by Anne Barwell
“Do you want to go back?” Kristopher picked up his pace. Although he had said several times that he didn’t like the cold, it didn’t seem to be deterring him now. Or was his mind elsewhere? Talking about his decision to fake his death hadn’t been an easy thing to do, and Liang admired his courage. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to go through with something like that.
“Not yet.” Liang knew he was as distracted as Kristopher. Speaking to someone about what had been going around in his head had helped, although he still hadn’t worked out whether telling Ken what he knew was a good idea. If his suspicions were correct, Ken already had another secret he wasn’t prepared to share. Would one less to hide make it easier or not?
Liang also couldn’t figure out how to bring it up. Admitting he’d heard Matt calling Ken by what was obviously his real name would only make both of them panic that their other secret had been revealed too. Liang had known he was watching an intimate moment between them—well, as intimate as they were able to be—and that he should have walked away. It wasn’t often he saw that more open side of Ken, and he had to admit he was curious about the relationship.
He also wasn’t in a hurry to upset Matt. For the most part, Matt was very easygoing, but Liang had no wish to experience his anger firsthand. Besides, Matt had enough issues with his nightmares and fear of the dark without adding something else to the mix.
“Did you hear that?” Kristopher had stopped walking and stood a short distance behind Liang.
“Hear what?” Liang turned and retraced his steps to stand beside Kristopher. “I can’t—” As he started to speak, he heard the unmistakable noise of tires against gravel, followed by men’s voices. “Oh hell.” He grabbed Kristopher’s arm, and they both sprinted for the small barn nearby and had barely dived inside when two military vehicles drove past.
“This road leads to the safe house,” Kristopher whispered. “There’s nothing else out here.”
Liang peered out the window. “There’s a third vehicle following behind.” Although he wished he could see more clearly, it wouldn’t change the fact their safe house was now anything but. “I can see the men are in uniform, but that’s about it.”
“The safe house has been compromised. Either we have a traitor, or….” Kristopher swallowed. “One or both of our teams have been captured.”
“Not necessarily.” Liang turned to look at Kristopher. God knew what he must be imagining. Probably the same thing Liang was. He couldn’t get caught again. Just the thought of going through…. He couldn’t…. Liang turned back to the window.
“You don’t really believe that, do you?” Kristopher sounded hoarse. “We can’t stay here. If they start searching the area, there’s nowhere to hide.”
The barn was almost empty, as the livestock were outside, and the closest building apart from the safe house was the farmhouse. They needed to get as far away from both of them as they could, and quickly.
“I’m open to suggestions. How are we supposed to get somewhere else without being seen?” Liang tapped his fingers on the windowsill. If they’d stayed at the safe house like they were supposed to, they’d probably be in custody by now.
“We need to get to the church and hope that’s still safe.” Kristopher sounded a little too calm.
“Michel will be all right,” Liang said softly. “He’s always very careful, and Ken is there to watch his back. Those two work well together. After all, they did break me out of Gestapo custody in Stuttgart.”
“Matt thought we might have been compromised. What if he was right?” Kristopher balled one fist, then unfurled it. “What if Holm’s just been waiting for the right moment to strike? If we hadn’t taken a walk….” He bit his lip. “If Reiniger has Michel, has any of them, they will be far from all right. You don’t—”
Liang placed his hands on Kristopher’s shoulders. “Yes, I do,” he said. “I bloody well know exactly what those bastards are capable of. Don’t ever presume I don’t.”
“I didn’t…. I’m sorry.” Kristopher lowered his gaze. “Verdammt, I’m sorry.” He looked up after a few moments. Liang shivered at the lack of emotion in his eyes. It reminded him of something he’d seen before, but he couldn’t place it. “We’re not staying here until we’re found,” Kristopher continued. “We need to assess the situation and get word to the rest of our team. If they haven’t been caught, they’ll be walking into a trap when they return.”
