by Dave Hazel
“What?” Mykal gasped when he mentioned one of the missing Green Berets. “Are you sure?” He asked and suddenly he was jolted wide awake.
“We’re sure,” Sergeant First Class Lemon replied. “His name is on the side of it and he had it with him when he disappeared. We had concluded that he was treating Sergeant Jackson when they both disappeared. We have everyone searching the area. Lieutenant Finley and a group of men are down along the beach and under the cliff below us. Either someone walked up to our camping convoy and dropped it off or someone came up to the cliff right here,” he pointed to the edge of the road that dropped to the ground near the water. “And if they came to the edge of the cliff we believe someone must have tossed it up on the road so that we would find it.”
“Are you friggin kiddin’ me?” Mykal gasped again. He was stunned. “How the hell could…?” His voice trailed off as he tried to envision the medical kit being placed in their camp.
“No Myk,” Ratner answered. “Captain Diaz and Towbar with a handful of men are on the other side of the road to make sure someone didn’t go into the trees of the forest that way.”
“Nobody heard or saw anything?” Mykal grilled them.
“No Mykal,” Lemon answered. “We questioned all the men who were on guard duty. We had double guard duty and the men all swear they were up and alert. None of them heard or saw anything.”
“And we’re one hundred percent sure that it is Thornton’s medical kit?”
“One hundred percent sure Myk,” Ratner answered.
“And we know for a fact that he had it with him when he disappeared?”
“Definitely,” Lemon declared with certitude to support Ratner.
“Then what the hell does this mean?” Mykal’s question expressed his confused frustration. “Are either one of them here? Did they come back to us?”
“No. That’s why we’re searching along the trees and down along the beach,” Ratner replied and shook his head.
“So, if they’re not here, does that mean whoever took them captive brought that medical kit here to what? To taunt us? To make a ransom demand? I don’t understand what the hell is going on here. This is turning out to be a real friggin mystery with the two missing Green Berets.”
“I’ll agree with you on that Myk. And we sure as hell don’t know what’s going on either,” Ratner said and shook his head again. He ran his hand over his near crew cut hair and scratched his head, not because he had an itch but he was trying to think through what this new turn of events could mean.
“Do the Hawkmen know anything?” Mykal asked and snapped his fingers. “Where are they? Did they find it?”
“No. They’re not in the area,” Ratner shook his head. “They didn’t spend the night here.”
Mykal saw that it was nearly daylight but men were still searching the area with flashlights. He heard the many voices and didn’t know what to make of the medical kit being found by one of the vehicles. “Okay, if the ‘bad guys’ brought it here and dropped it off why didn’t they attack? What the hell are they trying to do?” Mykal asked in an angry tone though deep inside he felt a twinge of fear. “I know our men would not be lax in their duties, but this pisses me off that no one saw who or how this damn medical kit got here. We coulda been hit.”
“I agree with you,” Ratner replied.
“Okay, when everyone gets back here I want the other medics to look through this medical kit and make sure everything is supposed to be the way it is and make sure there’s not like a ransom note or anything that would give us clues as to what the hell is going on.”
“Will do Myk,” Ratner said and nodded.
“Lieutenant Finley is really frustrated, but also has a renewed hope that we will be able to find them,” Green Beret Lemon said. He pointed down along the beach to the flashlights and men combing the land before the water and under their cliff. “They’re looking for any type of clues, foot prints or anything that may give us any information.”
“I’m so frustrated,” Mykal groaned as if he had to explain himself to them. “We’re running outta time or I woulda spend all the time in the world that we would need to find those two men.”
“I know you would Mykal,” Ratner said. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I’ve been with you since the original Lost Patrol and I know your heart on matters concerning the men.”
“I appreciate you saying that Gunny, cuz we gotta rescue Princess Doninka before the 7th of February. But wait a minute, wait a minute. We gotta figure out what the hell this means. Cuz if someone is messing with us about our guys that means they may be able to attack us at any time. This sounds like they’re screwing with us, doesn’t it?”
