Greetings, everyone! :) It has been long since the last time I was on this site – too long. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I wish you a fantastic New Year, full of success, love, good health, and especially happiness! ;)

I owe you a thousand apologies (and perhaps more than that) for vanishing so suddenly again. Unfortunately, life got in the way and I had to make a long pause in writing. But, here comes the good news - to make it up to you, I decided to break my record and give you the longest chapter yet – which is about 14 pages! Count this, dear readers and reviewers, as a very late Christmas present from me. ;)

However, first of all, I have to thank this wonderful trio for reviewing: beth-rodrigues.77 (I was thrilled to bits when I read the review. Thank you! :) That chapter took me a lot of time to write. I'm happy to hear that you like it! As for Jess's escape, I can tell you this - all the answers you're looking for are here. Just keep reading and you'll find everything out. ;) ), Cayendoenelolvido (Thank you very much! :) I hope you'll like this chapter, too.), and Athena165 (Welcome to the story! :) By the way, thank you for the review! With a bit of luck, I'll come back a bit sooner with the next chapter. ;) ). I appreciate your kind words and support!

By the way, I told you in the previous chapter that I would change the name of the story. From now on, it will be called "The Whole Nine Yards" (I hope this title sounds slightly better than the last one). But, the story itself is still the same one you followed. ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own Band of Brothers. This is purely of entertainment. It is based on the HBO miniseries and no disrespect is meant towards the real men of Easy Company.

Chapter Thirty-Six: To Save and to Serve

"I'm pulling through and it's because of you… when I was stranded came your helping hand…"

Billie Holiday's song had just began on the wireless when I leaned against the nearby window sill. Fumbling with my lighter, I got it to work and lit my third cigarette for that day. The taste of it didn't bother me. In fact, the long drag I took seemed more comforting to me than harsh. After letting out one more puff of smoke, I gazed at the street, which was a few floors below.

I was still trying to figure out how I had reached Manchester, England, without being too suspicious. I should call that my little miracle. I could have been caught red-handed in France, where I was hitchhiking to the shore. While moving from village to village, from town to town, I half-expected someone to come out all of a sudden and stop me. But, that never happened. In a matter of a days, I reached the Channel. I had to bribe a man to let me board a ship – which also meant burning through half of my wages – but, in the end, I was back in England.

Heh. That was fun. I couldn't forget the shocked look on Mrs Sullivan's face when she saw me at her doorstep. She soon became excited, though. She wanted me to stay in her home, like I used to do in the old days. However, saying 'yes' was out of the question. I quickly made up a story that I was on leave, and that I came to take Neve on a short trip. Mike's mum wasn't too happy to hear that. But, she let us go.

And that led us to here.

This was our fourth day in Manchester, in our temporary hiding place – a small flat on the top floor of an old building. If you didn't pay attention to the scent of cat hair, the place wasn't that bad.

At least we've got a kitchen with a view. I took another drag from my stick, watching the sun setting down the street. A bright light was spreading above the houses in the distance, making a contrast with the dull, greyish sky.

"Hey, ace. What are you doing?"

I turned around, just to see Neve standing behind me.

I couldn't help but smile. She seemed to have grown quite a lot since the last time I had seen her. She had reached the height of my shoulder, actually. Even her hair was longer, curling slightly down her back. I guessed that my little sister wasn't as little as I had thought.

"I told you not to call me that", I said, "Not here."

"What should I call you, then? Jane?" She scoffed the moment she said that name. "Maybe you should stick to planes and flying, Jess. Choosing false names really isn't one of your talents."

"What's wrong with our false names?"

"What do you think? You're the plain, boring Jane, while I'm Mildred. Mildred!" She made a face as if she had swallowed a lemon. "I can't believe people are calling me that. I feel like somebody's great-aunt."

"Maybe you will be somebody's great-aunt. Some day."

She glared at me. "I don't like it."

"Look, as soon as this is over, you can get back to being good old Neve. But, for now, you'll just have to be patient. Okay?"

"We're Prichards, Jess. When were we ever patient?"

