Грань будущего
Chapter 4
SpecialForcesstandards.Thepresidentwasupforreelection,andhewantedtodeliveramilitaryvictorytosecurehisown.
Overtheobjectionsofhisgeneralsandthemedia,hepoureditallintotheoperation,everytankwithtreads,everyattackchopperthatcouldstayairborne,andovertenthousandplatoonsofJacketedsoldiers.Theirgoal:toregaincontroloftheFloridapeninsula.Itwasthemostdangerous,mostreckless,andbyfarthehardestbattleRitahadeverseen.
SpecialForceshadalotoffour-letterwordsintheirvocabulary,butfearwasn’toneofthem.Evenso,ittookmorethanonesquadtoturnaroundahopelesswaragainstasuperiorenemy.AJacketgrantedsuperhumanstrength,butthatalonedidn’tturnpeopleintosuperheroes.DuringtheSecondWorldWar,ErichHartmannhadshotdown352planesontheRussianFront,butGermanystilllostthewar.Ifthebrassdraftedplansthatcalledfortheimpossible,themissionwouldfail,simpleasthat.
Afterthebattle,derelictJacketslitteredtheFloridapeninsula,theirshatteredshellsservingascoffinsforthecorpsesinside.
RitaVrataskihadsomehowmanagedtotoethepiano-wire-thinlinethatsnakedbetweenlifeanddeath.Shehadbentherpiledriverbeforelosingitentirely.Shewaslowonammo.Sheclutchedher20mmriflesotightlyitmightaswellhavebeenweldedtoherhand.Fightingbacktheurgetovomit,shestrippedbatteriesfromthebodiesofherfallenfriends.Shecradledherrifleinherarms.
"Youlooklikeyou’rehavingabadday."
ItwasHendricks.
