by Mark Spaid
“I’ll find out and tell you but I need to go alone. I don’t know what to expect in the way of security. Now, promise me you won’t try to follow.” Paulita sighed and nodded with slumped shoulders.
“I promise,” she said softly.
“Hey,” Jozette said as she Andy, Dixie and Beth came back.
“Dave and Tatiana aren’t back yet?’ Andy asked.
“The SS have them,” Lexi answered.
“That’s bad. What happened?” Jozette asked.
“We saw them at the North SS Patrol Station,” Justin said.
“They must’ve been caught at the lab,” Andy posed.
“I’m sure,” Justin said.
“What do we do?” Jozette asked.
“I’m going tonight to scout around and find out where they are,” Little Wolf said.
“It’s dangerous, son.” Jozette said.
“I know that, Mom, but how many times has Miss Tatiana put her life on the line for all of us.”
“Too many to remember. I know you have to go but be careful.”
“I will.”
“Who are you?” Lexi said as Mario and Janet walked up to them.
“We come in peace. We met Dave, Tatiana, Sol and the twins earlier today. They saved our lives,” Janet said.
“That’s no surprise,” Andy said.
“We were with them at the lab when they were taken. They went inside the lab but Janet and I stayed outside. We heard the SS coming but there was no warning anyone. There’s a death notice on our heads for sabotage a few months ago.”
“I’m going to the patrol station tonight to see where they are,” Little Wolf said.
“Maybe we could go,” Janet offered. We’ve been there before inside and out.”
“That’d help. I know nothing about it. Maybe you can show me where they’re being kept.”
“Just say when; we hate these bastard Nazis,” Mario said.
“We go in an hour,” Little Wolf said and they all broke into groups and ate some of the stores left in their back packs.
“I’m scared for the twins,” Paulita said as Darcy, Jessica, Dixie and she sat under a tree. Beth sat on Jozette’s lap and Gabby was right next to Justin. At home she was never far away from her Papa.
“We all are,” Darcy said.
“Miss Tatiana is there with them,” Jessica said.
“Yeah but they’re all prisoners,” Paulita said, “and who knows what those animals might do to Melanie and Mall…” Paulita started then choked up and lowered her head. Dixie sat next to her and put her arm around her friend. Paulita was the tough one of the bunch of girls but this hit her hard. She was the protector of the twins and the thought of them being held by sadists, angered and frightened her. She felt helpless and that was not a feeling that she was used to or could tolerate.
“We know, Paulita but maybe they’ll be okay. We have to think positive. It doesn’t help sitting around moping. My Daddy’s gone…dead and Zara, my sister, is dead. I want to scream but that won’t help anyone. We have to think of ways to get them back and correct the Time Frame,” Darcy said. They all had turned to look at their friend.
“You should run for congress,” Jessica said.
“You sound like an adult,” Dixie said.
“I am an adult.”
“Yeah, everyone on campus knows that,” Jessica said.
“Don’t remind me.”
“Darcy, you’re the most gorgeous female anywhere on the IU campus,” Dixie said.
“You think I don’t know that and you think I don’t hate it sometimes.” They all looked at one another but said nothing.
“Darcy, any woman would want to look like you,” Jessica said.
“Let them try it for a while and see how it wears on them…okay, I get up every day, get ready for class and look in the mirror. Yes, I’m beautiful. Now, you know I’m not vain about my appearance.”
“No, you never have been,” Paulita said.
“Am I glad I look good? Yes, but not all the time. I walk across campus and the males fantasize about me and most of the females hate me. I have no other female friends except you. I’m not complaining…I love you guys, you know that. But just once I’d like to make an acquaintance of a female in a class, maybe go to the union and have a glass of soda together. But, no if I try to start a conversation, their hot chick radar kicks in and they turn away and talk to someone else.”
“We didn’t know, Darcy,” Jessica said.
