26. In riddles and affairs of death.
"A is for apple... but everybody knows that."
Hogan laughed. Certainly, the situation was tight, with a Gestapo captain holding his gun against them. However, how many chances were there to be face to face with a vampire? That girl, playful and careless, was old enough to be his grandmother. She danced to the beat of who knows what kind of drum but at least, she was happy in her own way. He had seen what she was capable of doing and although he did not fear her, he preferred to keep her at a reasonable distance.
Drusilla finished her chant and turned to him. "Knock, knock..."
Hogan finished with the diary and stared at her. He decided to play along. "Who's there?"
"Captain Grunwald and his tin soldiers, all in a row."
Hogan frowned. He looked at the captain, who seemed getting ready to open fire on whoever crossed the door first. "Grunwald?"
"Oh yeah, he's the one who set that nasty trap for Spike and me. Didn't you?" She smiled. "Naughty boy."
"You captured two vampires single handed?" Hogan could not help being amazed.
"I got lucky," Grunwald shrugged. "It was a good plan. Until we got here. I didn't count on those... verdammten RAF to tear this place apart. I could've gotten the egg and come back to the HQ in no time."
"What's in that egg that you want so much? Is it that valuable?" Hogan watched him glow with excitement.
"The end of the war. With us as the winners, of course," Grunwald said.
"Koshchei will crush you before you can tell him you have his soul." Drusilla grinned. "I hope to see that soon..."
"I should've read more about that legend before I came here." Mr. Jones took notes. "Those Russian stories are so rich in traditions..."
Hogan shook his head. All this time, he had been waiting to wake up from this weird dream. He was not on the fantastic side of life. It had taken him a while to accept Drusilla and Spike as real vampires. However, the more he thought about it the more everything that had been happening to Newkirk made sense. Under that light, his corporal was not that crazy after all.
"We'll find the way to neutralize the warlock. He's not a problem at all."
Drusilla chuckled. "Famous last words."
Hogan turned to the door. He could hear the shoveling getting closer. He moved slowly to the left and began to tap near the entrance. His only hope was that someone would listen and be prepared.
()o()o()
Klink kept an eye on the rocks, listening for the slightest noise. He heard Hogan's last message and frowned.
"What is it, Kommandant?" Schultz noticed his facial expression and got concerned. "Are they all right?"
"Yes, yes..." Klink tried to smile. He has just learned that there was an armed German officer on the other side. That he had Hogan and some others and he was waiting to take anyone else coming in. As a fellow officer himself, his loyalty was well established. He would stand aside and hope that the captain did not make the mistake of opening fire right away.
"We're almost there," Newkirk said while shoveling some debris aside.
Spike looked up at the sky and sighed. "What time is it?"
"You've got an appointment somewhere else?" Newkirk wiped some sweat off his forehead.
"No, but one second after sunrise, I'll turn into a pile of dust and I'll be as useful as... a pile of dust." He shrugged.
Schultz and Klink stared at Spike as he lifted and tossed heavy rocks with his bare hands and without breaking a sweat. The Germans were fascinated.
"Vampires are really strong, aren't they?" Schultz said.
"He would make a good addition to our cause." Klink smiled.
"Oh, you couldn't afford me, laddie." Spike grinned.
"Oh, I don't know, Kommandant. With all the commotion about Koshchei's soul, this war is getting very weird." Schultz could not imagine that besides warlocks and witches, they also had to deal with vampires.
"What about Koshchei's soul?" Klink was not puzzled about this. He knew the legend and did not like it to be associated with the war. "What does it have to do with us?"
"Well, that's what everybody has been looking for, sir. The egg where Koshchei hid his soul. It's probably in there. Some Gestapo officer wants it to use Koshchei against the Russian Army."
"Against his own people? Who's this officer? Is he trying to end the world tomorrow?" Klink shook his head. Maybe he did not have all the details but so far, everything was completely insane.
Spike nodded and turned to Newkirk. "One more rock and we'll be there." He removed it and dusted his hands. The door was right in front of them. "Now, we push and-"
"Wait!."
Newkirk saw that Klink was hesitating about something. Schultz was as puzzled as the corporal when Klink grabbed Newkirk by the arm and took him aside.
"Corporal Newkirk, you saved my life two days ago-"
"Oh, but, Colonel, it wasn't a-" Newkirk was impatient to see Hogan and make sure he was alive. He had no time for spontaneous displays of affection.
