Family Care

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 6

As they neared the building housing the German headquarters Troy signaled a halt. Ducking into a narrow space between two buildings, he pulled the others in after him.

Moffitt glanced swiftly around to check the position of the guards before allowing himself to be drawn into the small space next to Tully.

"We'll go around the back." Troy whispered. "He's probably on one of the lower floors; the commander's quarters will be on the top floor."

"Most likely." Moffitt agreed. "Troy, I noticed that there are two guards who walk around the back as part of their patrol. And we can't rule out the possibility of guards on the stable behind the building."

"Tully, you watch the guards on the stable if there are any. Moffitt and I will deal with the ones on this building."

Tully nodded.

"The guards might be missed if we kill them. They circle around the building as part of their pattern." A sound by the building alerted them to one of the guards Moffitt had mentioned.

Troy watched the guard circle around the back of the building and disappear into the alley toward the street in front. "I guess we'll have to wait for a chance to slip past them."

"What if we can't?" Tully asked.

Troy looked at Tully with a grim expression on his face. "Then we do whatever we have to do to get to Hitch."

Another scream echoed through the alley and all three men froze. Everything was deathly quiet as they listened to the reason they were in the alley in the first place. Troy shook with the effort to keep from rushing into the building despite the guards. Moffitt lowered his head and took several deep breaths to maintain his calm. Tully jerked and took a step toward the building.

"Tully!" Moffitt hissed.

Tully froze at the whispered command. He turned tortured eyes toward his companions, wondering how they could be unaffected. When he noticed their tense faces he relaxed slightly, secure in the knowledge that they weren't as unaffected as they tried to make it look.

The guards had turned to look as the cry echoed between the buildings. As it died away they hurried to continue their duties. Each one stepped a little faster as if trying to escape the fate of the unfortunate prisoner.

When the cry didn't repeat itself Troy took the window of opportunity presented by the distracted guards to move his small group to another alley closer to the back door. A stack of barrels filled with garbage provided their new shelter. From there they could see not only the back door but the guard at the stables too.

Tully crouched in the shadows and watched the guard by the stable door. The soldier, an older private, looked like he was half asleep. He was leaning against the stable wall with his rifle resting on his shoulder. Occasionally his head would bob, waking him up with a jerk. Each time his rifle would start to slide to the ground and he would have to catch it. And each time he would look around wildly to make sure no one had noticed. Tully watched him for several minutes, watching for a pattern they could use to their advantage.

After a while the guard began to relax as his lack of attention went unnoticed. Tully nudged Moffitt and pointed at the guard. The sergeant watched as the German soldier went through the entire sequence again. After a few more times the sleepy guard decided to take a walk to wake himself up. Tully and Moffitt watched as he ducked into the alley next to the stables. A moment later they spotted the brief flare of a match in the dark alley. The glow of a lit cigarette made a tiny pin point of light that marked the guard's position.

Moffitt turned to tell Troy about the smoker but the other sergeant was watching one of the guards coming around the building. The guard passed, looked toward the stables, and took a second look. Moffitt could tell the moment the sentry noticed the other guard missing and just as easily pinpoint the exact moment he noticed the glow of the cigarette. The guard frowned, took a step toward the stable, and then stopped and shook his head. With another disapproving look toward the smoker the guard continued on his rounds.

Another cry broke the stillness and the guard paused to look in one of the windows. Drawing back he hurried around the front of the building.

Tully tried to ease his way to the window that had held the guard's attention. He felt Moffitt's hand on his arm just as Troy hissed his name. He turned and saw the same torment in the sergeant's eyes that he felt. Loosening his grip on his weapon he nodded and stepped back into the deeper shadows. Moffitt gently squeezed his arm before dropping his hand.

After the guard left Moffitt walked up to the door to look at the lock. To his surprise it opened easily under his touch. Suspicious of an unlocked door, they slipped into the building expecting a welcoming party. The hall they found themselves in was lit by several small, dim lanterns. At the other end of the hall was a brightly lit intersection where another hall led off to other rooms. They could hear voices coming from one of the rooms.

