“What happened to the officer?” Kelshaw asked excitedly.
“He remained, then our people saw a helicopter land and the officer was taken on board. The helicopter was about to take off when Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese troops attacked. The helicopter was struck and there was nothing they could do.”
“It had to be Thayer and Chernakov.” George looked at Vang Pao. “Where the hell were you? They needed your help!” he was almost shouting.
“Kelshaw, there too many and we were not prepared for such an attack. The number of troops and weapons were greater than we could withstand. Our observers were unable to warn us in time,” Vang Pao spoke urgently and sadly.
“George drew a deep breath and said quietly, “I’m sorry, General, forgive my outburst… I know you were tricked as well. That’s all the more reason for me to find this American traitor whoever he is.”
“You said you are certain that he is an American. Describe him for me.” Vang Pao asked.
“Yes,” George replied. “I only got a glimpse of him before he shot me and I know I winged him. The man I saw was Caucasian. I’d say he was in his thirties; a big man, very muscular.”
“He may be Caucasian, but he is not an American. His name is Yanov Zemenek and Kelshaw, he is Soviet. He speaks like an American, but he is an agent for USSR.”
“How do I find him?” George asked with urgency.
“Wait, it is important for you to know all of what our observers saw at the airstrip,” Vang Pao continued, “It was reported by one of my soldiers that there were two white men with the NVA troops. One was in a soviet uniform; the other I believe was Zemenek.”
“There were two Russians with the NVA?” George queried. “What were they doing?”
“After the fight ended, they ransacked the helicopter and then searched the bodies they found in the bunker.”
George interrupted, “What happened to the bodies?”
Vang Pao looked at Kelshaw for a long minute before he answered. “Everything was destroyed—the aircraft, the bodies, everything blown up. There was nothing left. Thayer was your friend? I am sorry.”
“Yes, he was my friend,” George was standing and hearing Vang Pao’s answer, turned away into the darkness briefly. Then turning back he asked, “Go on, tell me, did the NVA or the Russians find anything and what happened to them?”
Vang Pao shook his head, no. “The soldier left with the enemy troops, the other, the civilian, Zemenek, did not leave right away. One of our people saw him again at CIA station 36 at Na Khang. He pretends to be American CIA—he is not.”
“Where is he now? George pressed again. “How do I find him?”
Vang Pao said, “I heard he had left Laos, but I have also heard that he is with Pathet Lao and NVA troops helping to move groups of prisoners across the border into North Vietnam. This is what I suspect to be true. I have had a report of some prisoners being held in caves near the sacred mountain. It is believed they will be moved soon.”
“Thank you, General; then we must leave at first light. I must find him before he leaves the country.” Kelshaw looked at Jack who had been watching and listening to the conversation, “Sorry, but we’re going to have to move on. You need to go back to Vientiane. Vang Pao, will you help my correspondent friend get back?”
They left together with two of Vang Pao’s men as guides. Travel was difficult—the trails they used were not the main routes often guarded and sometimes mined.
At night they ate cold provisions and tried to rest, but the jungle noises interspersed with distant gunfire prevented Jack especially, from any success at sleep. He tried to make a few notes in the semi darkness, but finally gave up promising himself that each event would be committed to memory and to ensure accuracy he would recall each day in minute detail.
The third morning George stopped and said quietly, “This is where we part company, Hubbard. You must go back to Vientiane… write what you have learned—” Kelshaw stopped; his eyes warned Jack that something was wrong. In a few moments they were surrounded by Pathet Lao troops.
The Meo guides were gone and Jack and George were taken prisoner. This time there was no attempt to negotiate. An English speaking Lao soldier roughly forced them to the ground and searched them. Then they were blindfolded and their arms tied behind their backs.
At first Jack felt pure terror, but something hidden in his memory surfaced and he could almost hear his favorite Grandmother saying to him as a small boy, “Remember Jack, nothing is going to happen to you, ever, that you and your Maker together can’t handle…” He muttered to himself, “I’m not so sure of that Gran.”
He tried to speak to George, but received a harsh blow across his back and the English speaking soldier said fiercely, “You will not speak!”
They walked for hours, stumbling and often falling. Their captors took delight in pushing them into areas where they were told might hide mines.
At night they were chained to trees and were threatened not to talk or try to communicate with one another.
After several days they were brought to what appeared to be a temporary camp holding other prisoners. There were some huts and some of the prisoners were held in bamboo cages. George and jack were once again chained to trees with two other prisoners while cages were built for them by their captors.
Kelshaw attempted to communicate with one of the Lao guards in their language, but was struck across the face numerous times, knocked to the ground and kicked repeatedly. The English speaking soldier spit at him calling him a CIA dog!
Jack watched in horrified silence at the brutality. The guard’s eyes darted here and there as the cages were built, watching the captive’s reactions. He reminded Jack of a ferret, ready to attack at any moment.
George had been temporarily chained closer to Jack, still under close guard. A brief opportunity to communicate occurred as a result of a change of guards. Kelshaw spoke urgently in a half whisper, “If you get back to Vientiane go to the Embassy and try to get through to Neil Klein and tell him what’s happened. I hid a packet and a letter in the monastery. About six feet inside the door and about six feet up from the floor there’s a loose stone in the wall. It pries out… everything is there. Make sure Klein gets it if I don’t get back.”
“C’mon, Kelshaw, don’t talk like that, you’ve got to; they’ve got to let us go. They shouldn’t even be taking prisoners since the Peace negotiations have started,” Jack said angrily.
“Listen to me, Hubbard, they might let you go… don’t fight them too much; pretend to cooperate as much as possible when they start asking questions. Tell them that you came to get a story; that you don’t know anything about me and if they ask about Vang Pao, tell them you’re curious about him, had hoped to meet him, but that’s all you know.” George instructed.
“You don’t think for a minute they’ll believe me, do you?” Jack asked doubtfully. “I don’t really think these guys care a lot about the Peace ‘negs’.”
“They might. Once they’re convinced you are a news correspondent they might let you go. I don’t hold a lot of hope for me, at least at this point. They believe I’m CIA and they’ll be interrogating me soon, I’m certain,” George added. “Remember, I told you about another side of the story? These guys are it. Just don’t lose your nerve, kid; it won’t be easy, but you’ll get out of this,” he spoke confidently to Jack.