Disclaimer: CSI: NY and all the characters from the show are owned by CBS, Paramount, Jerry Bruckheimer, Anthony Zuiker, and other people who are much more creative and wealthier than me. Any other characters are my own and resemblance to any other person is a pure coincidence. Well mostly. Probably. No wait, mostly.

Thanks for the warm response to Chapter 28. A note: for the next few chapters, I'm going to change some history a bit to help the story move along. Anyways, here is Chapter 29. Enjoy.

Chapter 29: Miles to Go

Commandant von Touffel is as angry as his brutal subordinate. Those damnable Americans escaped right under his nose.

"Captain Kressing." Von Touffel summons his subordinate.

Kressing comes in now with a new uniform on. "What is it Commandant? We are busy organizing a hunting party."

Von Touffel ears perk up at that last phrase 'hunting party'. "Captain, if you are going after them, get reinforcements from the Wehrmacht."

Kressing gives his commander a bemused look. "Sir, you really should listen to the radio more often."

"What do you mean?" Von Touffel asks, puzzled.

"Sir, the Wehrmacht will soon be going on the attack. The High Command has ordered the Wehrmacht to drive the Allies out of Southern Italy with a massive offensive."

Instead of being cheered by this, Von Touffel is irritated. "When was the High Command going to inform us of this?"

"With all due respect Sir, they probably didn't want the Americans finding out."

Von Touffel groans. "Captain, we have to deal with the Americans before they have a chance to reach Allied territory. We don't know what they know. If it turns out that the Americans know about this offensive and tell the Allies, it will be both our heads."

"Yes Sir. Just one question Sir; do I have your permission to use whatever methods may be necessary?"

Von Touffel considers it for a moment. Kressing is basically asking for a free hand, which means that many people will die. However, the alternative, letting the Americans reaching their lines, is too great a risk. Not just for von Touffel or Kressing's careers, but for the whole German war effort.

There is no choice.

"Captain Kressing, you have my permission to do what is necessary to prevent the Americans from reaching their lines."

Kressing gets a wicked smile. This is the first piece of good news he's heard in a while.

"Thank you Sir. Heil Hitler!"

"Carry out your orders Captain."

"You have got to be kidding me! Can't you fix it?"

"What tools do you want me to use Danny?"

"Anything! We have to get moving!"

Our luck seems to have run out the moment we meet up outside the camp. We've gotten lost in the woods and on top of that, the German car we stole has broken down. Ross is frantically trying to repair it, but that is taking a lot of time, which we don't have.

"This is why we are winning the war. The Germans can't even give their army a working car." Flack comments dryly.

Ross is intensely looking at the engine, and I'm hoping against hope that he can get this damn car working again.

Eventually, Ross kicks the side of the car in frustration. "Major, I'm sorry Sir, but this thing is dead. Without the proper tools, I can't get this stupid car running."

I feel a headache coming on. "It's alright Private."

"What do we do Sir?" Hawkes asks me.

The truth is, I don't know. Losing two vehicles would be bad, but in a way, losing one is worse. With one vehicle, we might be forced to split up, which I'm loathed to do.

"Sir?"

Like I told them before we started, you have to improvise when things don't go your way. "We're lost and down a vehicle. We need to head east, that is where Umberetto is. We'll use the grenade that Jess gave us to set a trap using these cars. At the least it will slow them down."

Ross, Flack and I set up the trap. Flack pulls the shoe laces out of his boots and ties one to the door handle and the other to the grenade. Ross positions the cars so that they are facing each other, meaning that the gas tanks are close. Finally I place the grenade so that it can't be spotted, but the explosion will reach the gas tank. I hope Kressing is the one who sets off the grenade. The trap is set.

"What now Major?"

"Now we walk. If Umberetto is as close as Stella gives the impression it is, we should be there in a few hours."

Our group starts walking. Hopefully, we'll make it to Umberetto just after midnight.

Kressing gathers his men one more time before they head out to hunt down the Americans.

"I want all but two of you to follow the Americans. Track them down. Private Schrader, Corporal Jammer, you will come with me. We are going into Umberetto. As I said men, use whatever force you want on them, but leave Major Taylor to me. I want to kill him myself, nice and slow. Move out!"

In Umberetto, Stella and Jess wait nervously. It's been several hours and they haven't heard a thing about how the escape attempt went. Each of them is imaging a hundred different things going wrong.

"Stella, I can't take it anymore. This waiting is driving me crazy."

"I know Jess, but what are we going to do?"

"Where are they going to stay when they get here?"

"We need to keep them hidden until we are ready to head out to San Giovanni's. Jess, I need to go find them. I know this area better than anyone else. They can't stay here; it will be the first place the Germans look. There is actually an abandoned barn on the other side of town. It will be the perfect place to hide them. Let's get the supplies we need and head there. I'll drop you off so you can get things ready for them and then I'll head off to find them."

Jess nods. "Alright. Be careful Stella."

They gather up what they need and Stella drops off Jess at the barn. She then starts heading west. She is going out to find them. It is dangerous, she could run into the Germans after all, but it is a risk she is going to take.

Lieutenant Johan Schmidt orders his men to fan out and search the woods. He feels a great sense of pride at having been chosen by Captain Kressing to head up this part of the search party. The Captain gave Schmidt wide latitude to conduct their hunt, which means that Schmidt has a chance for glory, which is what he really wants out of this war.

