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Hogan instantly realized what he was up to and banked the helicopter to give hile of fire Men fell around the deck, never knohere the deadly barrage came from

The gunners on the stern were ents and began spewing its shells into the sky Hogan e the fire that missed not by feet but inches She kicked the helicopter around the ship as though it had a charun duel clattered over the river

Then the trajectory froh the air and hammered into the helicopter Pitt threw up an arrated and blew into the cockpit

Steel-nosed bullets punctured the thin aluine

"Ah can't see," Hogan announced in a surprisingly calm voice

Her face ran cri fro her

Except for a few deep scratches on his arm, Pitt was untouched

He passed thea sleeve torn froht calf The helicopter was losing power and dipping sharply toward the middle of the river Pitt reached out and took the controls froan and banked away from a sudden murderous fire

that erupted from the towboat

A dozen men appeared froe and wildly threw automatic weapons fire at the battered helicopter

Oil was streaine, and the rotor blades werePitt reduced the collective pitch to keep the rotor speed fro too quickly He saw the instru a hopeless battle; he couldn't hold on to the skylateral control

On the ground behind the levee, Griffin sat on his knees in helpless rage, holding a shattered wrist, watching the helicopter struggle like a great e was so riddled by holes he couldn't believe anybody onboard was still alive

He watched the craft slowly die, dragging a long trail of srove of trees along the bank and disappearing froht

SANDECKER SAT IN Ear stub, his thoughts depleted Brogan nervously juggled a half-e since turned cold

General Metcalf walked in and sat down "You all look like pallbearers," he said with forced cheerfulness