1944

Annabel sat cross legged in the grass. She wore old slacks, and an over sized button down brown shirt with the sleeves pushed up. Her hair was tied back with a torn long piece of cloth keeping her bangs out of her eyes. She had boots, laced tight since they were also far too big. Sitting there, she hummed an old hymn she remembered as a child. She was sitting in the sunshine sewing a patch in Omar's slacks behind the farm house. She sat there alone, unaware that somebody was watching her. Early on when she joined the group she proved that she would earn her keep. The first was the fact that she never complained, never slowed them down, or got in the way. At first Aldo seemed to be waiting for any excuse at all for her to mess up.

She simply stayed out of the way, lugged heavy bags and boxes which were twice her weight, helping to set up whenever she could. Wicki had gotten her some spare clothes and an old pair of boots. He was the one who always looked after her when she first started. He helped her move things, and always stood there keeping an eye out waiting for any of the men to lose their temper. She slept curled up in the back of the truck sometimes, or she shared a tent with Wicki. At first the men ragged on Wicki asking what he was really doing with her? Making a face, Wicki said she was just a child. As soon as the winter came, Annabel had gained the respect from nearly all the men, including Aldo. It started with how much of a help she was. She always helped setting up the tents, packing away any supplies, and always squatting away while the men staged attacks. She helped cook, and watched everything they all did. Her english was getting much better, and she listened closely whenever Wicki and Stiglitz spoke German. From time to time whenever they were all sitting around the fire, Annabel would listen as they spoke going back and forth. Her French worked wonders, twice they ambushed a group of Nazis, in which three of them refused to speak to Wicki.

One officer always seemed to speak French and Annabel would listen in. She was young, but still a very pretty girl. Aldo once knew they had to ambush a car full of officers. They were low on weapons, and had to wait another week till their next pick up. Thinking fast, Aldo looked around rubbing his stubble covered neck before he glanced down at Annabel who was leaning against a tree. Lately she had been sewing, and mending anything the guys needed. As always they came to her, now almost enjoying her company. She was a sweet girl who didn't talk much. She was standing there when Aldo grinned. Walking over, he ripped Annabel's shirt open, buttons flying away. There her tiny breasts were exposed. Gasping, her eyes widened before she reached back and slapped Aldo across the face. Laughing, Also stepped back. Right away Wicki stepped forward.

"Jesus..."

Aldo waved his hand at him.

"Relax, Annabel is going to finally earn her stripes."

Covering herself, Annabel looked around confused. Later, the men waited behind trees, and ducked down behind bushes as they heard the sound of the engine. Annabel stood in the middle of the road, her blouse still open as she nervously wrung her hands together. Laying in the mud, Wicki sighed as he laid beside Donny and Aldo.

"I'm not so sure about this..."

Aldo stared up the few yards away where Annabel stood in the middle of the dirt road.

"Trust me, she can take care of herself...she all ready proved this."

Wicki knew they didn't have many weapons, and even though they could take this car that maybe held four or five officers, Annabel was still just a child right in danger's way. For the last few months he had taken her under his wing. He saw how determined she was, and what a hard worker she was. Now here she was, half naked on this dirty little road trying her hardest to look so brave. Like clockwork a jeep came, filled with officers. They slammed on the breaks just a few feet away from her. Right away the officers piled out, laughing and talking in German. They right away began to circle her, smiling and nudging their sides. Wicki noticed across the way Donny's grip tighten around his riffle. At that exact moment he knew how much they had gotten used to having her, and how if these monsters tried anything they would be torn apart before they even got a chance. Aldo held up his hands and softly began to count.

"One...two...three..."

In an instant the men jumped up, firing the guns straight at them. Right away Wicki's heart leapt in his chest, they hadn't even thought about Annabel just standing there in open sight. One of the officers grabbed her, throwing her to the ground as he jumped on top of her for cover. The wave of gun fire ceased and the smoke cleared. The four other officers laid spread out all over the road before the last one who threw Annabel down. Lifting his head, he took out a large hunter's knife and swung it right down towards her.

"ANA! WATCH OUT!"

