"Two dead Germans. We found them."

An Indian sergeant arrived. All the Indians were wearing turbans.

"Shall I let the men disembark Major?"

"No sergeant Singh. We'll move out as soon as the rest of Captaina.?"

"Rogers sir."

"As soon as Captain Rogers men are back. Do you have a medical orderly?"

"Unfortunately he's the one over there with his legs shot up."

"Sergeant Singh find medic Sanjay, ask him to tend to the injured engineer, ask him sergeant to report to me personally the mans condition. Remind him that there is no possibility of getting to a hospital."

Rogers saluted.

"Thank you for what you've done sir."

"Sanjay's skills are very accomplished. You need not worry about your man. Now Captain, sergeant, perhaps we could consult our maps."

"Of course sir."

"Race you," Johnny laughed as he and Tim ran up the slope of a large dune. They had driven the road towards where they had seen the smoke earlier. Then they had left the road and parked the truck behind a dune to hide. Now they were scrambling up the sand pulling at each others shirts to be the first one to reach the top. Tim got there first and threw himself down. Johnny was about to charge past when Tim grabbed him and pulled him down.

"Keep down Johnny," Tim spoke quietly "Look they're about a mile away I'd guess," Tim put the binoculars up to his face "Just as I feared they're Germans!"

Johnny could make out people moving and trucks parked. There were some black objects in the road which he assumed was what had caused the smoke.

Tim handed Johnny the binoculars.

"I'd say if they are headed our way then we're in trouble."

Through the enhanced view Johnny could see wreckage in the road. Four men were sweeping metal detectors from side to side. A car, trucks and motorcycles. There didn't appear to be any armour such as tanks. The motorcycle side cars were equipped with MG42's. Apart from that he couldn't see any other weapons.

As he watched he saw the four mine detectors finish their work and begin making their way back. One of them stopped and spoke to one of the cars occupants. Then he saw the car move forward. He moved the binoculars around and caught sight of the motorcycles saddling up. He put the binoculars down.

"Shit! Shit! We gotta get fucking moving!"

Tim put the field glasses to his eyes now.

"Holy Christ. Johnny. Run! Run!"

They only took a minute to run back down to the truck, both of them falling over in their haste to get away. Tim climbed up and jumped into the passenger seat, his Sten cradled across his lap. Johnny put his on the floor near his feet as he climbed into the driving seat. He slammed his door shut and his fingers scrabbled for the ignition key.

He turned it.

Nothing!

He tried again in two, then three quick successions.

Still nothing.

Tim was frantically looking out of the window expecting to see the whole German army descending on them at any moment.

"It won't fucking start!, Johnny was desperate.

Tim looked at his friend. Their eyes met. No words were necessary. They were possibly living the last few minutes of their lives. Tim looked in the door mirror at their tracks left in the sand. He knew that when that car rounded the bend at the bottom of the dune the tracks would be seen and the game up. The Germans would surely investigate!

Johnny looked at his friend again, frantically turning the key. Suddenly the engine roared into life. Johnny closed his eyes and blew out his breath. He crunched the gears in to reverse and backed the Bedford a short distance, then he crunched it into first and drove off. Finding firmer ground he got the Bedford into third and hit the tarmac road at thirty miles an hour just in front of the Mercedes which had to swerve to avoid being hit and came to an abrupt stop.

Wurtz leaped out of the car and stared angrily at the tailboard as it sped away. He turned and shouted at the Mercedes driver.

"What the hell was that?"

"It was British sir."

Wurtz wasted no time. He put his fingers in the corners of his mouth and whistled waving the lead truck and motorcycles forward. The truck screeched to a halt and Wehrmacht soldiers jumped down onto the road.

"After them!" he roared.

Soldiers jumped into the motorcycle sidecars and they roared away, the passengers loading the MG42's.

It didn't take them long to catch the truck. Johnny gave out a yelp of surprise when he checked the door mirror and saw the first of the motorcycles catching them.

"Oh God! Motorbikes!" he yelled.

