tc.redstormrising-第140部分

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The　Russian　air…defense　mander　ordered　his　radars　back　on；　saw　that　no　more　missiles　were　in　the　air；　and　soon　picked　up　the　low…flying　Hornets。　The　MiG　mander　saw　the　American　attack　aircraft　next；　and　with　them；　his　chance。　The　MiG…29　was　a　virtual　twin　to　the　new　American　aircraft。
The　Hornets　sought　out　the　Russian　SAM　launchers　and　began　to　launch　their　guided　weapons　at　them。　Missiles　crisscrossed　the　sky。　Two　Hornets　fell　to　missiles；　two　more　to　guns；　as　the　American　fighter…bombers　scoured　the　ground　with　bombs　and　gunfire。　Then　the　MiGs　arrived。
The　American　pilots　were　warned；　but　were　too　close　to　their　bombing　targets　to　react　at　once。　Once　free　of　their　heavy　ordnance；　they　were　fighters　again；　and　climbed　into　the　sky…they　feared　MiGs　more　than　missiles。　The　resulting　air　battle　was　a　masterpiece　of　confusion。　The　two　aircraft　would　have　been　hard　to　distinguish　sitting　side　by　side　on　the　ground。　At　six　hundred　knots；　in　the　middle　of　battle；　the　task　was　almost　impossible；　and　the　Americans；　with　their　greater　numbers；　had　to　hold　fire　until　they　were　sure　of　their　targets。　The　Russians　knew　what　they　were　attacking；　but　they　too　shrank　from　shooting　with　abandon　at　a　target　that　looked　too　much　like　a　rade's　aircraft。　The　result　was　a　swarming　mix　of　fighters　closing　to　a　range　too　short　for　missiles；　as　pilots　sought　positive　target　identification；　an　anachronistic　gun　duel　punctuated　by　surface…to…air　missiles　from　the　two　surviving　Russian　launchers。　Controllers　on　the　American　aircraft　and　the　Russian　ground　station　never　had　a　chance　to　direct　matters。　It　was　entirely　in　the　hands　of　the　pilots。　The　fighters　went　to　afterburner　and　swept　into　punishing　high…g　turns　while　heads　swiveled　and　eyes　squinted　at　familiar　shapes　while　trying　to　decide　if　the　paint　scheme　was　friendly　or　not。　That　part　of　the　task　was　fairly　even。　The　American　planes　were　haze…gray　and　harder　to　spot；　allowing　easier　target　identification　at　long　range　than　at　short。　Two　Hornets　died　first；　followed　by　a　MiG。　Then　another　MiG　fell　to　cannon　fire；　and　a　Hornet　to　a　snap…shot　missile。　An　errant　SAM　exploded　a　MiG　and　a　Hornet　together。
The　Soviet　major　saw　that　and　screamed　for　the　SAMs　to　hold　fire；　then　he　fired　his　cannon　at　a　Hornet　blazing　across　his　nose；　missed；　and　turned　to　follow　him。　He　watched　the　American　close　for　a　high…deflection　shot　on　a　MiG…29　and　damage　its　engine。　The　major　didn't　know　how　many　of　his　aircraft　were　left。　It　was　beyond　that。　He　was　engaged　in　a　struggle　for　personal　survival…which　he　expected　to　lose。　Caution　faded　to　nothing　as　he　closed　on　afterburner　and　ignored　his　low…fuelstate　light。　His　target　turned　north　and　led　him　over　the　water。　The　major　fired　his　last　missile　and　then　watched　it　track　right　into　the　Hornet's　right　engine　as　his　own　engines　flamed　out。　The　Hornet's　tail　fragmented　and　the　major　screamed　with　delight　as　he　and　the　American　pilot　ejected　a　few　hundred　meters　apart。　Four　kills；　the　major　thought。　At　least　I　have　done　my　duty。　He　was　in　the　water　thirty　seconds　later。
