Struggle: The Path to Power - Владимир Андерсон

Kostya was blown off his feet in front of everyone. The SWAT team immediately rushed to the 3rd house.

"In position! Quickly! Rozhkov after me!", Misha shouted and ran up to the man lying there. Nearby there was a 20-centimeter deep crater with a broken tail of a shell sticking out of the middle — Kostya was not badly hit and was concussed.

Everything is floating, you can't hear anything. I couldn't understand what was around me, and I had no strength to move — everything was different. The wounded man was dragged to the medical aid house, and at once there was a blast tens of meters to the north, again on the road. Then it exploded somewhere else, and then it was quiet: no gunshots, no stomping, no screams.

Natasha! It's about time! She picked up Kostya and nodded her head affirmatively: Zhivenko was the platoon commander, and he should be in charge of his section.

"Help her and right back," Misha said and ran to his line of defense. *** 06:31

In the basement, of the four radios, only one did not broadcast the phrase "We're quiet". Three were connecting to platoons and one to the sanitary unit. Half a minute had crawled by since the shelling.

"We have three wounded," Schwarzenberg reported.

He had nothing to answer but "Accepted": what can you advise a doctor if you are not one yourself?

In this situation Bolotnikov was more interested in the sentries: there were three of them, and none of them reported anything. In fact, only one of them was left — the rest of the plagues had been "covered" using a tip-off from their agent.

"Bullfinch (Bolotnikov), I am Sinitsa (Zhivenko). Fourth bush (house) at 7 o'clock. Platoon 170," said a voice from the radio.

They're heading straight for the minefields. But it's a test run, there's more of them. It's better to lure them to this direction. The informer, of course, did not know where the command post was located, but he could guess, and the choice, generally speaking, is not great… Stop! The informer did not know where their headquarters was, but he knew where… God!

Bolotnikov grabbed the communications device, "Sinitsa, I'm Snowbird. Approach them at 100 meters and simulate a counterattack. Then withdraw 7-10 meters deeper than the previous positions."

Without hearing the answer, clutched another radio in his hand: "Falcon (Schwarzenberg), I am Snowbird.

333 (redeploy) to the 3rd house. Immediately. Execute!"

The plagues obviously knew where the sanitarium was. They would make several attacks, wait until a decent number of people had accumulated there, and leave no stone unturned from this house. Bolotnikov had already stepped on this "rake" once, then they saw the movement of sanitary units and destroyed the position: 48 people were killed. This figure now flashed in his mind in an interesting way. What it said most of all, the major did not yet understand.

*** 06:35

Twenty seconds, and shots rang out.

*** 06:37

Two minutes, and boots stomped on the ceiling: the floor creaks here for a reason — it hasn't been repaired for 150 years.

They are carrying the wounded. The command post is shielded from direct hits from the south by a row of ruined houses — only a brick chimney barely hanging on the roof peeks out from the barrier.

*** 06:40

There were a series of explosions followed by gunfire.

— Bullfinch, I'm a tit. Fangs flew into the dandelions (minefield). They're retreating.

— Casualties?

— Ours, one dead, two wounded. Heavy and not so heavy. Theirs: 20–30 chums.

— Do not pursue. Move to your original positions. You have seven minutes to perfume the most exposed areas and especially the southeastern part. Casualties to the third house. — Yes, Snowbird.

— Over and out.

Beside Bolotnikov stood three special forces, waiting for their time.

"There's a job for you," the major proclaimed.

They didn't blink an eye: what to do, if they have such an attitude — to be ready.

"In fifteen minutes, twenty plagues will attack from the south. "with a large force. Your task is to disrupt their left flank attack. 20 meters, no less along the front line should be confused… Their left flank will be somewhere here, perhaps deeper. — Bolotnikov indicated a point on the map and its corresponding square. — Good luck to you guys."

Their grim and motionless faces nodded simultaneously. The military salute was sharp and steady. The bundle was on its way.

*** 06:44

— Bullfinch, I am Stork (Kosmogorov). 10th bush. 10 hours. Platoon. 210.

— Approach at 150 meters. Respond with singles. Utilize the full capabilities of the 10 bush.

— Got it, Snowbird.

— Over and out.

They want to turn our defenses and attack from the south. The 10th house is well fortified. They'll think we're best prepared there, and have mined the approaches from the south, relying on the "artificial" wall of permitted houses. They'll probably show up somewhere else now. It didn't take long for the premise to sink in.

*** 06:50

— Snowbird, I'm Stork. 8th bush. 8 o'clock. A little less than a platoon. 170.

— Open fire. Use one-third of bush 6's capabilities. Do not let them within 60 meters.

Another false attack, but closer to the target. The fortified position must not be shown, or the flank will be reinforced. *** 06:55

Steppe with a slight slope. No snow; grass slightly protruding outwards — spring. A warm breeze blows from the side: favorite and pleasant.

The North, as always, was the first to crawl: on this field it is especially necessary, because it is a minefield, as we say, with dandelions — if one of them explodes, its seeds will fly in all directions to reward someone else.

The tactics and effectiveness of communication mainly depends on the coherence and thoughtfulness of interaction. To feel not only your own movements, but also those around you.

In the distance, the plagues showed themselves. Darkness.

When you