105 Degrees and Rising

This is my story for the Oggbashan Heroism event. This story details the journey of a young United States Marine who is stranded in Vietnam during the Fall of Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City. I've never written a period piece before and have done what I consider to be extensive research on this topic.

That said, I have taken some minor creative liberties with this story to help ensure the desired flow, so any deviations from actual events portrayed in this story are not to be taken as an insult.

Since this story starts off during the end days of the Vietnam War, a small trigger warning to those who are about to read this story. There are a couple of scenes of violence and depictions of death contained herein.

Any Vietnamese dialogue spoken in this story will be indicated with italics.

Furthermore, all people portrayed here, along with any names used, are fictional & purely coincidental. They are not based on any persons, living or dead.

Enjoy the story.

- Alexandra

***********

- April 30, 1975 -

"I'm... dreaming... of a White... Christmas. Just like the ones I used to know!"

The sound of Irving Berlin's holiday soliloquy played on the loudspeakers as Mitchell Donovan navigated through the crowded streets of Saigon away from the American Embassy. His mind was racing a mile a minute as he had placed his bets on the embassy after he had been separated from his unit the day before on their way to Tan Son Nhut Air Base the previous day following a mortar strike.

He had tried to radio his squad-mates but was unable to get a hold of them. Mitchell had his theories as to why that might be the case, but they were all grim ones at that.

Mitchell, or Mitch as he liked to be called, had gotten word from via comms earlier that the shelling from the North Vietnamese army had rendered the airfield unusable. Given his proximity, he had followed the path of the helicopters overhead to the American Embassy.

Numerous families were running in the streets as they panicked with the oncoming invasion of Viet Cong. As Mitch dashed through the street, a woman, recognizing his forest green military fatigues and standard M16 rifle slung over his back, grabbed him and pleaded with him in what little English she knew.

"Help get out! Please!"

He pushed the woman away in a panic. "Sorry ma'am, I can't help you!"

As he waded his way through the sea of people, he spotted a couple of old Honda cars. They had been driven through various storefronts that were now a blaze and the buildings themselves had now caught on fire. Everywhere, windows of stores were being smashed as the desperate people tried to take anything that might help them survive. Flour, Rice, Water. Anything really.

He grabbed the radio mounted on his hip and spoke into it. "This is Sargent Mitchell Donovan, United States Army. I was separated from my unit en route to Tan Son Nhut. Last helicopter out of Saigon has just left, and in need of an immediate evac. Over!"

The radio crackled as he jogged through the crowd of desperate people; His hopes of a successful escape now fading since his ticket out of Saigon was no more.

Just then, a loud whistling noise pierced through the sky overhead, He froze where he stood, as did the rest of the crowd. If there was one thing that he remembered from his days in basic training, it was the sound of mortar fire.

Then the sound of a massive explosion hit a concrete building a block away from where he was. The already-panicked crowd went into a frenzy as the stark realization hit everyone: the North Vietnamese army was about to occupy the city.

Mitch was able to find refuge underneath the awning of an abandoned café. He checked his holster to make sure that his standard issue Colt pistol was still with him, along with the two spare magazines he had kept with him just in case things got dicey.

Getting his bearings as his heart pounded in his chest, Mitch was trying to figure out an escape route. If the intel he had been given from his last briefing was correct, most North Vietnamese forces were coming from the north, while smaller forces from the west and southwest were advancing on the city after traveling through Cambodia.

A classic pincer move.

He figured his best bet for escape was to travel south towards the Mekong Delta along the coastline. It was mostly marshes and swamp lands, but he also knew it would be mostly free from any North Vietnamese vehicles and soldiers and there was talk of numerous boats leaving Vietnam that would be packed with locals.

With that in mind, Mitch knew that numerous poisonous snakes and other creepy crawlies called the Mekong Delta home. In his unit, Mitch was constantly teased by his squad-mates over his fear of snakes.

Still, it was a better option than becoming a POW for the NVA (Northern Vietnamese Army.)

He had seen no real combat during the 6 months he had been stationed just north of Saigon. Mostly low-level insurgents who were scared off by a few warning shots. This time it was different and Mitch knew it.

He said a quick prayer and psyched himself up, Mitch brought his up M16 rifle and held it both of his hands. Just then the sounds of gunshots began to ring out and he made a run for it.

Checking his corners as he sprinted through the streets, he was somewhat relieved to see that the gun fire was from local civilians instead of the North Vietnamese, but he was taking no chances as he wanted to keep combat engagement to an absolute minimum.

After a few city blocks, Mitch was running for his life as the sounds of mortar explosions rang off in the distance. The NVA were no longer a distant threat, they were about to kick the door down and storm in.

Heading south, Mitch ran down an empty alley to save some time by having to run around a large city block. After running for 10 minutes straight, he paused to catch his breath.

"Fuck me... is this how I'm going to die?" He said to himself as he took a sip of water from his canteen.

As he placed the cap back the container, a door to his left burst open and three men with AK-47's pointed their weapons at him. The man in the middle appeared to be in his early 30s while the two men on his left and right appeared to be no older than Mitchell's age of 23.

"Halt you!" The man in the middle wearing a black long-sleeved button up and tan pants screamed at him in Vietnamese. His hair was shaved, and he had a scar running across his right cheek.

Mitchell froze as he held his hands up. He knew from his knowledge of Vietnamese that he was being told stop where he was.

Judging from their clothing, he didn't think they were with the Viet Cong although the fact they were brandishing Kalashnikovs worried Mitchell just a little bit.

The man on the left spoke in Vietnamese. "Think this one is an American?"

Mitchell decided to put his training to good use and responded in broken Vietnamese. "Yes. I'm American Solider. "

The three looked at him in awe. They hadn't expected this All-American looking man with brown hair and hazel eyes to speak their mother tongue. The man in the middle then spoke in a hushed tone.

"Why are you here? Did any of those Viet Cong bastards follow you?"

Mitchell breathed a sigh of relief and shook his head. "No. Stranded here. Last helicopter left. Trying to leave through south."

The man with the shaved head gestured with his head towards the door. "Follow us. We're trying to get out of here. We could use your help."

Mitchell was ushered into the building through a dimly hit hallway before they came to the main area of a bar. Bottles of whiskey and gin sat mostly empty behind a bar. Inside was a group of five others, four sitting at a table with guns laid out on the wooden table. In the far corner of the room was a woman talking into the microphone of a radio.

"Yes! There's just eight of us, but we need to wait for the NVA to advance before we can safely pass through the south." The woman had her back to everyone was wearing a forest green shirt and pants.

One of the men sitting at the table saw Mitch walking with the group of three men. He stood up, grabbed, pointed it at the Sargent and shouted. "Tuan, who the fuck is this?! We all agreed to keep this meetup spot a secret. This bastard could be working for the Viet Cong!"

Mitch quickly replied to him. "No!. I'm American. No NVA."

"That's enough, Bao!"

The woman on the radio called out as she turned around. She looked at Mitch with curiosity and walked towards him. She had been standing in a dimly lit corner of the room but was now underneath the lamp over the set of tables.

Her black hair was in a shag hairstyle and her dark brown eyes complimented her oval-shaped face. She stood a couple inches shorter than Mitch and towered over most of the men who were with the group.

Looking into Mitch's eyes, she spoke to him in perfect English. "Your Vietnamese is atrocious. Hopefully your English is better. Who are you?"

Mitch was taken aback by this woman in more ways than one. Her accent was a mixture of Vietnamese and... French? But what really caught his eye was how beautiful she looked. Even though her face was marked with dirt, cuts & scrapes; She had an inherent beauty to her that just seemed to come naturally.

He extended his hand to the woman. "Sergeant Mitchell Donovan, United States Army. I tried evacuating at the embassy, but the helicopters had already left. I'm pretty much stranded here and looking for a way out."

The woman looked at his hand and shook it. "Nguyen Thi Linh. Although, I know that since you Americans address each other by the first name, you can just call me Linh." She narrowed her eyes at him.

Bao, the man who pulled a gun on Mitch moments ago, laughed sarcastically laughed as he walked over to the woman. "Why the hell should we help him? The United States abandoned us and let this all happen. What makes you so sure that this guy isn't going to pull the same shit on us?"

That's when Mitchell recognized the man's tiger striped black and green uniform: He had fought for the South Vietnam Army.

Mitch replied to the man in Vietnamese. "I speak not of American army. Want to go home."

The man in South Vietnam army uniform scoffed at him as he sat back down in his seat; All while muttering something under his breath.

"Don't mind him." Linh said in English. "Many people like him are just very upset over what is happening. They fought so hard, and it now feels like it was all for nothing."

"No offense taken. I saw you were on the radio as I came in. Who were you speaking with?" Mitch asked her.

Linh gestured at the radio. "I was speaking to one of my contacts, trying to get a boat for us to get out of this country. We're supposed to be meeting with them tomorrow night in Vinh Loi to the south, but we need to keep our heads down until night fall."

Mitch was somewhat familiar with the layout of the Mekong Delta. Vinh Loi was about a six-hour drive from downtown Saigon and while the country roads wouldn't be a problem with the right transportation, he knew that getting out of the city would be an issue =, especially with the imminent arrival of the NVA.

