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

Consistency

By Suzie2b

Tully walked into medical and spotted Hitch buttoning his shirt. He smiled and asked, "The doctor release you?"

Hitch nodded. "Yep. I'm supposed to take it easy for another week, but he says I can go back to base."

"Ready to get outta here?"

"You bet. I've definitely seen enough of this place."

Tully said, "Jeep's outside, ready to go. Troy and Moffitt should be done with their meetings by the time we get back to Ras Tanura."

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

Tully pulled the jeep into a waterhole. When he stopped, he asked, "How's your side?"

Hitch sighed. "I little sore, but not bad."

"Let's stretch our legs and I'll check the radiator."

"Sounds good." Hitch took a machine gun and said, "I'll keep an eye on things."

Ten minutes later Tully dropped the hood on the jeep and latched it. Then he heard Hitch holler, "Tully! German patrol coming this way!"

They jumped into the jeep and Tully took off, but as they left the cover of the waterhole two more patrols came into view for behind the surrounding hills. Tully tried to outmaneuver them while Hitch got into the back to man the 50.

A shell from a tank hit the ground next to them, throwing up sand and debris around the jeep. The 50 jammed. Hitch and Tully suddenly realized they were surrounded.

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

Troy and Moffitt had finished with two days' worth of meetings. They walked to the mess hall for some lunch, expecting Hitch and Tully to already be there. They weren't.

The sergeants ate their lunch and waited a while longer, but the privates didn't show up.

Moffitt said, "Maybe the doctor didn't release Hitch. The bullet he took in the side did do some internal damage."

Troy nodded. "Yeah, and Tully would've radioed to let us know. Let's go to headquarters to check for messages."

There were no messages. Troy had the radio operator contact the field hospital where they'd been after Hitch was wounded. When the answer came Troy and Moffitt were told that Hitch had been released and the privates left together around midmorning.

As the sergeants left headquarters, Moffitt said, "They should've been here hours ago."

Troy said, "Something's happened."

"Shall we go get permission from Captain Boggs to go look for them?"

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

Troy and Moffitt back-tracked the route he and Tully had discussed before the sergeants left the field hospital for base. When they spotted the waterhole, Troy drove around it to check things out and his heart sank when he saw the abandoned jeep. After a quick check, Troy and Moffitt saw the tracks the German vehicles left in the sand.

Not only were Hitch and Tully missing, but so were the 50 caliber, machine guns, and all the supplies that had been in the jeep.

Moffitt got in behind the wheel and pushed the starter. The jeep started without hesitation. "Why didn't they just take the jeep? There's nothing wrong with it."

Troy growled, "The Germans left us a message. They want us to know they have our men and they're daring us to try to get them back."

"Captain Dietrich has been reported commanding a small base about fifty kilometers from here. Not far into German territory."

"It's not a secret that we've been in this area. Dietrich probably thought he was going to get all of us."

Moffitt smiled slightly. "Well, are we going to take them up on their dare?"

Troy gave a nod. "Yep. Let's shake it."

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

Hitch and Tully were sitting on wooden chairs, facing each other from across the office they'd been in for hours. Their wrists were handcuffed to the chairs arms. They had been alone since the lieutenant and his men left.

Tully asked quietly, "How're you doin', Hitch?"

Hitch sighed. One of the guards had punched him, sending a shock of pain through his still healing side. "I'll be fine."

"That guard had no reason to hit you like that. We've been cooperative so far."

"Since when does a German need a reason to punch someone?"

Tully said, "Troy and Moffitt are no doubt finished with their meeting. Do you think they've missed us yet?"

Hitch replied, "We should've been at Ras Tanura hours ago. I'd say, yeah, they've missed by now."

Just then the office door opened and in walked their favorite German. "Good afternoon, gentlemen."

Hitch glared. "Captain Dietrich. Why doesn't this surprise me?"

The captain smiled as he went to his desk and sat down. "Lieutenant Lang told me he had brought you in. Where are Sergeants Troy and Moffitt?"

