When they finally reached the rendezvous point, they could see the same rush of excitement amongst all that fought beside them.
“Status report!” shouted Kelly.
“Corridor is clear, one wounded,” replied Martinez.
“Clear, one dead, two wounded,” shouted Chen as he rushed towards them.
Kelly’s smile grew wider. He never liked losing a single soul, but a single death after all the devastation they had witnessed was a better result than any of them could have hoped for. He spun around to see the faces of the troops around them. They were not panting, and they were not downtrodden. Smiles and excitement filled all their faces. Kelly knew that it was an opportunity he must take advantage of.
“Colonel Chen. You felt we may better clear this ground if we fought further afield. Are you still confident with that assessment?”
Kelly deliberately shouted it loud enough for all near them to hear.
“Yes, Sir!” Chen yelled back.
“I’m heading north, Martinez, east, and Chen, west. Let’s clear these bastards out of our land!”
The troops thrust their rifles into the air and cried with excitement. Kelly could hear the applause ring out through the corridors around them. He could not relay his words to their armies, but they knew well enough that success was in their hands.
“Let’s do this, forwards!” cried Kelly.
Chapter 7
Chandra walked past lines of billets with a sombre tone. She walked without meaning or purpose. She knew they had just a few hours until the main enemy attack, and that there was little else to do.
“Major!”
She looked up to see Sergeant Silva approaching. She responded in a dull and lifeless manner as if she had lost all care in the world. She wondered why they were even bothering anymore. So many of her friends were now lost. Their own side seemed to be the cause of as many of the losses as the enemy. She had always told the Company how they were fighting for the human race, but she now felt like she was in foreign lands more than ever.
“What is it, Sergeant?”
“Captain Jones! He’s been cleared for duty and will be reporting back to the Company within the hour!”
A glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes, but it was soured by the thoughts that rushed to the front of her mind.
“He’s being returned to us now? He can’t be ready for it. What, are they emptying all the hospitals or something?” she insisted.
The Sergeant looked taken aback by her response.
“This is Captain Jones we are talking about. You have wanted him back since Amiens, and we need him now more than ever.”
“No, we need the Jones that we knew months ago. I am not sure that man exists anymore. Have you not seen him since his return?”
Silva shook his head. He had seen the horrors at the prison camp where they had rescued Jones, but he had assumed that the Captain would quickly recover.
“I think you have gravely underestimated the trauma that Charlie has been through. God knows I would have done anything to avoid it, and anything to have him back. Schulz is emptying the hospitals of any soldier who can hold a rifle, but he isn’t ready to be back here.”
“Sorry, Ma’am, but I’d rather have half the man the Captain used to be stood beside us, than not at all.”
She glared into the eyes of the Sergeant. For a moment she was furious with him for talking back at her, but she took a deep breath and calmed herself. Silva had become a great friend to her, more than she could have imagined or her military discipline would approve. Officers and NCOs were always a world apart for her, as she had been taught. But times had changed, and Silva felt her equal more than ever, proving as such on a regular basis.
“Major, we need all the help we can get.”
She nodded in agreement. She never saw what Silva and Taylor had on that frightful night of the rescue, but she had seen the Captain since and knew enough to be concerned.
“I can’t put Jones back in any position of command, not until we know he is up to the task.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Your platoon is without an officer. I will attach Jones to your unit, on the basis that you remain in command until I say otherwise. Jones will be in a liaison officer position only. I need him looked after, Sergeant.”
“Understood.”
“Charlie is one of the best men I have ever known, and one of the best officers, but God knows what the last few months have done to him. Whatever horrors we have faced, they are belittled by his. Keep a careful eye on him, and keep him safe. I don’t fear for our own lives, but for his.”
Out of the corner of her eye, the Major caught a glimpse of a familiar face, that of Legrant, the Mayor of Amiens.
“Excuse me, Sergeant.”
“Of course, I’ll inform you as soon as the Captain arrives.”
“Thank you, Sergeant.”
She was vague as she strode off with meaning past the Sergeant. Silva turned for a moment to see what the cause of her interest was. He instantly recognised Legrant. He watched for just a moment and held his breath, as he realised what Chandra might be getting into. He turned and strode away. He knew that the last thing he should do was interfere and smiled as he walked away, in the knowledge that Legrant was perhaps going to get some of the punishment that he deserved.
“Bastard,” Chandra muttered under her breath, and she rushed towards the French Mayor who had been the cause of Jones’ capture and Walker’s death. A look of dread overcame the man’s face as he saw her a moment too late. She swung a hard hook into his face that knocked the man off his feet. Legrant landed hard on the concrete floor and was almost unconscious.
Two French policemen who were with the Mayor tried to draw their pistols but were not quick enough. She wrenched her pistol from her thigh and trained it on the Mayor’s head.
“Don’t even think about it!”
Silence overcame the area as soldiers all around turned to marvel at the sight. Chandra’s uniform was heavily worn and covered in mud. Her face was filthy and dry blood still stained her jacket from the wound she’d received that very day. Despite it all, her rank was still visible and that alone stopped anyone from interfering. The two police officers stood frozen, not knowing what to do. They could see the crazy expression in her eyes and realised she was fully willing to kill them both where they stood.
Chandra finally looked down at the Mayor who was still flat on his back and wincing in pain. Blood trickled from his mouth, and the back of his head had landed hard on the ground. He wore a perfectly tailored suit and overcoat which was previously impeccable. She smiled in the knowledge that his coat would now be filthy and frayed.
“Do you remember me, you bastard?”
Legrant stopped writhing in pain and looked up at the barrel of the gun and then to the face of his attacker. He remembered her as his face went pale.
“I’m sorry, I had no idea…”
“No fucking idea?” she cried. “We were there to protect your town, and what did you do in return? A man died because of your stupidity. Another has been left as an emotional wreck after being left at the mercy of the enemy, and a further good man was killed while trying to rescue those who were captured because of you!”
Tears came to the man’s face as he broke down.
“I had no idea… you have to believe me. I thought I was doing the best thing for my people.”
“Why? Why!” she turned and paced up and down before him in anger, not knowing what else to do. She noticed one of the cops reaching for his gun and quickly lifted her pistol. She fired off a shot that narrowly missed his arm and struck the wall behind the man. He flinched and froze in astonishment.
“What have you given in this war? What have you sacrificed? We have been out there from the day this war began, fighting and dying to save your lives. Captain Jones, who you detained and left to die, he had been fighting in the defence of France since it all began. What possessed you to do something so stupid… so wicked?”