part 4
They traveled through the morning hours, searching out the abandoned tracks Dieter had told them about, always heading towards the border with France. The roads were rough; every jolt along them seemed to cause a fresh flow of blood from the wound in Chief's side. They could only add another layer to the dressings and try and hold pressure as the van jerked along. He'd passed out from blood loss and if there was a blessing to balance their worry it was that he was no longer in pain, pain that had been increased by their brutal road. The baker's gas ration had lasted into the early afternoon. They'd managed to get over the crest of the hills and were working their way down the other side, down into France when the old van coughed once and died. Garrison let the vehicle coast down hill into heavy cover under the trees. Leaning back he rested his head against the half wall that separated the cab from the back of the van. "What now?" Casino asked from the back.
He closed his eyes and sat there for a moment "Now I go see if I can find something else for us to use." He turned, slipped off the seat and stood and stretched before walking around to the back and opened the door. He laid it back against the side of the van and climbed in. Moving up to sit next to Actor he watched as the other man changed the thick outer bandage on Chief's side. "How's he doing?"
"I think it's a good thing we ran out of gas. Maybe it will give me a chance to stop the bleeding." The voice was soft and the aristocratic features drawn and worried. "He's too weak. He can't take anymore of this."
Garrison reached up and laid a hand on his back as he worked. "He's tough. He'll make it." Then he slid out of his jacket and backed away. Stepping out of the van he checked his watch, "I'm going to work my way down this road if I don't find anything in a couple of hours I'll head back and we'll decide what to do."
"I don't s'pose there's some Resistance guys around here anywhere?" Goniff asked hopefully.
"Goniff, we're so far away from where we're supposed to be..... I just don't know. They only tell me about the cells that they think I might need on a mission." Leaning against the tree he stood with his eyes closed, rubbing at the pain in the back of his neck and head. He heard the van creak when Actor stepped down from it and opened his eyes when he felt the other man's hand on his shoulder.
"It's alright. We're going to get out of this."
Nodding his head he agreed, "I know, but not unless I get moving." He walked away from them down the road.
"Think he'll find somethin'?" The little pick pocket watched as the man disappeared around the bend.
"I hope so." Actor stood looking after him a long time.
"What's wrong?"
"Didn't you see how flushed he was. He's got a fever."
"Swell!" Casino offered up grimly from his spot at the head of Chief's litter. "That's all we need."
Garrison worked his way down the road, keeping in the shade of the trees. The sun was hot and it was making him sweat, the brightness causing his eyes and head to hurt. He rubbed at the ache in his hands and wrists and wondered when he'd pulled the muscles in his back and down his legs. Must have been when he pulled Chief and the others up out of the passage back at the house, he thought. The long ride in the van had sure stiffened him up. He checked his watch, almost ninety minutes gone and he hadn't seen a thing. Leaning his back against one of the large trees he closed his eyes and listened, hoping to hear some sound that would lead him into a farm or logging camp, anywhere he might stand a chance of finding some help. All he heard was the wind sighing through the trees, and the murmur of a small stream somewhere off to his right. The sound made him thirsty. Gehrlig had left two large metal cans of water for them in the van, but they had nothing smaller to carry it in, and he hadn't thought to drink any before he left. Making his way across the road and down towards the sound he walked through the trees and into a small clearing, the stream was running along the far edge. As he moved across the little meadow he looked around him and smiled as he wondered what kind of 'weeds and grass' Chief might find here. When he reached the stream's edge he knelt down, scooping it up in his hands he threw water on his face and splashed it on the back of his neck. Closing his eyes he scooped up more and took a long drink, letting the icy coldness run down the back of his throat. When he opened his eyes he could see through the thinning trees to another clearing across the stream. He squinted and ducked his head down to get a better look and then stood. Stepping into the frigid waters he carefully made his way across and up the incline on the other side. Crouching down he studied the scene in front of him.
Casino stared as Actor checked his watch again, he didn't need a timepiece to know it was gettin' late, too late, the sun was goin' down. It was at least an hour past the time they figured the Warden'd be back, even if he'd crawled half the way on his belly. "What d'we do now?"
