by Barry Sadler
Allowing time for the echo to subside, he waited a moment and called again: "We will camp by the lake. I will meet you wherever you say. Just let us know you are here. We have very little time to get you and your family out, Huan. Do not waste it!"
He'd used Huan's name; maybe it would help. However, the enemy had been looking for them for some time, and they more than likely knew the man's name also. Now they must wait.
Across the valley floor, where the mouth of a small cave was carefully concealed by liana vines and roots of a teak tree, anxious ears listened to the words of Casey.
Turning back to his wife inside the larger room of the cave, Huan spoke. "Do you believe him, woman? I could not tell if the one speaking was an American or not. He speaks English as one."
A smaller shadow detached itself from the entrance and moved into the dim light of the interior, speaking with respect but purposefully.
"We must find out, my father. Soon our food will be gone. Let us watch their camp, and when it is dark, we will go close to them, to see and to listen."
Yu Li, nineteen, the daughter of Huan, knelt beside her father. The light from outside the cave flickered on her face as leaves moved from the stirring of the light wind. For one who was seeing her for the first time, it would be almost like a strike in the face, as if all the beauty of Asia were combined in this one small face. It was classic in its lines, and the blood of centuries showed in the set of her head. Hair, black and full as a moonless night, fell in a mass to below her waist. She looked at her father.
"We must know. If we do not, then the boys are dead anyway, or they shall grow up to be Khmer Rouge soldiers when the indoctrinators are through with them."
Huan sighed deeply. "I agree, my daughter. And you, woman, do you agree that we should verify the man's words?"
His wife was not fooled by the gruffness of her husband's tone. Years of love and a full life were not ruffled by the hardness of his voice. She knew that he was merely adopting this manner for the benefit of their sons so that they would not think him too soft on women.
She spoke in a quiet voice, respectful and knowing of her position: "Yes, my husband. I agree. Time for us here is running out. We should know."
Her husband rose. "Then it is settled. Tonight I go and look at these men. The ones we saw from this distance did not look like Khmer Rouge to me. Yes, we will see."
At the same time Casey's voice fell on Huan's ears, another's ears heard his words. Not distinctly but well enough to take a sighting on. Colonel Lon eyed the direction of the voice, and a thrill ran through him. A primal instinct made itself known in the sudden eagerness he felt to pursue the voice. But the night and its darkness were catching up to them now. He would wait. No chances would be taken. Again he issued the orders. No fires .. . no talking. It was obvious now. The hunted did not know they were being pursued, and he preferred to keep it that way until the last deadly moment.
The night closed too quickly. The hunters rested, waiting for the first light of day, when they would rise and close in on their prey. Lon slept soundly, with no dreams. His men remained on watch in relays through the long night of the jungle, while up the valley, about six miles away, Casey and his men also rested, spread out in the brush by the edge of the lake, waiting for contact from the Chinese man or a member of his family.
The night was clear, and after the rain of the previous night, the earth was still moist enough for the light breeze to give them some relief. Casey had separated himself from the rest, telling Van and George to stay behind. He'd bedded down on the opposite edge of the lake, where the ground was free of brush. He'd thought about building a fire so that the Chinese could see them easily, but he was still leery that they might have company they were not aware of. There would be no fire this night. Maybe tomorrow, if they failed to show themselves tonight.
Taking his shirt off, he rose and went to the edge of the water, throwing handfuls of the cool liquid over his upper body, rinsing off the sweat and grime of the day. While he washed, his eyes watched. He finished and bent to pick up his shirt.
A voice hissed: "Move and you die!"
Casey froze in his bent position and whispered, "Huan?"
"Yes, it is Huan, white man. But how do I know you are what you say you are? Perhaps you are a Russian, working with the Khmer, out to destroy me and my family. I saw many Russians in China. You all look alike to me."
