Disclaimer: The Rat Patrol is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.
We'll Always be Around
By Suzie2b
Moffitt and Tully were racing across the open desert to meet up with Troy and Hitch when a German spotter plane flew over. They wouldn't have much time before a German patrol would be heading their way.
They were only a mile or so from the wadi where they were supposed to meet Troy and Hitch when a German recon patrol appeared from around a sand dune ahead of them. Moffitt got into the back of the jeep to man the 50 caliber while Tully pulled right to try to get around the column.
Hearing the sounds of machine guns, tank fire, and the 50 caliber, Troy and Hitch scrambled to the edge of the wadi just as a shell sent the jeep flipping, landing on its side. Moffitt and Tully were thrown clear, but both moved slowly to get up.
Hitch looked at Troy, who was watching through binoculars, and said, "Does it look like they're okay?"
Troy nodded. "They're up and moving. Tully's holding his side."
When the sergeant didn't move, Hitch asked, "Aren't we going after them?"
"They'd see us coming before we could do Moffitt and Tully any good. We'll follow and see where they go."
As his two men were loaded into a halftrack, Troy used the binoculars and the sun to send a signal to them.
################################
Moffitt shook his head and slowly got to his feet. He looked around for Tully and saw him just starting to stagger to his feet, grimacing as he held his left side. Moffitt quickly went to him as the German patrol pulled up and stopped. "Are you all right, Tully?"
The private nodded. "Banged up some, but I'm okay. How 'bout you?"
"The same. Wish we could say the same about the jeep."
Five Germans jumped out of the halftracks and surrounded them. One motioned with his rifle and said, "Holen Sie sich Ihre Hände hoch!"
Following Moffitt's lead, Tully put his hands in the air. They were loaded into one of the vehicles and as the Germans drove back the way they'd come, Moffitt and Tully both saw a vague reflection in the distance. They knew Troy and Hitch had seen what had happened.
################################
Troy and Hitch decided not to check out the wrecked jeep and followed the recon outfit until they stopped at an oasis about ten miles away. From a sand dune they watched as Moffitt and Tully were tied to trees.
Troy said, "At least they're in the shade."
Hitch asked quietly, "What're we gonna do, sarge?"
"Now that we know where they are I want you to go back to the other jeep and see what can be salvaged."
Less than an hour later Hitch was back with the 50 and its tripod, ammo, maps, and water from the destroyed jeep. He joined Troy on the dune and reported what he'd brought back, then asked, "How're they doing down there?"
Troy replied, "They're being ignored for the most part. There's one guard keeping an eye on them. I have a feeling they're going to be here for the night, then have Moffitt and Tully picked up in the morning."
Hitch smiled slightly. "Then we have plenty of time to get them out of there."
"Let's hope so." Troy pointed to another dune that was closer to the camp. "As soon as it gets dark, we'll set the 50 up over there."
################################
Tully sat there and strained against the rope that held his hands behind him, but the ropes that held him tightly against the tree weren't giving him much room to work with. Moffitt, who was tied to a tree a few feet away, saw the private and said quietly, "I don't think there's much use in struggling. You're only going to make your wrists sore."
Tully stopped and took a deep breath. Yep, his wrists were sore. "Did you see what I saw when we drove away from the jeep?"
"I believe so…"
The guard walked over and pointed his rifle at the prisoners. "Die Klappe!"
Tully looked up at the German standing at their feet and asked Moffitt, "What's he want?"
The sergeant said, "He apparently doesn't like our conversation."
"Maybe we should invite him to join us."
The guard kicked the private in the ankle. "Ich sagte Stille!"
Tully flinched and winced. He mumbled under his breath, "That's gonna leave a mark."
A German captain strode over. He stopped next to the guard and looked down at the two prisoners. "Ich bin Hauptmann Ludwig. Da Sie sprechen möchten, beantworten Sie einige Fragen für mich."
Tully looked at Moffitt, who translated, "This is Captain Ludwig. He seems to think that we'd be willing to answer some questions." He looked up at the officer and said, "Moffitt, Jack, Sergeant. Seriennummer 270394."
The captain smiled and said in English, "I believe you will be will be answering my questions very soon, sergeant." He pointed at Tully and said to the guard, "Nimm ihn und hole Heiner."
The guard called another soldier over to watch the prisoner as he was untied and hauled to his feet. Then they led Tully out into an open space of sand fifty or so yards away.
Moffitt frowned and asked, "What are you going to do?"
Captain Ludwig said, "I will make a deal with you. If your man can beat mine in a fair fight, I will release you both. If my man wins, you will answer my questions."
"If you're giving me a choice, I can't accept your offer, captain."
"No, there is no choice in this matter."
################################
Hitch was watching as the captain approached and some words were spoken. He signaled to Troy to come up as Tully was led away. They both saw the one guard hold his rifle on Tully as the other ran off into a tent. A small crowd started to gather.
Hitch frowned. "What's going on, sarge?"
