Joined Forces, Borrowed Trouble
By: AliasCWN
Chapter 5
Tully was reading to Moffitt when Hitch walked in. He glanced up and lowered the book at the frown on the blond's face.
"What's wrong Hitch?"
The blond shook his head, reaching for the book. "Nothing."
"Doesn't look like nothing." Tully noted.
"It's just…"
"Just what?"
"Some guy stopped me on my way here to tell me we should work with our own kind. He said he didn't take kindly to us ordering one of their guys around and getting him hurt."
"Did you tell him that Doc is one of us?"
Hitch shook his head. "I don't think he would have listened to anything I said. Anyway, he said his piece and then took off." The blond looked around them before he continued in a lower voice. "I don't think they like us around here. Somehow they got the idea that we let Doc get hurt."
"That's crazy!"
"I know. Heck, you got hurt too. I guess they didn't consider that."
"I didn't get hurt bad, not like Sarge."
"Bad enough." Hitch glanced around again. "Just be careful crossing the base alone."
"Hitch, these guys are our allies."
"Somebody better tell them that."
Tully left to return to their assigned quarters with the conversation still playing in his mind. For the first time since their arrival, he felt uncomfortable under the watchful eyes of the British soldiers. No one approached him but he was acutely aware of their eyes following him. Reaching their temporary quarters, he was relieved to find Troy already there, resting on a cot.
"Hey Sarge."
"Tully." Troy opened his eyes as Tully stopped next to him. "Something wrong?"
"Maybe."
Troy sat up, instantly alert, waiting for Tully to explain. Tully repeated what Hitch had told him. He mentioned the way that the British soldiers watched him as he crossed the base. "Bottled up here with tensions high and nothing to do but wait for a German attack, I don't know Sarge; it seems like trouble waiting to happen."
"I don't want you or Hitch going anywhere alone until I look into this." The sergeant warned with real concern in his voice.
"I already told Hitch that." Tully explained.
"All right, when I go to sit with Moffitt, I want you to go along and the two of you can walk back together."
Tully nodded; troubled that it wasn't safe for them to leave their quarters alone. "I hope Doc wakes up soon so we can get him out of here. It's odd; we usually get along just fine with the British troops."
"Like you said, they don't have much to do but worry about an attack. Don't start anything Tully. Do your best to avoid trouble. I'll have a talk with the base commander and try to defuse the situation."
"Okay Sarge, Hitch and I don't want any trouble. We'll do what we can to avoid it."
"Get some rest." Troy suggested. "I'll take over for Hitch in a couple of hours; he should be all right until then."
"It'll be dark by then; we'll take the long way back and try to stay in the well-lit, busy parts of the base." Tully agreed.
"All right, get some sleep."
The base was quiet as Troy and Tully walked across it several hours later. Only the busy sections were lit, leaving the rest in shadows. Tully glanced around as they walked, catching glimpses of men watching them pass.
Troy ignored the stares they received as they passed small groups of bored men. There was an air of expectation in the posture of the men that was common to any soldiers stationed on the front lines. They could never completely relax this close to the enemy lines. All the training and all their experience still could not prepare some of them for the boredom and danger that co-mingled on a front line base.
For Tully, the walk to join Hitch was longer than he remembered. The tension in his shoulders was giving him a headache by the time they reached the hospital.
Hitch stood up and stretched when he saw them approaching. Marking his place in the book, he frowned when he noticed their serious expressions.
"What's wrong Sarge?"
"Tully told me what happened to you on your way over here. I want you two to stay together until I can get this thing straightened out. I'll talk to the base commander as soon as possible."
"Right Sarge." The blond gave Tully a relieved smile. "Will you be all right alone?"
"I don't think anyone will try anything in here. Just make sure you both come when Tully comes to relieve me."
The two privates nodded and left the hospital together.
"Sarge says to stay in well-lit areas and avoid trouble if we can." Tully explained.
"Right." Hitch responded doubtfully.``
