Disclaimers: all the usual apply.

XXXXXX

Hi all! I'm putting the note at the start of this chapter, because as with the previous one, I wanted to add the language disclaimer. I wrote all the dialogue in English, because I'm not fluent in German or French, but it's safe to assume all the dialogue in this chapter is in those two languages. (Chapter 13 and 14 were originally one long chapter, which I broke in two.)

Thank you so so so much to everyone that added me to their alerts and for all the likes and amazing reviews!

Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 14

Jessica POV

The spring air was cool against her warm skin, with a light breeze blowing a loose strand of hair across her face, tickling her cheek. The golden light from dozens of candles lined the cobblestone path that led to the large stairs which would take them to the imposing front door of the manor house. She turned her eyes to the skies and smiled. There was a thick blanket of clouds covering the moon and the stars. If it wasn't for the candles they'd be standing in total darkness.

She was aware of Arlene standing beside her, her friend making small talk with the driver who had brought them to the party. The sounds from inside the house drifted down to them. The elegant melody being played by a band barely audible over the steady hum of voices, punctuated every so often by laughter.

Four high ranking German officers strode past them, the men not even trying to hide their leering. She pretended to be embarrassed by it, a shy smile on her lips as she dropped her eyes to the ground.

"We should go inside," Arlene said softly in her perfect French.

She gave a small nod and smiled in thanks to their driver before starting for the stairs, her heels clicking on the stones with every step, marking their steady pace.

With every step the sounds from inside grew louder, reaching out and pulling them into the warm glow that awaited them.

Just as they were about to step through the doors and into the golden light she consciously straightened out her shoulder, threw her head back and parted her lips into an amazed smile.

The handful of soldiers milling around the lobby stole glances at them as they made their way deeper inside the very impressive building. She had to take deep, deliberate breaths to keep the hairs on the back of her neck from standing on end. They were surrounded by the enemy and every step and false smile took them deeper inside the belly of the beast.

Their driver had told them Lutz and Adrian would be waiting for them in the main ballroom near the door, although he had been unclear as to which door. This was something she was quickly realising might prove tricky when she spotted the three archways leading to the ballroom and the hundreds of German officers and their guests.

"How are we supposed to find two soldiers in a sea of them?" she asked her companion.

"God only knows," Arlene grumbled at her side.

She aimed for the centre archway, deciding it gave them the best chance to spot their dates. Just as they passed under the archway three senior SS-officers walked past them, forcing them apart. One of the men slid past her, the coarse fabric of his uniform rubbing against the skin of her arm. She shivered and suppressed the urge to reach for Ron's gift that was securely strapped to her thigh.

The man smiled down at her and she automatically smiled back, years of experience and training overriding her basic instincts.

The three men passed them just as they entered the ballroom, but before she could turn to look at Arlene a strong hand grabbed her arm, pulling her hard against an even stronger chest. Her heart leapt into her throat and her hands balled into fists as all her muscle tensed, ready to fight for her life.

"Calm down darling, it's only me," her captor said.

Her eyes shot up to his face, her brain recognising the voice, but taking a moment to place it. Lutz's dark eyes looked down at her, amusement clearly shining through.

She forced the panic down and laughed a little hysterically a she playfully slapped his chest. "You nearly scared me to death Lutz!"

He laughed as he let go of her, signalling to a nearby waiter. "You're at a ball, you have nothing to be scared of. Unless you're working for the enemy?"

She rolled her eyes and laughed, squeezing his bicep. "You are a very funny man!"

"True," he replied with a smirk. "I was hoping you would wear that dress."

Of course you did, it's flashy and makes sure everyone's eyes are on you as long as I'm on your arm. Ambitious ass, she thought.

"You have excellent taste," she purred instead.

"Here," Adrian said as a glass filled with champagne appeared beside her.

She smiled over her shoulder at Arlene's date and gratefully took the glass. They couldn't drink a lot, they needed their wits about them tonight, but a few wouldn't hurt and it would help take the edge off.

"Next time Lutz, maybe get your date a drink first before terrorizing her," Adrian scolded his friend.

She didn't like either man, but if she were being completely honest with herself her distaste for Lutz was personal while Adrian's was due to the uniform he wore.

