Red Moscow

"Comrade Commander," Sidolin suddenly said after seeing Sergei's leaving back, "This batch of rockets is of great importance. I am a little worried about sending Sergei to take the troops to receive them. Otherwise, I will personally Take a trip?"

Sidolin's words reminded Sokov. He knew very well that these rockets would play a vital role in keeping Mamayev Gang and the surrounding areas in the next month. It is indeed a bit too hasty to send a company-level commander like Sergesha to receive it.

Thinking of this, Sokov nodded and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, you are right, my decision was a bit too hasty. How about this, you and the deputy division commander will stay at the division headquarters, and I will lead the team to the ferry."

Hearing that Sokov wanted to leave Mamayev Post again, Ivanov couldn't help but said: "Comrade commander, you are the leader of the first division, so you can't take risks casually. I think you and the chief of staff should stay in the division." Ministry, let me go with Seryozha."

Regarding Ivanov's kindness, Sokov immediately declined: "Comrade Deputy Commander, you are not familiar with the situation at the ferry, and it is useless to go there. Let me go."

Seeing that Sokov refused his request, Ivanov originally wanted to say a few more words, but after thinking about it, he seemed to have crossed the river from the other side and stayed at the ferry for less than ten minutes, saying that he was not satisfied with the place. Familiar, really right. Thinking of this, he no longer insisted on going to the ferry to collect supplies, but changed his words and said, "Okay, Comrade Commander, since you want to go in person, I won't stop you. But it's not peaceful outside, you should pay more attention to safety."

Half an hour later, Sokov and Seryosha left the Mamayev post with the company of guards and headed for the ferry. Seryozha did not expect Sokov to go out in person, and complained on the way: "Misha, don't you trust me, and you still want to take the risk yourself?"

"Seryozha, it's true that you and I are friends, and I trust you, but it has nothing to do with me going to the ferry in person." Seeing Sergey's unhappy face, Sokov quickly comforted him and said, "I'm going to Do something big, and teach the Germans a lesson they will never forget. I did it myself, because I don’t want the rockets to have the slightest flaw.”

After listening to Sokov's explanation, Seryozha felt more at ease. He changed the subject in time and asked, "Misha, can we really find enough people at the ferry to help us carry the rockets?"

"Don't worry, Seryozha." Sokov raised his hand and patted Seryozha's shoulder twice, and said confidently: "I assure you, when we get to the ferry, we can find as many porters as we need. How many porters."

"Really?" Seryozha was still dubious about Sokov's statement: "But as far as I know, due to the severe reduction in the number of troops in the city, many cadres and soldiers in the logistics department have been enriched to the combat troops. Go, otherwise there is no need for us to collect ammunition and supplies in person."

As soon as the two of them approached the ferry with their troops, several people greeted them. One of the leading officers asked loudly: "Hey, comrades, which part do you belong to?"

"I am Colonel Sokov, commander of the 41st Guards Division," Sokov asked after revealing his identity, "comrade officer, who are you?"

"Hello, Colonel Sokov." After hearing Sokov's identification, the officer quickly stood at attention, straightened his body and replied, "I am Major Zinoviev from the logistics department. The phone call, the troops who are here specially waiting for you to receive supplies, did not expect you to lead the team in person."

"Hello, Comrade Major." Sokov reached out to shake hands with Zinoviev, and continued to ask: "Has the ship that transported supplies to us landed?"

"I called and asked, your supplies are still being loaded on the other side." Major Zinoviev shook his head and replied, "I'm afraid it will take an hour or two at the earliest. Comrade Colonel, it's too cold outside, why don't you go ahead?" Go to my command post and rest."

Sokov didn't want to stand by the cold and windy river for an hour or two, so he naturally didn't object to Major Zinoviev's proposal, so he nodded and said, "Okay, Comrade Major, take me Go to your command post."

Major Zinoviev's command post is a semi-underground earthen shelter near the river, with two soldiers standing guard at the door. When the major brought Sokov into the door, he specially ordered a soldier: "Go to the cooking class and find something to eat for the colonel, and then pour some hot tea."

Sokov walked into the shelter, and saw the seven or eight square meter hut, because there was a wooden table in the middle, it looked very narrow. After he sat down at the table, he looked up at Zinoviev and asked, "Comrade Major, your command post is a bit too small. Even if you want to rest, I'm afraid there is no place to sleep."

Zinoviev grinned, and replied: "I'm usually tired, so I just lie down on the table and take a nap. Although it's a bit narrow here, it's better than those residents sleeping rough by the river."

When the soldier came in with tea and slices of bread, he was followed by a middle-aged man in military uniform. When he saw Zinoviev, he immediately asked respectfully: "Comrade Major, it seems that you will have to move some supplies soon. I wonder how many people you need this time?"

"Colonel!" Zinoviev did not immediately answer the other party's question, but turned to look at Sokov and asked for instructions: "I wonder how many porters you need?"

Sokov silently calculated in his mind, five hundred rockets, calculated as two in one box, exactly two hundred and fifty boxes. If there are a few more boxes for launching tubes, it may be close to three hundred boxes. Seryozha's guard company has 180 people. It is impossible for everyone to carry boxes, and some of them must be kept as guards.

After some calculations, Sokov looked up at Zinoviev again and said, "Comrade Major, I think two hundred porters are needed. Can you find so many people?"

Before Major Zinoviev could answer, the middle-aged man in civilian uniform smiled and replied: "Comrade commander, look at what you said, let alone two hundred porters, even more people, I I can find it for you too, but it just takes some time."

"Okay, stop talking nonsense." Zinoviev interrupted the middle-aged man without waiting for him to finish speaking: "Hurry up and go back and gather the manpower. The ship will dock in a while."

After the middle-aged man left, Sokov asked curiously, "Comrade Major, who is he?"

