All's Fair in Love and War... Yeah Right
Chapter 3
Bombs Away!
We sat outside his office for a while and Rafe got up and began pacing.
"What did you do to get all four of us here?" I asked.
"Me?"
"Yeah, you look the most nervous."
Gooz and Red laughed, hollowly.
Doolittle came out, and motioned for us to come in. We followed him in and stood there, waiting. Nothing was said.
"Nothing to say?" he asked us.
"Good morning?" I suggested.
He laughed.
"Good enough. We have entered the war, and I've been asked to pick my best men--" I looked at him. "and women to go in and fight in the war, you mostly have to bomb Germany as much as possible and to get some supplies to them every now and then. You will each be issued a plane, weapons and ammunition, if you get shot down. Now, if one of you does get shot down, you are to save yourself, this isn't a time for heroes. Understood?" We all nodded. "Good. You will leave for England at seven hundred hours in three days. Have a nice day."
We saluted and left. Rafe and I went home to pack and say goodbye to Ma, Pa and the Walkers.
"Josephine! Rafe!"
Ma came running out of the house, and gave us both hugs.
"Hi Ma," I said.
She looked at us.
"What's wrong."
"We're going into the war."
"Not on the ground?"
"No ma'am."
"We're in a more dangerous place than that. We're in the sky," said Rafe.
Ma put her hand over her mouth.
"Josephine, Rafe, you're not going," she said.
"Ma, we have to. Doolittle says we're the best, we're the best. We have to," I pleaded.
She sighed and went back into house. I helped her with dinner and Bobby Jones came over.
"Jo, I'm bein' drafted. Where have you been?"
"I guess I'll see you in Europe. Where will you be?"
"Ground. You'll be a nurse."
"Nope, I'll be in the sky. I've been at Pearl, then last month I was part of the Doolittle Raid. Just got back. Rafe's here too."
"What about Walker?"
"He didn't make it. We were captured by the Japs in China, we got out of it though. I was devastated, and it took them all three days to figure out why. Except for Doolittle himself and two of our friends--"
A taxi pulled up, I was confused.
"Jo? Are you okay?"
Gooz and Red stepped out of the taxi. I ran up to them.
"Jo!" said Gooz, picking me up and swinging me around.
The I hugged Red.
"Jo?" asked Bobby.
"Who's that?" asked Gooz. "Trying to make me jealous are you? It's not going to work."
"Gooz, Red, this is Bobby. Bobby this is Gooz and Red."
"Jealous? Are you two getting married?" said Bobby.
"No/ Yes," Gooz and I said at the same time.
Bobby looked confused.
"No, he only thinks we are. I don't love him. My love died."
"Does that mean you're still available?" asked Bobby hopefully.
"No, it doesn't Bobby, and I'm not going to marry you. You have no chance with me."
"Can we still be friends?"
"Yup."
"Okay."
Then he left.
"Who was that?" asked Red.
"Bobby Jones, you remember I told Rafe that he took me to the swimmin' hole and proposed to me? That's him."
Red and Gooz laughed and I led them inside.
"Jo? Is that you? Is Bobby Jones gone?"
"Yes Rafe, he disappeared and reappeared into welcome guests."
"Huh?"
Rafe walked in and saw them. We introduced them to Ma and Pa and Ma insisted they stay with us until we had to leave, as neither of them had family. Two days later we took the train to DC, Ma was crying and Pa as trying to make her be quiet. I assured her we'd be all right, and we left. I fell asleep on the way there as I couldn't sleep because I shared my room with Rafe, actually, Ma and Pa wouldn't let him sleep on the floor and there's only one bed in my room Rafe had bunk beds, so Red and Gooz slept in there, and Rafe and I slept in my bed. He kicks too much, so that's why I couldn't sleep. When we got there, Rafe woke me up and we reported to Doolittle and we all stayed in Gooz's apartment about three blocks from Doolittle's office building. This time Rafe slept on the floor, I had the extra room (Gooz had locked me in there, because I said Rafe or Red should have it) and Red had the couch. Rafe came in and woke me up the next day. He came in and began to blow in my ear. I opened my eyes to see him lying next to me.
"Does this mean I can come out now?" I asked.
Rafe smiled and nodded, I went out there in my pajamas and Gooz grabbed the take out from the night before and began to eat it. I wrinkled my nose and took it from him.
"Hey!"
