After a brief rest, Keith decided to split the team into three groups: one to monitor the camp, one to survey the terrain at the extraction point, and the remaining members to guard the gear and search for a suitable campsite nearby.
Although they had reviewed the area beforehand, satellite images and the real environment inevitably differed. Now, it was Deng Shiyang’s task to correct these discrepancies.
Taking advantage of the remaining darkness, he and Mark made their way to a hillside near the camp, where they used natural terrain features and camouflage netting to build an observation post capable of accommodating two people.
By dawn, they had just begun working, but the observation post was situated in a shaded area in the morning light, with the shadow of the trees on the hilltop providing good cover, so the guerrillas were unaware that there were people right under their noses.
After spending more than four hours, Deng Shiyang and Mark completed the observation post. Although it was only a temporary shelter for short-term use, they had taken special care in choosing the location and camouflaging it.
The observation post was located half a mile from the camp, on the northeastern hillside, set up next to a rock just below the ridgeline. From here, they could overlook the entire camp while using the shadow of the rock and nearby bushes for cover.
The observation post was essentially a shallow pit that allowed two people to lie side by side. The bottom was leveled and compacted using an entrenching tool, then covered with a layer of grass stems and a military rain poncho to block ground temperature differences and moisture, increasing comfort and preventing fatigue.
Thick tree branches were laid across the top of the shallow pit and covered with a camouflage net. To avoid altering the original terrain, Deng Shiyang carefully cut the grass from the surface when digging the pit and laid it in patches over the camouflage net, creating a natural cover. After the detailed camouflage work, the observation post was indistinguishable from a small grassy mound, and even from ten yards away, it was difficult to distinguish from the surrounding bushes.
A dense patch of wild grass obstructed the view on the side facing the camp, so Deng Shiyang used a knife to cut the grass and create two observation slots for binoculars. He also attached a KillFlash anti-reflection cover to the objective lens of the scope to prevent sun glare from revealing their position when the sun was low in the sky.
At nine in the morning, after setting everything up, the two settled into the observation post and began watching the guerrilla camp. They alternated roles as observer and assistant observer, with the observer watching while the assistant observer verified and recorded the findings on maps and in notebooks, resting during idle moments. The task was monotonous, requiring the observer to keep their eyes glued to the scope and focus intently on the target, which could cause mental fatigue. So, they switched roles every half hour.
The afternoon soon arrived.
When it was Deng Shiyang’s turn to rest, he handed over the observation duties to Mark, put down the binoculars, took the map and notebook, then drank a small sip of water from his hydration bladder. He swirled the water around in his mouth before swallowing it slowly. Then, he took out an MRE, cut open the packaging with a knife, and started eating lunch.
During infiltration and reconnaissance missions, water and food intake were minimized to reduce the need for elimination. Any waste had to be carried away in plastic bags and buried at designated locations to avoid leaving traces. Therefore, Deng Shiyang had not eaten anything since the night before, relying only on small amounts of candy and water to maintain his energy. But now, despite his hunger, he found it difficult to eat the MRE because they had not yet discovered where the hostage was being held after spending the whole morning.
Originally, they had estimated that since kidnapping and ransom were the guerrillas’ "secondary business," there should be a specific place in the camp for holding captives. But after carefully observing the entire camp, they found no sign of a dungeon or cages, and no place was under particularly tight guard. Additionally, no one delivered food to any remote cabin during lunchtime.
However, the observation post did yield some useful intelligence.
The camp's facilities were more developed than anticipated. There were diesel generators, electric water pumps, and ample lighting, and even a satellite TV dish mounted on the roof of one cabin.
They also noticed that the guerrillas were less vigilant than reported. Possibly due to a lack of government raids in the area, the guerrillas showed almost no alertness, and security was lax. There were no sentry posts around the perimeter, no patrols in the vicinity, and even the fortifications within the camp were unmanned.
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The so-called fortifications were just rudimentary sandbag bunkers scattered around the camp. These bunkers covered the surrounding slopes, but no weapons were placed inside. This was likely because the guerrillas had insufficient heavy weapons, so the bunkers' main purpose was for the guerrillas to fire light weapons from them.
The only proper fortification was near the entrance along the path leading down the mountain. There, two low walls made of stacked stones were reinforced with sandbags and rocks, forming a bunker equipped with an NSV heavy machine gun in a flat-firing position. It was sheltered by a roof made of wooden planks covered with tin sheets, perhaps to prevent the "big gun" from getting wet in the rain. It seemed the guerrillas had not considered an aerial attack.
