After that, Ronald found it difficult to get back to sleep. He was worried about William, and he was sure more was going on in William's head than the man was yet able to express. He laid next to William, watching him sleep and soothingly running his fingers through his hair.
But after the sun had begun to shed rays of light through the window, Ronald found himself too restless. Not wanting to disturb William, he carefully slipped out of William's arms—which had never left him since the man fell asleep—and he pulled on a pair of pants over his boxers. He then grabbed his mobile phone and stepped out into the hall, scrolling through contact numbers until he got to the name of his best friend. London was an hour ahead of him, and given that Eric was covering William's position in the office there was a good chance that the man was already up...though likely unhappy about it. But Ron felt the need to talk to him. They hadn't spoken in a long time and if anything, it would be good to let the man know that he was getting serious with someone and their friends with drunken benefits thing would have to be ended when he got back to London.
Pressing the call button, Ronald held the phone up to his ear and listened to it ring.
Just when he was sure it'd go to voicemail, he heard a click and a voice answer his call.
"Hello?"
"Eric! Styx, I hope I didn't wake you...unless you were sleeping on the job, then I guess I-wait...Alan?" The familiar voice finally registered with Ronald and he blinked dumbly at the wall across from him. "Did I...call the wrong number?"
"Not...exactly, Ronald..." Alan's reply came, "This is Eric's phone."
"Then why are you answering it this early in the morn—oh—oh sweet scythe!" Ronald's eyes widened as a thought hit him. "Dude, did he finally stop torturing himself and ask you out?! Did I interrupt anything naughty?"
Ronald could practically hear the blush Alan was suffering when the brunet replied; "No...well, kind of...he kissed me by accident, but...then I asked him—he's in the shower right now and I thought this call may have been important," Alan babbled.
"Well, hot damn." The blond grinned, "Good for the both of ya! Anyway, I just wanted to talk to him, but if he's busy, I guess I can go..."
"Actually, I think he just got out of the shower. Hold on." Alan's voice grew muffled for a moment, "Eric, it's Ronald. Says he would like to talk to you about something."
Eric made sure the towel was securely draped around his waist before approaching the brunet and giving him one of his infamous grin-and-wink combinations. "Thanks. Shower's all yers if ye'd like tae catch one before work. I go' out a fresh towel fer ya."
Eric would have loved for Alan to join him in that shower, but they weren't quite at that point yet. He grinned at the way his partner blushed at him as he brought the phone to his ear. He'd blushed last night after their date when...
"So, I'm gone for a few months and you finally start banging Humphries, huh?" Ronald interrupted his thoughts, a smirk in his voice, "About damn time! You have been torturing yourself with pining for him to notice you like that for years! So how'd it happen? He said you accidentally kissed him?"
Eric suffered an uncommon moment of embarrassment, and he cast a quick look over his shoulder to be sure his partner was in the bathroom as he flushed. "Och! Who said I was 'banging' him, Ronnie? Aye, I've had mah eye on 'im fer a while but...it's Alan. I...wull, hope ya don't take offence, but it's no' like tha times wi' us. Yer mah friend. Al's mah...er..."
He got flustered trying to explain it. Eric Slingby was not a monogamous sort by nature, after all...but if anyone could understand, it had to be Ronald. "He's no' just a friend wi' benefits or a shag," he finally said, "an' tha kiss just sort o' happened. Might have been tha stress o' taking o'er fer Will, but one minute we were talkin' business an' tha next I jus'...kissed him. Wasnae even conscious on mah part. It jus' happened an' we both liked it, so we've gone a bit further tae see how it goes. We...er...fell asleep cuddling last night...an' I swear tae gods if yeh make one joke about tha'..."
He let the sentence hang, though he'd never hit Ronald unless he had no choice. They were always friendly competitors in games of romance and occasionally partook with each other, so he immediately braced for the incoming teasing.
