Behind the Lines

When Charles and his retinue arrived back at the hall it was to see Kurt being escorted across the entrance hall by the second lieutenant.

The pair of them stopped and saluted as the senior officers entered.

“What is happening here Lieutenant?” The Captain asked.

“Master Sergeant Langer attacked the Scharfuher sir.”

“Did he by God. Is this true Scharfuher?” Terry asked.

“Yes sir.” Alan replied with a slight grin.

“I trust you won this disagreement?”

“Oh yes Sir.” Alan’s grin grew.

“What do you think should be done Captain?” Terry asked while assessing the Master Sergeant.

“Court-martial Doctor, sir.”

“We haven’t got facilities suitable to hold him till the trial sir.” The lieutenant told them a bit embarrassed.

“Then break him to the ranks and have him do the most demeaning of tasks like cleaning the toilets with a tooth brush.” Terry suggested.

“An excellent idea.” Charles said jovially. “And since you are the victim in all this Scharfuher you shall have the pleasure of removing his stripes.”

“Thank you Sir.”

Alan crossed over and using his Swiss army penknife cut the chevrons off. He returned and handed them over to Charles.

“If I had my way you would be guarding a lonely spot on our frozen eastern boarder. As it is you will be the servant to the NCOs’. Make it so Captain.”

“Lieutenant inform the NCOs and other ranks of the change. No on second thoughts all three of us will go.” He turned back to Charles. “If you will excuse me sir?”

Charles gave a wave of his hand to excuse the officers before telling Alan to join them in the task after all he was the officer that was assaulted.

While this was going on Theo and Rex were settling down for the night.

“Tomorrow we will interview the slaves and do a little walk around the town to check our escape routes.” Theo said as they planned the next days activities.

“What is up, I know something is needling you?”

“It’s our charges. I know they are all crushed by what has happened to them. But some of them, I don’t know, just doesn’t ring true.”

A figure stepped out of the shadows that made them both jump. Standing there was the Sandman. The Sandman was quite short when compared to the towering six footers. He was dressed in a very dark green, almost black, double breasted overcoat and vest. On his head was a fedora pulled low over his face and what a face. Underneath was a British gas mask that made it looked like a skull.

His breath wheezed in and out.

“Do you suspect German agents.” His voice was hollow and emotionless.

“I hadn’t thought of that.” Theo said getting his breath back. “No I don’t think so It’s just something wrong. Any chance of getting a message over to Terry?”

“Yes I can manage that.” Sandman replied.

“Ask him to give them the look over will you and tell them we are ready to move early Wednesday morning?” Terry said. “Oh by the way there is a perfectly serviceable door over in the corner.”

“I will also be going in to set up for mass in his private chapel. I will see you there unless you want to come to mass tomorrow at ten o’clock.” He lifted his head up and cocked it over. “Nice door.”

He stepped back into the shadows and was gone.

“I wish he wouldn’t do that it puts the wind right up me.” Rex stuttered.

In Charles’s room the two of them were discussing what they have found out.

“I’ve got to get these things out of my eye’s they are killing me.” Carefully Charles removed the contacts and put them in a little bath of saline. Terry took the dropper bottle and added a drop to each of Charles’s eyes. The white filmed eye’s made him look so helpless. Terry passed over his red tinted sunglasses which he promptly put on with a nod of thanks to him.

The Sandman stepped out of the shadows but he noticed they didn’t react to his sudden appearance.

“Do we reconnoitre tonight?” He asked Charles.

Charles shook his head.

“No. We are all too tired and could make a mistake. How did you go?”

“I have the Commandant’s permission to hold a Mass every Wednesday in his private chapel. That should get me access to the main building. I’ll also be holding confession which hopefully will get me in contact with Rot Wang.”

“Good. We will be holding medicals in the centre on Wednesday and with any luck Rot Wang will showing me his work.”

“I’ve just been to see Theo and Rex. They have a concern over the slave workers.”

“What about?” Terry asked.

“They can’t put their finger on it its just a feeling of something being wrong. They asked if Terry could look them over.” The Sandman explained.

“Alright. We should be able to fit them in.” Charles said.

“I’ll see you Wednesday unless you want to join us for Mass at ten o’clock?”

“Err no thanks.” Charles had already had run ins with the Catholic Church being a Jew living in sin with a good Catholic girl.

The Sandman stepped back into the shadows and seemed to vanish like he did in Theo and Rex’s room but Terry’s incredible hearing heard the jingling of the old bike as Wesley rode it away.

The Captain flanked by his two Lieutenants and Alan and Selina trailing behind knocked on the door to the other ranks mess before entering.

