Chapter 4
Pierre arrived back at the safe house, to give her the keys to the van, which he had parked up nearby. He described everything that had happened on the road and assured Gina that no one had been injured. He was full of praise for the actions of 'her men' and hoped they could work together again sometime. As he had explained to her earlier, he was a veteran of the last war but often felt overlooked when the younger men took action against the Germans. Today he had felt involved again and it had allowed him to vent some of his anger at the occupiers of his country, even if it had just been a sham argument with Actor.
When Pierre had left, Goniff shifted in his chair and opened his eyes. ''Wot was that all about? The others all ok, are they?''
''Yes Goniff, everything went well and the others are fine. They should be here soon to free Garrison. We'll need to leave before then, to get you back to the safe house.''
''Can't we stay and make sure Actor's plan works?'' he asked. ''Wouldn't yuh like to know the Warden's ok.''
''Sorry Goniff, I'd love to but we can't risk getting held up at a road block. There are too many dead Germans hidden around here already and someone will be made to pay,'' she replied. ''Now, I'm going to load the van with the food and medical supplies. Then I'll come back and help you.'' With that she started gathering items together and within twenty minutes they were on their way.
GG
Chief brought the vehicle to a halt outside the jail. Immediately getting out, he opened the doors of the staff car for Actor and Casino. Actor stood on the bottom step, glaring around him, as he slowly pulled on his gloves. Standing tall, he moved easily into character, affectively intimidating the two soldiers who were guarding the main door into the building. With Casino just behind him and Chief following, Actor swept up the steps. The guards at the door stood rigidly to attention and, as Actor halted expectantly, one of them belatedly moved to hold the door open. Actor strode inside and turned his attention to the desk clerk, who jumped to his feet and saluted.
''I am here to see your commander!'' Actor stated arrogantly. As the clerk started to bluster, Actor drew himself up to his full height, looking down his nose at the clerk. ''I do not have time to waste. Inform him I am here, at once!''
With relief the clerk sped off down the hallway. Actor followed and, as the clerk knocked on the door, he barged into the room, uninvited, followed by Casino. Chief remaining at attention, by the door. The officer at his desk also sprang up and saluted.
''I am Major Kaufmann, you have a prisoner for me. An American I understand. Bring him to me.'' Actor ordered curtly. The officer hesitated, but only for a moment. After a quick glance at the glare on Actor's face, he picked up the telephone, ordering the prisoner to be brought to his office. Moments later, Garrison was pushed into the room. He was handcuffed and his face was covered in bruises.
''Why is this man injured?'' Actor demanded.
''We had hoped to get some information from him but he was very stubborn,'' replied the officer, concerned now he may have over stepped his authority.
''The SS will get that information. Have him taken to my car.'' Without waiting for any answer or argument, Actor turned, strode out of the office and down the hall to the front door. The clerk sprang to attention again and, when Actor gestured to the door, almost ran to open it. Garrison followed, escorted by the guards, with Casino and Chief just behind. As soon as he was outside, Chief moved swiftly down the steps to open the car door for Actor. Once he was seated, Chief closed the door and moved to the driver's seat. Garrison was ordered into the back and Casino got in beside him. At an order from Actor, Chief drove off, leaving behind a stunned group on the steps!
''Did you see the look on his face? Like a rabbit in your headlights,'' laughed Casino as he unlocked the handcuffs.
''How are you?'' asked Actor with concern, as Garrison rubbed his wrists and then his jaw.
''I'm fine. Just cuts and bruises, nothing broken anyway, I've had worse. Where's Goniff?'' Between them, Actor and Casino related the events since they dropped into France. Chief drove silently away, watching Garrison's reactions in the mirror as the stories enfolded. Encountering no problems on the road, they reached the safe house in record time.
As they all trooped in, Actor went to fetch his first aid kit, so he could treat Garrison's cuts and bruises and discover for himself if there were any hidden injuries.
''Bout time you lot turned up,'' smiled Goniff ''The foods getting cold and I'm famished.''
''Well, when you've finished, we need to have a few serious words about carrying pennies into occupied France. You could have got yourself killed back there,'' snapped Garrison. Goniff's smile slipped as he hobbled back into the kitchen.
Having eaten their fill, the team relaxed. Now they were all back together, the men knew it wouldn't be long before Garrison would want to get on with the mission, so they were taking their ease while they could.
GG
As predicted, Garrison soon started to put together his plans for the next couple of days. ''Casino, you still got those packs you flew in with?'' he asked.
''Yea, sure. What we gonna blow up this time Warden?''
''The Germans have taken over a factory, about 10 miles north from here. Before the war it made lorries but the Germans have converted it to make spare parts for their armoured vehicles. There are rumours that some machinery is being used to make parts for rocket launchers too. The owner of the factory has passed copies of the floor plans over to the Resistance.''
''Why?'' asked Chief.
''Yea, what's in it for him?''
