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“Bring your un forward and aim it at the American”

“Yes, Comrade Commander”

The tank’s turret swung slowly around until Jensen was squarely within the sights of its massive cannon From two hundred yards away, the Russians wouldn’t miss

“I’m ready to fire upon your order, Comrade Commander”

“Patience, Dmetri”

• • •

Jensen stood rock steady Not a muscle flinched If the enemy’s bold move had unnerved him, he didn’t show it Instead, he turned and scanned the area to his left with his night-vision equip the American side of the border A halfVehicle sitting in the ever- snows

Jensen spoke into his communication headset “Delta-Two-One, this is Delta-Two-Five”

“Yeah, Sarge,” Brown said

“Brownie, I’ve got a T-90 in front of ht at my head”

“We know, Sarge We spotted hian his run at the fence”

“I don’t think he’s going to fire But just in case I’uy”

“We already have That Russian son of a bitch is sitting in the crosshairs of a TOW missile Give the word, and we’ll blow him away”

“If the time comes for you to destroy hi rash But if he fires on ive the order Send hiet all three Bradleys and the teams in the towers out of here as fast as you can Your only chance will be to slip into the deepest part of the woods before the Russians get organized and set up your defenses there”

“Okay, Sarge, you can count on me”

“Brownie, notice anything unusual about this guy?”

“Unusual?”

“Take a good look Tell me if you see what I see”

Brown peered through his Bradley’s sophisticated therht-v

ision syste for hi to

“Jesus, Sarge, look at all those pennants flying from his radio antenna”

“That’s right, Brownie What you’ve got in your sights is the division commander himself”

“A goddauy ot to knoe could blow him away at any time”

“He’s probably thinking the exact sa about us at the moment”

“Well, this certainly confir”

“No doubt at all, is there, Brownie”

“None at all, Sarge,” Brown said

“On our platoon’s three miles of border, we’re face-to-face with an entire Russian arht thousand ot forty-three ht Bradleys, and the two Humvees”

“Doesn’t seeht, does it,” Brown said

“Yeah, the Russians won’t stand a chance if they’re crazy enough to take on 2nd Platoon, will they”

“No chance at all, Sarge”

“All right, Brownie, Foster and Marconi are cli to do anything but sit there for a while Even so, don’t let your guard down Keep your TOW trained on hih of this foolishness andback to wrap these frozen fingers around a hot cup of coffee The Russians are in your capable hands”

“Don’t worry, Sarge I’ll watch our little friends real close while you’re gone”

Sergeant Foster dropped the final six feet to the waiting snows The instant his boots touched, he grabbed the night-vision goggles dangling from his neck

“Christ, Sarge I was halfway down the ladder before I realized that bastard was headed straight for the wire I da on?”

Marconi reached the ground and joined the pair

“Hell if I know,” Jensen said “For the past teeks, we’ve been watching Coaetting bolder by the hour But nothing’s co this kind of chance is nuts So here, I can feel it”