It's a Safe Bet
By WildClover27
Chapter 4
Actor opened the door to Gestapo headquarters for Garrison who was the senior officer. Terry and Casino were prodded with the end of Goniff's rifle to enter the building. Actor followed them and moved around to catch up with Garrison.
There were three soldiers in the main hall. Too many for comfort, thought the Italian. He stopped beside Garrison in front of a desk with a Leutnant who stood and saluted.
"I am Standartenführer Braun," said Garrison in crisp German. He nodded toward Actor. "My aide Sturmbannführer Lange. Our car broke down. My driver is trying to fix it. In the meantime, we have two partisan prisoners I wish to interrogate. You will direct us to a room where we may do this."
The Leutnant did not flinch. "Papiere, bitte."
Garrison gave him a withering look that had little effect on the man. After waiting a short time, he produced the forged papers that had been provided by the resistance. The papers were scanned and returned. Turning, the Leutnant instructed a guard to take them to a room down the back hall. The five followed the guard. A door at the far end of the back hall was held open for them to enter. It was two doors past the room with the safe.
Goniff shut the door behind them and listened. There were no footsteps leading away which meant the guard had stayed. The Englishman shook his head at Garrison and motioned the man was still there.
"Slap me," whispered Terry.
Without any hesitation, Garrison backhanded the girl across the face with a resounding crack. It instantly grabbed the attention of the other men. Immediately Terry screeched in outrage and swore violently in Italian at her brother, maligning his parentage and telling him what he could do with a part of him and where on his person he could do it. Even Casino understood that. For good measure, Craig slapped her again and told her in German to answer him. He got a glare from the girl for the second blow. It had the hoped for response and the guard could be heard by Goniff walking back down the hall. He nodded at Garrison.
Actor looked around the room at the objects atop a plain metal desk. He picked up a ruler and brought it down sharply on the desk. Casino swore loudly in Italian as if reacting to the blow.
Terry shook her head. In a very low voice she said, "Your mother should wash your mouth out with soap for that one."
"Quiet!" ordered Garrison in an equally low voice.
Goniff peeked out the door. The hall was empty. He nodded back at the Warden.
"All of you stay here," he ordered. "I'll check out the other office."
"Can you get in if it's locked?" asked Terry, rubbing her cheek with the back of her hand.
"Of course," replied her brother. "Casino."
The cracksman spit the spring steel pick out of his mouth and wiped it hastily on his trousers before handing it to Garrison. Craig slipped into the hall and down to the office door. It was locked, but he was able to pick it open quickly. He stepped inside and made sure it was secure. Checking to make sure the hall was empty; he beckoned to Goniff for him and others to come.
One by one they scooted down the hall and into the office. Door secured, Garrison turned a desk light on. They looked around the richly furnished room.
Casino immediately headed for a portrait of Hitler and pulled it away from the wall with his left hand. Predictably, the safe was there. Taking his arm out of the sling, the safecracker placed his ear against the safe door and attempted to turn the dial with his splinted hand. Any movement of the thumb sent excruciating pain into the wrist. He grimaced, but kept trying. Finally, he shook his head and stepped back.
"Sorry, Warden," he whispered.
Craig nodded. "We'll have to blow it."
"And what are we going to use for a diversion to cover that noise?" asked Actor.
Terry looked at her brother. "Use a small charge and we see how loud I can scream?"
Casino shrugged. "It's a small safe. Maybe. You better scream real loud, Sister."
Garrison began removing plastic explosive, detonator and fuse from different pockets. Casino went over to talk him through setting up a small explosion.
Terry walked over to the safe. It looked a lot like the one in Craig's office. She put her ear against the door and slowly worked the dial like she had been taught, with her eyes closed. She heard the first tumbler fall into place. Cautiously, she worked the dial back until she heard the second tumbler. Chewing on her lower lip in concentration, she went for the third one and found it. Goniff was staring at her. Terry flexed her fingers before grasping the handle and pulling it down. The door swung open.
"Yes!" she hissed in exuberant surprise.
Garrison, Casino and Actor stared at her. Terry reached inside and pulled out a stack of folded papers.
"Didn't I say she had the fingers for it?" said Casino proudly.
Garrison quickly returned the explosive materials to his pockets. A microfilm camera was removed from Actor's pocket along with the light bulb. The con man began changing out the light. Garrison took the papers from Terry and quickly scanned them until he found the plans for a defense line. He set the remaining papers aside and opened the ones of the plans.
