Paterson, October 31st, 2000
Happy Halloween. Can there be a better day for tricks?
Leo signaled the go ahead from the meet point. We're in the deuce and a half and make our stop 500 meters out from their UAZs. Martens, dismounts, scans them with a set of binocs. "That's them. All of them." Good to know.
My men have already piled out and formed a line. Alphabit and I lug the "box" out to the halfway point. One of their men approaches on his own. He's a brick, Koko was bigger, but he's more solid and confident.
"Captain Paterson?"
"Yes."
"I am Captain Fedorenko. I am to examine your items. Once I have verified all is in order your men will be sent over one at a time. After the last transfer we will take the box and book to our vehicles. Clear?"
"Quite," I play it down, dejected, beaten.
"Once we're back at camp the good major will contact you and provide instructions for dismantling the charges on your train and the mine on the hull of the Wistula Krowola."
I don't have to fake the flare of anger, "Charges, mines! What have you done!" Rataj had decided to stay in the area in case the train was not operational. If he'd left he'd be well out of radio range. Damn it.
"Insurance, Captain, insurance." He taps the box. "Is there anything you need to tell me? Do I need to wait for another box?"
"No, you fuck, that's what you wanted."
"Temper."
He lets me fume and bends to his task. He pulls out a volt meter, checks the sockets for charge, tries to lift the lid. "Did you seal it?"
"Came that way. We decided not to cut our way in."
He takes a seat on it. Thumbs through the notes. He's counting pages, looking at pictures, not reading through. "It looks to be in order."
He turns and bellows, "Send me the first."
Alphabit does a pat down, checking for wires and charges. Clean. Repeat until done. The rail crew first, then the soldier. I grip his shoulder before he leaves, "Thanks for the warning." His grin reveals freshly lost gaps. Then the son and finally the engineer. Fedorenko cleans his nails.
"Satisfied?"
"No, you have bombs on my train and our friend's livelihood. I'll only be satisfied once they're cleared and we're in Germany."
"You should receive notice within the next two hours. Our pet scientist will need to review the notes and the device." He waves his men forward. Two lift the box and muscle it back to the waiting UAZs. "Have a rapid journey, we don't want you here any more than you want to be here." He leaves.
We hustle back to the truck. Our crew loads up and we leave. Leo has his own transport. I warm up the vehicle radio.
Rataj gets a fair warning. I suggest he head towards the north bank and shallow water. They can put ashore if anything happens... and it will. We're leaving, he's on his own. He wishes me godspeed. There's too much on the line to go back for him. I wish him the same.
I shout at the engineer, Jan Strazinski, huddled in the back of the truck. "We're leaving as soon as we get back. Is there anything I need to know about the train?"
He speaks only Polish, "You already find bombs?"
"Yes, one's in that box they took away."
"Delightful, train has been ready for days. As long as you loaded coal and water."
"We have."
He gives me a thumbs up and a shit eating grin "Soon as we build steam, we go!" He laughs delightedly, "Best fun I've had in years."
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Our last sentries pull back after Leo pedals into the yard, knees almost banging into the handlebars. The bike''s Doc's, we've been lugging it in the back of the truck for months. Nearly forgot we had the damn thing. Leo hands it off to one of the men sitting on the flatbeds. He's soon in position with binocs and rifle on the roof of the engine.
We're packed and ready to go. The train looks like something out of a historical drama, men packed in the cars, riding on flatbeds, and perched on the roofs. We've got MG nests on the scattered on the tops as well. Takes the charm right out of it.
Jan gives one long blast on the horn. He nods in satisfaction. The train lurches as he engages the gears. Martens starts jumping like a kid, slapping Jan on the back, pounding his son Casimir's shoulder, and grabbing me in a hug. We're going! A joyous noise rises from the packed cars. We're going!
I disengage from Martens. He resumes bouncing until he smacks his head on a roof support. I head back to the passenger car, aka the HQ (comms, med bay, kitchen, and beds all in one). Alphabit's standing self appointed guard at the door.
From the east we hear a faint thoom over the chug of the engine.
I look at Alpha. "Sounds like mine," he says.
"How much did you pack in there?"
"All of it. Took the axle charge, boiler charge, and added some from my own stash. Plus a dash of love." He nods excitedly. "Must be enough for all of them."
"We should be so lucky." I clasp him on the shoulder and head into the comms shack. Sparks is just getting up. "Cap, Ivan on the line." He starts to hand the headset over. I wave it away.
"Tell him to go fuck himself. Be creative."
"Glad to Captain."
Outside the window we've cleared the yard. I imagine Volkhov's putting hand to detonator. I hope Rataj survives. He deserves to return to his family. Nothing more I can do. The click-clack of the tracks gathers speed. We all do.
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Five klicks out of the station the train jerks to a halt. As I make my way forward I can see the plume of smoke and falling dirt from where the track used to be. A mine underneath. They still want the box.
I've got men heading out to secure a perimeter around the train. Martens and one of the rail crew, a German named Karl (again), head forward under guard. They take a quick look before running back. "Damn near a twenty meter hole. God knows how much they packed in. No fixing it. We'll need to rail around."
"How long."
Karl speaks up his English rough and interspersed with German. "Nicht lange, nicht permanent. Travel once, leave."
"We'll just tack the rails together," Martens explains, "only need to cross once, not like laying a permanent bed."
"How long?"
"Hour," he shrugs.
"Is that a real hour or a Scotty hour?"
"Real hour."
"Pull whoever you need."
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They've been hauling rail for twenty minutes when the first shot hits home.
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