mreilly.icestation- 第22节

　
　Kirsty　instinctively　turned　away　as　the　water　next　to　her　exploded。　
　At　first　she　thought　it　was　one　of　the　killer　whales　bursting　out　from　beneath　the　surface　to　take　her　under；　but　as　the　water　fell　back　down　on　top　of　her　and　she　was　able　to　see　again；　all　she　saw　was　a　man　hovering　in　the　water　next　to　her。　
　It　was　one　of　the　Marines。　In　fact；　it　was　the　one　she　had　met　before；　the　nice　one；　the　leader。　The　one　who　wore　the　cool　reflective　silver　sunglasses。　She　tried　to　remember　his　name。　Seinfeld；　she　thought；　or　something　like　that。　
　〃You　OK？〃　he　said。　
　She　nodded　dumbly。　
　His　silver　glasses　hung　askew　from　his　nose；　dislodged　by　his　landing　in　the　water。　He　swiped　them　off　quickly　and　for　a　brief　second　Kirsty　saw　his　eyes　and　she　gasped。　
　Suddenly　one　of　the　killers　whooshed　past　them　and　Kirsty　didn't　care　about　Schofield's　eyes　anymore。　
　The　towering　black　dorsal　fin　sailed　right　past　both　of　their　eyes　and　then　slowly；　very　slowly；　lowered　itself　into　the　water　until　finally　the　tip　of　the　massive　fin　dipped　below　the　surface　and　disappeared。　
　Kirsty　began　to　breathe　very　fast。　
　Beside　her；　Schofield　immediately　started　to　look　down　into　the　water　beneath　them。　They　were　treading　water　in　one　of　the　sections　of　the　pool　that　hadn't　yet　been　contaminated　with　blood。　The　water　beneath　them　was　crystal　clear。　
　Kirsty　followed　his　gaze　and　looked　down　into　the　water　beneath　her…　
　…just　in　time　to　see　the　wide　open　mouth　of　the　killer　whale　rushing　up　at　her　feet！　
　Kirsty　screamed　like　a　banshee；　but　beside　her；　Schofield　saved　calm。　He　quickly　lowered　his　Maghook　beneath　the　surface　and　for　a　terrifying　half…second；　waited　until　the　killer　was　right　up　close　。。。　
　And　then　he　fired。　
　The　grappling　hook；　with　its　bulbous　magnetic　head；　thundered　out　of　its　launcher　into　the　water　and　slammed　into　the　killer　whale's　snout；　stopping　the　massive　creature　dead　in　its　racks。　
　Four　thousand　pounds　pet　square　inch　of　thrust　had　launched　the　grappling　hook。　Whether　or　not　it　had　truly　been　enough　to　stun　a　full…grown　seven…ton　killer　whale　wasn't　entirely　clear　to　Schofield。　Hell；　the　whale　was　probably　just　shocked　that　something　had　dared　to　fight　back。　
　Schofield　quickly　pressed　down　twice　on　the　trigger　of　the　launcher　and　the　grappling　hook　immediately　began　to　reel　itself　in。　
　He　turned　to　face　Kirsty　again。　〃You　still　in　one　piece？　Got　all　your　fingers　and　toes？〃　
　Kirsty　just　stared　at　him；　saw　those　eyes　again；　nodded　dumbly。　
　〃e　on　then；〃　Schofield　said　as　he　pulled　her　through　the　water。　
　
　Sarah　Hensleigh　reached　the　edge　of　the　pool　and　clambered　up　onto　the　deck　as　fast　as　she　could。　She　turned　back　and　saw　Conlon　and　Abby　splashing　through　the　water　toward　her。　
　〃Hurry　up！〃　Sarah　yelled。　〃Hurry　up！〃　
　Abby　got　there　first。　Sarah　grabbed　her　hand　and　yanked　her　up　onto　the　deck。　
　Conlon　was　still　two　yards　away；　swimming　hard。　
　〃e　on；　Warren！〃　
　Conlon　swam　for　all　he　was　worth。　
　One　yard　away。　
　He　looked　up　desperately　at　Sarah；　and　she　dropped　to　her　knees　at　the　edge　of　the　deck。　
　He　got　there。　Slammed　into　the　metal　rim　of　the　deck　like　a　Olympic　swimmer　hitting　the　wall　at　the　end　of　a　race。　He　reached　up；　grabbed　Sarah's　outstretched　hand。　Sarah　was　just　beginning　to　haul　him　up　onto　the　deck　when　suddenly　the　water　behind　him　parted　and　one　of　the　killer　whales　burst　up　out　of　it。　The　big　whale　opened　its　mouth　wide　and　enveloped　Conlon's　body　from　foot　to　chest。　
　Conlon　went　bug…eyed　as　the　killer　clamped　down　hard　on　his　chest　and　Sarah　tried　desperately　to　hold　onto　his　hand；　but　the　killer　was　too　strong。　When　it　dropped　back　down　into　the　water　it　yanked　so　hard　on　Cordon's　body　that　Sarah　felt　the　terrified　scientist's　fingernails　scratch　her　skin　and　draw　blood；　and　then　suddenly　his　hand　was　out　of　her　grasp　and　she　fell　to　the　deck　and　watched　in　horror　as　Warren　Conlon　disappeared　under　the　water　right　in　front　of　her　eyes。　
　
　A　few　yards　away；　Mother　and　Rebound　were　also　approaching　the　deck。　
