Nightmare
"So what is it this time?"
"The usual… pop over, sort through some bloke's safe, and then high tail it back here." Goniff moved over to make room for Casino at the table as Garrison continued the briefing. He hadn't been the last one to the table for once and he enjoyed the experience of filling someone else in for a change.
"We got a report from one of our contacts that the Germans have a new plan for the defense of the coast and a copy of those plans," the Lieutenant tapped his finger on the map spread out on the table, "is sitting in a safe right here."
"And I suppose we're goin' after it…"
"That's the assignment." Garrison checked his watch. "And we haven't got much time. Get upstairs and get your gear… Minimal stuff this time, we won't be there long. Actor you're starting out in uniform, it's already laid out for you."
"It's about time!" As often as they masqueraded as German officers and as difficult as it was to find a match to his taller stature, he was glad that someone finally realized the logic in maintaining their own wardrobe. The con man had argued for their own uniforms from the beginning.
"Don't get too excited, no one's had a chance to work on it, and the guy we got it from is shorter and heavier than you are." Garrison smiled along with the rest of the men at the disappointment that crossed Actor's face.
Goniff grinned across at the big man and tried to console him. "Don't look like that mate, at least there won't be any holes in this one!"
"Looks like we're gonna be ridin' a storm across the channel again." As soon as the basics had been covered Chief stepped across to the large window and was frowning up at the darkening sky.
"Hey that's our specialty, right?" Casino gave a derisive bark of laughter. "Wouldn't be any challenge if the weather was decent."
"Well that storm's why you guys have to get a move on. Meteorology reports it's going to be short and intense and it should make it harder for them to pick us up on radar. Now hustle it, the truck's already out front."
ggg
The takeoff had been smooth as silk, but halfway across the channel the plane started to pick up the buffeting winds that heralded the front edge of the storm. Garrison checked with the pilot and then moved into the back with his men. Actor had flown enough that a little rough weather didn't bother him, Chief seemed to enjoy the thrill and freedom of being in the air regardless of the flying conditions, but Casino and Goniff were uncomfortable under less than ideal conditions, and they never seemed to fly then. Casino was right, Garrison smiled to himself, if the weather was perfect they sent them over by sub…
"How are you guys holding up?"
"Oh just great, Lieutenant! I love it up here ya know!" Casino gripped the edge of the jump seat, he hated flying, and he hated subs… Once this was all over if he couldn't get somewhere by staying firmly on the ground he wasn't goin'. He wasn't even sure he'd go up in an elevator after the war, or drive over a bridge.
"Goniff?" Garrison studied the little pick pocket with some concern. He wasn't attached to his seat by his hands as the group's safecracker was, he was staring straight ahead, breathing slowly in through his nose and out through his mouth just like he and Rawlins taught him. In just the brief moment he broke his concentration to nod up at his commander he turned a rather perilous shade of green.
Goniff wasn't actually afraid of flying, he preferred it to traveling by boat as he tended to get a little sea sick in the subs. He got airsick sometimes too if the weather was rough, but Garrison put that down to the way he stuffed himself before they took off if he got the chance. They'd had planes shot out from under them and he seemed to get over that, but the one that got hit by lightening and went down, that had put him over the edge. The next time they had to board it was all Garrison could do to keep him on the plane. They'd had a one-on-one session in his office once they got back and he'd finally admitted that he was afraid, not of crashing, but of being left on his own and ending up 'in charge 'n all responsible 'n stuff.' Heading back from a job he was fine, but heading out he was, well, a bit of a basket case.
Garrison patted the little man on the shoulder. "Take it easy Goniff, that tail wind means we're going to be over the drop zone in record time." But he turned away quickly so the cat burglar wouldn't have to break his concentration again.
Actor looked up and smiled as Garrison settled down next to him. "I see the breathing exercises are working." He nodded across at their pick pocket.
"Yeah. Seem to be." Garrison grabbed the edge of his seat as they went through another patch of rough air and then watched the two men sitting across from him. Casino still clutching his seat had leaned in a little closer to Goniff and was quietly talking to him, coaching 'in, out, in, out', until he caught Garrison's eye, clamped his jaws shut and leaned back in the seat, glaring back at him defiantly. Garrison smiled over at him and shook his head, Casino could be supportive, he just hated to get caught at it.
ggg
They were burying the last chute just as thunder rumbled overhead and the first raindrops started falling around them.