"So how exactly are we going to sneak out? I mean, I'm especially going to stick out like a sore thumb because... well..." Mitch ran his hands in front of himself to non-verbally communicate that he was not only dressed in army fatigues but was also not Vietnamese.

Linh placed her hands on her hips and looked over at the man with the shaved head, Tuan, and yelled at him in Vietnamese. "Do we have any extra clothes laying around for the American?"

When he replied in affirmation, Linh looked back at Mitchell. "We do, but we'll have to get creative..."

That's when she noticed the large green walkie on his hip and pointed at it. "You have a radio. Why don't you just call up the army and get a helicopter out of here?"

"Oh, I tried numerous times to get a hold of command, but ever since things went to hell here in Saigon, I haven't been able reach anyone. I think it might be busted." Mitch slumped his shoulders. "Christ, I really hope they don't think I'm dead."

Linh shook her head. "We can let them know later. Now c'mon, let's get changed before nightfall."

******

True to Linh's word, they did indeed have some clothing that fit Mitchell's body. He had ditched his military fatigues in place of some baggy tan trousers and a loose-fitting long sleeve button-up shirt. He had also been given a white scarf to cover up his face and a large straw sun hat to hide his short brown hair. The last thing the group needed was to draw more attention to themselves.

Mitch was very surprised to see just how comfortable Linh was with being naked, considering how conservative Vietnamese culture was when it came to nudity, at least according to what he knew. She made no effort to cover herself up as she changed into a pair of white pants and blue shirt. Mitch had gotten a peek of her and admired her lean looking body with smaller perky breasts with pointed brown nipples and a prominent mat of black pubic hair covering her vagina.

Just as Linh finished changing, a message came through the radio on the far side of the room. It was a message from the man Linh was in contact with, who informed everyone listening that the southern NVA offensive had overwhelmed the South Vietnamese line.

"Shit... I guess they're finally here." Mitch said as he sat down and poured himself a glass of whiskey into a shot glass. He downed it in one gulp and slammed the small glass on top of the wooden table. He had just grabbed the bottle again and was about to pour himself another when he felt a hand grab his wrist. It was Linh.

"We're heading out in about a couple hours, and I don't want anyone drunk. Especially you, Sergeant." She said.

Mitch sighed. "Right... sorry. It's just... I've never been in this situation before. Usually, I have my CO and fellow soldiers to back me up."

"I believe the term that I've heard you Americans use is, how you say... FUBAR?" Linh laughed as she took a seat next to him.

"Yep. I would say FUBAR most certainly applies to our current situation." Mitch pushed the whiskey bottle away.

"So, what does FUBAR mean, Sergeant?" Linh leaned back into her chair as she eyed him.

Mitch laughed. "It's an acronym for Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition. Given what I saw while I was running through the streets, it's safe to assume that correctly describes the current state of Saigon."

"Oh..." Linh looked down at the table and frowned.

Mitch, realizing that his remarks came off as a bit insensitive, apologized. "I'm sorry, Linh. I didn't mean to joke about that. We army boys have strange coping mechanisms for dealing with stuff like this."

She shook her head. "No, it's not that, Sergeant. I have spent a good portion of my life here, but now the Saigon that I knew is now gone. Now all we can do now is try to get out while we still can."

"Hmmm... say if you don't mind me asking... why are you calling me Sergeant? You can just call me Mitch." He asked her.

Linh apologized. "Sorry. In my culture, we address people using titles and not names. You told me you were a Sergeant in the army, so that's why I called you Sergeant."

"Well, you can just call me Mitch. I really don't consider myself to be a Sergeant right now." He said as he tapped his finger on the tabletop.

They sat in silence for a moment while Linh nodded to herself. That's when Mitch asked her a question.

"So, tell me a bit more about you. I'm surprised to see a local with a strong of a command of the English language as yourself."

Linh's face lit up. "Well, my father was a civil servant for the Ministry of Education and my mother worked as a primary school teacher. Growing up, I attended private schools where I was taught English by my teachers as well as French."

"Heh, that would explain why your accent isn't quite like the other locals I've interacted with." Mitch remarked as Linh chuckled.

"Voilà ce qui arrive quand on apprend le français et l'anglais." She purred in French.

"Spoken like a true Parisian, I see." Mitch smiled at her.

Linh nodded. "There are times where I wonder if my French is better than my mother tongue. Plus, I spent studied abroad at Sorbonne in Paris studying Literature. My parents wanted me to follow in their footsteps of working in education."

"What made you return to Vietnam? Certainly, you were aware of the strife that was happening here. I mean, assuming that you're old enough to remember it." Mitch stammered.

Linh giggled. "Well, if you must know, I'm 25 years old and have known about this conflict for as long as I could remember. I returned to Vietnam after four years abroad. I left after I saw the stark contrasts between the French and my countrymen, along with the opportunities that education and freedom could provide. These two things are not present in day-to-day life for most of the people in this country."

She continued. "That, and knowing the history the French had here, was enough for me to return and try to make my home a better place to live."

"That's quite admirable of you. So how did you end up here?" Mitch asked her.

"I got a position with the army three years ago when I returned from France and ended up working in Intelligence. Then about two years ago, it was announced that the Americans were pulling out, I saw the writing on the wall and began passing off intel to local groups to prepare for the worst. I figured that we had, at best, a few years before the influences from the north crept down into Saigon but... well, you and I both know what happened." Linh sighed.

Mitch nodded grimly as he looked towards the front door. The sound of explosions off in the distance had died down considerably, which meant that the NVA had eliminated most of the resistance.

"How about you, Mitch? How did you end up here?" She asked him.

Mitch leaned back in his chair. "Well, I'm originally from Dayton, Ohio. My father works as a foreman for a construction company and my mom is a homemaker. I decided to enlist when I was 18 years old because I wanted to get out and see the world. Although had I known that I'd end up here in this situation, I might've reconsidered enlisting."

"This wasn't exactly what you had in mind when you signed up, no?" Linh asked him.

Mitch shook his head. "Nope, I spent my first year stationed down in South Carolina before being shipped out to Okinawa & Manila. I bounced back and forth between those two places for about three years before I got notice from my CO that I'd be overseeing administrative things in Saigon. That was 6 months ago..."

"So, you've seen no combat whatsoever?" Linh raised an eyebrow at him.

Mitch nodded. "Aside from some live fire exercises I did in basic and firing some warning shots to scare off the Viet Cong? None."

Linh let out a sigh. She had been hoping Mitch would have some combat experience but finding out that he had none put a damper on her mood. Sensing her uneasiness, Mitch spoke once more.

"Look, I know how that sounds, but I was on constant patrol while I've been stationed here. I know what we need to do in case things get bad. You can trust me, okay?"

Linh nodded and looked at him. "Okay, I trust you, Mitch. Just... please help me keep everyone safe."

"I'll do my best." He said with a smile.

******

The two spent the next couple hours talking with each other about themselves, including how Mitch was somehow able to have a barely passable command of the Vietnamese language thanks to some studying he had done with a couple of soldiers with the local South Vietnamese army. Different languages had always fascinated Mitch from an early age, and he was all too eager to learn them.

Thanks to his time stationed in between Japan and The Philippines, Mitch had a good grasp on Filipino and the southern dialect of Japanese. He aspired one day to become a teacher or even teach in a college, but first he'd have to make it out alive.

A little past midnight, the door in the back of the bar knocked lightly and one of the men in the group went to go open it. Their contact had come through with the farm truck and everyone was ordered to get on board.

Everyone hid their rifles underneath a pair of haystacks near the front of the truck bed, while Mitch, Linh, and a couple others with small firearms kept them concealed in their clothing. When everyone was accounted for, the truck's diesel engine sputtered before roaring to life. With everyone on board, the vehicle crawled out of the side alley and onto the now empty street.

"Remember, if we get stopped, we must act as if though we are sympathetic to their cause. One slip up and they'll hull us all in or worse..." Linh looked at Mitch, who had since covered up his face with the white scarf.

"I'm guessing you don't want me speaking at all?" He said as he adjusted the scarf.

Linh shook her head. "We'll tell the guards you are mute."

"Good plan" Mitch nodded.

The truck continued down the main road southwards. The loudspeakers that were mounted throughout the city were blaring out propaganda songs from the Northern Vietnamese forces. Gone were the traditional songs that used to echo throughout city and, in it's place, was a ballad dedicated to the legacy of Ho Chi Minh and the communist cause.

Mitch looked up and watched Bao's jaw clinch in anger as they passed beneath a speaker. The rage he was displaying was being felt by everyone on the back of the truck. Linh looked over at him and spoke to him in a hushed tone.

"Brother, you need to keep your feelings to yourself. If we are discovered, we'll all get sent off to Hanoi. Don't let your pride get us all killed!"

Bao exhaled and nodded as he muttered something to himself. He looked down at the straw-covered bed of the truck; His body slumping in almost-defeat.

While they had been successful in by-passing all the marked military checkpoints, the main road on the southern outskirts was manned by a group of soldiers, armed with AK-47s, wearing olive green uniforms and matching patrol caps with the insignia of the North Vietnamese Army in it's center.

"Keep quiet and let the driver do the talking." Linh told everyone as the truck came to a halt.

The truck sat idly as a soldier approached the driver's side door. As he approached the window, the driver called in Vietnamese. "Comrade! It's about time you guys showed up! Finally, something can get done around here!"

