The War Without Honor Raid
By: AliasCWN
Chapter 7
"He's agreed to help Colonel. According to the Captain there is an inspection scheduled for tomorrow. The column is due to arrive sometime in the afternoon. They're going to inspect the hospital and implement some new procedures before inspecting the troops and the base. Have we received any more information that will help us avert this?" Sam Troy stood in front of Colonel Dan Wilson and told him all about his conversation with Captain Dietrich. The Rat Patrol had returned to their own base a soon as possible after Troy's 'escape' from the Germans. "We set up a method of exchanging news and any changes in plans. I told the Captain we would find a way to stop the column before it reached his base."
The Colonel began shaking his head. "No Sergeant, we want the serum to reach his base."
"Colonel, I told the Captain we would try to keep his men safe." Troy's protest was met by more head shaking. "We can take that column down somewhere out in the desert Sir. Why risk infecting an entire base full of soldiers?"
"Because Sergeant, we don't want the Germans to know that we found out about their plan. We need to foil the plan without letting the cat out of the bag." The Colonel held up a hand to stop the protest Troy was about to voice. "We do have some new information. Our spies have learned how they plan to infect the men"
Troy swallowed his protest to listen to the Colonel's explanation.
"You're correct in assuming that they are going to use the hospital inspection to carry out their plan. They plan to mix the serum with some flu inoculations that are already in the hospital. The entire base is scheduled for influenza shots. After that outbreak last year that ravaged both sides, both armies have been giving their soldiers vaccines. It just so happens that Dietrich and his men are scheduled for their shots later this week. Once the serum is mixed in with the vaccine the 'inspectors' will move on to the next base. They'll be long gone before the vaccine is used and the men begin falling ill. Once the incubation period is over Berlin will order Dietrich and his men to attack in a battle they cannot win. The prisoners we take will spread the disease as they are moved from camp to camp. Even the dead will help by infecting the crews that clean up the battlefield."
"So why let them get the serum on the base Sir? We can attack the column and destroy it before it gets that far. We attack a lot of those columns, one more wouldn't draw any extra attention."
"They would just send more serum to replace what you destroyed." The Colonel sighed. "They could keep sending it until they were successful."
"Then what are we supposed to do Colonel?" Moffitt had followed the conversation but he hadn't figured out the plan. He agreed with Troy, it would be best, in his opinion, to destroy the serum before it reached the base. "It seems to me Colonel, that if we allow it to reach the base, we're going to have a difficult time keeping the captains help a secret. Are we going to sacrifice him in order to accomplish this mission?" Moffitt watched the Colonel closely. Troy had promised the captain that they would do all they could to protect him and his men and Moffitt didn't feel right going back on that promise.
"We'll do our best to hide the captains' involvement." The Colonel assured them. "But we have a plan that we think will not only protect him and his men but put an end to any more attempts at the same time."
Troy and Moffitt exchanged puzzled looks. They still weren't convinced but they were willing to listen. If it didn't sound like it would work, they could always adapt it a bit on their own. Of course, any adaptation would remain their own little secret. Their duty was to complete the mission but there was always a little wiggle room in any plan. After all, it was the results that counted in the end.
The Colonel began to outline the plan. Both sergeants began to smile and their smiles grew as the Colonel talked.
"That could work Colonel. In fact, it's a really good idea." The sergeants enthusiastic endorsement amused the Colonel. "The captain may balk a bit at parts of it, but I like it."
"I'm glad you approve Sergeant." The Colonel smiled at his men. "And since you like it so well," he paused to smile at them again, "perhaps you could carry it out as planned and not go rogue on us."
"Who, us Colonel?" Troy grinned. Moffitt ducked his head to hide his own smile.
"Collect Hitchcock and Pettigrew and pick up your package Sergeant. You don't have a lot of time to make all the arrangements. This has got to go off with no mistakes or it is doomed from the start. I trust you and your men to pull this off Sergeant, a lot of lives depend on it."
"Yes Sir, we'll do our best." Troy and Moffitt left the Colonels' office to find the privates. After a night of driving they were going to have to spend the day retracing their journey. Once they reached the base and contacted the captain they would have to tell him the new plan. Then they would have to find a place to camp and catch some sleep, they had a busy night ahead of them.
They found the privates at the motor pool. The jeeps were gassed up and ready to go. The privates had restocked their supplies while they waited for the sergeants. As Troy and Moffitt walked up they found them curled up next to their jeeps fast asleep.
"They have the right idea." Moffitt said with a smile in his eyes. "I feel better knowing they got some sleep."
Troy looked at him, puzzled.
"I'd hate for them to be driving exhausted and get us lost. There's no telling where we might end up if that were to happen."
Troy laughed, "Let's shake it."
They woke the privates, picked up the package that was waiting for them, and started the long drive back to the German base.