“If you’re caught, this is all over,” Liang reminded him. It suddenly dawned on him why Kristopher’s expression seemed familiar. “This isn’t some formula that needs solving, Kit. Taking yourself and your emotions out of the equation might not be a good idea.”
“I can’t afford to let them in at present. I need some time to process…. I don’t want to think about what might be happening….” Kristopher shook himself free from Liang’s grip. “You’re right. If we’re caught, there is no reason for Holm to keep any of our friends alive.” He reached into his pocket and drew a gun Liang hadn’t realized he was carrying. “I’ve let my emotions dictate my actions before, and it didn’t work. I have to at least try this. Better to take action than sit here and wait to be arrested. We’ll talk once we’re away from here and I know for certain what we’re dealing with.”
“All right.” Liang answered the unspoken question at the end of Kristopher’s sentence, but it didn’t mean he agreed with it. All he could do was make sure he was there to support Kristopher later if their suspicions about their friends were correct or if this all went horribly wrong. “As I said before, I’m open to suggestions.”
Kristopher nodded slowly. “It won’t take long before the soldiers realize the house is empty. That gives us a limited window of opportunity. There’s a thicket of trees halfway between here and the dense bush a distance away.”
“That’s closer to the house than we are now, but there’s a good chance they’ll see us. There’s no cover between here and those trees.” Liang could see Kristopher’s point even if it felt a bit too much like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.
“It’s that or attempt to run across several meters of open farmland in the other direction. At least this way, there’s the fence between us and the house, and there’s a good chance the soldiers won’t be looking this way. The trees will provide us with cover once we get there. Unless you’d prefer to stay here?”
“I’d prefer to not have to deal with any of this, but that’s not going to happen, is it?” Liang opened the door and took a quick glimpse outside. The soldiers’ focus did seem to be the house for the moment. “As this is your plan, you go first, and I’ll be right behind you.” He really hoped Kristopher knew what he was doing. At least this way, they had a chance, although it wouldn’t be an option for much longer.
Kristopher nodded instead of replying. The sun was finally setting, so if they made it as far as their next hiding place, they would be able to stay there until they could move under the cover of darkness. He shoved his gun into the waistband of his trousers and took several deep breaths, then sprinted toward the thicket of trees.
“Better this than stay here.” Liang muttered the words under his breath. I hope. Focus on following him. Nothing else. Nothing. Else. If he let himself think about the soldiers spotting them and opening fire, he’d be done for.
Run. Run.
Shit, there’s movement at the house. Liang picked up his pace, his heart pounding. His legs felt like they were burning.
He skidded to a stop behind the bushes. His vision wavered, and he fell to his knees, his breath coming in gasps. With all that had happened over the past seven months, he thought he was fitter than this.
Kristopher had his hands on his bent knees, catching his breath. He caught Liang’s eye, and they shared a minuscule smile. At least Liang wasn’t the only one who’d spent too many years behind a desk.
One of the soldiers walked out of the house. The man stood near the front door, lighting a cigarette while he surveyed the area. He took
a couple of puffs and then marched around the house, disappearing from view.
Liang let out the breath he was holding. He began to whisper something, but Kristopher put his fingers to his lips and shook his head.
The soldier—an Oberscharführer—reappeared, strode toward the back fence, and quickly disappeared from view. Liang heard the noise of something being dragged. What the hell was the soldier doing? Then suddenly the man peered over the fence, looking around until he noticed the bushes they were hiding behind, and smiled.
No. No. No.
Should they make a run for it? Had he seen them?
Kristopher paled. He’d obviously seen the soldier too. He tensed, drawing his gun.
“Oberscharführer!” another soldier called out from inside the house.
The Oberscharführer stubbed out his cigarette on a fence post and climbed down, disappearing from view.
Liang sighed in relief, but he knew his hope they were safe was short-lived. He’d recognized the man, and searched his memory for the name Matt had told him. “That’s Esser,” he whispered to Kristopher. “We met him on the way to Pont-Audemer. He works for Holm.”
