
　〃They　mean　business；〃　Cabrillo　said　to　Eddie　Seng；　the　Oregon's　former　CIA　agent　who　was　their　man　in　Beijing　for　nearly　twenty　years　before　he　was　forced　to　make　a　sudden　departure　back　to　the　States　and　retirement。　Cabrillo　peered　through　a　small；　single…lens　telescope　at　the　rapidly　approaching　cabin　cruiser。　Its　configuration　reminded　him　of　a　U。S。　Coast　Guard　rescue　boat；　except　that　this　one　was　not　in　the　business　of　saving　lives。　〃They　figured　the　game　when　they　detected　the　submersible；　but　they　can't　be　sure　we're　tied　in　until　they　board　and　investigate。〃
　〃How　many　do　you　make　out？〃　asked　Seng。
　〃About　five；　all　carrying　arms　except　the　helmsman。〃
　〃Any　good…sized　weapons　mounted　on　the　boat？〃　asked　Seng。
　〃None　that　I　can　make　out。　They're　on　a　fishing　expedition　and　not　looking　for　trouble。　They'll　leave　two　men　behind　to　cover　us；　while　the　other　three　e　on　board。〃　Cabrillo　turned　to　Seng。　〃Tell　Pete　James　and　Bob　Meadows　to　slip　over　the　unobserved　side　of　the　launch。　They're　both　strong　swimmers。　When　the　boat　es　alongside；　tell　them　to　swim　under　our　craft　and　hang　in　the　water　between　the　hulls。　If　my　plan　works；　the　two　guards　remaining　behind　on　their　boat　will　instinctively　react　to　an　unexpected　situation。　We've　got　to　take　all　five　without　guns。　Nothing　that　makes　noise。　There'll　be　enough　prying　eyes　on　the　dock　and　ship　as　it　is。　We'll　just　have　to　tough　it　out　the　best　we　can　without　drums　and　bugles。〃
　James　and　Meadows　slipped　over　the　side　under　a　tarpaulin　and　waited　in　the　water　for　the　signal　to　swim　under　the　launch。　The　rest　of　Cabrillo's　men　lounged　around　the　decks　as　if　dozing。　One　or　two　acted　as　if　they　were　fishing　off　the　stern。
　Now　Cabrillo　could　plainly　see　that　Qin　Shang　Maritime's　security　men　were　wearing　showy；　dark　maroon　uniforms　that　were　better　suited　for　a　Gilbert　and　Sullivan　operetta。　Four　of　them　clutched　what　looked　to　Cabrillo　like　the　latest…model　machine　pistols　manufactured　by　the　Chinese。　The　boat's　captain　wore　the　indecipherable；　hard　expression　of　a　Chinese　in　authority。
　〃Remain　where　you　are！〃　he　shouted　in　Mandarin。　〃We　are　ing　aboard！〃
　〃What　do　you　want？〃　Seng　yelled　back。
　〃Dockyard　Security。　We　want　to　inspect　your　boat。〃
　〃You're　not　the　Harbor　Patrol；〃　said　Seng　indignantly。　〃You　have　no　authority　over　us。〃
　〃You　have　thirty　seconds　to　ply　or　we　shoot；〃　the　captain　said　with　icy　persistence。
　〃You'd　shoot　poor　fishermen？〃　Seng　said　bitterly。　〃You're　mad。〃　He　turned　to　the　others　and　shrugged。　〃We'd　better　do　as　they　say。　They're　just　crazy　enough　to　do　what　they　threaten。〃
　〃All　right；〃　he　said　to　the　Qin　Shang　Maritime　security　captain；　〃e　aboard。　But　don't　think　I'm　not　going　to　report　you　to　the　People's　Republic　harbor　authorities。〃
　
　Cabrillo　leaned　over　the　helm；　shielding　his　face　with　a　straw　hat　so　the　security　guards　couldn't　see　his　Western　eyes。　He　casually　flipped　a　few　coins　over　the　side　as　the　signal　for　James　and　Meadows　to　swim　under　the　launch。　Slowly；　one　of　his　hands　snaked　onto　the　throttle　lever。　Then；　just　as　the　captain　of　the　security　boat　and　his　men　were　in　the　midst　of　leaping　across　the　narrow　gap　separating　the　two　craft；　Cabrillo　cracked　the　throttle　open　and　just　as　quickly　pulled　it　back；　abruptly　widening　the　gap　between　the　two　boats。
　
　As　if　the　action　was　a　rehearsed　edy　routine；　the　security　cruiser　captain　and　his　two　men　fell　into　the　water　between　the　two　boats。　Acting　on　impulse；　as　Cabrillo　predicted；　the　two　men　still　on　the　security　boat　dropped　their　weapons　and　fell　to　their　knees；　reaching　out　to　their　superior　in　an　attempt　to　haul　him　out　of　the　water。　Their　rescue　attempt　failed　as　two　pairs　of　arms　reached　up　out　of　the　water；　grabbed　them　each　by　the　throat　and　pulled　them　overboard　with　a　wild　splash。　Then；　taking　one　man　at　a　time　by　the　feet；　James　and　Meadows　hauled　them　under　the　launch　to　the　opposite　side；　where　they　w