Paris France
Hans sat outside the master bedroom, smoking a cigarette silently and admiring the autographed napkin he had found earlier. Grinning, a thousand different thoughts raced through his mind. He knew by tomorrow morning if all went well, things would be a lot different.
Just then the door opened and the doctor walked out, his bag clutched in one hand and a blood stained towel thrown over his shoulder. Right away Hans tucked the napkin away and rose. The doctor seemed to be sweating and wiped his forehead before speaking in German.
"She'll live...dug the slug out of her shoulder, didn't go in that deep and cleaned and dressed it. Her neck isn't that bad and besides a few bruises and scratches I think she'll be fine. I sedated her when she started to thrash about... think she'll be a little weak from the loss of blood, but as long as the wounds are kept an eye on she'll be fine."
Hans nodded thanking him before the doctor lowered his eyes.
"Forgive me Colonel, but where did you find her again?"
Hans' brow wrinkled.
"I trust you can see yourself out."
Before the doctor could say another word, Hans marched straight into the bedroom before slamming and locking the door behind him.
The girl laid in his bed, now just wearing nothing but her slip. Her shoulder was wrapped tightly along with her neck. Her cuts had been cleaned and her hair fell across her paled face as she slept, her hands folded across her stomach. Licking his lips, he walked forward before glancing at the old grandfather clock that stood across the room. There still was so much to be done today, but the first thing he could do was write up some papers and when everything seemed over, he would send for her so they could go together...
And...
He didn't dare think past that. He felt certain that things would indeed go his way. He had sensed things were heading South for some time now. The end was nearing and he was going to be extremely smart about it. He knew if they did agree on his terms at the end, then he could simply go back to the states under a very serious agreement.
There he would start over.
Glancing down at her, he felt a pulse begin to pound down below, closing his eyes he took a second and thought what a nice nasty final dig he could give those men once he claimed her to be his. She was young and very beautiful. He knew if he did indeed tend on retireing, he needed somebody to share his new life with. He needed a partner, and a lover. She was young and would give him healthy strapping, handsome sons. She would obey since there was no other choice. She would stand by him as an object he so often longed to own.
And why?
Because she was unlucky enough to survive.
Reaching down, he grasped her ankles and puled her to the edge of the bed. She muttered once in her drugged sleep, a faint bruise all ready formed from where he had hit her earlier. Feeling himself get worked up, he knew he couldn't wait any longer.
He pushed her slip up before taking deep breaths. Reaching for his fly and unbuttoning and yanking down the brass zipper.
Reaching down, he tore part of the sheet, ripping the fabric before making a good sized strip. Reaching down he took her frail wrists that had fingermark bruises on them and tightly tied her hands together. Letting them fall, he felt his head ache.
Running his hands up and down the length of her body, he nodded to himself before roughly spreading her legs and adjusting himself. Leaning down, he held onto her and in just an instant he moaned, struggling to hold back. Right away her eyes fluttered open as a total look of confused and surprise flickered in them. After a moment they focused and she went to scream. Hans leaned down grabbing her mouth and stiffening her cry.
"Yell my love and I'll strangle you."
She tried to struggle, but he pinned her down. Knowing there was no use, she snapped her eyes shut in complete disgust and shame. Crying from under his hand, she tilted her head to the side as he let go and began to roughly thrust into her. Flapping her tied hands, she laid there helpless and unable to fight. Hans stared down at her, his eyes serious and focused as he continued into a steady rhythm, pushing her into the bedding. She brought her tied hands up to her mouth like a frightened child. She tossed her head from side to side, whimpering and softly telling him no.
A silent tear rolled down her face before Hans' face became more and more flushed. After a solid minute his pushes became more frenzied before finally he roughly finished, laying forward and pressing her down as he moaned loudly. She meanwhile laid there lifeless, her eyes still closed as he grunted and finished completely. Panting for breath, he lifted his head and stared at her before gently kissing her jawbone.
"I finished inside of you, which means I very much could have made a child. You belong to me now and in all purposes you are now my wife. Once we travel to our true home, we shall wed...until then, I wish for you to lay still like a good little girl and obey. Those men you were with won't want you anymore. You've been touched, and claimed by me."
Before he could say another word she spit straight in his face. Snapping his eyes closed, he waited a second before opening them.