"That's disgusting! Do you have eggs or something?"
"Yeah, in the refrigerator."
I got out eggs, and some bacon and made that. I handed out and we ate all of it.
"Yum! You are a very good cook!" commented Red.
"Thank you."
"You're the best!" said Gooz, kissing me on the cheek.
"I learned from the best and I'll teach you after the war."
"Okay."
We got our things, and I got dressed, and went off to war. Doolittle greeted us and we went off to Europe. When we got there we saw a few guys we knew, but had no time to say hello. An Irish man came up to the four of us and laughed.
"McCawley, you're the best along with them, I doubt they're even in your league. What is a woman doing here?"
I was about to walk over to him and kick his butt, but Rafe grabbed me by the collar of my jacket.
"Don't mess with her like that, she'll kill you, and we are all in the same 'league' Finnigan. This is my sister, Gooz is next to her and Red's on the end."
"Let me go, Rafe."
He let me go. And I glared at the man.
"Tell us what we're supposed to do, or find the one who's supposed to tell us, or I'll eat you for my dinner," I said, I didn't like him.
"You're a cannibal?" he asked me.
"Only if you make her mad, and you're almost there," said Gooz.
The man walked away, running into people to get away from me. When he was out of sight I smiled.
"You're ruthless," said Rafe.
"I know."
Red and Gooz laughed as the British Admiral came up to us, we saluted and he gave us out assignment.
"You are to bomb any German holdings in Chechloslovakia, France, Poland, Austria, or Germany. We have no specific orders, other than report to any Allied camp. We have a large group waiting to go. Get in your planes and good luck."
Then he left.
"That was odd," I said, walking to a plane.
"I know," said Rafe.
"Allons- y!"
"Huh?"
"She said 'Let's go' in French," said Red.
"Tres Bien," I said.
He smiled and blushed. I laughed.
"What's up with you?" asked Gooz.
"It's not everyday a man hears 'Very Good' from Wonder Woman over there," said Red.
The men laughed, as did I. We got into our planes and took off, and went in search of German bases.
"Wings you okay?" asked Rafe.
I looked over at him making faces at me.
"I'm fine, big brother. Oh and grow up."
The men laughed.
"Y'all ignore her, she's just excited," said Red.
"Aw Red you're no fun-- wait, what's that?" I said.
It was some Germans talking.
"Can anyone here speak German?" asked one of the British men.
"Wonder Woman Jo McCawley can," said Gooz
"They're saying something about someone's wife. Oh my God, one of them is asking how good their wife is in bed, I hope it's not a code, because if it is, it's a perverted one."
They all laughed.
"So it has nothing to do with us. Good," said another British man.
"Okay."
Eventually we got to Poland, after some bombings of German bases in France. When we got over a German base, and began to bomb it, they began to shoot at us. We did this for a year, before any of us got shot down. Three guys ahead of me were shot down, and my right wing was hit.
"Rafe, Gooz, Red! I'm goin' down. Do not come after me! I'll be fine. Rafe, you know what I want you to do."
I dived down and landed in a field in the middle of a small forest, I landed, all right. I grabbed my weapons and ammo, and got as far away from there as I could. A few days later, I found an Allied camp, and I immediately saw one of the other pilots who were shot down.
"Hey girl! Where'd you come from?" asked one of the men.
"I was shot down a few days ago, I'm a pilot, got a problem with that? My name is--"
"Jo McCawley, the famous Wonder Woman who speaks German. We picked you up on the radio signal," said a blonde haired blue eyed American.
"Do I know you?" I asked.
"I should hope so, I've sat next to you since Kindergarten."
"Okay?"
I had no idea who sat next to me, ever.
"I'm Zachary Meklin."
"Oh yeah. I never paid attention to anyone, they all thought I was crazy."
"I know I never said anything, because we all thought you were fantasizing about Danny Walker-- oh did you hear he's--"
"I know! I was there! I was apart of the Doolittle Raid! I never 'fantasized' about him, I do love him. And the morning before he died, he proposed to me. And thank you very much for bringing it up. Now! If you'll excuse me."
And I left him standing there and went looking for the man in charge. I was escorted into his tent and I saluted him.
"Are you a supply nurse?"
"Excuse me sir?"
"Who are you?"
"Jo McCawley, pilot. I was shot down by Nazis a few days ago, sir."
"And you survived?"
"I should hope so, sir."
