Anna pulled the strap on her duffle and grabbed her rucksack as Branson arranged his things with Moseley hauling a large container in the rear. They joined the crush of people leaving the train, keeping their heads down, and pulled their relevant papers from their pockets as the customs officer approached them. He stamped the checked them almost indiscriminately, the soldiers on either side of him eyeing the crowd instead of them as they muttered in German to one another. The trio passed without incident and Anna hauled in a deep breath.

They reached the station, standing close together as Moseley huffed under the weight of his container. "Where's our contact?"

"They told us to wait." Anna scanned the crowd, "They'll recognize us."

"Seems they already did." Branson pointed a finger toward a tall man with bushy eyebrows making his way toward them, accompanied by a shorter woman matching his determined stride.

"Oh, it's good to see you all." The woman took Anna by the shoulders and kissed her cheeks. Anna blinked and tried to pull away but the woman hugged her close, whispering in her ear, "Play along or they'll think it's odd."

Anna nodded and only backed away as the woman turned her attention to the other two. "It's so lucky you could all get away to help us. We're swamped and need you immediately."

"I'm sure you were." Branson helped Moseley heft the container as the taller man offered to take Branson's things. "How soon can we get to work?"

"Immediately. Come," She waved them to follow her and Anna kept to her heels all the way to a waiting car.

The man helped Branson and Moseley manage the container into the back of their truck before giving them a hand so both could clamber into the bed. Anna squashed herself between the woman and the door while the man climbed into the driver's seat. He turned the key in the ignition and Anna risked a look over her shoulder to see Moseley give her a confirming nod as they drove off.

"So what's your name then?" Anna's eyes glanced at the woman, visible only in her peripherals, and waited. "I assume you know us."

"Mrs. Crawley was detailed and specific." The woman nodded and pointed herself then the man. "You can call me Mrs. Hughes and he's Mr. Carson."

"And you're both working with their organization?"

"We're willing to collaborate for the greater good." Mrs. Hughes managed a little laugh. "Honestly it's the maddest plan they've ever presented but the one that might actually do some good at last."

"It's one man." Anna shrugged, "Not sure what taking the head of this snake will do."

"I see you ascribe to the theory that the newly former Nazi party is a hydra."

"I've heard they've a very ambitious science division."

"It's nonsense." Mr. Carson gruffed, "If anything their crackpots are just delighting in cutting open innocent people. They're vampires."

"Hopefully not real vampires." Anna took a breath, "What information can you give us about our targets?"

"We've gathered a decent bit but we'll discuss it somewhere else."

The car pulled behind a building and Mr. Carson parked. His door opened and he aided Branson and Moseley in getting their things inside the backroom. Anna slung her duffle on her shoulder, head on revolve as they ducked through the door, and waited as Mrs. Hughes flipped a switch for the lights. She waited for Mr. Carson to close the door before reaching behind a shelf.

With a yank part of the floor slipped up, like a released catch, and Mrs. Hughes nodded toward it. "Down we go for now."

The odd quintet heaved and huffed their things down the hatch. Mrs. Hughes found another switch and brightened the room with the harsh glare of a naked bulb. Anna counted the cots and noted the table in the center of the room. As Branson and Moseley found the spot for the container she took the cot hear the stairs.

"What is this place?" Moseley wiped at his forehead with a sleeve as Mr. Carson rolled a map over the table.

"It's our base of operations." Mrs. Hughes opened her hands to it, "Impressive?"

"It's a death trap." Anna pointed to the stairs. "Only one point of egress."

"One they can see." Mrs. Hughes rapped her knuckles on the wall behind her, "There's a secret tunnel here that leads to the sewer system below the city."

"Classy." Branson snorted, "I'm sure everyone likes swimming in shit to survive."

"At least they survive, Mr. Branson." Mr. Carson raised an impressive eyebrow and tapped the table. "We've marked the relevant locations for the next few days."

"How long until the wedding?" Anna stood, folding her arms over her chest as she narrowed her eyes to bring the map into sharper focus.

"Four." Mrs. Hughes pursed her lips and took Anna's chin in her hand. Anna tried to fight her but Mrs. Hughes held firm. "Your eyes are bothering you."

"It's nothing." Anna pulled out her spectacles and held them up. "I'll manage."

"Not with that crack down them." Mrs. Hughes wagged a finger at Mr. Carson, "Tomorrow you need to take her to the optometrist. We need everyone here fighting fit. I won't have a crack in some spectacles ruining this operation."

"It's never troubled me before."

"And it won't trouble you further." Mrs. Hughes rolled her shoulders back. "Now, three days from now, Mr. Bricker and General Crowborough'll be taking a tour of his factories."

