Chapter 8--The Beginning of the Fight
It was the following day, just after morning roll call. The men had come in, ready to sit down for breakfast, when Newkirk had told LeBeau that the previous day he had noticed they were missing uniform downstairs. So, both had gone down to inspect their precious work.
While waiting, Kinch got Carter in on a game of gin. But Kinch noticed that Carter was acting funny. The younger American was stealing shifty glances at the tunnel entrance, looking more nervous with every passing second. Kinch would follow his gaze, and notice nothing wrong. Soon, Kinch's curiosity could not stand it anymore.
"Carter, is something wrong?"
Carter opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted.
BAM!
A cry…a scuffle…more unintelligible shouting…wait for it…
"CARTER!"
Carter winced, even though he had been expecting that cry of rage to emanate from below. Now that he was hearing it, though, as well as the sounds of someone stomping up the ladder, he was having second thoughts. He purposely turned his back to the tunnel as he tried to play gin with Kinch. Kinch smiled at him.
"Oh, you are so dead," said Kinch slyly.
Colonel Hogan came out of his office. "What's going on now?"
Any questions anyone had were ceased when Newkirk bounded out of the tunnel. Everyone tried not to gasp at his appearance. The entire anterior part of his body was covered in some kind of black dirt or soot. His face was barely recognizable, but even then, everyone could see how angry he was. Some tried not to laugh, because in the context of the past few days, it was very funny.
"Turn around Carter," said Newkirk. The way he ordered it made Cater want to melt into the wall. But how could he not want to? It was Newkirk…punishment was inevitable. He knew he was going to get it. Before slowly turning around, he sent a pleading look to Colonel Hogan. Hogan did nothing but cross his arms and shrug as if to say: It's your problem.
When he was turned around, Newkirk was in his face in half a second. The rough Englishman grabbed him by his collar and hefted him off the bench.
"Wot the bloody 'ell did you do," he asked. "You could've gotten me an' Louie killed!"
"You and Louie," asked Carter in a quiet, pathetic voice.
To answer him, LeBeau came out of the tunnel looking just like Newkirk, and just as angry.
"Yes, me and Louie," repeated Newkirk.
Carter sort of smiled, but it waned off. "Um…well…I didn't think…I though it would just be you…I'll shut up now."
"You know Newkirk and I work down there together," said LeBeau. "If you were going to get him, then you should 'ave picked a more specific time."
"Hey," said Scotty. "He got two birds with one stone. There's nothing wrong with that."
Kinch was eyeing the vengeful expressions on Newkirk and LeBeau. He grimaced. "Yeah there is."
"Oh yeah," agreed Newkirk. He let go of Carter with a littler push. "Sleep wif one eye open, mate."
"Oui," said LeBeau. "One for moi as well."
Carter smiled lamely, and watched them go back down into the tunnel to clean themselves off. As soon as the tunnel was closed, the barracks descended upon Carter.
"Nice, Carter!"
"How did you do it?"
"Whatdid you do?"
"Man, they're gonna pull you apart!"
"Hey, for something like that, you can have a piece of chocolate from my box."
"Yeah, about time someone got back at them Europeans."
"Carter, what exactly did you do?"
The last question, which had come from Colonel Hogan, sparked everyone to be quiet and listen to Carter.
"Well," he started off softly. "I didn't do much. I just made these two little grenades that were filled with soot from the stove. I made it so that when they opened up the sewing kits it would blow up in their faces. But I didn't realize they'd make such a big mess." He smiled sheepishly.
The guys chuckled and broke up.
"Well," said Kinch. "Now you'll just have to deal with both of them wanting revenge."
Carter grimaced. "Yeah, I had kinda forgot about that when I was planning it."
"Hey," said Hogan. "It was clever. Next time, let us get on it."
The door opened up quickly, and someone called, "Colonel Hogan!"
Carter spun around with his hands up. "I didn't do it! I promise!"
Arcenau and LaMarque looked down at Carter with confusion.
"Oh," said Carter. "Um…never mind."
"You called," asked Hogan, looking at LaMarque and Arcenau.
"Oui, mon Colonèl," said Arcenau, standing up straighter. "I would like to tell you that LaMarque here was framed for the crimes he was said to have committed, which would be the same reasons London wants him on this suicide mission."