Terry looked in the safe at the stack of money that was on the shelf where the papers had been. Too bad they couldn't take it.
Garrison had barely started to take the first picture when Goniff snapped his fingers. The light was turned out and everyone went still. Goniff quickly turned the lock on the outer door. Footsteps went past in the hall and they heard a door open. An alarm was shouted in German and the keys were called for.
"Out the window," said Garrison.
Terry reached into the safe and stuffed the money into her shirt. Her brother stuffed the papers into his. They did not have time to bypass the alarm so when the window opened, the alarm screamed. They got Casino out and the rest of them barreled out the window and took off down the alley. Their staff car appeared on the street at the end of the alley and Chief got the doors open before getting back behind the wheel. Goniff and Craig got in the front and Terry got in the middle in the back between the two injured men. Chief immediately made a u-turn and took off. Shots were fired at them from the alley, but the back fender was the only thing hit.
"Well, that went great," said Casino sarcastically. His wrist hurt and his head was pounding from the exertion.
"You okay?" asked Terry.
"Yeah, I guess so," the cracksman grumbled.
"Actor, you okay?" she asked.
"Of course."
Chief zigzagged through the town. He knew it was too far to the south edge of the small city and was not sure what he would find when he got there, but doubted it would be good. And he was right. There was a roadblock. He stopped two blocks before it.
"Go west," ordered Garrison.
The wheelman shot down the first side street. Actor watched out the back window. A military vehicle with a machine gun mounted on the back turned the corner after them.
"Chief . . ."
"I see it."
He zigged and zagged down narrow streets and alleys. The vehicle could not follow down some of the streets and the others in the big car wondered how the Indian kept the vehicle from getting stuck between two buildings. No matter which way he went, Chief could not lose the German gun car. Finally, he came to the edge of town and another road block. Turning hard to the right, he drove up another street. They came to a train depot with multiple tracks.
"Hold on," said Chief. "It's gonna be rough."
He turned hard left onto a set of tracks. One set of wheels was on the outside of the tracks and the other set of wheels was between them. Rough was putting it mildly as he tore along the tracks, the wheels bouncing on the ties.
"Jeez!" exclaimed Casino as his head was jarred. It felt like his brains were going to explode.
Two German gun cars were chasing them now, but trying to stay outside the tracks. Ahead, Chief saw a tunnel. They had no idea if a train was coming or not.
"Warden?" asked the Indian.
"Take it."
"Oh bloody 'ell," said Goniff. "We're going to get squashed by a train." He fervently wished he wasn't in the front seat to see this.
Chief had been running without lights until now. He had to turn them on to see where he was going. Actor continued to watch out the back window.
"They are not following," he said.
"Great. Either they gave up, or they know a train's coming," grumbled Casino.
"Well," said Garrison. "If you see a light at the end of the tunnel you know it's a train."
"Har, har, Warden," griped the safecracker. "Hey, can't you get off the tracks?"
"Where do yuh want me tuh go?" asked Chief. "Into a wall?"
"Knock it off. Both of you," ordered the lieutenant. "You're doing fine Chief."
Ahead, the darkness changed to a lighter shade and they came out of the tunnel. The tracks were on a built up rail bed with a drop off on each side. It was just starting to level out when a light shone coming around a curve. A steam whistle rent the air along with a loud screech as the engineer laid on the brakes. Chief pulled off the tracks and went down the embankment at an angle, just missing the front of the engine. Somehow he managed to keep the car upright and took it along a trace that followed the track at the bottom of the embankment. He followed it as it leveled out and turned north when they came to a crossing.
"Any idea where we're going?" asked Chief.
"Not a clue," admitted Garrison.
Squeezed between the lieutenant and Chief, Goniff opened one eye, saw it was safe, and opened both of them.
"Well at least Sister wasn't drivin'," said Casino with exaggerated relief.
Terry glared at him. "If you weren't already hurt, I'd hurt you for that," she said, not meaning it.
"Pickup point is back in the other direction," said Chief.
"Yes, and that would take us back to where they're looking for us," said Garrison. "When that train gets to the depot, the engineer is going to tell the Germans we came in this direction. If we go back, we're apt to run right into them."
"So how are you planning on getting us out of here, Warden," asked Actor.
"For now, we'll head north," said Garrison decisively. "If we have to, we'll head to La Speza."
"That's clear across Italy!" objected Terry.
"You have a better plan?" he asked her.
"Not yet."
