Together, the three officers were anxiously watching Dombrowski's progress when the sound of firing from just over the ridge broke out. They had no sooner heard the chatter of small arms than the small radio Fretello was carrying blared out a contact report from Captain Haynes, commander of the American Special Forces contingent deployed as an outer security screen.
Even as he reached down to snatch the small headpiece and boom mike that he had taken off, Fretello could hear the report that Haynes was firing off to him. "Mike Seven Four. Mike Seven Four. We are under attack. One five to two zero enemy troops armed with small arms coming up from the south are taking the length of my line under fire. Over."
Fretello acknowledged the initial contact report and fired back a few quick questions. "I roger you last, Kilo Seven Four. Can you see any additional enemy forces maneuvering around your position?"
"Negative."
"Is the enemy to your front pressing you?"
"Negative."
"Can you hold them?"
The answer to this last question did not come back as quickly as the others. Hector Allons looked up and over at Hogg just as the Irishman was looking over at him. Both offers knew what was going on. Both had been in circumstances not at all unlike this one. They could sympathize with the Special Forces captain who, in the midst of a violent and deadly firefight, was being asked by a commanding officer, well out of the line of fire, to literally stick his head up, look around and make an assessment of his situation based on fragmented observations and gut instinct. All the while, as the three officers waited in silence, the sound of gunfire continued to reverberate in their ears.
Haynes's response finally broke both the silence and the tension. "Mike Seven Four, this is Kilo Seven Four. I can keep the force in front of me pinned. Over."
Though far from being relieved, the American major was satisfied with the response. "Roger that, Kilo." Then, after giving the problem a moment's thought, he rekeyed the radio. "I am going to be sending Tango Seven Four and his people up to support you. Over."
Judging by Haynes's tone of voice, the news that the SAS team would be coming to their assistance was welcome. "Affirmative, Mike. Advise them to approach from the northwest and around my right. The Russians line ends just shy of that point." Throughout this exchange between Fretello and the Special Force captain, Patrick Hogg said nothing. Instead, he opted to wait before expressing his reservations until his commanding officer was finished.
Satisfied that Haynes had all the guidance he needed, Fretello turned to the next order of business, delivering his instructions to Hogg with the rapidity of a machine gun. "I want you to gather up your men and get over there on Haynes' right. Take the Russians in the flank if you can and roll them up."
After waiting for a moment to make sure that his commanding officer was finished, Hogg looked into Fretello's eyes. "I don't think we should do that, Major."
Anticipating a response different from the one he just heard, it took Fretello a moment to comprehend Hogg's words, stated in a voice low, yet firm. Blinking, the American major cocked his head, maintaining eye-to-eye contact with his subordinate as he did so. "Excuse me?"
Having himself used the posturing and mannerisms the Fretello was now displaying, Hogg understood what was coming. Yet he also knew that the order he had been given was a mistake, one that he was determined not to be part of. "I said," Hogg repeated after drawing in a deep breath, "I think that sending my men gallivanting off over the ridge, away from here, would be a mistake."
Fretello was about to repeat his order in terms that were as clear and uncompromising as possible, when Hector Allons spoke. "The captain is correct, Major. The Russians in contact are probably nothing more than a holding force." Pausing, the Spanish legionnaire looked about at the broken ridgeline that surrounded the missile site as the two Anglo officers continued glaring at each other. "This is our objective, sir. This is what we were sent to seize and destroy, sir. This is also where the Russian force attacking Captain Haynes must come if it hopes to accomplish its mission. So this is where the bulk of our force should be concentrated, sir."
Having dealt with officers like Fretello many times before, the sharp and cutting emphasis Allons placed on the word "sir" each time he spoke it was no accident. It had the desired effect, for the American major now turned to face the senior legionnaire.
Seizing the opportunity he had been given, Hogg spoke before Fretello had a chance to respond to the Spaniard. "The adjutant is right, you know. This is the schwerpunkt, the point of concentration that every asset at our disposal must be concentrated if we are to succeed."
Like a spectator at a tennis match, Fretello's head snapped back toward Hogg as the officer continued to make his case. "The Russian knows that as well. That's why he threw out a portion of his force to engage the screen. They must draw us away from here to succeed." Now, doing as Allons had done, but in an exaggerated manner for the benefit of his commanding officer, Hogg slowly surveyed the terrain dominating the missile silo. "Their main force will do just what you want my men to do. While Haynes and the Russians he's facing keep each other pinned, they will be circling around with a good-sized force to fall on us here." Finished his inspection of the ridgeline, Hogg looked back at Fretello. "I therefore respectfully request that you reconsider your order and instead, deploy my team and the adjutant's command to counter that move."
Andrew Fretello took a moment to study the SAS officer before answering. The Irishman's expression was as firm and uncompromising as his tone. He could have glared at Hogg in an effort to cower him and force him to reconsider his last statement by sheer force of will. Back at Bragg, the young staff officer had won a number of disagreements in that manner. But this wasn't Bragg. The sound of small-arms fire just over the ridge continued without letup, reminding Fretello of this fact. It also served to spur him on to make a decision. He was astute enough to appreciate that any further delay in doing so would deny him the opportunity to issue orders and still leave time for his subordinates to carry them out.
"All right," he finally conceded while continuing to stare into Hogg's eyes. "We make our stand here."
Relieved that they had been spared from participating in what could have been a grand tactical error, Hector Allons, like Patrick Hogg, listened as the American major outlined his plan for defending the site. That they had taken it away from an enemy force that had been in the same position as they now found themselves was foremost in the legionnaire's mind. Nervously, he looked over his shoulder at Dombrowski, still working on the charge. Allons knew that now all depended on that one man. Only his ever-resourceful sergeant had the power to spare them the fate that they themselves had heaped upon the former occupants of this site but a few moments before. Though not a religious man, the Spaniard appreciated that it was at times like this that prayer had been invented.
Chapter 24
Failure must be engineered with as much care and forethought as success. Unfortunately, circumstance and hesitation did not permit Demetre Orlov enough time to prepare for either. His indecision was confusing to the officers leading the two sections with him and did little to arrest the forward momentum of the commandos under the:* command. As had happened with their NATO counterparts the sound of gunfire and the prospect of combat combined to create a volatile mixture that overwhelmed common sense and logic. What little semblance of a formation that they had managed to maintain in their advance through the broken terrain disappeared as they neared the missile silo. With it went all positive command and control.