168 DAIE BROWN

combat vehicle that continued to fire heavy caliber rounds into the sky until DreamStar was completely out of sight. A few moments later Hal Briggs climbed out of the ACV, head tightl bandaged and carrying an M-16A2 rifle, and moved over to McLanahan's sedan. After Elliott opened a door for him, he nearly collapsed in the backseat.

"Sorry," Briggs gasped, painfully hauling himself upright.

"Couldn't . . . couldn't stop him." Before Elliott could speak, Briggs had pulled out a walkie-talkie. "Red Man, this is Hotel. Notify the four-seventy-fourth tactical fighter wing at Nellis. XF-34A fighter aircraft stolen from this location. Aircraft is armed with air-to-air missiles and must be -considered hostile. Orders from Alpha are to search and destroy,"

"Copy, Hotel. "

"Break. All Drearnland security units, this is Hotel. XF-34A aircraft is airborne, last seen heading southwest out of Dreamland at slow speed. The aircraft has been hijacked by unknown persons. It is equipped with air-to-air missiles only. Air defense units have authorization to engage and destroy at will; report detection or engagement to Red Man, Nellis and Las Vegas Air Traffic Control Center ASAP. Repeat: all units, engage and destroy at will. Hotel out." He dropped the walkie-talkie into his lap as if it weighed a hundred pounds.

" Take us over to Hangar Five, Patrick," Elliott said. He turned to Briggs, gently lifting up the bandages to check his wound. "Cancel that. Take us to the infirmary."

"I'm all right," Briggs said, gingerly touching the top of his hairless head and checking his hastily applied bandages. "The guys on the ACV fixed me up."

At least for the moment, Elliott didn't want Briggs in the hospital any more than Briggs wanted to be there. As McLanahan headed for the hangars he asked, "What the hell happened, Hal?

Briggs wiped stinging sweat from his wounds and bums. "It all happened so fast, General. The Foxtrot guard posts didn't look right. I had them report in. Whoever was in Five Foxtrot's Commando, it wasn't Jacinto. I headed over to check it out when I got hit by the fifty cal. I barely made it to Rover Nine when flash grenades start popping. Before I knew it DreamStar was out in the throat. I've never seen anything like that takeoff, who-DAY OF THE CHEETAH 169

ever did it. It was like he levitated right over the gate. I didn't think he'd make it . . ."

They drove up the entrance of Hangar Five. Rover Seven, the second M113 armored combat vehicle, was positioned in front, with guards covering both the front and back. Rover Seven was also aiming a huge spotlight inside the hangar.

"Seven, this is Hotel. Is the hangar secure?"

"Affirmative."

"Roger. Sergeant Macynski, follow me in. The rest cover us ."

Briggs got out of the sedan, flipped off the safety lever on his M-16 and ran over to the M113. He met up with Macynski, outlined a brief tactical plan to the NCO, then approached the hangar door at a dead run. They scanned the interior of the hangar, quickly sweeping their rifle muzzles around the hangar while sighting through them, ready to fire at any sound or movement. Nothing. Briggs ordered the M113 in closer to secure the hangar, then headed back to the sedan.

In the backseat he said into the walkie-talkie, "Red Man, this is Hotel. I want an investigation unit in Hangar Five and one on the Commando ACV on the ramp gate on the double. Break.

Rover Nine, secure the V-100 that crashed into the gate. Recover any bodies from the wreckage for the investigation unit. I want an 1. D. on the occupants ASAP. "

"Roger, Hotel," the security controller replied. "Hotel, be advised, Lance One and Lance Two F-16Fs airborne from Nellis at five past the hour. Two F-14 units from China Lake also report airborne. CATTLECAR is their controller. You can meet them on channel one-one. "

"Roger, Red.Man. Get all Dreamland air defense units on channel eleven and help coordinate an intercept with CATTLECAR. The last thing we need is for our guys to take shots at those F- 14s or - 16s. "

"Switching all units to eleven, sir," the security controller said. "Simultaneous voice and data." Briggs switched his walkie-talkie over as well.

CATTLECAR, this is Hotel on channel one-one. Over.

"Hotel, this is CATTLECAR," the radar controller replied.

"HAWC anti-air units are reporting in now, sir. All assets should be on-line in sixty seconds."

"Any airborne radar platforms up?"

T_