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Rio drops to one knee and sights carefully The Italian bobs and weaves, dancing froger—BANG!—and a red stain appears in the Italian’s lower back She sees hirab futilely at it, like a man with an itch in a hard-to-reach spot He runs another two steps and falls on his face in the dust

“Cease fire, cease fire!” It’s Lieutenant Vanderpool, audible in a gap between gunfire “Cease fire!”

It takes Rio aare the A from the front door

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sp; They take five prisoners They’d taken prisoners before, but they had been Gerh they adopt appropriately sullen expressions at first they soften up pretty quickly once the GIs start offering thearettes The Italians have a bottle of harsh red wine, which they offer around, and in nothelish on the bemused Americans

My brother he live Philadelphia

New Jersey, me One year, yes?

And, the always popular in any language, Fug Mussolini, fug Hitler

Lieutenant Vanderpool claps Cole on the shoulder and says, “You violated my order on the time of attack Was that deliberate or did you just misread your watch?”

“Well, sir,they had that little tank” Cole shrugs

Vanderpool says, “Yep Well done, Sergeant You al you carte blanche to disregard orders”

“No, sir,” Cole agrees, though Rio can see frolazed expression that he’s a bit uncertain as to what carte blanche means She’s not quite sure herself No doubt Jenou will know, and certainly Stick or Jack will She makes a mental note to ask

“Send a detail back with the prisoners” Vanderpool frowns, noticing the blood-soaked leg of Rio’s trousers “You wounded, Richlin?”

“I tried to get rid of her earlier,” Cole says, “but” Another shrug

“Well, I like your spirit, Richlin, but you’re taking these prisoners back to the beach and then you will take yourself to the nearest aid station”