by Dave Hazel
The Green Beret pointed his bloodied knife to the entrance of the tent. He wanted Mykal to look inside. In the moon light Mykal saw the man’s uniform, his neck and part of his face shined wet red with Soso blood over the cammy face paint.
Mykal peeked inside the cloth opening of the large tent. There were no Sosos, but a number of American prisoners were on the ground. Their hands and arms were bound behind their backs. Their legs were tied and they had gags in their mouths. He guessed the gags were to keep them from communicating with each other. They all slept despite the uncomfortable positions they were bound in.
Mykal saw there were at least fifteen people spread throughout the tent. Mykal’s heart almost exploded out of his chest with excitement when he caught sight of a man who had a metal case attached to his wrist, though his wrists were behind his back. ‘Friggin Mister X,’ his thoughts screamed with excited joy. ‘This is unbelievable,’ he reflected silently and a flood of ideas and plans rushed through his brain. ‘I’m done with the friggin military and the government. I’ll have the rest of my life alone with my family. I’ll never have--’
A hand on his shoulder interrupted his thoughts and he turned to see Captain Diaz. He nodded excitedly and pointed for Diaz to look inside the opening. Mykal pointed to Jake, Larry, Boris and Danny Weller to come to him while he saw the Koreans and Green Berets were eliminating more Sosos in the nearby area.
Mykal went into the tent with Captain Diaz and his friends followed behind him. They knelt beside the first man who was dressed in a dirty and ripped suit. The man’s white shirt had so much dirt and blood on it, that it made it hard to discern that the shirt had actually been white at one time. Mykal shook the man and when the man’s eyes opened Mykal pressed his finger to the man’s lips signaling him to remain quiet.
Mykal watched the shocked expression the man had turned to joy and then seeing the man’s eyes well up with tears was a great reward in itself. Mykal could only imagine what the man and all the others had been through. It felt so gratifying to be a part of the rescue. Since Mister X was in his possession, or rather the all-important brief case, Mykal couldn’t allow himself to selfishly stop here. He planned to complete the mission and rescue everyone.
Diaz used a razor sharp knife to cut the leather ties binding the man’s hands and legs. The rest of them quickly helped free the bound prisoners. The expressions of joy and happiness, though silent, were extreme. All the prisoners had been abused.
The man Diaz cut free first rubbed his wrists and legs where the circulation had slowed due to the tightness of the leather straps. “What is happening here?” He whispered to Diaz and Mykal.
“Shhhh,” Mykal responded quietly using his hands to tell them all to keep it down. “We’ll have plenty of time for talking later. We’re here to get you outta here. You have to be quiet. I want complete silence or you’ll be left behind,” he threatened to get the importance across. “There are eighty-nine men outside this tent risking their lives for you so I want your co-operation.”
“You’re going to have problems with them,” the man pulled Mykal close and whispered into Mykal’s ear. He pointed to a quiet commotion taking place in the rear of the large tent. One of the police officers stopped Jake and Boris from untying some that were still bound on the ground. “They’re too hysterical,” the man continued to whisper into Mykal’s ear. “The mother and two daughters have been raped repeatedly. I think the boy is beyond help from all the beatings he took. They sexually abused him too,” the man explained and held tightly to Mykal’s shoulder.
“Is this the family of five?” Mykal whispered back.
“Yes,” the man answered and looked surprised Mykal knew about them.
“Come with me,” Mykal whispered and made his way to the family that was still bound. “Where’s the father?” Mykal asked when he saw only four members of the family. Danny Weller explained what had happened to the family and Mykal knew the women were terrified.
“He’s dead. He died last night,” the whispery words could barely be heard. His shiny black hair gave a youthful appearance but the stress and fear etched into his creases made him look old. “They crushed his skull.”