“I honestly don’t know Myk,” Ratner said and shook his head. He pointed behind Mykal so he would look to see Diaz, Towbar and the rest of the men who returned from searching the area of the forest on the opposite side of the lake.
“What the hell do we make of all this?” Mykal asked Captain Diaz.
“I am totally confused Mykal,” Diaz replied and looked away as if he had been defeated. “We did not find anything that would be helpful. This is a major shock. Whoever dropped that behind our vehicles could have caused us harm. And yet we don’t know what they desire. They could have made contact with us, but instead they gave us proof that they have or had contact with our two missing soldiers. I would love to invest the time and energy to search for our two missing men, but I know we have a mission we can’t stray from and time is now one of our bigger obstacles.”
“You could even say time is one of our enemies,” Mykal replied with a term Diaz had used himself previously. “Once our time is over, it’s over. So we have to rescue her before the deadline. But I have to admit,” he paused. “This, this,” he repeated and pointed down to the medical kit bag. “This has me on edge. I don’t know what the hell this means or what’s gonna happen cuz of this and time is not a luxury we have to try to figure out what is meant by this.”
“I agree,” Diaz said and sighed. He watched the men with Finley down along the beach. “I really hope they find something that will be useful. We’re going to have to move out soon. Gunny, I want all the men to eat then be ready to move out. I want to make as much time as we can during today’s daylight. We are going to have to consider going back to resupply at some time during the next day or two so that when we do approach the castle of Mister Zee, we will be well prepared.”
“Yes Sir,” Ratner replied. “I will gather the men and have them start chowing down and then when you give the word, Sir, we will move out.”
“Good. Mykal come here with me, by yourself,” Diaz said as a hint that he didn’t even want Towbar to come with him.
“Towbar, hey buddy, I’ll be right back,” he said and then walked off with Captain Diaz.
“Mykal, I’m not going to get preachy with you or anything like that,” Captain Diaz said when they were away from the others. “But during my prayer time I really felt like I heard God speaking to my heart. And what I mean is, I felt God laid something on my heart that I have to pass on to you. I don’t understand what He was trying to say, but I know God wanted me to tell you, that you must talk to Towbar. I know that may sound kind of strange, but I’m sorry, I have to be obedient to what God tells me even if it doesn’t make sense to me. I know this may sound confusing, weird or strange,” Diaz said and chuckled at himself for being so vague. “But this is what God laid on my heart. You need to speak to Towbar. But to speak to Towbar about what? I honestly don’t know. And I’m frustrated by that because I’m so confused. But let me explain something. When God tells me to do something, I have to be obedient even when it doesn’t seem to make any sense. I would rather you think me a fool for being obedient to God, than God to think me a fool for not being obedient to Him. I know that probably doesn’t make a great deal of sense to you, but I have to tell you that you need to talk to Towbar about something. Hopefully you know what that means and it will make sense to you. I’m
just the messenger,” he added and held his hands up as if to say, ‘don’t shoot the messenger.’
Mykal was shocked. He wanted to ask Towbar to use him when he attempted to try his Mind Talk with Doninka. He backed out for various reasons, primarily because of the dream he had where Doninka had been beheaded during a Mind Talk attempt. But could it be that God wanted him to be used by Towbar to make contact with Doninka through Mind talk the same way Towbar pushed his thoughts into Pam’s mind on July 2nd during the first 37 Days in Towbar’s world? Mykal knew his face carried an expression of utter amazement, because Captain Diaz, or rather Captain Diaz’s God was telling him to bring it up to Towbar.
“I’m really sorry Mykal if this sounds totally off the wall,” he said with a scoffing laugh. “But I have to be obedient. I don’t have any idea what it could pertain to, but I have this sense that you need to speak to Towbar. About what? I don’t know,” he repeated and looked somewhat embarrassed at his proposal.
“No. It’s not that. It’s just that I have been wanting to talk to Towbar about something and you just confirmed I need to get off my ass, oops I mean my butt, and talk to him.”
