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As soon as they cleared the building he made his move. If he was gonna die he was gonna to do his best to take that Major with him. But they were ready for him, seemed to expect it. He still pulled the cripple off his feet when he turned. He managed to get hold of the cord they'd tied around his ankle. When he fell back he'd given the thing a good jerk and brought the Major down on top of him. They were struggling face to face in the gravel as Chief tried to loop the cord around the Binaayéé's neck. The guards couldn't get a shot, they were afraid they'd hit the German officer.
He'd just managed it, just started to pull the cord tight when he heard it….
"Tàadoo ání íní, Atsilí!" whispered close to his ear.
"Ánaaí!?"
"Aoó. Ni hágoshíí k'ad?" The ruined face just inches from the young man's was going a little purple…
Chief took a deep breath, he held the cord tight a moment longer, and after he let it drop it took him a long time to answer… "Haoh." Chief went limp with relief, anyone watching would take it as a sign of defeat, surrender. As he lay there in the gravel he didn't think he'd ever be alright again,,, not really. They had to help him to his feet and support him for a moment as he stood there glaring back at them.
"C'mon kid" Casino prodded him in the ribs with his rifle. "You got an audience… Start talkin'"
"B'out what?"
"Anything" He heard Actor's deep voice from behind him. "They aren't close enough to make out what you say. Just let them see and hear you speak."
"Who came up with this little scam?" he asked, in what he hoped was a normal voice.
"Goniff."
"Where is he?"
"Over there near the trees, buryin' me." Casino managed to keep the smile off his face, but he couldn't keep it out of his voice.
"Alright….." The young man bent and brushed the dust from the side of his trousers, then looked up at the officer who stood waiting in front of him. "…I'm gonna kill him when we get back to England."
"I'll help ya."
"We both will."
"That's enough." Garrison shared a long look with the younger man and his mouth twitch up in a smile before he turned away. "Head for the truck." He and the two soldiers flanking him headed back inside, back in to finish the mission they'd come here to do, as Actor and Casino escorted Chief to the waiting truck.
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The captain of the guard added his own men to the company that brought Iagar and Petre out to the truck, and he watched as the prisoners were loaded in the back and secured to the seats with the American. He stood talking with Major Todeskopf now, trying valiantly to look the man in the face. The Major was obviously a very powerful man, and it wouldn't hurt his career to have a friend in the SS. He could carry on with the courtesy for the few minutes required of him…but he thought he would probably have nightmares for the rest of his life.
Actor sat in back guarding the prisoners with Casino and Goniff, who had joined them as soon as he'd finished 'burying' Casino. Jon would drive the truck out and Luca would continue to be Major Todeskopf's chauffeur. Enric and Toma were leaning together as Toma explained that, yes, they really were being rescued, to a disbelieving Iagar.
The con man nudged Chief's shoulder and they sat and watched as the captain escorted Garrison to his car. The German officer was trailing by a half pace, just far enough back so he didn't have to see the Major's face. When they reached the car he hesitated before offering his hand to help the SS officer up into his vehicle. They were all watching by this time, and shared a laugh when the young officer surreptitiously wiped that hand on the back of his tunic as Todeskopf's car pulled away. Jon put the truck in gear and the men swayed on the benches as he pulled onto the road to follow the car.
One look at Garrison and the guards opened the gate and waved the little column right on through.
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They'd moved to another one of Toma's caves, and they'd arrived in style. The group traveled back to the first cavern to pick up the supplies there, and the car Goniff and the brother's had used on the road when they were waiting for Todeskopf. Goniff and Jon completed the disagreeable task of dressing the Major up in civilian clothes and they'd hauled him down to the truck that was waiting on the road. They'd thrown a sack over his head, just seemed all of them felt more secure that way. After dealing with Garrison's appearance the Major didn't look all that bad to them, but Goniff figured that as he hadn't seen the way into the hideout there was no sense in showing him the way out... just in case. They'd bundle him in the back of the truck with the other 'prisoners'. Chief changed into a uniform to act as their guard. Jon drove, with Casino riding shotgun. Luca continued on as Garrison's driver and Actor was assigned as Goniff's chauffeur, much to the little 'SS Colonel's' delight.
