Friends
Lebec opened his eyes, only to swiftly close them again as the world tilted sickeningly about him. He took a shallow breath and groaned, his ribs protesting strongly against this action. His upper arm was throbbing and he knew that the bullet was still lodged inside it. Within the first few moments of consciousness, he knew that he was in serious trouble.
He slowly opened his eyes again and this time managed to keep them open long enough to give the room a quick survey. There was just enough light to make out his surroundings: it was cold, dark and dank. He was in a cell... that thought washed over him, and he bit back another groan of pain as he realised that the dream of his being caught by the Germans was not a dream after all.
Slowly he let his mind go back over the events of the day. The mission had been relatively simple - according to Danko, it was an in and out job: break into the installation, plant the explosive and get out before it blew. That was the plan. It sounded like a nice plan when Lebec had first heard it; it had also sounded like a workable plan. Now, looking at the short lifespan he saw before him, he was starting to have doubts about its viability.
He had been partnered with one of the new recruits: Peterson was an expert with explosives, just like he was. Danko, Cutter, Feke and Farrell were giving back-up. Nothing could go wrong.
Something had gone very wrong. The Germans had known about the attack, of that he was sure, and they had been waiting. Peterson had fallen in the hail of bullets and Lebec was only alive because the other man had been so large. Even so, he had been caught by the bullets - one had grazed him across the forehead and another had bitten deep into his upper arm. He reached up and rested a hand over the latter wound; it felt hot and puffy to his touch. He swallowed hard as the implications slowly sank in... he thought he liked it better when he had been unconscious. With a sigh, he realised he had no idea whether the others were alive or dead. That thought caused a knot of fear to grip his stomach. He had learned over the past few months not to get emotionally attached to the men who trickled through their unit, yet he had still fallen into that trap with those members who had joined at the same time as him.
He pushed aside his concerns for his companions for the moment... he had more pressing things to consider, like getting out of here alive. With slow, unsteady movements, he raised himself to his feet. The pounding of his head threatened to send him spiralling back into the unconsciousness that he almost welcomed, yet he knew that if he succumbed to the beckoning darkness, it was going to be his final act upon this earth. Standing, he swayed dangerously for a few moments until he got his bearings, then slowly, painfully he edged toward the door.
He was within a few steps of it when the door was unlocked and flung open, and a Nazi officer strolled into the room. He was of pure Aryan descent; the strong, handsome, blond features marred only by the sadistic twist of his lips. He was closely followed by two soldiers who held their weapons at the ready, and another who carried a light... while it effectively illuminated the room, it only made it look that much colder.
"Good... you're awake," the German officer stated in his own tongue, looking the other man slowly up and down. Then, seeing the blank look his words evoked, he repeated slowly in English, as if to a small child, "If you wish to live, you will answer my questions."
"Get lost," Lebec replied, stumbling backwards as the room suddenly became very crowded. He ended up falling gratefully upon the bed.
"My name is Hauptmann Schwarz and you will answer my questions," stated the officer. Seeing the dirty look this earned him from Lebec, he smiled and added in a silky tone, "You were in a German uniform..." he paused for effect, "that makes you a spy... and I could have you shot."
"So do it," Lebec retorted with more bravado than he felt.
The other man was quiet for a few moments, looking at Lebec who lay sprawled upon the bed: it was obvious that he was in considerable pain. They hadn't bothered to tend the bullet wound in his arm - it was not life-threatening; the broken ribs would cause substantial pain; but it was the blow to the head, Schwarz knew, that was causing the American the most trouble. With this thought in mind, he continued, "I will leave you for a few more hours. I suggest that you use that time to consider your options... co-operating with us might be more beneficial than dying at dawn." With that, he spun about and left the room, followed by the soldiers.
Lebec wearily settled himself more comfortably upon the bed, looking up at the darkened ceiling. He realised that the meagre light in the cell came from the full moon that shone in through a small, high-up window. He concentrated on taking short, shallow breaths, considering his options. He had to admit with growing defeat that what the Nazi had said was true... he had relatively few.
***
Lieutenant Danko was considering an action of violence against something solid - at the moment the wall was looking good. The mission was a total failure. Everything had gone wrong from the moment they had entered the enemy installation, and what made it worse was that it was obvious a member of the partisans had betrayed them.
"Well?" he snapped at Feke and Leeds as they cautiously entered the room. Danko had sent them out to scout the town and surrounding area in an effort to find out if Lebec was alive.
Feke angrily threw his hat down upon the table as he began his report. "I think they've taken him to the old castle that they're using as their base." He was referring to the SS soldiers who had carried the unconscious Lebec from the installation. "At least, that's the word on the street."
"Damn it," Danko growled, his pent-up anger suddenly finding a release as he kicked at a chair, sending it skidding across the small room.
"We're not going to be able to get to him there," stated Albright, another new member of the Dirty Dozen. "And waiting around here is only going to get the rest of us killed."
"You'll do as you're told," Sergeant Cutter retorted, not even bothering to look at the man who had spoken; he knew that he would be unable to hide his disgust at the man's comments.
