tc.redstormrising-第111章

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〃Conn；　sonar；　we　got　increased　machinery　noises　on　Sierra…l。　Okay；　the　front　contact　is　a　two…screw　boat；　blade　count　indicates　speed　of　ten　knots　and　increasing；　getting　some　cavitation。　Target　Sierra…I　is　maneuvering。　Classify　this　target　as　a　Tango…class。〃
〃Boston's　the　one　in　back。　All　ahead　one…third。〃　McCafferty　ordered　his　submarine　to　slow　back　down。　〃Get　him；　Todd！〃
His　wish　was　rewarded　with　an　explosion　fifteen　seconds　later。　Simms　had　e　up　with　the　same　tactic　as　his　friend　on　Chicago。　Close　to　a　few　thousand　yards　of　the　target；　and　give　him　no　chance　to　maneuver　clear。　Fifteen　minutes　later；　Boston　joined　her　healthy　sister。
〃Talk　about　a　tough　four　hours。　That　Tango　was　good！〃　Simms　called　over　on　the　gertrude。　〃You　in　good　shape？〃
〃Yes。　We　have　the　front　guard　position。　You　want　to　take　the　rear　for　a　while？〃
〃You　got　it；　Danny。　See　ya'。〃

ICELAND
〃Lead　off；　Sergeant　Nichols。〃
The　Russian　outpost　was　three　miles　south　and　three　thousand　feet　up。　They　climbed　up　the　walls　of　the　ravine　and　into　relatively　open　ground。　They　were　between　the　sun　and　the　outpost。　Edwards　found　that　intellectually　he　believed　what　Nichols　said　about　light　conditions；　and　how　the　eye　reacted　to　them…and　how　easy　was　it　to　spot　something　three　miles　away？…but　walking　like　this　felt　like　being　naked　on　the　street　at　rush　hour。　They　had　darkened　their　faces　with　camouflage　makeup；　and　their　uniforms　blended　in　well　with　the　color　and　texture　of　the　land。　But　the　human　eye　looks　for　movement；　Edwards　told　himself；　and　we're　moving。　What　am　I　doing　here？
One　step　at　a　time。　Walk　softly。　Don't　raise　any　dust。　Slow；　easy　pace。　No　sudden　moves。　Heads　down。　All　the　things　Nichols　had　said　echoed　through　his　mind。　Look　at　me；　I'm　invisible。
He　manded　himself　not　to　look　up；　but　Edwards　would　have　been　less　than　human　not　to　sneak　an　occasional　look。　The　hill…mountain　towered　above　them。　It　really　got　steep　near　the　top。　A　volcano？　he　wondered。　There　was　no　sign　of　activity　at　the　summit。　Maybe　nobody　is　there？　Right。　Do　us　all　a　favor　and　be　blind；　or　asleep；　or　eating；　or　looking　for　airplanes。　He　had　to　pull　his　eyes　away　from　it。
The　rocks　he　stepped　over　and　around　blended　together　after　a　while。　Each　member　of　the　party　walked　alone。　No　one　said　anything。　Every　face　was　couched　in　a　neutral　expression　that　might　have　meant　quiet　determination　or　concealed　exhaustion。　Just　walking　the　rocks　safely　required　concentration。
This　is　the　end　of　it。　The　last　hike。　The　last　hill　to　climb。　The　end；　Edwards　promised　himself。　After　this　I　drive　a　car　to　get　the　morning　paper。　If　I　can't　have　a　one…story　house　I'll　damned　well　have　an　elevator　installed。　I'll　get　kids　to　cut　the　grass　for　me　and　sit　on　the　porch　watching　them。
Finally　the　hilltop　was　behind　him。　He　had　to　sneak　his　looks　over　his　shoulder　now。　For　some　reason　the　helicopter　full　of　Russian　paratroopers　didn't　e。　They　were　somewhat　safer　now。　So　Nichols　stepped　up　the　pace。
Four　hours　later　the　mountaintop　was　behind　a　knife…edge　ridge　of　volcanic　rock。　Nichols　called　a　halt。　They'd　been　moving　for　seven　hours。
〃Well；〃　the　sergeant　said。　〃That　was　easy　enough；　wasn't　it？〃
〃Sarge；　next　time　you　jump　out　of　an　airplane；　please　break　your　ankle；〃　Mike　suggested。
〃Hard　part's　behind　us。　Now　all　we　have　left　is　to　climb　this　wee　hill；〃　Nichols　pointed　out。
〃Might　want　to　get　some　water　first；〃　Smith　said。　He　pointed　to　a　stream　a　hundred　yards　away。
〃Good　idea。　Leftenant；　I　do　think　we　should　be　atop　the　hill　as　quick　as　we　can。〃
〃Agreed。　This　is　absolutely　the　last　Goddamned　hill　I　ever　climb！〃
Nichols　chuckled。　〃I　have　said　that　myself　once　or　twice；　sir。〃
〃I　don't　believe　it。〃

