fight. We’re a continuation of diplomacy by other means.”
“Your War College shit makes a lot more sense when we’re on the deck,”
Bird Dog responded. “A lot of good philosophy does to me. I’d rather have
a solid radar contact. Speaking of which–anything in the area?”
“I think I probably would have mentioned it to you if there were,”
Gator responded tartly. “What, you think I’m back here as some sort of a
zampolit? I got news for you, Bird Dog. Some time at the War College is
just what you need to get some perspective on things.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thanks, but if it’s all the same to you, I’ll take
an extra year on the bombing range over War College any day.”
“Looks like you might have your chance.” Gator’s voice had gone hard
and cold. “Radar contact, bearing zero one zero, range forty miles, speed
four hundred knots.”
“You got IFF?” Bird Dog asked, inquiring about the status of the
international friend or foe transponder carried on most military aircraft
as he broke out of the turn and headed along the vector Gator had reported.
“Negative. No ESM, either. At four hundred knots, this could be our
friendly neighborhood Bear. Or-”
“Or one of his hotshot little buddies,” Bird Dog said. “A MiG.”
“Keep your finger off the weapon button until we know for sure,” Gator
warned. “I’m still in tracking mode. I’m not going to light him up until
he’s closer.”
“If it is a MiG, when are we within weapons range?”
“Another twenty miles. Less than that, if he doesn’t have the latest
ESM warning modifications on him.”
“Well, let’s just go see, shall we?” Bird Dog said softly. He shoved
the throttle forward, increasing airspeed to just over five hundred knots.
“I’m staying at altitude for now–might need the gas later. You let Mother
know what’s going on, and I’ll get us over there.”
Bird Dog heard Gator switch over to tactical and begin briefing the
watch team in CDC on board Jefferson. Although the TAO there would already
have their contact information, since it was transmitted automatically via
LINK I I to the ship’s central target processing unit, Gator was making
sure that no one else was holding any contacts in the area. The other
Tomcats were holding nothing but blue sky, Jefferson reported, a note of
excitement already creeping into the TAO’s voice. He heard the TAO say,
“Roger, Tomcat Two-oh-one, come right to course zero-one-zero and
investigate–oh.” The voice trailed off as the TAO evidently noticed from
the speed leader on his large screen display that Bird Dog was already
doing exactly that.
Aflu
“The pilot reports he will be overhead in twenty minutes,” the senior
Spetsnaz reported. He glanced over at Rogov, whose face was an impassive,
unreadable mask.
“Very well.” Rogov ignored the man. Whether or not he believed the
story that it was merely a surveillance aircraft checking up on the
detachment made little difference now. Twenty minutes from now–nineteen,
he thought, glancing at his watch–forty Special Forces paratroopers would
be spilling out the back end of the transport aircraft and parachuting down
to the island. Unlike the Spetsnaz team with him now, these men were
carefully selected. Each one of them was a Cossack, born and bred in the
harsh outer reaches of the former Soviet Union, owing allegiance primarily
to their tribe rather than any political subdivision. Rogov smiled. As
skilled and deadly as the Spetsnaz on the initial team, each one of the
paratroopers had sworn undying loyalty to his hetman, holder of the
traditional Cossack mace. If the Spetsnaz could have seen him during their
last ceremony, clad in his ancient Cossack regalia, they would not have
doubted his prowess at the beginning of this mission and they would have
known what he knew now: The Cossacks were coming.
CHAPTER 8
Thursday, 29 December
1700 Local
South of Aflu
The fast craft skimmed over the top of the waves, acting almost like a
hovercraft as it shot over the surface of the water. Sea state 2 consisted
of mild swells without white tops, and Carter had the throttle slammed full
forward. But even small swells act like a roller coaster at eighty knots.