No arguments there. A grin tugged at my lips. Meanwhile, Neve went to the counter and reached for the kettle. Pouring some tea in two cups, she handed one to me. And then, having taken her own, she stood right next to me, propping her back against the wall. She blew away the steam rising from her cup. But, as she took a small sip, I noticed that her brow furrowed slightly.

"I was thinking about something", she said after some time.

"About what?"

"During your time… over there, I mean…" She waved her free hand towards the wall, as if Holland was hiding somewhere behind it. "You spent a lot of time with the lads, right?"

I shrugged. "I guess so."

"Is there someone you fancy?"

All of a sudden, I felt heat picking up in my cheeks. Awkwardly clearing my throat, I moved my gaze away and focused on the tea in my hands.

"Neve, I wasn't there in search for a boyfriend", I said.

"I know. But, after all the action you've seen, there has to be someone you became fond of. Or maybe that someone, in time, became fond of you. Or even both." She narrowed her eyes for a bit while she scrutinised me. That was when her eyebrows arched in shock. "Holy smoke. So, it is both!"

"What?" This time, I felt heat spreading down to my neck. "No!"

"Right. Of course not." Judging by Neve's look, she didn't believe a word. "So, who is your mystery man?"

I frowned at her. "Don't we have more important things to think about?"

"I don't think so. Not now, anyway."

Frankly, I had a really bad feeling about all of this. But, I knew her long enough – and I knew she wouldn't let me go just like that, not after sensing this sort of news. I shortly sighed before putting my tea away.

"Okay, fine. I'll tell you." Her face lit up in an instant. Yet, I quickly raised a finger. "But, only if you promise that you won't tell anyone about this. Not a soul."

She frowned back at me. "Jess, we're in hiding. Whom could I possibly tell?"

Oh. Right. I awkwardly cleared my throat. In the meantime, Neve made a step closer to me, eyes wide with excitement. Well, maybe I should start with a name.

I opened my mouth, ready to give her the answer, when something made me stop. I pressed my lips into a thin line. All of a sudden, I felt ridiculous. I had been in Holland, on the Island of all places – and I almost kicked the bucket a few times – but, even then, I had never been as nervous as this. That was awfully wrong. How could telling a lad's name be such a problem? I felt as if I were one of those lasses at school, who would start to giggle every time lads were mentioned.

I cleared my throat again, hoping to pull myself together.

"Well, his name's Eugene. And he is… nice."

Neve was quiet for a while. That was when she slowly nodded.

"All right. Eugene is nice." Soon after, she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Jessica, little dogs are nice, too, but that doesn't mean you have a secret relationship with them. Give me some details will you? What does he look like? What… what does he do?"

"He's a medic."

She blinked in bewilderment. "Now, that sounds interesting."

"Actually, it's slightly complicated."

"And how is he?"

Not so good. I caught myself biting my lip again. She saw that. Unfortunately, she also knew I did that only because of a good reason. She tilted her head a bit to the side, giving me a confused look. I had no choice but to tell her the truth.

"The last time I saw him…" I paused and scratched the top of my head. "He was in a hospital."

"Working?"

"No, he was a patient."

She squinted. "What happened?"

"A collapsing roof."

Neve let out a short chuckle. But, after a moment or two, she realised that this wasn't a joke. She went silent. And then she gawped at me, leaving her mouth half-open. However, the silence didn't last for too long.

"You're right", she said in a low voice, "Your relationship is really complicated."

"Hey!"

I wanted to nudge her with my elbow, yet she was faster. She jumped back, ending up just out of my reach. With an irritated sigh, I returned to my tea and started to stir it.

That was when the lights went out.

It had happened without a warning. The light bulb above our heads flickered with a strange sound, before the entire flat plunged into darkness. A second later, I couldn't see a thing. Yet, I heard something shattering - something that was too close to me.

"Neve? Neve?"

I turned around, staring into the dark. Although my sight was useless, all my other senses seemed to be working on overload. I heard the wind outside, making the window gently rattle in its frame. I heard muffled shouting from the floor below and felt the smell of mold coming from the corner of the kitchen. But, the thing I was most aware of was my heart, which seemed to be pounding in my ears. Clenching my fists, I slowly made a step back and –

Something grabbed my hand. I shrieked.

"Jesus, relax!" Neve's voice came from the darkness. "It's just the light. I'll take care of that in a minute."

