"William W. Johnstone - Ashes 01 - Out of the Ashes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Johnstone William W)

know exactly where to sit. There was no unnecessary chatter, few social amenities were exchanged. The
men looked at each other, nodded, then sat down.

All of the men were military. That would have been evident to even the most uneducated in military
bearing. Neatly trimmed hair, out of style; eyes that gave away nothing; erect bearing; no wasted motion.

To the more knowledgeable, the men were line officers and combat-experienced sergeants and chiefs.
All career men.

The Army general and colonels, had they been in uniform, would have had Airborne/Ranger/Special
Forces tabs on their shoulders. The generals and colonels of the Marine Corps are Force
ReconтАФtrainedтАФRaiders. The general and colonels of the Air Force are combat pilots and Air Force
commandos. The Navy men are UDT, SEAL, pilots, shipsтАЩ captains. The Coast Guard men are all
career; they have all seen combat. There were fifteen sergeant majors and master chiefs making up the
complement.

During the past twenty-four hours, the men, all having arrived at night, had traveled various routes to get
to the lodge. The real-estate agent who had rented them the lodge knew only that he was renting the
place for a top-level think tank.

Keep your mouth shut about this and we'll be back next year. A handsome bonus for you. And don't
disturb us.

Yes, sir, the agent had replied instinctively. Guy looked like his old drill sergeant.

Guards were sentried about the two hundred acres. They were in civilian clothes and their sidearms
were out of sight.

Cigars, pipes, and cigarettes smoking, water glasses filled, the men waited for someone to open the ball.

тАЬWho ordered this low alert the press is talking about?тАЭ the question was tossed out.

тАЬCame out of the Joint Chiefs. It's confused the hell out of a lot of units and caused several hundred
thousand men to be shifted around, out of standard position. Goddamn, it's going to be days before they
get back to normal. We not only don't know who issued the order, but why?тАЭ

тАЬMaybe to get us out of position for the big push?тАЭ

тАЬI thought we had more timeтАФmonths, even.тАЭ
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тАЬSomething's happened to cause them to speed up their timetable,тАЭ Gen. Vern Saunders of the Army
said. тАЬThat means we've got to move very quickly.тАЭ

тАЬHell, Vern,тАЭ Gen. Tom Driskill of the Marine Corps said, тАЬwhat can we do ... really? We're up against
it. We allthink we know where тАШitтАЩ is. But we're not certain. Do we dare move? If we do, what will be
the consequences?тАЭ