On his final jaunt around the castle, Jacob prayed. So many people counted on him. My Father, anoint the works of my hands and grant me success.
At last, he finished. The anxiety of accomplishing his task had protected him from the cold, but now his teeth chattered and his body shivered. As he trudged back to the waterway that fed the castle's moat, he stopped dead in his tracks at the presence of soldiers. How long would they remain? Perhaps, the entire night. He had no choice but to retrace his steps behind the castle to the Saone River. It meant a much longer swim, and when he got out, he would have to traverse dense woods over a farther distance to reach the town.
He avoided the canal locks, where guards would be posted, and padded down to the riverside. He checked his watch before he slid in. Only one hour to reach his rendezvous with Joshua, and he still had to return for Chloe and her parents. The notion to leave his pack so he could swim faster was discarded. The supplies were too valuable, and he might need the gun. Once again, the water felt warmer than the air but not as warm as it had been. He ignored the cold, pushing forward as fast as he could. He reminded himself that Chloe had promised to marry him. He had to get back in time for that.
When a patrol boat drew near, Jacob panicked. He hadn't counted on that. Had his comrades? After leaving their explosives at the power plants, they would travel down the river. It would be extremely unfortunate if a patrol boat discovered them.
Jacob swam inland, doing his best to make himself part of the shoreline. His pack was dark. Perhaps the searchlights wouldn't reveal it. The motor sounded close, but he still didn't see the boat.
All of a sudden, it was upon him with bright lights headed his way. He ducked under the water and prayed his pack would be invisible. The light flickered for several seconds then moved on. He'd nearly run out of breath, when it veered back. Were the Nazis searching for something or was this a nightly routine? That detail was certainly a flaw in Resistance intel.
The burning pain in his lungs and head became more than he could bear. The desire to float to the top consumed him. When the motor surged and the light swung away, Jacob kicked to the surface and sucked in air. After several deep breaths, he bobbed on top of the water and listened for the boat motor.
It moved away, but Jacob was too weak to go on. Several precious minutes elapsed before his aching lungs felt like further activity. Thoughts of Chloe finally sent him on his way again.
When he assumed he'd reached the town, he waded to shore and shook off. A pair of boots would have come in handy, but he'd have to run through the woods without any. With a quick inspection of the pack, he noted a couple of moist spots, but nothing that would ruin what he carried.
He ran, stumbling several times before he traveled far enough away from the river to use the flashlight. Even with the tiny beam, he couldn't protect his feet. Several cuts from fallen branches brought stifled cries, but he wouldn't slow down. He'd spent nearly thirty minutes in the water that he hadn't accounted for, and he refused to leave Chloe and her parents behind when he met Joshua.
He reached the outskirts of town. All the houses sat in a tidy row, cloaked in darkness. Somewhere, a guard lurked along the main street, where Jacob had to pass to reach Chloe. Jacob slid from shadow to shadow until he identified her house. After watching for several seconds, he became convinced that a soldier hid in the porch shadows. His nose detected the faint aroma of tobacco, and he saw the glow from the cigarette butt. It had to be a guard. Remy would never be careless enough to smoke outside after curfew. Point of fact, he'd never seen Remy smoke at all. Few citizens possessed the money to purchase cigarettes.
Jacob sneaked across the street along the path of a shadow. As he crawled over the ground, dirt clung to the damp uniform. That didn't matter now. When he attained the corner of Chloe's house, he pulled the pack off his back and set it to the side. Though his gun was loaded and ready, bullets were precious. He would trust the element of surprise to give him the advantage.
After his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the porch, he zeroed in on his target. Definitely a uniformed soldier and not one he recognized. With one more scrutiny of the surrounding area, Jacob made his move. His hands reached straight for the neck, twisting with all his might. He heard the crack, and the body went limp, sliding to the ground in near silence.
Something about the guard's presence didn't sit right. Jacob peered in the windows. After finding nothing of note in the living area, he moved stealthily to the other side of the house. Through the kitchen window, Jacob found the family seated at the table. Chloe, Remy, and Rachelle…all silent. There had to be another guard.
