tc.redstormrising-第166节

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〃Ah。〃　It　was　the　Agriculture　Minister。　〃Good　morning；　Filip　Moiseyevich。〃
〃I　am　worried；〃　the　man　said　quietly。
〃About　what？〃
〃I　fear　they…the　Defense　Council…may　be　thinking　about　atomic　weapons。〃
〃They　cannot　be　so　desperate。〃　If　you　are　an　agent　provocateur；　rade；　you　know　that　I've　been　told　this。　Better　that　I　should　know　now　what　you　are。
The　man's　open　Slavic　face　did　not　change。　〃I　hope　you　are　right。　I　have　not　managed　to　feed　this　country　for　once　to　see　someone　blow　it　up！〃
An　ally！　Sergetov　told　himself　〃If　they　put　it　to　a　vote；　what　then？〃　〃I　don't　know；　Misha；　I　wish　I　did。　Too　many　of　us　are　being　swept　away　by　events。〃
〃Will　you　speak　out　against　this　madness？〃
〃Yes！　I　will　soon　have　a　grandchild；　and　he　will　have　a　country　to　grow　up　in　even　if　it　means　my　life！〃
Forgive　me；　rade；　forgive　me　for　all　the　things　I　have　thought　of　you　before。
〃Always　the　early　bird；　Mikhail　Eduardovich？〃　Kosov　and　the　Defense　Minister　arrived　together。
〃Filip　and　I　had　to　discuss　fuel　allocations　for　food　transport。〃
〃You　worry　about　my　tanks！　Food　can　wait。〃　Defense　walked　past　them　into　the　conference　room。　Sergetov　and　his　patriot　shared　a　look。
The　meeting　came　to　order　ten　minutes　later。　The　General　Secretary　began　it；　immediately　turning　over　discussions　to　Defense。
〃We　must　make　a　decisive　move　in　Germany。〃
〃You　have　been　promising　us　one　of　those　for　weeks！〃　Bromkovskiy　said。
〃This　time　it　will　work。　General　Alekseyev　will　be　here　in　an　hour　to　present　his　plan。　For　the　moment；　we　will　discuss　the　use　of　tactical　nuclear　weapons　at　the　front　and　how　to　prevent　a　NATO　nuclear　response。〃
Sergetov's　was　one　of　the　impassive　faces　at　the　table。　He　counted　four　who　displayed　obvious　horror。　The　discussion　that　followed　was　spirited。
Alekseyev　rode　with　the　division　mander　for　the　first　few　kilometers；　past　the　Indian　Embassy　and　the　Justice　Ministry。　The　latter　drew　an　ironic　look　from　the　General。　How　fitting　that　I　should　pass　that　building　today！　The　mand　vehicle　was　essentially　a　radio　with　eight　wheels。　Six　munications　officers　rode　in　the　back　to　allow　the　mander　to　run　his　division　right　from　here。　The　munications　officers　were　from　the　front；　and　loyal　to　the　bat　officers　who'd　brought　them　back。
Progress　was　slow。　The　bat　vehicles　were　designed　for　speed；　but　speed　also　made　for　breakdowns；　and　at　anything　over　twenty　kilometers　per　hour　the　tanks　would　tear　the　pavement　apart。　As　it　was；　they　motored　along　placidly；　attracting　small　knots　of　people　who　watched　and　waved　and　cheered　as　the　soldiers　passed。　The　procession　was　not　as　precise　as　one　of　the　parades　for　which　the　Taman　Guards　practiced　every　day。　If　anything　this　made　the　people　more　enthusiastic。　Here　were　real　soldiers　going　to　the　front。　KGB　officers　stood　along　the　route；　〃advising〃　the　officers　of　the　Moscow　Militia　to　let　the　division　pass…they'd　explained　the　reason；　the　foulup　in　the　eastern　rail　network；　and　the　traffic　policemen　were　only　too　happy　to　make　way　for　the　soldiers　of　the　Motherland。