The only delay came when they let Toma and Estera have a little time together in the small cave before they left. After a few private moments, that the others could actually hear clear down by the vehicles, the couple walked down from the cavern arm in arm, Toma dried her tears and kissed her before he handed her up into the 'Colonel's' car. She'd gone back into the town while they were gone and packed her bag, it sat on the floor of the car. There were to be no more separations, she said, and Toma agreed. The life they had together would be lived together, regardless of how dangerous that might be. Estera leaned out of the car and kissed Toma one more time, on a reddened area of his face that look suspiciously like her hand, before he turned to climb into the back of the truck. Turning on Goniff she caused him to flinch a bit before she managed to catch his face between her hands and kiss him too before settling back in the seat. Dressed in her best she leaned into Goniff's side, smiling as he cautiously draped his arm over her shoulder, and for an hour or so he had a lovely woman to dote on him and hang on his every word, but he did find that he was just a little bit careful about what he said to her.
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The con man threw his hands up in exasperation. "I don't believe you used all of it! Do you know how difficult it is to get that stuff?"
"Hey! It was an accident, wasn't it?" the little second story man protested.
"I'll put the quartermaster on it, Actor. Just get it off me."
The older man started searching through his bag, then looked up and fixed the pick pocket with an icy stare. "All right, where is it?"
"Uh… You mean that clear liquidy stuff in the bottle?" Goniff shoved his hands deep in his pockets. "The, uh… uh, the bottle broke."
"All of that's gone too?! I don't believe you! You clod!…"
Garrison pulled at the con man's sleeve, trying to get his attention. "Come on Actor, you've got something else in there that'll take this stuff off…."
"Of all the clumsy, ham fisted…."
"….Blimey! A bloke 'as a little accident and…"
"Quiet!" His voice was still only a whisper and neither one of them heard it, but no one in the cave could ignore the fit of coughing the shouted whisper caused the Warden. It took him a good five minutes to recover and by then he had their undivided attention…
"Actor, if you don't find a way to get this stuff off of me, right now, I'm going to rip it off."
The confidence man reached out and took Garrison's chin in his hand, carefully turning his face to the light that streamed in through the cave's opening. "Boy, oh boy… Does that itch?"
"It's driving me crazy!" The Lieutenant reached up to scratch the side of his face only to find his hand caught and held down by his second.
Actor chuckled. "And here I was going to complement you on your characterization, attention to detail, and mannerism."
Casino had joined them, bringing a canteen of water when the Warden was having his choking fit, and Chief stood looking over his shoulder. They both watched as the Lieutenant's face twitched and the muscles around his left eye started to tic. "What's wrong with him? Outside a bein' damn ugly I mean?"
Actor glanced up at them and almost managed to look serious. "He's allergic to it."
Chief frowned and leaned forward for a better look. "That what's causin' the blisters?"
"Get it off of me…..."
Goniff leaned in and ran a finger along the Warden's jaw. "It's turnin' a nice rosy red in't it? And it's gone all bumpy along here."
"…..NOW!"
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The group moved outside the cave where the light was better. After a quick assessment Actor sent Goniff off with Luca to haul water up from a nearby stream, Chief was paired up with Estera as she went in search of herbs and plants she said might help, and Casino and Jon were assigned the disagreeable task of keeping an eye on Major Todeskopf. Toma and Enric had already set off to make contact with Enric's larger band.
"You will be able to get this stuff off me, won't you?" Garrison's whispered voice held just a note of desperation as his hand drifted back up towards his face.
Actor caught it and shoved it back in his lap. There was a fine sheen of perspiration on the Warden's face, where it wasn't covered by man made scars. "You're beginning to perspire, that should help loosen it. We can use hot and cold compresses to help that along but I'm afraid it's going to take some time to get all of it." The con man reached out and stopped the Lieutenant from scratching at the back of his left hand. "Whatever made you think of doing this?"
"It was Goniff's idea. Once we got a look at Todeskopf and saw that they hadn't put an 'after' picture in his papers." Garrison shrugged his right shoulder up and let it drop. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
The con artist chuckled. "Goniff's ideas often seem like good ones at first." He looked at the Warden again. "How well can you see?"
