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

A Battle Won

By Suzie2b

There was little to no cover in the part of the desert the Rat Patrol was in. Captain Boggs had sent them to locate a German platoon that spotter planes had seen from the air twenty-four hours earlier. However, the coordinates given turned out to be either incorrect or the camp had moved.

After an exhaustive search of the area with no luck, the jeeps pulled up next a rocky hill. Sergeant Troy said, "Hitch, you and Tully go up and keep watch. Moffitt, contact headquarters and let them know what's happening. Maybe there's been an update."

Hitch and Tully went to the top of the hill and took up positions to keep watch.

Moffitt quickly coded a message and sent it out, but it would take time to get a return message. He joined Troy where he had a map spread on the hood of the jeep. "It'll be a while before we get an answer from headquarters. It may not be a good idea to wait here. We're sitting ducks."

Troy nodded. "Yeah, I've been trying to find somewhere that offers at least a little cover. But there just isn't anything out here."

Moffitt looked at the map, then pulled a different one out of the bag. "There is a place I know of." He unfolded the map and spread it on the hood. After quickly looking it over, Moffitt circled a spot with his finger. "Here … it's a village that was abandoned when the wells dried up. We have plenty of water with us to get through the night if necessary."

Troy thought about the idea, then said, "It'll take us out of the sector were searching … but it's safer than sitting here. Let's go."

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

When the jeeps passed through the old broken gates into the small walled village, they stopped in front of the first building they came to. Troy got out of the jeep and said, "Moffitt, you, Hitch, and Tully check things out. Make sure we really are the only ones here."

The three men split up to begin to check out each of the one story mudbrick buildings. After about ten minutes, Tully stepped out of one and called, "Hey, sarge!"

Moffitt walked out of another building and saw Tully waving him over. The sergeant, followed by Hitch went to where Tully waited. Moffitt asked, "Did you find something?"

Tully nodded. "We aren't alone."

Moffitt and Hitch followed Tully inside. What they saw shocked them. There were five women, eight children under the age of three, and one older boy huddled in an otherwise empty room that must have once been a bedroom.

Moffitt asked if any of them spoke English. "نفذ اى من كنت تتحدث الانجليزية"

The older boy, who looked to be maybe sixteen, tentatively stepped forward. "I know English."

"What are you people doing here? This village was abandoned years ago."

"We were brought here by Walī Dawud Tai. He was trying to save us."

Moffitt frowned. "Where is Dawud Tai?"

The boy said, "Dead."

"I see. Is this everyone?"

"All that is left."

Moffitt nodded, then turned to Hitch and said, "You'd better go tell Troy what's going on and bring the jeeps."

After Hitch ran off, Tully asked the boy, "What's your name?"

"Zaki. Who are you?"

"Name's Tully."

Zaki looked at the sergeant. "You are?"

Moffitt smiled. "You can call me Jack." He looked at the others in the room and asked, "Are you the only one that speaks English?"

"We all speak English at least a little, and some German."

"Interesting." They heard the jeeps pull up outside and Moffitt told Tully, "Bring in water and food for these people."

Tully nodded and headed for the door as Troy walked in and stopped when he saw the people. "Hitch wasn't exaggerating."

Moffitt smiled. "No, he wasn't."

"Who are they?"

"It would appear that they are refugees. A Walī by the name of Dawud Tai brought them."

Troy asked, "What's a Walī?"

Moffitt replied, "A holy man of sorts."

"Why would this holy man bring them out here to the middle of nowhere?"

Moffitt sighed. "We haven't gotten that far along in the conversation yet." He turned back to the boy and asked, "Zaki, can you tell us why you were brought here?"

Hitch and Tully walked in with food and water as Zaki said, "The SS came to our village and began to gather the women who had relations with Germans when they were once camped there along with the children that came from those relations. Dawud Tai gathered those of us that he could and led us away to save us. He said if he didn't we would die like the others."

Troy said, "Why would they do that?"

"I heard the SS officer say we were considered unclean Hälfte Rassen."

Tully frowned. "Half breeds? I didn't know mixing cultures made people 'unclean'."

Moffitt looked disgusted. "According to Hitler it does. He believes if you aren't pure German, preferably blonde and blue-eyed, you don't deserve to live. He must've heard about the village and called for a culling."

Hitch said angrily, "They're people, not sheep."

Tully asked, "What are we gonna do?"

Troy looked from his men to the people in the other room. He didn't have a clue.

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

Troy paced outside while Zaki and his people ate. As it turned out, they hadn't eaten in nearly a week and had run out of water the day before. Troy knew he couldn't just leave them to die … or to be found and murdered by the SS.

