Screaming Eagles

Chapter 28 - NUTS!

In any case though, the driver pulled the jeep up outside of an old run down apartment building that had been converted into the division's HQ.

"Thank you," Jack said before he exited the jeep, making sure to close the door behind him before he looked around at the bundles of soldiers huddled around the fires they lit.

"Anytime sir, stay warm!" The driver said as he pulled the jeep back out into the street.

"You too, stay safe!" Jack called after him before he turned around and made his way inside.

A guardsman that was present at the doorway had opened it to see who just stepped out of the jeep. And looking past the kids head, the hallway inside looked so warm and inviting. All Jack wanted was to just get inside.

"Hello sir, how may I help?" The kid said as he stood to attention and saluted the approaching Captain.

Jack himself was tired from the sleepless, bitter cold nights he had suffered through. It was evident on his face and eyes, luckily the kid saw that and got out of the way in a hurry.

Passing through that threshold the wall of heat blasted full force into Jack's frigid body, and having the warmth from the heated envelope him was the greatest feeling he had felt in what seemed like forever.

Having been out in the cold for the past few days, Jack had forgot what is was like to be warm. He could even feel some of the ice that had manifested on his jacket already began to melt.

"Sir?" The private asked again after repeating himself more loudly this time, and Jack snapped back to life.

"How can I help?" The kid repeated.

"Where can I find General McAuliffe?" Jack asked after he removed his wool gloves as he looked around at the décor.

"Down the hall on the right very last door, sir." Came the reply and Jack thanked him before hastily moving down the hallway.

It was easy to find the door so Jack rasped his knuckles against the wood and waited.

"Come in," A voice replied after a moment.

Without delaying Jack turned the knob and pushed in with the handle as he stepped through he released the door and pushed it behind him so it'd close.

"Message for you sir, it came from a German truce party." Jack said after he saluted McAuliffe, then handed it over.

"Did they say what they wanted or anything?" McAuliffe asked while he opened the envelope and pulled out the letter to read it.

"Yes, sir, we're on a timer here since we got two hours to come up with a reply for their demands of surrender." Jack replied as he stood and watched on, trying his best to contain his own anxiety about the issue.

The general looked half asleep like he was just recently woken up, someone from the 327th probably phoned in ahead of time to alert command about Jack with the letter. So one of the senior staff members here might've woken the General up ahead of time.

Removing the two sheets, one had been typed in German, the other english and he waited a moment before someone had opened the door and came in. Lt. Col. Ed Moore, the senior acting chief of staff entered.

Once he was here, the older man only took a glance at Jack before he stood and waited for a response.

In his tired state of mind, McAuliffe briefly read the message over before he placed it down on the table and said "NUTS!"

"Sir?"

"That's my reply, NUTS!" McAuliffe firmly said after a yawn had taken him.

"Captain... Head back to your posting and I'm sorry about my late arrival but I just got off the phone with Major Jones from the 327th F company command post saying they brought the German lieutenant there." Moore said more to McAuliffe while Jack simply replied a "yes, sir" before heading back out.