Laotian Pawn

activate our oxygen bottles at the three minute warning. That'll take us down to approximately 25,000 feet, and we can take off the masks at 12,000 feet. Dick, you have the Springfield .03 and sniper scope. Sergeant Minh, you'll take the M-60. Ho and Diem will carry M60 ammo, and I'll take the other M60. Once we are established in our descent and identify the DZ, it should have us heading approximately 190 degrees. Be sure to check around for the tape on everybody's helmet and make sure no one has a problem. As you know, we're traveling fairly light, with mostly ammo and food. I have a resupply bundle being dropped on Friday the 22nd. It'll have more food and ammo. I want Minh to pass all his gear to the five of us except for the bare minimum while he goes to the Landing Zone for recon. We should be on the ground by 0230. We'll get out of our thermal underwear and chutes and pack them in the A-3 bags we carry. As soon as we clear the DZ we'll head for the ridge. I want to be out of there by 0250. With no holdups we should be on the ridge overlooking the camp no later than 0700. We'll set up perimeter security, rest, and start our recon of the camp. We'll have one person at all times covering the camp.'

Dick interrupted, 'If we get held up do we still try

* * * * *

chute, and covered his face with his forearms just before he felt his feet penetrate the treetops. He continued through the top branches and bumped from limb to limb, crashing downward. 'Goddamn, Novak,' he muttered, 'keep those feet tight together, or you'll play hell pleasuring some tight little Thai gal next week.' He felt the searing heat of pain in his left forearm when one of the branches broken by his feet flipped back and tore into his flesh. There was a spongy little bounce, and he jerked to a sudden stop of downward motion and started a slow crazy little spiral dance.

After a minute or two the bouncing and spinning stopped. He listened for any sounds of human activity nearby. Slowly he removed his goggles and helmet and peered through the black night. The moon did not illuminate beneath the dense tree coverage. After a few minutes he decided he was alone. There was no imminent danger from the ground. Above him he could see the olive drab canopy securely held by the tree branches. There was no danger of it coming free, but it could tear and give way.

'Okay, asshole,' Novak told himself, 'you've got to get down now.'