Liberators

Presidential Visit

Chapter Twenty-four: Presidential Visit

Sonolovichyrevko, Rivymiyitevko

November 8, 2008 1600 Rivymiyitevko time (1400 Krakozhian time)

"Platoons, form up!"

The 50th Motor Rifle Division had moved into the airport as soon as Dimitar Kezhanka had declared it secure. They were soon followed by other units of the Krakozhian Third Army, and General Marko Karburets had just moved in his operational headquarters there.

Word had reached the troops that President Irina Adzhitekova was about to visit the island. Captain Andrei Urov's regiment had been given the coveted assignment of being the honor guard for the President. His regiment, the 21st, was one of the best in the island since the beginning of the campaign, and it was only natural for the best to greet the most powerful person in Krakozhia. And since her itinerary took her to some of the bloodiest zones of fighting in the city, they would also be her bodyguards for the meantime, lest a trigger-happy rebel get lucky and decapitate the Krakozhian leadership, giving time for Konstantin Benin and his lackeys to regroup.

Captain Urov checked the honor guard line one last time, checking the troops for last-minute problems. "Roman, put out that cigarette," he told Zhemnev even though he himself was smoking. "Andrey, remove that thing on your head," he ordered one of the men, who hastily took the ballcap underneath his helmet. "All right, comrades," he said as he finished checking the line, "as we all know, the first impression is often the most important one. Let's make this one count." And he moved to his place in the line before dropping his cigarette on the ground and crushing it with his heel.

The loud whine of the turbofan engines assaulted their eardrums even though the presidential plane was still far away. And then a sleek white Tupolev Tu-144 supersonic airliner bearing the seal of the Republic of Krakozhia on the tailfin burst out of the clouds and turned to approach the runway. It landed a few seconds later, sending out clouds of blue smoke from the tires as the pilot deployed the braking parachute. When it finally stopped, a tug pulled up to its nose gear and brought it to the waiting line of soldiers. As the engines spooled down, the front hatch—or was it a door, Arigov asked himself—opened just as the mobile stairs arrived, and an Army officer in dress uniform saluted as President Irina Adzhitekova stepped out of the aircraft.

She walked down the line of Army troopers, saluting them as they presented arms. As soon as she was escorted away, the Army guy whispered something to Urov and then passed him a folder. The captain nodded, motioned for his lieutenants to come closer, and said, "The FSB has intel that the RIM has occupied the pesticide factory in the Kuznetsov-5 prospect and is loading artillery shells with the products. 595th and 598th Platoons have already headed for the factory, but FSB thinks they need more support."

"They think?" asked Arigov sarcastically.

"Just do it, Lev," said Urov, handing him the folder. "Meet with our comrades, help them if they need it, but make sure that the factory has been thoroughly cleared before you call it in. Comrade President wants to inspect it before she returns to base tonight."

"Aren't you going with us?" asked Atolova.

"Unfortunately, I've been asked by the FSB to show Comrade President around the Green Zone. Just a word of advice, though: take the BTR and the Vodnik with you. You might need them." And then he went to join the group around the President.

"Are you kidding me?" asked Arigov. "Kuznetsov-5? That's right in the middle of the Green Zone! How did the RIM manage to penetrate that deep without being detected?"

"I've heard rumors that the RIM is using the city's sewers to come and go as they please," said Atolova.

"Or maybe they stayed behind while the rest withdrew to the Red Zone," Zhemnev added. "But whatever the reason, Lev, they're still there, and unless we get them out of there, we're going to have a bunch of very angry rebels with biological weapons. And that's not a good combination."