Their unofficial 'second in command' reached for the sack in the corner of the van and pulled out the bread and cheese Herr Gehrlig had provided. "We eat. And we wait. There's nothing else we can do." He handed out the food. "He'll be back."
Goniff looked up to study the calm features, he'd been trying to settle Chiefy down. He'd come over in a fever and had been tossing restlessly on his litter, worrying over the absence of their leader, wanting to go off after him. It had been a struggle to keep him still so the wound wouldn't break open again. "But what if he don't get back?"
Before he got his answer Chief pushed himself up on his elbow hissing, "Quiet!"
They strained to hear the sound that Chief, even in his fever, could hear. Slowly relief spread through the group. Far off down the road they could hear the sound of a heavy engine laboring up the grade towards them.
"What in the Hell does that thing do for a living?" Casino asked in amazement as he looked at the ungainly vehicle
"Damned if I know, but it's got gas and it runs, so it'll get us out of here. The cabs big enough for everyone and the heater in it works. Some kind idiot's even a left a radio for us." Garrison was resting against the back of the van, gratefully drinking the water Goniff had poured out for him, and eating the bread and cheese Actor urged on him.
"I believe that is the ugliest thing I have ever seen."
"Blimey, she's beautiful!" When the big Italian toff turned to him in disbelief the wiry cat burglar smiled up at him "She's gonna carry us outta here, ain't she?"
It had been tricky getting Chief loaded, finally taking all four of them. Casino and Goniff leaning against the side of the monster shoving the top of the litter up over their heads as Actor hoisted the foot of it to keep it level until Garrison could reach down, take hold of the sides and pull it up to rest on the wide seat that ran along the back of the cab. Goniff scrambled nimbly enough up into the back to sit on the floor next to Chief's head, but it'd taken help from both the Warden and Actor to push Casino and his splinted leg up where he could grab the sides of the door and shove himself inside, hitching along the floor until he rested against the little man's side with his legs stretched out in front of him.
Leaning on the side of the vehicle after he'd slammed the door closed Garrison turned and asked, "You think you can drive this thing? I'm beat."
The con man cocked his head. "You are sick."
He crossed his arms and shook his head. "No. I'm fine."
"Just because you refuse to admit it does not change the fact that you are ill and are running a fever. We should find a place where you can rest the night."
"Look, I'm fine, and I'll keep being fine until we get back to England." Dropping his hands to his sides he looked up at the taller man. "Actor, I know how I feel now, I know what I'm capable of now." He shook his head and continued honestly, "and I can't say that about tomorrow. Besides, Chief can't wait."
Actor considered him for a long moment and then reached into the first aid pouch he'd carried along "Then at least take these, they'll help."
Garrison looked down at the pills the man held out to him, reaching up he pushed the hand gently away. "Keep them for Chief, he needs them worse than I do," reaching down into his pocket he drew out several pieces of bark. "Besides, I've got these."
"What in the devil is that?!"
"Willow bark." Smiling at Actor's shocked expression. "You weren't listening to him when Chief was talking as we were dragging that cart back down to meet Herr Gehrlig were you? One of his "lady's" remedies for fever and headache. I've got splinters in my teeth," he laughed, "and it tastes like shit, but I think it might actually help."
"Surely you weren't meant to eat it!" Actor smiled in spite of himself. "I think you only believe it is effective."
"You might be right," Garrison wrapped his hand around the bar on the side of the cab and hauled his body up towards the door. "But sometimes you can get a long way on belief, baby, so don't start picking on my delusions."
Actor climbed the side of the cab and settled on the seat behind the wheel and looked at the variety of levers projecting from the column and twisting up from the floor, his hands hovering over them, not sure what to do. Garrison pointed at the floor at the man's feet, "Gas, brake, clutch," tapping a thick knob on one of the shafts coming off the column. "Gear shift. Don't touch any of the others" he advised. "They won't do anything you'll like." Yawning he settled himself against the door. "Button on the control starts her up." He fell asleep before the engine caught.
They traveled through the night, crawling slowly downward along the dirt road. In the early hours after midnight they started seeing flashes of light in the sky ahead of them. Another hour brought them to a rise with a clear view out over the tree tops. Actor pulled the beast to a stop and they sat watching the horizon and the flashing signs of a battle being waged below. The low rumble of the shelling and the retort of the guns reached them, rousing Garrison from his rest. "What's wrong? Why have we stopped?" Turning he looked out the windshield.