"Well, good. You work on it."
They slowly made their way north. Chief had turned the headlights off so he had to drive slower through dark woods. The trace ended at an east-west dirt road. La Speza was northwest, so he turned west.
"Craig, you know any contacts in Firenze?" asked Terry.
"No," replied her brother.
"Scratch that idea," she said.
"Keep trying," said Garrison calmly. If he could keep her occupied, she would be quiet.
Chief kept to the dirt roads and tried to maintain either a west or north direction. The sun had come up and the fuel gauge was close to empty. Garrison was studying the map, trying to find where they were. He only had an idea of the general vicinity.
Casino shifted to ease his back and glanced over at Terry, noticing her bulging belly for the first time. "Hey Babe, what'd you do, get knocked up while you were in there?"
"Casino," growled Garrison.
Terry opened a button and pulled out a bundle of cash.
"You got it!" he exclaimed in delight.
"Of course I got it," she replied.
The safecracker took it and whistled at the denomination of the bills. Actor wiggled his fingers at her. She pulled out another bundle and handed it to him.
"Very good, Teresa," he said approvingly.
"Jeez," came an annoyed mutter from the front seat.
"Oh, settle down, Brother," said Terry gleefully. "You gotta lighten up."
Casino patted her stomach. "I wanna be there when you deliver this, Babe."
"Casino!" growled Garrison a second time.
Terry plucked the bundle of cash from Casino and swatted her brother on the head with it. He turned, squashing Goniff, who yelped, and glared at his sister. She gave him a teasing look. Actor was trying hard to stifle a grin.
"You were taking the papers so there wasn't any reason to not take the money," said the girl.
"You could have gotten caught taking the time to get that," admonished Craig. "Then we would have had to go back to try and get you."
"I didn't, you didn't, we're here and so is all this," she brushed him off.
The car picked that moment to sputter, jerk and die. Chief let it roll off the side of the road.
"Now what?" demanded Casino.
"Now we walk," said Garrison.
They all got out. Terry being the lightest of the group was elected to steer as Garrison, Chief and Goniff pushed the vehicle into the woods and out of sight from the road. Satisfied it would not be easily spotted, they stopped.
Chief's head suddenly jerked to the side, listening. "Car comin'!" he said urgently.
"Get off the road!" called Garrison.
Actor grabbed Casino's good arm and helped him hurry into the woods and behind some bushes. The others scattered and hid behind bushes, trees, and large rocks. A German troop truck and an armored car drove slowly past from the opposite direction. They all held their breaths hoping the soldiers weren't vigilant enough to look back and see the lines of flattened grass where the car had left the road. The vehicles kept on going and disappeared in the direction they had come from. Cautiously everyone rose and gathered around Garrison.
"That lets out walkin' down the road," remarked Chief.
"So now where do we go?" asked Goniff. "Someplace wif food I 'ope."
"There's a town about 15 miles from here," said Craig. At the groans of the others, he added, "Should cut off about five miles if we angle through the woods."
Terry opened the back of the car and retrieved the duffle bags. Opening one, she pulled out a shirt that belonged to her and ripped it so it could be used as a sling. Actor eyed the garment and the woman as she approached.
"I will be fine," he objected.
The girl looked up at him with frustration. "Ten miles is a long walk with that arm dangling. Give it some support."
He nodded and bent his head so she could tie the ends behind his neck.
"Could be worse," she said in a low voice. "I could have been one of my frilly ones."
"Oh, I appreciate that so much, Teresa. Very considerate of you."
Terry shook her head and picked up one of the duffle bags. Garrison walked over and picked up the other one. He stopped beside the con man.
"Come on you grumpy old man," he said quietly so only his sister could hear.
Actor glared at him. Secretly, he had to admit the arm felt better in the makeshift sling.
Even with Goniff helping Casino, the going was slow. It was early afternoon before they reached the outskirts of the town. Garrison hoped they could get a vehicle and get back on the road.
Chief slipped through the woods, leaving the others to wait for him. When he came back the news wasn't good.
"Couldn't get a car or a truck," said the scout. "Place is swarmin' with Krauts."
Garrison and Actor had studied the map while the others rested. They were moving into the eastern side of the Apennine Mountains. The going would become slower and more difficult. Garrison decided to skirt around San Marino. The tiny sovereign country would be well guarded and difficult to access. It was still hill country, but maybe not as rugged as what they would get into if they did head toward Florence. Actor was in agreement with him. It might be a tiny bit easier for Casino to navigate. The two leaders decided to aim for Forli and then cut across to La Spezia. Craig called Chief over and Goniff took the watch while the scout was shown the map and given the plan.
