tc.redstormrising-第141节

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〃Stay　cool；〃　he　muttered　to　himself。
〃What？〃　Vigdis　asked。　She　too　was　afraid；　just　from　seeing　his　face。
〃Nothing。〃　He　tried　to　smile　and　half　succeeded。　You　can't　let　her　down；　can　you？
The　Russians　were　now　five　hundred　yards　away　and　still　well　below　them。　Their　approach　became　more　cautious。　There　were　six　of　them；　and　they　moved　two　at　a　time；　fanning　out　and　no　longer　taking　what　looked　to　be　the　easy　route　to　the　top。
〃Skipper；　we　got　a　problem；〃　Smith　called。　〃I　think　they　know　we're　here。〃
〃Nichols；　I　want　to　hear　you。〃
〃We　wait　until　they　get　within　one　hundred　yards；　and　for　Christ's　good　sake；　keep　heads　down！　If　you　can　get　some　support；　I　would　suggest　you　do　so。〃
Edwards　switched　radios。　〃Doghouse；　this　is　Beagle；　and　we　need　some　help　here。〃
〃We're　working　on　that。　We're　trying　to　get…to　get　some　friends　to　listen　in　on　this　frequency。　It　takes　time；　Lieutenant。〃
〃I　got　about　another　five　minutes…tops…before　the　shooting　starts。〃
〃Keep　this　channel　open。〃
〃Where　are　they？　Edwards　asked　himself。　He　couldn't　see　anyone　now。　The　rocks　and　cover　that　had　so　often　worked　for　them　were　now　working　against　them。　He　stopped　bobbing　his　head　up　and　down。　He　was　the　officer；　he　was　in　mand；　he　had　the　best　vantage　point；　and　he　had　to　see　what　was　happening。　Edwards　moved　slightly　to　get　a　decent　view　of　the　events　below　him。

〃There　is　somebody　there！〃　the　platoon　sergeant　said；　grabbing　for　the　radio。　〃Markhovskiy；　you're　heading　into　a　trap！　I　see　a　man　with　a　helmet　atop　the　hill。〃
〃You're　right；〃　the　lieutenant　said。　He　turned。　〃Get　the　mortar　set　up！〃　The　officer　ran　over　to　the　big　VHF　radio　and　tried　to　raise　Keflavik。　Armed　troops　on　this　hill　could　only　mean　one　thing…but　Keflavik　was　still　off　the　air。
Edwards　saw　one　Russian　rise　up；　then　drop　back　down　on　a　shout　from　someone　else。　When　the　shape　reappeared；　it　was　behind　a　rifle。　He　heard　a　whistling　sound；　then　there　was　an　explosion　fifty　yards　away。
〃Oh；　shit！〃　Edwards　fell　to　his　face　and　cowered　next　to　his　rock。　Bits　of　other　rocks　fell　around　him。　He　looked　at　Vigdis；　who　seemed　all　right；　then　over　at　the　far　peak；　where　men　were　racing　downhill。　Another　mortar　round　fell　to　his　right；　and　was　followed　by　automatic…rifle　fire。　He　grabbed　his　satellite　radio。
〃Doghouse；　this　is　Beagle。　We　are　under　attack。〃
〃Beagle；　we　are　now　in　contact　with　a　Navy　carrier。　Stand　by。〃　The　ground　shook　again。　The　round　fell　less　than　thirty　feet　in　front　of　his　position；　but　he　was　well　shielded。　〃Beagle；　the　Navy　carrier　is　now　on　your　frequency。　Go　ahead　and　transmit。　Their　call　sign　is　Starbase；　and　they　know　where　you　are。〃
〃Starbase；　this　is　Beagle；　over！〃
〃Roger；　Beagle；　we　show　your　position　five　klicks　west　of　hill　1064。　Tell　me　what's　happening。〃
〃Starbase；　we　are　under　attack　by　a　squad　of　Russian　infantrymen；　with　reinforcements　on　the　way。　Their　observation　post　on　1064　has　a　mortar　and　we're　getting　fire　from　that。　We　need　help　fast。〃
