Vendetta di Sangue

Chapter 2

Terry bounded into the Mansion. The first person she saw was Chris sitting on the stairs within reach of the telephone. The younger girl rose at her entrance.

"Kelly here yet?" asked Terry.

Chris nodded. "He's in the kitchen."

Actor had risen from his chair and approached the two girls. He was still unhappy. If he was running this mission, he wanted to be at the briefing. There were too many things that were not in his control. The older girl looked up at him.

"Come to the map room," said Terry. "I need to know where this place in Oslo is."

Actor and Chris followed Terry into the map room, otherwise known as the library. Actor went to the cupboard, sorted through and pulled out a large street map of Oslo. He spread it out on the table. Chris stood opposite Actor and looked at the map, not comprehending any of the names. Kelly walked in chewing on a piece of bread and a slab of cheese.

"What's happened to Craig?" he asked.

"He was in deep cover. They tumbled him. Gestapo have him. His partner was killed," answered Terry, coming to stand beside Actor, looking at the map.

She missed the sharp look of shock on the young boy's face. Actor saw it and wondered at it. Kelly pulled himself together.

"So what are we looking for?" asked Christine

"This address," replied Terry. She laid an address on top of the map. Actor frowned. He traced a street and found the address. He turned dark eyes to Terry.

"Tell me this is not where the Warden has been going," he said with a bad feeling it was.

"That's it," said Terry.

Actor looked at her in anger. "Do you know what this place is?" he demanded.

"No," said Terry.

Understanding dawned in Actor's eyes. "Dio, the Lieutenant was in deep cover here?"

Terry took a deep breath and nodded.

Actor exploded in a string of loud Italian explicatives. He forced himself to settle down to a low rage. "What the hell was he doing in there? He can't pull something like that off."

"What is this place?" asked Chris.

An emotionless voice said, "It's an exclusive cat house. It caters to the high ranking German officers and anybody with a lot of money and a deviant nature." The other three turned to stare at Kelly. He grinned bitterly. "I was feeding information into the place. I was there before Craig and sometimes in between. I quit about six months ago. When Jenny got scared, I went in again so there was someone she knew."

"Just what capacity was the Warden in?" asked Actor dangerously.

Kelly took a slow breath. "Jenny was a maid. She cleaned the upstairs rooms in between . . . clients. Craig was her German born husband. He dealt in Black Market. He would show up at odd times, take orders from the owners, the 'workers' and some of the clients. The stuff was delivered after he left."

"Delivered how?" asked Actor, wanting to know as much about this con as possible.

"He took the list to G-2 and they arranged to have the stuff delivered. G-2 was paying for or providing the stuff. Craig got to know the people and with enough alcohol and getting to trust him, they were more open in what they said about what they did and what was going to happen according to Berlin. We were getting good information out of there, but lately, the clientele started changing and there was less available."

Actor eyed the young boy. "What kind of goods were being delivered?"

Kelly glanced at his youngest sister uncomfortably, but continued. "Special sheets, expensive foods, personal bottles of booze, rubbers" he hesitated. "I guess you would call the paraphernalia sex –toys?"

Actor nodded. Terry was looking at her brother as though she did not know him. Their sister had a confused look.

'I don't understand," said Crystal. "What was the problem? It's not like Craig hasn't seen the inside of a brothel before."

"Sis," said Kelly quietly. "It's a male cat house."

Chris looked at him in shock. "You mean men with men?"

"That is exactly what he means," said Actor.

"I think I'm going to be sick," said Chris.

"Not now," said Terry. She looked at her kid brother. "You speak Norwegian?"

"Sure," said Kelly. "I speak Norwegian as well as Craig does. I've been going in because I speak it and I look like a nice Scandinavian young man."

"What is the matter with you two?" exclaimed Terry.

Kelly shrugged. "Like I said, we were getting good information out of there for awhile."

Terry started pacing the floor. She looked up. "What made Jenny think they were going to get tumbled?"

"I'm not sure she actually thought it through as being tumbled. The – um – tastes of the clients got worse, shall we say, and she was having trouble dealing with that."

"Worse how?" asked Actor.

"They had young boys forced into prostitution. Jenny couldn't handle the kids being forced to do these acts." Kelly looked at Actor and straightened. "Not saying you did any of this, but you were in stir. You know the type of things that go on."

"No, I did not participate in that," said the confidence man firmly. He sighed. "And yes, I do know what you are talking about."

"Well, there's more," said Kelly.

"What?" asked Terry with dread.

"Craig started trying after the last time he was in to get the Brass to pull them both. Army refused. He worked his way up the ladder with documentation and appeals. It wasn't until now, he was sent in to get Jenny out."

Now things were starting to make sense. Terry looked at Actor. "That's why he was angry all the time. He was locked in his office writing 'appeals'. One for you and one for her."

Actor nodded slowly. "And he was able to get me, but not her." Now his mind started to work the beginnings of a plan. He looked at the young boy who was no longer a boy. "Kelly, show me on this map where Gestapo headquarters for that area is. I want to know what is in a two mile radius of the – establishment."

Kelly pushed Terry out of the way and got shoulder-to-shoulder with the con man. He began pointing out sites such as the Gestapo, Jenny's apartment, supply warehouses, police stations and anything else the Italian asked about.

