Heil Freedom

A/N: All right, now is when it starts to get a little confusing, probably. Just as a warning.

DISCLAIMER: I own only Otto Selig.

Chapter 4/ Dieter and Adelaide Markheim

Cautiously, Jake woke Rachel and the two followed the figure into the living quarters of the prison warden, in a completely separate building from the jail. Then, he stopped, locked the door and turned around.

It was a blonde and blue-eyed man, probably only two years older than them at most. His eyes were boring into Jake's as he spoke softly, "You two have some good connections, whoever they may be. Now, there's not much time, but they'll be here in an hour, so both of you need to wash up quickly and change into these clothes." He handed two bundles to Jake and to Rachel. "If you want to go first, miss, the washroom's just behind that door."

"Who are you?" Jake asked, as Rachel, unwilling to turn down the prospect of a shower, disappeared into the bathroom.

"Lieutenant Otto Selig," he said. "Prison warden here. My contact informed me to break you and Rachel out tonight, because there's going to be a Selektion tomorrow and you guys are among the marked. That's not a good thing."

"Give me one good reason to trust you." Jake said suspiciously.

"I can't," Otto shrugged. "But I am asking you to trust me any way. Not every ethnic German is a bigot."

"Cassie, and Jordan, and Sara," Jake asked, before he lost his nerve.

"All taken care of." Otto said.

"How do we know that?" Rachel asked, emerging from the bathroom, rubbing her hair dry, dressed in a skirt set generally used for travel. She put the towel in the hamper and grabbed the brush from the suitcase full of women's clothes laying open on the bed and began attacking her hair with renewed energy. Jake disappeared into the bathroom now and the sounds of running water restarted.

"Whoever your connection is here is pretty high up. You've got forged papers, alias, and train tickets. The guy who's accompanying you will be SS, so you'll immediately bypass all physical examinations at borders." Otto said, ignoring Rachel's question.

"SS?" Rachel asked skeptically.

"Not all ethnic Germans are bigots. Or traitors." Otto repeated.

A glimmer of hope rekindled itself in Rachel's heart. She firmly squashed it, but it was still there…

Before Otto ushered them out the door, he gave them both a wallet containing various things a wallet should contain: identity cards, some pictures, a few marks.

"Memorize the alias and information now." Otto ordered.

Jake looked down at his forged card:

NAME: Markheim, Dieter Herbert

BIRTHDATE: September 27, 1920

NATIONALITY: Aryan German

PLACE OF RESIDENCE: Copenhagen, Denmark

"Denmark?" Jake asked, looking up. "A German in Denmark?"

"The story is this, and be sure to remember: your widowed mother moved to Copenhagen to work with the German Embassy. You don't speak Danish because your mother didn't want you mixing with the Danes. You were home-schooled in the way of the Fuhrer. You came to Berlin to visit your distant cousin Theo, who will be the SS accompanying you."

"Sounds simple enough," Rachel said. She tucked her own card back in the wallet and put it in her new purse.

NAME: Markheim, Adelaide Adolpha

BIRTHDATE: May 8, 1920 (that was simple enough to remember, since it really was her birthdate)

NATIONALITY: Aryan German

PLACE OF RESIDENCE: Copenhagen, Denmark

"Now," Otto said, looking out the window, "He's waiting outside in the car. Theo has done this before. Nothing has gone wrong yet. Don't worry, and be sure to act all excited about your trip to visit Cousin Theo in Berlin."

"All right," Rachel answered, as she and Jake picked up the suitcases and promptly dropped them 5again as "Cousin Theo" opened the door.