Danko, realising that his own unease was starting to influence the others, took a deep, steadying breath and asked Feke, "What do you think... could we get in and out without attracting too much attention?" He was aware that the Hungarian had been inside the castle the day before, seeking out vital information for their mission.
"It's large... old, not too well protected... mainly because they don't think anyone would hit them there. It has lots of little passages, thick walls...." Feke paused as he considered the job before them. "That might work to our advantage."
"Small team... no more than five... dressed as German soldiers... in and out," Danko said, moving toward the table with growing enthusiasm and rifling through the papers that the partisan leader had given him the day before; he was sure that he'd seen a map of the castle. "Here," he said, reaching for the map and unfolding it upon the table. The others gathered about, eager to assist in the rescue of one of their cohorts... all, that is, except Albright, who just pulled a face, indicating what he thought of their mental abilities.
"Wouldn't it be best to give it a few days... wait for the heat to die down?" Albright asked, his tone almost pleading. He hadn't wanted to join up with this bunch of misfits but Danko's offer had been too good to refuse. However, at the present moment twenty years in jail was actually starting to look good.
"Lebec will be dead by then," Danko stated icily, deciding that once they were back in England he was shipping Albright right out of the team. He had already caused too much friction, as it had been his job to protect Lebec's and Peterson's backs... instead, Danko was sure, he had fled back to safety at the first sign of trouble.
"He's probably already dead," growled Albright.
***
The light slowly began to creep across the cell floor, almost like a clock as it signalled the passing of time. Lebec tried in vain not to think about what was going to happen in the morning when Hauptmann Schwarz returned; he didn't seem the kind of man who would take Lebec's refusal to talk lightly, and the handsome New Orleans man knew that he was going to suffer a certain amount of pain before the German officer realised that he didn't know anything worth knowing.
At least he was now able to stand and move about the room, albeit slowly, without feeling it lurch sickeningly off to one side or the other. The door was, unfortunately, securely locked, and he had no way of knowing if there was a guard outside or not.
He moved back to the bed and slowly eased himself down upon it; the walk about the small, confining cell had tired him more than he would have liked to admit, and he seriously thought that he would not be able to make an escape, even if the opportunity arose. That thought led him to wonder about his companions... his friends.
He knew that they must be well on their way back to England by now, and he realised with a slight ripple of surprise that he hoped that they made it safely. It was strange, but he didn't really harbour any ill feelings towards the others for deserting him, in fact he could well understand the impossible situation Lieutenant Danko must have found himself in when the mission had fallen apart. He spared a thought for Albright, remembering his anger and rage as he had watched the man desert both Peterson and himself just after the shooting had begun, yet even that thought paled as he remembered his present situation.
A noise outside the door caught and held his attention. Had the night passed so quickly? He shot a quick glance up at the high window and noted that it was past the breaking of dawn.
The door opened and again a bright light filled the room. Lebec was blinded for a few moments, and it was only when the Nazi officer began to speak that he realised that it was indeed Schwarz, who was addressing him in German. As he struggled to sit up upon the bed, he shrugged his shoulders to show that he didn't understand and Schwarz glared at him before repeating in English, "You will get up and come with me... now."
"It's a bit early to be tortured, isn't it?" Lebec questioned with more bravado than he actually felt.
The German didn't answer, but reached out instead and roughly pulled him to his feet. The action was so unexpected that the injured man didn't have time to react and was soon standing upon his feet, gasping in agony, as two soldiers took up a position either side of him.
Lebec was unceremoniously frog-marched from the cell, where two more soldiers took up locations around him. It was obvious that Schwarz was not taking any chances of his prisoner attempting to escape. Lebec pulled a weary face at this thought, as he had no intention or energy to break free.
He was led along a narrow corridor and up some steps. He soon lost count of the number of floors he passed, and realised with shock that he must be in the mediaeval castle that Feke had told him about: it was the only building in the area that was tall enough for the floors they passed.
"In here," Schwarz said, his English seeming to get better with every word he spoke. "You two," he continued, addressing two of the guards, "wait out here and let no one in." The soldiers looked at him slightly confused. The officer sighed and repeated his command in German.
The room was large, colourless, and mostly bare. In the middle sat a basic, sturdy chair which, Lebec noted with a swallow of fear, was bolted to the floor. The arms had leather, buckled straps nailed to them, along with a large one that obviously reached about the victim's middle... all showed signs of staining by blood. Beside the chair was a small, enclosed cabinet that the American recognised from his visits to the hospitals. He swallowed as he contemplated what the cabinet might hold.
"Please," Schwarz said, motioning Lebec toward the chair, "have a seat and make yourself comfortable... I'll be with you in a minute." As he spoke, he began to undo the buttons of his jacket and, taking it off, he very carefully hung it on the hanger behind the door. Turning back toward his prisoner, he paused in rolling up his sleeves and frowned ominously when he saw that Lebec was still standing. He motioned to the guards, who swiftly obeyed the unspoken command and, reaching out, roughly pulled the shaken American to the seat and forced him to sit while they attached the straps, effectively making him immobile.