Jacob crept to a different window. This one clearly revealed a soldier leaning against the sink. If the family was under guard, either the soldiers were searching for the rat catcher or they knew about the explosives at the castle. Could that be the reason for the patrol boat? He wasn't sure, but he was going to take the risk of eliminating that guard. If another hid somewhere in the house, they were in trouble.
After examining each kitchen window, Jacob found one with the best vantage point. He could shoot the guard without endangering the family. He'd have to break the window, but that didn't seem to matter right now. With a deep exhale, Jacob took the shot. The soldier dropped, and Remy jumped to the back door.
Jacob rushed around to meet him. The door slid ajar, and Jacob surveyed the scene. The family waited inside, standing over the soldier.
Jacob had killed three men on this mission, something he'd never done before. Although he'd told Chloe it was war and necessary, he hated it. Somewhere along the way, God had softened his heart. As he stood staring at the dead man, Jacob asked himself if he'd made a mistake. His heart said no, they had to win the war. They had to beat the Nazis.
"What happened here? Is the whole army out looking for me?"
"Non." Chloe moved to his side. "This is the same guard that was looking for you earlier. When he didn't find you, he came here and discovered me. He thought you'd come back, so he waited."
"How long?" The family members looked at each other. "How long?" Jacob repeated urgently.
"Maybe thirty minutes, not long," said Remy.
"We've got to go. Are you ready?" His eyes sought Chloe's for some clue as to her state of mind, but her head was averted.
Remy answered. "We aren't going with you. If we leave, everyone in the village would be suspect. Chloe can go. If there are any records that showed Chloe was in the castle, they will just think she blew up along with the Nazis."
"Understood. Wait for me at the kitchen door."
Jacob tramped to the front porch and dragged the guard back to the kitchen. At that point, Chloe noticed his bare feet and ran to the pantry. She came back with a pair of her father's work boots. "Here, you'll need shoes."
Jacob slid them over his battered feet, wincing slightly at the snug fit, but he'd rather wear tight shoes than run barefoot through the woods again. He opened the back door and pointed. "Go."
Remy led his wife and daughter by the hand, and they left their house without a backward glance. Jacob threw one soldier over his shoulder and pulled the other one out the door. He couldn't leave dead bodies behind for anyone to point a finger at the Fabius family.
"Let me help you," said Remy.
Jacob gave him the guard with the broken neck so he wouldn't get blood on his clothes, and they trudged into the woods behind the house.
They made slow advances for ten minutes before Jacob called a halt. He dropped the soldier to the ground. "This is far enough. I'm not going to leave them at the rendezvous point. It gives the Nazis too much information should we accidentally leave something behind."
"I'll move them later." Remy placed the other guard on the ground, and they all continued after Jacob.
He traveled swiftly through the trees, hoping they would be able to keep up with him. Thus far, no one had complained. When he neared the rendezvous point, he made them stop.
"Wait here. There could be a tra
p. If Joshua was caught, he could have given me away. If I'm not back in fifteen minutes, go home. It's over." He saw them nod in the darkness, and he continued on his own.
Chapter 11
Jacob circled around the location where he would meet Joshua several times. He didn't see anything suspicious, so he called out. Joshua answered with the right code so Jacob walked forward, his gun hidden at his side.
"Jacques, please tell me that's you and not a trap. I've been waiting for twenty minutes, and the mind plays games on you in the dark."
Jacob clapped Joshua on the back. "It's me. I ran into a little trouble, so I'm late. Help me dig up the rest of our supplies. Do we have a go with the power plants?"
Both men dug while Joshua described the difficulties they'd had trying to position the explosives where they would do the most damage.
"Everything is in place, and the crew should be at the canal locks in less than thirty minutes. Are you ready to blow the Chateau?"
"Oui, it's ready."
"Did you find out how to work the canal lock?"
