The Desert Search Raid
By: AliasCWN
Chapter 3
"We're ready to move out."
Dietrich looked up from his breakfast. "Have they left their camp yet?"
"They just left, Captain," his young officer informed him.
"Did they take anything with them?"
"According to our spies, only what they brought with them," Lieutenant Gustein answered.
"Very well," Dietrich nodded. "I suppose we are wasting our time, but I must inspect the holes they dug last night. We will inspect their camp while we are there. Perhaps they left some clue as to what they are looking for in the desert."
"Yes sir," the young officer answered.
"I'll be ready in just a minute, have the column ready to move out. Remember, anything that might reflect the sun must be kept covered. We mustn't let the Allies know they are being followed."
"Yes sir." The lieutenant returned to the men and double checked that all was as the captain had ordered. By the time that Dietrich was ready, the column was prepared to leave on his order.
It was several miles to where the Rat Patrol had camped for the night. The captain spent the time it took to get there to try to figure out what the Allies were up to. There had to be some reason they were driving around the desert digging holes. So far none of the places they had stopped had revealed what they sought.
When they got to the camp the Allies had abandoned, he climbed from his halftrack to examine the series of fresh holes in the desert floor. Like the others, each one had been filled back in with no apparent reason or particular care. They weren't trying to hide what they had done. The Arab spies had not reported anything being taken from any of the holes. "Lieutenant!"
"Yes sir?" Lieutenant Gustein appeared at Dietrich's side as if by magic.
"Do the Americans know we are following them?"
"I don't think so," the young officer answered. "They may have spotted the Arabs but so far they have given no indication that they know of our presence."
"None of our patrols have been spotted?"
"You ordered all patrols to stay on the base so they wouldn't be spotted," the lieutenant reminded Dietrich.
"And our planes?"
"They are all being kept busy near the coast Captain. We couldn't be given the use of any planes until that operation is completed. There is not even a spotter plane available right now."
"So, there is no chance that the Americans were driven off before they could find whatever it is that they seek?"
"No sir," the lieutenant answered, "our Arab spies said that they quit digging about dark. They posted a double guard last night, but they left this morning without returning to the holes they had dug."
"I see," the captain responded, but he didn't, not really.
"If I may?"
"Yes Lieutenant?"
"What are they looking for Captain?"
The captain looked around at the holes scattered across the desert floor and shook his head. "I don't know Lieutenant; I wish I did. But I am determined to find out." He turned and headed for his halftrack.
Lieutenant Gustein walked around, looking at the holes, hoping to find some sort of pattern that would shine some light on the puzzle presented by the Allies. He was walking past one of the holes when something caught his eye. There was a mound near one of the holes, a mound that looked out of place. A closer examination didn't reveal any rock formations that would account for the mound. Turning to one of the soldiers with shovels, he ordered them to dig into the mound. Not waiting around for the results, he hurried off to tell Dietrich.
"Captain."
"What is it Lieutenant?"
"I found a mound that the Allies missed, Captain. Perhaps what they seek is here after all."
The captain looked over the head of the younger officer toward where the soldiers were throwing sand every which way. "Are you sure they didn't dig there?"
"I checked myself, Captain, the sand showed no sign of being recently disturbed."
"Sergeant Moffitt knows this desert very well. I find it hard to believe that he would miss something so close to where they searched." The captain started walking toward the excavation in progress. A glance behind him showed a look of disappointment on the lieutenant's face. Revising his comment, he sought to soften the blow. "I must give you credit for noticing something that the Allies so obviously missed. We still don't know what it is they are seeking but perhaps your powers of observation will solve that mystery for us. Carry on Lieutenant."
"Yes sir!" The young officer hurried ahead of his commander to supervise the men digging in the mound.
Sweat poured from the faces of the men using the shovels. There were grunts from the effort of digging the shovels deep into the sand. Sand flew in every direction as the shovels did their work.
Lieutenant Gustein edged closer, trying to be the first to see whatever was revealed. One of the shovels hit something solid. The young officer crowded even closer, pushing aside several of the soldiers still digging. In his excitement he dropped to his knees and began digging with his hands. His fingers hit something hard and unyielding.
"I found something! Here! Dig here!"
The soldiers moved in again and carefully widened the hole. This time several of the shovels made contact with the buried object. The lieutenant waved all but a few of the men away.
They stepped back, faces gleaming with sweat as moisture soaked their uniforms. The excitement was contagious and each of them tried to stay close enough to see into the hole. The lieutenant had to order them back a second time as they crowded around the men still digging.
More sand was moved aside and something large and white was revealed. Once again, the lieutenant dropped to his knees and dug with his hands.
Dietrich watched from the shade of his halftrack until the excitement around the find drew him closer. He walked slowly toward the gathering of interested soldiers. The soldiers parted as they noticed his approach, giving him a clear view of what had attracted their attention. No one spoke at the young officer continued to dig.
The heat of the day was forgotten as the flush of discovery took over. The lieutenant was now throwing the sand with both hands. The deeper he dug the more the desert gave up her secret.
Dietrich sought a better angle but there was still not enough revealed to determine what it was that they had found.
Lieutenant Gustein grunted with effort. His fingers clawed at the object, trying to free it from the sand's grip. He dug frantically at the edge, finally managing to get a few fingers under it. Using both hands, he hooked his fingers beneath it and heaved. The object rose ever so slightly. The desert didn't appear to be quite ready to give up its secret. With another grunt, he pulled again.
"Leave it Lieutenant."
The lieutenant looked up at his superior, surprise and confusion mirrored on his face. "Captain?"
"It's the skull of a camel, Lieutenant. Nothing of any value." Dietrich explained. "There is no need to strain yourself pulling it out."
The junior officer looked down at his find, trying to picture its origin. "Are you sure Captain?"
"I'm sure," Dietrich nodded.
"Then maybe there is something hidden beneath it. This may be a trick to stop finders from digging any deeper."
"I doubt it, but dig if you think it is really possible." The elation had turned to disappointment but at his words the sense of expectation returned. The soldiers crowded around again as the lieutenant continued to dig. Even Dietrich stuck around in case he was wrong.
There was another round of sighs as the skull finally pulled free and revealed nothing but sand beneath. Despite digging deeper, the lieutenant had to admit that it was just what it appeared to be.
"I don't think a camel skull is what the Allies have been out here seeking," the captain suggested. "It doesn't look as if they found anything at this site either."
"I'm sorry Captain," the lieutenant apologized. "I thought it was worth checking."
"It was Lieutenant," Dietrich acknowledged. "It could very well have turned out to be an important find. And there was no harm done. The Allies are not in any hurry, we should have no trouble catching up to them again."
"What if they found it while we were wasting time here?"
"Our spies will tell us it that is the case."
"What are we going to do if they do find something?"
Dietrich looked off across the desert before he answered. "I suppose that will depend on what they find." Noting the sweaty faces around him, the captain took pity on his men. A few minutes to rest and cool down would do them good, and the mission no harm. "Tell the men to take a twenty-minute break, and make sure they all drink plenty of water."
"Yes sir."
"Lieutenant."
"Yes sir?"
"You too. Your duties can wait twenty minutes."
"Yes Captain."
Dietrich walked around to look at all of the holes again. What were the Allies doing? What was it they were seeking? None of it made sense. Where were they going next?
Twenty minutes later they again took up the trail of the two enemy jeeps. He hoped the Arabs watching Troy and his men would have good news for them when they caught up once again.