Fortunately, August noticed the red light flashing. He unbuttoned the collar that covered his face to the bridge of his nose. Then he turned up the volume on the TAC-SAT before answering.
He would need every bit of it to hear Bob Herbert.
'Yes?' August shouted into the mouthpiece.
'Colonel, it's over,' Herbert said.
'Repeat, please?' August yelled. The colonel thought he heard Herbert say this was over.
'Mike got the message through,' Herbert said, louder and more articulately.
'The Indian LOC troops are being recalled.
You will be picked up by chopper at sunrise.'
'I copy that,' August said.
'We saw an explosion to the northeast a minute ago. Did Mike do that?'
'In a manner of speaking,' Herbert said.
'We'll brief you after you've been airlifted.'
'What about the Strikers?' August asked.
'We'll have to work on that,' Herbert said.
'I'm not leaving without them,' August said.
'Colonel, this is Paul,' Hood said.
'We have to determine whose jurisdiction the valley--'
'I'm not leaving without them,' August repeated.
There was a long silence.
'I understand,' Hood replied.
'Brett, can you hold out there until around midmorning?' Herbert asked.
'I will do whatever it takes,' August said.
'All right,' Herbert told him.
'The chopper can pick up Corporal Musicant. I promise we'll have the situation worked as quickly as possible.' 'Thank you, sir,' August said.
'What are my orders regarding the three Pakistanis?'
'You know me,'
Herbert said.
'Now that they've served their purpose I'd just as soon you put a bullet in each of their murderous little heads. I'm sure my wife has the road upstairs covered. She'll make sure the bus to Paradise gets turned back.'
'Morality aside, there are legal and political considerations as well as the possibility of armed resistance,' Hood cut in.
'Op-Center has no jurisdiction over the FKM, and India has made no official inquiries regarding the rest of the cell. They are free to do whatever they want. If the Pakistanis wish to surrender, I'm sure they will be arrested and tried by the Indians. If they turn on you, you must respond however you see fit.'
'Paul's right,' Herbert said.
'The most important thing is to get you and Corporal Musicant home safely.' August said he understood. He told Hood and Herbert that he would accept whatever food and water the chopper brought. After that, he said he would make his way to the Mangala Valley to find the rest of the Strikers.
Hanging up the TAC-SAT, August rose slowly on cold stiffened legs. He switched on his flashlight and made his way across the ice-covered ledge to where Musicant was stationed.
August gave the medic the good news then went back to where Sharab and her two associates were huddled. Unlike the Strikers, they had not undergone cold-weather training.
Nor were they dressed as warmly as August and Musicant.
August squatted beside them. They winced as the light struck them.
They reminded the colonel of lepers cowering from the sun. Sharab was trembling. Her eyes were red and glazed. There was ice in her hair and eyebrows. Her lips were broken and her cheeks were bright red.
August could not help but feel sorry for her. Her two comrades looked even worse. Their noses were raw and bleeding and they would probably lose their ears to frostbite. Their gloves were so thick with ice that August did not even think they could move their fingers.
Looking at them, the colonel realized that Sharab and her countrymen were not going to fight them or run anywhere.
August leaned close to them.
'General Rodgers and Nanda completed their mission,' August said.
Sharab was staring ahead. Her red eyes began to tear. Her exposed mouth moved silently. In prayer, August suspected.