Suddenly Moffitt threw a hand out to stop the others. Motioning them back the way they had come they took shelter under a stairway that led to the upper floors. Troy wanted to know what was happening but the British sergeant urged them to be quiet.

The sounds of grunting came from the other hall and something bumped into the wall several times. Shuffling feet made their way along the length of the other hall and the three men could hear footsteps on a set of stairs.

Just as Troy was about to question Moffitt again they heard two sets of footsteps headed their way. Ducking deeper under the stairs they waited with their weapons ready. A German major and a sergeant walked shoulder to shoulder along the dim hall to the stairs where the three men hid. The major was speaking rapidly and the sergeant was nodding at whatever was being said. At the foot of the stairs the two men parted company with the sergeant retracing his steps while the major climbed the stairs to the second floor.

The three men heard a door open and close above them and a minute later a door at the front of the building opened and closed.

"Moffitt?" Troy whispered.

"They just moved Hitch to the cells in the basement." The British sergeant responded in a quiet voice. "The major told the sergeant to keep him alive and they will continue the interrogation in the morning."

"What else Moffitt?" Troy asked suspiciously. "I can tell by your face that there is more."

The other sergeant sighed. "The major said that his injuries will keep him awake tonight and he will be more cooperative in the morning. The major thinks that by morning Hitch will be begging for relief."

"Darn! What did they do to him?"

Moffitt shrugged. "They didn't say."

They fell silent again as the men who had taken Hitch to the cells emerged from the basement and left the building by the front door.

"Let's go." Troy growled angrily. "We're getting Hitch out of here."

"Troy." Moffitt reached out to stop the other sergeant. "If his condition is that bad we will have to carry him out of here. It's going to make it a lot harder to sneak past the guards. If the pain is bad enough he may accidently groan or scream and give us away."

"We'll deal with that if it happens." Troy responded, wondering if the Brit knew more than he was telling.

Moffitt nodded and dropped his hand, allowing Troy to lead the way.

With both halls now dim the three men were able to move a little quicker without worrying about running in to anyone. They easily found the door to the basement where the cells were located. Troy opened the door a crack, standing in front of it to block any light from the hall that might alert the guards below. They didn't need the extra precaution; the floor below was brightly lit.

There were no guards in sight as the sergeants crept down the stairs. Tully stayed on the upper floor to stand guard and warn the sergeants if anyone tried to enter the basement.

There was only one guard watching the prisoner, and he was watching the prisoner. He stood with his back to the stairs looking into the cell where Troy assumed Hitch was being held. Low moans escaped from the cell, echoing hollowly off of the walls of the detention area. Troy tried to shut out the sounds as he and Moffitt itch had been placed.

rushed silently toward the distracted guard.

They were almost upon him when the guard must have sensed something. He started to turn toward the stairs with a surprised look on his face. His rifle started to come up to point at the two sergeants as he opened his mouth to yell an alarm. Both sergeants threw their hands forward and two razor sharp knives flew through the air. The German guard gasped in shock as both weapons found their mark. Troy's knife sliced through his heart, stopping it immediately. Moffitt's hit his diaphragm, paralyzing his breathing. He sucked in one last breath but he couldn't push the air out again, silencing any warning he may have given. His eyes opened wide as he stared at the knife handles and slowly slid down the cell bars to the floor. Troy and Moffitt pulled his body to the side and retrieved their knives, wiping the blood on the German's uniform.

"Moffitt, find the keys!" Troy ordered as he turned to look into the cell. His driver was crumpled on the floor groaning in pain and oblivious to what was happening right outside of his cell. Troy looked for blood but there was very little, most of the damage was to his driver's feet. The soles of his feet were a mass of black and blue marks with some tearing of the skin. Hitch's eyes were closed but low moans issued from his lips. "Moffitt?"

"They aren't here Troy." Moffitt answered in a hushed voice as he bent over the guard's body. "They must keep them somewhere else!"

"Where?" Troy called urgently. "We don't have a lot of time here."

