I Am The White Death (Best Sniper in the History of Mankind) and other True First Person Stories

it's November 30th 1939 just 3 months after the outbreak of Another World War the Soviet Union has declared war on my home country of Finland within days Soviet troops Advanced Across the Nation but they had no idea of the resistance they would run into the - 45° weather 43° centigrade would be the least of the Communist Invaders concerns when they found themselves in my sights because I am Simo Howa the deadliest sniper in history I am the white death prior to the war's start Germany and the Soviet Union had agreed to divide up Eastern Europe into spheres of influence and Finland Landing within the soviet's reach Stalin quickly made impossible demands of Finland including that we seed large amounts of territory along the Finnish Soviet border supposedly for security reasons such as the protection of Leningrad which lay only 32 km from the border my Nation flatly refused and the Soviet Union quickly declared war with 750,000 soldiers 6,000 tanks and over 3,000 aircraft the Soviet military absolutely dwarfed our Finnish military which was comprised of just 300,000 soldiers mostly reservists and civil Guardsmen a few dozen tanks and 100 aircraft Stalin ordered the invasion of Finland giving no thought to the coming winter as he assumed his armies would roll over over us long before the worst weather set in just as Napoleon had underestimated the Russian winter over a 100 years before Stalin T severely underestimated winter weather and the impact it would have on his army as the unseasonably cold winter of 1940 set in and slowed Stalin's baguer armies down in a frozen hell our finnished resistance moved in to Halt the Soviet Advance knowing we couldn't match the Soviets on one-on-one basis we adopted miti what today would be called asymmetrical Warfare tactics we would routinely allow Soviet forces to push deep into our territory leaving them overextended then we'd attack their supply lines while running lightning raids against the Soviet flank Frozen in by the severe weather and plagued by terrible Logistics the Soviet War Machine quickly ground to a halt but the greatest of the Terrors awaiting the Soviets in the Winter Woods was me and an unassuming 5T 1.5 M tall farmer named Simo Hy I was born in a farming town near the Russian border and I spent my entire life in the harsh finished Countryside as a child I naturally took to shooting becoming a prolific Hunter and sharpening the Marksmanship skills that would make me a legend one day in 1925 I served a mandatory one-year term in finland's Army where I was introduced to an m2830 rifle replacing my russian-made musin nagat m91 honing my shooting skill even further I was able to achieve a firing rate of 16 shots per minute at the range of 500 ft 125 M every single one on target after a years of service I was honorably discharged with the rank of opilus opv or Corporal years later I joined the Finnish civil guard and at the outbreak of hostilities in 1939 I was called into active service I refused the m2830 rifle the military provided me with though pulling my trusty m91 out of storage instead immediately ordered to the defense of P hoki me and my unit dug trenches and strung up barb wire in preparation for the Soviet assault that very same night the Soviets attacked but we were able to repel the assault after several days of heavy fighting we were ordered to withdraw yet despite the retreat we suffered relative L few casualties my next engagement with the Soviets came outside of suti with the Soviets once more suffering heavy losses Stalin's bloody political purges had decimated military leadership within the Soviet military and the inexperienced and poorly L Soviet Army suffered greatly in the first few weeks of the war for those purges my extraordinary Marksmanship did not go on noticed by leadership who soon made me a sniper after an enemy sniper killed three platoon leaders and an NCO my company Commander Lieutenant J tattin ordered me to knock that man out I replied simply I'll do my best I took off for the woods alone dressed in thick winter gear and a body length white hooded coat making note of the terrain I identified a few possible positions that I would choose if I were a Russian sniper and then selected a spot with good oversight of all of them digging into the thick snow in early morning I lay perfectly still letting the snow build up around me all day long not moving for fear of giving my position away my patience and endurance paid off when finally towards dusk I spotted a flicker on the horizon The Telltale glint of the setting Sun's Rays reflecting off another sniper scope moments later the Russian sniper began to rise likely returning back to his unit after a long day on alert without hesitation I gently squeezed the trigger and placed a single 7.62 rounds straight through the enemy sniper's cheek killing him instantly my reputation began to spread amongst my fellow troops and I would soon earn my nickname of the white death amongst Russian troops with our unit Under Fire by a skilled enemy sniper my lieutenant once more reached out to me with a simple Mission find the sniper and kill him before he can kill more of our own just as before I once again took off into the Wilderness alone carrying a day's worth of food and several pouches of ammunition having seen how a scope had given the Russian sniper away I now refused to use one and instead stuck only to my reliable m91 iron sights it was with these iron sights that I spotted and eliminated the Russian sniper from 400 m away after that kill my name spread amongst the Russians and I became a priority One Target in the months that followed Soviet forces responded to my attacks by calling in artery bombardments devastating dozens of Acres of Woodland to try to kill just one man yet for all their efforts I was able to survive each bombardment getting only a minor scratch when a shell landed near my position and tore the back off my great coat in turn I continued my methodical assassination of Soviet targets undeterred once knocking out the sniper protecting a forward artillery Observer The Observer quickly called in fire support and over 50 rounds rained down harmlessly around me but ski with a gun is only one part of becoming a deadly sniper I would often have to stay in my firing position for hours sometimes even an entire day and it's that resilience in the midst of our brutal finished winter that made me the stuff of Legend in order not to give away my firing position I very slowly and carefully moisten the snow around me so it would freeze preventing puffs of snow from flying up when I fir when changing firing positions I would move incredibly slowly inches per hour making my movements all but imperceptible to the human eye in order to prevent Steam from my breath from giving me away I would hold mouthfuls of snow in my mouth taking slow deep breaths and letting my breath cool as it left my lungs and of course to never inadvertently Give Myself Away due to the Low Winter Sun I never used a scope sticking to my tried than through iron sights for even the longest and most difficult of shots though I usually worked alone I did employ the use of a thrusted spotter occasionally observing Russian movements during the day we would then take off into the Pitch Black Knight and hunt for a good firing position from where we could enjoy a target-rich environment once selected we would have to sit patiently waiting for the first light of dawn and then begin our long day of precision shooting I was eventually wounded though shot by an enemy sniper with an explosive bullet to the left side of my face just one week before the end of the winter War I awoke in a surgical tent the day the war ended the bullet left me with a fractured jaw and a lifelong deformity but I quickly recovered the ability to speak and more importantly shoot with over 500 confirmed kills by the end of the war my legacy was cemented as the deadliest sniper in history but ultimately I am a man of peace and I refused to take part in the Finn Soviet continuation War which saw my love Finnish forces Ally with German forces and invade the Soviet Union in a bid to retake lost territory for me my war was done and I had no interest in invading another man's land the way my own had been the year is 1630 I now live in ven a once great city state that for a time was the richest city in Europe but today is ravaged by a mysterious disease that in just a year claimed the lives of thousands I cannot let my fear of the epidemic and the horrible fate that awaits the infected overcome me because I am a plague doctor I prepare for the day by dressing in a special outfit tough Leather Britches to protect my legs a long heavy coat that covers my entire body the wi pred hat that all doctors wear and of course my mask the beak filled with herbs and perfumes to ward off the foul smelling air of disease I spend my days traveling to the homes of the sick checking in on the infected and