Tully said, "Last time we saw them, they were headed back to base."

Dietrich's eyebrows went up in mild surprise. "Without you two? I find that hard to believe." Tully shrugged his indifference to what the captain thought. "No matter. I'm sure they will be here soon enough to mount a rescue. In the meantime, perhaps you would be willing to answer a few questions."

Hitch sneered, "Don't count on it."

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

The two jeeps stopped behind the dunes about two miles from Dietrich's base. Troy and Moffitt lay on their bellies on top of one and Troy scanned the area with the one set of binoculars they had. After several seconds, Moffitt asked, "What do you see?"

Troy didn't look at his fellow sergeant as he replied, "Nothing. The gate's wide open. There is one guard there, but none on the walls."

"They are expecting us then."

"Sure looks that way. Our best bet will be to wait for dark."

Moffitt nodded. "We should try to go in without taking out any guards we come across. The longer it takes for them to realize we're there the better."

Troy agreed. "We'll go over the wall at midnight."

"No, Dietrich will expect us at midnight. Let's go in earlier."

Troy thought about it, then said, "Okay, we'll go in early … not long after sunset."

Moffitt nodded, then said, "He'll probably be watching the walls too."

Troy smiled. "Well then, let's just go in the front door."

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

After his questions went unanswered for two hours, Captain Dietrich left Hitch and Tully in the hands of Lieutenant Lang. "I would like answers, lieutenant. Do what you need to do, but keep them alive." And then the captain left the office.

Lang looked from one American to the other with a look of contempt and loathing. "I will get the answers the captain wants by whatever means needed. It would be in your best interest to cooperate." Hitch and Tully simply stared at the lieutenant silently. Lang instructed the two men with him to stand by each of the chairs. "Now, where are your sergeants?"

Tully said, "Like we told the captain, we haven't seen them since they left to go back to base without us."

Lang nodded to the man standing next to Tully, who wasn't surprised when he was backhanded. The lieutenant looked at Hitch and said, "I dislike Americans. They have no respect for superiors. I, however, demand respect from those below me. I highly suggest I get the answers I desire." Hitch frowned, but said nothing. "It is well known that you both are part of the team known as the Rat Patrol. Captain Dietrich discovered that you, Private Hitchcock, were wounded and in a field hospital recently. I would hate to use that injury against you."

Time dragged on as Lieutenant Lang asked Hitch and Tully questions that went unanswered. The bruises rose on Tully's face. His left eye was swelling and his lip was bleeding. Hitch's face was bruised as well, but the lieutenant made good on his threat and had his man grab the still bandaged wound in his side, squeezing until Hitch let out a yelp of pain. However, neither private gave up any information.

Finally, as the sun went down, a frustrated Lieutenant Lang left the office, telling his two men to deny them water and sleep.

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

Troy and Moffitt waited and watched. No patrols left the base. No patrols returned. If it wasn't evident before, it was now. They were expected.

Two hours after the sun went down, they prepared to go in and get their men. Moffitt made sure the clip in the machine gun he had was full, as well as the spare he would carry in his pocket. He looked at Troy and said, "You know we're probably going to get caught."

Troy nodded. "Actually, I'm counting on it." At the look on Moffitt's face, he smiled and said, "I've been thinking. If we let them catch us, we'll know that much quicker where Hitch and Tully are."

"You're sure they'll lock us up wherever they're keeping them?"

"Dietrich is nothing if he isn't consistent. Every time he's had us before he's always locked us up together or very close to it."

Moffitt thought about it and had to agree. "So, we go in, get caught, find Hitch and Tully, and escape." He smiled as he said, "Sounds like we're a bit consistent ourselves."

Troy slammed a loaded clip into his machine gun. "Well, I don't plan on making it easy for them to get us … and if they don't, it'll just take us little longer to find our guys. Ready to go?"

"As ready as I'm going to be."

