"Balshoye spasibo," Levchenko said, thanking the tower controller.
"Do not worry, comrade director," assured Maj. Gen. Petr V.
Brotskharnov, commanding officer of the Voenno Vozdushniye Sily (VVS, the Soviet Air Force) detachment. Assured, the general stared at the radar screen, then looked into Levchenko's cold eyes. "Lieutenant Colonel Zanyathov and Major Sokolviy are the two best pilots in the VVS. They will guide the Americans down safely."
"I hope you are right, general," Levchenko replied out of the corner of his mouth, "for the sake of all of us."
Both men watched the radarscope, listening to Pogostyan converse with the lead MiG pilot.
Lieutenant Colonel Zanyathov had not disclosed that he had fired his cannon in front of the bomber. His concern was landing in the hurricane conditions. The Russian fighter pilot knew his career would be over if he failed to successfully complete the secret operation.
Chapter Four
Matthews, staring through the rain at the MiG-25, wrestled the controls of the bucking Stealth bomber. He constantly jockeyed the number two and three throttles to maintain formation with the agile Soviet fighter.
The MiG on the right had disappeared, but Matthews knew that it was close by, probably on the B-2's tail. "We're committed to this guy," Matthews remarked to his copilot. "I hope he knows where the runway is."
"I'm sure these two are the cream," Evans replied as he watched the fuel totalizer steadily count toward zero. "Less than twelve hundred pounds, Chuck."
"Okay," Matthews replied, showing no emotion. "Switch to Land."
Evans placed the master mode switch to the land position. The flight controls transitioned to the landing mode and the checklist appeared on the multipurpose display units.
The copilot studied the screen before speaking. "We're down to flaps and gear."
"Okay," Matthews responded, concentrating on the MiG. "Too bad we can't talk to our escorts."
"Sure is," Evans said, darting a look at Simmons. "Would have made it a lot easier."
Simmons did not respond. He was nervously watching Matthews struggle to keep behind the MiG-25's wing.
"Thousand pounds," Evans reported, locking his shoulder harness restraints. "We're making a left-hand approach, according to the mileage and heading."
"I know," Matthews replied without turning his head. "Let's pray he makes a tight approach."
Paul Evans did not answer, waiting for the commands to lower the flaps and landing gear. Ten seconds passed as Evans monitored the aircraft commander. "We're outta three thousand."
"Okay," Matthews responded. "We've got terrain up to around two thousand feet northeast of the field. These bozos better have it together."
"This is like flying through Niagara Falls," Evans said, concern edging into his voice. "Nine hundred pounds."
"He's slowing!" Matthews said, caught off guard. "Give me flaps — we'll hold the gear."
"Flaps on the way," Evans responded, straining to see through the rain-splattered windshield. "Out of fifteen hundred, showing eight hundred pounds. Airspeed one-seventy-five."
"Okay," Matthews replied, tight-lipped. "Stand by for the gear and call out my altitu—"
"Shit!" Evans interrupted. "We've lost fuel pressure on number three… we're losing three!"
"Give me cross-feed!" Matthews ordered, advancing the throttle on the number two engine. "Boost on!"
The EICAS screen lighted, displaying the schematic diagram for the complex fuel system. The cross-feed valves and jet pumps had been energized.
"You got it," Evans shouted, monitoring the radio altimeter. "Eight hundred feet — we're bleeding off! Power — power!"
Matthews did not reply as he advanced the number two throttle to the limit. The B-2 surged forward, yawing slightly to the right, as the single 19,000-pound-thrust engine howled at full power.
"Five hundred feet, one-forty-five on the speed," Evans cautioned, squinting through the windshield. "I don't see anything — keep it coming."
Simmons placed the flare gun in the leg pocket of his flight suit, then clutched his seat and closed his eyes. He felt a wave of nausea sweep over him when the bomber yawed to the right.
"Three hundred feet," Evans reported, breathing faster. "One-forty… bleeding off."
"I've got it to the stops."
Both pilots flinched when the low-altitude warning alarm sounded.
"I've lost the MiG," Matthews shouted, reverting to his primary flight instruments. The radio altimeter indicated 170 feet above the ground.
"He's going around," Evans said, feeling the B-2's rate of descent increase. "Gotta hold this heading… we're almost there."
"God, I hope so," Matthews answered through clenched teeth. He tried to block out the flashing warning lights on the annunciator panel.
"Airspeed — airspeed!" Evans prompted. "Two's fluctuating — we're losing it! One hundred feet. Two's flamed out — raise the nose!"
"Gear down," Matthews yelled, pulling back the control stick to its limit.
Simmons gritted his teeth and squeezed the sides of his ejection seat.
"Wind shear!" Evans warned, snapping the landing gear lever down. "Get the nose up!"
"Yeah!" Matthews replied in a tight, strained voice. "Can't control it!"
Evans, wide-eyed, stared through the windshield at the black void; Matthews's gaze remained fixed on his primary flight instruments.
"I've got runway lights," the copilot shouted, bracing himself. "Gear down and locked. Ease it right — go right!"
"I'm trying… the wind is too strong!"
The B-2 slammed into the runway overrun, bounced back into the air, slewed to the right, then smashed violently onto the runway. "Emergency brakes!" Matthews ordered.
Evans pulled the yellow-and black-striped handle, then sat paralyzed as the bomber veered toward the left side of the runway. The left main gear dug into the soft, rain-soaked turf, dragging the aircraft farther to the left. Evans gripped the glare shield with both hands. "Here we go!"
The B-2 went off the runway, right brake smoking, and plowed twenty-eight hundred feet to a shuddering stop, leaving three deep furrows in the soggy ground. Both pilots sat dazed, their hearts racing, as they watched the array of vehicle lights approaching them.
"The nose gear held," Evans sighed, letting out his breath slowly. "You did a hell of a job, Chuck."
"We were all passengers the last twenty seconds," Matthews replied, placing his hands on his shaking knees.
Simmons rubbed his bruised left leg, then slowly unstrapped his seat belt and shoulder harness. The color was rapidly returning to his face.
"Well, Simmons," Matthews said, removing his camouflage helmet and flight gloves, "you better step out and greet your associates."
Matthews and Evans unstrapped as Simmons wordlessly lowered the crew entrance hatch and stepped out of the B-2's belly.
Three Soviet GAZ field cars, each equipped with a mounted machine gun, surrounded the front of the Stealth bomber. Three rain-soaked Cubans, clothed in camouflage khaki ponchos, manned the Russian guns.
A dark brown van roared down the wet taxiway, slowed quickly, then turned onto the muddy ground and plowed toward the B-2. The pilots watched the van slide to a stop between the field car on the left of the B-2 and the GAZ at the front of the aircraft.
"Ten to one the guy in the passenger seat is Russian," Matthews remarked as the two pilots watched a Cuban soldier jump out of the van. "Ivan must be the honcho."
The Cuban, carrying a submachine gun, gestured wildly for Simmons to get into the vehicle. The hijacker ran through the rain, splashing ankle-deep mud on his flight suit, and stepped through the van's sliding door.
"Well, Chuck," Evans said slowly, noticing the Russian motioning for them to get out, "it must be our turn."