The radio crackled to life and Troy went to take down the coded message. After deciphering it, he sent another message, waited for the answer, and then went inside to give the others the news.

Hitch and Tully were helping the toddlers eat so their mothers could themselves eat and those with infants could suckle. Seeing their haunted eyes, one had to wonder just what they'd seen before being smuggled away.

Troy said, "That German platoon we were looking for has left the area and the spotters haven't relocated it yet. I let headquarters know what we have here and they're having transportation sent from Benghazi to pick up these people."

Moffitt nodded. "They won't be able to get here before tomorrow. Looks like we'll be spending the night."

Troy looked at the group and asked, "Have you seen any signs of the SS since you left your village?"

One woman said quietly in broken English, "We left our homes two weeks past. We saw no one on our journey until you came."

"Well, that's a plus for our side."

Moffitt nodded. "I wonder if they even know these people are missing from the village."

Troy said, "They could just look the other way and report the job done. Hitler wouldn't know the difference." Knowing that wouldn't happen, he looked at Hitch and Tully. "Go bring in the bedrolls and blankets, and see if you can scrounge up enough wood for a fire."

After finding enough wood to keep a fire going through the night, Tully left Hitch at the fireplace with a couple of matches to go out for blankets.

A small boy of perhaps four years of age followed Tully outside. The private smiled as he put the little guy in the driver's seat, where he stood there playing with the steering wheel and beeping the horn. He started to gather what he needed to take inside, when a bullet hit the side of the jeep next to him. Without a second thought Tully quickly moved to pull the boy into his arms, wanting to get them both out of there. However, before he could get far, a bullet tore into his back.

Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch went to the door and the only window to carefully see what was happening. Troy saw Tully on the ground and asked, "See anything?"

Hitch said, "Sniper on the wall … at about our 11:00."

Troy and Moffitt quickly found the German laying on his belly. Troy nodded and said, "Take him out, Hitch."

With a single shot, Hitch hit the sniper and they watched him roll off the wall.

Moffitt said, "Let's go get Tully."

Troy kept his eyes on the wall for any movement. When Moffitt and Hitch rolled Tully onto his back, they found the boy under him … dead. The bullet had passed through Tully and into the boy's small body.

The three men were silent, staring sadly at the boy's body. Then a bullet hit the sand next to the distracted Troy and he yelled as he sent a volley from his machine gun, "Get Tully inside!"

Moffitt and Hitch dragged Tully into the house followed by Troy. Moffitt immediately began to examine the unconscious private's wounds while Hitch joined Troy at the window.

One of the women called out, "Where is Jumah? Where is my son?"

Moffitt looked up at her silently and she could see the truth in his eyes. With an anguished cry, the woman ran toward the door. Troy caught her and dragged her out of the line of fire as a bullet ricocheted off the doorjamb.

The woman wailed, "ابنى" Then in English she said, "Don't leave him!"

As Troy tried to explain the situation, Hitch ran out the door before he could be stopped. As the private scooped up the small bloodied body, bullets whizzed around him. Troy tried to lay down cover fire, but Hitch took a hit through his calf. He went down for a moment, then his adrenaline kicked in fully and he was on his feet again.

As Hitch stumbled inside, the woman took the body from him and returned to the rest in the other room.

Troy helped Hitch to a far wall and sat him down to check his leg. He said angrily, "What were you thinking?"

Hitch grimaced as the sergeant tore open his pant leg. "Guess I wasn't."

"Yeah, I guess not."

Moffitt knelt next to Troy. "How bad is it?"

Troy said, "Bullet went through his calf. How's Tully?"

"The bullet missed his spine, but there's no way to know how bad it is. We need to get the med kits."

Troy tied a kerchief tightly around Hitch's leg. He asked the private, "Can you handle a gun?" Hitch nodded. "Okay, let's get you over to the door. You and Moffitt lay down cover while I go out."

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

With no further injuries and the medical kits in hand, Troy got a proper field dressing on Hitch's leg while Moffitt worked on Tully with Zaki's help.

Troy and Hitch watched Germans pop up on the wall and were chased off by American fire. Finally, after the sun went down, Hitch said, "We just need to hold them off until our guys show up."

Troy said, "We need to know what we're up against. I'm going out to see what's on the other side of that wall."

Moffitt joined them. "Are you sure that's a wise move? There's no guarantee they haven't already gotten into the village. They could be waiting for us to make such a move."

"Yeah, but now that it's dark I should be able to get around." Troy looked back at Tully. "How's he doing?"

"He's still alive, if that's what you mean. He needs more help than I can provide."

Troy nodded. "Okay, you two hold down the fort. I'll be back as soon as I can."

