Red Moscow

As soon as Oshanin left the observation post, Sokov heard someone shouting outside: "Brigade Commander, Comrade Brigadier, where are you? Has any of you seen Comrade Brigadier?"

Sokov heard that the person shouting was a staff officer of the brigade, so he hurried out of the observation post and shouted in the direction of the voice, "I'm here."

Seeing Sokov standing outside the observation post, the staff officer trotted over and reported panting, "Comrade Brigadier, I have found you. A commander from the Front Army Command came and said that there is something urgent to call You, Comrade Chief of Staff, ordered me to come to you."

He had been unable to get in touch with the front headquarters just now, but someone suddenly came at this moment. Sokov guessed that it might be sent by Khrushchev, so he hurriedly ran to the headquarters. When he came to the command post out of breath, he saw an unfamiliar major sitting inside. When the major saw him appear, he quickly stood up from his seat and asked, "Excuse me, are you Lieutenant Colonel Sokov?"

"Yes, I'm Sokov." Sokov looked at the major and asked, "Are you from the Front Army Command?"

"That's right." The major nodded and replied, "I am Major Erastov from the Front Army Command, and I am sending you an order from the Front Army Headquarters." After speaking, he took out a copy from his satchel. The document was handed to Sokov.

Sokov opened the file bag, took out a piece of paper, and carefully checked the order on it. But after he read the above content, he couldn't help frowning: "What? The front army command ordered us to retreat, and retreat to the other side of the Volga River?"

"Yes, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." The major replied blankly, "That's what I was ordered to do."

"Damn, how can we retreat at this time?" Sidolin couldn't help asking anxiously after hearing Sokov read the order from the document: "Once we retreat, the Germans will occupy Mamayev Kurgan , so that the defenders in the city would be divided into two parts by the Germans."

"Comrade Brigadier," political commissar Belgin was a little impatient, and he hurriedly asked, "Who signed the order?"

Sokov glanced at the signature below, and then replied: "Major General Kovalenko, Chief of Staff of the Front Army."

Knowing that the retreat order was signed by the Chief of Staff of the Front Army, Belgin was silent. After a while, he said, "Comrade Brigadier, since the Front Army Command ordered us to retreat, we should pass the order down immediately so that the commanders and fighters are ready to retreat."

"Comrade Major." Sidolin looked at the major and asked, "May I ask, why did the Front Command suddenly give us an order to retreat?"

"The headquarters of the front army is being transferred," the major replied. "It may be to establish a new defense in the left bank area, so you are ordered to withdraw to the opposite bank."

After listening to the major's reply, Sidolin turned his head and asked Sokov who was still staring at the order in a daze: "Comrade Brigadier, what do you think?"

From the very first moment when Sokov saw the order, he felt something was wrong. Both Yeremenko and Khrushchev should be very aware of the importance of Mamayev Post. How could they give up so easily? Once the German army occupies this commanding height, the defenders in the city will be divided into two parts that are not connected to each other, and what awaits them is the end of being gradually wiped out by the enemy.

Hearing Sidolin asking himself, Sokov did not answer immediately, but turned his attention to the major who delivered the order. The major was very young and handsome, wearing a brand-new military uniform and wearing a big eaves on his head. The top of the cap is blue, indicating that he is a member of the Ministry of the Interior.

"Major Erastov," Sokov asked after a long silence, "a few hours ago, the Germans shelled Mamayev Kurgan. It is not safe to come here. I wonder if you are alone. Did you come, or did you bring the guards?"

"The chief of staff was afraid that I might be in danger on the way, so he sent me a guard. Here, he's right there." Major Erastov pouted towards the door.

Sokov turned his head to look, and saw a tall and thick soldier with a Popov submachine gun hanging on his chest, standing at the door. His figure stood there, which was quite intimidating. Sokov looked away and asked Sidolin: "Chief of Staff, is Seryozha back?"

"I'm back," Sidolin nodded, and said, "He's in the next room, ready to carry out your order." It may be because of the presence of outsiders, he did not specify what the task was, but Soko Both Husband and Belkin knew that Seryozha would lead his troops to search nearby settlements to see if there were deserters or spies sent by the Germans.

"Let him come here, I have a new task for him." Sokov said briefly.

Sidolin didn't ask what task he had, so he picked up the phone on the table. After the call was connected, he said into the microphone: "Lieutenant Sergesha, the brigade commander has a task for you, you should come here immediately."

After receiving the call, Seryozha immediately ran over from the next door. When he came to Sokov, he straightened his body and asked, "Comrade Brigadier, do you have any new tasks?"

"Seryozha, come here." Sokov pushed Seryosha aside, and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "No matter what I say, don't turn your head back, and don't express surprise. I suspect that there is something wrong with the two people from the Front Army Command. You should immediately lead someone to control the guard at the door, and you must not let him shoot. If he shoots with a Popov submachine gun, the people in the room will be killed. There will be heavy losses. Understand?"

"Understood, Comrade Brigadier Commander." After listening to Sokov, Seryozha immediately stood up straight and replied in a loud voice: "I promise to complete the task." After a short pause, he asked again, "Allow Shall I go back and assign tasks?"

Sokov nodded and said, "After you go back, assign the task as soon as possible."

Seeing Seryozha leave, Sidolin couldn't help asking Sokov curiously: "Comrade Brigadier Commander, what mission did you assign to Seryozha, and why did you make it so mysterious?"

Sokov grinned and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, the troops are about to be transferred. I asked him to arrange two people to go to the health team. As for the reason, I don't need to tell you, you should understand it in your heart."

Sidolin was convinced of Sokov's explanation, because the brigade commander's wife was in the medical team, and during the transfer process, two soldiers were arranged to protect her safety, which was completely justified.

