He had hold of it before I could stop him. I warned him, “Mr. Park, let go of my weapon.”
“No it’s ok, I’m happy to help you. If you don’t trust me unload it.”
“Park, let go now!” I would never unload my weapon and hand it to him. He let go and I could feel the tension in the air. “Park, I can’t let you handle any weapons until I receive confirmation of your story from SOCOM.”
“I understand you don’t trust me yet. You know if I wanted to I could take that gun from you at anytime.”
I stepped back a few paces not believing he challenged me. I looked directly into his dark brown eyes and told him, “KD, your ego is too big.” The little prick just threatened me and I didn’t like it one bit.
“You’re correct. I guess … I’ve been with the Red Chinese too long. It has changed my thinking. I apologize for my rude comment. I should be grateful that you didn’t kill us on the beach.”
“Apology accepted. Whose idea was it to surrender?” I asked.
“General Chen wanted to surrender. He couldn’t run any more. My men would have never surrendered.”
“Did you ever fight Master Chen?”
“No, I never fought him.” Now I really wondered about Park because every person is required to fight the Master before graduation.
I told Park. “My birth sign is a Dog and so was Master Chen’s.” All the students knew Master Chen was a Monkey. Master Chen made it a point to know the birth signs of all his students.
“My sign is a Rat.” A Rat was probably a good match. Park is a sneaky rat. He didn’t correct me about Chen’s birth sign. He either forgot or didn’t know. Is he really a South Korean spy? Is he really a good guy?
As we walked there was a slight breeze and the ospreys were flying over the water searching for fish.
Ospreys look like little eagles with a partially white head, but they are much smaller. There are at least a dozen birds living in this area because the water is shallow which provides good fishing. Ospreys circle over head until they see a small fish; then they dive and pluck the fish right out of the water. Only their talons get wet.
Park stood there looking at them gliding through the air and asked, “Isn’t that your national bird, the bald eagle?”
“No, that’s an osprey or fish hawk.”
“I never saw one before. This is a really nice place here. It’s so peaceful.”
“Yeah, we like it and wanna keep it that way.”
“These mangroves are very dense and provide excellent cover. My men probably would use them to get up close to your Tocabaga Bridge.”
“I agree with that because otherwise they need to swim to the island. Believe me, swimming here is very dangerous because of the sharks.”
We finally reached the bridge and Park walked underneath surveying the channel and the underside of the structure. Standing under the bridge in the shade felt good. He looked up at the old rusted metal beams and commented, “It would be almost impossible to climb across this bridge using the super structure.”
“I could have told you that. There’s no way to cross this channel unless you swim.”
Park looked at me and nodded his head in agreement. “You’re right. To even get to the bridge is impossible with that 100 meter open area.”
Where the mangroves end there is a clear open beach area. It is a natural open space that is about 300 feet long or 100 meters, on both sides of the road. To make it across this open space, to the bridge, without being spotted is impossible.
The main secret, which I didn’t tell Park, was the road is lined on both sides with 500 Claymore mines. These mines can be activated by motion detectors or by manual operation. This is why we call it the Road of Death. The Claymore mines could stop any large force in their tracks.
My phone rang and it was from Captain Sessions. I stepped away from Park and answered the phone. Sessions spoke, “Jack, SOCOM checked out Colonel Park, Kang-Dae. His contact at the KIA, General Park, was assassinated a year ago. No one could confirm that Park is a KIA agent. That’s all I can tell you.”
“Ok, thanks for the information Captain.” Hanging up, I thought another FUBAR is going to happen.
Park was sitting under the bridge, in the shade, as I walked up to Mike and Tommy about 50 feet away. I told them, “I got bad news. SOCOM says General Park was killed a year ago. No one at Korea Intelligence can confirm Park and his men are agents.”
Mike said, “We’ll need to terminate them all.”
“I agree with that,” Tommy replied.
“What if we let Park sit here on the bridge waiting for his men? We’ll use him as bait to get them to surrender,” I suggested.
