A Mission with a Difference
Chapter 3
The three men made their way out the door. Actor, now a German Officer, stopped to thank the Camp Commandant for allowing them to visit his camp. He also apologized for their less than intelligent photographer. He watched as his Aide escorted the Serb to the car. Putting his bag down Percival turned back to take a last shot of the two German Officers. That one would have to be taken out. Hopefully the Army knew enough to go through the photos before Hodgkins left for the States. Taken out of context, that could be a damaging photograph.
Hodgkins got into the car and then climbed back out looking concerned as he spoke to the junior officer. Something was wrong. Actor approached the car and entered the open door. A whispered, "He left a roll of film inside. I'll get it," told him the problem. As Garrison headed back to the Compound entrance their photographer quietly offered an apology. They waited for Garrison's return.
A minute, minutes later the two men appeared at the door but then there was a shout and Garrison was tackled by one of the guards as he tried to run for the car. Outnumbered and out gunned Actor slipped out the door and into the driver's seat. He started the car as the guard fired on them. Hoping his passenger had enough sense to get down on the floor he drove as fast as the car would go. They had to escape.
Actor was not a getaway driver or a race car driver. He was chauffeur driven so he knew he could not out drive his pursuit but as he reached the town there was no one behind him. Pulling into the first laneway he saw he braked and shut off the car.
"Come. We have to run." Out of the car he opened the back door and had to help the poor man in the back seat up out of the foot well. Together they grabbed his equipment and hurried down the lane. It was probably safer to hide and wait until dark but they might end up trapped in the town. They had to get out fast without attracting attention. Actor also had to change clothes.
"What about Garrison?" asked Percival as he tried to catch his breath. "We can't just leave him there."
"We will deal with that later. First I have to get you to safety."
"He yelled something when he came out. What did he say? How'd he know we weren't who you said we were?"
"He said, 'That's my car. You stole my car.' Seems he was in town and while there we stole his car."
Until he could find alternate wear Actor, the German Officer, strolled out onto the street. Hodgkins waited as instructed and then he followed. Closer to the edge of the town, in the residential area they found what he needed, a clothes line in use. As he turned to tell Percival his intention, the lady of the house came out and began to gather her laundry.
Damn.
From there they ran out of options. Back closer to the downtown they saw a German troop carrier. They were also out of time. Splitting the equipment to share the load, they began to walk faster. Once clear of the town they took to the fields and ran as best they could. It did not take long for Percival to tire. Thanks to Garrison's insistence on training and his natural athletic ability he was in better shape than his cohort but they still had a long way to go.
It took them almost an hour to get back to the farm house.
"Is he dead?" whispered Goniff anxiously. He had seen them coming and had run out to meet them. Naturally pale the Brit was almost white. "Chief took off hours ago, Casino went after him."
"We were discovered as we were leaving. He was alive when we left."
"So how're we gonna get'im back?"
Percival put his equipment bag on the floor and sat down heavily. If he hadn't forgotten that film then they would all be here getting ready to leave. Instead the leader of the team was back there. Would he be treated as a POW or as a spy? Being caught wearing a German uniform would go heavily against him. Would they shoot him? Was he already dead? Garrison lying in a pool of blood came unbidden to his mind and he tried to push it away though he knew he deserved it. He had killed him with his forgetfulness.
Actor was kneeling by the fireplace. He took a burned piece of wood and began to draw on the Hearth. It wasn't until he started naming the parts that he realized what he was sketching. Jumping to his feet Percival grabbed his sketch pad and a pencil. "Here, use this," and he pushed it toward the con man.
"Thank you," and the offering was accepted. Up to the table Actor redrew the layout. As the lines were drawn and details added, Percival realized how much he had not noticed. While he was framing shots, thinking of f-stops and checking light exposures, Actor had been noting details like guard positions and potential escape routes. Was this because he had been in prison? Is that what prison taught you? Well it was a good thing it had. If he had to lead a rescue he would be lost.
