Getting Back to Normal
Chapter 5
Actor walked upstairs to the second floor with the 'bedrooms' and paused. There were four doors, two open on his right and two closed on his left. Teresa most likely chose the closest room for herself. He tapped lightly on the first door and waited.
"Actor?"
"Yes," he answered. "Do you still have our kit?"
"I put it in the next room for you," came through the door. "Wait a minute." The door opened a crack and a green eye peeked out at him. "Are you alone?" she whispered?
"Yes," he nodded.
The door opened fully, and Teresa turned to present partially uncovered shoulders and her bare spine. "Could you zip me up?" she asked. "I can but it's easier if you would do it."
"The arm is not taking this too well," Actor asked knowingly as he zipped up the dress.
"Not really," she admitted. "Thanks." She turned and looked up at him.
"How's your arm?" Teresa asked with concern. "Sorry, I saw you getting up off the ground when we landed. Or rather when you guys landed."
The Italian sighed. "It could have been better." Only to her, or Garrison, would he admit even that much. "When you are ready, come to my room and I will see if and where I need to cover scars on you."
She nodded. "I have a sheer long-sleeved top to cover this, but you might still have to do something with my arm. The scar is still red. Thank you for helping me dress."
As he turned away he muttered in low Italian, "I'd rather undress you." He heard a stifled quiet chuckle as the door closed.
Going to the next bedroom, he checked that the blackout drapes were already closed before turning on the light, and opened the duffle bag on the lumpy-appearing bed. His dress pants came out first, followed by the carefully folded and rolled white dress shirt, the black silk cummerbund and the equally carefully folded and rolled tuxedo jacket. His dress shoes were under the jacket and the makeup kit was behind it all. Everything was carefully laid out and hand-smoothed. The pants and the shoes went on first. Actor donned the white shirt, fastening the sleeves with the cufflinks he had left in each cuff. He did not bother to button up and tuck in the shirt. He placed the wooden makeup box on the lady's dressing table in front of the mirror and turned the side lamp on.
The drawing of what he was supposed to look like was tucked in the corner of the small mirror in the lid. The con man unfolded it and studied it for a minute. Setting it aside, he picked up a tiny case and carefully opened it. Blue looked up at him. He debated on using the items because he hated wearing them, but some instinct told him to put them on. With a sigh, he went ahead and gazed into the mirror. Yes, they were striking and if seen would be remembered. Next, he pulled out the appropriate foundation, and began applying it, blending it into the skin of his face, careful not to get any on his upper lip or under his nose. Setting aside the wooden tray that held his and Teresa's makeup, he picked up the mustache and partially used tube of spirit gum. He had done this so many times, he could have done it without looking. Of course he watched in the mirror to make sure it was perfectly straight. Carefully he used a pencil to give the rayed crinkles at the outer corners of his eyes a deeper appearance and the same with the wrinkles that graced his forehead when he raised his eyebrows. A faint brush of gray eye shadow was applied to his upper eyelids. Looking into the mirror, he was satisfied with the face that looked back at him. It was him, but with enough difference to create doubt if he was seen later as himself.
Satisfied, Actor stood and put everything back in the makeup kit as it had been. He was about to button and tuck in his shirt when there was a tap at the door. Before he could say enter, the door opened and Teresa came in, closing it quietly behind herself. She turned with her travel clothes folded and draped over one arm, shoes in that hand. She spread her forearms apart to seek his approval of the dress. It was a dark green that brought out her eyes and a little low cut, with just the right amount of cleavage visible to be enticing without being slutty. Actor nodded his approval.
She approached him and placed her clothes on the bed beside his before looking up and frowning.
"Contact lenses?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied. "I have an uneasy feeling about tonight. I want the eyes to be remembered, and not as my own."
Teresa nodded. "I have the same feeling." She held up her green gauze long sleeve covered right forearm for his perusal. "I don't think the scar shows too much."
"I do not want to take the chance," said Actor. "Take the bolero off and I will put foundation over the scar."
Teresa made a flicking movement of her fingers. "Finish dressing," she said.
