Mallory touched his hand. What is it, Dusty?
Mallory stared at him, slowly released his grip on the glasses, nodded several times in quick succession.
Also a mortar, Mallory explained. A five barrel job and very ugly. TheNebelwerfer or Moanin’ Minnie. He screams like all the lost souls in hell. Guaranteed to turn your knees to jelly, especially after a night out – but it’s stifi that’s the other one to watch. A six-inch mortar, almost certainly using cluster bombs – you use a brush and a shovel to clean up afterwards.
Not only could he, but he did, I’m afraid. But we’ll worry about that later. The middle of the ragged line of advancing soldiers, slipping and stumbling up the treacherous staircase, had almost reached the lower reaches of the blackened, halting remains of the corpse. They have come quite far. I’ll take the white helmet in the middle, Luki. Even as he spoke, he could hear the soft scraping as the other three slid their automatic barrels across and between the protective rocks in front of them, he could feel the wave of disgust running through his mind. But his voice was quite steady as he spoke, relaxed and almost relaxed. Correctly. Let them have it now
Of course, of course I had wondered. . . Someone was careless. There was no other way, there could be no other way. It will only take one flash to topple them. He paused, remembered, then smiled wryly. I could have been myself. All this started as soon as I was in watchtower – and Panagis didn’t have glasses. He shook his head sadly. It must have been me, Andrea.
Suddenly Miller’s smile disappeared and he nodded.
Jus’ daydreamin’, boss said easily. Jus’ daydreamin’. He shook his pack of cigarettes. do you have one
Of course, of course I had wondered. . . Someone was careless. There was no other way, there could be no other way. It will only take one flash to topple them. He paused, remembered, then smiled wryly. I could have been myself. All this started as soon as I was in watchtower – and Panagis didn’t have glasses. He shook his head sadly. It must have been me, Andrea.
I don’t believe it, Andrea said flatly. You could not make such a mistake, my captain.
Also a mortar, Mallory explained. A five barrel job and very ugly. TheNebelwerfer or Moanin’ Minnie. He screams like all the lost souls in hell. Guaranteed to turn your knees to jelly, especially after a night out – but it’s stifi that’s the other one to watch. A six-inch mortar, almost certainly using cluster bombs – you use a brush and a shovel to clean up afterwards.
Also a mortar, Mallory explained. A five barrel job and very ugly. TheNebelwerfer or Moanin’ Minnie. He screams like all the lost souls in hell. Guaranteed to turn your knees to jelly, especially after a night out – but it’s stifi that’s the other one to watch. A six-inch mortar, almost certainly using cluster bombs – you use a brush and a shovel to clean up afterwards.
The frenzied stuttering of the machine guns stopped abruptly and in unison, the sound cut as if by a guillotine. The sudden silence was strangely oppressive, louder, more disturbing than the clamor that had preceded it. The gravelly earth beneath his elbows rubbed hard as Mallory shifted his weight slightly, he looked at the two men to his right, Andrea with his impassive face blank of expression, Luki with the glint of tears in his eyes. Then aware of the low murmur to his left, he moved again. Bitter, wild, the American swore softly and incessantly, oblivious to the pain as he slammed his fist over and over into the jagged gravel in front of him.
Miller studied the weapons lined up on the road behind the two trucks and cleared his throat.
Mallory stared at him, slowly released his grip on the glasses, nodded several times in quick succession.
I won’t try again, will I? Miller was already sliding his gun around the rock in front of him when Mallory grabbed his arm and pulled him back.
I don’t believe it, Andrea said flatly. You could not make such a mistake, my captain.
God help us, Miller muttered. Cluster bombs, you said He sank into the somber silence.
Mallory touched his hand. What is it, Dusty?
I was only saying what Luki told me, he said defensively.
Suddenly Miller’s smile disappeared and he nodded.
Of course, of course I had wondered. . . Someone was careless. There was no other way, there could be no other way. It would only require a flash to topple them. He paused, remembered, then smiled wryly. I could have been myself. All this started as soon as I was in watchtower – and Panagis didn’t have glasses. He shook his head sadly. It must have been me, Andrea.
Suddenly Miller’s smile disappeared and he nodded.
What Loiki told you
Suddenly Miller’s smile disappeared and he nodded.
