The Worth of Souls Page 5

  The small, four-vehicle convoy stopped in front of a simple hut. The door was slightly askew. Three children burst out and ran toward their friends just down the street. They were followed by a woman in her early twenties. She looked surprised at the vehicles and turned around quickly calling to someone unseen inside. Her simple dress consisted of a sinh, a wraparound skirt of cotton, and an equally simple sash-like garment, called a pha biang, that wrapped around her waist, over her shoulders and neck covering her breasts. Some village women wore simple cotton blouses, but most wore the more traditional Lao and Hmong everyday clothing. She was barefooted as were virtually all in the village. The swollen appearance at her waist and under her sinh showed that Xiong Vang, the village chief, had been busy.

  A moment later, a middle-aged man came outside. He smiled broadly and walked toward the vans. He hailed them first in Hmong and then in French. “Welcome. It is good to see you, my friends.” Referring to Spoke, Swede and Bee, he squared off in front of Bee and bowed slightly. Normally, eye contact would have been avoided, but he knew that American customs required that he look into the eyes of these men.

  Xiong Vang appeared neatly attired, but very relaxed, in traditional clothes of the Laotian Hmong men. His Khmer-style, bloomer-like cotton trousers exposed bare feet. A simple cotton shirt was unbuttoned and gave the appearance of a long-sleeved vest. One sleeve was partially rolled up. His darkly-stained toothy smile was punctuated with several missing teeth.

  “Have you come to stay long with us?”

  Bee responded that he had some work to do nearby and would appreciate if he and his men could have lodging as well as the services of two or three guides. They weren’t sure how long they would be here. When they were not in the jungle, they would need lodging as well as food. Negotiations would be simple since Xiong Vang was the village chieftain, and he already knew and liked them.

  Xiong smiled and replied a strong reply in the affirmative. “Do you have new men for us to meet?”

  Bee smiled and said that the group with him this time were all well-known to the villagers.

  Xiong nodded and asked if there would be other needs, to which Bee replied that favors would not be needed other than living quarters, food and guide services of two or three of the village men well-versed in the areas north and west of the village.

  Xiong again smiled and said he had just the men for the job. He then welcomed Bee, Swede and Spoke into his home while he directed his wife to take the other 8 men to places of lodging. He offered them black tea. Spoke smiled and Xiong smiled as well. Instead, he offered Spoke a warm ginger ale. He remembered Spoke did not drink tea. They sat down on cushions and continued talking in French; small talk mostly about home and the health of each other. The Hmong were truly compassionate hosts. Virtually all spoke passable French since France had been the protectorate of Indochina from before World War II.

  Getting down to business, Bee asked if Xiong had experienced any problems from any of the local drug warlords or the Pathet Lao. It was toward the end of the monsoons or rainy season and historically the persecution picked up about now. Xiong said they had not been bothered as of late.

  Bee then asked what things they needed from civilization and the outside world. He would contact the Embassy in Vientiane and provide an air drop.

  Xiong mentioned some basic medicines not available to their Shaman. Ordinarily, western medicines were shunned, but this shaman had experienced use of some antibiotics in Vientiane several years previous and used it to help with infections. Naturally, he’d declined to divulge to the villagers that these were western medicines, but when the magic medicines worked, it went a long way toward establishing his credibility to his patients and followers.

  Xiong also mentioned some ammunition needs and explosives. Such items were considered automatic anyway, so it went without saying that these items would be made available. With the rainy season ending, food seemed presently plentiful. There had been times when bags of rice were air-dropped to the Hmong as well as other staples. Meat still was available, and since no one was going hungry it was not as high a priority as it would be later in the dry season.

  His eyes narrowed and he then remarked “Pathet Lao leave village alone. We expect them again soon.”

  The same with the drug/ war lords. Any opposition to the Hmong peaceful way of life was always cause for such persecution. Each group also recognized that the Hmong were often helped by the Americans. This was also a reason to disrupt and kill them.

  The CIA had promised protection to Xiong’s village but as yet he had not heard from them. With the drier months coming on, he was concerned the village would have enough weapons and ammunition as well as support to keep the Pathet Lao at bey. He went on saying “Laotian government only local joke. They not support us. We do not support them either because of their lies of protection to our village and people. They only seek money.”

  “Could you request that the promises of the U.S. and CIA be kept?” Xiong asked in a concerned but humble way. He knew fighting against newer weapons and better equipped drug lords or the Pathet Lao, his people would be slaughtered.

  Bee looked somewhat lost. He’d not had much help getting the CIA to do anything but get in the way, especially in that part of Laos. It seemed they were always putting up roadblocks against stopping the drug trade, so why would they honor their commitment for assistance to the Hmong? Bee had his own thoughts as to why the CIA was blocking the Hmong; their own drug operations. After his experience in Hong Kong, Spoke knew why, but said nothing.

  Spoke quickly responded again in French thinking Bee had lost something in the translation of Hmong to French to English. “We’ll request it immediately.”