Rising somewhat reluctantly to his feet, Casino accepted some help from Goniff. Chief took the point, followed by the two men. Garrison came next, followed by his sister, and Actor took up the rear. As they walked along, Craig lagged back by Terry.
"How's Casino doing?" he asked quietly.
"I don't know how much farther he can go," replied the girl just as quietly. "The hand is still doing okay. It's the concussion. I know he is dizzy and bad headaches. I'm surprised he isn't puking."
"What about Actor?"
Terry shook her head. "He won't let me check the wound. Says it's all right." She sucked in a cheek. "He's awfully grumpy for him. I'm wondering just how much that arm is bothering him. Wish we had penicillin. I'm not sure sulfa is going to do it."
Her assessments did not ease Garrison's mind or conscience. He did not like dragging the two injured men along the rough trail. There was nothing to be done about it but keep going. He felt a little better when Terry dropped back to walk closer to the confidence man. He kept an eye on the two in front of him.
The going became rougher with steeper hills and dips and more rocks. Afternoon shadows were creeping across from the west and they were still far from Forli. Garrison called for a break and pulled Chief aside. After a brief conversation, the Indian disappeared into the woods. A half hour later Chief suddenly and silently appeared at Garrison's elbow. The officer had finally learned to expect not hearing his approach and thus not show he was startled. Instead Craig looked at his scout, waiting only a second for a response.
"Found a cave. About a mile from here," said the Indian.
"Dry?" asked Terry from her position kneeling beside Casino on the ground.
Chief shook his head. "Nope. But it goes back a ways. We could have a fire without bein' seen."
"Okay," said Garrison, "let's go."
It was a slow scramble over rocks and loose gravel to get to the cave that was hidden halfway up an escarpment. The farther back they moved into the cave, the damper it became. Water dripped down limestone walls. Chief and Goniff went back out to get wood for a fire and branches to make a pallet for the safecracker. Goniff set to helping Garrison start some small fires to try offsetting the damp chill of the place while Chief efficiently made up a pallet for Casino to lie on. The cracksman did not object at all to the special treatment. Chief automatically took first watch.
He found a small boulder behind some trees that gave him a view of the canyon they were in, but shielded him from view. This wasn't going well at all. Damn missions were gettin' more and more difficult. They hadn't had an 'easy' one in a long time now. Satisfied no one was trailing them, he moved off to set some snares. Maybe he could catch a couple rabbits for them to eat.
Terry gave a shiver in the cold interior of the dripping limestone cave. She checked Casino's fingers and found them warm and not too overly swollen. He did not wake up to her touch.
"Keep him awake?" she asked the man sitting on his heels beside her.
"No, allow him to rest."
A shoulder barely brushed against her causing her to look at Actor with concern. His eyes were closed and he was trying to hold his balance. His head jerked back at the touch of her fingers against his cheek, but not before she felt the heat of his skin, so unexpected in their present surroundings.
"Actor?" Terry asked.
"I'm fine," he said firmly.
"You've been around Craig to long," she said. "Let me see that arm."
"It is fine, Teresa," he said tersely.
"Then you won't mind my looking at it will you?" she said just as firmly.
They locked eyes. Actor knew she would not give up. Just as he knew what she would find. Too tired to object, he pushed the jacket back off of the injured arm and watched as the woman carefully removed the sling and unwrapped the dressing. Her mouth pinched together at the swelling and red streaks around the sutured knife wound.
"Craig, you need to see this," she said.
"In a minute," replied her brother concentrating on getting one of the fires started.
"Now!"
That not only got the Lieutenant's attention, but that of Goniff. Garrison let the Englishman take over what he was doing and strode over to his sister and his other two men. He sat on his heels and looked at the wound on his second's arm.
"For God's sake, Actor, why didn't you say something?" he demanded in irritation.
"And what would you have done?" shot back the Italian, just as irritably. "Stop the Germans and ask them to take care of it before we moved on?"
"He's feverish too," added Terry.
Garrison laid a hand on the con man's lower arm, noting the heat with concern. Actor jerked his arm away and grimaced painfully at the movement.
"I'll open up one of those sutures to let it drain," said the girl.
"I am fine," insisted Actor. They had enough problems without him being put out of commission.
"You're not fine and quit saying you are," shot back Terry.