“Officer present!” A trooper yelled causing all the others in the room to spring up on to their feet and stand to attention.

“At ease!” The second Lieutenant yelled. There was a crash of feet as they took up their position with their legs apart and their hands clasped together in the small of their back.

“Stand easy men.” The Captain called and watched for a moment as the troopers relaxed. “I am sorry to spoil your evening but I have important news. Sergeant Karl Langer launched a unprovoked attack on the Scharfuher. For this act he has been reduced to the ranks pending his Court Marshal. He will be billeted with you but he will act as servant to the NCOs.”

Several of the young soldiers looked shocked but the chef and his mate smiled cruel smiles.

The officers left to the sound of their own footsteps.

Once outside the first lieutenant informed his senior officer.

“There is no love lost between the chef and the prisoner sir. I’d be surprised if he last’s the night.” He whispered.

“Oh dear what a shame, what a pity.” The Captain whispered angrily.

“Well that went well.” Alan whispered to Salina.

“Somehow I don’t think so.” She whispered back before taking the Lieutenants hand and giving it a squeeze before letting go.

Alan met Hans at the entrance to the NCOs mess after the officers had briefed the NCOs of the change of status of Karl. They came out just in time to see Salina and the Lieutenant sharing a passionate kiss.

Alan sighed audibly.

“They never learn.” He said shaking his head.

“She’s beautiful, the lucky beggar.” Hans was obviously wishing it was him that was in Salina’s clutches instead of the officer.

“It’s the same at every outpost. You should have seen the officer from the last one after she had done with him. He had two broken ribs from where she had squeezed him so tight, I should know as I was the one who bandaged him up, and he was so exhausted the Doctor had to sign him off with two weeks bed rest. She had sucked him dry and left him in such a state that even going for a piss was agony.” Alan started to laugh. “Serves him right he was an arrogant little bugger.”

Alan at that moment was distracted to find Karl hovering a few feet away trying to eaves drop.

“You still here?” He said angrily.

“I have no orders…Sir.” It tortured Karl that he had to defer to this SS equivalent of a Sergeant.

“Then I will give you some. Go and clean everyone’s boots, buckles and buttons till you can see your face in them.” Alan ordered. “And if I’m not satisfied you will feel my SS boot up your backside and you will do them again till I am satisfied! Well go on get on with it!”

A young corporal was lounging just inside the doorway.

“Don’t worry sir we will make sure it’s up to standard.”

“Thank you Mikal.”

Both Alan and Hans looked at the clock as it struck eleven o’clock.

They turned and entered the mess to a round of applause which Alan found to be very embarrassing. The pats on the back and having to shake hands were worse.

The pair of them had a couple of beers before Alan slipped away on the pretext of checking up on the Doctor. Half way up the stairs he had the distinct feeling he was being followed. He pretended to retie his boot so he could look around but he couldn’t see anybody. With a shrug he continued up the stairs unaware of the figure that stepped out of the shadows on the landing below.

Soon all the four of them were in Charles’s room.

“Well did you find out anything?” Charles asked.

“Most of the NCOs are just like us, ordinary people trying to come out of this nightmare alive, nothing like the propaganda we are fed at home.” Alan told them. “They have three sections patrolling the woodlands and the fence perimeter on a eight hour shift system. The next patrol is at twelve o’clock. I’m going to try and go with them so I can get a better idea of the efficiency of the guard, patrol times and numbers. Mind you my new friend Lance Sergeant Hans Holbein is a mine of information.” He accepted a glass of whisky from Charles and sipped it gratefully. “This’ll keep me warm.”

“The Officers feel sidelined. They had hoped to be doing something worthwhile like providing a guard for the whole centre rather than walking the perimeters without the right numbers to do it.” Salina added.

“What do we know of the guards inside the complex?” Charles asked.

“Very little I’m afraid, just that they are vicious thugs and highly trained killers.” Salina told them.

“I got a similar impression from the NCOs.” Alan added as he finished his whisky. “Thanks for that.” He said. “If you will excuse me I’ve a patrol to gate crash.

“Good luck.”

Alan slipped away and went down the stairs to the Mess to find Hans dressing up ready for the patrol.

The younger Lieutenant was in charge.

“Sir?” Alan gave a quick salute. “Permission to join the patrol sir.”

The man hesitated a moment before finally agreeing.

“Permission granted.”

“Thank you sir.”

He crossed over to the sleeping quarters and got dressed and prepared for the nights patrol.

“Why on earth do you want to do a patrol, you said yourself you have an easy life as the Doctors driver and batsman?” Hans asked.