"Lieutenant! Over here Sir!" One of his men waves to him. Schmidt and the rest of the German patrol heads over to the voice.

Corporal Groeber is the one who called out. The Corporal points at what appears to be two vehicles parked in the woods.

Groeber talks in an excited way "Sir that's the car the Americans stole from the Camp. They must be nearby. We've caught up to them Sir."

"Groeber, you and Wittens search the cars; see if they left anything behind."

The two soldiers head up cautiously to the car.

"Something is wrong Sir." Sergeant Monstardt comments to Schmidt. "Why would they abandon their fastest method of transportation?"

"I'm not sure Sergeant. Remember though, these Americans are on the run. They probably panicked about something and just left the cars here."

"Maybe."

Groeber and Wittens search through one of the cars and find nothing. They make their way to the other car and Groeber opens the door to begin searching it. A few seconds pass and nothing happens.

"This is too easy." Groeber comments

Unfortunately for Corporal Groeber, that is the last thing he says on this earth. By opening the door, he pulled the string attached to the grenade and it lets its presence known by going off. The grenade was positioned close to the cars gas tank that it set off a chain reaction of three separate explosions. Groeber and Wittens, who are standing right beside the cars, are instantly consumed in flames and killed. Others, like Lieutenant Schmidt and Sergeant Monstardt, are temporarily blinded and thrown back to the ground. Still others suffer injuries as the two vehicles continue to burn.

Schmidt has his hands over his eyes, shielding them from the continuing fire. "Damn them! Damn those Americans to hell! AFTER THEM!"

Captain Kressing, Corporal Jammer, and Private Schrader do not go directly to Umberetto. Instead, Kressing directs Jammer, who is driving, to head north of the town, on the road leading to Naples. There he orders them to stop and wait. Jammer and Schrader are very confused but follow Kressing's orders anyways.

Finally, another car comes racing down the road from Naples heading to Umberetto. Kressing knows who is driving it and stops them.

"About time you showed up Niepper."

"Damn these Italians Sir."

"I agree Niepper. When we get to town, we're going to find Ms. Bonasera and take her prisoner. That's how we are going to draw out those Americans when they get to this town."

"Yes Sir, but there is one thing I want to do first."

"What is it?"

"I want to talk to one of my informants. It's the kind of talk you'll like Captain."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Kressing gets in Niepper's car as the two of them and Corporal Jammer and Private Schrader follow behind them, heading to Umberetto.

My men and I easily hear the explosion from the trap we set. The good news is that that means the Germans fell for it and some of them are probably dead. The bad news is that they are catching up. We continue walking, now at a faster pace. We need to get as much distance between the Germans and us as possible. Unfortunately, a new sound enters into my hearing, one that I've been expecting, but still dreading. It's the sound of multiple jeeps coming from behind.

"What's that?" Doc Hammerback asks, his hearing is not as good as mine.

"German jeeps." I say grimly.

The sound of the jeeps gets closer and closer.

"RUN NOW!" I order them.

We take off, desperately hoping to hide from them, because there is no way we can outrun them now. Then, a light shines from behind us. Damn it, they caught up with us.

"Split up! No matter what, get to the town!" I yell over the sound of jeep engines. Three of my men go one way, three the other. The headlights still shine on me. If they follow me that means they aren't chasing the others I tell myself.

A new sound emerges, worse than any other. It is the sound of guns and bullets being discharged. I see dirt splattering around me. Oh God they are shooting at me a part of my mind shouts.

Somehow, I manage to dodge the bullets being fired at me until I spot what looks like a drop off ahead of me. I get out of the sight of the headlights long enough to run up to the edge of it and literally fall off it. It is a natural drop off and I quickly hide under it. The jeeps that were chasing me stop and I hear snippets of the Germans talking with each other, trying to determine where I've gone. The sound of their boots crushing plant life gets closer and I see the shadows of several people. I hold my breath and wait, my heart pounding in my chest. Finally, they give up and go back to their jeeps and head out. I release the breath I had been holding. After a while, I risk getting out of this drop off and start making my way east again, now alone and unsure of what has happened to my men.

The other escaping Americans find their own cover in the woods. The two groups quickly meet up again, relieved that everyone is here. Except…

"Where is the Major?" Hawkes asks.

"I thought he was with your group." Danny says back nervously.

"We thought he was with you." Hawkes says, just as nervous as his friend.

"We have to find him. He doesn't have a hope in hell of surviving without help." Flack declares.

The conversation stops as yet another car appears from the distance.

"Oh no." Hayes mutters.

"Wait, that isn't a German jeep, it's a car." Adam says with relief.

Even more lucky for them, inside this car is Stella, who is immensely relieved to see them okay. Except for the Major.

"Where's Mac?" She asks hotly.

Sid quickly explains what happened and Stella's fear only grows.

"Damn it." She swears in frustration. "Alright look, you need to get out of here. Umberetto isn't far. Just head east a less than a mile and you'll find the town. Head straight through town and you'll find a barn that looks abandoned on the other side. Jess is there getting things ready for you."

"Jess is there!" Flack exclaims.

Stella nods. "Yes she is, and she won't like to be kept waiting. Go now. I'm going to find Mac."

The men continue their journey east while Stella heads into the forested area, determined to find the lost Major Taylor.

Good? Bad? Another longer chapter this time, but don't worry, we still have a ways to go. If you have any comments or suggestions, don't hesitate to leave a review.