43.
~ "Sir?" The skinny corporal said to Arthur on the morning of the fifth day. The major stood and looked out at the snow covered camp. A large red cross truck was parked at the barbed wire gates.
"Think were getting out, Sir?" The corporal asked.
Arthur swallowed hard and rubbed the facial hair that had grown wildly in the days since it had seen a razor.
"I don't know." He whispered. He hoped that the truck wasn't stolen and help was truly here for them. Cobb's fever was worse. The colonel was pale and his skin was clammy as he fought for each breath.
Arthur breathed a sigh of relief as Colonel Nathaniel Burch, dressed in brown army fatigues, emerged from the truck along with Eames.
'Eames, made it out and brought help.' He thought as he was never so happy to see the Lieutenant.
Arthur watched as the colonel talked with the guards. A tense conversations and finally, the two soldiers were allowed in.
"Sir." Arthur said as the major and his few healthy men walked slowly to the colonel. The stride of the man showed that he was an officer of consequence despite being dressed in shabby fatigues with no rank.
"How are you, son?" The older man asked.
"Not well, sir." Arthur said. "Forgive me not saluting. It would be best if they didn't know your an officer."
The colonel nodded as Eames walked around the camp. Taking a head count and looking at the wounded.
"We were captured five days ago. I have several men who need medical attention right away, and a good meal wouldn't hurt them either."
"I understand, son." The gruff officer said.
"Do any of these little pricks understand English?" He asked looking at the guards.
"I wouldn't speak freely, sir. Just in case." Arthur told him.
"Your friend here finally found us. Helped to track you here." The gruff officer said. "Never would have found all of you with out him."
"We were hoping he made it out." Arthur said formally. Not willing to show their captures any emotion to being rescued.
"Where's Cobb?" Eames whispered as the three of them turned and walked to the guards. "Was he killed?"
"No, but he was wounded. He's sick. Infection." Arthur said keeping his eyes on the guards.
~ The negotiations did not go well. The gruff officer promising their captures leniency but no immunity for any war crimes.
"Tell them killing our men didn't win any points with Uncle Sam!" The gruff colonel said lighting a cigar. "Tell them to release all of our men and the Brits, and then we can talk about helping them.
Arthur dutifully translated and the guards became angry. Barking at Arthur to tell Colonel Burch that no one would be let go until all of them were granted immunity.
"Sir, I have wounded that will not make it another day here." Arthur whispered thinking of Cobb. "Maybe if we can get them to let the wounded go."
"Alright, tell them we will escort their people out of the battle zone if they let you go. Best I can do." The gruff officer said.
It wasn't good enough. The Nazis were shouting at the major as they waved their riffles at them.
"Sir, they want immunity or nothing." Arthur said. The gruff colonel scowled at the angry looking guard.
Arthur took action. In steady German, he told the guards that he had many sick and injured. That if they let those men go, and kept the rest, the Army might be willing to work with them.
"What did you say to the little pricks?" Colonel Burch said while the guards conferred.
Arthur didn't answer as he worried the guards might turn the deal down.
In German he said boldly.
"I am a decorated major in the US Army. I am valuable to them. You can keep me here, let the wounded go with these men."
The guards took the deal.
~ "Son, I came specifically to get yourself and one Lt. Colonel Dominic Cobb out of here." Burch said. "I don't like failing at missions."
"Colonel Cobb is one of the wounded." Arthur said telling his men that the wounded were being evacuated.
Arthur and Eames found Cobb sweating and moaning on the floor of the barrack.
"Cobb?" Eames said touching his pale, pasty skin.
"Watch the leg." Arthur said as they helped their friend to stand.
"What's happening?" Cobb asked.
"Your going home." Arthur said casually. "Getting sick of looking at you."
"What about you?" Cobb asked.
"I'll be right behind you." Arthur said confidently as he and Eames loaded the sick and wounded men into the Red Cross van. The rest of his men, including the skinny Corporal looking longingly at the truck. Wishing they were leaving to.
"Son, I can't promise I will be allowed to come back for you and the others." The colonel said.
"I know, Sir." Arthur said feeling shaky. His hands had been shaking the past few days with no food. "Sir?"
Colonel Burch turned to the Major before climbing back into the truck with Eames.
"My wife. She... she has a baby on the way." Arthur said. Half afraid to say the words.
The older man looked angry.
"Fuck orders, I'll be back to get you." He said before putting the truck into drive and speeding off.
Arthur watched the truck drive away and never saw one of the guards come up behind him and strike in in the back of the head. His world went black as he fell face first in the snow.
~ Arthur woke up in bed with his wife.
"Arthur?" She whispered. Her hands running over his cleanly shaven jaw. Arthur stared for a long time at her lovely face. Her skin, pale and beautiful in the moonlight. Her dark locks falling in nice waves to he shoulders.
"Arthur, are you alright? I was so worried." She said in a soothing voice.
"I'm fine." He said. "I was... I was just cold and hungry for a little while. But I'm better now."
"Are you going to leave me?" She asked. Her face serene and angelic like.
"No." He said his mind feeling fuzzy. "No, I would never leave you."
"You feel like your leaving me." She said sadly.
"No. I have to get back to you. Get back to you and the baby." He whispered.
Her face was darker then normal. A ghostly gray that made her look almost frightening.
"Your going to die here, sweetheart." She whispered in his ear. "Your going to die like all the others and you'll never see me or your child again."
~ Arthur was pulled violently awake from the cold water being dumped on him. He sat up sharply, sputtering and thought he was drowning at first.
"Well, so our Major is alive, no?" Came a voice. He was speaking in German and Arthur had to think a moment to understand him.
"I know you can hear me. I know, that you know what we are saying." The voice said slowly.
Arthur looked around him. He was in a warm sitting room. All it's furniture was removed except a table and a chair which a Nazi officer was sitting in. Arthur knew he was important not by his clothing, but by his demeanor. He sat too strait. Was too cocky and arrogant.
"I understand you." Arthur said in German pushing back his hair. Grateful the cold water at least cleaned him a little. He crawled closer to a roaring fire and felt how good it was to be warm after so many days in the snow.
"We have prepared you something to eat. We have bread. We have cheese. Some caned fruit even. A good meal." The Nazi said.
"My men are hungrier then I am." Arthur said ignoring the pain of long denied hunger.
"It is impolite to refuse hospitality. We are here to help you. We help you now, you will help us later, yes?" The Nazi told him.
"You can help me by feeding the men you have been starving." Arthur said stubbornly.
The Nazi chuckled.
"We have been talking to your men. Many of them were angry you surrendered. Also, that they did not get to leave with the wounded. They blame you, Major. They told us many things about you." He said
"Oh yeah?" Arthur said not interested. His stomach growling for the cheese and bread on the table.
"Oh, yes." The Nazi said lighting a cigarette. "Said you are a war hero. But then, the heroes are only decided by the winners of the war. I studied history at University. This, is true of all wars."
Arthur recognized the smell of the cigarette smoke. He patted his front shirt and didn't feel his father's silver cigarette case.
"Pretty lady you keep hidden in here." The Nazi said looking inside the silver case, now carelessly held in his gloved hand. "I assume she is your wife, sir?"
Arthur was incensed. He wanted to rush the man and rip his head off. Not for stealing his father's case, or smoking his rationed cigarettes, but for daring to look with lustful eyes at his wife.
"She is my wife." he calmly said instead.
"I know I would want nothing more then to return to her... a whole man." The Nazi said in a lazy drawl. "You have the power to go back to her with your manhood intact. I suggest you think about this. If not, then such a lovely creature will not want what is returned to her."