I heard a few steps as Neve made her way to the switch. After a couple of clicks, the light bulb came to life and yellowish light engulfed the flat again. However, what I saw after that made me stop dead in my tracks. A few steps away from me, a shattered cup and a broken saucer were on the floor, lying in a puddle of spilt tea. It dawned on me that it was mine. I must have dropped it.

"Jess?"

When I looked up, I realised something else. Neve was staring at me with a strange expression, as if she wasn't sure what exactly she was looking at.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh… aye." I nodded. "I was just... startled."

"Startled, my foot." She came closer, careful not to step on the pieces of china. No sooner did she approach than she blinked. Her hazel eyes widened at something I couldn't see. "Jessica, you're sweating."

What? I am? Frowning in disbelief, I raised my hand. And then I felt it. My jaw almost dropped when I smeared beads of sweat over my forehead. The back of my neck also felt odd. When I reached there, I winced at how clammy my skin was. The collar of my sweater was soaked. With a concerned look, Neve stood on her toes and pressed her hand against my forehead.

"Are you coming down with something?", she asked.

Her frightened eyes moved from her hand, shiny with sweat, up to my face. I tried to take a deep breath to compose myself. We were hundreds of miles from home, in hiding. I couldn't give her any more reasons to be worried – even if I was scared. Moving away from her, I plastered a quick smile over my lips.

"I think my problem is 'too many layers', hinny", I said. That should sound convincing enough. "I'll go and take this damn thing off."

Strolling to the right, I grasped my sweater and pulled it over my head. I still had it in my hands, bundling it up, when Neve asked:

"What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing. Everything's okay."

"Don't lie. I can see right through you."

Neve crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing me from head to toe. In that second, I had a feeling as if I were looking at Dad again. He used to have the same look when he knew something wasn't right.

"I've been watching you for a while, you know. You smile and you crack jokes, but you're actually wound up like a spring. You're acting as if something will jump at you from the first corner!"

Struggling to put a brave face on it, I shortly laughed. However, that laughter didn't sound even close to mine. It was too strained, too nervous – and Neve was well aware of that. She slowly shook her head, giving me a sign to drop the act.

"I just had a really bad dream", I said eventually, "But, it'll get better. I'll get better." Glancing around, I quickly added: "Hey, I almost forgot to tell you. I've bought some eggs yesterday. How about we have some for dinner?"

Neve obviously wasn't satisfied with this. But, she didn't push it anymore.

"Sure. I'll just wash my hands first."

"I'll clean up the mess."

With another suspicious frown, she turned around and went for the bathroom. No sooner did the door close behind her than I slumped against the counter. I ran a hand over my eyes, sighing deeply and quietly. Damn it.

Despite everything, Neve was right. I was really tense these days – maybe even too much. And I could see from a mile away that I was frightening her. I should work on this. I had to be a bit more laid back. After all, the war was over for me. There was no reason for me to still be on edge. Snatching a mop from the counter, I placed it over the floor and let it soak up the tea. After that, I picked it up and wrung it in the sink.

By that time, the sun had completely disappeared behind the houses, along with the last traces of its glow. The only source of light was the moon, peering behind a cloud, along with a flock of pale stars.

It's almost like the sky back in Holland. What a nice reminder.

I dropped the mop, watching the clouds slowly cover some of the stars in the east. I couldn't help but think that Eugene was somewhere in that direction.

It was strange, really, how a finger-length on a map could be so distant.

I thought about the hospital I had pulled an AWOL from. Gene surely wasn't there now, either. He might have been shy, but he was also a member of Easy Company – and those lads never spent too much time lying in bed. He must have been in the field with the lads again, making sure that everyone was all right. If I closed my eyes, I might just be able to see him – his barely noticeable smile and his dark eyes, often lost in thought.

Aye, I missed him. On a few occasions, I felt the urge to grab a pencil and write him a letter, just to ask him how he was. But, I couldn't and I hated that from the bottom of my heart. I hated being in this place and keeping my head down, in case someone was looking for me. Yet, there wasn't much I could do at this point. I could only hope this would be over soon.