diagnosing new cases I employed the most advanced Medical knowledge of the day performing blood lettings and Advising the ill to rub onions on their SCE I use a cane to examine the very sickest of my patients so that I don't have to touch them with these techniques work will I be able to cure the sick or at least offer them some comfort in their final moments will I be able to find the source of the disease and most importantly for me with my precautions protect me from the same fate this is a far from the first plague the historians tell us that they've occurred for centuries yet each seems as if the world is finally coming to its end from the plague of Justina that ravaged the Eastern Roman capital of Constantinople to the Black Death that left over a third of Europe dead now 300 years after the last terrible Outbreak on the continent it has reappeared here in the Venice and this plague has hit our city hard oniz center of culture and commerce we are seeing our time as a powerful city state waning the streets are empty and the shops are Barren with over a third of the population dead or dying we tried locking the siek away in pest houses stripping those who show signs of disease on their clothes and possessions and burning them and even quarantining them to an island in attempt to do something anything to stop the spread but nothing has seen too B the number of infected Grows by the day and the death count Rises higher and higher the plague is a true nightmare for those unlucky enough to become stricken by it strange swellings appear on the body especially under the arms and around the groin growing to the size of Apple in the Weeping blood and P before erupting into painful Source the body is then overcome with fever and the chills the patient can keep no food down and is wasted Away by diarrhea and vomiting he can press so quickly that there's nothing I can do often someone goes to sleep healthy with no symptoms and is dead by a morning we are unsure of where the plague came from or how it spreads some think it only comes from touching of an already infected individual others believe that Spirits jump from the eyes of the sick into those of the healthy carrying the death VI them as for myself I believe that the foul Heir known as miasma carried this horrible malady it is also why the most important piece of equipment is also the one that marks me most clearly as a plague doctor my mask each day I feel the nose with fresh flowers and herbs using the pleasant smells to ward off the plague I caught my clothes in a thick layer of sweat or animal fat in order to seal in the fabric and prevent any bad airs from penetrating to my skin I focus on combating the odor that seems to follow the sick and encouraging the healthy to stay well by staying indoors and surrounding themselves with the present Aromas I employ other techniques on those who are not yet at death's door such as a bloodletting with the leeches or Lancing the swollen boils in an attempt to drain the sickness away though I must take take great care to ensure that none of the potentially deadly fluids touch my skin I am also cautious not to touch the sickest of patients at all my cane allows me to examine their bodies from a distance though when they are at that advanced stage usually all I can do is direct the family to remove the body from the home when the patient eventually succumbs their bodies are added onto the carts that Patrol the streets daily stacked high with corpses these cards are dragged Along by some poor soul who will no doubt be joining his cargo soon they're taken out of the city and given a Christian burial if they are lucky and burned in a great PES if they are not day after day I see more and more falling victim to this plague I dream of a day when we can return Venice to its former glory where hundreds of trade ships passed through a harbor and princes summoned the world's most talented artist to create great works to Adorn the Palaces I fear those days are a dead and and that there is little or anyone but God can do to stop this unending March of death I make it the long track back to the section of the city where my home is an area that luckily has been largely Untouched by the plague on my way I stopped to pray to St Mary of Health at the new Basilica that has been built in her honor in hope that more offerings to God will end this catastrophe and perhaps serve as a Penance for whatever our worldly Deeds have brought this biblical punishment upon us the day grows long and I feel very tired so I make my way home I take great care while removing my mask checking that there are no openings where the disease there may have seeped in I lay out my roll of tools so that they are ready for another day of tending to the unwell I carefully remove my coat my breaches and then once again just a man a man who sees that the day I've been dreading yet always anticipating is here I lift to my arm and see it a swollen lump it is now only a matter of a time here I lie the strong bull pleasing of birth the one of perfect laws who wears the crown and pleases the gods Lord of all now dead after bearing witness to only 18 floodings of the lifegiving Sacred Waters of the Nile I am laid to rest in my tomb with the objects that I will need most in the afterlife my favorite foods perfumes weapons of war and of course my golden death mask an everlasting and eternal tribute to my power for I am a perfect image of humanity strong powerful the savior of Egypt pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty Living God I am totin com but that is not the name by which I was always known no it pains me to admit that my father the Pharaoh akatan and his sister wife first naming Tuten kanten living image of the God aan my father was a heretic and above all a fool he threw Egypt into great turmoil and distress when he forswore the ancient gods who had guided us since creation and declared that aan the Golden Disc of the sun was the true Chief deity and even moved the capital from thieves to the new city of akatan my father was judged harshly for his crimes against the gods following his death The Cult of aan diminished his capital city was abandoned the temples and monuments he built for his God were torn down his face was chiseled off of his statues and his name was erased from the official list of Kings ensuring that his memory was die with him in the eyes of Egypt the people and the gods my father faced a faith even worse than death he ceased to exist I ascended to the throne while I was still a boy but let there be no doubt that I was always in charge my advisers may have attempted to take advantage of my youth but when you are living incarnation of a God there is no question who ultimately rules I immedately took to restoring Egypt to its past Glory fixing the mistakes of my father who had allowed our kingdom to languish as he pursued his Blasphemous goals my first and most important duty was to reject the Sun God atam for too long the old gods had been neglected and ceased to hear our prayers from here on I would no longer bear the name my father gave me but be born a new as toen common the living image of the true God I set up about the restoration of the old Pantheon Horus Isis and of course my namesake Amon who would again be worshiped as the chief deities of Egypt and bestow us once more With Their Blessings I built temples and monuments dedicated to them moved our Capital back to the Sacred City of thbes reinstated their holy festivals reestablished their Cults and brought their Divine favor back to Egypt I would be remembered throughout eternity as the king who spent his life in fashioning images of the Gods though Pious I was far from meek while much of my time was dedicated to bringing the gods back to Egypt I also sought to bring Egypt's military back to its former might I led my Army full of the world's finest archers and charioteers to victory in many battles where my Peerless skill with the bow was put on display for all to seea as we slew countless of the neighboring Nubians alas not every chapter of my life was such a resounding success neither of the children I bore survived childbirth perhaps the gods did not favor my sister wife Anin sanon as they did me as is our tradition their bodies were mummified and they would be placed with me in my own tomb so that we may all live together in the afterlife my own life was also cut tragically short perhaps the gods needed me more in the Dua the Land of the Dead than they did on this morning plane but at least I was able to die doing what I loved most in the world hunting the sacred animals of the Nile I faced off against an incarnation of the chaos God himself Seth here taking the form of an enraged hippopotamus I crept through the reads readying my powerful bow to strike when suddenly had charged at me and despite my Marshal prowess I was Gravely wounded my leg mangled by the Beast I was rushed back to my Palace but it was too late the wound festered and soon I would return to the realm Beyond this life and take my place