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！
Gant swam toward it。 The others rose slowly in the water beside her。
They all broke the surface together。
In an instant； the world around Gant changed and she found herself treading water in the center of an enormous pool situated at one end of a massive underground cavern。 She saw Montana and Santa Cruz hovering in the water beside her； with Sarah Hensleigh behind them。
The cavern was absolutely huge。 Its ceiling was easily a hundred feet high； and its walls stretched so far into the distance that the farthest reaches of the cavern were cloaked in darkness； evading the fiarsh luminescent glare of the Marines' high…powered halogen lanterns。
And then Gant saw it。
〃I'll be damned 。。。；〃 she heard Santa Cruz say。
For a full minute； Gant could do nothing but stare。 Slowly； she began to make her wav toward the edge of the pool。 When she finally stepped up onto solid ground； she was totally entranced。 She couldn't take her eyes off it。
It looked like nothing she had ever seen before。 Like something out of a movie。 The mere sight of it took her breath away。
It was a ship of some sort。
A black ship…pletely black from nose to tail…about the same size as a fighter jet。 Gant saw that its two enormous tail fins were embedded in the ice wall behind it。 It looked as if they had been consumed by the ice as it had crept slowly forward through the ages。
The huge black spacecraft just stood there…in stark contrast to the cold white cavern around it…standing high on three powerful…looking hydraulic landing struts。
It looked fantastic； otherworldly。
And it looked mean。
Black and pointed； sleek and sharp； to Gant it looked like a huge praying mantis。 Its two black wings swooped down on either side of its fuselage so that it looked like a bird in flight with its wings at the lowest extremity。
The most striking feature of all； however； was the nose。
The ship had a hooked nose； a nose that pointed sharply downward； like the nose on the Concorde。 The cockpit…a rectangular reinforced tinted…glass canopy…was situated right above the hooked nose。
A huge praying mantis； Gant thought。 The sleekest； fastest…biggest…praying mantis that anyone has ever seen。
Gant realized that the others were also out of the water now； standing beside her on the frost…covered floor of the cavem； also staring up at the magnificent spacecraft。
Gant looked at her panions' faces。
Santa Cruz's mouth hung open。
Montana's eyes were wide。
Sarah Hensleigh's reaction； however； struck Gant as strange。 Hensleigh's eyes had narrowed and she stared at the spacecraft in an unusual way。 Despite herself； Gant felt a sudden chill。 Sarah Hensleigh's eyes glowed with what looked dangerously like ambition。
Gant shook the thought off。 and with the initial spell of the spacecraft broken； her eyes began to take in the rest of the gigantic cavern。
It took all of ten seconds for her to see them。
She froze instantly。
〃Oh； God 。。。；〃 she said； her voice low。 〃Oh； God。。。。〃
There were nine of them。
Bodies。
Human bodies； although at first it was hard to tell。
They were laid out on the floor on the far side of the pool…some lay flat on their backs； others lay draped over large rocks by the edge of the pool。 Blood was everywhere。 Puddled on the floor； splashed against the walls； lathered all over the bodies themselves。
It was carnage。
Limbs had been torn from their sockets。 Heads had been wrenched from shoulders。 Circular chunks of flesh had been ripped from the chests of some of the bodies。 Exposed bones lay all over the floor； some of them splintered； others with ragged pieces of flesh still clinging to them。
Gant swallowed hard； tried desperately to keep herself from throwing up。
The divers from the station； she thought。
Santa Cruz stepped up alongside her and stared at the mutilated bodies on the far side of the pool。
〃What the hell happened down here？〃 he said。
Schofield dreamed。
At first there was nothing。 Nothing but black。 It was like floating in outer space。
And then all of a sudden…whack…a glaring white light shattered Schofield's very existence； jarred him like an electric shock； and he felt searing pain like he had never felt before。
And then； just as suddenly as it had e； the shock vanished and Schofield found himself lying on a floor somewhere…cold and alone； asleep but awake。
It was dark。 There were no walls。
He felt a wetness against his cheek。
It was a dog。 A large dog。 Schofield couldn't tell what type。 He could only tell that it was big。 Very； very big。
The dog nuzzled against his cheek； sniffed inquisitively。 Its cold wet nose brushed against the side of his face。 Its whiskers tickled his nose。
It seemed curious； not at all threatening…
And then suddenly the dog barked。 Loud as hell。
Schofield jumped。 The dog was barking madly now at some unseen foe。 It seemed impossibly angry…frenzied； furious…baring its teeth at this new enemy。
Schofield continued to lie on the cold floor of the wall…less room unable…or just unwilling…to move。 And then； gradually； the walls around him began to take shape； and soon Schofield realized that he was lying on the metal decking of E…deck。
The big dog was still standing over him； barking ferociously； snarling。 The dog； it seemed； was defending him。
But from what？ What could it see that he could not？
And then suddenly the dog turned and ran away and Schofield lay alone on the cold steel deck。
Asleep but awake； unable to move； Schofield suddenly felt vulnerable。 Exposed。
Something was approaching him。
It came from the direction of his feet。 He couldn't see it； but he could hear its footsteps as they clanged…slowly； one after the other…on the cold steel deck。
And then suddenly it was over him and Schofield saw an evil smiling face appear above his head。
It was Jacques Latissier。
His face was covered in blood； contorted in an obscene sneer。 Ragged pieces of flesh hung loosely from an open wound in his forehead。 His eyes were alive； burning with hate。 The French mando raised his glistening knife so that it was right in front of Schofield's eyes。
And then he brought the knife down in a violent slashing…
〃Hey；〃 someone said gently。
Schofield's eyes darted open and he awoke from his dream。
He was lying on his back。 In a bed of some sort。 In a room with dazzling white fluorescent lights。 The walls were white； too； made of ice。
A man stood over him。
He was a small man； about five…foot…three。 Schofield had never seen him before。
The man was short and wiry； and he had two enormous blue eyes that seemed way too big for his small head。 Large black bags hung beneath both of his eyes。 He had messy brown hair that looked like it hadn't been brushed in months and two huge front teeth that were horribly askew。 He wore a Kmart wash…and…wear shirt and a pair of blue polyester trousers； in fact； he looked decidedly underdressed for the near…freezing conditions inside Wilkes Ice Station。
And he was holding something。
A long…bladed scalpel。
Schofield stared at it。
The scalpel had blood on it。
The man spoke