on of farmers； bringing them into the mon area to see the misguided hero； and his wife； and his three daughters； all waiting for them； sitting in the dirt； their arms cruelly tied behind their backs。 The NVA major who led PLASTIC FLOWER invited them all to sit in a mannerly voice that reached Kelly‘s observation point； less than two hundred meters away。 The ville needed a lesson in the foolishness of resistance to the people‘s liberation movement。 It was not that they were bad people； just misguided； and he hoped that this simple lesson would make clear to them the error of their ways。
They started with the man‘s wife。 That took twenty minutes；
I have to do something！ he told himself。
There‘s eleven of them； idiot。 And while the Major might be a sadistic motherfucker； the ten soldiers with him had not been selected exclusively for their political correctness。 They would be reliable； experienced； and dedicated soldiers。 How a man could be dedicated to such things as this； Kelly didn‘t have the imagination to understand。 That they were was a fact that he could not afford to ignore。
Where was the fucking reaction team？ He‘d called in forty minutes earlier； and the support base was only twenty minutes off by chopper。 They wanted this Major。
His team might also be useful； but they wanted the Major alive。 He knew the location of the local political leaders； those the Marines hadn‘t swept up in a superb raid six weeks earlier。 This mission was probably a reaction to that； a deliberate response so close to the American base； to say that； no； you hadn‘t gotten us all yet； and you never will。
And they were probably right； Kelly thought； but that question went far beyond the mission for tonight。
The oldest daughter was maybe fifteen。 It was hard to tell with the small； deceptively delicate Vietnamese women。 She‘d lasted all of twenty…five minutes and was not yet dead。 Her screams carried dearly across the flat； open ground to Kelly‘s watery post； and his hands squeezed the plastic of his CAR…15 so hard that had he thought or noticed； he might have worried about breaking something。
The ten soldiers with the Major were deployed as they should be。 Two men were with the Major； and they rotated duty with the perimeter guards so that all of them could partake in the evening‘s festivities。 One of them finished the girl with a knife。 The next daughter was perhaps twelve。
Kelly‘s ears scanned the cloudy sky； praying to hear the distinctive mutter of a Huey‘s two…bladed rotor。 There were other sounds。 The rumble of 155s from the marine fire base to the east。 Some jets screaming overhead。 None were loud enough to mask the high…pitched screech of a child； but there were still eleven of them； and only one of him； and even if Pickett had been here； the odds would not have been remotely close enough to try a play。 Kelly had his CAR…15 carbine； a thirty…round magazine securely fixed in its place； another taped； inverted； to the end of that one； and two more similar sets。 He had four fragmentation grenades； two willie…petes； and two smokes。 His deadliest appliance was his radio； but he‘d already called out twice and gotten an acknowledgment both times； along with orders to sit tight。
Easy thing to say back at the base； wasn‘t it？
Twelve years old； maybe。 Too young for this。 There was no age for this； he told himself； but he‘d never be able to change things alone； and there was no good for anyone in adding his death to those of this family。
How could they do it？ Were they not men； soldiers； professional warriors like himself？ Could anything be so important that they could cast aside their humanity？ What he saw was impossible。 It could not be。 But it was。 The rumbles of the distant artillery continued； dropping planned fire…missions on a suspected supply route。 A continuous stream of aircraft overhead； maybe Marine intruders doing a Mini…Arc Light strike at something or other； probably empty woods； because most of those targets were just that。 Not here； where the enemy was； but that wouldn‘t help anything； would it？ These villagers had bet their lives and their families on something that wasn‘t working； and maybe that Major thought he was being merciful in just eliminating one family in the most graphic method possible instead of ending all their lives in a more efficient way。 Besides； dead men told no tales； and this was a tale he would want repeated。 Terror was something they could use； and use well。
Time crept on； slowly and rapidly； and presently the twelve…year…old stopped making noise and was cast aside。 The third and final daughter was eight； he saw through his binoculars。 The arrogance of the fuckers； building a large fire。 They couldn‘t have anyone miss this； could they？
Eight years old； not even old enough； not a throat large enough for a proper scream。 He watched the changing of the guard。 Two more men moved from the perimeter into the center of the ville。 R&；R for the political…action group； who couldn‘t go to Taiwan as Kelly had。 The man nearest to Kelly hadn‘t had his chance yet； probably wouldn‘t。 The headman didn‘t have enough daughters； or maybe this one was on the Major‘s shit list。 Whatever the real reason； he wasn‘t getting any； and it must have frustrated him。 The soldier‘s eyes were looking in now； watching his squadmates partake in something that he would miss tonight。 Maybe next time 。。。 but at least he could watch。。。 and he did； Kelly saw； forgetting his duty for the first time tonight。
Kelly was halfway there before his mind remarked on the fact； crawling as rapidly as he could in silence； helped by the moist ground。 A low crawl； his body as flat as he could manage； closer； closer； both driven and drawn by the whine that emanated from near the fire。 Should have done it sooner； Johnnie…boy。
It wasn‘t possible then。
Well； fuck； it isn‘t possible now！
It was then that fate intervened in the sound of a Huey； probably more than one； off to the southeast。 Kelly heard it first； rising carefully behind the soldier； his knife drawn。 They still hadn‘t heard it when he struck； driving his knife into the base of the man‘s skull； where the spinal cord meets the base of the brain … the medulla； someone had told him in a lecture。 He twisted it； almost like a screwdriver； his other hand across the soldier‘s mouth； and； sure enough； it worked。 The body went instantly limp； and he lowered it gently； not from any feelings of humanity； but to limit noise。
But there was noise。 The choppers were too close now。 The Major‘s head went up； turning southeast； recognizing the danger。 He shouted an order for his men to assemble； then turned and shot the child in the head just as soon as one of his privates moved off of her and out of the way。
It only took a few seconds for the squad to assemble。 The Major did a quick and automatic head count； ing up one short； and he looked in Kelly‘s direction； but his eyes and his vision had been long since promised by the fire； and the only thing he did see was some spectral movement in the air。
‘One； two； three；‘ Kelly whispered to himself after pulling the cotter pin out of one of his frags。 The boys in 3rd SOG cut their own fuses。 You never knew what the little old