Just how were they, the three of them, going to storm that prison with just hand guns to rescue their leader? That was foolishness, it was suicide. And what about Garrison? Not that one more man was going to tip the odds he didn't know. He just knew he couldn't just sit here and let them all get killed.
"Can I help?" he asked.
"No. They have seen you. It will be up to the other three to pull this off."
And where were they? As if on cue the Chief and Casino came into the house. Both men looked grim but Chief looked haunted.
"Still alive?" asked Actor.
That had confused the artist. Had he got all the way to the prison? How else would he know?
Chief nodded.
Chief had felt Garrison's fear and had run to his rescue without thinking. He had to save him. Casino had chased him and finally tackled him. He hadn't wanted to listen but what Casino said made sense.
"You can't run all the there. You'll be too tired when you get there. And what will you do when you do get there? Demand to see him? Ask nicely? In English? They'll lock you up with him. Fat lot of good you'll do him there.
"What about Actor? Is he alright? Can you tell? What if Actor's got Garrison and they're heading here and you're out here in the middle of nowhere? We've got to go back."
"He's still there, trapped," he said as he stared off into the distance, "but Actor's all right."
"That's spooky the way you do that. Come on."
Chief turned and started walking fast. Casino was right but it felt wrong, like he was turning his back on his Hearth. It felt wrong.
Five men stood around the table watching as the conman laid out the situation. Ideas were tossed around, considered and abandoned. Finally the plan was set and three men left. Actor retired to the bedroom to change leaving the artist to sit alone in the gathering darkness. Taking out his sketch pad he began to draw four men, their eyes intent on the table before them. This would be called 'Making Plans'.
By the time he finished it was almost too dark to see so he was startled when Goniff appeared. He was carrying a coil of rope and a grappling hook.
"Others back yet?"
"Not yet. Can I help? I'm responsible for him getting caught; I want to help getting him free."
"Getting caught is all part of the job, mate and now it's our job to rescue'im."
"This has happened before?"
"It 'appens. One time it was me is got caught. Gave me a scare. Right down to the firing squad, it was."
"But you keep on doing it … this," as he gestured to the room in general.
"Yeah, they're me mates, they need me."
"What about the others, they ever get caught?"
"Actor's never been caught on his own. If 'e was, 'e'd just talk his way out of it. The Warden's been caught before and been roughed up too but we got 'im out. Casino got separated but they didn't know oo 'e was. 'Ad a bit a trouble finding 'im but we did." The Brit moved to the window to watch. As much as his words had been said casually, he was tense, worried.
It was much later by the time the other two men returned. Goniff had hung blankets over the window so he turned on the flashlight. Chief looked particularly grim.
"What's wrong?" asked Goniff.
"He's hurt," answered Casino.
The Indian back handed the safe cracker's arm but looked first to the artist and then glared at the safecracker.
Casino saw the look and turned to Hodgkins. "It's been too long. He might not even still be there. They might of moved him."
It would be later before he mentally replayed this and realized that something was odd about this whole scene. Unless Chief had reacted like that because he wanted to say that.
Casino had placed a burlap bag on the table and was now pulling out sticks of dynamite and a coil of what he assumed was fuse. This looked like in the movies. He waited but no box with a plunger appeared. Last to appear was some clothing.
Next step was a language lesson led by Actor. Finally after numerous repetitions he finally said, "Halt." Casino replied as he raised his hands in surrender. It sounded like German. Chief said something which Actor repeated but with a slightly different inflection. Chief copied him. "Good. Now get some sleep."
Before Actor could leave Percival asked, "What was all that about?"
They are going to tell the guards they are looking for a lost dog that might be under the steps."
"And that is when they plant the dynamite." The Italian just smiled. "But how does that get them in?"
"A diversion."
Percival grinned. Clever, he thought.
