True Allegiances (May 1936)

Georg glanced around the crowded bar, taking a small sip of the whiskey in front of him. He had hoped he would be able to water it down and ensure he kept a clear head, but for reasons he did not understand, the bartender had been watching him like a hawk. He knew that if he altered his drink, it would be suspicious. And Georg could not afford suspicions.

Georg felt a familiar pounding in his temples as he contemplated the bartender's interest. When Georg had first agreed to his current assignment nearly two years before, he had considered the danger, but what he had not considered was the more subtle effects on his health. He had to be suspicious of everyone, and that was exhausting. It did not take long these days for a headache to develop, and only at home was Georg truly free of them. Home was his one safe haven, the place where he could let his guard down because he had someone watching his back who he trusted without question—Maria.

Thoughts of his wife caused Georg to reach up, casually running a hand over the side of his coat. He had hidden a picture of his family in there, one they had taken just a month ago to ensure it included his eighth child, Johannes—his and Maria's Christmas miracle (though he had actually come into the world three days before Christmas). Georg knew it was risky to have a picture of one's family on one's person in his line of work, but the comfort it brought was worth the risk, especially since Maria had sewn special pockets into his jackets to hide the picture, pockets that would be nearly impossible to detect without knowing of their existence.

He met the bartender's eye as the man again looked his way. Feeling a bit annoyed, Georg raised his glass in mock salute. The other man scowled and turned back to serving customers. Georg turned away as well, continuing his survey of the patrons though he knew the bartender was still watching him. Georg wondered who the man might be working for. There were a number of possibilities, for Georg had somehow found himself quite interesting to a number of parties, a situation he had never truly intended. Over the years, however, Georg had learned to expect the unexpected.

Georg studied each patron in the bar, wondering if any were his contacts. He had never met the two men he was supposed to be meeting on the current night—he likely did not even have their real names. The current mission worried him. Since beginning his undercover work with the Nazi party, Georg had only had two real tests of his dedication to the cause and usefulness—both bombings of strategic ammunition factories in Britain. He had, of course, relayed the orders to his British contacts before carrying them out, and he was sure they had stripped the factories of most of their useful items, but they had left enough to avoid suspicion. Georg had set up both bombings at night to avoid any casualties, a consideration that his Nazi contacts had remarked upon but not chastised him for. On the current night, however, he suspected they were going to ask him for something different. The bar in which he currently sat was a known gathering place for retired British military officers, particularly naval officers. It was a place where Georg would not be surprised to run into someone he knew—a concern he had shared with the man who had set up the meeting. The man had simply told him that the meeting needed to occur in the bar where Georg sat which certainly made Georg question why. Every other time he had met a contact, they had met somewhere considerably less crowded and less conspicuous.

As Georg opened his ears, trying to catch any German conversations to help him identify his contacts, he heard a familiar voice that made his heart sink in his chest. "Georg? Georg von Trapp? What in God's name are you doing here? I thought you would realize by now that your are not welcome around here." Georg turned slowly, trying to keep his features hidden as much as possible. His father-in-law, John Whitehead, stood a couple meters away, scowling. "Well? Cat got your tongue, Georg? Generally, you are ready with some snarky retort, so you must have had too much to drink."

Georg felt the eyes of many other patrons in the bar on him, assessing him. He knew most of them would recognize his name, even if they did not recognize his face. He considered his next move for a moment. Though he had tried to conceal his appearance somewhat by letting his beard grow out slightly, choosing shabbier clothes than his usual attire, and forgoing his normal impeccable posture, he was recognizable enough that he could not pass himself off as someone else to someone who knew him as well as John. "I was just in the area and needed a drink," Georg finally remarked, keeping his voice calm.

"Here? You know this is a bar popular with naval officers."

"Well, that seems like a perfect place for me."

John's eyes narrowed. "British naval officers." Georg could sense people around him shifting, obviously ready to come to John's aid if needed. The tension in the air was palpable. Georg chanced a quick glance around the room, counting at least two dozen men glaring at him with obvious dislike. He still saw no sign of his contacts, and if they walked in now, it would not end well for them or Georg. Georg was intelligent enough to know when it was time to cut his losses. He would simply have to inform his contacts that someone had recognized him and that he needed to leave—he had told them it was a definite possibility. Of course, he doubted the Nazi party would consider that a valid excuse for ruining their plans.

