Disclaimer: The Rat Patrol is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.

All It Took Was a Sip

By Suzie2b

It was midafternoon in Al Kut. Hitch and Tully were in a bar having a couple of beers while they waited for Troy and Moffitt to finish their meeting with Major Caldwell.

The first one went down smooth enough. The second tasted odd to Hitch. "How's your beer taste?"

Tully took a swallow and said, "A little warm, but the same as the first one."

Hitch looked at the bubbles in his glass, then took another sip. He wrinkled his nose and set the glass aside. "That just tastes bad."

A few minutes passed and Hitch started to get a headache. Then his hands started to tingle. When he looked at them, they were shaking.

Tully saw this and asked with concern, "You okay, Hitch?"

"I suddenly have a headache and feel like I'm going numb."

"Maybe we should get out of here. Get a little air."

Hitch nodded slowly and started to stand up. He leaned heavily on the table. "I can't feel my feet."

Tully went to Hitch's side and put an arm around him, then got one of Hitch's arms around his shoulders. "I've got you. Let's go." As he helped his friend move away from the table, Tully picked up the glass of beer that Hitch had set aside.

Tully and Hitch were making their way towards medical when they ran into Troy and Moffitt. Troy took one look at Tully helping a stumbling Hitch walk and smiled. "I thought you two were only going to have a couple of beers. Not get drunk."

Tully shook his head. "He's not drunk, sarge. I think he may have been poisoned."

Troy's smile disappeared and he rushed to help support the private as they continued along. "What? Are you sure?"

"Not positive." Tully handed the glass of beer to Moffitt. "That was his second one. He said it tasted bad and set it aside. A few minutes later he said his head hurt and his hands and feet were going numb."

Moffitt sniffed the beer. "I don't smell anything. I'll run on ahead to the hospital and let them know what's going on. I'll send back a stretcher."

As Moffitt ran off, Hitch was hit by the first stomach cramp. He groaned as the muscles in his abdomen seized painfully.

##############################

In the hospital, Hitch was whisked away to be examined and the beer was being tested. It was some time before someone came out to talk to Troy, Moffitt, and Tully.

Troy immediately asked, "How's he doing, doc?"

Dr. Baker said, "About as well as can be expected. He's a very sick young man."

Moffitt asked, "Has he been poisoned?"

"Yes. Beer normally has minute traces of arsenic from the brewing process. Quite harmless. But when we tested what was in that glass, the arsenic levels were elevated well above what they should be."

Tully's brow was furrowed with worry. "Will Hitch be all right?"

Dr. Baker replied, "It's going to depend on how much of the poison he ingested."

"He only took a couple of sips."

"We're going to treat him with dimercaprol. It's the only thing we have that may work."

"Can we see him?"

The doctor shook his head. "Now is not a good time. I might suggest that you make an effort to find out who's responsible and why this was done to Private Hitchcock before it happens again."

Troy nodded. "Thanks, doc." Dr. Baker walked away and he looked at Moffitt and Tully. "All right … let's go to that bar and see what we can find out."

##############################

Tully took them to the bar where he and Hitch had been. It was owned by an American entrepreneur and the majority of the patrons were soldiers. The bartender and wait staff were Arabic.

Troy asked, "Is that the same barkeep?"

Tully glared at the man. "It sure is." Before Troy and Moffitt could stop him, Tully marched up to the bar, reached over, and grabbed the bartender by the front of his thawb. He pulled the small Arab man halfway over the bar and growled, "Why did you try to kill my friend?"

The poor man was terrified of the bigger, stronger American soldier. Troy and Moffitt were quickly behind Tully, and with a little force got him to turn loose of his victim.

As the bartender slid back behind the bar and sat heavily on the floor, Troy said, "Easy, Tully, easy."

Tully said, "He tried to kill Hitch and I wanna know why!"

"I know. We all do, but this isn't the best way to do it."