Tim looked into his mirror. He could see two his side. Realising it would take too long to wind down his window he smashed it with his gun instead. He leaned out and sent a burst at the lead motorcycle hitting it many times, catching its riders unawares. The lead rider backed off. He looked down. Miraculously he wasn't hurt and his bike not badly damaged. He closed in on the truck again. Tim leaned out and sent another burst which missed the bikes. The trigger clicked, the magazine empty. The lead rider saw Tim dart back inside the window. He made his move, opened up his throttle and drew alongside just as Tim leaned out with Johnny's gun. The MG42 jammed as Tim emptied Johnny's Sten into the lead riders chest. He was thrown backwards off the bike in a spray of blood and guts. The passenger let go of the MG42 and tried to grab the handlebars. The bike was wobbling uncontrollably and he fell between it and the sidecar as it cart wheeled over and over. He went under the back wheels of the Bedford and it minced him instantly into a pulp.

"Got one of them!" Tim shouted with glee.

Johnny punched the air with joy "Felt him go under the wheels," he said looking into the mirror at the red mash left behind.

The two remaining motorcycle sidecars were now flanking the Bedford's tail. Johnny could see in his mirrors both machine gunners ready. So far the Germans hadn't fired a shot.

Now they did.

A wicked burst from an MG42 ricocheted off the trucks sides, the bullets tearing through canvas looking for victims. Johnny couldn't understand why they weren't shooting out his tyres. Suddenly Johnny jammed on the brakes. The two motorcycles rocketed past and Johnny swerved into the one on his side crushing it. Tim wasn't so lucky. The one on his side fired off a volley and he ducked but not before he was hit in the arm. Blood splashed the inside of the door and ran down the outside. He let out a howl of pain. Johnny looked across at his companion. He could see bullet holes in the door. Incredibly nothing else inside the cab had been hit. Loose MG42 bullets were rolling around on the floor.

"Tim are you badly hurt?"

Tim was ripping bits of his shirt off to make a tourniquet. He was in the process of tying it just above his elbow using his good arm and his teeth. He grunted with the pain.

"I don't think so. It passed straight through. It sure does bloody hurt. ARRGGHH!" he cursed as the truck hit a series of bumps in the road.

"Sorry. Sorry. Bloody hell your arm looks bad mate."

Tim wiped the sweat off his face with his good arm.

"Listen I think I can still fire the gun but you may have to load it for me."

Johnny looked in the mirror. The remaining motorbike was no where to be seen. He began slowing down again.

"I can't see him. He's not there anymore."

Tim leaned his head out of the window.

"Yes he is. I can see his shadow behind us."

Next time Johnny looked the motorcycle was back in his mirror. He was about to look away when panic set in.

"Shit Tim. His passenger is gone."

They both glanced at each other.

"He's in the back of the truck," Johnny said.

Johnny could see the German in the mirror. He had climbed out of the back of the lorry and was now creeping along its side. He had a pistol in his hand.

"Here he comes Tim."

Johnny weaved the truck across the road working at the steering wheel, pulling it this way and that trying to throw him off. The German held on tight. Tim was frantically trying to load his Sten one handed. He dropped the new clip on the floor.

"Damn!"

He dived down for it hurting his arm in the process. He could just about feel it with his fingertips. Then he was able to turn it into his grasp and pick it up. He jammed the Sten between his knees and loaded the clip. The motorcycle was keeping a safe distance. Now it surged forward again to try to add confusion.

"Tim we're going to have to swap places. I can't shake him off. If you can drive I'll deal with him."

Despite his pain Tim nodded.

Johnny stood up, his foot pressed firmly on the accelerator, both hands gripping the steering wheel. Tim slid over and under Johnny. The truck slowed for a moment while they exchanged places. The German moved towards them in the lull.. Tim stomped on the throttle and the Bedford roared on. They rounded a bend and in the distance they could see Matmata and safety. Alf and the others waiting for them.