“The easy life makes you go soft which is dangerous in the world now. I need to experience proper soldiering for once, I need to feel action again. I hope you understand?”

“Yes. I hadn’t thought about it like that.” Hans conceded.

“The gilded cage.” Alan said simply as he drew on his dove grey gloves.

“The gilded cage.” Hans agreed.

The clock in the hall way struck one o’clock and the figure slid out of the shadows and up the stairs as quietly as a mouse. The shadow paused outside Charles’s room and satisfied himself that the room was in total darkness. Unknown to him Charles was wide awake and preparing his medical bag ready for the medicals later. His perfect night sight making the darkness vanish and gave any object a greenish glow.

At the next door they could hear Terry’s gentle snoring.

Satisfied they crossed over to Salina’s door and listened to the soft breathing from within.

A hand gently tried the door and finding it unlocked slowly pushed it open. A Luger fitted with a silencer swept the room before coming to a rest on Salina.

Salina open one eye and keeping relaxed extended her other senses to determine who the intruder was. She could smell the heavy odour of stale tobacco and the sour milk smell of days old sweat on unwashed clothes. She could hear the uneven rhythm of a straining heart.

With a loud yawn she turned over onto her back.

“What kept you Romeo?” She said with a light laugh in her voice.

“He couldn’t make it will I do.” Kurt laughed as he lent over her and placed the gun at her temple. “Your going to learn what it’s like with a proper man and not a pampered boy.”

He grabbed the sheet with his free hand and pulled it off Salina’s lithe body.

The pistol never wavered from her temple.

“Now don’t try anything heroic.” The gun moved down her face to rest against her lips whilst he was trying to undo his pants buttons. “You’re going to die so you might as well enjoy the ride.”

“Really? I can hardly wait.” She breathed as she slowly brought her knees up to her chest forcing Kurt to lay on top of them. He was on tip toes and distracted by having to get undressed. Then Salina saw her chance. Placing her feet on each side of Kurt’s hips she straightened her legs with explosive force. He flew across the room and slammed into the wall.

Selina untangled herself from the bedclothes and rolled off the bed just as Kurt fired, with a stifled phut from the silencer, at her head. The pillow exploded into a rain of down.

“Missed me!” Salina laughed at him.

She got up and performed a perfect walk over like she was a gymnast on the beam.

Kurt took aim.

The gun shot cracked out causing both Charles and Terry to come flying out of their rooms.

Kurt looked as if someone had said something to hurt him. The hand he had laid on his chest came away covered in blood. He slumped back against the wall and slid down it to reveal the first lieutenant standing there his face ashen and the hand holding the smoking pistol shaking.

Working as a team Terry and Charles dealt with the situation. Charles checked Kurt for life signs but finding none looked up at Terry and shook his head.

Terry looked at Charles in horror. In their rush to get to Salina Charles had forgotten his contact lenses and his red tinted glasses.

Staring up at Terry were two white filmed eyes.

Terry quickly signalled to Charles the fact.

Charles nodded and getting to his feet said.

“I’ll go and get my bag.” He left in a hurry but was soon back with his Doctors bag and wearing his glasses.

Terry got the badly shocked officer to sit on the chair whilst Salina, now in a dressing gown sat on the edge of the bed holding his tightly clenched hands. The poor young man had gone green and looked like he could vomit at any moment.

“You have never killed anyone before have you?” Terry said gently.

“No Sir.” He said looking down at his tightly gripped hands shaking in his lap.

“It never gets any easier if you are a real human being. If it is any consolation you’re worth ten of him.” Terry said as the out of breath Captain arrived in a state of disarray.

“The young man is in shock.” Charles whispered to him.

“Can you tell us what happened? Take your time?” Terry said gently.

The Lieutenant was looking at the body staring back at him and swallowed.

Charles seeing this shut the dead mans eyes and covered him with the sheet from the bed.

“I saw the Scharfuher going up to your rooms sir.” He said shakily. “The Sergeant was hiding in the shadows on the landing. I was going to bed but something made me watch him from my own set of shadows. He used the telephone to call the Research Centre.”

“How did you know it was the centre he called?” Terry asked.

“He kept saying, ‘Yes Commandant’ and the one at the centre is only one I know of.”

“When did he telephone?”

“Just before one sir.”

“You’re doing fine. Carry on.” Terry encouraged.

“He was given directions to a particular book on the shelf behind him. Inside it was a gun. I saw him screw something to the barrel.”

“A silencer.” Using a handkerchief he picked up the weapon and showed the others.

