276

The three other members of the sabotage team are waiting for you at an earth rampart that forms part of the southern perimeter wall. In a hushed voice, Captain Frankland gives a final briefing, while you join with the others in applying camouflage blacking to your face, and taping your weapons and equipment to muffle any noise. Five hundred yards away, across a rubble-strewn no-man’s-land, clan snipers are entrenched behind a makeshift barricade of old cars and other debris. Their rifles are trained on Fort Bliss and, in the past, they have been all too eager to use them whenever a target has presented itself. Crossing this zone will be perilous in the extreme and, in order to minimize the risks of the mission failing here, the captain proposes that the team split into pairs and cross the zone at two separate locations. Each pair is to make its way through the enemy cordon and the city beyond, and then regroup at the Stanton Street Toll Bridge at 1 a.m. precisely. You synchronize watches before joining with your chosen partner, Marine Knott, in getting ready to go.

There are two routes open to you. The most direct path will take you south, through the heart of El Paso where the enemy are most numerous. Or you can attempt a detour around the northern edge of the city before you try to reach the bridge, a longer but possibly less dangerous route.

If you wish to cross the zone heading south, directly towards the city, turn to 190.

If you decide to cross the zone heading west, on a detour around the city, turn to 44.