"Wait, I need to give you something and I need to tell you why I'm doing it." Klink took out his gun and put it in Newkirk's hands. "Listen, in the last message, Hogan mentioned a Gestapo officer holding them hostages. He's very likely to shoot at the first person coming in." He did not expect Newkirk to say anything just yet. "I'm not changing sides here, but if we're going to win this war, I want to be alive to enjoy it. That man doesn't know that he's playing with something more dangerous than fire. Koshchei is uncontrollable. No one must try to lure him on either side. Why you are involved in this, I don't know. But I trust that you'll be wiser than the officers and do the right thing."
Newkirk shuddered. What kind of weapon was in dispute here that could make a loyal German colonel like Klink betray his own? He took note of Klink's apprehension. Big differences aside, it reminded him of Baba Yaga's the other day in the forest. "Thank you, sir. I'll do me best. You and Schultz had better take cover, just in case."
Klink nodded. He would not feel better for blowing the whistle on one of his own, but at least, he would not feel worse for not doing it either. Schultz had been watching all that time and understood very well what the kommandant was trying to do.
Klink glared at him. "Not a single word."
"Kommandant, I see nothing, I hear nothing," the sergeant said with a tiny smile.
"I'll go first." Spike told Newkirk. "With that bad luck of yours, you're very likely to shoot yourself or Hogan."
Newkirk would not reply. If the vampire was trying to make a joke, he did not mind. He could miss the shot and end up starting something bigger involuntarily. He stayed behind Spike and waited.
The vampire pushed the door and it opened with a lot of noise. Spike stepped inside already guessing what was waiting for him. One clean shot on the chest and he fell down on his back. Newkirk opened fire. Although he aimed accurately as always, the bullet hit the wall behind Grunwald. Before Newkirk could regroup, or the captain aimed his gun at him, Schultz stepped forward and held Newkirk's arm.
"Clever, Sergeant. That will be used in your favor when we put you on trial." The captain went to the door and snatched the pistol from Newkirk. "Now, everybody inside, let's see what this fairy tale is about."
"Please, don't shoot!" Klink stepped forward. "I'm Colonel Wilhelm Klink, Luftwaffe."
"And what are you doing with these people?" Grunwald asked.
"I'm Commander Officer at Stalag Thirteen. I've come on the trail of two escaped prisoners." Klink pointed at Newkirk and Hogan.
Hogan grinned. "Impossible to lose you, Iron Eagle," he shook his head. "I told you so, Newkirk, didn't I?"
"You certainly did, sir. Next time we'll have to be faster."
"No next time," Klink said in a scolding tone. He placed himself next to Grunwald. "Keep an eye on them, Captain. They're the worst apples in the basket."
Newkirk did not mind Grunwald's gun. He could not help running towards Hogan. Touching him would be the only way for him to believe that his colonel was still alive.
Hogan laughed and hugged him kindly. "Nice to see you too, Corporal." He remembered Newkirk's precarious condition of the night before last and stared at him carefully. "Are you all right?"
Newkirk smiled. "I think I am, now that I know that you didn't die."
"Enough! Everybody sit down. I don't want you to try anything funny." Grunwald took a pointed piece of wood and went to Spike, still unconscious on the floor. He put the stake over the vampire's heart and turned to Drusilla. "Now, Fraulein, where is the vault?"
Drusilla glared at him. "I don't like you, Grunwald, and that's bad for you." She touched the wall on the spot where she had seen the light. "It's getting hot here." She smiled.
"All right, then. Start digging," Grunwald said to Mr. Jones and Schultz.
"Wait!" Hogan walked to the wall and Newkirk followed. "See this painting here? That's where Eichenholz hid his treasure. Or so he wrote in his diary. Now, it has to be open in the correct way. No do overs. If you fail the first time, there will be fireworks, so to speak. And we'll be sent to the Stalag Thirteen in heaven."
"Don't like the sound of that." Schultz shook his head. "Maybe we should leave it where it is and-"
Grunwald clicked his gun and put it against Klink's temple. "We won't go anywhere until that vault is opened."
"Captain, what are you doing? We're on the same side." Klink smiled nervously.
At that moment, Spike sat up and stretched. "You ruined a good shirt, Grunwald." He looked at him and laughed. "You're not starting the party without me, are you? Dru, luv, come and stay on the vampires' side."
