Oh Mylanta! Thank you so much for the amazing reviews! Your kind words honesty keep me hooked to the story of Jaclyn and George. I love them (and the reviews!) :)
October 20, 1944
Nijmegen, Netherlands
Over the next few weeks, Easy and the 506th held the majority of the island from the impending German forces. Besides patrol duty rotation, the soldiers didn't have much to do. With too much time on their hands, mischief naturally grew.
Gradually, the men became braver in asking Jaclyn about her time before Normandy. They knew she was a hard nut to crack, and some of them were still terrified of her since Nuenen, but their curiosity got the better of them. And although she wouldn't speak about her time before becoming a spy, she found herself opening up more. And she had a very attentive audience.
"So what you're telling me," said Malarkey, beer in hand, "is that the kraut then shot the other kraut because he thought it was you? How is that possible? You're half the size of most men!"
Jaclyn shrugged, her eyes innocent. "He saw the dress and the heels and started shooting. Guess he didn't share his secret fetish with his comrade, only the local barmaid."
The men in front of her howled with laughter. Some of them were rolling around in the hay, their chuckles echoing in the barn. She had to smile. It was one her more interesting missions while in France.
Malarkey wiped tears from his eyes, still laughing. "How did you escape?"
Jaclyn chewed on her lip, remembering. "Well, once I had the correspondence in hand, I used the dead kraut as a shield and fired his weapon at the other, his fingers still around the gun." They looked at her awestruck. She blushed. "Really sounds much more thrilling than it actually was."
"There's something I can finally believe," Cobb said in the corner.
Luz looked at him before rolling his eyes hard. He nudged Toye in the ribs with an elbow. "Here we go."
Jaclyn crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. "Doubting me again, Cobb?" He took a gulp of beer and nodded with a severe look. "That demonstration offer is still on the table."
Luz, Malarkey and Toye gained matching chesire grins. Please, please, please take her up on it, Luz prayed. He crossed his fingers and attempted to cross his toes. Stupid boots.
Cobb shrugged. "I can't go down as the one to hurt a woman."
The other men muttered their disappointment. Chicken shit, thought Luz, puffing on a cigarette.
Jaclyn continued to stare him down. "How about going down as the one hurt by a woman?" The men perked back up. Luz resumed praying.
Cobb stared at her for a long time before shrugging again. "Your choice. You guys are my witnesses. She didn't back down." They nodded happily. Luz gave him the thumbs up.
Jaclyn took her almost full pint and chugged the rest of the beer down. She pushed the empty glass into Luz's chest. "I'll need a victory drink soon, Luz." She gave him a wink.
"Yes, ma'am."
Jaclyn stood at the same time Cobb did. The others backed away to give them some room. She gave him a grin. "Last chance, Roy." He only sneered.
They both crouched, watching the other. Cobb lunged first, and before anyone could really see what had happened, he was on his back. Jaclyn straightened to the sound of cheers around them.
Cobb stood up angrily. "Again." She shrugged, nonchalant.
This time, Cobb hesitated, not wanting to make the same mistake. Jaclyn stepped forward as bait, and as he reached toward her, she spun against his side before grabbing him from under the armpits, crouching, and lifting him up and over her shoulder and to the ground. The air went out of him with a whoosh. She sank to one knee next to him, smirking.
"Sorry to interrupt the party," Nixon called from the doorway. Everyone turned towards his voice, even Cobb from the ground. Winters and another man stood with Nixon.
He grinned when he saw Jaclyn kneeling next to Cobb. "Or whatever circus this is." He motioned to the stranger wearing a red beret between him and Winters. "This is…"
Jaclyn stood at attention and saluted the man. "Lieutenant Colonel David Dobie, sir."
"Yeah, him."
Dobie walked towards Jaclyn, a big smile on his face. "Mackenzie. Good to see you, girl. It's been ages." He looked at Codd still on the ground. "I see you haven't changed." The men looked at each other in wonder while the two Brits shook hands.
"So I swam across to find help, and lo and behold, I find Americans," said Dobie, as he sat with Winters, Nixon and Jaclyn. Nixon placed a beer in front of him. Dobie raised the glass and winked. "Cheers, mate."
Winters looked thoughtful. "So how many men are trapped?"
Dobie swallowed before answering. "Just about 140. Mostly 1st Parachute Division, but a mix of Dutch in there as well. We've been stuck there for weeks. I needed to take action."
Nixon nodded. "Of course. Glad it worked out."
Dobie nodded back. "Glad I found you, yanks."
Jaclyn watched the exchange silently. Her previous experience with Dobie was a positive one. She knew there were a lot of good men in the 1st.
Winters took a breath and let it out slowly. "Nixon tells me that the Germans are forcing the people in town to evacuate in two days. This seems to be an opportune moment to retrieve your men among the chaos." Jaclyn could tell he was itching to go with them. After recently being promoted to battalion XO, his time leading missions for Easy seemed to be over. He had an entire battalion to run now.
They all agreed with Winters' statement. Anything to keep the Germans' attention from the mission. "Lieutenant Heyliger is going to lead twenty troopers along with Dobie to retrieve the men. It's pretty straight forward as far as missions go," said Nixon. He looked to Jaclyn. "While the boats go back and forth, we need you to infiltrate the German camp about a half mile from the bank and retrieve information on the location of another group of prisoners. You won't have much time, but it should be fairly quiet."
Jaclyn nodded, nerves mixing with excitement. Quick game of capture the flag, Jackie. Just a quick game.
