... His world shifted, perception by perception.
... Christ, it had been a tussle, piloting the tank to the Roer River: debris: men and trucks: fog along the river: mental fog: like London fog: walked and walked in the fog: that was in Tunbridge (or was it Tunbridge?): that was the night he had slept with Raymonde: the hearth in her room had a Solomon's seal on each tile: they had talked and talked: warm: warmth of her body: nice little breasts: nice and warm: warm covers: Raymonde very tired: warm ...
... Strange--that hammering sound: mortar shells?
... Strange, Zinc asleep.
... Strange, to be an Ithacan!
He woke when a shell rocked the tank. He shouted.
He felt inside the stomach of death. When could they crawl out? Another shell whined. His throat tightened. He felt cold and buttoned his shirt and zippered his jacket and licked his lips and listened: was Landel shouting? Was it dark outside? It seemed to him that 9's motor was running. Bending over Zinc, he tested the switches. No, the motor was not running. Zinc was asleep.
Fumbling about, reaching for Dennison, Landel pulled him close and yelled:
"No ... they'll shoot you down."
"You stay ... try the radio ... I get nothing ... stay."