As Actor opened his mouth with a retort, Garrison butted in quicker. "Don't argue with her. I'm backing her on this one." He stood and walked back to the fire that Goniff was trying to get started.
The Italian sat on his heels and listened to the snick of Teresa's shiv. He concentrated on not showing any signs of pain when she worked the tip of the blade under one of the middle sutures and cut it. Purulent drainage welled out of the opening. Actor watched the girl get the first aid pack from one of the duffle bags and bring over some gauze and a packet of sulfa. She cleaned the wound, but as gentle as she tried to be, it still hurt badly. He did not even watch as she sprinkled sulfa on the wound and the gauze pads. Carefully she tied it back up and put the sling on again.
Goniff shot a quick glance at the con man. "Warden," he whispered. "You need a pallet for 'im too."
Garrison nodded. He went to work on building a second fire closer to the two men while Goniff slipped out of the cave. Craig had the fire going by the time the pickpocket returned with more pine branches. Garrison watched as Terry and Goniff made a pallet. He wondered if he would have to step in and make the con man rest, but Actor settled down without a word.
Casino awakened to a pain in his head that was almost matched by the pain in his wrist. He glanced around to see Terry sitting with her back against a dry section of limestone wall a little ways beyond his feet. To his left was the long form of Actor laying on another pallet of pine branches, sleeping restlessly.
"What happened to Beautiful?" the safecracker asked the girl.
"Arm's infected. He's sick." The girl was too tired to get up. "You okay?"
"I'll live."
"I hope so."
Casino frowned. "If he's down and I'm down, how are we gonna get outta here?"
Terry shook her head. "Maybe if we can get both of you to Forli we can get some wheels and hightail it for the coast."
"Aren't we on the wrong side of the country?"
Terry nodded. "What is it you say?" she asked with a small smile. "If it was easy they wouldn't send us?"
"Yeah. But just once I'd like to have an easy one."
"So would I."
Casino sniffed. "What's that I smell?"
"Chief caught a couple rabbits."
"Get me some of that before the Limey eats it all."
Terry grinned. "It isn't done yet."
When the rabbits were cooked, Terry got a couple quarters and brought them back to the injured men. Casino sat up and took one by the leg and began eating it. Actor followed suit. He looked at the safecracker tearing into the meat with gusto and gave a mental shake of his head. So uncouth. The Italian took a small bite and found it delicious. Before long his empty stomach had him eating it in much the same fashion as Casino.
Terry sat on her heels next to her brother and took a smaller piece of rabbit. She picked at the meat, hungry and at the same time no appetite.
"What's the matter?" asked Garrison in a low voice.
"I'm worried," admitted the girl. "It's a long way to Forli. I don't know if either of them can make it in a day."
"I know," said Craig. "We'll just have to take it as it comes and hope they don't get worse."
"And what if we run into the same thing in Forli as we did at that town we passed?"
Garrison shook his head. "Forli is a lot larger. We should be able to find wheels."
He knew their identity papers would be of no use to them. But this wouldn't be the first time they bluffed their way through check points and wouldn't be their last. He was sure his sister knew that too.
Goniff had eaten and gone out to relieve Chief. The Indian came in and sat cross-legged on the ground by the fire. Garrison held a stick with the remains of a carcass on it and Chief ripped a hunk off.
"How much farther you figure, Warden?" he asked.
"Normally we could make it in another day," said Garrison.
"Those two ain't normal right now," observed the Indian, taking a bite of meat.
"No," agreed the lieutenant. "We'll just have to go as far as possible and hope we can find a place to hole up for tomorrow night."
Chief nodded and concentrated on his meal. He glanced up at Terry as the girl rose to her feet. She walked over to the duffle bags, picked up one and went back to the two men on the pallets. Both had lay down again. She put the duffle bag against the wall between the men and sat down with her back against it. Chief shook his head.
"She worries about us too much," he said.
"That's Terry," replied Craig. "She's always been the worrier of the family."
The two men finished eating in silence. Chief curled up on the ground close to the fire and went right to sleep. Garrison rarely slept on missions and this one was no exception. He kept both fires going to try to keep the chill down to a minimum in the damp interior.
On one trip to the other fire, he stopped and looked down at his sister. Terry had slid down and was on her back with her head on the duffle bag, asleep. Her left hand was resting on Actor's good arm and her right was on Casino's. Both men were asleep. Good thing, Craig thought. Tomorrow was not going to be an easy walk for any of them.