Ronald scoffed with a smirk. "I always knew you had more than just a crush on him," he laughed, "Hell, I faintly remember you talking about him during one of our nights together. And I..." Ron trailed off, a blush crossing his cheeks as he thought about William, "I understand wanting to wait for the perfect moment for the whole sex thing with him..." He sighed and closed his eyes, leaning back against the wall. "To tell ya the truth, I'm kinda in a similar situation over here. Never thought a war in Germany would be a place for Romance, but...here I am..."
Eric's brows shot up. "Did ya find yerself some foreigner or...wait. Ronnie, yer no' talking 'bout Spears, are ya?"
The more he thought of it, the more he recalled moments where Ronald's gaze had lingered on their boss. At company parties, in the office, in the field...at first Eric thought maybe Ron was just curious as to what the man might be like in bed, with such a cold exterior. Eric himself wondered that sometimes too, but not out of any desire to have relations with him.
"I still don't quite know what happened." Ronald shrugged, "Things happened and then the next thing I knew..." he paused, blushing further, "But you can't tell anyone! I'm only telling you because you're my best friend. I'm not sure if Will would want it getting all over the office back home...at least this soon. Plus we have bigger things to worry about over here."
Again he paused, closing his eyes and frowning with a sigh, "I don't know what to do, Eric...I know what I want to do, but I don't know how to do it..." He said, lowering his voice and glancing back at the door to their shared hotel room.
"I won't tell a soul," promised the Scotsman upon detecting the angst in his voice. "I jus' dinnae realize ya felt tha' way about him, but it makes sense that ye'd bond after tha things ye've seen an' been through together. So wha's tha trouble, Ronnie? Ya don't know wha' tae do about wha'...yer feelings?"
Eric knew from his own experience how scary it was for someone used to playing the field to start having real, genuine feelings for someone, and he sympathized with his friend.
"I didn't exactly flaunt my feelings." Ronald smirked, "I've had feelings for him for a long time, now...but no, it's not really my feelings that are the problem—I kind of wish that it were. It'd be easier..." He sighed and started to pace the hall.
"I'm worried about him," he finally admitted. "I couldn't really sleep last night, so you know it's bad. This war is really getting to him. It was before in the beginning, but it seems to just get worse and I think it's affecting him more than he's able to share with me. I want to help him but all I can think of to do is reassure him that I'm here for him."
Eric frowned. This was more serious than he thought. He was prepared to tease Ronald a bit and tell him they were both in the same boat, but their situation wasn't as similar as he'd suspected. In fact, it sounded a lot worse—and not just for Will and Ronnie. If Spears cracked, their division might very well fall apart. Eric and Alan were doing a passable job of holding it together, but he honestly didn't know how William managed to do so much around here by himself with such a level of cool control. Eric and his partner were barely managing it, and the level of stress made him decide the position wasn't worth the pay upgrade. The extra money they were getting while taking on this task was nice, but there was no way he'd want to do this permanently. William T. Spears had it down to a science, while he and Alan were amateurs.
"Tha man's already uptight," reasoned the Scotsman. "Tha' cannae be helping him cope wi' tha stress. I still dun' understand why he didnae jus' send someone else."
Well, that wasn't completely true. Finding out that William was half German shed a little light on why he was so personally invested in it. There was so much about the man that nobody knew, and Eric wondered how many of his secrets Ronnie had uncovered in their time together.
"Look Ronnie, jus' hang in there. Spears is one o' tha most fortified reapers I know, an' if you can get through this, so can he. Jus' keep doing wha' yer doing an' watch after each other. Maybe try ta get him tae take a little time out tae relax, even. I know tha's easier said than done with him, but ya seem tae have a way wi' him tha' none of us do."
"I was afraid you'd say that." Ronald sighed, "He had some sort of nasty nightmare last night... I hate that I can't help more. I really love him, you know? Hate seeing him suffer..."
