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“What’s the chairion say?” Jintao asked

There was a pause before the general answered “Well, Mr President, that’s the problem We have been unable to reach Chairman Zhuren”

“DAMN, Gurt,” Murphy said “That was close”

“I think one of the rounds hit a hydraulic line that controls our forward pitch As for me, I was hit in my left shoulder”

“How bad is it?” Murphy said quickly

“She’ll fly,” Gurt noted, “but it’ll be a little hairy”

“I mean you, Gurt,” Murphy thundered “How bad are you hit?”

Gurt was steering the Bell down the slope leading off the pass through a thick cloud cover The helicopter’s nose was pointed down and both ainst the seat harnesses

“Hang on,” Gurt said “I’ll lean forward so you can check”

Gurt moved his upper torso away from the seat back and Murphy leaned over and looked Then he reached over with his hand and felt around A second later he pulled a flattened slug from inside the foam of the seat

“The round passed clean through and was stopped by the metal back plate on the seat,” Murphy noted, “but you’re losing blood”

“It wasn’t hurting until now,” Gurt disclosed “I think I was on such an adrenaline high I didn’t really notice it much”

“I’ to need to bind the wound,” Murphy said “Hold on a minute—let me make a call”

He reached for his portable radio and called the Oregon

“WEDGE it in there,” Gunderson said, “but es have a way to blow out the side door I don’t want any live rounds cooking off inside the cargo area”