“Because I never said anything. Why should a beautiful chick complain about anything? They have everything. They have no right to complain about their appearance. Well, maybe I do sometimes.” Darcy looked down as everyone sat silent then she looked up with wet eyes. “I look at the average girls on campus and I envy them in a way. They can go through college, work on their degree without any distractions. When I’m on campus all I get are stares. It gets old.”
“We’re sorry, Darcy,” Paulita said.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you guys but I miss Zara so much.”
“We all do and once this Time Frame is erased, we’ll get her back,” Jessica said.
“Are you sure it’ll be changed?” Darcy asked.
“I have faith in Little Wolf and Miss Tatiana,” Dixie said.
* * *
“Are you ready?” Little Wolf asked.
“Were ready,” Mario said as he and Janet followed Little Wolf out of the woods and along a deserted residential street.
“I want to find the back of the building.”
“It’s on Grove and then down an alley off Springer,” Janet said. They moved there and were a block away. The building was in plain sight.
“Where would they hold them?” Little Wolf asked.
“When I was here, they had me in a cell just to the right of that downspout,” Mario said.
“Did it seem like it was a main cell?”
“I guess.”
“I mean, were you the only one there?”
“I don’t know. They brought me in with a bag over my head. I do remember that they took me down to the basement and worked me over first.”
“What’d you do?”
“I failed to salute the Fuehrer. It was a few weeks ago before the new Fuehrer. They were still saluting a picture of Hitler.”
“What’s the grill near the bottom of the wall?” Little Wolf asked.
“An air vent.”
“They have a vent to the outside in a room where they keep prisoners?”
“I guess so,” Mario said.
“They’re not very big on security, are they?”
“No, but if you get away, where’re you going to go in this town?”
“Point well taken but that vent could be a way to communicate with them,” Little Wolf said. “Alright, wait here.” Little Wolf snuck along a hedge and was next to the wall in an instant. He knelt down by the vent.
“What’s he doing?” Janet asked.
“Trying to talk to them, I guess. Whatever good that’ll do.”
“Miss Tatiana,” Little Wolf whispered but no response. “Miss Tatiana,” he said louder.
“What was that?” Dave asked.
“I think someone called my name.” Tatiana leaned down on the floor. “Who is it?”
“Miss Tatiana, it’s me, Little Wolf.” She looked up at Dave and grinned.
“Good to hear from someone. We’re being held as you know.”
“Is everyone okay?”
“Yes, we’re fine
“How secure is the place?”
“A guard comes by every fifteen minutes.”
“How big is the opening of the vent?”
“About eighteen inches square,” Tatiana said.
“How can you be so exact?”
“Dave’s forearm is eighteen inches.”
“How convenient. Can you get the cover off?”
“There are four screws…Phillips head.”
“I’ll be back,” Littl
e Wolf said and ran back to Mario and Janet. “I need a Phillips head screwdriver.”
“I don’t have a tool box with me,” Mario said.
“Can you get one?”
“Yes, but it’ll take some time.”
“Well, they have nowhere to go,” Little Wolf said. He hid behind the hedge while Mario and Janet disappeared. Thirty minutes passed and they returned.
“We found these,” Mario said and handed Little Wolf three screwdrivers of different sizes.
“Thanks,” Little Wolf said and quickly moved to the building. “Mr. Dave, Miss Tatiana.
“We’re here but wait, the guard’s coming,” Tatiana said.
“Who are you talking to?” The guard asked.
“My grandmother,” Tatiana said.
“What?”
“My grandmother…she died when I was a little girl but I still talk to her. She visits me when I’m in trouble.” The guard rolled his eyes and left.
“Nice going,” Dave said.
“Little Wolf.”
“I’m here. I have screwdrivers I can shove through grill.”
“Dave, can you reach those?”
“Yes, here they are.”
“Start taking the grill off.” Dave removed the screws and the inside grill.
“We can’t fit through there,” Dave said.
“No, but the girls can,” Tatiana said.
“Yes, that’s right,” Dave said.
