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ed down。 The lead MiG finally had a target and launched two missiles。
Twenty thousand feet below them； shielded from ground radar by a pair of mountains； twelve Tomcats of the Black Aces went to afterburner； their radars shut off as the twin…engined fighters rocketed skyward。 Within ninety seconds the pilots began to hear the growling signal that indicated their Sidewinder heat…seeking missiles were tracking targets。 Seconds later； sixteen missiles were fired from a range of two miles。
Six Russian pilots never knew what hit them。 Of the eleven MiGs； eight were hit in a matter of seconds。 The mander's luck remained briefly as he jerked his fighter around； causing a Sidewinder to break lock and fly into the sun； but now what could he do？ He saw two Tomcats running south； away from his remaining fighters。 It was too late to organize an attack…his wingman was gone； and the only friendly aircraft he could see was to his north…so the colonel reefed his MiG into an eight…g turn and dove at the American； oblivious to the warning buzz of his threat receiver。 Both Sparrows launched from the second group of Black Aces struck his wing。 The MiG came apart around him。
The Americans had no time to gloat。 The mission mander reported a second group of MiGs heading their way and the American squadrons regrouped to meet them； forming a solid wall of twenty…four aircraft； their radars shut down for two minutes as the MiGs raced into the cloud of jamming。 The Russian second…in…mand was making a serious error。 His fellow pilots were in danger。 He had to go to their rescue。 One group of Tomcat volleyed off its remaining Sparrows； the other fired Sidewinders。 A total of thirty…eight missiles closed in on eight Soviet aircraft who had no clear picture of what they were running into。 Half of them never did； blotted out of the sky by American air…to…air missiles； three more were damaged。
The Tomcat pilots all wanted to close； but the mander ordered them off。 They were all short of fuel； and Stornoway was seven hundred miles off。 They turned east； ducking through the cloud of aluminum chaff left by the B…52s。 The Americans would claim thirty…seven kills； quite a score since they had expected a total of only twenty…seven Russian aircraft。 In fact； of twenty…six MiGs； only five undamaged aircraft remained。 A stunned air base mander immediately began rescue operations。 Soon the parachute division's attack helicopters were flying northeast； searching for downed pilots。
STENDAL； GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Thirty kilometers from Alfeld to Hameln； Alekseyev thought。 An hour's drive in a tank。 Elements of three divisions were making that drive now； and since the crossing bad been achieved； they'd advanced a total of only eighteen kilometers。 This time it was the English： the tanks of the Royal Tank Regiment and 21st Lancers had stopped his leading elements cold halfway to Hameln and hadn't budged in eighteen hours。
There was real danger here。 For a mechanized formation； safety lay in movement。 The Soviets were feeding units into the gap； but NATO was using its air power to the utmost。 The bridges on the Leine were being destroyed almost as fast as they could be repaired。 Engineers had prepared crossing points on the riverbanks； and the Russians were able to swim their infantry carriers across now； but the tanks couldn't swim； and every attempt to run them across underwater…as they were supposedly equipped to do…had been a failure。 Too many units had had to be deployed to protect the breach in NATO's lines； and too few were able to exploit it。 Alekseyev had achieved a perfect textbook breakthrough only to see that the other side had its own textbook for containing and smashing it。 Western Theater had a total of six reserve class…A divisions to send into the fighting。 After that they would have to start using class…B units posed of reservists； with older men and equipment。 There were many of them； but they would not…could not…perform as well as the younger soldiers。 The General bridled at the necessity of mitting units to battle that would certainly take higher casualties than normal。
But he had no choice。 His political masters wanted it； and he was only the executor of political policy。
〃I have to go back forward；〃 Alekseyev told his boss。
〃Yes； but no closer than five kilometers to the front line； Pasha。 I cannot afford to lose you now。〃
BRUSSELS； BELGIUM
The Supreme Allied mander； Europe； looked at his own tally sheet。 Nearly all of his reserves were mitted to the fighting now； and the Russians seemed to have an endless supply of men and vehicles moving forward。 His units had no time to reorganize and redeploy。 NATO faced the nightmare of all armies： they could only react to the moves of their opponent； with almost no chance to launch their own initiatives。 So far things were holding together…but only barely。 Southeast of Hameln his map showed a British brigade。 In fact it was nothing more than a reinforced regiment posed of exhausted men and damaged equipment。 Artillery and aircraft were all that allowed him to prevent a collapse； and even that would not be enough if his units didn't get much more replacement equipment。 More ominously； NATO was now down to two weeks of ordnance； and the resupply ing from America had been seriously impeded by attacks on the convoys。 What could he tell his men？ Reduce munitions expenditurers…when the only thing stopping the Russians was the profligate use of every weapon at hand？
His morning intelligence brief was starting。 The chief NATO intelligence officer was a German general who was acpanied by a Dutch major carrying a videotape cassette； For something this important； the intel officer knew； SACEUR wanted to see the raw data； not just the analysis。 The Dutch officer set up the machine。
A puter…generated map appeared； then units showed up。 The tape took under two minutes to display five hours of data； repeating it several times so that the officers could discern patterns。
〃General； we estimate that the Soviets are sending six full divisions towards Alfeld。 The movement you see here on the main road from Braunschweig is the first of them。 The others e from their theater reserve； and these two ing south are reserve formations from their northern army group。〃
