The distance to the cellar was short, but with the gear they were packing, all were tired when the remains of the old house were seen. They slowed to a walk and then stopped at the edge of the trees. "Joshua, I want you and Sandra to check the cellar out. If it"s clear, we"ll do the house next, so move."
Once at the cellar, Joshua entered with Sandra riding his a.s.s, but they came back out in just a minute or so. They then ran to the house and entered. Minutes pa.s.sed, with John growing apprehensive, and then both exited to wave all clear.
"Everyone but a guard, Margie, will go into the cellar. Margie, I"ll send a replacement out for you in a couple of hours. Stay in the trees where you can see the cellar clearly." John said.
After all were seated in the cellar, John asked, "Okay, what happened to Kate, Tom?"
"First, I am sure she was killed, because her body was torn apart by a machine-gun, large caliber, and I checked her closely. The rifle was ruined, but I did manage to grab the night scope and her gear."
"I saw the machine-gun and fired a few rounds toward the man. I"m sure I didn"t kill him, but did take the man out. Joshua, did you see the gun?"
"Uh-huh, and I hit him, too, but not sure how much damage I did. I saw him fall and he was unmoving when I left. I was aiming for the center of his chest, so he might be dead."
"What in the h.e.l.l did you hit with that grenade launcher on your last shot?"
Tom laughed and said, "h.e.l.l, I don"t have any idea. I fired at a truck and something inside went up."
"Okay, I want all of us to eat a little something and then get some rest." John said, and then moved to Sandra"s side where he asked, "You okay?"
"I"m fine. I"m not sure what Tom hit tonight, but he blew half the d.a.m.ned base up from what I could see. I know at least three men burned to death because I saw them burning as they ran from the flames."
"The Russians will turn mean, shortly."
"Gas?"
"Not sure what they"ll do, but poison gas is certainly a possibility."
"I"m tired of fighting. I want to go home, cuddle up in front of a good movie, and sip some wine with you."
"Well, baby, that won"t happen anytime soon. We don"t have a home, there are no televisions that work, and no wine." He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Hold me tonight as we sleep; I need to feel you near me."
John put his arm around her and pulled her close. In just a few minutes, both were asleep.
"John, wake up." He heard his name called. Opening his eyes, he saw Tom squatted beside him. Looking at Sandra, he saw she was still sleeping, so he lowered her head to the blanket as he asked, "Trouble?"
"I don"t think so, but we have a visitor."
"Visitor?"
"Let"s go outside so we can talk. I don"t want to wake these folks. I have to warn you, it"s colder than a witches left ankle out there right now. I"d guess the temperature is close to zero, or below."
Donning a jacket, John walked out and asked, "Now, what"s this about a visitor?"
"She"s in the trees with Margie. She was given a coat, so she"s okay."
"She?"
"A woman named Sally, and she claims she had a food booth in Edwards, which Margie verified and knows the woman. According to her, she was a prisoner at the camp we hit tonight."
John saw the snow was still falling and nearly an inch was on the ground. He thought for a moment and then said, "Go and tell Margie to bring her to the cellar and you take the next shift. It"s too d.a.m.ned cold to talk to her out here. If anyone followed her, you"ve the best eyes to spot them."
"Not a problem, so go back inside the cellar. h.e.l.l, ain"t no reason for all of us to be cold."
John had just removed his jacket when Margie entered with a woman. The woman looked scared, and she kept glancing around the cellar. She"s had it pretty rough and recently too, John thought.
"So, how many others escaped tonight?" John asked.
"All of us made a run for safety, but a lot were killed by the Russians. I"d guess maybe twenty-five out of two hundred made it out. Once out, we scattered in all directions."
"How"d you find us?"
"I saw a man with a gun move past me and I tried to follow him. Finally, remembering this place, I figured y"all were heading here. At times, in the low light, I"d see a footprint, but it wasn"t often because the snow is covering them."
"How"d ya know of this place?"
"I used to know a black man by the first name of Joshua who lived here off and on. This farm was once very successful, but most left it alone, since black folks owned it. Joshua and I went to school together. Then, after the fall, I lost touch with everyone."