“Miss Tatiana, kick out the outer grill and send the girls through. Can the rest of you fit?”
“No,” Tatiana said.”
“Tatiana can fit,” Dave said.
“I’m not going anywhere without you and Sol,” Tatiana said.
“Miss Tatiana, hurry and send the girls through,” Little Wolf said.
“Melanie, Mallory, come here now,” Dave said.
“What’re you doing, Mom?” Mallory asked.
“We’re getting you girls out of here.”
“How?” Melanie asked.
“Little Wolf’s on the other side waiting and he’ll take you and Mallory back with the rest,” Tatiana said.
“Aren’t you coming with us?” Mallory asked.
“Yeah, what about you and Daddy?” Melanie asked.
“We’re staying here.”
“No,” Mallory said.
“Yes, now crawl through to Little Wolf.”
“No Mommy,” Melanie said.
“Girls, do you want me to be mad at you?” Tatiana asked.
“No,” Melanie,” said and started to cry.
“We can’t stand it when you’re mad at us,” Mallory said.
“And, I don’t like it either but you girls are our responsibility. All that matters to me is your safety.”
“We love you, Mom,” Mallory said and they hugged Tatiana.
“I love you too, now get going.” The twins looked at each other and went through to Little Wolf.
“I’ll be back,” Little Wolf said.
“Just take care of our girls,” Dave said.
“I will. Come on girls let’s move fast,” Little Wolf said and they took off running. They made it to Mario and Janet and headed down the side streets. Dave and Tatiana put the vent cover on again and waited for the guard to discover two people were gone. Little Wolf got the girls back to the woods as quickly as possible.
“He’s back,” Lexi said and they all went to the girls who were winded.
“Are you two alright?” Jozette asked.
“Yes,” Mallory said.
“They didn’t hurt you?” Jozette asked.
“No, Miss Jozette,” Melanie said.
“But Mom and Daddy and Mr. Sol are still there. Daddy and Mr. Sol couldn’t fit through the hole and Mom wouldn’t leave without Daddy and Mr. Sol,” Mallory said.
“I know that,” Jozette said.
“Hey, girls,” Paulita said.
“Paulita,” Melanie said and hugged her and so did Mallory.
“I’m glad you’re okay, girls. I was scared.”
“So were we,” Mallory said.
“Let’s go with the others,” Paulita said.
“How secure is the place?” Justin asked Little Wolf.
“It’s secure enough and after they discover the girls are gone, they’ll lock it down tight.”
“Are they okay?” Belinda asked.
“So far but they may take it out on them as punishment for the girls escaping.”
“What do we do now?” Lexi asked.
“We need to go deep in the woods and immediately. They’ll be sending out patrols.”
“Come on, girls, were moving. Bring everything with us,” Justin said and they moved out.
“This is good enough,” Little Wolf said after they’d walked about two miles.
* * *
“Where are the two girls?” A guard asked as he made the regular rounds.
“What girls?” Tatiana asked.
“Where are they!” The guard shouted.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tatiana said.
“Escape!” the guard shouted and two other men arrived with pistol’s drawn. The door was opened and the three went inside.
“Where are the two girls?” A guard asked.
“I don’t know,” the other guard said.
“Well, where are they!” No one said anything.
“They got out through the vent,” a guard said as he knelt on the floor.
“Check outside,” a guard said and two of them left.
“What’s going on, Lieutenant?” A major said as he stood outside the cell.
“Two of them have escaped, sir.”
“Escaped from a cell in the patrol station.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And who was in charge?”
“I was sir.”
“Yes, Lieutenant, you were. Captain, send in new guards and take Lieutenant Charles into custody.” Two men entered the cell and took the lieutenant away. He’d be taken to the country, shot in the head and buried in a sort of communal pit used for rebels, criminals and anyone who failed at their job.