Christine walked around the table to join her sister. "Why would Craig even consent to doing something like that in a place like that? I don't understand."

"Because he loves to pull a good con. He's just as bad as they are." She aimed a thumb at Actor.

The con man's head shot up. "I beg your pardon!" said Actor defensively.

"I meant that as a compliment, caro," said Terry soothingly. She thought a second and frowned at her kid brother. "And just what exactly were you doing in there?"

"I made the regular deliveries; food, towels, light bulbs," replied Kelly. "I've been throughout the whole place."

A devious smile came to Terry's face. "So you know the layout of the place."

"As far as I can see, we will have no need to go there," said Actor firmly. He did not like the tone of the girl's voice.

The con man studied the map and tried to memorize the locations that would be important to them. He asked Kelly a few more questions before turning his attention to Terry.

"How are we going in?" he asked.

"Sub out of Norfolk. We leave here in an hour," said the girl, checking her watch.

"They will probably land us at Fredrikstad," he said aloud. "Resistence?"

Terry nodded. "Knut is our contact. Code word glacier. Countersign fiord."

"Probably take us up to Oslo by boat or truck." Actor shook his head. This was insane, but they had been in worse situations. "Alright, let's brief with the others. I want to hear the rest of this without repeating it."

Chris went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for her brother and sister. She had fed the other men already with leftovers she had found in the refrigerator. She assumed her part in this mission was to take care of Craig when they got him out. Not getting him out was not an option and she had a lot of faith in Actor and the other men.

Terry let Actor lead the way to Garrison's office. He motioned for the other men to come along. She and Kelly followed. Kelly had never worked with the con man or the others. He would have to follow his sister's lead.

Actor took Garrison's chair at the head of the table. Terry took a chair to his right. Kelly sat on the corner of Craig's desk and watched the other men take seats.

Actor started with what he knew. "Garrison was in deep cover in Oslo. He was tumbled. The Gestapo have him. His partner was killed. We will be taken by sub to Norway and be met by a resistance man. From the coast we will be taken to Oslo. We know where Gestapo headquarters is. We must get him out before they move him."

"Or kill him," added Kelly.

Actor glanced at the boy. "Or kill him." He turned his attention to Teresa. "Is there anything more you can add?"

Terry nodded. "There is a Major Engel coming to take Craig to Berlin in two days. I assume he is SS."

"We will have to intercept this major and take his place," said Actor.

Chris entered the room with two plates of sandwiches. She handed one to Kelly and placed the other on the table beside Terry. The youngest Garrison girl went to sit in the chair in front of Craig's desk.

"There's another part to this," said Terry.

"There always is," muttered Casino.

"We need to find the woman's body and bring her out."

"We gotta bring a stiff out?" exclaimed the safecracker.

"She isn't a 'stiff'!" yelled Chris. "She was a sweet woman."

Actor did not like that part of it either, but he understood it and would follow through if at all possible. He watched Terry's face change.

"If we can find her, we will bring her out," said Terry with a deadly voice. "Am I clear to you, Casino?"

"Yeah," said Casino, clearly unhappy.

Terry turned to Chief. "Can you handle this?" She knew of the superstitions about the dead in the Blackfoot and Lakota tribes. She did not know about the Apache.

"Don't like it," said the Indian, "but yeah, I can handle it."

"Goniff?"

"I don't like dead bodies," admitted the Cockney, "but if she was British, then she needs to be brought home."

Terry looked at the tall Italian. "It's all yours, Actor."

The con man eyed her with distrust. He knew her well enough now to know there would be something that wasn't 'all his.' He had an idea what that might be and he did not like it. Somehow, in the middle of all this mess, he would have to stop the girl and presumably some of her family. Kelly was an unknown entity. He would have to work closely with the boy. Naturally, thought Actor, it had to be in a country whose language he was not fluent in.

"All right," said the Italian. "Get your gear together. Civilian clothes. We will pick up uniforms in Oslo."

The table cleared, except for Teresa.

"Actor?"

"What?" His tone was irritated. "Something you forgot to mention?"

Terry knew he was angry and it was justified. She nodded. "I contacted one of the groups I go in with. They have a cell in that area. The resistance and this other group are both looking for Jenny's – body." She got up and walked toward the door.

"And who is this other group?" Actor's arms were folded in front of him.

The girl stopped and half turned to look back at him. "There are some things I just can't tell you, caro. There are things you are better off not knowing." It was said apologetically. She continued out of the room.

Kelly had stood up. He watched the interplay between his sister and this man. The con man's attention turned to him.

"Do you have anything to add?" asked Actor sarcastically.

"You're in charge. You lead, I'll follow. Tell me what to do and I'll do it."

Actor sucked in both cheeks. "You are a Garrison. I doubt that very much."

The two youngest Garrisons watched the man stride out the door. Kelly looked at his sister.

"That man is seriously pissed off," remarked the blond boy.

"Sometimes he still scares me," admitted Chris.

"Just stay out of the way and let me and Terry handle it."

Chris shook her head. "I don't think you and Terry together can handle Actor. He's Craig's second. Terry's been in with him before. It wasn't good. But he is more than capable. Maybe we should both stay out of his way."

Kelly knew that wasn't going to happen.