She came and sat next to him. Spike put an arm around her shoulders. "Spike, that man has not been nice at all. He deserves to be punished."
"All in good time, dear, all in good time."
Grunwald rolled his eyes. "I'm surrounded by incompetents! Start digging!"
"Colonel Hogan?" Mr. Jones turned to him.
Hogan nodded, keeping his eyes on the Gestapo officer. "Newkirk, take a look."
Newkirk crouched down to examine the spot. "It's solid. We'll need a hammer or something heavy to break the concrete."
Spike came from behind. "It's that all you need?" He pushed Newkirk gently to one side. He clenched his left hand in a fist and punched the wall two times. The concrete crumbled like sand. Inside, there was a door with a lock framed in a circle of carved figures. "Cute. Now open it. Since we've come so far, I want to see what's in there."
Newkirk crouched down again and introduced the pick in the lock. The moment he touched the door, he felt a discharge and an invisible force that threw him a few feet away.
"That was fun! Do it again! Now the captain!" Drusilla clapped.
"What's going on?" The captain frowned.
"Oh, that's his opening act. He has been doing that for a while," Spike said with a shrug.
"Are you okay?" Hogan helped Newkirk to sit up. "Maybe we should forget-"
"Oh, no. These wankers have been messing with me head for the last time. I'm fed up with this." He walked back to the vault. "This is me job, that's what I do! That's what you brought me here for. If I can't do this anymore, I'll be-" He was about to turn the pick on the lock when Drusilla screamed.
"What is it now, luv?" Spike put his arm around her waist.
"I saw him dying. You must not force the lock." Her eyes opened wide and she looked as if she were going into a trance. "Round and round... round and round..."
"Round? Round what?" Newkirk was losing patience with riddles and tales.
Hogan frowned. He turned to the vault to examine the marks and drawings. "Could it be possible that instead of a key, this has a dial?"
Newkirk looked at the drawings circling the lock. "There's only way to know." Slowly, he placed his fingers on the circle. It got red hot. He drew back his hand in pain. "It's a dial indeed. But what's the combination?"
"You all look very professional but should I remind you that I'm the one with the gun?" Captain Grunwald was sitting on the debris and still aiming at Klink's head. "Quit the magic tricks and open that box now!"
Hogan smirked. "Do you want to do it yourself? Be my guest."
"Man with the gun here," Grunwald waved the weapon and grinned.
Hogan turned to Newkirk. "What's the plan? Can you do it?"
"Not without me ears." Newkirk narrowed his eyes. The drawings were familiar. "What are those?"
Schultz came closer and pointed at one drawing. "This looks like a tree."
"And that's a bunny," Drusilla said with a giggle.
"Hare, luv," Spike said. "This is the same old bloody riddle. There's the duck and the egg, and that thing over there has to be the island."
"Maybe, you have to turn the dial in sequence." Mr. Jones intervened.
"But from what direction?" Newkirk asked.
"Like in what was first, the egg or the duck?" Schultz said. "I'll vote for the egg first."
"The diary doesn't say anything about that." Hogan frowned. "It could be the island first."
"And we could stay here all day long discussing about that," Captain Grunwald protested. "Pick one!"
"Hey, me fingers are at stake here, I'd like to be sure of what I'm doing before they start burning." Newkirk stared at the group. "Now, any suggestion?"
"Take the logical order," Mr. Jones shrugged. "First the egg..."
Newkirk saw the dial and took a deep breath. He put his fingers on it and winced.
"Wait!" Hogan said suddenly. "She's been talking backwards."
"Me, who?" Drusilla grinned.
"Maybe that counts for something." Hogan stared at the dial. "That's a possibility."
Spike nodded. "It's your only chance, the island it is."
Newkirk's fingers grabbed the dial. He was determined not to let it go until the door was opened or they were all dead. The first two turns were bad, his hands hurt like never before, but he did not scream. By the time the dial turned to the hare, Newkirk could not stand it any longer.
"Colonel!" He screamed for help.
Hogan crouched down next to him and put his hand on Newkirk's. "Just three more turns. You can do it."
"Hare... duck... " Drusilla mumbled as the dial turned. "...egg... It's done."
Newkirk was done too. The pain was excruciating as he let go the dial. He sat back and stared at Hogan. The colonel clapped his arm and nodded. "Good job. Are you okay?"