Moffitt had gone behind the bar and helped the bartender to his feet. "Awfully sorry about that. I'm Sergeant Moffitt and they are Sergeant Troy and Private Pettigrew. What's your name?"

"My name is Nasir." He pointed tentatively at Tully. "Why does he say I killed his friend? I don't kill."

Tully lunged forward and as Troy hauled him back, he said, "He's not dead yet … and you better hope he recovers!"

Nasir gasped and stepped behind Moffitt.

Moffitt said, "Troy, why don't you take Tully outside while I talk to Nasir."

Troy nodded. He grabbed Tully by the arm and pulled him away from the bar. "Come on. Let's get you cooled off."

Moffitt looked at Nasir. "Private Pettigrew was in here earlier with a friend of ours. Do you remember them?"

Nasir nodded. "Yes, I remember when they came in. I got them each a beer."

"Did you get them their second ones?"

"No, I went for my ten minute break. One of the waiters took over."

Moffitt took a breath to calm himself. "Do you know his name?"

Nasir replied, "Omar. He just started working here yesterday. When I came back, he was gone and he has not returned."

"Can you describe him to me? What does he look like?"

Nasir smiled. "He looks like me. Only he is taller like you."

Moffitt pressed a coin into the bartender's hand. "Thank you, Nasir." Outside he found Troy and Tully. "It wasn't him."

Tully glowered. "It has to be him! He was the only barkeep in there!"

"Settle down, Tully. Nasir said he did get you and Hitch your first beers, but not the second ones. While he went on a break, a man by the name of Omar took over. He's probably the one we need to speak to."

Troy asked, "Okay, is Omar inside so we can talk to him?"

Moffitt shook his head. "No. Nasir said Omar left before he got back and he hasn't seen him since."

"Do you know what he looks like?"

Moffitt smiled a little. "According to Nasir, Omar looks like him only about my height."

Tully put a fresh matchstick in his mouth. "Okay, let's get to lookin'."

##############################

Al Kut was a good sized town, so Troy, Moffitt, and Tully split up to cover more territory faster. However, when they met up again as it was getting dark, they had no luck in locating Omar.

They went back to the hospital to check on Hitch. His condition had worsened. He was on oxygen and his breathing was labored. Tully tried to reassure his friend, but he didn't think Hitch was coherent enough to realize he was there.

After a short time, they went back outside. Distress was written on their faces. Troy sighed. "All right, let's go get billeted. We may as well get some rest."

Tully shook his head. "I'm gonna keep looking, sarge. He's here someplace."

Moffitt said, "It's not a good idea to wander around here alone at night, Tully."

Troy agreed, "He's right. We'll get some rest and take up the search in the morning."

They stopped in to check on Hitch first thing in the morning and were told by Dr. Baker that Hitch's condition hadn't changed. Unfortunately, they were also informed that there had been another poisoning. Private Trevor Kyle was found dead in his quarters. He had died two or three days prior to Hitch being poisoned.

Tully growled, "What in the heck is going on here?"

Moffitt thought the name of this victim was a little familiar and said, "You two go and look for Omar. I'm going to do a little research. I'll be at headquarters checking some files."

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Three hours went by with no success. Troy sighed. "Let's go see if Moffitt's come up with anything. If he has, hopefully it will narrow our search some."

Troy and Tully found Moffitt at a table surrounded by files. He looked up as they entered the room. "Good. I'm glad you're here."

Troy asked, "Please tell us you found something."

"I have. Remember several months ago when we helped out a squad of Australians that were pinned down at a farmhouse by Dietrich and his men?"

Troy nodded. "Yeah, it was pretty messy on both sides. There was a family there."

Moffitt swept his hands over the files. "These men were those soldiers. Those that survived that battle are now dead. Trevor Kyle was the last. I have a feeling Omar has been following them."

Tully questioned, "But why would this Omar guy want to kill them."

Moffitt stood and handed a file to Troy. "That describes how his family died. Their well had been poisoned. His wife and five children died soon after the Germans cleared out and we left with the Australians."