He laughed.
"I like you. You can stay. We got a message to look out for any pilots, so far only two have showed up, we suspect the other are dead or captured. Do need anything?"
"Water would be nice. Even if it is February."
He smiled and poured me a glass.
"Here you go."
"Thank you sir."
A man ran in.
"Sir, Nazis were spotted four miles from here."
Then he ran back out.
"What rank are you McCawley?"
"American General, sir."
"I thought they were brothers."
"No sir, it's me and my brother, Rafe, sir. I've got an idea sir, if you don't mind."
"Ma'am I'm a Captain, I'm under you."
"We need men on both sides of the road, a Sniper in the trees, and we must make this camp look deserted. When they have passed by the our last men, we attack, then throw grenades to the front of the line and the Sniper will get anyone who tries to get away."
"It's up to you, ma'am."
"It doesn't matter whether I'm over you or not, you're in charge those men, sir."
He nodded and went out of the tent, I followed him and he called the men together.
"General, will you explain?"
I nodded and got in front of the men.
"Make this place look deserted. I've got false information here. Take any real information and give it to the Captain, toss this false information around. Then report back here for further instructions."
And we all went to work. We knocked down tents and scattered the false information around.
"So, you're a General?" asked Zachary, helping me gather all the blankets.
"Yeah? So?"
"I was just wondering. I'm sorry about Walker."
"It's okay, I was just upset."
"It's okay. So, I heard about you and Bobby Jones."
I looked up at him, confused.
"What about me and Bobby?"
"He told everyone around town that when you came back he proposed and you accepted."
"Why that little liar. He proposed to me two months before I left, in January. I told him no, that we should just be friends. Then he told me he wanted to sleep with me, and I left him standin' by our swimmin' hole."
Zachary laughed and we knocked down that tent. I took the blankets and hid them at the edge of the woods.
"What now, Jo?"
"Okay, is everyone here? Do we have a Sniper?" One man raised his hand. "Good, you'll be in the trees. The rest of us will be on either side of the road, about three feet apart from the man next to you. I'll be furthest away and when the last Nazi is in front of me, I'll fire, and the men at the front will throw hand grenades to the front of their line. When I've fired, we attack, the Sniper will get any Nazi who won't fight like a man. Let's go."
I chose a tree for the Sniper and I helped hide everyone and I got down at the end. The Nazis passed us and the last man was in front of me, I fired, killing both of them. The grenades were thrown, blowing up their tank, and the rest of the men attacked. In about an hour all the Nazis were dead, and none of our were severely injured. About ten had tried to escape, all hit by our Sniper. The men threw their bodies on the side of the road and we moved camp. That night I ate for the first time in a while. We went late into the night, but I only had a few beers, but had coffee the rest of that night. We were listening to two drunk soldiers try to sing and I got lost in my thoughts, staring into my coffee. I stared at the coffee, and the glare off of the lights, and realized something. My coffee looks like Danny's eyes when he laughed. And on my way here I was hallucinating and I thought I saw him, but I know I didn't. When the sun shone bright I thought of Danny hugging and kissing me. I instantly became depressed, but was jerked out of my thoughts.
"Jo? Are you okay? We got a message. Here you go," said Zachary, handing me a telegram.
"You get telegrams in the middle of a war?"
He smiled and I read it. 'General Joe McCawley, we are pleased that you were able to take down those Nazis, but we are regretted to inform you that the other three Americans were shot down and are MISSING IN ACTION. They were shot down before they could get out of Germany. Thank you for you services. Have a nice day.' My heart fell.
"Jo? Are you all right?"
"Have a nice day? They tell me to have a nice day, even though my only friends are missing in action. And they tell me to have a nice freakin' day?"
"Why don't you go to bed?"
"Why don't I shoot myself, so I'll be with my friends."
"Come with me," said a British man helping me up.
He led me to a tent, one I got all to myself.
"Who's tent is this? And who are you?"
"It is the Captain's tent, he thought it more appropriate for you to have your own tent. And I'm Jeremy Kalleer."
"I think the Captain should have his tent, I'd feel better not being by myself. I can't trust myself alone."
"Okay, I'll tell him."
He left me, and the Captain came in.
"So you want to sleep in the soldier's tent?"
"I'd fell better sleeping there. I'm in an bit of a stage, and I kinda can't trust myself alone."
"What happened?"
