The fact that she was so preoccupied with him was disturbing, but at the same time it was a source of great joy. In her life she had known many men. No matter where she went, Jan never lacked for company or a date. But she had never felt any particular attachment to any of them, never any desire to give more of herself than the occasion demanded. While she enjoyed sex as much as the next girl, she knew that a permanent relationship was built on more than foreplay and intercourse.
Without her knowing what it was or how it had manifested itself, Scott Dixon had provided that something more. For years she had viewed him as an enemy, the man who had taken her best friend and co-worker from her. In her search for answers she wondered if her infatuation with Scott was nothing more than a love-hate relationship. Or perhaps she was secretly harboring a deep-seated urge for revenge. But neither of those answers held up to the test Jan had faced when she saw Scott in the field. In a single instant all doubts and concerns about how she felt about him had been swept away as he held her hand. For the first time in her adult life Jan knew love.
But with that settled, new problems reared their ugly heads. Jan didn't know what to do about Fay. Though Fay had announced her intent to divorce Scott, and that decision was based on other, deep-seated reasons, Jan still felt uncomfortable in the presence of her friend-tumed-rival. "Awkward" did little to describe how Jan felt every time Fay mentioned Scott. On one hand, Jan felt as if she were privy to a private conversation she shouldn't be hearing. On the other, she felt the urge to defend Scott.
She had come close to doing so on one occasion. When Fay was carrying on about how Scott had mishandled their reunion after returning from Iran, Jan became angry. Surprising Fay, she had shouted that she didn't want to hear that — that she didn't want to hear anything from Fay about Scott. For the longest time there was silence. Jan, realizing what she had said, thought Fay would put two and two together. Fay, however, passed it off as just a temper tantrum from a woman under tremendous pressure. Since that incident, no mention of Scott had been made. Though Jan was sorry she had said what she did, the end results were a blessing.
Jan saw in the distance the lights of a large aircraft as it began its climb for altitude. Perhaps, Jan thought, Fay was on board. With Fay ' gone, her life would be easier — no more awkward conversations, no more guilty feelings. And besides, that would only leave Jan and Scott in Egypt. As improbable as it was that the two of them would be able to get together, there was always the chance. Fay's departure increased that chance and raised Jan's spirits.
The crowds along Ragheb Latin America and surrounding the square had become bigger and noisier. Finishing his third trip, Cerro decided that he would take the squad from the first sergeant to reinforce the escort platoon. Duncan and the Marines could make due with what they had. If trouble came, if the crowds went berserk while he was escorting civilians, Cerro would need every man he could get.
As Cerro entered the square, the soldiers defending the perimeter parted to let him and the next group of evacuees in. Prentice was waiting for him. "Captain, battalion wants you and the first sergeant to report to the airfield right away. Something about you being detached for a special mission."
Cerro looked at Prentice. "You kidding? Things are on the verge of going to shit and he wants me to leave?"
"The colonel said that the battalion XO, along with that other platoon you requested, will be coming in on the next lift. The battalion XO will take charge of the operation here. You're to turn the company over to me and report to battalion."
Cerro looked about for a moment. "Don't get me wrong — I know you can handle things here. It's just that I hate like hell leaving the company. Kind of like Custer riding off to find Benteen."
Prentice chuckled. "If you don't mind me saying so, sir, that's a shitty analogy to use at a time like this."
"Well, that's how I feel." Cerro paused. "Okay — I'll make one more run and get the first sergeant. You take the escort duty. Lieutenant Alliban will run things from the embassy, and the XO, the Iron Major himself, will run things here. Any questions?"
Prentice didn't have any. Though the situation was still sticky, and would be until the very end, Cerro doubted if there would be any serious problems. Things, in fact, had gone quite well. Except for the crazy lady and her two children, the whole operation had gone down like clockwork. Cerro hoped that he and the first sergeant would have as much luck in their next task, whatever that was.
Crossing the track that ran from El Esem to Bir Gibni, Hafez gave the order for his companies to deploy into a wedge formation. In the darkness, which shrouded them from sight, the Republican Brigade crossed its line of departure and prepared to seek out the Soviets. Finally receiving orders, the brigade was ordered to avoid contact with the lead combat units of the Soviet tank units moving on Gabr Saleh. Instead, they were to move through a gap between the Russians, surging ahead with elements at Gabr Saleh, and the Cubans to their south, who were lagging behind.
The objective of the brigade was not a head-on confrontation with the Soviet forces. On the contrary, the battalion commanders of the Republican Brigade were ordered to avoid an open fight, if possible. The Egyptians, outnumbered three to one by the Soviets alone, were also outclassed by them. As the Soviets were equipped with T-72 tanks armed with 125mm guns and BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, the Republican Brigade was outclassed in weapons as well as numbers. Instead, its objective was the artillery and the supply trains of both the Soviet tank corps and the Cuban division. It was hoped that by destroying those elements and running about throughout the Soviets' rear areas, the Egyptians would stop the Soviets, or at least slow them down. Only as a last resort was the Republican Brigade to attack the Soviets' main battle forces. That decision, which rested with the commander of the 1st Army, would be made only if the Egyptian divisions retreating from Tobruk needed more time to escape the encirclement that threatened them.
Fanning out, the tank companies of Hafez's battalion opened up like a great net. Turning slightly to the west, they began their advance to a point south of Gueret Hamza. Once there, the Brigade would turn north. One tank battalion would travel up the east side of the road that ran to Tobruk; the other would deploy west of the road. The Brigade would advance from Gueret Hamza to Bir el Gubi. The Soviets' support elements, lacking good terrain feature to guide on or set up in, and wanting to stay near a road, would no doubt be found somewhere along that route.
Upon reaching Bir el Gubi, the Brigade would turn southeast and sweep the area from Bir el Gubi to Taieb el Esem, then to Gasr el Abid, located on the Libyan-Egyptian border. Thus, any Soviet support units missed on the sweep of the road might be found. That route would also take the Brigade through the area where the Cubans were expected to be and, in the end, back into Egypt. Though part of the mission was to save the divisions to the northwest, the commander of the 1st Army pointed out to the commander of the Republican Brigade that he was not to lose the Brigade while doing so. Egyptian Army combat units of the 2nd Army in the Sinai needed time to deploy from the east to the west. If the Republican Brigade could not save the 1st Army, it would be needed to buy time for the deployment of the 2nd Army.