A/N Thank you to all my reviewers. And sorry anyone who hasn't had time to read the last chapter before I posted this. I wanted to prolong the agony, but I had to keep the momentum going! Sorry for the cliff hanger, but it ain't over yet. Readers of a nervous disposition, look away now! Don't forget to review!
The Ultimate Sacrifice (Part One)
It took another hour or so for Potter to sort out a plan of action with the Military Police Officers. As they discussed tactics in his office, Potter warned Sally and Hawkeye to stay put, telling them in no uncertain terms that failure to obey would result in a serious charge. Radar was instructed immediately to send a description of Mulcahy to all units in the area. He cranked up the radio and began to talk while Hawkeye, BJ and Sally crowded round.
"Attention all units, we have an officer missing. Captain Father Mulcahy, 4077th MASH. There now follows a description."
Radar shut off the radio and looked desperately at the doctors around him.
"What do I say?" he asked, panicked.
BJ spoke calmly. "Just tell them what he looks like," he said.
Radar nodded and opened up the airwaves again.
"He is average height, average build with brownish blonde hair and…" he stopped as he became aware that they were staring at him in astonishment. Wordlessly, Hawkeye took the handset from him and passed it to Sally.
"Hey!" Radar protested, "You can't just do that, I've gotta follow procedure!"
BJ calmly put a hand on Radar's arm. "Yes, but that description matches half the GIs in Korea. Let Sally do it."
Sally took the handset from Hawkeye and closed her eyes. She knew it was important to give an accurate description in order to pinpoint when Mulcahy was last seen and where. She pictured him as he'd sat beside her that morning, with the sun shining through the side of tent and making his fair hair glow golden – like a halo.
"Father John Patrick Francis Mulcahy, RA11295403. He is five foot eleven inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds. He's of slight build with dirty fair hair going slightly grey in places. He wears army issue wire rimmed glasses, a black shirt and a silver cross." Sally closed her eyes tighter trying desperately to remember every last detail of Mulcahy. The others looked on, slightly embarrassed at the strength of her emotions as she recalled her best friend, and Hawkeye gently took the radio from her hand as she continued speaking.
"His left eye squints a bit when he's tired, and he's got a small scar by his right ear from the first time he shaved himself. He's not very good with heights, and if you put him near a piano the first song he'll play is 'Londonderry Air' because his grandmother used to sing it to him when he was a little boy…"
"Sally," Hawkeye put a gentle arm around her shoulder, "You can stop now."
She opened her eyes, and the tears which her eyelids had held back spilled down her cheeks.
"Hawk," she whispered, "I have to find him."
Hawkeye sighed. "I know," he replied, kissing her forehead to comfort her. "But be careful." He turned to the company clerk, "Radar, have you got a map of the area where they found the jeep?"
Radar turned to the filing cabinet beside the desk, grumbling as he went.
"Gee, you know that Colonel Potter said that we weren't to do anything. He'll go nuts if he find out…"
Hawkeye cut him off. "Look, you've got the map. You can either find it for us, or we can come round there and knock all your filing out of order looking for it. It's your choice."
Radar held out the map to Sally. "There you go, but you didn't get it from me. I'm going, I don't want to get in trouble." He made to leave the tent, then turned round at the door. "Good luck, Captain Sally Ma'am. I hope you find the Father and bring him back safe." he said.
"Thanks, Radar. You're so kind." Sally smiled back at him.
Once he was out of the office, Sally opened the map out and the three doctors crowded over it trying to pinpoint where Sally needed to be heading.
"They said 3 miles south east of Seoul, and it was on the road to here so…" BJ jabbed a finger at the corresponding point on the map, "That would be around here."
Sally's keen eyes scanned the surrounding area. "There's a small village about half a mile off the road, just there." She pointed to the markings which signified a small settlement. "I think he'd head off road, or if someone has him they won't have taken him far."
They paused a moment, trying to force the third option from their minds. The option that meant Sally wouldn't be bringing him back. Then, she grabbed the map and folded it approximately.
"I'm off," she said, decisively. "Wish me luck!"
Hawkeye grabbed her and hugged her close. "Be careful, and bring him – and yourself – back safely. Please."