October 22, 1944
Easy spent the day preparing boats for transport to cross the river. They were scheduled to leave at 2100 to get to the riverbank by 2400. They would cross at 0100.
Jaclyn emerged from her bunk, changed and ready for the mission. She walked over to the group of men that were accompanying her as they waited by a bonfire.
"Jesus Christ," croaked Malarkey when he saw her. "You just about gave me a heart attack, woman." His eyes scanned her up and down. She was clad in all black, blonde hair tucked into a black knit cap, and her face streaked in black grease.
"Thought you were some fucking Jap ninja," added Perconte. "Worried we were leaving for the Pacific."
"Is the Pacific warm?" asked Toye, rubbing his hands by the fire.
"Yeah."
"Then count me in."
Luz strolled up, an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips. "Looking good, Mack. Black suits you."
He saw a flash of white teeth. "Yes, very slimming, or so I hear."
Heyliger and Dobie walked up to the group. She watched the Lieutenant count the men, satisfied that everyone was here. "OK, let's move out."
The trek to the riverbank was a long one as they had to carry the boats on their shoulders. Since Jaclyn was so short, she was exempt from the task. Her job instead was entertainment.
"Jackie, talk to me in French," requested Malarkey.
"Que veux-tu que je dise? (What would you like me to say?)" she replied. "Que tu es le plus beau? Je ne devrais pas mentir. (That you're the most handsome? I shouldn't lie.)"
Roe, who was traveling with them only to the riverbank in case of injury, grinned. He was also fluent in French.
"Damn, that's hot," said Malarkey. "I love when you speak dirty to me."
Jaclyn laughed. "I did no such thing, you wanker."
Malarkey grinned. "I figured, but a man can dream." She laughed again, smacking his shoulder.
Roe laughed, adjusting the boat on his shoulder. "How many languages can you speak, Jackie?"
She thought for a moment. "Not counting English, of course, four."
The men whistled around her. She held up her hands in innocence. "It's not my fault that my grandparents taught me German when I was growing up. I studied French in college before enlisting, and my friends at RAF taught me Dutch during my time with them. We worked with the Resistance often. It's really not a big deal."
Luz looked at her. "And the Polish? Liebgott said you speak Polish, too." The other man nodded the affirmation silently.
Jaclyn got quiet. "Yes, I speak Polish." She didn't go into further detail. Luz recognized the dismissal of the topic, and he didn't press her further. He kicked Malarkey in the back of the knee when he saw him open his mouth.
At last, they arrived at the river.
Silent as the grave, the four boats crossed the water. It only took about ten minutes, the water was calm and still. Jaclyn jumped from the craft as soon as she felt it hit earth. She helped pull it forward with the rest until steady.
Easy lined up, awaiting orders. Heyliger, Welsh, Dobie and Jaclyn moved forward towards the trees before stopping again.
"OK Colonel, where are your men?" asked Heyliger.
Dobie scanned the trees. He pointed to seemingly nothing. "There."
Sure enough a British soldier ran forward. "Sir," he said, shaking Dobie's hand. "Good to see you again."
He motioned to them. "Lieutenants Moose Heyliger and Harry Welsh." The officer shook their hands.
"Never thought I'd be so happy to see a bloody yank."
Dobie nodded to Jaclyn. "And you know Mackenzie, of course."
The officer smiled at her. "Jackie, you're a sight for sore eyes."
She smiled back. "Chris, glad to see you haven't killed yourself yet."
He chuckled, before turning back to Dobie. "We are ready when you are, sir."
Dobie nodded, looking to Jaclyn again. "We'll see you soon, Jackie."
She nodded back before turning towards the right and running into the trees, crouching. The British soldiers that she passed murmured their good wishes to her.
She heard Heyliger muttered back to Easy before she ran from sight. "Brits are on their way, pass the word."
Jaclyn's heart hammered in her chest, but she found the designated building rather quickly and easily. She crouched, watching the area for awhile, memorizing details of the house and the lone soldier that patrolled the perimeter. She glanced at her watch. 0120. Right on time.
After another minute of observation, she waited for the kraut to turn the corner and walk the back of the building. On the balls of her feet, she crept quickly through the grass, towards the building and up the stairs.
The door was unlocked. Idiots. She slipped inside and closed the door again with a sound.
Jaclyn waited, listening for voices. Second floor. At least three. She tiptoed to the parlor before spotting the office door opened slightly. She squeezed through the crack and crouched in a shadowy corner before walking to the desk.
Bingo. The desk was strewn with notes and maps. Quickly, she took them before lifting her fitted turtleneck from her waist. She wrapped the paper around her middle before rolling her sweater back down again. Not the most comfortable, but at least they were secure and hidden from view.
She heard the creak in the floorboards a moment too late. Jaclyn turned and was instantly struck across the cheek with the handle of a handgun. She felt the skin tear, and blood mixed in with the grease on her face.
The kraut yanked her left arm hard and twisted it behind her back. She felt her shoulder pop from the socket. Fuck, she gasped at the pain.
The kraut gaped when he realized she was a woman, pausing stupidly in his attack. Yes, remember your manners. Don't hurt the little woman.
With the opportunity, Jaclyn flipped him over her shoulder with her other hand, pain radiating down her arm, but she couldn't help but smirk and think of Cobb. Before he could utter a groan, she kicked him hard in the head, making him black out.
Hugging her left arm to her chest, Jaclyn exited the office.