"His name is Bochushkin, and he was originally a porter at the dock." Zinoviev replied: "Since the superiors began recruiting residents to act as porters, and there was a need for someone to organize and take charge, he volunteered to do the job. "

Knowing that this middle-aged man named Bochushkin was in charge of porters at the ferry pier, Sokov nodded slightly, and then asked: "Comrade major, can he be anxious enough before the ship arrives?" Is it manned?"

"No problem." Zinoviev said carelessly: "Since being a porter can receive food, the residents stranded on the shore are very enthusiastic. Crowds of people flocked to him to sign up. Then he selected the strong ones to act as temporary porters."

Zinoviev's words made Sokov think of a question, and he asked tentatively: "Comrade Major, may I ask, how do you distribute the food for those porters?"

"Usually it is Bochushkin who counts the number of porters who work every day, and then we give him the food that should be distributed according to the number of people he provides." Major Zinoviev was a little puzzled after introducing the situation. To Sokov: "Comrade Colonel, is there a problem?"

"Comrade Major." Seeing that the situation was similar to what he had guessed, Sokov said with a wry smile, "Aren't you afraid that he will be empty-handed?"

"Empty pay?" Major Zinoviev probably heard this term for the first time, with a confused expression on his face, he looked at Sokov and said, "I'm sorry, Comrade Colonel, I don't understand what you mean .”

"It's very simple." Sokov said to the other party: "For example, in today's moving work, only 300 residents were used, but when he reported the quantity, he reported 500 residents. This is an extra If you get 200 quotas, it’s called empty pay.”

"Colonel, this is the first time I've heard of your statement." Major Zinoviev frowned and said thoughtfully: "I don't think it is possible for Bochushkin to have the courage to dare Falsely report the number of residents who participated in the removal work."

"Is there anything impossible?" Sukov felt that Zinoviev's knowledge was too little, so he specially reminded him: "Also, if you don't send someone to supervise the distribution of food, Instead, let him take full responsibility, and I even think that he will withhold food from the residents."

Zinoviev didn't take Sokov's statement to heart. He felt that the colonel didn't understand the situation at the ferry terminal, so what he said was somewhat alarmist. But the opponent's military rank was higher than his own, so there was no need for any argument, so he didn't speak, just smiled lightly.

Sokov, who was good at observing words and expressions, felt that Major Zinoviev did not listen to what he said at all, nor did he avoid this sensitive topic. After all, the other party was not his subordinate, so it was impossible to give him orders directly. Instead, he changed the subject and asked, "Comrade Major, after the pontoon bridge is erected, will it have any impact on your place?"

"In the past, weapons, ammunition, supplies and soldiers from the east bank had to disembark at our ferry." Major Zinoviev replied, "But since the pontoon bridge was erected, it has undertaken the transportation of weapons, ammunition and soldiers. As for us, it has become a variety of food and medicine, and occasionally some weapons and ammunition. For example, the batch of ammunition you are receiving today."

The two were talking, when suddenly there was a loud voice outside the house, and an immature voice said loudly: "Let me in, I want to see Comrade Commander. Let me in..."

The noise outside the house made Sokov frowned. He thought to himself that this is the command post of the ferry, and there would be people making noise outside. What are the sentries at the door doing? But he tried his best to control his emotions and asked Zinoviev in a calm tone: "Comrade Major, what's going on outside?"

An embarrassing expression appeared on Zinoviev's face, and he said to Sokov apologetically, "Comrade Colonel, I'll go out and have a look, and I'll report back to you later."

"Comrade Major, I heard a child making trouble outside." Sokov said blankly, "He may have something important to see you, why don't you call him in to find out."

Zinoviev nodded, walked to the door and said something to the outside. Soon, a boy came into the house. Seeing that the child was only thirteen or fourteen years old, Sokov asked with good luck, "Son, what's your name and how old are you this year?"

"Report, Comrade Commander," seeing the commander sitting in the room asking himself, the child quickly stood up straight and replied respectfully, "My name is Valodia, and I am fourteen years old."

"Fourteen years old!" Sokov repeated the age before continuing to ask, "What grade are you in?"

"Seventh grade." Volodya replied, "But since the city started fighting, we have stopped classes."

"Who else is in the family?"

"Just me and my father."

Sokov couldn't help being taken aback when he heard the other party's answer. According to his understanding, men are all on the front line, and such a big child should stay with his mother, so he quickly asked, "Where's your mother?"

"Dead." Upon hearing Sokov's question, Volodya's eyes immediately turned red: "She was killed by a German plane while delivering ammunition to the barricade factory yesterday."

"Comrade Major." Knowing that Valodya's mother was killed by a German plane while transporting ammunition, Sokov couldn't help asking Zinoviev curiously: "Where are the porters you recruited?" , are there any women?"

"Yes, Comrade Colonel," replied Major Zinoviev, nodding his head. "You know that grown men are now either in the army or in factories. Women make up a considerable proportion of the porters recruited on the docks." Proportion."

After getting Zinoviev's answer, Sokov turned to look at Valodya and asked, "Son, what are you doing here?"

"I want to help you carry the ammunition." Volodya quickly replied, "But Bochushkin said I was too young to join the carrying team. Comrade commander, I beg you, give Bochush Say good things to Kim, let me join the moving team."

"Valodya, I think Bochushkin did the right thing." Sokov looked at the frail child in front of him and said solemnly: "You are still a child, and you can't lift such a heavy thing at all." Said Then, he waved at the child, "You'd better go back to your father quickly."

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Valoja did not leave, but instead begged Sokov: "Comrade commander, please let me join the transport team. My father was defending the Red October factory last month." During the battle, a German shell broke a leg, so I couldn’t take part in the portage. If you don’t let me join the porter, we will starve to death.”