Hammelburg, Johann Mueller's Shoe Shop
November 7, 1943, 1800 hours

Ilse Wagner had finished sweeping the floor and was waiting for one of her brothers to arrive to walk home with her. Karl was doing some work in town and would stop by when he finished. Johann Mueller had stayed behind to wait with Ilse. Ever since the attack, he had stayed behind, so she would not be alone. One time, he even walked her home when one of her brothers was unable to come.

Johann felt sorry for the poor girl, to have had to go through that frightful experience. Immediately after the attack, Ilse had been scared and bewildered. But Johann had noticed a change in her over the past few days. Her spirits had improved, and she was laughing and talking to him during the day again. Johann was glad that she seemed to be getting over things, but wondered about the suddenness of the change.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. He walked over and let Karl into the shop. "Guten abend, Karl," he said.

"Guten abend, Herr Mueller," Karl Wagner replied. "Is Ilse ready to go?"

"I'm ready," Ilse replied, coming from the back room of the shop. "I just had to get my coat." She turned to Johann and said, "Guten nacht, Johann."

"Guten nacht, Ilse," he replied, and watched them walk out the door of the shop. Once they were gone, his thoughts returned.

---------------

By habit, Ilse and Karl crossed the street so they would not have to pass directly in front of the Hofbrau. Since the attack, Ilse had been weary of being close to the tavern. Even from a safe distance across the street, she was always nervous as they passed.

Tonight as they approached, Ilse saw two men approaching the Hofbrau from the opposite direction. A flash of recognition hit her and she stopped cold. After taking a couple more steps, Karl stopped and turned.

"Ilse, what is it?" he asked.

Ilse didn't answer. Instead, she was staring at the two men on the opposite side of the street. Karl turned at looked in the direction she was staring.

"What is the matter?" he asked again.

"It's ... It's ... them," she said, haltingly.

The two men entered the Hofbrau, and Karl turned quickly to his sister. "You mean the men that attacked you?" he asked. Ilse nodded.

A look of anger crossed Karl's face. He turned and began to walk towards the Hofbrau. Ilse ran off after him.

"Karl, what are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm going to talk to them," he said firmly.

"Nein, Karl. Don't," she said. "There are two of them."

"I don't care," Karl replied.

Ilse ran in front of Karl and turned to face him. Karl stopped when his sister blocked his path. "Karl, not now," she said. "There are too many people around, and ..."

Karl looked at her. Her eyes were moist with unshed tears, and he could see the concern in them. "You're right, Ilse," he said. "Now is not the time. But we must tell Hans that we've seen them. Then we can make our plans for when the time is right."

Ilse nodded, happy that her brother did not try to do anything. She didn't want anything bad to happen to her brother on her account.

They resumed their walk home, their pace quickened by their newfound knowledge.

---------------

The group had assembled in the Wagner barn again that evening. Karl described the two men that they had seen entering the Hofbrau earlier.

"I think I know one of them," Otto Bauer said. "It sounds like Franz Hurst."

"Ja," agreed Max Becker. "It does. And the other one sounds like Hans Dietrich."

"You know these men?" Hans Wagner asked. Both men nodded. "Do you think you could find out their habits? Where they go each night, what they do?" Again, both men nodded.

"You have a plan, Hans?" Ilse asked.

Hans shook his head. "Not yet," he replied. "But if we find a pattern in their actions, maybe we can make sure that we just happen to be in the right place some night."

"And then what?" Karl asked.

Hans smiled an evil smile. "And then we show them what happens to men that attack innocent women," he said.