“DAMN IT.” Matt muttered as he pressed against the crumbling wall and hoped like hell he hadn’t been seen.
Bad enough that they’d had to abandon the mission because of the platoon of soldiers already there, but to finally reach the truck they’d parked in a nearby village only to find it was under surveillance? It couldn’t be a coincidence. Given these soldiers were trying hard to be inconspicuous, they must be part of a trap. Matt had only figured out they were there because he’d stopped at the far side of the wall while waiting for Sébastien to catch up. Otherwise he would have already been at the truck and most likely in custody.
“Problem?” Sébastien asked, coming up behind Matt.
“You could say that.” Matt gestured toward the other side of the wall. “If you look closely, you can see a couple of soldiers by that alcove over there.” The soldiers stood at the top of the steps leading to the side door of the building, so they weren’t immediately noticeable from the street. “I heard one of them sneeze.”
“My guess is they’re waiting for someone.” Sébastien frowned. “But how did they know about the truck? It’s hidden from the road. They would have had to walk at least ten minutes off their usual patrol route in order to find it.”
“That’s my thought too. If they’re waiting for us, they’ve probably gotten our descriptions too, so I didn’t see the point in risking a confrontation.” Matt had no desire to end up in handcuffs anytime soon or being handed over to Holm. Once had been more than enough.
“One hell of a coincidence.” Sébastien’s tone was noncommittal. “I guess we’d better start walking, then. If we start now, we could be back at the safe house before dark. Trying to get to the truck would be foolish. If they have no clue we were here, it gives us a head start while they wait for us to show.”
“We’re not going back to the safe house,” Matt said grimly. He had a nasty feeling it was already too late for that. Better to be safe than deliver the rest of his team to Holm and his men. “We’ll get as close as we dare so we can assess the situation, but I’m hoping like hell Alexandre and Benoit haven’t been caught.”
“What about Michel’s team?” Sébastien asked the question Matt had preferred not to think about.
“You don’t think this is a coincidence either, do you?” Matt had no doubt Holm was behind this. They’d been on borrowed time ever since they’d reached Cyrville-sur-Mer, but he’d hoped luck would stay with them until the Allied invasion.
If Holm had Ken…. Matt dug his nails into his palm. Fuck. If Holm hurt Ken, Matt would kill the bastard.
“No.” Sébastien watched the truck for a few more minutes. Was he having second thoughts about taking it by force?
“I only saw two soldiers,” Matt said. “There might be more. I’m not going to start a fight I might not be able to win. If… if some of our team have been captured, we’ll need to use our resources to rescue them.”
It wasn’t just Ken he wouldn’t leave behind. The rest of their team were more than just friends—they were family. Not only that, but he couldn’t risk Holm getting his hands on Kristopher and the information he carried. If that happened, this war could be over, no matter the outcome of London’s current operation.
Sébastien raised an eyebrow. “A rescue? If they’ve been captured, it’s only a matter of time before our entire operation is compromised—if it hasn’t been already.”
After one last glance at the truck, Matt turned away and started walking. He pulled his jacket collar up to partially obscure his face and hoped he’d be far enough away before the soldiers realized no one was coming.
Sébastien caught up with him quickly. They walked in silence for about a mile before Sébastien spoke again. “You think we have a traitor?”
“Don’t you? This isn’t the first time we’ve had a mission compromised.”
“Someone could have noticed the truck and contacted the Gendarmerie. I trust my team and have worked with them many times. Do you still trust yours?”
“Yes, I do. With my life,” Matt said. He doubted this was something simple like a concerned citizen reporting them to either the Gendarmerie or directly to the Gestapo. Perhaps he was being too suspicious, and this was a coincidence. Just because their mission had been compromised didn’t mean the others were in trouble. It could just be bad luck all round.