When they'd met Adrian and Lutz, conveniently visiting a bar frequented by young German officers, they'd drawn straws to see who they'd end up with. She'd pulled the short one.

"Don't be so uptight man, we're just having some fun that's all," Lutz retorted, placing a possessive arm around her waist.

Arlene shot her a sympathetic look, but she noticed the little smile on the corner of her friend's lips.

"C'mon, let's introduce you to everyone. They've heard so much about you two," Adrian said as he steered Arlene towards a large crowd of soldiers.

Let the games begin.

Arlene POV

As the night wore on their dates paraded them around the ballroom, making sure to introduce them to everyone and anyone that was important to their careers. For their part they smiled, and laughed, looking on adoringly at them as the two young men navigated the politics of the military.

She begrudgingly had to admit both men were very adept at what they did, and she could easily see why they'd risen so fast through the ranks.

They'd danced with Adrian and Lutz only a handful of times, more often being pawned out to another senior officer for a spin around the dancefloor. They never complained though, and made sure to do their best to ingratiate themselves and their dates to these important men. They knew how to play their parts well.

By the time midnight rolled around, if they really had been drinking, they would have been more than a little tipsy. Instead they acted it, both technically still on their second glass of champagne.

She was standing with Jessica, their dates and three senior officers, including the host, when a young, nervous looking man practically ran up to them.

"Sir, the singer isn't here. She sent a message. She's ill," the man hissed, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool air drifting in from the open windows.

She glanced over to Jessica, briefly catching her friend's eye.

Their host, a slightly overweight man who insisted on wearing his uniform a size too small turned his small, rat like features on the poor man. "My guests are expecting a song. Now you send a car and drag her over here or it'll be your head and hers."

An awkward silence descended over the group with no one willing to meet the poor soldier's gaze. She held her breath, hoping the plan they'd put in place months ago would pay off now.

"Excuse me sir," Lutz said, his usual bravado tinged with uncertainty.

The officer turned his eyes onto Lutz, and she held her breath.

"Yes," the man paused as he searched for the name, "Lutz?"

"Well sir, by the time the performer is found, dressed and put on the stage most of your guests will be in their beds."

"For your sake I hope you have point," the man said.

Lutz cleared his throat and rolled the dice. "Well, sir. This woman on my arm is not only beautiful, but has a voice to match. She can sing us a few tunes."

Jessica's eyes widened and she shook her head. "Oh no, Lutz is being far too generous, sir."

"The only thing Lutz is generous in, is killing our enemies," Adrian added, vouching for Jessica in his own way.

The general's eyes looked from his two officers to Jessica and she swore everyone held their breath. "Very well, go," he said, jerking his glass on the direction of the stage.

Jessica nervously looked to Lutz, who whispered something in her ear. Her friend nodded before making her way to the stage.

She watched Jessica climb onto the small stage and talk softly to the band leader. Her heart was racing now, not because she was worried about Jessica being able to pull this off, but because there was no turning back now.

This had always been their plan A. Ensure the men heard Jessica sing, she had a spectacular voice, and then make damn sure the actual entertainer wasn't able to make it to the party.

Of course this still left a lot to chance, but they'd done what they could to stack things in their favour, including making sure they were in their host's company when the entertainer was due to start. Now it was up to Jessica to distract everyone so she could slip away unnoticed. Well, she and Adrian could slip away unnoticed.

With two short taps to the microphone the room turned to look at the stage, eager to see what was going to happen.

See saw Jessica's chest rise and fall, her eyes closed and her body stiff behind the microphone. It was all an act, the opening credit which would make what followed all the more impressive.

As if on cue her friend's lips parted and a luxurious sound drifted into the microphone and onto all their ears. Jessica opened her eyes, her body relaxed and gone was the shy French girl, replaced by a woman that could have been a movie star in another life.

That's my girl.

She heard coughing to her right and felt something warm and clammy press against her arm. She looked over to find Adrian looking down at her, his eyes blurry as he held onto her for stability.

Right on time.

She gently pulled on Lutz's sleeve and the man barely turned his head to look at her, his expression silently asking her what was so important.

"He doesn't look right. I think he had too much to drink," she whispered.