"Well, I talked my fiancé into goin' on the Doolittle Raid and he died, so I'm really upset, as you can imagine."
"All right. Goodnight ma'am."
"Call me Jo."
"Okay, goodnight Jo."
I walked out of his tent and into the soldiers tent. They instantly covered up. I laughed and rolled my eyes.
"Men, I don't care about seein' you, I've lived with men since Pearl."
They relaxed a bit. I got into an empty cot and went to sleep. Over the next few months, we went from place to place only having little skirmishes with Nazis and Fascists. Nothing big. One day, we found a big field of crashed planes, all, who were alive, seemed fine, except for one soldier. He was holding his leg. I went to him.
"Who're you, beautiful lady?" he asked me through gritted teeth.
I felt his leg, I found that it was broken.
"Hold onto this sir," I said, handing him a blanket.
"Why?"
I set his leg and he yelped in pain.
"That's why."
"Who are you?"
"American General Jo McCawley. Who are you?"
I gathered two long sticks.
"I'm William Wallace. I'm from Scotland."
"Really?" I said sarcastically.
I took one of my extra shirts and ripped it up to make a splint for the man's leg.
"Thank you."
"It's no big deal. I'll find a nurse or a doctor."
I stood up and went to find a doctor. I went into the hospital tent and saw people running around and a brunette with glasses ran into me.
"Excuse me," she said, shyly.
"I'm lookin' for a nurse, are you busy?"
She looked up at me, although I looked around, not seein' many patients in there.
"Not really, are you sick?"
"Nah. Man on the edge of the field, his leg's broken, I put it in a splint."
"Are you the nurse we sent for?"
"Nope, I'm a pilot. And don't say I'm not, 'cause I'm a General too."
"I wasn't going to say that, I would have a few months ago, and did in December, but I met her, there aren't many female pilots. I met one in Pearl Harbor."
I looked at her.
"You're one of Evelyn's friends, aren't you?"
"Yes-- You're Rafe McCawley's little sister, aren't you?"
I nodded.
"You're Sandra, right?"
"Yes, and you're Jo."
"Yup. I'm going to see what I can do around here. I'll see you later."
And I left. Not knowing in a few hours time, that the Nazis would be knocking on out door.
Chapter 3
Bombs Away!
We sat outside his office for a while and Rafe got up and began pacing.
"What did you do to get all four of us here?" I asked.
"Me?"
"Yeah, you look the most nervous."
Gooz and Red laughed, hollowly.
Doolittle came out, and motioned for us to come in. We followed him in and stood there, waiting. Nothing was said.
"Nothing to say?" he asked us.
"Good morning?" I suggested.
He laughed.
"Good enough. We have entered the war, and I've been asked to pick my best men--" I looked at him. "and women to go in and fight in the war, you mostly have to bomb Germany as much as possible and to get some supplies to them every now and then. You will each be issued a plane, weapons and ammunition, if you get shot down. Now, if one of you does get shot down, you are to save yourself, this isn't a time for heroes. Understood?" We all nodded. "Good. You will leave for England at seven hundred hours in three days. Have a nice day."
We saluted and left. Rafe and I went home to pack and say goodbye to Ma, Pa and the Walkers.
"Josephine! Rafe!"
Ma came running out of the house, and gave us both hugs.
"Hi Ma," I said.
She looked at us.
"What's wrong."
"We're going into the war."
"Not on the ground?"
"No ma'am."
"We're in a more dangerous place than that. We're in the sky," said Rafe.
Ma put her hand over her mouth.
"Josephine, Rafe, you're not going," she said.
"Ma, we have to. Doolittle says we're the best, we're the best. We have to," I pleaded.
She sighed and went back into house. I helped her with dinner and Bobby Jones came over.
"Jo, I'm bein' drafted. Where have you been?"
"I guess I'll see you in Europe. Where will you be?"
"Ground. You'll be a nurse."
"Nope, I'll be in the sky. I've been at Pearl, then last month I was part of the Doolittle Raid. Just got back. Rafe's here too."
"What about Walker?"
"He didn't make it. We were captured by the Japs in China, we got out of it though. I was devastated, and it took them all three days to figure out why. Except for Doolittle himself and two of our friends--"
A taxi pulled up, I was confused.
"Jo? Are you okay?"
Gooz and Red stepped out of the taxi. I ran up to them.
"Jo!" said Gooz, picking me up and swinging me around.