"My, we are making that some habit aren't we?"
Tilting her head to the side, she wept, crying into the sheets as Landa roughly pulled himself up and did up his pants. Sighing he stared down before clearing his throat. Looking at the clock he knew he would be summoned within the hour.
Until then...
He decided to lay with his new wife.
Loosening his collar, Hans laid beside her and roughly put his arm around her, pulling her close. She snapped her eyes shut, trying not to touch him.
"Shh...relax yourself..."
The girl continued to struggle before Hans felt the sudden urge to slap her again. Frowning, he kissed the top of her head and held her right up against his chest.
"Sleep well my love, I feel there will be much to be done before this evening is finished."
Anabel tried to struggle but the more she moved the harder he held her. Finally giving him, she laid beside him in stunned shock.
This monster had robbed her of something. The one thing she had held precious and close to her. This was a gift she had intended on giving somebody else. Something she had been urged and often wondered about. Now that perfect image she had dreamed about was shattered.
Just like all the glass in that basement.
Her head was still so cloudy and only flashes and images appeared before her. The sound of gunshots still echoed through her mind as she laid there, listening to this devil's light breathing. Laying there, she felt her heart along with her body ache. She was sore and at this very moment she felt as if she had been torn apart.
She felt that death may be better than this.
At least thing she would be with Wicki, Hicox, and Stiglitz.
Not only had they been taken and murdered...she was now alone with this monster and raped. Laying there, tears continued to flow down her face.
She wished more than anything Wicki was here to rescue her.
Ten months earlier...
Wicki had carried Anabel up the hill without even a second thought. Donny climbed up behind with Aldo trailing behind. Once they got her up on leveled ground the others began to take notice and look. Wicki sat her down in front of the all ready roaring camp fire as a very puzzled Hirschberg and Omar stared with their jaws dropped.
Wicki right away knelt down in front of her, cupping his hands together and blowing into them before rubbing them up and down her arms. Reaching down, he took one of the spare jackets and draped it over her thin shivering shoulders. Anabel stared up as Aldo approached.
"Tomorrow you think you could take us to where they shot your brother?"
Anabel nodded.
"How far up the river was it?"
"A ways, but I could fine my way back fine."
"All right then, you stick with us and we'll settle the score."
Anabel stared up at him before nodding, extremely grateful.
"Thank you sir..."
Aldo spit a wad of tobacco before rubbing his chin.
"Don't mention it hon. Wicki will get you into some warm dry clothes before you catch your death."
Without another word Aldo turned and left them. Hirschberg glanced over before making a face.
"You French?"
Rolling his eyes, Wicki ignored him before turning towards Anabel.
"Your safe now."
Anabel glanced up and saw Donny walking over, still dripping wet. Lowering her eyes she nodded before Wicki warmly smiled as the flames from the campfire continued to flicker and pop.
Later...
Wicki fished out some dry clothes from his pack inside one of the tents closer towards the parked truck. Anabel stood there, her arms crossed and still slightly shaking. Wicki held out one of his long wool sweaters.
"I'm sure their all going to be too big for you, but their dry. We'll hang your clothes out tonight by the fire."
Slowly with a slightly uncertain look, Anabel took the clothes before nodding.
"Thank you..."
She whispered.
Wicki stared at her for a moment longer before blinking and snapping out of it. Looking slightly embarrassed he nodded.
"Um, I'll leave you to it..."
As he went to leave through the opening flap of the tent, Anabel reached out tugging on his arm.
"Please...don't go."
Looking at her with a raised eyebrow. Wicki stared at her and realized that just earlier this morning she had witnessed the only family she had, gunned down like an animal right in front of her. She had nearly drowned, and now she was surrounded by strange men.
Wicki stared at her before reaching down and offering her hand. Staring, Anabel hesitated for a moment before slowly taking it. Looking down at her, his eyes set and serious, Wicki spoke in his soft deep voice that brought a small comfort to Anabel at that exact moment.
"I promise you...nobody is ever going to hurt you again.'
Anabel stared up.
"Am I safe?"
"Yes."
Slipping her hand from his, she sat there for a moment before Wicki saw what she was waiting for. Clearing his throat, he blushed slightly before turning his back to her. Carefully, Anabel began to peel her wet clothing off her shaking thin body before changing into the dry oversized clothes that belonged to Wicki.
