Chapter 6: The First secret meeting with Fräulein Ehrlichmann

Basta paced the warm, smooth concrete floor of his cell while adjusting his white shirt. His stocking feet padded silently over the floor, allowing him to creep silently like a cat. Although his footsteps were silent, his heart pounded loudly in his chest. He could feel it slugging against his ribcage, and his stomach felt hot with butterflies. There was an analog clock on the wall across from his cell, but Basta did not know how to tell time. Since there were no windows either, he couldn't be sure if it was dark outside or not. So he continued to pace, navigating around and over the piles of books and sheets. Eventually, though, his legs grew tired and his heart stopped pounding, so he collapsed on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

Basta dozed off, and woke with a start when the sound of the clipping high heels came through the hallway. Basta quickly sat upright, wiped drool from his mouth and tried to fix his hair. Fräulein Ehrlichmann crept up to the bars, and peered into the cell.

"Basta" she said, rather quietly.

"Yes, Fräulein?" He tried to act nonchalant, as if he didn't really care for her company one way or the other. She looked up and down the hallway before sliding a key into the lock. Basta licked his lips. Anna was still wearing her plum coloured dress, but she'd pulled her hair up into a bun. Strands of dark, wavy hair fell from the bun and framed her flawless face.

"How are you this evening?" She asked, sliding the door shut and slipping the key into her... cleavage!

"I-I-I'm fine... how about you?" Basta's eyes widened as he eyed the woman's 34 B's. Women in Lombrica generally carried much larger busts- a compliment to their plumper bodies. But Basta didn't mind that Anna's breasts were slightly smaller- they were in perfect proportion to her hips and wasp waist.

"I am well, thank you." Anna looked for a place to sit down. Basta hastily offered her a seat on his bed.

"What time is it?" He asked. She sat beside him, and his stomach twisted and grew hot again. His abdominal muscles tightened and he felt his pulse quickening. If Landa had him hooked up to a polygraph test, the needles probably would have jumped off the page. Anna was leafing through one of the manila documents.

"Err..." she began to speak, then impatiently motioned up to the clock on the wall. "There's a clock" she said. Basta felt his cheeks grow hot from embarrassment.

"I can't read it." He muttered. Anna sighed impatiently, glanced up and squinted her eyes.

"Its 11" she said.

"Thanks" Basta looked at the clock, trying to figure how it meant 11.

"What is this?" Asked Anna, slapping the paper on her thigh. "Why is he making you read about the war?"

"Because I don't know what's going on" he said, staring deep into Anna's green eyes. She frowned.

"I know you're a British spy. You don't have to keep up the charade around me" she said. Her gaze was intense.

"But I'm not a spy!"

"You don't have to lie to me, Basta." She looked as if she wanted to say more, but held back. Basta knew that she was losing trust in him.

"I'm not lying" he hissed. Anna narrowed her eyes.

"Landa didn't say much about you" she murmured, more to herself.

"What did he say?"

"That you weren't from here." She twisted her mouth. "This is obvious, with that accent of yours."

Anna and Landa speak with a German accent, and apparently I speak with a British accent... interesting... Basta thought to himself as his eyes flicked over Anna's face.

"Are you and Landa..." together? He didn't dare utter the last word.

"Ja." Anna nodded. "We are." She spoke quickly and avoided Basta's gaze.

"Oh." Basta's stomach dropped to the floor and he felt his face heat up. His blood ran thickly through his stomach, like syrup, and he felt his heart pound painfully. "Of course."

"So, are you going to tell me or not?"

"Huh? Tell you what?" Basta frowned in confusion. He found it hard to concentrate after that blow...

"Whether or not you're a spy!" Anna's eyes widened and she hissed the last word. Basta gulped.

"Why...why should I trust you?" He shook his head slightly, his temper acting like a protective barrier between him and Anna; protecting him from further heartache. This line got her attention. She sat upright, her eyes fixed on his face. Then she smiled. She nodded slightly before cocking her head and parting her lips.

"You and I" she began leaning in close to him- "need to be honest with each other." Her sweet smelling breath tickled Basta's lips, and he felt himself growing hot and bothered again. He shifted uncomfortably, resisting every urge to throw her on her back and over take her. Or, more gently, lean in and kiss her lips. Both were tempting notions.

"I'm perfectly fine with that" he stammered. "So, are you working for the British?" He didn't know why he asked the question. Probably because it had been thrown at him so many times. Are you a British spy? Are you working for the British? British this, British that! Blah, blah, blah!