The darkness was complete as the sergeants made their way to the German base. The moon hadn't risen yet, and when it did it would be little more than a sliver.

Troy and Moffitt stayed against the wall as they moved towards the guardhouse at the gate. Before they headed out they'd watched the gate being closed, but when they got there they saw that it had been left open just enough for a person to pass through.

They needed to distract the guard, but when they checked the guardhouse they saw him sitting with his feet up on the desk with a magazine in front of his face. Staying low and quiet, Troy and Moffitt quickly went through the opening onto the base without being seen.

They looked around and went for cover. This wasn't a base they'd been on before, but knew from experience that military bases in the desert were pretty much the same. Troy whispered, "Shall we try the stockade first or headquarters?"

Moffitt replied, "If Captain Dietrich is waiting for us, our best bet would be headquarters."

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

Hitch and Tully were exhausted. The blood had dried on their lips and faces. Their mouths were so dry their tongues would stick to the roof of their mouths.

Tully watched one guard prod Hitch until he opened his eyes. His friend slowly shook his head and grimaced. Hitch caught Tully's look and nodded to indicate he was all right.

A while later Tully was slapped hard across his already bruised face. He opened his eyes slowly and glared up the German next to him.

Hitch's voice was scratchy as he said, "Maybe we should tell 'em what they wanna know."

Tully shook his head, his voice just as rough. "We don't know anything."

"I didn't say we did. I said we should tell 'em what they wanna know."

"Ahh … got it."

One guard said in broken English, "Are you ready to speak?"

Hitch and Tully said in unison, "No!"

Angry, the guard said, "Then be quiet!"

Hitch said, "And what if we don't wanna be quiet?"

Tully said, "What're ya gonna do … beat us up?"

Both privates received a sharp slap for their remarks.

It was a long time before Captain Dietrich finally returned to his office. He sat down behind the desk and said, "I am sorry for the treatment you've received. Lieutenant Lang tells me you have not been forthcoming with the answers we require."

Hitch said, "We're only privates, captain. Why would you think we'd know anything?"

Dietrich smiled slightly. "Even the lowliest of the ranks know something. They hear things … either by accident or design. I'm sure you've heard plenty in your time with the Rat Patrol."

Tully said, "We go where we're told and we do what we're told to do. We don't know any secrets."

"But you are told where your camps are. If you would just tell me this information, you will be allowed to drink and sleep in beds."

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

Troy and Moffitt were moving from one hiding place to another on their way to headquarters. They avoided several guards on their rounds, but other than that it was quiet … very quiet … too quiet.

At headquarters, they entered through a backdoor after Moffitt picked the lock. Inside Troy and Moffitt moved easily through the ground floor, since the office workers had left hours before. They took the first staircase they came to that led down, looking for the cells they knew were there in every German base.

Sure enough, Troy and Moffitt found what they were looking for … but all five cells were empty.

Troy looked at Moffitt. "Where else would they be?"

Moffitt said, "Perhaps Captain Dietrich is having them interrogated."

"That would mean Hitch and Tully are probably in his office, which is going to be upstairs."

However, when Troy and Moffitt reached the top of the stairs they found themselves surrounded by German guards.

A smiling Lieutenant Lang stood there with his men. "Captain Dietrich has been expecting you."

Troy released his hold on the machine gun when one of the Germans took hold of it and said sarcastically, "Imagine that."

The sergeants were escorted to Dietrich's office. Lang knocked and when he heard the captain's voice, he opened the door and said, "They arrived just as you said they would, sir."

Captain Dietrich stood up as Troy and Moffitt walked in. "Good evening, gentlemen. Your consistency is something to be admired."

Troy looked from Hitch to Tully. "I could say the same thing about you, captain. But I would've thought by now you'd have learned it doesn't do any good to question my men."

The captain sighed as he paced around to the front of the desk with his hands locked behind him. "It's unfortunate that we know each other so well, Sergeant Troy. It makes these things that much harder, but I am obligated to try to get whatever information I can from any prisoners that come to me."