〃So you think that they are making this their main point of attack？〃 SACEUR asked。
〃Ja。〃 The German General nodded。 〃The Schwerpunkt is here。〃
SACEUR frowned。 The rational thing to do would be to withdraw behind the river Weser to shorten his defensive line and reorganize his forces。 But that would mean abandoning Hannover。 The Germans would never accept that。 Their own national strategy of defending each home and field had cost the Russians dear…and stretched NATO forces to the breaking point。 Politically they would never accept such a strategic withdrawal。 West German units would fight on alone if they had to： he could see it clearly enough in the eyes of his own intelligence chief。 And if somebody invaded New Hampshire； he admitted to himself； would I withdraw into Pennsylvania？
An hour later； half of the existing NATO reserves were heading east from Osnabruck to Hameln。 The battle for Germany would be won or lost on the right bank of the Weser。
STORNOWAY； SCOTLAND
The returning Tomcats got little rest。 As soon as they landed； the British and American ground crewmen refueled and rearmed the fighters。 The Russians were raiding the British northern airfields more carefully now。 The American airborne radar aircraft supporting the British Nimrods and Shackletons were making life hard on the twin…engine Blinder bombers flying out of Andoya in Norway。 Royal Air Force Tornados flew bat air…patrol missions two hundred miles offshore while the American pilots rested； a few enterprising crew chiefs painted red stars underneath the cockpits； and intelligence officers evaluated gunsight videotapes and recordings of Soviet missile radars。
〃Looks like we hurt them；〃 Toland judged。 The kill claims were too high； but with fighter pilots they always were。
〃Bet your ass！〃 replied the mander of the Jolly Rogers。 The Navy mander chewed on a cigar。 He claimed personal credit for a pair of MiGs。 〃Question is； will they reinforce？ It worked once； but they won't fall for that gag again。 You tell me； Toland： can they replace what we culled out？〃
〃I don't think so。 The MiG…29 is about the only fighter they can stage out that far。 The rest of those are in Germany； and they've taken a beating there； too。 If the Russians decided to cut loose some MiG…31s； I think they can reach that far； but I don't see them releasing their prime bomber…interceptor for this kind of mission。〃
The Jolly Rogers's skipper nodded agreement。 〃Okay。 Next step then is we put a bat air patrol close to Iceland and start beating on those Backfire raids for…real。〃
〃They might just e looking for us； too；〃 Toland warned。 〃They have to know now what we did； and where we did it from。〃 The mander of VF…41 looked out the window。 One of his Tomcats sat half a mile away between two piles of sandbags。 Four missiles were visible on the airframe。 He fingered the Ace of Spades emblem on his chest and turned back。
〃Good。 If they want to fight us on our turf； in our radar cover； fine。〃
ALFELD； FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
Alekseyev left his helicopter on the outskirts of the town and climbed into yet another BMP infantry carrier。 Two ribbon bridges were operating。 Fragments of at least five others littered the riverbanks； along with countless burned…out tanks and trucks。 The mander of 20th Tanks rode with them。
〃NATO air attacks are murderous；〃 General Beregovoy said。 〃I've never seen anything like it。 Even with our SAMs they close in。 We get our share； but it's not enough； and things only get worse as we approach the front。〃
〃What progress have you made today？〃
〃The main opposition at the moment is English。 At least a brigade of tanks。 We've pushed them back two kilometers since dawn。〃
〃There's supposed to be a Belgian force out there also；〃 Sergetov pointed out。
〃They've disappeared。 We don't know where they are…and； yes； that worries me also。 I've placed one of the new divisions on our left flank to guard against counterattack。 The other will join 20th Tanks when we resume the attack this afternoon。〃
〃Strength？〃 Alekseyev asked。
〃The Twentieth is down to ninety working tanks。 Maybe less；〃 the General said。 〃That number is four hours old。 Our infantry has done better； but the division is now under fifty…percent nominal strength。〃
Their vehicle angled down onto the floating ribbon bridge。 Each boxlike segment was bolted to two others； and the vehicle bobbed up and down like a small boat in the surf as they drove across the Leine。 All three officers controlled their feelings； but none liked being locked inside a steel box over the water。 The BMP infantry assault vehicle was technically amphibious； but many had sunk without warning and it was rare for anyone to escape when that happened。 They could hear distant artillery fire。 Air attacks at Alfeld happened without warning。 It took just over a minute to plete the crossing。
〃In case you're curious； that bridge we just crossed holds the record for the longest survival。〃 He checked his watch。 〃Seven hours。〃
〃What of that major you requested the gold star for？〃 Alekseyev asked。
〃He was wounded in an air attack。 He'll live。〃
〃Give him this。 Perhaps it will speed his recovery。〃 Alekseyev reached into a pocket and came out with a five…pointed gold star attached to a bloodred ribbon。 He handed it to the General。 That major of engineers was now a Hero of the Soviet Union。
USS CHICAGO
All the boats slowed on reaching the icepack。 McCafferty inspected it through his periscope； a thin white line less than two miles away。 There was nothing else visible。 Few ships lingered so near the ice； and no aircraft were visible。
Sonar reported a gratifying amount of noise。 The serrated fringe of the pack was posed of thousands of individual floes； slabs of ice a few feet thick； ranging in size from a few square feet to several acres。 Every year they came loose with the spring thaw and drifted at random until the freeze began again。 While loose in the brief arctic summer； they drifted at random； grinding against one another in a process that destroyed some of the smaller floes； which add