among the gods the Pharaoh as well as the entire Kingdom's most important task in life is to make certain that the King has a proper tomb to ensure his successful Journey from this world to the next though my untimely death meant that the process must be accelerated my tomb was still given all of the finest trappings of the land and no expense was spared by the people to leave no doubt that their glorious and loved king would face no troubles on his journey to the underworld as a living embodiment of a God who led his people to a glorious New Age my tomb and my legacy will last a thousand floodings of the Nile generation after generation will read my name in the list of pharaohs and look upon my face at the Monumental temples built to celebrate my magnificence unlike my my father who was erased from the annals of our history I have achieved the greatest Glory possible for a pharaoh I have become Eternal my name will live on forever throughout the ages and all will know me for I am totin common you know my name for you have whispered it in fear for centuries mindful of the horrors I carved upon history itself Vlad theii Dracula son of the dragon and I will have my Throne my nation will be free at any cost and I will bow the knee to no man Hungarian or turk Emperor or Sultan My Story begins with my father an ambitious man who fought for many years to take his rightful place as the ruler of Walia a nation in what is today Southern Romania stuck between the kingdom of Hungary and the Ottoman Empire our nation was frequently nothing more than a political tool to be wielded by one side against the other after having to flee from Hungarian forces Sultan Meed the second granted my father the support of a spal army with which to retake the wakan throne there was but one condition myself and my brother Ru would be left behind as Royal hostages and my father was to pay yearly tribute to the Ottomans swearing FY to their rule with their aid my father retook the throne and once more my family ruled I'll be it over a land with no true Independence beholden to Powers far greater than itself predictably my father would go on to betray the Turks in 1444 when the European powers gathered together to try to stop the ottoman Empire's expansion into Central Europe despite some initial successes unfortunately for my father he was inevitably forced into a peace with the greater power and sick of my father's double crossing Lord Hyundai at last invaded Walia chasing my father from the throne and killing him my eldest brother myera II was with my father in the end and the Boyers Rich noblemen of my country captured the two and put out his eyes with red hot pokers before burying him alive I would not quickly forget their hideous violence against my kin but like my father I too would have to bide my time surprising perhaps most of all to myself the sultan did not immediately order adu's deaths after my father's betrayal the sultan was always thinking ahead and saw no use for the murder of the only two legitimate heirs to the wakum throne instead he continued to keep us safe in his care until Faith turned in his and my favor Lord John Hyundai backed by various European powers launched once more into a campaign against the Ottoman Empire in 1448 taking with him the impostor King he had placed upon the wakan throne vadis slav II with vadis slav II suan mhmed granted me an army with which to reenter my home and take the throne shortly after after my return however the Ottomans scored a decisive Victory against Hyundai's Army a be it at a great cost the forces lent to me by the sultan return to their homes and with the failure of Hy's Crusade I learned that vladislav II now marched upon Walia a king is no king without an army to defend his right to rule and sadly I found myself without said Army forced to abdicate my rightful Throne I fled into exile vowing to return and reclaim what was my Birthright for long years I bowed my time in my exile to the only place friendly to my interests the Ottoman Empire I found myself still in favor with the sultan though I rankled at the knowledge that to the lecherous old ruler I was nothing more than a pawn and my kingdom and my homeland merely pieces of a greater puzzle in the Sultan's Ambitions for Europe my father's death and my own Young Life had taught me the virtue of patience however and Patiently I Waited knowing that the ever evolving conflict between Europe and the Ottoman Empire between Christianity and Islam would eventually present an opportunity to return home that opportunity came in 1456 vladislav II was no longer as politically useful to the Hungarian Empire as he had been and Lord Hyundai offered me a chance to reclaim my throne on the condition that I'd remain faithful to Hungary in future conflicts you may judge me and my father as you wish but know that I am a loyal man loyal to my soldiers my kin and to my people but I refuse to be the pawn of Greater powers and my ultimate ambition was always to free my home from the influence of the two kingdoms it found itself between I swore my felt to Hungary knowing even as I took that oath that I would one day break it with the support of the Empire I re-entered my homeland for a second time in 1456 and demanded that the impostor King vladislav II face me in single combat a king who does not appear great Godlike even before his people is not long to rule and despite my obvious physical superiority in weapons training and youth both the fool agreed to face me rather than hide behind his army as he and I both knew he must we match blades surrounded by a circle of soldiers and Boyers alike vladislav was a formidable man once but age had DED his reflexes sapped his speed and strength both I toyed with the fool my blade repeatedly finding exposed flesh his blood trampled into the mud underfoot cut in a dozen places The Pretender King refused to surrender and I could see by now in the eyes of the Boyers gathered a silent pleading for Mercy put the fool out of his misery I could see their eyes saying enough is enough they had their F of blood it seemed a pity for I would drown many of them in the Deluge of crimson in the weeks and months to come with a single thrust I slew the impostor and reclaimed my Throne patience as I mentioned is a hard-earned virtue and at last it would paid dividends with my Throne secure I immediately turned upon the wealthy Boyers the very men who years ago had betrayed and murdered my father plucked the eyes from my eldest brother and buried him alive my wrath was immediate and I put into practice a technique I had learned during my long years of captivity in the Sultan's Court a greased log sharpened on one end would be laid on the ground with the victim made to sit upon the pointed tip and held fast with the use of ropes attached to each leg the victim and log would then be lifted into the air the body's weight impaling the victim upon the sharpened stake from below I watched with no small satisfaction as the men who had murdered my father were each in turn forced to watch the impalement of their wives and children before meeting the Fate themselves next I turn this favored punishment of mine onto the ranks of betrayers lurk amongst the Psychopaths of my court other wealthy noblemen I knew or suspected of plotting behind my back I would have my kingdom and I would have it be free of traitorous rats during my life I have held no great love for the Turks or the sultan and yet I am no fool upon retaking my Throne I began the customary yearly tribute to the Ottomans a move which angered my Hungarian beneficiaries yet this tribute would be cut off just years later my people would not be subject to any foreign power Hungarian or ottoman I knew my move would bring conflict and I had long ago prepared for a coming War using my intimate knowledge of the Ottoman Empire and its forces I launched a series of lightning raids across the border and into Turkish lands destroying many key provincial outposts and fortresses that could be used to support an invasion into Walia I took plunder as well righteous repay for my years of forc tribute to the sultan as I knew would happen the Ottomans responded in force and in 1462 an army 150,000 strong marched against me I had no hope of defeating this larger force in direct conflict and so I turned the very land of my nation and its people against the Invaders my forces fought a retreating action forcing the Turks to push even deeper into my lands to secure a decisive Victory yet as I steadily retreated I poisoned Wells breached levies and flooded marshlands even ordering the evacuation of all people and animals in the path of the Turkish forces their Sultan and his men would find no crumb or morsel amongst my lands to feed their rumbling bellies and with supply lines stretched to the breaking point fatigue settled in I spread illness amongst their ranks as well rounding up hordes of lepers men and women with tuberculosis and other urant plagues and marched them directly into the ranks of the Invaders I could not Retreat