The soldier, however, was not impressed. "Turn off your vehicle and step outside."

A pang of fear shot through Mitch as the engine shut off. As he turned his head to the left, he saw two armed soldiers approaching the bed of the truck,

"Everyone, out now!" A soldier with a mustache and goatee ordered the group as he raised his rifle at them.

As the group stood up, Linh grabbed Mitch's hand and whispered to him. "Just hold my hand and follow my lead."

Mitch stood up with help from Linh, and they climbed down from the truck bed. The two stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the group as the other soldier with a clean-shaven face radioed in command.

He watched as the mustached soldier started asking questions to everyone in the group. Each member answering they were simply farmers headed back to their farm in the south.

Mitch felt his heart racing in his chest as the soldier moved down the line. His hand was squeezing Linh's tighter as she reassured him.

"It'll be okay." She said in an almost motherly voice.

Finally, the soldier stood in front of the two. "Where are you two headed?"

"To our farm, just north of Vinh Loi. We were going to leave earlier but we were held up." Linh responded firmly.

The soldier then noticed that she was holding the hand of Mitch. He looked into the American's eyes and barked at him "What's your problem? And why are you wearing a mask?"

Linh tried to intervene. "This is my older brother, Thanh. He's mute and I'm his caretaker. The smog from the city is bad for his lungs. Please, I think you're scaring him!"

"I don't care." The soldier pushed Linh to the ground before he shoved Mitch against the back of the truck.

The others looked on as the mustached soldier grabbed aimed his rifle at Mitch and started shouting at him in Vietnamese. In that moment, Mitch thought about grabbing the pistol he had concealed in the waistband of his pants but quickly remembered that, even he somehow took out the guard, he was still surrounded by more soldiers armed with assault rifles.

He then remembered what Linh told him about him playing the part of a mute. With some quick thinking, he decided to improvise.

"No hurt. Please. No hurt me!" Mitch said in broken Vietnamese with heightened, off-tone voice before the solider suddenly let go of him.

He looked at the Mitch for a moment before he burst into laughter. The soldier turned to Linh, who had just gotten up and was brushing the dirt off her clothes.

"I'm so sorry, sister. I never should've doubted you." The mustached man said as Linh stood up.

"Yes... I wouldn't lie to you about this!" She said as Mitch caught his breath.

Despite not being told not to speak, his poor Vietnamese skills ended up saving the group and this fact wasn't lost on Linh.

After they were given the all clear, the group hopped back into the bed of the truck and the driver was allowed to return to the front cab.

"That was way too fucking close." Mitch muttered to himself as the engine rumbled to life once more.

Linh sat next to him once more and whispered. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but your poor Vietnamese is what saved us. You're a hero!"

"Yeah, a hero who just about pissed himself while being held at gun point." Mitch whispered as the truck passed through the makeshift gate.

The part the group had been dreading the most was now over. Mitchell slumped back against the side of the truck bed as he felt all the tension in his body leave him at once.

"I'm going to try and get some sleep; I haven't slept in about 24 hours." He murmured to Linh as he closed his eyes.

******

The truck came to screeching halt as Mitch's body slammed against the front of the truck bed, which startled him awake. He heard shouting coming from near the cab.

"Wha-what's happening." He asked Linh as she glanced over the railing of the truck.

"Another checkpoint. We thought there wasn't supposed to be another one according to the intel we were given."

Suddenly, two soldiers came up to the back of the truck bed and ordered everyone out. Mitch, fearing the worst, placed the white scarf over his face and stood next to Linh once more.

As he jumped off the back of the truck, Mitch looked around and noticed they were no longer on the outskirts of Saigon, but rather, they were in the countryside. Tall fields of grass on the left side of the road were illuminated by the waning moon overhead, with several irrigation channels cutting through. The other side of the road was a marsh of sorts with tall trees dotted throughout.

As he looked forward, he had expected the soldiers to question him first...

Except the soldiers weren't interested in Mitch. Instead, they pulled Bao from the line-up and shoved him to the ground. As he tried to get up, one of the soldiers took the butt-end of his rifle and struck him in the back; Effectively knocking the wind out of him.

Linh shouted out in Vietnamese. "Comrade, what are you doing to him? We're just heading back to our farm!"

One of the other soldiers approached Linh, struck her in the face with the back end of his left hand, and she fell to the ground with an audible thud.

Mitch looked wide at the ground as she seemingly lay unconscious like a discarded rag doll. That's when a young-looking soldier noticed Mitch and pointed his rifle at him.

"On the ground, now!" The soldier screamed at Mitch.

Bao, now gasping for breath, shouted as loud as he could. "He's mute. He can't understand you!"

The soldier then grabbed the white scarf from Mitch's face and yanked it off. As the discarded cloth fell to the ground, the soldier took a step back in bewilderment.

"Wait... you're an-..."

Before the soldier could finish his sentence, he cried out in pain as he fell to the ground. As Mitch looked down, he saw Linh had plunged a knife into the leg of the soldier. Before the other guards could react, Mitch grabbed the pistol from the waistband of his pants and aimed it at the group of men surrounding Bao.

He drew in a breath and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The first soldier crumpled to the ground like a stack of bricks.

Bang!

The man next to him fell backwards as a plume of red mist erupted from his forehead.

Bang!

The last soldier who was taking aim at Mitch with his rifle clutched his neck as he fell to his knees.

Mitch was too focused to notice the group he had been traveling with had grabbed their weapons hidden in the straw bed. He turned his head and saw more soldiers running towards him. As he drew his pistol up, he felt someone tackle him to the ground as a hail of gunfire erupted over him.

It felt like hours for Mitch, but it had been, in all reality, a few seconds before the exchange of bullets ceased. He looked up and saw that it had been Linh who had pushed him to the ground. Their faces inches apart as they breathed heavily, Linh with her arms around Mitch's torso. She turned her head right, before turning left.

"We got them!" Linh smiled as she looked at Mitch as she got off him.

Mitch sat upright and looked at the three bodies that lay lifeless on the ground thanks to his impeccable marksmanship before turning around. An additional five soldiers lay lifeless on the ground.

"Holy shit, they're dead..." He said in disbelief.

Tuan, who had been held at gunpoint with the rest of the group, helped him up. "Nice shooting! You saved me!"

"I never kill before" Mitch said in a daze as he eyed the bodies of the soldiers.

Linh heard him say this. "Wait... you've never done that before?"

"No... I told you I've never seen any actual combat. Holy shit..." He sat on the edge of the truck bed as the group started scavenging the bodies and enemy rucks for weapons.

Linh sat next to him and shook his shoulder. "Hey Mitch, it's okay. Had you not stepped in, we all might've died or, at the very least, would've been brought in."

"I just... normally I'd say this isn't what I signed up for, but..." He sighed as the group continued to pat the bodies down for anything useful..

Linh grabbed his hand. "What's done is done. Right now, it's either going to be you or them".

Just then, the two heard a pained groan come from their right. The soldier who Linh had stabbed in the leg was wincing in pain. "My leg. Fuck, it hurts"

Bao walked over to the downed solider and aimed the rifle at his head. "This is for my fallen brothers, you communist dog!"

The soldier, now scared, held his arms up over his face. "Please! No! Oh god!"

"Bao, wait!" Mitch yelled out as he stood up.

Bao snarled at him as he approached. "You stay the fuck out of this. He's the enemy and would have no qualms about killing us!"

"Killing him no do nothing!" Mitch shouted at him.

Bao laughed mockingly at him and placed the barrel of the rifle against the soldier's head. "At least try to improve your Vietnamese before you try to convince me to spare this traitor's life."

That's when Linh stepped in. "Bao, he's right! This man poses no threat to us. Killing him wouldn't do us any good!"

Bao spit on the ground as a show of disrespect. "That French education of yours has made you soft, sister. As soon as we leave, he'll radio in his communist dog friends, and they'll hunt us down!"

"Please, I don't even want to be here. I was conscripted by the People's Army in Cao Bang. They told me that if I didn't obey them, that they'd send my family away!" The solider on the ground started crying.

Bao, somehow sensing the soldier's honesty, drew his rifle back and looked at the man. "Is what you say true?"

"Yes! Yes! I have no reason to lie to you. I was planning on deserting and hopefully try to find my way out of here." The man drew his arms down from a fenced position. That's when Bao noticed he wasn't a man at all. In fact, he looked around the same age as his own 18-year-old son, who had fled to France earlier in the year.

Letting out a deep sigh, Bao knelt down and propped up the young man on his shoulder. He looked at Mitch. "Help me carry him to the truck."

As Mitch assisted Bao, the remaining members of the group pushed the truck off to the side and tossed the bodies into a wet bog off to the side of the road. Making sure to leave behind no trace of their presence.

With the weapons hidden once more, the group and the injured soldier sat on truck bed as the vehicle once again roared to life down the bumpy dirt road.

Using some medical supplies, Mitch helped clean up the wound on the NVA soldier's leg and bandage it properly. As the young man looked at the sergeant, he asked himself a question in Vietnamese. "Why is an American travelling with them?"

Mitch, hearing this, looked at the young man. "Last helicopter left Saigon. Me stranded. Trying return to America. Sorry, Vietnamese no good."

