Chapter Eighteen

 

 

Twenty miles north of Hoeryong

North Hamgyong Province, North Korea

April 30, 8:00 a.m.

 

They crossed the railroad tracks that followed the meandering of the river, and Rex steered the truck deep into the grove near the river. The thick, dense trees covered most of it, leaving only the back end. Someone driving on the dirt road could still see it if they were looking in the right place at the right time. Justin hoped his team would be across the river and long gone when the North Korean army came looking for them.

Justin helped Park and Schultz down from the truck. Carrie left her PK machine gun on the truck bed, and Justin thought he saw some regret in her eyes. You never knew when you would need the fierce firepower and the long reach of a machine gun.

Eve and Rex came around and Eve explained the plan to the four young men. They nodded and told her they understood the instructions. Then the team began their march through the grove. Justin led the way, with the dog following closely behind and generally obeying Justin’s gestures to “heel” and “be quiet.”

About half a mile away, they came to a small clearing some sixty feet wide. Justin stopped their advance, and they surveyed the area on both sides of the border. On the Korean side, a train station rose up in the distance, about three miles away. A few warehouses were lined up near the whitewashed one-story station and a grayish watchtower looming over the area. A barbed-wire fence was visible along the river on the Chinese side near a dirt road. A small red-roofed building appeared in Justin’s binocular view about fifty yards away from the fence. A guard post was almost in a straight line from the train station. Then a thick forest covering the hillside stretched on both sides behind the guard post.

Justin peered through his binoculars at the grove across the clearing. It took him a few moments, but he detected two silhouettes hiding behind the tall grass and the shrubs. Hong and Choe.

The dog had also discovered the two men in the grove. He lifted up his muzzle and let out a sharp bark.

“Good boy,” Justin said and petted the dog’s neck. “I saw them. Good boy. But you have to be quiet now. Understand? Quiet. Shhhhhh!”

The dog looked at Justin with his bright, fiery eyes. He whimpered, cocked his head to the side, then lay down near Justin’s feet.

“Good boy, good quiet boy,” Justin said.

He turned to his team, huddled near the trees at the edge of the clearing. “Hong and Choe are waiting for us. So now we’ll split up. Rex and Carrie, you’ll be in charge of the first group.” Justin gestured with his head toward Hong’s and Choe’s location. “I’ll take care of us here. Let me know when you’re ready.”

Rex nodded. “Will do.” He turned toward Carrie and asked, “Shall we?”

“Lead the way,” Carrie replied. “Be safe,” she said to Justin and the rest of the team.

“Yes, you too,” Eve replied.

Justin raised his binoculars back to his eyes. He searched the train station and the watchtower. No movement.

“Good to go,” he told Rex and Carrie.

They rushed through the clearing and made it to the other side in a matter of seconds.

Justin continued to observe the train station and the buildings around it. Everything was quiet. Then a small truck appeared on the road. It was painted black and brown in a camouflage pattern.

“We might have company,” Justin said into his mike. “A camo truck from the train station. Looks military.”

“Roger that,” Rex said. “Got eyes on it.”

“Everybody down, down,” Justin said. “Stay hidden and do not fire. I repeat, do not fire. It will give away our location.”

Eve translated his words in hushed tones. The young men replied they understood the orders. They all spread out, hiding behind trees and shrubs as they kept their eyes on the road up ahead.

Justin convinced the dog to lie next to him by placing his hand over him. He petted the dog’s neck and held him down. The dog playfully agreed, wagged his tail, and replied to the received attention with low grunts.

The truck reached the clearing and slowed down as it came to the edge of the road. Justin lowered his head as much as he could amid the grass. His eyes stayed with the truck.

The front passenger jumped out. It was a soldier in an olive green military uniform similar to the ones worn by the soldiers in the outpost. His jacket looked worn, the color faded and the elbows patched up. He scanned the clearing, his head slowly moving from left to right. Then he seemed to look straight at Justin’s and his team’s hiding spot.

Justin clutched his rifle. He wanted to be ready if the soldier stepped down to the clearing.