"No" she said, looking around. She seemed nervous. "I'm not." Then she straightened. "I'm asking you the questions!"

"Ok, then ask me a question." His eyes dropped into her cleavage.

"Are you working for the British?"

"No."

"What? Are you sure?" She narrowed her eyes. "Is this because you don't trust me?" She seemed annoyed, which flustered Basta. What does she want me to say? I know she wants me to say something!

"The truth is, Anna... I have no idea what's going on here."

"I heard that you magically appeared in a German soldier's bedroom while he was reading to his daughter. Who is missing, by the way." Anna narrowed her eyes and stared at Basta.

"I'm not sure how I got here" he said.

"Lies!"

"I'm telling the truth! Landa gave me a-a polygraph test! I'm telling the truth and he knows it. That's why he gave me all these books to read, so I can learn what the hell is going in this strange place!" Basta's face grew red as he explained himself. Anna looked both disgusted and confused.

"He gave you a polygraph test?"

"Yes, yes... it's a lie detector test."

"I know what it is" she hissed. "That means he kept a record of it..."

"I saw where he put it" said Basta, growing excited. "In a filing cabinet in his office." Anna narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"He has many filing cabinets"

"Yes, but I remember exactly which one."

"Could you show me?"

"Of course!" She contemplated for several moments before nodding slowly.

"Alright" she said. "I need to be absolutely sure about this." She nodded, as if to assure herself. "Alright, stuff you're bed. We're going to Landa's office." She got to her feet, and Basta followed her with his eyes. She had such a nice bottom... "Get up, we don't have all night." Basta hopped to his feet, and watched as Anna bent over, stuffing books and the pillow under the blankets. "Well, help me!" She hissed impatiently, and Basta jumped. He quickly joined her, making it look as if a body was sleeping under the green blankets. "You are one distracted guy" she said, smiling a bit. Basta's face lit up and he smiled too. But he didn't know how to answer, so he just shrugged. Anna laughed, then took the keys from her bra. Basta gulped, and he felt his army fatigues growing tight around his belt region. He clenched his jaw in frustration, averted his gaze to the ceiling and tried to control his breathing. A bead of sweat dripped from his temple down the length of his smooth face. Anna jogged over to the gate, and Basta followed slowly. He didn't want her to notice his obvious excitement. She slid the gate open, peered up the hallway, and motioned for Basta to follow her. She closed and locked the door, then led the way up to Landa's office.

The building was much more different at this hour. The windows were black with the surrounding darkness, and only a few lights were left on in the lobby. Basta watched Anna's butt as they walked up the stairs, she a few steps in front of him. When they got to the hallway with the many doors, Basta couldn't remember which was Landa's. Anna, on the other hand, knew where she was going. She produced another key, from her bra as well, and unlocked the door. Basta followed Anna into the gaping darkness, and heard the door click shut behind her. Then a light was flicked on, and he could see the young woman standing next to the wall, quivering nervously.

"Alright, hurry up" she said. "Which filing cabinet?"

Basta glanced around the familiar office, and located the filing cabinet that rested against the wall opposite the oak desk.

"This one" he said, poking the drawer in which the document was stored. He had seen Landa put the file in there before prodding him out of the office.

"Oh shoot, it's locked." Anna cursed under her breath as she examined the little lock on the drawer.

"Do you have another key in there?" asked Basta, chuckling to himself. Anna cast him an un-amused look.

"No, I only have your cell key, the building key and the office key." She twisted her mouth before pulling a pin from her hair. A lock fell down the side of her face, and brushed her ear. Basta made an involuntary little sigh. She bent the wire pin, and prodded it into the lock. She glanced nervously towards the door before twisting her tool and cursing under her breath. Basta's eyes wandered all over her body, and he licked his lips. "Got it!" She smiled triumphantly when she was finally able to pull the drawer open. She peered inside, and thumbed through a number of manila folders. She pressed his lips together, as she pulled a folder with a red stamp on the front. CONFIDENTIAL/ VERTRAULICH!Anna opened the folder, and her eyes scanned the writing inside. She flipped through the pages, obviously speed reading, and her eyebrows raised a number of times in surprise. Then she started frowning. Then raising her eyebrows. Then frowning again. Her lips parted in a perfect 'O', and she looked up at Basta, frowning again. He raised his eyebrows at her, in a surprised question. He was just about to ask her what was wrong, when the sound of footsteps from outside the door made both Anna and Basta freeze. Her eyes widened like saucers, and she quickly shut the folder.