"I can tell when I am not wanted," Georg said simply, placing some bills on the counter to cover his drink before standing. John shadowed him to the door, not quite touching him but forcing him to continue to move forward. As Georg pushed the door open, he heard something that made his heart nearly stop. Multiple voices were talking softly—in German. Glancing around quickly, Georg saw a figure in an alleyway a few meters from the door of the bar, half-hidden in shadows. He was obviously watching the road in front of him, the road that led straight to the bar and which Georg would need to traverse to leave. Knowing John, the older man would follow as well until Georg was back on the main road, ensuring that he rid himself of his troublesome son-in-law fully.

Georg realized with sudden clarity that he was not at the bar for a meeting. He was there to be a distraction. He was not sure exactly what the Nazi's were doing, but he was sure it did not bode well for any of the patrons of the bar. Mind buzzing, Georg tried desperately to think of his next move. He knew that there was another British agent waiting for him, but he was three blocks away to avoid suspicion, and Georg could not reach him without passing the lookout. Even if he made it past the lookout, the Nazis could still finish up whatever they were doing before Georg could bring back help. He needed to find a way to gather help sooner.

A sudden, desperate plan formed in Georg's mind. He hesitated a moment, willing himself to think of something else, but it was no use. "Believe it or not, I am sorry about this, John," Georg muttered under his breath before letting the door swing shut again as he spun to face his father-in-law, fists already raised. Georg's first punch hit its mark, knocking John across the jaw hard enough to hurt but not enough to do any serious damage. The older man's eyes went wide, but he did not have time to retaliate before Georg threw another punch, this one in his stomach. He doubled over as the air left his lungs.

Georg heard the scraping of chairs and knew back-up was coming. He kept the door at his back as he faced the new combatants, waiting until they had come close enough to begin throwing their own punches before calling out, "Someone call the police! Quickly!" Georg had been complimented on his command of the English language and lack of a German accent many times before, and he was relying on those skills now. Hopefully, everyone would assume one of the Brits had called for the police, leaving Georg's name off the record as much as possible. Though, Georg thought wryly as he ducked a chair swung over his head and kicked the wielder's legs out from under him, given the current state of things, he might not make it out of the fight alive at which point keeping himself above suspicion would be moot.

Georg did not know how long he fought for, but by the time he finally heard the shrill whistles of the police, he was dizzy from countless blows to the head, had likely cracked at least a few ribs, and was limping heavily from a hard blow to his knee. He could taste blood from a cut lip and more dripped down into his eyes. He swiped away the blood from his forehead, listening to the shouts of the police as they told everyone to drop to the ground. Georg did as they said, his mind frantically working. He was not sure if they had caught any of the Nazis outside the bar or, if they had, if they had realized their significance. He needed to warn them, but he could not think of a way to do so without giving himself away. Closing his eyes, he considered for a moment, but he saw no other option. A quick check around told him no one was watching him closely. "Check for explosives," he said as loud as he dared. Immediately, the two nearest officers looked towards him and the three other men lying beside him, none of whom was John. After a moment of panic, Georg spied his father-in-law a couple meters away, lying still on his back. Georg hoped he was just unconscious.

"Who said that?" one officer questioned, kneeling. Georg adopted what he hoped was a puzzled expression as he looked at the other three men as well. Fortunately, they looked equally puzzled, and no one pointed the finger at him. "Who said it?" an officer demanded again, looking closely at each of the men. "I want to know what you mean by that!" Still, no one spoke, and the other officer put a placating hand on the arm of the first.

