Hansen watched the smoke drift in to the sky above the forest. It told him little. What told him volumes more was the complete lack of high ground.

Gunner turned to the Captain, his voice a controlled, professional volume practiced on countless missions through the brush with a spotter, "Smoke doesn't tell us a whole lot - might be one might be 50 hostiles. No high ground makes it a little harder to get the hard data but not impossible."

He looked at the clearing, the smoke and the jungle. "We could work around the clearing as a group then I could head out while you all work into a temporary fire base. I can cover the ground faster and get closer by myself."

Hansen thought he could probably complete the mission alone inside threee days - work in take one or two targets out and ease back into the jungle and fire again a few hours later. Pick them apart, one target at a time. Sunded like there wasn't enough time for that.

Gunner started away from the Captain back into the forest, "Sir, have them keep their eyes open for traps - I know I'd try to force us into the open."

With that, Gunner headed into the underbrush without a rustle or whisper and began scouting the route to the FEBA.