tc.redstormrising-第156节

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dropping　chaff　and　flares　as　he　did　so。　One　missile　went　for　the　chaff　and　exploded　harmlessly。　The　other　locked　onto　the　fuzzy　radar　signal　reflected　from　the　Frisbee　and　wouldn't　let　go。　Ellington　jinked　up　hard；　then　pulled　the　aircraft　into　a　maximum…g　turn　in　hope　of　outmaneuvering　the　missile。　But　the　SA…11　was　too　fast。　It　exploded　a　hundred　feet　behind　the　Frisbee。　The　two　crewmen　ejected　from　the　disintegrating　aircraft　a　moment　later；　their　parachutes　opening　a　scarce　four　hundred　feet　off　the　ground。
Ellington　landed　at　the　edge　of　a　small　clearing。　He　quickly　detached　himself　from　the　chute　and　activated　his　rescue　radio　before　drawing　his　revolver。　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　Eisly's　chute　dropping　into　the　trees　and　ran　in　that　direction。
〃Fuckin'　trees！〃　Eisly　said。　His　feet　were　dangling　off　the　ground。　Ellington　climbed　up　and　cut　him　down。　The　major's　face　was　bleeding。
Explosions　thundered　to　the　north。
〃They　got　it！〃　Ellington　said。
〃Yeah；　but　who's　got　us？〃　Eisly　said。　〃I　hurt　my　back。〃
〃Can　you　move；　Don？〃
〃Hell；　yes！〃

STENDAL；　GERMAN　DEMOCRATIC　REPUBLIC
The　dispersal　of　fuel　reserves　into　small　depots　had　reduced　NATO　attacks　on　them　nearly　to　zero。　The　resulting　sense　of　security　had　lasted　nearly　a　month。　The　attacks　on　tank　columns　and　munitions　stores　were　serious；　but　there　were　plenty　of　replacements　for　both。　Fuel　was　a　different　story。
〃rade　General；　NATO　has　changed　its　pattern　of　air　attacks。〃
Alekseyev　turned　from　the　map　display　to　listen　to　his　air…intelligence　officer。　Five　minutes　later；　his　supply　chief　came　in。
〃How　bad　is　it？〃
〃Overall；　perhaps　as　much　as　ten　percent　of　our　forward　supplies。　In　the　Alfeld　sector；　over　thirty　percent。〃
The　phone　rang　next。　It　was　the　general　whose　divisions　were　to　attack　Alfeld　in　five　hours。
〃My　fuel　is　gone！　The　convoy　was　attacked　and　destroyed　twenty　kilometers　from　here。〃
〃Can　you　attack　with　what　you　have？〃　Alekseyev　asked。
〃I　can；　but　I　won't　be　able　to　maneuver　my　units　worth　a　damn！〃
〃You　must　attack　with　what　you　have。〃
〃But…〃
〃There　are　four　divisions　of　Soviet　soldiers　who　will　die　if　you　do　not　relieve　them。　The　attack　will　go　as　scheduled！〃　Alekseyev　set　the　phone　down。　Beregovoy　was　also　short　on　fuel。　A　tank　could　have　enough　fuel　to　drive　three　hundred　kilometers　in　a　straight　line；　but　they　almost　never　traveled　in　a　straight　line；　and　despite　orders；　the　crews　invariably　left　the　engines　running　when　sitting　still。　The　time　needed　to　start　their　diesels　could　mean　death　if　a　sudden　air　attack　fell　on　them。　Beregovoy　had　been　forced　to　give　all　of　his　reserve　fuel　to　his　eastbound　tanks　so　that　they　could　hit　Alfeld　in　conjunction　with　the　westbound　C　divisions。　The　two　divisions　on　the　left　bank　of　the　Weser　were　essentially　immobilized。　Alekseyev　was　gambling　the　offensive　on　his　ability　to　reestablish　his　supply　routes。　He　told　his　supply　chief　to　get　more　fuel。　If　his　attack　succeeded　he'd　need　more　still。

MOSCOW；　R。S。F。S。R。