LaMarque's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Colonel, that's not exactly why we came here. We just to really say that we want to fight this too. We don't want you to have to fight them alone. We were thinking, maybe if we told London our sides of the story, they could see it. No one here has done anything terrible. As in, none of the men chosen have ever murdered another man. Not in cold blood."
Hogan sighed. "I know that," he said. "And maybe London knows that. But who knows what their actual ideas about all of this really are."
"Well," said Arcenau vehemently. "They think that he murdered someone." He pointed to LaMarque. Everyone looked at him. "Mais c'est vrais pas."
"What's not true," asked LeBeau. He and Newkirk were coming out of the tunnels, having dusted themselves off.
Scotty caught Newkirk's eye and pointed to his forehead. "You've got some left over right there." Newkirk annoyingly went to brush it off. But Scotty shook his head. "No, more to the left…no not right there silly, more up…oh never mind, that was just a shadow."
The men laughed, and even Hogan smiled as he quieted everyone down again. He looked at LeBeau to answer the Frenchman's question. "Apparently, LaMarque was framed for a murder, which is why London wants him!"
"Bloody 'ell," said Newkirk. "We can't 'ave some bloke who's not even a criminal to be in on this."
"Well," said LaMarque. "I wasn't not a criminal. I was a smuggler."
"But you weren't caught," said Carter. "Doncha see? If you can prove you were framed, then you'll be Scott-free."
LaMarque sighed. "But I don't want to just save myself. What about these other guys? Look, Arcneau said it! If we could make London see our sides of the story, and that we're needed here, than we could at least keep ourselves alive. I don't care so much about clearing my record. I just want to not end up on some suicide mission…well, away from here I mean."
Hogan shook his head. "Maybe they should take you guys for stubbornness. Ok, here's the plan so far, and tell the other guys: I'm calling them back today, and I'm talking to General Butler, who's our General. I never got to talk to him yesterday. If I can talk to him, I think I can get my point across more clearly."
"And what do we do," asked Newkirk. "I'd like to be doin' more than sittin' on me arse waitin' for the verdict."
No one had a quick answer for that.
"Be good," suggested Kinch.
Newkirk rolled his eyes. "That it?"
"Well," said Kinch in defense. "Look at it this way. LaMarque is right. What if you can get London to see it your way?"
"And how do you propose we do that," asked LaMarque. "I didn't get that far into the plan."
"Write up your stories and we can send them off to London or something with the next courier plane," answered Carter quickly.
"That will 'ave about the same effect as you 'ave when you say you are going for a walk after lights-out," said LeBeau. The others chuckled as Carter blushed.
"Well, I dunno," said Carter. "It was just an idea. I mean, from our positions, that is the only way."
"That's right," said Hogan. "But the military doesn't take letters from its soldiers when they want to complain about their jobs. And we don't have Senators over here. Good try, Carter, but it won't work that way."
"Yea, mate," said Newkirk. "If some letter wif me name showed up, they'd toss it in the fire."
LeBeau elbowed him in the ribs. "Not unless you mailed it with money."
"You can't blackmail the army," said Newkirk.
"You know what I mean," said LeBeau.
"Okay, okay," said Hogan. "Just spread the word about what I'm going to do. As for the rest of you guys. If you can come up with something, go for it." He looked at Kinch. "Alright, let's go get London on the radio so that I can have a nice long talk with them."
Kinch smiled and got up quickly. "Yes, sir."
He went down the tunnel.
"What about breakfast," asked LeBeau. "I was just about to start."
Hogan looked at him and Newkirk smacked his shoulder. "There are lives at stake 'ere!"
LeBeau rolled his eyes. "I know. Let them take you and your 'orrible coffee, and perhaps our lives shall be spared."
Newkirk faked a hurt expression as the others chuckled. Hogan shook his head as he started to go down. But he poked his head up one more time.
"Oh, yeah, and Carter," he said.
"Yes, sir?"
"You didn't do anything to the radio, did you?"
"Oh, no sir."
"Ok, good."
"Good luck, Guv'nor."
"For your sake, I hope I've got the luck on my side, Newkirk."
With that, he headed down to the radio.
