These are the last four chapters of this story, at last.

Chapter Thirteen

Evy and Masala arrived at the house and went in to look for Ardeth. She said she would look in his room and see if he was there. Masala looked in the kitchen and then the lounge, finally the library but found nothing. Suddenly Evy shouted him and he ran upstairs to Ardeths room.

"The door is locked and I can't get an answer. I know he is in there" she said.

"ARDETH…ARDETH" he shouted through the door.

"I'll have to break it in, sorry" he said.

"Just do it, please"

It took a few bashes with his shoulder but finally the door gave way and they hurried in. Ardeth was still slumped over the desk and his friends ran to his side.

"Masala, get him over to the bed, I'll phone the doctor"

Masala carried him over and laid him on the bed. He had no idea how long he had been out but he looked ill. Evy came back in and said the doctor would be there in a few minutes, he wasn't far away.

"Ardeth, can you hear me?" she asked.

There was nothing much they could do till the doctor arrived except cover him up and wait. While they waited, Masala picked up the book on the desk and read some of what Ardeth had been writing.

"Oh my God" he said.

"What…what is it?" Evy exclaimed.
"It's this book…it looks like Ardeth has been writing down all that happened to him in Germany. If this is what he has been going through, then no wonder he is so ill"

Evy took the book and read some of it, tears formed in her eyes and putting it down, she went over to Ardeth and took his hand in hers.

"Oh sweetheart, why didn't you tell me. I could have helped you…somehow"

There was a knock on the door downstairs and Masala went down to answer it. He came back with the doctor and they explained what they thought had happened.

"Okay, you go and make some tea and let me examine him. I will be down shortly" he said.

After Evy had made the tea, her and Masala sat down at the table to wait for the doctor to finish. When he came down about fifteen minutes later, he told them that he had given the man an injection and he would come round soon.

"What is wrong doctor?" she asked.

"Exhaustion, no appetite, headaches, nightmares. You know he came to see me last week"

"No, he never said anything" replied Evy.

"He sat with me for quite a while and told me about some of the stuff that happened in Germany. I told him then, if he didn't talk about it, this is what would happen. You see it is the second time he has been treated like this by the Germans in a year. No-one can take that sort of punishment. I expect to see a lot more of this before this war is over"

"So how can we help him. You know he wants to go back there and get the children out" said Masala. "He has started writing down all that he went through"

"That sounds like Ardeth and the book is a good idea. He told me that your son had suggested it too him. It will help but so will talking. I have know Ardeth all his life, he is a stubborn man, but very courageous and determined that nothing will stop him doing anything. That is his problem, he will not give in and he has to. Or this will happen again. I will check on him before I go but the rest is up to you. I will also leave some stuff so that he can get some sleep"

Evy poured him a cup of tea and they sat at the table for a while. He had said that the injection would take a while to work and then they could go up. He could get up when he was ready as long as he took it easy and started to eat properly.
A bit later that night, Evy went to sit with Ardeth who was still sleeping after taking a couple of sleeping pills. She picked up the book he had been writing and started to read it properly. She was in tears before she had even read ten pages.

"Hey are you alright?" a voice said later.

She had finished reading the book and was just sitting in the chair, tears still rolling down her face and was looking out of the window. She jumped at the sound of Ardeth speaking to her.

"Sweetheart…yes I think so…I was reading your book…oh Ardeth why didn't you tell me everything, why did you keep all that pain to yourself?"

"I didn't know how to tell anyone, some of it I spoke of but the rest was too painful, even for me to come to terms with. It always will be. But Alex told me he had written everything down and it had helped him, so I did the same thing. Trouble was I didn't realize how ill I had become from the lack of sleep. I'm sorry Evy"

She went over and sat beside him and pulled him into her arms. He snuggled down, his head on her chest and allowed her to brush his hair with her hand, just like Alex did those cold, scary nights in the camp. Just before sleep claimed him again, her heard her tell him she loved him. For the first time in ages, he had no nightmares.
A few days later, he still wasn't well but a lot better than he had been and was eating a bit better and certainly sleeping better. It would take time but he would be okay.
They were almost finished with the house and it looked good. Alex had made them all lunch and they were eating it in the grounds at the back of the house when there was a knock on the front door.

"I'll get it" said Alex jumping up.

They all got a shock when he came back with an old friend in tow.

"Father Shandor…what are you doing here?" asked Ardeth.

He jumped up and hugged the man who had saved his life at least twice in Germany and thought he was still there. The Father hugged him back and then Evy.

"I am glad you could come" she said "I knew you wouldn't mind helping us for a change"

"You asked him here?" said Ardeth.

"Yes, she has told me of some hairbrained plan of yours to go and bring the children from the camps here. I had to come to find out why?"

Ardeth explained to him that he had to do something to help these people. He had seen enough in the camps to last a lifetime and while he knew he couldn't help them all, if he could help some he would be pleased.

"But how are you going to get them out, don't tell me you are thinking of going back there. After all that happened"
"That is where you come in" said Evy "We need your help to do it. They reckon the war will be over by the spring, we have to save some of the children, somehow"

Father Shandor looked at them and knew they meant everything they said. He wandered round the lawns for a while and then came back. They thought that he was going to say forget it but he didn't.

"Okay, I can see only one way. Yes the war is being lost in Germany and some of the camps have been liquidated. But in some cases that is worse for the people in them. They are being put in what is called death marches, not a lot of people know about these but we have seen two of them"

"What on earth is a death march?" asked Alex.

"Just what it says, they are marched out of the camp, on the road for days on end, on route to another camp where they will be housed till the end of the war. But thousands are dying on these marches, because of illness, hunger, beatings, shootings. Maybe, just maybe, we could rescue the children from one of these marches. But it would be dangerous and need planning. We can't just go in there, grab the children and leave. We would need the resistance to help, a train or something to bring the children out, guns, ammunition.

"Okay so when can we get it sorted out" asked Evy "and when can we leave"

Ardeth got up and walked across to Father Shandor and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Count me in, I am going back" he said.

"No way, you are not going back there" she said "You are not well enough and…."

"Evy, I have to go, I have to put some of these ghosts to rest and the only way I can do that is to get these children out. You are not going though, it is no place for a woman"

An argument ensued on who was going and who was staying. No-one was winning it either. In the end the only way they could be shut up was by Alex fired a pistol into the air. That certainly got their attention.

"For goodness sake, listen to yourselves. There is no need for all this. Father Shandor, when do you want to leave?"

"Well, I have a passage booked on the ship taking cargo there, the day after tomorrow. So yes, day after tomorrow"

"Okay, then we you leave, we either all go with you or we all stay here. Me, Ardeth, my mother and Masala. People are going to worry whoever stays or goes. So that is that. Solved."

No-one said anything, they were all surprised by Alex and his forceful nature all of a sudden. They had no choice but to agree. Ardeth was pleased with his solution although he would have rather Evy stayed behind.

"I am proud of you Alex" he said "You are becoming a good Med-jai, one day you will have your own tribe and I can see that day is not far away"

"Thank you Ardeth. You have been a good teacher and a good friend and soon a father to me, I hope"

"Do not forget your real father Alex. Your parents may not be together any more and I will be making Evy my wife but he is still your father and always will be. Never forget that. I will not take his place"

Alex nodded his understanding and walked out to go and pack for the journey. Ardeth hoped that it would work for him but he could not help but have his doubts. Evy went over to him.

"Are you alright?" she asked kissing him.

"Yes, I feel much better but I have to do this, you understand I hope."

"Of course, but please, no heroics or taking any risks this time. We go in, get the children and get out"