Just before first light the artist was awoken by sounds of movement. He got up and came out to the living room. The three men had changed into different clothes. Goniff had the rope slung over his shoulder and across his chest. There was no sign of the sticks of dynamite but on closer inspection Casino did look a little heftier around the middle.
ggggg
Chief and his fellow cons neared the prison. Goniff split off heading around the back. They would have to give him time to get into position. The plan better work, thought the Guardian. The closer he got the stronger the pull. His Hearth was still here but he was hurting. That meant he was still alive. He wouldn't think about the alternative. He ran his phrase though his mind again. Over time and through necessity he had learned a number of German words and phrases and with Actor's coaching he understood quite a few more but he was not confident of talking to a real German especially one with a rifle. If they asked questions that required more than one word answers, he was in trouble. That was why he had asked what, 'what's it look like?' and 'small brown' in German. Just in case.
They headed for the front entrance which had originally been a storehouse. The prison had been constructed out behind the building. The front door was accessed by steps with bushes on either side. It would have been a nice place except for the Nazi flags on each side. As they got closer Casino called out "Gräber, Kommen Gräber." As they approached the front the guard raised his rifle in warning and Casino called out his phrase. They were looking for a lost dog. The guard just shook his head and jestured for them to move along.
Chief pointed under the steps and repeated his phrase. The guard just shrugged. The two men crawled through the bushes on either side of the steps still calling for the dog. The guard became suspicious. Casino called out his second phrase which indicated that he was stuck. That bought them a harrumph and a snicker.
As Casino finished placing the fuse Chief took out his knife and ripped the sleeve. They crawled out brushing off the dirt and cob webs. Casino made a big deal about his ripped coat and they moved off still calling for Digger.
Once out of sight of the guards they ran toward the side where Goniff had the rope and grapling hook ready. Actor had told them there was only one window on this side of the house and as long as they kept toward the rear, they would not be seen. There was also the problem of the guards in the towers. They would be watching the prisoners but should not notice them unless they strayed to far from the building.
Chief stood staring up at the building. He was close, he could hear his Hearthbeat. He wanted to wrap himself in it's prescence, he wanted to get to him, to stop the pain, to have him close.
"Where is he?" demanded Casino. "And don't tell me he's not here."
Chief heard the words but they did not register until an elbow to the ribs brought him back. "Where is he?" was hissed in his ear.
"Second floor."
Goniff moved away. He must have scouted out a way up while he waited, by using the rough stones as hand and toe holds. Both men watched as he climbed up and disappeared over the top. Moments later his face reappeared and the end of the rope was dropped to the ground. By the time they were both on the roof; Goniff had found an entry point through an exhaust fan.
Timing was everything and the blast covered the sound of the vent being pried off and their drop down into the crawl space between the roof above and the ceiling below. From there they crawled with Chief in the lead, to the tee and access to the vertical drop. They needed to get to the wall vents.
All was going too smoothly. When Chief stuck his head down the vertical shaft he saw the first problem. The vent they hoped was on the floor was instead just below the ceiling and it was small. It was going to be a tight fit. The second problem was that the room was occupied by two soldiers. Was there another shaft farther along? Garrison was close, real close. As he began to pull his head back up he heard a noise. The soldiers were leaving. He waited until they were gone then pulled up and sat with his foot down the shaft. Placing his foot on the grate he began pushing. It would have been easier just to kick it in but that would make too much noise. The soldiers might be still occupied out at the front but the two soldiers who had just left could easily return.
The grate was being particularly stubborn so he placed his knee against one side of the grate and braced his foot against the other side. He lifted himself on his hands applying his body weight against the grate. The ridges cut into his knee but it finally gave way. Shifting position again he used his foot to push the grate in until it was out of the way.
Carefully he angled himself into position and began his descent. With as little noise as possible he dropped to the floor. Chief ran to stand behind the door and they waited to see if anyone heard then the Indian helped Casino into the room.
