tc.redstormrising-第187章

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〃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　Lefortovo。　The　men　on　duty　are　all　mine。〃
〃We're　not　going　to　Lefortovo。　A　change　in　plans；〃　Alekseyev　said。　〃They　go　to　the　old　airport；　and　after　that　I　helicopter　them　to　a　military　camp　manded　by　someone　I　trust。〃
〃But　I　have　it　all　arranged！〃
〃I'm　sure　you　do。　This　is　my　new　aide；　Major　Sorokin。　Major　Sergetov　is　at　that　camp　right　now；　making　final　arrangements。　Tell　me；　rade　Director；　does　Sorokin　look　familiar　to　you？〃
He　did　look　vaguely　familiar；　but　Kosov　couldn't　place　him。
〃He　was　a　captain…since　promoted　for　bravery…in　the　76th　Guards　Airborne　Division。〃
〃Yes？〃　Kosov　sensed　the　danger　but　not　the　reason。
〃Major　Sorokin　had　a　daughter　in　the　Young　Octobrists。　Seventy…sixth　Airborne　is　home…based　at　Pskov；〃　Alekseyev　explained。
〃For　my　little　Svetlana；〃　Sorokin　said；　〃who　died　without　a　face。〃　All　Kosov　had　time　to　see　was　a　rifle　and　a　white　flash。
Sergetov　leaped　out　of　the　way　and　looked　to　Alekseyev　in　shock。
〃Even　if　you　were　right　to　trust　the　chekist；　I　will　not　take　orders　from　one。　I　leave　you　with　a　pany　of　loyal　troops。　I　must　get　control　of　the　Army。　Your　job　is　to　get　control　of　the　Party　apparatus。〃
〃How　can　we　trust　you　now？〃　Agriculture　asked。
〃By　now　we　should　be　on　our　way　to　control　of　the　munications　lines。　All　will　be　done　in　accordance　with　our　plan。　They　will　announce　an　attempt　to　topple　the　government；　prevented　by　loyal　troops。　Later　today　one　of　you　will　appear　on　television。　I　must　go。　Good　luck。〃
Directed　by　their　KGB　guides；　the　motorized　battalions　headed　for　the　television　and　radio　stations；　and　the　main　telephone　exchanges。　They　moved　rapidly　now；　responding　to　emergency　calls　to　secure　the　city　against　an　unknown　number　of　counterrevolutionaries。　In　fact　they　had　not　the　least　idea　what　they　were　doing；　only　that　they　had　orders　from　a　four…star　general。　That　was　enough　for　the　officers　of　the　77th　Motor　Rifle。　The　munications　teams　had　done　well。　The　division　political　officer　appeared　at　the　Council　of　Ministers　building　to　find　four　Politburo　members　on　the　telephones　giving　orders。　All　was　not　as　it　should　be；　but