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His experience cae The footprints had beena size seven combat boot similar to his own Moisture from the mist had not yet redampened the impressions, an indication to Willapa's trained eye that they were no more than half an hour old

The tracks came from the direction of a thicket and stopped at a tree, then they returned Willapa noted with amusement the thin wisp of vapor that rose from the tree trunk Someone had walked froain

He looked around at his flanks, but none of his squad was visible His sergeant had sent hiht up yet

Willapa stealthily climbed into the crotch of a tree and peered into the thicket Froht he could see the outline of a head and shoulders hunched over a fallen log

"All right," he shouted, "I know you're in there Come out with your hands up"

Willapa's ansas a hail of bullets that flayed the bark off the tree below him

"Christ alhty!" he ht be shot at

He aier and sprayed the thicket

The firing on the hill intensified and echoed through the valley Lieutenant Sanchez snatched up a field radio "Sergeant Ryan, do you read?"

Ryan answered alo ahead, sir"

"What in hell is going on up there?"

"We stumbled on a hornet's nest," Ryan replied jerkily "It's like the Battle of the Bulge I've already taken three casualties"

Sanchez was stunned by the appalling news "Who's firing on you?"

"They ain't no farainst an elite outfit"

"Explain"