The I hugged Red.
"Jo?" asked Bobby.
"Who's that?" asked Gooz. "Trying to make me jealous are you? It's not going to work."
"Gooz, Red, this is Bobby. Bobby this is Gooz and Red."
"Jealous? Are you two getting married?" said Bobby.
"No/ Yes," Gooz and I said at the same time.
Bobby looked confused.
"No, he only thinks we are. I don't love him. My love died."
"Does that mean you're still available?" asked Bobby hopefully.
"No, it doesn't Bobby, and I'm not going to marry you. You have no chance with me."
"Can we still be friends?"
"Yup."
"Okay."
Then he left.
"Who was that?" asked Red.
"Bobby Jones, you remember I told Rafe that he took me to the swimmin' hole and proposed to me? That's him."
Red and Gooz laughed and I led them inside.
"Jo? Is that you? Is Bobby Jones gone?"
"Yes Rafe, he disappeared and reappeared into welcome guests."
"Huh?"
Rafe walked in and saw them. We introduced them to Ma and Pa and Ma insisted they stay with us until we had to leave, as neither of them had family. Two days later we took the train to DC, Ma was crying and Pa as trying to make her be quiet. I assured her we'd be all right, and we left. I fell asleep on the way there as I couldn't sleep because I shared my room with Rafe, actually, Ma and Pa wouldn't let him sleep on the floor and there's only one bed in my room Rafe had bunk beds, so Red and Gooz slept in there, and Rafe and I slept in my bed. He kicks too much, so that's why I couldn't sleep. When we got there, Rafe woke me up and we reported to Doolittle and we all stayed in Gooz's apartment about three blocks from Doolittle's office building. This time Rafe slept on the floor, I had the extra room (Gooz had locked me in there, because I said Rafe or Red should have it) and Red had the couch. Rafe came in and woke me up the next day. He came in and began to blow in my ear. I opened my eyes to see him lying next to me.
"Does this mean I can come out now?" I asked.
Rafe smiled and nodded, I went out there in my pajamas and Gooz grabbed the take out from the night before and began to eat it. I wrinkled my nose and took it from him.
"Hey!"
"That's disgusting! Do you have eggs or something?"
"Yeah, in the refrigerator."
I got out eggs, and some bacon and made that. I handed out and we ate all of it.
"Yum! You are a very good cook!" commented Red.
"Thank you."
"You're the best!" said Gooz, kissing me on the cheek.
"I learned from the best and I'll teach you after the war."
"Okay."
We got our things, and I got dressed, and went off to war. Doolittle greeted us and we went off to Europe. When we got there we saw a few guys we knew, but had no time to say hello. An Irish man came up to the four of us and laughed.
"McCawley, you're the best along with them, I doubt they're even in your league. What is a woman doing here?"
I was about to walk over to him and kick his butt, but Rafe grabbed me by the collar of my jacket.
"Don't mess with her like that, she'll kill you, and we are all in the same 'league' Finnigan. This is my sister, Gooz is next to her and Red's on the end."
"Let me go, Rafe."
He let me go. And I glared at the man.
"Tell us what we're supposed to do, or find the one who's supposed to tell us, or I'll eat you for my dinner," I said, I didn't like him.
"You're a cannibal?" he asked me.
"Only if you make her mad, and you're almost there," said Gooz.
The man walked away, running into people to get away from me. When he was out of sight I smiled.
"You're ruthless," said Rafe.
"I know."
Red and Gooz laughed as the British Admiral came up to us, we saluted and he gave us out assignment.
"You are to bomb any German holdings in Chechloslovakia, France, Poland, Austria, or Germany. We have no specific orders, other than report to any Allied camp. We have a large group waiting to go. Get in your planes and good luck."
Then he left.
"That was odd," I said, walking to a plane.
"I know," said Rafe.
"Allons- y!"
"Huh?"
"She said 'Let's go' in French," said Red.
"Tres Bien," I said.
He smiled and blushed. I laughed.
"What's up with you?" asked Gooz.
"It's not everyday a man hears 'Very Good' from Wonder Woman over there," said Red.
The men laughed, as did I. We got into our planes and took off, and went in search of German bases.
"Wings you okay?" asked Rafe.
I looked over at him making faces at me.
"I'm fine, big brother. Oh and grow up."
The men laughed.
"Y'all ignore her, she's just excited," said Red.