"Hiiiiiide!" She hissed, looking absolutely terrified. Basta looked around the room for a hiding place. Anna had replaced the folder when the sound of a lock being turned caught their attention. She looked at Basta in horror, before his leapt under a low table, laying on his back, holding his breath. He heard the filing cabinet being shut, just as the door handle clicked open. Anna scrambled into plain view- much to Basta's horror. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? He mentally screamed. But Anna took her hair out of its bun, allowing it to tumble down her shoulders, just as the door opened.

"Anna?" Landa's voice was surprised, and perhaps slightly irritated.

"Hans, Lieben" she purred. Basta could see the bottom half of her knee length dress, and her Swiss dot stockings from his vantage. The sound of Landa's footsteps seemed so much louder from Basta's pose on the oak floor.

"What are you doing here at this hour, Fräulein?"

"I wanted to surprise you" she said, cocking a leg. Basta felt his face grow hot. What would happen if Landa found him under the table?

"Why do I suspect otherwise, Fräulein Ehrlichmann?"

"Oh, Hans! You embarrass me!" her voice was relatively calm, but wavered slightly. Landa's footsteps approached, and Basta could see the green material of Landa's pants, and his nice shoes as he stood before Anna.

"Is there something you wanted to ask me, Anna?"

"No" she said, and her leg brushed up against Landa's. Basta frowned.

"How did you get into my office?" He asked, the suspicion still plain in his usually cheerful voice.

"I asked the caretaker to let me in, Lieben." He high heeled foot came in behind his ankle, pulling him closer to her. He extended a leg, allowing her to straddle it. The two bodies pressed together and Basta felt angry that he was forced to watch.

"Though I am pleased with your surprise" he began, sliding a strong, sinuous hand up her thigh- "please do not enter my office again without my permission."

"Yes, Colonel" she said, her voice taking on a submissive tone. Landa's hand brushed further up her thigh, lifting the hem of the dress up to reveal a lacy stocking thigh-high. Basta felt his throat tighten, and for a moment he forgot his jealousy. He even wished Landa would lift the dress higher, so Basta could see what sort of strange 20th century undergarments Anna was wearing. The man's hand clenched around her thigh, squeezing the skin, pressing his body closer against hers. Anna did her part by further straddling his leg. Basta could hear her moaning very quietly, and the occasional sucking noise as they kissed. Basta was sweating, and his bangs started to stick to his forehead. He clenched his hands around the fabric of his tee shirt, and he couldn't decide if he liked what he was seeing or not. Landa's large hand slid around from her thigh to her butt, but the dress fell around his wrist, blocking Basta's view of what he was doing. Then Landa raised both hands to Anna's waist, and he picked her up effortlessly, Basta could see more of the bodies as Landa backed up to the desk, and sat on the chair, Anna on his lap. For a moment Basta was terrified that Landa would be able to see him, but relaxed slightly when Anna's body obstructed Basta's view of Landa. They kissed for a few more moments, then Landa put his hands under Anna's dress. He slid his arms up, taking most of the dress with him. Basta gulped as more and more of the young woman's skin became visible to him. She was wearing a lacy black thong, connected to her thigh highs with garters. Basta grew faint at the sight of her almost completely unclothed body. But when Landa's hands began lifting the dress up further, Basta panicked. The keys in Anna's bra! He nearly sighed in relief when she realised this, too.

"Oh, Hans" she moaned, sitting back a bit. "I think we should stop here"

"Why?" asked Landa, his voice slightly husky. It took on a tone Basta had never heard him use before: disappointment?

"I-I would like to go back to your bedroom, where I can freshen up, darling." She began retreating from the man's lap, and the dress fell back into place. Landa sat up, sighed, and murmured something Basta couldn't hear. Footsteps clopped on the floor, a light was flicked off, a door clicked shut, and Basta was left alone in total silence.

He stared into the blackness of the empty office, utterly ashamed of the swelling in his pants. While, at the same time, he fumed over his jealousy. That Landa! What a lucky bastard he was. Several minutes dragged by before Basta managed to crawl out from under the desk and creep over to the door. He opened it very slowly, slipped out, and closed it behind him. He advanced through the hallway cautiously, terrified that he would run into the Colonel at any moment. With his heart pounding in his throat, he managed to creep back to his cell, his socks padding silently on the marble floor. With a sigh of relief, he went to open the cell door, only to find that it was locked.