  “You are gracious and kind guests.” Xiong smiled, for he had fulfilled his commitment to his village. He’d observed the temporary uneasiness in Bee’s countenance. Spoke’s assurance had the characteristics of positive help and thus had the necessary calming effects needed for the Hmong chief.

  Swede likewise gave a reassuring smile and Bee joined in too. Hands were shaken in the Hmong way. The receiver of the “shake” would place his hands on both sides of the giver, Xiong in this case, who appeared to have his hands in a praying manner. Each man nodded. It was as good as a “spit on the palm and grabbing the other person’s hand” type promise.

  Each man then arose and went toward the door to check on the men. They would also need a hut for the collection and protection of extra equipment not used when the men were in the jungle. This equipment would be in locked footlocker-type boxes to help remind curious children to be honest, but that would be all that was needed. The Hmong were explicitly honest so no thought was given to the fact that anything would be out of place when they returned. Even inquisitive children obeyed this code of honesty, mostly.

  Later, after dinner, there would be another gathering to meet their guides. At that time, departure times and equipment load outs would be checked. Right now, Spoke needed to look at the maps and photos he obtained in Saigon and Vientiane before departing. He and Bee would then consider a plan of attack for the next day. Swede left them, gathered up Senior Chief LaMonde and checked the physical arrangements and accommodations of the remainder of the team. Swede followed the time-honored tradition that the XO looked after the administrative affairs of the men while the CO made decisions for the command.

  Chapter 6

  The First Foray into China

  The first afternoon and night were marked by many joyous reunions. Families who had previously helped the SEALS again renewed their friendships. They were excited to have them back again; the children mostly. The big attraction was Radioman First Class O’Hare and his slight-of-hand tricks that kept the children laughing and guessing how he did it. Some of the young teen girls twittered quietly among themselves and at a discrete distance watching the young men of their dreams – Hmong and American. Even newly arrived families got into the welcome. These men were friends of the most trusted kind. They
cared about the Hmong and it showed. They put their lives on the line for the people of the village.

  After an afternoon of games, dancing and special reunions, the SEALS gathered again at the home of Xiong Vang. Spoke briefed them about the area they were going to be operating in the following day. Bee followed with specific orders for each man. These instructions had to be memorized, and kept completely classified.

  Keeping the other villagers out of the loop meant that if a security break-down occurred while the team was gone, the villagers could not be considered complicit. The Pathet Lao had a history of taking women and children at random and threatening them with torture and death unless men of the village came forward with information about the SEALS or whomever they were assisting. In virtually all cases, the threats were followed by actually causing severe treatment of the villagers; literally rape and murder.

  The plan was straight forward. Senior Chief LaMonde would lead a four-man scouting team ahead with their guide, Xay Vue Yang. The five men would scout ahead and report back to Bee and the remainder of the team. They would then recommend a path to continue forward.

  Each man was then ordered to be ready by 0600 the next morning. The SEALS would possibly be gone for a week or more. All of the equipment, ammunition and personal belongings as well as a portion of the team’s collective materials needed to be carried by each man. The load-out included the radio, medical kits, extra ammunition, binoculars, food, plastique explosives, mines, grenades (anti-personnel as well as smoke), extra batteries, night vision scopes and most importantly the transmitters and test radio. This meant each SEAL had a huge load approaching 100-lbs.

  Spoke knew that each man while loaded would have significant issues with mobility. His recommendations to Bee reflected this. Since he had been on operations in the past, he had an idea of how to help with those recommendations.

  Bee and Spoke bunked down at Xiong Vang’s home. Because Bee was the leader of the SEALS it was only right that he stay with the village chieftain. Spoke, as a guest of the boss would also bunk there. Besides, it was Xiong who had initiated the adoption of Spoke and Bee into the Vang clan two months previous. Now, the men were both the guests of Xiong’s family as well as actual members of the family.

  Sitting around a low table, the expanded family sat on well-used cushions. A humble meal of sticky rice and fish soup with tea was presented by a different woman than the one they had met earlier; a bit closer to Xiong’s age. She also smiled as she handed Spoke his warm ginger ale. This woman was Xiong’s other wife. She too dressed in the simple style of the other women in the village. While just a little older, she and the younger wife seemed very content with their place in life. Unlike her younger contemporary, she bore no swelling of the abdomen.

  Her small children, all girls under the age of 8, darted around her and everyone else. The sound of laughter in the home was infectious. It was a happy home. All girls meant that under Hmong practice Xiong could take another wife to hopefully bear a son. Bearing a son was paramount to the future of the clan.

  When Xiong and the men came in for dinner, the tone changed as if by magic. Children were seen, but not heard. Instead of eating utensils, fingers were the order of the day. The bowls of soup, heavily fragrant with spices, were used as drinking containers so no spoons would be needed. The meal passed quietly and once concluded the children were ushered outside to play until dark. Then it would be time to be cleaned up and readied for bed. Things were simple and well-organized here in this corner of paradise. All was well.