forever though and late one night I launched a daring raid into the Sultan's Camp itself though sadly slew instead two grand Vier and not the head of the snake as I had planned my forces could not stand against the superior Turks for much longer even half starved and beset with all manner of Ilion as they were I would send these Invaders a message then a final warning to leave my lands and never return on pain of greatest torture weeks later my masterpiece would be revealed to the Invaders as they entered the now deserted town of tagr vist there in a field 2600 M long and 1100 M wide lay 20,000 Souls upon sharpened Stakes Turkish prisoners and civilians both the great Slaughter on full display held row upon row of families strung up together infants pierced along with their mothers by the time the Turks found them the birds had made nest in their entrails as I have said before I would see my home free of both Turks and hungarians at any cost filled with horror the sultan ordered his Grand Army to retreat but left a force at the border helded by my young brother Radu now turned traitor against his own kin born of a gentler persuasion and a natural Charisma Radu managed to do what I could not and turn public support against me and my rule not with threats of violence and grizzly displays of torture but with kind words and Promises of solidarity and forgiveness for past transgressions against my family Ru the youngest brother I had protected as best as I could for years during our captivity would now be my undoing as I lost the support of my people and was once more chased into Exile the value of royal blood has always been greater than gold for it can buy more readily that which coin often cannot political stability I was captured by The hungarians Who imprisoned me as an insurance policy and once more I found myself biing my time knowing that in the end I and only I would be the one to decide my fate and that of my people in the meantime I entertained myself with an old Hobby and took great Delight in the horror of my guards as they discovered the rows of impaled mice and Robins which I had leared into my cell in 1476 nearly 50 years of age I was released from my prison and once more on the march to reclaim my Throne supported by Hungary age and imprisonment had robbed me of youthful vigor and and strength yet I took to the field of battle regardless I suppose I knew the fight would likely be my last but I would be the one to write my own ending for the histories and not the hungarians or the Turks late in 1476 I fell sword in hand never to rise again yet though my kingdom had eluded me a third time I had won the greater prize in the end my name written in the annals of history for forever more my name is rlad thei drau the son of the dragon and you know my name for you whisper yet in fear centuries after my death mindful of the horrors I inflicted upon my enemies theropo the hot Gates the entrance to the underworld this is where King Xerxes of Persia and his army of hundreds of thousands are headed he seeks to lay waste to Greece and all of her great city states he intends to put all the world under his foot that is why I here to stop him to him or to at least slow him down because we are a force of just 300 taking on what is perhaps the largest Force ever assembled but though we are few I will show him a class of warrior he is not not ready to meet and I will make him suffer for I am King leonitis of Sparta the Persian Empire has long sought to conquer Greece it is a personal Vendetta from the time of King Darius nearly two decades ago Athens helped Ionia in a revolt against its Persian occupiers the Revolt was crushed but Darius never forgave what he called an unprovoked attacked by the Athenians he swore Vengeance on them and all of Greece for first he sent his son-in-law mardonius on a campaign to subjugate the Asian Coast his fleet was caught in a storm badly damaged forcing him to return then he sent envoys to Greek Nations demanding we pay tribute by sending earth and water back to Persia Athens and Sparta refused both of us executed The Messengers finally Darius sent an invasion Fleet across the sea they landed at the Bay of marathon 25 mi from Athens the Athenian marched to meet them 10,000 of them plus 1,000 allies from bladia against 25,000 infantry and 1,000 Calvary from Persia the Persian Calvary snuck away in the night on ships Bound for Athens but the Athenians remained and attacked the remaining troops in the morning they easily broke through the flanks the Persian army fled their ships by battle's end the Greek had lost 203 men the Persians 6,400 and they retreated back to their home Homeland the defeat haunted Darius his thirst for vengeance passed to his son Xerxes who is now the sole ruler of a kingdom that encompasses 20 provinces stretching from the Nile to the oxus but Xerxes is greedy for him half the world is not enough he wants the whole world and perhaps even more for the son to do what the father could not to destroy the Greeks I must admit he had a fantastic plan a bridg is built across the helis pond the channel between the continent and ours between the agan and black Seas he intends to March his army across the bridge to Byzantium to take thess and Macedonia work his way to Athens reducing that City to Ash then onwards to the penopoly city States including Sparta xerx seeks to put all of Greece under his foot it would not be difficult to do so either not with his army his bodyguard alone is made up of 1,000 infantry men and 1,000 Calvary men following his Entourage are xery's favored spearmen The Immortals so named because when one is lost he is immediately replaced with another so their numbers are never below 10,000 Army and Navy Persians and allies soldiers and followers a grand total of at least a million possibly double that all marching across the helis Pont Bridge marching into Greece all of the Greek Nations must put aside our many differences and come together if we have any any hope to survive representatives of 30 city states met in neutral Corinth a coalition is formed Corinth will remain our Center but who will take charge who will lead the command though Athens spearheaded the movement other members of the Coalition do not trust their leadership they have a Navy but it is new and untested and besides they bear the brunt of xerx enmity would we even be in this predicament had they not taken part in the ionian Revolt that so angered dar it is decided by all Athens will not lead Sparta will take command after all it is the only logical choice we are bred for battle the day we Spartan men are born we are washed in wine to strengthen us if the others deem us too weak we are left at the base of Mount tatus the infant that can survive such an ordeal is a true Spartan and returned to his family but not for long at the age of seven we are sent to be educated through the agog for the next 23 years we live with dine with are educated and trained with our fellow men it is here that we learn the laws of our land literacy diplomacy and most importantly Warfare we are encouraged to fight each other to see who is the strongest we go without food forced to devise our own plans for feeding ourselves or learning to do without when we exercise outside the women are encouraged to Jer and berate us for being such poor specimens it only encourages us to do better in our 20s we enjoy active service by age 30 those who fail the rigors of the agor will never become full citizens but those who succeed are allowed to Wed to vote to hold office and still we must dine with our agog brothers every night forever in the reserves ours is the only standing army in all the Greek city states only the Royal heirs are exempt from The Full Experience of agog but I King leonitis am an exception I grew up among my people trained with my people but then I was never supposed to be king I was never even supposed to be born my father was an exodus II for years he and his Queen were without child she was deemed Baron and the Elders of Sparta encouraged him to divorce her and marry again my father refused but for the good of the Empire the compromise was reached his wife would remain queen regent but a second wife would bear him a son it worked the second wife gave birth to a boy and while she was rarely heard from after her son would become heir to the throne cleomenes not long after the birth my father's first wife became pregnant not so Barren after all indeed there would be three of us in all dorus the eldest myself and cleam bruus we are the sons of the queen yet we are not first born and therefore not heirs apparent to the throne and so we lived and trained and fought like other Spartans my father ruled for 40 years and after his death CLE menz took the throne my older brother dorius refused to be ruled by him took a group of men to establish a colony in Libya that Colony collapsed within 3 years he then went to help the city of Croton in its battle against CIS and was killed in battle meanwhile I had grown into manhood i w