Newkirk answered with a smile.
Grunwald pushed Mr. Jones aside. He got closer. "Open it!" He ordered Newkirk.
The corporal waited for Hogan's consent before pulling the handle. The door cracked and fell. Inside, there was a wooden box. He took it out.
"If it is another bloody diary I'll rip some Nazi heads," Spike whispered to Dru. "No offence meant," he said to Schultz.
"None taken," the sergeant smiled slightly. He did not consider himself a Nazi after all.
Newkirk opened the box. There was something inside. An oval object wrapped in a handkerchief with embroidered rabbits on its four corners. He was about to take it out when Hogan beat him to it.
He turned to the captain and tossed the egg to him. "It's yours, take it." He grinned at Newkirk's surprised face.
The egg fell down to the floor. The captain plunged to grab it but before he could unwrap it, the candles went off. Wind and moans filled the chamber. The echo was so loud that they had to cover their ears. All except Newkirk. He simply left the box on the floor and prepared for the coming of the third horseman.
Dark Midnight entered the chamber. Her dark clothes floated like smoke around her. She did not touch the ground as she hovered over the astonished mortals beneath her. She descended in front of the box. Half of her face was covered in a black veil, only her eyes were visible. She looked straight at Newkirk.
"Comrade Newkirk!." Her voice was soft but intense. "I warned you!" She lifted her hand. One finger descended slowly over Newkirk's face.
In one-step motion, Klink pulled Newkirk aside, leaving Grunwald next in line. The bony finger touched the captain on the forehead. No one made a sound. Newkirk went in shock as he realized how close he had been to being touched by the third horseman. His heart pounded as he remembered little by little how to breathe again.
It took Hogan a while to figure out what he had just seen. After a second that felt like an eternity, he dared to ask. "What the hell is that thing?"
"Dark Midnight, don't ask me to introduce you two, all right?" Newkirk gasped. Hogan tried to get up but Newkirk stopped him. "She's not done yet." He pointed at Grunwald.
The captain broke his silence with a scream of pain. He covered his eyes and fell down on his knees. Dark Midnight turned to Klink. She came to look at him nose to nose. Klink gulp and his monocle fell to the ground. She smiled. "Very clever, Kommandant..." She went back to the captain and pulled him to his feet.
"The punishment suits the punished... the punisher is pleased."
Grunwald stood up. He staggered, looking around with his eyes lost in another world. He ran towards the door and got lost in the night.
Newkirk could not take his eyes off Dark Midnight. As he got up, everything went dark. He realized they both were alone.
"Now, what?" He asked her. "Have you found another torture to try on me?"
"You faced your fears courageously. Why are you so angry?"
"You left me deaf, made me believe that Colonel Hogan was dead! And those bloody brothers of yours almost killed me twice!" Newkirk shouted.
"You defied Baba Yaga's orders, went against her wishes..." Dark Midnight descended to look at him eye to eye. "But she understands your motives, and she forgives you."
"What does that bloody mean? Are you giving me a medal for this?"
"You won, Newkirk. Koshchei's soul is yours."
"B-but why?" He felt suddenly abandoned.
"There was a point we did not discuss about this quest. You kept trying, stubbornly despite adversity... No one had come this far... You deserve what you've got." She turned to the door. "It's a great responsibility, though. Make sure it is in good hands and handled wisely." The wind stopped and she was gone.
Newkirk tried to move. Some hands stopped him.
"It's all right, don't move yet."
He had not opened his eyes yet. Hogan's was the first familiar voice to reach his ears in days. Newkirk found himself lying on the floor. "I hear you..." he smiled.
Hogan smiled too. Those were the best news he had received since the ordeal began. "You fainted. Are you okay now?" He pulled him to a sitting position. The corporal was still weak. "I get you," he said placing Newkirk's head on his shoulder.
"T-the captain?"
"He's gone."
"The wanker ran away. But no worries, he's crazy as a goat now." Spike grinned, crouching next to them. "And this time there's no warm whiskey or blue rose tea that can help him."
Hogan turned to Klink and nodded. "That was a smart move, Colonel Klink."
"It was, wasn't it?" The kommandant was still in shock but managed to smile. He came closer to offer Newkirk his hand. "I think now we're really even. I think I just bought my ticket to the Russian Front."
