Happy Birthday Wendy


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"You come up with this plan all by yourself, did ya?"

"Blimey, no!" The little man thought a minute, then grinned. "Not all of it anyway."

It was going to be a grand tale when he finally got a chance to tell it and his mind raced back through all that had happened…..

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"This will work?" Luca had gone from gazing at him with absolute confidence to looking at him like he was completely balmy.

Goniff tried to sound like he was sure of himself. "It always does, mate." Then he stepped out across the street and tripped, falling into a man as he turned away from his shop door. Goniff raised his cap in apology as the businessman moved off, grumbling to himself about the fool's clumsiness. As soon as he'd disappeared into the café across the road Goniff pulled the keys from his pocket and turned to open the shop. He locked the door behind him and started sorting through the uniforms. 'Cleaners, ' he thought happily, 'cleaners was the best places to pick up a new set a clothes' …. And there was a shoemaker just down the street… and he'd checked in his window and the old man looked like he was finishing up his morning and getting ready to set off to lunch. This might not be so hard after all.

He'd found regular soldier's uniforms for Jon and Luca. They both spoke some German and they told him there were Romanian soldiers in the German forces too so it wouldn't be any trouble for them to play their parts. They needed an officer for this scam though so he found a captain's get up that was the Warden's size, and he'd pick out a pair of boots for him too, but he really didn't figure on the Warden being much help… No he'd need an outfit for himself, and there just wasn't anything on the racks. They'd have to waylay some bloke, roll him for his clothes and papers.

Goniff told the brothers what they were to do and they settled into an alley to wait. They could see the street from their position and watched as soldiers and civilians moved about their business. There just didn't seem to be anyone the little thief's size and he started to worry that he wouldn't be able to pull this off. They'd been away a long time too and he wanted to get back to the Warden. They'd left the fires burning low and the largest pots filled with water, bubbling away on them. Goniff figured if the fires went out the pots'd stay hot and keep the cave warm enough. He'd pulled all the splinters he could out of the Warden, and got him dressed up in dry clothes again, and left him wrapped in the wool blankets. He'd left a note next to him too, telling him where they were and that they'd be back for him.

He was just beginning to believe they'd have to go, that he'd have to get back into the cleaners again and find something that would almost fit him, almost do, when he spotted the man strutting out of the café down the street. Goniff prodded Luca in the ribs and jerked a thumb at the officer that was striding towards them. He nodded encouragingly as the brothers set off and then stepped back out of sight.

He was getting a case of nerves. He didn't know how he was going to take the man out. He didn't think he could use his knife like Chief did, besides he didn't want to spoil the uniform. Goniff chewed on his lip as he considered his hands. He held the fingers of his right hand out straight, stiffening them into a board. He looked at the hand a moment and brought it down in a sharp chop through the air. Then he tried it again, slamming it into the palm of his left hand. Sucking in a sharp breath and shaking his hands in the air he danced about on his toes a moment. No, that never worked for him anyway. He sent his mind racing through all the training moves the Sergeant Major'd made them practice and wished with all his heart he'd paid more attention to what the man had tried to teach him.

Goniff could hear the brothers talking to the officer as they came closer. He'd told them to tell him a collaborator had some secret information on the men that had been captured that morning… He figured any bloke would want to get a piece of that, make a good showing to his superiors, and he must've figured right because the guy was going along with it. They'd be in the mouth of the alley any second now…. He had to come up with something. An image of the Warden flashed in his mind just as the mark stepped into view.

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Goniff smiled at the officer that stood there and tried to look as slimy as he could as he sidled up to the man and opened his mouth to speak… His hands shot out and caught the officer's shoulders. Jerking down he brought his knee up hard against the man's chin as he fell forward, and his stomach turned at the sound as the man's neck broke. The officer dropped at Goniff's feet but it took him a moment longer to die. Jon and Luca stepped back onto the street to keep anyone from coming into the alley so there was no one there to see when the little cat burglar leaned against the side of the building and threw up. He turned back to the business at hand and pulled the officer down the alley where he could strip him of his uniform and papers. He did it quickly without looking at the man or the uniform. He'd brought a cleaners sack along with him and bundled his prize into it before calling out for help in hiding the body. Jon joined him and they lifted the dead man into a large trash barrel and secured the lid before they left, the two brothers going first, Goniff following a minute later.

