The Desert Search Raid

BY: AliasCWN

Chapter 5

"They found something?"

"Yes Jefe," the Arab confirmed. "They dug it from the ground and carried it away."

"What was it?" the German captain demanded.

"We could not see well Jefe," the spy admitted. "They dug it from the ground and wrapped it in a blanket. We saw them put it in the back of one of their machines and they drove away."

"Which way?" Dietrich demanded. "Which way did they go?"

"That way Jefe." The Arab pointed in the general direction of the American base.

"How long ago? When did they leave?"

The Arab shrugged. "The sun was nearing its peak Jefe."

"Noon," the captain muttered. "They can't reach their base before dark. That means that they will have to camp somewhere tonight."

"Yes Jefe," the Arab nodded. "Perhaps they will use one of the campsites they have used before."

"You know of those campsites?"

"Yes Jefe, we know."

"Do you think you could catch up to them?"

"Of course, Jefe, they were not traveling at any speed. We know this desert well."

"Could you follow them and retrieve what it was they found?"

The Arab hesitated.

"I will make it worth your while. I will even pay for you to hire help if you need it. Bring the object to me and I will give you gold."

The Arab's eyes glittered with greed. "It will be done Jefe."

"We will follow behind you and meet you at the Wadi of Assule. Wait there for us."

"Yes Jefe." The Arab bowed and waved a hand in front of his face. "We will be there."

Dietrich watched as the Arabs rode off on their camels. He had no doubt that they would find the Allies and recover the object. What the object was was still a mystery. Curious, he walked over to the holes at this latest site. Only one looked like it had held anything other than sand. Just to be on the safe side, he ordered his men to dig more holes around the largest of the Allied holes. The next hour only increased his frustration. They found nothing in any of the holes they dug. Finally, he called for his men to return to their vehicles. They would follow the Allies and the Arabs, and discover what it was they had found, at last.

Night found the Allies still hours from their base. Moffitt located a suitable location to make camp. The British sergeant carefully cleaned the sand from the inscription on the blade of the sword. He was trying to read the inscription when Troy interrupted him.

"Have you figured it out yet?"

"Not quite," Moffitt answered. "I think I'm getting close."

Troy nodded. "Don't stay up too long, you have the third watch." Troy looked at the sword again. "I guess our time wasn't totally wasted."

"Wasted?" Moffitt looked up from the sword with a frown. "We distracted Dietrich so the convoy could get through, I wouldn't call that wasted time."

"We could have done that by just driving around the desert and letting him follow."

"Perhaps," The Brit admitted, "but it wouldn't have been near as much fun."

Troy laughed and shook his head. "Good night, Doctor."

"Good night, Troy."

Moffitt stayed up later than he wanted but he finally figured out what the inscription said. Yawning, he wrapped the sword and placed it in the rear of the jeep again. He was still sleepy when it was his turn to stand guard. Walking around their small camp, he thought about their find. It wasn't of any great value, but it was interesting. He would have to tell Tully what he had discovered. Still preoccupied, he didn't register a small sound he heard until someone rose up behind him and hit him over the head.

Moffitt woke up with a headache and a sudden fear for the others. Pulling himself to his feet, he ran to check on the camp.

"What's wrong Moffitt?"

The other sergeant's rushed entry into the camp woke the others. The Brit was searching the camp with a wild look in his eyes.

"Is everyone all right?"

Troy looked around at the others. They looked as sleepy as he felt. Letting his confusion show, he growled at the other sergeant. "What are you talking about? We're all fine."

Moffitt sighed and slumped to the ground. "I made a mistake Troy."

Troy was out of his bed in a second, checking the other sergeant for injuries. "What happened?"

"I was tired. I got distracted. I let someone sneak up on me."

Troy glanced around the camp. Everything looked quiet. "Tell me what happened."

"I stayed up too late. I was tired when I took over guard duty. I let someone sneak up behind me and hit me over the head. I was worried that they might have attacked the camp."

"No one was here as far as I know." Troy shook his head in denial.

"They were after something. If they didn't come into the camp, what did they want?"

"What about the sword Doc?" Tully drawled from his bed.

"The sword, of course!" Moffitt headed for the jeep. Despite searching it carefully, he couldn't find it. "It's gone."

"Anything else missing?" Troy asked.