Alekseyev　stood　up　in　the　gunner's　hatch　as　the　column　reached　Nogina　Square。
〃You've　done　well　to　get　your　men　to　this　level　of　training；〃　he　told　the　divisional　mander。　〃I　want　to　dismount　and　see　how　the　rest　of　your　troops　are　doing。　I　will　see　you　again　at　Stendal。〃　Alekseyev　told　the　driver　not　to　stop。　He　jumped　off　the　mand　vehicle　carrier　with　the　agility　of　a　young　corporal　and　stood　in　the　street；　waving　the　vehicles　past；　saluting　the　officers　who　rode　proudly　in　their　vehicles。　It　was　five　minutes　until　the　second　regiment　reached　him；　and　he　waited　for　its　second　battalion。　Major　Sorokin　was　in　the　battalion　mand　vehicle；　and　leaned　over　to　grasp　the　General's　hand　and　pull　him　up　off　the　street。
〃An　old　man　like　you　could　get　hurt　that　way；　rade　General；〃　Sorokin　warned。
〃You　young　buck！〃　Alekseyev　was　proud　of　his　physical　condition。　He　looked　at　the　battalion　mander；　a　man　newly　arrived　from　the　front。　〃Ready？〃
〃I　am　ready；　rade　General。〃

〃Remember　your　orders　and　keep　control　of　your　men。〃　Alekseyev　pulled　the　flap　loose　on　his　holster。　Sorokin　had　himself　an　AK…47　rifle。
He　could　see　St。　Basil's　now；　the　collection　of　towers　and　onion　domes　at　the　end　of　Razina　Street。　One　by　one　the　procession　of　vehicles　turned　right　past　the　old　cathedral。　Behind　him　the　soldiers　in　the　infantry　carriers　all　had　their　heads　up；　looking　at　the　sights。　This　was　the　oldest　model　of　the　BTR；　and　lacked　overhead　cover。
There！　Alekseyev　said　to　himself。　The　gate　built　by　Ivan　the　Terrible　that　led　right　to　the　Council　of　Ministers　building。　Just　through　the　gate　under　the　clock　tower。　The　time　was　ten…twenty。　He　was　ten　minutes　early　for　his　appointment　with　the　Politburo。
〃Are　we　all　crazy？〃　the　Agriculture　Minister　asked。　〃Do　we　think　we　can　gamble　with　atomic　arms　like　so　many　firecrackers？〃
A　good　man；　Sergetov　thought；　but　he　has　never　been　an　eloquent　one。　The　Petroleum　Minister　rubbed　sweaty　hands　over　his　trouser　legs。
〃rade　Defense　Minister；　you　have　led　us　to　the　brink　of　destruction；〃　Bromkovskiy　said。　〃Now　you　wish　us　to　leap　in　after　you！〃
〃It　is　too　late　to　stop；〃　the　General　Secretary　said。　〃The　decision　has　been　made。〃
An　explosion　gave　the　he　to　that　statement。
〃Now！〃　Alekseyev　said。　In　the　back　of　the　mand　vehicle　the　munications　officers　activated　the　divisional　radio　net　and　announced　an　explosion　in　the　Kremlin。　A　battalion　of　riflemen　under　General　Alekseyev's　personal　mand　was　going　in　to　investigate。
Alekseyev　was　already　moving。　Three　BTRs　ran　through　the　smashed　gate；　stopping　at　the　front　steps　of　the　Council　of　Ministers　building。
〃What　the　hell's　going　on　here？〃　Alekseyev　screamed　at　the　captain　of　the　Taman　Guards。
〃I　don't　know…you　can't　be　here；　you　are　not　allowed；　you　must…〃
Sorokin　cut　him　down　with　a　three…round　burst。　He　jumped　down　off　the　vehicle；　nearly　collapsing　on　his　bad　leg；　and　raced　for　the　building；　with　the　General　in　pursuit。　Alekseyev　turned　at　the　door。