I knelt down again and started picking up the shards from the floor. In the meantime, somewhere behind me, the old wireless crackled with the final lyrics:

"And you taught me how to carry on… Thanks for the lift in time and thanks for the song."

XXX

The day was over far too fast.

It was no wonder, with everything I had to do. I had spent the whole time helping my landlady, Mrs Baxter, to clean her flat up. I had heard that she was ready to pay, and so I ended up at her door. My wages, as well as Mike's, were steadily melting away – and I needed the extra money. By the end of the day, I realised how out of shape I was. My back was aching, but at least I got a small income.

Thanking Mrs Baxter and returning to the top floor, all I wanted now was a long bath. That was precisely what I did. I went to the bathroom, turned the tap and started shedding my clothes, piling it on a chair in the corner. But, I had to halt in the middle of it. The small calendar, which hung on the wall, had caught my eye. I stepped closer to it and took a better look at the printed date.

I instantly regretted it.

Shit. It's time. I swallowed thickly, staring at the numbers. Unfortunately, the paper in front of me wasn't wrong. It was high time I got my stitches removed.

I clenched and unclenched my fist, resisting the urge to scratch my stomach. Back in Holland, this would have been simple. I would have gone to the Aid station and waited for Gene or Ralph to come and help me. Unfortunately, I wasn't in Holland anymore. And there was nobody I could ask for assistance. What would Mrs Baxter say, if she found out I was hiding a bullet wound under my shirt?

She'll probably call the police… if she doesn't get a heart attack before that! I gritted my teeth, raking my fingers through my hair. There was nobody for me to count on here. I was the only one who could do this. Yet, although I had the medical supplies I had snatched, there was still a small problem – I had no idea how to take care of the wound on my back. I slowly moved my hand, flinching when I touched the stitched-up place. Damn it. I definitely need help.

But, who could I ask? I slouched on the edge of the bathtub, pondering about it. That person had to live quite close. And it had to be capable of keeping a secret. Only one person fitted the description.

Neve? Oh, no. I can't ask her. She's gonna flip out. For chrissake… I took the deepest breath I could. There had to be another way. I couldn't do that to her, not to a kid. Yet, I needed help and I didn't have much time. Cursing myself, I closed my eyes for a moment and steeled myself for what I was about to do.

"Uh, Neve?" I paused, swallowing a lump in my throat. "Neve, could you come here?"

It didn't last long when I heard footsteps. The sheer thought of Neve coming closer made me cringe. That was nothing compared to the sound of her voice from the other side of the door.

"What is it?", she asked.

"Do you…" I swallowed again. "Do you remember what they taught you at school? About sewing?"

With a short creak, the door moved and Neve's head peered inside.

"I think so." She sent me a confused look. "Why?"

"How are your hands? Are they steady?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do they shake a bit from time to time?"

"No." As seconds passed, she was becoming more and more bewildered. She pushed the door further and stepped into the bathroom. "Jess, where are you going with this?"

I coughed in an awkward way. "Well, some time ago… I had an accident." When she frowned at me, I hastily explained: "I had to get a few stitches. And now it's time to get rid of them. But, I can't reach them… and I can't just drop by the neighbour's and ask for help, can I? Everybody here thinks we're simple fisherman's-"

Her brow furrowed even more. "What happened?"

"Oh, nothing special. I'm okay."

She was silent for a while. "Can I see it? Wherever that is?"

I hesitated under her gaze. This definitely wasn't one of my brightest ideas. I already felt the guilt kicking in. But there was no going back now – forward was the only road from here. Nervously biting my lip, I turned around, so that I was facing the wall. And then I rolled my shirt up to the middle of my back.

Silence filled up the bathroom like a tidal wave, submerging its every corner. Even the noise from the flat next to ours seemed to have stopped. That wasn't a good sign. I glanced behind my shoulder. Meanwhile, Neve was hardly even blinking. She was standing as if she were frozen, with her hand on the door knob, staring at my lower back with horrified eyes. She seemed so shocked that I doubted she would say a word.

I was wrong.

"Shit."

"Oi, I didn't teach you to swear like that!", I said, turning to her, "Anyway, it's not that bad. It's just a little scratch."

