by Alexa Kang
"Thank...thank you," Ellie stammered. She was as amazed as Tessa. "I...thank you very much."
Oskar broke into a smile for the first time since he had become their captor. Feeling bolder, Tessa asked him, "Why did you become a Nazi?"
His smile disappeared. He looked her in the eye. "Because it is the only way I can help unite the German people in the world. When we're united, we're invincible." His face became stern again, and the room fell quiet.
"You honestly believe that?" Tessa asked.
"Honestly and completely."
She looked back at him, challenging him. She wanted to believe he was lying. She tried to search for the slightest hint of a soul beneath his cool front, but he did not break. His eyes only revealed further his deep conviction.
"I've seen what we can do," he said. "Before the Nazis came to power, the German people were divided. Because we were divided, we fell to the mercy of our conquerors. We were oppressed because we weren't united. With the Nazis, we became a united front. We have food. We have jobs. Our young people are healthy. Everything is better because of us."
Tessa wanted to dispute him, but he continued. "The first time I went to a rally, I was fourteen. I saw our potential. Our destiny. There were thousands of us, single-minded and unified. And we are strong. We bring glory to our fatherland. The world was ready to destroy us, but we prevailed. I saw what we could become with my own eyes."
"And what have you become? Killers of an old man and a child."
The question did not trouble him. "They were weak. They are better off eliminated."
"Mathias wasn't weak. He was young."
"He was weak by extension. His country didn't protect him. His family didn't protect him. He could not have grown up strong by himself. He was not German. We cannot take care of him. It is better this way."
His words gave Tessa chills. Oskar was no different from Pfeiffer after all. Ellie cowered and raised her hands to cover her lips. Tessa glanced at her, then looked at Oskar again. "What will you do to us? Are we weak too? Will you eliminate us?"
His expression eased somewhat. "As I already said, you will be taken to a prison camp. When your country surrenders, we will send you home. The Führer has great plans for us. We will dominate Europe and Russia. America just needs to stay out of our way." He opened the door. The distant voices of a choir flowed into the room. Although Tessa could not understand the language, she recognized it was the familiar tune of "O Holy Night."
"Tomorrow is Christmas," he said. "In the afternoon, I will bring your two friends here. You can have a meal and spend the afternoon together."
The offer hardly cheered them after what he had just said to them.
"I should warn you, the Oberst's tolerance has a limit. Do not do anything to cross him. We have no plans to harm you. Do as you're told. Do not do anything to cause trouble, and you'll be all right." He left and closed the door. The sound of the lock reminded them of their true predicament.
On her bed, Ellie sat back against the wall. She curled up and wrapped her arms around her legs. "Can we sing a song? Let's sing a song." In a low, lonely voice, she began.
O Holy night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night
of our dear Savior's birth
Numb and lost, Tessa joined her.
Long lay the world
In sins and error pining
Till He appeared
And the soul felt its worth
Louder they sang. How much Tessa wished the lyrics of the song could somehow erase all the horrors and atrocities of this world.
A thrill of hope
The weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angel voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night
O night, o night divine
Tessa reached for her angel amulet. No one could hear them. Their lone singing voices echoed down the empty corridor. Their pleas for deliverance went ignored and unheard.
26
At the 33rd Field Hospital, Aaron watched and listened as a group of nurses and medical staff sang Christmas carols to the patients. The group had dubbed themselves the 33rd Christmas Choir, and had invited the army band to join them. On this afternoon of Christmas Eve, they moved from ward to ward, spreading the holiday spirit to those who could not participate in the festivities planned by the army.
Halfway through their performance, Aaron departed. He walked down the hallway to a large window and looked outside to the snow drifting down. Two weeks had passed since Colonel Callahan had come to tell them that Ellie and Tessa Graham had gone missing, and yet there was still no news of their whereabouts.
Regret. How he regretted all the time and chances he had lost. If he hadn't been so hesitant in approaching Ellie, he and Ellie might have been together, and Ellie and Tessa would not have been sent away so easily without his consent.
"The odds are slim," Fran said. He didn't notice she had walked up next to him. "You should prepare for the worst."
He turned around.
"If they could be found," she said, "the army would've found them by now. There are only two possible outcomes that explain why they haven't found her."
He ignored her and looked back out the window. He thought of Ellie's smile when she turned to look at him before boarding the plane to Normandy. No. That could not be their last goodbye. She was out there, somewhere.
"Even if she's still alive, you might never find her again. There's no telling where the Germans would take her."
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked without looking at her.
"I'm worried about you, Aaron. It's better if you don't keep your hopes up. Chances are, you'll be disappointed. It's better to be prepared."
"Yes. That's always the most important thing to you, isn't it, Captain? To calculate and be prepared."
Seeing she could not sway him, she chose not to answer his question. "Merry Christmas, Doctor." She collected herself and walked away.
