Mitla Pass - Leon Uris [186]
“And you, my little friend?”
“I’ve got her stumped, Shlomo. Europeans, Czechs, Hungarians, Romanians, people who live by their wits and guile are her meat. I’m nobody’s sweetheart, but my mind can only get so crooked. I’m not up to games. What you see is what you get. I’ve done all the mean shit before, and it’s out of my system. Natasha has a hard time dealing with that. She knows I’m on to her game, her reasons, and that I can handle her sexually. Then, she made the cardinal error of falling in love with an intended victim. She loves me. I love her in a way. Real messy. It drives her nuts, but she can’t put the sword through the bull’s neck.”
“Fucking to the death. It sounds like a great sport,” Shlomo said.
The officers broke up a meeting with the major and commanded the troops to pack up and prepare to go down to the airstrip for evacuation.
“Isn’t he early?” Gideon asked.
“No, it’s almost time. The first Dakota is due in about twenty-five minutes.”
The bulldozer had just finished the job and hand crews were filling in the potholes.
“God-damned, shit, piss, and corruption,” Gideon blurted angrily. “Jesus, this has been like washing your feet with your socks on.”
“Win some, lose some,” Shlomo said. “Let’s hope to hell the Dakotas are able to land.”
At that instant, a jeep out on the perimeter raced toward the command post. The officer shouted at the top of his lungs, “I see Para 202! Zechariah is here!”
October 31, 1956
1700 HOURS, D DAY PLUS TWO
Lions to Southern Command 1700 Hours STOP Para 202 has linked up with us STOP Cancel Dakota air evacuation STOP We will radio list of most urgently needed supplies and equipment within the hour SIGNED Ben Asher
Central Command Tel Aviv to all Southern Command Air Units 1720 Hours STOP Anglo-French squadrons have commenced bombing Egyptian airfields STOP Stay clear of eastern side of Canal and Gulf of Suez SIGNED Hod, Air Chief, more follows, more follows, more follows, more follows Central Command to all Ground Units STOP Anglo-French Expeditionary Force has launched an attack on Port Said area with objective of seizing Canal STOP Israel has agreed to ultimatum to halt our forces eight miles from Canal STOP Confirm and comply SIGNED Dayan, Chief of Staff
Just before nightfall an air drop replenished the diminished inventory of Para 202, and a full assessment of the brigade’s battle-ready condition was under way. A hundred and fifty miles of cruel desert had savaged men, vehicles, and arms.
Zechariah’s paras were grungy and exhausted and craved sleep, like men in battle since ancient times. Most of them had been getting by on catnaps since the mobilization over a week earlier. They were punch-drunk, thick of tongue, and their mouths were too tired to chew food.
In the command tent, Colonel Zechariah studied the map with Major Ben Asher. The famed Colonel Z was both large and well-muscled, with a shining black beard that gave him a look of madness, like an ancient prophet in a rage. It seemed as though half the desert was caked on his face, his eyelids, his beard, and his baked, cracked lips. His clothing was torn in several places, sticky with sweat. He took no time for the luxury of a cleanup until plans were settled for tomorrow. Outside the tent, men were in deep sleep on the ground.
His aide, Captain Kofsky, entered with Dr. Schwartz.
“What’s the story?” Zechariah asked.
“There is no way you can push this unit out tomorrow,” Dr. Schwartz said. “They are beyond exhaustion and they will not perform. If you try to go tomorrow, you’re going to lose half of them. They’re just going to fold, collapse.” The doctor was pointed in his opening remark because he knew Zechariah would drive them before they were ready, unless he made a stand.
“They’ll rest at the end,” Zechariah said. “I’ll give them all a week to sleep after we take Sharm al-Sheikh.”
“It’s a hundred and seventy miles down