gorgo daughter and only child of my half brother cleomenes known throughout the Greek world for her out spoken manner Athenians and other Greeks consider this impertinent in Sparta our women are our equals free to roam outside their homes be educated gorgo even took part in state affairs as a child she famously advised her father against helping the ionians in their revolt against the Persians if only the Athenians had her in their court but Cleo menz was a king who needed as much help as he could get he started strong but his increasingly violent and erratic Behavior showed evidence of Madness he invaded cities then abruptly left after fighting it was done he overthrew Athens Tyrant hippus only to try to replace him with another Tyrant following numerous plots to overthrow and remove the co- region of Sparta cleomenes exiled himself seemingly out of shame but then began to raise an army of his own rather than do battle Sparta allowed him to return my brother and I had him imprisoned for everyone's safety of course he was mad and it was there that he died choosing to nobly end his own life by flaying himself alive rumors abound that he was murdered that no man can tear himself apart such as he did but I assure you he was mad enough to do it because he had no male heirs Cleo menz's title could only pass to the husband of his daughter gorgo and so it was that I leonitis third son of an exadrus II and second of his socalled baren wife became king as king it is my duty to lead my soldiers our Constitution states that a king must be the first on the battlefield and the last to return home so now I find myself at thermop about to face the most powerful Army in history Xerxes will not risk splitting his Force wanting his land troops and naval fleet to remain in each other's sites that means keeping to the coast which means if he wants to get into the heart of Greece he must March through thermop mountain pass a route that narrows at points to just 15 M wide a bit of good luck for us as this means the path can potentially be held by a much smaller Force as thousands of Persians are funneled into the Gap but there's a problem the Olympic games are upon us every 4 years the Greek Nations come together for a friendly Showcase of Athletics the games are dedicated to the mighty Zeus there is a fear that if any of us misses out Zeus will be moved to anger and not look after our armies when we need him most and not only that now is also the Spartan Festival of carneia a time where a religious religious beliefs prevent us from marching into battle until it is over the full Spartan Army will not be available until the next full moon but if we do not meet the Persians in thermop we will miss our best chance of delaying their Force luckily Spartan law allows for emergencies I volunteer to lead a reduced Army of 300 soldiers all of them have living Sons so their bloodlines are guaranteed and each has been handpicked by me these are the best of the best the King's Guard we leave SP before the end of carneia my co- King leoes will mobilize greater forces for the next full moon on our march to theropo we passed through thieves and add another 400 soldiers to our number when we finally reached theropo we set to work restoring the stone wall of the Middle Gate it is one of three gates built by the fian all of which have long fallen into ruin we will refortify them as we work and wait for the Persians the other soldiers from the Coalition arrive Corin sends 400 men FIA sends 200 accompanied by 80 more from myin Arcadia sends 1,120 thesp another thousand the locals of the area the fian at another thousand as well almost 5,000 soldiers I am now in command of this will be enough to hold the Persian army off until the end of the Olympiad it is lucky that the fans joined us they tell me the Persians are closer than we thought just a day or two away they also tell me of another route through the mountains a goat track tricky territory but the Persians could use it to avoid our forces and attack us from the rear we can't take any risks I send the 1,000 fian to the past to protect it along with two of my Soldiers the wall of the Middle Gate is rebuilt in time and I keep my Spartans on the outer edge of it if any Persian Scouts see us they will think we are a force of 300 they will fail to see the thousands of Coalition forces on the other side of the gate indeed a scout does come I see him with my own eyes it means the Persian army is near finally the day comes Xerxes has sent his two half Brothers against us leading a force of midians and cians we shall meet them on the battlefield I lead 4,000 soldiers deeper into the pass I take the front line a wall of men standing shoulder-to-shoulder behind us a gap then another line of soldiers repeated where the Persians expect 300 Spartans there are thousands in full armor shields in front of us Spears ready our helmets masking our faces a wall of anonymous Warriors ready to meet our enemy the medians come first armed with short Spears and daggers confidently rushing us still thinking our numbers are few they crash into us but we hold our Shields are unbreachable above our Shields our Spears thrust through they are longer than the midian's weapons and they find the their targets easily the dead pile up through the morning and into the afternoon xerx half brothers are among the slain a retreat is called the medians flee but Xerxes has been angered he intends to bring his full wrath down on us in place of the fleeing medians come 10,000 Immortals the elite it is real fighting this time we hold them off as long as we can but the Immortals are a fierce foe as our Shield wall begins to falter we Retreat turning our backs running The Immortals pursue us breaking ranks as they attempt to finish us off as we reach our next formation of soldiers with a technique practice since we were boys we turn as one and continue the battle it was no retreat and the Immortals are caught off guard no longer in formation they are cut down driven back and they keep falling for this trick they have become accustomed to rolling over their foes they don't expect a retreating Army to suddenly turn and continue the fight they do not expect more Spartans w waiting for them finally the Persians make a full recall forced to retreat back to their Camp the first day of fighting is done thousands dead on their side a mere handful on ours but much of the battle was fought by Sparta and we are weary tomorrow the rest of the Greeks will have to prove their medal on the battlefield the dawn comes day two the fighting begins this time the other Greek nations take turns at the front using the same tactic we used yesterday yesterday we fight in close formation we Retreat causing the enemy to break ranks and pursue us and then our next line of soldiers takes over catching the Persians by surprise Xerxes seems hesitant to use his archers it seems if he did he could easily finish us yet it appears he wants us alive he has a reputation for wanting survivors to humiliate and enslave Folly on his part fortune on ours thousands more of his men are cut down before he calls for another Retreat so we have 2 days of Victory the next morning the priest and adviser majestas makes a ritual sacrifice as he has every Dawn this time however he is concerned the entrails are blemished a bad Omen it means death comes with the dawn then Messengers from the nearby town of alpini arrive during the night the Persians sent the 10,000 Immortals across the mountains using the goat path the 1,000 fian troops who were supposed to be guarding it didn't even fight it is our worst fear the Elita ofor on one side of us the rest of xerx troops on the other we are cut off surrounded on both sides I call a conference the other commanders want to leave while they still can rejoin their nation's troops as the Olympiad comes to an end but I know we must remain to delay the Persians to chip away their fighting force to show Persia to show xeres to show all of Greece that we can fight I plead with the commanders to stay demophilus of thespia pledges to stay with his troops no one else does so it is to be the Spartans and the thespians as well as the 400 thebans who I command to stay the others leave us just 1,700 of us remain before long Xerxes will march on us from the West The Immortals from the East cutting us off it is to be a Last Stand I lead my men back into the pass this time we March further than we have before on one side Marshland on the other sheer cliffs we make our formation wider this time the Persians do not expect us to meet them so close they are surprised when their Detachment commanded by Xerxes himself arrives no more tricks no more Retreats this time a fight to the death and fight we do with a ferocity never seen before the Persians have never had to face such a foe and many flee in fear some are driven into the marshes where they drown others are trampled by their own men as they seek to retreat still still others are filed by their own commanding officer whips we hold our ground and fight