by D. B. Silvis
“He could have just as well shot you. Didn’t you think about that?”
“Yes, but I thought Doli would throw the grenade before he would be able to fire.”
“You’re a crazy risk-taker. I thought that about you when you stayed behind to get near the North Vietnamese Army camp in the Highlands.”
“You’re absolutely right, Captain. I do take chances.”
“You need to get the hell away from Vietnam, three times and out, Killian.”
Killian chuckled. “You’re probably right, sir.”
Nothing was said for a few seconds.
“Killian, tell me straight. Is that what really happened?”
“What else can I tell you? You said you saw what happened when Doli tossed the grenade.”
Captain Wheeler shook his head. “Jesus, I’ll be glad when the action here is over. It gets weirder every day. Now for Christ’s sake, I’m supposed to believe in Skinwalkers.”
He stood up and came around his desk. Killian also stood up, and they shook hands.
“Thanks for coming to see me, Killian. I’m not sure I’ll ever believe your story, but it’s all I have, and I will live with it.”
“Someday, after this is all over, we’ll get together and talk about it some more, Captain.”
Wheeler patted Killian on the back. “Yes, I’m sure there’s more to this tale than meets the eye.” He chuckled. “Anyway, you take care of yourself, my friend.”
“You too, Captain.”
Killian left the officer’s tent. He felt better now that he at least had a conversation with his friend, even though he hadn’t told him the whole truth.
With the help of acquaintances in their apartment building, Doli made arrangements to fly to Pleiku on Monday morning. Killian went to the Tan Son Nhut Air Base, and watched her as she climbed into the back seat of a Cessna 0-1 Bird Dog, and fly off toward Pleiku. Killian stood and recalled the last time he’d seen a Bird Dog in the sky. He thought about Connor.
When she landed in Pleiku, Doli went to the Army Field Hospital. There she arranged for morning and evening SERE training classes for the nurses. Doli was surprised, and sickened, by the sight of so many servicemen being brought into the hospital in body bags, and by the large numbers of wounded on stretchers.
The area was constantly being struck by mortar shells. Other times the gooks would climb the barbed wire fences, and fire into the compound and airbase. Every night, the area was shelled and rocketed. The enemies’ mortar shells and rockets were not aimed at any particular installations. At first Doli was frightened, but then she learned the purpose of the nightly attacks was simply to annoy and keep everyone awake. It was a method of harassment and interdiction, and it worked.
Back in Saigon, Killian continued to conduct SERE training courses. Upon returning to his apartment one Thursday evening, he found a note that had been slipped under his door. He picked it up, and read it.
TAGLITO SILAADA
We have Doli. She will die if you do not surrender yourself to us.
Her life is in your hands.
Be here by noon Sunday or she will be set on fire.
There are many of us, but come alone.
We will have a ceremony to celebrate your death.
Hashkeh Naabak
Ma’ii tosh
Lupan
Along with the note was a rough map of their location.
Killian was stunned. He’d never thought of the possibility of Doli being kidnapped. He sat down and stared off into space. His mind was thinking a hundred different thoughts. He knew he had to go to Doli’s aid. He needed to save her, but how? He knew if he surrendered to the Blue Warriors, they wouldn’t let Doli go. She would also die. For the first time in his life he didn’t know what to do. How could he fight all the Blue Warriors and free Doli? But, he knew he must try.
While contemplating his next move he thought about his Blue friends, Lieutenant John Badger, Bill Riley and Jeff Tyler. He knew they’d help him. Killian sat thinking of how. He tried to figure out a plan, but nothing made any sense. He went into the kitchen, took a beer out of the refrigerator, leaned against the counter, opened the beer, and took a swig. He felt sick and realized he was perspiring. He put the cold bottle against his forehead, and rolled it back and forth.
For some reason he found himself thinking of Sergeant Glun. He wondered if the Montagnard Sergeant was still fighting out of Pleiku, and whether there was some way he could make use of him. All night long he kept formulating plans to free Doli without getting both of them killed. He barely slept.
Early in the morning, Killian went to the Tan Son Nhut Air Base and hitched a ride to Camp Holloway. After the plane landed Killian was walking across the tarmac when he passed three Huey helicopters. He recognized Bill Riley and Jeff Tyler working on one of the ’copters, and went over to them.
“You’re just the guys I came here to see.”
“Hey, Killian, good to see you!” said Sergeant Bill Riley.