Donny yelled as he ran to get up the road. Rolling over to the side missing the knife that plunged into the ground just inches away from her face. Grabbing her by the hair, the officer dropped the knife and yanked her head upstairs swearing in German. The men all ran towards her but Annabel grasped blindly at the knife laying right next to her. Wrapping her hands around it she swung around and plunged the knife straight into the officer's neck who stared at her with wide eyes. Out of breath, Annabel sat there as the officer scratched at his throat gurgling on his own blood before his eyes rolled back into his head and he dropped backwards with a heavy thud. Staring at him, her clothes now filthy with dirt and sprayed blood Annabel simply stared with no emotion. Right away the men were all there surrounding her. Wicki ran over, offering his hand in which Annabel slowly took. Rising to her feet, she stared down at the body as Aldo and Omar kicked it. Amused, Aldo looked up chewing his tobacco. "Well, well, well Ana...looks like your officially a member of the bastards now." Lifting her eyes, Annabel smiled before closing her blouse.

Present - Four days earlier.

"Paris when it sizzles."

Lt. Archie Hicox had no idea whatsoever that this mission he had been recruited for would result in him falling in love. He met up with the Bastards at the old farm house he was directed to. He had walked nearly twenty four miles from his drop off spot outside of Paris and found the place in the middle of an old field. The man who owned it was a retired vet who was on their side and was allowing them to use the house as a meeting place for them on the outside of the village. Once inside he met Aldo who looked him over closely.

"So your the brit they sent...you speak German?"

Hickox stood in the house's foyer, his bag thrown over his shoulder. Standing there he nodded.

"Yes, Lt. Archie Hicox at your service." Aldo smirked.

"Right, well in three days you'll be taking two of my men in the spot that actress picked...some kind of pub?"

Hicox nodded. "Yes, I also brought the uniforms we'll be using. I hope the measurements I received are right."

He patted his bag before Aldo nodded.

"I'll show you to your room but let me get you to meet everyone, then we'll go and get you a beer."

Raising an eyebrow, Hicox followed Aldo into the next room that he supposed was the huge kitchen. The place looked big enough for ten families to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. The vet was sitting alone at a side table sipping his tea and looking very nervous. Sitting on one of the counters was a large Italian looking man in slacks and a wife beater. His intense brown eyes right away looked Hicox up and down. There were several other young men, all Jewish looking and dressed in worn army clothes sitting around. Some drinking beers, some eating. At the main table sat three men. Two were middle aged, dressed down in casual slacks and shirts. They were drinking, while the third man much smaller than the rest. He sat there picking at his plate. Between them was a woman, a young girl in fact. She was young, very young in fact. She was wearing old slacks and a brown blouse. Her hair was drawn back by a torn piece of cloth, keeping her hair out of her face. She sat there nursing a beer, not exactly looking like she was enjoying it.

"Listen up everyone! This is the brit I was telling you all about. This is Lt. Archie Hicox."

A few of the men nodded while the man on the counter just simply stared at him. Aldo walked him over to the table where the three men and the young girl were sitting. "Hicox, these are the two men you'll be going in with. They speak german just like you. This is Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz, and Cpl. Wilhelm Wicki."

The two men nodded up at Hicox before Wicki reached over and offered his hand. "Nice to meet you." Hicox gave his hand and shook his firm grip before shaking Stiglitz's hand. Right away Hicox's eyes went to the young girl as Aldo motioned towards the smaller and younger of the three boys. "This is Utivich, and over here is Annabel, she speaks French and pretty good German thanks to Wicki."

Hicox locked eyes with the young girl and felt his heart flutter within his chest. Reaching over, he took her small smooth hand and turned it over before leaning and kissing it.

"Pleasure is all mine."

Donny rolled his eyes while Wicki and and Stiglitz exchanged a very amused look. Smiling, Annabel stared up at him with her face slightly blushing. To her, for the last ten or so months she had been living within close quarters with men. Men who were all so much older than her, stronger, and driven. She had nobody else, no family, no friends...just them. She knew she had no place else to go. Instead she proved herself every single day that she was just as tough as them. She pretended that she wasn't a young woman, she dressed like a boy, slept in the mud, learned how to load weapons, sharpen knifes, and turn off her feelings. In the last few months she had been with the Bastards, she had killed three men with her very own hands. She fought through sickness, the cold, and discomfort. Just a little while ago she woke up bleeding with horrible cramps only to learn she had become a woman. Embarrassed, she hid this from the other men washing up in the stream, cursing herself in her own language for being a woman. Now every month she would have to deal with this, and keep it hidden away from the men she loved as friends and brothers. Wicki had always been so caring and understanding. He was very protective of her, always looking after her even though she fought tooth and nail in never being helpless. Now as she gazed up at the handsome british officer, she couldn't help but smile and feel strange feelings bubble up inside her stomach. he was classically handsome, just like one of those leads in those silent films she had once watched with her brother when they went into the village to trade.

