mander was just too good with his radar； knowing when to switch it on and when to switch it off。 Whoever the little bastard was； he‘d killed two Weasels under Robin‘s mand in the previous week； and so the colonel had drawn the mission for himself as soon as the frag order had gone up to hit this area again。 It was his specialty： diagnosing； perating； and destroying air defenses … a vast； rapid； three…dimensional game in which the prize of winning was survival。
He was roaring low； never higher than five hundred feet； his fingers controlling the stick semiautomatically while Zacharias‘s eyes watched the karsk hilltops and his ears listened to the talk from the back seat。
‘He‘s at our nine； Robin；‘ Jack told him。 ‘Still sweeping； but he doesn‘t have us。 Spiraling in nicely。‘
We‘re not going to give him a Shrike； Zacharias thought。 They tried that the last time and he spoofed it somehow。 That error had cost him a major； a captain； and an aircraft。。。 a fellow native of Salt Lake City； Al Wallace 。。。 friends for years 。。。 damn it！ he shook the thought off； not even reproving himself for the lower…case profanity。
‘Giving him another taste；‘ Zacharias said； pulling back on the stick。 The Thud leaped upwards into the radar coverage of the site； hovering there； waiting。 This site mander was probably Russian…trained。 They weren‘t sure how many aircraft the man had killed … only that it had been more than enough … but he had to be a proud one because of it； and pride was deadly in this business。
‘Launch 。。。 two； two valid launches； Robin；‘ Tait warned from the back。
‘Only two？‘ the pilot asked。
‘Maybe he has to pay for them；‘ Tait suggested coolly。 ‘I have them at nine。 Time to do some pilot magic； Rob。‘
‘Like this？‘ Zacharias rolled left to keep them in view； pulling into them； and split…S…ing back down。 He‘d planned it well； ducking behind a ridge。 He pulled out at a dangerous low altitude； but the SA…2 Guideline missiles went wild and dumb four thousand feet over his head。
‘I think it‘s time；‘ Tait said。
‘I think you‘re right。‘ Zacharias turned hard left； arming his cluster munitions。 The F…105 skimmed over the ridge； dropping back down again while his eyes checked the next ridge； six miles and fifty seconds away。
‘His radar is still up；‘ Tait reported。 ‘He knows we‘re ing。‘
‘But he‘s only got one left。‘ Unless his reload crews are really hot today。 Well； you can‘t allow for everything。
‘Some light flak at ten o‘clock。‘ It was too far to be a matter of concern； though it did tell him which way out not to take。 ‘There‘s the plateau。‘
Maybe they could see him； maybe not。 Possibly he was just one moving blip amid a screen full of clutter that some radar operator was striving to understand。 The Thud moved faster at low level than anything ever made； and the camouflage motif on the upper surfaces was effective。 They were probably looking up。 There was a wall of jamming there now； part of the plan he‘d laid out for the other Weasel bird； and normal American tactics were for a medium…altitude approach and steep dive。 But they‘d done that twice and failed； and so Zacharias decided to change the technique。 Low level； he‘d Rockeye the place； then the other Weasel would finish things off。 His job was killing the mand van and the mander within。 He jinked the Thud left and right； up and down； to deny a good shooting track to anybody on the ground。 You still had to worry about guns； too。
‘Got the star！‘ Robin said。 The SA…6 manual； written in Russian； called for six launchers around a central control point。 With all the connective paths； the typical Guideline site looked just like a Star of David； which seemed rather blasphemous to the Colonel； but the thought only hovered at the edge of his mind as he centered the mand van on his bombsight pipper。
‘Selecting Rockeye；‘ he said aloud； confirming the action to himself。 For the last ten seconds； he held the aircraft rock steady。 ‘Looking good 。。。 release 。。。 now！‘
Four of the decidedly un…aerodynamic canisters fell free of the fighter‘s ejector racks； splitting open in midair； scattering thousands of submunitions over the area。 He was well beyond the site before the bomblets landed。 He didn‘t see people running for slit trenches； but he stayed low； reefing the Thud into a tight left turn； looking up to make sure he‘d gotten the place once and for all。 From three miles out his eyes caught an immense cloud of smoke in the center of the Star。