"Good enough to get down that hallway. Good enough to pick you out, but that's only because you're taller than the others." Garrison's right hand seemed to have a mind of its own and was intent on scratching at the offensive makeup, he sighed in frustration as his second stopped him again. "I can't tell you what a wonderful experience it was, having Goniff pry my eyelids apart."
"You do seem to have lost some eyelashes." Actor smiled and studied his commander for a moment. "I assumed that you had created Todeskopf's mannerisms, but since they appear to have been caused by your reaction to the makeup, is it safe to assume the limp and crippled arm are not being feigned either?"
"No.. I mean…Goniff took care of everything Actor, I'm fine."
"I'm sure you are, and I'm sure he did, but why don't you let me take a look at you all the same?"
Garrison frowned, at least it seemed like he frowned, under the scars, and after a moment closed his eyes to consider the request. Chief and Estera had returned from gathering plants and the young man moved quietly up on the Warden, reaching to help him out of his uniform only to be waved back by the con man. Actor leaned back against his rock and waited for the Warden to work through the exercise. He smiled to himself, in his mind it was comparable to Garrison making them run the obstacle course, or work out on the firing range before a job. The Lieutenant just needed to practice admitting he needed help, and accepting it, and they had the time... Besides after the fright he and Goniff had given them it seemed he was owed a little discomfort.
Running an irritated hand through his hair that ended in an absentminded scratching of his jaw before Actor put a stop to it Garrison heaved a sigh and started on the buttons at the neck of the tunic he wore. "Alright!"
The older man laughed, reached out and took over unbuttoning the high collar. "Here it will go faster if I do it. Let's have look at you."
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"What in God's name happened to cause all of this!?" Actor had gone from amusement to alarm as the Warden's tunic and then his shirt were removed. There hadn't been enough in the first aid supplies for Goniff to cover all of the damage the branches had done, and the skin that wasn't covered in bandages or makeup seemed to be bruised or gouged and abraded.
"I landed in a tree." Now that it was uncovered he was scratching at the material that had oozed down his neck and onto his chest, wincing as his nails moved across one of the minor gouges. Actor leaned forward and caught the hand and put it firmly back in the Warden's lap.
Casino stepped out of the cave into the sunshine, it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the bright light. "Jeeze! Warden, what n'the Hell happened to you?"
Chief turned and answered for him. "He landed in a tree." Leaning forward he lifted his commander's left hand away from where it had been busily scratching at his right.
Actor was already heading back into the cave to check on the first aid supplies they had available. The bandages needed to be changed but many of them were obviously stuck to the wounds they covered. When Goniff and Luca returned with the water he'd get started on soaking them off, but only if there were replacements. The Warden's left arm was bruised and swollen and would probably feel better if in was wrapped and supported in a sling. As he sorted through the supplies it soon became apparent he'd need to make his way into town to get more, there was barely enough here to take care of the blisters Goniff had on his hands from his work with the shovel. When he moved back outside the little pick pocket had returned and was crouched down next to the Lieutenant.
"I think we better get you a new set a bandages Warden, these look a bit worse for wear." The second story man picked up his bucket and hauled it into the cave. "Luca and me'r gonna take the car and go into town and do a little shopping for the Warden. You want to come along, Actor? You'll prob'ly want some special stuff from the doctors, right?"
Casino snorted a laugh at the look of shock that crossed the con man's face before he could control it. "An excellent idea Goniff. I was just going to suggest it…"
"Why'n't you and Chiefy get started soakin' this stuff of 'em. It won't take us long to get what we need." Casino only nodded, open mouthed, as Goniff handed him a towel and a bowl filled with water. As he moved off down the path he called over his shoulder. "Come on Actor, get the lead out, mate."
Chief laughed as the small procession moved out of sight with Goniff leading the way. "Come on Warden, dousing you with water ain't gonna do that cough much good, let's go back in by the fire."
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By the time the foraging party returned from town all of the dressings had been removed and Casino had manage to peel the 'scars' off the Warden's hands. The safe cracker was working on the stuff that had smeared over his back while Chief kept him from absently scratching at the makeup that still clung to his face, neck and chest or the raw skin on the back of his hands.