“Surrender? Why do you want dangerous commies running around?”
“I’m not sure they’re commies. We need to give them the benefit of the doubt.”
Mike said, “Man, you’re getting soft.”
“I’m not getting soft. I need to be 100 percent sure they’re commies. Park did show us the GPS bugs. He knew about Master Yoon, I think. There is only one way to find out if what he told us is true.”
“How’s that?” Tommy asked.
“I need to talk to Master Yoon, if he’s still alive. He’d be about 80 years old by now.”
“Do you have his phone number after all these years?”
“I need to check my files. Right now I want both of you to stay with Park and me. We’ll go to my house to get Yoon’s number.”
We stopped at my house and I went inside to find my little black book, which had phone numbers from 30 years ago. After a little digging I found it. I saved the number in my cell phone and walked out the door to find little Johnny talking to Park as they sat on the patio.
Johnny asked, “Why do you have a different uniform? What do the red stars mean? Are you a commie?”
Before Park could answer I said, “Johnny, that’s enough questions.”
KD replied, “No, its ok. I love kids even if I don’t have any of my own. Johnny, I am a South Korean spy. I’ve been spying on the Red Chinese Army. Now I’m here and I hope to live on Tocabaga in peace.” I could tell KD really did like kids as he patted Johnny on the back. Johnny seemed to like Park.
I sat down and told him, “KD, I have bad news for you. General Park at the KIA was killed last year. I’m sorry to give you that news.”
KD hung his head, put his hands over his eyes, and didn’t speak for a couple of minutes. “Who killed my Father?”
“I don’t know, but he was assassinated by someone in the KIA. This means your story can’t be verified by him. I have another idea however, and that’s to call Master Yoon. If he’s still alive he can verify who you really are.”
“Ok, please call him.”
We sat on my patio for another hour waiting for 6 pm. KD talked to all my grandkids telling them who he was. My wife brought us out some fruit and lemon tea to help pass the time.
I pulled out my phone and said, “Well it’s time to call.” I dialed the number and the phone rang five times before someone picked it up and I said, “Yŏboseyo, kŏgiga samsamoul sa oi-ch’irimnikka? (Hello, is this 335-4527?)”
“Ye, kŭrŏssŭmnida. (Yes, it is.)” A woman’s voice answered.
“Yoon sŭseŭng-nim chom taejuseyo. (May I talk to Master Yoon, please.)”
“Nugushirago halkkayo? (Who’s calling please?)”
“Chŏnŭn Jack Gunnjŭimnida. (This is Jack Gunn.)”
“Chamkkanman kidarishipshio. (Just a moment.)”
I heard his old voice, the voice of Master Yoon. “Annyŏnghashimnikka, Gunnjŭ ssi? (How are you Mr. Gunn?)”
I responded in English, “Master Yoon I’m fine. How are you?”
Since the first Korean War in 1950 English is the second language of Korea. All students are required to study English for at least five years. Most people can speak, read, and write English by the time they finish high school.
“I am well, considering my age.”
“Master, I’m
calling you from my home in Florida. I have an important question.”
“How may I help you?”
“Do you remember a student named Park, Kang-Dae?”
“What is his birth sign?”
“He’s a Rat.”
“Just a moment I will check my records.” Five minutes go by and Master Yoon came back on line. “Park, Kang-Dae was my student. He never finished his training because he was called to active military duty. His Father was General Park who was in charge of the KIA. His great-great-grandfather was Park, Chung-Hee, the first duly elected President of South Korea. Why do you ask about him?”
“He’s here with me in Florida. I had to verify who he really is.”
“Is there anything else Jack Gunn?”
“I have nothing else Master Yoon. I wish you good health and a long life.”
“Thank you, Jack Gunn. I wish you the same. Please call more often than once every 20 years. Good-bye.” He hung up before I could say good-bye. Master Yoon never liked using the phone. He preferred face-to-face communication.
