Episode 4: Through the Night

Hutch slowly crawled out of the turret of the M24 and made his way toward Captain Salisbury's tank. Captain Salisbury had made an interesting choice when he made Chariot of Hell as his tank, considering that tank had gone through 5 different commanders since the beginning of the year. As Hutch climbed up on the tank, the hatch on top of the tank opened a crack and the barrel of an M3 was pointed at him.

"Geez Captain, it's just me Hutch."

The hatch on the Sherman opened all the way and the head of Mason Salisbury emerged.

"What is it, Hutch?" Salisbury asked in a gruff tone, "It had better be important."

"Sir, Private Logan has picked up a call for help over the radio. Seems to be coming from the 506th infantry regient." Hutch said, to which Salisbury seemed to perk up.

"You got something from the radio from the 101?" Salisbury asked, pulling himself up so that his entire torso was out of the tank.

"Seems that way. Only thing is, the radio cut out before we heard where they are." Hutch admitted, "We managed to catch the beginning of the town, but nothing after that."

"Well, that's better than nothing. What did you hear?" Salisbury asked.

"Ess."

Captain Salisbury thought for a second before looking back at Hutch.

"Hutch, go get the maps from Commander Berlin. We have some planning to do."

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Carina walked away from the radio truck, or the SCR-399 as she'd heard it was called. They had lost the convoy for now, but it was only a matter of time before it caught up. Captain Speirs was still suffering from inhaling a few of the blue flecks, but he seemed fine for now. Walking toward one of the two 57mm guns that had been attached to one of the beeps they had found with the jeeps.

"How's Captain Speirs doing?" One of the soldiers asked.

"He's geht es ihm gut for now." Carina said as she slid into their defensive fighting position.

"All I got out of that was 'good for now'. Was that the short version of what you said?" The airborne soldier asked.

"Yah, yah, gut for now." Carina said, nodding.

"Thats… better then getting worse, so I'll take it." The soldier said, turning back to widening the gun pit. "You here to help?"

Carina took a look at the airborne soldiers in the gun pit. They all shared the same weary look, and Carina realized she must look the same. She had met up with them a month after they left Berchtesgaden, or so they said. Carina decided in that moment, that her fate would be the same as the soldiers. Picking up one of the entrenching tools, she joined the airborne soldiers in the construction of a gun pit.

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Lucia looked over her shoulder as she continued on ahead, looking to see if she could find a better spot to hit the column. It still felt weird, moving cross-country with such a large group of people. She had been getting used to it, but she still felt like it was too much. As she moved ahead, the outskirts of a town came into view.

'This might be a better spot to hold an ambush.' Lucia thought as she made her way into the town. 'I'll explore for a few more minutes before I head back.'

As she explored the city, Lucia began to hear snippets of conversation. Making her way toward the source, she began to notice the signs of previous fights, and, most curiously, signs of recent fortification.

"Hold it right there. Drop your weapons and raise your hands above your head."

Lucia around the town for where the voice came from. She thought she recognized the voice, so she did as the voice asked. Withdrawing the bayonet and pistol she had borrowed from a soldier at the end of the last war, she dropped them to the ground and pushed them away with her foot. Raising her arms above her head, Lucia waited for the owner of the voice to emerge.

It didn't take long. In a few moments, a man with stripes similar to Cole's emerged from one of the buildings off to her right. As he drew closer, Lucia noticed that he was one of the men who was with Carina in Cologne the previous month.

"Who are you?" The man asked.

"Lucia. Lucia Werner."

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"Hey Carina, someone's here to see you!"

Carina looked up from her work to see one of the privates looking at her. Pulling herself out of the gun pit, she looked toward where the private was pointing and broke out into a smile.

"Lucía!" Carina cried and ran toward her friend.

"Hallo Carina." Lucia while being embraced in a hug by Carina.

"Was ist mit dir passiert?" Carina asked.

"Das ist eine lange Geschichte." Lucia responded, breaking out of the hug, "Wie ich sehe, sind Sie immer noch bei Ihren fliegenden Freunden."

"Ich denke, man könnte sie so nennen." Carina chuckled before turning serious. "Warum bist du hier? Du hast mir gesagt, dass du nach Gibraltar fährst."

Lucia sighed. "Ich war. Am Ende fand ich einen Kansen in Brest und wurde von einer Flotte auf dem Weg nach Wilhelmshaven abgeholt. Wir haben uns mit Dutchess und ihrer Sirene in Verbindung gesetzt, die einen Sirenenkonvoi abgeholt haben."

Carina looked curiosly at Lucia. "Sirenenkonvoi?"

"Ja. Wir sind gleich außerhalb der Stadt und bereiten einen Hinterhalt vor." Lucia said, looking around, "Ich nehme an, Sie planen auch einen Hinterhalt?"

"Ja. Sie jagen uns, seit wir die Müngstener Brücke gesprengt haben." Carina said as Speirs walked over.

"You ladies mind telling me what your saying?" He asked in a hoarse voice.

"Lucia, Kapitän Speirs. Kapitän Speirs, Lucia." Carina said.

"Captain." Lucia said nodding her head, "I was telling Carina that myself and a few boys from the Eagle Union are setting up an ambush outside of town for the same convoy you are planning to ambush. Would you mind if we joined you?"

Spiers thought for a moment before replying in an authoritative tone.

"Lucia, I would like to speak with whoever is leading your group.