But despite their seemingly minimal losses, Russia was mobilizing her armies, air force, and navy. That news had filtered down through the command net. What shape those troop movements would eventually take remained to be seen, but the Pentagon was definitely worried. The United States had never been more vulnerable to an attack.
Remington didn’t mention any of that to Goose. At present, the first sergeant believed the vanishings to be localized, either the effect of some weapon of mass destruction that the U.S. military hadn’t known about or an unnatural phenomenon. Once the news broke that the vanishings had occurred around the world, the Ranger captain knew the battered remnants of the 75th Rangers would lose some of their belief that they would make it out of their present situation alive.
And belief, Remington knew, was necessary in command. Not the kind of faith Goose sometimes talked about that existed between a man and God, but the faith a soldier had in his own abilities and in the orders of his superior officers.
Without a strong command structure, an army was a riot and uncontrolled chaos waiting to happen.
Goose’s view returned to the stricken battlefield. He was in motion again, which Remington knew from experience was good. Goose thought best on his feet when he had an objective to accomplish. And Remington intended to keep his first sergeant busy during the long, hard hours it would take to get the retreat organized.
“At first blush,” Remington said, “the arriving convoy is going to look like reinforcements.”
“What about Syrian intelligence?” Goose asked.
Remington knew Goose referred to the satellites the Russians had allowed the Syrians to use. Since the devastating losses Russia had suffered fourteen months ago during the unprovoked attack on Israel, Russia had sought to rebuild her strength through allies in the Middle East and the Eastern bloc.
The creation of Israel in 1948 had fed the Cold War between the superpowers that had intensified after the Second World War. With the United States backing Israel, Russia had invested heavily in other Middle Eastern countries to offset the edge that the American military had gained in the area. Since Chaim Rosenzweig’s formula had elevated his nation’s fortunes, Russia had fed the jealousy of the other Middle Eastern nations, gaining many allies that still smarted over past defeats at the hands of the Israelis.
Realizing the Eastern bloc might also be a source of Russian strength, Remington remembered that Romania was part of that sector. The Kremlin’s top people would certainly court new president Nicolae Carpathia.
Maybe he already has been courted. The thought was disconcerting to Remington, but as quickly as it had come, the possibility faded from his mind. Even from only the quick conversation he’d had with Carpathia, the Ranger captain had the distinct impression that the Romanian president was very much his own man and would honor any agreement he gave his word to.
The feeling was unusual for Remington. Generally he distrusted most people and often found himself prepared to believe the worst of them. Carpathia, though, was very different. He’d known that even before the Romanian president had lent him the use of the satellites.
“Syrian intelligence has been severely limited,” Remington said, addressing Goose’s question. “The NSA arranged for key Russian satellites over the border to experience difficulties within minutes of the attack. Syrian military is as blind and deaf as we were. They have no idea how many losses we’ve actually incurred.”
Unless Carpathia gave them access to satellite feeds, as well as Remington. The thought was natural to Remington given the circumstances, but he quickly dismissed the possibility. Carpathia could find a major ally in the United States, and he would be owed big-time after the assist along the Turkish-Syrian border.
Remington turned his attention once more to his men.
“All we’ve got to do is keep up a strong front along the border until nightfall roughly eight hours from now,” Remington said. “You can do that, Goose.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Keep patrols moving along the border. If the Syrians want more intel, make them pay for it. They’ll have to send in men and machines. When they do, take them out. Hold the center, Goose.”
“They’ll have another wave of SCUDs ready soon.”
“Dig in. Tighter than ticks on a hound. As long as they’re throwing SCUDs at your men, they can’t put an infantry offensive through there. The Turkish military in Diyarbakir are amped up with a supply of Patriot missiles brought in by the United States military machine. Most of those SCUDs will never make it across the border. And when those gun crews fire, they’re going to be targeted in turn. We’ve already got several emplacements marked.”
“Yes, sir.”
Goose’s camera view swept the ridgeline behind the border. Remington knew the first sergeant was thinking of the men he would lose when those attacks came.
“For now, Goose,” the Ranger captain said, “we hold what we’ve got. The biggest threat there is the Syrian infantry and cav units. Once they start across the border, we can’t hold them back.”
“I know, sir.”
“After the transport vehicles arrive, station them around as if you’re preparing to dig in. Get your wounded and your salvaged materials together. After full dark, start loading them aboard the trucks. I want the evacuation underway by 0200. For the moment, we’re going to pull back to Sanliurfa.”
“Affirmative,” Goose replied. “Can we hold Sanliurfa?”
“We don’t know yet. That depends on how much the Syrians are willing to invest in this op.”
Goose’s helmet cam raked the ravaged battlefield. Rangers stayed busy digging their dead and salvageable supplies from wrecks, craters,
