From the Brink

"Here Tim, Tim! " A voice whispered across the battlefield.  Smoke hung in the air and a few sporadic fires crackled here and there in the aftermath of Professor Langes escape . Several figures stopped their search and turned towards the sound of the whisper. 
"I said Tim I swear this chaps still alive." A soldier whispered earnestly to his compatriot.  The figures that had all stopped to listen now converged on the voice. All were trying to be as quiet as possible not wanting to attract German sniper fire.
"Good god James I think you are right. Sarge!" The figures crouched in a circle around a group of bodies , they parted as a tall thin man walked over. He looked down and said in a West Country accent.
"Are you sure Cummings lad? Remember that for sure German sniper we all hid from for 3 days?"
The other soldiers suppressed shorts of laughter. The soldier crouched over the body looked up
"Come on sarge. You guys are never gonna let me live that down . Yes it was a scare crow. I've said I'm sorry.  Look at this poor chap, these 2 have had it but I swear this one has a pulse." He pointed to a blood spattered neck. The body had been shredded and torn by something vicious and relentless. It looked lifeless, the Sergeant tried for a pulse.
"Cummings my lad you are only bloody right! Quick get out the stretcher. "
The surrounding figures quickly unfurled a stretcher.
"Rawlins, get on the radio, contact HQ tell them what we've found"
The sergeant stood back amazed at this poor chap clutching on to life though his body was a ruin. He probably wouldn't make it  but damn if we won't try our hardest he thought to himself. The figures gently moved the soldier onto the stretcher and lifted it up. The Sergeant  checked around, made sure all his soldiers were around and signalled to head back. 

The column of soldiers crossed back through the British lines. The Sergeant scanned for a field ambulance.  He couldn't see one when a major walked out of the shadows
"Evening Sergeant, heard you have found someone "
The sergeant and his soldiers snapped salutes.
"Oh yes quite" the major returned the salute
"Well done for finding this poor chap after that mess." The Major had a posh public school accent.
"Sir have you seen the field ambulance. I don't think this chap has long?" The Sergeant looked around anxiously.
"No field ambulances are available but load him onto that lorry and we will see him right " The Major gestured to a lorry parked behind the lines. The Major noticed the Sergeants quizzical look, he pulled out of his jacket a piece of paper and handed it to the sergeant. 
"All above board old chap.  We will take care of this poor bugger"
The sergeant scanned the orders , nodded towards the lorry and his soldiers hurried the stretcher  over where some orderlies loaded the aoldier into the lorry. 
The Major folded the paper up, put it back into his jacket and put out his hand
"You've done me a good deed sergeant. More than you realise. That poor chap was relying on us and we let him down but thanks to you we get a second chance to help him"
The sergeant taken aback shook the Majors hand.
"No .....no ...problem sir. " the sergeant stammered and saluted. The Major returned the salute and walked away towards the waiting lorry.  The sergeant shook his head, what a wierd war this has become.
Major Whitaker climbed in the lorry cab and turned to the driver
"Lets go. We need to get back to base quickly or this poor bugger won't make it. I've sent the surviving Sergeant and his men the alternative route. They don't need to know about the lieutenant yet until we can be sure we can save him. "
The lorry pulled away from the lines and headed off into the night.