Paying no attention to her, he searched for the sunlight between the clouds. In the past, he had let this woman discourage him. He had reasoned himself into believing he was too old to pursue the girl he loved. He had given up all too readily whenever Fran goaded him with ideas that affirmed his false beliefs. Not anymore. He knew better now. Love was not about reason, or planning, or being prepared. To love someone was to have faith. To take chances, to hope, and to accept the outcome, good or bad.
As long as there was still hope, he would do everything he could to keep that hope alive.
On the day before Christmas, the Orion strike team moved into Strasbourg just in time for the holiday dinner planned for the Third Division. In the mess hall crowded with arriving troops, the strike team searched for the soldiers from their company who had already arrived in the city before them. To everyone's delight, the kitchen staff had planned a surprise sit-down dinner instead of a buffet spread. From the fine wines down to the elegantly printed menus resting on their plates, no effort was spared in giving them a full-on fine-dining experience.
Passing by the crowds, Anthony went to the kitchen. He asked one of the cooks for a box of B-rations, then quietly headed out the exit.
"Captain, you're leaving already?" Fox asked as Anthony passed him. Anthony acknowledged him and continued to walk away.
On the streets, American soldiers roamed the city, searching for parties and dances in local restaurants, or hurrying on their way to join civilian families to enjoy a home-cooked meal. Anthony waded through the people reveling in festivities, back to the inn where he was staying.
The inn was quiet and deserted when Anthony returned. Everyone had gone out to celebrate. Even the innkeeper was nowhere to be found. Only the fire burning in the fireplace provided a tepid bit of warmth. He went into the kitchen, brewed himself a pot of coffee, and sat do
wn at the table to eat his army-rationed dinner. When he finished, he took the letter that Tessa had sent him out of his jacket. He had been carrying the letter for weeks without ever opening it. She had not sent him any more letters after this one. Her silence could only mean one thing. She must have realized she should have chosen Jesse. He feared that the unopened letter would only confirm this.
He had tried to write to her, but every time he picked up his pen, he was lost for how to begin. There was so much he wanted to say to her. He wanted to tell her he still loved her, but compared to Jesse's great act of sacrifice, anything he could tell her felt like a consolation prize. He couldn't begin to write about their hopes for the future, when any talk of future plans felt like another bullet in Jesse's chest.
He put the letter back into his jacket. He wasn't ready to read what she had written. He didn't want to find out for certain that she loved somebody else.
Outside the window, flurries of snow floated in the air. Soon, the snow accumulated on the ground. The peaceful scenery gave him the only solace he could feel on this night.
What was Tessa doing now? Was she celebrating Christmas with her hospital? Or was she working near the front line, and Christmas was just another day of tired battles?
Was she thinking about him, the same way he was thinking about her?
He threw the empty B-ration cans into the garbage and left the kitchen. The front door of the inn opened and Colonel Callahan walked in. Anthony didn't expect to see him. "Colonel?"
"Captain Ardley," Callahan said. "Lieutenant Dennison said you might be here. May I have a word with you?"
"Of course, sir," Anthony said. The colonel's deferential tone confounded him.
"It's Lieutenant Graham. I'm sorry to tell you the news. She's missing. She's been missing for almost two weeks."
"Lieutenant Graham...you mean Tessa?"
"She and Lieutenant Ellie Swanson are both missing," Callahan confirmed, his eyes filled with sympathy. "I've been waiting for you to arrive so I could give you the news."
Missing... Anthony's heart almost came to a stop. Tessa had gone missing, and he was only finding out about this now? "Did you say two weeks? Why didn't anyone tell me earlier?"
"You were on a mission. We didn't want to distract you and jeopardize you or your men's lives. There's nothing you can do anyway."
Anthony felt utterly helpless. Doing his best to withhold his anger, he asked, "What happened?"
"She was last seen with Swanson outside their field hospital in a region near the Ardennes. No one has seen them since." Callahan walked closer to him. "The army has searched the entire area around the hospital, but unfortunately they haven't found anything yet."
Shaken, Anthony tried to imagine what Tessa might have been doing the day she had disappeared. What could have happened to her? Where did she go? He wanted to run off and look for her. "We have to find her."
"Of course. We'll do our best. I've already telegraphed her family."
Anthony fell onto the sofa near the fireplace.
"Will you be all right?" Callahan asked.
Anthony nodded.
"I'm very sorry," Callahan said. "I'll let you know first thing if we have any news." He gave Anthony another sympathetic look and left.
Alone, Anthony tried to make sense of the news. He wanted answers, but none would come. There was no sound in the room except the crackling of the wood burning in the fireplace. The heavy whiteness of the snow outside had buried the tranquil scenery from his sight.
He grabbed his service cap and jacket, and went outside. He didn't know where he was going. He only knew he wanted to go somewhere, to do something.
The snow came down harder and heavier. Snowflakes fell on his eyelids, and the blistering wind stung his face. He drew in deeper and deeper breaths as he plodded on.
How could he have been so wrong? She was missing. Perhaps in danger. Possibly dead. None of these scenarios had ever occurred to him. All along, he thought she hadn't written because she no longer loved him.
