"Comrade division commander," Sidorin asked tentatively after Sokov's words came to an end, "What kind of equipment should we equip the small team that goes deep behind enemy lines this time?"
What kind of equipment should be equipped? This question puts Sokov in a dilemma. In the past, small teams that went deep behind enemy lines usually disguised themselves as Germans, rode in captured armored vehicles, and carried a sufficient number of new rockets to disrupt the enemy's rear. However, the Germans are not fools. After suffering several losses, they have become vigilant. All troops retreating from the front line must be strictly inspected, especially armored vehicles.
"I think we should equip the squad with armored vehicles as before." Ivanov interjected, "With armored vehicles, no matter how fast the marching speed is, we can advance dozens or even hundreds of kilometers a day; and we can also carry more A larger number of new rockets to better attack the enemy."
"No, Comrade Deputy Division Commander." Sokov shook his head and said, "We cannot equip this small team with armored vehicles."
"Why?"
"The reason is very simple." Sokov explained: "The enemy now lacks fuel, and a large number of tanks and cars cannot move. If our reconnaissance team operates in armored vehicles, the target will be very large, and it will definitely be investigated by the enemy. As for marching on foot, although the speed is much slower and they carry less things, the target is small and they can march in the forest to avoid enemy inspections."
In fact, Ivanov understood what Sokov said, but for a long time, small teams sent to perform tasks behind enemy lines have traveled in armored vehicles, which has developed an inertial thinking. If the small team Without armored vehicles, mobility is greatly reduced. After listening to Sokov's explanation, he immediately realized that this mission was different from the past. If he still insisted on his previous thinking, something big might happen.
An hour before the team set off, Sokov summoned Guchakov and Cavin to the headquarters. He said to the two of them: "We cannot provide you with armored vehicles for this operation. You can only walk there on your own two legs. Since there are no armored vehicles, the number of rockets you can carry will be greatly reduced. You must be mentally prepared in advance.”
Guchakov felt a little disappointed when he learned that he would not be able to ride in an armored vehicle during this operation. But he always obeyed Sokov's orders unconditionally. He did not ask why he was not equipped with an armored vehicle. He straightened his back and replied: "Don't worry, comrade division commander, we are confident to complete this mission."
Sokov walked up to Guchakov, put his hands on his shoulders, and said to him: "Captain Guchakov, due to the attack launched by our army in the Don River Basin, a large number of enemies retreated to Stalinger In the Le area, the number of German troops in some areas has increased dramatically, doubling the risk factor of your operation."
"Don't worry, comrade division commander." Guchakov replied without changing his face: "No matter how dangerous the situation is, we will never retreat and will definitely complete the tasks assigned to us by our superiors."
…………
When Guchakov and Kavin led the team through the forward positions and headed towards the German defense zone under the cover of night, Sokov received a call from Yakov from Moscow.
As soon as the phone call came through, Yakov asked directly: "Misha, is it easy for you to talk now?"
Upon hearing this, Sokov immediately realized that the other party must have something important to tell him, and quickly said: "It's okay, there are people I know well in the command center. If you have anything, just ask."
"Something happened." Yakov said in a panic: "Our engineers had an accident while developing incendiary bombs. The entire laboratory was burned down. Fifteen people were killed and more than thirty people were injured. According to Ust Comrade Nove said that this development work may be stopped.”
Sokov never dreamed that Yakov would actually take it seriously when he casually mentioned the incendiary bombs, and would organize people to conduct experiments after returning. Now that there has been an accident in the laboratory and so many people have been killed or injured, I, as the instigator, still bear some responsibility.
Hearing Sokov's silence, Yakov became anxious. He hurriedly said: "Comrade Ustinov wants to see you. Can you return to Moscow as soon as possible?"
Yakov's words made Sokov very embarrassed: "Yasha, you also know that we are launching a counterattack against the German army. How can I abandon my troops at this time..."
