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He lowered himself farther。 Now his waist was out of the chair and his eyes were level with the whale's sharp； pointed teeth。 The whale grunted as it heaved on the heavy steel chair。
Slowly； Schofield lowered himself an inch farther out of the chair。
And then he encountered a problem。
He was now sitting so low in the ejection seat that he couldn't keep a hold on the armrests anymore。 He needed something to hold onto； something from which he could push himself out of the seat。 He desperately looked around himself； searching for something to grab onto。
Nothing。
There was absolutely nothing to hold onto。
And then his gaze fell upon the killer whale's teeth in front of him。
I don't believe this； he thought as he reached up with both hands and took hold of two of the killer whale's enormous white teeth。
Suddenly the ejection seat jolted and slid again and Schofield felt it lift slightly off the deck。 He had a sudden horrifying thought。
It's reached the edge of the deck。
And now it's tipping over it。。。
Holy shit。
Schofield gripped the whale's teeth tightly and pushed hard off them； and hurled himself clear of the ejection seat。 He slid out from the chair； out from the side of the big whale's mouth； and fell clumsily onto the deck just in time to see the killer whale's rear end drop back into the pool。 As its tail entered the water； the big whale's body tipped upward； and its head reared up； lifting the entire ejection seat off the deck。 Then the killer whale's enormous black…and…white frame began to slide downward； into the water； and the great predator took its prize to a watery grave。
Schofield was on his feet in seconds； moving quickly across the deck toward Rebound； Gant； and Mother over by the south tunnel。
He spoke into his helmet mike as he ran。 〃Montana； this is Scarecrow； report。〃
〃Still up on A…deck； Scarecrow。 Snake and Santa Cruz're up here with me。〃
〃How many up there？〃 Schofield asked。
〃I count it as five military and two civilian；〃 Montana's voice said。 〃But two of the military guys just made a break for one of the ladders and went down a level。 What？ Oh； fuck…〃
The connection cut off。 Schofield heard a scuffle。
〃Montana…〃
Suddenly a French mando stepped out onto the deck in front of Schofield himself。
He was the last of the five French soldiers who had fallen into the pool； the only one of them to e out of it alive。 He looked like death warmed up…dripping wet； scowling； and mad as hell。 He glared at Schofield； then raised his crossbow。
Without missing a beat； Schofield drew a throwing knife from a sheath strapped to his knee and threw it underhanded。 The knife whistled through the air and thudded into the Frenchman's chest。 He dropped instantly。 The whole thing took two seconds。 Schofield never stopped walking。 He stepped over the slumped body； retrieved his knife and the dead French mando's crossbow； and kept moving。
He spoke into his helmet mike again： 〃Montana； I say again； are you all right？〃
〃I copy； Scarecrow。 I'm OK。 Revision on my previous count： make that four military and two civilians。 Put me down for one more frog。〃
〃Put me down for one； too；〃 Schofield said。
Schofield arrived at the entrance to the south tunnel； where he found Gant and Rebound。 They were dragging Mother into the tunnel。
Schofield saw Mother's leg immediately。 A bloody； jagged piece of bone protruded from where her left knee should have been。
〃Put her somewhere safe； stop the flow； and give her a hit of methadone；〃 he said quickly。
〃Got it…；〃 Gant said； looking up at him。 She cut herself off abruptly。
Schofield's antiflash glasses had been lost in the water in the battle with the killer whales； and Gant saw his eyes for the first time。
Two prominent vertical scars cut down across both of his eyes。 They were unmissable； hideous。 Each scar stretched downward in a perfectly straight line from eyebrow to cheekbone； scarring the eyelid in between。
Gant winced when she saw them and regretted it as soon as she did so。 She hoped Schofield didn't notice。
〃How are you feeling； Mother？〃 Schofield asked as they dragged Mother into the tunnel。
〃Nothing one good kiss from a fine…lookin' man like you wouldn't fix；〃 Mother growled through clenched teeth。 Despite her pain； she； too； saw Schofield's scarred eyes。
〃Maybe later；〃 Schofield said as he saw a door set into the tunnel wall ahead of them。 〃In there；〃 he said to Gant and Rebound。
They opened the door and dragged Mother inside； all four of them dripping wet。 They were in a storeroom of some sort。 Rebound immediately set to work on Mother's leg。
Schofield spoke into his helmet mike： 〃Marines； call in。〃
Names came in over the inter as each Marine identified him… or herself。Montana； Snake； and Santa Cruz。 All up on A…deck。
Rebound and Gant； E…deck。 They called in formally over their helmet inters even though they were standing right next to Schofield； so that the others would hear their voices and know for a fact that they were still alive。 Even Mother said her name； just for the record。
There was no word from Book； Hollywood； Legs； Samurai； or Ratman。
〃OK； everyone； listen up；〃 Schofield said。 〃By my count these bastards are down to four now； plus the two civilians they brought along with them to jerk my chain。
〃This has gone far enough。 It's time to end it。 We have a numerical advantage； seven against four。 Let's use it。 I want a flush of this entire facility from the top down。 I want these assholes pushed into a corner so we can finish them off without losing any more of our people。 All right； this is how it's gonna happen。 I want…〃
There came a sudden thunking noise from above him and Schofield immediately looked upward。
There was a long silence。
Schofield saw a line of fluorescent lights bolted to the ceiling above him。 They stretched away at regular intervals down the southern tunnel to his right。
And then； at that moment； as Schofield watched them； every single fluorescent light in the tunnel went out。
The world glowed incandescent green。
Night vision。
With his scarred eyes masked by his night…vision goggles； Shane Schofield climbed up one of the rung…ladders between E…deck and D…deck。 He moved slowly and carefully； deliberately。 He remembered Book saying once that wearing night…vision goggles is like wearing a pair of low…powered binoculars strapped to your head… you see something and you reach out to grab it； only to find that it's actually a lot closer than you think； and you knock it over。
The whole station was cloaked in darkness。
And silence。
Cold； eerie silence。
With the entire station filled with the flammable propellant from the air conditioners； all gunfire had ceased。 The occasional shuffle of movement and the odd low whisper of someone speaking into a helmet microphone were all that could be heard in the pitch…darkness。
Schofield surveyed the green…lit station through his night…vision goggles。
The battle had entered a new phase。
Somehow； one of the French mandos must have managed to find the station's fuse box and turn off all the lights。 It