Lutz looked over her head to Adrian and a dark scowl etched itself onto his forehead.

"I'll take him somewhere more discreet. Stay with Sophie?"

The man's shoulders relaxed when he realised he wouldn't have leave and forfeit the praise that he was surely entitled to.

He nodded before turning back to the stage.

Thank God for assholes, she thought, there plan would have been complicated if he'd been a good friend and insisted on helping her.

She put Adrian's right arm around her shoulder and wedged her body close to his. To the casual onlooker they would look like nothing more than young lovers eager to be close to one another. She steered him out of the ballroom and towards the front door. She giggled at his missteps and allowed him to place drunken kisses on her cheeks as she struggled to stay upright.

Reaching the lobby she directed him to the staircase which led to the private chambers upstairs.

He raised a drunken eyebrow and she gave him a seductive smile, not that she was sure he could see it through his blurred vision.

Painfully slowly they stumbled up the stairs, the heavy carpets soft underfoot, absorbing the sound of their very clumsy footsteps.

They were almost at the top of the stairs when someone asked, "Where are you going?".

Her insides froze, her breath hitched, but she turned around and giggled, making sure to wobble a little as she took on more of Adrian's weight.

They didn't have much time, he was going to pass out soon.

To her relief the man that had stopped them wasn't an officer, or a man really, even in the soft light she was sure he hadn't yet started shaving.

Before she could say anything Adrian straightened out slightly and roughly pulled her against him, nearly making her lose her footing and sending them both tumbling down the stairs.

"I am taking this lady on a tour. Is that a problem soldier?" His speech was slurred, but she could hear the threat implicit in his words, and by the way the boy swallowed so could he.

The boy coughed and took a tentative step backwards. "No-no, sir. I'll make sure you're not bothered again."

"Good," Adrian replied.

He quickly turned on his heel, so quickly in-fact he nearly fell flat on his face and she had to do everything she could to keep him up. He giggled drunkenly and she shushed him.

Hoping to avoid another run in she led them the short distance up the rest of the stairs as quickly as she could. She knew where she needed to be, and she needed Adrian to get her as close as possible. Reaching the top she moved so she was standing in-front of him before gently gripping the back of his neck. Lifting herself onto her toes she firmly pulled his face towards her. Their lips met and the kiss was too warm, the taste of liquor on his wet lips too sweet. He snaked an arm around her waist, but she easily pulled away, his drunken and drugged state weakening his grip and slowing his reflexes.

She giggled as he reached for her, slurring something that sounded like, "Come here."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him further down the corridor she needed to be in. He allowed her to lead him for a few clumsy yards before pulling her back and slamming her into the wall. He crashed their lips together so hard she knew they'd be bruised the next day. She kissed him back for a moment, opening her eyes to see how close she was to where she'd need to leave him.

She could see the door to the bathroom, and the heavy weight of her led lined purse distracted her from the drunken kiss she was involved in.

Dipping out of his embrace she stopped just out of his reach and slowly walked to the bathroom door. Opening it she glanced inside, impressed at the size and opulence of the room.

She leaned against the doorframe and smiled seductively at Adrian. He smirked as he stumbled towards her. She had to admire his determination. She knew he felt terrible and was about to feel a hell of a lot worse.

When he was within reach she grabbed his uniform with her free hand and pulled him inside the room, her laughter ringing out as she lifted her other hand and brought the sharp edge of her modified purse down hard on the back of his skull.

The impact, combined with the laced alcohol she'd been feeding him all night meant he went down hard.

She quickly shut the door behind them before bending down to check his pulse. He was alive, but out cold and would be for a while. He'd feel terrible when he woke up, experiencing what should be the worst hangover of his, or anybody else's, life.

She felt bad for a second. All in all she'd met worse men in her life, and maybe in a different life they could have gotten along quite well.

Oh well, she thought as she put her purse down and got to work.

With some difficulty she pulled him into a half sitting position against the toilet. She made quick work of unbuttoning his jacket and tossing it into one corner of the room. She pulled hard at his shirt, tearing a few buttons, and pulled it out of his pants. Undoing his belt and his pants she thought about pulling them down but decided against it. If they'd really been lovers she wouldn't have left him completely exposed. She needed him, and anyone else that found him, to think he'd gotten lucky, not been left humiliated.