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

Troy crouched low and went out the door into the darkness. He quickly moved around to a portion of the wall away from where the Germans had been seen. He was very aware of the rising moon and the light it provided not only him, but the enemy.

Troy crawled along the top of the wall until he saw movement ahead of him. He stopped and watched the shadows settle down to watch the village. He then turned his attention to the squads of Germans on the outside. They weren't trying to hide and a single lantern lit a swatch of sand. Obviously they hadn't planned to stay the night. As he watched the men move around the stark, makeshift camp, Troy saw two men enter the circle of light. They were dressed in SS uniforms.

The two officers were talking animatedly, but if Troy could've heard what they were saying, he was sure they would be speaking German, which he didn't. He decided to get back to his men.

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

Zaki was sitting next to Tully while Moffitt and Hitch watched for activity outside. There was a soft moan and Zaki crawled to the two guards and whispered, "Jack, Tully is waking up."

Moffitt nodded and followed the boy back to where Tully lay. He took a penlight from a jacket pocket and turned it on. Tully's eyes were open, but not really focused as the sergeant looked at him. Moffitt said softly, "How are you doing, Tully?"

He whispered, "I'm okay. Can I … get some water?"

Zaki handed Moffitt a canteen and the sergeant helped Tully take a drink. The injured private coughed and gritted his teeth against the pain it caused. Moffitt settled him back down as Tully looked at Zaki and asked, "The boy?"

Zaki started, "Juman is…" But he caught Moffitt's eyes and instead said, "He is with his mother."

Moffitt nodded as he said, "You just rest, Tully. We'll get you to a doctor as soon as we can."

Hitch sat on the floor next to the doorway and peered out into the darkness. Things had remained quiet since the sun went down, however, he couldn't help but feel as if they were being watched. Hitch couldn't see the Germans on the wall, but he was sure they were there, and he wondered if any of them had slipped into the village.

Moffitt returned to stand next to the window after Tully had slipped back into unconsciousness and Hitch asked quietly, "How's he doing?"

Moffitt sighed. "As well as can be expected."

They heard a sound outside and fell silent. Moffitt and Hitch tried to see if someone was out there, but saw nothing. They waited and heard the sound again, only it seemed closer this time. It was like rocks and sand were being kicked around. Then they heard an almost silent whisper … in German.

Moffitt peeked carefully out the paneless window and could now just see two shadowy shapes against the outside wall just a few feet from the door. He signaled Hitch and the private shifted slightly, bringing his machine gun up.

There was sudden movement outside and a tall form appeared in the doorway. Without hesitation, Moffitt fired off a volley from his machine gun, instantly killing the German.

Then there was a second burst of gunfire outside along with bright muzzle flashes in the dark. Moffitt and Hitch heard the second German fall just beyond the door. Then there was a quiet voice, "Moffitt?"

"Troy?"

The sergeant slipped inside. "Everyone all right?"

Hitch nodded. "They didn't get a shot off."

Moffitt smiled slightly. "Your timing's impeccable."

Troy said, "There are two German squads outside that wall. Couldn't tell for sure how many soldiers … my guess is maybe up to twenty each. I saw two SS officers with them."

They heard Zaki's quiet fearful voice say, "They have found us."

"Yeah, looks like it. They must've been searching for this group and somehow got word they're here."

Hitch asked, "Can we hold out until reinforcements get here?"

Troy replied, "We don't have a choice. Moffitt, before the moon comes up over the wall, let's go out and bring in the ammo. I have a feeling we're gonna need it."

Moffitt nodded as he set aside his machine gun. "Perhaps we can bring in one of the 50s as well."

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

Hitch sat on a jerry can to man the 50, which was set up on its tripod at the window. Once the moon was high enough the Germans started to shoot off rounds now and then at the house they knew held their quarry. They really weren't trying to hit anyone, since they couldn't see those inside the dark building, they were just wanting to keep them pinned down until they gave up or daylight came.

The night dragged on. The group of women and children slept huddled together on the floor in the other room. The silence only broken by occasional whimpers and cries of the children caused by the sound of gunfire.

The sky was just beginning to lighten when Tully woke up. Troy knelt next to him and asked, "How's it going?"

Tully tried to take a deep breath and grimaced. "It's goin', sarge. What's happenin'?"

"The SS. We're pinned down until help arrives."

Tully reached up and said, "Help me sit up." Troy carefully helped Tully to sit up and lean against the wall. "Now gimme a gun."

Troy looked at the private worriedly. "Are you sure…"

"We need all hands, sarge."

Troy hesitated, then handed Tully the machine gun he'd been holding.

