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Later on, after the Foy attack, Speirs became Easy Company's new Commanding Officer. Nelly wasn't a smug person, but she was relieved her cousin was wrong and she was right. He didn't have many orders to give out, the men had to dig in and sit tight. They dug in outside of a place called Noville, it was an extremely cold night. Nelly made her rounds on her squad and found Babe hacking a few branches off a tree, some twenty yards away. Just as she was behind him, Nelly heard the sound of boots crunching against the snow. Grabbing Babe's arm, she pulled them both down. Luckily, Babe didn't go anywhere without his machine gun because a lost German patrol stumbled upon their path.
"Get them". Nelly whispered into Babe's ear.
He smiled, "You got it, Bricks".
Loading up his gun, Nelly fed the chain of bullets through, and Babe opened fire – he really got his kills that night. With the patrol dead and left to freeze, Nelly helped Babe hack branches off the trees, and they headed back to their position. Nelly was beginning to see Babe as someone she and the squad could really depend on. If it was up to her, she'd promote him as Corporal – then she remembered, it was sort of up to her now.
Setting the branches down, Nelly looked up at Babe. "Corporal?"
"You asking me or telling me something?" Babe cast her a smile.
Nelly shrugged. "Do you…want it?"
Babe's eyebrows raised – in a playful manner. "I always want it".
Nelly didn't catch on with the joke. "Good". She said, "I'll…request for you".
His eyebrow lowered – Babe laughed nervously. "Nah, Bricks – not me, alright? I ain't been around long enough". He said, "What 'bout Lesniewski?"
"Oh". Nelly said softly. "Papa…".
"Exactly". Babe gave a nod. "Get him promoted, huh?"
Lesniewski was a fine choice – he was older, strong and very smart. And Nelly thought highly of him, but she got along so well with Babe. They worked great together. "No". She decided, "You".
Babe sighed. "Jesus, Bricks…". He said, "The fellas are 'gonna hate that – they still think I'm some replacement".
"I don't care". Nelly said, "You're not my replacement…you're my friend, Babe".
"Sweet of you, really". Babe rolled his eyes with a tiny grin. "But they ain't 'gonna go for it".
"We'll see".
It was freezing – their coldest night yet. An alarm for them to attack Noville in the morning was whispered up and down the line. Officers were the first to know, of course, and the enlisted men would know for sure two hours prior to the attack. However, Malarkey and Nelly decided to do a bit of spying – just like they used to do. It was dark, the two friends could easily hide behind two of three trees as cover and listen in on the briefing. Huddled around Winters were the Company Commanders from 2nd Battalion.
"The ground in front of us forms a steep shoulder as it nears the town. We're going to head for that". Winters said to the Officers, "The closer we get to Noville, the more protection it'll give us". He paused before telling them, "The Battalion will move across the field at single file".
Both Malarkey and Nelly's eyes widened. Single file?
"Begging your pardon, sir". Joe McMillen said, "But why single file?"
"That's deep snow out there". Winters explained. "If we spread out, the whole damned Battalion will be exhausted by the time we get across. By going single file, it'll be tough on the men in front, but the rest will be able to walk across trodden-down snow and get to that shoulder without being worn out".
"And if the Krauts have machine guns trained atop that rise?" McMillen asked.
"Then I'm making the biggest mistake of my life". Winters said. "Speirs, you lead off with Easy – "
Malarkey rolled his eyes – so, they were going to be the ones to flatten the snow.
Winters continued. "Then Fox, then headquarters. Joe, you bring up the rear with Dog – we're attacking at noon".
Quickly, Malarkey and Nelly scurried off and reached Easy Company before Speirs did. Acting as if they knew nothing, the two friends sat around their foxhole – shivering. Nelly gave Malarkey a nod and whispered, "We have to…flatten snow?"
"I know…it's shit, right?" Malarkey whispered back. "What the hell? Why'd he pick us?"
"I don't know…". Nelly mumbled. She said, "At least…we know now".
"We know we're attacking, sure". Malarkey said, "But we don't know what's in there".
