Ruins of Warsaw, September 28th, 2000
The radio whispers and pops. Between our camps is a valley. Your locals can guide you. It runs southwest to northeast for 150 meters and digs deep into the rubble. Pick a side. I'll take the other. We'll bring your dead to the middle. After my workers return we'll both send out our men. Rutkowski can drag Baron Czarny. Once our man arrives, we will withdraw and you may retrieve your bodies. Over.
"You'll stay until we've retrieved our dead. We leave at the same time. I'll take the southwest. Over."
Agreed. We'll be there an hour after first light. Over.
"Agreed. Over."
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"J-boy?"
"What?"
"Were you serious?"
"They took us out of one hellhole and used us in another. We're the fuckin' trustees. Yeah, I was god-damned serious." He sighs and rubs his face. "He'd lose."
"It won't come to that."
"Might."
"Right, goodnight John-boy."
"Go the fuck to sleep."
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Cold and damp, I find my spot. Good fire lane down the drift valley. Good cover right, left, front. Drop behind to a covered route out. Set the SVD on its bipod, cover with tarp and wait for light.
I'd check with my thermal and seen no one. I keep a close watch. If they have a man he's not in my field of vision. Wait.
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Small party as agreed. Myself, Alphabit, Doc and three of my men off the barge. Back on the boat, the mortar crews are standing by. We'll play it straight, despite Alphabit's 'suggestions', so long as they do.
Alphabit, Alphabit, Alphabit. He's had a nasty turn of mind. 'I got five kilos let,' he'd said, 'fill the body cavity. We'll use a remote det. Catch'em all.' I told him it was a good idea and if we weren't so low on plastic I'd approve it. He'll check Halleb and Frandszk for boobies before we move them. Black's boys are nasty too.
The going is as tough as I remember. The early morning rains don't help, concrete and mud. Hope they left early. I'm not putting in a show until Leo tells me they've arrived. The damned Palace gives them a wonderful post for a forward observer.
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They arrive. Six men in Pact uniforms and George. No black fatigues, why stand out? They carry the bodies out to the middle space on stretchers. Move back as fast as the muck permits. They assume poition in what cover there is. One man stands out in the open with a tight grip on George's arm. Three clicks on the hand held.
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"That's it. Gentlemen go." The men move out of our position to the head of the valley. One by one they take position and cover the gap. I pick up the end one end of Czarny's stretcher. Rutkowski's tied to the other. "Get a move on boy."
"Greeting Captain!" I recognize the voice from the radio. "I am here, your men are there. Shall we send over our respective prisoners."
"Wait one." He pauses, frowning, and cocks a hand beside his ear. I take that as go ahead. "My subordinate has suggested that you may have trapped the bodies. I will send a man down to inspect them first. Once he returns we will make the exchange."
"As you will, captain. I intend no treachery. You'd be less inclined to surrender when your resistance fails."
"Go ahead, Alpha."
Rifle slung, hands out, Alpha approaches the bodies. He preforms a thorough search for wires and planted explosives. Checks under the shirts for incisions on the body. Finally, manhandles them onto their stomachs and repeats. Gives me a thumbs-up.
"Satisfied?" Zajac shouts as Alpha returns. His impatience screams off him.
"Yes, let's get this over with."
Both the men make their slow way towards friends. George holds tight to his ribs. His passage is a drunken stagger. Rutkowski, still tied to the stretcher, brute forces his way through the sucking mud. They meet, somewhat in the middle, and pass with hostile glares. Rutkowski spits on George. My man keep going.
"Welcome back George," Damn good to have him. "Doc, take him back, check him out."
On the far side Zajac slices Rutkowski's bonds. Two men take the stretcher. Hustle out of sight. I should have listend to Alpha. Too late now. Rutkowski rubs life back into his hands, throws off Zajac's clasp, and marches off. Man's got a grudge. One by one they withdraw, Rutkowski, Zajac, then the rest.
I hold the men back. If they intend treachery now is the time for the mortars to fall into the drift. Nothing. I give it five minutes. Nothing.
We take our dead.
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Kapitan and the men leave. I wait under my tarp. They had to have a sniper in position as well. I wait for him to show as he leaves. Where did he hide.
Hour, two, three. Sun's high in the sky. I don't know. He's out of my LOS, much better than me, or wasn't there at all. Fuck it, time to go home.
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