He was tall, with the most lovely shade of reddish brown hair. He smiled down at her as she smiled back. Aldo explained to Wicki and Stiglitz that Hicox brought the uniforms and they could try them on after they got settled. Capping Hicox on the back, he told him that Abby would show him where he was sleeping. Silently, Abby pushed her chair back still holding onto her beer bottle as she circled around the table. Hicox couldn't believe how young she really was. As he turned, he followed and watched her closely. Following, he was almost out of the kitchen when he heard Aldo call after him.

"Hey Hicox, catch!"

Turning, he almost dropped the beer bottle that Aldo tossed to him. Catching it, he saw Aldo smile as the man on the counter slid off and grabbed an old baseball bat that was leaning against the table.

"Nice catch."

The man smirked at him before Hicox gave a small little smile back and followed Annabel out and up the stairs. She walked ahead, still drinking her own beer before they made their way to the second floor. "This is where you'll stay." She motioned to one of the side rooms and opened the door. Hicox looked in, it was a small room, a single bed, dresser, and mirror above it. Hicox suspected that this vet back in his younger days did a lot of entertaining since the entire second floor hallway was lined with doors. Walking in, Hicox dropped his bag on his bed. Turning, still holding his beer he looked back at Annabel who leaned against the doorway.

"You speak English?"

Annabel nodded. "Yes, it's gotten much better. I also...have been working on my German. Wicki says i'm nearly fluent."

Smiling, Hicox stepped forward. "All right...let's try this. Sie haben die schönsten Augen ich je gesehen habe." Right away Annabel's face blushed deeper.

"Und Lt. Hickox, Sie haben die meisten hübschen Gesicht habe ich noch nie gesehen." Grinning, Hickox stared down at her.

"Wow...your friend is right, you are good."

The two stared at each other again before Hickox cocked his head to the side.

"How old are you?" Smiling Annabel looked up at him.

"Fourteen, I just turned fourteen."

Hickox stared down at her amazed. "My God, what are you doing here, your just a child."

Annabel stepped back and stared up at him. "I'm afraid I have to beg to differ, I wasn't a child from the moment my family was murdered in front of me. I may not be a man, or as old as any of you but I've been through just as much.

You can ask any of them downstairs." Hickox smiled, seeing that this young girl was a bit of a spit fire. Holding up his beer, he glanced down at her.

"Please don't take offense Annabel, please have a drink with me." Annabel dropped her eyes looking embarrassed before finally her eyes lifted and she revealed a small meek smile.

"All right..."

"Splendid." When they returned together downstairs, Aldo showed Hicox how to break the cap off his beer by slamming it on the edge of the counter. The men all sat around, their dishes now cleared as the vet excused himself to bed. The one named Donny sat further back cleaning one of his guns, the others all sat around drinking. Annabel returned to the table, but offered Hicox a chair beside herself and Wicki. Sitting, he nodded to the men before taking a gulp of his beer. Usually he was more of a scotch man, but at this exact moment after traveling so long the cool beer felt like complete heaven going down his throat. Sitting back, instantly he found his eyes drawn to Annabel who sat still slowly turning her mostly full beer bottle around on the table. He also noticed Wicki watching her as well. He didn't know what this man's deal was with her, but it was clear he was very protective.

Aldo asked what he was doing in the british military? Hicox explained he was drafted, as were his two younger brother. He talked about how he was a film critic before the war. Instantly Utivich seemed interested and asked him what sort of films he wrote about. Hicox talked about the articles and reviews he worked on, and the two books he released about German cinema. Annabel sat up straighter. "Your a published author?" It was Hicox's turn to look red in the face. Shrugging he said that they weren't exactly huge books. "Got a big paycheck?" Aldo asked sitting backwards in one of the kitchen chairs rolling his own cigarette. Hicox politely smiled again. "Well enough." Again as he went to drink his beer, his eyes lingered on Annabel again. Her eyes lifted, meeting his before she smiled and dropped back down to the table. They talked a bit about the German movie star who was working for Britain, and about the tavern they would be meeting up at. Hickox, Stiglitz, and Wicki began speaking in German and much to Hickox's surprise Annabel chimed in, not making one error with her accent, agreeing, and disagreeing. To him it wasn't a fourteen year old child speaking with them, but a grown cultured woman.