Now all they needed was a vehicle. The brothers didn't know how to hot wire a car and Goniff certainly had never learned… but he didn't have to did he? He lounged against the wall of the café enjoying the sun's warmth as it radiated from the stones at his back. The place must be good, it drew a lot of business and soon the car he wanted pulled into view. They parked just where he hoped they would too, far enough away that they wouldn't be able to see the car from the window even if Goniff was unlucky and the proprietor seated the men there. It was just a couple of regular soldiers. Goniff smiled to himself. They must've left their officer off at a better place and come round here to get their own lunch.

The little thief watched the driver pocket the keys and then moved in on him, stumbling just as he came to him. The young man put a hand out to stop him from falling but Goniff's feet tied themselves in a knot and he clutched at the soldier as he slid down the front of him to land on the sidewalk. The fellow laughed and made a comment to his comrade as he reached a hand down to haul the pickpocket to his feet. He even brushed some of the dust off him, and patted him on the shoulder before he left. Goniff was almost sorry for the trouble the bloke would get in when he didn't get back to pick up the officer who belonged to the car…almost sorry.., but only almost.

It had taken most of the day to get the Lieutenant out of the tree, up into the cave and then get into town and get all the stuff they needed to pull off the job. Goniff had the brothers drive the car out and leave it with him outside town, but he sent them back to find out how the repairs were going on the bridge. It hadn't taken long before they'd come back. Repairs were moving along and they expected it to be back in operation at first light. As they made their way back to the cave he knew they'd have to be out on the road at dawn if they were going to stop the man from reaching the castle.

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When they got back to the cave the air was warm and heavy with steam. The pots had just boiled dry and Goniff sent the brothers off for more water as he went to check on the Warden. He turned the blankets back and slid his hand inside the sweater and rested it against his commander's skin. It was warmer, softer, and felt a little more like flesh, a little less like stone. Garrison frowned and tried to move away from Goniff's hand, it was a bit colder than he was. The little man smiled and fired off a quick prayer of thanks… he moved, all on his own... "Warden? You in there yet?" He didn't get a response, not yet anyway.

Goniff looked around the cave. He needed to get the Lieutenant warmer, he thought… His eyes rested on the rest of the wool blankets that were still stacked along the back wall. He hummed to himself a moment and turned to look at the fire ring. There wasn't anything like a hot water bottle in the place, but maybe if he rolled one a them stones up in one a those blankets… There was a nice long one, he could sorta pull the Warden up so he rested back against that for a while… Better see how hot the thing was, and how heavy. He might not even be able to get it all wrapped up.

The long stone hadn't worked quite like he'd wanted. He couldn't get it wrapped up and then move it over where the Warden was and then pull the bloke up while he moved it into place. Goniff settled on just rolling it up close to Garrison's side, and then he wrapped up a few other stones and set them along his other side. He did manage to get a kind a smallish flat stone shoved under the bedroll, under the Warden's knees. He covered everything over with the blankets he had left just as Jon and Luca came back in with the water and refilled the pots, sending steam hissing into the air….. It was getting like a sauna in the cave, but the little man breathed the steam down deep. It felt good, warm, and it looked like it might finally be thawing the Warden out.

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When the Warden started to come around after nightfall the little man's spirits rose. It wouldn't be long now and he could hand this whole job off to someone who knew what he was doing! But the Warden was slow in pulling his wits together.

It seemed backwards to Goniff but the Lieutenant started shaking with cold as he warmed up, and couldn't seem to stop. His teeth chattered together, and when he tried to talk his words slurred like he was drunk, and he didn't make much sense. They'd found some tea and there was a jar half filled with honey. Goniff made up a mug and Jon pulled the Lieutenant up so they could try and pour a little into him, but faltered when he heard the Warden mumble.

"Wo sind wir? Was ist dieses?"

"Blimey, not now Warden!" Goniff shot a worried look at his new-found mate. "Come on! You speak English, that don't make you an Englishman, does it?" The little man sighed with relief when after only a moments consideration Jon leaned back in to help.

Garrison'd tried to handle the cup for himself, but he couldn't quite coordinate things to get it to his mouth. Goniff peered into the Warden's eyes and wondered what in the hell Actor looked for when he proclaimed one of 'em had a concussion. He'd have to pay more attention the next time the big toff tried to teach them some first aid.

