按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
st been here。 The battle lines in the north had not changed appreciably； and the NATO counterattack on the Alfeld…R乭le salient was only now being posted。 Blue flags were at Gronau； and Alfeld。 There was the counterattack at Hamburg。
We've lost the initiative。 How do we get it back？
The Soviet Army had started the war with twenty A divisions based in Germany； with another ten moved in at the start； and more since。 All of them had now been mitted to battle； many pulled off the line due to losses。 The last reserve of the full…strength formations was at R乭le； and they were about to be trapped。 Beregovoy was too good a soldier to violate orders； even though he knew his forces had to be pulled back before they were irretrievably cut off。
〃We must abandon the attack。 If we press on； those divisions will be trapped behind two rivers； not just one。〃
〃The attack is a political and military necessity；〃 CINC…West answered… 〃If they push forward； NATO will have to draw forces off this attack to defend the Ruhr。 Then we'll have them。〃
Alekseyev didn't argue further。 The thought that came to him felt like a blast of cold air on exposed skin。 Have we failed？
USS INDEPENDENCE
〃Admiral； I need to see somebody in the MAF。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Chuck Lowe…he's a regimental mander。 Before he took it over； we worked together on CINCLANT's intelligence staff。〃
〃Why not…〃
〃He's good； Admiral； very good at this stuff。〃
〃You think the information is that hot？〃 Jacobsen asked。
〃I sure do； sir； but I need a second opinion。 Chuck's the best guy who's handy。〃
Jacobsen lifted his phone。 〃Get me General Emerson； quick 。 。 。 Billy？ Scott。 You have a Colonel Chuck Lowe serving with you？ Where？ Okay； one of my intel people needs to see him right now 。 。 。 important enough； Billy。 Very well； he'll be on his way in ten minutes。〃 The Admiral set the phone down。 〃Have you copied that tape？〃
〃Yes； sir。 This is one of the copies。 The original's in the safe。〃
〃There'll be a helo waiting for you。〃
It was a one…hour flight to Stykkisholmur。 From there a Marine chopper took him southeast。 He found Chuck Lowe in a tent looking over some maps。
〃You get around pretty good。 I heard about Nimitz； Bob。 Glad to see you made it。 What's up？〃
〃I want you to listen to this tape。 It'll take you about twenty minutes。〃 Toland explained who the Russian was。 He handed over a small Japanese personal tape player with earphones。 The two officers walked out of the tent to a relatively quiet place。 Twice Lowe rewound the tape to repeat a section。
〃Son of a bitch；〃 he said quietly when it was finished。
〃He thought we already knew。〃
Colonel Lowe stooped down and picked up a rock。 He hefted it in his hand for a moment； then hurled it as hard as he could。 〃Why not？ We assume the KGB is petent； why should they assume that we're not！ We had the information all along 。 。 。 and we blew it！ 〃 His voice was full of wonder and disgust。 〃You sure this isn't a cock…and…bull story？〃
〃When we pulled him out of the water； he had a nasty cut on the leg。 The docs sewed that up and gave him pain pills。 I caught him weak from blood loss； and pretty well juiced on codeine。 Kinda hard to lie well when you're drunk； isn't it？ Chuck； I really need your opinion。〃
〃Trying to land me back in the intel business？〃 Lowe smiled briefly。 〃Bob； it makes a hell of a lot of sense。 This should go up the ladder fast。〃
〃I think SACEUR should get it。〃
〃You can't just call up for an appointment； Bob。〃
〃I can go through EASTLANT。 The original goes to Washington。 CIA will want to use a voice…stress…analysis machine on it。 But I saw the man's eyes； Chuck。〃
〃I agree。 It should go to the top as fast as you can get it there…and SACEUR can make the fastest use of it。〃
〃Thanks； Colonel。 How do I call the chopper back？〃
〃I'll handle that。 Wele to Iceland； by the way。〃
〃How's it going？〃 Toland followed the colonel back to the tent。
〃We're up against good troops； but they have a tough defensive problem here； and we have all the firepower we need。 We got 'em by the ass！〃 The colonel paused。 〃Nice work； Squid！〃
Two hours later； Toland was aboard a plane bound for Heathrow。
MOSCOW； R。S。F。S。R。
The briefing was given by Marshal Fyodr Borissovich Bukharin。 The KGB had arrested Marshals Shavyrin and Rozhkov the day before； a move that told Minister Sergetov more than this briefing ever would。
〃The attack west from Alfeld has bogged down due to poor planning and execution by mander…in…Chief West。 We need to regain the initiative。 Fortunately we have the troops available； and nothing changes the fact that NATO has suffered grievous losses。
〃I propose replacement of the Western Theater mand staff and…〃
〃Wait。 I wish to say something；〃 Sergetov interrupted。
〃Make your point； Mikhail Eduardovich；〃 the Defense Minister said； his annoyance clear。
〃Marshal Bukharin； you propose plete staff replacement？〃 The practical consequences to the replacees was unspoken； Sergetov thought； but plain enough。
〃My son is on the staff of the Deputy mander West； General Alekseyev。 This general is the one who led the breakthrough at Alfeld； and the one at R乭le！ He's been wounded twice and had his helicopter shot down by enemy fighters…after which he mandeered a truck and raced to the front to lead yet another successful attack。 He's the only effective general we have that I know of； and you want to replace him with someone unfamiliar with the situation…what madness is this？〃 he asked angrily。 The Minister of the Interior leaned forward。
〃Just because your son is on his staff…〃
Sergetov's face went beet…red。 〃'Just because my son；' you say？ My son is at the front； serving the State。 He's been wounded； and barely escaped death when he was shot down at his general's side。 Who else at this table can say that； rades？ Where are your sons？〃 He pounded on the table in rage。 Sergetov concluded in a softer voice； wounding his colleagues in a way that mattered； really mattered： 〃Where are the munists here？〃
There was a brief but deadly silence。 Sergetov knew that he had either ended his political career or boosted it beyond measure。 His fate would be decided by whoever spoke next。
〃In the Great Patriotic War；〃 Pyotr Bromkovskiy said with an old man's dignity； 〃Politburo members lived at the front。 Many lost sons。 Even rade Stalin gave his sons to the State； serving alongside the sons of ordinary workers and peasants。 Mikhail Eduardovich speaks well。 rade Marshal； your evaluation of General Alekseyev； if you please？ Is rade Sergetov correct in his assessment？〃
Bukharin looked uneasy。 〃Alekseyev is a young； bright officer； and； yes； he has done fairly well at his present post。〃
〃But you wish to replace him with one of your own people？〃 Bromkovskiy didn't wait for an answer。 〃It is amazing； the things we learn and the things we forget。 We forget that it is necessary for all Soviet citizens to share the burden together…but we remember the mistakes made in 1941； arresting good officers because their superiors erred； and replacing them all with political cronies who could lead us to disaster！ If Alekseyev is a bright young officer who knows how to fight； why do you replace him？〃
〃Perhaps we were hasty；〃 the Defense Minister admitted； watching the moo