Annabelle's stomach twisted as they all sat around in the abandoned building across from the tavern. In the last several days, everything seemed to whirl by for her. The plan was set, and Annabelle would be joining the others, posing as a date. Her French would finally come in handy, and help the men blend in as much as possible. Aldo was all for it, but she sensed the others had a sense of dread having her come along with them. Hickox wasn't exactly thrilled, but figured since it was a small tavern with no Germans, they would be less than twenty minutes. After her morning in the forest with Hickox, Annabelle had made up her mind that after this she would be leaving with him.

She knew she was just a child, and Hickox was practically a stranger, but he didn't treat her like a burden. He didn't see her for her age, or the fact she was a girl. Instead he saw her as a survivor. He was gentle, passionate, and looked at her the way she had often dreamed Wicki would have looked at her. She owed her life to these men, but knew there was nothing left for her to do in this war. She had survived, fought, but now it was time to leave. Time to live, and time to move on. For those few days afterwards as they planned, she couldn't help but feel eyes watching her. Hickox and her kept their distance, trying to keep their mindset focused on the mission more than anything else. Still, during the evening meetings in the vet's dinning room or pallor, she would keep catching him staring across at her, a faint smile on his lips. Tonight as they dressed when she stepped out wearing her black dress he stopped and stared at her in awe. Now as they waited, Annabelle tried to stay calm and collected. Sitting there, she rung her hands together waiting as the men walked about.

"Ana, can I talk to you for a second?"

Annabelle turned and saw Wicki looking handsome in his uniform. Sighing, she glanced over and saw Hickox and Aldo talking, looking out the window. They still had another hour, and were mostly sitting around in silence. Getting up, feeling the smooth frabic of her dress swish as she walked into the other room with him. It was cool inside here, the smell of rot and dampness strong. Standing in the shadows, Wicki cocked his head to the side and stared at her.

"You're leaving after this aren't you?"

Ana stared up, remembering that night that she had confessed her love to her. How embarrassed and hurt she had felt when he told her no. Staring up, she tried her hardest to look tough, to seem strong as she brushed back a strand of her hair. After she had gotten ready back at the house she finally felt like a woman. No longer a dirty little tramp, walking around the woods with men twice her age. No, tonight she showed a faint glimmer of the beautiful woman she would become in less than a few years.

"Yes, Archie and me are leaving, he's taking me with him."

"You barley know him."

"So? I barley knew you fellas and you weren't monsters. Isn't this what you've all wanted? To get rid of me? Well here it is. We'll see what this actress wants and tomorrow morning I'm gone, like it never happened."

"Ana..."

Trying to lean forward and touch her face she flinched away, glaring up at him.

"I may be young but I'm not stupid. Archie is a good man...just let me be happy, please?"

Wicki frowned, brow wrinkling before he leaned forward, taking hold of her face and gently kissing her. Pulling away in a complete instant, for some crazy reason she thought her lipstick would smear. Staring at him outraged, she fought tears back.

"It's too late...don't you see that?"

The two locked eyes before she stormed out, joining Hickox and completely being unaware that Donny was watching her from the small little cot, his eyes heartbroken.

Later...

The moment Hickox raised his hand Ana felt her heart drop. Staring up, she gulped as all color drained from her face. She had sat beside Wicki when they came into the basement, his arm hooked with hers. Before they headed down the spiral staircase, Anna felt for a mere second that she couldn't do this. instead, she felt Wicki give her arm a comforting squeeze before Hickox turned, hat on. Locking eyes with her, he winked making her smile. Glancing up she looked at Wicki and instantly felt terrible over how she felt things with him. Instead she knew they would talk later. Now wasn't the time, she had to stay calm and relax. It would take less than a half an hour. In and out. As soon as she saw the officers downstairs, she knew she couldn't have been more wrong. Instead she sat down calmly, allowing Wicki to order her champagne same as the actress. She sat there calmly, all the meanwhile feeling her heart race. She knew the less she said or did, the better. When the officer joined them he smiled and bowed his head towards her asking Hickox who this lovely creature was?

Reaching over, he took her hand from across the table and kissed it causing Anna to nervously smile feeling her skin crawl. Hickox remarked that she was a local girl who worked in town and was joining them tonight. The officer winked at her before she sat up straight, staring down at her glass. Everything happened so quickly she couldn't seem to keep track. The officer wasn't going away. First she interrupted when the foolish soldier who was celebrating his son's birth wouldn't leave. Hickox was on edge, causing the officer to appear out of nowhere. The first thing was him remarking on his usual accent. After he relaxed he insisted on them playing a round of that silly card game. When Anna had to write the name down on her own card she felt her hand begin to shake. Terror leaping into her heart she forced herself to calm down before she wrote it down quickly.

Glancing up she saw Hickox calm and collected, almost a little annoyed as they kept playing. She wondered if they did get out of this what exactly their life's were going to be like. Would she really marry him? Go to England? Start a family? All of those thoughts began to fade as she felt Wicki calmly sitting beside her, staring at her with reassuring eyes. That's when Hickox ordered the drinks and Ana knew this was it. She was going to die in this filthy little tavern. As soon as Hickox began to speak English, she sat frozen knowing she was going to die. As soon as the shooting began, she felt Wicki yank her backwards before a horrible white lighting bolt of pain entered her shoulder. The sounds of bullets, broken glass, and screams echoed around her before all went black. The next thing she remembered was waking up bleeding and in pain. Everyone was dead and Lana was staring down at her grinning. As she was dragged away she saw both Hicox and Wicki slumped over dead. The two men she knew she loved more than words. The two men that had won her heart and she knew had events done differently, she would of had to chose between.