Johnny opened the passenger door, climbed out and grabbed the Sten off the seat. He got a secure footing between the cab and the body and the moment the German appeared at the back of the cab he fired but missed. The German threw himself away, slipped, and nearly fell, holding on one handed. Tim afraid to weave the Bedford about now in case Johnny was thrown. Suddenly the Germans pistol nosed its way around the corner. Johnny saw it and ducked. The shot smashed the glass behind the driver. The shattered glass raining down on Tim. The German chose his moment and without warning lunged forward and jumped the small gap and landed by the drivers door. Tim saw him coming in the mirror but was unable to do anything about it. The German grabbed his arm and pulled it. The Bedford slewed around in a wide arc, left the road, turned one hundred and eighty degrees and jumping and jarring over the rough terrain bounced back onto the road. They were now heading back the way they'd come. The motorcycle also turned in pursuit. The German aimed his pistol at Tim and pulled the trigger just as the truck hit a pothole. The shot fired harmlessly into the air. Tim let go of the steering wheel and grabbed the pistol arm banging it down against the door until the German dropped the gun. The back wheels went over it.

"Give it up! Give it up!" Tim was yelling.

Johnny climbed back down into the cab.

"Tim duck!"

Tim did as he was told. Johnny couldn't get a clean shot. Then Tim pulled the door handle and kicked the door. It opened and swung out over thin air. The German's legs flailing as he tried to hang on. The motorcycle raced forward to try to assist just as Johnny leaned behind Tim and fired the Sten. The bullets went through the door metal hitting the German numerous times in the torso. He fell, bounced in the road and went under the sidecar causing the motorcycle to cart wheel. Its rider was thrown and he landed heavily in the road sliding some way before coming to a stop.

"That's it," Johnny said "That's the last of them.

As if on cue, due to the loss of blood and exhaustion Tim slumped at the wheel. He managed to bring the Bedford to a halt. Johnny jumped down, ran round the front and climbed into the drivers side pushing Tim into the passenger seat. He looked into the mirror just as the motorbike exploded. Then he eased the truck into gear, turned it round and sped off towards the town.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

The Mercedes saloon slowed at the first wrecked motorcycle, steered around the crushed man in the road and soon arrived at the second destroyed motorbike.

"It looks like that truck ran over this one," Koenig said.

The third one was still burning. Its rider was laying face down some fifty or so yards past it. The car stopped. Koenig and Wurtz got out. Koenig turned the body over and saw the worst sight of his life. The mans face was gone. Where his eyes and nose should have been were just red holes, holes that bled. Koenig felt sick. Wurtz suddenly drew his Luger and emptied it into the corpse making the body jump. He threw his head back and roared with anger. Koenig stared at him open mouthed.

*The man is insane.'

"You're shooting at a corpse."

Wurtz rounded on him.

"Get in the car!"

It was an order. An order Koenig didn't like.

"Have you forgotten my rank Major."

Wurtz looked at him in recognition. When he'd given the order he hadn't been focused on his surroundings.

"I beg your pardon Colonel. I was angry. Yes. I apologise."

The rest of their vehicles were now approaching.

"We must remember our mission and respect the Doctor's wishes. I'm afraid Major Wurtz that we'll have to let these men go," Koenig said looking at the dust trail being kicked up by the Bedford.

Johnny brought the truck to a complete stop in the square. The squeal of brakes brought Shaw, Rogers and Alf out. Alf took one look at the state of the truck.

"Christ what happened to you?"

Johnny jumped down onto the road. He nearly collapsed from exhaustion but he found the strength to run round to Tim. Others were already there lifting him out of the Bedford. They helped him to where Sanjay had set up a temporary sickbay. The conditions were extremely poor but the best they could manage in the circumstances.

Alf looked at the truck. The passenger door had bullet holes in it and was streaked with blood. The drivers door wouldn't close properly due to bent hinges. One rear tyre was hissing from a puncture. Both windows were smashed and the windscreen was cracked.

"That explosion sir," Johnny said not knowing whether to talk to Rogers or the Major who was unknown to him, "It looks like it was a German motorcycle. It must have hit a mine because they were using metal detectors on the road."

Johnny coughed and someone offered him a cup of water.

"How many are there?"

"There were more motorcycles, about six trucks similar in size to ours, one saloon car. Don't know how many men in the trucks. There were some in one, they're the ones that chased us."

Major Shaw spoke.