As always, I'm grateful for Marilyn Penner. It would take a whole page to list the reasons why.
This chapter is much longer this time. I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter Fifteen
"I thought that I had killed him."
"Ah, now, Katie. Come here, sweet. It's all right. Remember? That's right. Here, Benjamin . . . let Katie use your handkerchief. That's a good lad. Better, Katie? Good."
"Maybe this part of the tale would be better not told. I'll not be having you lot with nightmares because of this. Should have realized when I started this tale it weren't for –"
"Because it gets rough from here on out, Teddy. At least for awhile, anyway. Not all hearts and flowers, this."
"Benjamin . . . Benjamin . . . Benjamin! Hoooo! Don't know that I heard you take a breath there, little mate. Not one. Think you even topped Andrew's record."
"Well, you are young for a tale such as this, little mate. Yes, I know you're – Yes, you've – Well, yes, but –"
"All right. All right. I'll not leave anything out. Got me wrapped right around that little finger, you do. Never thought I'd see the day."
"What, Teddy? Oh. Yes, I did. I thought I'd killed the guv'nor. Not by the actual doing of it. By leaving him behind. Was pretty much the same thing, by my thinking at the time. When I heard that gunshot . . . It 'bout stopped my heart. Too right, it was a horrible feeling, Katie. All I could see in my mind as I ran back to that little glade was the guv'nor lying dead, with some Jerrie standing over him."
"But that wasn't what had happened."
HH HH HH HH HH
Benson stared at the bullet hole torn into the ground mere inches from his knee - the knee that he was very, very fond of and wanted to keep in working order.
The Hauptmann cocked his gun again, spoke in terse German.
"This is your last warning. Raise your hands and move away from him. Or the next bullets will be in your heads."
Benson was suddenly furious. After all they had been through – it ended like this? He glanced down at Hogan, his determination to protect his CO stronger than ever. At the moment, he had no idea how, except to do something extremely stupid and dangerous - like pulling his gun and taking on all four of the Krauts holding them at gunpoint. By the look in Tivoli's eyes, the Italian was having similar thoughts. Benson gave a mental snort.
Much as I want to, Tivoli, my mamma didn't raise no suicidal fool.
Movement flickered at the lower edge of his vision. Benson swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.
Hogan was waking up.
HH HH HH HH HH
"There they were. Those Jerries had their guns pointed dead-bang at my mates, faces all fierce, ready to shoot. Spot on, Teddy. It didn't look good for the colonel, Benson and Tivoli. Not at all. And there I was, all done in, fair to fainting from running back so fast while trying to stay quiet, imagining the worst, head pounding near to bursting, and no gun. No knife, either. I'd lost it somehow, Katie. Never did figure out where or how."
"Got any guesses on how we got out of it, Teddy? None at all, eh? How 'bout you, Katie? Benjamin?"
"Well . . . hmmm . . . what did happen? Give me a minute. Hmm. Guess I've forgotten. Sorry. Old age finally setting in, affecting my memory. Bound to happen one day."
"Hang about! Here now! Look at that. You've gone and scared the whole lot of pigeons away with all your shouting and hopping about. Good work. Pesky little things were sneaking up on us again."
"Oh, little mate. Don't be looking so sad. I've not really forgotten. Was just ragging you, is all. I'll tell you everything. Just sit back down, all three of you. Ta."
"Now, then. Hold on to your hats and . . . Benjamin? It's a figure of spe ech. You can let go of your cap. That's right. You'll be ever so much more comfortable. Katie? Teddy? You keep sniggering like that, you won't be able to hear."
"I'm being quite serious about this now. This is where it gets rough. Are you sure you want me to tell this part? Let's see nods or shakes all around, then. Look at that. Three heads a bobbin'. You look like a trio of those crazy little bobbin' head animals what you put in the back window. Have you any idea why anyone would want to – All right, all right. Sorry. Got a little off the beaten path again."
