Here're we go...
The last chapter is coming soon, not so long to wait) one more and it's done!
As usual, I'm very nervous, your appreciation means a lot to me. Enjoy your reading!
Henry and Trapper started to wake up from a dark and painful dream, but the reality was even worse, it was real. Sam silently started the engine and drove to the compound. When they arrived they saw that it was empty, deserted. Henry desperately looked around, his mind was in a mess, not working properly. Sidney looked at him with pity "let's help Radar first." he said through his own tears. "I think we have to find… Major!"
The slim blond nurse with the major's insignia approached the jeep.
"Major," repeated Sidney "we were just going to find you, we need your help here…"
"Colonel," she interjected "where have you been? What are you doing with the captain, the major, the corporal and the lieutenant while major Burns must treat the wounded alone?"
"Major, we have a problem here." Sidney tried to stop the tirade.
"What problem? You needed to pick them up?" addressing to Sidney she nodded at Trapper and Radar. "Where did you find them? Rosie's I suppose, I'm not surprised! And where's Pierce, he is stuck in the bar and can't leave without finishing his drink…"
"Pierce is dead major." said Henry in a low voice.
Margaret seemed to be unaware that her mouth was still open, she was just staring, not knowing what to say.
"Did Klinger tell you anything?" asked Sidney
"No, he said that the colonel was busy or something and major Burns had to do all the job. He's in the OR now, and he's almost finished, the cases were not serious" she paused "what happened sir?" she asked.
"Let's do the following" sighed Sidney "Major, Margaret, please take care of Radar and Trapper, Radar had suffered a slight concussion and Trapper's shoulder must be bandaged, then take Major Burns, Farther Mulcahy and come to Henry's office" he finished.
"I'm fine Sid" said Trapper
"I'm not asking you to go to bed, just take care of your shoulder, but I think that Radar must take a nap." he said looking at the corporal.
Radar wanted to argue but didn't find the strength. The world around him was a blur. Margaret helped Radar and Trapper out of the jeep.
Later in the office Sidney recited everything that Radar and Trapper had told him before. Farther Mulcahy began to pray, Klinger buried his face in his hands and Margaret Houigan, absolutely calm, opened the cabined and took out the bottles. The others didn't show their surprise caused by the Major's actions, even Frank. He even advised to take the next shift because Mc'Intyre was in no condition for it. Radar was under sedative in the post-op along with the two wounded soldiers.
The others didn't want to leave the office, they stayed there to drink, actually it was Sidney who had advised it. The psychiatrist didn't want the rest of the camp to see their faces, Henry agreed that he would tell the others next morning during the breakfast. It was already late, and the people deserved their peaceful sleep, at least one more night.
Trapper didn't know for how long he was going to sit like this, but he didn't bother, nothing could bother him anymore, he didn't have any emotions left, they were gone, burnt like that hut. Hawkeye was his lifebelt, and Trapper was sure that without his best friend he would surely drown.
Henry then called to the I-corps and asked them to search that area and look for Hawkeye's body. While watching their CO speaking the others couldn't stop their sobs. "Yeah, the body is probably completely burnt… yeah the name is Benjamin Franklin Pierce…Identify the dog tags, personal number is…"
For the first time in his career Sidney felt absolutely helpless. Farther Mulcahy and Klinger were in stupor, finally Margaret stood up, swaying a bit, she had just finished her sixth glass of whiskey, and telling them that she had to go help Major Burns, left the room.
Hawkeye raised his hands. His heart sank, because there was no way out. "Are they going to shoot me right now?" he thought.
The Koreans seemed to discuss the same. The older one, who was the officer and their CO as Hawkeye understood, looked at the surgeon with disgust. Then he said something in Korean, perhaps he gave an order. Two younger soldiers silently grabbed the captain by his arms. Another order and a soldier with a small beard took a rope and tied Hawkeye's hands. Then the officer, who reminded Hawkeye Frank, motioned the others to lead the American out of the hut through the back door he hadn't noticed before.
"How could I be so blind?" he thought.
"Luckily Trapper and Radar are safe now, but I seem to have no more than a couple of minutes left."
Hawkeye thought about his friends and his father, he was upset that he'd never see him again. Outside he saw a forest "good, the best place to die" he thought.
The Koreans led their prisoner farther, to the edge of the forest, then left him standing there alone and returned to their comrades. The officer commanded and the soldiers aimed the rifles ready to shoot.
"At least it'll be fast" Hawkeye closed his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts. The surgeon opened his eyes and heaved a sigh. Suddenly, there was a loud boom. Just before passing out Hawkeye thought that it hadn't sounded like shots and then all was black.
Hawkeye's body ached as if he'd been run over by a jeep. It took him time to remember the things which had happened before he had passed out. The Koreans were about to shoot when Hawkeye heard these sounds, they didn't resemble shoots… Why is he still alive? Carefully Hawkeye raised his head to see the hut, completely burnt. In a second a terrible pain pierced his left arm. He focused his eyes and saw a shot wound on his shoulder. Before the shell hid the hut one of the soldiers had managed to pull the trigger. He got the answer.
Greeting his teeth, he slowly stood up. Falling every time on his knees, he got to the bodies, dead, all of them. Hawkeye couldn't believe his eyes, he realized how lucky he was. He was far enough from the hut to get hit and the soldiers had been killed before they got rid of their prisoner.
"And how am I going to get to the camp?" he thought. There was the only answer – to walk. "I can do it. I'm not so bad, the bleeding stopped and the wound is not so serious."
Though the bullet seemed to be stuck in his shoulder, the blood somehow managed to clot. His pain was unbearable but he reached the road rather soon and suddenly saw a jeep. It was the jeep of the soldiers and luckily it had not been damaged by the shells. The Koreans left it far enough from the hut, so Hawkeye hadn't spotted it on his way back from the chopper. The surgeon saw it only because he passed the hut by its other side, and the tree which used to cover the vehicle, was now just a burnt trunk, sticking from the ground.
"They are all stable and asleep." Frank told Margaret. "What do you think if find a nurse to keep a look on the patients and go to your tent?"
"I'm in no mood for it Frank." she snapped.
"Is it because of Pierce? C'mon Margaret, cheer up, he's dead." Frank's mood was better now he was the real self again.
"Shut up Frank, he was the best surgeon here, it's a great loss to the unit." Margaret was still drunk and mad with Frank. "Stop saying this stuff about him Frank! He was a good man, and a good friend!" After this she stormed out of the post-op.
Frank was shocked by Margaret's behavior, but then decided that it was because of the alcohol she'd drunk. Frank wanted to sleep, so he ordered Kelly to take the shift and headed to the Swamp.
TBC...