Pieces of Gold

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 10

Troy stepped through the door and waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim light. He was prepared to see Hitch beaten, unconscious even. He wasn't expecting what he saw. He stopped in his tracks as the others crowded in behind him.

"Hitch!" Tully called as he dropped to his knees next to his best friend.

"Tully?" Hitch answered as he opened his eyes to see Tully's face in front of him. "I wasn't expecting to see you here. I didn't think you'd come back."

"We said we'd be back." Tully answered as he checked his friend for injuries.

"Yeah, but I told you not to come back if you couldn't help." Hitch dropped his head. "I didn't want to be remembered like this."

Troy knelt next to Tully and squeezed his driver's arm. "Tully, cut him loose."

"No!" Hitch cried. "You'll get caught!" He lowered his voice. "You can't help me Sarge. You'll make some dangerous enemies if you try to take me out of here." Hitch looked toward Moffitt for support.

"It's all right Hitch." Troy assured his driver. "Batala has set you free."

"Free? Why?" He looked between his three friends for an explanation.

"We found out who planned it and brought him here to tell Batala the truth." Troy explained.

"You did?" Hitch asked wide-eyed. "How did you find him?"

"Tully solved the mystery." Troy smiled.

Tully shrugged when Hitch looked to him for an explanation. "I just asked Doc if he thought the guy who delivered the note got paid yet."

"We followed him to his meeting with Lieutenant Hostoff and watched him collect his pay." The Brit smiled when Hitch turned to him.

"Then we followed the lieutenant back to Dietrich's base, kidnapped him, and brought him here to tell Batala his story." Troy took up the explanation.

"You made him talk? How'd you manage that?"

"Piece of cake." Tully grinned. "Dietrich ordered him to tell the truth."

"Dietrich? Why would he help me?"

"Because we promised them their freedom if they told the truth, all of it." Troy answered. "Dietrich said two officers for one private was a fair deal."

"More than fair." Hitch snorted. "I don't know what to say. Thanks."

"Anytime." The others answered.

"We thought we were too late." Tully finally broke the silence that followed Hitch's heartfelt thanks. "When we broke down we thought they would start before we could get here."

"When you weren't tied to the post we were worried." Moffitt admitted.

Hitch nodded. "When they moved me I thought they were going to start early."

"What happened?" Troy asked.

"I don't know." Hitch admitted. "I was tied to that post all day. Daquil gave me water but nobody else came near me except for the kids. They threw stones." Hitch explained sadly. "I guess that's when I really started to understand how much they all hated me for what they thought I'd done."

"Are you hurt?" Moffitt asked quickly.

"No, I'm all right, a few bruises that's all."

"Then what happened?" Troy asked.

"It was getting dark and I was expecting to spend the night in the cold and that wind." Hitch shivered at the thought. "It was cold Sarge and I was trying to protect my face from the wind when two guys grabbed my arms. A third one cut me free and they brought me in here and tied me to this post. Daquil was here. I think he may have had something to do with it. They left me here and I kept expecting them to come back and start, but they didn't."

"I guess we really owe Daquil." Troy locked eyes with Moffitt.

Just then Daquil stuck his head through the door. "A meal has been prepared for you. I had it taken to your tent. Batala asks that you return to your tent and enjoy the meal."

"Hitch too?" Tully asked.

"All of you." Daquil answered. "You are all honored guests."

The four Allied soldiers returned to their tent to find a lavish meal waiting for them. Batala had ordered only the best for them after what had happened. They talked about what had happened while they were separated. Daquil returned to tell them that the man who had delivered the note had been searched and the gold coins had been found. He had confessed to his part in the plot. Daquil told them that the coins had been confiscated and the man had been banned from the camp.

Batala sent word that he wanted them to stay another night. Troy agreed since they could not reach their base before dark anyway. He chose to accept the invitation rather than sleep under the stars with the cold wind blowing.

The next morning found them once again served a virtual feast compared to their regular rations. Once the meal was over Troy sent Hitch and Tully to go over their jeeps one more time before they left. He wanted to be sure that they hadn't done any damage driving them with the engines overheated.

Hitch was uncomfortable under the eyes of the Arabs at first but he began to relax as everyone smiled at him as they passed. He was under the jeep while Tully worked under the hood when Batala arrived.

"You will accompany Batala." The translator told Hitch as he lay on the ground and looked up at the Arabs.

Hitch stood and looked at Tully with a pinched look on his face. "You'd better tell Sarge where I went."

Tully nodded and took off before Hitch and Batala had time to leave the jeeps.

Hitch eyed the guards who had accompanied Batala. When the Arab leader turned away Hitch followed meekly. They crossed the camp with a crowd joining them as they walked. By the time they reached the outer edge of the camp they were being followed by most of the camp.

Batala stopped at the edge of the camp and waited. Hitch looked around at all of the people around them. They looked more curious than hostile but it was hard to tell for sure what was going on. In front of them were two posts standing about six feet apart. Hitch thought the post had probably been intended for him. He waited, expecting the guards to rush him and tie him to those posts.

"Hitch!"

He turned to see Daquil approaching with his three friends close behind.

"I don't know what I did Sarge." Hitch turned to Moffitt. "What did I do wrong this time?"

"Watch." Batala's interpreter instructed Hitch.

A small group of horsemen appeared from behind a nearby hill. One of the horses carried a dead body. The body was dropped at Hitch's feet.

"I didn't kill him!" Hitch cried as he recognized the man who had delivered the note. His three friends stepped forward and crowded around him protectively.

Batala ordered his men to explain what happened.

Moffitt gripped Hitch's arm as the report progressed.

"What did they say?" Troy asked Moffitt.

"This man was banned from the camp but Batala had men watching him. He slipped away from his house and they followed him. He must have radioed the lieutenant because they met in the desert. According to Batala's men he argued with the lieutenant, possibly about money. The lieutenant shot him. Batala's guards killed the lieutenant but his driver got away. Batala wants to know if you are satisfied with his punishment." Moffitt watched Hitch as he translated. His last comment was for Hitch.

Hitch shook his head in disbelief. "I didn't want him to die Doc. I was mad at him, sure, but I wouldn't have wished him dead. Sarge said he had a family."

"You didn't do this Hitch. He went to the lieutenant on his own. He made a deal with the devil and he paid the price."

"Either he got greedy and wanted more money or the lieutenant was angry because you are still alive." Troy guessed. "Maybe he should have kept that last bit of information to himself."

"But he's still dead. What about his family?"

"His family will be taken care of by her family. He sold his soul for a few pieces of gold." Moffitt explained. "You are not responsible for his greed."

"I guess you're right. I guess you can tell Batala that I'm satisfied with everything." Hitch sighed.

"He knows." Moffitt smiled. "He has his own translator."

"Moffitt, can you thank our host for his hospitality? Tell him we're going home. That is, if that's all right with you Hitch."

"Yeah Sarge, I'm ready."

"Then let's go home."