She traced her finger along the indicated route on the map. "The Fuhrer himself'll taking the tour in two weeks and the General wants nothing left to chance so he's taking the tour."

"Critical control points they've identified thus far are marked." Mr. Carson indicated the spots on the map. "They're running it like a trial to find more but it's also an inspection."

"Do they have doubts about the honesty of their friend?" Branson cracked his neck, "I guess no honor among thieves."

"What we know is that an attack from the road'll be difficult but once they're in the factory it'll be impossible." Mrs. Hughes motioned to the locations. "They're guarding the main roadways since there's been some unrest lately and they know that word of the Fuhrer's visit might spark something from a few less impressed groups."

"Like ourselves." Anna bent toward the map and tapped a point. "This is a petrol station yes?"

"One of two on the route."

Anna checked the distances before setting her finger on the location. "This is it. We'll strike here."

"We'd have to control the petrol station." Branson ran a hand through his hair, scruffing it at the back. "We'd need someone on the pump itself and someone to keep whomever runs it occupied."

"Our first problem is getting them there." Mrs. Hughes pointed to another petrol station, far off the route. "The cars only use this station. They control it and they'll have already filled up. They'll have no reason to stop here."

"Unless we give it to them." Anna folded her arms again, holding them close to her body. "We'll need a way to drain enough petrol that they'll have to fill up there. Send them far enough out of the way of their route that they need to stop."

"I could rig something to take out a lead and tailing car." Branson counted on his fingers. "If Bricker and Crowborough take the same car then I'll just get rid of their security on either side."

"If they hunker down in the car for safety then I'll have to make those shots through the glass." Anna shook her head, "I'll need to analyze the area. We need to see it before I can make determination at to angle."

"What if we could get them in the open?" Moseley mused and all turned to him. He jumped a little, patting the flat of his hands down his waistcoat. "I mean, I could man the pumps. They'll all be frightened as the cars about them go up in smoke. I usher them toward the station and then they're out in the open."

"Moving targets." Anna bit the inside of her cheek, "It'd daring. If they sprint I may not have time to take out both targets."

"Then you just chase them to whomever's waiting inside the station." Branson smiled, "Get me a bike and I can take out both cars, swinging back around in time to pick off whomever's left."

"Still," Anna turned to Mrs. Hughes, "We need to trace this route."

"They'll notice."

"Not if we do it backward and stop at the petrol station." Anna circled the indicated area, "We only need to survey our kill box. That's all."

"Then let's get to work." Branson took a metal hammer from a shelving unit and brought it down on the top of the container Moseley helped him move earlier. The top splintered and he knocked the pieces away to pull out his equipment. He held up the oilpaper. "We've not much time."


Prague, Same Day

Green blinked, holding his head as he nursed a glass on the table in front of him. A tall, lanky man took the seat opposite him and pointed to the drink. "It usually works better inside you. At least that's what they say when they're not trying to tell us it's the devil's drink."

"You got my message." Green took a sip, hissing at the burn in his throat while the other man interlaced his fingers and crossed one leg over the other.

"The Belfast Pistol isn't one to just show up at any event with nothing but a name and money dangling in front of him."

Green frowned, "You're not the Belfast Pistol?"

"Heavens no." The man laughed, "I don't claim to that kind of fame."

"What kind of fame do you claim?" Green closed his eyes, pressing his palm to his forehead as the other man clicked his tongue against his teeth in a disparaging noise.

"Don't speak so loudly. It'll hurt your head."

"The drink's not helping."

"Neither did the laudanum or opium that you took." The other man waved off Green's startled reaction, "Please, it's not like I haven't indulged. I believe one should take all of life's pleasures for as long as he can. We're here for a good time, not a long one."

"Is that what your Pistol thinks?"

"I work a machine gun. I don't care for pistols." The man jabbed his finger at the table. "But what is it that a man, like yourself, needs from the Pistol anyway?"

"I'm on assignment from Mrs. Isobel Crawley." Green dug into his pocket and pulled out some photographs. "These are three known antagonists who are detrimental to her cause. She'd like them eliminated."

"And surely the intrepid Captain Green is up for the job." The man slid the photographs over one another, frowning slightly at one before tucking them into his pocket. "Hiring us seems like a waste of your natural resources doesn't it?"

"It's necessary since you're not the kind that gets noticed." Green pulled a stack of bills from another pocket and passed them under the table. "That's the first third. Same price for all of them."

The man flipped through the money, giving an impressed upturn of his bottom lip before slipping it in with the photographs. "For this pretty penny I'm guessing you're depending on expediency?"

"And efficiency."

"That's never been a problem for us." The man set his leg down and pressed on his knees to stand. "I'm sure, if these three are antagonists for you, they won't be once we're done."

