A/N: Sorry for the delay, I'm currently on vacation so it's a little hard finding time to write. In response to a review, this is indeed a multi chapter fic and I'll try and update as often as I can. I'm sorry if I don't get back to reviewers, but I appreciate your thoughts immensely.
If there's no Rat Patrol around to capture, I can avoid going through with this and avoid trouble at the same time.
That theory was the reason Dietrich found himself hidden along the rocky outline overlooking the area where a temporary allied field hospital was stationed. Manfred crouched down beside him, surveying the scene.
"Hauptmann, there!" he whispered suddenly, pointing towards a particular tent on the outskirts of the base. "One of the Privates just entered that tent."
Dietrich glanced at the young man. "Are you sure Manfred?"
"Yes, sir."
"Alright," Dietrich said, pausing for a moment to consider his next move.
It had taken him two days to track down the Rat Patrol. After returning from the Island of Rhodes, he was surprised to find out Colonel von Graff had granted him 72 hours leave prior to the commencement of his mission. Regardless of the reason, he'd wasted no time in convincing Manfred to join him in his search of the Rats, granting the Corporal equal leave so the two could stop his mission before it began. He assessed the camp's activities once more.
"Now we obviously don't have an entire battalion to aid us this time," Dietrich said, referring to their last escapade involving an allied field hospital and a sandstorm. "Not to mention that if anyone ever finds out about this, we'll both be shot..."
Manfred gulped. "What do you have in mind, Herr Hauptmann?"
"We can't create a diversion," Dietrich replied, casting an apologetic look at the Corporal. "The Rat Patrol would be the first to respond. The back of their tent is at the edge of the camp. No patrols, and no one but the Rat Patrol should be armed. Cover me, stay hidden, stay safe."
Manfred nodded. "Good luck sir."
"We'll be back in a few minutes, try not to destroy anything while we're gone," Moffitt said sarcastically, opening the flap to the tent.
"We ain't promising nothing," Tully replied, flashing a rare grin. Troy rolled his eyes as Hitch pulled an equally goofy look, exiting the tent before they pulled any further stunts. Moffitt smiled in amusement as he followed the older Sergeant's lead.
Hitch sat down on a makeshift bench a few moments later, stretching his arms as he did so. "Did Sarge say how long we're gonna be here? We've been cooped up in this joint for two days now."
"Better than getting shot at," Tully replied quietly. "I'll take a field hospital over fighting any day."
"And here I was thinking you were supposed to be the trigger happy one," Hitch said, raising an eyebrow. "Besides that, the Germans aren't gonna ambush thin air. We've been sitting ducks for them all week and not one has even tried to capture us. Where's Dietrich when you need him?"
"Maybe he finally surrendered and now some other poor soul's gotta deal with him," Tully replied. He looked towards his friend, worry etched in his eyes. "Hitch, there's gotta be a better way to do this. This ain't some regular prison camp we're talking about. Them SS boys are a nasty bunch, and the Sarge is gonna be in it all alone."
"Orders are orders, I guess," Hitch replied, mirroring Tully's concern. "If he's already in there, then it's just a matter of breaking out. Besides, he needs time to explain the situation to Roberts."
"Still," Tully muttered.
The two men sat there for a moment, contemplating the situation at hand. For a whole week they had been trying to come up with a better plan than Troy's, which was essentially a solo suicide mission. However, it dawned on them soon after they'd started their plotting that they weren't exactly ideas men. The two day stop over at the nearest field hospital had been a lucky break; running low on supplies had granted them some extra time to think.
A rustling noise at the opposite end of the tent caught Hitch and Tully by surprise. Before they even had a chance to turn around, the culprit spoke up. "Don't make a sound."
Hitch glanced towards Tully with a look of utter disbelief, before they slowly turned to come face to face with Hauptmann Dietrich. Tully decided not to heed the Captain's warning, glancing towards Hitch again. "Anyone ever tell you to be careful what you wish for?" he mumbled.
Dietrich shifted impatiently. "I'm not going to fool around here gentlemen, I merely need some information."
"What a shame, we don't seem to have any in stock," Hitch shot back.
"Private, this is urgent," Dietrich replied, his voice wavering slightly. "Where's Sergeant Troy?"
"No idea who you're talking about."
"Private."
Hitch pulled out a new stick of bubble gum and unfolded the wrapping slowly. "Sorry Captain, can't help you. And if you've got any sense, you'll get out of here before we yell. You can't shoot us both at once, and it'll only take us a second to grab our weapons."
Dietrich's shoulders tensed slightly before he spoke up again. "Alright, since you won't tell me where Sergeant Troy is, then you will just have to convey this message yourself. That valley area you've been scouting this past week? You cannot go back there."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Hitch said between chews.
Dietrich's retort was cut off by the sound of two all-too-familiar voices gradually moving closer towards the tent entrance.
"We've got what we need, time to get outta here."