as a unit endlessly jabbing our Spears forward the Persians that stay to fight are Relentless with their daggers and small Spears our weapons are hacked broken the wood splinters the sharp points lost to the Earth our Spears useless it is now time for swords my brothers and I draw our weapons and hack at every enemy soldier that we can slaying countless numbers many fall but it is overwhelming and H what is that something has pierced me an arrow I ignore the pain and push forward another sharp pain and another yes it is Persia's famed archers they have finally taken their stand I continue swinging my sword but I know I know that I am slain I Fall to my knees blood roaring in my ears as they see the Persians advance I feel myself being dragged away by my countrymen and I remember her prophet y before coming to thermop the Oracle of Deli told us that Sparta would either be completely destroyed or mourn a dead king a king must die for the nation to survive the light begins to fade and a smile forms on my face we have delayed the Persians just as needed to and this will be enough time for the other city states to muster a resistance and so we have saved Greece by sacrificing a king me King leonitis of Sparta commander of the [Music] 300 it is 1888 and nearing winter normally a festive season here in Victorian England with the upcoming Christmas holiday but this year has been different fear and suspicion plagued the public as an un identified serial killer terrorizes the streets of London's East End since August there have been a total of four murders believed to have been committed by this single person and now another body has just been reported likely this Killer's fifth victim the methods used in these killings are unfathomably brutal and all of the victims have been women specifically prostitutes the details of their injuries are almost too gruesome to Bear but I am a detective Ive with the Metropolitan police's criminal investigation department and it is my duty to the people of London to thoroughly analyze the evidence with a sound mind I wonder will this fifth murder finally give us the information we need to solve these crimes he has become known as Jack the Ripper a nickname taken from one of the many letters we've received from the supposed murderer himself or perhaps even herself the truth is we've been left with very few clues about who this killer is my investigative techniques and abilities have been challenged with the unique nature of these crimes this isn't the first serial killer we've ever seen but never before have I encountered killing So Random nor so violent it All Began in August when I investigated the murder of marann Nichols it was notable because of the violence used Maryanne had been left in the middle of an Alleyway her throat cut so deeply she'd almost been decapitated at I attempted to establish a timeline leading up to the crime the doctor working with us noted that her body was warm so she had just been killed I interviewed those nearby but no one had heard or seen anything during the hour in which she could have been attacked there was no evidence that she had been moved to this location after her death no marks or blood along the road but I considered the possibility she was taken by ambulance a simple hand cart to a morchary where I could continue my investigation away from the growing crowd once there I discovered she had also been cut down her abdomen and disemboweled I went at once to fetch the doctor unfortunately the greatest care is not always taken when it comes to autopsies before I could return to the Mory with the doctor to perform a detailed postmortem medical examination two workers had stripped Maryanne of all her clothes and washed her body I wonder what missed opportunities we had because of that incident the investigation banded quickly the following month when there were three more murdered prostitutes found around the same area of White Chapel all had their throats slashed and two had been mutilated just like Maryanne the city of London Police joined the case along with several more of her own detectives and countless volunteer citizens searched for Clues one of the volunteer investigators even received a letter containing part of a kidney which we believe to be from Katherine edos the fourth victim prior to this case I had never spent so much time looking for relationships across several crimes now it is the first thing I think about there are other recent murders of women in London that remain unsolved but as I go through the files and notes I see that they do not share enough similarities with these other four cases of course in time there's no telling how many murders could be linked back to this single terrorist it's overwhelmingly frustrating forensic science in the late 19th century is quite limited we cannot identify specific fingerprints or bodily fluids left behind by the perpetrator as we have no way to properly analyze such physical evidence instead much of my detective work has been quite psychological I try to understand the Killer's motive look for patterns within the crime scenes and the many letters we receive and discern what kind of abilities or resources someone would need to commit the crime I interview as many people as I can including those near the crime scenes friends and relatives of the victims and other prostitutes because some of the victims were disemboweled or had body parts removed I've specifically interrogated butchers surgeons and anyone with an advanced knowledge of anatomy as a suspect but so far all of my suspects have had aliis doesn't help that police morale is at an all-time low prior to the murders we've been dealing with bickering and power struggles between our senior officials now the killer taunts our ineptitude with his letters the public is completely gripped by paranoia xenophobia is rampant headlines and stories sensationalize these terrible crimes and cover the news stance no doubt the journalists are the only ones benefiting from these attacks as newspaper circulation and sales increase as this police procedure we avoid working with or contacting the Press I believe they could put the Integrity of the search at risk by releasing classified information now it appears that Jack the Ripper has struck again his fifth victim a woman named Mary Jane Kelly I arrived at the scene more determined than ever I don't think any of us were prepared for the sight we encountered peeking through the window into a bedroom I saw a girl so horribly mutilated that she was not recognizable she had been skinned body parts had been hacked apart organs taken out and butchered blood was everywhere her eyes were still open staring at us through the window with a look of astonishment we had a photographer take pictures of the crime I've seen I don't think this has ever been done before by our department and is a big advancement for our investigative process I wonder how much it matters as the gruesome image of that victim has burned into my mind this was by far the most horrific attack but again no new Clues have led us anywhere will the murders get worse how can they how many more will suffer my fellow detectives have begun to develop compelling theories around each of their favorite suspects but I have to remind myself that theorizing alone will not lead to a conviction nor punishment this is the difference between the work we do and the newspapers to guarantee a successful conviction I need to catch the criminal in the act or be able to extract a confession and that is a tall order I worry that as the months drag on we will never see Justice for these victims and we will only be left with theories about the mysterious evil that is Jack the [Music] Ripper it's the 9th of June 68 ad and this is the end for me I have been named an enemy of the people and have been sentenced to death by beating but I will be the one to determine my own fate for I am Nero the emperor of Rome singer per performer musician and Chariot racer what an artist dies in me I was once heralded as a generous Emperor bringing about the kind of golden age taxes were lowered and the Arts were celebrated everywhere I performed in plays sanging concerts and played instruments to my loyal followers there are even stories that people tell of me playing my liar while Rome burned in 64 ad but I will let you judge whether you or not you think I would do such a thing I even postponed the Olympics in Greece by a year so I could train and race chariots there however it seems that good things never last I'm unsure about how I got to this point on the verge of suicide being called a tyrant and enemy of the people I am the last in line of the Julio claudian Dynasty but I was not always called Nero I was born Lucius domus aeno barbos in 37 ad the son of gaos domus aeno barbarius and agripina the younger my father died when I was very young and my mother remarried this time her uncle Emperor Claudius my mother was a very persuasive woman when she wanted to be as Claudius adopted me and named me his successor