cc.floodtide-第76章

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　The　United　States　narrowly　slipped　under　both　the　Crescent　City　Connection　bridges；　and　the　Huey　P。　Long　Bridge；　scraping　the　lower　span　with　the　tops　of　her　towering　funnels。　The　next　two　bridges；　the　Luling　and　Gramercy；　provided　a　slim　gap　of　less　than　twelve　feet　of　space。　Only　the　Sunshine　Bridge　at　Donaldsonville　remained；　and　Hung…chang　had　carefully　calculated　the　United　States　could　safely　pass　under　with　six　feet　to　spare。　After　that；　the　liner　was　free　of　all　obstructions　on　her　dash　to　the　Mystic　Canal　except　for　river　traffic。
　
　A　myriad　of　uneasy　thoughts　began　to　fade　from　Hung…chang's　mind。　There　was　no　strong　wind　to　push　the　ship　off　course。　Ming　Lin　guided　the　ship　through　the　intricate　river　bends　with　practiced　mastery。　And；　most　important　of　all；　surprise　was　on　his　side。　Before　the　Americans　realized　what　was　happening；　it　would　be　too　late。　Hung…chang　would　have　the　ship　in　the　precise　spot　to　divert　the　water　through　the　breach　blasted　in　the　levee　before　he　and　his　crew　scuttled　the　ship　and　were　to　be　in　the　air　and　on　their　way　back　to　the　safety　of　Sungari　and　the　Sung　Lien　Star　which　was　prepared　to　cast　off　immediately　and　head　out　to　sea。　The　closer　the　United　States　steamed　to　the　scuttling　point；　the　more　distant　such　worries　became。
　
　He　felt　an　unexpected　shudder　through　the　deck　and　tensed；　looking　quickly　at　Ming　Lin；　searching　for　a　sign　of　an　error；　a　tiny　mistake　in　judgment。　All　he　could　detect　was　a　few　beads　of　sweat　on　the　helm　master's　forehead　and　a　tight　set　to　the　lips。　Then　the　decks　became　placid　again；　except　for　the　beat　of　the　engines；　as　they　again　went　to　full　speed　up　a　straight　reach　of　the　river。
　
　Hung…chang　stood　with　both　legs　braced　apart。　He　had　never　felt　such　incredible　strength　from　a　ship　before：　240；000　horsepower；　60；000　each　to　drive　her　massive　propellers；　which　in　turn　hurled　her　up　the　river　at　the　incredible　speed　of　fifty　miles　an　hour；　speed　that　Hung…chang　could　not　imagine　from　a　ship　under　his　mand。　He　studied　his　image　in　the　front　storm　windows　of　the　bridge　and　saw　a　face　calm　and　poised　with　no　stress　lines。　He　smiled　as　the　ship　passed　a　large　waterfront　home　with　a　tall　pole　flying　the　stars　and　bars　of　the　Confederate　flag。　Soon；　very　soon；　the　flag　would　no　longer　be　flapping　in　the　wind　over　the　mighty　Mississippi；　but　over　a　muddy　creek。
　
　The　bridge　was　strangely　quiet。　There　was　no　need　for　Hung…chang　to　call　out　orders　for　course　and　speed　changes。　Ming　Lin　was　in　plete　mand　of　the　ship's　passage；　his　hands　locked　on　the　wheel；　his　eyes　staring　into　a　large　monitor　that　displayed　the　vessel　and　its　relation　to　the　river　in　a　three…dimensional　image　that　was　transmitted　by　infrared　cameras　j　mounted　on　the　bow　and　funnels。　Through　the　medium　of　digital　science；　a　display　across　the　bottom　of　the　monitor　also　gave　him　remended　course　deviations　and　velocity　instructions；　providing　him　with　far　better　mastery　over　the　ship's　progress　than　if　he　had　piloted　by　eye　during　daylight。
　
　〃We　have　a　towboat　pushing　ten　grain　barges　ing　up　ahead；〃　announced　Ming　Lin。
　Hung…chang　picked　up　the　ship's　radiophone。　〃Captain　of　the　towboat　approaching　St。　James　Landing。　We　are　overtaking　you。　We　are　one…half　mile　behind　and　will　overtake　you　on　the　Cantrelle　Reach；　passing　on　your　starboard。　We　have　a　hundred…foot　beam　and　suggest　you　give　us　a　wide　berth。〃
　There　was　no　response　from　the　unknown　towboat　captain；　but　when　the　United　States　turned　into　Cantrelle　Reach；　Hung…chang　could　see　through　his　night…vision　glasses　that　the　tow…boat　was　slowly　turning　to　port；　too　slowly。　The　towboat　captain　had　not　followed　the　news　from　New　Orleans　and　could　never　imagine　that　a　giant　behemoth　the　size　of　the　United　States　was　bearing　down　on　him　at　unbelievable　speed。