"Blimey! Look at that!" Goniff craned over Casino's shoulder to see out between the two front seats. "We never have t'go down inta that, do we?"
"That's exactly where we have to go. Our lines are right in front of those guns." He reached down to floor and picked up the radio to see if he could home in on a frequency that would let him hear what was going on, but all that came across was static.
"Yeah but the trick's gonna be gettin' from here to the other side a them lines without gettin' our selves killed."
"S'not gonna be long, is it?" Garrison turned to look back at Chief. "The war's gonna be right on top a that old guy pretty soon, isn't it?"
Two hours later they were on the valley floor, four or five miles from the lines, and out of gas. Actor pushed the starter button again, shaking his head. "That's it. It looks like we walk from here."
Garrison turned to open the door, calling over his shoulder "OK. Everybody off the bus!" He swung down onto the ground, reaching back to help Goniff down the side of the vehicle. "Actor, stay up there, you can let Chief down to us once we're set." Both men reached up to steady and support Casino as he lowered himself out the door. Actor shoved the stretcher along the seat, angling the foot carefully down so that Garrison could grab hold of it from the ground and then lowered the head slowly down into Casino and Goniff's waiting hands. Turning he climbed down the other side, bringing the rest of the food, water and the radio with him. Casino, leaning heavily on Goniff, started off towards the trees, Actor and Garrison following with the litter. When they'd settled Chief, Actor made a quick check of the bandages through the group before walking back to help bring the supplies up. "How are you feeling?"
Garrison shouldering the radio bent to pick up one of the large cans of water. "I'm fi--"
"Fine. I know," he stated, looking up into a sky turning from black to the gray of early dawn. "What do we do now?"
"Well, we can't stay anywhere near that," looking back he gestured with his free hand, "thing. Setting out here in the open it's going to draw a lot of attention. Somebody'll either be up here trying to figure out what in the hell it is, or they'll be lobbing shells at it, soon as the sun comes up. And we've only got about half an hour before that happens."
"We're not going to be able to move very fast."
"I know, so we'd better get started." Squatting down near the other three he twisted the cap off the water. "OK, you guys, grab something to eat and get some water. We'll be moving out in five minutes." He stood and tried the radio; the same static assailed their ears. Turning to the con man again, "Get everybody ready to go, I'm going to go down the road a bit and take a look." When he came back to them he was carrying a long straight branch along, handing it over to Casino when he got close. "See if that doesn't help some. It looks like it gets pretty steep up ahead."
Hanging the supplies and radio from the ends of Chief's litter they picked it up and started off, with Goniff and Casino hobbling along behind. It was murderously slow and having no one with a free hand to handle a weapon tore at their nerves. Try as they might there was no way to be silent as they moved along. They could only continue moving forward, praying they were far enough out on the edge of the battle that they'd come in contact with no one until after they'd made it across their lines. They'd worry about how to explain themselves then. The lighter it got the more they tried to stay under the cover of the trees, but the ground was too rough for the injured men to leave the road behind, they'd never make it over the uneven terrain. Dawn found them less that half a mile from where they'd left the vehicle. Small spotter planes were working the skies along the hills that hemmed the valley. Fifteen minutes after sunrise they dove deeper into the cover of the trees. The sounds of shells overhead and the vibration in the ground as they landed behind them told them what the fate of the vehicle that had brought them this far would be. After the artillery crew warmed up they landed one right on the money, and they sat in the trees watching the black smoke rise as what was left of the gas and the oil burned.
It took ninety minutes to make the next mile. Chief was in the throes of his fever now and they had to stop often to try and calm and quiet him. Every moan or cry could bring the enemy down on them. Thirty minutes more found them trying to negotiate a section that angled steeply downward. Casino fell, twisting and landing on his injured leg, as his staff slid away from him in the layer of shale on the road. Rolling up to grab the knee he sat swearing in the road. Gritting his teeth he looked up as Garrison rushed to his side. "Shoot me. Just shoot me and get it over with. I'm not gonna make it, you guys gotta leave me behind and get out of here."
