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

Chapter 27- Run

"Funker!! Signal the orders, I want all men alive or dead out of this town. We can finally retreat, the signal has been given!" Karl says with excitement and anxiety sounding in his voice.

As orders relayed spirits are risen and the soldiers quickly pull back along with the standard organized retreat order. Every valuable piece of equipment, paper or document that isn't abled to be taken along is blown up or torched.

Smiling Karl secures the cap on his head and then he takes off down the hallway yelling for everything to be burned. Once he has reached the lobby Karl and his guard quickly move out with the others that where here.

Once out in the streets, it's pure chaos with bullets peppering and screeching by their persons and men falling around them as they make their mad dash. Bodies both German and English litter the streets turning the streets red which blood flows, splattered against the walls. Or draining into the gutters, no matter where it has the streets painted in red.

The unit sized survivors run like hell under the fire of pursuing British infantrymen that's gotten to the hotel. Further men begin to drop under the British aggression but everyone's forced to continue their run to the break through.

"Don't stop running, keep moving!" Karl yells over the raging fire that's chasing them and a bullet knicks his shoulder blade. Forcing back the pain, Karl pushes on needing to keep up as he can feel the pain flare and his uniform get warm with the damp feeling.

Wincing as the burning sensation increases, Karl slows slightly but he forces himself to push on fighting through the burning pain. Ignoring the warm liquid that's drenching his cotton shirt he moves on with his men.

Like a scene from a suicidal charge that slows down with increasing tension, the Centuripe defenders run and gun under the hail of bullets and bazooka fire sent their way. There they make it to the breakthrough and through heavy loss of life the surviving German defenders have broken through the surrounding forces.

The sun's setting and the three day battle is finally coming to a bloody close with the British coming out victorious. The hole in the British defenses where it was weak, was where Karl had striked them. They've caught their lucky break finally and have escaped to the safety of the Italian country side

A hour of constant running has dragged by and the cover of nightfall has kept them hidden from dangers. Finally Karl has everyone stops and he pants a little looking around.

A voice picks up "Herr, orders?" A NCO asks snapping Karl from his thoughts that bring him to reality and he sighs a little looking around and thinking.

"Complete silence is to go into effect, get int grid formation and conduct IMTS. Get the squad columns up with 20 yards separating each squad and get echelons on the flanks. Then I want the standard squad line for the front, grid formation 2-7." Karl whispers ordering a fire and advance type formation.

That way the units flanks will be protected and with a squad line in the front it would keep everyone on alert, cautious and ready to fire if need be. It's basically set as a wedge formation with Karl and the wounded towards the inner middle then with his support teams on the outer flanks. It can cause a effective cross fire if nee be and his final squad on line taking the front involving smgs and riflemen.

Staying within this formation, the unit moves forward on high alert and they're on edge too making a V type formation of wedge as the unit slowly moves forward.

A few hours have passed during the units march northwards before Karl finally orders another stop.

"Halt... Break off and find some cover, get a perimeter defense set up and a watch organized. We're going to rest for a bit and possibly spend the night here in the thicket here." Karl says panting slightly from fatigue and he watches everyone as the men move around in the darkness to find a place to set up and rest.