His Hearth was close, almost close enough to touch. He had to be on the other side of the wall. As he listened all he heard was demanding voices asking him what he was doing there. Garrison replied with name, rank and serial number. Though his voice sounded tired his Hearthbeat was strong. He pulled back and pointed to the wall. Casino nodded and they moved to the door.
While they waited for Goniff to drop the rope they had taken off their jackets revealing workmen's overalls. They hoped as they stepped into the hall that they would not arouse suspicion. They need not have worried, the hall was empty. At the next door the Guardian paused then signalled with three fingers. He then pointed one finger to the left and then two fingers together directly ahead. Chief took the knife from his boot and gave it to Casino. He would take the man to the left. The knife at his wrist was out and open in Chief's hand. The door was not locked and on a silent three they barged in.
More confident throwing a punch than a knife Casino barged in and to the left. The knife was put to use and the seated Officer had no more worries. Meanwhile Chief had silenced the soldier who stood over his Hearth. Two quick motions and he was free.
"How we getting him out? There's no way he's going up that rope," asked Chief.
"I can do it," croaked the former prisoner as he rubbed his wrists.
As if he had not spoken, Chief said, "We'll have to use the rope and haul 'im up and down.
"I said I can climb."
"Yeah, we heard you, babe, like he said; we'll put a rope around you and haul you out."
Garrison must have surrendered because he said no more. Chief moved to the door and listened. He turned the handle and began to pull it open. Hearing a sound he shut it and turned. Garrison put his hands behind him and put his head down. Chief began to drag the interrogator off to the side but stopped and listened.
Fear. There was more than one and they were dragging something, someone? Had they caught Goniff? Chief ran to the door and cracked it. No, it wasn't Goniff. It was someone else. Poor Bastard but right now they had their hands full. He waited until the hall was finally empty. Putting his ear to the wall he listened. There was no one in the room next door. They had to go now.
Between the two men they hauled Garrison to his feet and hustled him to the next room and their escape route. With one at each end they moved the small table against the wall under the broken vent. Casino reached up and with a leg up from Chief he pulled himself up and through the vent. Chief hopped down and stood beside his Hearth as he waited for Casino to clear the shaft and get into position in the horizontal section.
"You all right?" he asked quietly.
From his place sitting on the edge of the table he answered as Chief expected, "Yeah, I'll make it."
The Guardian listened to his voice – tired, and to his heart – strong. He knew he should be up on the table watching for the rope but he stayed, listening to his Hearthbeat. He had feared he would never hear it again.
Garrison's voice pulled him back. "You're next."
Slapped back to reality where they were still in danger, Chief leapt up onto the table and grabbed the rope. He was about to jump down to assist his leader but Garrison surprised him as he climbed up. "I can climb it."
"I know but if you slip I can't help." Carefully he tied the rope around Garrison's chest under his arms and then giving it a tug he boosted the Officer up. With his broad shoulders it did no look as if he was going to make it but with a lot of wriggling he was through and into the shaft. Chief watched his body disappear into the wall. He dragged the table back into position as quietly as he could then waited for the rope to reappear. It took forever but finally it dropped down and he was able to make his own exit. His last move was to try and pull the vent cover back into some semblance of what it used to look like.
Out into daylight at last they replaced the roof vent as best they could. Now they had to descend to the ground.
"They got guards patrolling the grounds," said a worried Goniff. Sure enough a guard came around the corner from the front, walked to the back. "Six minutes," he added, anticipating the next question – how often. That was not enough time for a man to descend and run for cover. Maybe the blast out front was not such a good idea. It had made the Germans more security conscious.
They could not stay here. Sooner or later someone was going to see the bent vent and come looking. Or find the dead bodies. Waiting until the soldier was almost to the corner Chief slipped over the edge and Casino quickly lowered him down. When the guard reappeared around the corner a sudden motion and he was not going to have to patrol anymore.
As soon as Chief was down he untied the rope and Garrison was tied again, much to his annoyance. Casino rappelled down after him then Goniff unhooked the rope, dropped it and scaled down the building.