Eric glanced towards the bathroom, totally able to relate to that sentiment. "I know, Ronnie. There's only so much y' can do though. I know tha's no comfort, but jus' try tae think of it this way: if it weren't fer ya being there, he'd probably be a lo' worse off than he is now. Have ya thought o' suggesting some counseling fer him? Maybe he could take an hour ou' of every second day tae talk wi' a professional, if it's getting tae him bad enough t' affect his judgment. He'd ne'er listen t' any of us, but he might listen tae you."
"I don't know..." Ron sighed, "there only seems to be two people he really opens up to, and being one of them, I can say it's still difficult for him. I mean, I can think about the idea...but I'm not too sure it'd help. But, then again, he knows it's happening and he's scared of what it could do to us if it gets too bad...I think."
Feeling helpless to offer anything better to his young friend, Eric nodded. It was probably a stupid idea, anyhow. William T. Spears, admitting he needed professional psychological help? The man would probably sooner throw himself off a cliff. He had a feeling Ronald wasn't expecting him to come out with some breakthrough idea, though. He just needed some moral support from his best mate. "Right, it was jus' a thought. Ya know Ronnie, if it gets too bad—an' I'm no' saying it will because I still cannae imagine Will completely losin' control o' himself—there's always Dispatch intervention as an option. I know it's an ugly thought, but we've go' tae put his safety and yers first. He's a logical man at heart an' I know when he comes back tae his senses, he wouldnae hold it against us...or you. Jus' keep tha' thought in mind if it looks tae be getting too ou' of control. Promise me tha', kid."
"I'd hate to do that...but I guess you're right." Ronald nodded. Ha paused and decided to change the subject up again, end the call on a lighter note,. "But yeah, I guess I don't have to tell you the benefits part of our friendship is over, right?"
Eric chuckled. "Actually, I was jus' thinking o' trying tae get in touch wi' yeh tae say tha same thing yesterday. I go' sae distracted wi' work I forgot, but I figured y' had bigger things tae worry about right now an' it could wait. Yer still mah best mate, Ronnie."
"Well, now we know we're both on the same page. I shoulda told you sooner but when I'm not working, I'm sleeping, and when I'm not sleeping, I'm working...with sometimes a few breaks due to injury or just wanting to have a snog session while waiting for the bombs to stop falling."
Eric laughed softly at that. "Aye, we're of a mind on tha'. I'm relating there. It's funny we both hooked up wi' tha only reapers tha' had a chance o' settling us down, and 'round tha same time, too. Must be fate."
He sobered a bit as he heard the water turn off in the shower. He hadn't confessed to Alan yet that Ronald was one of his previous "hook-ups" and he thought maybe it was time for him to bring that into light, just to clear the air. He was also still worried about his young friend, though. "Ronnie, keep me updated whene'er yah can. Boss puts out reports regularly, but it's all straight-laced business wi' him. Yer right there in tha thick of it wi' him and ya know wha's happening in tha background. If ya need me I'm here, a'right?"
"Yeah..." Ron sighed, "I know." Really, Eric was one of the few people he fully trusted with, well, everything. His secrets, his life... Eric, in a strange sort of way, was like family to him. An older brother, or maybe a father when it came to needing advice. (Their whole "benefits" relations aside.) Eric was a true friend and whenever he needed help, Ron knew he'd be there.
"I don't know when I'll be able to call again, but you can trust I will when I find time ta. Thanks for letting me take you away from your boyfriend. You take good care of him, yeah?" he smirked and said his goodbyes before turning and heading back into his hotel room where he shed his pants and slipped back into bed with his own boyfriend, finally able to rest his mind enough to get a little more sleep before having to get back to work.
Talking to Eric really did help a lot.
The bathroom door opened and Alan walked out, wearing Eric's bathrobe he forgot he had. It was too big for him, but it was warm and soft. "What did Ronald want?" he asked, wondering if it was work-related.
