That afternoon Ortega made the team do two other reconnaissance stakeouts. Initially, Danforth and Barry went first on the east side, then Krakauer and Messner on the west one. Ortega would have liked to send Jorgenson too, but in comparison to the others, he seemed tired, so it was best to avoid taking any unnecessary risks.
In the meantime, the number of the Western prisoners rose to at least three, as did the enemy, reaching more or less around fifty. There were no VIPs around as of yet however, and unfortunately, it still appeared to be nothing more than a construction site like any other.
Before long, it may have become an important North Vietnamese base or perhaps a command centre with its barracks and a radio centre, but for now it wasn’thing of that kind. Most importantly, there was still no sign of Vuong.
***
That night, the wait for the radio link literally took forever.
Team Baker hardly slept at all that night trying to keep an eye on the enemy's teams going in and out the construction site to patrol.
Even when their shift rotation gave them the chance to get some sleep, no one slept for more than half an hour. Not knowing if they were going to attack or not the following day was even more worrying than the idea of being caught by the enemy during the night. Ortega in particular spent his hours completing a plan for the potential attack.
***
“What do you think, Grizzly” Krakauer asked Jorgenson.
“I don't think” he said.
Silence perused while the two of them – Jorgenson and Krakauer, who were on guard at the time – continued staring into darkness and listening to the sounds of the jungle.
“Come on, Grizzly”
“We have surveyed the base thoroughly, Ortega's plan is feasible and Rambo is good at using the bow. I think we have a decent chance of freeing them”
Despite Jorgenson's comments however, Krakauer sensed some concern in his voice, so he said:
“But there’s a 'but' isn’t there?”
“Yes. The problem is the unknown, but you already know that. We all knew that when we got on Ortega's nerves insisting on an attack”
“And what's the most likely unknown variable we may have to deal with?”
“Why are you asking me that? I am not Trautman. I don’t know more than you do.”
“Tell me anyway. There are so many unknown variables.”
“You have seen what they are building, haven’t you? We are talking about men, materials and equipment. This is not the usual outpost for refreshing tired horses, this is important. It serves a purpose, and yet none of us have ever seen the entire defence force, right?”
“No, we haven’t actually” Krakauer replied, then he shook his head as if he’d finally understood where Krakauer’s dialogue was heading, and it wasn’t good.
“You are talking about a QRF...” ('Quick Response Force') said Krakauer.
“Yep... These guys have one for sure and Ortega thinks so too, otherwise he would have never given us a time-window that short for this kind of an engagement”
“Is it really that short?”
“Fifteen minutes to free some POWs? Come on, Tiger... With such a short time window you run the risk of mistaking Vietcong for POWs. Skorpio is not worried about the idea of this base having some kind of nearby QRF hidden somewhere in the jungle. He is absolutely sure of it”
“Jesus”
“When the first firecrackers go off, there won't be a couple of patrolling teams moving in on us around here purely by coincidence Not a chance. They will hit us with a real and proper death squad made up of fifty men or more. A squadron whose reason of being is not only to go from point A to point B, but to nail SOG teams so idiots like us don’t dream of attacking places like this one ever again!”
“Jesus Christ, Carl. That's the reason Ortega was so dead set against the idea from the start”
“Exactly, and tomorrow we’re gonna’ have us some fun”
Krakauer was quiet for a second but then went on to ask:
“And how the fuck can you stay so calm?”
Jorgenson nodded with a grimace.
“As a matter of fact Krack, I really can’t tell you how I’m managing. I guess I don't give a shit”
“Jesus Grizzly. Tomorrow might be your last day on earth”
“Like I’ve already told you Krack, I don't give a shit about anything anymore. I don't even care if I ever see my daughter again because I have to die in here”
Jorgenson grunted, then he moved from one bush to another, like he wanted to be left alone and end the discussion there.