help fight the fire. If the admiral found out he had deserted Air Ops, his
career would be over.
Gasping, wheezing, he started up the nearest ladder. Glushko was past
caring about career or duty anymore.
0026 hours Zulu (0026 hours Zone)
Intruder 507, Loki Flight
Over the Norwegian Sea
Even this far out, Bannon could see the flames rising from Soyuz where
Hackenberg had plowed his Intruder into her flight deck. It brought back his
own crash in a flood of images and memories, but Bannon clenched his teeth and
denied them all.
Hacker had shown the way … and his sacrifice was sure to distract some
of the defenders for a few moments at least. Now was the time to follow up
that explosion with a missile attack that would compound the damage to the
Russian carrier.
“Get ready, Gordo,” he warned. “We’re going in.”
“We’re what?” The B/N looked incredulous. “Didn’t you see what just
happened, man?”
“We’re going in,” he repeated. “Hold on!”
The Intruder plunged into the maelstrom.
Time seemed to move in slow motion as they weaved through the defensive
fire, skimming almost at wavetop height. After his first protest Gordon was
quiet, his face set in a grim frown of concentration as he prepared to hit the
release button.
The Intruder seemed to stagger as something exploded just ahead, but
Bannon fought her, kept the ungainly bomber on course. We can make it, he
told himself. We can make it …
And for a disconcerting instant he thought he heard Jolly Green answering
him. You can do it, kid. Take her in … make me proud …
“Firing!” Gordon shouted, triggering one of the Harpoons.
“Give ’em both barrels, Gordo!” Bannon urged, trying to hold the Intruder
steady.
The second Harpoon followed smoothly in the trail of the first, and
Bannon banked left, climbing, climbing …
“Radar lock! They’ve got lock!” Gordon’s voice rose an octave.
“Evasive-”
The SAM struck them amidships, and Intruder 507 vanished in a ball of raw
heat and light.
0028 hours Zulu (0028 hours Zone)
Flight deck, Soviet Aircraft Carrier Soyuz
In the Norwegian Sea
With an effort Glushko threw open the hatch and emerged into the dim
twilight of the deck, gulping down clean air. He leaned against the hatch
frame, still coughing a little. Finally he straightened, chest heaving, and
looked up.
The first Harpoon smashed into the side of the island directly above him.
He never saw the second missile. Captain First Rank Fyodor Arturovich Glushko
was already dead.
0030 hours Zulu (0030 hours Zone)
Fulcrum Lead, Escort Mission Osa
Near Cape Bremanger, Norway
Even over the static, Terekhov could hear the confusion that surrounded
the hits on the carrier. It was plain that Soyuz had come under genuine
attack this time. And he had turned his back on him in the crisis.
Sergei Sergeivich Terekhov raged inwardly. The Americans had caught him
neatly between two equal threats, and tonight they had been the ones to earn
the victory. Even his gesture in returning to the invasion fleet had gone
wrong. He knew that now with the same certainty that he knew it would be
almost impossible to evade the incoming wave of American AIM-54 missiles.
They were the most dangerous weapon in the enemy arsenal, hard to evade,
harder to stop, and though he went through all the motions Terekhov knew it
would be useless in the long run.
Seconds before impact he pulled the ejection lever. The canopy blew
clear, and a second later he had the sensation of having his seat slam upward
into his spine.
Terekhov was well clear, his parachute deploying, when the Phoenix hit
his MiG. In the end, it seemed, the Americans had retained the edge, in
technology and in strategy. The Rodina could claim to be a superpower, but
with inferior men and machines, that claim would continue to be a hollow one.
0035 hours Zulu (0035 hours Zone)
Viking 701, Thor Flight
Near Cape Bremanger, Norway
The Tomcats from Viper Squadron had already broken up the defending
squadrons, first with long-range Phoenix missiles, then with shorter-range
weapons, before Thor Group reached their target. Their attack had plainly