Moffitt asked, "So, you're doing your own interrogations these days?"

Dietrich replied, "I did ask them some questions, but when they would not cooperate I turned the job over to Lieutenant Lang."

Troy growled, "Letting someone else do your dirty work for you."

Dietrich smiled and Moffitt said, "I suppose he had better luck?"

The captain looked from Hitch to Tully. "Unfortunately, no."

Lang asked, "Do you want the prisoners locked up now, captain?"

Dietrich worked his jaw for a moment, then said, "Not just yet. Perhaps we will get the answers we need if the sergeants have to watch the interrogation. Send for me when you have the information."

"Yes, sir." When the door closed after Captain Dietrich left, Lang turned to two of the four guards now in the office with him and the prisoners and said, "You will watch them closely."

The guards backed Troy and Moffitt up against a wall while the other two guards resumed their positions next to Hitch and Moffitt. Troy locked eyes with Tully and gave him a nearly imperceptible nod, then did the same with Hitch. It was five to four – good odds.

Lieutenant Lang turned to Hitch first. "What is the location of the British First Army?"

Hitch looked up at the lieutenant and shrugged. "I would guess they're located just before the British Second Army…" The guard reached for the private's already pained side and Hitch tried to push himself back in the chair as he shouted, "No, no, no! No more! Please! I'll tell you whatever you wanna know!"

Tully's guard's attention was pulled off his prisoner for just a moment while Hitch played up his part. That was all the time he needed. Tully suddenly kicked up, catching the guard in the crotch with the hard toe of his boot.

The guard cried out with sudden pain, dropped his rifle, and fell to his knees. Troy and Moffitt each grabbed one of their guards and quickly incapacitated them while Tully stood up and swung the chair around, splintering it against Lieutenant Lang's head before he realized what was happening. The last guard standing watched the lieutenant fall to the floor and put his hands in the air.

Now armed with the Germans weapons, Troy and Tully held guns on the two conscious guards while Moffitt rifled through Dietrich's desk looking for a key to the handcuffs. With a triumphant grin, Moffitt found what he was looking for and quickly removed the restraints from Hitch and Tully's wrists.

Moffitt handcuffed the two conscious Germans together – ones hands to the other's feet – and gagged them.

Troy looked at his battered privates. "You two okay to get out of here?"

Hitch held his side as he stood up. "I'm good to go. No reason to stick around."

Tully handed a rifle to Hitch. "Looks worse than it is, sarge."

"Let's shake it then."

Hitch went to the door and peeked out into the hallway. "All clear, sarge."

The four Allies moved towards the stairway, but heard someone coming up. Troy pointed and led them back past Dietrich's office to another set of stairs. They hurried down to the ground floor and looked for a way out, but there weren't any doors to the outside on this side of the building.

Finally, Moffitt opened a door to find a small room that must have been where a secretary worked and spotted a window. He signaled the others to follow and went inside. Moffitt went to the window and looked out into the darkness, then turned and gave a thumbs up. With a quick hit from the gun in his hand the window shattered. As they climbed outside, they could hear the Germans yelling and seconds later the sirens blared.

They moved quickly, staying low next to the building. As they rounded the corner and ducked into an alley, German voices were heard. The broken window had been discovered.

Hitch whispered, "How do we get outta here?"

Troy said, "Same way we came in. Through the front door."

Troy and Moffitt carefully looked out of their dark hiding place after a group of soldiers ran by. With a nod from both Hitch and Tully followed them across the street. When Troy and Moffitt came through on their way to headquarters they'd been able to take a fairly direct route, since there weren't many guards out. There would be no direct route back to the gate with the Germans swarming.

A good half-hour later the gate was in sight. There were now three guards on watch. They moved a bit closer and Troy whispered, "Tully, Hitch, take 'em out."