“Look at what we’re doing. It was inspired by you,” beamed Sergeant Jeff Tyler proudly.
He pointed inside the Huey. Hanging on the inner wall were two bows, and a rack of arrows.
“We picked them up at the supply depot. They are Ranger-X bows that can propel arrows farther and faster than any other bows in their class,” Bill Riley informed Killian.
“And the incendiary arrows contain a small quantity of white phosphorus that ignites upon contact,” added Jeff Tyler.
“Yeah, if we see any of those Blue Warriors we’ll burn them to hell!” said Bill.
They both laughed. They were clearly proud of their new weapons.
“You may get the opportunity, guys,” said Killian. “I’m here to see your lieutenant about a mission I have planned.”
“You going after some Blue Warriors?” asked Jeff excitedly.
“Maybe, but I need to talk to the lieutenant.
“He’s over there in the mess hall.” Bill pointed to a building about a hundred yards away. “He went over there for a cup of coffee.”
“Thanks. See you guys later.”
As Killian walked off toward the mess hall, he sensed Bill and Jeff’s excitement about going on a mission against Blue Warriors.
When he entered the mess hall, he saw John Badger sitting at a table reading a map.
“That’s just what we’ll need for our mission, Lieutenant,” he said.
Lieutenant Badger looked up. “Killian, what’re you doing here?”
They shook hands.
“I came to see you. I need your help.”
“Glad to give it to you, if I can.”
They sat down and Killian explained his situation and the plan he’d devised. Then he pushed his own map toward the lieutenant.
“I was mapping out where our next mission was going to take us,” John Badger told him as he leaned over Killian’s map, “but, I’m sure we can do something for you. Let’s see where the Blue Warriors want you to meet them.”
He placed Killian’s map on top of his.
“It’s in this area,” said Killian, pointing out the location. “They’re on this hill about five miles northwest of here. Can you go there Sunday?” asked Killian.
“I’ll arrange it, if you’re able to get some of the Montagnards to go along with your plan.”
“I plan on going over to Pleiku right now to see if I can locate Sergeant Glun.”
“Come on, I’ll arrange a jeep for you.”
They left the mess hall, and walked over to the transportation building.
When Killian got to Pleiku he went straight to headquarters. He learned that Sergeant Glun was still in the area and was directed to his hooch. He found the sergeant sitting at a picnic-like table, smoking a pipe. Sergeant Glun smiled as Killian got out of his jeep. He stood up, and came over to meet the man he knew as Cowboy Red. The two men shook hands, and then Killian gave Glun a hug.
“Good to see you again, Sergeant.”
“You too,
Taglito Silaada, I have often thought of you.”
Killian stared at the man in front of him.
Glun grinned. “I heard the North Vietnamese soldier you killed, and then he became a wolf, call you by that name. Many times I’ve wondered why.”
“I’m here to ask for your help, and to explain to you what you saw that day, Sergeant Glun.”
“Please have a seat and we’ll talk.”
They sat down at the table. Killian had already planned what he was going to tell Sergeant Glun.
“Those gooks you saw me kill are evil Native American Indians. I believe you would call them Spirit People. They hate all other Americans, and those who help them. They are here to kill both American and Montagnard soldiers, who have no chance against them. They can only be killed by fire. Now they have kidnapped the woman I plan to marry. I have a plan to kill them and to save her, but I’ll need your help. Will you listen to me?”
Glun continued to smoke his pipe.
“Why did the ones you killed become a wolf and howl?”
Killian told him about the Skinwalkers.
Glun tapped his pipe on the table. “I’d like to hear your plan, Killian.”
On Sunday morning, eight Montagnards led by Sergeant Glun climbed into two jeeps. They headed for the hill where the Blue Warriors were holding Doli. Each of the Montagnards was carrying a single weapon, a flamethrower. When they were a quarter mile from their destination they parked the jeeps, and continued, on foot, toward the high hill.
Killian drove his jeep up to within a hundred yards of the Blue Warriors’ camp. He saw three tents, and the figures of Blue Warriors looking down at him. As he approached he realized there were more of them than he had imagined, at least two dozen. Killian’s only weapons were the bolas, with one napalm B grenade, and his lariat. When he was about forty yards away some of the Blue Warriors began a war dance, while others whooped, and yelled war chants. Killian spotted Lupan standing off to the right, a few yards from a tent.