Newkirk got up with his help and Hogan's.
"Why? I didn't see what you did." Hogan shrugged. "How about you, Newkirk?"
"I was unconscious, remember?" He turned to Schultz, coming behind Klink. "Schultz?"
"I see nothing," the sergeant smiled. He was just happy to see Newkirk back to his old self.
They turned to Spike and Drusilla. There was a brief pause of silence. Then, Spike sighed and shrugged. "Dead men tell no tales."
Schultz chuckled before going back to Newkirk. He stared at him with a frown. "Are you all right, Newkirk?"
The corporal walked towards him. "It's over, for good, this time."
The sergeant covered his mouth with one hand. "Can you hear me?"
Newkirk laughed. "Yes, I can hear you."
Schultz hugged him and lifted him off the ground. "So good to hear that!" He turned to Hogan, still with Newkirk in his arms. "Can we go home now?"
"I'm the one giving orders here," Klink said. Then, he smiled. "And I say that it's time to go back home."
Hogan looked at him. "Colonel Klink-"
"Colonel Hogan, I won't ask you what's been going on here. That thing in the vault is not good for any side in this war. The farther it is from all of us, the better."
"Apparently, that's the general feeling," Hogan nodded.
"I suppose, the awards ceremony has been canceled?"
Hogan shrugged. "Mysterious ways, sir... that's all I can say about that."
Klink sighed. "We'll go back to the Stalag and forget about this incident. I don't want to know more than necessary. Schultz, gather the prisoners and let's get out of this place."
Newkirk listened and nodded. He waited for Hogan to pick up the egg. The colonel stared at the handkerchief on the floor. There was nothing under it. He turned around. "Funny," he said.
"What is it, sir?" Newkirk came closer.
"The egg is gone."
Spike grinned. "You misplaced it already? So much for taking care of the bloody thing, eh?"
"Maybe you have it. Or Drusilla," Newkirk said suspiciously.
"We can't touch it," Spike said with a mischievous smile.
"We would just burst in flames. Bad for the skin," she shrugged. Then, she turned to Spike. "Are we going now? I've become bored with this place. Let's go back to Paris!"
"With Lucien? Not a chance in hell. We're going back to London and play with the refugees of the Tube.*" Spike took her by the hand. "Hey, Newkirk, here have this." He tossed him a small package he was carrying in his coat. "It's blue rose tea. Give it to Baba Yaga next time you see her. She loves it, she might ease things on you."
Newkirk chuckled. "I don't plan to get that close to her anymore."
"It was a real pleasure to work with you, Peter Newkirk." Spike held out his hand. "Come with us, become a vampire. You'll have the time of your life... literally."
Newkirk laughed. "Not bloody likely, Spike... Your ruddy world is too intense for me taste."
Drusilla came closer and kissed him on the lips. The joke was on Spike when he saw them locked in an endless hug. "Hey," he pulled Drusilla away. "Stay away from my girl, you twit!"
Newkirk laughed. "Oh, bugger off! Have a nice life."
"Not life. Unlife." Spike smirked. "Ta ta."
"Bye, my Enchanter of Delusion..." Drusilla turned to Hogan and blew him a kiss. "See you around, Ace of Swords."
Hogan grinned at her and waved goodbye. Then, he shrugged at Spike when their eyes met. Spike just rolled his eyes and pulled Drusilla out of that place.
As Newkirk saw them leave, things began to come back to normal. The vampires were gone, strolling carelessly among the graves. In spite of everything else, he knew they would be missed.
Hogan gave up. "All right, I've looked everywhere, the egg is not here."
"Maybe that lady in black took it with her." Mr. Jones frowned. "They were after it all the time."
"Oh, well, we can't stay here." Hogan made sure that everybody left the chamber. The air outside was light and fresh. He took a deep breath. "Let's hope that wherever it is, it's safe."
"I second that." Newkirk nodded.
The night covered their steps back to the manor. Countess Elizabeth welcomed them back and listened to their ordeal with great attention. Newkirk moved away from the group and spent the rest of the night reading about Russian Folktales. Once in a while he would listen to the laughter and the talking. The sound filled his ears and made him happy.
tbc
* The Tube: the subway. During WWII, the subways in London were used as shelters against air raids.
Oh, well. Just one more chapter to wrap up the story. I do enjoy reading your reviews, don't stop yet :)