Tully took it, then noticed Hitch shifting on the jerry can and could make out the bloody material on his lower leg. "What happened to Hitch?"

"He took a bullet when he went out…" Troy stopped when he realized that Tully didn't know what had happened.

Tully said, "What? He went out to drag my sorry carcass in here and got shot, didn't he?"

Troy mentally kicked himself. "Not exactly. It happened after we got you inside."

Tully frowned. "What happened?"

Troy sighed, knowing the private would find out eventually. "Hitch ran out to bring that kid that was with you back."

"You mean you guys brought me in before…"

Troy shook his head sadly. "No, Tully. The boy's dead. Hitch got shot bringing his body back to his mother."

The look of anguish on Tully face was heartbreaking. "Dead? But I…"

"The bullet went through you and into him. I'm sorry." Tully remained silent and Troy put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Are you going to be okay?"

Tully nodded slowly. "Yeah … I'm good."

Moffitt knelt next to them, having heard the conversation and asked quietly, "Ready for some morphine, Tully?"

A single tear ran down his cheek as Tully simply said, "No."

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

As the morning got lighter, Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch watched the activity grow on the wall. Ten German soldiers lay on the top, rifles at the ready. It was just a matter of time before they attacked.

The sun was peeking over the wall when Hitch asked, "When can we expect some help?"

Moffitt replied, "If they drove through the night, they could be here at any time now. It just depends on when they left Benghazi."

"And if they didn't drive through the night?"

Troy said, "We could be in for a long day."

They watched as cover fire was laid down. Men slipped over the wall and took cover. Return fire wasn't bothered with.

Hitch said, "I counted eight."

Moffitt nodded. "So did I."

Troy said, "There's no back way in, so they're going to come straight at us."

"And if your guess was right about how many men were out there, they won't risk sending everyone in at once. They'll want to come at us in waves to wear us down and force us to use up our ammunition."

"Ten on the wall and eight inside. The odds are definitely against us."

Hitch smiled. "The odds are always against us, sarge."

Troy turned and looked at his wounded man. "Still with us, Tully?"

His eyes were hard and angry as Tully answered, "Ready to go, sarge."

Zaki crawled out of the other room to Tully's side. "What can I do to help?"

The private said, "Stay with the women and children. Keep them low and away from the doorway. Do your best to get them calm."

Zaki nodded and crawled back to the room.

Not five minutes later the first wave attacked. Bullets flew from the rifles on the wall and from the machine guns of the Germans as they advanced. Hitch let loose with the 50 and Troy and Moffitt with their machine guns.

As expected, the Germans were surprised by the firepower as one-by-one their numbers quickly dropped from eight to two. The men on the wall were reduced to seven.

When the shooting stopped and the remaining men within the village retreated, Troy said, "They have an idea what they're up against now."

Moffitt nodded. "They may switch tactics."

"Yeah, we have to be ready for anything."

Painfully, Tully crawled over to join his friends. When he stopped next to Hitch, he leaned against the wall under the window to rest. Hitch said, "What are you doing?"

Tully panted through the pain that pulsed through his body. "I'm not doin' … any good … sittin' back there."

Not willing to argue, Hitch looked at Troy and Moffitt, who also remained silent.

It wasn't long before they saw the dead men on the wall replaced as the second wave readied to go over. This time there were eight added to the two survivors that had hid after the first attack.

Again the Rat Patrol beat the Germans back, killing at least half their number. But this time Moffitt was grazed by a bullet. As Troy applied a quick dressing to the wound in the other sergeant's upper arm, Moffitt said, "How long can we keep this up?"

Troy again picked up his machine gun. "As long as we have to."

More Germans came over the wall, but this time they didn't advance as in the first two attacks. They stayed out of sight.

Troy said, "They're waiting for something. Be ready for anything."

Sure enough, a minute later a halftrack sped through the gate. Troy and his men heard it before they saw it and could only imagine what was going to happen.

As the German vehicle neared the house, the mounted 30 caliber came to life. The powerful slugs hit the outside walls, forcing the four men to duck as low as possible. Then they heard something hit the floor.

The grenade rolled to a stop as Troy reached for it. He flung it out the door and it exploded in the air.

The fighting went on for a long time. Halftracks came and went. German soldiers advanced and pulled back. Bodies littered the street.

Hitch had managed to destroy one of the 30s as a halftrack attacked again, killing the German manning it. Then the vehicle rolled to a stop after a 50 caliber slugs found the engine. It exploded, sending thick black smoke into the air and making it harder to see the enemy.

Troy took a bullet in the shoulder, slowing him some, but not stopping him.

They were running low on ammo and they all wondered silently whether help would get to them in time.