They ran, sometimes slowing tohelp Garrison when he began to lag behind.
Chief called a halt when he heard his Hearth's breathing becoming increasingly labored. Healthy, their leader could out run them all so to hear this had him worried. How badly was he hurt?
Gradually Garrison's breathing eased. "If we cut south down that road we'll come out near the farm house."
"Place is crawling with Krauts, Warden," said Casino. "They must a found you were gone." If we go around, follow the trees and the stone walls, it'll be safer but it'll take us longer," offered Chief. "What a you want a do?" If they took the short cut that would be easier on the Warden and were spotted, he couldn't run but if they look the long way, could he last? They could always stop often on the long way. "I say we go around."
"Where's Hodgkins and Actor? Still there?" Three nods and he said, "We go around."
Chief was relieved.
Four words he used to like to hear but today was different. He didn't want to be out there, watching, listening for the enemy. He wanted to be here protecting his Hearth, making sure he was alright but when he heard the words he obeyed. He set off taking the point.
It seemed to take forever but finally the farm house came into sight. Good thing too, Garrison was spent. Hodgkins came running out as they came closer.
ggggg
"You're back. I was so worried. Are you all right Lieutenant?" He had seen the three men crossing the field. The outer two were supporting the one in the middle and the fourth man was following. They were back and they had Garrison who was obviously injured. How bad was he? He was moving so he was alive. His offer to take over was ignored but when they got inside Actor mentioned the bandages he had helped rip up. He grabbed them and brought them over to the sofa where they had placed him. "Can I get you anything?" he asked. "Some water maybe?" In spite of Goniff telling him that this sometimes happened, he still felt guilty. If he hadn't left that film, the Lieutenant would not have gone back and he would not have been captured and hurt. Laying there with his eyes closed, dried blood on his face made him look dead.
Turning to Casino he asked, "Is he going to be okay?"
"Yeah, he's fine," interrupted Casino.
He was obviously not fine so Percival gave him a dirty look then turned back to the injured man. He could not help the look of surprise when his eyes opened and a sheepish look appeared on the injured man's face.
"It's what he always says," said Goniff in explanation.
"Oh." Even Casino was grinning now so he grinned too.
Actor appeared with a basin of water and he sat down beside the sofa and began cleaning the cuts on Garrison's face. There was nothing he could do about the bruising or the aches.
"He'll be fine," said Casino but the artist saw the worried look on his face.
"Of course he will," said Actor as he dabbed the split lip.
Chief slipped outside to take the watch. Seeing the Warden lying back like that with his eyes closed bothered him. He was still close enough to hear his heart beat. He was alive and he was going to all right. Actor would take care of him. As much as he reassured himself he still worried. As much as friends were important and hard to replace, there was only one Hearth. Maybe in the old days a new Chief or Shaman would replace one taken in battle or age but not today. There would never be another who treated him, a Rogue Guardian, the way Garrison did. He never expected it to happen once. Twice was not possible.
Back inside Percival Hodgkins watched the men. When he was told he would be taken behind enemy lines by a covert team, he had no idea what to expect. Even knowing their backgrounds had not prepared him. They faced death grimly then joked about it. This "I'm fine" was obviously an inside joke. He wondered if they all used it or just Garrison.
And how they all got along so well from the sophisticated conman to the recluse Indian. They worked together like what he expected from a Military team trained to carry out orders and yet they were convicts of such diverse backgrounds.
What would have happened to him and the Officer if they had fallen apart and taken off? Lost behind enemy lines, unable to get home … Not a future he wanted to contemplate.
Speaking of… they still had to get back. Mind you with the resourcefulness of this group of men he was sure they would get them all back even if the Lieutenant was too injured to lead.
The next morning was late arriving. Grey clouds hung low. Chief stirred up the fire and Goniff went out to the well for wash water. Casino dug out the last of the rations. Garrison had been ordered to remain on the sofa until he had insisted it was a necessary trip. He stood gingerly and carefully made his way outside.