"Well," John said with a slight smile, "Joshua lives here again. He"s one of us and we"re a resistance group."
"Lawdy, that"s good news. After the way the Russians treated us, I have a lot of revenge on my mind right now. Can I join you?"
"Do you have any military experience?"
"No, never been in the military, but I"m a hunter from way back, and was a police officer for about five years, back in my younger days. I can hit a man-size target at hundred yards with open sights."
"I see no problem, but our life is filled with death, injury and hardship, so let me know for sure in the morning. Right now, eat a little, but not too much or it will make you ill."
Margie said, "I"ve a biscuit and some jam she can have, as well as tonic water."
John had just dozed off when Tom woke him once again and said, "Russian aircraft flying low overhead, spraying something. Due to wind drift I didn"t smell or feel anything. I did see a slight discoloration of a vapor against the night sky and especially around the moon. The snow has stopped and it"s partly cloudy overhead, but still cold."
"Gas, it"s likely poison gas." John said, and then stood, "Gas, find your masks now! Margie, give Kate"s mask and gear to Sally."
"What about Dolly?" Sandra asked.
"She"ll have to make do without. Maybe we can leave the area before the droplets. .h.i.t the ground."
Tom yelled, "Don your chemical warfare suits and masks. We need to get out of this cellar, because the gas will settle in low areas. Move, folks!"
CHAPTER 16.
Vetrov awoke in a hospital, and it took him many long minutes to remember the attack, due to the pain killing drugs in his system. He looked to be in post recovery, so he raised his head and looked his body over. Other than a bandage on his chest, he saw no other signs of injury. A doctor, seeing him awake, moved to his side and said, "Colonel, you have sustained a serious chest wound, but your prognosis is excellent. We expect a full recovery in a few months."
"Months? That will not happen, doctor, and I shall return to my unit tomorrow."
"I suspect you will be flown home to Moscow for recovery, so you will not be going back to your unit any time soon."
"Oh, I disagree, Captain, and as the anti-terrorism commander, I am in charge, not you. You work for me, so remember that fact. I will continue to work out of Edwards until I fully recover."
"Sir, I must protest and as the-"
"As a man who works for me, you will do exactly as ordered, understand? Now, I want you to collect the members of my staff and we will have a meeting in my private room. If you have need of help gathering the men, see my executive officer."
"He is dead, sir."
"Then have Master Sergeant Belonev a.s.sist you."
"He was seriously injured and will not be doing any talking for days. He took a round in the chest as well, and his lungs were slightly injured. He should live, only he will face some severe pain first. He needs to leave on the first plane to Moscow for better treatment."
"Gather up those you can find and get them to me as soon as possible. Oh, and Master Sergeant Belonev will recover here with me, not in Moscow."
"Yes, sir." The doctor replied and then left the room.
An hour later, Vetrov was conducting his first staff meeting since the attack. He felt weak, but if he returned to Moscow after suffering so much damage during the attack, someone would have him imprisoned or killed. He"d stay on the job or die trying. Currently he had a difficult time organizing his thoughts and his mind was dulled by drugs.
"A total of twenty-two personnel were killed near the prison camp, five others working in the fuel storage area are missing, and we are not sure yet of the exact count of those working in munitions. We have confirmed five more dead and six missing from the ammo explosions. Most of those missing were truck drivers and it is not likely they will ever be found." A major from supply replied.
"How many dead partisans were found?"
"One, a woman."
"Do you mean to stand there and suggest all this damage was done by a single woman?"
"Oh, not at all, sir. We found bra.s.s from at least six other positions around the camp. We currently have a dozen teams out looking for them, only blowing snow has covered their tracks."
"Recall the teams. I want every aircraft available that can fly out delivering poison gas. Plot a circle, say twenty miles around us, and stay within that area. Deliver nerve gas and do it in alternating sections or grids. Then tomorrow fly over the grids missed today. I hope they will run to the grids we miss today, thinking they"re safe. But use some common sense and do not spray upwind of us."
"Sir," the Major said, "The operations executive officer has taken command, since the commander of the squadron was one of our dead. He attempted to rescue you, after you were hit, except he took a bullet to the head. I will pa.s.s the word on to him, and order it started immediately."
