Read Online THERE BE DRAGONS by Peter Hallett - Free Book Online Page A

make them guilty of a future atrocity. I’ve got to stop judging Stephens on his words. I’ve got to judge him on his actions, on his ability to function as a soldier, on his value as a member of this platoon.” Jacobs looked down to his feet and concentrated on his steps for a moment. “My grandfather told me a poem once. I can still remember one of the lines; you’re not what you did or should have done. You are what you are doing, son. You see what I’m getting at?” he asked Maxwell.
    “I do. I still say be cautious of him, though,” replied the reporter.
    They pushed on.
     
    • • • • •
     
    They crossed a stream, waist deep, with their weapons held above their heads.
    Jacobs pulled a leech from his chest.
    “Hurts, doesn’t it?” asked Maxwell.
    “Yeah. They don’t seem to be bothering the other men though,” said Jacobs. He winced.
    “They’ve grown accustomed to the pain. It’s a trivial matter now.”
    “You think I should hide the fact the bloodsuckers are hurting me?” asked Jacobs.
    “I think you’re thinking too much,” said Maxwell through a proud smile.
    “You remind me of a friend.”
    “He must be a smart guy.”
    “That’s debatable.” Jacobs smiled.
     
    • • • • •
     
    Once across the stream, they climbed a small rocky hillside, and entered more of the thick jungle.
    “Maxwell, I’ll be honest, if I didn’t have my map, I’d be lost. No way to get back to the LZ. Every section of the landscape looks the same. The stream has so far been the only distinguishable landmark cutting up the blanket of trees.”
    “We’d all be lost if you didn’t have your map. No pressure.”
    “I know you’re joking … but don’t,” Jacobs said.
    “Sorry, Ethan.”
    Diaz signaled them all to stop again.
    The platoon hunkered down and Jacobs and Stephens moved to the point, keeping low.
    Once there, they both took a knee and Diaz pointed forward with his chin to a formation of growth. “That’s outta place just ever so slightly with its surroundings,” said Diaz. “Those palm logs are formed in an irregular shape.”
    “A bunker,” whispered Jacobs.
    Jacobs looked to Stephens, who took that as an order to move forward.
    Stephens tapped Diaz on the shoulder, pointed him to a position of cover on the left flank, a rocky section of land that would give him a clear line of fire through the window slit. Stephens then started to duck-walk towards the rear of the bunker, towards its entrance and exit.
    Jacobs motioned for Buttons to join him. “We’ll have to call this discovery in,” he said, his voice a whisper. “Not yet though. Silence is needed now.”
    Buttons nodded.
    Jacobs saw Stephens check the bunker’s entrance for tripwires then enter, Stephens’s eyes never leaving the sight of his rifle.
    Stephens exited. He still kept low as he looked to Diaz and signaled that the bunker was empty.
    Diaz gestured to Stephens’s right; his rifle was also tucked to his shoulder, ready to fire.
    Stephens saw the cause of Diaz’s concern. He turned back to Jacobs and pointed at a row of four more bunkers dotted along a clearing. A trench ran through that clearing joining the bunkers together.
    Stephens and Diaz waved the rest of the platoon forward and Jacobs led them into the ghost town.
     
    • • • • •
     
    NVA uniforms swayed on a jungle-clothesline. A picture of Ho Chi Minh was pinned to a tree. Maxwell’s camera clicked away.
    “You two,” said Jacobs. “I want Teacher on the left flank, Smith on the right. Keep your eyes open for Charlie.”
    The two soldiers did as ordered.
    “Everyone, be careful, don’t touch anything. There might be booby traps. Buttons, over here,” ordered Jacobs.
    Buttons joined him and Jacobs radioed command.
    Jackson peered into one of the bunkers, “We got stacks of AK-47 ammo here, LT,” he shouted.
    “Plus RPD machine guns, ChiCom grenades, claymores, even an RPG launcher.”
    Jacobs informed command of Jackson’s