After The Raid

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 8

Tully returned to his jeep and sat in thought for a few minutes. Dietrich had headed for one of his favorite campsites, one he frequented any time he was in this section of the desert. Tully was certain that he could find him when he was ready. For the time being, he wanted to check out the other jeep and see if he could figure out what had happened. Driving slowly, he took the jeep around to park next to Troy's jeep.

Slipping out of his jeep he knelt on the ground and fingered the blood soaked sand. His fingers came away dry. Next he checked to see how much damage the jeep had sustained. It only took one glance to spot the hole in the fuel line. The tools drew his attention. As he leaned down to pick them up he noticed the fuel line Troy had salvaged from the German patrol car.

Slowly Tully leaned to the side to pick up the machine gun he had leaned against the fender. A small sound had caught his attention. Wrapping his fingers around his weapon, he spun around, bringing it up to fire.

"Tully!"

Tully froze, his finger on the trigger, as Troy called his name. Troy came around the jeep, his arms out at his sides.

"Sarge! I thought Dietrich got you."

Troy grinned. "Not hardly. He was here, but as usual, he left empty handed."

"Where's Hitch?" Tully looked past Troy to look for his best friend.

Troy lost his grin at the question. He jerked his head behind him. "Back there. He caught a bullet in that last attack…so did the jeep."

"How bad?" Tully asked as he headed that way.

"He got hit in the leg. He lost quite a bit of blood before I found out about it. We have the bleeding under control but he can't walk on it." Troy glanced back at the jeep. "I've been trying to fix the fuel line but I'm no mechanic. Hitch was trying to talk me through it."

Tully stopped next to the trench that Troy had dug. Hitch lay curled under the tarp, covered in sand.

"I had to hide him so I buried us in the sand. The tarp should have kept sand out of the wound." Troy explained what he had done as Tully bent down to check for a pulse. "He's alive Tully, but he's weak, he needs a doctor."

"I guess I should finish working on the jeep."

Troy grinned again. "That would be great Tully! I'll stand watch so no one sneaks up on us."

"The Arabs?"

"Them or Dietrich."

"Dietrich headed for his favorite campsite. I don't think he's coming back this way any time soon." Tully looked down at Hitch who was oblivious to their presence. "How come Dietrich didn't look harder for you?"

Troy shrugged. "Maybe he thought we dressed as Arabs and rode out of here on a couple of horses."

Tully looked confused.

"Three bandits tried to steal our gear and kill us. They didn't make out so well." Troy explained. "When I saw Dietrich coming I tied the bodies on the horses and sent them running for home. I'm pretty sure that Dietrich saw them but he didn't send anyone after them. If he thought they were us he wouldn't have had any reason to search for us here. Whatever the reason, he didn't look too hard and he didn't find us."

"Aren't you worried that the Arabs might come looking for revenge?"

Troy shrugged. "What choice did we have? Hitch can't walk and he sure can't ride a horse. I figured I could get the jeep running and take him to the base for help."

"Okay Sarge. I'll fix the jeep now. It looks like you have everything you need."

"How's Moffitt?"

"Alive." Tully answered. "The doc says he thinks he's going to be fine. I left him in good hands. I wish I could have stayed until he woke up but I needed to get back out here and see if you needed any help."

"We appreciate it Tully. Good to hear about Moffitt too."

Tully nodded and shifted his ever present matchstick. "Sarge, it's not a good idea to try driving at night. That terrain is pretty rough between here and the base."

"Okay Tully, we'll wait until morning." Troy nodded agreeably.

"What about Hitch?"

Troy glanced at the sleeping blond, his face thoughtful. "I think he can wait that long. The main thing was blood loss; it left him pretty weak. Rest is probably the best thing for him. So far he hasn't developed any fever."

"That's good." Tully responded. "I'd better go work on that jeep."

While Tully worked on the fuel line Troy kept watch from the top of the hill.

"All done Sarge." Tully called as he collected the tools he had used. "That German line worked just fine."

Troy half ran, half slid down the slope of the hill. Reaching the bottom he stopped at the jeep' "Did you fill the gas tank?"

Tully nodded.

"Okay, help me get the jeep loaded. I want to make a bed for Hitch in the back of your jeep. If we run into trouble I want you to get Hitch to the hospital."

Tully opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it. Instead he followed Troy to the trench and collected the gear that the Arabs had tried to steal. Then Troy used the blankets that Tully had brought back to make a bed for the blond.