Eric's gaze swept over him and he smiled. "I could get used tae th' sight of yeh in mah robe." He so erred a bit and reminded himself that this wasn't the time for flirting. Not only was the situation with Spears getting serious, but he had a confession to make that might upset his love interest. He went to the bed, sat down and patted the spot next to him invitingly.
"Have a seat wi' me fer a minute? Ther's a few things we need tae talk about before we get ready fer work."
"I was...going to make us breakfast before we left." Alan admitted, his cheeks pink, "But if something has come up, maybe it'd be best to get something on the way?" he walked over and sat down next to Eric, looking up at him.
"Aye, there's a pancake house a block away," agreed the Scot. "We can call ahead an' get some takeout breakfast from there."
He took a deep breath and he blew it out in a sigh, hoping the second part of his news would be received well. First there was the situation with Spears to address, though. "Ronnie said tha boss isnae doin' so good. The war's really taking a toll on him, an' Ron's getting worried he might snap. If tha' happens, tha board'll have tae pull him ou' of tha investigation an' send a replacement. They might even have tae commit him, an' if tha' happens I dunno if this department will hold together."
"That bad?" Alan frowned. Frankly, he was surprised William hadn't snapped long ago just by being a supervisor. The job was stressful and he and Eric were doing okay at it, but they were working together and William was just one man. How many nights had William never made it home for the night? How many times had he canceled his personal days just to get work done when something came up? When even had been the last time he'd taken a week's vacation?
And yes, losing William would be horrible for the office. They didn't have anyone qualified to replace him. Not just any reaper could handle the higher-up positions, and supervisor was only the start of that. There had been a time when Supervisor had been in Alan's own sights career-wise. But those had been dashed when he contracted Thorns. The job would literally kill him if he took it. The stress would have induced more and more attacks.
His life wasn't much. Maybe he would have taken the job if William did crack... but not now. Not that he had Eric. They were just starting out, but killing himself with work was not how he wanted to end things with Eric. Though, his experience wasn't quite high enough for the promotion, even if he would take the job.
Alan shook the thoughts from his head. None of it mattered. What mattered was that William needed help, somehow.
"What can be done?" he asked, "Is Ronald able to help him?"
"He's doing tha best he can," answered Eric. "Problem is Will's so tenacious, an' he's no' likely tae admit he's go' a problem 'till it's too late. He may need an intervention if it gets too bad; but I've go' faith tha boss has tha strength tae hold on."
Eric sighed an' looked down, taking Alan's hand in his. "There's somethin' else I should tell ya. It's about me an' Ronald."
Alan raised an eyebrow, not knowing what to expect. He already knew they were best friends, after all. "What? Are you worried about him?" he asked. Eric was the type of man to take rash actions without thinking, at times. Maybe he was wanting to run to Germany to help the kid?
"Aye, but tha' cannae be helped right now. This is about our personal relationship an' ya might no' like hearing it...but I've got tae be honest. Alan, Ron an' I aren't tha regular kind o' friends. We've had this...arrangement fer about a year. Ever hear of 'friends wi' benefits?"
Alan blinked at Eric, and then, unable to hold it back, he laughed. "Do you not think I don't know you were having sex with people before we started dating?"
His laugh wasn't cruel; it was more playful and song-like.
"Eric, if you are worried I'd get jealous over something that you used to do, you can relax. I trust you not to cheat on me at all. And I'm sure Ronald understands now that he knows about us. He's not the type of boy who'll sleep with a guy who is in a relationship with someone else."
Eric sighed in relief and he smiled. "No, he's no'. Turns out he was calling tae let me know tha' part of our relationship is over, 'cause he's picked up a sweetheart too an' he's like me in tha'. Once we're with someone neither of us fool around. I was jus' worried ye'd be upset 'cause it was Ronnie. This won't make anything awkward between tha two of ya, will it?"