“The clock struck one and he came out of the shadows and started up the stairs. I followed but not to closely.” He turned to the Captain. “I should have got you sir but I was frightened that if I left to get you the Sergeant would be gone.”

The Captain put a hand on the young officers shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze.

“You did the right thing Matthew.” Her reassured his officer.

“I saw what he was trying to do to you miss but I was frozen to the spot. He fire his gun and just missed you. I had to do something so I fired my gun. I couldn’t let him hurt you.”

“And I am thankful that you did.” Salina said with a heart felt sigh.

“Are you alright my dear?” Charles asked.

“Yes Doctor, just a bit shaken.”

“Understood and not surprised.” Terry replied.

“You are a very brave young man Lieutenant.” Charles said earnestly.

“I was terrified sir, scared out of my wits.” He replied with a shake of his head.

“It is easy to do what is right when we don’t feel fear, it is far braver to feel the fear and still do what was right.” Charles patted his hand. “I’m going to give you a slight sedative so you can rest. You saved my Lieutenant from death and probably worse if there is such a thing.”

The Captain organised the body being removed and a cot put in Charles room for Salina.

He paused when he realised Charles was wearing red tinted dark glasses.

“I can get terrible migraine head aches if I don’t rest my eyes with these glasses.” Charles explained.

“Oh I see. My sister suffers with them so I know how bad they can be.” The Captain explained but it was so obvious he wanted help for her.

“Before we leave I’ll give you one of my spare pairs. I’m not guaranteeing they will work as everybody’s experience of migraine is specific to themselves.”

“Thank you Doctor.”

“Also tell her to lie down in a darkened room with a lavender pillow that may help to.” He smiled at the Captain.

“Thank you Doctor. I will tell her.”

When they settled down again Charles wondered if Alan was successful in joining the patrol.

Ten minute’s after speaking with the Lieutenant Alan was in the back of a lorry being driven to the change over spot.

Soon they were disembarking and lining up for inspection as the relieved troops got into the lorry and was driven away.

Han’s and Alan were chosen to patrol the area between the electrified fences with six other guards.

The fence line was long, about four miles in circumference, with four gun towers at the cardinal points. It was there that two troopers were left with Alan and Hans to take up positions in the last of the gun towers. The rest of the NCOs and troopers patrolled the woodlands that masked the centre from the air.

It was half a hour later when they reach the breach in the wires where the wing of the British bomber had cut through them.

“I can’t imagine anyone surviving that.” Hans’s trooper said.

“Keep your mind on the job in hand if you please.” Hans rebuked gently.

“Sorry sir.”

“He’s not wrong though.” Alan whispered to Hans who simply nodded.

The burning aircraft had pulled out a hundred meters of the two fences and wrapped them around the wing.

As they approached the gap four burley men dressed all in black jumpers and slacks toting hand held machine guns and semiautomatic pistols appeared out of the darkness. They gave of the air off cruel disinterest.

“Move on soldiers.” The leader said motioning them on with his sidearm.

Alan expected the loose wires to be sparking as the electricity was earthed but there was nothing. Once they were out of sight of the black garbed guards Alan reached a outstretched hand to the electric wires of the outer fence.

“What are you doing? You trying to get yourself killed?!” Hans yelled in alarm.

Alan withdrew his hand a little.

“If I’m right it will be safe, if not charge at me and knock me down. Whatever you do don’t grab me as you’ll be electrocuted to. Prepare you’re selves.”

“Your mad but who am I to question.” The trooper said with a grin.”

The two Germans dropped into a runners crouch ready to knock Alan over like in a Football scrimmage.

“Now!” Alan yelled as he grabbed the wire. Nothing happened. He turned and grabbed the inner fence electric wires and once again nothing happened.

All three of them relaxed.

“The powers turned off because of the breach that English Bomber made.” Alan stored that piece of information away for later. “That’s why those guards are there. Come to think of it I wouldn’t fancy meeting them in a dark alley.”

“Nor would I. But do we report this to the lieutenant?” Hans asked.

“Yes.” He said after a moments thought. “If he has noticed the lack of power it would look odd if we don’t report it.”

“Yes. I suppose it will.”

They carried on until they found the first pillbox standing by a old unused road to the centre. There wasn’t a break in the fence to allow entrance to the site and the road petered out a short distance in.

The pillbox was a pretty basic affair. A concrete cylinder with a door at the side and two gun slits in the front. Inside someone had tried to make it more comfortable by adding two folding campaign chairs and a rickety table with a built in chess and checkers board.

“Fancy a game of chess Hans?” Alan asked as he searched for the pieces.

