House of Gold | Band of Brothers

Chapter 12: There is Quiet

"Okay, security, I want a tight perimeter around us," Copeland instructed as he pulled out his map. "Radio operators, I want those Eurika devices out and ready to start talking to the incoming planes as soon as we secure the landing zone. We've only got about thirty minutes before the rest of the troops start making their jumps. Let's hustle."

While Casey, Dudley, Sears, and Preston formed a wide-ranging but tight perimeter around the main group, their eyes peeled for movement in the foliage, the team followed Lieutenant Copeland's lead and started making their way to the designated landing zone. 

Even though the surrounding area was dead silent, save the chirping of crickets in the distance, everyone was on high alert. No one was willing to risk getting taken out so early in the game. 

With her head on a swivel, Beth double-checked to make sure her transceiver device was intact and hadn't been damaged in the jump. Thankfully, it was still in perfect working order, the flashing light telling her it was powered up and ready to start sending a signal. 

Holding his hand up, Preston stopped in his tracks and crouched down, signalling for everyone to do the same. At first, Beth didn't know why they were stopping, but then she heard rustling from somewhere on her left side. The noise got louder and louder and it was obvious that whoever or whatever was making it was coming closer. 

With his finger on the trigger, ready to fire if need be, Preston took a single step in the direction of the sound. "Flash!" he called into the darkness.

A few seconds passed, but then, "Thunder!" Emerging from the shadows, another team of 2nd Battalion pathfinders moved into sight. The man at the front of the team gave Preston a reaffirming nod before both teams continued on their way. 

After another five or so minutes of walking, the two teams came upon a clearing—the landing zone. Pulling out his coloured smoke grenade from his bag, Lieutenant Copeland lifted his arm and stared at his watch. As soon as the little hand reached the hour mark, the designated time of meet-up for the pathfinders, Copeland pulled the pin on the grenade and tossed it into the clearing. Seconds later, the entire perimeter of the clearing was filling with bright red smoke, meaning that most of the pathfinder teams had made it to the landing zone. 

"Alright, guys, get those devices out." Copeland peered up at the dark sky. "It's showtime." 

Grabbing her device, Beth flipped the switch and the blinking light turned solid. The transmission was being sent. "Good job, everyone." Beth smiled. "And to think, they told us this was going to be hard."

"The best of the best," said Adkins.

"Don't get too cocky yet," Copeland warned. "This is far from over. We're not even in the thick of it yet. When those planes start dropping hundreds of men, the Germans will come out of hiding, if they haven't already. This is just the beginning."

Ten minutes later, the first group of planes came into view, their combined noise enough to wake everyone within a hundred-mile radius. The pathfinders had come in with much fewer numbers, thus much less noise, but now the cavalry was here and there was no more hiding in the shadows.

The Americans were invading Europe and they weren't keeping it a secret anymore.

"Okay everyone, our job here is done," Copeland announced as the first of the Paratroopers started jumping from the planes. "You know the drill. Meet up with your respected companies and hopefully, if the American Army does this thing right, we will never have to see each other again."

As the team bid each other farewell and good luck, they broke off in separate directions. Of course, a few of the men had the same assembly area as Beth, so with Adkins, Sears, and Preston by her side, Beth headed in the direction the landmarks she had memorized led her in.