USS　INDEPENDENCE
〃Wele　aboard；　Toland！〃　mander；　Strike　Fleet　Atlantic　was　a　three…star　billet；　but　Rear　Admiral　Scott　Jacobsen　would　have　to　settle　for　the　job　instead　of　the　rank　for　the　moment。　The　life…long　aviator　was　the　most　senior　carrier　division　mander　in　the　Navy；　and　was　the　replacement　for　the　late　Admiral　Baker。　〃You　have　one　hell　of　a　letter　of　introduction　here　from　Admiral　Beattie。〃
〃He　made　too　big　a　deal　of　it。　All　I　did　was　pass　along　an　idea　somebody　else　came　up　with。〃
〃Okay。　You　were　on　Nimitz　when　the　task　force　got　hit；　right？〃
〃Yes；　sir；　I　was　in　CIC。〃
〃The　only　other　guy　who　got　out　was　Sonny　Svenson？〃
〃Captain　Svenson；　yes；　sir。〃
Jacobsen　picked　up　his　phone　and　punched　three　digits。　〃Ask　Captain　Spaulding　to　join　me。　Thank　you。　Toland；　you；　me；　and　my　operations　officer　are　going　to　relive　that　experience。　I　want　to　see　if　there　might　be　something　our　briefing　left　out。　They're　not　going　to　punch　any　holes　in　my　carriers；　son。〃
〃Admiral；　don't　underestimate　them；〃　Toland　warned。
〃I　won't　underestimate　them；　Toland。　That's　why　I　have　you　here。
Your　group　got　caught　too　far　north　for　the　circumstances。　Taking　Iceland　was　a　beautiful　move　on　their　part。　It　screwed　our　plans　pretty　well。　We　are　going　to　fix　that；　mander。〃
〃So　I　gather；　sir。〃

USS　REUBEN　JAMES
〃Ain't　she　pretty！〃　O'Malley　said。　He　flipped　his　cigarette　over　the　side　and　crossed　his　arms；　staring　at　the　massive　carrier　on　the　horizon。　She　was　just　a　dim　gray　shape；　with　aircraft　landing　on　the　flat　deck。
〃My　story　is　supposed　to　be　about　the　convoy；〃　Calloway　sniffed。
〃Well；　they're　making　port　right　about　now。　End　of　story。〃　The　pilot　turned　with　a　wide　grin。　〃Hell；　you　made　me　famous；　didn't　you？〃
〃You　bloody　aviators　are　all　the　same！〃　the　Reuters　correspondent　snapped　angrily。　〃The　captain　won't　even　tell　me　where　we're　going。〃
〃You　don't　know？〃　O'Malley　asked　in　surprise。
〃Well；　where　are　we　going？〃
〃North。〃

LE　HAVRE；　FRANCE
The　port　had　been　cleared　in　expectation　of　the　convoy。　The　merchantmen　were　brought　past　several　wrecks　of　ships　that　had　died　from　Soviet　mines；　some　laid　before　the　war；　others　dropped　from　aircraft。　The　port　had　also　been　bombed　six　times　by　long…range　fighter…bombers；　each　time　at　a　murderous　price　from　French　air　defense　forces。
The　first　ships　in　were　the　big　Ro/Ros；　the　roll…on/roll…off　container　ships。　Eight　of　them　together　carried　a　full　armored　division；　and　these　were　taken　quickly　to　the　Bassin　Theophile　Ducrocq。　One　by　one；　the　ships　lowered　their　curved　stern　ramps　to　the　dock　and　the　tanks　began　to　roll　off。　They　met　a　continuous　taxi…rank　of　low…loader　tractor…trailers；　each　of　which　would　carry　a　tank　or　other　armored　fighting　vehicle　to　the　front　lines。　Loaded；　they　rolled　off　one　by　one　to　the　assembly　point　at　the　Renault　facility　adjacent　to　the　port。　It　would　take　hours　to　unload　the　division；　but　it　had　been　decided　nevertheless　to　move　everything　in　a　body　to　the　fighting　front；　less　than　five　hundred　kilometers　away。
After　what　had　seemed　an　endless；　tense　voyage；　arrival　was　a　culture　shock　for　the　American　troops；　many　of　them　National　Guardsmen　who　rarely　went　overseas。　The　dock　workers　and　traffic　police　were　too　exhausted　from　weeks　of　frantic　work　to　show　any　human　emotion；　but　ordinary　people　who　had　learned；　despite　heavy　security；　that　reinforcing　troops　were　landing　came　out；　first　in　small　groups；　soon　in　small　mobs；　to　watch　the　new　arrivals。　The　American　troops　were　not　allowed　to　leave　their　pany　areas。　After　some　informal　negotiations；　it　was　decided　small　delegations　would　be　allowed　to　meet　briefly　with　some　of　the　troops。　The　security　risk　was　minor…the　telephone　lines　in　and　out　of　all　NATO　ports　were　under　tight　control…and　there　was　an　unexpected　result　to　this　exercise　in　simple　courtesy。　Like　their　fathers　and　grandfathers；　the　arriving　troops　saw　that　Europe　was　worth　fighting　for。　The　people　who　were　often　seen　merely　as　threats　to　American　jobs　had　faces　and　hopes　and　dreams；　all　of　which　were　in　danger。　They　were　not　fighting　for　a　principle；　or　a　political　decision；　or　a　treaty　made　of　paper。　They　were　here　for　these　people　and　others　not　the　least　different　from　those　they'd　left　at　home。
It　took　two　hours　longer　than　they'd　hoped。　Some　vehicles　were　broken　down；　but　the　port　and　police　officials　had　organized　the　assembly　points　with　skill。　The　division　moved　off　in　the　early　afternoon　at　a　steady　fifty　kilometers　per　hour；　driving　down　a　multilane　highway　cleared　for　its　path。　Every　few　yards；　someone　stood　to　wave　while　the　troops　made　final　checks　on　their　gear。　The　easy　part　of　their　journey　was　about　to　end。