〃Roger；　copy；　Beagle。　Stand　by　。　。　。　Beagle；　be　advised　we're　diverting　some　help　your　way；　ETA　two…five　minutes。　Can　you　mark　your　position？〃
〃Negative；　we　don't　have　anything　to　do　it　with。〃
〃Roger；　understand。　Hang　in　there；　Beagle。　We'll　be　back。　Out。〃
Edwards　heard　a　scream　to　his　left。　He　stuck　his　head　up　and　saw　mortar　rounds　falling　near　Nichols's　position…and　Russians　less　than　a　hundred　yards　to　his　front。　Mike　grabbed　his　rifle　and　sighted　it　on　a　moving　shape；　only　to　have　it　drop　out　of　sight　again。　He　picked　his　walkie…talkie　up　with　his　free　hand。
〃Nichols；　Smith；　this　is　Edwards；　report　in。〃
〃Nichols　here。　Whoever　has　that　mortar　knows　what　he's　about。　I　have　two　wounded　men　here。〃
〃We're　okay；　skipper。　We　seen　two　Russians　go　down　hard。　I　sent　Garcia　to　cover　you。〃
〃Okay；　guys；　we　have　air　cover　on　the　way　in。　I…〃　The　shape　came　up　again。　Edwards　dropped　the　radio；　aimed　his　rifle；　and　fired　three　rounds；　missing　the　shape　that　dodged　out　of　sight。　Back　to　the　radio。　〃Nichols；　you　need　help？〃
〃Two　of　us　can　still　shoot。　I'm　afraid　your　Rodgers　is　dead。　There…〃　The　radio　went　dead　for　a　moment。　〃All　right；　all　right。　We　killed　one；　and　the　other　is　backing　away。　Look　out；　Leftenant；　there　are　two　fifty　yards　to　your　left　front。〃
Mike　looked　around　his　rock　and　got　shot　at　for　his　trouble。　He　shot　back　without　hitting　anything。
〃Hi；　skipper！〃　Garcia　crashed　down　next　to　him。
〃Two　bad　guys；　that　way。〃　Edwards　pointed。　The　private　nodded　and　moved　left　behind　cover　of　the　hill　crest。　He　got　thirty　feet　when　another　mortar　round　exploded　four　strides　behind　him。　The　private　fell　hard　and　didn't　move。
It's　not　fair；　it's　not　fair。　I　got　them　this　far；　and　it's　not　fair！
〃Smith；　Garcia's　down。　Get　back　up　here。　Nichols；　if　you　can　get　to　my　position；　move！〃　He　switched　radios。　〃Starbase；　this　is　Beagle。　Tell　your　birds　to　hurry。〃
〃Two…zero　minutes　out；　Beagle。　Four　A…7s。　We　have　some　other　help　ing；　but　they'll　get　to　you　first。〃
Edwards　took　his　rifle　and　moved　over　to　Garcia。　The　private　was　still　breathing；　but　his　back　and　legs　were　peppered　with　fragments。　The　lieutenant　crawled　to　the　crest　and　saw　a　Russian　crouched　thirty　feet　away。　He　aimed　his　rifle　and　fired　two　bursts。　The　Russian　went　down；　firing　his　own　weapon　in　a　wide　arc　that　missed　Edwards　by　a　scant　yard。　Where　was　the　other　one？　Mike　stuck　his　head　up　and　saw　something　the　size　of　a　baseball　flying　through　the　air。　He　scrambled　backwards　as　the　grenade　went　off　ten　feet　from　where　he'd　been。　Mike　rolled　to　his　right　and　went　back　uphill。
The　Russian　had　disappeared　again；　but　Edwards　saw　the　others　had　reached　the　foot　of　his　hill　on　a　dead　run　and　were　starting　up　to　his　position。　He　strained　to　look　and　keep　his　head　down　at　the　same　time。　The　other　one…there！　He　was　clambering　down　the　hill；　apparently　dragging　a　wounded　man　with　him。　Mortar　fire　started　to　drop　behind　him；　covering　the　man's　retreat。
〃You　okay；　Lieutenant？〃　It　was　Smith。　He　was　wounded　in　the　arm。　〃Whoever's　working　that　Goddamned　mortar　must　be　the　Russian　Davy　Crockett！〃
Nichols　arrived　three　minutes　later。　He　was　unhurt；　but　the　Royal　Marine　private　with　him　was　bleeding　from　the　abdomen。　Edwards　looked　at　his　watch。
