As soon as Oshanin left the observation post, Sokov heard someone shouting outside: "Brigade Commander, Comrade Brigade Commander, where are you? Have any of you seen Comrade Brigade Commander?"
Recognizing that the person calling was a staff officer at the brigade, Sokov quickly walked out of the observation post and shouted in the direction of the sound: "I'm here."
The staff officer saw Sokov standing outside the observation post, trotted over quickly, and reported breathlessly: "Comrade Brigade Commander, we have found you. A commander came from the front army headquarters and said that he had something urgent to come to see him. You, Comrade Chief of Staff, ordered me to come to you."
Just now, he had been unable to get in touch with the front army headquarters, but now someone suddenly came. Sokov guessed that it might be sent by Khrushchev, and hurriedly ran to the headquarters. When he came to the command post out of breath, he saw an unfamiliar major sitting inside. When the major saw him appearing, he quickly stood up from his seat and asked, "Are you Lieutenant Colonel Sokov?"
"Yes, I am Sokov." Sokov looked at the major and asked, "Are you from the front army headquarters?"
"That's right." The major nodded and replied: "I am Major Erastov from the Front Army Headquarters. I am sending you orders from the Front Army Headquarters." After saying that, he took out a copy from his bag. The document was handed to Sokov.
Sokov opened the document bag, took out a piece of paper, and carefully read the order on it. But after he read the above content, he couldn't help but frowned: "What? The front army headquarters ordered us to retreat and evacuate to the other side of the Volga River?"
"Yes, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." The Major replied expressionlessly, "That's the order I received."
"Hell, how can we retreat at this time?" Sidorin couldn't help but asked anxiously after hearing Sokov read out the order on the document: "Once we retreat, the Germans will occupy the Mamayev Hills , then the defenders in the city will be divided into two parts by the Germans."
"Comrade Brigadier," Political Commissar Belkin was a little out of breath. He quickly asked, "Who signed the order?"
Sokov glanced at the signature below and replied: "It's Major General Kovalenko, Chief of Staff of the Front."
When he learned that the retreat order was signed by the front army's chief of staff, Belkin fell silent. After a moment, he said: "Comrade Brigade Commander, since the front army headquarters ordered us to retreat, we should immediately pass the order down so that the commanders and soldiers can prepare for the retreat."
"Comrade Major." Sidorin looked at the major and asked, "Can I ask why the front army headquarters suddenly gave us an order to retreat?"
"The front army headquarters is being transferred," the major replied: "It may be to establish a new defense in the left bank area, so I ordered you to withdraw to the other bank."
After listening to the major's reply, Sidorin turned to ask Sokov, who was still staring at the order in a daze: "Comrade Brigade Commander, what do you think about it?"
From the first moment he saw the order, Sokov felt something was wrong. Both Yeremenko and Khrushchev should be very clear about the importance of Mamayev Heights. How could they give up so easily? Once the Germans occupy this commanding heights, the defenders in the city will be divided into two non-connected parts, and what awaits them is the fate of being gradually eliminated by the enemy.
Hearing Sidorin asking himself, Sokov did not answer immediately, but turned his attention to the major who sent the order. The major was young and handsome, wearing a brand-new military uniform and a large canopy on his head. The top of the cap is blue, indicating that he is a member of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
"Major Erastov," Sokov asked after a long silence: "A few hours ago, the German army shelled Mamayev Hill, and it is not safe on the way here. I didn't know you were alone. Did you come with guards?"
"The chief of staff was afraid that I would be in danger on the road, so he sent a guard to me. Here he is." Major Erastov pouted towards the door.
Sokov turned around and saw a tall and thick soldier with a Popov submachine gun hanging on his chest, standing at the door. His figure was quite intimidating when he stood there. Sokov looked away and asked Sidorin: "Chief of Staff, has Seryosha returned?"
"He's back," Sidorin nodded and said, "He's in the next room, preparing to carry out your order." Maybe it was because of the presence of outsiders. He didn't specify what the mission was, but Soko Both husband and Belkin knew that Seryosha would next lead his troops to search nearby settlements to see if there were deserters or spies sent by the Germans.
"Let him come here, I have a new task for him." Sokov said briefly.
Sidorin didn't ask what the mission was, and just picked up the phone on the table. After the call was connected, he said into the microphone: "Lieutenant Seryosha, the brigade commander has a task for you. Come over immediately."
Seryosha received the call and immediately ran over from next door. When he came to Sokov, he straightened his body and asked: "Comrade Brigadier, what new tasks do you have?"
"Seryozha, come here." Sokov took Seryosha aside and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "No matter what I say, don't look back or show surprise. I suspect there is something wrong with these two people from the Front Army Headquarters. You should immediately bring someone to control the guard at the door. Don't let him shoot. If he shoots with a Popov submachine gun, the people in the room will be shot. There will be heavy losses. Do you understand?"
"Understood, Comrade Brigadier." After Seryosha heard what Sokov said, he immediately stood up straight and replied in a loud voice: "I promise to complete the task well." After a pause, he asked again, "Permission Shall I go back and assign tasks?"
Sokov nodded and said: "After you go back, assign the task as soon as possible."
Watching Seryosha leave, Sidorin couldn't help but asked Sokov curiously: "Comrade Brigadier, what mission did you assign Seryosha, and why is it so mysterious?"
Sokov grinned and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the troops are about to be transferred. I asked him to arrange for two people to go to the health team. As for the reason, I don't need to say it, you should understand it."
Sidorin was convinced of Sokov's explanation, because the brigade commander's wife was in the health team, and the troops arranged for two soldiers to protect her safety during the transfer, which made perfect sense.
