I must have felt safe enough in Moffitt's presence to doze off, receiving some desperately needed sleep. From far away, I could hear his voice firmly, but gently calling me in German.
"Captain. It's time."
I awakened, a jolt of adrenaline shooting through me, leaving my heart pounding. At first, I could not understand why I would be with Moffitt. Soon, I recalled why we were together and relaxed.
I glanced around to assess our location. Moffitt had safely halted behind a rock formation where we would not easily be seen. By the length of the shadows, I estimated it was now mid-afternoon and we had been traveling for almost an hour.
"Captain, we're on the outskirts of German lines. I don't dare go any farther without you awake for both our sakes. The last confirmed location of your camp is only a few miles away. I assume you put in place a perimeter patrol. The last thing we need is to be surprised by them."
"I had ordered a patrol for the immediate area before I departed on furlough," I confirmed. "Unknown if it is still operational."
"We shall find out shortly," he said with a serious expression.
Moffitt had continued speaking to me in German. It felt odd, yet vaguely friendly, to be conversing with him in my native language.
He paused for a moment, trying to form his next words.
"It's not too late, Captain, for you to . . ."
"Yes, it is Sergeant," I interrupted. "It is too late for me, the Afrika Korps, and for the Nazis. Hopefully, it won't be too late for Germany. I can only pray that the Allies to be compassionate and grant mercy to Germany and its survivors." I looked past him, staring at the rocks.
Moffitt avoided my eyes and said nothing.
"If anyone other than the Rat Patrol had offered surrender to me I would have considered it a grave insult to my honor. Coming from you and Troy, I believe my honor has been upheld."
Moffitt's next words came out quickly and sincerely.
"I never thanked you for saving my life at Raza."
And there it was. I could feel my pulse increase slightly. Would I always be waiting for the consequences of my action to appear, no matter how right it had been at the time? Did it really matter if I were to graciously accept his gratitude? There was no one near us to hear our dialogue.
I forced myself to remain reserved and distant. I could not, and would not, admit to Wansee's killing. Not to Moffitt, nor to anyone, not even to a priest during confession. While I truly believed it was my duty as an officer to perform the deed, I knew that there were others, both Allied and Axis, whose opinion would differ. If the SS should discover the truth, I would be shot or hung on the spot without even the benefit of a farcical trial.
"Raza? What about it?" I asked, feigning innocence.
Moffitt did not comprehend my evasive response. He would not let the episode drop and continued pressing me on it.
"Few men could have made such a shot with a pistol, especially with all the chaos happening. Captain, you are an excellent marksman."
"I have no idea as to what you are referencing, Sergeant," I said in a menacingly voice, locking eyes with him. "I departed the area shortly after delivering Miss Arno and you to Hauptsturmfuhrer Wansee. There is nothing more to discuss. It would be best for all of us to leave the dead sleeping in their graves."
I saw a slight twinkle finally appear in his eyes. Finally, he seemed to understand.
"As you wish, Captain. I understand your difficult position regarding it. But I am thankful for your actions, which may or may not, have saved my life."
Moffitt's face became serious again as he returned to the matter at hand. He exited the Jeep and removed the radio antenna before tying a white cloth to it.
"This should do," he said crisply. "Let's just pray your men aren't jumpy and don't have light trigger fingers."
"My men would always respect a white flag," I said indignantly, after all hadn't we proven that again and again? "However, there is the unknown if my unit has retreated further or been reassigned to a different area since my disappearance." The German battle situation was disintegrating rapidly and another unit might have been ordered to my former area. Or, I thought realistically, my unit might have already surrendered without me.
"We all find out one way or another, soon enough. I for one am hoping that it's your unit. There have been reports of some Germans not being as admirable as your unit."
Moffitt prominently placed the flag on the Jeep before driving from the protection of the outcropping. Only a member of the Rat Patrol would be as brazen to drive so boldly into enemy territory even with a German present, I thought. He was placing his life in my hands. We were both betting on the training of my men.
We had traveled less than ten minutes when shots were fired directly in front of us. It was a clear warning for the Jeep to proceed no further. I could tell from the armament's sound that it was German. While the Allies frequently used captured German weapons, I doubted it was one of them manning the weapon. There would be little reason for the Allies to fire upon an American Jeep.
A voice with a heavy German accent called out in tentative English for us to halt. I could only smile with relief when I recognized it belonged to Leutnant Ernst Hoffmann.
"Leutnant Hoffmann, it is I, Hauptmann Dietrich," I responded in German.
"I have already recognized you, Herr Hauptmann. Why is Sergeant Moffitt with you under a white flag? Are you his prisoner?"
I painfully left the Jeep and slowly began walking to the half-track.
"No, I am not. There is no trick, Leutnant. Sergeant Moffitt is freely returning me to the Afrika Korps."