〃We　got　air　support　ing　in　about　ten　minutes。　If　we　stay　here　at　the　top　in　one　place；　they　can　drop　all　around　us。〃

The　men　took　position　within　fifty　feet　of　Edwards。　Mike　grabbed　Vigdis　by　the　arm　and　set　her　between　two　boulders。
〃Michael；　I'm…〃
〃I'm　scared；　too。　Stay　here　no　matter　what　happens；　stay　here！　You　can…〃　The　whistling　sound　came　again；　and　this　one　was　close。　Mike　stumbled　and　fell　right　on　top　of　her。　A　hot　needle　seemed　to　penetrate　his　lower　leg。
〃Shit！〃　The　wound　was　just　above　his　boot。　He　tried　to　rise；　but　the　leg　wouldn't　take　any　weight。　He　looked　around　for　the　radio　and　hopped　over　to　it；　cursing　all　the　way。　〃Starbase；　this　is　Beagle；　over。〃
〃Nine　minutes　out；　Beagle；〃　the　voice　said　patiently。
〃Starbase；　we're　all　on　top　of　this　hilltop；　okay？　We're　all　within　fifty　feet　of　the　summit。〃　He　stuck　his　head　up。　〃We　have　about　fifteen　bad　guys　ing　towards　us；　maybe　seven　hundred　yards　away。　We　beat　off　the　first　attack；　but　we're　down　to…four；　I　guess；　and　three　of　us　are　wounded。　For　God's　sake；　get　that　mortar　first；　it's　murdering　us。〃
〃Roger　that。　Hold　it　together；　son。　Help　is　ing。〃
〃You're　wounded；　Leftenant；〃　Nichols　said。
〃I　noticed。　The　planes　are　eight　or　nine　minutes　out。　I　told　them　to　take　the　mortar　position　out　first。〃
〃Very　good。　Ivan's　in　love　with　the　bloody　things。〃　Nichols　cut　the　pants　away　from　the　wound　and　tied　a　bandage　on。　〃You　won't　be　doing　much　dancing　for　a　while。〃
〃What　can　we　do　to　slow　them　down？〃
〃We'll　open　fire　at　five　hundred。　That　will　make　them　more　cautious；　I　think。　e　on。〃　Nichols　grabbed　his　arm　and　pulled　him　to　a　position　on　the　crest。

The　Russians　were　moving　forward　with　great　skill。　Men　alternated　brief　rushes　with　dives　behind　whatever　cover　was　available。　The　mortar　was　quiet　at　the　moment；　but　that　would　change　as　soon　as　the　paratroopers　got　close　enough　for　their　final　assault。　Nichols　had　discarded　his　submachine　gun；　and　was　aiming　a　semiautomatic　rifle。　When　he　figured　the　range　at　five　hundred　yards；　the　sergeant　took　careful　aim　and　squeezed　the　trigger。　He　missed；　but　every　Russian　on　the　hill　dropped。
〃You　know　what　you　just　did？〃　Edwards　asked。
〃Yes；　I　just　invited　more　mortar　fire　on　us。〃　Nichols　turned　to　look　at　his　lieutenant。　〃Bloody　poor　choice　we　have；　isn't　it？〃
〃Michael；　you　need　this。〃　Vigdis　came　down　beside　him。
〃I　told　you　to　stay…〃
〃Here　is　your　radio。　I　go…〃
〃Down！〃　Mike　yanked　her　beside　him　as　a　mortar　round　dropped　thirty　feet　away。　A　series　of　five　dropped　across　their　position。
〃Here　they　e！〃　Smith　yelled。
The　Marines　opened　fire；　and　the　Russians　returned　it；　dashing　from　one　piece　of　cover　to　another　in　a　two…pronged　advance　that　threatened　to　envelop　the　hilltop。　Mike　got　back　on　the　radio。
〃Starbase；　this　is　Beagle；　over。〃
〃Roger；　Beagle。〃
〃They're　ing　in　on　us　now。〃
〃Beagle；　our　A…7s　have　you　in　sight。　I　want　to　know　exactly　where　you　and　your　people　are…say　again　exactly。〃
〃Starbase；　there　are　two　secondary　summits　on　this　hill；　about　three　miles　west　of　hill　1064。　We　are　on　the　northern