"Shut up, Casino. Nobody gets left behind." Garrison checked the bandages and saw the first stain of blood seeping up from the wound. "Goniff! You in any shape to help?"
The little thief had been jerked off his feet and thrown down on the road when the other man fell and was heaving back the skimpy breakfast they had at sunrise as his vertigo returned. In a moment he sat back on his heels and nodded before struggling to his feet. He stood swaying in the road, his arms stretched out to keep his balance but pulled Casino's arm across his shoulders and staggered along as the Warden, supporting the man from the other side guided them down the slope, "Come on, just a little bit further. You can rest when we reach the bottom." He encouraged and cajoled them until they were safely settled in the shade of the trees at the bottom of the hill.
Walking back up the road he sank down on his knees next to the stretcher and sat a moment, catching his breath. "How is he?"
Actor leaned over Chief, shading him from the sun. "He's unconscious. His fever's up again." Nodding down the hill. "What about them?"
"Goniff's dizzy."
"Yes, I could see that. Casino?"
Garrison wiped the sweat off his face with his sleeve and shook his head. "He broke the wound open again, he's bleeding." Standing they stooped to their burden and started down hill towards the others. Ten yards down the slope Garrison felt the stretcher twist abruptly in his hands, he struggled to keep his grip and stay on his feet as the end dropped and Chief slipped off the litter. He heard the sound of something heavy hitting the ground, followed by a grunt of pain. Dropping the empty stretcher back on the road he turned to find Actor down and moved to help him.
The irritated Italian waved him off with a curt gesture. "I can manage. See to Chief."
Kneeling next to the litter he carefully shifted the injured man back on the stretcher, then folded the blanket back to check the dressing on his side. Running a hand through his hair he shook his head. "I'm going to take him down to the others. I'll be back for you." Reaching down he pulled the strap off the end of the stretcher and slipping it around the young man made him fast to the litter before he picked up the handles at the head and started down hill, dragging it behind him. Casino and Goniff reached out for Chief when he pulled the stretcher into the shade, ready with water and cloth to wash and apply pressure to the wound.
Garrison turned and went back up the hill to Actor who still sat in the dust at the side of the road. "Well? Can you stand if I help you?"
Reaching a long arm up and grasping the hand held out to him. "I don't know, I can try." Actor let himself be hoisted to his feet. He stood with his hand resting on the Warden's shoulder, supported by the man's strong grip on his arm and hand at his waist. Gingerly putting his foot down he rocked forward, trying to test the injury, he hissed in pain and drew his foot back up off the ground.
"Can you put any weight on it?"
He tried again, managing a halting step, gritting his teeth he stared into the worried face in front of him and shook his head. "Not enough. Not enough to do us any good."
"That was a nice little dance step you two were doin' up there. What was that, Your Highness, the fox trot?" Stretching out his hand Casino helped steady the con man as Garrison lowered him to the ground.
Goniff helping from the other side gave a worried grin, "Naw, Casino, fox trot's got that little kick up at the end."
"We'd better get that boot off."
"No! Leave it." Straining forward extending a protective hand over his ankle. "It will help support the joint."
"And if the swelling gets too bad it'll help you lose your foot! Casino hand me Chief's knife." Casino pressed the trigger that released the blade from its harness and tossed it across Actor's outstretched legs. The Warden ran the razor sharp blade along the stitching at the inside of the tall boot and then cut in at the top, working his hand inside and down along the seam protecting the long leg as he sliced through the leather lining. "Goniff, grab on and help him hold still, this is going to hurt." Sliding his hand inside, he supported the ankle as he pulled and twisted the boot off. Looking up when the normally tightly controlled Italian swore and groaned with pain.
"Merda! Non credo questo!" The suave features were pale and sweat beaded across the lofty forehead.
Goniff hissed in sympathy. "It's turnin' a ruddy great color a purple, n't it?"
"That's just great! How in the Hell are we gonna get out of here now?"
"We'll get out." He picked up the radio and had it on again. Static still, but pulsing and shifting with a cadence that refused to resolve itself into speech.
"How! Are you gonna carry us all out on your back!?"
