Ivanovich stared wide-eyed at the length of bamboo protruding from his neck.

Blood spurted bright red slowly robbing him of his life force. Steele withdrew the bamboo striking out again with the speed of a cobra. Long Quan opened his mouth to plead for mercy. Shattering teeth on the way into his mouth and down his throat, Steele slammed the bamboo into his opponent.

Jean le Rouge managed to push the quivering body of Long Quan between him and Steele. Doing so he avoided the first thrust with the bloody bamboo weapon Steele wielded with such deadly precision. The second caught him in the chest cracking a rib and puncturing a lung. Hobbling from the hut Jean fled into the darkness hoping the remaining cords binding Steele would hold hima halt before they attempted to wade across the river at Ban-Khe-Phat.

"If the Viets are going to hit the column this is the perfect spot. Kiwi I want you to warn our two companies to be prepared for an ambush." Kneeling down in a shell hole Kiwi radioed Steele's message to the company commanders of the Legion Para companies.

"Keep a sharp look out boys, I am running across." Setting up behind cover the team prepared to open fire if anything went wrong. Steele waited a moment or two before dashing across the river bed. Wading knee deep in the murky water he fully expected to feel bullets tearing into his flesh at any second.

The water slowed him down, glancing left and right as he pushed onward, he spotted