"William Forstchen - Crystal Warriors 1 - Crystal Warriors" - читать интересную книгу автора (Forstchen William R)

He had to decide, he had to decide now. Mark looked over his shoulder. Giorgini was already swinging
his carbine around.

"Giorgini, freeze! Don't move a goddamn inch!"

"But, Captain..."

Mark turned back to face Giorgini and started to raise his own .45.

"Giorgini, if you move, I'll blow your goddamn head off."

He stared at his men for a moment. They were silent--the only sound was the snapping of the bullets
overhead. Gazing beyond his men he saw the swarm of Chinese bandits advancing up the slope.

Mark looked back at the Japanese officer.

"Captain, you're trapped. I offer you quarter," Ikawa shouted. "Those men behind you are the soldiers of
a renegade warlord. He doesn't care if you're American, Japanese, Nationalist, or Communist. Any
outsiders meet death at his hand. You saw what they did to your man."

"Goddamn it, they killed Ed," Goldberg cried.

"You've no time, Captain. Surrender and I will give you quarter. If you do not, my men will finish you or
leave you to them." The Japanese officer pointed back down the hill to the advancing horde.

Mark followed his gaze. There was no hope; he had to take the chance.

"Drop your weapons," Mark cried.

"But, Captain!"

"Drop them now!"

He heard the carbines, Thompsons, and .45s hitting the ground.
"Good," Ikawa grunted. "Follow Sergeant Saito, he'll show you the way. Now move!"

Mark looked again at the Japanese officer, and hesitated.

"Move your men out. Or do you want the bandits to finish you the way they did your comrade?" Ikawa
asked softly.

Ed, damn them, they killed Ed. He looked back at the advancing host, while the air reverberated with
the snap-crack of passing bullets.

"All right, move it," Mark commanded. "Follow their sergeant. Lets go!"

The Americans fell in behind Sergeant Saito, but Mark stayed behind. Several Japanese soldiers sprinted
to pick up the American weapons, then rejoined the retreat.