"If I have too! Now shut up and let me think Pull your weapon, damn it, and do something useful for a change instead of just grousing!" He stalked away from them, heading to the next clump of trees, to the quiet a few feet of separation might afford him, but stopped after a couple of steps and stood blinking up into the leaves. After a moment he squared his shoulders and turned back to the group, crouching down next to them. "Alright, this is what we're going to do..."
"You're crazy! That'll never work."
He closed his eyes and reached up to rub the back of his aching neck, heaving a sigh, too tired to argue, he said quietly. "Yes it will, Casino, and it'll be safer than what we've been doing."
"Yeah! How in the hell do you figure that?!" The safecrackers worry was making him belligerent but his tone softened as he studied their commander's worn features.
Garrison opened his eyes and looked around the group. "Look, once Actor and Goniff get set they can provide cover for me as I bring Chief up, and then come back for you. You can do the same thing for them from behind, when they move up, I'll go back and brush out our trail and then we start all over again. Believe me, it'll work."
"How far do we have to go, then?" Goniff asked
"No more than two miles."
"Jeeze! Two miles! I don't think I can make that."
"It's just a hundred yards, Casino. Just a hundred yards at a time, you can do it." Garrison took in a deep breath and pushed himself up off the ground. "I'm going to go up and check the first leg, make sure it's safe."
Casino watched him walk away and turned to the other two men. "Do you believe that stubborn son of a bitch?"
Actor leaned back against the tree and smiled. "Yes, and sometimes you can get a long way on belief."
Chief struggled up through his fever in the late afternoon and opened his eyes to find Casino bending over him, wiping his face with a damp rag. "What's goin' on?"
"Don't worry, Kid, we're just playin leap frog along here"
"Where's th' Warden?" He remembered the sound and the feel of the stretcher as it shuddered along the road, the feeling of needing to hang on as the head of it was lifted, and the pressure of the strap under his arms as it kept him from slipping.
"He just walked back a ways to do some sweepin'. He'll be back up here in a minute."
Chief puzzled over that for a minute, trying to make sense of it, and then he raised his head and looked around him, as the pieces fell into place and he remembered where they were, and how they were traveling. "Tie some branches on the underside a this thing. They'll help brush out the drag marks."
"That something' you learned on the reservation, Geronimo?" Casino snorted in amusement.
"Radio." Chief laid back, his head spinning with weakness. "Tonto did it all the time. Whenever he had t'go save that sorry ranger's butt. Tie 'em 'round your ankles too. Drag 'em along behind."
"Good thinking Kiimosabe."
"Pappy, you jerk." he mumbled. "That was the white guy." He drifted back to sleep.
"We've got to stop. We're getting too close to the fighting. I'm going to leave you guys here and scout up along that hillside, see if I can find somewhere we can wait this out." Staying in the brush along the base of the bluff he had found a small cave about seventy yards from where he'd left them. Stepping inside it was cool and slightly damp. The sound of water dripping drew him to the back of the cavern. Squatting down he let the moisture run over his fingers. There was a small depression that formed a pool at the base of the tiny waterfall.
"There's a limestone cave up there." He told them, picking up the ends of Chief's litter and adjusting the strap across his chest. "Actor, Goniff, you follow me." Casting a glance back over his shoulder, "Casino, wait here. I'll be back for you in a couple a minutes."
The safecracker shifted his position to lean back against a rock, his injured leg stretched out before him. Laying his arm across his bent knee, gesturing with the weapon in his hand, he called after the small procession. "I'll be here. Jeeze, it's not like I can get anywhere on my own."
In twenty minutes the Warden was back, reaching down to help haul him to his feet and then dragging his arm across the back of his neck to help him limp up the trail to shelter.
"Nice digs, Warden." They had to stoop to get inside and he'd put too much weight on his right leg causing a hiss of pain.
"Don't complain, Casino, at least it's solid." The Warden lowered him to the ground and then leaned over him to check the bandage for signs of bleeding. "If they don't land one right in the opening we ought to be safe enough in here for now"
A moment later they were showered by dirt and small stones as a shell hit, rocking the hillside.
"Blimey! That's close. I feel like I'm in London in the Blitz!"
"Quiet! You hear that?" Actor brought his hand up quickly to silence them
"Voices!"
"American?"
"Naw, Kraut!"
Garrison looked back from his position near the opening, "Get the radio going, maybe we can pick up on something that'll tell us what's going on."