The soldier continued to check the grove. He took a couple of steps to his right, then stooped down to a crouching position.

“Has he made you?” Rex’s voice came in Justin’s ear.

“Negative,” Justin replied. “But he’s determined.”

A strong voice came from behind the soldier. The driver was calling to him. The soldier replied with a dismissive hand wave and a headshake. He stood up and began to reverse his steps, still searching among the woodland.

Justin eased his grip on his rifle. “He’s leaving. Stay down and keep calm.”

The soldier gave a final sweeping gaze to the area, then jumped back in the truck. The driver started the engine and the truck’s rumble died down in a few moments.

“Let’s make sure they’re truly gone and this is not a trick to draw us out,” Justin said.

Eve repeated his words in Korean.

They all remained in their spots as Justin counted the tense moments of waiting. Silence slowly returned to the grove apart from the gurgling of the river, a bird croaking a sharp, strange sound, and the dog’s soft panting.

“I think we’re clear,” Justin whispered.

“All quiet here as well,” Rex replied.

“We must cross the river right away.” Justin climbed to his knees, still halfway hidden behind the bushes. “They’re looking for us, and soon enough they’ll discover the abandoned truck. Once they’re—”

A loud, heavy thunder shattered the silence. Justin looked to his right, toward the train station. The noise sounded like it came from that direction but there were no running trucks or locomotives. Then the roar echoed from the other side and above their heads.

“Helo,” Justin said, looking through the thick canopy of treetops.

Eve nodded. She did not need to translate it. The young men had also figured out a helicopter was circling the area. One of them looked at Justin, nodded, and made a rotating hand gesture.

“Rex, get everyone ready,” Justin said. “We’re sitting ducks here. The helo or the ground troops will soon spot us. And they’ll draw Chinese attention to this area.”

“Roger that,” Rex said. “But they might see us in the water, as we’ll have no cover.”

Justin sighed. “I know that, Rex. But they’ll find us for sure if we stay here. If we make it across the river, they’ll not dare to follow us inside China.” He said the last words without much conviction, although he hoped the North Koreans would not give chase beyond their territory. Considering the attack against the outpost and its outcome, a deranged commander would not give a damn about international laws and borderlines, but would seek revenge at all costs.

“Roger. Will report when ready to advance,” Rex replied.

Justin turned to Eve. “We’ll crawl to the edge of the river. Watch out for the fence line, and don’t forget they have eyes in the sky.”

Eve relayed the order to the young men, who nodded their understanding.

“It’ll be tough, but you guys will make it,” Justin said to Park and Schultz.

“You got it,” Park replied.

“You came so far for us. We’re not going to slow you down,” Schultz said.

“All right. Follow me,” Justin said.

The dog grunted and walked next to Justin. They all began to crawl toward the river. About ten yards away, they came to a barbed-wire fence about six feet high. Justin signaled for the team to stop, and gently held the dog down by its neck. He tore a leaf from one of the bushes to check the fence for electricity.

One of the young men said something in a quick voice.

“The fence is not live,” Eve said. “That’s what he’s saying.”

The young man crawled forward and grabbed the lowest strand of barbed wire with his left hand. He turned his head toward Justin and smiled. Then he spoke again.

“The government wants us to believe fences have electricity but we know better. Fences can’t stop us. Nothing will stop us from wanting freedom,” Eve said.

Justin smiled at the young man. “Good job,” he said.

He crawled to the side and pushed up the wire. “Go, go, go,” he said.

Eve slid underneath the fence, dragged over her rucksack, and helped Park and Schultz. Next it was the turn of the young men, and they slipped under the fence. Then the dog dropped to his belly and crawled to the other side. His wagging tail was almost caught on the sharp barbed wire.

Justin checked behind, then glanced above. The helicopter’s roar had died down, but it was still flying around the area. He handed his rucksack to Eve and slid under the fence, while Eve held up the wire.

They resumed their crawl and were soon near the riverbank, which sloped gently into the water. This was the most dangerous part. The tree branches offered little protection, and once they were in shallow water, they would be completely exposed to the helicopter.