"Really, Troy. You're rather eager considering the circumstances."
The high class British and casual American accents were all the warning Dietrich needed. Troy he could handle, but Moffitt was a completely different story. The four Rats in the same tent in the middle of an allied base would only make capture inevitable. Dietrich slowly began moving towards the back of the tent again, dropping his voice to a near whisper. "Pretend all you wish, but you are all in danger of being captured by the SS. And believe me, they intend to make your lives very painful. Take my word or leave it, Private."
The voices had almost reached the tent entrance by that point. One last look at the two men, and Dietrich slipped away.
Hitch and Tully glanced at each other momentarily, wondering whether or not to go after the German. The fact that Dietrich had been able to slip in and out of the vicinity unnoticed annoyed them to no end, though they didn't want a firefight breaking out in a place where unarmed doctors and nurses could get killed. Their thoughts were interrupted once again however, by the return of Troy and Moffitt.
"Great news fellas. We've got food and water to last us about a week, so we can pack up and get outta here," Troy announced, grinning. When he noticed the stunned looks on both Hitch and Tully's faces, the smile disappeared. "What's the matter with you guys?"
"You're not gonna believe it, Sarge..." Tully began.
Troy raised a hand to his temple and sighed. "What did you two get up to this time?"
"We didn't do anything," Hitch said.
"Well spit it out, then," Troy demanded.
Hitch took the time to create an exceptionally large bubble gum bubble, much to Troy's annoyance. "Well you see Sarge, we had a visit from the guy in the big, green goggles."
Troy's eyes widened instantly. "Dietrich was here?"
"Which way did he go?" Moffitt asked hurriedly, pulling out his revolver. "He can't have gone far, I could catch up with –"
"Hold it! No one's shooting anyone," Troy interjected. He ignored the raised eyebrow Moffitt directed at him and turned his attention towards Hitch. "What did he want?"
"To talk to you, Sarge," he replied. When Troy shot him a quizzical look, Hitch relayed the gist of Dietrich's message. "What do you think his angle is?"
Troy rested his hands on his hips, eyeing Hitch and Tully. "Our beloved German Captain waltzes in here the minute Moffitt and I just so happen to leave the tent and tells you guys that we're in danger of being captured? Not to grab another doctor or just be his usual sneaky self in general?"
"Well he did manage to slip in here unnoticed," Hitch offered.
"Sorry fellas, I'm not buying it," Troy declared.
Hitch's eyes widened. "But Sarge –"
"No buts," Troy cut in. "You two have been trying to convince me not to go through with this from day one. Not to mention that I don't think his superiors would be too happy to find out he was warning the enemy. This is SS business, not Wehrmacht."
"Sarge, Dietrich really was here," Tully added quickly.
Troy stared intently at the two men, as if doing so would force the truth out of them. Finally, he turned towards the tent entrance and opened the flap once more. "We go ahead as scheduled. C'mon, let's shake it."
The two men were left in stunned silence as Moffitt followed.
Outside, Troy headed towards his Jeep. When he was sure Moffitt was preoccupied preparing the 50 calibre machine gun on his own vehicle, Troy scanned the horizon. He wondered not if, but where the German was hiding. He would be watching, there was no doubt about that. What he wanted to know was why he was warning them to begin with. You don't create attachments with the enemy. You can't. They both knew that one day, they may have to pull that trigger.
"I thought you said you didn't believe them."
Moffitt's voice sliced through Troy's thoughts like a knife through butter. He looked towards the Englishman, who had a smug look plastered on his face.
"I don't."
"Face it Troy," Moffitt replied, the smug look fading. "Ever since you and Dietrich got chained together last year, you've struggled to treat him like the enemy. He's saved your life almost as many times as you've saved his – it's not normal."
Troy didn't bother asking how Moffitt knew about the chain incident, nor why he had begun to pay more attention to his interactions with the German Captain. He glanced back towards their tent. "Hitch, Tully! I said let's shake it!"
Moffitt looked as though he was going to press the matter, when the two Privates finally emerged from the tent much to Troy's relief. He glanced back at Moffitt once more as he slipped into his seat next to Hitch, content that the discussion was over.
"Let's get outta here."
Dietrich stared through his binoculars in dismay, as he watched the Rat Patrol head deeper into the desert.
"That idiot Private," he muttered. "Probably ignored every word I said."
Manfred glanced at Dietrich, shooting him an apologetic look this time. "I'm sorry, Herr Hauptmann. I saw the Sergeant leave moments before you entered their tent, but you were too far away to warn."
"It's not your fault, Manfred," Dietrich replied. He removed the binoculars and stared intently at the horizon. "I should have waited for the Sergeant to return, regardless of whether the Englishman was with him or not."
"You were trying to warn him sir, not get captured."
Dietrich looked over at the young man, who was leaning on folded arms. "You know something Manfred? With Sergeant Troy there, somehow I don't think that would have been a problem."