Casino took the unit from where they'd secured it on Chief's litter and turned it on low, trying to zero in on a frequency that had traffic. Suddenly the static disappeared and they could hear a voice calmly speaking,
"Debeh-lizini Nassey Wolachee-snez Nish-cla-jih-goh Dah di khad Wo-tkanh Bilh-has-ahn, Wo-tkanh, Bilh-has-ahn Ta Eh ye sy."
"What in the hell's that?' Casino looked down at the unit in his hand
"What's anybody doin' talkin' Chinese out here?" Goniff stared at the radio.
"That's Navajo," Chief said quietly.
Moving quickly across the small cave Garrison took the radio from Casino and brought it close. "Do you understand it?"
Chief nodded his head and swallowed. "Some."
"Debeh-lizini Nassey Wolachee-snez Nish-cla-jih-goh Dah di khad Wo-tkanh Bilh-has-ahn, Wo-tkanh, Bilh-has-ahn Ta Eh ye sy."
The young man looked at him and frowned. "Don't make any sense."
"Just tell me what you hear."
"Debeh-lizini Nassey Wolachee-snez Nish-cla-jih-goh Dah di khad Wo-tkanh Bilh-has-ahn, Wo-tkanh, Bilh-has-ahn Ta Eh ye sy."
"Black sheep ahead. Long Ant. Left. Hold. Hold." He closed his eyes and his voice dropped into a whisper. "That's all I can get."
"That must be some kind of code." Actor pulled himself over to check the bandage on Chief's side.
"Right and it has to be American."
"How'd ya figure that?" Goniff looked at Garrison.
"They used Indian coders in the last war, they're using them in the Pacific now. There must be some teams here too."
Casino jabbed a finger in the direction of the radio. "But we still don't know what the hell it means!"
"I know," Garrison was moving toward the small opening again.
"Where are you going?" reaching out Actor gripped their commander by the arm.
"I'm going to go out and find out what's happening."
"You crazy bastard! You can't go out there!"
"Look, if I can find out who's winning this thing," he said, shrugging out of the grasp that held him. "It'll let us know what we've got to do, which way we have to move next."
Goniff looked around at the ragged group. "Well at least we're wearin the right kinda uniforms if the ruddy Germans crash in here."
"Swell!" Casino growled to Garrison's back as he made his way out of the cave. "We get all this way and he's gonna go out there and get his head blown off sneaking around in the woods."
"Take it easy mate, the Warden knows what he'd doin'."
Raising a skeptical eyebrow he stared at the little man. "You think so?!"
"What d'ya find out?" Casino had taken up a position protecting the opening to their shelter and had been worrying there the whole time the Warden had been gone, it showed plainly in the irritation in his voice.
Garrison smiled, acknowledging his concern. "Their line's broken. They're falling back. Our guys are right behind them. It shouldn't be long now."
Actor ducked and covered Chief as another shell hit nearby, sending a shower of dirt down over them again. "Grazie Dio"
"Here I found this." He handed over a German first aid pack Answering the shocked look on the con man's face he assured him, "The corpsman was already dead when I found it."
They'd waited as the sounds of the fight regressed and advanced around them through the night. Gradually it grew quiet as the new day dawned and Garrison got up again moving to the entrance. "I think it's over."
"Yeah? Who won?" Running his hand through his hair to dislodge the dust and dirt, Casino ducked down and peered out the opening.
"I don't know." Turning back he looked over the group. "I'm going to go find out."
"Uh, I hate to tell you this babe, but if it was us you ain't exactly dressed in the right uniform to go wanderin' around out there."
"So I'll surrender."
"Warden," looking over at Chief, Goniff turned back with a worried smile, "We kinda used up all our white flags."
Garrison had been in cover near the base of a large tree watching as a squad of GI's moved slowly through the brush in a sweep, looking for German stragglers. He had just started to stand, to hail them when there was a flash from the bushes just in front of him and he felt a hammer blow to his side as he was knocked off his feet. "Shit! Hold your fire, damn it! I'm one of yours! Fuck! I don't believe this!"
"Hold it! Hold your fire."
What do you think, Sarge?