She stood and looked him over. His face was already smudged with lipstick and she'd done a good job of messing his hair. Turning to the white marble counter the basin was built into she eyed the pretty bottles of soaps and creams.

Such a shame.

She ran her arm across the counter, dashing the containers to the ground and spilling cream everywhere. She dipped her hand into the cream and pressed it against the glass before running it through his hair, splattering a few drops of cream on his pants for good measure.

Well, he looks like he got lucky.

Happy with her handiwork she checked him once more to make sure he was out cold before carefully stepping back into the corridor.

The corridor was quiet. She glanced at her watch. Jessica still had two more songs to go and while her friend was busy she was relatively certain no one would come looking for her. She'd seen it before, the way Jessica would move and sing, when she looked at you, you felt like you were the only person in the world. No, no one was coming to look for her.

She purposefully walked down the long corridor, following it as it made a sharp right bend. She counted the doors as she went until she found the one she was looking for.

Grabbing the wooden door handle she felt it strain against her attempt to turn it.

It was worth a try.

She reached behind her and pulled out two long pins from her hair. Bending down she put her clutch bag on the floor so both her hands were free. She made quick work of picking the lock, it had been made to keep curious maids and butlers out of their master's bedroom, not stop thieves.

The lock opened with a satisfying click and she quickly picked up her bag, stuffing the pins inside, before opening the door and stepping inside.

The large room was heavy with the smell of old cigar smoke and liquor. One bedside lamp had been left on, providing just enough light for her to study the room. A heavy, worn, dark red carpet covered most of the wooden floorboards. A large four post bed with an obscene amount of pillows that would have dominated a smaller room, stood off to one side. What she was really interested in though was on the other side of the room. An ornately carved desk faced the door at an angle. A handful of papers and large brown envelopes were haphazardly stacked onto three piles, each one looking closer to toppling over than the next.

She quickly closed the distance to the desk, her ears straining to hear which song was being sung so she could judge how much time she had left. Coming to a stand behind the desk, right where the chair had been a second earlier, she switched on the copper desk lamp as she placed her purse down. She ignored the papers on the table, instead searching for the tell-tale signs which would give away the German's preferred hiding place for more sensitive information.

The light from the lamp cast a feint shadow on some shallow scratch marks on the front of the bottom left drawer. She ran a finger over the drawer, feeling the marks which would have been left by repeated opening and closing. A quick inspection of the other drawers revealed they were all somewhat worn from years of use, but none of them to the same extent.

Satisfied she'd found the best place to start her search in the limited time she had, she tugged on the drawer. Unsurprisingly it resisted.

Probably the right place then.

Taking her picks from her purse she made quick work of the lock. She ignored the drawer's obvious content, instead running her fingers along the inside seam, feeling for the small indentation she knew would be there. Finding the tiny dip in the bottom of the drawer she pushed down hard and with a satisfying pop the bottom separated from the frame. Lifting it out she placed the wooden plank with its content off to one side.

Inside the hidden compartment were two envelopes, both with their red seals broken and both with the word "confidential" written in bold red letters across the front.

She quickly emptied the content onto the desktop, sprawling the handful of pages out so each word was easily distinguishable. She grabbed the razor sharp envelope opener from across the desk and sliced open the lining of her purse to expose the small camera hidden inside. In a matter of seconds she'd taken a picture of each page, both a physical one and a mental one.

The first envelope had contained detailed information on the German preparations for the coming invasion of Europe. She was happy to find that the Allied attempts at misleading the German forces were bearing some fruit, although only time would tell how many lives it would spare in the end. This document had been her objective. They knew the commander received detailed and highly confidential updates on the German defences, information that would prove invaluable in the coming invasion.

The second envelope was a bonus of sorts. It was in fact the transcript of the interrogation of the resistance member the German's had recently captured. She sighed in relief when by the end she hadn't seen her or Jessica's names, real or otherwise, nor their Uncle's.

With the last photo taken she put her camera back in its place before putting the papers back into theirs, making sure to place them in the exact order she'd found them. With each envelope safely back in its hiding place she replaced the drawer bottom, locked it and gave the desk one last cursory glance to ensure nothing was out of place, before switching off the light.