Despite himself, Casey chuckled at the old cliche. "Okay, Huan, just don't get trigger happy. I'm going to get up now. The squatting position doesn't seem to agree with Occidental knees."
Rising slowly, Casey looked to the bushes, toward the direction of the voice.
"The man who sent us is your wife's father. He is now in Taiwan with his uncle, Lin Pao. We have just two more nights to get you out of here. After that it will be too late. Tomorrow a plane will fly over this position. We are to signal him, and he will drop the equipment we need to get you and your family out. What choice do you have, Huan? If I'm lying, you are a dead man anyway, and so is your family."
Huan thought this over. It was true what the man was saying. They had no other choice.
"Very good, American, if that's what you are. I will come out to you now. While you may be telling the truth, if you are lying, I promise I will take some of you with me. I was a soldier when you were still playing with child's toys."
Casey grunted knowingly. If he knew how old I was, Shit. If he knew how old I was, he'd eat his own tongue for saying that, he thought. He stood, quietly waiting Huan's exit.
Huan came out of the brush carefully, facing the scar faced and much bigger man. His rifle was slung on his shoulder, but in his hand Casey could make out an American type MKII pineapple hand grenade, World War II vintage. The pin was pulled, and the man's hand was steady as it retained the striking lever. Casey paused for a moment before speaking.
"Good enough, Huan. I can understand your caution and why you're doing this."
He began to talk freely, giving the Chinese information that only his father in law could have known and passed on. He finally saw that he had the man convinced, and he relaxed as Huan put the pin back into the grenade. They both released a deep sigh and sat down side by side on the, cool earth of the lake's edge. The strength seemed to leave Huan, as if his head were too heavy to hold erect any longer.
"Good! It is good. I did not think that Han would make so great an effort to save us. I care not for myself but for my wife and children. How will you get them out? The march would be too long and strenuous for the young ones."
Casey told him the plan, explaining what a skyhook was and how it worked. Huan nodded in agreement.
"Amazing! But you Yankees are always making something work, even when it is not supposed to. I remember well the many machines that your soldiers were able to fix, machines that we were forced to leave behind when they would not run."
Casey's eyes went up in question. "Our soldiers? When was that?"
Huan laughed. "In Burma. I served with the 38th Chinese Division and fought beside some of your Colonel Merrill's men, on the road to Myitkina, when the Japanese held so much of my homeland."
Casey thought about that for a moment. "Then that explains how you were able to sneak up on me without my hearing."
Huan laughed softly. "No, my young friend. When you called out before night fell, I came to this spot before you. There are only two good locations to camp around this lake, and this is the best one. I gambled that you would find it, so I hid and waited for you. If you had not come here, I would have checked the other places."
"It's always a pleasure to do business with a professional." Casey grinned with respect. "I have a feeling that you're going to make this job a lot easier for me, Huan."
Huan bobbed his head in acknowledgment of the compliment.
"Thank you, big one. I do believe that it would be prudent for us to go and meet with the other members of my family. Women, it seems, always worry when their men are out of their sight f
or more than a few minutes. Go and speak to your men. Tell them to remain here while you meet with my wife and children."
Casey agreed and returned to the camp, putting on his shirt as he walked. Going over to where George and Van were talking with a couple of the Kamserai, he told them what had occurred and indicated that he was to accompany Huan to the cave. Van and George wanted to go along, but he told them to stay and keep an eye on things in the camp and to pass on to Phang what was coming down. He saw Phang then, squatting not far away, and decided he'd tell him personally. The old man added some nuoc to his rice and took a bite as Casey filled him in. He wiped his mouth on a sleeve and spoke.
"It is good that we have found them so quickly. One of my men was scouting our back trail and said he spotted a light, as of a cigarette."
"How far back?" Casey asked.
"About five or six miles from this place. The man was not certain of the distance. You know how hard it is to estimate the distance at night, A glow of a cigarette can be seen for miles and seem like a few hundred yards."
