The price of a mile (Second story in the world war series)

Chapter 25 - Surrounded

"Gott verdammt!" Karl yells with fury, throwing the message aside causing everyone within the room to jump with a startle.

"Alles im ordnung, herr?" A mapping officer asks a little nervously, afraid that he might receive the wraith of the Colonel.

"They've turned their backs, the German high command wants this town to be held to the last man, no surrender nor retreat they want this held at all costs. The only good news, the Generaloberst will try and convince high command and if need be. Oberkommando der Wehrmacht himself, to hopefully get this order lifted so we can retreat." Karl says calming his fury with a agitated sigh.

The room went silent, only with the buzz of static generating noise within the room. Sighing and walking over slowly to the table with the laid out map of the town and defenses, Karl leans forward studying the town map and speaks up.

"The British are pushing us from behind and to the front.. We're reorganizing the lines then." He says then taking a measuring instrument he draws a circle around the two blocks that surround the hotel. Then drawing a line through the top of the circle that runs diagonal to the hotel, he labels it ' Line one, Panzer guard.'

Then drawing a second line between the first and the X that marks the hotel and their location, he labels that one as SS and reserve. He does the same for the the rear, positioning his troops and then he fills in the flanks.

Then within the circle he puts the reserved SS guard for the elite bit to protect the final sector and line before the enemy would reach the hotel. Looking up and with a stern expression to his character, he give the order.

"Begin repositioning the men accordingly to this hotel and map. The hotel will be our final stand if need be." Karl says sighing a little as he leans over the table and observing the positions and current situation that's drawn out on the map.

Listening to the radio transmissions that pull him from his thoughts, he quietly stands there and looks out to see the beautiful world. That is here in beautiful war torn Italy.

'If I'm going to die today, at least it's warm and sunny.' Karl quietly says to himself unholstering his luger to check it's loaded and ready. Satisfied with the check in he holsters his firearm and switches his gaze out the window.

Outside eight blocks from where the first lines are being reestablished, Kristin and his MG team are steadily holding the British advance back and covering the retreating German forces. As the MG rattles and roars over the burps of Smgs and pops of rifles that are the fire fight.

*Fuhrer headquarters, Wunsdorf near zossen*

Quietly standing at the marbled doors leading into the war room, GeneralOberst Rodt stands hiding his anxiety, then hesitating. He knocks and then enters the medium sized room.

Siting before him in the room with Europe mapped out and troop positions are set and drawn. Sit the top three men of the Wehrmacht, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht Wihelm Keitel, General der Infanterie Fredrick Schulz, and Field marshal Gerd von Runstedt.

The two generals where the highest commanding in the General staff for the western front and Wihelm is there. Because he's the second highest ranking officer in the entire army, due to the Fuhrer being on the very top of course.

Watching the man enter, the three can see the anxiety in his step, saluting the three men before him, Rodt stands at eased. Finding his voice he then gently speaks up.

"Herr, I wanted to-"

"Leave us." Wihelm orders holding his hand up in a stop motion and the three SS assigned to guard the room. Salute and step outside. There he silently watches the Schutzstaffel leave the room and Rodt then looks back to the three highest ranking men in Germany. Then taking a deep breath, he continues.