The Case of Mistaken Identity Raid
By: AliasCWN
Chapter 2
"They've sure been gone a long time."
Tully looked over at Hitch and nodded. He didn't want to admit it but he was worried too.
"You don't think they got caught, do you?"
Tully looked toward the base and shrugged. In the dark Hitch couldn't see his answer, but it didn't much matter, Tully didn't have any real answer.
"Maybe we ought to take a closer look."
"Sarge wouldn't like that," Tully answered.
"They might need our help."
"Sarge said to stay put."
Hitch frowned, but he nodded. "Okay, we'll wait."
"I'm going to take a walk around. We're too close to the base to suit me, a patrol could stumble on us at any time."
"They don't run patrols at night."
"Not usually," Tully agreed, "but these aren't normal times. Don't forget, they have a general visiting the base. They might decide to run patrols all day and all night just to keep him safe. And then they have those plans that Sarge and Doc are after."
"But we haven't seen any all night."
"The night isn't over yet."
Hitch bit his lip and nodded. "I guess you're right. Sarge must have thought the same thing or he wouldn't have left us this far out."
"That's what I figured. That's why I'm going to take a walk around."
Every half hour after that one of the two privates would take a short walk around the wadi where they waited for the sergeants. Each time they would return to report nothing out of the usual, until the last time.
Hitch was standing at the top of the hill watching in the direction of the base for the sergeants' return. The moon was behind a cloud but he still spotted the patrol before they reached the wadi, but not much before. The German cars came from between some hills where the mounds of sand had muffled the sounds of their approach. He immediately turned and waved a warning to Tully. Since the moon was still behind the cloud, Tully didn't see his warning. Hitch pulled his kepi off and waved it as hard as he could. Tully was walking around the rim of the wadi on the other side and caught movement but wasn't sure what he was seeing. When Tully didn't react to his warning, Hitch waved his kepi again. The rocks beneath his feet shifted as he rocked his weight back and forth. He lost his balance as they slid. Before he could catch himself, the rocks slid again, and he felt himself falling backwards.
Tully heard Hitch's cry and heard the rocks sliding. Turning, he ran toward the other private. The clatter of German engines stopped him before he reached the spot where Hitch had been standing. He started froward again, and stepped on something lying on the ground. He bent and picked up Hitch's kepi. He looked up at the spot where he had last seen the other private. The spot was still empty. A shout in German told him that the jeep had been spotted. Tully turned and ran for the vehicle. He would have to come back for Hitch later. He hoped that Hitch would hear the jeep leave and know enough to find a place to hide. Hopefully the Germans wouldn't search the wadi after seeing the jeep leave.
Tully did his best to give Hitch time to get clear of the wadi. He left the patrol chase him across the desert, even letting them get close a couple of times. When they gave up the chase, he followed them at a distance. By the time they reached the wadi there were other German units there. Tully backed off and went in search of the sergeants.
"Tully. Where's Hitch?" Troy rushed to meet the other jeep as it pulled into their prearranged meeting place. The sergeant peered into the back of the jeep, expecting to find a wounded private there.
"I had to leave him behind," Tully answered. "I think he fell down the slope. I heard him yell and I heard rocks sliding. I headed over that way, but then a patrol showed up and spotted the jeep. I drew them away but when I got back, they had others already there."
"Did you hear any shots?"
"Only the ones aimed at me," Tully answered. "I found Hitch's kepi at the bottom of the hill. I didn't hear him after he fell."
"He fell from the top of the slope where he was standing watch?" Moffitt asked.
Tully nodded.
"Troy, that slope wasn't that steep. If he wasn't hurt before he fell, he may just have had the wind knocked out of him. In all likelihood he's fine. He probably rolled down that slope."
"Why didn't he run back up the hill, or call to Tully?"
"Perhaps he heard the patrol cars too. He may not have wanted to alert them to his presence."
"If he heard the jeep leave, he may have found a place to hide," Tully added. "The Germans didn't seem to be looking for anything in particular. Maybe they don't know he's there."
"We'll have to get him out before daylight. There aren't that many places to hide in a wadi."
"It would be best if Jerry didn't know we were on the base," Moffitt agreed. "Troy." Moffitt hesitated to complete his statement.
"What?"
"Getting those pictures back to the base may have to be our priority. From what little I read while I was taking them, there is a big offensive planned. If I understood the date correctly, we don't have much time to build up a defense."
"Then we can't let them get their hands on Hitch. They'll know we have the plans."
"Not necessarily. They know he was out here, but we're several miles from the base. We weren't spotted near the base and no one saw us while we were there. He could easily claim that he was just watching the base for a chance at a convoy."
"I'm not leaving without at least trying to get him back."
"Of course not," Moffitt agreed. "But I'd rather not risk this film. I suggest we hide it somewhere and come back for it on our way to our base."
"Okay, where are we going to stash it so we can find it easily?"
Moffitt dug out the map case and found their current location. In less than a minute he had a suitable place to stash the film. He pointed it out to both Troy and Tully so that they each knew where it would be. "Hopefully at least one of us will be able to pick it up and get it back to the base."
Moffitt put the map away and Tully went to check his jeep for damage. Troy pulled Moffitt to the side and lowered his voice.
"You're expecting trouble when we go back for Hitch."
"Aren't you?" Moffitt responded. "You saw the security on the base. You know the general is here and they are planning a big push. Jerry is not going to be taking any chances."
"We have to try Moffitt."
"I agree," the Brit answered, "but I am still expecting trouble. I have to admit though, I don't have a lot of hope for a successful rescue at this point."
