Genesis: the Beginning and the End | Band of Brothers

【Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ７２ － Ｃｏｎｄｅｓｃｅｎｄｉｎｇ】

Chapter 72 - Condescending

Peggy waited just outside, and fell into step with Dick the moment he stepped out with Buck behind him. Her cold hands were clasped behind her back.

"I think it's time you meet Lieutenant Dike."

Where he would've seen a playful eye roll, Dick found a grimace. He didn't miss her muttering if they could find him. It was known that Dike could hardly ever be found when you wanted him, when you needed him.

It was a waste of time to depend on him, and Peggy wasn't the only one to think that way.

The camp at Mourmelon-le-Grand was alive and buzzing with chaos. Everyone was hurrying to report somewhere, to gather up their gear, to get ready to go.

Lieutenant Peacock soon fell in on the other side of Dick.

"Sir, have you seen Colonel Strayer?"

They slowed as they neared a fire. She didn't miss Dick's frown.

"Where's the company commander?"

It turned out that Peacock had been searching all day for Dike. Peggy thought it was looking increasingly unlikely that she'd meet Dike. Not that she minded really. She no longer cared enough. It didn't matter. Didn't matter if he knew or didn't, what he did or did not know, didn't matter if he liked her or wanted her there because she had nowhere else to go. So many things, so many variables that just didn't matter anymore.

And then she was face to face with an unfamiliar pair of eyes. They stared back at her through the fire.

"Lieutenant Peacock, Lieutenant Compton. Captain Winters." He nodded to each of them, then his eyes returned to her. Her hands remained behind her back. She did not warm her frozen fingers.

"Lieutenant Dike, I've been looking for you. I'd lik-"

"Sir, we have a problem. Colonel Strayer has not yet returned from some wedding he's attending in London." That made Peggy purse her lips. So what? Could they not make do without? She knew for a fact they could. Dick was excellent. "Can you believe that? We're going to the front, we're going to the front here and our CO isn't even in the same damn country."

That was his problem?

What about him never being around when his fucking men needed him?

Peggy still hadn't uttered a single word to this man, never had a conversation. She didn't want to. Without her meaning to, her face was becoming one of disdain, a sneer of contempt.

"You have a bigger problem, Lieutenant Dike. You have men returning to action without proper cold weather clothing, and not enough ammo."

Well shit. Peggy hadn't even joined those dots. Of course, the winter clothing hadn't arrived yet. Once again, she was glad that she'd made as many scarves as she could. Yes there were still a few without, including herself, but the majority had at least some protection from the biting winds and bitter cold.

"I suggest you take a canvass of the entire base. Get what materials you have before we roll out." For the first time, she found herself fighting a shiver. "Or have you done that already?"

"No, sir."

Oh she could've laughed at that. But then again, it didn't feel like she could. It was a weird feeling.

"K rations. As many as you can scrounge, we don't know if we'll be resupplied or not."

"Yes sir."

Peggy was starting to get a bad feeling. Their situation was looking quite dire.