Major Erastov asked curiously: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, what's going on? Why are soldiers sent to the health team?" While speaking, his right hand rested on the holster at his waist.
Sidorin, who was completely unaware of this, said with a smile: "Because the brigade commander's wife is in the health team, if we announce in public that we will send someone to protect her, it will have a bad impact after all."
"So that's it." After listening to Sidorin's explanation, Major Erastov removed his hand from the holster and urged: "Comrade commanders, hurry up and give the troops a retreat order."
"Comrade Brigadier," before Sokov could speak, Seryosha appeared at the door again, followed by two soldiers with live ammunition. He asked loudly: "Are you going to perform the mission now?"
"Wait a minute, Lieutenant Seryosha, please wait a minute." After Sokov said this, he turned to Erastov and said: "Comrade Major, although you are from the Front Army Headquarters, I have never I’ve never seen you before, can you show me your ID?”
Sokov's words stunned Major Erastov for a moment, and then he nodded vigorously and said: "Absolutely, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." He took out his ID and said: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, your vigilance It’s very high, and that’s commendable.”
Sokov took Major Erastov's military ID card, opened it and checked it. The name and photo on it all matched the major in front of him. Although there was nothing wrong with the document, Sokov did not take it lightly. He continued to check the staples on the military ID. He remembered that the staples on the Soviet military ID were particularly easy to rust, and the staples on the ID in his hand were The staples are not rusty, and it looks like they are made of stainless steel staples.
Seeing the stainless steel staples on the inner pages, Sokov was almost certain that the other party was a German spy. He closed the document, handed it back to Major Erastov, and said with a smile: "Comrade Major, take this Keep your military ID card and don’t lose it.”
"Don't worry, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Major Erastov took the military ID card, put it in his pocket and said with a smile, "I will protect this military ID card like I care for my own eyes."
Sokov turned to Seryosha who was standing at the door and nodded slightly, indicating that he could take action. Then with lightning speed, he pulled out his pistol, pointed it at Major Erastov, and said loudly: "Put up your hands. !”
The soldier at the door saw Sokov's gun pointed at Major Erastov. When he was about to take any action, a cold gun was pressed against his chin. He could only raise it obediently. He raised his hands. When Major Erastov saw Sokov pointing the gun at him, he also raised his hand, but forced a smile and asked: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, what is going on?"
"Comrade Brigadier, what happened?" Sokov's actions shocked the people around him. They saw him pointing his gun at the major. Although everyone didn't understand what was going on, they also raised their weapons. , targeting the major and his entourage. Only Sidorin and Belkin asked with confused faces: "Why did you point the gun at Major Erastov?"
Seeing that at least ten guns of different calibers were pointed at Erastov, Sokov quickly turned his head and glanced at Seryosha, realizing that they had disarmed the soldier, and raised his voice and said: "Thank you. Liao Sha, come here."
When Seryosha came to him, Sokov ordered him: "Check the soles of his shoes?"
If Sidorin and Belgin had doubts just now, after hearing the order given by Sokov, they immediately realized that there was something wrong with the major in front of them. Seryosha walked up to Major Erastov, squatted in front of him, raised one of his legs, and examined the spikes on the bottom of his boots.
Everyone present knows that the spikes of Soviet military boots are round, while the spikes of German military boots are square. Sometimes to tell whether a person is a German in disguise, all you need to do is lift up his boots and see what shape the spikes on them look like. Seryosha only glanced at it, then raised his head and said loudly: "Comrade Brigade Commander, it is square."
As soon as Seryosha's words came out, everyone in the room understood that this so-called major from the front army headquarters was just a German in disguise. The furious Sidorin immediately ordered Seryosha: "Take him to the side and lock him up. If they try to escape, shoot him on the spot."
After Seryosha and several soldiers took away the fake officer disguised as a German agent, Belkin asked curiously: "Comrade Brigade Commander, how did you find out that he was an enemy disguised as an enemy?"
"When I first saw this document and the signature below, I almost believed it to be true." Seeing that his two deputies were full of doubts, Sokov explained to them: "But then I thought about it. Our garrison at Mamayev Heights was arranged by the Supreme Command, and even the Front Army Headquarters did not mobilize our authority. Therefore, I became suspicious of Major Erastov from the Front Army Headquarters. "
When Sokov was making analysis to Sidorin and Belgin, there were many curious staff officers and communications soldiers standing next to him. Sidorin originally wanted to drive them away, but Sokov raised his hand to stop them. , he continued: "When I checked his military ID card, I found that the staples on the inner pages were made of stainless steel. As you all know, the staples on the inner pages of our military ID cards are made of materials that are easy to rust. , how could it be possible to use stainless steel? This is the second doubt."
"After discovering these two doubts, I decided to take a risk and decisively ordered Seryosha to take action. After disarming the soldiers at the door, I then checked Major Erastov's shoe spikes to determine whether he Our own people.”
"Comrade Brigadier, it's very risky for you to do this." Belkin said with lingering fear: "If he really comes from the front army headquarters, you will offend him by doing this."
"I don't understand why the enemy would pretend to be an officer from the front army headquarters and give us this retreat order at this time." Sidorin frowned and said: "You know, it is very easy for them to do this. We found out."
"If I'm not wrong, the Germans must have learned through some means that the front army headquarters was in the process of being transferred and lost contact with all the troops. That's why they took the risk to fish in troubled waters." Sokov looked at Sido Lin said: "Because they know very well that even if we have doubts about the order, because we can't contact the headquarters, we have no choice but to obey the order in the end, so that their conspiracy can succeed."