"It may be best to check into it, even if we do not know who said it or the motivation behind it." The first man stared mutinously at the group a moment longer before finally nodding. Inwardly, Georg breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thomas, Edgar, William, get all these men rounded up and back to the station or hospital. I have quite a few questions to ask about what went on here tonight. And get me one of our explosives experts. Everyone else, clear out of the building." Someone pulled Georg roughly to his feet, and he felt the cool metal of handcuffs encircle his wrists. Head down, he let them lead him from the bar, hoping that his contacts would be able to help him out. He did not fancy a long stay in the British prison system, for he felt that it would not be kind to a retired Austrian sea captain. Not to mention the fact that he doubted Maria would appreciate his arrest.

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John Whitehead slowly came into consciousness with a splitting headache, wincing slightly when he tried to open his eyes and the light hit his pupils. He closed them again, deciding it best for the moment to keep them that way while he tried to puzzle out what had happened. The last thing he remembered was his son-in-law throwing a punch and starting a brawl in a bar which had previously been known for its respectability. John wondered how Georg could cause such mayhem seemingly without effort.

From somewhere that seemed far away, John heard a door close before low voices spoke. He recognized both of them though it took a moment to do so, for they were two people John had never expected to converse, especially as casually as they were. "How is he?" Georg asked, and if John had been feeling generous, he might have said his tone sounded concerned.

"Better than you, I daresay. The doctors said he was just unconscious and may have a headache when he wakes up but otherwise no other injuries. You, on the other hand, look like hell." The voice sounded exactly like that of Rear Admiral Thomson who had commanded the fleet which had contained John's ship before his retirement, but that could not be right. Curious now, John tried to open his eyes, but the pain forced them closed again. Neither of the men in the room seemed to notice his wakefulness.

"Yes, well, I feel like hell. Accommodations at your police stations leave something to be desired."

"You should be in a hospital."

Georg gave a short bark of laughter. "You and I both know, Ed, that the last place I should be right now is a British hospital." The name confirmed John's earlier identification of the second man, but it simply left him more confused. Why would Georg be talking so casually to Admiral Thomson? Even John rarely called him by his Christian name. "Allan said he would call a doctor to check on me."

"What happened, Georg? The police seemed baffled by the night's events, and the eyewitness accounts are not helping. Most seem to agree that you started the fight with John after he identified you, but no one seems to know why. And police have three men in custody who barely speak English and were seen fleeing the scene. Plus, an unknown person told them to check for explosives."

"Did they find any?"

"Not yet, but I did tell them to take the threat seriously, so they evacuated the block and are making a thorough search now."

"Good."

"What makes you think there are explosives?"

"What makes you think I gave the warning?" There was a long pause, and John managed to slot his eyes open enough to see the admiral glaring at Georg. John's son-in-law truly did look worse for wear. He had dried blood covering much of his face and jacket, he was leaning heavily on the wall beside him, and it looked like it pained him to breathe. Georg sighed, wincing slightly. "It is the only explanation that makes sense. You should have the police question the three men they found again but check for suicide pills first."

"Suicide pills?"

"A favorite among Nazis. And you may have better luck questioning them in German though I'm sure you know as well as anyone that it's notoriously difficult to get any information out of Nazis."

"I thought you were there to meet a couple contacts."

"So did I. Turns out Britain isn't the only one who changes plans without telling key people." John was a bit surprised to hear Georg speak to Thomson—who was notorious for his intolerance of insubordination—in such a way, but he supposed his son-in-law had always had a confidence bordering on arrogance. What was more surprising, however, was that Thomson actually looked a bit chagrined. "I realized as I was being. . . escorted out that I was the decoy. I suppose they figured that if they sent me into a room with a bunch of British naval officers, someone was bound to recognize me. I do not think they counted on it being my father-in-law, but I am sure they would appreciate the irony. I spotted their lookout and realized I could not make it past him to alert Matthew, so I had to come up with a different option to gather attention."

"Well, you certainly did that."

"Unfortunately, I am not sure that I did so without compromising myself. John announced my identity rather loudly, and even if people could not recognize my face, a fair few know my name."

"I would not be so sure about that. Fighting with John Whitehead might not endear you to England's finest, but I imagine it will get you a fair amount of support from others."

"Not since it brought police attention to an operation I am sure they would rather not have compromised."