"An American who speaks Vietnamese? Now I've seen everything."The young man laughed as Mitch joined in.

"I'm sorry for attacking you... what's your name?"He asked the American solider.

Mitch smiled back at him. "Mitch Donovan, Sergeant United States Army. Don't worry, you following orders. What's your name?"

"Tran Loc Hien." The solider responded.

Mitch extended his hand to him. "It's nice to meet you, Hien."

Hien laughed, even as his wound stung his entire calf. He turned to Linh, who was watching the interaction. "So, where are you headed?"

"We're headed to Vinh Loi. One of my contacts has a boat that will take us to The Philippines. There's an American military presence there, so that's what we're betting on." Linh said as she ran her fingers through her hair.

******

Dawn had just broke as the truck rumbled along the outskirts of Vinh Loi. After what had occurred in the farm areas just south of Saigon, no one in the group had gotten any sleep and everyone was on high alert. The truck pulled in front of a relatively large, well-maintained, wooden shack overlooking the beach.

As the truck pulled up, a man with long, black hair wearing a white shirt and gray pants came out of the front door, He waved to Linh, who had stood up on the truck and waved at him.

"Anh! We made it here alive"

The man with the long hair laughed. "It would appear to be so!"

As the group disembarked, Anh noticed Mitch as he removed his scarf and straw hat. He approached him and looked at Mitch with curiosity, who stood a head taller than him. He asked him in English "Hmm, you American?"

"That's right. Name's Mitch. Fled Saigon with this group after the last helicopter left. Tried radioing for help but..." Mitch grabbed the walkie talkie he had brought with.

Anh gestured with his hand, as to ask Mitch to see that device, Which he handed over. As he turned it on, a loud burst of static blared out from the speakers, causing the two to jump. The man with the long hair clicked it off and placed extended the antenna outwards... except instead of standing in place, it effortlessly popped out.

"No wonder you couldn't get a hold of your people.. Your antenna is separated from the rest of the unit." Anh held the antenna in front of him.

"Shit..." Mitch said to himself. He had been hoping that, once on the open seas, that he could try and radio for help.

However, Anh was not deterred. "Do you know the proper channels that the army or navy uses?"

"Yes. Yes I do! Why do you ask?" Mitch asked him.

Anh gave him a smile. "I have a radio in my home. Come with me."

******

"Trident Six Actual, this is Rat Patrol One. How copy?" Mitch sat hunched over the wooden desk in a small hidden room as he spoke into the microphone.

The radio emanated a low buzzing noise as no response came from the radio module. Clinching the base of the microphone, he let out a loud sigh before pressing the button again.

"Trident Six Actual, this is Rat Patrol one. How copy?"

Still no response.

"God dammit." Mitch slapped his hand on the wooden table.

Their original plan was to make their way to the Philippines in hopes of finding some sort of help. Those plans, however, were put into doubt when Anh informed them that the collapse of South Vietnam had seen a large spike in pirate activity in the South China Sea. This would make their already perilous journey even more dangerous.

As he slumped back in the chair, the door behind him opened gently. It was Linh, who had just finished getting Hien laid out on the bed in the next room. She brought with her a cup of tea in her left hand

She walked up from behind. "Any word?"

"Nope, nothing..." Mitch sighed. "I know for a fact there are navy vessels out there, but no one is picking up..."

Linh walked up to him and placed her free hand on his shoulder. "Just take a few minutes. Here..." She handed the cup of tea to Mitch, who took a sip.

"Hmm... not bad. Not as good as a good cup of coffee." He laughed weakly as Linh sat in the chair next to him.

"The coffee in France is the best out there. My day wasn't complete if I didn't have my coffee with some warm, foamy milk." Linh giggled as she folded her arms.

As he took another sip, he noticed that Linh had cleaned up considerably. Her face, which had been dusted in dirt, was now clean. She appeared to have a rosy complexion, which stood out against her lightly tanned skin. And it made those dark brown eyes of hers more alluring.

Mitch smiled at her. "I'd like to see Paris one day. In fact, I'd like to see the world one day without having to worry about reporting to my CO."

"Hmm, is that so? What were your plans after you got out of the army?" Linh raised an eyebrow at him.

He took another sip of tea. "Well, it's kind of stupid but... I'd like to be a teacher one day. Teach at a high school or even a university. I'd like to teach history since that stuff has always fascinated me."

"That's not stupid at all. In fact, I think that's very, how you say... admirable, of you. Sharing your knowledge with the younger generation." Linh shifted in her seat towards Mitch.

He smirked. "You really think so?"

"Let me just put it this way: Even though your Vietnamese leaves a lot to be desired, the fact that you took time to even learn the language shows me how passionate and serious you are about learning." Linh reached out and placed her hand on top of his.

Mitch blushed lightly as he looked into Linh's brown eyes. "Thanks Linh. That means a lot to me."

"Anytime... now, why don't you try hailing your American friends but... try a different approach. Instead of using callsigns, why not just get straight to the point?" She asked him.

Mitch cocked his head. "I would but standard operating protocols state that-..."

"I know all of this, I served in the army too. You're traveling with a group of people looking to flee this country in a boat through pirate-infested waters. There's nothing "standard" about this; Not anymore."

With a nod of acknowledgement, Mitch turned back to the radio and picked up the microphone once more. After making sure the channel was correct, he turned to Linh, who gave him an encouraging nod.

He turned around and began to speak into the microphone.

"My name is Sergeant Mitchell Donovan, United States Army. My callsign is Rat Patrol One and my company name is Trident Six Actual. I was separated from my squad early yesterday morning and failed to evacuate from the American Embassy in Saigon. We've got one injured in our group and need MEDEVAC. If anyone can read me, please respond."

The radio again hummed as dead air came through the speakers. Mitch turned to look at Linh and was about to say something when a loud burst of static came through the radio, followed by a booming male voice.

"Rat Patrol One. This is USS Buchanan LS Division. How copy?"

Mitch jumped out of his seat in joy as Linh let out a surprised gasp.

"Buchanan. This is Rat Patrol One. I'm currently in an undisclosed location outside of Saigon. Victor, India, November, Hotel. Lima. Oscar. India. I am in need of immediate evac. We have one in our group WIA in need of medical assistance." He said hurriedly.

The man's voice came through the radio. "Checking our charts. Stand by."

"Oh my god, I can't believe it..." Mitch leaned back in his chair and looked at Linh. For the first time since they met, she had a wide toothy grin on her face.

"Looks like bringing you with was the right choice, after all. Not that I had my doubts." She playfully said in a honey-dripped voice.

Mitch raised an eyebrow at her. "Even the part where I told you that I had never seen any combat?"

Linh giggled "Well... with the way you saved the group last night twice, you could've fooled me."

Just then, another booming voice on the speaker came through once more. "Rat Patrol One, this is Vice Admiral George Falkner of the USS Buchanan. How copy?"

Mitch grabbed the microphone once more. "Buchanan, this is Rat Patrol One. Send it."

"Rat Patrol One. I understand you are located Sierra Whiskey at Victor India November Hotel Lime Oscar India. Please confirm." The admiral asked.

Mitch nodded to himself. "Affirmative Buchanan. We have a total of nine in our group and are requesting MEDEVAC as we have one in our group that is WIA."

The two held their breath as they awaited the response from the admiral. Finally, the voice came through and it wasn't the news they wanted to hear.

"Negative Rat Patrol One. Your current position is danger close to suspected NVA patrols. We've gotten reports of increased movement headed south from Saigon." The admiral responded.

"Shit!" Mitch slammed his fist on the wooden table. Hearing this news was like a gut punch for him and he frowned.

That's when Linh interjected. "Wait. We have the boat that should be here by nightfall. It's an old fisherman's boat with a motor. It's not much but maybe ask if we could take to boat to the ship?"

Mitch hadn't thought about that. With a quick nod, he replied to the admiral.

"Copy that, Buchanan. We are in the process of procuring a civilian vessel for transport. How long will you be staying in your current position? Would it be possible for us to meet you out in the bay? Over."

The admiral was quick to respond. "Affirmative. We'll be moored 45 clicks South Southeast of Saigon for the next 48 hours before we depart for Luzon. Over"

Mitch looked at the map and flare gun next to him. He knew it would be risky, but better to take their chances here than to travel through dangerous waters.

"Copy that, Buchanan. Send your coordinates and we'll signal you with a flare when we're close. Over."

The admiral on the other end gave Mitch the coordinates, which he highlighted on his map. By his estimates, the boat ride would most likely take a few hours from their current location. After he ended the call. Anh walked in to deliver some news.

"The boat should be here in a few hours. What's the plan?"

Mitch explained the plan to meet-up with the USS Buchanan, much to Anh's relief. Still, it was a risky plan since the NVA was now moving further south after the "liberation" of Saigon.

After informing the group of this news, Mitch decided to lay down on a bed in another room. As he walked in, he noticed there were several beds scattered about. He knew beforehand that Anh's house acted as a safehouse of sorts for the South Vietnamese army and the rebels looking to fight against the north.

Mitch noticed Linh had just lay down and he took the bed next to hers. Try as he might, the anticipating of finally getting out of Vietnam kept him awake. That, and the fact that he had spent the past 36 hours in the sweltering Vietnamese heat, which was even more humid outside of Saigon.