The surveillance continued until dusk, when Keith ordered Deng Shiyang and Mark to withdraw from the observation post and report back to the camp.
The two quickly dismantled the observation post and followed Du Preez, who had come to rendezvous with them, through the forest, taking a winding path to avoid tripwires and reach the team's campsite.
Given their proximity to the enemy camp, they put extra effort into defensive measures when setting up camp.
The campsite was carefully selected, situated in a circular depression surrounded by bushes on the edge of a cliff, about 500 yards from the backup extraction point. It was not only easy to defend and well-hidden but also provided a convenient escape route.
A perimeter of 200 yards around the camp was designated as a security zone. Directional mines were placed along infiltration-prone routes, and nearly 4,000 feet of night alarm wire was set up in the surrounding area. This fine steel wire was anchored at about seven inches above the ground using branches or grass stalks and then camouflaged with surrounding vegetation. Each end of the wire was connected to a small detector, which emitted an alarm if the wire was disturbed.
In the center of the campsite, others had already set up a small tent using a few military rain ponchos, where they were finalizing the next day's action plan.
Deng Shiyang entered the tent, spread out the guerrilla camp's map and satellite images on the ground, and used a flashlight to report the gathered intelligence.
When asked about the hostage's location, he pointed to three cabins circled in red on the photos and said, "Based on the analysis from our observations, I believe the hostage is most likely being held here."
"Are you sure? The safest time to strike is in the first three minutes of the assault. If we can't resolve the situation within that window, it will be very dangerous to assault other buildings once the enemy recovers from the chaos..." Keith was clearly dissatisfied with the surveillance results.
Deng Shiyang felt annoyed and interrupted before Keith could finish, "We don't have a Predator drone monitoring the area, nor the resources for long-term surveillance. We only had one day. If they didn't parade 'Brit' out in the open, I can't be certain where he's being held."
Realizing his previous comment was a bit inappropriate, Keith asked awkwardly, "What led you to conclude that the hostage is there?"
"I used a process of elimination," Deng Shiyang replied simply, then pointed at the satellite photo of the camp to explain, "The cabin with the satellite dish must be the guerrilla leader's residence, so we can rule that out. The windowless structures on the east side are likely storage for weapons or drugs. They're locked, and there’s little foot traffic. Unless the hostage doesn't need to eat or drink all day, he wouldn’t be there."
"The large, well-ventilated cabins to the west are barracks. The leader wouldn't keep a Spanish-speaking hostage like Peter Bowman with a bunch of subordinates, where he could overhear information, so we can rule that out too."
"That leaves the small cabins between the barracks and the storage. The two near the well are bathrooms and kitchens, not suitable for holding someone. So, that leaves these three."
There was a moment of silence in the tent as the others contemplated the information. Deng Shiyang glanced at them and said, "Those are my reasons. If anyone has any objections, now's the time to speak."
His keen analysis showed sharp insight, and Keith's displeased expression had long vanished. Instead, he asked in a consultative tone, "Which of these three cabins do you think is most likely to be used for holding the hostage?"
Deng Shiyang pointed to one of the cabins and said, "If it were me, I'd hold him here. The entrance faces the barracks directly, so any movement in or out would be immediately noticeable. It's also the farthest from the exit of the hollow. Even if he managed to escape, he’d have to traverse half the camp to reach the path. If he tried to climb the hillside, he’d have to cross the open ground between the barracks and the vegetable field, where he could easily be spotted."
The others silently stared at the map, contemplating for a while before expressing agreement.
Seeing this, Keith unfolded the map and began assigning tasks, "We’ve confirmed through the scheduled communication that the government forces will launch a feint tomorrow at noon, and two 'Firebirds' will provide support from Santa Cruz."
He paused, pointing to a hill near the extraction point, "Here’s the plan: before dawn tomorrow, the 'Frenchman' and Du Preez will set up vertical mines at the edge of the camp. When the main force of the guerrillas moves away, we’ll strike. You’ll infiltrate between the pigsty and the latrines. Once the helicopter begins its airstrike, Du Preez will rescue the hostage, with the 'Frenchman' providing cover. After securing the hostage, you’ll proceed along the hillside path to the extraction point."
"Mark will serve as the rear guard. If there's an engagement, he'll detonate the vertical mines and retreat to the hillside's firing position. Jansen will handle communications and coordinate air support. JD will choose a location with a clear line of sight to provide surveillance and fire support. I’ll act as your spotter."
After assigning tasks, the group continued to discuss and refine the details of the action plan before taking turns to rest.