The Case of Mistaken Identity Raid

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 4

"Here they come," Troy called as he ran toward the jeeps.

Moffitt looked up and nodded. He climbed behind the 50 and braced his feet. Tully twisted in his seat and looked over his shoulder. "This is it Tully," the Brit nodded, "we'll only get one chance at this."

Tully nodded silently. He reached up and adjusted his goggles.

Troy took his jeep and allowed himself to be seen briefly before ducking behind a grove of trees. The German patrol saw his jeep and gave chase. Troy made a wide loop and circled back to where the second jeep waited. He slowed to allow the Germans to think that they were gaining on him. Encouraged, the patrol cars rushed forward at a reckless speed. Troy drove past where Moffitt and Tully waited. From there he drove through a narrow space between the hills. He was careful to keep to the left of the path, nearly scraping the rocks with the side of his jeep. The patrol cars, following in single file, continued to chase the jeep. The first patrol car veered a little too far to the right and hit the landmine that Troy had so carefully avoided. The second car slid to a stop behind the wreckage of the first car. Tully and Moffitt immediately pulled in behind the car to block it in. Moffitt covered the crew with his 50.

Troy turned around and went back when he heard the explosion. He was standing on the path in front of them with his Thompson before the Germans realized what was happening. He rounded up the dazed survivors from the first car and had them join the men from the second car.

"Ask them about Hitch," Troy ordered. His gruff tone made the prisoners uneasy. They looked at one another and shifted their feet. One of them said something in German to Troy.

"He says they don't know what you want but they don't know Anything of value." Moffitt translated.

"I'll decide that," Troy growled.

Moffitt began to question the prisoners. He started by asking about any prisoners being held on the base. They didn't know much, at least not that they were willing to share. They confirmed that there was a prisoner being held on the base, but they denied knowing anything about him. One of them confirmed that the prisoner walked with a limp, but he knew little else. "He may have hurt his leg when he fell," Moffitt suggested. "He was limping when he ran from them."

"Yeah," Troy agreed, "but it didn't stop him from making a run for it. Ask them what their commander intends to do with him."

"They don't know," Moffitt replied after questioning the prisoners again. "They said the general was injured during the fight with our jeeps. The general's aide will decide what happens to him."

"Who is the general's aide?"

Moffitt asked and got the name Major Riche. It wasn't a name that was familiar to either of the sergeants. "What do you want to do now Troy? Headquarters is still waiting for that film."

"How serious are the general's injuries?"

"They don't know," the Brit translated. "If the general is injured, they are going to make sure we can't get on that base. I think we ought to take that film back and give them time to cool down."

"Yeah, maybe by then they won't have such heavy security on the base. The way it is now we'd have one devil of a time getting back in."

"Getting in wouldn't be my first concern," Moffitt answered. "Getting out again would be my major worry."

"I could stay here and watch the base," Tully offered. "If they moved Hitch, I could follow them."

"No!" Troy snapped. "When they realize this patrol isn't coming back, they'll be looking for us. I'm not leaving anyone else behind." He motioned to the prisoners. "Tell them to pile into their remaining car. We'll take them back to the base and drop off the film. Then we'll come after Hitch."

"What if we run into a patrol? They'll slow us down in that car."

"If we have to, we'll leave them behind. Until that happens, we'll plan on taking them back to answer questions." Troy headed for his jeep. "I'll lead, you follow and cover them."

The prisoners didn't give them any trouble and they didn't run into any patrols. They rolled onto the base near noon on the next day. They dropped the prisoners off in the care of the MPs. Troy and Moffitt took the film to the captain after leaving the jeeps in the motor pool. Tully stayed to restock the jeeps for the return trip.

When Troy and Moffitt returned, they had Andy Peterson with them. Tully didn't say anything; it made sense that Troy needed a driver until they got Hitch back. He finished working on the jeeps and walked out to meet them. "Are we going back out Sarge?"

"Yeah Tully, we're going back out."

Tully didn't understand why Troy seemed cranky. "I have the jeeps all ready to go. I restocked them and went over both of them. We have plenty of gas and water. We should be back at that base by dark."

