Just a heads up, this chapter is Ginger's POV

Just after Tom left, Ginger got up and began to pace impatiently. He had secretly admired Tom, how he accepted his position as calmly as Biggles would. He contemplated letting on about the arrangement with Biggles, it would be easier with the two of them. That was if Tom came back. How Ginger yearned for the calm guidance of Biggles. If Biggles had managed to get Ginger out of being shot by one of the German army's most vicious sadists, then he could do anything. If only he were there. What would Biggles do?

His thoughts were rudely interrupted by a sour faced private entering his cell and dragging him roughly through the corridors into a lavishly furnished office.

"I like what you've done with the place," commented Ginger as the private motioned him into a chair and departed.

A moment later the door swung open slowly, three men stood in the doorway. Two of them were in the field grey uniforms that he was now becoming rapidly accustomed to. He paid no attention to them but instead riveted his gaze on the other, who, standing slightly in front, was obviously a superior rank, judging from the cut of his tunic and breeches. The tall, lithe figure sauntered through the door, smoking through an amber holder, the monocle in his right eye glinting, accentuating the sardonic gleam in his piercing blue eyes. Ginger stood abruptly gazing in awe at the figure before him. His face still retained the expression of shock as he shook the outstretched hand.

"Do sit down Hebblethwaite,"

"My God,"

"Not quite. But imagine what our mutual friend, Bigglesworth, would say if he were to see you here with me," he remarked, leaning easily against the mahogany desk that dominated the room. "I think he'd be quite surprised; he wouldn't expect someone of my standards to be questioning stubborn officers in a filthy prison camp."

"Stop beating about the bush and get on with it, Von Stalhein," spat Ginger coldly.

"What I want to know, is what dear Bigglesworth is doing at this moment,"

"Why should I know?"

"He was kicking about up here on the opposite side of the lines; we have reason to believe he was looking for you. As we both know, wherever one of your little group is, the others are not far behind, it is only a matter of time before I shall have the pleasure of being reacquainted with the Major,"

"He was probably seeing a friend; he has them you know. Anyway, he knows better than to walk into your trap,"

"I wouldn't be so sure, I am also wondering if you happen to know what Lacey or Raymond are doing, I know he likes to send the three of you on little shenanigans."

"He didn't send me on this one you can be sure,"

"I can imagine, Lacey didn't seem so happy about being a prisoner either, but then that fool Von Faubourg sent Bigglesworth in to see if he could get anything out of him, and you know the rest," he said, his normal infallibility being betrayed by the slight reddening of his cheeks. The knowledge of how close he was to having Biggles against a brick wall in the cold, grey light of dawn was painful.

Ginger smirked slightly at his evident discomfort. "You've nothing against me though, I'm just an ordinary sergeant pilot, in an officer's camp for some reason,"

"Quiet!" Von Stalhein snapped. "We know that you have connections with a former spy and that he is likely to give us the pleasure of dropping by, quite literally, so we are ensuring he sees you are well treated,"

Ginger laughed at this evidently false statement "If he finds that you've been keeping me in the basement, he'll be after you like a hungry tiger, I can assure you."

"That I am sure, but in his absence, I am demanding information, and you know that I am an impatient man with friends in high places,"

"And we both know that you won't get anything from me, the last time you were going to shoot me you were bluffing so I'm not too sure about that,"

"I will go to any lengths, but now we are at war, so Bigglesworth is perfectly justified in killing me, although I have the creeping suspicion, he secretly admires me,"

Ginger rolled his eyes at the officer's vanity, but he knew it was the truth. "Is there anything else you want before I die of boredom?"

Von Stalhein eyed him with evident distaste and left. A few minutes later a couple of privates led him outside, rather than to the basement as he had expected. He was taken into the hut marked A3. The door was locked as one of the guards departed, leaving him alone with the other. The private got up, filled a mug from the tap and told him to drink it. Ginger was suspicious but drank it anyway. He stared maliciously at the private as his vision swam before him and voices filled his head.