Chapter 3

They found themselves in position above the road where the Soviet troop concentration had been reported. It was a bridge over a swift-flowing German river, the Weser. If it could be blown, it would be awhile before bridging equipment could be brought up to replace it. Moreover, the banks of the river at the highway crossing were high and steep. Even if a pontoon bridge were to be thrown up, it would not be easy to get trucks and tanks down one bank and up again on the opposite side.

Mike was studying the scene carefully through binoculars. Kelly just watched the activity for a while and then asked to borrow his watch. One after another, she watched individual vehicles come through a nearby cut, move across the bridge and disappear over the crest of the hill on the west bank.

After timing several of them, she turned to Mike. “Would a diversion be helpful? Something nice and bright and loud?”

He nodded, preoccupied with his observations.

She went to their packs and prepared three small demolition charges following the instructions he had previously given her. She set the digital timers, smiled at him and moved off carrying her MP-5 with its silencer in place. She hadn’t told him what she intended to do.

Kelly moved carefully down the slope from their place of concealment. It was late afternoon and the sun was low on the horizon. She reached the place she had been watching, a narrow cut in the hillside from which vehicles continued to roll down the hill, over the bridge and then up the other side. She took cover in a drainage ditch next to the road relying on the camouflage pattern of her combat jacket to provide her with the concealment she needed. Crouching behind a boulder, she watched the oncoming traffic.

Soon she saw what she had been waiting for: a fuel truck followed by four heavy tanks. Kelly knew that visibility in the tanks was severely restricted. For no apparent reason — possibly training — the tanks were traveling fully buttoned up. All hatches were closed and the crews were inside. She waited for the tank truck to come even with her. When the cab of the truck passed, she armed the detonator and jumped to her feet. Slamming it against the fuel tank it was held it in place by adhesive material on the charge.

Calmly she ducked, ran behind the truck and lay on her back in the middle of the roadway as the following tank flying a pennant from its antenna rolled over her. She waited until it was right above her, armed the second charge and slammed it up on the belly of the tank. She remained on her back in the middle of the road and waited for the second tank to pass over her. Again she slapped a demolition charge in place and waited. As soon as the tank’s tracks were clear, she rolled off the road into the ditch.

She gasped as she realized she had only missed being run over by the track of the third tank by inches. After crawling back in the ditch to where she had left her weapon she made her way back up the hill. Mike gave her a very relieved smile when he saw her dart out from the trees back to his position. She looked quickly and saw the fourth tank was just moving clear of the bridge and starting up the hill.

He asked her what she had been doing. She just grinned and held his wrist to look at his watch. “If it works, you will know in about twenty seconds.”

They watched as the digital numbers advanced. Twenty seconds later they heard a small explosion followed a split-second later by a much larger one from behind the ridge on the other side of the river. “That was a fuel truck,” she said gleefully.

Moments later, there was another sequence of explosions, followed a short time later by a third set. “Hey Mike, your toys really work!”

Then there was a series of explosions followed by an earthshaking roar. They looked across the river and were astonished to see a stream of fire flowing down the road toward the bridge passing under the now-stopped vehicles. As they watched, the fuel tank under another truck exploded from the heat of the flames beneath it. The truck crews and troops jumped from the vehicles and scrambled to both sides of the road for safety.

Mike watched in amazement. He looked at Kelly and said, “What in the name of God did you do?”

Kelly was embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Mike. I was just trying to help. Did I really screw things up for you?”

He grinned up at her and said, “Not hardly! We were supposed to disrupt this crossing and you sure did. But what did you do, and how?”

“While you were looking at the bridge, I was timing the vehicles. I found that it took five to five and a half minutes from the time a vehicle cleared the cut down there until it cleared the ridge on the other side,” she said pointing to the location where she had placed the charges. “I took three charges and waited. I saw they had fuel trucks spotted at intervals among the others — for safety, I guess.

“Anyway, I waited in the ditch beside the road and saw the perfect opportunity. There was a fuel truck followed by four tanks. You probably noticed the tanks are traveling buttoned up for some reason.”

“I hadn’t noticed, but I certainly should have,” he commented while shaking his head in embarrassment.

She continued, “Anyway, I know tanks are pretty blind, particularly if you’re up very close to them. I set a charge against the tank of the fuel truck and then laid down in the road. When the first tank rolled over me, I placed a charge under it and then another charge under the next one. I rolled off the road and came back here. Was that all right?”

Mike just shook his head. “Kelly, you’re telling me you just lay in the middle of the road and let a tank run over you?” She nodded, not knowing what to say. “How did you get off the road?”

“I just rolled across the road into the ditch,” she replied. “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do? I didn’t think the little charges I had would do a damn thing against the tank’s armor, but I didn’t think the armor would be very thick underneath.”

“Darling, that’s perfect. How much did you clear the tread of the next tank by?”

Kelly reddened. “Only a couple of inches, I guess. I didn’t move as fast as I should have.”

“Kelly, dear, I have news for you. The speed and interval of the vehicles is supposed to be timed to make what you just did impossible. You’re absolutely right about a tank’s armor: They are vulnerable from below. Did you know how much time you would have to get clear?”

Abashed, she shook her head. “I didn’t think it was very important. I thought the important thing was them, not me. Anyway, it looks like it worked.”

Her face took on an eager look. “Mike, I have another idea. It looks like I kicked over the ant hill. How about if I finish it up by blowing the bridge? You can cover me from up here. You aren’t in any shape to move fast, but I can.”

As they spoke, they saw Russian troops and officers scurrying around like ants after their anthill had been destroyed. “I can take advantage of the confusion to plant the charges. The only problem is I don’t know where to plant them on a bridge.”

The bridge was a concrete arch spanning the river. Mike showed her where to place the charges using a diagram he made in the dirt. Then she took one of the large demolition packs and went down the hill. He swallowed hard as he saw her stopped by a challenge at the eastern end of the bridge. Somehow she got clear of the sentry and jogged across it, dropping from the edge of the roadway to the embankment below.