That‘s for Al； he allowed himself to think。 No victory roll； just a thought； as he leveled out and picked a likely spot to egress the area。 The strike force could e in now； and that SAM battery was out of business。 Okay。 He selected a notch in the ridge； racing for it just under Mach…1； straight and level now that the threat was behind him。 Home for Christmas。
The red tracers that erupted from the small pass startled him。 That wasn‘t supposed to be there。 No deflection on them； just ing right in。 He jinked up； as the gunner had thought he would； and the body of the aircraft passed right through the stream of fire。 It shook violently and in the passage of a second good changed to evil。
‘Robin！‘ a voice gasped over the inter； but the main noise was from wailing alarms； and Zacharias knew in a fatal instant that his aircraft was doomed。 It got worse almost before he could react。 The engine died in flames； and then the Thud started a roll…yaw that told him the controls were gone。 His reaction was automatic； a shout for ejection； but another gasp from the back made him turn just as he yanked the handles even though he knew the gesture was useless。 His last sight of Jack Tait was blood that hung below the seat like a vapor trail； but by then his own back was wrenched with more pain than he‘d ever known。
‘Okay；‘ Kelly said and fired off a flare。 Another boat started tossing small explosive charges into the water to drive the fish away from the area。 He watched and waited for five minutes； then looked at the safety man。
‘Area‘s clear。‘
‘Fire in the hole；‘ Kelly said； repeating the mantra three times more。 Then he twisted the handle on the detonator。 The results were gratifying。 The water around the legs turned to foam as the rig‘s legs were chopped off bottom and top。 The fall was surprisingly slow。 The entire structure slid off in one direction。 There was an immense splash as the platform hit； and for one incongruous moment it appeared as though steel might float。 But it couldn‘t。 The see…through collection of light I…beams sank below sight； to rest right on the bottom； and another job was done。 ‘
Kelly disconnected the wires from the generator and tossed them over the side。
‘Two weeks early。 I guess you really wanted that bonus；‘ the executive said。 A former Navy fighter pilot； he admired a job well and quickly done。 The oil wasn‘t going anywhere； after all。 ‘Dutch was right about you。‘
"；The Admiral is a good guy。 He‘s done a lot for Tish and me。‘
‘Well； we flew together for two years。 Bad…ass fighter jock。 Good to know those nice things he said were true。‘ The executive liked working with people who‘d had experiences like his own。 He‘d forgotten the terror of bat somehow。 ‘What‘s with that？ I‘ve been meaning to ask。‘ He pointed to the tattoo on Kelly‘s arm； a red seal； sitting up on his hind flippers and grinning impudently。
‘Something we all did in my unit；‘ Kelly explained as offhandedly as he could。
‘What unit was that？‘
‘Can‘t say。‘ Kelly added a grin to mute the refusal。
‘I bet it‘s something to do with how Sonny got out … but okay。‘ A former naval officer had to respect the rules。 ‘Well； the check‘ll be in your account by the end of the business day； Mr Kelly。 I‘ll radio in so your wife can pick you up。‘
Tish Kelly was glowing her me…too look at the women in The Stork Shop。 Not even three months yet； she could wear anything she wanted … well； almost。 Too soon to shop for anything special； but she had the free time and wanted to see what the options were。 She thanked the clerk； deciding that she‘d bring John here in the evening and help him pick something out for her because he liked doing that。 Now it was time to pick him up。 The Plymouth wagon they‘d driven down from Maryland was parked right outside； and she‘d learned to navigate the streets of the coastal town。 It was a nice break from the cold autumn rain of their home； to be here on the Gulf Coast where the summer was never really gone for more than a few days。 She brought the wagon onto the street； heading south for the oil pany‘s huge support yard。 Even the traffic lights were in her favor。 One changed to green in such a timely fashion that her foot didn‘t even have to touch the brakes。
The truck driver frowned as the light changed to amber。 He was late； and running a little too fast； but the end of his six…hundred…mile run from Oklahoma was in sight。 He stepped on the clutch and brake pedals with a sigh that abruptly changed to a gasp of surprise as both pedals went all the way to the floor at the same speed。 The road ahead was clear； and he kept going straight； downshifting to cut speed； and frantically blowing his diesel hom。 Oh God； oh God； please don‘t …
She never saw it