"I'll check the desk; maybe they have them in there." Moffitt stood up and sprinted the length of the room to the desk where the guard usually sat.

Troy could hear him digging through the desk drawers and silently urged him to hurry. It was obvious they were going to have to carry Hitch from the base. Even if he were awake he could never walk on those feet. Troy took another look at the feet and wondered if they were going to have to gag his driver to keep him from crying out as they moved him.

"I found them!" Moffitt cried triumphantly as he ran back toward Troy. "They were in a drawer." He explained as he handed the ring of keys over Troy's shoulder. He looked past Troy to peer into the cell. His breath caught at the sight of Hitchcock's feet. "We'll have to carry him all the way Troy. There's no way he'll be able to walk on those feet."

"I know." Troy growled as he fumbled with the keys. The tumblers clicked and the lock opened as he looked over his shoulder at Moffitt. "I think you're right, were going to have to gag him if we want to get out of here undetected."

Moffitt nodded and slipped past Troy to enter the cell first. He knelt and quickly examined the private's feet. "The whip was used mostly on the soles of his feet, not much on the top. Both feet are swollen and the swelling goes up both legs. We'll have to be careful carrying him."

"I'll carry him, you and Tully cover us." Troy growled gruffly.

Moffitt nodded. "If you get tired we'll switch so no one slows us down."

Troy's eyes rose to look at Moffitt but he didn't acknowledge the offer. Moffitt stepped back and Troy was reaching for his driver when they heard a warning from Tully.

"Someone's coming!"

"Quick, get the body into the cell." Troy rose and spun in one quick move and rushed out into the hall. Grabbing the dead guard by both arms he yanked him into the cell and dropped him along a wall.

Moffitt stepped out of the way and quietly closed the door behind Troy and the dead German. Making a dash for the stairs he hugged the wall around the corner and waited to see who came down the stairs.

The door at the top of the stairs opened and a voice called down from above. "Hansel?"

Moffitt grunted a muffled reply in German.

The person at the top of the stairs started down. Moffitt pulled his knife and tensed, ready to jump out and surprise their unwelcome visitor. He heard a thud and a body tumbled down the steps.

"All clear." Tully called from above.

Moffitt stepped around the corner to find the German sergeant sprawled on the floor at the bottom of the steps. Feeling for a pulse he found a slow, steady one. He looked up and saw Tully watching him. "He's still alive Tully; I'll tuck him into the cell with the guard."

Tully didn't reply as he watched the sergeant drag the limp body toward the cell.

Once he had the unconscious German in the cell Moffitt used his boot laces to tie his hands and feet. He used a kerchief he found on the dead guard to make a gag. He looked at the unconscious man's boots and considered taking them for Hitch but thought better of it. Hitch wouldn't be wearing boots for quite some time and they didn't need the extra baggage to carry.

Thinking of Hitch he pulled his ascot off of his neck to form a gag for their wounded member. He turned to find that Troy had already taken care of that little detail.

Troy was kneeling next to his unconscious driver looking impatient. "Ready?"

"Ready." Moffitt confirmed. "I'll lead, you follow with Hitch, and Tully can bring up the rear."

Troy nodded and bent to lift his driver. Cradling the limp form against his chest he started for the stairs.

"Careful not to bump his feet." Moffitt warned as he locked the cell door and pocketed the keys.

Troy nodded grimly and gave the walls a wide berth.

They climbed the stairs and stepped through the door that Tully held wide for them. Tully took one look at Hitch's feet and bit his ever present matchstick in half. He allowed the sergeants to go ahead as he closed the door to the basement.

No one spoke as they hurried through the halls to the back door. Moffitt peeked out and smiled as the others watched him. He held up his hand to tell them to wait. A moment later he gave a nod and opened the door wide enough for Troy to pass through with his burden.

Troy froze as he stepped through the door and heard angry voices nearby. Moffitt saw him hesitate and motioned for him to hurry. Tully pulled the door closed behind them and looked toward the angry voices. The two guards who normally patrolled the headquarters were facing off with the guard Tully had seen smoking. They were making enough noise to cover any sound the Allied soldiers might make. Tully grinned and followed his sergeants into the darkness.

