A Fight for Survival

Europe

The scent of pine needles and damp earth hung heavy in the air, a familiar aroma in the heart of Camp Toccoa. Molly leaned against a sturdy oak, its rough bark a comfort against her back as she watched Easy Company go through their paces. Across from her, Dick Winters, his brow furrowed in thought, watched the training exercise though his head, repeatedly, checking for flaws.

"He's going to get someone killed," Nixon muttered beside her, his voice low but edged with a familiar frustration. Molly didn't need to ask who "he" was. Captain Sobel's incompetence had become a running joke, albeit one with increasingly serious implications. "What are you going to do?" she asked, echoing Nixon's earlier sentiment. Dick ran a hand through his hair, the gesture weary. "Nothing. Keep training the men. Hope for the best."

Nixon snorted. "Hope's a poor defense against a live grenade, and Sobel's shaping up to be just that." Before Dick could respond, a new voice joined their conversation. "Am I interrupting?" They turned to see a tall, lanky figure approaching. Lieutenant Harry Welsh, recently transferred from the 82nd, greeted them with a friendly smile. "Not at all, Harry," Dick said, his expression lightening slightly. "Lieutenant Lewis Nixon, Lieutenant Harry Welsh. Harry, this is Lieutenant Molly Nelson." "Ma'am," Harry repeated, nodding in acknowledgment. "Heard good things about your work with the Hunters." Molly offered a wry smile. "Hopefully, those 'good things' didn't involve any mention of my poker face." Harry chuckled. He turned to Nix, his expression turning more serious. "Congratulations on the promotion, by the way. Lieutenant Nixon has a nice ring to it."

"Thanks," Nix replied, though the usual satisfaction of a promotion seemed absent. "If you can call it that. You'll learn him pretty quickly, Harry. No flaws, no vices, no sense of humor." Dick shot him a look, then turned back to Harry. "Just like your chums up at Battalion Staff?" he asked, his tone light but pointed. Molly asks the new lieutenant, "What brings you down here, Lieutenant?" Harry's smile faded. "I'm hearing a lot of rumblings," he admitted. "Sobel?" Nixon asked, his voice flat. "We were just talking about that." "So, he gets a little jumpy in the field?" Harry asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp. "Jumpy?" Nixon echoed, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. Molly adds, "He gets jumpy, and then you get killed." Dick sighed. "Listen," he said, lowering his voice, "if we discuss this, I think it should just be amongst ourselves." Harry nodded his agreement. "Absolutely."

Their conversation was cut short by Sobel's booming voice. "Second Platoon ready?" "Ready, sir," Dick responded, squaring his shoulders. Duty called, even if it meant following a man whose orders could get them all killed. "Then get them in formation," Sobel barked. "We're moving out." "Yes, sir," Dick said, his voice betraying none of the turmoil he felt. He met Molly's gaze for a fleeting moment, a silent acknowledgment of the shared concern that hung heavy between them. They had a job to do, but the shadow of Sobel's incompetence loomed large, a threat more dangerous than any training exercise.

By the Jeeps, Toye, Cobb, Liebgott, Shifty, and Alex, were all talking ill once again about Sobel. "Shut up, Cobb," Toye growled, his tone more weary than threatening. "Ah, you gotta admit, he's got no chance," Cobb persisted, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Either the Krauts will get him, or one of us." Liebgott, his face a mask of disgust, spat on the ground. "Who, Sobel?" "He screwed up one maneuver," Shifty pointed out, ever the voice of reason, though a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes. "One?" Alexis scoffed, "He screws up every maneuver! The man couldn't navigate his way out of a wet paper bag, let alone lead us into battle." "You know," he added, a sly grin spreading across his face, "I'm always fumbling with grenades. It would be easy if one went off by accident, you know." Toye shot him a dark look. "Don't even joke about that, Liebgott." Shifty chuckled. "Well, now, they must have put him in charge for a reason." Liebgott snorted. "Yeah, 'cos the Army wouldn't make a mistake, right, Shifty?"