As the privates prepared to do a little sniping, Moffitt said quietly, "Look who's here." It was Captain Dietrich. "Do you think he's here to see us off?"

Troy smiled. "I just bet he is. Go ahead and drop those guards."

Hitch and Tully shot simultaneously, hitting the guards on either side of the captain. Dietrich and the third guard quickly took what cover they could next to the wall. The guard moved in front of the captain to protect him. Tully squeezed off another shot, dropping the guard at Dietrich's feet.

Troy shouted, "The next shot's for you, captain, unless you allow us to leave!"

"I don't believe you'll do it, sergeant!"

Hitch pulled the trigger and the bullet ricocheted off the wall next to Captain Dietrich's head."

Troy said, "You want to test your theory?"

German soldiers began to appear after hearing the gunfire. Dietrich held up a hand to stop them.

Moffitt shouted, "Der Kapitän wird sterben, wenn Sie versuchen, uns zu stoppen!"

The Germans all looked at each other and then at their captain for guidance.

Troy asked, "What'd you say?"

Moffitt replied, "I told them the captain would die if they tried to stop us."

Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully watched as Captain Dietrich gave a rather large sigh and told his men to let them go. Then he shouted, "All right, sergeant, you and your men are free to go!"

Troy said, "And I'm supposed to take your word that your men won't open fire the minute we walk out there!"

Dietrich told his men to put their weapons down. When they reluctantly did as they were told, he said, "You have my word!"

Troy glanced at his men. "Okay, let's go."

Moffitt led Hitch and Tully out with Troy bringing up the rear. They ran across the small open expanse of ground to the gate and one-by-one went out.

Troy stopped in front of Dietrich and smiled. "Tell me, captain, are you letting us go because you're honorable or because you didn't want to be shot?"

Dietrich returned the smile and said quietly, "Let's just say I would like to avoid a bloodbath, Sergeant Troy."

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

With Troy and Moffitt driving they drove until the sun started to come up before stopping at a waterhole.

Moffitt got water from the well so Hitch and Tully could wash up before the sergeant treated any wounds.

Tully splashed the cool water on his sore face after Hitch was done and asked, "How's your side."

"Hurts some, but I don't think they did any damage."

Troy was standing nearby on watch and said, "We'll get you both checked out when we get back to base."

Moffitt began to clean the small cuts and bruises on Hitch's face with alcohol. "We're lucky it was Dietrich's men who caught you."

Tully leaned against the jeep. "How'd you know where to find us?"

Troy said, "It wasn't hard to figure out once we found the jeep they'd left behind."

Moffitt put a small butterfly bandage on a cut over Hitch's swollen left eye as the private said, "You had to know they were going to be waiting for you."

Moffitt smiled. "Troy's brilliant plan was to allow ourselves to be captured."

Tully asked, "You let them get you? How'd you know we'd be able to escape?"

Troy shrugged. "Dietrich had it all planned out. He knew we'd be coming for you and set things up so we'd be able to get in and find you." He smiled. "Getting us out was another story. We just had to wait for the opportunity."

Moffitt finished with Hitch and handed him two aspirin. "Luckily it presented itself rather quickly this time." He took care of Tully's swollen face and gave him aspirin as well. "There now, I think we're ready to go."

Hitch yawned, which made Tully yawn, and said, "Can't we stay here for a while. Tully and I could use some sleep."

Troy shook his head. "We'll be home in two or three hours. You can sleep in the jeeps until we get there."

Tully sighed. "Guess that's better than nothin'."

"Okay, let's get going."

Hitch and Tully crawled into the back of the jeeps and got as comfortable as possible. Tully called quietly, "Sarge…"

Moffitt started the engine. "Yes, Tully?"

Tully closed his eyes. "Watch the bumps, okay?"

Moffitt smiled and put the jeep in gear. "I'll do my best."

Troy smiled at Moffitt and glanced back at Hitch before putting the jeep he drove in gear. He thought as he pulled away, "We're nothing if we're not consistent."