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  Early the next morning in the warm, humid, inky darkness, long before 0500, Senior Chief LaMonde arose and gathered his other three men along with Xay Yang. They would depart right at 0600. The first group had a much lighter load-out to facilitate movement and potential fighting abilities. The plan was that Xiong Vang, leading the second group, would leave roughly an hour later. The second group included Bee, Swede and Spoke. Having two smaller groups would ensure less chance of discovery by anyone watching for interlopers. The second group would also have the heaviest load-outs so they would be less mobile.

  Around 1600, if not before, they would rendezvous near the confluence of the Nam Loi and Nam He rivers. Then they would exchange intelligence and findings about the arrangement and orientation of the poppy fields and production facilities as well as any obstacles they faced on their scouting trip. This way they could formulate a strategy to enter the production buildings and complete the operation.

  The planning then would include ingress and egress to the production warehousing location. The team would select bales about to be shipped and insert the transmitters. Sometimes, this was a hit or miss effort. If the bales were not shipped within a week, the life of the transmitter could be compromised; it would run out of battery life before the bale arrived at its destination. This was one reason it was extremely important to scout and prepare for the insertion operation as soon as possible. It went without saying, but it had to be clandestine; no one could suspect.

  Several months before, Bee and Spoke as well as others on the current team had been on a very successful trip into an area south along the Nam Loi river in Laos to rescue over two dozen young girls from a ruthless drug lord who had intended to sell them to human merchants in Thailand. Those who went on that operation knew generally what to expect. They did not look forward to the karst or the fauna. This operation, unlike that one, was strictly for counter narcotics purposes.

  Another concern was the status of the locals they had previously used on other assignments. This particular heroin production drug lord may have provided the very men that had helped the SEALS previously clear out his rival’s operation. Carelessness could spell disaster for the current operation especially if they ran into any of those men from that prior op. For example, men from a local drug lord had provided guides and combat assistance in taking human hostages from another drug lord. Kaipo was their leader then, but who knew if he was still around or what his allegiances would be. Bee remained serious and concerned that this man who had helped them so well before might be his enemy this time.

  More concerns included just where they were. They had to consider the insects, snakes and tigers, the poisonous as well as brutal natural enemies. All of these matters seemed daunting. When added to the jungle and karst, it meant a difficult journey any way a person looked at it.

  Holes in the cliffs came in all sizes from dens of small animals to caves large enough to drive vehicles into. So much went through Spoke’s mind. These men had been trained, but with nature and other combatants against them, the thought of failure loomed significantly.

  Bee and Spoke each knew the measures of the land and the details of the target. The karst caves were most disconcerting even to the Hmong guides. With radios, lookouts in the caves above the trails could spell doom to a group of interlopers. Secrecy and stealth were the best solution, but the SEALS knew that there was a good chance they might be discovered.

  They’d been down these and similar narrow, overgrown trails before and between the possibilities of rogue Peoples Republic of China Army soldiers and the drug lord’s paramilitary forces, it could be a long couple of days. The PRC units often were allied to the drug lords and kept that way with favors and cash. The reason these troops were this far into the bush was also their minimalist view of authority and conformity to military orders.

  As noon arrived, a relieved look crossed Bee’s tired face. One of the men from Senior Chief LaMonde’s group made contact. He then directed Bee and the others to a new rendezvous area.

  Once combined, the two groups sat, ate a small lunch and compared notes. Senior Chief LaMonde had drawn a map as well as provided the coordinates of the operation. He pointed to the growing areas as well as the processing site. That larger processing site was surrounded by three small huts and open ground. All total, the Senior Chief estimated that there were about 100 acres cleared and cultivated
with poppies.

  Overlooking the area but about a half-mile distant, were karst ridges. Caves were observed in those ridges. How many of those caves were occupied could not be determined without several days of observation.

  Spoke began formulating two plans in his mind; one if they remained together, and a second if they split the unit. To Spoke, it was an easy choice, but Bee was the commander. He alone would bear the burden of command and would have to answer for his decisions.

  Splitting the team would mean a small group of 5 or 6 would remain for as long as a week to observe the site, or have the entire team remain and hopefully have better observation coverage in less time. Supplies would need to be conserved, but the operation could hopefully be accomplished quicker.

  The down side of splitting the group was not being able to cover the ground efficiently. Likewise, the down side of having the larger team doing the observing was the off chance that they could be discovered more easily.

  Spoke thought of the concern Bee must be feeling as he weighed the alternatives. Finally, Bee announced that the team would remain together. The operation had to go forward and the transmitters had to be installed.

  Bee then directed that the entire team would return to the production site area and await darkness.

  Gradually, the men moved toward the karst ridges. They moved in groups of four; spaced out by five or so minutes. Each group was to move about 100 meters to the right and left of the first group. At about 1700, each group moved together and established a perimeter for evening and night observation. The team then determined how to observe the cave areas and the production site.

  Bee, Swede, Senior Chief and Spoke conferred regarding an effective plan of attack. Spoke quietly explained his action plan. He felt using three squads would be most effective. One squad of two or three men would scale the karst cliff and quietly remove the overlook guards. If discovered a day or so later, something like that could easily be blamed on a rival drug lord. These men would have to be the best at close quarter combat and quiet killing.