"Okay, old friend. This is how we play it. I'm going to get the Chinese family. You get your men ready to move out. We travel tonight. When we leave the area, we will also leave a good trail for the ones behind us to follow. If they are Khmer troops, we have to get them away from this area. The plane comes tomorrow night, and we must have them away from here. Let's take them for a phony run."
"Wait a minute, my impetuous friend, and listen to this old and useless man. With the children it would be difficult to set and maintain a hard and fast pace. Would it not serve as well for the ones behind us to only think that we had all left and were heading away from here? Would it not be best for you and your two men to remain here with the Chinese in their cave while me and my men lead the strangers behind on an extended tour of the countryside? I am confident that we can lose them and then rejoin you here tomorrow night."
Casey thought it over. The old bastard was about as useless as a twenty year old genius. "You're right, wise one, though I don't like having you take all the risk alone."
Phang laughed low, his voice guttural. "My son, I was fighting in these hills before your father cut his milk teeth. Now show me the place where we shall meet."
Casey laughed also. Why was it that all these young bastards thought they were older than he? He took out his silk map of the region that Major Shan had made up for him and pointed to a clearing about five kilometers north of the lake.
"This is where we will be. If things go well, we will have them all out within one hour after the plane drops our lift equipment."
Phang nodded. "And what of you, my friend? Will you also leave the same way, hanging like a fish from a hook?"
"Yes, Phang. We get them out first, then me and the boys go the same route. You and your men will give us cover and then take off for your own safe area. I will arrange the final payment to you as soon as we get back to Taiwan."
Phang grunted. "I did not speak of payment. I know you will see that it is taken care of. But I am glad that you will be going out with the Chinese. It would not go well for you if you were caught in these lands."
"I know," Casey said. "So we will play it your way."
Leaving the old man to his unfinished rice and fish sauce, Casey returned to Huan. "Okay, let's go."
On the way to the cave where Huan's family waited, he filled him in on Phang's suggestion that he stay with the family while the chase went on.
"What about the other two men? You say they will also stay behind?" Huan asked Casey.
"They will be waiting for us in another spot. I don't want us all cooped up in the same location if things go down wrong. I told Van and George to leave tonight and find a hiding place close to the pickup spot. They'll be there."
Huan nodded, accepting Casey's plan. "That is wise, my newfound friend. As you yourself said earlier, it is good to know that one is dealing with professionals."
They made their way through the brush, taking exceptional care to leave no sign that they'd passed through. As they worked their way to the ledge and the cave where Huan's family waited, Casey felt uneasy. A growing itch inside that told him things were going too smoothly. They'd had it too easy up to this point. Something had to go wrong. It always did.
Eight kilometers behind Casey's location, another was not having it so easy. He was finding out the consequences of being derelict in duty.
"Kill him! Kill him quietly!" Lon ordered. "Anyone so foolish as to light a cigarette when on patrol does not deserve to live. Take this fool away and strangle him."
The young Khmer soldier who'd lit up without thinking broke down, throwing himself at Lon's feet and begging for mercy from his commander. The colonel looked down at him in disgust.
"Young man, you could have caused us failure this night. You have no idea what that thought does to me. Believe me, having you strangled this night will not be unkind. It will be a kindness compared to what I would have done to you if you lived and I found out for certain that your stupidity had alerted our quarry."
The youngster began again to plead for his life. Lon motioned to the man standing over the kneeling soldier. Taking his AK 47, Lon's bodyguard, the one who'd disposed of the ill-mannered villager, struck the young Khmer at the base of his spine with the butt. The young soldier reared back, his spine and neck stretched taut in an arc of pain. Before he could scream or protest, the rifle strap of the MK 47 was wrapped around his neck. The guard quickly spun the weapon as if it were a small baton, tightening the leather strap like a garrotte around the neck of the teenage soldier. The victim went into a spasm for only a second, his legs and arms trembling uncontrollably. Then came a sound like the breaking of a one inch piece of green wood. The boy's neck snapped, and his trembling ceased.