When she reached the bedroom door she pressed her ear to the thick wood. She could hear rapturous applause, which meant the show was over, but more importantly she couldn't hear anything else.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself she slowly opened the door and paused. When only the distant sound of applause followed she quickly stepped into the hallway, making sure to lock the door behind her.

Purposefully marching down the hallway she nearly sighed out loud when she found the large staircase and lobby empty. She forced herself to descend the stairs slowly, only sparing one glance towards the ballroom before casually exiting the imposing building.

The clicking of her heels on the stone pathway leading from the entrance of the building to the rows of parked cars sounded like cannon fire inside her brain.

God, are these things always this loud?

Luckily she quickly found a military jeep that wasn't parked in and better yet, some genius had left the keys in the ignition.

"Well isn't that nice of them," she said to herself.

Leaning against the side of the jeep that would best hide her from the doorway she waited and watched the seconds on her watch tick by. Jessica was supposed to meet her outside after making some excuse to go to the ladies. They were sure Lutz wouldn't want to escort her, he'd be far too interested in lapping up the attention that would surely be directed his way. With people drinking and dancing, it would take some time before anyone would really miss her. At least that was plan A, she didn't want to contemplate plan B, she really wasn't dressed for a midnight high-jacking.

"Excuse me, can we help you ma'am?" her insides froze as the harsh German voice shot through her.

Slowly turning around she rearranged her face into a sweet smile, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she silently berated herself for being caught off-guard. "Oh," she started, glancing at the gravel before looking up to the three men standing in-front of her, "I'm sorry for bothering you. I just needed some fresh air. There are so many people in there."

The three men smiled indulgently at her clumsy German and shy, downcast eyes.

One of the three stepped forward, but stopped short of touching her. "Only the officers are allowed in there, while we have to watch the cars. It was getting lonely out here until you showed up."

She giggled, a nervous sound that made the man closest to her grin as his eyes darkened.

"I should go back inside. My companion will be waiting for me and I don't want to keep you from your work," she said as she tried to step around the soldier.

This time he did touch her, grabbing her arm a little too forcefully and pulling her towards him. "No rush sweetheart," he growled and the smell of cheap alcohol assaulted her nose.

Her eyes darted from the man holding her to his two companions. Neither one seemed interested in intervening, and she doubted they would save her from their friend if she'd been the type of woman to need it.

The soldier furthest from her started to say something when a flash of sliver across his throat stopped him. Suddenly crimson blood fell in a thin waterfall down his pale neck, soaking his shirt as his eyes widened in surprise and his mouth gaped open. He reach for his throat and fell to his knees.

Before her captor or the remaining soldier were able to register what had happened she dropped her purse and twisted the arm he was holding around so she was grabbing onto him.

She yanked the man closer to her, so close she could feel his panicked breathing on her cheek. With her free hand she reached for his sidearm, easily unclipping it as he drunkenly fumbled for it. In one fluid movement she pressed the gun between their bodies and switched off the safety.

Realising what was about to happen the man tried to push her away, but he was drunk and caught off guard and she was stronger than she looked after years of war. As the whites of his pale blue eyes widened and panic really set in she pulled the trigger three times, the press of their bodies silencing the shots. She held onto him, watching as the life left his eyes before unceremoniously dropping him to the ground.

Jessica POV

The moment she saw the three soldiers standing in a crescent she knew what had to be done. She'd scanned the area and hadn't found Arlene anywhere, which meant she had to be behind the three men. There was no way they were going to convince the men to allow them to leave, which left them with only one option.

She kicked off her shoes and lifted her dress, reaching for the blade strapped to her inner thigh. Flicking it open she took comfort in the weight of it, how it perfectly settled in her palm as her fingers curled around the warm metal.

Quietly approaching the group from behind she caught a glimpse of Arlene just as one of the soldiers forcibly grabbed her arm. Luck was on her side though, the soldier at the back of the small group was also the shortest of the three men. Coming up behind him she tensed her muscles, unconsciously flexing her fingers around the hilt of the blade.

In one movement she used her free hand to pull his head back, exposing his throat, while she drew the blade across it. She felt the man stiffen for a moment, before his fatal wound got the better of him, his body dropping to the ground as he spluttered.