As he tossed and turned, Linh turned to face him. "Can't sleep either?"

"No. I guess knowing that we're about to make the trip out to the Buchanan is keeping me awake." Mitch said as he opened his eyes.

Linh reached over to a wooden dresser and opened it. She looked inside and quickly closed it, letting out a sharp clicking sound as the draw closed. "Damn."

"What's wrong, Linh?" He asked as he raised his head.

She shook her head. "No cigarettes. It's been a couple of days since I finished off my last pack."

"Never took you for a smoker. Is that something you picked up while you were in Paris?" Mitch laughed as he turned to her.

Linh rolled her eyes. "Very funny... but yes, it is. I'm aware that it's a bad habit but it goes amazing with Parisian coffee."

"Well, you'll be happy to know that plenty of navy boys smoke like chimneys. I'm sure that the Buchanan will have some on hand once we get there." Mitch said.

She laughed faintly. "Good. I'm going hold you to that."

The two shared a laugh before Mitch asked her a question. "So... what are your plans once we get out of here?"

Linh hummed to herself. "Well, I might get resettled in America or probably head back to Sorbonne to pursue another degree. I thought about just heading to America but... I don't know anyone there and I'm afraid that I'd have a hard time fitting in. Sure, I speak the language and I know I'd get some help, but I know nothing about American culture aside from old John Wayne movies."

"Oh..." A pang of sadness shot through Mitch as he looked up at the ceiling. Linh had clearly given this some thought, but he couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Much like how it was for Mitch when he first arrived in Vietnam, America was an alien land to her.

That's when an idea hit him. "Hey... I could help you if you decide to come to America!"

Linh felt a slight blush creep over her face. "You... you would?!"

"Of course. I can set something up with the army to help settle the entire group as a matter of fact. After the hell that everyone has endured, you all deserve it." Mitch said with sincerity.

She looked away from him. "Are you... are you sure? I mean, what if people don't like me? I heard about what happened there a few years back and... that troubles me."

"There are way more people back home that will welcome you with open arms, rather than those who will want nothing to do with you." He said assuredly.

As Linh pondered this thought, Mitch added one more thing as he let out a loud yawn and closed his eyes. "Why don't you think about it?"

With that, he dosed off to sleep as Linh stared up at the ceiling. Mitch's offer to help her and the group out was tempting... but first they needed to escape.

******

The dingy-looking fishing boat sat anchored just off the shore and the sun had set to the west. The group had grabbed their weapons and belongings, which they loaded onto the boat. It was a decently sized vessel, albiet a bit rusty with an off white color, but it had more than enough to accommodate the nine people in the group.

Hien, the former NVA soldier who had been stabbed in the leg, was the first to be loaded onto the boat with assistance from Mitch and Bao. This was followed by the other members of the group, before Bao got on board.

As Mitch and Linh went back to the house to grab the last of their belongings, the sounds of gunfire erupted off in the distance and the two stopped in their tracks.

"Oh fuck, that's not good..." Mitch said to himself as they saw Anh running from his house carrying a rucksack.

"Brother, what's going on?" Linh called out to him.

Anh ran up to them and thrust the bag into Mitch's hands. "You need to go now! Someone found the patrol you killed and now they're looking for anyone that seems even remotely suspicious!"

Before they could react, the sounds of NVA soldiers could be heard shouting near the front of the house. They were already there.

Without thinking, Mitch grabbed Anh's wrist. "You go back there, you're a dead man. You're coming with us!"

The three sprinted back towards the boat floating out near the shore, with Linh running ahead of them. As they got near the water, the soldiers could be heard yelling from the back of the beach.

"There they are. Shoot them!"

A chorus of gunfire filled the beach as water and sand went flying as the soldiers tried to score a hit. As they trudged through the water, a stray bullet hit Anh in the upper part of his back right leg. He let out a loud scream as he collapsed face-first into the water.

Mitch turned around as Anh tried to pull himself up, but the pain was too much for him to bear. He quickly turned his head to the boat and saw that the group was getting their weapons ready to fire at the NVA soldiers.

Anh cried out. "Go! Just leave me!"

"Fuck no. I'm not leaving you here to die!" Mitch shouted

Taking a deep breath, he knelt and placed Anh over his shoulders. As he began to stand upright, the sound of a single gunshot rang out and he felt a warm sensation on his right cheek but couldn't be bothered to check. With his adrenaline now pumping, he waded through the waist deep water as the group returned fire with their weapons.

Mitch hoisted Anh onto the with help from Bao and Tuan before he climbed on board. As he crawled aboard, Linh, who had been firing back at the NVA soldiers, let out a scream as she clutched her face and fell to the ground.

"Linh!" Mitch screamed out as he knelt next to her. She clutched her right cheek, which was now covered in blood.

"I've been hit! Get us out of here! Now!" She shouted as one of the group members was able to get the boat started and the motor sputtered to life.

The rest of the group was able to maintain covering fire as the boat turned towards the horizon and began going out towards the sea.

After a few minutes, they were far enough away from the shoreline to where the NVA soldiers had given up pursuit.

"Shit... Linh, you're hit!" Mitch said as she looked up at him in bewilderment.

"You are too!" Linh placed a hand on his own right check, which stung to the touch.

Mitch hissed through his teeth. "Shit... that hurts."

Meanwhile, Anh groaned in pain as a small puddle of blood formed beneath his leg. Linh looked over at Anh before turning to Mitch.

"I'll be fine. Get Anh bandaged up!"

-

As the boat headed towards its intended destination, Mitch, using only the a flashlight which was quickly dying, was able to get Anh stabilized after applying a tourniquet and bandage to the wound. The bullet was still lodged inside of his leg, but at the very least, he wouldn't end up bleeding out on the boat.

As Mitch finished applying the bandage, Anh looked at him and laughed weakly. "You know, Sergeant, you should really get yourself bandaged up."

"I know, but your injury is life-threatening; Mine isn't." Mitch said as the finished wrapping the bandage around Anh's leg.

He looked at the American and asked him something. "Why... why did you help me?"

"I've seen more combat in the past 24 hours than in the five years I've been in the army. I killed three soldiers to save us and that's three too many. I don't want anyone else dying because of my sorry ass" Mitch said as he sat next to Anh; The waves of the sea gently rocking the waves.

As the two talked, Linh, who had bandaged up her own cheek, looked over at Mitch and she felt a warming sensation in her chest. She knew of the stereotypes that her countrymen had about Americans. That they were loud, narcissistic and somewhat boisterous.

Mitch, on the other hand, was more reserved, cared about the well-being of others and was humble about what he did.

Her feelings for him were... becoming confusing to say the least. She hadn't felt this way about anyone, except for a student back at Sorbonne, whom she had caught the eye of. Alas, it was not meant to be since she was a "foreigner" and he a native Frenchman.

Still, she started to wonder what Mitch was like. Not as a soldier, but as himself. If his actions she had witnessed were any indication, then she knew Mitch had to be, at the very least, a decent man.

-

It was a few hours later and a faint yellow & orange glow could be seen off to the east. Mitch had taken a seat next to Linh, who had helped him bandage his face.

"Not much further now, hopefully." He let out a sigh as he looked up at the sky.

Linh made a joke. "I'm still holding you to that promise that there are cigarettes on that boat of yours."

"What? Getting out of the country alive isn't good enough for you?" Mitch retorted as the two shared a laugh.

"You know, what you did for Anh was very brave of you. I don't know if I could've done what you just did..." Linh said to him softly.

Mitch shrugged. "I'm just doing my job. Anh is the reason why we're out here right now. If it weren't for him, we'd be headed into pirate-infested waters, and I didn't want to take that risk."

"You think he'll be okay?" Linh asked as she looked at Anh, who was fast asleep.

Mitch pursed his lips. "Well, we've stopped the bleeding, but that bullet is still stuck in his leg. That'll need to get removed soon or else he's at risk for infection. I hope we reach the Buchanan soon."

"We will. Don't worry, Mitch." Linh grasped his hand and the two interlocked fingers.

Mitch felt his heartbeat go up. He hadn't noticed it before, but Linh's hand felt warm and soft. Her touch almost felt comforting; Like he knew that everything was going to be alright.

"So... since we've made it this far, I might as well tell you my other reason for coming back to Vietnam." Linh sighed.

Mitch raised an eyebrow. "Wait, it wasn't just about wanting to fight for your country?"

"No." Linh shook her head. "It was a huge influence on my choice, but truth be told, I got engaged while I was in France..."

"You... you were?" He asked her.

She nodded in affirmation. "Yes. His name was Bernard. Like myself, he was a student at Sorbonne and came from a very well-off family in Marseilles. We met at philosophy class, during a lecture on Rene Descartes and were immediately smitten with each other."

A faint smile came across her face as she continued. "He was charming, polite, handsome, and made me feel loved. I thought I was too plain compared to the other girls at the university, but he had eyes for only me..."

Mitch got a sense that there was more to her story, so he pressed her further. "What... what happened to him?"

The smile on Linh's face vanished. "While I was engaged to Bernard, it was the happiest three months of my life. Then... he introduced me to his parents. I still remember the look of disapproval on their faces when they first laid their eyes on me. The idea that their own son would fall in love with a Vietnamese girl... was not acceptable to them. They began fighting in front of me and his parents were saying hurtful things about me like I wasn't present."

