The air raid
The Remote Control Job
An excerpt
‘I want an urgent and accurate report on the casualties and the damages caused by this barbaric air-
raid, the exact areas, districts and streets; let me put it down as clear as possible: I’ve got to know the exact spots, where each of these bombs fell and exploded!'
'Hum... It might take some time to have such a report ready comrade commissar, some two or three days at least.’ the jail commander answered him.
'Nonsense, send your men right after the “all clear” sounds, and use all your sub units, all over the city. I mean the emergency rescue operation squads; each chief should prepare such a report and transmit it on the spot, while conducting the rescue operations. Thus I assume the matter which is of the most urgent importance, would be achieved in the shortest time possible. See to it right away!'
'Very well comrade commissar, I'll see to it right away.' Repeated the jail commander the head commissar's order reluctantly, concealing his anger behind a pale and expressionless mask.
It’s none of the “old scorpion's” business... I've got enough headaches without his important report... the jail commander thought, enraged and embittered by that unexpected harsh trespassing into his sacred domain.
It’s my duty and mine alone, to report directly to the Central Committee. He thought sneaking a wrathful look at the head commissar’s face.
'Let's get started, let’s get on with it!' The head commissar added raising his voice, taking advantage of his young opponent's obvious retreat. 'Within the next half hour I expect to have the last details on the most devastated sites in our capital. That's what we need. Put your second in command on the phone, and see that he'll get me those crucial details in time. But let's get to your office first; I can't see any imminent danger that might threaten us now over there.' He remarked smiling at the jail commander, as if they were on very close terms.
While they were leaving the cellar room that served them as a temporary shelter, they had to pass through throngs of the jail's staff who crowded the cellar's corridor; halting at the feet of the stairs abruptly the jail commander summoned his highest subordinate, among the gathered staff, to issue his orders and pass them on as needed. He rushed right after the head commissar, who had already disappeared around the passage's corner; and as he entered his own office he found the head commissar already seated in his own comfortable chair. And though it was just what he expected to find, it did upset him still, and he had to do his best to overcome it.
'Get me the special line I've got a call to make.' The head commissar ordered him, before the jail commander had the chance, to rest his tired and weary limbs on some unoccupied chair.
'What’s the number?' The jail commander asked eagerly, soaring above his frustration with surprising enthusiasm.
'Just hand over the phone,' the head commissar answered him rather dryly.
'Shall I leave you alone for a while, comrade commissar?' The jail commander asked again with a note of slight sarcasm, while he was rising to his feet and pushing his chair backwards, in an ironic show of obedience.
'Do sit down comrade Ngoyen I haven't any secrets to hide. ' While these words were on his lips, he had the receiver ready, close to his ear and dialed the set of numbers he had to.
'Comrade Lee, I'm expecting you... That's right... I'm already there myself.' He added and hung up.
'Well,' he turned back to the jail commander after having made his call. 'He's on the brink now, and we must revive him, unpleasant as it might be. Anyhow it’s the right time, in a couple of days he might drop into a coma, and we might miss our chance and the whole project as well.' As a matter of fact, he did not find it necessary at all up to this very moment to share his views on the prisoner's progress with that young cub, but he did ride on his back for quite a while already and he had to compensate him in some way
'Oh, I see!' The jail commander answered with a grin of approval.
'Now then, there's a ready vehicle at your disposal I understand; an armored car, is that right?'
'Why yes, that's right.' The jail commander answered surprised. 'Don't tell me you have any thoughts of using it, it does consume gasoline rather heavily comrade commissar.' He did not mind lending his one and only armored car to the old scorpion, on one sole condition, that he'll spend on it his own fuel coupons.
'That's right, I intend to use it, I want to take the American, our comrade Spree and let him have a good look at the bombed sites. It’s part of his treatment. There's a driver to that car, right?'
'Of course, as a matter of fact there is a crew of three to man it.'
'I need the driver, only the driver for a short incognito tour, as comrade Spree might cause riots if he'll be seen and identified.'
'But who would be the third person to accompany him, not you comrade commissar?'
'Comrade Lee Chen Woe would be the third person.' The old scorpion smiled satisfied, glad to remind the commander her existence and the short memory he has.
'It looks too risky to me; it might tempt him to escape...'
'I don't think so, not with comrade Lee Chen Woe on board.' the head commissar assured him, ignoring the veiled insult in the commander's remark.
The far sounds of the air-raid were dying away, there were no more bomb explosions to be heard, nor any of the accompanying sounds; the bursts of the anti air-craft batteries’ fire, thus a sudden silence ensued, strange, unexpected and embarrassing silence.
'The all clear is about to sound any moment now, see if your second in command has some details already and by the way, have we shot any of the aggressors down?'
Switching on the intercom, the jail commander asked his second in command for the requested information. The answer came right away and they both sat and listened to the bits of information that were already gathered. Some thirty six B52 enemy planes took part in the air raid. Just one enemy plane crushed in the jungle. But no parachutes were seen. Some of the phone lines were cut off during the attack, and as a result the situation in several quarters is unknown yet. Two more of the enemy's planes were probably hit, but did manage somehow to return with the rest of the aggressors southward.
'What poor results!' The jail commander remarked with disappointment, switching off the intercom in disgust.
'Yes, It's too bad.' the head commissar agreed. 'But with the anti air missiles that we shall soon get from the Russians, we shall chase them away from our skies.'
Copyright
© Haim Kadman 2017 �" all rights reserved.
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