Prisoners

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 4

Sam Troy rushed across the cell to check on Hitch and Tully as soon as the guards stepped out. He payed no attention to their jeers as they slammed and locked the heavy door.

"Are you two all right?"

"Yeah, I think so Sarge." Tully responded. He leaned unsteadily against the wall as he sat on his cot. Closing his eyes, he allowed the cool of the wall to sooth his aching head.

"Hitch?"

The blond sat slumped over with his head in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees. His hands shook uncontrollably despite his position.

Troy knelt next to him to peer into his face. Hitch had his eyes squeezed tight fighting against the pain. "Take it easy Hitch. I think Dietrich is sending a doctor." Troy helped Hitchcock to elie down on the second cot. Easing his head onto the pillow, the blond groaned as his head touched the surface.

"What about Moffitt?" Tully whispered into the space between them.

Troy looked up at the pained look in Tully's eyes. "I don't know." He answered honestly.

"They just left him there didn't they Sarge? " Hitch asked in a soft whisper.

"Yeah Hitch, they just left him there." Troy sighed.

"Maybe Dietrich will send somebody back for him. Dietrich is not as cold as that Lieutenant." Hitch suggested hopefully.

Tully eyed the blond but didn't speak.

"Don't count on it Hitch." Troy warned. "Besides, Moffitt was hurt, and it looked bad. He could already be dead for all we know. He didn't stand a chance hurt like he was, trapped, and alone with no water or medical supplies."

"Doc is tough." Tully groaned as he straightened up to watch Troy.

"He's human." Troy growled, not wanting to give them false hope.

"But he's tough." Tully persisted.

Troy looked into the eyes of his men, seeing the unspoken pleas. Relenting, he nodded slowly. "Yeah, he's tough. If anyone can survive under those circumstances it would be Moffitt." He was rewarded with guarded smiles from both his men. Afraid to share their optimism, he decided to focus on those he might still be able to save. "How do you feel Hitch?"

"My head hurts and I'm seeing double."

Troy nodded and turned to Tully. "And you?"

"I'm not seeing double but one is enough. It feels like one of those halftracks is clanking around in my head."

Troy nodded and moved to help Tully stretch out on his cot. "Like I said, I think Dietrich told the guards to get a doctor. If I'm right, he should be here soon. Just relax and try to rest, we need to be ready for any opportunity that presents itself."

"I know one opportunity that I'd like to have and it involves that Lieutenant." Tully growled, holding his head.

Troy was sitting next to Tully when the doctor arrived. He rose and moved to the far corner of the cell at the insistence of the guards. The doctor, a kind looking man who appeared overworked, carefully examined each of the privates. He asked several questions, but since there was a language barrier, he had to make his final decisions based on their reactions to his simple tests. After he finished cleaning and bandaging the cuts on their heads, he reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of pills. Looking pointedly at Troy, he tried to give him instructions for the care of the men. Finally, not knowing what else to do, he held out two pills in his hand. Pointing at his watch, he held up four fingers and pointed at the pills again.

Troy nodded that he understood, smiling his thanks.

The doctor shrugged and replaced the pills, sealing the bottle. When he attempted to hand the bottle to Troy, the guards stopped him. Shrugging again, he placed the bottle on the cot and stepped away, saying something to the guards. They glanced at the bottle but left it on the cot. Satisfied, the doctor spoke to the guards again and they escorted him from the cell, leaving the prisoners alone.

Troy was trying to get Hitch to swallow the pills dry when the guards returned. One stood ready while the other one tossed canteens, blankets and some k-rations to the floor. They stepped back and slammed the door with grins on their faces.

"If we get out of here I'd like to wipe those grins right off of their faces." Tully growled in frustration.

"Forget it Tully, we have bigger fish to fry. We need to find a way to get out of here." Troy went to the single window in their cell and looked out. The alley outside the window was narrow and cluttered; he couldn't see any of the base from there.

"Dietrich will be coming to see us." Hitch mumbled from his cot. "Maybe we'll get a chance to jump him."

Troy glanced over at his driver with concern. "Don't even try it Hitch. Dietrich will be ready for something like that. We wouldn't stand a chance and it might make him decide to separate us. That's the last thing we want right now. Besides, in the shape you two are in, you couldn't run let alone fight."

"We'll fight Sarge." Hitch assured him, looking at Tully to see his nod of agreement.

"Yeah," Troy admitted. "I know. Let's just wait and see what happens. We don't know what Dietrich has in mind for us." Troy grinned at his men. "Maybe Dietrich will decide that we're too much trouble and just let us go."

"Yeah right," Hitch mumbled.

Troy laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "Here, take these, maybe they'll make you feel better." He palmed two pills he held and opened one of the canteens. As Hitch opened his mouth Troy dropped the pills in and helped him wash them down with a few swallows of water. Rising, he crossed to Tully and helped him take two of the pills. "Try to get some rest. Hitch is right; we'll probably get a visit from our favorite German before long."

Both privates were asleep when Dietrich finally made his appearance. There was a commotion in the hall that alerted Troy to the Captain's imminent arrival. Glancing at his men, Troy decided to let them sleep while they could. There would be no chance to escape while the Captain was present.

The sergeant baked away from the door as the key turned in the lock. When the door swung open, the guards grinning face was the first thing he saw. Looking at the toothy smile, Troy had to agree with Tully, he'd like to wipe that grin off the German's face too. The guard stepped aside to allow the Captain to enter before following him into the cell.

"Sergeant." The Captain inclined his head as he greeted his prisoners.

"Captain." Troy replied just as formally.

Dietrich glanced around the cell, his eyes coming to stop on the still sleeping privates. "I trust you are being treated well."

"Fair enough Captain."

"Are your men all right? I see that the doctor has been in to treat them."

"The doctor left a short while ago. They'll live. Thank you."

Dietrich gave a small nod of understanding before his face got grave. "I'm sorry about Sergeant Moffitt. I myself would not have left him."

"I believe you Captain."

"The lieutenant can sometimes be a bit….callous." Dietrich went on to explain.

Troy stared cold eyed at the Captain.

"I have sent a detail to bury the body. A gallant warrior deserves a decent burial."

"Thank you Captain."

"I don't suppose there is any use asking you what you were doing out there?"

"We were looking for dancing girls." Troy responded with a smile. "Tully thought he saw one on top of one of the dunes. We just kept crossing the dunes looking for the right one. Never did find her. You didn't happen to see one out there did you Captain?"

The Captain shook his head, trying to hide his own smile. "No Sergeant, I can't say that I did. Perhaps you were looking in the wrong direction."

"Perhaps." Troy agreed. "But we still had to look. Tully sure does like those dancing girls."

"I remember." Dietrich nodded, thinking of the time they had joined forces to fight some renegade Arab; Tully had mentioned a dancing girl at that time too. "Get some rest Sergeant. Tomorrow I am sending you and your men to a POW camp." Dietrich paused on his way to the door. "Perhaps they have dancing girls there."

"Maybe Captain," Troy smiled, "I guess we'll see."