Propping the body up against his knee, the guard unwound the strap, easing the pressure on the youngster's neck. As he did, for a moment it sounded as if the boy were still alive. The air trapped inside his lungs escaped, hissing with a light rattling sound.
Lon nodded his approval. "Very good," he said to the guard" `You surprise me sometimes, Souvang. You really have a creative imagination in some directions. Good. Quite good."
Colonel Lon did not rest well that night. The thought that the young fool's carelessness might have warned the invaders of their chase tormented him so much that each sound from the forest grated on his nerves like a jagged fingernail on a chalkboard.
CHAPTER TWELVE
While Colonel Lon tossed restlessly, Sou Phang and his warriors broke camp and headed into the black of the jungle. The trees overhead were like a canopy, shutting out all light.
The Kamserai and their chief made their way as quickly and quietly as possible, careful to leave a trail that was not too obvious yet easy to follow for trained eyes. Step by step they made their way through the dense undergrowth of the jungle, away from the area of the drop zone. Before the sun rose, Phang wanted to be at least ten to twelve miles from the lake.
Casey followed Huan's figure into the opening of the cave. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the light inside, dim though it was, coming from a rusty but functional lantern. When he was able to focus, his eyes fixed on a figure in the rear, leaning over her two small brothers protectively. Yu Li's face was framed like an artist's portrait, her hair hanging loosely on the side, its blackness setting off her skin like fine ivory. For Casey, the sight of her was like stepping into a cold shower, almost a physical shock.
Seeing the shocked expression on Casey's face, Huan chuckled.
"I know what you are experiencing, my young stallion friend. It is often that I wonder how one like myself could have sired such a beauty. But let me warn you, she is as stubborn as she is beautiful. I am sure that is why she is long past the age to marry. But you know how these modern women are. Come now and meet the rest of my family, members of my life."
Casey walked over and knelt by Huan's side. The sire of the small clan made the introductions. Huan's wife smiled a
nd bowed, asking if she could fix him tea or something to eat. Casey had been hungry before, but the sight of Huan's daughter had erased all thought of food from his mind. Forcing himself to stop staring, he looked away.
Yu Li, now that his eyes were not on her, had an opportunity to study this stranger. When his eyes first fell on hers, she experienced a strange and pleasant chill. He was not like other men she had met. She felt it immediately. He was strong and masculine. As she looked at him now, she could feel the violence in him. Violence but not cruelty. Yet beneath the violence, she also felt there was gentleness, a gentleness that was almost begging her to show it how to escape from its captor. She was certain that in time she would show it the route.
Huan explained to his family what had transpired and what the morrow would bring for them. He omitted the skyhook part, not wanting them to worry about the unknown. He would explain the function of the pickup equipment to them tomorrow. Now all must rest.
Huan turned the lamp low, leaving them only enough light to see one another vaguely. They slept. Yu Li was beside her brothers, with her back to Casey. Casey leaned against the cave wall in a sitting position, his back comfortable against its coolness. He let his eyes fall on Yu Li's back, resting there, not knowing when they closed.
Dawn came, and while Phang and his men moved through the jungle and brush, Colonel Lon's men were up and on the trail. In less than two hours they were at the Kamserai lakeside campsite. Lon's Meo trackers bent to sniff the ashes, purposely left there by the others, and moved in circles until they'd decided on the direction Phang and his men had taken. They informed Lon that the invaders had left sometime the previous night.
Lon swore, recalling the young soldier he'd had strangled. A lucky boy to have died so swiftly, he thought. If he was here now, I would feed him his own testicles.
He whipped his men into action, urging them onward and after the invaders. Mile by mile, using his men in relays to break ground, he pursued the unseen enemy. As they crested a hill, he instructed his radioman to contact headquarters and inform them that he was hot on the trail and closing in on the enemy force.