“Rex, you’re in position?” Justin asked.

“Yes, we are,” came the reply.

“Move forward,” Justin said.

He dashed over the sandbar and glanced upwards. No sign of the helicopter. He entered the cold, muddy waters. The Tumen River was shallower here than on the Russian side, but as soon as the water rose to above his knees, Justin dropped down and only the top of his head was above the water.

He half-crawled and half-swam for a few yards, then looked to his right. Rex’s group was making more splashes than Justin would have preferred but they were advancing. He looked behind to his own group. Schultz was about two yards behind, followed by Park and the young men.

Justin continued his swim with slow yet powerful strokes. He propelled himself forward fast and without splatters. His boots touched the slippery bottom of the river, and he used it to gain extra momentum.

The helicopter rumble returned from his left side. Justin turned his head but did not see it. The noise continued, and Justin assumed the helicopter was hovering over the groves or making a sweep over the road alongside the river.

The splashes from Rex’s group had gotten bigger, and they were spraying a lot of water around. Someone began to wade through the water. It was Choe, holding his son in his arms.

“Rex, keep them down. The helo will make you and us,” Justin said.

“They’re panicking, sir,” Rex replied.

Justin heard Carrie’s voice calling at Choe and the others to stay calm and down in the water.

Choe pushed his way through the water for another few yards, ignoring Carrie’s shouts.

The helicopter appeared at Justin’s right. The rumble grew louder.

“Get down, down,” Rex shouted at Choe.

He sank in the water, but the damage was done.

The helicopter dove over the river. It banked to the left and began to approach Rex’s group.

Justin harbored a faint hope the helicopter had not made them yet. He kept his head down, praying the helicopter would pass over them and away without spotting the two groups. But he knew those chances were pretty slim, so he readied his rifle for a firefight.

A barrage of gunfire rippled the water between the two groups. The helicopter swooped down for the kill. More bullets cut among Rex’s group and peppered the water around them.

Justin stood up and fired a short burst at the moving target. He was not sure if his bullets had hit the large black helicopter. He emptied his clip and found another one in his chest rig. He reloaded and waited for the enemy’s certain return.

The young men had taken positions around him. Justin waved at them to keep going and reach the other shore. “Eve, take everyone across. I’ll cover.”

Schultz said, “I’ll stay with you.”

Justin turned around to face Schultz, who was holding up his AK. “No. Reach the trees and then provide cover for my advance. Go. Now.”

Schultz nodded with reluctance and began to swim next to Park and Eve.

Justin looked at Rex’s group. People were shouting and swimming in chaos.

“Rex, status,” Justin asked.

“Hong’s injured, but he’ll make it. Carrie’s making sure they reach the other side. I’ve got your back.”

Justin nodded. The helicopter was nowhere to be seen. He took a few slippery steps to the side, then swam forward with powerful strokes, keeping an eye on the sky.

Then the helicopter rattle returned. Justin stopped and raised his rifle over the surface of the water. He paddled with his legs and aimed in the direction of the sound.

The helicopter appeared over the groves to his left. Justin looked through the rifle’s sight and fired three-round bursts.

Rex had also noticed the bird and was firing his AK.

The helicopter dropped over the river. Heavy machine gun fire erupted from its starboard side. Justin dove as slugs struck the water. He kept his eyes open as more bullets torpedoed around him.

Then he heard a distant yet powerful explosion. Shrapnel peppered the water. Grenade. Justin dove, glad that he was at a deeper section of the river. He guessed it had to be near the middle, as he turned around and swam away from the area under attack.

Another explosion echoed from above the water. It sounded more distant than the first one, but shrapnel still whirled around him. And a string of bullets plunged near his arms, missing his hands by mere inches.

Justin felt a bursting sensation deep in his lungs. He needed to come up to the surface for air, but the helicopter was still hovering over the river, pouring an endless torrent of bullets. He was trained to hold his breath longer than the average person, so he kept swimming.

Everything seemed to go silent for a moment. Justin listened for the engine roar. It came to his ears faded and distant, but it was still there, still a deadly threat.

