The Price of Friendship Raid

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 5

Dietrich was in the lead halftrack when they spotted the dust on the road ahead. Knowing that the convoy had already passed them and was on its way to the base, he ordered his column to split up and wait until they knew who was coming. When they identified the enemy jeeps they were in the perfect position to trap them between the two parts of the column. Waiting for just the right moment Dietrich ordered his column to close in.

The jeeps made sharp turns and headed back the way they had come. Knowing that they couldn't hope to outrun the smaller vehicles Dietrich urged his column to close in as fast as possible. Their only hope to catch the Allies was to cut them off before they escaped the trap.

He watched the jeeps race along the road and hoped that they stayed on their current path. The notice about the mines placed in the road had crossed his desk only days before. He had sent the information on to his men in the form of a briefing thinking that they had all been present. Too late he realized that some of them may have missed the meeting.

He was urging his men forward when he noticed the approaching patrol cars. At first he thought that they were part of his column and that they had somehow gotten in front of the enemy and were attempting to drive them into the trap. As the jeeps passed the mangled remains of the convoy they had attacked earlier the captain sent silent encouragement for them to stay on the road. He held his breath as the patrol cars continued toward the enemy jeeps. A muttered curse left his lips as the jeeps left the road and avoided the mined section of the road. He watched the jeeps, expecting the patrol cars to turn now that the jeeps had cut across the desert.

When the halftrack opened fire the captain thought he had them. He saw the first shell land just in front of the lead jeep. Despite the near miss the jeep never wavered on its course or speed. He was waiting for the next shell to score a hit when he heard the explosion on the road. He twisted and stared in disbelief at the wreckage of the patrol car. The second car slid to a stop as the first one burst into flames.

He didn't see the shell flip the lead jeep. When one of the enemy fell and the second one went flying through the air he wasn't watching them. As the second jeep slid to a stop and the wounded man was picked up by his companions Dietrich wasn't paying any attention. He didn't notice one of his halftracks stop next to the unconscious soldier and take him prisoner. The escape of the other three escaped his notice too.

No, Dietrich's entire focus was on the burning patrol car. He recognized the driver of the second car as the driver jumped from his vehicle to watch the other car burn. The driver didn't dare venture into the mine field, especially since there was nothing that could be done for the men in the other car. No one had stumbled away in an attempt to escape the flames. No one cried out as the flames engulfed the wreck. They were all dead, killed in the blast.

Dietrich sagged against the windshield of his halftrack and stared in horror at the wreckage. When his driver tried to stop before he reached the mined section of road Dietrich urged him on. The driver looked at his captain in surprise and fear.

"But Captain, the mines!"

"Go on!"

"We'll all be killed! Please Captain!"

The plea, generated by fear, penetrated the shock that held Dietrich in its grasp. Relenting, he ordered the driver to stop the halftrack. The captain stood in place and watched as the patrol car continued to burn. He didn't know how long he stood there; the fire had nearly burned itself out before he could force his mind to comprehend what was happening. They were dead, all of them, that much he knew. It didn't help to know that none of them had suffered. It didn't help to know that they had died doing their duty. Calling it a fortune of war only enraged him. Staring at the wreckage the captain could not even summon any tears. Thomas, his best friend's brother, and a dear friend on his own, was dead. The shock was almost more than he could bear.

His column gathered around him but he didn't notice. The men formed a circle around one of the halftracks and waited for their commander to give his next order. He was too lost in his grief to take notice. How could he continue? What was the point? Ernest was dead. He had been entrusted with the care of his best friend's only brother and now he was dead too. How many others had he failed? The names of the men he had lost were too long to list. Dietrich felt the will to go on slowly drain from his body like the smoke that drifted into the sky from the burning car.

"Captain?"

Dietrich shook himself at the call. It was only a suspicion but he felt as if the caller had been trying to get his attention for a long time. He shook his head again to chase away the fog that surrounded his thoughts. Turning listlessly to the speaker he struggled to put a name to the face. "Yes Lieutenant Krieger, what is it?"

"I'm sorry to bother you sir but what do you want us to do with the prisoner?" The lieutenant was watching Dietrich warily, uneasiness shadowed his face. "Are you all right Captain?"

"A prisoner?" Dietrich struggled to understand the question. "What prisoner?"

"We caught one of the members of the Rat Patrol." The lieutenant replied as if he had already provided the answer before. "One of their sergeants." He continued when Dietrich didn't respond. "Their leader we think."