The　transition　was　ridiculous…less　than　two　hours　from　Stendal　to　Moscow　by　jet；　from　war　to　peace；　from　danger　to　safety。　His　father's　chauffeur；　Vitaly；　met　him　at　the　military　airport　and　drove　at　once　to　the　Minister's　official　dacha　in　the　birch　forests　outside　the　capital。　He　entered　the　front　room　to　see　a　stranger　with　his　father。
〃So　this　is　the　famous　Ivan　Mikhailovich　Sergetov；　Major　of　the　Soviet　Army。〃
〃Excuse　me；　rade；　but　I　do　not　think　we　have　met　before。〃
〃Vanya；　this　is　Boris　Kosov。〃
The　young　officer's　face　betrayed　just　a　fraction　of　his　emotions　on　being　introduced　to　the　Director　of　the　KGB。　He　leaned　back　into　the　easy　chair　and　observed　the　man　who　had　ordered　the　bombing　of　the　Kremlin…after　arranging　for　children　to　be　there。　It　was　two　in　the　morning。　KGB　troops　loyal…thought　to　be　loyal；　Minister　Sergetov　corrected　himself…to　Kosov　patrolled　outside　to　keep　this　meeting　a　secret。
〃Ivan　Mikhailovich；〃　Kosov　said　genially；　〃what　is　your　assessment　of　the　situation　at　the　front？〃
The　young　officer　suppressed　a　desire　to　look　to　his　father　for　guidance。　〃The　success　or　failure　of　the　operation　hangs　in　the　balance…remember　that　I　am　a　junior　officer　and　I　lack　the　expertise　for　a　reliable　evaluation。　But　as　I　see　things；　the　campaign　could　now　go　either　way。　NATO　is　short　on　manpower　but　they've　had　a　sudden　infusion　of　supplies。〃
〃About　two　weeks'　worth。〃
〃Probably　less；〃　Sergetov　said。　〃One　thing　we've　learned　at　the　front　is　that　supplies　get　used　up　much　faster　than　expected。　Fuel；　ordnance；　everything　seems　almost　to　evaporate。　So　our　friends　in　the　Navy　must　keep　hitting　the　convoys。〃
〃Our　ability　to　do　this　is　seriously　reduced；〃　Kosov　said。　〃I　would　not　expect…the　truth　is　that　the　Navy　has　been　defeated。　Iceland　will　soon　be　back　in　NATO　hands。〃
〃But　Bukharin　didn't　say　that！〃　the　elder　Sergetov　objected。
〃He　didn't　tell　us　that　Northern　Fleet's　long…range　aircraft　were　nearly　exterminated　either；　but　they　were。　The　fool　thinks　he　can　keep　me　from　learning　this！　The　Americans　have　a　full　division　on　Iceland　now；　with　massive　support　from　their　fleet。　Unless　our　submarines　can　defeat　this　collection　of　ships…and　remember　that　while　they　are　there；　they　cannot　strike　at　the　convoys…Iceland　will　be　lost　within　a　week。　That　will　obviate　the　Navy's　strategy　for　isolating　Europe。　If　NATO　can　resupply　at　will；　then　what？〃
Ivan　Sergetov　shifted　nervously　in　his　chair。　He　could　see　where　the　conversation　was　leading。　〃Then　possibly　we　have　lost。〃
〃Possibly？〃　Kosov　snorted。　〃Then　we　are　doomed。　We　will　have　lost　our　war　against　NATO；　we　still　have　only　a　fraction　of　our　energy　needs；　and　our　armed　forces　are　a　shadow　of　their　former　selves。　And　what　will　the　Politburo　do　then？〃
〃But　if　the　Alfeld　offensive　succeeds　。　。　。　〃　Both　Politburo　men　ignored　this　statement。
〃What　of　the　secret　German　negotiations　in　India？〃　Minister　Sergetov　asked。
〃Ah；　you　noted　that　the　Foreign　Minister　glossed　over　that？〃　Kosov　smiled　wickedly。　He　was　a　man　born　to　conspiracy。　〃They　have　not　changed　their　bargaining　position　a　dot。　At　most　it　was　a　hedge　against　the　collapse　of　NATO　forces。　It　might　also　have　been　a　trick　from　the　beginning。　We're　not　sure。〃　The　KGB　Chief　poured　himself　a　glass　of　mineral　water。　〃The　Politburo　meets　in　eight　hours。　I　will　not　be　there。　I　feel　an　angina　attack　ing　on　from　my　damaged　heart。〃