She wiped a tear from her face. "So, they gave him an ultimatum: Me or them. As you have probably have already guessed, you know what his decision was."

"I'm so... sorry to hear that, Linh. I had no idea..." Mitch squeezed her hand.

She let out a weak laugh. "You probably think of me in the same way as his family did."

He shook his head and looked her in the eyes. "Don't say that. What you've done these past 24 hours, I guarantee you that none of the women back in America would've done what you just did. It's because of you that all of these people now have a second chance to start over."

"You... you mean that?" Linh looked at him pensively

Mitch nodded in affirmation. "Every single word."

Just then, the driver of the boat, who was standing in the small wooden shelter covering the steering wheel, shouted. "Hey, I see a ship."

The two let go of each other's hands and stood up. Sure enough, the silhouette of a large naval destroyer could be seen against the faint orange glow of the horizon.

Mitch grabbed a pair of binoculars from one of the bags and looked through it towards the ship.. He looked at the starboard bow and in faint black letters read USS Buchanan.

"It's them. Everyone wake up!" He exclaimed as he reached for the flare gun. Holding it in both hands, he aimed it skyward and pulled the trigger. A loud bang echoed out as the bright red flare shot up into the air with a deep hissing noise.

A few seconds later, a spotlight could be seen being turned on. With a quick movement, it tracked the position of the flare until the bright beam was on the fishing boat. Mitch waved his arms wildly as he shouted out. "Heyyyyyyyyyyyy!"

The sound of a bell could be heard in the distance, indicating that there was someone in the water that needed to be rescued.

At last, they were finally saved.

******

Mitch sat at the desk with Commander Willis of the Viper Six Battalion. Commander Willis was dressed in his Greens. He wore a brown coat with slate-colored slacks and numerous ribbons, patches and medals adorned his coat and sleeves. His cap was placed off to the side, revealing a buzzcut hairstyle with blonde hair on top while his temples were graying.

On the flipside, Mitch had changed out of the clothing he put on in Saigon and was now wearing a plain olive colored shirt with matching pants.

"Well, Sergeant Donovan, it seems that you've had an interesting journey these past 48 hours." Commander Willis said to Mitch as he sat opposite him at his desk.

"Yes sir. I was forced to engage with enemy hostiles and wouldn't have made it out alive without help from the group. Tell me, did Rat Patrol make it out okay?"

Commander Willis nodded. "Rat Patrol was able to successfully evacuate from Saigon and are currently resting up at Clarke over in Luzon. They thought you were dead, son."

Mitch chuckled. "Well, they'll be disappointed to know that my sorry ass made it out alive."

"Well according to what your commander told me; they were worried about you. They even tried radioing you but there was no response." The commander folded his hands in front of him.

Mitch nodded. "Sir. It wasn't until I was in Vinh Loi that I discovered that the antenna on my walkie had become detached internally from the unit itself."

"Ah yes. I've never been a fan of the PRC-6s. It was a real quality device back about 20 years ago, but now they fall apart if you so much as breathe on them. Nevertheless, I have already informed your CO that you made it out alive. How are those stitches of yours feeling?" Commander Willis laughed.

Mitch ran his fingers against the fresh bandage that had been applied to his face after the medical team had cleaned and stitched the wound on his upper cheek. "Not bad, sir. The pain is mild at worst and quite tolerable."

"I read the doctor's report. Had that bullet been just a quarter inch closer, the entire right side of your face would've been obliterated. You are an incredibly lucky man, sergeant" The cSmmander informed Mitch, who's face went pale upon hearing this.

"I guess I... never thought about that sir." Mitch stammered as Commander Willis laughed.

"No point in worrying about it now. Now... about that group you arrived with."

"What of them, sir? Are Anh and Hien okay? How about Linh?" Mitch asked with a tone of concern.

"Anh just came out of surgery just a bit ago and is expected to make a full recovery. As for that boy with the stab wound, our medical team was able to treat the wound and get it closed."

Mitch breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Despite his own injury, he was more concerned with the well-being of the former NVA solider and the man who had helped them procure the boat.

"What about Linh, sir?" He asked the commander.

Willis nodded. "She's being interviewed by one of the other officers and should be finished shortly. You had mentioned that without her help, you wouldn't have made it."

"That's correct, sir. If it wasn't for her ideas, we'd all might be sitting in an NVA prison right now or worse." Mitch responded.

Commander Willis nodded as he took a deep breath. "Indeed. I've read the reports and accounts from former POWs. The things what they subjugate those poor souls to makes my skin crawl. I'm very thankful that you and the group avoided that fate."

"As am I, sir." Mitch grimly stated.

-

Mitch and Commander Willis continued to debrief for the next half hour before he was dismissed. During this time, Mitch had discussed that he would most likely seek an honorable discharge after they returned home, to which Commander Willis would relay to Mitch's own CO.

After debriefing, Mitch went back to his room, which was an unused bedroom with a double bunkbed. He figured with all the refugees still coming aboard that someone might join him eventually. He closed his eyes and for the first time in over 48 hours, he finally had a restful sleep.

******

A soft knocking came from the metallic door to the room, waking up Mitch as he let out a loud yawn.

"Come in."

The door handle rotated and, with a click, opened slowly as Mitch saw the silhouette of a feminine figure against the light of the hallway.

"Mitch? It's me, Linh."

Mitch turned the table lamp on next to his bunk and saw her standing in the doorway. Gone were the flowing pants and tunic that Linh had come in wearing. Instead, she was wearing a set of olive-green medical scrubs, which appeared baggy on her frame. A row of buttons came down the center of the shirt, which was topped off with a collar near the top.

"Nice outfit." He joked as he sat upright on the bed.

"Nice bandage. Looks just like mine." Linh giggled as she pointed at her own face.

"Matching scars to remember the occasion." Mitch laughed as Linh closed the heavy door behind her.

"The medical staff gave me this to wear since it's really the only thing that fits me." She brushed her clothing

"Probably felt nice to put something clean on for a change." Mitch patted the bed next to him.

"It felt even better to take a shower." She sat next to him and looked at the floor.

"So... what are you plans once you get back to the states? I overheard a lot of American soldiers saying they have a woman waiting for them back home."

He shook his head. "Well, I requested an honorable discharge so I can put my army days behind me. Once I get back state-side, well... I think I'm going to go for my dream of becoming a teacher."

"That's wonderful to hear..." Linh smiled at him.

"Yep. As for a girlfriend waiting for me back in Ohio... there is none. In fact, I might settle somewhere out west. Ohio is nice and all, but I've always wanted to live in California." Mitch said as he looked at her. "Besides, I made a promise to both you and the group I'd help you get settled in. My offer still stands... if you're still interested."

The way Mitch looked at Linh gave her a fluttering feeling in her stomach. "I would like that very much, Mitch."

Even without makeup and her somewhat baggy outfit, Mitch still found her easy on the eyes. That natural beauty that she inherited was even more apparent now that they were in a safe location.

"Say... Linh. We'll be arriving in Luzon in a few days. I know where we'll be staying so I know that area well. Would you... possibly be interested in me showing you around?" Mitch asked her apprehensively.

Linh felt herself blushing as he proposed this question for her. Surely, this American couldn't possibly be interested in her. After being rejected by a classmate back in France, she was certain that this All-American man would want anything to do with her.

"Are you certain? I... just don't want to be a burden or anything." She said in a small voice.

He reached out and grabbed her hand, the butterflies in her stomach now returning at his mere touch. "It would be my pleasure, Linh."

*****

A week later, the ship arrived at a naval base in the Philippines before Mitch, Linh and the rest of the group were flown to Clark Air Base, about an hour outside of Manila.

Upon their arrival, Mitch met with his CO to discuss an honorable discharge, which was quickly granted. Now with his days in the military now-limited, Mitch took it upon himself to show Linh around the area.

Their first outing was to a local restaurant near the base, where Linh fell in love with their spicy rendition of a traditional Adobo.

The following week, the two attended a showing of a local theater performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Linh had attended several plays during her time in France and insisted that Mitch bring her to this.

As they got back to base, they stood outside of Mitch's barracks and looked at one another. Feeling nervous in his chest, he looked into her eyes and spoke softly to her.

"Well, that was certainly an interesting take on Shakespeare." He nervously laughed as Linh giggled along with him.

"Hey, I thought it was a delightful take on the Bard."

Feeling brave, he reached out and grabbed both of Linh's hands as her demeanor went from joyful to nervous.

"Look... I know this might seem... preemptive but... I really enjoy spending time with you." He said nervously.

"You... you do?" Her eyes became wide at this confession.

Mitch nodded in response. "I do. I know we've only known each other for about maybe a few weeks but, I feel a certain way about you that I haven't felt about anyone before."

Linh's heart was beating fast. "And... what might that be."

He pursed his lips together and took a deep breath. "Truth be told, Linh... I love you."

She took in a deep breath and felt as though her heart was about to burst out of her chest.

"Mitch..." Linh placed a hand on the side of his face as he looked into his hazel eyes.

Mitch stared back at her as her face inched closer to his. "I know it might seem like a shock, but I can't help these feelings I have for you."

