This is MY TAKE on the episode titled "The David and Goliath Raid" for the TV show 'The Rat Patrol'...If you are familiar with the episode you will realize that I have added scenes that weren't in the original airing...I do not own the characters nor do I receive any monies for using them and No Copyright is intended. I hope you enjoy this, though reviews are nice they are not required..Now, QUIET ON THE SET, THE DAVID AND GOLIATH RAID TAKE TWO...AAAAAND ACTION!
CHAPTER ONE
Tully! Sgt. Troy yelled as the Kentuckian was tossed through the air, landing in a sitting position on the sand still as a statue. As he made his way over to the younger man, there was only time to notice blood dripping from a cut in the corner of the man's left eye and the dazed look on his face before another shot from Dietrich's tank hit the second jeep flipping it over on its side, the impact sending both men down the sand dune. Rolling to a stop Troy maneuvered onto his hands and knees, shaking his head to clear it, looking up he saw Moffitt helping Tully away from the area with Hitch following. Getting to his feet he made his way to the other men who had stopped about twenty-five feet from where the jeeps sat, he took a moment to look over his men. Hitch was resting in the sand to Troy's right, Moffitt was to his left checking over Tully who lay on the sand unmoving.
Moffitt! How's Tully? He asked worry showing on his face.
"Out for the moment, looks like his arm took a hit, won't know how bad until we can get a good look at it." He answered. With a light pat on the unconscious man's shoulder the British Sergeant moved closer to Troy.
They could hear Dietrich giving orders to his men and a few minutes later the Captain was telling Troy that there was no point in playing cat and mouse but when the sun became too hot for the four men, they should follow the road. Dietrich went on to say that his place wasn't far, he would be waiting for the men to turn themselves in. A few minutes later the Rat Patrol heard vehicles start up and move off, as the engine sounds grew more distant, Troy, Moffitt and Hitch exchanged surprised looks.
"Serge, sounds like they're leaving." Hitch commented.
"Troy…must be these charts, probably the only copies, he thinks if he tries to take us in we'll destroy them." Moffitt said as he flipped through the charts in his hand.
"Yeah, Yeah and we will if we can't save them." Troy replied.
"Serge, we bought it this time." Hitch said as he sent a glance in Tully's direction.
"Yeah, well…let's see if we can salvage anything." Troy said as he got to his feet.
Moffitt was trying to wake his injured driver. "Tully, come on lad, time to go." He said as he knelt beside the man. "Tully!" As the young man's eyes opened Moffitt let out a sigh of relief which turned to worry when he noticed the uneven pupils. "Easy Tully, let's go slow." With Troy's help they soon had the dazed man on his feet.
With Sgt. Troy in the lead, Moffitt and Hitch supported Tully as they made their way back to their wrecked vehicles. One of the jeeps still sat on all four tires but the 50 caliber had been blown apart and smoke spiraled from the engine. Tully collapsed to the ground near the front tire resting against the driver side door and Hitch knelt down to take a look at the wounded arm. Troy started looking around for anything of use while Moffitt continued to look over the charts, glancing up occasionally to watch Hitch tend to Tully.
As Hitch tore the sleeve of his friend's shirt to get a closer look at the damaged arm, he paused when the wound was revealed. The shot from the German tank had grazed Tully's left arm from a few inches below the shoulder to just above the elbow, the wound looked bad and it had to be painful but Tully didn't even wince as Hitch wrapped a handkerchief around his arm and tied it off with a piece of black rubber.
Tully! Hey you in there? Hitch asked as he caught and held the dark eyes, he could see the pupils were uneven and wondered if he had hit his head at some point during his fall. Tully glanced away staring off and didn't respond to the question {Maybe being a little out of it is a good thing right now, that arm is gonna be real painful when he comes to his senses.}
"I found a little water." Sgt. Troy said as he came around the overturned jeep, clutching a canteen in his hands.
Hitch glanced up as the Sergeant came to stand nearby, catching sight of the hole in the canteen, caught the Serge's eyes. "That's not enough, is it?"
"No, there's a lot of miles between here and our lines, we'll be going through the desert with very little cover and a hot sun overhead."
"If you run out of water in the desert, you're dead." Tully said quietly as he stared out over the sand.
Tully, how you doing? Troy asked.
As if moving in slow motion Tully looked up at the Sergeant, trying to understand what Troy was saying but his head really hurt, ears were ringing and he couldn't hear very well. What happened Serge? He asked softly.
Kneeling in front of his young friend, Troy caught the confused look on the man's face but for the moment the dark eyes were clear and the Sergeant explained.
"You were taking a shot at Dietrich's men with the .50 when one of the tanks fired on the jeep, you were airborne for a few seconds before landing in the sand." Troy answered.
Tully closed his eyes briefly, then focused on Troy's mouth, waiting for him to speak again but for a few minutes the Serge just stared back at him.
What's wrong? Troy asked
Tully shook his head slightly, trying to clear it, then put a hand next to his ear, closing his eyes briefly, wondering why he couldn't make out what the Serge was saying…when he opened them he caught the concerned look on Sgt. Troy's face.
"You're having trouble hearing me, aren't you?" Troy asked, pronouncing each word slowly, and at the younger man's nod, continued. "You're trying to read my lips."
"Why does everything sound like it's a long way off, Serge?" Tully asked in a low voice but before Troy could respond the Kentuckian rest his head against the tire and a second later closed his eyes.
Tully! Tully! Troy tapped the man's face lightly but received no response.
Hitch stared at Tully for a second then looked to Sgt. Troy, "You think his hearing was messed up when the tank shot at him?"
"Yeah Hitch, I think that's exactly what happened." Troy answered. "Can he read lips?
"Sure Serge." Hitch said with a grin, glancing fondly at Tully. "Been trying to teach me, said it comes in handy when you're too far to hear what the enemy is saying but close enough to see their lips move, or when it gets too noisy ya can't hear."
Troy hadn't known that about his driver but before he could ask Hitch more questions, Moffitt called to him.
Troy! How far can we make the water stretch? He asked
The Serge gently squeezed the unconscious man's shoulder before turning to see what his second wanted.
"Look here." Moffitt said as he pointed to a spot on one of the charts. "A water hole between here and the allies, in the center."
"That can't be, it's not on any of our charts." Troy replied.
Catching the Sergeants eyes Moffitt spoke. "Perhaps the Arabs know something we don't." At the doubtful expression on Troy's face, the British Sergeant tried again. "Troy, these charts are important, now do we destroy them and turn ourselves in…or do we take a chance? Moffitt glanced at Tully, who was still unconscious. Troy turned toward Tully as well and after studying the younger man a few seconds came to a decision.
"Why not." Troy said as he glanced back at Moffitt.
Hitch wiped the blood from the cut near his friend's eye to get a closer look at it, about a quarter inch long but not very deep, luckily whatever had hit him caught the corner of his eye and not the inside. Thinking about Tully's hearing problem he looked for any visual damage to the ear, gently turning the man's head from side to side, there was no bleeding and no cuts or contusions which was a relief. Hitch had listened as the Sergeant's discussed whether to get rid of the charts or use them, his concern was how they were going to make it through the desert with very little water and an injured team mate. If they followed the chart and it was wrong…well they probably wouldn't make it out.