"I can't promise that it won't be a little awkward." Alan sobered, "But I doubt it'd ruin my friendship with him. You two are both adults and you made a choice to include sex in your friendship while you were both single. It's awkward to know he's had you before, but..." Alan moved onto his knees and leaned in to press his lips to Eric's, "I know that now, I'm the one you are kissing and holding close."
Eric grinned into the kiss, his arms stealing around the smaller reaper's waist. "Tha's right...an' this is jus' where I want tae be."
He reciprocated the kiss and deepened it, and he was suddenly very aware that the towel around his waist was the only thing he had covering him. It began to tent as he caressed Alan's tongue with his own and he groaned a bit. He wasn't used to going for this long without sex, but his partner was definitely worth it. Humphries was all he'd wanted for some time now but he never thought he would go for a rogue like him.
"Alan," he murmured between kisses, "There's no' much separating us right now an' we'd better stop, before I lose mah senses."
Alan's cheeks flushed as he pulled back and looked down, spotting what he'd caused. "O-oh... yes..." he stood up and tightened the robe around himself. As attracted to Eric as he was, he wasn't ready to go all the way, and it was cruel to push Eric's buttons. The man did know what they were missing, and Alan didn't.
"Sorry... I'll...go get dressed in the bathroom." he said, looking for where he'd put his suit.
"O'er on tha chair," supplied Eric with a rueful little smirk. He waited for his companion to retrieve the outfit and go into the bathroom, before selecting a fresh uniform for himself for the day. Eric sighed as he dropped the towel to the floor and pulled on some briefs, stuffing his goods into them as best he could. It was going to be a challenge to keep his hands off his partner, but the last thing he wanted to do was push him to do anything he wasn't ready for.
With their alarm came Ronald's realization that now that he'd been able to sleep, he had a stronger urge to stay asleep. Hugging William tight and hiding his face in the man's ribs, He fought the sound going off and trying to wake him up.
"Ugh," blurted William, no more eager to answer the call of duty than his companion. He blindly reached out to hit the snooze button—something ordinarily unheard of for him. The night before had been a rough one, however. Once the infernal noise died, he rolled back over to face his snuggling companion and he put his arms around him, closing his eyes.
"Later," he murmured. "Just a while longer."
He drifted off to sleep again, and the next time the alarm went off, he shut it down completely. They would wake when they were ready to wake. He was tired...so very tired.
"Kill it...just kill it..." Ronald muttered after William turned it off, "Evil...demon noise..."
But silence was not to be as they soon heard their mobile phones go off with their assignments for the day.
"Go away," muttered William, tossing his phone across the room. He was in no mood for this never-ending struggle. He jerked awake when someone rudely poked him in the knee, and he sat up with a start.
"Who on earth do you think—oh...hello, sir."
Undertaker stood lurking over their bed with a wry grin. "My goodness, you boys can sleep."
"...could sleep better without all this noi-hahh!" It registered in Ronald's mind who spoke and he sat up, making sure that the blankets were covering his boxer-clad lower half, "How the bloody hell did you get in here?!"
The mortician, still grinning, pointed a black-nailed finger in the general direction of the window. "You left it unlocked, chap. Wasn't too difficult."
William was still muzzy-headed with sleep and he rubbed his eyes before collecting his glasses and putting them on. "You must forgive our lack of hospitality," he yawned. "We were not expecting to wake up finding you perched at the foot of our bed, Undertaker."
He realized something then that had his brows furrowing with puzzlement. "You are in the reaper realm, sir."
Undertaker shrugged. "Yes, I s'pose I am. It's a lot quieter here, too." He frowned and tilted his head in a puzzled manner. "How odd. If I'd known they'd quiet down on this side, I might have spent more time here. Might not have even gotten into the funeral business at all."
Having no idea what he was babbling about, William brushed it off. "If you say so, sir. I recall you saying you wouldn't set so much as a toe in this realm again, once you left Dispatch."
