Vendetta Di Sangue
Chapter 3
The air was biting cold, making sitting in the rubber rafts on open water uncomfortable. They were packed tightly together in two rafts. Even the close quarters did nothing to stop the chill cutting through clothes to skin and bones. The only sound was the occasional slapping of water against the rubber sides.
A light blinked on and off from some undistinguishable place on shore. A torch was blinked back from the front of the lead raft. This was always the touchy part. One never knew if the signal was from the contact or if the resistance had been compromised and it was a trick of the Gestapo to lure the group in for capture.
Actor was in the back of the first raft. He had split the Garrison siblings up so at least one or more of them had a chance for escape if it was a trap. Kelly was sticking with the Italian. He was quiet and followed what few orders were given without any objection. Their raft made shore first. The second raft remained back to see what the reception would be.
Two men met Actor on the stony beach front.
"Glacier."
"Fiord."
Actor motioned for the other raft to land. He turned back to the shorter blond man who introduced himself in a whisper as Knut. Actor introduced himself only and watched the occupants of the other raft disembark. When they were all together, he looked back at the Norwegian.
"Come," said Knut in heavily accented English. "We have a truck waiting. We will take you to a safe house."
They filed, spaced apart, over the broken rocks up a sharp rise into trees. Actor was in the lead behind Knut. Kelly had taken the place behind him, followed by the rest, ending with Chief, who stayed at the rear with the other resistance man. The black capped man held a rifle at the ready, constantly scanning the sides and behind the group. Chief held a handgun in his left hand to keep his right hand free if the knife became necessary.
They emerged from trees to an empty dirt road. A large delivery truck was parked to the side. Knut opened the rear doors. There were wooden boxes stacked on either side with a space for the people to get to the front of the truck. Actor stood aside as the others climbed in. Kelly stayed with him.
The Garrison boy turned to Knut and spoke in a low voice. Actor listened to the exchange between the two, only recognizing about one word in ten; not enough to know what Kelly was asking or what the answer was. The boy nodded and turned to Actor.
"It's a twenty minute ride. There are no checkpoints between here and there."
Actor nodded. Good information to know. If they stopped within that time frame, it would probably mean trouble. He motioned the boy into the truck and followed him. The doors were closed, plunging them into darkness that lightened to a heavy dimness as their eyes adjusted to what little light came in through the window between the back and the cab. The silence was broken by a loud sniff.
"Don't these people carry anything but fish?" complained Casino.
That brought quiet chuckles from the others.
"Sorry, I just stepped in," apologized Kelly to Actor in a whisper.
"That was fine," replied the con man.
Actor was surprised, not by Kelly taking the initiative, but by his sister being silent the longest he could remember. Had he managed to intimidate her again? Actor doubted it. He was more inclined to think she would come out with something not to his liking before this was done.
They arrived at an empty lodge five miles outside of Oslo. It was recessed from the rural road and half hidden in trees. It was large enough and secluded enough for the seven people. The back of the truck was opened and the men and women climbed out. They followed Knut inside the house and were met by a younger blond man named Milo. He would be their contact throughout the mission, and he had bad news.
Milo spoke some English, but again, not well. Kelly moved up to translate.
"I am sorry," said Milo, "but things have moved faster than expected. Major Engel arrived this evening. They are taking Lt. Garrison to Berlin in the morning."
Kelly translated. A chill ran through both him and Actor.
"When and how?" asked Actor.
"A plane will be arriving at ten o'clock. They will transport him in an ambulance. He was worked over pretty badly." Milo looked at the taller man who was the leader. "You will have to intercept them on the road to the airport."
"Does he have a map?" asked Actor for Kelly to translate. "And can he get us some German uniforms?"
After Kelly translated, Milo led them to a long wooden table with a kerosene lamp and a bottle of wine on it. A map was unfolded and the resistance man followed the roads with his finger from Gestapo headquarters to the airport outside of town. Actor noted there was a five mile stretch of small road connecting the main highway to the airport. This was where they had to make the interception.