"A scratch? It's a bullet hole!" She craned her neck to the right, before she gawped at something. "And… Jesus, you were shot twice?"

"Actually, it was just once…"

"And that's quite reassuring!"

I blinked a couple of times. "Hold on! How did you know that?"

"I'm not an idiot. Dad had scars like that from the last war. Christ…" She sighed, not taking her eyes off the spot on my stomach. "What do you want from me?"

"Help."

Her gaze darted to my face. She had obviously connected the dots, because her jaw dropped slightly. When she eventually spoke, her voice was low with disbelief.

"You want me to take your stitches out."

"Aye."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"I-I brought some things you may need. Here." I reached behind the bathtub and picked up a small bag, where I had hidden the medical supplies. "But, we'll need a candle, too. Have you seen any in the kitchen drawers?"

She nodded. Yet, she didn't move. She stood completely still, hesitating. But, after a few moments, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the bathroom. Slinging my sweater over my shoulders, I went after her to the kitchen. I found her there, hunched over the sink, gripping its edges so tightly that her knuckles were close to white. I rushed to her, thinking that she was about to throw up. But, she wasn't. She was simply staring at blank space.

I bit my lip again. If Dad were here, he would have surely given me a piece of his mind for doing this.

"Back in September…" Neve lifted her head and looked at me. Her voice was low and slightly hoarse. "When I sneaked on the airfield to see you… I visited Mike's tent, too. I told him to watch your back."

I stared at her. "What?"

"I told him that, if something happened to you, I'd paddle across the Channel just to wring his neck." Her knuckles turned even paler as she tightened her grip on the sink. "But, I've changed my mind."

"So, you did?"

"Aye. Instead, I'll skin him alive!"

I flinched at her furious expression. "Hey, there's no need to go medieval on him! You should thank him. If it hadn't been for him, I probably wouldn't be standing here!"

She scoffed, leaning against the sink. "Why didn't you tell me about this? Huh?"

"I couldn't", I admitted.

"Bill sent me a letter a while ago. Nixon, too. They didn't mention anything about you getting shot."

"I asked them not to."

She pursed her lips. "But, why?"

"Because I didn't want to scare you. Things weren't easy for you at home, either. I didn't want you to worry about this, too." Since her gaze shifted into a glare, I quickly raised my hands in mock-defeat. "What happened wasn't a good thing, I know. But, I pulled through and everything is all right now. Yeah?"

She shook her head. "No, it isn't, Jess. You were who-knows-where, doing who-knows-what. Because of that, we've been hiding in this dingy place for days like a pair of vixens. It's like somebody's after us!" Soon after, she waved her hand towards me. "And, on top of that, there's you!"

"Me?" I arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean, me?"

"You're different! Didn't you think I would notice?" She let out a tired sigh. "You're smoking like a chimney. You have bruises that you're always trying to hide. Every time something rustles here, you freeze all of a sudden. And let's not forget the part where you're avoiding the bed like the plague!"

I shrugged. "I told you about that. That bed is too soft for me."

"Is that why you're sleeping on the floor?" She stared at me. "Jessica, you do know I'll turn thirteen in a couple of weeks, yeah?"

"Of course I do."

"That means you can tell me."

I couldn't help but frown. "Tell me what?"

"You can tell me everything. Don't you even try denying it! I know that something's horribly wrong. I can see it on your face." She crossed her arms on her chest. "I know I can't do much to fix it, all right? But, I can do one thing. I can listen."

I didn't answer. Instead, I kept staring at her, while something inside me started to constrict.

"I can't."

Neve looked disappointed. "I'm not that fragile!"

"It's not that! It's because…" I paused, searching for the right words. But, the bad news was that there weren't any words. In the end, I could only settle for biting my lip for the hundredth time. "I just can't do it, Neve. I really want to sit down with you and explain everything, but I can't. If I started talking about it, I would have to think about it, too, and…" I sighed. "And I'm not ready to think about that again."

"So, you're planning to keep that inside you 'till kingdom come?"

"No." I shook my head. "I'll tell you everything. I promise. But, that won't be now. I… I can't do it now."

She wasn't too satisfied about it. I saw that clearly. Yet, there was no other way for things to happen. I watched as she moved away from the sink, opened a drawer and took out a candle from it.

