Shock of War

gun. The blood was black as well, a strange shade of grim.

He put his fingers near his neck gingerly, then pulled them away as soon as he felt the sting.

I’m not really hurt, he told himself. It’s like sunburn.

19

Beijing

Cho Lai could barely contain his anger as the report continued. The plan to sneak troops into Hai Phong harbor had been thwarted by a single American destroyer, which had outmaneuvered one of the best ships in the Chinese fleet and managed to call the Chinese bluff. Meanwhile, the assault down the eastern coast of Vietnam, designed to reach the harbor at the same time the ships did, had stalled because of the storm. They might not reach the city for days.

The premier rose from the briefing table. The general at the podium stopped talking in mid-sentence. Cho Lai glared at each man in turn.

“We have stalled because of incompetence and cowardice!” he thundered. “I will have a new commander!”

He turned to his defense minister.

“Get my nephew from the front.”

“Colonel Sun is only a colonel,” said Lo Gong softly. “If he were put in charge — ”

“I have work to do,” said Cho Lai. He waved his hand. “You are all dismissed. Leave!”

20

Inland from Halong Bay

A train rushed over Zeus, the undercarriage and all its connected pipes and wires whipping a few inches from his face. A jet followed, wheels an inch from his brow. The world stormed by, flashing its color and speed.

He smelled the earth, the water, the thick brown soil around him. He smelled the soldiers he’d shot, lying dead or dying nearby.

It’s just sunburn, he told himself, reaching again for his wound.

Just sunburn. Get up.

Get up!

He turned slowly onto his elbow, pushing up and looking for his machine gun. Something grabbed him and threw him down, twisting him over.

It was Chau.

“Major Murphy — stay down!” gasped Chau, his voice even hoarser than before.

“Okay,” Zeus muttered.

Angkor was nearby, rifling through the bodies of the Chinese for ammo. He yelled something to Chau, who rose, then lobbed a grenade.

It didn’t explode. There was a hissing sound instead.

Smoke.

“Come on!” barked Chau in his hoarse voice. He grabbed at Zeus and started pulling him. “Stay low.”

Fresh automatic rifle fire filled the air. But it was off the mark, closer to the road and the ditch. They were moving to the west, toward a line of trees.

“When we make the jungle, we can rest,” said Chau.

“Okay,” said Zeus, pumping his legs as his strength returned.

* * *

“Major, are you with us?” asked Chau.

Zeus, resting against a tree, looked up. “Yeah.”

“Your neck is bleeding.”

Chau bent over and pulled the collar of Zeus’s uniform away. The wound had already scabbed, the blood coagulating with the cloth, and it stung.

“Ah — it’s okay, stop,” said Zeus.

“Sorry.”

“Is the bullet in there?” asked Zeus.

Chau leaned close. “I don’t think so. It’s all red.”

Another close call. Sooner or later, his luck was going to run out.

Angkor had a small first-aid kit in one of his pants pockets. They took a large gauze bandage that came packed with ointment and taped it to Zeus’s neck. The collar pulled some skin with it as they got the bandage in place. Blood trickled from the wound.

“I’ll be all right,” said Zeus.

“What should we do now?” asked Chau.

“Where are the Chinese?”

“Back in the field. They are firing at the house. They think we are still there. Over a hundred men,” added Chau. “We destroyed three APCs, killed many.”

“All right. We should get out of here.”

Zeus rubbed his face, then reached into his pocket for his map. It was sodden. He unfolded it, examining the roads, trying to remember where exactly they were.

“There should be a village in that direction about two miles,” said Zeus, pointing due west. “If we can get there, this road looks like it will take us to the road General Tri’s tanks were using to get south. You see?”

He showed Chau the map.

“We have three more missiles,” said Chau. “Should we make another attack?”

“They’ll trap us in these woods if we make the attack from here,” said Zeus, pulling himself to his feet. “They’ll get south of us on the road and come around. We’ll be trapped.”

Chau looked disappointed.

“The best thing to do, is wait a little while,” said Zeus. “But not here. I think we can swing a little more to the north, cross the stream, and keep going until we’re north of the hamlet we were going to hit. We’ll attack them there. If we can take them by surprise, hit a few vehicles, and then run west, they’ll never catch us. We may even be able to hook up with the others.”

“Yes,” said Chau. “It is a good plan.”

* * *

They walked for over an hour, Zeus in the lead with the map. He had the Chinese assault rifle and several magazines that Angkor had pilfered from the dead. Chau was next in line, carrying a Chinese gun he, too, had found, along with the box of missiles. Angkor had the rear, hauling the launcher as well as a pair of rifles and a bag of extra ammo.

The day turned more humid with the sun. While the jungle kept them in shade, between the humidity and the insects Zeus felt as if he were being pelted and pulled with every step he took. The thick vegetation snapped at him, petty lashes to add to the persecution.

A hollow hunger bit at his stomach. At times his eyes drooped toward the bottom of their sockets, his fatigue welling up.

To keep himself going, he thought of Anna. And yet thinking of Anna made things even more difficult. She was a prisoner.

“The water ahead must be deep,” said Chau as they walked toward the creek. “I can hear it.”

“Yeah,” muttered Zeus.