Monroe was hurrying toward the chopper. He pointed, “Over there!” to the gunner, then, he assumed a defensive position next to the chopper, watching his men put Grant on the stretcher.
Stalley ran alongside Grant. When they reached the chopper, he was the first to climb aboard. The men hoisted the stretcher into the cabin, putting it on the seats. Stalley immediately fastened safety belts around Grant.
The gunner resumed his standing position behind the M60, readjusting the wire mouthpiece attached to his helmet. With his hands gripping both handles, he was ready to fire if he had to.
Monroe and the chief got onboard, as Restin and Clayton jumped out, gathering their gear, then handing everything up to the chief.
Suddenly, the gunner swung his M60 around and shouted, “Headlights! Eight o’clock!” A more disturbing sound caught everyone’s attention… a chopper, coming from due East.
Restin and Clayton scrambled aboard. Monroe shouted, “Go! Go! Go!”
The pilot responded immediately. The skids were barely off the ground, when gunfire erupted. Muzzle flashes from at least four weapons came in rapid succession from two approaching vehicles. Pings sounded as bullets hit the tail of the Huey.
The gunner fired off bursts of M60 rounds, as the helo started forward, with its nose dipping slightly. It was headed on a course back to Tempelhof, to a waiting Nightingale, trying to outrun the other chopper.
Chapter 12
Gorshevsky had been waiting for hours, waiting for word from Antolov, hoping Major Losevsky was able to extract information from the American. “This ‘Stevens’ is the only one who can give me answers,” he mumbled to himself, as he paced in front of the window.
His stomach started to churn from his frustration, and too much vodka. Tea,he thought. He took a step to the credenza. A small double charcoal burner, called a samovar, was on the left side of the piece of furniture. One burner had a teapot with a very concentrated infusion of tea, while the other pot held plain hot water. He poured tea from the teapot into a traditional tulip-shaped glass then diluted it slightly with plain water.
As he sipped the tea, he went back to the window, just as his phone rang. “Mikhail?”
“Yes, Mr. Premier. Berlin has not yet received any further response from Major Losevsky. His last message indicated Stevens had still not given them any information.”
Gorshevsky took a slow, deep breath. They were getting nowhere. “Send a message to Berlin. I want that American to talk. And remember, Mikhail, he needs to be kept alive.” At this point, Gorshevsky didn’t give a damn what condition Stevens was in when he was finally exchanged for Chernov.
“I understand, sir.”
“One more issue, Mikhail. Has anyone found the colonel’s wife?”
“No, sir. We have checked all airports, trains, any transportation we could think of. There is nothing to indicate she has left Russia.
“Three of my men have gone to the apartment. They found her papers in one of her handbags. All her clothes appeared to be there, undisturbed. Nothing was out of order. And the recording devices have been checked. Again, nothing.” A sudden thought occurred to him. “Mr. Premier, what if she was taken by the Americans?”
“And for what purpose?”
“Perhaps to make Colonel Moshenko cooperate in taking the Americans. That would be a reasonable explanation for him being on the American helicopter.” But it still doesn’t answer why he fired at our troops,Antolov thought. He decided not bring up the possibility of defection again until he had definite proof.
“That is not making any sense, Mikhail. You said Colonel Moshenko was a friend of this American. If that is the case, why would they find it necessary to take Mrs. Moshenko?”
“Just because they are friends, sir, does not mean he was willing to help with the escape of the five men. Perhaps the Americans needed a way to make him cooperate.
“Sir, I believe I have said this before, but Colonel Moshenko has been a loyal party member, a loyal officer. I never had any reason to believe otherwise.”
Gorshevsky mulled the statement over, before asking, “Do you believe she is being held somewhere in Russia?”
“We have not been able to trace any movement, sir. Our next course of action will be to take her photo to every subway and train station, and also the airports.”
“Very time-consuming, Mikhail. Right now we must focus on that captured American and find out who destroyed our aircraft, and get definitive answers concerning Colonel Moshenko,” Gorshevsky responded with definite annoyance in his voice. “I will keep all this in mind when I talk with the American President. When we talk again, Mikhail, I hope you will tell me what I want to hear.”
“I will, sir.” End of conversation.
Gorshevsky looked at the wall clock. Having the information just relayed by Antolov should be enough to start the American President thinking about an exchange. He swallowed the last mouthful of tea, then picked up the receiver on the red phone.
President Andrew Carr opened a folder with the Presidential seal displayed on front. Thumbing through papers inside, he removed a typed sheet and placed it on top of the others. Before he continued reading, he poured a glass of water. “How about you, Ed?” he asked.
CIA Director Hannigan shook his head. “No, thanks,” he responded, holding a can of Pepsi.
“What about you, Will?”
SECDEF waved his hand, “None for me.”
Carr took a decent swallow of cold water, then rubbed the glass against his cheek, as he asked Hannigan, “When are you expecting Agent Mullins’ body to arrive?”
“Late tonight or early morning.”
“You don’t plan on taking any action, do you? I mean, making any negative comments, tarnishing his record, or…?”
Hannigan interrupted, “The man was what the military would call ‘AWOL,’ Mr. President. He disappeared, went to Russia, then to East Germany!”
“And for what purpose, Ed? To take a damn vacation? To defect? No! To assist two of our Navy officers in helping save the lives of American POWs. To help a KGB officer and his wife escape to the West. Would you still consider that AWOL?”
Not giving Hannigan a chance to reply, he continued, “And even if he had come to you before, to ask your permission, would you have agreed to let him go? Come on, Ed! For Christ’s sake! The man was killed while performing an act of heroism!” Hannigan didn’t respond. Carr decided to let it rest for the moment. His intercom buzzed. “Yes, Rachel.”
“Mr. President, Admiral Torrinson is on line one.”
“Admiral, please tell me you have some good news.”
“Mr. President, the SEALs found Captain Stevens. He’s alive, sir.”
Carr’s face broke into a huge smile. He gave a thumb’s up to the two men. “Can you give me a brief rundown, admiral?”
“Yes, sir. He was found at a cabin somewhere in a place called Grunewald Forest in East Germany. The Russians were using it as a small communication station.
“A brief message from the SEALs stated he had a gunshot wound and had been badly beaten, Mr. President. We won’t know the extent of his injuries until the doctors at Landstuhl examine him. The Moshenkos, Lieutenant Adler, and I are on our way there now, sir.” Without hospital facilities available at Ramstein Air Base, patients are sent to the Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Hospital, three miles south of Ramstein.
“I’m assuming all the SEALs returned unharmed?”
“Yes, sir. They did.”
“All right, admiral. Keep me informed.” Carr decided not to inquire about any Russian or East German military casualties. It would be in Torrinson’s final report anyway.