"Better than that. I brought the Prefect of the town to do it for us."
"What? You brought the Prefect? Can you trust him?"
"If you remember, he's the one that sent the message for us to come. I trust him."
They held everything they needed and stood watching each other.
"Where is he?" Joshua asked.
"Follow me."
Jacob led Joshua back to the Fabius family where they sat on the ground under a tree.
"You brought the whole family?" Joshua shook his head. "What will we do with them?"
"They're not all going. They're helping."
"How do you do?" Joshua introduced himself politely to each one. "Please call me Joshua. Are you ready?"
"Oui," said Remy.
Chloe spoke up. "Don't you think Jacques should change? He's soaking wet and covered with mud and blood."
Joshua glanced at Jacob. "Jacques, are you all right?"
"Merci, Chloe, but we don't have time, and if we get stopped, a wet uniform is better than none at all."
Jacob started out. They followed him single file. Chloe and Rachelle in front, Remy and Joshua at the rear. When they reached a vantage-point near the castle, a discussion ensued.
"Should we open the canal locks before we blow the castle or afterward?" asked Joshua.
Jacob explained the situation to Remy. "There is an unknown quantity of guards on the canal. When the castle blows, they'll most probably forsake the canal to run. If you approach the canal now, you'll have to fight. I don't think the canal is in any danger from the castle explosion, so we should probably wait."
Joshua made the decision. "Set the timer, and we'll get as close to the locks as we can before the Chateau blows. Follow me."
Jacob set about arming his detonator. He gave it a twenty- minute delay then ran after the others. He caught up with them at the edge of the bridge.
Joshua stood close to Remy. "Can we get there without getting you all wet?"
Remy and Chloe shared a look then Chloe glanced at her mother. "Oui, but Maman may not make it."
"If it can be crossed, I'll get your mother there," said Jacob. "Where do we need to go?"
Remy moved ahead of the others as they left the area under the bridge. If there had been a moon, they would have been clearly displayed as they scrambled single file to the moat. Remy pointed to a small door on the underside of the bridge, but the stairway to the door had long ago fallen into the dark water.
"How do we get down there?" asked Joshua.
"That's the hard part," Chloe explained. "We jump."
Joshua looked skeptically at Chloe's parents. "Then we've reached a dead end."
"Non, I can do it," said Jacob, opening his pack.
"How long do we have?"
"About fifteen minutes." Jacob took out a rope and handed it to Remy. "Tie this around Rachelle. Will that door open?"
Remy fumbled in his pockets for a moment and brought out an old skeleton key. "This should do it. But it hasn't been turned for years."
"Then pray for the best."
While they tied the rope tightly to Rachelle, Jacob inspected the wooden door. There was absolutely no footing in front of it at all. He would have to jump, catch the iron bars of the window at the top of the door, and hang on while trying to get the key turned in the lock. If he failed, he would end up splashing into the moat.
Four silent figures watched as Jacob gauged the distance between the door and the high riverbank where they stood. He took a deep breath and plunged into thin air. His fingers scrambled to get a hold on the iron bars, but it was agony. The splintered wood tore at his flesh, and the rusted bars weren't much better. When he got one arm through the rails of the window, he reached down for the key in his pocket. He held it tightly, because if it fell into the moat, Jacob would be stuck hanging on the side of the door.
The key fit perfectly inside the lock. Jacob turned as hard as he could. It didn't budge, so he kicked at it with his boot. He felt a slight movement and reached down again, wrenching the lock loose. The key turned, and he opened the door. Thank you, Lord.
After careful positioning, Jacob hung in space between the door and the opening. He reached out with his foot and caught the edge, then flung himself over. A mass of cobwebs clung to his face, and he tore frantically at them. He'd never known cobwebs could feel so claustrophobic. He waved his arm into the darkness to clear the way for the others.
Holding onto the door, Jacob leaned out and waved. Rachelle immediately dropped over the side. He leaned forward to catch her and pull her toward the opening. Once he had his arms around her, he saw her closed eyes. "Rachelle, I've got you. Stand up."