She ignored him, he was already as good as dead and unable to call for help. Instead she turned her attention to the closest enemy soldier.

He was young, and his doe-like eyes stared at her in complete disbelief. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew his face would come back to haunt her, but she didn't dwell on it.

His hand went for his sidearm just as she reached him. She drove the blade into his abdomen, just underneath his ribs, before using all her strength to twist it up and into his lungs. He grabbed her hair with one hand, yanking her head back as he tried to push her away. She allowed him to create some distance between them, pulling her blade along with her and freeing it from his chest.

She swung her blade at his face, missing it by inches but forcing him to let go of her hair. He was finally able to unclip his sidearm, but his hands were trembling so badly he was unable to quickly release the safety. He looked away from her to the gun, trying to use both hands to steady it.

She stepped inside his reach as she shifted her grip on the blade. Lifting her arm she drove the blade into the side of his neck. His eyes shot up to find hers, shock taking years from his already youthful expression. The gun slipped between them, his fingers losing all their power as is life slipped away. She pulled out the blade just as he slumped to his knees before falling onto his side.

For a second she couldn't help but stare at him, if it wasn't for the blood forming a pool around him she would have said he was resting, peaceful and innocent.

A finger as familiar as her own gently touched her arm. "Hey?" Arlene called to her.

She pulled her eyes away from the youth's face to find her best friend staring intently at her. She smiled and waved her hand around the scene they'd caused. "Hope you don't mind me crashing your little private party?"

Arlene smirked. "They weren't very chatty, so it was getting a bit boring actually." Her friend looked around, eyes darting to the mansion's entrance behind her. "We can't leave them here."

"No, we can't. But there's so much blood we can't take all of them with us either."

"Well, shit, doesn't that just narrow down our options to zero."

She rolled her eyes, every so often Arlene could be dramatic. "See if any of them has a knife. We'll cover it in blood and leave it here with two of the bodies. The third one, that one," she waved her knife in the direction of the soldier Arlene had shot, "we'll take with us. Everyone will assume he did it and ran."

Without replying Arlene turned and searched the soldier she'd shot. She was about to start on the first man she'd killed when Arlene exclaimed, "Found it!"

"Put blood on it and dump it next to the bodies."

Arlene nodded. "Get your shoes, I'll get the bullet casings."

They made quick work staging their crime scene. She wasn't sure it would be enough to completely cover their tracks, but hopefully the rest of their plan would take care of that. With some improvisation.

Together they hefted the first attacker's body onto the backseat of the jeep before jumping in the front, her driving as Arlene road shotgun.

They sped into the night having memorised every road and dirt track that would take them from the manor house to the rendezvous point.

"Why didn't anybody come looking for us?" Arlene shouted over the wind whipping past their heads.

"God knows. Luck," she replied, eyes fixed on the narrow road.

"How much more do you have left?"

She quickly glanced at her friend. "What?"

"Luck, how much more do you have left?"

Checking the empty rear-view mirror she replied, "Don't know, but I must be running out!"

They spent the rest of the ride in silence and she only slowed down when they had to take the well-hidden backroad that would take them to the meeting point where the baker and two other trusted resistance members would be waiting for them.

She turned off the gravel road and Arlene stiffened beside her, the dead soldier's sidearm ready in her hand.

Brining the jeep to a halt, engine still running, she held her breath and put the vehicle into reverse. They waited for a few seconds, her heart pounding against her ribs with each one.

Three figures slowly emerged from the shadows and they all held up their hands. "Napoleon," the tallest man shouted and she recognised their Uncle's voice.

"Bonaparte," they both replied in unison.

She switched off the jeep and hopped out. Without the lights from the jeep she felt safer, the darkness folding around them like a safety blanket.

"Success?" their Uncle asked in greeting.

"Yes," Arlene replied, "but we had to improvise," she finished, waving her hand in the jeep's direction.

Her eyes were adjusting to the dark, so much so that she could make out the basic facial features of the other two men.

They knew both from their months spent at their posting. Both were senior members of the resistance and both were hard men she'd trust in a fight.

Pierre was stocky and very muscular, his years as a farmer having developed his muscles and hardened his skin.

