"Tony Ruggiero - Team of Darkness 1 - Operation Immortal Servitude" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ruggiero Tony)

well as to several agencies in the United States. Everyone wanted to be kept in the
loop of what was happening.
As the sergeant, corporal and civilian entered the captain's office, the civilian
surprised them all by lunging toward the captain. He grasped the collar of Block's
uniform in his hard, weathered hands and spoke hurriedly, spraying spittle onto
Block's face. Shocked, Block found himself unable to move. The civilian's hands
were like steel, and were locked onto his clothing. He couldn't budge them. In those
seconds, he saw that this man was scared out of his mind. His eyes twitched,
revealing blood-lined white backgrounds that contrasted with darting pupils. As he
continued to rant, the man's body pulsed with uncontrollable fear.
The sergeant and the corporal managed to pull him away from the captain and
forcefully sat him into the chair. They kept their hands clamped over the man's wrists
and forearms until he settled down. After a few seconds, the sergeant released his
grip on the man, but not before giving him a stern look and finger wagging that
promised retribution if he tried something like that again. Estefan looked at the
corporal to be sure he had the man; when the corporal nodded, the sergeant turned
toward the captain with a look of disgrace on his face.
"Sorry, sir. I never thought he would do that. He caught me off guard."
"It's okay. He caught me off guard, too,тАЭ Block said, attempting to catch his breath.
тАЬWhatever it is, he's scared out of his mind.тАЭ Then in a low voice that only the
sergeant could hear, тАЬI can almost smell the fear from him."
Estafen nodded his head in agreement with Block's assessment.
A knock at the door caused Block to look up. Another corporal entered; his boyish
features making him appear eighteen or nineteen years of age. He was five foot six
inches and weighed perhaps one hundred and fifty pounds soaking wet.
"Corporal Brosnev, reporting as ordered for interpreter duties, sir,тАЭ he said in a
voice that reflected a nervous untested youth.
"Come in, Corporal,тАЭ Block said, as he waved him in. тАЬI want you to find out what
this civilian is ranting about. He's scared out of his mind about something."
"Yes, sir,тАЭ the corporal responded and went to where the civilian was being held in
the chair. Estefan dismissed the other corporal as Brosnev took the position of
holding the man's forearms to the chair.
Block listened as the corporal addressed the civilian in the local Slavic dialect. The
man's eyes lit up at the recognition of language. Another onslaught of words spilled
from his lips. Brosnev raised his hands and spoke a few words repeatedly to the
civilian that Block assumed was telling him to go slowly so that he could understand
what he was trying to say. The only word that was recognizable to him was the
repeated mention of the town Kacianik. Block continued to listen and watch as the
interpreter questioned the civilian. For several minutes they spoke back and forth.
"What's wrong?тАЭ Block asked finally.
"We're trying to agree on a dialect,тАЭ Brosnev said. тАЬBetween the provinces, dialects
differ immensely."
After a few more exchanges of words, Brosnev raised his hand indicating for the
civilian to stop. He turned to speak with the captain.
"His name is Idriz Laupki,тАЭ Brosnev said. тАЬHe lives in a little village outside the city
of Kacianik. He says that he has found people that have been murdered."
"Is it more ethnic cleansing?тАЭ Block asked, in a voice that reflected having seen too
much of this already. They found mass graves of bodies from these atrocities almost
every other day, and there was no getting use to the sight of civilians killed and piled
into hastily dug holes. тАЬAsk him to tell you about the killings."