With the car, the speed of returning was much faster, it took more than 20 minutes to come, and it only took five minutes to go back.

Grissa drove the car into the forest and drove back to the area where he had been. I looked out the window of my car and was surprised to see that it had become a busy logging site. The warriors in single clothes wielded axes to cut down the birch trees, and the warriors who were waiting next to them would immediately come and go out of the forest without even clearing the branches.

Seeing this scene, I couldn't help but be confused, what kind of fame was Bukov doing, how did he get the fighters to cut down the trees? I pushed open the door, jumped into the snow, took a few steps forward, looked around, and wanted to see where Bukov was, and even if I couldn't find him, I could just ask an officer. Because it is a militia, the difference between officers and soldiers is obvious, the former wears military uniforms, while the latter wears civilian clothes. However, after standing in the snow and looking around for a long time, I saw that the people who came and went were wearing civilian clothes, and I didn't see a single person in military uniform.

Yushchenko and the others also got out of the car and walked to my side in a vigilant posture, and at the same time Yushchenko asked me in a low voice: "Comrade division commander, what is this Captain Bukov doing?" Instead of arranging the soldiers to defend, they organized everyone to cut down trees here. ”

Instead of answering his words, I stopped a soldier who was passing by with an ax in his hand and asked: "Comrade soldier, do you know where the battalion commander of the Dao Battalion, Captain Bukov, is?" ”

The soldier glanced at my collar badge, immediately changed the axe to his left hand, saluted me upright, and reported loudly: "Report to the commander, comrade, the battalion commander and the company commander have gone to a meeting. ”

"Meeting?! What else is going on at this time? I yelled with some dissatisfaction, as soon as the words came out, I immediately felt that something was wrong, the person in front of me was just an ordinary soldier, how could he know what the commanders were holding a meeting, and quickly changed his calm tone and asked: "Captain, where are they having a meeting?" ”

He looked around for a moment, then pointed decisively to the north, and said, "There, Comrade Commander, they are meeting in that tent." ”

I looked in the direction of his finger, and in the depths of the forest, dozens of meters away, there was indeed a dark green tent. I nodded and politely said to the soldiers, "Thank you, comrade soldiers." You can leave. ”

When the warrior heard me say this, he hurriedly saluted me and trotted away.

I turned back to Yushchenko, who was standing next to the car, and said, "Comrade Captain, you and your subordinates will stay here, and I will go to the captain's headquarters alone." ”

"Yes!" Yushchenko agreed very dryly.

I came outside the tent and walked in with a curtain lifted. It was already full of people, and I, the sudden intruder, attracted everyone's attention. I had sharp eyes, and at a glance I saw that the commander sitting opposite me was Captain Bukov, and I quickly smiled and greeted him: "Hello, Captain Bukov!" I have come specifically to attend your military meeting. ”

"Hello! Comrade division commander! Bukov stood up and met me and stretched out his hand, holding my hand before softly asking: "Did you get anything out of going to the tank division?" ”

I shook hands with him and said straight to the point: "I have already negotiated with the chief of staff of the tank division, Lieutenant Colonel Buniachenko, their troops will be coming over soon, you want to get your troops ready for battle!" ”

I thought that Bukov would be very excited when he heard the news, but he just sighed lightly, then let go of my hand, turned to the side, pointed to a man in civilian clothes next to him, and introduced me: "Comrade division commander, let me introduce to you, this is Comrade Kashevsky, People's Commissar of the District Soviet. ”

After listening to Bukov's introduction to me, the man hurriedly stepped forward and reached out to shake my hand. Looking at the person in charge in front of me, wearing a Lenin hat and a finely made black tweed coat, I just politely shook him lightly and let go.

Bukov beckoned me to sit down in an empty seat, then parted his hands, pressed his palms down to him, and said, "Sit down, everyone, and we'll have a meeting." With his order, the commanders who had stood up just now because I had come in sat down again.