“There isn’t any pieces my friend and I can’t play anyway.”

“I think we have got a long four hours in front of us my friends.” Alan sighed. “And there was I thinking this has to be more interesting than driving the Doctor’s around. If I come up with another smart idea like this one you have permission to boot my arse Hans.”

His friend laughed.

“I may take you up on that.” He said trying to stop the giggles that for some reason had gripped him.

A little later whilst on watch with Hans, while the trooper dozed in the chair, that he became aware of movement in the trees. He kicked the troopers foot hard.

“Someone or something is in the woods to our left.” Alan whispered hoarsely as the trooper came awake. “I’m going to go outside and get on the roof you two keep a close watch.”

“Yes Sir.” Han’s replied. Quickly he and the trooper who was now wide awake took up their positions.

Once outside and totally unseen Alan reduced his weight and leapt onto the roof. Dropping on to his stomach he crawled forward to the front edge of the pill box. Alan was well aware that he was in a dilemma. If the shadows turn out to be resistance fighters coming to attack the pillbox does he join in repelling them or do nothing allowing them to kill his new friend Han’s and having to blow his cover to make sure he doesn’t get shot in the process.

If he joined in with Han’s he could be killing brave resistance workers.

“What a mess.” He muttered to himself.

He backed up and dropped to the ground . Keeping in the shadows he flitted over to the woods and began slowly carefully circling around to come behind the figures he had spied earlier.

He stood behind a tree and watched as a group of six black attired men crept forward. With them being held at gun point was the youngest of the two Lieutenants.

Alan carefully chose his targets.

Reducing his weight to almost a feather made his foot falls silent. In seconds he was behind the back marker.

He tapped him on the shoulder.

Puzzled the guard looked behind him straight into a haymaker delivered with such precision onto the point of his chin.

His eyes rolled up in their sockets as he collapsed. Alan deftly caught him and lowered him quietly to the ground.

The next was holding the Lieutenant.

Alan grabbed the man and dragged him and the officer into the undergrowth. Once there there was a short scuffle ended by virtue of the fact that the Lieutenant used a lump of wood to knock the guard out.

Alan gripped the mans arm in thanks.

Four more were left to deal with.

He lent forward and whispered to the officer.

“Once I disturb them try and get to the pillbox and get the others.” The officer nodded his understanding.

Alan quickly climbed a tree and ran deftly from branch to branch until he was directly overhead.

With a yell of ‘Geronimo’ he launched himself into space. Like a circus act he twisted and turned in midair to land feet first on two of them, sending them crashing to the floor.

Working swiftly he delivered two kidney blows to their backs before catapulting over them as if their backs were spring boards. He crashed down between the remaining pair.

As one tried to level his gun, he found Alan using it to spin over his head. Twisting as he landed he gave a karate blow to his neck.

“Your dealing with the SS now and we are trained to kill.” Alan yelled as he dogged the second mans charge.

With great speed and skill Alan blocked the blows the second man rained on him. Alan’s right foot slammed into the mans stomach winding him driving him to his knees. Alan jumped and spun round hitting the back of the mans head with his foot knocking him out. The last guard leapt for Alan’s back but found himself grasping at air as his victim somersaulted to land behind him .

For the next two minutes a battle royal took place with Alan always just out of reach. This was an unarmed contest the like the Lieutenant had never seen before. Each of Alan’s blows hit nerve bundles whilst his opponents met only thin air.

As the Lieutenant, Hans and the trooper thundered into the clearing Alan dropped his final foe with a precise strike.

Hans looked around at the six men that lay unconscious around the glade.

“I will see that you get mentioned in dispatches for this Scharfuher. How…, where did you learn to fight like that?” The Lieutenant said disbelievingly.

“At SS summer camp 1939 and I would appreciate not being mentioned in your report. It will call up some awkward questions we’d want to avoid. Like what was I doing on patrol with you in the first place.”

“Ah yes. I see what you mean.” The Officer said. “It seems our charges are waking up.”

He jabbed one hard with his boot.

“What happened to the men with you?” Alan asked the young officer.

“They are at the next pillbox. This filth killed them all and I will see them shot for this.” The Lieutenant replied.

“Guide us to your men. I’m not going to leave them here for the foxes and insects to find. Then lets get the rest of the patrol.”

“I know you want to see if you can help my fallen comrades Scharfuher but I think it will be better to get the rest of the patrol first so they can help guard the prisoners.” Han’s said hoping he hadn’t upset his new friend.

“I will be guided by you on this.” Alan replied as he covered the men with one of their own machine pistols.

The night was nearly done but there was still much to do.