"Of course I don't mind if you hold my hand, little mate. Katie, you can have the other one. Sorry, Teddy. I've run out of hands. What's that? Oh, yes. Keep forgetting you're near on to being a worldly young man of ten and don't need any hand holding for the scary parts. Still. Benjamin's offering his other hand if you need it."
"All ready? Let's get on with it, then."
HH HH HH HH HH
The Hauptmann motioned with his gun for Benson and Tivoli to stand. Slowly, they put their hands into the air and rose, then moved toward each other, putting themselves between Hogan and the Germans. A thin, contemptuous smile twitched at the Hauptmann's lips.
"Drop your weapons."
The stupidity of the order stunned Benson. He studied the German officer, seeing for the first time how young and nervous he appeared. Benson almost licked his lips, anticipating the chance at getting his hand on his gun again.
"We can't understand a word you're saying," Tivoli shrugged with a hearty, false smile.
The Hauptmann's smile turned colder. In perfect English, he replied, "Drop your weapons."
Benson and Tivoli glanced at each other. Tivoli's gaze held an anticipatory gleam. He pursed his lips.
"Why didn't he just say so in the first place?"
Slowly, they reached for their guns. The soldiers tensed. As if suddenly realizing his error in judgment, the Hauptmann snapped his hand up in a halting gesture.
"Stop! Don't move!"
Benson and Tivoli stopped mid-motion, their hands hovering inches from their guns.
"Drop your hands!"
"Geez," Tivoli snarled loudly. "Make up your mind, why don't you? Drop your weapons, don't move, drop your hands . . ."
The Hauptmann's face reddened. Smiling, Benson goaded the German further. "What did you expect? These guys aren't used to thinking for themselves."
The rest of the squad shifted uneasily, darting glances at the Hauptmann, whose face was growing redder by the second.
"Oh, yeah. That's right. Just a bunch of trained monkeys." Tivoli wagged his head, clucked his tongue in apparent pity.
"I heard," Benson continued, watching carefully, bracing for action. "That --"
"Enough!" The Hauptmann yelled, taking a step forward.
At that moment, Newkirk darted out from behind a tree, his arm snapping forward, hurling a softball-sized rock. It struck the soldier on Benson's far left squarely in the temple. He tumbled to the ground, eyes already glazing in death. Startled, the Hauptmann's attention – and his gun – swung toward Newkirk. It was the opening Benson and Tivoli had been waiting for. Benson dove to his left as Tivoli leaped forward. Newkirk dropped flat to the ground, making himself as small a target as possible.
Tivoli chopped down on the Hauptmann's wrist with the edge of his hand. The German's fingers instantly went numb, his gun falling to the ground. Before he could recover, Tivoli grabbed him by the wrist and twisted his arm behind his back. Taken by surprise, the three soldiers hesitated a moment too long. Using the Hauptmann as a shield, Tivoli drew his own gun and fired, taking one of the three down with a shot to the head.
Benson rolled and came up firing. Another soldier collapsed, shot cleanly between the eyes. Desperate, the remaining soldier whirled and fired upon Benson. His shot went wild. Tivoli's did not. It struck the soldier in the chest and he went down in a boneless heap. Tivoli shoved the Hauptmann away. The German stumbled, caught his balance and straightened. His gaze went to his gun, lying a few feet away, then touched upon each of his men, now lying dead. He turned in place, his eyes passing over Benson, then slowly lifting to Tivoli's face.
"Sorry," Tivoli told him, regret softening his voice. Resignation flashed across the Hauptmann's calm, white features. He looked Tivoli directly in the eyes, his chin lifting proudly. "Sorry," Tivoli repeated. "But it's us or you." He fired, turning away even as the officer dropped, lifeless, to the ground. Tivoli's breath left him in a shuddering sigh. Benson climbed to his feet and went to him. He gripped Tivoli's shoulder, then tipped his head toward the fallen Germans. Tivoli nodded. Together, they moved to check them.
Newkirk slowly raised his head. Seeing the Germans were down and the shooting over, he got to his feet and staggered to Hogan's side, completely spent. The officer slowly turned his head and blinked up at him with unfocused eyes. Newkirk sank to his knees, overjoyed that his CO was alive and at least partially conscious.
