Chapter 1 – Lessons

Garrison was trying to spend the afternoon catching up on his paperwork, he sighed as he signed off on an expenses form for repairs to the damage done to the statuary outside during target practice and put it in the out tray. He picked up the report on his team's aforementioned target practice and tried to read the scores, he was having difficulty concentrating due to the loud whispering that was disturbing him. "That's right Geronimo, did you hear the first tumbler click?"

A quiet voice drifted over in reply. "Uh huh, I gotta turn the dial this way now, right Pappy?"

"That's right kid. Well done, that's the second tumbler."

Garrison sighed again, looked up from his paperwork, rubbed his face and then banged his hand on the desk. "Casino …."

"Shhhh. Geronimo can't hear a thing over all the noise you're makin'," hissed the safe-cracker. "Keep it down Warden."

Garrison sat back in his chair, took out his cigarettes and looked at the two figures crouched down in the corner of his office by his safe. "Do you have to give Chief a lesson now? Can't you practice when I'm not in my office?"

Casino and Chief both swivelled round and sat down on the floor, Casino held out a hand and caught the cigarette thrown over to him. He took out his matches, passed one to Chief and lit up. "You're always in your office Warden, the only time it's empty is when you're in bed or on a mission."

Garrison couldn't argue with that, he pointed at the out tray. "If you didn't create so much paperwork for me perhaps I'd get out more," he retorted drily.

Casino breathed in and blew out a cloud of smoke. "Hey, you're the one who said it was ok for us to give Geronimo lessons. You didn't say we had to teach him in the middle o' the night!"

Garrison shook his head in exasperation. "Didn't Chief open that this morning? He doesn't need to do it twice in one day."

Casino grinned and leaned back against the cold metal of the squat safe. "I've changed the combination since then, gotta give the kid a lotta practice or he'll never get it."

Garrison fixed his safe-cracker with a stern glare. "That's why I couldn't open it after lunch. Change it back after you're done there's paperwork I need in there."

Chief rested his head against the safe door, turned the dial and smiled as the door swung open. He reached in, took out some documents and waved them. "These what you want Warden?" He got up, carried them over and placed them in Garrison's outstretched hand.

Casino waved a hand at his protégé. "See what I mean Warden, gettin' good ain't he?"

Garrison's mouth curled up into his crooked grin as he stacked the paperwork neatly. "How are the German lessons going Chief?"

Chief's brow furrowed as he concentrated on his answer. "Sehr gut, Herr ….Gefängniswärter." He smiled as Garrison laughed out loud.

Casino frowned as he looked at them. "What's he say?"

Garrison ground out his cigarette. "'Very well, Warden'. Actor's doing a good job."

Since their return from the mission to St Nazaire when Actor had first offered to start giving Chief lessons the three team members had taken turns in expanding their scout's knowledge of criminal activities. Besides Casino and Chief haunting his office safe Garrison was now used to finding Actor sitting with him in the library going through books about art and jewellery or practising how to impersonate someone else – something that had already paid dividends when Señor Moreno made his debut on their latest mission to Belgium. The tall, multi-lingual conman was also patiently teaching Chief to speak German and slow progress was being made.

Garrison had recently gotten over the near heart attack he'd suffered when he first saw Goniff teaching second-story skills. He'd just climbed out of his car and was walking towards the steps leading up to the main door when he heard voices above him, he looked up to see the thief and his scout scampering over the slate tiles of the mansion roof. He'd watched, open-mouthed as Chief slipped and righted himself before the pair of them waved to him, clambered down the wall and swung in through the common room window. Faint laughter had drifted out and down to his ears as he tried to calm his thudding heartbeat.

He'd been drawn in as an unwitting participant in the lessons, only yesterday Goniff had grinned proudly and clapped his hands as Chief walked past him, turned and presented him with the wallet he'd just taken out of his back pocket. The cons had jokingly promised him they'd turn their scout into the 'Swiss Army Knife' of crime and it seemed they were well on the way to achieving their aim with a very willing pupil.

The traffic wasn't all one way, Chief was more than happy to teach his team mates how to use a blade, he'd given each of them a knife from his stock and shown them how to keep it clean and sharp. He was also giving them extra help with target practice, according to the report Garrison was presently trying to read their scores had improved dramatically, even Goniff had managed to hit the target on a regular basis.

Those weren't the only skills Chief shared, a couple of days ago Garrison had smiled as he'd looked out of his office window and watched Actor, the least mechanically minded of his men, elbow-deep in a car engine as Chief held up the bonnet, giving encouragement. He'd fiddled about and then trotted round to the driver's side, leaned in and reached under the dashboard, the look of delight on his face as the engine roared into life was priceless. Chief slammed down the bonnet, climbed in the passenger seat and grinned as the conman drove them to the security gate and back in the Warden's hot-wired car.

The loud ring of the telephone made everyone jump, Garrison picked it up, answered and listened. He looked at the two men. "School's out Chief, can you drive me to London?"

"Sure Warden." Chief caught the keys to the car as Garrison threw them over, twirled them round his finger and gave him a mischievous look. "I'll get Actor to hot-wire the car, give us ten minutes."