Nelly's eyes flickered up to her friend. "We could find out…".
"Oh, God…". Malarkey groaned. "Why did I open my damn mouth?"
"Wait here".
"Nelly – ".
Rising to her feet, Nelly quickly walked away from the foxhole and found Speirs heading back to his Company. She stood in front of him, staring up at her cousin. He stared back at her – and by the look on her face, Speirs grew suspicious.
"What?" He asked.
Quietly, Nelly told him, "I know…".
Speirs drew out a sigh. "You know what?" He sounded irritated – it was too late for guessing games.
"Noville – noon, tomorrow".
He sent her a deadpan stare. "How in the hell did – ". Speirs suddenly looked displeased. "Were you eavesdropping?"
Nelly didn't lie, "Yeah".
"Oh, for Christ's sake, Nelly!" Speirs quietly exclaimed.
"It's okay – "
"it's not". Speirs stressed. "Any other commander would've given you hell".
Nelly nodded, voice sounding serious, she said, "I knew…you would understand".
He huffed. "Understand? You're taking the Goddamn piss".
"I can…find out what's in Noville". Nelly said, "A recon mission…I'll do it".
"I didn't offer it to you". Speirs grumbled.
"Well…offer me it, sir".
Speirs sighed. And then asked, "Who're you bringing?"
"Donnie". Nelly immediately replied.
"Bring a radio". Speirs told her, "Keep in contact with me at all times".
...
Walking another way into town – to avoid the shoulder and open field – Nelly quietly inched to the cover of a barn right outside of Noville. Gazing to her right, she had hopes of seeing the 11th Armoured Division approaching as support. But all was quiet. Too quiet for a combat zone. Nelly wondered if they'd get ambushed. However, she couldn't see anything from the barn. Turning to face Malarkey, she gave him a nod and he handed her the handie-talkie.
Nelly held the mouthpiece toward her lips and whispered, "Sir – we're just outside of town and I can't see anything".
"Not even the 11th?" Speirs whispered back.
"No". She said, "We'll move further up".
"Fine". Speirs warned her, "Be careful".
"Rodger it". Nelly said, "Over and out".
Shutting the radio off, Nelly handed it back to Malarkey.
"It's Rodger that". Malarkey corrected her.
"I know…that's what I said, Donnie".
"You didn't – you said, Rodger it". Malarkey argued.
Nelly set him a soft frown. "I did?"
"You always do". Malarkey's lips twitched – just slightly.
The temperature hovered near zero. The stabbing chill stunned Nelly and Malarkey's worn-down faces. At the crossroads to Nelly's front, she could vaguely make out the shadows of what seemed to be American Armour. She almost felt relieved. If they had tank support, the attack would surely go well. Crouched down, Nelly was handed the handie-talkie, where she radioed Speirs for a second time.
"I think…I see a half-track and two Shermans ahead. Is the 11th already there?"
"It's possible". Speirs answered, "Though I can't confirm".
"We'll get closer". Nelly said to him. "Over and out".
"Wait, Nelly – "
Nelly either didn't hear Speirs's response or chose to ignore it, either way, the radio was switched off and handed back to Malarkey again.
"You just hung up on our CO". Malarkey mentioned to her.
"Oh". Nelly mumbled, "It'll be fine".
He snorted, "Yeah, right".
"Let's go".
The two Sergeant's stepped onto the road and wondered even closer. Hopeful by the potential of linking up with armoured brethren, their hopes promptly vanished. The vehicles had all been abandoned. Malarkey and Nelly quietly inspected the tanks.
"They're old". Malarkey commented quietly.
"Yeah". Nelly agreed. She sighed. "Looks like…we'll be alone".
"Where the hell are the enemy?"
"I don't know". Nelly said, "Maybe…inside the houses".
"Yeah". Malarkey grumbled, "It's fucking cold…no wonder they're inside".