"I think he doesn't swear like any Kraut I ever heard. Throw your weapon out and stand up where I can see you."
He stood up slowly. Standing motionless he waited a moment before tossing the gun he still held in his right hand away from him, out into the clearing where it could be seen.
"Alright! Hands in the air and walk forward. Slowly."
He tried to comply but he couldn't raise his left arm. He put his right hand up and leaned to the left, letting his left arm swing away from his body
"Who are you?"
"Lieutenant Garrison, U.S. Army. I'm with a Special Forces team."
Casting an eye down at the dirty German trousers and boots, the sergeant demanded, "Can you prove that?"
"Get serious, Sergeant! My serial number's 926314 you should be able to check that out."
"Doc! Get over here!"
"What's your unit, Sergeant?"
"Stand still! Don't you move!"
"Damn it, Sergeant! I've identified myself. I expect you to do the same. Who are you? What is your unit?" He leveled his best angry young officer's gaze at the non com in front of him and snapped, "That's an order, Sergeant!" but didn't make a dent in the experienced soldiers thick layer of skeptical mistrust.
"That can wait until after we've checked your story out."
"OK." He closed his eyes in frustration. "Sergeant, you get hold of somebody in your line of command and have them check me out. I'm with a Special Forces unit. Operations knows we're out here somewhere. I have four men up in those hills. All of them are injured." Opening his eyes again he stared at the GI in front of him. "I'm going to need help getting them down out of there."
The medic stepped forward and helped him sit back down, leaning him back against the tree he took scissors from the pouch at his waist and cut his sleeve away and started to work. Two men stood over them on guard as the Sergeant turned back to the radioman.
Ten minutes later he was back, "OK Lieutenant, your story checks out."
Garrison breathed a sigh of relief as the medic tied the dressing down and stood. "That's it, sir. We'll have a stretcher up here directly to take you down the line."
"NO!" He pushed himself up off the ground and turned on the squad leader, "Sergeant! I have men in those hills, you'll never find them. And if you do, you'll never get near them, unless I'm with you."
"What'd you say, Doc?"
"Sarge, it got him through the muscle of his arm there and then skittered along his ribs. He's losing blood, he's not breathin so good, and he's got a fever. He needs the aid station."
"Damn it, Sergeant, what I need is to get my guys out of there."
The soldier stood staring at the man and nodded at his determination to see to the safety of his men. "Doc, can he make it up into those foot hills to show us where the others are?"
"He seems to think so, Sarge, I'm not so sure."
"Alright. Doc, see what you can do to get this guy ready to go"
The corpsman shook his head and then pulled a sling from his pouch. "OK. If your not gonna ride, we better support that arm." When he finished he looked up and asked "Lieutenant, you said you had injured men up there. How many? What kinda shape are they in?"
Garrison scrubbed at his face with his hand and then rubbed his eyes. "Four, Doc. Worst one took a bullet in the back. It went clean through. He's lost a lot of blood and he's got a fever. Goniff's got a concussion, he got hurt on the way in. He's still pretty unsteady on his feet. Casino sliced his leg pretty bad. I don't know why there's no infection, but, thank God, there isn't. He still can't walk on it. And I think Actor broke his ankle yesterday, so he's not getting around too good either."
"And what about you, sir?" the young man asked as he packed supplies back into his kit.
"I'm fine, Doc."
The medic looked at him and smiled. "I got a Sergeant just like you, sir. Just because you don't admit it doesn't' mean you aren't sick. How long you had that fever?"
"You sound like one of my men, Doc. I'll hang together 'til we get back to England."
"If you say so, sir, but here," he said, tossing a tin in Garrison's lap "These might help."
"This stuff comes in pills too?" Chuckling at the puzzled look on the other man's face "Thanks, Doc." he said as he poured a few of the tablets into his hand and tossed them in his mouth, chewing and swallowing the bitter pills before the medic had time to pour him any water.
"He ready, Doc?"
"Yeah, Sarge, but I wanna keep an eye on him. The injury isn't that bad, but he's in pretty rough shape." He accepted the tin of aspirin back and put it away in the pouch slung over his shoulder. "Sounds like we're gonna need some more help gettin' all of those guys down out of there."