Garrison smiled as he watched his scout stride out the office, his expression changed to a glare as he turned to the safe-cracker. "Change that combination back now!"

Casino held his hands up in surrender and turned to the safe. "There just ain't no pleasin' you is there Warden?"

GG-GG-GG

Garrison finished his briefing with General Fremont, walked out of HQ and sat in the front passenger seat of the car. Chief watched as he laid the briefcase on his lap and opened it. "Everythin' alright Warden?"

Garrison looked up. "Yeah, everything's fine Chief." He picked up a document and started to read it. "We're going to Hamburg tomorrow to steal a list of double agents based here in England."

Chief started the engine. "Hamburg? Ain't that in Germany?"

Garrison nodded absent-mindedly as he settled down to read the brief fully, Fremont had been economical with the facts as usual and left it up to the Lieutenant to find things out for himself.

Chief pulled out and headed back towards Colchester and the mansion. He stayed quiet and let Garrison fill the silence if he wanted to. He'd occasionally glance across to see what was happening but knew it would be best if he left the Warden to devise his plans without interruption. Halfway through the journey Garrison leaned back in his seat, lit a cigarette and breathed out a cloud of smoke. "How good is your German Chief?"

Chief frowned. "If you wanna Kraut with a Southern accent, I'm your man Warden. I can understand more'n I can speak, I'm nowhere near as good as you 'n Actor." He watched out the corner of his eye as Garrison picked up another document and started reading it. "Why'd you ask?"

Garrison looked up and smiled. "Oh no reason, I just wanted to know. It's always handy to have someone else who can understand German, just in case. You said you wanted to go straight after the war, perhaps all these new skills you're learning will help you get a job, maybe in security."

Chief went quiet, gripped the steering wheel and looked at the road, he hadn't thought about what he'd do after the war, he'd been living in the moment and enjoying every second. This wasn't the living death he'd endured in prison without any hope, this life had purpose. He didn't want to leave Garrison and the team, he didn't want to lose his friends and be alone again, he didn't want this to end but he knew it would – one day.

GG-GG-GG

Garrison sat at his desk and read through the mission brief for the third time. He lit a cigarette and frowned as he tried to think of all the things that could go wrong, maybe he should leave that to Casino, he was the expert on the 'what if' factor. He'd never met such a cynic but even that annoying trait was useful at times.

He got up and walked to the door, there were a few things he needed to get sorted out at the army base next door before he held the briefing session with his men and now was as good a time as any. He put on his Ike jacket, donned his cap, adjusted it, picked up the completed reports and outgoing mail to take with him and strolled up to the common room. "Chief here? I need a ride to the camp."

Goniff looked up from the game of cards he was playing with Casino. "No Warden, he went out not long after you got back, said he was goin' for a walk."

Garrison nodded. "Ok, I'll drive myself there."

Casino snorted. "You're getting' too used to havin' your own personal chauffeur babe, what you gonna do after Geronimo's got his parole, offer him a job?"

Goniff grinned. "Hey, that's a good idea, you'd have a bodyguard, chess buddy and driver all in one."

Casino glanced up from his cards. "I was gonna say babysitter."

Garrison rested his free hand on his hip and gave the safe-cracker a bemused stare. "Excuse me?"

Casino put down a card and gave Garrison an amused look. "Judgin' by what's happened to you already over the last few months Warden you need one."

Garrison's mouth curled up into his lop-sided smile. "Thanks. Nice to know you think so much of my ability to look after myself."

Casino waved a casual hand. "Only sayin' Warden, you know we worry about you. Drive carefully and be back before dark."

"Yes mother." Garrison rolled his eyes, shook his head and walked out to the car.

GG-GG-GG

Once he'd handed in the mail and reports, ordered more supplies and arranged air transport for the next day's mission Garrison decided to go to the Mess Hall for a cup of coffee and maybe a sandwich if they weren't too dried out. He walked in, decided to just have a coffee and looked around for a seat. His gaze stopped as he spied a familiar, dark-haired figure sitting at the far end of the hall, back to the wall as usual, talking to a large, bearded man in a commando's uniform who seemed to be vaguely familiar. The conversation seemed to be intense with both men leaning forward so they couldn't be overheard, the commando handed over a sheaf of papers and seemed to be talking animatedly. Chief shook his head, the soldier pointed at the documents, Chief looked up at him apprehensively and seemed to ask a question which the commando answered. Chief looked down and read the papers, he nodded and the commando's huge hand reached out and clapped him on the shoulder.

Garrison frowned, what was Chief doing here and who was this man he talking to? What would a British commando want with his scout? He'd heard rumours that the Brass wanted to establish more specialist covert teams like his, was it true? He was all too aware of the Army's attitude towards his men, they were property not people, tools to be used without consideration for their well-being or feelings. Were they trying to take Chief away from him and the team? Would they order him to give up his scout? He couldn't afford to lose him, out of all his men Chief was the only one who could ever truly be a soldier like himself, Garrison had found in him a sense of duty and sacrifice much like his own that the others didn't have. Most of all he wasn't prepared to lose his friend, not without a fight. He started to walk over and found his path blocked by a group of soldiers getting up from their table, by the time they'd gotten out of his way and he could see across the room again it was too late, the table was empty, Chief and the commando had gone.