　
　〃He's　not　going　to　make　it　in　time；〃　Ming　Lin　certified　calmly。
　〃Can　we　slow？〃　asked　Hung…chang。
　〃If　we　don't　pass　him　on　a　straight　reach；　it　will　be　impossible　after　we　enter　the　next　series　of　bends。〃
　〃Then　it's　now　or　never。〃
　Ming　Lin　nodded。　〃For　us　to　deviate　from　our　puter…programmed　passage　might　very　well　imperil　the　operation。〃
　Hung…chang　picked　up　the　radiophone。　〃Captain；　please　veer　away　quickly　or　we　may　run　you　down。〃
　The　towboat　captain's　voice　came　back　angrily。　〃You　don't　own　the　river；　Charlie　Brown。　Who　the　hell　do　you　think　you're　threatening？〃
　Hung…chang　shook　his　head　wearily。　〃I　think　you　had　better　look　over　your　stern。〃
　The　reply　came　like　a　choked　gasp。　〃Jeezez！　Where　did　you　e　from？〃
　Then　the　towboat　and　her　barges　quickly　veered　to　port。　Although　the　move　came　in　time；　the　great　wash　from　the　superliner；　her　hull　displacing　over　forty　thousand　tons　of　water　with　her　passing；　cascaded　over　the　towboat　and　barges；　sweeping　them　sideways　and　depositing　them　high　and　dry　on　the　bank　of　the　levee。
　
　In　another　ten　minutes　the　ship　rounded　Point　Houmas；　named　for　a　tribe　of　Indians　who　once　lived　there；　before　rushing　past　the　town　of　Donaldsonville　and　successfully　clearing　the　Sunshine　Bridge。　As　the　lights　of　the　bridge　faded　around　the　last　bend　in　the　river；　Hung…chang　allowed　himself　the　luxury　of　a　cup　of　tea。
　〃Only　twelve　more　miles　until　we're　there；〃　said　Ming　Lin。　His　words　were　not　a　report　but　came　as　casually　as　a　statement　that　the　weather　was　mild。　〃Twenty　minutes；　twenty…five　at　most。〃
　Hung…chang　was　just　finishing　his　tea　when　a　crewman　who　was　standing　watch　on　the　starboard　bridge　wing　leaned　through　the　door　of　the　wheelhouse。　〃Aircraft；　Captain。　Approaching　from　the　north。　Sounds　like　helicopters。〃
　He　had　hoped　for　a　radar　installation；　but　Qin　Shang；　knowing　the　United　States　was　on　her　final　voyage　saw　no　reason　for　the　added　expense。　〃Can　you　tell　how　many？〃
　〃I　count　two　ing　straight　down　the　river；〃　replied　the　crewman；　staring　through　night…vision　glasses。
　
　No　need　for　panic；　thought　Hung…chang。　They　were　either　state　law…enforcement　craft　that　could　do　little　but　issue　warnings　for　the　ship　to　stop；　or　those　chartered　by　the　news　media。
　
　He　raised　his　night…vision　glasses　and　peered　upriver。　Then　the　veins　in　his　neck　became　taut　as　he　recognized　the　helicopters　as　belonging　to　the　military。
　
　In　the　same　moment　a　long　row　of　floodlights　blinked　on；　illuminating　the　river　as　brightly　as　daylight；　and　he　saw　a　convoy　of　armored　tanks　rise　from　the　opposite　side　of　the　east　levee　and　tram　their　guns　on　the　river　channel　where　the　ship　was　about　to　pass。　Hung…chang　was　surprised　to　see　no　rocket　launchers。　Not　trained　in　military　weapons　systems；　he　did　not　recognize　the　National　Guard's　older　M1A1　tanks　with　their　105…millimeter　guns。　But　he　knew　well　the　damage　they　were　capable　of　against　the　unarmored　superliner。
　
　The　two　helicopters；　Sikorsky　H…76　Eagles；　split　apart　and　flew　past　the　side　of　the　ship　on　a　height　even　with　the　upper　deck。　One　slowed　and　hovered　above　the　stern　while　the　other　circled；　drew　even　with　the　wheelhouse　and　trained　a　bright　spotlight　on　it。
　
　A　voice　from　a　loudspeaker　boomed　above　the　thump　of　the　rotor　blades。　〃Bring　your　ship　to　a　halt　immediately！〃
　Hung…chang　gave　no　orders　to　ply。　The　fates　had　suddenly　turned　against　him。　The　Americans　must　have　somehow　been　warned。　They　knew！　Damn　them！　They　knew　that　Qin　Shang　intended　to　destroy　the　levee　and　use　the　superliner　as　a　diverting　dam。
　〃Halt　immediately！〃　the　voice　came　again。　〃We　are　ing　aboard　to　secure　your　ship！〃