While Mykal stood there looking at the terrified women and boy, he saw something that made his heart sink. There were two more men standing in their group with the oversized metal brief cases handcuffed to their wrists. “Shit,” he hissed angrily. Now the possibility reared its ugly head that one of these men might not even be Mister X. He wasn’t told that more than one man would have a brief case handcuffed to the wrist. He knew there were six VIPs but he didn’t know all of them had the oversized briefcases attached to their wrists.
“Do you men still have your weapons?” Captain Diaz asked.
“They took them away. When the helicopters showed up they started to beat us. They accused us of calling down the killer birds and they beat and tortured the four men who tried to get onto the helicopter with Officer Weller. They didn’t bring those four men back so we don’t know where they are.”
Danny Weller put his hand to his mouth in shock. He could have easily been left behind or fallen when the helicopter took off and they would have beaten and tortured him with his friends. “No,” he moaned quietly.
“It was bad. They said they were going to punish us for calling such a ‘strange beast’,” he said with air quotes. “When they took them away one was hit in the head with a club so the other three pulled their weapons and started shooting. They were able to kill some of the Sosos and they tried to get outta here. They didn’t get very far,” he whispered. “That’s when they took our weapons away. They didn’t know what they were, but they said they were evil magic and took them from us. They said we’ll suffer greatly for having magic. If they know we’re trying to escape they’re going to torture us to death.”
Mykal looked at the family who was still tied and gagged. “Since you guys don’t have any weapons I want you to carry the boy. You men are going to have to carry anyone else that won’t be able to walk, alright?”
The man and others who heard Mykal’s whispered request all nodded their heads enthusiastically. “We’ll do anything and we’ll do everything to get away from this hell hole.”
Mykal felt shocked when he looked over the condition of the battered boy. He couldn’t believe the boy was still alive. He didn’t look any older than fourteen years of age. He had been raped and beaten several times by grown men. Mykal’s heart broke and he wanted to cry for the boy but he knew he couldn’t show any weak emotions. Not now.
The dried blood on the boy’s head covered bruises, bumps and cuts. His face had swollen to almost twice its normal size. Both eyes looked like someone had forced baseballs under the eyelids. His nose was smashed and forced to one side of his face. The gag over his mouth laid loose allowing air in or he would probably have suffocated. It appeared that he couldn’t breathe through his nose. The blood on his face looked dried and seemed crusty. Mykal couldn’t grasp what the boy’s father must have gone through when he had been forced to watch the abuse his family suffered at the hands of the cruel Sosos. Mykal would have fought back too, but it cost the father his life.
“Damn it,” he whispered and wanted to explode with rage. “Look Jake,” Mykal whispered and pointed to the boy’s arms tied behind his back. One of his arms had been broken at the elbow.
“He tried to help his father when his father went after these animals who were raping his mother and sisters,” one of the freed hostages said.
“Untie her,” Mykal said softly but his tone was harsh. The mother cried and couldn’t understand why they left her tied up. She lay there naked, but the men had covered her with their ripped jackets. “I’m sorry,” Mykal whispered as two men stood her to her feet. “Listen to me,” he said softly as he placed his hand on her gag, but didn’t remove it. “I know you have gone through a terrible, terrible ordeal, but I can’t allow you to make any noise. Even if you cry the Sosos may hear us and then we’ll a
ll be killed. Do you understand?”
She shook her head wildly and cried silently as her two daughters were helped to their feet. Their young bodies were just as battered as their mother. As young as they were, they no longer cared that their young bodies were exposed for the entire world to see. Thankfully the men had given up whatever clothing was needed to cover them up. “I’ll be strong,” the mother whispered and tears streaked down her cheeks when she saw the condition of her son. “Is my husband really dead?”
“Listen ma’am,” Mykal tried to sound comforting but he knew his words or tone would never ease the pain and loss. “My only concern right now is to get you and your family to safety. I’m afraid your girls might cry so I want you to make sure they remain silent or I’ll put the gags back on them, okay?”
“Yes, yes,” she sniffled. “I’ll tell them. I just--”
“I’m not trying to be rude,” Mykal whispered and gently squeezed her shoulder, “but I need complete silence. I’m so sorry.”