That night she was raped, and held captive, all the while thinking that the others had left her behind.

The next night...

"Ah my darling!"

The last thing Ana remembered was turning away from the burning theater and seeing Landa stand there smiling. Before she had a chance to react he whacked her over the head with something causing her to black out. In that faint distant fog she found herself dreaming. It was a pleasant dream, once of which she was back by that pond in the forest. Hickox was there as was Wicki. They were sitting up in the grass, handsome and smiling waiting for her...

Landa smiled staring down at her as Herman drove the truck over the border in the forest. Last night he had made his deal and was pleasantly surprised he had found his feisty bride to be had found him. He planned on retiring and making plenty of handsome strong German blooded sons with this girl as long as possible, even if it killed her. Riding passenger, he sat there with Ana laying across his lap, her temple thinly bleeding from being pistol whipped. Stroking her hair gently, he smiled. She kept mumbling in her sleep. Once they stopped, he decided he would leave Ana be here before he surrendered.

During his deal he hadn't told Aldo or The Little Man who his wife was. Only that he wanted a full pardon for himself and his wife. They had ridden in the back, and hadn't seen her yet. He planned on leaving her here in the front seat and perhaps having them move her afterwards. He was sure she had been with that team of theirs, but he didn't really much care. He had made a deal plain and simple and if they tried to take her he would raise holy hell. She belonged to him, and if they tried anything he would speak to Aldo's general. She was the deal breaker, her or nothing else. Sliding out from his seat, he smiled and stared down at the floor where her gun laid. He wasn't exactly sure what she had planned to do with that little thing, but seeing her sleep there across the seat as gentle as she was made him smile. She was banged up pretty good. He would insist she was carried to the back to be with him, after that once they reached the American base he would ask to fetch a doctor for her. Turning, he went around back to surrender.

A few minutes later...

"Thank you very much Colonel. Uitivich, cuff the Colonel's hands behind his back."

"Is that really necessary?"

Utivich moved around to cuff Landa's hands. Smiling, Aldo drew his gun.

"I'm a slave to appearances."

In one crack shot Herman fell backwards with a thud.

Jumping back, Landa stared appalled.

"Are you mad? What have you done? I made a deal with your general for that man's life!"

"Yeah they made that deal, but they don't give a fuck about him, they need you."

"You'll be shot for this!"

"Naw, I don't think so. More like I'll be showed out. I've been chewed out before. You know, Uitvich and myself heard that deal you made with the Brass. End the war tonight? I'd made that deal. How about you Uitivich, you made that deal?"

"I'd made that deal."

"I don't blame ya. Damn good deal. And that pretty little nest ya feathered for yourself with your wife? Well, if your willing to barbecue the whole high command, I suppose that's worth certain considerations. I do have one question? When you do to your little place on Nantucket Island. I image your gonna take off that handsome looking SS uniform if yours ain't ya?"

Landa stared in shock.

"That's what I thought. Now that...I can't abide. How about you Utivich? Can you abide that?"

"Not one damn bit sir."

Utivich began to scalp Herman, squatted down in the grass. Smiling, Aldo stepped closer.

"I mean if I had my way, you'd wear that goddamn uniform for the rest of your pecker sucking life. But I'm aware that ain't practical. I mean at some point ya gotta have to take it off..."

Aldo then took out the large knife Landa had handed him and smiled.

"I'm gonna give you a little something you can't take off..."

Landa stood back in terror as Aldo grinned.

Ana awoke to the sounds of screams. Blinking, her head began to swim. She was sore all over and her head throbbed. Slowly she sat up and looked around. She was in a truck, parked somewhere in the forest. The last thing she remembered was being on the street, watching the theater burn.

"Ah my darling!"

Those words echoed in her throbbing head. Touching her temple, she saw blood on her fingertips. Looking down, she saw her gun. Grabbing it, she slowly slid out o the cab on shaken feet. Her shoulder was completely numb now. Turning, she went around following the source of the screams. When she got around she saw the backs of Aldo and Uitvich looking down at someone. A few steps closer, she instantly knew it was Landa.

"You know something Utivich? I believe this may be my masterpiece."

Walking over, pistol drawn her face became stone set. Walking closer, she stood directly behind them. Turning, Aldo and Utivich saw her and instantly their faces dropped.

"Ana?"

Utivich asked in disbelief. Standing there, beaten and bleeding her face crumpled as she drew the pistol and aimed.

"Ana!"

Aldo yelled. But it was too late. Locking eyes with Landa, she thought back just a few hours ago when she was laying on his bed, her legs spread as he loudly grunted, driving himself into her. Thinking of Hickox and Wicki, she screamed as she pulled back the safety and fired six times in a row. Each shot hitting Landa directly in the chest causing his corpse to jump. Once the chamber was empty, she continued pulling the tigger, not listening to the loud echo click of it being empty. Slowly Utivich got to his feet and carefully walked over, easing her hand down making her drop the gun to the ground. "Ana?" He asked worried. Staring down at her rapist, Ana swayed for a second before her eyes rolled back into her head and she dropped to the ground in a heap.