She removed the gauze garment and glanced with guarded appreciation of his chest as he buttoned up the shirt and tucked it in. While she rolled up her clothes, he put the Wehrmacht Balkenkreuz bar cross at his throat without looking. Teresa reached up and straightened the cross a tiny bit. She stepped back and nodded her approval. He held still, face impassive, and allowed her to make sure the cross was perfect. It seemed making sure he was looking perfect was something she was supposed to do, as he did for her. He waited until she turned away before allowing a quick small smile. Next he picked up the cummerbund and reached behind his waist to tie it with a faint spasm of discomfort.
"Let me," said the woman, taking it from him. She stepped behind him and made sure the pleats were facing out and up before tying it with just the right amount of tightness. She carefully tucked the ends of the ties into the hidden pocket on each side of the cummerbund.
"Thank you," said Actor, and muttered, "I think we dress each other more than undress each other."
"Not our fault," she said back, agreeing with him.
The woman sat in the chair he had recently vacated and held her arm up. Despite more than six weeks of healing, the scar still had a darker pink tinge to it. The Italian studied it and moved bottles around in the still open makeup kit with a long forefinger until he found some foundation that was the right hue to match her skin color. Getting a dab of the foundation on the tip of his right ring finger, he carefully covered the scar and feathered the edges of the makeup out to blend in in with her own tone.
"How are we doing for time?" asked Teresa.
Actor glanced at his watch. "We still have a few minutes."
Teresa blew on her forearm to help the foundation dry. Actor put the kit and their clothes back in the duffle bag. Glancing around to make sure nothing had been overlooked, he put the matching black jacket on. The woman carefully touched the edge of the foundation on her arm and found it dry enough to put the bolero back on.
She stood and looked up at the tall man. "Shall we?"
"After you, cara," Actor grandly motioned toward the door.
Terry grinned and went into the hall. Actor picked up the duffle bag and followed her.
Downstairs the other men had changed into their uniforms. Identification cards were passed out. The pictures were black and white, so the color of Actor's eyes was not a problem. If it had been listed, he had decided on the color before the cards were made. Terry was given an identification card, but not a military one.
By now it was dark. The party would just be starting so the 'General' would be fashionably late.
"Okay, let's go," said Garrison.
GGGGG
General Leon Wagner was speaking with some other officers while his girlfriend, Ella, was making a plate of food for him. General Karl Meier approached the small group, intent on finding out more about this appointee of Feldmarshal Keital. He was not wearing a smile.
"General Wagner," the head of the local Wehrmacht interrupted.
Actor smoothly shifted gears. "Ah, Herr General Meier. I have been looking forward to meeting you."
"Obviously you know who I am," said Meier. "I don't recall every hearing you mentioned before."
Actor had expected this and smiled at the older man. "That is understandable," he said. "I have been working on this project in secret for quite some time. You can imagine my surprise when Herr Feldmarshal Keital appointed me to oversee the production end of the project."
"And just how did you happen to become a general if you are an engineer?" asked Meier.
Ah, he is suspicious thought Actor. "When I first joined the military, I was a soldier and advanced up the rank to major. When they brought me into this project, as they do with many, they advanced my rank to general. I am looking forward to helping with the production of the prototype if is approved by Der Fuehrer."
"Herr General Wagner," asked one of the other officers, " have you found a hotel yet?"
Actor smiled with a short chuckle. "Not yet. We just arrived this evening and came straight here. I hope to find something suitable for us for tonight. We will be going to Friedrichshafen tomorrow so I might visit the factory."
"Leon?"
'Ella' appeared behind his right elbow with a plate of finger foods for him. Actor accepted the plate with a 'danke' and made no response to seeing the expected crème fraise and caviar on her plate. Teresa stayed with him as he made lighter social talk with the other gentlemen.
GGG
Garrison and Casino stood unobtrusively along a wall, watching the interactions in the room, without seeming to dwell on Actor and Terry. When it looked as though they were busy with the group Actor had joined, Garrison looked at Casino and shifted his eyes toward the open double doors to the ballroom. Casually Casino stepped around him and went into the hall for a cigarette. A couple seconds later, Garrison followed. Chief had been watching them and followed Garrison. The few people in the hall paid no attention to the men, being in little pockets of conversation.
The men casually strolled down the hall. The office was in the back part of the building on the ground floor. They located it, and looked around for guards. Watching for a couple minutes, Garrison and Casino lit cigarettes and the three appeared to be making small talk. When no one approached, they quickly slipped inside the office.
Chief stayed by the door, listening for anyone approaching. Casino immediately went to the hanging portrait of Hitler and swung it outward to reveal the wall safe. While he was opening the safe, Garrison was changing the light bulb out on the desk and getting the microfilm camera ready.