Very suddenly, they both heard footsteps behind them. Sharply, Malarkey and Nelly pulled up their rifles and spun around. It was only one lone German soldier. And at the sight of the two Paratroopers, the German dropped to his knees and started to cry – really cry. It was the type of cry that could break a heart. But out in an occupied town, it was the type of cry that awaken the rest of the Germans inside Noville.
Knowing that a shot would alert the Germans, Nelly shouldered her rifle and took out her jump knife. Malarkey watched his friend, somewhat shocked. Slowly, he lowered his weapon. Walking over to the crying German, Nelly crouched in front of him. And the crying German clung to her arm. That single action reminded Nelly of Mauthausen. She could remember clinging to Sobel's arm back in Mackall when she stupidly thought he was about to shoot her.
"Donnie". Nelly whispered, "If…we let him go…he'll tell".
Malarkey ran a hand down his face – she was right. "Yeah". He whispered back, "Shit".
She really didn't want to. But then, an idea formed in her head. "Let's take him with us".
Malarkey's shoulders dropped with relief. "Let's do that".
Dropping her knife, Nelly grabbed the German's face and looked at him. "Kommen Sie mit us".
Tears streaming down his face, the soldier nodded. "Ja…ja…". He sobbed.
Nelly searched his pockets and tossed away all of his weapons before taking the man by the arm and pulling him onto his feet. "We'll…go back to the barn – radio Speirs".
"Alright, pal". Malarkey grabbed Nelly's jump knife from the ground.
Leading the way, Nelly brought them all back to the safety of the barn. Standing behind the barn, Nelly and Malarkey swapped – she had the handie-talkie, and he held the German. Though, it wasn't likely the German would run off anytime soon – he even looked relieved to be held a prisoner of war. Nelly could understand why the German was happy – it had been a very long war for the country.
"The tanks were abandoned…they're old". She told Speirs. "Maybe a month or so old".
"Kid". Speirs sounded disappointed at the news of the old tanks. "We'll have to attack it".
"Yeah". Nelly told him, "We have a…prisoner".
"You do?" Speirs was surprised. "How?"
"He…found us…I couldn't…kill him". She confessed. "He was…crying".
"That's okay, kid". Speirs said, "Bring him back, Regiment can have him".
"Okay".
"Good job".
"Thank you". Nelly turned the radio off and shoved it inside Malarkey's musette bag.
"Are we going?" Malarkey asked.
"Yeah". Nelly took hold of the German's arm and said to him, "Wir gehen".
He smiled. "Ja – danke".
"God, he's way too happy". Malarkey remarked as they moved away from the barn.
"Well…he doesn't have to fight anymore, Donnie". Nelly said, "Wouldn't that make you happy?"
"I guess". He said quietly. "But I wouldn't 'wanna be an American POW in Germany".
He had a point there. Nelly wasn't exactly sure what the enemy prisoner of war camps were like under German command, but she knew fine well what a Nazi-run camp was like. Eyes facing the front, Nelly decided to tell Malarkey a little bit about Mauthausen.
"So…remember I told you…about going on the train after the Nazis captured us in Holland?"
"Yeah, I remember". Malarkey said, "You told us while we were crossing the Atlantic".
"Yeah". She said, "Well…they took us to Austria".
Malarkey frowned – confused. "Austria? Why?"
"There's a…place in Austria…it's like a…camp". Nelly explained quietly.
"A POW camp?"
"No".
Malarkey's frown deepened. "So, what kind of camp?"
"Eh…like a…labour camp". Nelly said, "But…more than that".
"Pal, you're not making any sense". Malarkey kept his voice kind.
"Nazis run it". Nelly said, "Not German soldiers".
He frowned again. "And you were there?"
"For…almost two years". Nelly confirmed quietly. "I can't really…talk about it…it's hard…".
"That's okay". Malarkey said to her gently. Walking next to her, he gave her arm a gentle nudge with his elbow. "But you know I'd listen, right?"
Nodding, Nelly briefly looked up at him. "I know". She faced the front again. "But…that's where I was…before I joined Easy".
"That camp got a name?" Malarkey asked.
"Yeah – Mauthausen".
The German flinched.
Nelly ignored it.