〃So　Larionov　will　deliver　your　report？〃
〃Yes。〃　Kosov　grinned。　〃Poor　Josef。　He　is　trapped　by　his　own　intelligence　estimates。　He　will　report　that　things　are　not　going　according　to　plan；　but　still　going。　He　will　say　that　NATO's　current　attack　is　a　desperate　attempt　to　forestall　the　Alfeld　offensive；　and　that　the　German　negotiations　still　hold　promise。　I　should　warn　you；　Major；　that　one　of　his　men　is　on　your　staff。　I　know　his　name；　but　I　have　not　seen　his　reports。　It　was　probably　he　who　provided　the　information　that　got　the　former　mander　arrested　and　put　your　general　in　his　place。〃
〃What　will　happen　to　him？〃　the　officer　asked。
〃That　is　not　your　concern；〃　Kosov　answered　coldly。　A　total　of　seven　senior　officers　had　been　arrested　in　the　past　thirty…six　hours。　All　were　now　in　Lefortovo　Prison；　and　Kosov　could　not　have　altered　their　fates　even　if　he'd　had　the　mind　to。
〃Father；　I　need　to　know　the　fuel　situation。〃
〃We　are　down　to　minimum　national　reserves…you　have　a　week's　fuel　delivered　or　being　shipped　now；　and　roughly　one　week's　supply　is　available　for　the　forces　deployed　in　Germany；　plus　a　week　for　the　armies　detailed　to　go　into　the　Persian　Gulf。〃
〃So　tell　your　mander　that　he　has　two　weeks　to　win　the　war。　If　he　fails；　it　will　mean　his　head。　Larionov　will　blame　the　Army　for　his　own　intelligence　mistakes。　Your　life　will　be　in　danger　too；　young　man。〃
〃Who　is　the　KGB　spy　on　our　staff？〃
〃The　Theater　Operations　Officer。　He　was　co…opted　years　ago；　but　his　control　officer　is　in　the　Larionov　faction。　I　don't　know　exactly　what　he　is　reporting。〃
〃General　Alekseyev　is…technically　he's　violating　orders　by　taking　a　unit　on　the　Weser　and　sending　it　east　to　relieve　Alfeld。〃
〃Then　he　is　already　in　danger；　and　I　cannot　help　him。〃　Not　without　tipping　my　hand
〃Vanya；　you　should　return　now。　rade　Kosov　and　I　have　other　things　to　discuss。〃　Sergetov　embraced　his　son　and　walked　him　to　the　door。　He　watched　the　red　taillights　disappear　behind　the　birch　trees。
〃I　don't　like　using　my　own　son　in　this！〃
〃Whom　else　can　you　trust；　Mikhail　Eduardovich？　The　Rodina　faces　possible　destruction；　the　Party　leadership　has　gone　mad；　and　I　don't　even　have　full　control　of　the　KGB。　Don't　you　see：　we　have　lost！　We　must　now　save　what　we　can。〃
〃But　we　still　hold　enemy　territory…〃
〃Yesterday　does　not　matter。　Today　does　not　matter。　What　matters　is　one　week　from　today。　What　will　our　Defense　Minister　do　when　it　bees　obvious　even　to　him　that　we　have　failed？　Have　you　considered　that？　When　desperate　men　realize　they　have　failedand　those　desperate　men　have　control　of　atomic　weapons；　then　what？〃
Then　what；　indeed？　Sergetov　wondered。　He　pondered　two　more　questions。　What　do　I…we？…do　about　it？　Then　he　looked　at　Kosov　and　asked　himself　the　second。

ALFELD；　FEDERAL　REPUBLIC　OF　GERMANY
The　Russians　were　not　responding　very　fast；　Mackall　was　surprised　to　see。　There　had　been　air　attacks　and　several　vicious　artillery　bo