The two men hung there for a full minute； halfway down the sheer vertical cliff…face； neither one of them daring to move。
〃You still there？〃 Schofield asked。
〃Yeah；〃 Renshaw said； petrified。
〃All right； I'm going to try and reel us up now；〃 Schofield said； shifting his grip on his launcher slightly so that he could press down on the black button that reeled in the rope without collapsing the grappling hook。
Schofield looked up at the cliff edge high above them。 It must have been at least a hundred and fifty feet away。 He figured they must be hanging at the full length of his Mag…hook's rope…
It was then that Schofield saw him。
A man。 Standing up on the cliff top； peering out over the edge； looking down at them。
Schofield froze。
The man was wearing a black balaclava。
And he was holding a machine gun in his hand。
〃Well？〃 Renshaw said from down near Schofield's feet。 〃What are you waiting for？〃 From his position； Renshaw wasn't able to see the SAS mando up on the cliff top。 〃We're not going up any more；〃 Schofield said flatly； his eyes locked on the black…clad figure at the top of the cliff。
〃We're not？〃 Renshaw said。 〃What are you talking about？〃
The SAS mando was looking directly down at Schofield now。
Schofield swallowed。 Then he glanced down at the smashing waves a hundred and fifty feet below him。 When he looked up again； the SAS mando was pulling a long； glistening knife from its sheath。 The mando then bent down over the Maghook's rope at the top of the cliff。
〃Oh； no；〃 Schofield said。
〃Oh； no； what？〃 Renshaw said。
〃Are you ready to go for a ride？〃
〃No；〃 Renshaw said。
Schofield said； 〃Breathe all the way down； and then at the last second； take a deep breath。〃 That was what they told you when you jumped out of a moving helicopter into water。 Schofield figured the same principle applied here。
Schofield looked up again at the SAS mando at the top of the cliff。 He was about to cut the rope。
〃All right；〃 Schofield said。 〃Let's cut the crap。 I'll be damned if I'm gonna wait for you to cut my rope。 Renshaw； are you ready？ We're going。〃
And at that moment； Schofield pressed down twice on the trigger of the Maghook。
At the top of the cliff the claws of the grappling hook responded immediately and collapsed inward； and in doing so they lost their purchase on the snow。 The hook slithered out over the edge of the cliff； past the bewildered SAS mando； and Schofield； Renshaw； and the Maghook fell… together…down the cliff face and into the crashing waves of the Southern Ocean below。
In the silence of the ice cavern； Libby Gant just stared at the semi…eaten bodies that lay draped over the rocks in front of her。
Since they had arrived in the cavern about forty minutes ago； the others…Montana； Santa Cruz； and Sarah Hensleigh… had barely even looked at the bodies。 They were all totally engrossed in the big black spacecraft on the other side of the underground cavern。 They walked around it； under it； peered at its black metal wings； tried to look in through the smoked…glass canopy of its cockpit。
After Schofield had informed Gant of the impending arrival of the British troops and his own plan to flee； she had set up two MP…5s on tripods； facing the pool at the end of the cavern。 If the SAS tried to enter the cavern； she would pick them off one by one as they broke the surface。
That had been half an hour ago。
Even if the SAS had arrived at Wilkes Ice Station by now； it would still take them another hour to lower someone down in the diving bell and a further hour to swim up the underwater ice tunnel to the cavern。
It was a waiting game now。
After Gant had set up the tripods； Montana and Sarah Hensleigh had gone back to examining the spacecraft。 Santa Cruz had stayed with Gant a while longer； but soon he； too； went back over to look at the fantastic black ship。
Gant stayed with the guns。
As she sat there on the cold； icy floor of the cavern； she gazed at the dismembered bodies on the far side of the pool。
The amount of damage that had been done to the bodies had stunned her。 Heads and limbs missing； whole sections of flesh literally chewed to the bone； the whole scene itself soaked in blood。
What on earth could have done it？ Gant thought。
As she thought about the bodies； her gaze wandered over to the pool。 She saw the round holes in the ice walls above it…the enormous ten…foot holes。 They were identical to the ones she had seen in the underwater ice tunnel on the way here。
Gant had a strange feeling about those holes； about the bodies； about the cave itself。 It was almost as if the cave were some kind of…
〃This is absolutely incredible；〃 Sarah Hensleigh said as she came over and stood beside Gant。 Hensleigh hurriedly brushed a strand of long dark hair from her face。 She was practically brimming with excitement at the discovery of the spaceship。
〃It has no markings on it whatsoever；〃 she said。 〃The whole ship is pletely and utterly black。〃
Gant didn't care much for Sarah Hensleigh right now。 In fact； she didn't care much for the spaceship either。
In fact； the more she thought about it…about the spaceship and the cavern and the half…eaten bodies and the SAS up in the station…Gant couldn't help but think that there was no way in the world that she would ever be leaving Wilkes Ice Station alive。
The SAS team's entry into Wilkes Ice Station was fast and fluid…professional。
Black…clad men charged into the station with their guns up。 They fanned out quickly； moved in pairs。 They opened every door； checked every room。
〃A…deck； clear！〃 one voice yelled。
〃B…deck； clear！〃 another voice yelled。
Trevor Barnaby strode out onto the A…deck catwalk and surveyed the abandoned station like a newly crowned king looking out over his domain。 He looked down upon the station with a cold； even gaze。 A thin smile creased his face。
The SAS troops made their way down to E…deck； where they found Snake and the two French scientists handcuffed to tihe pole。 Two SAS mandos covered them while more black…clad troops poured down the rung…ladders and disappeared inside the tunnels of E…deck。
Four SAS mandos raced into the south tunnel。 Two took the doors to the left。 Two took the doors to the right
The two on the right came to the first door； kicked it in； looked inside。
A storeroom。 Battered wooden shelves。 Some scuba…diving tanks on the floor。
But empty。
They moved down the corridor； guns up。 It was then that one of them saw the dumbwaiter； saw the two stainless…steel doors glistening in the cold white light of the tunnel。
With a short whistle； the lead SAS man caught the attention of the other two mandos in the tunnel。 He pointed with two fingers at the dumbwaiter。 The other two men understood instantly。 They positioned themselves on either side of the dumbwaiter while the leader and the fourth SAS mando aimed their guns at the stainless…steel doors。
The leader nodded quickly and the two men on either side of the dumbwaiter instantly yanked it open； and the leader let rip with a sudden burst of gunfire。
The bare walls of the empty dumbwaiter were ripped to shreds。
Mother squeezed her eyes shut as the SAS mando's gunfire roared loudly less than a foot above her head。
She was sitting in plete darkness； at the base of the dumbwaiter's miniature elevator shaft； curled up in a tight ball； in the crawl space underneath the dumbwaiter。
The dumbwaiter shuddered and shook under the weight of the SAS mando's gunfire。 Its walls blew out； and jagged； splintered holes appeared all over it。 Dust and wood shavings showered down on Mother； but she just kept her eyes firmly shut。
And then at that moment； as the gunfire echoed loudly in her ears； a jarring thought hit Mother。
They could fire their guns safely inside the station again。。。。
The amount of flammable gas in the station's atmosphere must have dissipated…
And then abruptly the gunfire ceased and the doors of the dumbwaiter closed and all of a sudden there was silence again； and for the first time in three whole minutes Mother let out a breath。
Schofield and Renshaw plummet