She continued to cry silently and hugged her daughters. The fifteen year old girl, the younger of the two, had severe burn marks on her thighs. One of the Sosos branded her. She became his personal property. Others would have to pay him to use her body.
The nineteen year old daughter had bite marks over most of her stomach and side. Some of the bites drew blood. The bruising and the punctures looked painful. The bottoms of both her feet were sliced deep to keep her from running away. She managed to slip from the grip of an abusive Soso and tried to run away though she didn’t get very far. Her feet were wrapped with her own blouse and underwear.
The mother had large clumps of hair pulled from her head revealing bloody bald spots. Her face looked like she had been in a prize fight with a professional boxer. Three of her bottom teeth and one of her front top teeth had been knocked out. The whites of her eyes were blood red with bruising around her eyes. She also had bruising around her neck where one Soso choked her while he raped her. Despite all her physical pain her sole concern was for her children.
“I want everyone to stay here until we get the others,” he whispered. I’m going to have some Marines stay in here with you until we return. I need everyone to remain quiet. We will be back shortly.” While Mykal spoke Captain Diaz departed the tent.
“What about my son? And my daughter can’t walk,” she asked ever so softly and pointed to her daughter’s wrapped feet.
“We’ll carry them,” a fellow prisoner quickly replied. “Everything will be fine Linda. Just be strong and hold on.”
“What about the Sosos around here? What if they wake up and come in here?” Whispered the man Diaz untied first. He couldn’t hide his terror.
“Trust me, none of them rotten bastards are getting up,” Mykal whispered and ran his finger over his throat.
Captain Diaz returned with six of his Marines. They would stand guard until the other prisoners were brought back to the tent. The six Marines were shocked by the condition of the prisoners. They were all ready to lay down their lives to ensure these people made it back to safety. They found it hard to look at the woman and her daughters.
“We will come back after we get the rest of the prisoners. Please, remain quiet. We can’t risk any noise,” Mykal said and did a quick head count. There were twenty-one people. Eleven appeared to be secret service security types. One was the lone business man from L.A. Two were police officers, three VIPs and the four surviving members of the family. Three of the five VIPs Mykal needed to find were in this tent, but he didn’t have the time to ask each one if they were Mister X. They would have to locate the other two and he would have to sort it out at a later time.
From the information gathered to this point Mykal believed there were twenty more people to account for. ‘There should be eleven secret service security personnel, two VIPs, two motorcycle policemen, three teenagers and an older married couple,’ he thought after he counted with his fingers to keep the numbers straight. He made it clear they had to find twenty more people before leaving the camp. His primary concern focused on the two missing VIPs. He desperately hoped Mister X was in this camp and not among the few lost somewhere in the countryside. He prayed one of the five had the all-important “package”.
Just as Mykal and the others were leaving the tent three more of the secret service men were brought in. All three had been beaten beyond recognition. Despite the beatings that physically disfigured their faces, the joy and happiness the three men expressed shone through their marred physical appearance. They knew they had been waiting at death’s door. The young men in green camouflage paint were angels without wings.
Mykal followed and watched in utter amazement as the Silent Killers moved swiftly throughout the camp, quietly terminating any potential threats before they woke. Blood flowed freely but not a sound was heard. ‘These guys are un-friggin-believable,’ Mykal thought, carefully stepping behind them. Silent Killers continued to move in pairs. The Green Beret or Korean Silent Killer, wielded a big deadly blade, while their Marine partner, carried both the rifles and kept watch.
Mykal waited on one knee and found himself beside the body of a dead Soso who had been taken out by the Silent Killers. The Soso’s head was tilted back exposing his throat had been ripped out, revealing a jagged stump of bone protruding from the gaping wound. The dead man’s eyes were open as was his mouth. The sight startled Mykal which shook him off balance. To keep from falling over he put his hand in a puddle of blood that flowed from the lifeless savage.