　Hung…chang　hesitated　as　he　weighed　his　chances　of　running　the　gauntlet。　He　counted　six　tanks　lined　up　on　the　levee　ahead。　Lacking　missiles　with　powerful　warheads；　the　enemy　would　find　the　great　ship　next　to　impossible　to　sink　by　tank　gunfire　alone。　The　big　engines　were　well　below　the　waterline　and　immune　to　destruction　from　the　surface。　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　Bayou　Goula　and　the　Mystic　Canal　were　only　fifteen　minutes　away　now。　For　a　moment；　he　considered　stopping　the　ship　and　surrendering　to　the　American　military。　But　he　was　mitted。　To　quit　now　would　mean　a　loss　of　face。　He　would　do　nothing　to　dishonor　his　family。　He　made　the　decision　to　keep　going。
　As　if　to　bind　his　mitment；　one　of　the　Chinese　special　forces　team　fired　an　SA…7　Russian…made　man…portable　infrared　homing　antiaircraft　missile　at　the　helicopter　hovering　over　the　stern。　At　less　than　two　hundred　yards　it　was　impossible　to　miss；　even　without　the　homing　system。　The　missile　struck　the　helicopter's　boom　behind　the　fuselage　and　blasted　it　off。　Horizontal　control　was　lost　and　the　craft　spun　crazily　in　circles　before　falling　into　the　river　and　sinking　out　of　sight；　but　not　before　the　two　crewmen　and　ten　troops　inside　managed　to　struggle　clear。
　
　The　men　in　the　second　helicopter　flying　opposite　the　liner's　bridge　were　not　as　lucky。　The　next　missile　blew　it　apart　in　an　explosive　burst　of　fire；　sending　flaming　debris　and　bodies　crashing　into　the　dark　current　of　the　river；　their　grave　swept　clean　by　the　seething　wake　from　the　ship's　propellers。
　
　During　the　death　and　destruction；　Hung…chang　and　the　Chinese　fighting　force　were　unaware　of　the　low…pitched　buzzing　sound　approaching　from　upriver。　Nor　did　any　of　them　see　the　two　black　parachutes　that　fleetingly　hid　the　stars　in　the　night　sky。　Every　eye　was　turned　toward　the　menacing　guns　of　the　tanks；　every　mind　concentrating　on　running　the　gauntlet　of　devastating　fire　they　knew　was　about　to　ravage　them。
　
　Captain　Hung…chang　spoke　quietly　into　the　ship's　phone　to　the　engine　room。　〃Full　ahead；　all　engines。〃
　
　TEN　MINUTES　EARLIER；　FROM　A　SCHOOLYARD　A　BLOCK　FROM　the　river；　Pitt　and　Giordino　lifted　into　the　night　sky。　After　donning　helmets　and　harnesses；　they　strapped　small　motors　that　were　mounted　on　backpacks　across　their　shoulders。　Next；　they　hooked　into　a　thirty…foot…wide　canopy　with　over　fifty　suspension　lines　spread　on　the　turf　and　started　their　little　three…horsepower　engines　that　were　about　the　same　size　as　those　used　on　power　mowers　and　chainsaws。　For　stealth；　the　exhaust　manifolds　were　specially　muffled；　emitting　only　a　soft　popping　sound。　The　propellers；　looking　more　like　the　wide　blades　on　a　fan　and　encased　behind　a　wire　cage　so　as　not　to　entangle　their　lines；　bit　the　air。　After　Pitt　and　Giordino　ran　a　few　steps；　the　thrust　of　the　motors　took　over；　the　230…square…foot　canopies　inflated　and　the　two　men　lifted　into　the　sky。
　
　Except　for　wearing　a　steel　helmet　and　a　body…armor　vest；　the　only　weapon　Giordino　carried　was　Pitt's　12…gauge　Aserma　Bulldog；　which　was　slung　across　his　chest。　Pitt　elected　his　battle…scarred　Colt　automatic。　Heavier　weapons　would　have　made　it　difficult　to　keep　the　paraplanes　and　their　tiny　engines　in　the　air。　There　were　other　considerations　as　well。　Their　mission　was　not　to　engage　in　bat　but　to　reach　the　wheelhouse　and　gain　control　of　the　ship。　The　Army　assault　team　was　relied　on　to　handle　any　fighting。
　Too　late；　only　after　they　were　in　the　air；　did　they　see　the　Array　helicopters　shot　out　of　the　sky。
　Less　than　an　hour　after　the　United　States　bypassed　New　Orleans；　Pitt　and　Giordino　met　with　General　Oskar　Olson；　General　Montaigne's　old　army　buddy　and　mander　of　the　National　Guard　of　Louisiana；　at　the　Guard　Headquarters　in　Baton　Rouge；　the　state　capital　of　Louisiana。　He　had　strictly　forbidden　Pi