''The owner wants to avoid his factory becoming a target for Allied bombers,'' explained Garrison.
''I don't get it. If we go in an' blow it up, 'ow does that 'elp?'' interrupted Goniff.
''This way we can target specific areas of the factory to cause enough damage to halt production but avoid civilian casualties,'' continued Garrison.
''And an air strike would, potentially, destroy the whole factory and the surrounding area too,'' suggested Actor.
''Exactly,'' agreed Garrison.
''Most of the workers are French and live near the factory. Their jobs are a lifeline for their families,'' put in Gina.
''Actor, Casino, you'll be with me. Tomorrow morning we will join the early shift inside the factory. The foreman will be expecting us, he is the only one who knows why we are there. Gina, do you have the documents we will need?'' She nodded. ''Good. The factory has people there twenty-four hours a day. The night shift though, is limited to essential maintenance. There may be fewer people there overnight but we might have find a way to evacuate them from the building to avoid casualties. Chief, you'll need to scout round the area tomorrow and see what you can come up with. Then we can finalise our plans tomorrow evening.''
''Hey, wot about me?'' asked Goniff.
''Let's see how things are tomorrow. If we have to make a run for it, I'd rather you were already in a vehicle. Now get some rest all of you, some of us have an early start in the morning.''
GG
At five the following morning, Gina presented breakfast to a very bleary-eyed group. Leaving Goniff to go back to sleep, Gina dropped the others near the factory just before six, while she went off to make her deliveries.
Chief disappeared into the early morning gloom, while Garrison, Actor and Casino met up with the foreman, Marcel, for an eight hour shift in the factory. Marcel took them around the site, supposedly pointing out the work they would have to do, but also highlighting important machinery they must keep away from! Actor and Garrison kept a note of the locations, as Casino looked for suitable places to attach the explosives, where they would have the most effect.
Chief had made his way back to the safe house by mid morning. Keeping off the main routes, he had managed to collect three rabbits and a pocketful of mushrooms. Goniff had been tasked with peeling potatoes, much to his annoyance, and Gina contributed bread and cheese. By the time the others had been picked up from the factory, there was a substantial meal ready.
GG
''Chief, what did you find out?'' asked Garrison, later that day. He had a map of the area laid out in front of him.
''There's a rail line here, takes wagons right past the loading bay. Over here's some sort of generator,'' Chief replied, pointing them out on the map. ''There's a number of oil cans scattered around, too. ''
''Casino, if a charge was set under one of these wagons, near to the loading bay, would that be enough to start a fire and damage the rail line?''
''That should do it, especially if you add an oil can into the mix!'' grinned Casino.
''Good. Show Chief what to do.''
For the next hour or so, Casino, Goniff and Chief put together the explosives ready for the next day. Gina, who had been talking to Actor, came over to watch.
''What's Beautiful been boring you with, this time?'' asked Casino curiously.
''He's teaching me German,'' replied Gina. Chief and Goniff looked at her in surprise.
''Wot ever for? Your German's pretty good already,'' said Casino, mirroring what the others were thinking.
''I understand most of what people say but I can't speak it very well. I think it will be useful that's all. And Actor's happy to help.''
''Might get you killed an' all,'' muttered Goniff.
''Shut up Limey,''
''So what are these?'' she asked Casino, before an argument started, pointing to a couple of boxes of thin shaped objects.
''Those? They are pencil detonators. Dead easy to use but the timing ain't all that accurate. We're using clocks instead cos the Warden wants 'em to blow when he says so!'' explained Casino. As Gina went to pick one of the detonators up, he took it from her. ''Need to be careful. See this end here? It's softer cos its made of copper. If you squeeze it, that releases the chemical inside. That eats through a thin wire attached to a sort of weight, which drops down onto the detonator. Bit like the hammer an' firing pin, on a gun.''
''And the different colours?''
''These take about ten minutes to work, those can take up to an hour.'' he said pointing to the different boxes. '' Just put one in some plastic, squeeze the end and get out before it blows. Here,'' he said pushing the boxes towards her. ''The Warden won't miss 'em.''
''I'm sure he will,'' said Garrison, coming over to the table. ''But I reckon the Resistance could put them to good use. Right, I've arranged with Marcel for us to join the later shift tomorrow, from two till ten. Are all the explosives ready now?'' As Casino nodded, Garrison spread the maps down on the table and proceeded to go through his plans for the following night, detailing each man's role in the mission.
As he folded up the maps, Garrison asked, ''Casino, will we be able to attach the explosives well out of sight and still get the job done?''
''Sure, no problem.''
''Good. We should be able to set all the charges and be well on our way to the coast before the explosives go off. Chief, you set your charge for ten-fifteen. Casino, we'll set the other charges for ten-thirty. That way most of the workers should have left the factory. Goniff, think you can drive? I need you to be ready nearby should anything go wrong.''
''Warden! What could possibly go wrong?''