She was wallowing in tears when he left her in Paris. Afterward, he couldn't overcome his fears to write to her and let her know how much he still loved her. What if he never saw her again? Would that be their last memory of each other? What had he done?
Don't make her sad. Jesse's words echoed in his mind.
He had failed Jesse. All he had done was make Tessa sad. He was a poor, wretched excuse for a husband.
He came to a public square before a large cathedral. The monument stood tall and majestic above all the other buildings in the surrounding streets. He followed the cathedral's lights to the faint singing voices of the choir. He walked closer to the entrance, but could not move on. He felt unworthy to go any further. In front of the closed doors of the cathedral, he felt shut out.
He fell to his knees. The snowstorm had turned into a blizzard. The cathedral towered mightily over him, mocking his insignificance.
What do you want from me?
No answer came. Silence dominated the empty public square except for the voices of the choir coming from within the church.
Scenes of all the battles he had fought swarmed his mind. He saw the rivers he had passed, and the mountains he had crossed. Up until now, he had held out hope he would prevail.
If Tessa was gone, what was left for him to fight for?
The monument of God gave him no sign, no answer.
I've done everything I could. I've done all that you've asked. What more do you want from me?
Snow fell on his shoulders and the top of his cap. The choir had stopped singing. There remained only the howling sounds of the wind. Howls of pain in the dark of the night.
27
In the late morning while Tessa was drawing sketches on the stationery pad Oskar had brought them, Sister Margaux came to their room. This time, instead of bringing Tilda, she had brought along a guard.
"Merry Christmas," she said. "Come along. Your friends are waiting."
"Our friends?" Tessa asked. "Do you mean...?"
The sister smiled and nodded. Ellie jumped out of her bed, elated. Oskar had said he would let them spend Christmas day with Tyler and the Blade, but they didn't count on it happening.
They followed Sister Margaux and the guard down the winding corridor to a room on the opposite wing of the convent. Sister Margaux unlocked the door and let them inside. In front of a small fireplace, Tyler and the Blade were seated at a table waiting for them.
"Tessa!" Tyler got up immediately when they entered. "Lieutenant Swanson!"
"Tyler!" Tessa went to the table. "Blade!" The Blade wouldn't say anything in front of the guard, but she could see the relief in his eyes when they came in. "Are you both all right?"
"Yes," Tyler said. He and the Blade too were cleaned up and dressed in clean uniforms.
Tilda and another nun Tessa hadn't seen before brought in trays of hot food and water. Sister Margaux signaled them to place the food on the table. "Enjoy your afternoon. We'll be back later for the gentlemen." She led the guard and the other women to the door. "Merry Christmas." She closed and locked the door.
"I've been so worried about you two," Ellie said once the nuns and the guard had left.
"We've been worried about you." Tyler sat back down at the table. "Food! Good, I'm starving."
They sat down and began their meal. At first glance, it seemed like a meager offering with only a piece of bread, potatoes, and a small cup of soup. The gravy, however, had small bits of meat, which they all knew was a holiday treat.
"Did they treat you all right?" Ellie asked.
"Not bad, all things considered," Tyler said. "They locked us in a room in some kind of office. Every morning, an officer would come and question us. A different one each time. Well, mostly, they questioned Sergeant Cardozo. We didn't tell them anything of course. They let us shower once." He slurped the last of his soup. "What about you? How's life in the convent? Have you decided to forsake civilian life to take up the habit yet?"
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"You can still joke." Tessa punched him in the arm. He laughed and took a bite of his bread.
"I'm glad to hear they've treated you well," Ellie said. "They've been unusually nice, don't you think? Maybe it's the holiday. Maybe they're feeling the holiday spirit."
"They're not," the Blade spoke for the first time since they had arrived. "I don't trust them. The war must not be going well for them. I think they're being nice because they want information, and they think we have it. That's their tactic. Treat us well and fool us. When they realize they're not getting anything out of us, they'll try something else."
His reminder cooled their momentary excitement. "I'm telling you all the truth." He shoved a fork into his potatoes and continued eating. Tessa had lost her interest in the food. The Blade had good instincts. If he thought they were in danger, then most likely, they were.
"We need to get away," the Blade said.
"Get away? How?" Tessa asked.
"We should try to escape. Now. Right now is our only chance."
"Escape?" Tyler asked. "What?"
"We're alone here. It's Christmas. I watched the streets when they took us here. The Nazis are in their mess hall eating and drinking. Hopefully, they're drunk out of their minds. There's no one patrolling the area. The nuns are busy praying or doing God knows what they do on Christmas. We're in a convent. They think we're locked in." He lowered his voice and glanced at the door. "There's no one guarding us outside this room."
"How do you know?" Tyler asked.
"I heard their footsteps when they left. Four sets of footsteps. They're all gone."
Tessa's heartbeats quickened. Escape. Maybe they could escape!
"But we're locked in here," Ellie said. "How can we get out?"
The Blade pulled out from his jacket the knife that Tessa had stolen for him back at the Zeghers. "I can pick the lock." He looked around at them. "What do you say? Are you all with me?"