gns.throwback-第40部分

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　　Maybe　in　other　circumstances　Kenny　would　have　screamed　but　he　had　got　used　to　not　doing　a　lot　of　things　that　came　naturally　when　Walters　was　around。　The　rookie's　mouth　opened　in　terror　and　he　would　have　run　had　he　not　been　hemmed　in　by　riot　shields。　Something　inside　him　said　in　a　calm；　matter…of…fact　voice；　'You're　OK；　son；　it　won't　reach　us　from　there。'
　　
　　The　car　fell　vertically；　a　straight　drop　down；　once　catching　a　jutting　parapet　that　dented　and　spun　it；　seemed　to　slow　it　up；　a　circus　acrobat　falling　from　the　high　wire；　a　trick；　he　did　it　twice　a　day；　got　some　kind　of　sadistic　pleasure　from　making　his　audience　throw　up；　kids　screaming　and　crying；　hiding　their　faces。
　　
　　The　car　hit　the　concrete　pad　adjacent　to　the　park；　a　crash　of　buckling　metal　and　showering　glass；　leaped　up　a　good　six　feet　as　its　suspension　found　enough　bounce　for　a　spectacular　swan　song；　came　down　on　its　roof；　a　heap　of　scrap　that　gave　it　anonymity。
　　
　　'Get　in　there；　up　the　ramp；1　Walters　roared；　led　the　charge　forward；　a　habitual　zig…zag　that　would　have　made　him　a　difficult　target　for　any　marksman。　'Shoot　at　will。'
　　
　　Some　of　the　soldiers　were　already　firing；　a　hail　of　rifle　bullets　aimed　at　the　radiator　of　a　Datsun　which　was　just　appearing　over　the　rampart　where　the　Marina　had　e　from；　ripping　into　highly　polished　metalwork。
　　
　　Then　they　were　on　the　ramp；　safe　from　an　overhead　attack。　Another　car　smashed　on　the　forecourt　outside。　The　throwbacks　had　not　forgotten　the　battle　techniques　of　their　ancestors；　repel　all　boarders。
　　
　　The　ground　and　first　storey　were　deserted。　Systematically　the　soldiers　searched　every　parking　lot；　checked　vehicles；　most　of　them　were　locked。　Shoppers　and　businessmen　had　parked　their　cars　and　never　returned　to　them。　Probably　some　of　those　very　people　were　up　above　now　engaged　in　a　last…ditch　defence。　Innocent　victims　of　a　vile　unspeakable　mode　of　warfare　who　would　be　over…run　by　the　very　soldiers　who　should　have　been　protecting　them　against　a　foreign　foe。　Kenny　King　hated　himself　almost　as　much　as　he　hated　his　jumped…up　mander。
　　
　　Sergeant　Walters　fired。　It　was　a　woman；　darting　out　from　the　open　back　of　a　van；　sprinting　for　the　second　elevation。　She　screamed；　bowled　over　like　a　shot　rabbit；　a　plete　somersault；　and　came　to　rest　hard　against　a　Cortina　2000；　spottling　its　grey　finish　with　crimson。　She　sat　bolt　upright；　cursing　them　with　dead　eyes；　somewhere　behind　her　blood　was　pouring　out；　seeping　round　her　body　and　following　the　fall　of　the　floor。
　　
　　Walters　approached　her；　pushed　her　with　his　foot　so　that　she　slid　slowly　sideways。　Now　the　wound　was　visible；　a　jagged　hole　at　the　nape　of　the　neck　where　the　dum…dum　bullet　had　struck　her。　That　was　good　shooting。
　　
　　Kenny　King　swallowed；　his　eyes　misting　up　and　distorting　the　scene。　She　was　young；　maybe　not　quite　seventeen　yet；　and　her　features　could　have　been　Asiatic；　apart　from　the　straggling　hair　and　rough　skin；　dressed　in　modern　clothes　she　might　not　even　have　attracted　a　second　glance；　except　for　the　obvious　reasons。　He　had　dated　a　girl　up　in　Wakefield　before　he　joined　up　who　had　looked　very　similar　to　this　one。　It　might　even　have　been　her　lying　there　in　that　spreading　pool　of　blood。　A　chance　in　several　millions。　He　hoped　it　wasn't。　You　bastard；　Walters；　you　didn't　have　to　kill　her！
　　
　　'Aren't　we　supposed　to　be　taking　prisoners；　Sarge？'　A　tall　sallow…faced　soldier　asked　the　question　that　everybody　was　thinking。'I　mean　。　。　。'wishing　suddenly　that　he　hadn't　voiced　his　thoughts；　'that　is　。　。　。'
　　
　　'You　take　your　orders　from　me；　Private。'　Walters　wheeled　and　for　a　second　the　swinging　barrel　of　the　pistol　took　in　all　of　them。　ll　said　fire　at　will　because　those　fucking　animals　up　there　are　fighting　backV　They　don't　have　any　business　trying　to　drop　cars　on　us。　They　should　run　the　moment　they　see　us　ing。　'Anybody　not　obeying　orders　will　be　court…martialied　when　we　get　back　to　base。　Get　it；　all　of　you　lousy　fuckers？'　They　all　nodded　because　they　didn't　have　any　option。
　　