They paused twice while Troy shifted his grip on his driver but he refused to let anyone else carry him. Several times they had to duck and find cover while German patrols or off duty soldiers crossed their path.

Troy sighed in relief when the perimeter wall came into view.

"How are we going to get him over the wall?" Tully asked from behind them.

"We'll have to lift him." Troy responded.

"With the guards watching?"

"We don't have a choice Tully." Troy answered shortly, his worry plain in his tone.

Tully glanced at his watch. "That truck we wired should be going off in about five minutes. If we wait for that the guards might be distracted enough to get past."

"It won't be enough." Moffitt warned. "I think we're going to have to take out a guard to give us enough time. We'll have to be careful with him; we can't just throw him over."

"I'll do it." Tully volunteered. "You two get Hitch to the jeeps and I'll join you as soon as I can."

Troy looked down at the still form in his arms and shook his head. "We're not leaving anyone else behind."

"Troy." Moffitt argued. "If we're spotted leaving with Hitch we'll all be caught. Tully's staying behind to take out the guard is the best solution. He can be right behind us."

"I'll take him out when the truck explodes so they are all distracted. You and Doc can get Hitch over the wall while I take his place. I'll follow as soon as I know you're clear."

"All right." Troy relented. "But be careful and don't take any unnecessary chances."

"Right Sarge, no unnecessary chances." Tully repeated.

Troy gave his permission reluctantly and watched as Tully disappeared into the night. He almost called him back, some sixth sense warning him that things were not going to go as planned.

Hitch chose that moment to groan, the sound muffled by the gag.

"We need to knock him out Troy. We can't have him groaning at the wrong time."

Troy looked up at Moffitt and his expression showed exactly what he thought of the suggestion.

"It's that or risk capture." Moffitt told him. "I can do it if you don't want to."

"No!" Troy answered emphatically. "I'll do it." He said more quietly. Looking down at the pale form in his arms he gently lowered his driver to the ground. Kneeling next to him he carefully positioned him the way he wanted him. Raising one hand he gave him a carefully controlled chop to the nerve on the side of his neck. Hitch jerked at the blow and his head rolled to the side. Troy checked for a pulse and sighed when he found a steady one.

"It was necessary Troy." Moffitt assured him. "Hitch will understand. You can blame me if it helps."

"Blame you for what?" Troy whispered. "We're just trying to save him, right?"

"Right."

"Then there is nothing to apologize for is there?"

Moffitt studied the face of his friend and fellow sergeant. "We are saving him Troy, the best way we know how."

"How do we get into these messes Moffitt?"

The British sergeant shrugged. "Fortunes of war as Captain Dietrich likes to call them."

"Is our luck that bad?"

"It's not all bad; we have managed to get out of each of them so far. I'd say someone is looking out for us."

Troy would have said more but the German truck they had wired chose that moment to explode.

Moffitt looked around in time to see Tully jump the guard. Tully quickly stripped the body of its long coat, helmet, and rifle before dumping it over the wall on the desert side. Tully donned the disguise and gave Moffitt a quick salute.

"Time to go." Moffitt urged.

The two sergeants crossed to the lowest place on the wall and lifted Hitch's unconscious body to the top. Troy held him in place until Moffitt could climb up and secure him. Then Troy scrambled over the top and dropped to the other side. He reached up and took his driver as Moffitt lowered him to the ground. Moffitt dropped to the ground and the two men ran through the darkness to the hidden jeeps.

They uncovered both jeeps in preparation for a speedy getaway and Troy was pleasantly surprised to note that Tully had already prepared a bed for Hitch in the rear of his jeep. They got Hitch settled and Moffitt stayed with him while Troy went back to the top of the wadi to cover Tully if he drew fire.

The base was all lit up as the Germans investigated the explosion. Troy could see the guards on the wall looking toward the center of the base. He waited, expecting Tully to appear any minute. Tully didn't come.