"Their leader? You caught him?" Dietrich responded woodenly.

"Yes sir, at least I think that's who he is. I've never actually seen him before." The lieutenant explained.

"You have Sergeant Troy?"

"Yes sir." Lieutenant Krieger nodded. "That's the name on his dog tags."

"He's alive?" The captain asked.

"Yes sir. He was knocked unconscious by a shell, but he's alive."

"Where is he?"

"In the halftrack Captain." The lieutenant turned and led the way to the prisoner.

Dietrich followed the young officer to the halftrack surrounded by his men. Propped in one corner a battered, but very much alive, Sergeant Troy glared back at him. Something snapped in the German officer as he looked at the living, breathing enemy who had somehow survived while Thomas died. He didn't notice the injuries, or the obvious pain the prisoner was in, all he saw was the injustice of the whole thing.

It didn't matter that the enemy had not pulled a trigger and killed Thomas. It didn't matter that the mine that killed him was German, placed there by German hands. All that mattered at that moment was that Thomas was dead while Troy lived.

An unreasonable hatred flared in his heart as he looked at the prisoner. He wanted to lash out, to hurt them as they had hurt him. "Where are the others?"

"They got away sir." Lieutenant Krieger explained uneasily. "His driver was wounded but the second jeep managed to rescue him before we could reach him. They took him and left without their sergeant."

Dietrich looked at Troy again and saw only the charred remains of the patrol car with Thomas inside. "Form a firing squad and execute him."

"Sir?"

"You heard me lieutenant. I think I was quite clear in my instructions." The captain responded angrily. "Take the prisoner out into the desert and shoot him!" Dietrich watched Troy as he repeated his command in English. Expecting a reaction, he was disappointed when the sergeant's face remained impassive. "You are going to die sergeant! You and your entire team will pay for what you have done!" The captain snarled.

The prisoner still refused to give him the satisfaction of reacting to the announcement.

"You killed Thomas!" Dietrich roared.

"Thomas?" Troy spoke for the first time.

For a moment Dietrich failed to register the question. When he realized that Troy had spoken he turned to face him squarely. "Yes Thomas. He was little more than a boy Sergeant. He was also the brother of my best friend. With his dying breath my friend sent him to me. He was my responsibility!"

"I'm sorry for your loss." Troy replied. He didn't look away as Dietrich reacted as if he had been slapped.

"Not half as sorry as you are about to be Sergeant!" Dietrich sported an evil grimace as two guards pulled the injured sergeant from the rear of the halftrack. Troy stumbled as he was shoved away from the vehicle. Dietrich had an almost uncontrollable urge to put a foot out and trip him; just to add to his discomfort and humiliation.

"Captain, the men have been picked for the firing squad. Where should we do this sir?" Lieutenant Krieger paused next to his captain and waited for an answer. Dietrich's uncharacteristic actions clearly had the young officer on edge. Every line of his body showed uncertainty and reluctance. He admired the captain for his refusal to shoot unarmed men, but now he was confused. He waited for the order that he hoped would never come.

"Take him over there." Dietrich pointed to a spot of open desert near the road. "Let him stand in the open where his men can see the entire thing." The captain turned to smile at Troy. "They are out there watching aren't they Sergeant?"

Troy shrugged. "You tell me Captain, you seem to know more than I do."

"They are out there Sergeant. They are watching us even now. Let them see what happens to you. Their turns will come. I will see to it personally. As a matter of fact, I will make it my mission to capture and execute your entire team Sergeant."

The German officer's savage promise took Troy by surprise.

"Does that surprise you Sergeant?" Dietrich asked at Troy's reaction. "Have no doubt; I will carry out that promise."

"This Thomas must have been someone really special." Troy replied soberly.

"Don't speak his name!" Dietrich snarled. "Your driver is wounded, perhaps dead. Soon the other two will join you. You have gone too far this time Sergeant!"

"It seems to me that you're the one who went too far." Troy replied. "You went right off the edge." Troy's head snapped to the side as Dietrich backhanded him across the face. Troy shook his head and gave Dietrich a look full of sympathy. "I have to admit, I admired you Captain. I didn't think anything would send you around the bend. I guess I was wrong."

Too shocked to speak, Dietrich watched as his men took the sergeant away.

"Captain, are you sure about this?" Lieutenant Krieger asked again.

"Shoot him!" Dietrich snarled.