The young Garrison boy spoke rapid Norwegian with English words translating key words so Actor could follow. The con man's keen mind came up with a plan as the conversation progressed. He asked about the safety of the house they were in when they got Garrison. As long as the Germans did not follow them, it would be safe. As far as anyone was aware, the Germans did not know about the safe house or the identities and locations of the resistance men.
"We will have to move quickly," said Actor. "I want to be in location before sunrise. It will be a wait, but we will be less likely to be observed going in."
"How many of you are going?" asked the resistance man.
"Four," replied Actor. "He was not going to take the Garrisons with him. The girls would be in the way and look suspicious if they were stopped.
Kelly looked at the con man. "You sure about four? What if you run into Norwegians?"
"We will be dressed as Germans. I speak German and English. I will have no need to know or speak Norwegian." Actor lessened his stern demeanor. "Besides, you have been seen in the club. You could possibly be recognized."
Kelly nodded, satisfied with the answer. Milo left to get uniforms and a vehicle.
Motioning the other men to come to the table, Actor started the briefing. He already had the plan firmly in his mind. The others were told of their roles and what they would be doing. When he finished the briefing, Actor turned to the two girls. They were standing apart, but Teresa was close enough to hear and see what the plan was.
"You two will stay here with Kelly until we return with Garrison," said Actor. "You will allow us to get the Warden and bring him here. We will have to wait until the night to catch the sub back to England." He looked hard at Teresa. "You will not come with us or follow us, Teresa. Understood."
"Understood," replied the girl.
Actor had expected an argument. That he had not received one was an added worry. The woman definitely had an agenda he was not aware of. There was nothing to be done about that now and worrying about it would detract from his attention to the mission. He motioned for Chief to take the watch.
An hour and a half passed before Milo returned with duffle bags full of uniforms. Another man waited outside with the two vehicles. One would be left with the cons and the other used to return the resistance men to Oslo. Terry slipped outside and told Chief to go in and she would take watch. Not expecting anything strange from the girl, he did as she said.
Kelly came outside when he saw his sister was not there. Terry was standing by one of the cars, trying to mime what she wanted to say to the man who spoke no English. The younger boy walked up.
"What?" he asked.
"Ask him to come back and get me after the others have gone," said Terry.
Kelly eyed his sister. "Actor told you not to follow."
"I'm not going to be following," said Terry. "I have a contact I have to meet in Oslo."
"What kind of contact?" asked Kelly suspiciously.
Terry shook her head. "A different group. And what Actor doesn't know won't make him mad."
So much for any notion the boy had there was a something going on between his sister and the confidence man. Well, he knew Terry was mixed up in stuff he wasn't. Better he didn't know either, just like she didn't know about some of the things he and his two friends were into. Like a dutiful younger brother, he translated for Terry too.
Actor, dressed as a major in the SS, led the other uniform-clad men out to the waiting car. He watched the girl go back into the house without a word to him. Kelly slipped into the trees to take up the watch.
With Chief driving, the four men got into one of the cars and followed the other with the two resistance men away from the house and headed toward Oslo. The two cars turned onto the main road that circled the city. At a fork, the resistance men took the road into the city and Chief continued on to catch the main road to the airport. They did not see the car turn around and head back they way they had come.
Naturally, there had to be a roadblock. With no papers, Actor bluffed their way through as usual. He already had a con in mind for the return trip if necessary. The airport was out in the country. A smaller paved road turned off to the left and they followed that for another two miles before pulling off into a dirt track with a high middle ridge of grass, indicating it wasn't heavily traveled, if at all. The sky was barely beginning to lighten. Now they waited, Chief and Casino taking turns watching the road.
GGGGG
Kelly quickly let himself into the house and took a stance by the window, watching.
"Car coming."
Terry reached up and pulled the fisherman's cap off the blond head and tucked her hair up into it. Chris sighed.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I have to meet somebody," the older girl said vaguely.
