Ahh I know it's been a long time since I've updated, but life happens (graduation, specifically. Yay! I'm a college student! Go Duke Blue Devils!)

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Chapter 3

The seven Von Trapp children huddled around the overflowing tray of food left for them.

Friedrich looked at the half-raised piece of toast Liesl held, "Liesl, are you sure we should eat this?"

Liesl paused and glanced at her brother beseechingly, "I don't think we need to worry about the food. If they wanted us – hurt," she didn't say 'dead' for fear of scaring her younger siblings, "they wouldn't take the trouble to give us this much food. And well-prepared food at that."

She smiled reassuringly. "Come on everyone, we have to eat!" She stared around, suddenly in a panic. For the first time, the idea of someone actually wanting to hurt them floated to the top of her thoughts. And for the first time, they didn't have the protection of strong parents. What was to become of them? The events were beyond her control, and she, the eldest sister, the one her brothers and sisters looked up to, couldn't possibly guarantee their safety. Her eyes suddenly filled with tears. She looked around, blinking furiously. No, she wouldn't let them see her afraid. She must be strong and act like an adult.

Grimacing at Gretl's trembling lower lip, Liesl consciously softened her face, "What I'm trying to say is that it just doesn't make any logical sense for the people, whoever they are, to poison our food."

Friedrich seemed to rally at her words, and was the second to take a piece of food from the tray. "Liesl's right, the food safe." He took a cautious nibble at a piece of fruit, and promptly nodded his approval.

Kurt and Brigitta then took the initiative and helped themselves to sandwiches, while Liesl and Louisa took care of the youngest girls.

ooooo

The train lurched like an old whale coming up for oxygen. The children were thrown forward violently; the train had stopped.

The door to their compartment once again was flung open and the same portly man stood silhouetted in the doorway.

"Which one of you is the eldest?" his voiced boomed.

Liesl scrambled to her feet and stared at him defiantly, chin held high in the air, "I am."

The man looked her with an inscrutable expression on his emotionless face. "Come with me."

The sixteen-year-old girl stood her ground. There was a small voice in her head reminding her that her little brothers and sisters were all fearfully watching her. If she betrayed any hint of dread or fear, this would be reflected in the minds of her siblings. Liesl squared her shoulders, clenched her fists, stepped over the half-filled tray of food and followed the man out of the compartment. The corridor outside was long and flooded with light. She turned around to give one last reassuring look to her brothers and sisters, but the door clicked drily closed on them. She turned and realized the portly man was already halfway down the corridor, and hurried to catch up.

ooooo

A bristly man with a matching mustache looked quizzically at Captain von Trapp.

"Please, Captain, no matter how many times I tell you, why won't you believe me?"

The taller man, though seated, looked twice as dangerous. He threw the bristly man a look of pure loathing and breathed quietly, "Where are my children?"

The room they were in resembled a mid-Edwardian era study, fashionably attired with elegant-looking, comfortable chairs. Herr Roesner smoothed his brush-like mustache and paced around the room in a friendly manner. He reached the window, glanced back at the Captain and smiled slightly.

Georg followed him with his eyes, which periodically darted to the desk scattered with papers of all sorts, desperate to glean one tiny piece of information that may help him locate his children.

"With all due respect, Herr Roesner, if you think you will get an ounce of cooperativeness from me if you do not first produce my children, then you are even more idiotic than I first believed."

"Ah, Captain, that's just the problem. You don't believe it, but you hold the fate of your children in your own hands, as you always have. So you see, nothing at all has changed."

He walked to his desk, pulled out a handsomely carved gold box and offer Georg a cigar.

"Captain, let me spell it out for you. You will do as we tell you, and nothing will happen to your children. It's as simple as that."

He paused to languorously light his cigar, the one Georg refused.

"Should you refuse, Captain, well," he smiled coldly, "Let's just say you wouldn't want to do that. You forget, Captain, that we have control over the safety of your children, and your wife, I might add. Now, the Third Reich can do without your services, for the moment. But I wonder, Captain, if you could not do without your children? So you see, we really hold the upper hand here. And any inactivity on your part is really not beneficial for everyone. And should you agree to work with us, everyone is happy. A lovely arrangement, don't you agree?"

Georg stared at him. Deep down, he knew the despicable man was right. But he had long vowed never to work with these people, to never help further their cause. He wondered how many venerable men of Austria and Germany have been in his position, forced to choose between one's morals and one's family. How many men of greatness and genius have been sought after by the Third Reich for their abilities? How many of them were blackmailed and threatened with harm to their families? How many gave in to the pressure? And what had become of those who hadn't?

The sudden piercing ring of the telephone jarred Georg out of his thoughts.

Herr Roesner answered, "Hello, yes sir. Yes, of course. I'll be right over, sir."

He crushed the cigar in an ornate ashtray.

"I've been called away momentarily. Don't you slip away now," he chuckled, "Though I daresay you'd find a hard time of it if you tried. I'll give you some time to think about our little discussion." He tipped his hat, "Good day, Captain."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Thanks for reading!