"Where is Sergeant Troy, the American cowboy, and the remainder of his Rat Patrol posse?" Hoffmann questioned, still suspicious.
"He is with the other members of the Rat Patrol, in route to an Allied field hospital."
I could see Hoffmann noticeably relax, and jump down from his perch. He gave brief orders to his men to remain watchful before he quickly walked to me. I turned and motioned for Moffitt to join us, unconsciously turning my back to my men as I did so.
Hoffmann's obvious relief at seeing me immediately changed after he neared me. He began to salute me, but stopped in mid-air due to his shock. His eyes grew wide when he noticed my shirt, now caked with clotted blood and dirt. He quickly took in my disheveled appearance. A wry part of me thought this must be the first time my men had seen me out of uniform, unshaven and unkempt.
"Herr Hauptmann! What has happened to you? You are in need of immediate medical care. Did the Rat Patrol or the Tommies or the Amis harm you? Is your disappearance due to being held captive by one of them? Have you have been . . ." he began to ask, but left the remainder of his jumbled questions unfinished. His face was dark as he glared at Moffitt.
"None of the above, Leutnant. I was abducted by a privateer in Ater the first night of my furlough and held captive. Sergeant Troy was also captured and we were held together."
"But why would this privateer do such a thing? And why seize the cowboy along with you?"
"The privateer had been incorrectly informed that I had colluded with Sergeant Troy to embezzle gold from the Afrika Korps."
Hoffmann burst out laughing. Quickly, he regained his composure.
"Forgive me for laughing, but what gold? There is nothing to steal. We haven't been paid in weeks, let alone have any additional money available to be stolen. Why would he possibly believe such an outlandish story?"
"Greed outweighed good sense," I replied simply. "He took a chance that a ridiculous rumor might be true. And in the end, he ended up with nothing."
"Leutnant, I am here to provide confirmation to Hauptmann Dietrich's explanation regarding his absence from duty," Moffitt smoothly confirmed in German. "Sergeant Troy has already reiterated your captain's story in my presence. I came in Sergeant Troy's stead due to his poor physical condition. I willingly provide his confirmation to ensure Hauptmann Dietrich is not brought up on desertion or collaboration charges."
The darkness was beginning to fade from Hoffmann's face as he slowly accepted Moffitt's explanation.
"What other units are operating in the vicinity?" I asked Hoffmann.
Hoffmann hesitated, glancing quickly at Moffitt.
I gave Hoffmann a curt nod, indicating my approval to reply before Moffitt. "I have assured Sergeant Moffitt safe passage from German territory. It is critical for him to understand the operatives which may intercept him."
"I'm unaware of any other German patrols within 75 kilometers of here. However, there may be a few unknown units which are making their way to the main German camp near Tunis," Hoffman reported.
"Leutnant, please bring me a pencil and paper to write on, preferably a document with a German insignia."
Hoffman went to the lead half-track and returned in a few minutes. He handed me an inconsequential command announcement which was several months old.
On the back of it, I quickly wrote a note of safe passage for Moffitt in German, Italian, Arabic and English. I authorized it with my bold signature and presented it to him.
"My signature will be recognized by the majority of German and Italian troops who have operated in this area" I assured Moffitt. "It should be honored in case you are detained. You should have no interference in reaching Allied lines. However, it will carry little, if any, weight with the natives."
"Understood."
Moffitt quickly glanced at his watch and then at the sun. He would have little spare time to reach the safety of an Allied camp before nightfall.
"Captain, it has been a pleasure, but it is time for me to leave."
He gave me a broad grin and sharply saluted me. It was the only time I had ever received the honor from him. I returned the salute with a slight nod. Moffitt turned and left, returning without fear to the Jeep.
Something suddenly crossed my mind.
"Sergeant?" I called after Moffitt in English. I knew Hoffmann spoke only halting English. As for the remainder of my men, none of them spoke English to my knowledge.
"Captain? Have you decided to surrender?" he questioned in English, and I could hear the hope in his voice that I had changed my mind, not only for me but also for the sake of my men.
I was destined to disappoint him a final time.
"What time did Sergeant Troy disappear?"
Moffitt looked puzzled for a few minutes before he responded.
"The nearest we could determine, it was sometime after midnight," he replied. "Why do you ask?"
I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Why?" he questioned me again, the curiosity clearly heard in his voice.
"The woman who assisted the privateer with both of our abductions, approached me at around 21:00. By default, Sergeant Troy was abducted after me."
Moffitt continued to look puzzled.
"The woman approached me before him. I finally beat Troy at something," I explained patiently to him with a grin.
"Please send my regards to Sergeant Troy regarding the issue. He will understand them, I assure you."
I watched Moffitt depart, severing the final link that I had with the Rat Patrol.