　　Up　there；　above　them　on　the　top　elevation；　was　a　group　of　very　frightened　people；　people　who　had　once　been　ordinary　peace…loving　folks　now　horrifically　transformed　into　primitive　Man　by　terrible　germs　released　into　the　atmosphere；　were　now　trapped　like　rabbits　in　a　dead…end　burrow。　They　could　be　taken　alive　but　Walters　didn't　want　it　that　way。　He　was　glorying　in　a　one…sided　battle；　lusting　for　a　massacre。　In　a　way　perhaps　the　poor　wretches　would　be　better　off　dead。　Kenny　King　was　sure　he　would　throw　up　before　it　was　all　over。　Afterwards　he　might　even　desert　at　the　first　opportunity。
　　
　　The　second　and　third　storeys　were　devoid　of　life。　So　was　the　fourth。　Only　the　fifth　remained　now　and　they　were　up　there　all　right。　The　soldiers　could　hear　them　as　they　fanned　out　into　an　arrow…shaped　formation　and　began　to　ascend　the　steep　sloping　concrete　ramp。　Textbook　perfection　in　their　approach；　ready　to　unleash　a　hail　of　fire　at　the　first　sign　of　trouble。
　　
　　Kenny's　eyes　focused　on　the　sergeant's　broad　green　and　brown　blotched　camouflaged　back。　You　bastard！
　　
　　A　crash　from　far　below；　muffled；　lingering　like　the　sound　of　a　coin　tossed　into　a　deep　wishing…well。　Another　car　had　gone　over　the　wall。　And　then　the　floor　levelled　out　on　to　a　giant　sunlit　balcony；　a　line　of　cars　on　either　side。　The　top　elevation　and　the　throwbacks　were　right　here。
　　
　　Seven　or　eight　of　them　were　struggling　to　lift　a　Ford　Escort　up　on　to　the　rampart；　powerful　muscles　bulging　as　they　took　the　strain。　Some　more　were　dragging　out　a　Metro。　All　had　their　backs　towards　the　oning　soldiers　except　a　bunch　of　children　who　huddled　together　beneath　an　awning。
　　
　　No！　Kenny　King　felt　every　scrap　of　decency　and　fair　play　in　him　rebel。　Helpless　youngsters　ranging　from　five　to　possibly　ten；　they　could　have　been　mistaken　for　trained　chimpanzees　at　a　cursory　glance；　hairy　creatures　who　were　busily　filling　an　empty　ice…cream　tub　with　sand　and　unsuccessfully　trying　to　make　a　castle　from　it　on　the　concrete　floor。　Each　time　it　crumbled；　powdered；　and　they　tried　again。
　　
　　Kenny　didn't　care　any　more；　didn't　want　to　be　any　part　of　this。　Something　inside　him　took　over；　had　him　rushing　forward　with　pistol　raised；　marksman…style；　trained　on　the　back　of　Sergeant　Walters。　'No；　you're　not　going　to　murder　them。　I　won't　let　you。　I。　。　。'
　　
　　A　shot　rang　out。　Walters　should　have　died　instantly　because　the　young　rookie　was　already　taking　a　trigger　pressure；　hesitating　at　the　last　second　because　that　same　spark　of　decency　which　had　hurled　him　forward　was　also　quavering；　a　fleeting　flash　of　conscience　that　said；　*You　can't　shoot　a　man　in　the　back。　You　can't　take　human　life！'
　　
　　The　slug　fired　by　the　corporal　close　behind　took　Kenny　in　the　back　of　the　head；　tore　a　jagged　hole　through　his　skull　and　spewed　brains　and　blood　out　of　his　forehead；　threw　him　forward　so　that　when　his　own　pistol　exploded　the　bullet　flew　harmlessly　into　the　air。
　　
　　Walters　dropped　to　his　knees。　A　glance　behind　him　told　him　the　whole　story；　he　had　seen　it　before；　it　would　happen　again；　a　boy's　nerve　giving　out；　an　animal　gone　berserk　and　having　to　be　put　down。
　　
　　The　throwbacks　turned；　the　Escort　started　to　slip。　One　of　them　wasn't　quick　enough；　screamed　as　it　rolled　over　on　to　him。　The　others　scattered；　found　themselves　caught　up　in　a　hail　of　pistol　and　rifle　fire。　A　blonde　bearded　male　crumpled　up；　clutching　at　his　stomach；　was　dead　before　he　rolled　over。　Another　had　his　throat　torn　out　as　though　it　had　been　savaged　by　a　fierce　dog。
　　
　　The　soldiers　alongside　Sergeant　Walters　were　lying　on　their　stomachs　firing；　those　directly　behind　him　kneeling；　the　rear　ones　shooting　from　a　standing　position。
　　
　　Seven　or　eight　dead　lay　in　the　foreground；　the　rest　leaping　up　on　to　the　rampart；　running　agilely　along　it。　More　shooting；　a　fairground　game　now；　you　collect　your　prize　when　they're　all　down。
　　
　　Only　three　left；　stopping　because　there　was　nowhere　else　to　run。　Sitting　ducks。　A　single　shot　and　the　far　one　crumpled。　Two　to　go。　It　was　target　practice　now。
　　
　　The　last　two　jumped；　defiance　in　their　wild　shrieks　as　they　leaped　into　s