BJ said nothing, just hugged Sally close for a moment before standing back and letting her head out of the door. As she pushed it open, she paused for a moment, then dashed back and grabbed Mulcahy's battered hat from its place on the desk.
"Lucky charm," she explained. Then she smiled weakly. "Happy Christmas," she said.
Hawkeye followed her through the door, "Have you got your sidearm?" he asked in a worried voice.
She laughed, "You're a fine one to talk, Pierce! Yes, it's in my bag."
"But have you loaded it? You know those bullet things we keep taking out of people? That's where they come from." BJ cut in.
"Are you mad?" she yelled as she started up the engine of her vehicle. "I could kill someone! Loaded guns are dangerous! I can just wave it about and look scary without actually being a threat to life!"
And then, in a puff of diesel smoke from the jeep, she was gone.
Potter heard the engine and was out in a moment. He found two of his surgeons staring at the small figure disappearing into the darkness of the Korean night.
"Is that my female surgeon gone then?" asked Potter.
BJ nodded. "Yep," he said. "How long did you think it would take her before she went after him?"
Potter sighed wearily. "Not long. But now I gotta explain to the MPs why one of my staff just went AWOL. Happy Christmas, Sherman!" he muttered as he turned around and went back to his office.
Hawkeye stood staring in the direction of Sally's jeep long after she had disappeared from view.
"C'mon, buddy." BJ steered him in the direction of the Mess. "She'll be OK. She's British. Think Winston Churchill. They're indestructible."
The dark haired surgeon let himself be led back to the party, but couldn't shake Sally from his thoughts. Or more to the point, he couldn't stop wondering what it was that made her go off after a man with whom she could only ever be friends with. And he realised, sadly, that he couldn't understand it because he'd never had a friend whom he was that close to. He glanced one more time in the direction Sally had driven in, and decided that, despite the circumstance, Father Mulcahy was one very lucky man.
oOo
About half an hour after leaving camp, Sally was wishing she'd thought sensibly before rushing out into the Korean countryside. It was pitch black and it was almost impossible to see where she was going. She couldn't even see how far she'd come. So she pulled just off the road and curled up under a blanket until a tinge of pink in the sky told her the sun was on its way up. She was freezing cold, but ploughed on regardless. The map told her that she couldn't be far away, and after a few false starts, eventually she could see the village through the trees. She turned off the engine and climbed out, grabbing her medical bag as she did. She jammed Mulcahy's hat on her head and began creeping into the centre of the small circle of huts where she hoped to find him.
The village appeared to be deserted, which came as no surprise. The state of the road told her that there had been plenty of activity with regards to dropping bombs, and the inhabitants had obviously been forced to flee for their lives. She crept around the little huts, looking for any sign that there may be life anywhere nearby.
Suddenly, a bullet whizzed by her ears. She spun round to face the direction it came from and saw a young man in the remains of a North Korean uniform standing about 100 yards away. He had a handgun trained on her. Sally instinctively raised her hands and he began walking towards her.
"What you want?" he asked, in broken English. His face was covered in scratches, he couldn't have been more that 20.
"I'm looking for my friend," she explained, "I'm a Doctor. I make people better."
"Doctor?" he asked, coming up to her, "I need you. Make comrade better." He grabbed her roughly and began propelling her towards a tent.
She was too scared to resist and one they reached the tent he opened the door. From the door, she could see an injured man, also Korean, lying on a makeshift bed.
"You fix him better?" he asked, pressing the gun against her head.
"Yes, of course!" Sally whispered, hardly daring to move. "But I'll need some things. I need clean water to wash with first of all."
The man didn't seem to understand. "You fix him first, then you wash."
"No," said Sally. "I need to clean him. Wash his wounds to make him better." She pointed at his comrade and he seemed to understand.
"OK. I get you water, you stay in here." He threw her roughly through the door of the hunt, and she landed in a heap on the floor. She heard the door slam shut behind her and then it being bolted to stop her escaping. And then she heard something else, which suddenly made this whole situation bearable.
"Sally? What on earth are you doing here?" the voice said, a voice which was heartbreakingly familiar.
She looked up and saw Mulcahy sitting in the corner of the room, looking astonished.