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He was too nervous to sleep. Goniff sat just outside the cave and watched the eastern sky turn a little green at the horizon. He cursed under his breath and wished he knew some magic that would stop time until the Warden was fit and on his feet. He'd brought a uniform back for him, but he wasn't in any shape to put it on and go out into the cold, sit in a freezing car, and wait for some Jerrie to drive down a bleedin' road. The man couldn't even stand on his feet… he'd tried it, claiming to be 'fine'. He'd lasted all of three minutes before his knees folded. And he was shaking with cold again, the heat just didn't seem to stay with him if he got any distance from the fire. Garrison was developing a rattling cough too, and wheezed when he breathed… At least they weren't going to walk off and leave him on his own again though.

Luca had left word with the last member of the group and the girl had arrived around two in the morning. Jon introduce her as Toma's wife, Estera. She was a full member in the band too, and they'd had a hard time convincing her that there was no place for her out on the road as they waited for the interrogator. It was going to be hard enough to keep the Warden from rolling out of his blankets when he woke up and come staggering after them. It had taken all three of them to talk her into staying there to watch him. Goniff had his suspicions that if the Warden did manage to get himself upright she'd probably prop him up and use him as an excuse to get down where the action was. He heaved a sigh as he gazed off to the east again… time didn't stop, it was definitely getting lighter over there. He had to get ready.

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When he unrolled the uniform and smoothed it out he'd nearly gone giddy with delight and relief. He hadn't taken the time to really notice it. After he'd killed the man that's all he had in his minds eye, he couldn't see anything else. He slipped the trousers on and then the soft white shirt, they both fit like they'd been made just for him. He pulled the long boots on and gave them a quick buffing with a cloth he'd snagged from the cobblers shop. Luca held the jacket out for him and Goniff grinned when he slipped his arm into the sleeve. The jacket was toasty warm where the young man had held it near the fire. The little pick pocket slid his other arm in and wiggled his shoulders to settle the garment in place as he started doing up the buttons. He twisted the top button in place and pulled at the corners of the high collar. Estera lifted the ribbon over his head, then handed him the cap and he took a moment to shine the deaths head symbol that was affixed to the center of the band on the front.

A cough drew Goniff back over between the fires. He crouched down next to Garrison and helped him struggle to sit up. The Warden reached a shaky hand out and tapped a finger on the patch on the collar. "A full SS Colonel." he rasped out, barely above a whisper. "Actor'll be jealous." The Lieutenant straightened the Iron Cross that hung between the collar tabs. "Be careful."

Goniff nodded. "We'll get the bastard, Warden."

Garrison studied the little man a moment, then his mouth quirked up in a smile. "You bet you will."

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Garrison watched them leave and cursed himself under his breath. 'Great time to be out of commission,' he thought. He wanted to get up and go after them. He should at least be in the car with Goniff, even if he couldn't actually be out on the road. But there was no point, he wouldn't have been able to do more than interpret the German for his pick pocket and both Jon and Luca could do that. He'd be a liability out there if it came to a fight, or if they had to run for it… and he knew it.

He tried to rest after the others left but every time he closed his eyes his imagination kicked in and visions of everything that could go wrong played out across the inside of his eyelids. He still thought it all when his eyes were open.., but at least he didn't have to see it. After a few frustrating minutes he gave up and struggled to his feet. Hoping to work some of the stiffness out and generate a little body heat he tried to pace. That didn't last long either. He must have really done some damage when he landed in that tree. The branches had torn into his clothes and impaled his legs and back, one of them gouging along the front of him from his hip to the underside of his ribs. He didn't remember any of it. He'd gotten out of the plane and that's the last he knew… Goniff said the lines had pulled tight around his arm and across his throat. That explained why it was so hard to talk, and why he didn't have any strength when he tried to make a fist or pick anything up in his left hand. Just great!

Dropping heavily down on the pallet Goniff had made for him between the fires Garrison pulled the blanket close around his shoulders. Damn! He was still so cold. Glancing across the cave he nodded and smiled at the woman who glared back at him. Now that they were alone she was keeping her distance, though she'd been nice enough at first. He remembered coming around as she helped the little pick pocket used his sensitive fingers to find and prise the splinters out of is flesh. Judging from the throbbing in his back and along his knee there was still work to be done on that, but that was the least of their problems.

He let his eyes range over the cave and its contents. They had a small stockpile of weapons and enough food for a small group to hole up here for several days. Jon said there'd only been six of them. Four, he corrected himself, two of them had been killed when the Germans caught the others. And if they couldn't make this work there'd only be three, and the young woman would be a widow. He winced as he turned his hand to check his watch, then sat staring at the shattered crystal. Shit! This was going to be a long day.