Troy was stone-faced. "I don't know … but I'm sure I'm not going to like it."
Out of the tent, followed by the guard, was a German soldier the likes of which they'd never seen before. The crowd parted as he walked up to Tully. He stood head and shoulders above Tully, and was twice as broad.
Hitch whispered, "I didn't know they grew 'em that big."
The captain spoke to the big soldier and gestured to both Moffitt and Tully.
The first blow to the left side of his face caught Tully off guard and knocked him off his feet. Heiner jerked the slightly dazed young man to his feet and grinned at him.
Tully shook his head to clear it and smiled back as he pulled out of the larger man's grip. He swung his fist around and caught him square in the nose. Heiner stumbled back a couple of steps, looking a bit surprised at the strength of the blow as blood began to drip from his now broken nose.
The fight went on for many long minutes with neither man getting the upper hand. Both had fallen to their knees, bleeding and panting with exhaustion. The big German took a set of brass knuckles out of a pocket.
They both staggered to their feet. Tully managed to stay out of reach until one of the soldiers watching the fight shoved him forward. With one last hit, Tully went down and didn't move.
Troy took a deep breath to get ahold of his temper. "We can't wait for dark."
################################
When Tully finally regained consciousness he was again tied to the tree. He groaned quietly, his head back against the tree, but didn't move.
Moffitt looked worriedly at the private's bruised and swollen face, wondering if his jaw was broken. "Tully? Can you hear me?"
Tully opened his eyes slowly and squinted at the sergeant. "I think … I managed … to hurt him … with my face."
Captain Ludwig appeared and looked at Tully as he said, "It would have been easier if Heiner had killed you. Less work for me."
Moffitt frowned angrily. "You said it would be a fair fight."
The captain shrugged. "I have no control over his cheating. Heiner does not like the loose and your man turned out to be a formidable opponent." He had the guard untie Moffitt as he took the pistol from the holster at his side. "Now, you will come with me and answer my questions."
Moffitt remained where he was and glared up at Captain Ludwig. "I'm not going anywhere."
Just then two 50 caliber machine guns let loose on the camp from the dunes that surrounded it. Half the camp was dead before anyone knew what was going on. Moffitt lunged forward and knocked the captain down, grabbing the sidearm as they both tumbled. The guard made a move to raise his rifle, but Moffitt was quicker. The guard was dead, but Captain Ludwig went on the attack and jumped the sergeant. They wrestled for the gun and it went off.
Tully stared at the two men, waiting for one of them to move. "Sarge?" Slowly Moffitt rolled to one side and sat up. Relieved that it wasn't the sergeant that was laying there dead, Tully asked, "You okay?"
Moffitt nodded as he reached for the guard's knife. He cut Tully loose and helped him to his feet. There were few Germans still alive when the jeep appeared seemingly from nowhere.
Moffitt, followed by Tully, headed for the jeep as Troy drove towards them. Hitch was still firing from the top of the dune, forcing the remaining Germans to stay down.
Moffitt started to get into the back of the jeep when Troy shouted over the din, "Where's Tully?"
Moffitt turned and looked around. Tully had been grabbed by a very angry Heiner. He was holding Tully around the chest, trapping his arms and lifting him off the ground as he squeezed the life out of him.
Tully struggled and kicked until he finally connected with the big German's right knee. He howled with pain, letting go of Tully as he fell.
Tully got up slowly, never taking his eyes off his opponent, who had gotten painfully to his knees. "Just 'cause you're bigger doesn't make you're better." Then Tully kicked Heiner hard under the chin, snapping his head back with enough force to break his neck.
Tully was done. He let himself fall and closed his eyes. Then he felt himself being lifted and a familiar voice telling him to take it easy.
################################
When Tully opened his eyes again, it was dark. He stared up at the stars for a bit before the pain kicked in and he groaned. As he started to move, a hand carefully pushed him back down.
Hitch looked down at him worriedly. "You'd better stay put."
Tully blinked several times before his eyes focused. His jaw hurt as he tried to form words. "Where…"
"We're in a wadi for the night. We'll get you to a doctor in the morning."
"Water?"
Hitch reached for the canteen. "Sure." He helped his friend take a couple of sips.
Then Tully asked, "Moffitt?"
"He's fine … sleeping. Troy is out on watch."
Tully put a hand to his face and winced. "How bad?"
Hitch sighed. "You're bruised up. Split lip. Cut on your right cheek and over your left eye. Put butterfly bandages on those. You've got some bruised ribs, but nothing seems broken." Then he smiled. "You did good against that big guy. You would've won the fight if he hadn't cheated."
Tully smiled, then grimaced. "Ya think so?"
"I know so." Hitch could see the pain in his friend's eyes and didn't ask, he just gave Tully a shot of morphine.
Tully sighed and closed his eyes. "Thanks."
Hitch adjusted the blanket over Tully. "Just rest. We'll be around if you need anything."