"Aw Red you're no fun-- wait, what's that?" I said.
It was some Germans talking.
"Can anyone here speak German?" asked one of the British men.
"Wonder Woman Jo McCawley can," said Gooz
"They're saying something about someone's wife. Oh my God, one of them is asking how good their wife is in bed, I hope it's not a code, because if it is, it's a perverted one."
They all laughed.
"So it has nothing to do with us. Good," said another British man.
"Okay."
Eventually we got to Poland, after some bombings of German bases in France. When we got over a German base, and began to bomb it, they began to shoot at us. We did this for a year, before any of us got shot down. Three guys ahead of me were shot down, and my right wing was hit.
"Rafe, Gooz, Red! I'm goin' down. Do not come after me! I'll be fine. Rafe, you know what I want you to do."
I dived down and landed in a field in the middle of a small forest, I landed, all right. I grabbed my weapons and ammo, and got as far away from there as I could. A few days later, I found an Allied camp, and I immediately saw one of the other pilots who were shot down.
"Hey girl! Where'd you come from?" asked one of the men.
"I was shot down a few days ago, I'm a pilot, got a problem with that? My name is--"
"Jo McCawley, the famous Wonder Woman who speaks German. We picked you up on the radio signal," said a blonde haired blue eyed American.
"Do I know you?" I asked.
"I should hope so, I've sat next to you since Kindergarten."
"Okay?"
I had no idea who sat next to me, ever.
"I'm Zachary Meklin."
"Oh yeah. I never paid attention to anyone, they all thought I was crazy."
"I know I never said anything, because we all thought you were fantasizing about Danny Walker-- oh did you hear he's--"
"I know! I was there! I was apart of the Doolittle Raid! I never 'fantasized' about him, I do love him. And the morning before he died, he proposed to me. And thank you very much for bringing it up. Now! If you'll excuse me."
And I left him standing there and went looking for the man in charge. I was escorted into his tent and I saluted him.
"Are you a supply nurse?"
"Excuse me sir?"
"Who are you?"
"Jo McCawley, pilot. I was shot down by Nazis a few days ago, sir."
"And you survived?"
"I should hope so, sir."
He laughed.
"I like you. You can stay. We got a message to look out for any pilots, so far only two have showed up, we suspect the other are dead or captured. Do need anything?"
"Water would be nice. Even if it is February."
He smiled and poured me a glass.
"Here you go."
"Thank you sir."
A man ran in.
"Sir, Nazis were spotted four miles from here."
Then he ran back out.
"What rank are you McCawley?"
"American General, sir."
"I thought they were brothers."
"No sir, it's me and my brother, Rafe, sir. I've got an idea sir, if you don't mind."
"Ma'am I'm a Captain, I'm under you."
"We need men on both sides of the road, a Sniper in the trees, and we must make this camp look deserted. When they have passed by the our last men, we attack, then throw grenades to the front of the line and the Sniper will get anyone who tries to get away."
"It's up to you, ma'am."
"It doesn't matter whether I'm over you or not, you're in charge those men, sir."
He nodded and went out of the tent, I followed him and he called the men together.
"General, will you explain?"
I nodded and got in front of the men.
"Make this place look deserted. I've got false information here. Take any real information and give it to the Captain, toss this false information around. Then report back here for further instructions."
And we all went to work. We knocked down tents and scattered the false information around.
"So, you're a General?" asked Zachary, helping me gather all the blankets.
"Yeah? So?"
"I was just wondering. I'm sorry about Walker."
"It's okay, I was just upset."
"It's okay. So, I heard about you and Bobby Jones."
I looked up at him, confused.
"What about me and Bobby?"
"He told everyone around town that when you came back he proposed and you accepted."
"Why that little liar. He proposed to me two months before I left, in January. I told him no, that we should just be friends. Then he told me he wanted to sleep with me, and I left him standin' by our swimmin' hole."
Zachary laughed and we knocked down that tent. I took the blankets and hid them at the edge of the woods.
"What now, Jo?"
"Okay, is everyone here? Do we have a Sniper?" One man raised his hand. "Good, you'll be in the trees. The rest of us will be on either side of the road, about three feet apart from the man next to you. I'll be furthest away and when the last Nazi is in front of me, I'll fire, and the men at the front will throw hand grenades to the front of their line. When I've fired, we attack, the Sniper will get any Nazi who won't fight like a man. Let's go."
