1968

Chapter Twenty-Four: July 17th, 1968

Mihn's point of view:

The mission was done and everything has been successful, that was, until Nash died and it brought Lorelei into a fit of depression. When we left that lair of guerrillas, all the bodies left to be cleaned up by others, we took Trúc and put him into custody of the North Vietnamese government. There they would deal with him how they pleased. Lorelei didn't seem to care what happened to anybody anymore, all she was was a vegetable now that Nash had died.

All she did was sit there, either staring out the window of our now packed up hotel room or laying on the bed like an old woman without a cause in life. This wasn't Lorelei, this was some woman I didn't know that looked like her. This was a woman that wallowed around in her sorrow, one that lost such a dear friend that she was more dead than he was. I wanted to do something, to tell her that she couldn't sit here and wait for him to come back in sadness. Nash wasn't coming back, Nash was dead. How was I going to say that to her without seeming mean or indifferent. I didn't know Nash well, but I felt the pain she felt just by seeing her frown. I wasn't used to the Lorelei that never smiled or laughed or played. I didn't like the Lorelei that cried and drowned in sorrow.

"We have to go soon," I said to her as I stood away from the door of the hotel room. Lorelei was dressed and ready to leave, but that was just about all she managed to do today.

"I know," she said. Lorelei began to lift herself up and steady herself as she wobbled on the floor. I couldn't believe the state she was in. How could a death of someone do this to a person? Had I known she was so devoted, I would have made sure to keep him alive more. I went over to her and took her gently by the arm to keep her on the ground and not falling.

"It's alright, I've got you. Come on, I'll help you to the car," I said to her. She shook her head in refusal and pulled away from me, attempting to walk off on her own. She began to wobble once again and just about fell to the floor if I hadn't of ran over to her. I lifted Lorelei over my shoulder and held her bag in my free hand. Good thing she was so light and I could carry both at the same time.

"Let go of me," she forced. It wasn't like the usual demanding tone she had when she wanted something like this. Even her forcefulness was strained and overtly quiet. I hated it so much that I almost wanted to shout back just so I could hear her be proud and loud again.

"I can't let you go around tripping like you're just learning how to walk. I'm carrying you to the car and you're not allowed to ask questions," I ordered. She sighed and remained quiet as I walked her down the hallway. As we went down and almost made it to the lobby, a woman bumped into us.

"I am sorry, sir, please, forgive me," she said to me. I nodded and was about to leave before Lorelei cut in. I let her down when she started talking about how she wanted to talk to the woman, whoever she was, before she left.

"Hello, I am Lorelei Horowitz, what is your name?" Lorelei asked, quietly but more interested than she had ever been since the time Nash died. It still wasn't energetic, but at least she was talking.

"Um...Jolie Manstein," she replied. Her accent was meticulously German and I wondered what in the hell she was doing in Vietnam. I guess there were so many scenarios it was hard to pick out which was normal and which wasn't.

"Are you German? It sounds like you are, excuse me for saying," Lorelei asked. The woman seemed odd when Lorelei asked her if she was German. I didn't know how to place it, but her eyes had a glint in them that told me something was hidden. I kept running the idea that she had followed us around in my head. How could she've wanted to follow us though? Was she part of some sort of agency that asked her to watch us? Or was it to watch me in particular? It would make sense, I was a south Vietnamese drifter who was now working for the other side. I could understand them sending spies to try and capture me so they could kill me. Well, they didn't send an adequate person. She better have an army with her if she wanted to get through me.