"If you can't do it, you can tell me", I said, "I won't get mad."

"Is there anyone else who can help you?", she asked. I stayed quiet. "Then I hope you won't clam up when we start with this. I don't want to accidentally stab you with your tweezers."

"Don't worry about that. I'll tell you what to do."

She nodded. After bringing the candle to the bedside table, she lit the thread with the help of my lighter. And then she rushed to the bathroom to bring my supplies. Yet, I didn't fail to notice a hint of queasiness on her face.

That was when I made a promise to myself. Once all of this was over, and we got out of here, I would find a way to make it up to her – somehow.

XXX

"Jane? Jane, is everything all right over there?"

I almost forgot that was my false name. I peered from behind the large desk I was scrubbing. "Oh, aye, Mrs Baxter. As right as rain."

I was at my landlady's again. This morning, my mission was tidying up her husband's study. What I thought to be a quick and easy job turned into a task that would take me half a day to finish. Apparently, Mr Baxter enjoyed collecting old books and newspapers. It took me hours just to get them out of the desk. I was still cleaning the old wooden desktop when, all of a sudden, Mrs Baxter appeared in the room.

"Jane, I'm going to the grocer. I'll be back in a minute." For some reason, she seemed a bit flustered.

"Is something wrong?", I asked.

"No. But, it looks we're having an unexpected guest. A Yank, by the sound of him. He's in the living room now, with my tea. Apparently, he knows you."

My heart skipped a beat.

Could it be?

"What… how… what does he look like?"

"About this high." She raised her hand to show it. Whoever he was, the lad wasn't too tall. "A bit bulky. Short, dark hair, prominent jaw… does that sound familiar to you?"

I almost dropped the bucket I was holding. I couldn't believe it.

Bill. In a matter of moments, I started to chuckle. That lunatic must have gone AWOL from the hospital again. I didn't have the foggiest how he had managed to get all the way here with his broken leg. But, what I really couldn't fathom was that he had found me. He knew exactly where to look for me. How is that even possible?

I forgot about that as soon as I searched for the reason for his visit. There was only one possible answer why he was here – Denham must have received his discharge. He might have already been on his way back to the States. And Bill was here to tell me the news. All of a sudden, my knees wobbled at the thought. I felt slightly dizzy. Grasping the edge of the desk, I carefully sat down on the floor.

Mrs Baxter gave me an odd look. "Are you feeling all right, dear?"

I couldn't answer. I didn't know how to. Instead, I pushed myself up again. Brushing the dust off my apron, I darted straight to the living room.

As I drew closer, I grew excited to see Bill and his famous smirk. I realised that I had missed it very much. However, I knew I would quickly get annoyed with it once he started teasing me for wearing a skirt and a dirty apron. I almost grinned when I saw his dark hair behind the edge of the sofa.

"Well, if it isn't the charming gimp!", I said, "It's been ages! Where have you been, you-"

But, then I went quiet. Once I had made my way around the sofa, I stopped dead in my tracks. The man who was sitting in front of me, with a cup of tea in his hands, wasn't Bill at all.

It was Denham.

"I've been busy, Prichard. Thank you for asking." He smirked before slightly tilting his head to one side. "And, yes, it's been ages since our last meeting."

I blinked.

It must have been a dream. After everything I had seen, it was only a matter of time before I started having insane dreams, right? I began pinching my forearm as hard as I could, praying to wake up. But, no matter how hard I did it, Denham refused to disappear. He was still sitting in the same spot on the sofa, wearing a dark suit and tie. He looked tired, pale, with dark circles under his eyes, but he couldn't be more real.

Oh, fuck… this is really happening.

"Jane?"

I looked behind my shoulder. An utterly oblivious Mrs Baxter entered the room and smiled. However, when she saw the look on my face, her cheerful expression disappeared.

"What's going on?", she asked.

"Everything's fine, ma'am", Denham replied casually, turning in her direction, "Your sweet neighbour…" He turned back to me and eyed me from head to toe. "… Jane… wasn't expecting me to drop by. I was in a hospital until recently and I thought I wouldn't see her anymore. But, thanks to a doctor, I'm much better." A corner of his lips curved. "It looks like I can't be rid off that easily. Right… dear?"