GG-GG-GG

Actor, Goniff and Casino were in the common room getting ready to go to The Doves when Garrison arrived back at the mansion, he ran up the stairs and looked around. "Chief back yet?"

Actor shook his head. "No," he looked up and saw the concerned expression on the Lieutenant's face. "Is anything wrong Warden?"

Garrison shook his head quickly. "No, I saw him talking to someone earlier at the base. Any of you know what he's up to?"

Casino shrugged. "So that's where he's been goin'. No idea Warden, Geronimo don't tell us nothin'."

Actor put on his jacket and dropped his pipe, matches and tobacco in a pocket. "He's only ever away for an hour or so, I'm sure he'll be back shortly."

Garrison gave the conman a worried look. "How long's this been going on?"

Actor buttoned up his jacket and smoothed the material down. "The last week or two."

Garrison was surprised at the news, he hadn't noticed any of his scout's absences until today. "I didn't know that."

Casino directed a cynical glare at the Warden. "Yeah well, like I said earlier babe, if you didn't spend all your time cooped up in your office you'd know what's goin' on out here. You'll just have to ask him yourself when he gets back."

Goniff passed Casino a cigarette and lit up. "Yeah, and when he does get back tell him we've gone down the pub and to hurry up, there's a darts match on tonight and I fancy makin' a few bob."

"I'll tell him." Garrison watched his men take their usual exit route through the common room window, he sat down at the chess board, set up a new game and waited.

Twenty minutes later there was a rustle as Chief climbed up the ivy-covered wall and slipped in through the window. He paused as he saw Garrison and tilted his head enquiringly, he looked at the board, smiled, took off his jacket and walked over to sit opposite him. "Haven't had a chance to play for a couple days, you ready for a beatin' Warden?"

Chief enjoyed playing chess with Garrison and always made time for him, it didn't matter what he was doing he'd drop whatever it was to join him at the table. Garrison found he was having to concentrate more and more on the games, it didn't help that if he looked up his scout was watching him with a knowing expression, he could swear he was reading his mind!

Garrison sat back in his chair. "There's a darts match on at The Doves if you'd rather go there."

Chief hung his jacket on the back of his chair and focused on the board in front of him. "Uh uh, this'll do fine Warden. Feels like cheatin' when I keep winnin' all the time playin' darts, at least you make me put up a fight. You got first move."

Garrison lit a cigarette, looked at the board and made his opening gambit, he moved a pawn. "How are things going Chief?"

Chief moved a pawn in response. "Fine, Warden. Why'd you ask?"

Garrison moved another pawn. "I saw you in the Mess Hall at the camp talking to someone earlier today."

Chief made his countermove. "Really?"

Garrison picked up a knight and moved it into position. "Chief you know if I'm in the next county, you knew I was in the Mess Hall the moment I walked in. Why were you talking with that commando, who is he?"

Chief considered his next move. "Uh huh, I saw you. I was talkin' to Drummond, you remember him? He was our combat instructor in basic trainin' when we first got here, we met up and went for coffee." He moved a knight.

Garrison nodded as he remembered Sergeant Major Drummond, he knew he'd looked familiar. He moved a pawn and looked up. "If you knew I was there, why did you disappear? What was in those documents you were reading?"

Chief took Garrison's pawn and held it to his bottom lip as he waited for Garrison to make his next move. "Drummond had somethin' for me to look at, I looked at it and then we left."

Garrison moved another pawn. "What would your old combat instructor want that would make you go over to the camp more than once over the last couple of weeks?"

Chief went to move a bishop and then paused, he looked at the board and then up at Garrison.

"That's sneaky Warden, you're tryin' to trick me into goin' one way when you're gonna attack the other." He smiled and shook his head. "Drum's a friend, I might've put him on his ass every time we fought in trainin' but he's gotten over that. I do have my own free time and I can do what I want with it."

Garrison ground out his cigarette. "Alright, as long as that's all it is. I don't want another team trying to take you away or you start thinking about leaving."

Chief gave the Lieutenant a long, hard look and knocked over his own king. "Is that what you think's happenin'? You think I'm leavin'? You're wrong Warden, don't ever doubt my loyalty."

Garrison leaned over, picked up the king and set it firmly back in its place. "I've never doubted your loyalty Chief or your friendship. I heard they're thinking of setting up other teams, you'd be the first person they'd want to recruit, when I saw you with Drummond I was worried I'd lose you."

"Heard that too." Chief hesitated, he couldn't tell Garrison anything about what he'd been doing with Drummond or what he knew. He'd been sworn to secrecy and, as badly as he wanted to tell his friend what was happening, he couldn't. He hovered his hand over the bishop, looked up at Garrison, smiled and moved his knight. "You know a con can't enlist, you ain't getting' rid of me that easy Warden. Your move."

Garrison smiled, raised a finger, stood up and left the room. A couple of minutes later he reappeared with two glasses and his best bottle of bourbon, he sat back down, poured out two generous measures and studied the board. "Hmmm."