e inch of thrust had to have some chance of scoring a hit。
And indeed； as Schofield himself had discovered in the pool before； at close range； underwater； a Maghook had the capacity to stun a seven…ton killer whale。 When fired at a one…hundred…and…eighty…pound man at similar range； above water； the Maghook would probably crack his skull。
Thus armed； the Marines were confident that they could handle the French mandos' crossbows。
So the plan would go ahead。
Montana； Snake； and Santa Cruz would work their way down through the station from A…deck； forcing the Frenchmen down； while Schofield； Gant； and Rebound worked their way up from E…deck。 They would hopefully meet halfway and the rest would write itself。
Schofield and Gant had departed right away。
Rebound was to join them as soon as he had stemmed the flow of blood from Mother's leg and started her up on an intravenous line of methadone。
The three Marines on A…deck began their attack。
They moved quickly； using a textbook three…man flushing formation known as 〃leapfrogging。〃 One Marine would move forward； ahead of his partners； and fire his Maghook。 Then； while he reeled his hook in to reload； a second Marine would move in front of him…〃leapfrogging〃 him…and fire his Maghook at the enemy。 By the time the third man stepped forward and fired； the first man was ready to fire again and the cycle continued。
The two French soldiers on A…deck responded as they were supposed to…they retreated； hastened away from the rolling wave of powerful Maghook fire。 They hurried for the ladders； climbed down the shaft。
However； as he fielded reports from Montana about the French soldiers' movement； Schofield noticed something odd about their evasive maneuvers。
They were moving too fast。
In their retreat down the shaft； the four French soldiers had pletely avoided the destroyed B…deck catwalk and continued straight down to C。
They moved fluidly； in a swift two…by…two cover formation…the lead two men covering the forward flank； the rear two covering their pursuers behind； with a space of about ten yards between the two pairs。
Earlier； Montana had reported that all four of the French mandos were wearing night…vision goggles。 They had e prepared。
They continued to move down the shaft fast。
Schofield had expected them to waste time in the tunnels as they tried to adopt a defensive position。 But the French soldiers seemed to have other ideas。 They darted into the C…deck tunnels only for so long as it took the Marines pursuing them from the levels above to join them。 Then suddenly they appeared on the catwalk again and made for the rung…ladder leading down to D…deck。
At that moment； Schofield recalled something Trevor Barnaby had once said about strategy。
〃Good strategy is like magic；〃 Barnaby had said。 〃Make your enemy look at one hand while you're doing something with the other。〃
〃They're moving for the southwest ladder；〃 Montana's voice said in Schofield's earpiece。 〃Scarecrow； you down there？〃
Schofield moved forward along the D…deck catwalk； the world green before his eyes。 〃We're on it。〃
He and Gant approached the southwest corner of D…deck； saw the rung…ladder that led up to C…deck。
Schofield spoke into his mike。 〃Rebound； where are you？〃
〃Finishing up now； sir；〃 Rebound's voice replied from the storeroom down on E…deck。
〃Flanking west； Sarge；〃 the voice of José 〃Santa〃 Cruz said over the inter。
Montana's voice： 〃Keep 'em ing； Cruz。 Then send 'em down to the Scarecrow。〃
On D…deck； Schofield and Gant arrived at the rung…ladder。 They crouched； leveled their weapons at the empty ladder。 They heard boots stomping fast on the metal catwalk above them； heard the distinctive snap…phew！ of a crossbow being fired。
〃They're ing to the ladder；〃 Santa Cruz's voice said。
More footsteps clanged on the metal grating。
Any second now 。。。
Any second。。。
And then suddenly； clunk； clunk。
What the hell…
〃Marines！ Eyes shut！ Flasher on the ground！〃 Santa Cruz's voice yelled suddenly。
Schofield immediately squeezed his eyes shut just as he heard the stun grenade bounce on the metal deck above him。
The stun grenade went off…like a flashbulb on a camera… and for a brief instant the whole of Wilkes Ice Station flared white。
Schofield was about to open his eyes when suddenly there came a new noise from his right。 It sounded like someone doing up a zipper really； really fast。
Schofield spun right and opened his eyes； and his green world streaked laterally。 His eyes searched the empty shaft； but he saw nothing。
〃Ah； shit！〃 Cruz said。 〃Sir！ One of them just went over the railing！〃
The zipping sound that Schofield had just heard suddenly made sense。 It had been the sound of someone rappelling down the central shaft on a rope。
Schofield froze for a split second。
Such a move wasn't a defensive move at all。
It was a coordinated move； a planned move； an attacking move。
The French weren't actually on the run。
They were carrying out a plan of their own。
Make your enemy look at one hand while you're doing something with the other。。。。
Like a chess player caught in check a second before he intends to play his own killing move； Schofield felt his mind start to spin。
What were they up to？
What was their plan？
In the end he didn't have time to think about it； because no sooner had he heard Santa Cruz's message than a volley of arrows thudded into the ice wall all around him。 Schofield ducked and spun and saw Gant dive to the floor behind him； and then he spun back round and before he knew what was happening a figure slid down the rung…ladder in front of him and Schofield found himself standing face…to…face with the Frenchman he knew as Jacques Latissier。
Rebound was crouched over Mother in the storeroom on E…deck。
Mother had tough veins； and； to make it even more difficult； Rebound was wearing his night…vision goggles as he tried to get the needle into her arm。 He'd missed the vein on his first four attempts； and he had only now just managed to get the IV line flowing into Mother's arm。
The IV done； Rebound stood up and was about to leave Mother when； strangely； he heard the sound of soft footsteps hurrying down the tunnel outside the darkened storeroom。
Rebound froze。
Listened。
The sound of the footsteps faded as they hurried off down the southern tunnel outside。
Rebound stepped forward and grabbed the doorknob and slowly； quietly； turned it。 The door opened and he peered out into the tunnel through his night…vision goggles。
He looked left and saw the pool。 Small waves lapped against the sides of the deck。
He looked right and saw a long； straight tunnel stretching away from him into darkness。 He recognized it immediately as the elongated southern tunnel of E…deck that led to the station's drilling room。
Since it was the lowest level in the ice station； E…deck housed the station's drilling room…the room from which the scientists dolled down into the ice to obtain their ice cores。 So as to maximize the depths to which the scientists could drill； the drilling room had been constructed as far into the ice shelf as possible…to the south of the station； where the ice was deepest。 The room was connected to the main station plex by a long； narrow tunnel that stretched for at least forty meters。
Rebound heard the soft footsteps disappear down the long tunnel to his right。
After a short moment of pause； he raised his Maghook and ventured out into the tunnel after them。
Schofield fired his Maghook at Latissier。
The Frenchman ducked fast and the grappling hook thundered over the top of him and flew through the rung…ladder behind him。 The hook looped itself over one of the rungs and knotted itself tight against the ladder。
Schofield threw his Maghook down and raised his crossbow at the same time as Latissier leveled his own at him。
The two men fired at the same time。
The arrows whistled through the air； crossing each other in midnight。
Latissier's arrow slammed into Schofield's armored shoulder plate。 Schofield's arrow lodged in Latissier's hand as the big Frenchman covered his