After a few minutes later, Anabel stood there, holding her wet clothes before Wicki slowly turned and much to his relief saw that she was dressed. A small look of relief spread across his face when he smirked.
"You can drop your clothes there, we'll dry those by the fire later."
Nodding, Anabel placed her clothes down before standing there, shifting from one foot to the other.
"We'll dry your shoes as well...are those socks too big?"
Anabel shook her head before Wicki motioned towards the opening of the tent.
"Come on, lets get some food into you."
"Thank you..."
She softly whispered, before she silently followed him.
Later...
The men all sat around the fire. Picking their food from the few tin plates they had. Sitting between Wicki and Donny, Anabel chewed on a small piece of bread, her eyes cast downward. After much urging on Wicki's part, she finally ate a little something as the men were all informed of what had happened earlier by the river. Aldo had informed them that they would head straight to where Anabel's brother was shot, close to where her cottage was and investigate in the morning. When Anabel tried to question this, Aldo simply walked over, leaning down and patted her shoulder.
"Don't you worry nothing darling, you got yourself the fine protection of the biggest bad asses in all of Europe."
Anabel didn't look exactly convinced as she simply sat between the men, warming up by the now roaring fire. Across the way Utivich continued to look past the flickering flames and straight at her. Every time she lifted her eyes, Utivich would quickly drop them staring at his hands.
Donny nervously glanced down at her once or twice, before catching Wicki's eyes. Both seemed concerned, yet were too afraid to say anything. The night grew on and nobody dared to speak to Anabel. Instead they talked among themselves before heading in for the night. Anabel sat back watching as they all worked in a steady system. They rolled up most of the supplies, boxed up the food, smothered the fire, and loaded up the truck.
Anabel only snuck off once to use the bathroom behind some bushes. When she returned Donny came over, his baseball bat laying on his shoulder. It was dark out now, and the temperatures had dropped. Anabel walked across the dried leafs before checking on their clothes which had been hung up with a few other jackets that had been hanging by the fire. Checking them with her hands, she felt eyes on her before Donny walked over.
"Hey..."
He muttered as she glanced up. Clearing his throat he motioned towards the drying clothes.
"They should be dry by morning...you cold?"
Anabel glanced at him before nodding.
"No..."
"Here..."
Shrugging off his jacket, he handed it to Anabel who quickly shook her head.
"No, I couldn't..."
"It's no problem, I got another one back in my tent, here...nights get cold."
Carefully, Anabel took the jacket before slipping it over her shoulders. Right away the jacket looked comical on her, draping down nearly down to her knees. The sleeves hung down, well past her wrists. Staring up she looked at him like a lost puppy before Donny cracked a grin, slightly abused.
"Anabel?"
Turning, Donny and Anabel watched as Donny walked over, a rolled up blanket under his arm.
"You can take my tent for the night, I made up some blankets for you."
Nodding, Anabel followed him before she glanced over her shoulder and looked back at Donny.
"Thank you..."
Donny watched, freely swinging his bat from hand to hand.
Reaching Wicki's tent, Anabel stopped before shaking her head.
"I can't take your tent Wicki..."
"You can and you will, besides I sleep better under the stars."
Looking around the dark camp, Anabel stared up at him, her eyes rimmed with tears.
"You have been most kind...but I can't..."
"Of course you can..."
Shaking her head, Anabel nervously bit her bottom lip before Wicki seemed to understand all at once.
"Are you...afraid?"
Anabel just stared at him before dropping her eyes, embarrassed.
"Anabel, you don't have to be afraid. Nobody is going to hurt you now...you're safe."
Anabel stared blankly down at her shoes before saying in a rather flat dead voice...
"My brother is dead."
Wicki stared down at her before nodding.
"I'm sorry..."
Lifting her eyes, Anabel stared at him as a cool blue darkness seemed to settle through the forest. In the distance an owl cried.
"Who are you guys?"
Wicki didn't know exactly how to answer this before Anabel stared at him with serious stern eyes.
"You're the bastards?"
Wicki stared in surprise.
"You've heard of the bastards?"
"Your the Americas who have been attacking the German soldiers. The attacks have made the papers, I last saw one a few months ago when I went into one of the towns with my brother..."
