if.thunderball-第54章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ive a small target。 Keep flat in the water。 Don't put your feet down and give him a full…length target。 As soon as he's fired； go for him like hell with your spear right out。 One jab of those things in almost any part of the head or body and your man's had it。 Wounded men will have to look after themselves。 We can't spare stretcher bearers。 If you're wounded； back out of the fight and get away to a coral clump and rest on it。 Or make for the shore and shallow water。 If you've got a spear in you； don't try and pull it out。 Just hold it in the wound until someone gets to you。 Petty Officer Fallon will have one of the ship's signal flares。 He'll release that to the surface as soon as our attack begins and your captain will at once surface and put out an escape dinghy with an armed party and the ship's surgeon。 Now then； any questions？〃
〃What do we do as soon as we get out of the sub； sir？〃
〃Try and not make any fuss on the surface。 Get down quickly to ten feet and take your place in the formation。 We're likely to get help from a light breeze； but we're bound to create turbulence on the surface。 Keep it down as much as you can。〃
〃What about signals underwater； sir？ Suppose a mask goes wrong or something。〃
〃Thumbs down for any kind of emergency。 Arm held straight out for a big fish。 Thumbs up means ‘I understand' or ‘ing to help you。' That's all you'll need。〃 Bond smiled。 〃If the feet go up； that's the signal that you've had it。〃
The men laughed various kinds of laugh。
There came the sudden voice of the P。A。 system。 〃Swimming party to the escape hatch。 I repeat； swimming party to the escape hatch。 Don equipment； Don equipment。 mander Bond to the attack center； please。〃
The whine of the engines died to a moan and then was silent。 There was a slight bump as the Manta hit bottom。
23。 Naked Warfare
Bond shot upward out of the escape hatch in a blast of pressed air。 Far above him the surface of the sea was a glittering plate of quicksilver bubbling and swirling with the small waves that Bond was glad to see had materialized。 The balloon of air rushed on past him and he watched it hit the silver ceiling like a small bomb。 There was a sharp pain in his ears。 To get depression he fought with his fins and slowed down until he hung suspended ten feet below the surface。
Below him the long black shape of the Manta looked sinister and dangerous。 He thought of the electric light blazing inside her and a hundred men going about their business。 It gave him a creepy feeling。 NOW there came a great explosion from the escape hatch as if the Manta was firing at Bond； and the black projectile of Leiter shot up at him through the burst of silver air bubbles。 Bond moved out of his path and swam on up to the surface。 Cautiously he looked above the small flurry of the waves。 The Disco ； still blacked out； lay stopped less than a mile away to his left。 There were no signs of activity on board。 A mile to the north lay the long dark outline of Grand Bahama edged with the white of sand and small waves。 There were small patches of broken white on the coral and niggerheads in the intervening water。 Above the island； on top of the tall rocket gantries that showed as indistinct black skeletons； the red aircraft warning lights winked on and off。 Bond got his bearings and quietly jackknifed his body down below the surface。 He stopped at about ten feet and； keeping his body pointed like a pass needle along the course he would have to follow； lay； paddling softly with his fins to keep position； and waited for the rest of his team。
***
Ten minutes before； mander Pedersen's stolid calm had given way to controlled excitement。 〃By gum； it's working out like you said it would！〃 he had said wonderingly when Bond came into the attack center。 〃They hove to just about ten minutes ago； and since then the Sonar keeps on picking up odd noises； underwater noises； just what one would expect if they were getting things mobilized in that underwater partment of theirs。 Nothing else to go on； but it's quite enough。 I guess you and the boys had better get going。 As soon as you're out of the way； I'm going to float up a surface antenna and get a signal off to Navy Department； give them a Sitrep and have the missile station warned to stand by to evacuate if things go wrong。 Then I'm going to e up to twenty feet or so and have two tubes loaded and keep a periscope watch。 I'm issuing Petty Officer Fallon with a second flare。 I've told him to keep out of trouble as much as he can and be ready to let off the second flare if it looks as if things are going really bad for our side。 Unlikely； but I can't take chances with things as they are。 If that second flare es up； I'm going to close in。 Knock a piece or two off the Disco with the four…inch and then board her。 Then I'm going to be rough as hell until that bomb's been recovered and rendered safe。〃 The captain shook his head doubtfully。 He ran his hand over the black iron filings of his crew…cut。 〃This is one hell of a situation； mander。 We'll just have to play it by ear。〃 He held out his hand。 〃Well。 You'd better get going。 Good luck。 I hope my boys'll be a credit to the ship。〃
Bond felt a tap on his shoulder。 It was Leiter。 He grinned through his mask and jerked up a thumb。 Bond took a quick look behind him。 The men lay spread out in a rough wedge； their fins and hands working slowly as they marked time in the water。 Bond nodded and got going； moving forward with a slow； even trudge； one hand at his side and the other holding his spear up the shaft against his chest。 Behind him； the black wedge fanned out into formation and cruised forward like some giant delta…winged stingray on the prowl。 It was hot and sticky inside the black suit and the recirculating oxygen ing through the mouthpiece tasted of rubber； but Bond forgot the disfort as he concentrated on keeping an even pace and a dead steady course on a prominent niggerhead with waves washing its head that he had chosen as a fix for his first contact with the shoal waters。
Far below； where the dancing moon shadows could not penetrate； the bottom was even white sand with an occasional dark patch that would be seagrass。 All around there was nothing but the great pale luminous hall of the sea at night； a vast lonely mist through which； against his will and his intelligence； Bond expected at any moment the dark torpedo of a great fish to materialize； its eyes and senses questing toward the rippling shape of the black intruder。 But there was nothing； and nothing came； and gradually the patches of seagrass became more distinct and ripples showed on the sandy bottom as it shelved slowly up from fifty to forty and then to thirty feet。
To reassure himself that all was well； Bond took a quick glance over his shoulder。 Yes； they were all there； the oval panes of eleven gleaming masks with the fluttering fins kicking up behind them and the glint of the moonlight on the blades of the spears。 Bond thought： By God； if only we can achieve surprise！ What a terrifying ambush to meet ing at you through the shadows and shapes of the reef！ His heart lifted momentarily at the thought； only to be checked by the deep gnawing of his hidden fears about the girl。 Supposing she was part of the enemy team！ Supposing he came face to face with her。 Would he bring himself to do it…with the spear？ But the whole idea was ridiculous。 She was on board； safe。 He would be seeing her again soon； as soon as this work was done。
A small coral clump showed up below and refocused his mind。 Now he gazed watchfully ahead。 There were more clumps； the ink splashes of sea eggs； crowds of small glittering reef fish； a small forest of sea fans that beckoned and waved with the ebb and flow like the hair of drowned women。 Bond slowed and felt Leiter or Fallon bump into his fins。 He made the slowing signal with his free hand。 Now he crept carefully forward； looking for the silvery wash of the waves against the top of his navigation mark。 Yes； it was there； away to the left。 He was a good twenty feet off course。 He swerved toward it； gave the halt signal； and came slowly up under its protection。 With infinite caution he raised his head throu