"Unless they do not believe the fight brought the police attention."

"You have a cover story?"

"Matthew's idea, actually. Seems your father-in-law thought to call the police on you before confronting you."

"John would have to go along with the story."

"Which is why I'm here. I was his commanding officer, you know."

"Lucky you."

"He's actually a fine officer, believe it or not. Not as good as you, of course, but I doubt there is any man dead or alive who could best your skills under the sea."

"You flatter me," Georg deadpanned.

"He is also not a bad person, something I assume you realized since you saved his life."

Georg scoffed. "I was not going to let the Nazis blow up a bar full of people."

"That is not what I meant and you know it. I have heard of your various escapes over the years, and I know that a single lookout would not have been a problem for you. If you were not worried about someone following you into trouble, I am sure that you could have easily alerted Matthew in time."

"I could not know that." Thomson raised his eyebrows. "Keep in mind, Ed, that I did punch the man twice."

Thomson laughed. "Knowing John Whitehead, he had it coming."

John decided it was time to alert them to his wakefulness before he heard more than he cared to about his old commander's and son-in-law's opinion on him. He coughed meaningfully, blinking as if just coming awake. Both turned to him, Georg once more wincing as he moved too quickly. "What happened?" John asked, not needing to bother making his voice sound weak.

"You got yourself in a bar fight. I think you might be getting too old for such things," Thomson remarked, stepping closer.

"Why is he here?" John nodded toward Georg, regretting it when pain shot across his temples.

"Georg just saved a bar full of British soldiers at considerable risk to himself. He is here at my invitation."

John stared at the two men for a moment. No matter his opinion about his son-in-law, there was truly only one explanation for what he had heard and seen that night. "You're a spy for the British government."

Georg canted his head, smirking slightly. "Is it that hard to believe?"

"How long?"

Georg understood the unasked question. "Just over three years. Nothing happened while she was alive though they did ask." He looked to Thomson who shrugged.

"We got you in the end. And considering that you are currently the best source of information about the Nazi party, I would say our desire to recruit you was reasonable."

"Your new wife. . . Maria. Does she know?"

"Everything," Georg confirmed. Thomson pursed his lips, but Georg ignored him.

"And she accepts it?" John knew his own wife would be livid if she found out he was doing something so dangerous.

"That is between Maria and me."

"It is also not relevant to our current situation. We need your help, John. Georg cannot risk his position, so we need to give another explanation for the presence of the cops tonight. We thought perhaps you could admit to calling them before confronting him."

"And if I don't comply?"

"I suppose I phrased that incorrectly. This is an order, John."

"To protect him?"

Fire flickered in Thomson's eyes. "Yes, John, to protect Georg von Trapp, the man who has risked life and limb countless times in order to help us stay a step ahead of the Nazi bastards who seem hell-bent on taking over all of Europe. I don't know what your personal problems are with him, and frankly, I don't give a damn. You will do this or I will have you court-martialed. I do not think you would like the outcome of that trial." Thomson glared at John for a moment, daring him to object. Surprisingly, it was Georg who placed a hand on the older man's shoulder, placating him somewhat.

"If you don't wish to do something for me, John, do it for the children. Neither of us wants to see them fatherless."

"Then why even go through with this insanity? Surely you understand the risk."

"Likely better than you. But who am I to stand back and let others take risks I am not willing to take myself? I was in a unique position to be able to do something about the Nazis, and could not live with myself if I did not take the opportunity." Though pain still etched every feature, John saw something else in Georg's eyes as well—pride and determination. He realized in that moment that perhaps he had misjudged his son-in-law, maybe even from the very beginning of their acquaintance. He knew he could not go back and change things now, but he could make a start.

Slowly, John nodded. "Okay. What do I need to do?"

A/N: So I wrote all of Moments of Truth from Maria's perspective on purpose because it meant that I could keep Georg's spying a secret, but I have always loved writing the action-filled, spy scenes so I am taking the opportunity to do that now. You will probably see some more like this though this one is likely going to be one of the most important since it gives some glimpses into Georg's changing relationship with his father-in-law-which will become important later.