"We have to try."
"And we are, but we all know the chances. The mission comes first as always. We all know that too."
Troy nodded. "Wrap the film in oilcloth and get it ready to stash. We'll make a quick stop and then go see about Hitch."
Moffitt pulled the film and the camera from his pocket and wrapped them together in the oilcloth. He tucked it into a pocket and returned to his jeep.
"Tully, hurry it up!" Troy called.
"Almost done Sarge," Tully called from under the hood. Tully slammed the hood on his jeep, startling Troy. "Nothing major Sarge, just more dents and a few more bullet holes. I checked it over pretty good. Are we ready to go after Hitch?"
"One more stop Tully. Once we drop off the film we can head for the wadi."
"It's going to be light soon."
"It will only take a few minutes and we aren't that far from where we left Hitch. We should be there before the sun comes up."
Tully nodded and went to his jeep. He was chewing furiously on his ever-present matchstick, a clear indication that he was agitated.
The sun hadn't cleared the mountain yet when they arrived at the wadi. The sky had changed to a dark gray, not yet day, but no longer night. They noticed a lot of movement in the area and were forced to stop well clear of the wadi they wanted. Even as they watched the activity, a column arrived from the base. The column joined the patrols already surrounding the wadi. Tully's escape route seemed to be drawing a lot of attention. Several patrol cars headed out to follow his tracks. Tully wasn't too worried; he had taken the long way around to meet the sergeants and the winds would have erased the tracks on the open desert.
Troy continued to watch as the sun slowly rose over the mountain. They could clearly see the Germans at the wadi now and he knew they could see Hitch if he was still in there.
"Troy." Moffitt was lying beside him watching the search too.
"What?"
"If Hitch was still there, they would have found him by now."
"Then where is he?"
"Think about it. Tully said he drew the patrol away from the wadi. That would have given Hitch time to leave the wadi and perhaps find shelter nearby."
"He would have been on foot. He couldn't get far."
"Perhaps as far as the next set of hills. He could be hiding over there." Moffitt pointed toward the hills that led off into the desert. "If Hitch made it that far he may not be discovered."
"Or they may go over there and look around, just in case."
Troy turned his attention to the other hill. Using his glasses, he searched the desert sands for any sign of his driver.
"Troy! They found something!" Moffitt pointed toward where a group of Germans were pointing at the ground at the edge of the wadi.
"What are they looking at?"
"Tracks, perhaps. The wind was blowing from the other direction. Hitch may have left tracks that aren't erased yet. The hill would have protected them at its base to some extent."
Several patrol cars and a staff car left the wadi and headed for the hills where Moffitt suspected that Hitch had taken cover.
"They're going to search the hills." Troy followed the patrol cars and the staff car as it crossed the desert. As he swung the glasses toward the hill, he spotted a brief flash of movement. "Hitch!"
"Where?" Moffitt tried to locate the missing man. Hitch moved again and the Brit located him too. "He's limping."
"He'll never get away from them on foot." Troy answered. He was already moving toward the jeeps. "Let's go!"
Moffitt leaped into the back of his moving jeep as Tully followed Troy's jeep. He cleared the 50 in preparation for battle. Shots sounded over the sands and Troy increased his speed. They broke free of the dunes in time to see Hitch making a run for another hill. The patrol cars had already begun to close the distance to the fleeing American. Moffitt noted that the staff car was holding back, perhaps to protect the occupants.
Troy's jeep veered to the side to try to intercept his driver. Tully veered toward the patrol cars. The 50 began to chatter as Moffitt took aim at the patrol cars.
The first patrol car turned to go after Troy. The second one turned to drive at Tully and Moffitt. Moffitt continued to fire, forcing the gunners to keep their heads down. Tully aimed directly for the car, playing a dangerous game of chicken. Several of the gunners fell out of the car, hit by the 50-caliber lead. The driver stayed on course. Moffitt leaned down and picked up a grenade. He pulled the pin with his teeth and waited for Tully to get him closer. The driver finally lost his nerve and swerved to the side. Moffitt tossed the grenade and yelled at Tully. The jeep swerved to the side and took aim at the second car.
Alone in the jeep, Troy didn't have a gunner to shield his back. His only defense was to swerve and dodge to avoid being hit. He heard the grenade explode and knew the others would soon have his back. He concentrated on Hitch.
The second car ran into the string of lead Moffitt fired in their direction. The driver slumped over the wheel, pulling it to the side as his body tottered and fell out. Moffitt gave it one more burst and yelled at Tully again. Tully turned toward where Hitch was still trying to run.
A shell landed in front of Troy's jeep, forcing him to dodge to the side to avoid the new hole in the desert. A second one hit beside Tully's racing vehicle. Moffitt turned and spotted the halftracks joining the chase. One of them stopped so that the gunners could aim from a stationery vehicle. And because of it, their aim improved. The shells began to fall faster and closer. To add to the danger, more patrol cars burst from the wadi and charged the two jeeps.
Moffitt looked ahead and saw the staff car about to overtake Hitch. Moffitt opened fire again, hitting the side of the car. The driver immediately swerved away, leaving the fight to the halftracks and patrol cars.
Troy was forced to turn away before reaching Hitch. The patrol cars had raced headlong into the battle, beating the jeeps to Hitch. The halftracks were concentrating on the jeeps, not giving them any chance to take on the patrol cars.
Tully saw Troy break away and followed suit. When he looked back, he got a brief glimpse of Hitch on the ground, surrounded by German soldiers. The staff car was no where in sight but the patrol cars were making a circle around the prisoner to keep the jeeps away.