“I’d like to say they’re exterminating cockroaches,” Boris whispered ever so softly, while kneeling beside Mykal. “But I’d be disrespecting cockroaches,” he added with a comical smirk.
In his peripheral vision Mykal caught sight of Weller waving his arms wildly trying to get his attention. When Mykal looked at him, Weller waved Mykal to come to his position.
Mykal wanted to run straight to Weller, but he quietly hurried to him via the trail of dead bodies. “Whatta ya got?” Mykal whispered into his ear when he joined Danny Weller just outside of another large tent. Mykal hoped the remaining prisoners were all grouped in the tent to make it a quick end to the smoothly running operation.
“Look inside here,” Weller replied, just barely audible.
When Mykal stepped inside the tent it startled and dazed him. Though Mykal knew the Sosos were a truculent people and he expected the worst, the scene shocked him. Two men were lying face down on the ground dead. Their nice three piece suits were ripped and torn, dirty and covered in blood revealing heavy abuse. Both men looked heavier by their shapes and appeared to be older by their gray hair. Both men had their right arms chopped off just below the elbow. The puddles of blood from the open stumps had seeped into the dirt floor leaving a dark stain. One looked like he had been stabbed more than thirty times in the back.
“The other two VIPs,” Weller whispered. He rolled them over so he could identify their faces. As soon as he rolled the first over he jumped back with a fright. He never expected to see empty eye sockets. Obvious by cuts around the eyes a struggle ensued and the eyes had been gouged out while the man fought. Weller turned to run from the tent. He had seen enough.
Mykal grabbed his arm and stopped him from leaving. Mykal’s concern and sudden fear was one of these two bodies could be Mister X. The brief cases these two men had attached to them were not in sight. “Stop! I need help,” he whispered harshly and realized he had clutched the police officers arm harder than he had ever grabbed a person before. “I need to know who they are,” Mykal hushed softly but he sounded desperate. Mykal knew that if one of these two men happened to be the mysterious Mister X he wouldn’t be able to leave until he found the brief case. A return trip to find the all-important case would be out of the question.
“I don’t know,” Danny whispered and violently seized Mykal’s grip. “I can’t take this shit anymore,” he gasped and grabbed his own mouth with his hand. “These savages are monsters. I can’t do this.”
“Danny, listen to me for a minute. You don’t know how important this is. Be thankful that we got you outta here,” Mykal whispered and tried to change his tone to a more soothing reassuring voice. “It’s important that I know who they are.”
“All I know is they had some secret meeting with the President. That’s all I can tell you. I only did the security detail,” he shook his head and reached for his face with both hands.
Mykal realized that he only had a fifty percent chance that one of the three live VIPs would be his Mister X. Three are alive in the other tent, two lay dead on the floor before him and the sixth one with one of the black vehicles was missing from the group when they became prisoners. He realized his chances of Mister X being in the other tent, alive, was equivalent to flipping a coin. That also meant the all-important, special, metal case that the President demanded to be returned, could be missing by the same flip of a coin. Mykal suddenly felt nauseous.
“Alright, go on,” Mykal sighed and let Weller leave. Mykal knew he had to act quickly and had to find out immediately if one of the three living VIPs was Mister X. If not he would need to determine if Mister X lay on the floor missing his arm. If one of these two men turned out to be the man, he would have to search the Soso camp for the missing brief case. If it turned out that none of these five men were the mysterious Mister X he would have to search the country side of Sosos to find the missing vehicle. “Damn it,” Mykal hissed quietly to himself. “Why does this have to be so friggin hard?”
While Mykal made his way back to the prisoner holding tent he wanted to shout and cry out his frustration. No one else could possibly understand the pressure he felt to be choking him and crushing his chest. Part of him wanted to throw his hands in the air, give up and say, ‘To hell with it all. Screw Jill and screw the President. They can all go to hell.’ He knew that wouldn’t work and his life would never be the same again if he did. He must complete his mission, but he only wished others could understand his mental struggle and anguish.