　Rebound　swam　hard　as　Mother　turned　in　the　water　and　fired　her　MP…5　under　the　surface。　One　of　the　first　things　they　teach　you　at　Parris　Island；　the　legendary　training　camp　of　the　United　States　Marine　Corps；　is　the　resistance　that　water　offers　against　gunfire。　Indeed；　the　average　bullet　will　lose　nearly　all　of　its　velocity　in　less　man　two　meters　of　water。　After　that　it　will　just　slow　to　a　halt　and　sink　to　the　bottom。　
　Such　physical　laws；　however；　didn't　seem　to　be　bothering　Mother　right　now。　She　just　waited　until　the　killers　got　close　and　then　she　fired　hard。　The　bullets　appeared　to　penetrate　the　outer　skin；　but　they　didn't　seem　to　do　much　damage。　Mother　fired　and　hit；　and　the　killers　momentarily　darted　away；　but　they　always　seemed　to　e　back；　unhurt；　undeterred。　
　Rebound　hit　the　deck　and　was　about　to　climb　up　onto　it　when　he　turned　and　saw　Mother　behind　him。　
　She　was　looking　down　to　her　left；　her　gun　arm　jolting　repeatedly　as　she　fired　at　something　under　the　water。　And　then　suddenly　her　gun　arm　stopped　its　jolting　movement　and　Mother　looked　confused。　Her　gun　wasn't　firing　anymore。　
　Frozen　ammo。　
　Rebound　watched　as　Mother　shook　her　MP…5　in　disgust；　as　if　shaking　it　would　somehow　make　it　work　again。　
　It　was　then　that　Rebound　saw　an　ominous　dark　shadow　slithering　upward　underneath　the　surface；　silently　approaching　Mother　from　her　right。　
　〃Mother！　Check　right！〃　
　Mother　heard　him　and　spun　instantly　and　saw　the　killer　whale　rising　beneath　her。　Her　gun　now　useless；　Mother　just　pivoted　in　the　water　and　lifted　her　legs　up　sharply　and　the　killer　barreled　past　her；　missing　her　feet　by　inches。　
　But　then；　just　when　Rebound　thought　it　had　passed　her　by；　the　killer　whale　abruptly　changed　course　and　broke　the　surface　of　the　water　and　wrapped　its　jaws　around　Mother's　gun　hand。　
　Mother　yelled　in　pain　and　released　her　MP…5；　yanking　her　hand　free　just　as　the　whale　bit　down　on　the　gun。　
　A　gash　of　red　appeared　instantly　above　her　wrist。　Blood　slicked　her　entire　forearm。　
　But　her　hand　was　still　there。　
　Mother　didn't　care。　Now　gunless；　she　just　swam　like　hell　for　the　water's　edge。　
　Rebound　hoisted　himself　onto　the　deck　and　turned　and　urged　Mother　on。　
　〃Move　it；　Mother！　Pick　it　up；　baby！〃　
　Mother　swam。　
　Rebound　knelt　at　the　edge　of　the　deck。　
　Black　shadows　cut　back　and　forth　behind　Mother's　frantically　swimming　frame。　
　Black　shapes　everywhere。　Too　many　of　them。　And　then；　suddenly；　it　dawned　on　Rebound。　
　Mother　wasn't　going　to　get　to　the　deck　in　time。　
　Then；　as　if　right　on　cue；　a　massive　black　silhouette　appeared　in　the　water　right　behind　Mother's　frantically　kicking　legs。　
　It　closed　in　slowly；　through　the　rippling　translucent　water；　and　Rebound　saw　a　pink　slit　appear　across　its　enormous　black…and…white　jawline。　
　Its　mouth　was　opening。　
　Teeth　appeared　and　Rebound　felt　his　blood　run　cold。　
　Through　the　crystalline　water　he　saw　the　black　shadow　slowly　rise　and　rise　behind　Mother　until　it　overtook　her　legs　and　allowed　them　to　kick　inside　its　wide　open　mouth。　
　And　then；　with　an　ominous　sense　of　finality；　the　big　whale's　jaws　closed　slowly　around　Mother's　knees。　
　
　
　
　The　jolt　that　Mother　experienced　was　incredible　in　its　ferocity。　
　Rebound　watched　in　horror　as　the　killer　whale　yanked　her　under。　The　water　around　Mother　started　to　froth　and　bubble　and　blood　began　to　fan　out；　but　Mother　was　struggling　fiercely；　putting　up　a　hell　of　a　fight。　
　Suddenly　she　broke　the　surface　and　so　did　the　killer。　Somehow；　during　their　underwater　scuffle；　Mother　must　have　managed　to　get　one　of　her　legs　free　from　the　killer's　jaws；　because　now　she　was　using　it　to　kick　down　hard　on　the　big　whale's　snout。　
　〃You　motherfucker！〃　she　screamed。　〃I'm　gonna　fucking　kill　you！〃　But　it　had　her　by　the　other　leg　and　it　wasn't　letting　go。　
　Abruptly　Mother　shot　forward　in　the　water；　raising　a　wash　of　white　waves　in　front　of　her。　The　whale　was　pushing　her　forward；　toward　Rebound　and　the　deck。　
　And　then…clang！…Mother　slammed　down　hard　against　the　edge　of　the　deck　and；　amazingly；　managed　to　get　a　handhold　on　the　metal　grating。　
　〃Fucking　kill　you！　You　son　of　a　bitchl〃　Mother　yelled　throug