instead of his own son britannicus I was later wed to Octavia claudius's daughter which only strengthened my claim to the Empire my mother was of course thrilled about this my mother is now dead in fact I gave the order for my mother's murder such an Act is usually frowned upon in Rome but the murder was actually better received than I had expected I was left with no other option you see it all happened like this I had been named emperor of Rome in 54 ad but I was only 17 and I still wanted to explore my interests this is when I came up with the genius solution of leaving my two trusted advisers burus and senica and my mother in charge of Affairs while I indulged in my passions the people were happy and the Senate shared power with me they had a range of entertainment options to choose from games plays tournaments and they had an emperor blessed with creativity the time came though when I decided to take more responsibility which senica definitely agreed with however my mother was not as keen on this idea she took this so badly in fact that she started to push britannicus claim to the throne britannicus was younger than me and was reaching the birth date that would Mark him as an adult an age at which he would be able to make a legitimate claim to the Empire let's just say that their plan failed as britannicus died suspiciously the day before he could reach that birthday I banished my mother but this really did not make much difference my mother had always looked upon my personal relationships disapprovingly I did not want to be Shackled to my wife Octavia any longer as she was not providing me with an air which made her use less I started to look elsewhere which infuriated my mother she insisted that I could not divorce Octavia as it would turn the people against me and also refused to accept the other woman I chose instead I was fed up with my mother's interfering and deceiving nature and despite her meddling I fell in love with a noble woman poea sa I had reached my limit in 59 ad I began to hear Whispers that my mother was plotting to kill me so I decided to kill her first I asked my men to sink her boat but that mission failed so I stopped with the elaborate schemes and sent them to kill her in her home I mean anyone would have done the same in my position senica one of my closest advisers assured me that I had made the right decision without my mother's interference I then started to take action and make my own decisions I started with divorcing my wife Octavia I later had her executed on the grounds of adultery some were very critical this saying that I had fabricated the whole thing but I do know one thing that was highly convenient as it meant I could live at long last with my true love poea sabana who was already pregnant with my daughter in January 63 ad my daughter was born finally I had an heir to my Dynasty but this happiness did not last long as my daughter died only a few months later I was distraught and I think this was a turning point for me I became filled with anger anger and rage the following year in July of 64 ad Rome burnt in the great fire which devastated the city and the people within it I was quick to organize a relief effort to help rebuild the city but as the center was already burned down I decided that it was a great opportunity to do something new and wonderful that all the people of Rome could appreciate so I ordered a grand gold Palace built which would also contain a huge statue of myself considering I I gave so much back to Rome I thought it was only fair to give something back to myself and what is better than having a grand statue of yourself to admire however despite my relief efforts I was still receiving a lot of criticism I don't think the people of Rome like the increase in taxes but what else was I meant to do people even went as far as to spread the rumors saying that I caused a fire and played my liar and sang in The Palace while the city burned I will let you believe whomever you want I knew that was more likely to be the actions of the agitating Christians I knew there was Merit to these rumors and that I must act I encouraged the persecution of Christians throughout Rome nailing them to crosses and setting them a fire at night to illuminate the great City someone had to pay even with someone to blame for the fire people still began to turn against me I suspected that at parties people were saying things behind my back and my own political supporters were growing thin I tried everything to gain back the people's support I even gave public performances where I performed plays and sang I made sure that everyone enjoyed these special performances and that no one was allowed to leave even if it meant they died while watching these performances though were simply not appreciated I had to ensure that my position of power remained intact so I did what anyone else would do in my shoes I eliminated my opposition by having anyone that opposed me or said anything bad about me executed some may think that is harsh but I did not want to take any chances I found out about a conspiracy to murder me in 65 ad by some of the Roman officials so I quickly had them all executed as you can imagine I was feeling very anxious at this time and I experienced a lot of rage but so would anyone in my position unfortunately sometimes even my wife poea got in the way like the time when she angered me and I was forced to kick her in the St she had been pregnant and died soon after but I don't think it was me that killed her it was just an unfortunate thing after the death of pompea things turned really dark for me revolts were taking place all over the Empire land had been lost and Wars had cost Rome a lot of money in 68 ad the current year I returned home from an extended trip to Greece oh how I love Greece with its Olympic Games you know they even started to include artistic challenges just for me anyway I returned home to find the Roman Governor gas lilius vindex of G revolting against my Throne I did not think much of this Revolt at the time and so decided to just ignore it like so many before but this turned out to be the end of me what I did not know was that the governor galba who was supported by Governor gas was gaining support within Rome and the Senate were slowly turning against me in support of him it was when the pretorian guard whose job it is to protect the emperor turned turned against me and renounced me as their emperor that I started to worry I knew that I had to get out the Senate named me an enemy of the people and I fled Rome as quickly as I could I have since heard that I am to be arrested and beaten to death me a great emperor talented artistic athlete and musician Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus germanicus I cannot believe that it has come to this oh what an artist dies in me myself and about a dozen young men and women from Guatemala are sitting in the halflight of dusk inside an old bar turn safe house somewhere in the northern part of Chihuahua Mexico we've just finished a small dinner of rice and beans as we sorted through documents and reviewed plans for each of their new lives we've had the same dinner three times in a row in fact it's the same thing we've eaten for every meal over the past 3 days now we have nothing left to face but a long journey through the night everyone is quiet and anxious except for me this is the second time I'm going to cross the real grande this week and probably close to the 100th time this year it's not a big crowd and luckily on this trip there's no small children to worry about but still I can't let my guard down what if this is the crossing that goes wrong what if I let down all these people who have put their trust their faith and the few dollars they have in my care because I am what some people call a coyote a Smuggler bringing migrants North across the Mexico US border some people may scoff at this lifestyle but the truth is I am supplying a valuable service for which there is an extremely high demand I've heard that the business of getting people across the United States Southern border is estimated to be a multi-billion dollar industry there are many dangers and challenges associated with crossing the border getting someone to their Des a in America both successfully and safely involves a complex understanding of routes and Logistics that only those with proven experience possess if you set out on your own with no experience and try to make the same trick that many coyotes do regularly you'd be dead within a day maybe two if you're lucky as a coyote I'm just one part of a larger network of Smugglers document foragers business owners and government conspirators who all work together each doing our own part to bring migrants across huge distances and without detection my specific role of leading groups over the actual border while crucial to the whole system and the role it seems the media focuses on more than any other is still just one piece of the puzzle I began work as a coyote just a few years after I myself first came to