"And what are we supposed to tell Actor?" Chris asked.
"Nothing," said Terry. "I'll be back before they are." She looked at the boy. "Kelly?"
"Yeah, your taxi's here," he said. "Want to tell us where you're going in case you don't come back?"
Terry shook her head. "If I don't come back, I won't be coming back." She slipped out the door and down the wooden steps.
The youngest siblings exchanged looks. Kelly waited until the car had gone.
"Get some sleep, Sis," he said. "You're going to be busy when they get Craig back here."
He let himself out to take the watch back up.
GGGGG
There was no traffic going to the little airport. Actor waited until 9 am before moving the car back onto the narrow road at an angle so nothing could pass them because of the close proximity of trees on each side. Goniff took up the watch with Casino so Chief could open the hood in anticipation of pretending to be working on the engine when the ambulance arrived.
A little over a half hour later, Casino gave the whistle after spotting the ambulance coming up the road. He and Goniff disappeared into the woods on either side of the car. Actor paced back and forth in the road, while Chief's head and upper body were hidden under the hood.
The ambulance slowed and stopped, maintaining a short distance between the two vehicles. The passenger door opened and a German officer in the uniform of a major stepped out and approached Actor with an air of annoyance and urgency.
"Move this vehicle at once!" he shouted at Actor.
"And how would you suggest I do that?" snarled the con man. "I would be happy to be on my way if this imbecile I have for a driver could fix it." The men were of equal rank so Actor had no problem with lack of respect. He glanced at the ambulance. "Do you have an emergency?"
"I have to meet a plane," barked Major Engel.
"Well, I am sure your plane will wait for you," said Actor with a sneer.
He watched Casino come out of the trees and sneak up to the open window of the driver's door. The safecracker pointed his pistol at the driver and motioned him to get out. When the sound of the door opening reached the major, the man turned in more annoyance to see why his driver was leaving the ambulance. Actor's hand chopping across his neck sent him to the ground, unconscious. The driver hesitated for a split second at the unexpectedness of the attack on his officer and gave Casino the chance to smash the butt of his pistol against the back of the man's head, dropping him to the ground. Casino dragged him over to sprawl beside Engel.
Chief and Casino tied them up with rope from the back of the car. The trunk was opened and the men were lifted and wedged unceremoniously into the space. Goniff was standing beside the back doors of the ambulance out of sight of the windows. Actor strode up and slapped the door with his hand.
"Out! Quickly!" he ordered in German. "The Major has collapsed. He needs medical attention!"
Hesitantly the door opened and a dark haired man in an orderly's coat peered out.
"Come! Now!" ordered Actor imperiously.
The hapless man stared at the runes on Actor's collar that were SS, like the major, and hastened to jump down. He started around the end of the ambulance but stopped when he could see there was no officer anywhere. Goniff attempted to hit him with the butt of his pistol, but the man jerked around in that instant and gun grazed his shoulder instead. The orderly strong-armed the Englishman into Actor and started to run. He stopped suddenly, looked down and folded up onto the ground.
Chief and Casino ran over. The Indian rolled the body over and retrieved his knife from the dead man's chest, wiping it on the uniform. Casino just shook his head and helped Chief drag the man to the car.
Actor, unhappy with the unplanned killing, pushed past Goniff, ignoring the Cockney's apology, and climbed into the back of the ambulance. The light was dim, but strong enough for him to see the battered, bloody mess that was Lt. Garrison lying on a stretcher, wrists and ankles handcuffed.
"Warden?" asked Actor slowly. "Can you hear me?"
"Actor?" asked Garrison slowly and uncertainly.
"Yes," replied Actor, gently laying a hand on the officer's shoulder. "You mind taking a little detour back to England?"
"Wouldn't miss it," said Garrison weakly.
"Casino!" Actor called out.
The safecracker appeared at the back door. "He okay?"
"He's alive," replied Actor. "Get these cuffs off of him."