"I'd hope that's what I paid for." Green knocked back the rest of his glass, scrunching his face before extending his hand. "The resistance efforts thank you for your service."

"That's the problem with you patriots." The man dropped the handshake quickly. "You're so idealistic. You don't see the truth staring you in the face."

"That our future lies in being mercenaries like yourself?"

"No," The man shrugged, "That there's never an end to your idealism. With us there's job and it's completed. With you it's always another battle, another enemy, another target. There's no end to your goal because the target keeps moving."

"At least we have goals."

"It's exhausting." The man nodded, "We'll let you know when we succeed."

"I'm sure you will." Green waited for the man to leave before walking to the bar. He waved for the man there and pointed, "May I use your phone? It's an emergency?"

The man shrugged and Green ducked under the bar to pull it free of the cradle. Holding it to his ear he put his finger in the slots, pulling the rotor over until all the numbers chimed through. He waited a moment until a voice spoke over the end of the line.

"This is Alex Green speaking for Richard Carlisle." The line clicked a few times before connecting and Green ran a hand over his face. He noted the slight tremor but clenched his fist when a voice sounded on the other end. "Mr. Carlisle, I know Ms. Braithwaite never introduced us but I've some information for you that I think you'll want to hear in person."


Berlin, Same Day

Anna shaded her eyes and looked up at the buildings. "It's not a bad point from there."

"It's the tallest building in the immediate vicinity." Mrs. Hughes nodded toward the shaded porch on the third floor. "It's the best vantage point since it gives you height."

"I need to check the coverage of the street." Anna stopped, looking at Branson and Moseley. "Run the route from the road and back here. I need to know how long it'll take you walking, riding, and driving."

"Get it down to the second." Moseley nodded, "It's all about timing."

"Good." Anna and Mrs. Hughes walked the length of the building, turning at the alley to climb the rickety wooden stairs on the side to gain the third floor.

They edged inside the storeroom, careful not to touch anything, and Anna opened one of the windows to get out onto the porch. She walked the length, her gaze on the road below. Branson and Moseley walked the distance, Moseley writing something as Branson measured his steps, and Anna tracked them.

Reaching into her bag she brought out a pair of field glasses, putting them to her eyes to get detail from the street. Anna tracked one car that passed, marking its progress, and nodded. "This'll do."

"We'll need a better escape for you than just those back stairs." Mrs. Hughes stepped back so Anna could climb back through the window. "If you've got to manage that window you'll be trapped here."

"That's if they see me." Anna held her arm toward the window. "I could get both of them through the car windows from there, no problem."

"Is that before or after Mr. Branson blows their cars to kingdom come?"

"It won't matter. The distance and the angle are perfect for me." Anna walked to the stairs and pointed toward the building across the alley. "What's that distance, do you think?"

"Maybe eight feet." Mrs. Hughes shrugged, "If you had enough speed you could conceivable jump it and run the rooftop to get away."

"I'd be exposed the whole way."

"It's not a great route but it is one."

"And there?" Anna walked to the end of the little balcony, noting how it wrapped the back of the building. "Is there any way out there?"

"The alley below us just snakes back around the building to spit you out further up the street." Mrs. Hughes frowned, "You can't be thinking about running toward the enemy."

"It's all just options, Mrs. Hughes." Anna descended the stairs, meeting Branson and Moseley on the road. "Time?"

"If they're driving then expect less than three minutes between first signal and go time." Moseley scratched a few more figures. "If we get Branson a motorbike he'll attract too much attention so we'll have to settle for a regular bicycle."

"The mailmen ride them." Mrs. Hughes suggested, "We could get him a uniform and then no one would think it odd to see someone riding that closely to military vehicles."

"What about the bombs?" Anna lowered her voice, "If you're pedaling then you could get caught in the blast."

"I can set the caps, it won't be a problem." Branson furrowed his brow and jerked his head behind him, toward the station. "My worry's the station. We can't get all those people under our control."

"There's only the one attendant."

"And his daughter." Mrs. Hughes nodded, "Mr. Branson's right, it'll be difficult and some force may be required."

"We're not hurting civilians." Anna warned, "Whatever action we take is strictly non-combative where they're concerned."

"I wasn't suggesting killing anyone." Branson held up his hands as if to push Anna off. "I was just suggesting we might have to consider restraints."

"And gags." Moseley nodded, turning to the side, "I love chestnuts."

Anna shook her head, rubbing at her forehead. "We need to sabotage the vehicles tomorrow, to make sure they'll have to stop here. Day after they come through and we take out our targets. We're on a train to Hamburg and we get our boat up the Elbe so we're out in the North Sea before anyone realizes we were involved."

"I like the sound of a bit of sailing." Moseley came back, offering the bag of chestnuts to the others. "Interested?"

They all just shook their heads.