CH 20: Tank Driver
War went on for several months and the 4077th held strong. Some of the MASHers had come and gone.
Frank was gone, some of the enlisted were off, Radar had left when his uncle died so Kilinger worked the office, and BJ had left.
Just weeks before the fighting was all supposed to end a tank was left at the camp and it brought about snipers.
Margaret, Hawkeye, and Candace were on their way to post op for their round when the gun shots were heard. Candace cried out as all three hit the dirt. Margaret was holding Candy and Hawkeye was holding them both. Everyone was running around for cover.
"Come on to the office!" Hawkeye shouted pulling his girls up as they dove for the semi safety of Max's office.
"Yeah yeah I know but...hey listen we need this tank out of here guys! We're a hospital! We got wounded!" Max shouted.
"Kilinger what's going on?" Hawkeye shouted as he held Margaret and Candy to him.
"North Koreans sir," Max sighed, "and our guys won't come and get the tank."
"Well what do we do just sit and wait to get shot!" Margaret snapped.
"We got wounded!" Some one shouted outside.
"Candace stay with Max," Hawkeye stated as he and Margaret ran out to get the wounded.
Two days later the staff of 4077th was still cornered by the snipers.
"This is insanity," Margaret stated pulling Candace closer to her.
Candace wrapped her arms around Margaret neck crying into her shoulder softly.
Hawkeye stared at his wife and child and made a decision. Yes it was an incredibly stupid decision but he had made it and he might as well do it.
"All right you two stay here I'm going to do something about this," he stated and stood.
"What? Hawk….Ben where are you going," Margaret frowned.
"I'm going to take care of it," Hawkeye simple said and walked passed everyone into the main office and out the door. He ran to the tank and climbed in.
When the staff heard the tank revving up and the gun shots going off everyone that could ran to a window or door to see what was going on. Margaret and Candace ran to the main office where Potter and Kilinger and BJ were.
"He's crazier than I am!" Max blinked as the tank started moving.
"Mommy…mommy why is daddy doing that? He's going to get hurt," Candace cried clutching Margaret.
"Well…Candy I think the simplest thing to say is ….your daddy is an idiot" Margaret blinked.
Hawkeye drove the tank out toe the very outskirts of camp where their trash was dumped.
The snipers followed him all the way and when he got back to camp most everyone applauded him.
His wife slapped him then kissed him passionately.
"Pierce have you lost your mind!" Potter snapped, "I should have you get your head examined!"
"You wanted the tank gone Colonel it's gone," Hawkeye frowned.
"You could have got yourself killed!" Potter shouted then sighed, "Good work Pierce."
"Daddy don't scare me like that again," Candace frowned hugging his leg.
"I'll try not to sweetie," Hawkeye smiled picking her up and kissing her cheek, "Now I don't know about you girls but I need a shower."
"Definitely," Candace nodded.