"Not that I can tell," Moffitt answered.

"Then let's go back to sleep." Troy started to lay down, then sat up again. "You didn't find out anything about it that made it valuable, did you?"

"Not especially," Moffitt answered.

"Then we didn't lose much," Troy answered. "We'll just head back to the base tomorrow and report it."

Dietrich woke the next morning and broke camp early, hoping to meet with his Arab friends. To his relief, they were waiting for him at the wadi. He ordered his men to wait as he walked out to meet his spies. "Did you get it?"

One of the Arabs handed a blanket wrapped bundle to their leader. "Here Jefe," the Arab offered.

"That's it?"

"Yes Jefe."

"May I see it?"

"We did as you asked," the Arab answered warily, "you said that you would pay us."

"Yes, I did," the captain agreed. He reached into his tunic and pulled out a small leather pouch. Shaking it so that the coins inside jingled, he handed it to the Arab.

The Arab grinned and handed the bundle to the captain. He turned and held the pouch out in front of him. The other Arabs watched him eagerly. With a jerk of his head, he started to walk away. "If you need us again Jefe, you know where to find us." The entire band headed for their camels and rode away.

Dietrich took his prize and returned to his halftrack. Despite having paid the Arabs, he didn't trust them to keep going. He hadn't missed the look of greed on their faces when he gave them the pouch. It wouldn't surprise him if they tried to waylay him and rob him. He wasn't sure how they would react if they found out he wasn't carrying any more gold.

"Is it well Captain?" Lieutenant Gustein lowered his weapon as the captain rejoined the column.

"All is well Lieutenant." He stopped to unwrap the object the Arabs had retrieved for him. He looked at the sword, wondering what it was about the sword that made it so valuable that the Allies would send the Rat Patrol out to hunt for it. He examined it carefully, trying to read the inscription on the blade. He stared at it for several minutes before he wrapped it up again. Looking up at the lieutenant, he nodded at the column. "I think we can head back to the base now Lieutenant. I think we have what we sought."

The younger officer nodded and turned to pass the word.

"Take this Lieutenant." He handed the bundle to the other officer. As the lieutenant took it, the captain took his place in the halftrack.

The lieutenant took the bundle and held it closely. "What is it Captain? It feels like a sword."

"It is a sword."

"What makes it so important?"

"I don't know," the captain answered. "But the Allies may try to get it back. Keep it hidden in your halftrack. If the Allies do come looking for it, they will most likely expect to find it in mine." The captain looked around, half expecting to see the two jeeps jumping the dunes and barreling down on them with guns blazing. He ordered his column to return to the base.

Troy and Moffitt walked into Captain Boggs' office to give the captain their report.

"Excellent job gentlemen," the officer praised. "You managed to keep the captain, and his patrols, away from the convoy's route. The convoy commander reported arriving at his destination without any trouble at all. He seemed to think it was something he did right." The officer smiled at that. "Some of these young officers don't realize how lucky they are that your team is out there."

"That's all right with us Captain," Troy answered. "We don't need the glory."

"Did you have any problems at all? I know you said it went well."

"No sir, not with the mission."

"What happened?"

"Moffit found an old sword," Troy explained with a grin aimed at the other sergeant.

"Where is it?"

"We were bringing it back, but we lost it again."

"Actually, it was Hitch who found it," Moffitt added.

"I see," the captain nodded. "And was it Hitchcock who lost it again?"

Moffitt looked down at the floor. "No sir, that would be me."

"Go on."

"Someone snuck up on me while we were camped for the night and knocked me unconscious. They took the sword."

"Was anyone hurt?"

"Only his pride," Troy grinned as he looked pointedly at the other sergeant.

"Then no real harm done?"

"No sir," Moffitt answered. "There were some engravings on the blade and I was able to decipher them. The sword was old, but of no historic value, no real value at all."

"Except to us," Troy added.

"How's that Sergeant?" the captain demanded.

"It may not have had any monetary or historical value," Troy explained, "but it still served a purpose." He smiled at the captain. "Right about now, I bet it's driving Dietrich crazy trying to figure out why we spent so much time looking for it."

"There is that," Moffitt laughed.

Captain Boggs smiled too. "Get out of here, I have work to do." He shook his head as he watched the two sergeants laughing as they went down the hall.