Hickox felt a strange pang inside his chest when he noticed Wicki's arm go around her shoulders as everyone spoke. Finally, the young man named Omar complained that he was getting the spins and needed some air. Aldo laughed saying he was a light weight before glancing at the clock and told everyone they outta get up to bed. He was staying up keeping watch for a few hours before Donny switched with him. Everyone began getting up, pushing in their chairs before Annabel began collecting the beer bottles and stacked them on the counter. Walking over, Hicox offered his help before Annabel smiled saying she was fine. Walking over, Wicki and Stiglitz asked if they could see the uniforms? "Of course, follow me." The three men turned before Hickox noticed Annabel following.

Once upstairs in his bedroom, he unzipped his bag and began taking out the uniforms.

"These should fit, if not we can tailor them..."

Wicki and Stiglitz held them against themselves before Annabel came around and wrinkled her nose. Wicki turned and smiled.

"How do I look?"

Annabel crossed her arms.

"You two look handsome, but those uniforms put a sour taste in my stomach."

Wicki and Stiglitz both smirked before Annabel turned and looked over at Hickox, smiling she walked over.

"That is a lovely shade of gray..." Hickox smiled before Aldo appeared in the doorway.

"You sizing up your three dates Anna?" The four of them turned before Aldo smirked. "One more thing Hickox, Ms. Annabel is coming with you all the night of the meet up." Right away the color drained from Hickox's face. "What?" Aldo nodded. "Yeah, it's been an idea we've been fooling around with. Since you fellas will be meeting up this actress in a bar, you outta have a pretty young girl on one of your arms. Annabel knows German pretty well and if worse comes to worse she knows French. In case anyone stops you guys on the street, Annabel will throw them off. She'll be a local girl from the city that you guys picked up and are taking out for the night. She has a leveled head and she'll do fine, ain't that right Anna?" Anna nodded almost looking ashamed. Right away Hickox shook his head.

"Excuse me, but taking a young girl...a child in fact on a dangerous mission is a terrible idea if I may stay so. That's all fine and good that she knows German and French, but these officers if we happen to run into look closely for anything at all as a giveaway. It would take just one slip up...just one mistake and we're all dead."

Annabel dropped her eyes, shifting from foot to foot before Aldo shook his head. "Annabel is one hell of a fighter for a gal her age. This is my choice and I don't give no flying fuck about what you think mister. We've talked about this, and she's going. She's gonna keep her fucking mouth shut and look pretty in a cocktail dress. She'll sit, smile and sip her drink. If anyone talks to her she'll just say she's from the city and is keeping you fellas company. Nobody will stop and hassle you or suspect if you have a pretty girl on your arm. Mostly when you're meeting another woman." Hickox was speechless.

"This doesn't make sense!"

He snapped, feeling his temper raise.

"Listen, she won't fuck up trust me. She's going and that's that all right?" Hickox looked over at wicki and Stiglitz for any help whatsoever but they simply just stood there appearing to have just as much faith in this girl as Aldo did. Shaking his head, Hickox paced the small room.

"This is madness..." Annabel sighed deeply before staring down at the floor. "I better get to bed..." Without another word she walked past them. Turning, Hickox looked at Wicki.

"Annabel, she's your...lady?" Stiglitz smirked and nudged Wicki who shook his head.

"We're close, I look after her."

"Then you of all people know how dangerous this is." Wicki looked up and stared at Hickox.

"Annabel is smart girl, I have faith that she'll be fine. She's taught all of us she can handle herself."

Hickox sighed as he stared at the men knowing that no matter how much he argued, there was no talking any of them out of this. It appeared that tomorrow night Annabel was indeed coming with them.

Present.

Annabel stared up at the ceiling handcuffed to the bed. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she laid there alone. How could this have happened? Just a few hours ago she was safe, around friends...and the man she loved. Now they were all gone, murdered. Her insides ached. She wished she had died back in that tavern basement. Instead she was now in the worse kind of hell she could have ever dreamed of...