"It's all right, Colonel," Newkirk said in a breathless voice, head hanging in relief and weariness. "Everything's going to be okay now."
A shot rang out. Tivoli grunted, stumbled and collapsed face down in the grass. Benson threw himself at Newkirk and Hogan, flattening Newkirk over their CO and covering both men with his own body.
Another shot smacked into the ground beside Benson's head, spraying dirt into his eyes. A single thought flashed through his mind.
We're dead.
More shots cracked through the air in quick succession. Benson flinched, expecting pain, surprised when it did not come. Then, abruptly, the fusillade ended. Seconds stretched out in silence. He stayed draped over Hogan and Newkirk, muscles trembling and heart pounding. Cautiously, he pried open one stinging eye and slowly pushed up on his hands, still partially covering Newkirk and Hogan. Two more Wehrmacht soldiers lay dead in the grass a short distance away, limbs askew and faces slack.
Newkirk moaned and weakly pushed at Benson's forearm.
"Don't . . . get . . . .me wrong," Newkirk wheezed. "Grateful and . . . and all . . . but it . . . would be ever . . . so . . . nice . . . if I could . . . BREATHE!"
Benson jumped clear of Newkirk and Hogan just as four men walked out of the trees and into the glade. Blinking furiously in an effort to clear his vision, Benson recognized Rumplestiltskin and stayed his instinctive grab for his gun. Newkirk slowly sat up at his feet, gently started checking Hogan for new injuries.
"How is he?" Benson asked, wiping at his tearing eyes. "Is he okay?"
"Well, having us land on top of him probably didn't feel too bloody good!" Newkirk anxiously examined Hogan's ribs. As far as he could tell, none had been damaged. Their CO appeared groggy, his eyes only half-open and wandering. They were still the prettiest sight Newkirk had seen since their nightmare had begun. He smiled down at Hogan, patted the officer's good shoulder. The material of Hogan's jacket was warm beneath his hand. Newkirk glanced up at the brilliant sun and his smile widened. At least one thing had gone according to his plan.
Rumplestiltskin crouched beside Newkirk, his gaze running worriedly over Hogan. "Was he hit?"
"No," Newkirk sighed, thinking it was about the only thing that had not happened to Hogan.
"But you are," Rumplestiltskin countered softly, eyeing the cut on Newkirk's head.
"Never mind about me. It's the guv'nor we need to be worrying about."
Rumplestiltskin nodded. "We apologize for not coming sooner. But we have been playing 'hide and seek' with this patrol all night." Rumplestiltskin scanned the dead men, the lines in his wrinkled face deepening. "The loss of an entire squad . . . " he murmured. "Is sure to bring more trouble to our door."
Benson slowly exhaled. "Thanks for the save. We—" his eyes flew wide and he whirled around, heartbeat leaping again. "Tivoli!" Narrow ribbons of scarlet were spreading from a bloody patch high on the Italian's back. Dreading what he would find, Benson went to the still body. At his touch, Tivoli lurched into a sitting position, spitting a virulent stream of Italian.
Benson sat back on his heels, his relief coming out in a smirk. "I guess your mouth wasn't hurt."
Tivoli's slitted black eyes cut toward him. Benson lost the smirk. Instinctively understanding the Italian would not appreciate having a fuss made over him, Benson arched his eyebrows, silently asking if Tivoli could make it. Breath hissing between his teeth, Tivoli blinked, then gave a single bob of his head. Benson reached out and carefully supported the Italian when he started to sag.
"Colonel Hogan?" Tivoli panted, cradling his limp arm and curling forward over his legs. Benson held onto him, then slowly pushed him upright again.
"No bullet holes. I think he'll be all right once we get him warmed up. Newkirk, too. You, on the other hand, have a bullet in you."
Tivoli looked up at him from beneath a furrowed brow, a trace of humor creeping into his tone. "Gosh, I hadn't noticed. Thanks for bringing it to my attention."