the United States I was living in macallen Texas a Border Town near the gulf and working as a day laborer to send money back home to my family in the Mexican state of Waka I had made trips home and back to Texas a few times at this point when I was made an offer by the very Smuggler I had first paid to bring me into the United States I had worked many times with this Coyote's Brother since living in Texas and he recommended me as someone capable and eager to take on this hard work the migrant smuggling business was booming and they needed more guides I greatly appreciated this offer as he knew I had been dreaming of a way to make more money as I was barely making enough to survive on the wages I made as a Hired Hand and not nearly as much as I need to be able to support my family back in Mexico although I was scared and somewhat skeptical about the new risks that this job would entail I could not ignore that this was an incredible Financial opportunity and likely the only one that might offer me and my family a chance at a better life most people understand that our main service is to escort undocumented migrants into America our most used method method of travel include simply trekking by foot utilizing secret underground tunnels coming by truck or a combination of all three routes shift regularly based on the information we receive about where border control is currently applying the most pressure routes that have worked for years are suddenly no longer an option after border patrol figures out they're regularly used and coyotes are often forced to go far off the beaten path into the desert to avoid detection significantly increasing the danger during my first year in this industry I simply helped other coyotes work out their Roots within Mexico our Network connects routs through Central America and there are others that go even further south but I worked hard and now I am personally guiding my own groups from this safe house and directly over the border into the US depending on the point of origin the cost of our services can vary from a couple thousand for those covering less distance from Mexico or to well over $10,000 for those much further South for many this is their entire life savings or even that of their entire family who out pulled everything that they had to give their son or daughter or nephew a chance on average I take groups ranging in size from a large family to a couple dozen too many and it is difficult to manage but too few is not a good profit and it isn't just Latin Americans I take some people come from even further migrants as far away as Africa and Asia make their way to the US vrr RS because it is easier for them to find a way into South America than it is to enter North America from their Homeland everyone risks their lives to make these long and expensive Journeys for different reasons but most of the ones I talk to are trying to escape poverty violence persecution War torn communities or even natural disasters transportation is not our only service though we also provide documents stolen passports fake IDs stolen Social Security numbers and other fraudulent documents that can help them greatly once they're finally in America sometimes if the picture on a stolen ID matches our client well enough they can even be smuggled Through official border crossings but this is rare and though it's by far the easiest path into America it carries its own risk when you walk into a building full of Border agents we can also connect migrants with business owners in the states that are looking for employees willing to look the other way and eager for more affordable labor we even bribe government workers on both sides of the Border but the most crucial task we must absolutely do is off the drug cartels they are the ones truly in control of the border and not paying them would result in death personally I treat my clients with the utmost respect taking even more special care with the elderly The Young and the female migrants they are the most vulnerable to assault and abuse along the route for me to allow women and children harm would not tarnish my business reputation as a reputable coyote but it would also create situations that could jeopardize my control and safe management of each group I transport still neglect and abuse coyotes do exist after all the people making this journey are desperate hostage situations extortion and abuse or all kinds are just some of the many risks people take on when immigrating and when working with coyotes sadly many don't realize this until they are already in a bad situation but can't turn back and are forced to continue this harsh Journey some coyotes are just con artists having migrants pay thousands upfront early on the Journey Only to never even make it across Mexico generally migrants pay us in stages along the way mostly I spend time telling the groups I lead how imperative it is that they remain silent extremely silent and to be prepared to stay still and wait for up to several hours in uncomfortable outdoor conditions when you've just spent week being cold tired hungry or scared it can be difficult to keep yourself under control like this the truth of the matter though is if we are caught there are in reality not that many negative consequences clients are instructed to never ever reveal who their coyote was it would do them no benefit to identify us anyway it's not like they would be granted citizenship just for cooperating and it is always the same result they are detained or deported however if I was caught well I can simply po as a regular migrant just another one of the group who paid some other coyote to bring me across the border and no I don't know what they look like or even what their name is it is extremely unlikely that I would be charged with a serious crime and I would likely just be deported this is what makes migrant smuggling so much more appealing than trafficking drugs or weapons though many other people and organizations moving migrants are involved in these markets as well still it is a lucrative business but I must remember remember that the truth is those I work with are criminals I have to remind myself to be alert and ready to defend myself as in a way I am putting myself at risk by association and of course one never knows what kind of people my clients are there's a chance that they too are criminals or violent at the very least I know that they are desperate and that for this brief period my being alive is the only thing that will help them make it after all I too am desate as my group makes their way in the dark perfectly silent just as instructed I still feel a rush of adrenaline just like I did the very first time I crossed the border maybe this is because the roots change every time it always feels different or maybe the nerves just never fully go away the weight of the night gets to you on these silent walks even though it's not likely I've always feared that right before we cross someone perhaps people from the cartel who have a debt to collect or even law enforcement officers would emerg from this darkness and surprised us with an attack ending my life would my family ever find out what happened to me the money that this job has given me is what I always dreamed of and now my family even resides with me in Texas but at this point I probably have enough financial security to quit and continue with my life in America by doing more honest work after being poor for most of my life I am only just now starting to accept that maybe I don't need to take these risky trips so often now I also worry that the consequences of my actions will become more severe in today's shifting political climate once we make it across the river this time we floated on a set of old tires lashed together like a raft much more Awkward than some of the inflatable boats we use I can suddenly feel the excitement among the other Travelers I can sense it even in the dark quiet the journey is not over but for these people who have come so far the anticipation and hope is overflowing from here we will Trek to a meeting place where an American trucker will drive us to a safe house at a Texas Cattle Ranch I look around at their faces shining in the Moonlight the grueling walks the lack of sleep the meager amounts of food I can read in their smiling eyes that it all has been worth it for them all the thoughts I had about quitting this week have vanished from my mind the mood is too hopeful now

Channel: I Am

Views: 214,691

Keywords: i am, true, true story, story, compilation, sniper, white death, best sniper, black death, the plague, king tut, ancient, egypt, Vlad the Impaler, 300, spartans, Jack the Ripper, Nero, Coyote, history, animated history, ancient egypt, the white death, world history, animated story, american sniper, true stories, 300 spartans, bubonic plague, black death doctor, simple history, the black death, history channel, history shows, the plague doctor, animation, education, simo häyhä

Id: z9tiWkVQgEI

Length: 80min 24sec (4824 seconds)

Published: Mon Nov 16 2020