After breakfast Hodgkins broached the subject. "Are we heading home or do we go to Drancy?" He wanted as much material as he could get but with Garrison in the condition he was, he would be better off in a hospital.
"We go," said Garrison as he came back into the house.
"We go back. You need to be seen by a physician as soon as possible," put in Actor. He did not like how pale his patient was.
"We go on. I've a contact in Paris. He can help us get back."
"When was the last time you spoke to him? He might not still be there."
"We're going. We can take Mr. Hodgkins to the …"
"I will take Mr. Hodgkins and you will remain behind."
"Actor," warned the officer.
"Warden, have you seen your face?" asked Casino.
"'Ow about Chiefy gets us a car or a truck? Make things a lot easier."
A quick look to his leader and he was away but returned within fifteen minutes. "There's Krauts all over the place. Saw a bunch going down the road."
"That means we gotta go now," said Casino grimly. "Did you get a vehicle?"
"Which road?"
"This one, goin' north."
"Let's go have a look," and Garrison stood up. The two men went outside. Out of sight the Guardian had a look down the road.
When they returned he said, "Chief's right. There'll have checkpoints set up by the time we get there." The soldiers were looking for them. It was possible the town was being searched. Would they go as far as a house to house search? If they did, sooner or later the abandoned house would be searched. They had to go now.
Garrison looked north. If the soldiers had every road in and out covered then they had to cross the field. That would take them to a woodlot about a mile way. Once there they would be harder to track. He had two options. They could wait and use the cover of darkness but by waiting it would give the soldiers time to find them. The only other way was to find a way across that field without alerting the soldiers at the checkpoint who would have a clear view from where they were setting up.
The cons could see the wheels turning but it was Casino who gave him the solution. "You know a lot of these places cook and heat with wood." Garrison acknowledged with a quick look. "Someone has to get that wood."
"A Woodcutter," said Garrison with a smile that turned into a grimace as his lip split again.
"Or a bunch of Woodcutters."
"They'd need a cart to bring back the wood." This could work, thought Garrison. "There wouldn't happen to be a cart in that shed back there?" Behind the house they were using was a small shed. Other than a quick look to make sure it was not occupied, he had not bothered with it
"I don't think so, but someone around here must have one."
Turning, he saw Chief approaching doing up his fly.
"Warden wants a hand cart. We're going to cross the field as wood cutters. You seen one around here?"
"Not around here. You wan' us to go find one?"
"Yes but be careful."
"What?" said Casino with mock horror. "You don't want competition in the fat lip department?"
The blonde started to grin but stopped. "That's right Casino." The two men took off.
Garrison looked at the rest of his team. They were all dressed in civilian clothes but they had lived and slept in them for most of the mission so they looked the part of poor woodcutters. This would work. He must have smiled because Goniff came over and said, "I see mischief in your eyes, Warden. What are you up to now? I 'ope it 'as to do with going 'ome?"
"We're going to cross to those trees as woodcutter." He said it loud enough for their guest to hear. "We'll need at least one axe and a saw if we can find one." That was all he needed to say and Goniff was off.
"Anything I can do to help?" asked the artist.
"Not yet but I'll let you know."
Forty minutes later the two dark haired men returned empty handed. "Busted axle," explained Casino. "The only other one we saw had a cow laying on it. Geronimo said it was dead. I prefer to think of it as sleeping."
"Any chance of fixing it?"
Chief shook his head. "Could be done but it's a lot of work. We ain't got the tools or time."
"We don't have a lot of options. Ideas anyone?"
"Do we really need it?" asked Casino.
"I was hoping to use it to hide our packs. Otherwise we have to carry them out in the open."
"Chief found a sled but it'll be hard pulling it along the ground."
Suddenly Chief's head turned and he froze. The others followed suit. A flick of his head and they ran for cover dragging the confused artist with them.
A moment later Chief emerged from his hiding spot. Goniff entered the yard with the solution to their present dilemma.