"I see you've gotten all the bandages off." Actor dropped their supplies next to the fire and stood watching Casino work.
"You get anything for this itching? It's driving us nuts."
"You?!" The strangled comment set off another bout of coughing that left Garrison gasping for breath.
Actor retrieved a bottle from the sack he'd carried in and poured a shot of it's contents into a cup he found back with the rest of the supplies. Holding it out to the Warden he urged, "Here, try some of this."
"What is it?" Garrison eyed it suspiciously before taking it from the con man's hand.
"I promise it's only something for your cough."
The Lieutenant squinted up at the Italian towering over him. "Where'd you get it?"
"From the doctor in town." Actor laughed. "What's wrong with you?"
The Lieutenant studied the liquid in the bottom of the cup and gave it an experimental sniff before knocking it back. "There's nothing wrong with me, I've just been handed one too many of these and been told they'd be good for me only to be knocked on my ass by some concoction of…" Garrison frowned and looked past Actor to the entrance to the cave. "Where is Goniff, anyway?"
"He didn't like the place Luca picked to hide the car, so they are looking for a better spot."
"Since when did the Limey get all careful and particular?" Casino asked as he peeled another strip off the Warden.
"Leave him alone, Casino, he's just takin a little more interest in the details is all." Chief handed Garrison a steaming towel to keep his hands busy.
"Chief is right and I think we should encourage him to take on a bit more responsibility."
The east coast hood's reply was cut off by the arrival of the subject of their discussion. Goniff bustled into the cave, deposited his heavy coat in the back near the supplies, checked on the prisoner and then dropped down next to the Warden. "'ere now, 'aven't you blokes straightened out this mess yet? Let's get with it, 'ey, so the Warden 'ere can get some sleep."
Casino shot a look at the little pick pocket and then scowled up at Actor. "Yes, why don't you produce something that will encourage this stuff to come off a little easier?" Then he turned back on the cockney thief. "Look we got all the bandages off and we made a dent in gettin' the stuff you smeared on him off while you took your nice little trip inta town, you…"
Actor shouldered the safe cracker out of the way. "You've been at that a long time, I'll take over. Goniff, I'm afraid we can't use anything other than the hot and cold compresses. All of the removers have an alcohol base, that wouldn't feel very good on all of these scrapes."
"And those ain't all of 'em by 'alf" Goniff grinned at the Warden.
"Goniff!"
"What's that?"
"The Warden here came feet first through those tree tops…. Where'd ya think most a them splinters was anyway?"
"Goniff!"
It took a few minutes to settle Garrison down again.
"Lieutenant you simply must keep your voice down or you'll end up choking yourself to death." Actor poured another dose of the doctor's concoction in the cup and held it out.
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They'd finally managed to peel Garrison out of all of the artificial scars but he'd lost a layer of skin along with some eyebrow and the rest of the eyelashes on his left eye. The lids were swollen and the irritation caused by the compound itself, and his inability to close his eyes properly after it cured caused his eyes to burn and his vision to blur. Air hitting the exposed nerve endings in the raw skin increased the itch until it was nearly unmanageable. No matter how determined the Warden was or how hard the men tried to distract him it was impossible to keep him from worrying the tender spots on his face, neck and hands. He'd already drawn blood in more than one location and Actor had decided the only solution was to wrap his hands.
"This will keep you from scratching while you sleep."
"While I sleep!? What makes you think I'll be able to get any sleep?
"While we sleep, then."
Garrison lifted the club Actor had created out of his left hand off his lap and looked up at his second. "How am I supposed to…"
"Don't worry. We'll help you with everything."
"Actor, if you don't mind, there are a few things I'd rather not have help with."
"Hmm." The con artist was unsuccessful in his bid to keep the smile off his face. "Would you like to attend to that now, before I finish?"
Casino was daydreaming by the fire and was shaken from his reverie when the two men left the cave. "Where'r they off to?
All he got from Chief was a raised eyebrow and a smile.
"Oh!' The explosives expert snorted a laugh and shook his head. "This is gonna make one hell of a letter home."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Pappy."
"Why's that?"
"The Warden's the one who censors our mail."