Show of Force by Charles D. Taylor Read Free Book Online Page B

place above David's head, “you must remember whom you work for.” The finger turned around and pointed at his own chest. “Me.”
    “I understand what you're saying, Captain.”
    “Good. Go below to your bunk and get some sleep if you can.”
    David did go below, but he found Melendez in the wardroom, and he spent time drinking coffee and talking with the man about his home outside of Havana, and how much he wanted to take his family back. And then, before they both tried to sleep, they went over the plans for the hundredth time. They discussed the circuits they would use, the primary one for calling in fire, and the secondary one if they lost contact. They went over each of the words again in English that were new to Melendez, so there would be no mistaking what he wanted when he called David. Then they went to their bunks and slept fitfully.
    Nothing was going right. David.saw through his binoculars how the landing party almost made the tree line, only to fall back from what was probably machine-gun fire. That's when Jorge had first called him. “Goddamn, David. What are they waiting for? I need a couple of well-placed shells. That's all. They just have fifty calibers now, and we can move in if you'll help.” He had said that word— you. David could do nothing but watch.
    He called the Bagley. “Captain, Jorge says he can move his men into safety if we can just hit those machine guns.”
    “I can see that, David,” came the response.
    “Just five shots, Captain. One gun. I'll have you on target after the first two.” He paused. “They're being torn apart, sir.”
    “Remember what I said, David.” The voice was firm, and David remembered.
    Overhead, well offshore and at a high, safe altitude, the 82nd Airborne sat on benches in full battle gear while the huge aircraft that carried them circled a preplanned point in the sky. David looked at the armada beginning a few thousand yards away. Squadrons of fast little destroyers, old ones like the Bagley and new ones with missiles pointed skyward, steamed back and forth in neat squares. Behind them were the amphibians, ungainly ships with holds full of marines, tanks, trucks, food, and ammunition. He could see three cruisers set farther back, because their giant guns could throw larger shells greater distances to cause more devastation. And, out beyond the two small carriers they had escorted down the Atlantic coast, he could see the huge island of the Enterprise, whose planes could clear a path to safety for Jorge and his men in a few short minutes.
    Up and down the beach he had seen the same thing happening to Jorge's comrades, the race up the beach toward the trees, the faltering as more men began to fall, the regrouping as they came together in their retreat, and then another race up the beach. David was sure some of them hardly had the chance to fire their own guns. Amid the chaos, Jorge was quiet and his calmness deceptive. “David, can you tell me what your captain has said?”
    David could only explain what he was told.
    “If we don't get support soon, they will have time to bring up their heavy guns, and then they will slaughter us. All I want you to do is ask for a chance. Ask .Captain Carter to radio to his commanders what is happening. Perhaps that will help. Better yet, tell him we don't need planes or even paratroops. If they'll just give us some fire support, we'll move in and join with the other groups. Just tell them that.”
    Twice he called Carter with Melendez's requests and each time he received the same answer. Then the defenders were able to move in the larger guns. At first, their shot was erratic. They needed spotters of their own. But once they learned where their shells were falling, they became more accurate. Soon the little groups on the beach were shattered.
    First it was just one man, running back to the water. David saw him race almost directly toward his whaleboat. The water was shallow and he seemed to stop for a moment when he