"Are you certain of this?" She asked breathlessly

"As sure as the sun will rise." He smiled back at her, causing the two to laugh.

Linh joked. "Ahhh, didn't take you to be a poet. Let's take a walk before we retire for the night."

Holding onto his arm with both her hands, the two walked past various buildings and vehicles that were parked for the evening: The warm air of Luzon hung over them like a canopy.

"I never did tell you much about Bernard, did I?" She asked him softly.

Mitch chuckled. "Aside from you two being engaged and his family not wanting him to marry you, not really."

"Well..." Linh bit her lower lip. "... you remind me of him."

"Oh... how so?" Mitch felt his breath leave him.

Linh pulled herself closer to him. "For starters, you've got the same hair and eyes as Bernard, In fact, you almost resemble him in almost every way... except for that scar on your cheek."

He laughed. "Hey, I have to distinguish myself somehow."

"Indeed, you do." Linh giggled. "Also like him, you're funny, kind and willing to put yourself for others... except for that whole incident with his parents."

Mitch shook his head. "Trust me, my parents wouldn't give a damn about where you're from. Hell, they'd be happy that I found someone who tolerated me."

The two laughed briefly before she continued "Well that's comforting to know but there's one thing I don't know about you..."

"And what might that be...?" Mitch asked her.

Linh stopped and stood in front of Mitch. She smiled seductively at him as she closed the gap and pressed her lips against his.

Mitch's hand went down to the small of her back, where her tucked-in white blouse and long black skirt met. The two moaned passionately as her tongue slid into his mouth

As they pulled away, the two looked at each other not as acquaintances but now something so much more.

"How good of a lover you are..." She smiled back at him

Mitch jokingly asked her. "Did you learn to kiss like that in France?"

Linh giggled and pouted her lips. "Maybe..."

Mitch ran his had down the side of her white dress and smiled at her. "You know, I'm not sure what the customs are in Vietnam but... would you... possibly like to come back to my room?"

"It'd be my pleasure. You know, in France, they are a lot open about sex than in Vietnam. Bernard and I... we were intimate with each other as you can probably imagine. What about you?" She softly asked him.

Mitch shrugged. "I've had a couple of girlfriends and the occasional one night stand, but nothing concrete. None of them... felt right if that makes sense?"

"Of course it does. So... how do you feel about me?" Linh purred at him.

He felt his voice caught in his throat. "I... can't describe it. Haven't felt this way before."

That was all Linh needed to hear. She gently kissed him on the lips once more before whispering in his ear. "Lead the way."

******

The two made their way to Mitch's private quarters. He knew his days in the army were now finite and threw caution to the wind. They did run into another soldier patroling the building of Mitch's room, but paid him no mind. Pretty much everyone on base knew Mitch's story and the soldier simply bid them a good night.

As Mitch playfully tossed Linh onto the his bed, Linh let out a playful squeal as he looked down at her. Her black hair shimmering in the moonlight and her dark brown eyes looking up intently at him

"God, you look so beautiful." Mitch said to her as he cupped her face.

Linh retorted. "How did I ever end up finding a man as handsome and smart as you?"

"Sometimes, you just have to hull them in at gunpoint." Mitch joked as the two broke out into laughter.

"I've waited some time for this, Mitch." Linh reached out and undid the first button of his white dress shirt.

"As have I." Mitch pushed aside the right strap of her dress off her shoulder as the two leaned in for a kiss. Linh's hand went to the crotch of his pants as she rubbed the ever-growing bulge that was forming.

As they broke the kiss, Mitch pulled back, grabbed the neckline of her dress and yanked it downwards, freeing her perky breasts with her dark brown nipples standing proudly at attention.

Linh cupped one of her breasts and offered it to him. Without saying a word, Mitch's mouth latched on to her nipple as she let out a faint groan. She kicked off her white dress and panties as they both fell to the carpeted floor.

As Mitch continued to nurse her tit, Linh grabbed his wrist and pulled it downwards towards her sex. His fingers grazed the thick mat of black mat of pubic hair before touching her wet pussy lips. He gently slid his middle and ring finger into her pussy as she took a handful of his hair and let out a loud moan.

"Oh yes... that feels wonderful" Linh said to him in a lusty voice as she unzipped the fly of his pants and pulled his cock out from its confines. Wrapping her hand around his girth, she began to stroke it lightly. Mitch let out a faint and removed his mouth from her nipple.

"Naughty girl. Did you learn to do that in Paris?" He smiled at her.

Linh did a side eye and grinned. "Maybe..."

With that, Mitch undid the buttons of his shirt and pants. He didn't bother tossing them to the floor, now too preoccupied with his Linh's electrifying touch as his naked body pressed up against her own.

"Care to show me what else you learned?" Mitch said in a haughty voice.

An evil smile crept across Linh's face as she suddenly pushed him onto his back. She threw a leg over his waist and placed both of her hands on his chest. From his point of view, Linh appeared to tower over him, her black hair now a mess as she smiled down at him.

Grabbing the base of his shaft, she aimed it at her wet pussy as the bristles of her pubic hair tickled the tip of Mitch's cock.

"In France, they call this Monter à cheval." She licked her lips at him.

Mitch looked at her with a smile as he felt his cock harden. "And what does that mean?"

"It means to ride a horse." Linh said as she lowered her hips and slowly impaled herself onto Mitch's cock.

He grabbed the sides of Linh's waist as she planted her hands on his chest. As Mitch got used to the sensation of her tight pussy, Linh slowly moved herself up and down on his shaft as she teased her lover in French. "C'est tellement grand... Oui... C'est tellement grand...!"

She rolled her hips as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Mitch's once again. Their tongues wrestling with each other as Mitch continued to bottom out inside of her.

"I love you, Linh." He whispered to her before they resumed their kiss.

Linh moaned as let responded in a passionate voice. "I love you too, Mitch"

He grabbed her small, but tight ass checks as she continued to ride him. Linh held up her breast to Mitch and offered to him once more.

Mitch lifted his head up and sucked on her perky nipple once more as she threw her head back and let out a moan. "Oui... mi amor!"

Linh figured out that speaking in French to them as they made love turned him on immensely and she screamed loudly as Mitch thrust upwards into her pussy.

"Oh god..." Mitch removed his mouth from her tit as he pulled Linh close to his chest. She screamed incoherently as speared himself inside of her.

Suddenly, Mitch lightly tapped the side of her hip and breathed heavily at her. "Lay down."

With a simple nod, Linh withdrew herself from atop his shaft and lay on the bed. "And what are you planning?"

Mitch knelt down between her legs until his face hovered over her glistening pussy, her black pubic hair matted down with her wetness. With an evil grin on his face, he asked in a husky voice. "Tell me, did the boys in France ever do anything like this?"

With that, he planted his mouth on her cunt and shot his tongue between her wet folds. Linh, having never had a man go down on her before, grabbed a handful of his brown hair and let out a loud scream.

"What are you..... Ooooh! Oui oui oui oui... OUIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

Her body thrashed as Mitch's tongue lashed against her clit. He inserted a finger into her wet hole and began moving his hand in and out of her. To him, she tasted lovely.

Linh's hands flew up to her breasts and she pinched her erect brown nipples with her small hands. She felt Mitch's tongue go deep inside of her as she bit her lower lip. She was too lost in her own pleasure to tell him that the men in France did not, in fact, do what Mitch was doing to her.

As Mitch continued to eat out his lover, his cock became rock hard at the mere idea of once again being inside of her.

Linh then pulled up on his hair and lifted his face from her cunt. With a lustful gaze, she spoke to him in a sultry voice.

"Fuck me, Mitch. Baise ma chatte, mi amor."

That's all he needed to hear. Getting up on his knees, Mitch spread her legs apart until the folds of her labia opened apart, revealing her welcoming, pink cunt. He pressed the head of his cock against her entrance and, with almost no effort, his shaft slide effortlessly inside of her until his groin was pressed firmly against her.

The two shared a collective as Mitch began moving his hips. Linh grasped his forearms with her small hands as he started to fuck her once more.

"Ooooh yes, fuck me. You feel so good inside of me!" Linh mewled at him as she breasts bounced up and down.

Mitch leaned down as he slowed his thrusts down as he leaned forward and kissed Linh. Her hands wrapping around the back of his head as their tongues danced together.

The bed beneath them rocked back and forth as the two, once complete strangers not even a few weeks ago, made love to each other.

"So... how do I compare to the boys in France?" Mitch asked Linh as he bottomed out inside of her.

She let out a moan. "Just... keep... fucking me!"

The two became covered in sweat, their bodies glistening in the moonlight from the window, as the sounds of their flesh slapping against once another filled the room.

Mitch eventually found himself about ready to cum. He looked into her eyes as he slowed down and panted at her. "I'm about ready to cum."

Linh wrapped her legs around his waist. "Mmmm... Do it."

He upped his tempo as he felt himself of the verge of orgasm as his breath became shallow. The idea of Mitch's cumming inside of her, pair with the feeling of cock battering her pussy finally caused her body to involuntarily shake as an orgasm overtook her.

"Nyahhhhhhhhhhh!" Linh let out a scream as Mitch held onto her, burying himself inside of her as he felt his shaft being covered in her love juices.

Mitch felt a forward pull on his dick as she came and that, too, was too much for him to handle. He grit his teeth together and took a sharp breath through his teeth.