Wicki didn't know what to say. Instead he simply rubbed the back of his neck searching for the right words.
"Well..."
"You're German born aren't you? So isn't that other guy..."
"Stiglitz...you've heard of him?"
"Yeah...the papers claimed you guys were ghosts..."
Wicki stared at her before Anabel took a deep breath.
"You kill German soldiers?"
"Yes."
"Can you kill the men who killed my brother?"
Wicki stared down at her and before he could answer she took a heavy breath before reaching and taking the rolled up blanket from under his arm.
"I can sleep outside...thank you though..."
Walking past, Wicki watched as she headed straight to the camp fire. Crossing his arms he watched as she unrolled the blanket and crawled from under it. Sighing, he watched her for a while before the last embers of the fire were burned out. Walking over, he fished into his pocket for a cigarette. Glancing across the fire, he saw Donny sitting there, leaning against a tree.
He was watching her.
Not saying a word, Wicki ignored Donny before sitting down himself. Looking over, he saw Anabel curled up under the blanket all ready fast asleep. He knew she had been exhausted, and sleep at the moment was really her only defense and weapon to escape.
Lighting his cigarette, he watched her and did so nearly until dawn.
Later the next morning...
Anabel didn't look that surprised when she saw that all that was left of her cottage was a charred burnt smoking pile of broken woods and crumpling bricks. She suspected that the men who had killed Philip had returned to the cottage, raided it and then burnt it down to the ground.
Everything was gone...everything.
The truck was parked further up near the trees as they all circled around, weapons ready as they looked over the small piece of land.
It was a gorgeous early morning, and these ruined remains seemed so out of place in the middle of the forest.
Aldo spit before shaking his head.
"Sorry kiddo..."
Anabel was redressed in her clothes which had since dried. Her hair was up and she simply stood there staring. Just an hour earlier they had found Philip's body by the river and they all took turns in helping to bury him. Anabel even took a shovel herself, rolling up her sleeves and not even looking the slightest bit worries she was getting filthy.
Once they finished, Anabel simply knelt by the grave as the men watched. Now here they stood, looking at the burnt down wreck of what once was the cottage her father had built. The cottage she had lived in her whole life. The cottage which had been her whole world.
Now all of it was gone.
Aldo placed his hands on his hips.
"Well, we'll head out tomorrow morning. We'll drop you off at the next village. You got any other family?"
Anabel slowly broke out of her gaze at what was left of her home and looked slightly dazed.
"What?"
"Family, you got any other kin looking somewhere? Someplace to go?"
Anabel slowly shook her head.
"No...my brother was all I had.'
"Hell, I'm sorry...but we'll drop you off at the next village. A pretty young girl like yourself I'm sure will find a place to go."
Anabel stared at them before shaking her head.
"I want to go with you."
Aldo smirked before shaking his head.
"Sorry love, this ain't no team for any woman...let alone a girl. We're blood thirsty suicidal soldiers...we can't be babysitting."
Anabel's face crumbled.
"I'm not a child..."
"Sorry kiddo, but come tomorrow we're hauling out first thing tomorrow."
Turning, Aldo left Anabel before marching off with the others. Watching from a distance, Wicki walked over, hands shoved into his pockets.
"You okay?"
Anabel glared across at where Aldo had walked and roughly wiped her eyes.
"I'm fine..."
Sighing, Wicki looked down before gently placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry...we won't leave you behind."
Present.
Donny, Omar, Aldo, and Bridget all sat squished into the back seat of the town car they had gotten. Bridget looked stunning in her evening gown with her freshly made cast sticking out.
Utivich hunched over the wheel, driving slowly towards the city.
Sitting there, Donny looked out the window feeling miserable.
A lot had happened in the last few hours. Now he sat there in this fitted new tux with one of the bombs strapped to his leg.
Instead of talking or looking at anyone, he simply stared down at his hands.
The shock of what had happened the night before still hadn't fully hit him even though he was on his way to his death mission.
Feeling a horrible aching anger begin to pulse deep inside of him he wanted every single person to pay for what happened.
Flashes of that basement went across his mind as he made a tight fist against his leg and deeply sighed.
Tonight they would all pay...tonight they would pay indeed.