〃Secure　the　area；　there　is　a　plot　to　kill　the　Politburo！〃　The　order　was　relayed　to　the　arriving　troops。　Taman　Guard　troops　were　running　across　the　open　spaces　from　the　old　Arsenal　Building。　A　few　warning　shots　were　fired。　The　Guards　wavered；　then　a　lieutenant　fired　a　full　magazine　from　his　rifle；　and　a　firefight　began　within　the　Kremlin　walls。　Two　bodies　of　Soviet　soldiers；　only　ten　of　whom　really　knew　what　was　happening；　began　exchanging　fire　while　members　of　the　Politburo　watched　from　the　windows。
Alekseyev　hated　Sorokin　for　taking　the　lead；　but　the　major　knew　whose　life　was　more　profitably　risked。　He　encountered　a　Guards　captain　on　the　second…floor　landing　and　killed　him。　He　kept　going　up；　with　Alekseyev　and　the　battalion　mander　behind；　remembering　the　diagram　of　the　building's　fourth　floor。　Another　soldier…this　one　a　major…was　there　with　a　rifle。　He　managed　to　get　one　burst　off；　missing　high　as　his　target　dove；　but　the　major　of　paratroops　rolled　clear　and　killed　him。　The　conference　room　was　only　twenty　meters　away。　They　found　a　colonel　of　the　KGB　who　held　his　hands　out　in　the　clear。
〃Where　is　Alekseyev？〃
〃Here！〃　The　General　had　his　pistol　in　his　hand。
〃No　more　Guards　alive　on　this　floor；〃　the　chekist　said。　He'd　just　killed　four　with　a　silenced　automatic　hidden　under　his　tunic。
〃Door。〃　Alekseyev　motioned　Sorokin。　He　didn't　kick　it　down；　it　was　unlocked；　and　led　into　an　anteroom。　The　double　oak　doors　beyond　led　to　the　Politburo。
Sorokin　went　through　first。
They　found　twenty…one　old　and　middle…aged　men；　mainly　standing　at　the　windows　watching　a　small　infantry　engagement　that　had　about　run　its　course。　The　Taman　Guards　stationed　throughout　the　Kremlin　grounds　were　not　organized　for　this　sort　of　assault；　and　had　not　the　smallest　chance　of　overwhelming　a　pany　of　experienced　riflemen。
Alekseyev　came　in　next；　holstering　his　pistol。
〃rades；　please　go　back　to　your　seats。　Evidently　there　is　a　plot　to　seize　the　Kremlin。　Fortunately；　I　was　just　arriving　for　my　appointment　when　this　column　of　troops　passed　by。　Sit　down；　rades！〃　the　General　ordered。
〃What　the　hell　is　going　on　here？〃　the　Defense　Minister　asked。
〃When　I　entered　military　school　thirty…four　years　ago　I　swore　an　oath　to　defend　the　State　and　the　Party　from　all　enemies；〃　Alekseyev　said　coldly。　〃Including　those　who　would　kill　my　country　because　they　don't　know　what　the　hell　else　to　do！　rade　Sergetov？〃　The　Petroleum　Minister　pointed　to　two　men。　〃You　rades　and　rade　Kosov　will　stay。　The　others　will　be　leaving　with　me　in　a　few　minutes。〃
〃Alekseyev；　you　have　signed　your　own　death　warrant；〃　the　Minister　of　the　Interior　said。　He　reached　for　a　telephone。　Major　Sorokin　lifted　his　rifle　and　destroyed　the　phone　with　a　single　round。
〃Do　not　make　that　mistake　again。　We　can　very　easily　kill　you　all。　That　would　be　much　more　convenient　than　what　we　have　in　mind。〃　Alekseyev　waited　for　a　moment。　Another　officer　ran　into　the　room　and　nodded。　〃We　will　now　leave；　rades。　If　one　of　you　attempts　to　speak　to　anyone；　you　will　all　be　killed　immediately。　Two…by…two…start　moving！〃　The　KGB　colonel　who　had　just　set　off　his　second　Kremlin　bomb　took　out　the　first　group。
After　they　left；　Sergetov　and　Kosov　came　up　to　the　General。
〃Well　done；〃　said　the　Director　of　the　KGB。　〃Things　are　ready　at　Lefort