When everyone was ready, I spoke first: "Comrade Captain, I have a question that I would like to ask you. I saw the warriors outside cutting down trees, and I wondered what they were doing with them. ”

"Build fortifications!" Bukov immediately replied without hesitation, and then added: "The weather has been cold and low lately, and the ground has been frozen, and it is impossible to dig trenches without the use of explosives, so I can only order the soldiers to cut down trees and build fortifications." ”

"Fortifications?" Hearing him say this, I asked with some puzzlement: "Our offensive is about to begin, in terms of the comparison of forces, we already have a numerical advantage, coupled with the cooperation of tank divisions, there is no problem in recapturing Khimki, there is no need to build any fortifications?" ”

Bukov looked at me and said with some embarrassment: "Comrade division commander, you don't know that during the time you left, the tasks of our battalion have changed again. The higher authorities ordered us to abandon the task of attacking Khimki and instead build defensive positions in the forest, blocking the enemy's advance and waiting for reinforcements to arrive! As he spoke, he pointed to Kaszewsky next to him and added: "Comrade Kaszewski has come to deliver the new order." ”

"Yes! Comrade Commander. Kashewsky immediately took over the topic of Bukov and explained to me: "You also know that we are a militia, and there is a big gap between us and the regular army in terms of equipment and combat effectiveness. IMHO, judging from the current situation, let alone us, even the same number of regular troops will not be able to wipe out the enemy on the opposite side in a short time, so we must hold on here first. The district soviets had already issued orders for the fighters to be nailed to their positions like nails, not to retreat a single step, and to wait for reinforcements to arrive, and then to destroy the enemy at the right time. ”

"No! I'm against it! I immediately stood up and vigorously opposed this unreasonable order, "We must organize an attack!" If these enemies who occupy Khimki are not destroyed, then they will use their reserves to strengthen the forces here and use this place as a new starting point for their offensive. You know, comrades, the Kremlin is twenty kilometers behind us, and the enemy's tanks will be able to drive into Red Square in less than an hour. ”

Kashewsky shrugged his shoulders, tilted his head and said: "Comrade commander, although you have a good point. But you must know that this order for the troops to immediately go on the defensive was issued by the district Soviets, and as subordinates, they could only carry it out, and it was not allowed to question and discuss the order. ”

After listening to his words, I was so angry in my heart, this is simply a layman commanding an insider, a group of political workers who sit in the office every day, who know a fart of military affairs, just know that Lu Dao sits there and commands blindly, if it weren't for them, the losses in the early days of the war would be relatively small. As soon as I thought of this, I was angry, and immediately made my attitude clear: "No! I still say the same thing, as soon as the tank units arrive, the troops must immediately attack, and we must not allow the enemy to gain a foothold in Khimki, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable. I turned my head to where Bukov was, and said: "Comrade Captain, I suggest that you immediately make pre-battle arrangements and prepare for the offensive, we are running out of time. ”

Bukov smiled wryly, and instead of answering me directly, he turned his gaze to his subordinates in the tent. Perhaps because he did not express his position, the officers present did not dare to say their true opinion for fear of causing trouble for themselves, and when they saw Bukov's gaze looking at him, they avoided his gaze and either turned their heads to the side or buried their heads. Bukov's eyes scanned around the tent, and when he saw that no one was speaking, he sighed lightly, and then, as if he had made up his mind, straightened up, stood up abruptly, and said to Kashewsky: "Comrade Commissioner, I think the opinion of Division Commander Oshanina is very correct, what do you think?" ”

Kashevsky was stunned, thought for a moment, and then turned his face and said stubbornly: "No, Comrade Captain, please pay attention to your position, you must know that the order of the Soviet of the Ludao District is irreversible and must be resolutely carried out, otherwise you will bear the consequences." And, Comrade Captain, I now order you to let the soldiers continue to build fortifications and be ready to fight a hard defensive battle. As he said this, he glanced at me contemptuously, with a hint of defiance in his eyes.