Major Erastov asked curiously: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, what's going on, why did you send soldiers to the health team?" While speaking, his right hand rested on the holster around his waist.

Sidolin, who was unaware of this, said with a smile on his face: "Because the brigade commander's wife is in the health team, if you announce in public that someone will be sent to protect her, it will have a bad effect after all."

"So that's the case." After listening to Sidolin's explanation, Major Erastov removed his hand from the holster and urged: "Comrades, commanders, hurry up and give the troops a retreat order."

"Comrade Brigadier," before Sokov could speak, Seryozha appeared at the door again, followed by two soldiers with live ammunition, and asked loudly, "Shall we go on mission now?"

"Wait a minute, Lieutenant Seryosha, please wait a moment." Sokov turned to Erastov after saying this, and said, "Comrade Major, although you are from the headquarters of the Front Army, I have never I haven't seen you before, can you show me your ID?"

Sokov's words stunned Major Erastov for a moment, then he nodded vigorously and said, "It's absolutely fine, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." While taking out his ID, he said, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, your vigilance It’s high, and that’s commendable.”

Sokov took Major Erastov's military ID card and checked it. The name and photo on it were the same as the major in front of him. Although there was nothing wrong with the certificate, Sokov did not take it lightly. He continued to check the staples on the military certificate. He remembered that the staples on the Soviet military certificate were particularly prone to rust, and the staples of the certificate in his hand The staples are not rusted, and it looks like they are made of stainless steel staples.

Seeing the stainless steel staples on the inner pages, Sokov was almost sure that the other party was a German spy. He closed the ID, handed it back to Major Erastov, and said with a smile: "Comrade Major, please send me a copy of the document." Keep your military ID and don't lose it."

"Don't worry, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Major Erastov took the military ID card, put it in his pocket and said with a smile, "I will protect this military ID card as I protect my eyes."

Sokov turned his head to Seryozha, who was standing at the door, and nodded slightly, indicating that he could do something. Then he drew his pistol with lightning speed, pointed at Major Erastov, and said loudly: "Hands up! !"

The soldier at the door saw that Sokov's muzzle was aimed at Major Erastov, and when he was about to take some action, a cold muzzle was already pressed against his jaw, so he could only raise his head obediently. raised his hands. When Major Erastov saw Sokov pointing a gun at himself, he also raised his hand, but he forced a smile and asked, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, what's going on?"

"Comrade Brigadier, what happened?" Sokov's actions shocked the people around him. Seeing him pointing his gun at the major, although everyone didn't understand what was going on, they also raised their weapons one after another. , targeting the major and his entourage. Only Sidolin and Belkin asked blankly, "Why did you point the gun at Major Erastov?"

Seeing that at least ten guns of different calibers were pointed at Erastov, Sokov quickly turned his head and glanced at Seryozha, realizing that they had already disarmed the soldier, he raised his voice and said, "Thank you!" Liao Sha, come here."

When Seryozha came to him, Sokov ordered him, "Check the soles of his shoes?"

If Sidolin and Belkin had doubts just now, after hearing the order issued by Sokov, they immediately realized that there was something wrong with the major in front of them. Seryozha went up to Major Erastov, knelt down in front of him, raised one of his legs, and examined the studs on the soles of his boots.

Everyone present knows that the studs of Soviet military boots are round, while the studs of German military boots are square. Sometimes it was all a matter of lifting a boot and seeing what the studs looked like to tell if a man was a German in disguise. Seryozha only glanced at it, then raised his head and said loudly: "It's square, Comrade Brigadier Commander."

As soon as Seryozha's words came out of his mouth, everyone in the room understood that the so-called major from the headquarters of the Front Army was just a German in disguise. Annoyed, Sidolin immediately ordered Seryozha: "Take him aside and lock him up. If they try to escape, they will be shot dead on the spot."

After Seryozha and several soldiers took away the fake officer disguised by the German spy, Belkin asked curiously: "Comrade Brigadier, how did you find out that he was disguised by the enemy?"

"When I saw this document and the signature below, I almost believed it to be true." Seeing that his two deputies were full of doubts, Sokov explained to them, "But after thinking about it, Our garrison on Mamayev Post was arranged by the Supreme Command, and even the Front Command did not have the authority to mobilize us. Therefore, I have doubts about this Major Erastov from the Front Command. "

When Sokov was analyzing Sidolin and Belkin, there were still many curious staff officers and communications soldiers standing beside him. Sidolin wanted to drive them away, but Sokov raised his hand to stop them He continued: "When I checked his military ID card, I found that the staples used on the inside page were stainless steel. You all know that the staples on the inside page of our military ID card are made of a material that is easy to rust. , How could it be possible to use stainless steel? This is the second doubt.”

"After discovering these two doubtful points, I decided to take a risk, and decisively ordered Seryozha to take action. After disarming the soldiers at the door, I checked Major Erastov's studs to determine whether he was Our own."

"Comrade Brigadier, it's very risky for you to do this." Belkin said with lingering fear: "If he really comes from the headquarters of the Front Army, you will offend him by doing so."

"I don't understand why the enemy pretended to be an officer of the Front Army Command and gave us this retreat order at this time." Sidolin frowned and said, "You know, it's very easy for them to do this. It was discovered by us."

"If I'm not wrong, the Germans must have learned through some means that the front army headquarters is in the process of being transferred and has lost contact with all the troops, so they will take the risk to fish in troubled waters." Sokov looked at Sido Lin said: "Because they know very well in their hearts that even if we have doubts about the order, because we can't contact the headquarters, we can only choose to obey the order in the end, so that their plot can succeed."