I sat there as everyone waited for me to advise what Yoon had told me. I sat back, took a sip of tea, looked at Park and told him, “Well, Master Yoon confirmed you were a student and that your father was a General working for the KIA. Your great-great-grandfather was the first duly elected President. You were telling the truth.” I stood up and shook his hand. “Welcome to Tocabaga.”
Tommy and Mike looked at each other and also shook hands with KD. Everything he told us was true so we had no reason doubt him. KD had dinner with my family and we made him feel at home.
After dinner I suggested that Park retire for the night at the Fort. He could stay in one of the empty officer’s quarters. While driving to the Fort I stopped at the security check point and advised the guards that Park would be staying at the Fort. I didn’t want the patrols to shoot him by mistake.
Stopping at the quarters I gave him a room key and a radio to contact me if needed. I advised him that he was on his own here for the night. I warned him not to roam around because of the roving security patrols. I handed him a loaded M4 with three extra magazines. Tomorrow we would provide him fatigues with the necessary combat equipment.
Park touched my arm and said, “Thank you for everything. I swear my loyalty to you and I’ll do my best to protect Tocabaga.”
“Thank you, KD.” I pulled out my Black Bear fighting knife. “There’s an old Native American Indian custom that close friends would become blood brothers. I cut the palm of my hand and your hand. Then we hold them together sharing the blood, so to speak.”
Park told me. “I’ve seen this in old American Indian movies.”
KD held out his hand; I sliced it open and blood quickly flowed out. I sliced mine and we shook hands tightly holding them together while looking each other in the eye.
“KD, we’re now blood brothers forever. This cannot be undone. We promise to protect and help each other as normal brothers would do.”
“Jack, I won’t let you down.” It was kinda weird becoming his blood brother. When I was a little kid we did this all the time, but we aren’t kids anymore. I did this ceremony to show KD that I trusted him and that he could trust me. We had just bonded expecting to be life-long blood brothers with each other.
I advised him, “Remember, don’t go roaming around in the dark. Stay in your room. I’ll pick you up at 7 am sharp.” As I drove away KD waved at me.
I stopped at the bar for a nightcap feeling pretty good about the way things turned out today. Arriving home I told my family that KD and I had become blood brothers. No one said a word about it other than my wife, who thought it was a good gesture.
JULY 9, 2025
I woke up to the birds singing and my grandkids yelling. After taking a shower I went to the kitchen and poured a cup of mud. I advise Hemmi to set an extra plate for breakfast because KD would be joining us.
I stepped out on the patio for a smoke only to find Tommy, Ron, and Jim Bo already sitting there. It had rained last night so it was very humid and I started to perspire almost instantly.
I pulled out a smoke and Jim Bo said, “You need to give up that nasty habit.” I didn’t say a word as I took a deep drag and blew smoke in his direction.
I told my crew, “KD is coming for breakfast and then we need a strategy to locate his men.”
“I still don’t trust Park,” Tommy stated. “Blood brother or not he seems sneaky to me.”
I took a sip of coffee and commented. “Park and his men could be a big asset if we have a run in with the commies. It’s only a matter of time before they come back with more troops. We need all the fighters we can get. Tommy, let’s go pick up KD for breakfast.”
We walked into the garage and opened the gun safe. We never go anywhere without our guns and combat gear.
Our truck splashed though puddles left on the road from the rain. Reaching the check point Tommy stopped and asked the guards if everything was ok. They reported there were no problems.
We pulled up to the quarters assigned to Park. I got out and knocked on the door. There was no reply, so I opened the door to the unit and looked inside. No one was there. The AC and lights were turned off.
“Tommy, Park isn’t here. I’m going over to the mess hall to look for him.”
He wasn’t at the mess hall so I pulled out my radio. “Park, come in … Park, come in.” There was no reply.
I walked back to the truck and Tommy rubbed it in. “See, I told you not to trust him.”
“Why do you have a hard-on about Park?”