I swallowed a lump in my throat.

"I should get going", Mrs Baxter declared, picking up her purse and moving away.

"You don't have to hurry, ma'am", Denham said casually, "Take your time."

No, no, no, don't go… get to the telephone! Call for help! Call for help, for chrissake! I widened my eyes at her as much as I could, giving her a sign that everything was wrong. But, she didn't notice that. Instead of doing something useful, she simply strolled out, humming a song under her breath. I'm so screwed...

I surpressed a shudder before turning to Denham again. Now, that we were alone, I was sure that my heart was thumping twice as fast.

"How the hell did you find me?", I asked.

"A friend of a friend… of a friend helped me out. You know, it took me heck of a lot of time to find you. You're good, Prichard. Really good." He fingered the cup of tea in his hands, shortly lost in thought. "When I recruited you, I knew you were capable of many things. But, this?" He waved around the living room we were standing in. "Running and hiding? This is just not your style."

I made a slow step back. I had a strong feeling that he wasn't the only one who had arrived just for me. I had to get out of here, grab Neve and run. But, how?

I glanced at the front door. That should do it. They weren't too far. Yet, in order to reach them, I had to go past Denham. And I doubted that he would just watch me do it. On the other hand, the window on my right was far from him. It's open. And we're on the lowest floor. I could jump through it. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I bolted towards the window.

But, somebody grabbed me. Somebody's arms wrapped around me, pinning mine against my sides. I shouted and tried to kick that person in the shin, but it didn't work. Whoever he was, he was far too strong for me. I clutched the window sill, hoping to get out somehow, yet he pulled me away, making my nails scratch the wooden surface.

"Not so fast, Prichard", Denham said, "You don't want to bolt off and miss the family gathering, do you?"

What…? Before I could decipher what he was saying, I heard shouting from outside. And then the front door flew open. A tall, bulky-looking man trotted into the flat, dragging someone after him by the arm – someone with dishevelled brown hair and a familiar polka-dot shirt.

My stomach dropped.

I was looking at my sister.

"Let… me… go!", Neve shouted, trying to wrench herself out of his grip. Yet, she was no match for the bloke holding her. He mercilessly shoved her into the living room. She tripped and crumpled to the ground.

I gawped at her, slowly but surely turning numb with shock. However, that feeling turned into anger once she looked up at me. Her lower lip was swollen and split. There was a trail of blood on her shirt. I looked at the man who had dragged her inside as my right hand started to clench into a fist. If only I could give that bastard a right hook…

"Jess?", Neve asked, eyes wide in fear, "What on earth is going on? Who… who are these people?"

Trembling with anger, I turned my head back to Denham. "You son of a…"

"I've tried to be nice, Prichard. After all, we're supposed to be working together. I can't hate you. But, do you know what I really hate? It's when someone things it would be great to double-cross me." He put his cup on the vacant space on the sofa. That was when he leaned closer to me, more solemn than I had seen him in a long time. "It wasn't a bad plan, though, with your helpers spiking my drink. It almost worked. Almost."

"Helpers?", I asked, pretending not to know.

"Oh, come on. You know damn well what I'm talking about. You're smart, but you're not born for making schemes and plans. You're actually a 'to save and to serve' type. Someone helped you with your little ol' escapade."

I said nothing. There was no way I would spill the beans about the lads. I stood still in my spot, struggling hard to keep my face blank. Meanwhile, Neve scooted backwards until she reached the nearest corner. I heard a small noise when her back bumped into a wall.

"So, who are those geniuses?", Denham asked.

"There aren't any", I lied, "It's just me."

However, he paid no attention to that. "Well, they can't be replacements. That's for sure. To pull of something as shady as this, you can only count on your closest friends. Now, let's make a list." He placed his finger on the edge of his forehead, as if he were pondering about something. "Let's see… how about Guarnere? He broke his leg before this whole thing began. But, that doesn't mean he can't be involved, right?"

I fely me eyes becoming wide. How does he know that?