“Good-bye, Lieutenant, it’s been nice knowing you,” Tatiana said with a smirk and earned a fist to her face from an officer. Blood came out of her nose and mouth but she sat with a grin of defiance.
“We’re ready to go find them, sir,” the captain said and Major Ostweiller nodded. Twelve men left in six vehicles to scour the city.
“Now, take this one to room C,” Ostweiller said pointing to Sol. “Bring the other two to interrogation room three.” Sol was dragged out and beaten with a black jack on the way. Dave and Tatiana were thrown into the interrogation room.
“We’re in the soup now, Love.”
“When are we not? You know Andy’s right; we need to go to Disneyworld or King’s Island on vacation and try not to have our lives in danger all the time.”
“No argument here.”
“At least the girls are safe,” Tatiana said.
“Who are you?” Ostweiller said as he came in the room and shut the door.
“Travelers in search of answers,” Dave said.
“Rather vague I must say.”
“I’d like a lawyer,” Tatiana said with a smirk.
“We don’t use lawyers, where did you get the idea you could have a lawyer?”
“Television.”
“What were you doing in the lab?” Ostweiller asked looking at Dave.
“Just curious, that’s all.”
“Looking for secrets?”
“Does the lab have any?” Tatiana asked. Ostweiller who’d sat down leaned back and smiled.
“You’re awfully cool for someone who’ll be shot in a very short time.”
“Well, if I’m to be shot then there’s no reason for me to suffer angst,” Tatiana said smiling. Dave was nervous…scared actually but nothing fazed Tatiana.
“Who are you working for?”
“No one, Major,” Dave answered.
“Well, if you’re in custody as you say and expecting to be shot then you have the right to break away if you can. Those are the rules,” Tatiana said.
“Where’re the rest of them?”
“I’m not familiar with any others,” Dave said.
“We have your friend in room C. A bad place to be in this station. That’s where you go if we want to “persuade” you to cooperate.”
“I sort of gathered that,” Tatiana said.
“Well, I don’t know how important your friend is to the two of you but if you don’t tell us where we can find the rest of your group then we’ll be forced to start cutting off his fingers and toes and sending them to you one at a time.”
“Rather harsh isn’t it. Why don’t you try being nice for a change? You’ll get farther in this world that way,” Tatiana said.
“Interesting observation but if you look around and see the triumph of The Greater Reich, I think you’d agree that we’ve done rather well doing things our way.”
“Begrudgingly, I guess I have to agree,” Dave said.
“Why don’t you take some time to think about my proposition involving your friend and I’ll be back later to see if you remember anything,” the major said and left.
“What do we do?” Dave asked.
“We tell them nothing.”
“But what about Sol?”
“Dave, you must know that they’re going to kill us no matter what we tell them. We keep quiet and protect everyone else.”
“You’re not going to try anything? No miracle this time?”
“If I had a miracle in my pocket, I would’ve played it by now.”
* * *
“I’m going up to have a look. Keep everyone quiet,” Little Wolf said and he took off from tree to tree. It was pitch dark; a new moon and heavy cloud cover so no nighttime light. They all huddled together behind three large trees and made virtually no sound at all. It’s hard for Belinda to not talk if she’s awake but when she started to say something Lexi shushed her and gave a stern look. Belinda nodded and lowered her head. Paulita sat next to her and put her finger to her lips then grinned. Belinda nodded and smiled. Little Wolf was about a hundred yards away from the road as a patrol car stopped and two men got out. They shined flashlights in the woods; Little Wolf was concealed and the rest were two miles away. He was concerned about something and as he watched the two officers, his worst fears came true. They saw the RV and investigated. It was locked but in this Time Frame there was no consideration given to legal search and seizure. This was the SS and they went wherever they wanted. They broke in and Little Wolf could see lights all over the inside as they were searching. They’d left absolutely nothing so all the SS found was an empty RV. They came out and one of them made a call on the radio. The two waited, by their car and ten minutes later a tow truck came and took the RV away. After they left, Little Wolf went back to the others.