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〃Scarecrow； do they carry heavy weapons？〃
〃None that show。 I make four hostiles with automatic weapons in each vehicle。 Our fragmentation missiles have little effect on them。〃
Cleary crawled under a stairway； using it as a shield； and studied his map of the mining facility。 〃Give me your location； Scarecrow。〃
〃We are moving down a narrow road toward the sea behind what looks like a row of maintenance shops about a hundred and fifty yards from the control center。〃
〃Scarecrow； go another fifty yards； then bend a right turn and advance between a series of fuel storage tanks。 That should bring you close to the front of the control center from a side road； where you can flank the hostiles pinning us down。〃
〃Roger that； Wizard。 On our way。〃 Then； as an afterthought； Jacobs asked； 〃What have we got for defense against the armored Sno…cats？〃
〃Tin Man has two LAWs。〃
〃We'll need four。〃
〃The man carrying the other two went missing during the jump。〃
〃Tin Man is at the power station；〃 Jacobs said； frustrated。 〃He's not facing the armored cats； we are。〃
〃I ordered him to withdraw from his objective because of overwhelming concentrated fire。 He should be converging with Lion shortly。〃
〃Tell him to load up； because four of those nasty vehicles will be right on our tail when we step into your front yard。〃
Jacobs and the SEALS soon circled the fuel storage tanks without encountering organized gunfire。 Frequently glancing at his map of the facility； he led his men around a long wall that appeared to end near the front of the control center。 It seemed like perfect cover； as they rushed to outflank the security guards behind the barrier who were blasting hell out of Sharpsburg and his Delta Force。 Hardly had the SEALs e within fifty yards of the end of the wall when a blaze of concentrated fire struck them from the rear。
Unknown to them； a group of security guards had rushed through an underground tunnel and appeared from a building behind； a tactic that was happening with increasing frequency。 Jacobs saw that it was virtually impossible to continue on his flanking maneuver； so he took his men along the path of least resistance and led them down a street strangely free of hostile gunfire。
Only eighty yards away； Cleary lay flat and peered through his binoculars； searching for a weak spot in the barricade blocking the entrance to the control center。 He found none and realized that； like Garnet's； his position was rapidly being untenable； yet he was determined to make an assault on the control center as soon as he was reinforced by the Marine Recon Team； and the SEALs had begun their flanking attack on the barricade。
But down deep； doubts were starting to form as to whether he could still pull the coals of final victory out of the fire。
The security guards were waging war with a vengeance。 In their minds； they were fighting not only for their own lives but for the lives of their families who were waiting on board the Ulrich Wolf。 Hugo himself was in the thick of the fighting in front of the control center； directing his forces and tightening the noose on the American assault team。 His arrogance while issuing orders reflected his supreme confidence and optimism。 His battle strategy was going exactly as he'd planned it。 Hugo was in the enviable position of a mander who could dictate the terms of the fight。
He was flushing his enemy into one concentrated area for annihilation； as he had promised his brother Karl。
He spoke into an inter mike inside his battle helmet。 〃Brother Karl？〃
There was a moment or two of slight static before Karl responded。 〃Yes； Hugo。〃
〃The intruders are contained。 You and Elsie and the others can leave for the hangar as soon as the engineers set the nanotech systems on automatic。〃
〃Thank you； brother。 I'll soon meet you at the aircraft。〃
Two minutes later； as Hugo was ordering his two remaining armored Sno…cats to charge the American team； a security guard rushed to him behind the barricade and shouted； 〃Sir； I have an urgent message from the aircraft hangar！〃
〃What is it？〃 Hugo yelled above the gunfire。
But in that instant； Sergeant Mendoza squinted at the head behind the crosshairs inside his sniper scope and gently pulled the trigger of his Eradicator。 The guard dropped dead at Hugo's feet； neither hearing nor feeling the bullet enter his right temple and exit the left。 The message he had urgently wished to report； on the destruction in the aircraft hangar by a strange vehicle； died with him。
Garnet's Marines linked up with Sharpsburg's Delta team and took cover； as the four Sno…cats withdrew from chasing Jacobs and attacked them in a double column from the rear。 They came on oblivious to the two antitank weapons aimed at them by the Marines； who at less than a hundred yards couldn't miss。 The lead Sno…cats went up in an explosion of fire and flying debris and bodies； forming an effective roadblock that prevented the remaining vehicles from striking the already beleaguered Americans。
Cleary realized quickly that the reprieve had only short…term benefits and was temporary。 It would be only a question of time before the security guards wised up to the fact that no more antitank shells were being fired because the supply was exhausted。 Then the armored Sno…cats would attack； and there would be no stopping them。 When Jacobs and his team hit the barricade from the flank； hopefully the advantage would swing to their side。
In Washington； the battlefield reports from the men under fire made it evident that the assault force was in deep trouble。 It was being more obvious by the minute that Cleary and his men were being shot to pieces。 The President and the Joint Chiefs could not believe what they heard。 What had been launched as a daring mission had turned into a slaughter and a disaster。 They were shocked by the growing realization that the mission had failed； and that the entire inhabited world was in jeopardy of vanishing； a nightmare they found impossible to accept。
〃The aircraft carrying the main force；〃 the President said； his thinking being disoriented； 〃when。 。 。？〃
〃They won't be over the pound for another forty minutes；〃 answered General South。
〃And the countdown？〃
〃Twenty…two minutes until the currents are right for the ice shelf to break off。〃
〃Then we've got to send in the missiles。〃
〃We will be killing our own men as well；〃 cautioned General South。
〃Do we have another option？〃 the President put to him。
South looked down at his open hands and slowly shook his head。 〃No； Mr。 President； we don't。〃
Admiral Eldridge asked； 〃Shall I alert the mander of the Tucson to launch missiles？〃
〃If I may suggest；〃 said the Air Force chief of staff； General Coburn； 〃I think it best that we send in the Stealth bombers。 Their aircrews are more accurate in guiding their missiles to a target than an unmanned Tomahawk launched from a submarine。〃
The President quickly made his decision。 〃All right； alert the bomber pilots； but tell them not to fire until ordered。 We