Benson sighed. "Would you stop popping off and hold still? We've got to get that bleeding stopped."
Tivoli pushed at him with his good arm. "Get out of here. Ugliest nurse I've ever seen. Go practice on Newkirk and the colonel."
Rumplestiltskin knelt beside Tivoli, intent upon examining the bullet wound. Tivoli's head jerked toward him, eyes hard with suspicion. Benson reached over and lightly swatted the Italian in the back of the head, signaling him to behave. Jaw working, body rigid with pain, Tivoli relented. He made no sound, not even when Rumplestiltskin gently probed around the wound.
Benson's gaze kept alternating between Tivoli and Newkirk and Hogan. The Englishman had managed to get Hogan into a sitting position and was keeping up a stream of chatter worthy of Andrew Carter. To Benson's alarm, the words seemed to fall upon deaf ears. Hogan looked dazed and disoriented and had neither spoken nor tried to stand.
"We can't stay here much longer. Someone might have heard that gunfire," Benson rasped. Rumplestiltskin's men nodded their agreement, their guns drawn, their eyes constantly sweeping the surrounding trees for more trouble.
Benson glanced down at Rumplestiltskin, watched the elderly man ball up a large cloth he had pulled from his shirt pocket. "Are you about done?"
"Yes." Rumplestiltskin shoved the wad of cloth under Tivoli's jacket and pressed it against the wound. Tivoli's head bowed over his knees, face contorting in discomfort. Rumplestiltskin gripped the top of the Italian's shoulder, leaned close and whispered into his ear. The Italian let out a quiet snort of laughter. Rumplestiltskin clapped him on the shoulder, climbed to his feet and turned to Benson. The Resistance agent hesitated, his expression turning slightly embarrassed.
"I am sorry to ask this under such circumstances, but –"
"Got them right here," Newkirk called out in a raspy voice, motioning Rumplestiltskin over. "'S'cuse me, Guv'nor." Newkirk reached inside Hogan's trouser pocket, pulled out the leather pouch and slapped it onto Rumplestiltskin's palm. "Here are the bleeding papers and good bloody riddance to them! Now, can we bloody well get out of here and go home?"
"I second that," Tivoli muttered.
Newkirk coughed harshly into his fist. Benson and Tivoli stared at him, wide-eyed with concern.
"Uh-oh," Tivoli breathed, stretching his good hand out. Benson took it without looking and pulled him to his feet. Newkirk's coughing continued, sounding deeper with each cough. Benson walked over and crouched at his side. Newkirk held up a finger, took a shuddering breath and shook his head.
"Don't – don't go mother henning me," he gasped, giving his head another shake. He cleared his throat, finger still upraised. "Just get us out of here."
Benson nodded. "Sure thing." He glanced down at Hogan, then looked Newkirk in the eye. "You did good, Newkirk. Real good."
"We're bloody well wasting time." Newkirk suddenly gasped, remembering the third member of their ill-fated team. "Louis! Is he all right?"
Rumplestiltskin moved closer. "We need to go. Herr Schnitzer is waiting to take you back to camp."
"And how are we going to get to him?" Benson indicated Hogan, Newkirk and Tivoli with a tip of his head.
"My men will assist them."
"I can make it on my own," Tivoli snapped, glaring at Rumplestiltskin's men.
"Tivoli," Benson warned in a low voice. "Don't give the nice men any trouble. They just saved your Italian butt."
The hostility faded from Tivoli's face. His eyes flickered toward Rumplestiltskin's men, his head dipping in a nod of thanks.
Another cough burst from Newkirk's chest. He stood, waving off Benson's offer of assistance. "Would someone tell me if Louis made it back to camp?"
Benson nodded. "We found him. Lyons took him back."
Newkirk's shoulders sagged in relief, then drew tight with tension again. Hogan had slumped onto his side, his eyes closed. "Colonel?" He called several times, but the officer did not wake. Newkirk glanced over at the others and went still, his eyes narrowing. He extended his hand toward them, waggled his fingers in a 'give me' gesture.