"Ah, but there are more important things to worry about then my personal misgivings," pointed out the elder, "such as our li'l problem with the soul eater at large. Now out of bed with the both of you; he's on the move and we can't afford to dawdle."
"Gahhh!" Ronald fell back against the pillows, "He just had to pick this morning of all mornings," he moaned. Begrudgingly, he started to roll over and swing his legs off the side of the bed, but then he took pause. While he normally wasn't shy about nudity, he was involved with William, and maybe William wasn't comfortable with Ronald showing off his body to other people... Boxers or no, he still had a case of his usual morning wood and the thin layer of cloth left little to the imagination.
"Uh, as creepy as you are stooped there watching us sleep...could you turn your back until I get to the bathroom?"
"Yes, I would also appreciate some privacy to get dressed," agreed William. "Sir, if you wouldn't mind?"
Undertaker shrugged again. "No skin off my ol' back. I can wait out in the hallway while you get yourselves situated and collect whatever you need to bring. Just thought I'd come and check on you both, since you never showed at the appointed time."
William flushed at that reminder. It was not like him at all to be tardy—particularly when something so important was on the line. "Noted, and my apologies. I shall do my utmost to conduct myself more professionally in this endeavor."
Undertaker hopped down from the foot of the bed and glided out of the room like a ghost, and William shuddered inwardly. He really was not the reaper Will had once known, and it made his heart ache to keep drawing comparisons. Whatever had happened to his mentor during that war, it had changed him forever and it was time for Will to learn to accept that and cope with the fact that his hero may as well be dead and forgotten.
Once alone again, Ronald sighed and looked at William, "Did you sleep better for the second half of the night, at least?" he asked, taking his hand.
"Yes," answered William. "In fact, I slept a bit too well for my liking. I did not wish to awake." He smirked ruefully and some urge to be romantic took hold of him. Without even thinking of it, he brought Ronald's hand to his lips and turned it over, kissing the palm. "It may have had something to do with my bed partner."
Despite himself, Ronald flushed like the girls at the office he used to flirt with. "I'm glad for that, then..." he muttered in a low voice, his eyes hooded as he gazed at William. Suddenly, he didn't have the heart to admit that he'd barely slept. He would just have to be extra careful should anything happen that day.
"Let's make today better than yesterday."
William nodded in agreement, and he gathered his uniform and went into the bathroom to change. "Yes, let's."
Oblivious to his companion's troubled sleep, he pulled on his clothing with practiced care, smoothing out any wrinkles he found whether they were real or imaginary. He smirked a bit as he dressed, taking care to be sure the bars and medals were all on straight. Ronald had driven away his nightmares effortlessly, and he was now beginning to understand what it was like to be in a meaningful relationship. When he was finished, William cracked the door open and he called out to the younger reaper.
"Are you decent, Ronald?"
"From the waist up." Ronald smirked, though he was all dressed and was finishing up with his tie. "It's safe to come out," he said before repressing a yawn and moving to use the bathroom and try and wake up with splashing cold water on his face.
William noticed the tired look on his face and he frowned slightly, finally seeing that all wasn't well with the younger man. "Did you get enough sleep, Ronald?"
Ronald waved it off, "I'll be fine, Will. You know I'm not a morning person. I'd sleep until noon if I could," he fibbed. William had enough to worry about, without feeling possible guilt over Ronald's lack of sleep. It wasn't William's fault, after all. It had been his own.
William still looked faintly doubtful, but he knew from experience that Ronald was indeed a late sleeper. He couldn't count the number of times he'd seen him stumbling into the office half-asleep, and it didn't seem to matter how early or late he'd gone to bed. "Very well. We can stop somewhere for coffee on the way back to the mortal realm. I don't need you nodding off if we happen across that lich and possibly getting yourself injured."
He went to put his underwear and pajama bottoms in his suitcase before sealing it up. "We may as well bring our belongings with us," he mused aloud. "There is no telling how long we could be on the road this time."