"Help me get Hitch to the jeep."

Hitch opened his eyes as they lifted him to carry him to the jeep.

"Tully?"

"Yeah, it's me Hitch. Come on, we'll get you in the jeep." Tully gave Hitch his shoulder to lean on. The blonde's head rolled to the side as Tully slipped his shoulder under his friend's arm. Troy slid his shoulder under his other arm and between the two men they managed to get Hitch to the jeep.

Hitch closed his eyes as they helped him onto the makeshift bed.

Tully took his seat and led the other jeep to a wadi he had seen earlier. With Troy's nod of approval, he pulled in and turned off his engine. "Sarge." Tully approached Troy as the sergeant prepared to help his driver out of the jeep. "About tomorrow."

"What about it?"

"Why don't you take Hitch back and let me cover you this time?"

"Because it's my responsibility Tully."

"You're responsible for Hitch too." Tully argued. "Sometimes it's okay to let someone else take a few risks. Don't you think you've earned a break too?"

Troy smiled in the dark. "How long have you been rehearsing this little speech?"

"We need you just as much as you need us Sarge. Did you ever think what would happen to us if something happened to you?"

Troy thought about it for a minute before he answered Tully. "I guess we all need each other. You're right; I never really thought about it much. But Tully, I'd feel better if you took Hitch back. Call me selfish but I know you'll get him back safely and I feel like I'm doing the most good by covering you." Troy paused, the silence heavy between them. "I guess I just wouldn't feel right if I made it back and I left someone behind."

"I know exactly how you feel Sarge." Tully answered. "But if that's the way you want it..…" He turned and started to walk away.

"Tully."

"Yeah Sarge?"

"A little help with Hitch. I want to make him comfortable next to the fire."

Once Hitch was settled Troy took first watch. As he walked around their small camp he thought about his conversation with Tully. The conversation had left him feeling guilty that he would ask Tully to do something that he didn't want to do himself. He just couldn't figure out any other way to do it. He looked at the camp and saw Tully bedded down next to Hitch. He knew Tully would get Hitch to the base safely; and he knew he would do everything in his power to cover for them.

When morning came Tully was awake early to prepare breakfast. He hadn't slept well and it showed. Eating quickly he left Troy's breakfast heating over their small fire as he picked up a weapon to take over guard duty. He was about to head up the slope when Troy joined him in camp.

"I'll eat fast and we'll head out. I checked on Hitch a little bit ago and he seemed better."

"I am better."

Both men spun to see their friend sitting up looking at them.

Troy rushed to his side. "Tully's going to take you back while I provide cover."

"You can't provide cover alone in a jeep Sarge."

"We don't have much choice Hitch."

Hitch looked toward Tully and saw the frown on his face. "Why can't Tully drive while you man the 50?"

"Because that doesn't leave anyone to drive the other jeep." Troy explained.

"I can drive."

"No!"

"Okay." Hitch relented. "You drive, and if we run into trouble you can switch to Tully's 50 while I take over driving myself."

"That might work Sarge." Tully chimed in.

"Hitch can't drive." Troy argued.

"Sure I can Sarge." Hitch disagreed. "I feel a lot better today. All I needed was some rest. Besides, maybe we won't run into any trouble and it won't be an issue."

Troy hesitated, remembering his talk with Tully the night before. "All right, we'll try it, but if it gets to be too much, you let me know. You can rest in the back unless you need to drive."

"Okay Sarge." Hitch agreed. "What's for breakfast, I'm starved."

Tully laughed and handed Hitch a plate. "You eat; I'll get the jeeps ready. "By the time Tully had the jeeps ready and the camp packed away, Hitch was done eating and watching him.

"Something wrong?"

"No." Hitch shook his head.

"You don't have to do this Hitch; we can manage without you driving."

"No." Hitch shook his head stubbornly. "It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"I was just thinking about Moffitt. Did you wait to see how he was doing before you came back for us?"

Tully nodded. "He made it through surgery okay. The doctor said that he should be fine. I hated leaving him but I was worried that you guys might need me."

Hitch nodded. "Thanks Tully.

"Any time buddy."

"I can do this Tully."

Tully nodded. "I know you can. Just do me a favor?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't try too hard to prove it. If you get tired let Sarge know. He'll blame himself if anything happens after he agreed to this."

Hitch glance toward the sergeant. "Okay Tully, I can do that too."

"Good. Now…are you ready to go? Doc is probably awake by now."