Decision Before Dawn Page #4

deserves a second helping tonight, I do.

I don't have to tell you, the food on the

other side of our glorious Rhine stinks.

What's the matter

with all of you?

I go out and do a job while

the rest of you sit here by the fire...

and when I come back

you look at me as if-

- Well, for heaven's sake, say something.

- What happened to Freddy?

- He was your teammate, wasn't he?

- Sure he was, and he got caught.

So what?

That's a chance everyone of us takes.

Anyway, I remember none of you

were this upset about Red when he got lost.

- Red? That was different.

- How do you know it was?

- What do any of you know

about it, huh? Nothing.

- Listen to him talk.

Freddy got caught because he wasn't

smart enough. He was dumb, thick-headed-

like the rest of you!

Silence, Tiger!

And knock it off, all of ya's.

All right. Forget it.

Here. You haven't forgotten the old song,

"Will This All Be Remembered"?

Well, they are playing it

all over again.

- Um, may I have a cup of coffee, please?

- Sure.

- Who was Red?

- A boy who missed his pinpoint.

He didn't jump when

the green light went on.

He landed 20 miles

off his target outside an S.S. barracks...

with his parachute

tangled in a tree.

It doesn't happen often.

You don't have to be afraid.

I'm not- not of the jump, anyway.

Then what are you afraid of?

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to be inquisitive.

Oh, that's all right.

I don't mind.

You know, once I was doing the same job,

and I, too, was afraid the first time I jumped.

Maybe in a different way,

but that's why I think

I know what's bothering you.

You do? What is it?

You are afraid of having to face

your own people, aren't you?

Come in.

- Officer messenger, sir, with a dispatch.

- Yes?

- Colonel Devlin?

- That's right.

This is from Colonel Williamson, sir.

Top secret.

Come on. Hurry it up. Bringin' you guys

together is getting tougher every day.

- What's it all about, anyway?

- Shh. Quiet.

All right, gentlemen,

here's the dope.

GeneralJaeger, commanding the Fourth Corps

here along the east bank of the Rhine...

sent emissaries to Switzerland informing us

he's willing to surrender his entire corps...

as soon as he can establish

contact with our troops.

He's also requested that we put in

a radio mission hidden here in Mannheim...

to act as a communications link between

his headquarters and us. Is that clear?

- Sure.

- Well, looks as if the Krauts

have finally wised up.

G2 has approved Jaeger's request and

asked that we put in a tourist mission...

about 250 miles behind this sector

here in the vicinity of Munich

to find out how much...

mobile strength the Germans

can bring up to close in the gap

in case the surrender comes off.

G2 also suspects that elements

of the 11 th Panzer Corps...

are being held back here as a mobile reserve

to be thrown in wherever needed.

Now the Mannheim job will require

a team of one radio operator...

and a first-class agent who

really knows the town and has

contacts there he can depend on.

- Who've you got in mind, Colonel?

- Now don't all jump on me.

- The only man who can do it

is our friend Barth, the Tiger.

Here's the C.I.C. report that came in

yesterday on the Tiger's first mission.

They checked his story, and it seems

that everything he said was true.

Furthermore G2 has given

his intelligence mission an "A" rating.

- Besides that, he was-

- Was born and raised in Mannheim.

Right. That's why no matter how

we feel about him, at the moment

he's the logical choice.

What about his teammate,

the radioman?

I'd like to talk about that later.

First let's take up the tourist mission.

I want to send Happy.

Any objections?

No, sir. But, so help me,

I don't get sending the Tiger.

- Richards, is Monique here?

- Yes, sir. She's waiting outside.

Ask her to come in. Hold your horses, Pete.

He's not on the plane yet.

- Okay, Bob?

- Yeah. Okay.

Come in,

honey.

Sit down, Monique. Would you care

for a cup of coffee or a cigarette?

Cigarette's okay, sir.

Tell us about the Tiger, Monique.

Have you noticed anything recently

that we should hear about?

No, sir. He hasn't changed.

As usual, he doesn't get along with the

others, and he's difficult, but that's all.

- How would you feel about

sending him out again?

- I would send him, sir.

- I'm all for that, if it's

just to get rid of him.

- Okay. How about Happy?

- I think that, in many ways,

he's the best of them all.

- Why?

Because-Well, because

he's the first German...

I've known who really believes

in what he's doing.

Do you think he's ready to go?

What's the matter, Monique?

There is only one thing that

might make it difficult for him...

maybe because

he's young and honest.

He may begin to doubt himself

once he's back in his own country.

If this mission is difficult,

I think it would be better to wait.

Come here a minute, Monique.

Their first service since the Germans left.

Look, we've known each other

for quite a while. The deal

I made with you in Algiers...

before you jumped into France was that

you'd always be on the level with me.

- Right?

- Yes.

Then I wanna ask you something.

I know what you said about Happy is true...

but I feel there's something

you didn't tell me.

- What?

- Are you in love with him?

He's a Boche, sir, like all the others.

We have too much to forget

before we can love any of them.

- May I go now?

- Yeah. Sure. Go ahead.

Thank you, sir.

- Richards.

- Yes, sir?

I want Monique transferred.

Do we have another job for her?

- I'll see what I can do.

Would Station "K" be all right?

- Sure. Sure, that's fine.

Now about the radioman

for the Mannheim mission-

the Germans have requested that one member

of the mission be an American officer.

Army agrees. They feel it'll show

we mean business.

Therefore, it's clear in this case that

the American will have to be the radioman.

- Go ahead, Colonel.

- You're with me, Rennick.

I can't order you to do this,

and under the circumstances...

I'm sure none of us

would blame you if you said no.

Can't we get an officer from the

Army Communications Center?

We could train him in a few days.

You couldn't train him even in a few weeks.

If you're worried about Tiger, I can handle him.

He'd have a hard time

pushin' me around.

I don't get you.

A few weeks ago...

- you didn't seem

to like this job very much.

- Well, he changed his mind.

No. I haven't. I still don't like it,

but we have no choice.

Besides, you said it was important,

didn't you, Colonel?

- Anybody got a cigarette?

- Yeah. Sure.

You know I don't smoke.

Well, it fits you fine, sir.

Well, let's check your gear.

- Your shovel- that goes here.

- Mm-hmm.

Your landing gun, chute pack, helmet,

gloves- the rucksack's for your radio.

- You better put it in yourself

so you know it's all right.

- Good.

- Everything okay, Rennick?

- No complaints so far, sir.

- Did you pack the chute yourself, Willows?

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