"Wait", he said suddenly, "There's also that skinny guy you usually bicker with. He has some weird surname… what is it? Gottlieb? Liebgott?" He paused for a moment. "Or maybe it's one of the medics. Whoever spiked my drink knew exactly what to use. Is it Spina? Or that taciturn Roe? You two are quite close, if I recall correctly. You saved each other's lives a few times."

Something inside me clenched.

Dear God. He was steadily pointing out the lads involved, one by one. Did he know everything? Or was he only listing out names of the men I often talked to, waiting for me to react? I had no idea. But, I wasn't planning on telling him the truth so fast.

"It wasn't any of them", I said, doing my best to keep my voice level, "I-I did it all by myself."

Denham's brow furrowed. "Are you sure about that? As I recall, you were never close to my desk – even when I summoned you that day. So, give it up. What you did was a two-man job, or more."

"Jessica?", Neve asked, staring at me, "What have you done?"

But, I couldn't answer her, not now. Forcing myself to look only at Denham, and nobody else, I said:

"No. It was just me."

He let out a short hum. And then he turned around and glanced at Neve. Neve flinched. I wanted to get to her first, to step between her and whatever Denham was about to do. Yet, whatever that was, I couldn't stop him. I could only watch.

"Prichard, I really don't know what you're trying to accomplish here. I already know the guys you spend time with. The question is – which members of your little circle helped you with this?"

"Nobody. I swear!"

Denham sighed, as if this was becoming tedious and tiresome for him. "You just won't accept that it's over, do you? Well, there is a solution for this."

And then he nodded to the man next to Neve. A second later, his orderly stepped closer to my sister. Neve tried to move away, but she had nowhere to go.

"Denham…", I warned, "Denham, don't you fucking dare-"

I gasped when the orderly grabbed Neve by the collar of her shirt. He dragged her out of the corner she was hiding in. Neve screamed, trying to get away from him. By then, I was fighting with all my strength to get free. However, the man holding me gave me a swift kick in the back of my knee. My leg gave out and I was suddenly kneeling on the floor. But, I didn't fail to miss what was going on. I saw Neve freezing in place – and the orderly pointing a gun straight at her head.

"You're a DEAD MAN!", I shrieked at him, "If you hurt her, I'm gonna rip out your bloody…!"

"Now, now, girl, don't get so melodramatic." Denham locked his gaze on Neve, who was standing motionlessly near him. "Neve, honey, why don't you ask your big sister what I just did? Maybe she'll be a bit more reasonable with you."

Neve gulped loudly. I could see tears glistening in her eyes.

"Neve, don't be scared,", I said, "It's going to be all right, hinny."

"Yeah – hinny", Denham chimed in, "It's all gonna be fine, once you ask her. I need to know what she knows." He craned his neck, so as to get a better look at her. "Oh, doll, there's no need for tears. She'll tell you everything, because, between family and comrades, she'll always choose you. Ain't that right, Prichard?"

Bile began welling up in my throat. If I told him the truth, Gene and the others would be done for. On the other hand, Neve would be the one pushing up the daisies. That couldn't be more wrong – and it definitely couldn't be more unfair. Before I realised it, tears filled my eyes, too, and Neve's pale face turned into a blur of different colours.

"Tell him… Jess", she said in a shaky voice, "Whatever you know… please, tell him!"

"Denham, listen to me", I said. This time, I couldn't keep my voice from shaking. "Please, listen. Think about this for a minute. She… she's a kid. And you have a family of your own. If… If I'm not mistaken, you have a couple of kids at home, yeah? You can't actually do this. You can't hurt her."

I could have sworn that there was a trace of remorse on his face. It had to be there. Somewhere deep down, Denham had to be capable of showing mercy. People couldn't be that soulless, no matter what was going on. For heaven's sake, let it be true…

"The sentimental thing doesn't suit you, Prichard. You can do much better than that." He stood up from the sofa and moved closer to me. He didn't stop until only a couple of feet was between us. "For example, you can choose where your loyalty lies. Is it with sweet little Neve, or with the charming boys who helped you get away?"

"You can't expect me to-"

"Yes, I can. You'll probably regret your decision, no matter what it is. Come to think of it, you surely will. But, that's what you get for trying to wriggle away from me." He suddenly grabbed my chin between his fingers. "Think about that the next time you feel rebellious."