"They're sending a truck up for them. Billy can wait here for it. We can bring them down this far." The GI tuned to his squad, "Alright, mount up!" Motioning to one of his team he commanded, "You and Doc take care of this guy." The man who stepped forward towered over Garrison. "Let's get this done." He pointed at another one of the men waving him forward. "Take the point." The non com turned back to him, "Lieutenant? You say your men are injured? How bad? Anybody up there still able to shoot back?"
"One or two, Sarge. And they might, if I don't go in first"
"Alright. We'll get in as close as we can. You make contact and make sure your guys don't start firing on us. Let's move out."
"Actor! Casino! Hold your fire!" He stepped out of cover, away from the giant that had been assigned to help get him back up here and moved towards the cleft in the rock where he knew one of his men stood on guard. He accepted the support when the con man reached out to take him by the arm, in turn helping the other man limp back inside as they both stooped to enter the small cavern where the others were concealed.
"Damn!" Casino looked him over from his position next to Chief. "What happened to you?"
"I found our lines," he said with a shrug of his uninjured shoulder and a weary smile.
"You know," Goniff shook his head, "Warden, we just seem to have piss poor luck this time out."
"Goniff, 'piss poor luck' would've been them being better shots, me being dead, and you guys being stuck out here until you were caught, or died of starvation!" Garrison crouched down near his injured men. "How's Chief?"
"The bleeding's stopped, but his fever is worse. We need to get him out of here." Actor told him simply.
"That's what the guys outside are going to help us do. Now just stay absolutely still and keep your mouths shut when the patrol comes in. The Sergeant is a real hard-ass. I don't think he believes in me yet." He stood up, swaying slightly, and turned back towards the opening to their chamber. "You better lay your weapons on the ground. Shove them out of reach. That might make him a little more comfortable."
"Well it's not gonna make me more comfortable!" Casino groused.
Garrison didn't bother to turn back, "I know, but do it anyway." He held his hand away from his body as he stepped out of the cover of the rocks. "Alright, Sergeant, come on up." He watched as the non com moved forward carefully scanning the area, looking for any sign of a trap. The man stopped, crouched down in the entrance, frowning as he looked over the ragged men that sat or lay on the ground in front of him. His eyes rested a moment on the boy on the stretcher before he turned and called over his shoulder. "Doc! Get up here!"
They moved the injured men out into the light outside the cavern entrance and the medic had seen to each one, before handing them over to squad members for the trip down the hill. He'd kept the boy with him, though he'd worked first and longest with him. They'd moved him off the hard ladder onto a canvas litter and covered him with blankets He'd help carry him down himself. They were ready to go now, and he stood and shrugged the litter's strap over his shoulder and set off.
Garrison stood starring after them and started with a jerk when the Sergeant stepped up and pulled his uninjured arm across his shoulder. Wrapping his other arm around his waist he stood looking at him a moment. "Come on, Lieutenant." And they started walking slowly down the hill.
***
"I don't envy you your kind of war."
"That's what Goniff said to one of your guys." He fell silent again, his shoulders sagged and he rested his head on his hand and gazed down into his empty mug and yawned.
"You still waiting to hear?"
He leaned forward and scrubbed at his eyes with a dirty hand. "No the doc was over here a while ago. They'll all be OK." He rested his arm on the table and continued to stare down into the mug.
The older officer watched him over his coffee a moment before asking. "What are you thinking?"
Garrison leaned back against the post and closed his eyes. With a sigh he said quietly "I was just wondering if they'd court-martial you for an eighty percent casualty rate."
The other man laughed. "Probably, but," and he gestured to the sling that supported the younger man's arm, "I think they start handing out medals when you hit a hundred." There was no response. He sat quietly for a few minutes, letting the young man sink deeper into exhausted sleep, before motioning to one of his men and saying softly, "Saunders, get Doc back over here." Then he sat and waited until the medic arrived. The corpsman carried a stretcher over with him when he came, and another man trailed along behind. Obviously he'd been expecting this to happen. Hanley watched as they loaded the guy on the stretcher and he walked along side as they took him across to the medical tent. Whoever was expecting a report from this kid was just going to have to wait another couple a days.
The end
Author's Note: This was a true story. 'Christmas in the trenches' in your browser will guide you to the poem, song, and history of this event.