"We aren't going back to that base," Troy growled. "The captain has another assignment for us."

"Didn't you tell the captain we had to go back?"

"I told him," Troy growled. "He said he had orders from headquarters. We're supposed to head out and go after a convoy that's supplying that new offensive."

"But what about Hitch?"

"Captain Boggs said we could go after him after we get that convoy; unless something else comes up first." Troy didn't even try to hide his disgust.

"When are we going to hit that convoy?"

Troy glanced over at Moffitt. "Not until the day after tomorrow. We'll head out and meet it when it gets closer."

Tully nodded and spit out his matchstick. He didn't say another word as he pulled a new one from his pocket and stuck it in his mouth. He walked over to his jeep and climbed in.

"Sarge says Hitch wasn't hurt too badly when he got caught," Andy spoke from the other jeep. "He thinks he'll be okay until we can get back for him."

"Did he say that?"

"Maybe not in so many words," Andy admitted.

"Then maybe he won't." Tully started his jeep and pulled up next to where Troy and Moffitt were talking to a mechanic.

Andy watched him go before he started his jeep. He pulled up beside the other jeep and waited for Troy.

Troy climbed into the jeep and slouched in the seat. "Let's go, the captain wants that convoy." Troy stared off across the desert except when he was giving Andy directions. Once they stopped for the night, Troy took first watch and stalked away from the others. Moffitt gave him a few minutes and then followed him.

Andy watched them go before turning to Tully. "They look worried."

Tully looked up to where the two sergeants stood. "Could be," he finally answered.

"Do you think they're worried about the convoy?"

"Could be," Tully answered again.

"But you don't think that's it," Andy persisted. He moved around the jeep until he was facing Tully. "Not that I'm scared," Andy continued, "but I'd kind of like to know what I should be worried about."

"Take your pick," Tully answered, "there's a whole passel of things it could be."

"I figured that," Andy answered, "but I was kind of hoping you could narrow it down a little for me."

Tully shook his head and stood up. "You'd better service your jeep. Sarge will want it ready when he's ready to pull out. He won't be in such a good mood if he has to wait for you."

Andy made a face. "You call that a good mood?"

Tully turned away.

"I didn't ask to take his place. I was assigned to this job." Andy looked down at the ground. "He's my friend too." Andy went around the jeep and lifted the hood. He removed the radiator cap to let it cool. He walked to the back of the jeep to get the spare gas. As he was reaching for the gas, he felt someone behind him. He spun, ready to defend himself, but it was only Tully.

Tully unstrapped the water can and gave Andy a half-hearted smile. "I got this; you top off the gas."

Andy topped off the gas, replaced the gas can, and went around to the front of the jeep. Tully was just capping the radiator. "I could have done that."

"I know," Tully answered. He picked up the water can and went to step around Andy. He paused as if considering what to say. "Listen Andy, I didn't man to make it sound as if I blamed you for any of this."

"You're all worried, I can understand that. I don't want to see anything happen to Hitch either."

"Yeah, I guess that's it, but I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"Forget it," Andy answered. "Like my Daddy always says, I have broad shoulders, I can handle it."

Tully smiled. "Well, I can't promise I won't get cranky again. We really thought Captain Boggs would let us go back for him."

"If it means anything, I think he wanted to let you go. I think it was those plans you brought back. The captain made a call to headquarters and they made the call to send us after that convoy. The captain didn't look too happy about it either. Troy really did try to change his mind."

"Yeah, but Captain Boggs has to take orders too. I really can't blame him either. It's just one of those things that didn't work out our way."

Andy nodded. "Tully."

"Yeah?"

"Hitch will be all right until we get back, won't he?"

"He'd better be," Tully answered. "Trouble is, we wounded their general when we tried to get to Hitch. They might blame him for that. We just don't know. Then there are those plans we took."

"But Troy says they don't know you got them."

"I guess so, but they're going to want to know what we were hanging around that base for. They're going to ask Hitch for sure. And I know Hitch, he won't talk."

"You know I'll do anything I can to help."

"I know," Tully answered, "thanks." Tully dug out some rations, handed one to Andy, and walked off to give some to the sergeants.