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lerted me in time to send her to Okuma Bay before the final countdown。〃
〃What about aircraft？〃
〃Two Stealth bombers are in the air and will begin a holding pattern ninety miles from the facility in another hour and ten minutes；〃 answered Coburn。
〃So we're covered from air and sea；〃 said Wallace。
〃That is correct；〃 General South acknowledged。
〃How soon before Major Cleary and his force begin their assault？〃
South glanced up at a huge digital clock on one wall。 〃Depending on wind and overcast conditions； they should be gliding toward their target and landing in a few minutes。〃
〃Will we receive a blow…by…blow account of the assault？〃
〃We have a direct link to Major Cleary's ground munications through the satellite that's servicing our ice stations at the Pole and McMurdo Sound。 But since he and his men will be extremely busy for the next hour； and possibly ing under hostile fire； we do not think it wise to interfere or interrupt their field munications。〃
〃Then we have nothing to do but wait and listen。〃 Wallace spoke mechanically。
Silence greeted his words。 No one in either war room offered him a reply。
After a long moment； he murmured； 〃God； how did we ever get in this mess？〃
Hurtling more than 120 miles an hour through the thickly layered cloud mist from 35；000 feet； Cleary spread his arms apart and faced what he could only assume was the ground； since the cloud cover hid all evidence of a horizon。 His mind boycotted the frigid blast of air that engulfed him； and he concentrated on maintaining a stable body position。 He mentally reminded himself to personally thank Stafford someday for slowing the aircraft。 It was a gesture that had provided the assault team with near…perfect conditions for exiting in a tightly knit group and enabled them to achieve a stable attitude without tumbling uncontrollably for several thousand feet。 That situation would have scattered the teams over several miles； making the infiltration of a cohesive； intact fighting element nearly impossible。
He moved his left wrist within a few inches of his goggles； bringing the face of the MA2…30 altimeter within easy view。 He was rapidly descending past 33；000 feet。 Given the low air density at this altitude； he expected to speed up considerably。
Cleary concentrated on preserving his heading； 180 degrees from the C…17's course at exit time； and he scanned the air immediately around him for signs of the other men in free fall。 He passed through a heavy layer of moisture and felt the stinging pellets of hail stab the front of his body； mask； and goggles。 Off to his right； about forty feet； he could barely see the flashing of several high…intensity firefly lights in the gray emptiness。
The lights were attached to the top of each man's Gentex helmet with the beam facing backward。 They were set in that direction as a preventive measure to warn a man falling directly on top of another at the moment of canopy pull。
He briefly wondered if they might have exited over the incorrect grid。 It hardly made any difference now。 They were mitted。 They were either upwind of the target landing zone or not。 It was a fifty…fifty chance。 Only his faith in Stafford's flying ability gave him a healthy measure of optimism。
In the seconds between the time that Captain Sharpsburg had dived from the ramp and Cleary followed； the point of no return had passed into oblivion。 He looked down at the airspace directly beneath him and saw no one。 Next he checked his altitude。 He was approaching 28；000 feet。
The plans called for the men to free…fall to 25；000 feet； open their canopies； assemble in the air； and glide to the target landing zone。 Slightly before reaching that altitude； each man would have to initiate his pull sequence。 That meant clearing his airspace and arching his body as perfectly as possible； then locating and maintaining eye contact with his main rip cord on the right； outboard side of his parachute harness。 The next step was to grasp and pull the rip cord and check over his right shoulder to be sure that his canopy was deploying properly。 He would need a thousand feet of working altitude in order for his main canopy to open at 25；000 feet on the mark。
Off in the distance； he could now see more firefly lights； ten； perhaps twelve。 The cloud layer was thinning and visibility was increasing as they penetrated the lower altitudes。 Cleary's altimeter read 26；000 feet。 Rational thoughts ceased and years of training took over。 With no hesitation； Cleary reacted decisively； silently repeating the mands as he executed the action sequence。 Arch； look； reach； pull； check； check； and check。
Cleary's MT…1Z main canopy deployed in a near…perfect attitude and heading； softly； smoothly； and without the slightest indication that it had slowed him from an airspeed of 150 miles an hour straight down to nearly zero。 He was now suspended underneath the fully inflated wing； drifting with the wind like a lethargic marionette。
As if booming stereophonic loudspeakers had been switched off； the sound of wind howling past him had ceased。 The earpiece speakers inside his Gentex helmet crackled with static； and for the first time since he'd stepped from the ramp； Cleary distinctly heard the sounds of his breathing through the oxygen mask。 He looked up immediately and meticulously inspected every square inch of his canopy for any signs of damage； including the suspension lines from their attaching points to the risers。
〃Wizard； this is Tin Man； requesting a mon check； over；〃 Lieutenant Garnet's voice came over the earpiece receivers。 Every man was capable of municating via throat microphones attached to Motorola radios in a secure mode。
Cleary answered； initiating a munications check that used the team sub…element call signs。 〃All teams； this is Wizard； report your status in sequence； over。〃 Because of the lack of visibility； Cleary could not see the entire group。 He had to rely on his sub…element leaders for details。
Captain Sharpsburg responded first。 〃Wizard； this is Lion。 I have the point at twenty…three thousand feet。 Also； visual contact with all but two of my men。 Standing by to lead the stick to target。〃 Stick was the term for a team of men descending in a line。
〃Roger that； Lion；〃 acknowledged Cleary。
〃Wizard； Scarecrow here；〃 announced Jacobs。 〃At twenty…four thousand feet and in visual contact with all my men。 Over。〃
Garnet of the Marines was next。 〃Wizard； this is Tin Man。 I have visual contact with all but one of my men。〃
〃I copy； Tin Man；〃 said Cleary。
Reaching up； Cleary grasped the control toggles of the left and right risers； giving them a simultaneous tug and unstowing the breaks； placing the canopy in full flight mode。 He felt a surge of acceleration as the canopy picked up airspeed。 Cleary's earpiece speakers were humming with the sounds of team members checking in with their respective leaders。 He mentally reviewed the events that lay ahead。 If the assault team had been released at the correct coordinates； they should land in the middle of a large open space on the ice near the security