ICELAND
It　was　four　in　the　morning　when　they　reached　the　top；　only　to　find　that　this　mountain　had　a　number　of　〃tops。〃　The　Russians　had　the　highest　one；　three　miles　away。　Edwards's　group　had　a　choice　of　two　subsidiary　peaks；　each　a　few　hundred　feet　lower　than　the　adjacent　thousand…meter　summit。　They　picked　the　higher　of　the　two；　overlooking　the　small　fishing　port　of　Stykkisholmur；　almost　due　north；　and　the　large　rock…filled　bay　that　the　map　called　Hvammsfj〃rdur。
〃Looks　like　a　fine　observation　point；　Leftenant　Edwards；〃　Nichols　judged。
〃That's　good；　Sarge；　'cause　I　am　not　going　another　foot。〃　Edwards　already　had　his　binoculars　on　the　eastern　peak。　〃I　don't　see　any　movement。〃
〃They're　there；〃　Nichols　said。
〃Yeah；〃　Smith　agreed。　〃Sure　as　hell。〃
Edwards　slid　down　from　the　crestline　and　unpacked　his　radio。
〃Doghouse；　this　is　Beagle；　and　we　are　where　you　want　us；　over。〃
〃Give　me　your　exact　position。〃
Edwards　opened　his　map　and　read　off　the　coordinates。　〃We　believe　there's　a　Russian　observation　post　on　the　next　peak　over。　They're　about　five　klicks　away；　according　to　this　map。　We're　well　concealed　here　and　we　have　food　and　water　for　two　days。　We　can　see　the　roads　leading　into　Stykkisholmur。　Matter　of　fact；　it's　nice　and　clear　now；　and　we　can　see　all　the　way　to　Keflavik。　We　can't　pick　anything　out；　but　we　can　see　the　peninsula。〃
〃Very　well。　I　want　you　to　look　north　and　tell　us　what　you　see　in　detail。〃

Edwards　handed　the　radio　antenna　to　Smith；　then　turned　and　put　his　field　glasses　on　the　town。
〃Okay。　The　land　is　pretty　flat；　but　higher　than　the　water；　on　a　shelf；　like。　The　town　is　fairly　small；　maybe　eight　square　blocks。　There　are　some　little　fishing　boats　tied　up　to　the　docks　。　。　。　I　count　nine　of　them。　The　harbor　north　and　east　of　the　port　is　wall…to…wall　rocks　that　go　on　for　miles。　I　do　not　see　any　armored　vehicles；　no　obvious　signs　of　Russian　troops…wait。　I　do　see　two　four…by…fours　parked　in　the　middle　of　the　street；　like；　but　nobody　around　'em。　The　sun's　still　low；　and　there's　lots　of　shadows。　Nothing　moving　on　the　roads。　I　guess　that's　about　it。〃
〃Very　well；　Beagle。　Good　report。　Let　us　know　if　you　see　any　Soviet　personnel　at　all。　Even　one；　we　want　to　know　about　him。　Stay　put。〃
〃Somebody　ing　to　get　us？〃
〃Beagle；　I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃

USS　INDEPENDENCE
Toland　stood　in　the　bat　Information　Center；　watching　the　displays。　Submarines　concerned　him　the　most。　Eight　allied　subs　were　in　the　Denmark　Strait；　west　of　Iceland；　forming　a　barrier　that　few　submarines　would　be　able　to　pass。　They　were　supported　by　Navy　Orions　operating　out　of　Sondrestrom；　Greenland；　something　impossible　until　the　Russian　fighters　at　Keflavik　had　been　whittled　down。　That　closed　off　one　possible　avenue　of　access　to　Strike　Fleet　Atlantic。　More　submarines　formed　a　line　parallel　to　the　fleet's　line　of　advance；　and　those　were　supported　by　the　carrier…borne　S…3A　Vikings　that　operated　continuously　off　the　flig