The con man moved as close to the wall as he could so Casino could get in. The cracksman spit his spring steel into his hand and had the cuffs open almost instantly.
"Hang on, Babe," Casino said to the lieutenant. "This'll be more comfortable."
"Nothing's comfortable," mumbled Garrison.
Casino shot a startled look at Actor. The con man moved past him, not wanting to say anything in front of the officer. Both were concerned with the condition the man was in physically and mentally.
"Stay with him," said Actor. "Where did you put the body?"
"He's dead. We stuffed him behind the front seat. He ain't goin' anywhere."
Actor nodded and jumped down from the back of the ambulance and shut the doors. Chief and Goniff were waiting for him at the front of the vehicle. Actor motioned Chief to get in the driver's seat.
"Goniff drive the car down that dirt track and into the trees if possible. I don't want they found for a long time," instructed Actor.
The blond man nodded and ran to the car. Actor got into the front of the ambulance beside Chief.
"Can you back this thing up and turn it around in the track we came out of?"
"Sure," said Chief. Using the mirrors, he backed down the road. "He okay?"
"They have worked him over badly," said Actor. "I won't know how badly until we reach the safe house."
Chief backed into the entrance of the dirt track and turned the ambulance to face the opposite direction. He pulled back onto the road and stopped. The car backed up to him, turned and went down the track. A short time later, the quicksilver second-story man came running back and climbed in the ambulance with Casino and the Lieutenant.
Eyes darting from front to both side mirrors, watching for a tail, Chief spoke in a low voice to Actor. "How we gonna get past those guards?"
"The same way we got past them earlier," said the con man, hiding his concern for the man in the back and their return to the safe house. "They should be expecting the ambulance to return to Oslo. There would be a different officer on than there was going."
"Yeah, but they seen us both," said Chief.
"Hopefully they will have changed shifts."
Traffic had picked up on the larger main road. There was a line three deep in the opposite lane waiting to be passed through the barricade. Only one car was ahead of the ambulance in their lane. The soldiers were scurrying to get the impatient drivers through before tempers really flared.
Chief pulled up and glanced stoically at the Wehrmacht soldier who looked up at him. Actor leaned over and gave the man his stern sneer.
"Let us through," he ordered. "We are in a hurry."
"Your papers, Herr Major," said the guard dutifully.
"Sofort!" barked Actor. "I am SS. Let us through."
The corporal looked in question at his approaching Leutnant. Told to expect the return of the ambulance, the lower ranked officer was not about to annoy a superior officer of the Waffen-SS. He waved the vehicle through.
The barricade was lifted and Chief drove past. It never ceased to amaze him how Actor and the power of the runes on his collar could bluff them through with little or no difficulty. He continued on to the road taking them toward the safe house.
Actor turned in the seat and slapped the back of the cab. Casino's face appeared at the small wired window.
"How is the Warden doing?" asked Actor.
Casino glanced down and back before answering. "He's okay. He's just a little worn out."
Actor took that to mean, the officer wasn't doing too well. He nodded and turned back in his seat. There was nothing to be done until they reached the relative safety of the lodge.
A car was approaching from the opposite direction as they neared the turn to the safe house. Chief never changed speed, but continued past. He drove a quarter of a mile down the road until he found a place to turn around. The road was clear this time when they reached the turn.
Kelly stepped out of the trees as the ambulance backed up to the front of the house. Actor and Chief got out of the front and opened the doors to the back of the ambulance. The front door of the lodge house opened and both Garrison girls stepped out on the porch to watch in worried anticipation.
Goniff climbed down and took the handles of the foot of the stretcher. Casino had the head and they carefully moved Garrison out of the ambulance. Actor closed the back doors and motioned Chief to go. The Indian drove off to hide the big vehicle.
The girls took in the bloodied body of their older brother, before holding the door back to make room for the stretcher to get inside.
"Oh my," murmured Chris with quiet distress.
Terry was thinking something a little stronger.