Casino pulled papers from the safe and brought them to the Lieutenant. Craig looked at the plans for the new revision of the Panther tank. He began taking pictures of each sheet. When he finished, he handed them back to Casino who put them in the safe, closed the door and wiped everything down for prints. Garrison changed the light bulb out and they were ready to go. All in all it only took a little more than ten minutes.
Just as carefully, the three men went back into the hall and strolled toward the ballroom. Chief went outside to the car he was driving Actor and Terry in. He wanted to be ready in case they had to make a fast get away.
Terry, appearing bored, had begun walking around the ballroom. She caught her brother's eye and received a minute dip of his head telling her they were finished. She continued to walk around and eventually came back to Actor. She touched his back and gave the light finger tap telling him they could go now. He continued his conversation with another of the officers.
After a minute, Actor turned to Teresa and said, "It is getting late. We must find accommodations at one of the hotels. We will leave in the morning for Friedrichshafen."
"I will go get my coat and meet you by the door, Leon," said Teresa.
He nodded and seemed to dismiss her as he went back to tell the men how nice it was to have met them. General Meier was having a conversation with another group of officers. Actor asked the men he was with to please tell the General he did not wish to intrude and give his farewell.
Actor and Terry met Garrison and the others at their cars. They had no trouble leaving the estate and zig-zagged around Munich, watching for a tail. Satisfied nobody was watching them, they headed for the house to change clothes and go on to their next destination. With no checkpoints anywhere, they returned to the house in good time.
Actor picked up a Wehrmacht general's uniform that seemed to have appeared in the main room while they were gone. He changed into that, and Terry changed into a skirt and sweater. They were back on the road quickly.
Chief was driving the car with Actor and Terry in the back. He was in the lead in case they did get stopped. Casino had taken over driving Garrison, with Goniff sitting in the front seat. They had driven an hour and a half with very little traffic and no roadblocks or check points.
Casino, as usual, did not like it. "Yuh know, Warden, I'd almost feel better if there were a couple road blocks. This is strange."
Garrison almost felt the same way. ""You know, Casino," he parroted, "we just might have pulled this one off without a hitch."
"Oh, come on now, Warden," whined Goniff. "Don't bloody jinx us."
Instead of continuing on to Friedrichshafen, Chief turned right down a smaller side road leading to Ravensburg.
"So what are we goin' here for?" asked the scout.
Actor took a puff on his pipe before answering. "Ravensburg is a little unimportant town. No factories, nothing that would make it a target of Allied planes. However, it has a thriving resistance. They are waiting for us and will take us to another safe house in the country."
"How much farther?" asked Terry tiredly.
"Another hour maybe," said Chief.
"Good," said the girl. "I hope this safe house has a decent bed."
Both men chuckled quietly.
GGGGG
General Meier returned to the group of men he had been with and noted Gen. Wagner's absence. He was given Wagner's message of farewell and that he and his woman were going to find accommodations for the night before leaving for Friedrichshafen in the morning. A Leutnant had joined the group and was puzzled.
"Excuse me, Herr General," said Leutnant Gruber. "Might I have a word with you in private?"
Meier noted the younger man's apparent confusion and wondered what it was about. He nodded. "Come with me."
The Leutnant followed him out into the hallway and down to an area that was free from any ears that might be listening. The General was aware of the man's concern for privacy.
"And what is it you wish to speak to me of?" asked Meier. "You are Leutnant Gruber from Feldmarshal Keitel's office, are you not?"
"Yes, Herr General," said the younger officer. "That man and woman you were talking to earlier. A General Wagner, I think they said. He is going to Friedrichshafen. That is where a certain project you are involved with is to take place."
"Yes," said Meier, curiosity aroused. "Why?'
"What is his name, Sir?"
"General Leon Wagner," replied the General. "I received papers from the Feldmarshal introducing him. His papers were checked, and they were in order."
"Sir, you are aware I am in charge of maintaining the roster of personnel involved in any way with this project?" At Meier's nod, he continued. "Sir, there is no General Leon Wagner."
"Come with me," ordered the General. "I must check the papers on the project, and I want you to get Feldmarshal Keitel on the telephone for me."
Meier strode down the hall toward the office with the Leutnant on his heels.
7