Part 10 (1/2)
The secretary said, ”It is not for us to criticize the general's activities.”
”No one did.”
”The look in your eyes did.”
”I'll remember to be more careful.”
The girl screamed and the secretary's hand shook as she lifted her teacup to her lips.
The radio operator smiled and put the needle to her friend. ”You must remember to be more careful, Val. Your emotions gave you away.”
”Watch your mouth, Hedda. I outrank you, remember.”
Hedda laughed. ”He'll be calling for the medics now. He probably split her.”
The secretary's intercom buzzed. ”Yes, sir.”
”Call the medics to come get this stupid b.i.t.c.h,”
Striganov said. ”Yes, General.”
”And where is that d.a.m.ned Hedda?” ”Standing right here, sir,” she said with a wink at Hedda.
”Give me a few minutes, then send her in.”
”Yes, sir.” She looked up at Hedda.
”Take a seat.
He'll shower before he buzzes me again. He'll want to wash the blood away,” she added bitterly.
”The radio room first,” Ben told his people.
”We've got to take those people out but leave the equipment intact. The longer we can keep up this farce, the better off we'll all be.”
”About fifty IPF men there, sir,” Ben was informed.
”All right.” Ben spread a map of the airport-compliments of the IPF back in Red Bluff-on the hood of his Jeep. ”This is how we'll go in.”
”Have you made contact with the Big Lake outpost?”
Sam Hartline asked the man in the radio room.
”Yes, sir. But it's very poor; breaking up badly. I can just make him out.”
”Contact the Mount Shasta outpost.”
”Yes, sir.”
Mount Shasta was contacted, the signal clear and loud. Everything was five by five. Okay.
Boring.
Hartline's cold green eyes held a thoughtful light for a few seconds. ”Get me General Striganov's CP.”
The general came on the horn.
”Georgi? Is everything all right down your way?”
”So far as I can tell, yes. We've had some difficulty reaching some stations. But you're coming in very clear. It's baffling.”
Hartline agreed. Baffling. But ... maybe not.
He said as much to the Russian. ”Explain, please?” Striganov radioed back.
”We know Ben Raines is on the move, right?”
”Yes. But there has been no sign of any Rebels in our sector. And our network of outposts would have picked up any unusual movements. No, it's too soon for Ben Raines.”
”Don't be too sure, Georgi. I'm going on full alert; sending out recon.”
”Very well. I'll do the same. Keep in touch.”
Hartline turned to his radiomen. ”Contact our people on the border. Tell them we're going to full alert. Tell them to be very careful. Ben Raines is on the prowl.”
”In our territory?” the radioman was startled.
Hartline nodded his handsome head. ”I think so.
My guts tell me it's coming down to the wire.”
Late afternoon began settling softly into dusk as Ben's Rebels, one by one, attracting no attention from the woebegone-looking people scattered about Redding, moved into position around the airport.
”Folks around here look like all the fight's been kicked out of them,” Rebel observed.
”Sure looks that way,” his partner agreed. ”I haven't seen anyone so far I'd trust.”
”I think what we're seein' is the losers; they'd be losers war or no war.”
”Then where are the others?”
”Watchin' and waitin', I'd bet.”
The Rebel's walkie-talkie, clipped onto his web belt, crackled softly.