"Fuckfuckfuckfuck... ngh... FUCCCCCCCCCCK" He roared at the top of his lungs as he came hard.

Linh bit her lower lip as she felt Mitch spray the insides of her hungry pussy with his potent sperm. As the two caught their breath, Linh looked lovingly up at Mitch and cupped the right side of his face. She moved her hips slightly as his spunk leaked out of her cunt and on to his shaft.

"C'était une excellente baise, mi amor." She giggled as he pulled out of her and lay next to her.

Mitch pulled the covers over themselves before placing an arm around her shoulder; Her head resting on his chest.

"Je suis tout à fait d'accord." Mitch said in his imperfect French as the two shared a laugh.

******

Two weeks later, Mitch was served his discharge papers and was on the first flight back home back home to San Diego. He was informed that Linh and the rest of the group would need to get their visas figured out before they could come state-side. Before Mitch departed, he promised Linh that he'd wait for her.

To which he did. Five months later, Mitch was an undergrad at California State University-Fullerton and had just returned home when he got a letter in the mail from Linh. She would be arriving the following month with Bao, Tuan & Hien.

The following month, Linh leapt into the arms of Mitch at the arrival gate of LAX. There the two shared a passionate kiss as the three men looked on.

"I told you she loved him." Tuan slyly remarked to Bao, who rolled his eyes.

"Tch, fine. But I'm still not buying you that pack of cigarettes"

******

Four years later, after Mitch had finished his undergraduate degree at CSU-Fullerton and Linh had finished her Masters in Literature, the two were married by a judge at the local courthouse. Mitch had opted for a white shirt and tie, while Linh had worn a simple white dress that came down past her knees.

Eventually the two settled down in suburban Los Angeles, where Mitch became a professor of Internatonal Affairs at University of Southern California and Linh became an accomplished contemporary fiction writer, while working as an instructor at the local community college.

With their new home, the two decided to start a family...

******

- May 1996 -

The long week of finals had finally ended at University of California, Los Angeles, and Mitch was exhausted from the sheer amount of paperwork he had gone through. As much as he enjoyed teaching college courses, he had wished it didn't involve so much paperwork. But alas, beggars can't be choosers.

As he set his briefcase down at the kitchen table, his oldest daughter, Stephanie, trudged down the steps from her room upstairs and called out to him.

"Hey dad!"

He turned to look at his daughter. At 16 years old, she inherited her mother's oval shaped face and slender build but had inherited her father's piercing hazel eyes and height. Around her neck was a set of black headphones connected to a CD Walkman in the pocket of her jeans.

"Hey honey, where's your mom? I thought she'd be home by now." He asked her.

"Mom left a voicemail. Said she was meeting with her editor after she finished grading finals for her creative writing course. They're going to be meeting about her boring new book and that she'd be running late." Stephanie said as she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

He jokingly chided her. "Her books are not boring, Steph."

"Well, duh! You have to say that because you're married to her. Can't she write something cool like Anne Rice does?" She complained as she took a sip of water.

"Horror isn't really your mom's specialty." Mitch let out a yawn when a realization hit him. "Ahh, looks like I'll be picking up your brothers from baseball practice then."

"Or you could just leave 'em there at the baseball field. You know, have them tough it out." Stephanie retorted.

Mitch eyed his daughter. "Be nice..."

Stephanie rolled her eyes and was about to head back upstairs when she stopped and turned around. "Oh, by the way. A package came for you today, so I put the box in your office."

"Hmm, I wasn't expecting anything in the mail today. Did it say where it was from?" He asked her.

Stephanie shrugged. "The return address was in Vietnamese, says it's from somewhere in Ho Chi Minh City. As for who sent it, I dunno."

With a raised eyebrow, he walked over to his home office and saw a large cardboard box sitting on the floor next to his desk. Sitting in his tall leather chair, he grabbed a pair of scissors and cut the tape.

As he pushed aside the flaps of the box, his eyes became wide as he looked upon the contents of the box.

He grinned and let out a chuckle. "Well, I'll be damned. Never thought I'd see you again."

Inside the box was his old army uniform and boots that he discarded back at the seedy bar while he was feeling Saigon. There was some slight aging and wear-and-tear on the outfit, but the uniform otherwise looked just as he remembered it.

He looked for a letter or something that would help him figure out who sent it, but there was nothing to be found.

As he held up the old shirt, he saw his daughter standing in the doorway with her arms folded. "Whatcha got there, dad?"

Mitch set the shirt back into the box and smiled at her. "My old army uniform. Thought I'd never see this ugly thing again."

"Hmm..." Stephanie knelt and held the shirt up on front of her and looked at it. "It's a bit older, but I wouldn't call it ugly. I think it's kind of cool."

Mitch laughed, grabbed the shirt from her, and looked down at it. "Well, I was wearing this exact thing when I met your mother, you know?"

Stephanie cocked her head. "You were? How did you two meet? I mean, I know you met mom while you were in Vietnam. Did you end up ditching it when you and mom fled Vietnam after a wild night?" His daughter joked, which prompted laughter from her father.

"Well, it was indeed a wild night, but not in the way you thinking, young lady. Tell you what. Why don't you come with me to pick up your brothers, and I'll explain along the way. It is quite the tale." Mitch looked at his daughter and stood up.

Stephanie, now intrigued by what her father had said, tagged along. As her father told her the full story, Stephanie got an idea. An idea that would alter the trajectory of their lives in the future...

- Present Day, 2025 -

A man in a blue army uniform with a matching blue beret stood at the podium addressing the crowd.

"As we remember the 50th Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon with this memorial, I will now give up the podium to Professor Mitchell Donovan. Before he took up a life of academia, Mitchell was a Sergeant who was unable to escape with his company during the fall of Saigon.

"After taking refuge with a group looking to flee Vietnam, he traveled with the group down to Vinh Loi before escaping NVA forces on a boat, where they were eventually rescued by the USS Buchanan."

"In addition to several pieces of academic literature, Professor Donovan is the co-author of the book "105 Degrees and Rising," which was written with his wife, Linh Thi Nguyen Donovan. As many of you already know, the film adaptation of the book won multiple awards at the Oscars a few years ago, including Best Picture."

The book was the brainchild of Stephanie, who convinced both her parents to document their experiences fighting in the Vietnam War after hearing the story about how her parents truly met.

The man in the army uniform continued. "So please help me in welcoming Professor of International Affairs at UCLA & Purple Heart Recipient, Sergeant Mitchell Donovan."

The crowd erupted in applause as Mitch walked up to the podium, dressed in a black Army Service Uniform with a matching black tie and beret. His once vibrant brown hair now mostly a steely gray as it peaked out from the bottom of his beret and the scar on his left cheek from the grazed bullet had faded, but it still stood out against his somewhat weathered skin,

As he cleared his throat, he looked down at his wife, Linh, who was wearing tiger camouflage fatigues with a red beret atop her graying hair. Sitting next to her were two of their children, Stephanie and Neil; Along with five grandchildren. With an encouraging nod from his wife, Mitch began his speech.

"When I was separated from my squad in the early hours of April 30, 1975, I started to lose hope that I would ever see my home again. I was running through the streets of Saigon looking for a way out. When all hope seemed lost, I got introduced to these gentlemen in the most unexpected way possible: staring down the barrel of an AK-47."

The crowd erupted in laughter as Mitch gestured with his hand towards Tuan, Hien & Anh, who were sitting near the front. Even though they were old and wrinkled, they were dressed proudly in their South Vietnamese fatigues.

"It was because of these gentleman that I ended up meeting the love of my life, Linh. And it was because of the courage and ingenuity of this group of these individuals that we were able to successfully escape out of the country. While our stories are of triumph, I also know that there are those who were not as fortunate as myself."

"Every single person who fought in this conflict that is with us today, regardless of what side they were on, lost loved ones. Mothers, Fathers. Sisters. Brothers. Children. Grandparents. Friends. Neighbors. This memorial isn't just to commemorate the ones who were victorious. More importantly, it's to honor those who are no longer with us. To those brave souls fighting for what they believed in. To those looking to seek a better life and died for that very cause."

"I can think of no greater honor to commemorate this memorial than with two people who are very close to me."

With that Mitch turned around, clicked his heels and did a salute at the covered statue behind him. From the left, Bao, dressed in his South Vietnamese fatigues approached the side of the black cloth tarp. From the right, a man in his late-30s, who dressed similarly to Mitch, walked up the statue and grabbed the other side of the cloth tarp. There was a name tag on his lapel that read "A. Donovan". He was Mitch's son: Aaron. Inspired by his father's bravery, he enlisted in the army at age 18 and was now in his 20th year of service.

Aaron glanced at Mitch, who smiled back at him. Aaron then turned to his "Uncle" Bao, who gave a knowing smile. The two pulled the tarp off the statue as the material fell to the ground.

Standing high atop of a stone pillar was a bronze statue with two figures standing side by side. On the left was an American soldier wearing an army uniform holding a rifle in a Low Ready position looking slightly off to the left. To his right was a South Vietnamese solider wearing a beret, his rifle in a High Ready position looking off to the right.

The bronze plaque at the bottom of the statue simply read:

Never forget those that came before. Thank you for your sacrifice.