“Well great. Then I have heard from God and you need to be obedient. Great,” Diaz laughed and clapped his hands together. “Let’s get the men to eat and we’ll get ready to depart after we deal with this situation over Thornton’s medical kit.”
2.
Mykal sat with a number of men along the edge of the cliff to eat his meal. He wanted to watch the water of the peaceful lake and feel the slight breeze blow off the water up into his face from where he sat. He ignored all the minor chit chat and chatter of the men to take in the beauty in the midst of such an ugly land around him. He was filled with a sense of tranquility and wanted to delay their departure to enjoy the rare serenity in these dark lands. Mykal knew that wasn’t possible. The clock was ticking and sands of time were slowly trickling out of the hourglass of Doninka’s fate. He desperately needed to find and rescue Doninka before the deadline.
‘Damn, and that’s if she’s still alive,’ he thought and watched slight movement in the lake that revealed something under the water moved neared the surface. He knew there were at least fish in the lake since he witnessed the Hawkmen hunt their meal from the air the previous night. ‘I gotta ask Towbar to try the Mind Talk with me,’ he thought and looked around for the giant. ‘That’s gotta be what Diaz meant when he said God told him to tell me to talk to Towbar. What else could it have meant?’ He wondered as he thought back to what Diaz said to him just about thirty minutes prior.
Mykal was still somewhat fearful of asking Towbar to use him during his next attempt to make contact with Doninka through his Mind Talk because of the dream he had that resulted in her beheading. He had to keep telling himself that it was only a dream. ‘Maybe that’s why Diaz told me to talk to Towbar,’ he thought while he watched the scenic view before him. ‘Maybe God is telling Diaz to tell me so I’ll get off my chicken shit ass,’ he added with a swipe at himself. ‘This is gonna be a rescue of the princess and not a recovery of her body. I gotta talk to Towbar,’ he thought forcefully to himself as if he was trying to muster the courage to put his nightmare of Doninka’s death behind him.
He glanced down at the magical gold band around the middle finger of his right hand and wanted desperately to turn himself invisible. After all the time he had possession of and after all the use of the magic ring, he still couldn’t understand why there was such a strong pull on his mind to use the magic just for the sake of using it. ‘It’s like a friggin drug,’ he scoffed in thought and shook his head. ‘I know it’s got my emotions all over the place so I gotta--’
“Did you hear that Mykal?” Roy Jr. asked as he stepped up behind him. “Are them boys just playing around?”
“Hear what?’ Mykal asked and looked to the commotion that seemed to be taking place on the other side of their camp formation. He quickly jumped to his feet and dropped the last of his meal to the ground. “Are we under attack?”
“No. Someone said Jackson is yelling for help,” Roy Jr. answered and pointed to the rear of their formation.
“Jackson?” Mykal gasped. Green Beret Sergeant Thornton’s medical kit was found earlier this morning. Thornton and Jackson were the two Green Berets missing. Could it really be?
“That’s what they’re saying. Look,” he pointed to the mob forming near the vehicles. All the men picked up their weapons and pointed to the trees farther behind them.
Mykal and Roy Jr. rushed to the gathering. Mykal was looking in all directions. He didn’t want them to be caught off guard and blindsided by an ambush. He was grateful Diaz and Ratner took charge while Finley seemed to act recklessly.
It appeared Lieutenant Finley and five or six of his Green Berets were about to rush toward the trees. Captain Diaz stopped them.
“I want eyes open in all direction,” Gunnery Sergeant Ratner barked his orders to take charge. “Sergeant Barry, make sure your men are on those big .50 calibers. Squad leaders,” he yelled to Staff Sergeant Moreno of the Marines and the newest squad leader Green Beret Staff Sergeant Pinkerton. “I want two fire teams watching our back,” he yelled in reference to the front of their position.