Jacques was almost the exact opposite. Tall and lanky he looked fragile, but he had an incredibly sharp mind and was one hell of shot.

"What the hell is this?" Jacques hissed when he looked inside the jeep.

"What improvisation looks like," she retorted, her temper growing shorter now that her adrenaline was starting to wane.

The tall man was about to reply when Arlene explained, "When I was waiting for Jessica three guards approached me. I tried to leave them but this one wasn't allowing it. We killed all three, no alarm was raised."

"Where are the other two?" their Uncle interrupted her story.

Arlene shot him an annoyed look which he would have seen even in the dark, but deftly ignored. "There was blood everywhere so we couldn't bring them along. We staged it so it would look like he had killed his two companions before running off."

"That's nice, but what are we supposed to do with a dead German?" Pierre casually asked.

Jacques was the first to answer. "We'll put the other two bodies in the car with him and set the whole thing on fire before pushing it into the ditch. When they're found, if they're found, it would be assumed he kidnapped the two girls and crashed."

"Simple really," she quipped, relieved their entire plan wasn't undone. Two young girls had died a few days earlier. One in an ugly farming accident and the other because she'd asked one too many questions of her German guests. Somehow the resistance had convinced the families to have fake funerals and give them their bodies. The girls' hair had been cut, and the one bleached blonde, so they would closely resemble her and Arlene. It had been lucky coming across the two bodies, both providing a good reason why they were gone when the German's came looking for them.

Lucky for us, she thought darkly.

Their Uncle looked to the car and nodded before jerking his head in Pierre's direction. Seconds later the shorter man dumped two backpacks at their feet.

Without a word they grabbed the bags and moved to the back of the jeep, where they would have some privacy from the three men.

They quickly dumped the content of the packs on the ground and sorted it into usable piles. They stripped off their bloody dresses and modest jewellery before slipping on the well-worn men's clothing that had been provided. An attempt had been made to tailor the clothes to their frames, but they both still swam in it.

Dressed she pulled her hair into a ponytail before tucking it into a cap that had been provided. Glancing to her side she saw Arlene had done the same thing.

They quickly armed themselves, each with one sidearm tucked into their pants and a handful of ammunition shoved into the hidden pockets of their large coats. She poured some of the water they'd been given over Ron's blade before whipping it off on her beautiful yellow dress. She turned the blade around, studying it in the moonlight. It wasn't clean, but this was the best she'd be able to do for now. She quickly flicked it shut before strapping it to her ankle. The last thing she put on was the compass Richard had given her, the cold metal burning against her skin.

Everything they could use she put back in her pack in an order she'd remember, before straightening out and throwing the heavy canvas pack over one shoulder.

She tossed her bloody dress to Jacques who caught it easily with one hand, Arlene's dress already occupying his other fist.

"Here," she said as she handed him her shoes and jewellery.

He dropped everything into another canvas bag, closing it tightly.

"You remember the plan?" their Uncle asked as they were about to leave.

She sighed, they'd come up with the damn plan the moment the British had told them where they were needed next.

"Pierre will escort us, the walk should take two days or so. Once there we are to hide in the basement of the local resistance leader, Juan, during the day while doing reconnaissance at night. You two will stage an accident so that when the bastards come looking for us you can be indigent and sad that your two precious nieces had died under their watch."

She stared at the man, hands on her hips and eyebrow raised.

He nodded and gripped her shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze that would leave marks. "Take care."

She gave him one firm nod as she tapped his hand. "You too."

He let go of her and greeted Arlene in a similar fashion. As she greeted Jacques with a handshake he said, "Juan's been able to get equipment to process photos. Old equipment, but it should do."

She smiled. "Be careful."

He chuckled, the only other option available to him was torture and death.

"C'mon," Pierre called over this shoulder as he walked into the darkness.

She hurried after him and felt Arlene fall into step beside her.

"Thank you," her friend whispered.

"For?" she asked.

"Killing those two."

"Anytime."

As she said the words the scared youth's eyes flashed before her and she swallowed hard. Arlene's fingers wrapped around her hand and squeezed it. She returned the pressure and for a few seconds they walked like that, each holding onto the other.