As Killian got closer, Lupan started to move toward him. The Blue Warriors were ready for the kill. When the Montagnards saw Killian’s jeep stop, they formed a circle around the upper part of the hill. Then a helicopter rose up from the base of the hill, and hovered over the camp. Sergeant Bill Riley and Sergeant Jeff Tyler began to shoot their deadly arrows down from the Huey. One struck Hashkeh Naabak, the other a warrior near Lupan. Both were set on fire, bursting into flame before being transformed into wolves, standing on their hind legs, and howling. Then there were the usual bright flashes of blue light followed by the ribbons of blue-white smoke rising into the sky.
Frightened by the sight, most of the Blue Warriors scattered, and began running to get away from the helicopter, which was raining down more deadly white phosphorus arrows. One by one the Blue Warriors were struck and set on fire. Killian saw Ma’ii tosh grab a grenade, and was ready to throw it at the Huey. Killian quickly pulled the napalm B grenade pin, and tossed the bolas at him. The Blue Warrior was knocked off balance as the bolas wrapped around his legs. The grenade he threw missed the helicopter, exploding harmlessly in the air. At the same time the grenade attached to the bolas exploded, and Ma’ii tosh was engulfed in a ball of fire.
The Montagnards were now advancing up the mountain, igniting fleeing Blue Warriors with their flamethrowers. The air filled with the sound of howling and bright blue flashes as more ribbons of blue-white smoke rose into the sky.
Killian saw Lupan run into one of the tents and rushed after him. He found his enemy taking a grenade out of a back pack, and launched himself at him. They rolled across the tent floor, locked in each other’s grip. As he fought, Killian got a glimpse of Doli bound and gagged on a dark green army cot, staring at him with wide eyes. Lupan had the grenade in his left hand, and was trying to pull the pin. He succeeded, but Killian knocked the grenade out of his enemy’s hand; it rolled out of the tent and exploded in a fiery ball.
Lupan managed to free himself from Killian’s grip and ran out of the tent. From all around came the death howls of his fellow-warriors. He looked for an escape route down the mountain, but only saw Montagnards carrying flamethrowers coming toward him. He ran in circles, but they were coming up on all sides. Then Killian emerged from the tent, twirling his lariat. He flung the rope, and adroitly lassoed Lupan, bringing him to the ground. He sprinted over to the struggling Blue Warrior and hog-tied him.
Lupan swore viciously in Navajo as Killian dragged him back to the tent. Sergeant Glun, who was standing a few feet away, grinned. He had seen Cowboy Red do that before.
“We heard many wolves howl” he told Killian, “and we saw bright flashes of blue light and blue-white smoke rising into the sky, but there are no bodies, so their spirits are doomed to wander forever.”
“I hope that’s true. It’s what they deserve, Sergeant Glun.” He pointed to Lupan. “Watch him. I need to get Doli.”
Lupan continued to scream and curse Killian as he writhed on the ground. Killian went into the tent, where he cut Doli free, and removed the gag from her mouth. She threw her arms around him.
“I knew you’d come, Killian!”
They kissed and he held her for over a minute. Then they stood up and left the tent.
Lieutenant Badger had landed the Huey, and the three Blues were standing outside with Sergeant Glun and his men.
“What are you going to do with him, Killian?” asked Sergeant Glun, indicating Lupan.
“Doli and I are going to fly back to Camp Holloway with Lieutenant Badger. You can take my jeep back to base, and do what you will with him, Sergeant. He has killed many Americans and Montagnards.”
Lupan was lying on the ground like a hog-tied steer. He was still cursing Killian in Navajo as he, Doli, Jeff Tyler and Bill Riley got into the helicopter with Lieutenant Badger. They were the only ones who knew what Lupan was yelling.
The Huey lifted up and hovered seventy-five yards away. They looked down as the Montagnards untied Lupan, and formed a wide circle around him. Lupan looked like a scared rabbit as he spun around, searching for an escape. The Montagnards played with him, taking turns firing a bead of fire near his feet. Lupan jumped in rage and terror and waved his hands over his head. He was still screaming at Killian when all eight of the Montagnards aimed their flamethrowers at the evil Blue Warrior, and pulled their triggers.
Everyone watched transfixed as Lupan was set ablaze. For an instant, he became a wolf standing on its hind legs and howling, and then there was a bright flash of blue light, and a ribbon of blue-white smoke that rose up into the sky.
THE END