I chose a tree for the Sniper and I helped hide everyone and I got down at the end. The Nazis passed us and the last man was in front of me, I fired, killing both of them. The grenades were thrown, blowing up their tank, and the rest of the men attacked. In about an hour all the Nazis were dead, and none of our were severely injured. About ten had tried to escape, all hit by our Sniper. The men threw their bodies on the side of the road and we moved camp. That night I ate for the first time in a while. We went late into the night, but I only had a few beers, but had coffee the rest of that night. We were listening to two drunk soldiers try to sing and I got lost in my thoughts, staring into my coffee. I stared at the coffee, and the glare off of the lights, and realized something. My coffee looks like Danny's eyes when he laughed. And on my way here I was hallucinating and I thought I saw him, but I know I didn't. When the sun shone bright I thought of Danny hugging and kissing me. I instantly became depressed, but was jerked out of my thoughts.
"Jo? Are you okay? We got a message. Here you go," said Zachary, handing me a telegram.
"You get telegrams in the middle of a war?"
He smiled and I read it. 'General Joe McCawley, we are pleased that you were able to take down those Nazis, but we are regretted to inform you that the other three Americans were shot down and are MISSING IN ACTION. They were shot down before they could get out of Germany. Thank you for you services. Have a nice day.' My heart fell.
"Jo? Are you all right?"
"Have a nice day? They tell me to have a nice day, even though my only friends are missing in action. And they tell me to have a nice freakin' day?"
"Why don't you go to bed?"
"Why don't I shoot myself, so I'll be with my friends."
"Come with me," said a British man helping me up.
He led me to a tent, one I got all to myself.
"Who's tent is this? And who are you?"
"It is the Captain's tent, he thought it more appropriate for you to have your own tent. And I'm Jeremy Kalleer."
"I think the Captain should have his tent, I'd feel better not being by myself. I can't trust myself alone."
"Okay, I'll tell him."
He left me, and the Captain came in.
"So you want to sleep in the soldier's tent?"
"I'd fell better sleeping there. I'm in an bit of a stage, and I kinda can't trust myself alone."
"What happened?"
"Well, I talked my fiancé into goin' on the Doolittle Raid and he died, so I'm really upset, as you can imagine."
"All right. Goodnight ma'am."
"Call me Jo."
"Okay, goodnight Jo."
I walked out of his tent and into the soldiers tent. They instantly covered up. I laughed and rolled my eyes.
"Men, I don't care about seein' you, I've lived with men since Pearl."
They relaxed a bit. I got into an empty cot and went to sleep. Over the next few months, we went from place to place only having little skirmishes with Nazis and Fascists. Nothing big. One day, we found a big field of crashed planes, all, who were alive, seemed fine, except for one soldier. He was holding his leg. I went to him.
"Who're you, beautiful lady?" he asked me through gritted teeth.
I felt his leg, I found that it was broken.
"Hold onto this sir," I said, handing him a blanket.
"Why?"
I set his leg and he yelped in pain.
"That's why."
"Who are you?"
"American General Jo McCawley. Who are you?"
I gathered two long sticks.
"I'm William Wallace. I'm from Scotland."
"Really?" I said sarcastically.
I took one of my extra shirts and ripped it up to make a splint for the man's leg.
"Thank you."
"It's no big deal. I'll find a nurse or a doctor."
I stood up and went to find a doctor. I went into the hospital tent and saw people running around and a brunette with glasses ran into me.
"Excuse me," she said, shyly.
"I'm lookin' for a nurse, are you busy?"
She looked up at me, although I looked around, not seein' many patients in there.
"Not really, are you sick?"
"Nah. Man on the edge of the field, his leg's broken, I put it in a splint."
"Are you the nurse we sent for?"
"Nope, I'm a pilot. And don't say I'm not, 'cause I'm a General too."
"I wasn't going to say that, I would have a few months ago, and did in December, but I met her, there aren't many female pilots. I met one in Pearl Harbor."
I looked at her.
"You're one of Evelyn's friends, aren't you?"
"Yes-- You're Rafe McCawley's little sister, aren't you?"
I nodded.
"You're Sandra, right?"
"Yes, and you're Jo."
"Yup. I'm going to see what I can do around here. I'll see you later."
And I left. Not knowing in a few hours time, that the Nazis would be knocking on out door.