"Lieutenant Garrison?" The others turned, weapons ready, but the Warden recognized the voice and moved towards it across the clearing.
"Remy?" When the brush parted he smiled and held his hand out. "I didn't know you'd be leading us in."
"It will be like old times." Remy returned the Lieutenant's smile and took his hand American fashion, before pulling him in and kissing him on both cheeks. "It has been a very long time my friend! How are you?" The Frenchman motioned for the group to follow him. "Come I have a car not far from here, and a place for you to use."
Ten minutes later they were sitting in a farmhouse stripping out of their jumpsuits and finalizing their plans.
"So you are sure, all you want me to do is confirm the Colonel is there?" Actor was putting a shine to the tall boots he'd carried with him from England. If he couldn't have a uniform that fit properly at least he could have the right size boots.
"That's it." Garrison finished blacking his face and was pulling the knit cap down over his hair.
"It hardly seems worth the effort to get the uniform. I could have done the job as a waiter." the con man straighten and tugged his uniform into order.
"Well, we couldn't capture a German waiter, we got a German major instead so you'll just have to go in as one of those." The Warden looked up to make sure the rest were ready. Chief would go in with Actor as his driver and back up in case anything went wrong. He and the other two would wait in the alley outside their target for the signal that it was safe to go inside. "It all turns on the Colonel being at that party…" The Lieutenant glanced up at their contact, " and staying there."
Remy laid his hand on Garrison's shoulder a moment. "Don't worry. Colonel Graff is convinced he is a ladies man and we have a beautiful young woman for him to pursue at tonight's gathering." At the small blonde man's concerned frown he laughed. "She is very good at this my friend. Camille knows how long to keep him occupied, and how to stay far enough away from him that she won't become one of his conquests."
Garrison checked his watch again. "We'll look for you in front of his headquarters in an hour. Once you give Goniff the signal move the car onto this side street." The Warden hit the diagram Remy had provided with his finger. "We'll hook up with you there after the job. If anything happens we'll all meet back here. Alright, take off."
Casino called out after the group's second. "Hey, Actor, remember to leave the dame for the Kraut this time."
ggg
Chief glanced down at his watch, Actor had already been in that damn house for half an hour and it would take them almost twenty minutes to get back across town. The reports had been right, the storm was a quick one and the clouds were already shredding away to a clear moonless sky. He leaned against the car a moment and considered his options, just as he made his decision to enter the building and have a quick look around he spotted the tall Italian coming down the front steps towards him. Moving to the side of the car he held the door open as Actor settled into the seat, then walked around the car and climbed in behind the wheel.
"Thought I'd have to come in and haul you out a there, man. What was the hang up?" The young man could imagine the reason for the delay. For Actor it usually had long legs and a skirt.
The con man knew what Chief was thinking and smiled, he had an eye for the ladies and routinely took a ribbing for it, "Nothing pleasant, I assure you. Colonel Graff was certain we had met before, and even though I denied it he spent a good twenty minutes recounting all of his past assignments in an effort to come up with any place where we might have been in service together."
"You get a chance to talk to the girl?" Chief glanced up in the mirror as he put the car in gear and pulled away, heading down the drive away from the house. From the amount of lipstick the con artist was wiping off his cheek he done more than just talk.
"Yes. And if I'm any judge of women she is more than enough to keep the Colonel occupied for the evening." She would have been more than enough to keep him occupied for the duration, he thought with a smile. It had been a pleasure just watching her as he talked with Graff about his previous postings. Lusciously curved, with a wealth of dark hair that hung loose about her shoulders, she was taller than most women, at least half a head taller than the stout Colonel Graff who was obviously trying to make an impression by his recitation of all of his important past assignments. Suitably impressed she expertly prompted him for more details here and there to keep him on the subject rather than allowing him to stray off into more amorous lines of conversation. When Actor took his leave of them the Colonel had barely noticed, the con man smiled to himself, except for that sudden flash of jealousy as she gave him a parting kiss on the cheek so she could tell him how long the party was supposed to last. When he'd turned back at the door for a last look she was seated comfortably on one of the sofas with Colonel Graff perched on the arm happily recounting his term as an instructor at the war college.
g
Chief pulled to the curb across the street from their target. Actor opened the door and stepped out, leaning against the car he pulled a pipe from his pocket and started the ritual of lighting it. Striking a match against the car he brought it up to his face, shaking the flame out before it came near the tobacco, the second match only made it halfway before he shook it out and flicked it into the street, striking a third he finally brought it to the bowl, protecting the flame from the wind that still gusted around them he lit the pipe, wreathing his face in smoke.
ggg
Goniff turned from the edge of the alley where he'd been watching from the shadows and quietly made his way down along the building. The Warden and Casino were waiting in a doorway across from their target, even though he knew it he still jumped a little when they stepped out of the darkness in front of him. He waited until they were standing together in a huddle.
