[right][h2][b][i]Needle’s Eye[/i][/b][/h2][/right][hr]

As Team Chief, Morse took the lead. “For those of you who don’t know who I am, my name is Master Sergeant Tyus Morse and this is Sergeant First Class Brian Park.” Tyus introduced his partner. “We are with the 10th Special Forces Group, US Army and are here to help.”

As the two moved inside the building it became apparent that Ben and Preston were having fits of giggles and sniggers at the two visitors. “Is there a problem?” Sergeant Park sternly asked the brothers.

Ben spoke up, “I take it you two wore these outfits in order to blend in, right?”

“Yes sir,” Brian responded. “That was the general intent.”

“Where are you boys from?”

“I was raised in Boston and Sergeant Morse is from Providence, Rhode Island,” Sergeant Park answered.

“You’ve never been to Vermont, have you?

“No, I cannot say I have, what’s your point?” Brian was growing impatient and could sense Morse was too.

“There is nothing wrong with what you are wearing, it is just all of your clothes appear to have just come out of the wrappers. They are very clean. They look like neither of you have worked a day in your life. Most people around here, work for a living. You both look like flatlanders coming up to Vermont on a skiing trip….in September.” Both Ben and Preston thought this was hilarious.

“Oh, I’m sure it will fool the Soviets, but not the locals. Hopefully, they are all friendly. But hell, they may not know if you are friends of the Soviets or the Americans,” Preston pointed out. “So, I guess it doesn’t matter.”

“Well alright then,” Sergeant Morse cut in. “Now that we have that out of the way, let’s sit down and get to work. You may want to take some notes if you have pen and paper.” Tyus Morse didn't have the time for such nonsense, but knew these were civilians and such antics should be expected. He waited for the group to be ready.

“You may or may not know, but there are more than two dozen resistance groups like yourselves operating in Northern Vermont. Following the recent murder of a KGB operative and his cohorts not far from here, the Russians are getting a bit antsy. They are increasing their patrols. Sergeant Park and I are members of an Alpha Detachment, you might call an [i]A Team[/i]. There are twelve members to our team. The Team Commander, Captain Stewart and his executive officer, Chief Warrant Officer Mills are coordinating the activities or our groups. Four other two-man teams like Sergeant Park and myself are coordinating the activities with four or five small cells like this one. Essentially, we have a Company-sized formation of guerrillas who know these woods as well as you gentlemen. We have five platoons with four or five squad-sized elements per platoon. Two Special Forces NCOs are leading each platoon. Your cell and three others form the platoon that Sergeant Park and I are responsible for. We are inviting all of you or just two representatives from your group to come to a meeting with the other three cells at a cabin east of Stevensville, near the Mount Mansfield State Forest at a place called [i]Needle’s Eye[/i]. It is there we will discuss an upcoming operation to assault a KGB stronghold in Burlington as well as cripple any air assets they have stored at Burlington International Airport.” Master Sergeant Morse stopped talking to let this information sink in.

Sergeant Morse noticed someone placed a beer in front of him. It was a Budweiser. He didn’t care for this weak piss-water, but figured it would be offensive not to accept. He smiled, popped the top and sipped at the cool refreshment inside. “I see you have been checking out your new toys,” smiling, he referred to the M4 Carbines a few of the members had on the table in front of them. “Are they zeroed?”

One member of the group responded that they zeroed the weapons as soon as they got them.

“Good,” Morse stated. “What other ordnance do you have?”

Ben Giguere answered this question, “we have ten M4 Carbines, two Mark 14 rifles, one M240 Machine gun, two Carl Gustav recoilless rifles with four High Explosive Dual Purpose rounds, two cases of 5.56mm Ammunition, that’s over 3300 rounds of five five six, a large foot locker filled with 30-round magazines, one case of 7.62mm linked ammunition, that’s 920 rounds, two boxes of fragmentation grenades, 50 each and a variety of flares.”

“Well, it seems you folks are in fine shape," MSG Morse smiled. "If you need more ammunition, weapons or systems, please give your list to Sergeant Park. He can help get them for you.” Sergeant Morse smiled at the assembled group and then stated, “before we leave, I would like to get a confirmation of who is going to show up at the meeting at Needle’s Eye. We can wait outside if you would like to talk amongst yourselves.”