"Off with them."
"Huh?" Benson grunted, puzzled by the demand.
"Your jackets!" Newkirk waggled his fingers with more urgency, then snapped them repeatedly. "Give 'em over! They're warm and that's what the guv'nor needs more than anything!"
Benson uttered a curse, kicking himself for ignoring Hogan's condition. Hurriedly, he stripped off his jacket and tossed it to Newkirk, while Rumplestiltskin had his men do the same. Newkirk layered the jackets around Hogan, enveloping him in warmth. Benson saw Tivoli struggling to get out of his own jacket and rushed to his side.
"Not you." Benson tugged the Italian's jacket closed around him. "You need to stay warm, too."
Tivoli jammed his good hand against Benson's sternum and tried shoving him away. "The colonel needs it more than I do!"
"You ever heard of shock, bright boy?" Benson huffed, easily counter-balancing against the shove. "Leave it on. That's an order."
Anger darkened Tivoli's face. He opened his mouth, sucked in a breath to argue. Benson pointed at him.
"Don't argue with me, Tivoli, or so help me . . ." Benson paused, grappling for something to defuse the Italian's volatile temper. ". . . I'll make you sit through an hour of me singing when we get back to camp."
Tivoli stared at him, eyes wide as saucers. A smile slowly crept over his face. "Geez, Benson," he weakly chuckled. "I've heard you sing. Even the Krauts aren't that cruel."
"Stop all the nattering about!" Newkirk's voice was rough with exhaustion and deepening congestion. He paused, eyeing the jackets cocooning Hogan. "Got to keep 'em on him, somehow." He glanced down at himself, considered his empty belt loops, then looked over at Benson. "I need some belts or twine. Something to keep the jackets from falling off."
Benson grinned. "I've got something just as good." He dashed into the trees, emerging a few minutes later with lengths of a plant clutched in his hands. The leaves had been stripped off, exposing a thick, ropy vine.
Tivoli's eyebrows hit his hairline. "Whoa! That's not poison ivy, is it?"
"Very funny," Benson growled. He held out the vines to Newkirk. "I don't know what you call it, exactly. But it's like a grapevine. It's flexible enough to tie and tough enough to hold up."
Newkirk accepted the vines and a few minutes later, the jackets were secured.
Rumplestiltskin signaled the biggest of his men, who bent down and lifted the officer into a sitting position.
"Gently, mate," Newkirk warned. "There's something wrong with his shoulder."
The agent nodded his understanding. Under Benson, Newkirk and Tivoli's watchful gaze, he carefully put Hogan over his shoulder and started off. The rest of the group followed, with Benson sticking close to Tivoli and Newkirk.
HH HH HH HH HH
"No, there weren't any more bad surprises, Teddy. No more Jerries snuck up on us and no trees fell over on us, either. Lady Luck had thrown all her spanners – at least that day."
"Our trip to Schnitzer's truck wasn't without happenings, though. Tivoli was hurtin' worse than he was letting on. He kept up a good front – right up until the time he fell over. Benson had known it was coming. He picked ol' Tivoli off the ground without a fare-thee-well or by-your-leave, braced him up and off we went again. Too right, Benjamin. Just like a friend would do."
"I wasn't feeling so awful bad, little mate. Everyone gets tired, especially after a night and morning like what I'd had. Whew! Get tired just thinking of it again. What? Oh. Well. Yes, I did have a bit of cough. But that was to be expected after my swim and the cold, and being tired and all. Stop giving me that look, Teddy. That one. Your mum's got that one down to perfection. Ah, now. See? Now you have Katie doing it. Keep trying, Benjamin. You've not quite got it yet. That's the same face you pulled after you bit into that lemon, thinking it was an unripe orange."
"What's that, poppet? The colonel? Well, he still wasn't doing very well, even wrapped up in those warm jackets. I don't mind telling you, he had me worried, even then. But I felt much better about things when I saw who was waiting for us at the truck with Schnitzer."
To be continued.
Thank you for reading!