"Two 'n a half hours." A nod from Garrison and Goniff turned his attention to getting the window open for them so they could get inside and do the job. They'd spent the time waiting for Actor watching the guards patrol the building and knew how long they could be in the open. He just got the latch to come free when he felt a hand on his shoulder and they all melted back into the darkness across the alley.
The guard walked past without checking the window… it had been locked fifteen minutes ago and fifteen minutes before that, and there was no reason for it to be open now. He was cold and damp from the recent rain and the only thing he was thinking about at this moment was getting back inside where he could get warm.
Garrison waited for a slow count of five after the guard disappeared around the front of the building. Patting Goniff on the shoulder he sent him up to keep watch as he and Casino entered the room. They knew the perimeter patrols schedule but they only had the word of the underground for what went on inside. According to their information Colonel Graff didn't allow anyone but his personal aide in his office, and he was with him at the party across town. There should be no interruptions while they worked, and it wasn't going to take long. He moved across the room and took up a position by the door as Casino checked the room for the safe.
Colonel Graff's safe was behind a painting of Hitler that hung on the wall right behind his desk. Casino shook his head, the guy had no imagination… And when he got a look at the safe he almost laughed out loud, a beginner could handle it.
"Say Warden, you oughta get Goniff in here." He called across the room in a low voice edge with amusement. "We're so far ahead a schedule I could let him try to crack this one. He's been wantin' to learn..."
"Just get with it Casino. How much time?"
The door to the safe swung open and the man looked up with a smile as he stepped back. "Already done Lieutenant. Be my guest."
Garrison stepped to the safe, grabbed the papers that were bundled inside and moved back to the desk. The safecracker changed the bulb in the lamp and snapped it on as Garrison started sorting through the documents. Casino was across the room, already taking up the listening post by the door that he'd just vacated.
ggg
The listing of troop deployments in the coastal areas of France only took seconds to find. Flattening the papers out on the desktop Garrison slid the small camera out of his pocket and used the cord to bring it up to the right distance from the document, pressing the shutter release he took the first shot and tried to advance the film. The lever was stiff, with a little effort it started to move, but only half way. Swearing softly he backed the film up, opened the small device and switched to the backup roll he carried. The damn thing wouldn't even advance the leader of film onto the sprocket. The drenching they'd taken when the storm hit, and the drop in temperature must have damaged the mechanism.
Casino called across in a hoarse whisper. "Come on Warden, get with it! We got a chance a breakin' our own record here."
"Not this time, Casino. Camera's busted."
"I knew it! I knew things were goin' too good." The east coast thief said in disgust. "What d'we do now?"
"Now you shut up so I can memorize this stuff." Garrison frowned down at the documents. The orders were to leave everything in place. The Germans weren't to know they had the information. And there was too much here to copy. He'd done it before, carried information in his head when there was no other way, he just needed a little time…
Casino leaned against the wall and cracked the door open, just enough to keep an eye on the hall outside, enough to let him hear a little better. He checked to make sure the corridor outside was still empty and turned back to watch the Warden as he started working his way through the material on the table. Casino knew guys in the joint could look at something, just remember it like it was a picture in their head, the Warden wasn't one a those guys. He could carry a lot a stuff around in that head a his but it was gonna take time to get it all packed inside nice and neat. Checking his watch he tried to relax a little, they still had almost two hours….. When he spotted Goniff pulling the curtains back and peering in the window ten minutes later he mimed taking a shot with a camera and then drew a slashing motion across his throat, grinning as the pick pocket stared at Garrison studying the papers at the desk a moment then rolled his eyes and faded back into the darkness.
g
It'd been getting busier for the last fifteen minutes. They could hear the phone ringing down the hall and the sound of people moving in other parts of the building. The Warden was just gathering the papers back into their bundle when Casino caught the sound of the large front door slamming.
"You got it?"
"Yeah. I think so."
"Well you better 'cause I think the big wig just got back, there's somebody in the hall."