Mykal watched a blur of green swooshed by him as men took up defensive positions. He heard weapons being cocked and the voices ceased once they all understood what was happening. Mykal was impressed with these professional soldiers who didn’t question or complain about the less glamorous task given them. They were to serve as the rear guard while everyone else would be involved rescuing Jackson who was calling for help. The Elves, Dwarves and the people of Towbar’s world followed Finley and Diaz to the rear of the vehicles to get a grasp of what was taking place. Mykal faintly heard what caused the stir of excitement.
“Help me bro. No, no please don’t,” Sergeant Jackson yelled out. “Help me bro. No, no please don’t. Help me bro. No, no please don’t,” the anxious voice repeated.
Captain Diaz ordered for complete silence and used his hand to stop anyone from moving any further while they all listened to the distressed voice of Sergeant Jackson.
“Help me bro. No, no please don’t. Help me bro. No, no please don’t,” the desperate voice repeated and repeated again.
“What the hell? Do you think it’s a trap?” Mykal whispered to Captain Diaz. “It’s the same thing over and over. Nothing about it changes at all. He’s just saying the same thing repeatedly. Would you agree?” Mykal asked and turned to his three favorite Elves Starling, Leeno and Blair. He knew their increased hearing would be helpful.
“I would agree that there is no change in the words or the cadence of the words,” Starling replied while looking toward the trees where the cry for help came from.
“You can also hear that the man’s tone has not varied either,” Leeno added while he too also watched the trees where the cry for help emitted.
“If that man is being forced to continue saying the same words,” Blair started and paused to listen to the repeated cry again. “He is doing a remarkable job by doing so. The man has not wavered in his task.”
“That would lend it to being a trick or possibly the bait for a trap,” Starling said as Towbar walked into their group.
“I just came here from trees across the road,” Towbar announced. “There was nothing in the trees on that side of the road that would lead me to believe there is anything of a potential threat.”
Mykal knew Towbar had been attempting to make contact with Doninka through Mind Talk.
“I’m a little concerned now,” Lieutenant Finley said and shared his feelings just by his facial expression of disappointment. “It’s the same thing being repeated over and over. It’s almost like it’s a recording being played.”
“Well, let’s go find out what the hell it is,” Mykal said.
“Let’s go,” Diaz said. “Gunny, I want you to remain in control up here. We’re going to take three of the vehicles and go back about a hundred
feet or whatever it is, but you keep the men focused on that side of the road and all the ground in front of us. We’re not going to go very far but we will enter the trees for a short distance.”
“Aye aye Sir,” Ratner replied and barked orders to spread out the three vehicles under his command.
“Starling, why don’t you guys see if you can wave down the Hawkmen,” Mykal said when he caught sight of the flying Elf birds in the air. “Tell them what we have going on here and see if they can assist from above.”
“I will have Glamdir do that Mykal,” Starling replied in reference to the youngest of the six Elves. “I think you would be better served if we assisted you into the trees of the forest.”
“Great point. Towbar, do you wanna just wait here?”
“No my friend. I will assist you.”
Mykal, Towbar, Captain Diaz, Lieutenant Finley and about forty men moved forward after they positioned the three vehicles in front of the trees where they believed the repeated cry for help to be coming from. Mykal felt extremely nervous when they stepped off the dirt path that was the road they were traveling. He feared they were walking into a trap, but wouldn’t Jackson try to warn them if they were being lured into an ambush?
The five Elves spread out and led the way with Marine Corporal Winfield and Green Beret Sergeant Freeman who spent more time on point than any of the others. The men all slowly proceeded into the forested area. The trees were not so tightly packed. The rustling of movement could be heard as the men advanced deeper into the trees. Sergeant Jackson could be heard calling his repetitious cry for help.
Towbar tapped Mykal on the shoulder and pointed up into the tree tops. Running along the tops and swinging from branch to branch were several colorful monkeys. They stood about two feet high and had extremely long arms. Most of the apes were dark with white faces. Some started to hoot at them but they didn’t back away. They didn’t show any fear toward the approaching humans. They stood on the higher branches and watched the men as they moved forward.
