They both didn’t get much sleep last night: Karl had to stay awake to keep an eye on the surroundings, Hans had had so much pain from his wounds that sleeping was impossible.
In the early morning they eat a little bit from their last ration, and they also manage to brew some tea. Then they discuss what to do: stay, or try to find their comrades. After all, they have this bag with important information! They were supposed to take it behind the lines!! They cannot decide. Food and water are running out, and worst of all: there’s no ammunition left!
When Hans tries to get up, he shouts with pain and falls back on the ground again. They can only wait for their comrades to find them… The best they can do is hide the bag as good as possible. Dead leaves and a few branches must do.
They pass the time reading old letters from home and in turn try to get some sleep after all.
All of a sudden they hear yelling and before they realize what happened they are surrounded by a heavily armed American Patrol Unit. What can they do but surrender? The commander orders them to get up and raise their hands behind their heads. Karl obeys, but shouts in German that his friend is badly wounded and can’t get up! Hans tries anyway, but faints. The Americans realize that if they want to take their prisoners to camp they will have to call for an ambulance.
While waiting, they try to get some information out of the two men, but as neither of them speaks German this fails. In the meantime a few men search the site and it is not long before the bag is found. When they see the papers in it, they can only guess the importance of the content, and they send a motor messenger to bring it to HQ.
Soon they hear the ambulance, but unfortunately the last part is too difficult to drive. The medics come down with a stretcher and examine their patient. The wounds are as good as possible dressed for transport. Hans is lifted on the stretcher and carried to the waiting ambulance. It rushes off!
The site is searched once more, but nothing else is found.
Karl is taken to camp as a POW. He wonders what will happen with his comrade. Will they help him properly? He hopes so! On arrival in camp Karl is locked up in a cell. To his joy he gets some decent food at lunchtime!
After lunch he is escorted to HQ. Clearly the contents of the bag have been examined thoroughly! He pretends not to understand English, but soon Luxemburg citizen comes in, who speaks German. Karl tells he has no idea what is in it, and that the bag was left by a fleeing officer. He is clearly not believed, but he understands that the Americans are having a party today, Thanksgiving and a show! With girls!!! He would love to join them! After some more questioning they decide to bring him back to his cell, and try again tomorrow. When the Luxembourger gets up to leave, Karl quickly asks how Hans is doing. He’s glad when he hears that this afternoon an operation is due to remove the bullet! No visiting hours… Back to the cell, where at least there’s a bed!
Hans, too, is in bed. On arrival his wounds were examined, cleaned and properly dressed! He even gets some medication against the pain. No lunch…! He understands that this afternoon he will be operated upon, to remove the bullet that was still in his body.
Perhaps it is not so bad after all to be captured…at least he will live!