"I have asked my father's permission for this matter." Yakov interrupted Sokov before he finished speaking: "And I also understand that your division will not have any major problems in the short term. For a large-scale battle, you can temporarily transfer the command of the troops to the deputy division commander or chief of staff."
Knowing that his return to Moscow had been approved by the Supreme Commander himself, Sokov no longer made excuses to refuse, but asked directly: "Yasha, how should I get to Moscow?"
"Tomorrow at ten o'clock in the morning, a new type of passenger plane will land at the temporary airport on the left bank of the Volga River." Yakov said on the phone: "You can take that plane and come to Moscow."
A new passenger plane? Sokov secretly muttered to himself, aren't all Soviet manned aircraft converted from transport aircraft or bombers? What's going on with this new passenger plane that Yakov was talking about?
"Chief of Staff, Deputy Division Commander." Sokov put down the phone and said to Sidorin and Ivanov: "I have to rush to Moscow tomorrow. During my absence, the work of the division will be left to you two. Someone is responsible for handling it.”
"Go to Moscow?" When Sidorin heard what Sokov said, he couldn't help showing a surprised expression on his face: "Comrade division commander, at this time, why did your superiors ask you to go to Moscow?"
"I don't know either." Sokov shook his head and replied with a wry smile: "Maybe I won't be able to figure out what happened until I get to Moscow."
"Comrade Division Commander," Ivanov said with a complicated expression on his face: "Under the current circumstances, if we only take a defensive stance, the enemy will not pose any threat to us. You can go to Moscow with confidence."
As the chief of staff, Sidorin considered the problem more comprehensively than Ivanov: "Comrade division commander, how do you plan to get to Moscow? After all, the distance between the two places is nearly a thousand kilometers. Even in peacetime, taking the train will take a day and a night. Time. Besides, this route is not smooth enough now, so I’m afraid it will take twice as long.”
"Not by train." Sokov replied: "There will be a plane landing at the temporary airport on the left bank tomorrow morning. I will go there to take the plane then."
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin said with concern after confirming Sokov's departure time: "While it's still early, you should go back and rest early. After daybreak, I will send someone to escort you to the other side."
After dawn, Sidorin asked Samoilov to drive a jeep to take Sokov to the temporary airport on the left bank. On the way, Samoilov asked with concern: "Comrade division commander, why do you suddenly want to go back to Moscow?"
Because there were many secrets involved, Sokov could not say too much to Samoylov. He could only reply briefly: "I followed the orders of my superiors. As for the period when I left, all work in the division was carried out by The chief of staff and deputy division commander will do it.”
"How long will it take to go?"
"I don't know." Sokov shook his head and replied, "Maybe one or two days, maybe four or five days or longer."
When the jeep arrived at the entrance to the makeshift airport, it was stopped by troops guarding the airport. A second lieutenant walked up to the car, looked down at the car, saw Samoylov sitting in the passenger seat clearly, raised his hand in salute, and said politely: "Please show me your ID!"
Samoilov took out his ID from his pocket and handed it to the ensign. After the second lieutenant read Samoilov's ID, he did not return it to him immediately. Instead, he said to Sokov, who was sitting in the back row: "Comrade Colonel, please show your ID."
"I am Colonel Sokov, commander of the 41st Guards Division." Sokov forgot about the gray passenger plane parked on the runway of the airport, and began to mutter in his heart: Could that be the plane that came to pick me up? ?
"Hello, Colonel Sokov." After the second lieutenant checked Sokov's ID, he took a step back, raised his hand in salute and said, "The plane that picked you up arrived half an hour ago. Please level up as soon as possible." After saying that, he held the certificate in both hands and respectfully returned it to Sokov and Samoylov.
After the horizontal railing in the middle of the road was lifted, the driver drove the vehicle towards the passenger plane. After the car stopped next to the plane, Samoilov immediately jumped out of the car and opened the door for Sokov from the outside. After briefly explaining his work to Samoilov, Sokov walked up the spiral staircase and prepared to board the plane.