"And he thinks it was done by us?"

Moffitt shrugged. "Us … the Australians … the Germans. The analysis confirmed that the well was laced with arsenic. Whether it occurred naturally or was done purposely is anyone's guess."

Troy had quickly read through the file and said, "So Omar wants those he thinks are guilty to die the same way his family did. And since the four of us were there too…"

Moffitt nodded. "I believe so. It means the three of us are now targets."

Tully asked, "Why didn't he poison me when he poisoned Hitch?"

"It appears that Omar is being very methodical about it. Getting the arsenic to one soldier at a time. He probably wanted the Australians to watch each other die. And that's what he's doing now with us. It could have just as easily been you, Tully, instead of Hitch."

Troy nodded. "So how do we want to do this? We need to flush him out so we can grab him."

Moffitt nodded. "I have a feeling he's waiting to hear that Hitch is dead before he strikes again."

Tully suggested, "Then why don't we start a rumor that Hitch is dead. Then just let him come to us."

Troy and Moffitt smiled at the private. It was a start to a plan.

##############################

Major Caldwell and Dr. Baker agreed to help with the ruse. Hitch was hidden after his 'death' and a falsified death certificate was issued. From there, all they had to do was wait for the rumor mill to do its work.

Two days later, Tully was sitting alone in a different bar mourning the death of his friend. Troy and Moffitt were out of sight nearby keeping an eye on things.

Tully had ordered a beer. The bartender poured it and set it on a tray and moved it to the bar. That's when Moffitt spotted Omar. "Troy, look there. That man sweeping the floor near the bar."

"Yep. That's him. Don't take your eyes off him."

As they watched, Omar swept his way over to where the beer was on the bar. In a very quick move he dropped some powder into the drink. If they hadn't been looking for it, Troy and Moffitt would never had seen the move. Then the waiter took the beer to deliver it to Tully.

As the glass was set down in front of Tully, Moffitt joined him at the table. He whispered, "We've spotted him. Don't drink that."

Tully took a casual look around. "Where is he?"

"At the bar with a broom. Troy is circling around to cut off the exit."

"What about the back door?"

Moffitt smiled slightly. "I made sure it was locked before I came in."

Tully nodded. "Right. Let's do this." He stood up with the glass in his hand. "Hey, Omar!" When he turned to see who had called his name, Tully poured the beer onto the floor. "It's all over for you!"

Omar's eyes widened with surprise. He threw the broom down as Moffitt and Tully started in his direction. He had barely taken two steps toward the front door when he saw Troy blocking it. Omar turned and raced for the kitchen where the back door was.

Moffitt and Tully walked calmly into the kitchen with Troy not far behind. The kitchen staff was watching Omar as he desperately tried to open the door. He turned and saw Troy, Moffitt, and Tully. Omar covered his face with his hands and began to cry. Then he slid down the door until he was sitting on the floor and begged for forgiveness.

##############################

After Omar was taken away in handcuffs by the MPs, Troy, Moffitt, and Tully went to the hospital to see how Hitch was doing. Dr. Baker was happy to tell them that his patient had turned the corner and was recovering.

Troy asked, "Can we see him?"

The doctor nodded. "He's sleeping, but you can look in on him."

A nurse led them to the room where Hitch had been hidden. It was in the back and was usually used to quarantine patients. Hitch didn't look much better. He was still very pale, but he was relaxed as he slept. His breathing was better, though he was still on oxygen. Tully watched his friend's chest rise and fall with each breath, reassuring himself that Hitch was, in fact, alive.

After a few minutes, Troy sighed. "Well, we'd better report in with Major Caldwell and let him know what happened."

Tully looked at the sergeant. "If it's okay, I'd like to stay here for a while."

Troy smiled. "Sure. Moffitt and I can take care of the rest."

After the two sergeants left, Tully grabbed a chair and placed it backwards next to the bed. He straddled it and put his arms on the back. He rested his chin on his arms and watched Hitch sleep.