HYDE PARK DECEPTION: AN INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL SPY THRILLER (THE DECEPTION SERIES Book 2) by LYNTTON RICHARD

Author:LYNTTON, RICHARD [LYNTTON, RICHARD]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Malchik Media
Published: 2021-10-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

8:51 am Somewhere between Pale and Goražde

W ith checkpoint clearances hastily arranged, Yomper drove the white UN armored Range Rover through Pale en route to the beleaguered Goražde enclave.

As they drove through the countryside, Gen. Brown realized how hard it was to appreciate the beauty of the Bosnian countryside when war rages all around. Now, with a few moments to spare, he wondered at the enchanting snow-covered landscape. Even after all these years since he’d read the book, it reminded him of C. S. Lewis’s Narnia— The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe . The locals proudly described the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics as paradise. Gen. Brown himself had been a member of the British Army bobsleigh team that had tried but failed to qualify for the Olympics. That was the only time he had imagined years earlier that he would ever have reason to spend time in Sarajevo.

Gen. Brown switched on the local radio station at 9:00 am. He and Yomper listened intently to Dražen’s radio broadcast from the Goražde enclave.

“Hang on a minute, sir.” Yomper adjusted the dial for better reception. Dražen was reading the latest casualty figures over the airwaves, pleading for help from anyone who was listening, demanding military and humanitarian intervention from the international community. It was a remarkable mix of infomercial, political speech and an impassioned Mayday distress signal.

“The boy’s articulate,” said Gen. Brown. “So many of the locals speak excellent English.”

“Better than my Bosnian, sir. That’s gospel.”

“I sympathize with Dražen. Serbs are about to obliterate Goražde. I can’t allow that. The UN would never recover from mass murder in the heart of Europe on our watch. The Markale massacre was already the last straw. Damn it, I promised we would protect these people.”

“I’m ready, boss. Whatever you need.” Yomper tugged down on the steering wheel to avoid yet another pothole.

Gen. Brown jabbed at the radio. “He’s begging for our help. He says we’ve abandoned them … And he’s right.”

Yomper nodded in agreement. “Time for NATO?”

“No, absolutely not. If NATO destroys one more Serb target, the people of Goražde are scuppered.”

The satellite telephone mounted in their command vehicle began beeping.

Gen. Brown snatched the receiver and put it on speaker. “Brown.”

“General Brown, this is Klaus Reithoffer. You must return to Sarajevo.” Reithoffer’s voice pitched two tones higher than normal. He seemed irritated.

“Damn it, man, I’m in command here. Who in God’s name do you think you are?”

“Bosnian Serbs will pay for their crimes. You must return to Sarajevo.”

“You gave me twenty-four hours.”

“Change of plan. My sources tell me General Zukić is about to attack Goražde. There is nothing you can do.”

“Thanks for the update.” Brown shook his head in disbelief. “Have you been talking to the Americans, Mr. Reithoffer? Your wife wouldn’t approve.”

“ Nicht verstehen. I don’t understand.”

“Ekaterina agrees with me.”

“What kind of games are these?”

“Your wife called me. I am sorry about your daughter. Please accept my condolences. I didn’t know—”

“You have no business with my wife. She has nothing to do with this—”

“She insisted our conversation was off the record.

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