The sun was high, signaling noon, when the first shell hit just outside the wall. Then another sailed over hitting the jeeps on the street in front of the house. Troy yelled, "Take cover!"

Troy and Moffitt helped Hitch and Tully into the other room.

When it was all over, the Germans that were left alive were taken prisoner. Only one of the SS officers survived.

Tully was done in and lost consciousness before the end of the fight. Moffitt was again trying to control the bleeding from the private's wounds.

Troy cautiously went outside when things fell silent. An American halftrack followed by two trucks drove through the gate and headed towards him. When they stopped in front of him, the leader of the column said, "Sergeant Troy?"

He nodded. "Good to see you…"

"Sergeant Roberts. Sorry we didn't get here sooner. Do you have wounded?"

Troy looked at his bloodied shoulder. "Yeah … a few."

Roberts turned and yelled for the medics in one of the trucks.

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

The column arrived at the nearest field hospital several hours later. The doctors and nurses were expecting them and took Troy and Tully straight into surgery. Moffitt and Hitch's injuries were cleaned, stitched, and bandaged. Hitch was given a pair of crutches to use for a few days at least.

The next morning Troy was awake and cranky. He was worried about Tully in the neighboring cot. The private was still unconscious, looking pale and vulnerable. The nurses told him that Tully was in serious but stable condition, and because of the wounds, blood loss, and subsequent surgery he would need more time to gain strength to wake up.

Moffitt and Hitch arrived in the mess tent after checking on Troy and Tully to find it in total disarray with women trying to get their children to sit down and eat. Moffitt and Hitch smiled for the first time in many hours as they got their breakfasts and sat down with Zaki at one of the tables.

Zaki smiled at them and nodded in greeting as he said, "Good morning. I hope you are both doing better this morning."

Moffitt said, "We are doing better, thank you, Zaki. How are you and the others doing?"

"We are happy to be alive. How are Sergeant Troy and Tully?"

Hitch said, "Tully was still asleep when we were there, but Troy was awake and eager to get out of bed."

Moffitt asked, "Have you heard where you and the others will be going from here?"

Zaki said, "Sergeant Roberts says we will be leaving for Benghazi soon."

"I've been wondering about something, Zaki."

"What is that, Jack?"

Moffitt said gently, "It doesn't appear that you're a member of any of these families."

Zaki shook his head. "No, my mother was killed many months ago in a bombing. I never knew my father."

Hitch said, "So, you've been on your own ever since."

"It was not for long. Walī Dawud Tai took me in. He was very good to me. I am sorry he is gone."

"What will you do now?"

Zaki said, "The mother of Jumah—Badia—has offered me a place with her. I will gladly help her through the mourning of her son and I will make sure she is comfortable in her new life."

Moffitt said, "Does Badia understand that Tully isn't responsible for Jumah's death?"

"Yes, she doesn't blame him. She is grateful that he was so kind to Jumah."

"Good, Tully will be glad to hear that when he wakes up."

Just then Sergeant Roberts walked into the mess tent. "All right, let's load up and head for Benghazi. We have a lot of miles to cover."

Zaki stood and said, "Good-bye, my friends. I hope we meet again."

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

Later that morning, Moffitt and Hitch returned to the hospital to check up on Troy and Tully. They found Troy up and dressed, his arm in a sling, sitting next to Tully's cot.

Moffitt pulled two chairs over to join them. As he and Hitch sat down, he asked, "How's he doing?"

Troy sighed. "The doctor came by a little bit ago and said he's improving. He should wake up soon. Where have you two been?"

Hitch said, "Mess tent mostly. Dr. Moffitt here won't let me move around much."

Moffitt smiled. "You were told to stay off that leg as much as possible for at least the next few days. I'm just making sure you follow doctor's orders."

Troy asked, "Has Roberts left for Benghazi?"

"Yes, not too long ago. The Red Cross will meet them there and help the women and children get settled."

There was a soft groan and they all watched Tully's eyes slowly open. Troy smiled and said, "Welcome back. How do you feel?"

Tully blinked groggily. "Okay. Everyone get out?"

Moffitt smiled. "Not totally unscathed, but yes, everyone got out safely."

"So we won?"

Troy sighed and patted Tully on the shoulder. "Yeah, Tully, we won."

The private's eyelids drooped as he fought to stay awake. "What about Zaki and…"

Moffitt said, "We'll talk about that later. Right now you need to rest. We'll be here if you need anything."

They could see Tully start to relax as he let his eyes close. He whispered, "'Kay."

Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch stayed by Tully's side, taking turns day and night until they were satisfied their friend was on the mend.