She pulled herself upright and backed into the cave-like opening. "Eek!"
"Here, try this." He handed over the flashlight.
Next he removed her rope and gave it a firm yank. It disappeared above him. After a few moments more, Chloe dropped to him. They repeated the process for Remy, and then Jacob gave one last yank. Joshua would have to jump for the door as Jacob had, but this time the door was open and there was a solid surface at which to aim.
Everyone backed away and waited. They heard a thud and a groan as Joshua caught the side. His upper half made it, but his legs hung off the edge. Jacob dragged him up.
"Merci," Joshua muttered when he was able to stand.
Remy took the light from Rachelle and led them away from the entrance. Jacob pulled the door shut behind him. He had no idea where they were going, but he kept silent. After what seemed like a horribly long time in the dark, narrow tunnel, Remy slowed. He stood before a fork in the tunnel and hesitated.
"Do you know the way? We must hurry. Time is short." They had about three minutes left, and Jacob didn't want to be trapped somewhere under the castle when it blew.
"Oui, it's this way."
Remy scurried down the left side of the tunnel. They hurried after him until they heard the sound of rushing water. "We're there."
"Where?" Jacob whispered.
"The canal locks." Remy shined the light behind him and Jacob saw a door much like the one they'd entered, except this one was over the river.
"How do we get out? Everything is about to blow."
"Where is the key?"
Jacob handed it over and waited while Remy worked on the stubborn lock. The door swung open just as the sound of the explosions boomed through the tunnel. The shock waves followed, vibrating the tunnel with noise. Jacob clung to Chloe. Remy reached out and slammed the door shut lest they fall through.
When it became apparent that they weren't going to be shaken apart, Remy opened the door and peered out. A small platform offered the only way out, and he tested it gingerly with his foot before putting all his weight on it.
Jacob grabbed at him. "Wait! You don't have a gun."
Jacob vaulted to the platform and looked around. The castle tower blazed with fire, and a few soldiers could be see
n in retreat of the raging scene. However, no one remained on the canal locks, so Jacob boosted himself over the edge and reached for the next person.
When Remy arrived at the levee, he hustled to the controls and opened the lock over the river, ignoring the spectacle behind him. "Where are you supposed to wait for your comrades?"
There was no answer so he turned. The little band gaped at the destruction of the centuries-old Chateau. Flames roared up the walls, engulfing the entire structure. A second later, they experienced a boom so loud it made their ears ring. The fire had reached the wine cellar and ignited the Nazi armory.
Chloe held her ears as the walls of the great structure fell in on itself. Oh, the beautiful treasures she and Madame had hidden. How could anything survive that?
Jacob put his arms around her. "I'm sorry, Chloe!" He shouted in her ear. "I guess the Nazis had more ammunition in that cellar than I thought."
"It isn't your fault. The wine made the fire burn even hotter and faster!"
Joshua was the first to recover. "Jacques, we've got to get away from here. If the patrol boats come by, we're sitting ducks silhouetted in front of this fire."
Jacob took Chloe by the hand and pulled her away from the canal locks. Everyone followed. They ran along the riverbank, pausing occasionally for Remy and Rachelle to get their breath. Jacob finally stopped, and the others huddled together in the shadows while the fire raged in the distance. He opened his pack and located a large flashlight. This time, he needed a light that could be seen easily. He flicked it one time to make sure it worked then settled back along the shore to wait for the signal. He stared intently at the water, not sure they would be able to hear the boat when it approached.
"Jacques." Chloe's voice reached him, but he couldn't take his eyes off the water.
"What is it?"
"I understand if you don't want to marry me now."
What did she mean? From the nonchalant tone of her voice, she could have been talking about anything.
"Joshua, come here."
Joshua dropped beside him, and Jacob handed him the flashlight. "Wait for the signal. Flash back three times, pause, then once more."
All Things New Page 13