“You’re not just trusting them with the lives of your team,” Sébastien said, “but with those of my team as well. And we don’t have a high-ranking SS official after us. I told you I would keep my opinions to myself as long as my team was not threatened. We’ve had not one but two missions compromised because someone apparently knew our plans. Perhaps it is time you and your men moved on, oui?”
MICHEL TRIED to figure out how long they’d been traveling, but in the end decided to give up. What was the point? Their chances of escape were virtually zero, unless someone decided to attempt a rescue.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to end.
He wanted a life with Kristopher, damn it, both of them growing old together far away from any of this.
Please don’t come for me, mon cher. Stay safe, and live your life.
He wouldn’t be used as bait to get Kristopher to surrender. He’d rather die first. But that wouldn’t guarantee Kristopher’s safety. Michel knew how this kind of situation worked and that Kristopher would cling to the belief Michel could be saved until he was presented with proof otherwise.
Who the hell had betrayed them? This was the work of a traitor. It had to be. Reiniger knew they’d be there. Was it someone from Arlette’s cell? If so, they’d betrayed one of their own too.
He risked a glance at Arlette. She stared straight ahead, dried tears on her cheeks, shoulders straight. Ken had his eyes closed, his expression completely unreadable.
Matt might be able to stop Kristopher from giving himself up, but he wouldn’t leave Ken behind. Might. Michel almost groaned aloud. He knew how stubborn Kristopher would be and how he’d justify his being a part of a rescue attempt as “necessary” and convince Matt he’d stay “safe.” Michel had seen Kristopher’s definitions of those words before, and it still sent chills through him.
Merde. If they had a traitor in their midst, that person would know about any rescue attempt too. It might be only a matter of time before they were all caught if they weren’t already. Matt wouldn’t leave anyone behind, but if he and Liang were caught too…. Michel wasn’t sure Sébastien would risk his team to save them.
Michel took several deep breaths and forced himself to calm. Their captors would use any sign of weakness against them. He wouldn’t give Kristopher up to them. Kristopher was his strength. And his weakness.
He closed his eyes. If he couldn’t see his surroundings, he could believe it wasn’t real, hide in an illusion, at least for a short time. He’d spent months underco
ver, and months before that taking part in dangerous missions. But he hadn’t had so much to lose then. His brother and his closest friend were already dead, and he’d figured if he’d lost his life helping to free his beloved France, so be it.
Now he had someone to live for, and he was terrified, not for himself but for Kristopher.
“Thinking about your future?” Reiniger’s question jarred Michel back to reality. He’d crouched down next to him in the truck as it had slowed down. “I wouldn’t waste my time, Schmitz. Traitors don’t have that luxury.”
Michel gazed at him unflinchingly. He didn’t bother replying. Anything he’d say would only serve to aggravate the man. Michel’s stomach still ached from where Reiniger had hit him, and the side of his mouth was sore, but that was nothing compared to what Reiniger was capable of. He’d seen one of Reiniger’s interrogations before, and the results of others.
Better not to think of that until he had to.
“Herr Holm has said I can have you when he’s finished.” Reiniger sneered, his breath hot against Michel’s cheek. “You’ll pay for what you’ve done.” Reiniger dropped his voice to a whisper. Did he really think no one else would hear him? “It won’t take long before you’re no longer useful.” He smiled.
Michel kept staring straight ahead as though Reiniger wasn’t there.
The truck lurched to a stop. Reiniger gestured for them to stand and exit. Each of the prisoners had their own personal guard. Holm definitely wasn’t taking any chances. Michel felt the butt of a rifle in his back, and he climbed down carefully, not wanting to go sprawling as his hands were still bound behind him. He’d hang on to whatever dignity he had for as long as he could.
As soon as Ken and Arlette had disembarked, Reiniger led his men into what looked like some kind of bunker. The sun had set, so there wasn’t much light, but Michel could hear waves crashing against the shore. They were close to the sea. Could this be a command bunker attached to one of the long-range artillery batteries?