A strong spasm erupted from his ribcage. He was reaching the critical line. He pushed himself upward and raised his head slowly above the water’s surface.

The helicopter was veering to the right. There was no gunner on the port side, but the retractable door was left open wide enough for someone to fire through it.

Justin took a deep breath, refilling his lungs with much-needed oxygen. He pondered for a split second whether to dive and continue swimming or fire at the helicopter. The Chinese shore was still at least fifty yards away, and he would have to rise to the surface again. The next time, he might not be this lucky.

He raised his rifle, aimed at the helicopter’s tail rotor, and fired a long barrage. The bullets struck the rotor and the tail boom. A few hit the door and the fuselage as Justin held his finger on the trigger.

He emptied the magazine and took another one from his chest rig. He reloaded but the helicopter had completed its turn. Now it was fast approaching for another fierce pounce.

Justin took another deep breath and dove as fast as he could. He sank quickly, the weight of his rucksack helping his efforts. And he swam forward and away from his last seen location.

A huge explosion erupted behind him, followed by more bullets zipping past him. One of them struck him in his back, plunging him forward. The water absorbed most of the bullet’s energy, and his rucksack and vest stopped the bullet itself. Still the round packed a heavy punch, and a wave of pain rippled through Justin’s body.

Another bullet grazed his left arm. It tore through his jacket sleeve and his skin. Blood began to ooze but Justin kept swimming.

He soon felt his feet resting against the slippery bottom of the river. Justin was getting closer to the shore. He pressed forward, ignoring the tightening of his lungs.

A few more strokes and his knees touched slimy plants growing along the shore. He looked over his shoulder while keeping his head near the water surface. The helicopter was gone.

Justin climbed to his feet and rushed toward the grove. Eve and Schultz had set up positions near a row of thick trees. They waved at him.

Justin slowed down his pace and took a few deep breaths. He headed in their direction and glanced around the area. Park and two of the young men were crouched further away among the trees.

The dog was sitting next to them. He noticed Justin’s arrival and got up to his feet, but Park held him down by his neck.

“Where are the other two Koreans? They didn’t make it?” Justin asked when he got close to Eve.

She shook her head. “The helo barrage cut them down. But they died fighting.”

“And how are you doing?” His eyes went from Eve to Schultz and then to Park.

“I got a flesh wound,” Eve replied. “One of the boys is wounded in his arm, but it’s not serious.”

“Park and I are okay,” Schultz said. “And the helo is gone.”

Justin nodded. He hoped they would not see the helicopter anymore, but he could not be certain at this point. He reached for his mike. “Rex, status.”

No answer.

“Rex, do you read me?”

A burst of static, then he heard Rex’s strong voice. “Yes. We’ve . . . we’ve lost Hong. His wife’s also wounded on her leg. His children are devastated.”

Justin swore under his breath. “We need to get moving. The gunfight has alerted the Chinese border guards. They’ll be here any second.”

Eve was already on her feet. She offered to help Schultz up but he leaned on his AK and stood up on his own.

Justin took a moment to get his bearings. The helicopter’s attack had pushed them toward the south. In a sense, that was good since they were now further away from the guard post across from the train station. But there was the possibility of other guard posts or watchtowers in the area.

He tried to remember the layout of the land from the aerial images. A couple of trails cut through the hills. If they could cross the fence and make it to the forest, their odds of survival would greatly improve.

“Rex, we’re heading northeast and taking the southern trail as originally planned. Meet us at the trail head.”

“Roger,” said Rex.

They marched up the hill. Justin could still hear the helicopter’s rumble, a distant yet constant ringing in his ears. He wondered if it was his imagination or if the bird was still flying over the North Korean territory. Maybe we damaged it enough to force it to land.

They reached the fence and slid underneath it just as they had done on the Korean side. Again Justin was the last one to slither to the other side. Just as he threw his rucksack over his shoulder, a loud truck engine roared down the dirt road.

“Hide, quick,” Justin said. “Someone’s coming.”