“When I was in Korea, I worked with a South Korean sniper team. One of them turned out to be a traitor. He killed his spotter and tired to kill me. No one suspected that he was a North Korean agent.”
“Well, I doubt Park is a double agent. Let’s try to find out what happened to him.”
Tommy walked over to the door of the housing unit and looked around. “There’s no sign of a struggle inside or outside. Here’s some tracks. Three people where here.”
I bent over and looked at the footprints in the wet grass. Tommy started to follow the tracks which led us to the blacktop parking lot where the footprints disappeared. The tracks indicated they were headed towards the beach.
I said, “Let’s go to the beach and see if we can pick up the tracks.” We walked to the beach and searched around. The tracks were easy to spot in the pristine sand.
There were three sets of foot prints leading to the edge of the water. On the beach, at the water line, there was a groove in the sand which looked like a small boat had been there. The footprints led right to it.
Tommy stated, “Well there is no doubt that Park left here with two other men by boat. Looking at this groove I’d guess it was a little rubber boat.” We scanned the water looking for a boat, but saw none.
“What the hell is Park doing?” I commented.
“Damn if I know, but I told you not to trust him.” Tommy rubbed it in again.
“Maybe a couple of his men found him and he went to talk the others into surrendering.”
“If so, why didn’t he leave a note telling us or give you a shout on the radio?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he’s in trouble.” I really thought Park was in some kind of trouble.
Tommy looked at me and shook his head in a negative way. “Yeah, and maybe he’s up to no good. Now he knows the lay-out of the Fort and Tocabaga. Maybe they’re planning to attack us.”
I scanned the water once again hoping to spot the little boat and my blood brother. I couldn’t believe he would do anything to hurt us.
I answered, “Get serious. They wouldn’t attack us with sixteen men.”
“Maybe not, but if they’re working for the Chinese Army they could pass on the information. They could be spying on us. We need more security on this beach right away. I bet they come back to this very same spot.”
Without the Rangers here the only thing we can do is have the Amazon Warriors patrol the
beach area. We started to walk back to the housing unit and I took one last look at the water hoping to see a boat.
Reaching the quarters, Tommy said, “Here’s my plan. Post our guards along the three mile beach in teams of two every eight hundred yards. Pull six men from the main bridge, and have them be a roving patrol. Put everyone on full alert ready to respond quickly in case of an invasion.”
“An invasion by who?”
“An invasion by Park and his men.”
“Let me think about it. Let’s head back home and get some food.”
Heading home I tried to radio Park again just in case his radio was on. “Park, if you can hear me please report at once. If you need help let me know.”
“You’re wasting your time. He’s with his buddies planning how to overthrow Tocabaga,” Tommy commented.
We arrived home and Hemmi asked, “Where is Mr. Park?” I told her the bad news and she wasn’t surprised. Maybe I am getting too old and soft. After we ate breakfast I set up a meeting with my key people at the bar to discuss our next steps.
In attendance were Rick, Tony, Jim Bo, Tommy, Mike, Maggie, and Amy. I started off the meeting advising everyone that Park had disappeared last night by boat. I continued, “At this point we can’t trust Park or his men. We need more security at the Fort covering the beach. I want the Amazon Warriors to provide that security.” Nodding their heads, Amy and Maggie looked at me indicating concurrence with this idea.
Amy asked, “How do you want us to position guards on the beach?”
“Park knows that the beach is our weak point so I want the Warriors to do roving patrols using trucks. We need three trucks with two Warriors in each one. I also want four teams, with three Warriors in each team, spread out along the beach as look-outs. Keep out of sight. Everyone keep in contact by radio using channel 34. Park has one of our radios so he might be able to listen in.”
Amy inquired, “How’d he get one of our radios?”
“I made a big mistake and gave it to him. Anyway Park got away by boat and Tommy thinks he’ll come back by boat to the same area.”
THE TOCABAGA CHRONICELS: (BOX SET PART II - BOOKS #6-8) Page 17