"Are you seriously going to lug that all around Mortal Germany?" Ronald asked, raising an eyebrow, "And do I? I mean, I have very little... just my bathroom things, extra boxers, and my normal work suit... but still! How many officers do you see carrying a suitcase and garment bags?"
"Plenty who are traveling," countered William. "If we are going to procure a vehicle, we will have the room to spare for it. I for one have no desire to go without brushing my teeth or changing my underwear for an unknown stretch of days, Ronald. Feel free to grow mold on your teeth and wear the same undergarments until you must peel them off of you, but stay downwind of me, please."
"Or-" Ronald grinned, "I could kiss you until the mold is in your mouth and you can clean it out."
William paused and he stared at him. "Not even you can make that suggestion appealing to me. I do believe you are slipping, Ronald Knox." His mouth twitched involuntarily with amusement, despite his efforts to hold a straight face.
"You say that, but you're amused." Ron smirked, pinching Will's butt as he passed to collect his things.
"Only because I hadn't expected you to take it that far," insisted William. He picked up his suitcase and started for the door. "Just please do me the favor of not making good on that suggestion, Ronald. I honestly don't think I could stomach it, even with you."
"Whatever you say, sexy." Ron winked, following after Will with his few possessions in hand.
Undertaker was waiting for them in the hall as promised, and as soon as they left the hotel and stepped through the portal to the other side the mortician grimaced. "Ah, they're back again. I was getting fond of being alone in my head for a change, too."
William frowned at him and he started to ask what he meant, but then he heard his name whispered and he stiffened. He knew that neither of his companions had spoken to him—which meant that he was hearing voices again…just like his former mentor. Suddenly the Undertaker's words made sense to him.
"You only hear them when you are in the mortal realm?" he asked cautiously.
Undertaker stooped over to pick up a stray rock from the path they were on, and he nodded. "They can't come through to the other side. Pity I hate the reaper domain so much, or I swear I'd consider moving back there." He drew back and threw the rock far to the distance, watching it land several yards away.
William lowered his gaze, absorbing this. Perhaps he wasn't imagining the whispers. What if he was really hearing the voices of the mortal dead, trapped in the afterlife and desperate to find peace?
"How long have you heard them, sir?"
The mortician shrugged and began walking the path. "Since before I came back from the war. I was too muddled to realize the significance of their silence when I crossed back into our realm, 'cause I was mad, then."
William raised a brow and chose not to point out that he was mad now, too. Maybe the Undertaker didn't see it that way.
"Did I miss something?" Ronald asked with a frown, "There's nothing. Not even gunfire or the whistle of bombs here." Which was true. The early morning was as silent as the grave... to those who couldn't hear the voices of the dead, that is. And Ronald didn't know he was the only one able to enjoy the silence.
"That's because we're outside the warzone, presently," explained the mortician—who was the one responsible for creating the portal they'd taken. "Down the road we'll find a quaint li'l village where we can get our motorcar and be on our way. It's already waiting for us."
"And how did you acquire this vehicle?" questioned William with a suspicious look.
Undertaker grinned. "I borrowed it. Last night after our meeting, in fact. There's an unhappy Nazi officer over in the last town we were at, but I'm sure the military will replace his car."
"Oh goodie, we could be caught with a stolen car." Ron signed. "Where are we headed to, anyway?"
"South-ish," answered the mortician with a vague gesture in that direction. "He'll be heading back into the war-zone, where the casualties are juicier."
William grimaced at his choice of words, but he said nothing. To their quarry, the victims of this war were indeed "juicy"… like ripe fruit plucked from the vine. He stepped closer to Ronald on sheer instinct as he heard his name whispered again, and he did his best not to acknowledge it.
Ronald sighed and nodded, "Then let's get going." Maybe he could nap on the car ride if William drove... he wasn't sure about trusting Undertaker to drive, after all, and he wanted to be up and alert when they taught him.
-To be continued