mander　Davies　crawled　into　his　raft　despite　a　broken　wrist；　cursing　and　blessing　his　luck　at　the　same　time。　His　first　considered　action　was　to　activate　his　rescue　radio。　He　looked　around　and　saw　another　yellow　raft　a　short　distance　away。　It　wasn't　easy　paddling　with　one　arm；　but　the　other　guy　was　paddling　toward　him。　What　came　next　was　quite　a　surprise。
〃You　are　prisoner！〃　The　man　was　pointing　a　gun　at　him。　Davies's　revolver　was　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea。
〃Who　the　hell　are　you？〃
〃I　am　Major　Alexandr　Georgiyevich　Chapayev…Soviet　Air　Force。〃
〃Howdy。　I'm　mander　Gus　Davies；　U。S。　Navy。　Who　got　you？〃
〃No　one　get　me！　I　run　out　of　fuel！〃　He　waved　the　gun。　〃And　you　are　my　prisoner。〃
〃Oh；　horseshit！〃
Major　Chapayev　shook　his　head。　Like　Davies；　he　was　in　a　near…state　of　shock　from　the　stress　of　bat　and　his　close　escape　from　death。
〃Hold　on　to　that　gun；　though；　Major。　I　don't　know　if　there're　sharks　around　here　or　not。〃
〃Sharks？〃
Davies　had　to　think　for　a　moment。　The　code　name　for　that　new　Russian　sub。　〃Akula。　Akula　in　the　water。〃
Chapayev　went　pale。　〃Akula？〃
Davies　unzipped　his　flight　suit　and　tucked　in　his　injured　arm。　〃Yeah；　Major。　This　is　the　third　time　I've　had　to　go　swimming。　Last　time　I　was　on　the　raft　for　twelve　hours；　and　I　saw　a　couple　of　the　Goddamned　things。　You　got　any　repellant　on　your　raft？〃
〃What？〃　Chapayev　was　really　confused　now。
〃This　stuff。〃　Davies　dipped　the　plastic　envelope　in　the　water。　〃Let's　rope　your　raft　to　mine。　Safer　that　way。　This　repellant　stuffs　supposed　to　keep　the　akula　away。〃
Davies　tried　to　secure　the　rafts　one…handed　and　failed。　Chapayev　set　the　gun　down　to　help。　After　being　shot　down　once；　then　surviving　an　air　battle；　the　major　was　suddenly　obsessed　with　the　idea　of　being　alive。　The　idea　of　being　eaten　by　a　carnivorous　fish　horrified　him。　He　looked　over　the　side　of　the　raft　into　the　water。
〃Christ；　what　a　morning；〃　Davies　groaned。　His　wrist　was　really　hurting　now。
Chapayev　grunted　agreement。　He　looked　around　for　the　first　time　and　realized　he　couldn't　see　land。　Next　he　reached　for　his　rescue　radio　and　found　that　his　leg　was　lacerated；　the　radio　pocket　on　his　flight　suit　ripped　away　in　the　ejection。
〃Aren't　we　two　sorry　sons　of　bitches；〃　he　said　in　Russian。
〃What's　that？〃
〃Where　is　land？〃　The　sea　had　never　looked　so　vast。
〃About　twenty…five　miles　that　way；　I　think。　That　leg　doesn't　look　too　good；　Major。〃　Davies　laughed　coldly。　〃We　must　have　the　same　kind　of　ejector　seats。　Oh；　shit！　This　arm　hurts。〃

〃Damn；　what　do　you　suppose　that's　all　about？〃　Edwards　wondered　aloud。　They　were　too　far　away　to　hear　anything；　but　they　could　not　miss　the　smoke　rising　from　Keflavik。
A　more　immediate　concern　was　the　squad　of　Russians　now　at　the　base　of　their　hill。　Nichols；　Smith；　and　the　four　privates　were　spread　out　across　a　front　of　a　hundred　yards　centered　on　Edwards；　faces　darkened；　mainly　squatting　behind　rocks　and　watching　the　Russians　half　a　mile　away。
〃Doghouse；　this　is　Beagle；　and　we　got　trouble　here；　over。〃　He　had　to　call　twice　more　to　get　an　answer。
〃What's　the　problem；　Beagle？〃