"See the dead man is submitted for an award, since he died trying to save his commander, and get him a posthumous promotion, if possible. Now, what other damage was done?"
Once again the supply officer said, "We lost most of our aviation fuel, maybe forty percent of our munitions, and other buildings have suffered damage, including this hospital building. Additionally, about a hundred and seventy-five of the prisoners were killed."
"How many of the twenty-five got away clean?"
"We have recaptured fifteen, so our total prisoner loss is a hundred and ninety."
"Fifteen are nothing and we"ll find the others at our leisure, later. Kill the remaining prisoners in revenge for the attack, but do it in a gruesome manner, so it attracts attention. We must show the partisans what we are willing do in retaliation when other camps are attacked."
"Yes, sir, but any idea of how to kill them? I am a supply officer and not an infantry man."
"Burn them alive or decapitate them in public, h.e.l.l, use your imagination, Major. Only do the job today. Once they are dead, hang the bodies near the main road with signs around them, stating they are in retaliation for the attack on the base. What is your name?"
The Major, a pencil pusher, felt squeamish at the thought of killing innocent people, gave a loud gulp, snapped to attention and replied, "I am Major Anosov and I will see to it this morning, sir."
"Tell the operations officer if he does a good job with the delivery of the gas, he will be the new commander."
Belonev was awake and had been for some time. He was sharing a room with another senior sergeant and so far he had no idea who the man was. The man had been brought in after surgery and placed in a bed on the other side of the room. Drugged and sleepy, the Sergeant heard two orderlies discussing the attack. When he heard part of the hospital was. .h.i.t, he asked, "Can one of you see if a Master Sergeant Durchenko has left or is safe? He was in the wing of the hospital that was. .h.i.t, I think."
"Sure, let me go see." A private said and then quickly disappeared.
"What is the extent of injuries to the man by the wall?" The Sergeant asked.
"Ma.s.sive burns, so it does not look good for him. I think I heard seventy-five percent of his body was burned, which most do not survive."
"Any idea where he got burns like that?" Belonev was getting sleepy.
"Truck driver on a fuel truck. I heard he ran out of a fireball in flames, but they managed to get the fire out. Personally, shoot me any day before burning me. If he lives, he"ll suffer some horrible pain in recovery. Burns bring horrible pain even to the survivors."
The private who"d left returned, lowered his head and said, "The ward Master Sergeant Durchenko was in sustained total destruction, and he is currently listed as missing in action. Seems a fuel truck was pa.s.sing the hospital when it exploded during the attack. He may be someplace, but they have not found him yet."
"There is always confusion following a big attack." The Sergeant said, and then drifted off to sleep, thinking of his old friend.
The next time he awoke, the orderlies were removing the injured man. Belonev did not ask any questions, because the blanket over the man"s face answered all questions; he was dead. The orderly, seeing the Master Sergeant awake said, "Master Sergeant Durchenko"s body was found under a wall. The doctor said he died instantly, if that helps any. I am sorry you lost your friend, Sergeant."
Durchenko dead, it seems impossible, because he was so full of life, Belonev thought, and then said, "Get the h.e.l.l out of my room, boy, and leave my a.s.s alone."
"Yes, Master Sergeant." The orderly scurried out.
Major Anosov sat in his supply office dreading the executions of the civilian captives, but could find no way to avoid the nasty task. Finally, he decided to give the responsibility to his lieutenant.
"Lieutenant Bortnik, come here please."
The young officer walked into the office, a.s.sumed the position of attention and asked, "Sir?"
"I want you to take two trucks. Load our fifteen prisoners in one and a machine-gun in the other. Take them to the road where it enters town and shoot all of them. Then place signs written in English on each body. Warn others we will kill those involved with the resistance. Hang their remains on light poles or telephone poles. My orders come from Colonel Vetrov and must be obeyed."
"Uh, when am I to do this, sir?"
"Immediately."
Saluting, Bortnik said, "I will leave now, sir."
The Major waved a casual salute and warned, "Do the job properly, or the next time our army shoots prisoners, you and I will be standing beside them."
"Yes, sir." Bortnik said and paled at the thought of murder.
"Now, go."