Unexpectedly, he had just walked to the door of the cabin when a stewardess in military uniform came out. She blocked Sokov's path with her hand and asked politely: "Comrade commander, I wonder where your leader is?"
"Chief, what chief?!"
Seeing that the other party did not understand her intention, the stewardess repeated again: "Our plane was ordered to pick up Colonel Sokov. Did you get on the wrong plane?"
Hearing his name spoken by the flight attendant, Sokov grinned, took out his ID from his pocket, handed it to the flight attendant, and said to her: "This is my ID!"
The flight attendant took the certificate and saw that the person standing in front of her was Colonel Sokov. She quickly raised her hand in salute and said apologetically: "I'm sorry, Colonel Sokov. I didn't know it was you. Please forgive me. It's cold outside." , please come into the cabin."
Sokov followed the stewardess into the cabin and saw that the seats inside were empty and there was no one. I couldn't help asking curiously: "Comrade, where are the others?"
"No more." The stewardess shook her head and said, "We are here to pick you up and not carry anyone else."
Sokov was surprised that he actually benefited from Yakov and enjoyed the treatment of a special plane. Before the plane took off, he curiously asked the flight attendant: "What kind of plane is this? Why have I never seen it before?"
"This is a passenger plane that the United States just donated to us a few months ago," the stewardess explained to Sokov: "It is said to be a passenger plane produced by the Douglas Aircraft Factory. It is much safer and more comfortable than a transport aircraft."
Regarding the flight attendant's statement, Sokov nodded in agreement. No matter how good the transport plane is, it is still a cargo plane that carries cargo. The passenger plane he is flying now, no matter how bad it is, is still transporting people, so the comfort level is naturally not comparable to that of a transport aircraft.
Nearly a thousand highways away, the plane flew in the air for nearly three hours, and finally landed at a field airport in the eastern suburbs of Moscow. After the plane stopped, the cabin door opened, and a man rushed in from the outside. He came up and hugged Sokov who had just stood up, and said excitedly: "Misha, I finally waited for you to come."
While hugging the other person, Sokov asked curiously: "Yasha, how is your situation? Have the aftermath been handled properly?"
"Yes," Yakov nodded and replied, "We have basically completed the aftermath of the accident." He let go of Sokov, took a step back and said, "Let's go, the car is waiting for you below. .”
Sokov followed Yakov out of the cabin and saw a black car parked on the runway. When Sokov entered the car, he found that there was no one inside, and the driver was Yakov.
Seeing that Yakov had made things so complicated, Sokov said with a wry smile: "Yasha, you asked me to come to Moscow this time. Isn't the noise too big? It's a special plane and a special car. It makes me really nervous." It’s so shameful.”
"Misha, what happened this time is a bit big." Yakov said with a somewhat nervous expression: "Even Comrade Ustinov can't deal with it, so he can only transfer you from Stalingrad. We all believe that with this Your ability is fully qualified for this glorious and arduous task."
Yakov's words made Sokov's heart beat faster. He muttered to himself: "Why did Yakov say this? He sounded like he was being used as a scapegoat."
"We developed napalm," Yakov said with a serious expression: "But the laboratory was attacked, an explosion occurred inside, and several engineers and technical backbones responsible for the development were killed. And those precious All the information was burned."
When Sokov heard this, he was surprised. It was incredible that German spies could sneak into the laboratory of the Department of Weapons and Equipment, and even burn the laboratory down with a fire. However, there is no point in asking yourself to do this kind of thing. When it comes to criminal investigation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the most expert. There is no need to let yourself go into this muddy water.
When Sokov heard this, he was surprised. It was incredible that German spies could sneak into the laboratory of the Department of Weapons and Equipment, and even burn the laboratory down with a fire. However, there is no point in asking yourself to do this kind of thing. When it comes to criminal investigation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the most expert. There is no need to let yourself go into this muddy water.