〃We　got　five　or　six　Russians　climbing　our　hill。　They're　about　six　hundred　feet　below　us；　half　a　mile　away。　Also；　what's　going　on　at　Keflavik？〃
〃We　have　an　air　attack　under　way　there；　that's　all　I　know　at　the　moment。　Keep　us　posted；　Beagle。　I'll　see　if　I　can　send　you　some　help。〃
〃Thank　you。　Out。〃
〃Michael？〃
〃Good　morning。　Glad　one　of　us　got　a　decent　night's　sleep。〃　She　sat　down　beside　him；　resting　her　hand　on　his　leg；　and　the　fear　subsided　for　a　moment。
〃I'd　swear　I　just　saw　some　movement　on　the　top　there；〃　the　platoon　sergeant　said。
〃Let　me　see。〃　The　lieutenant　moved　his　powerful　spotting　glasses　on　the　peak。　〃Nothing。　Nothing　at　all。　Maybe　you　saw　a　bird。　Those　little　puffin　things　are　all　over　the　place。〃
〃Possibly；〃　the　sergeant　allowed。　He　was　starting　to　feel　guilty　for　sending　Markhovskiy　up　there。　If　this　lieutenant　had　half　a　brain；　he　thought；　he'd　have　sent　a　larger　force；　maybe　led　it　himself；　like　an　officer　should。
〃The　air　base　is　being　heavily　attacked。〃
〃Have　you　radioed　in？〃
〃Tried　to。　They're　off　the　air　at　the　moment。〃　There　was　concern　in　his　voice。　Sixty　miles　was　too　far　for　the　small　tactical　radios。　Their　heavy　VHF　set　reported　into　the　air　base。　As　much　as　he　wanted　to　be　with　the　patrol；　the　lieutenant　knew　his　proper　place　was　here。　〃Warn　Markhovskiy。〃
Edwards　saw　one　of　the　Russians　stop　and　fiddle　with　his　walkie…talkie。　Tell　him　he's　climbing　the　wrong　hill…tell　him　to　e　home　to　Mama。
〃Keep　your　head　down；　babe。〃
〃What　is　it；　Michael？〃
〃We　got　some　people　climbing　this　hill。〃
〃Who？〃　There　was　concern　in　her　voice。
〃Guess。〃
〃Skipper；　they're　ing　up　for　sure；〃　Smith　warned　over　the　radio。
〃Yeah；　I　see　that。　Everybody　got　a　good　place？〃
〃Leftenant；　I　strongly　remend　that　we　let　them　get　in　very　close　before　opening　fire；〃　Nichols　called。
〃Makes　sense；　skipper；〃　Smith　agreed　on　the　same　circuit。
〃Okay。　You　got　ideas；　gentlemen；　I　want　to　hear　them　right　away。　Oh；　yeah；　I've　called　in　for　some　help。　Maybe　we　can　get　some　air　support。〃
Mike　pulled　back　on　the　charging　handle　of　his　rifle　to　make　sure　a　round　was　chambered；　set　it　on　safe；　then　put　the　M…16　down。　The　Marines　had　all　the　hand　grenades。　Edwards　had　never　been　taught　how　to　use　them；　and　they　frightened　him。
e　on；　fellows；　just　go　the　hell　away　and　we'll　be　glad　to　leave　you　alone。　They　kept　ing。　Each　paratrooper　climbed　slowly；　rifle　in　one　hand　and　the　other　hand　grabbing　or　fending　off　rocks。　They　spent　their　time　evenly　looking　up　toward　Edwards　and　down　at　their　footing。　Mike　was　truly　frightened。　These　Russians　were　elite　soldiers。　So　were　his　Marines…but　he　was　not。　He　didn't　belong　here。　The　other　times　he'd　faced　Russians；　in　Vigdis's　house；　the　terrifying　incident　with　the　helicopter；　all　those　were　behind　him　and　for　the　moment　forgotten。　He　wanted　to　run　away…but　what　if　he　did？　He'd　earned　the　respect　of　his　Marines；　and　could　he　throw　that　away　and　still　live　with　himself？　What　of　Vigdis　…could　he　run　away　in　front　of　her？　What　are　you　most　afraid　of；　Mike？
〃Stay　cool；〃　he　muttered　to　himself。
〃What？〃　Vigdis　asked。　She　too　was　afraid；　just　from　seeing　his　face。
〃Nothing。〃