"I'm going to ask you some questions," Schwarz began... it was clear that he enjoyed this part of his job. "You can, of course, refuse to answer, and you may even feel compelled to quote the Geneva Convention to me... others have...." He paused, as if considering this option, before he finished, "But the Geneva Convention doesn't apply to you... does it? You were out of uniform and, in fact," he continued, as if only just coming to that realisation, "I could have you shot for being a spy."
"Just get on with it," Lebec snapped, surprising himself with his boldness. He was, in fact, terrified just sitting in the chair, bound as he was. He knew that he was totally helpless and there was no hope of rescue.
Schwarz nodded solemnly as if Lebec had given the expected reply and, moving over, he slowly bent to unlock the cabinet, still keeping part of his attention upon his prisoner. Lebec was unable to suppress the shudder of fear that coursed down his already sweat-slicked body, and he felt a flash of annoyance when he realised that Schwarz had seen the shudder and was relishing its implications. Clenching his teeth and steeling his body, Lebec was determined not to let the German get any more pleasure from his act of torture.
***
Less than an hour later, Lebec was sitting stripped to the waist, bleeding from various wounds and wishing that the Hauptmann would just shoot him as he had at first promised. Lebec had long since given up the pretence of being stronger than the pain; twice, Schwarz had had to send for water to revive him.
Schwarz took great pleasure in explaining the technical reasons behind the agony that Lebec was suffering; what nerves he was attacking and why certain impulses caused more discomfort than others.
Firstly he had removed the bullet from the wounded arm, without the aid of anaesthetic. He had probed viciously for the little bit of metal, almost gritting his teeth as he exerted strength in his search.
Only then, once he had finished, had he begun to ask questions: who was working with Lebec? What had been their route back to England? What was the alternative plan if the original failed? Lebec had answered truthfully, stating firmly that he didn't know. This was not what Schwarz wanted to hear, so he would find another part of the American's body to inflict torment upon. He seemed to take great delight in forcing a large, knitting-needle-type instrument into the fleshier parts of Lebec's body. The New Orleans man could do nothing but cry out in agony, gasping for breath as he pleaded that he knew nothing.
Suddenly the door burst open and Schwarz spun about, his face reddening in rage at being disturbed. Whatever he was about to say was lost forever, as a bullet caught him squarely in the middle of his handsome face and he was flung backward over the small cabinet by the force of the attack. The guards who had grown slack during the torture now jumped into action, but they were far too late as bullets ripped into their bodies and they, too, fell like puppets with their strings cuts.
Lebec paid no attention to his rescue; he was still caught up in the pain of the last length of steel that had been slowly pushed through the fleshy part of his side.
Lieutenant Danko was caught and held by the sight of his man's suffering. Feeling bile rise, he swallowed hard. It only lasted a split second before he was at Lebec's side and calling out for Feke and Leeds to come and help him remove the instrument of torture, while Cutter, Vern and Roy remained on guard at the end of the corridor.
Lebec was only semiconscious, but the feeling of his arms being released and hands gently taking hold him, holding him steady as the needle was slipped from his torso, caused him to gasp with raw agony and, crying out, he tried to struggle out of the hands that restrained him. He gulped in much needed air and, fighting to stay conscious, he slowly pried open one eye as it slowly sunk in that the voice now addressing him was one he recognised. He blinked up at Danko's and Leeds' very concerned faces and frowned: had he finally slipped into delusion? With a sigh, he wondered why it was the lieutenant and Leeds who occupied his mirage and not some beautiful, luscious blonde he saw standing over him. The vision spoke, and Lebec blinked owlishly again as the strong smell of blood reached his senses. Tilting his head slowly sideways, he saw Schwarz laying awkwardly over the small cabinet.
"Nice shot," Lebec mumbled, as he realised that the German was missing his face.
"This isn't going to work," Leeds stated firmly, gently releasing the heavily blood-smeared strap that held the other man to the chair about his waist. "He's too far out of it to walk... we're going to have to carry him."
Danko felt a sigh of frustration well up from deep within his body, but he pushed the annoyance back - it would serve no purpose. "All right," he finally admitted as he gently helped Feke put Lebec's shirt on the injured man, who gasped at every movement and whimpered as he was held forward for the shirt to be slipped behind him. "Vern," he called out to the strong man of the group who was with his brother, guarding the narrow passageway outside the torture room, "get in here."
The man in question appeared, then stopped dead when he saw the condition of his friend, his shock evident by the way the blood drained from his face, leaving him nearly as pale as Lebec. "Sir?" he asked forcing back his own feeling of sickness.
Feke, meanwhile, was being more practical and, shoving the fast-cooling body of Schwarz roughly off the small cabinet, he frantically searched inside for anything to help Lebec fight against his suffering. Snatching up a small bottle of morphine, he held it up, along with a needle, and said to Danko, "Morphine?"
Lieutenant Danko considered the request before he nodded sharply; Lebec was in desperate pain, and trying to move him without knocking him out would only add to the torture that he had already suffered.
The Hungarian acted swiftly and soon the injured man was slipping into the waiting arms of Morpheus, his body going limp as the drug took effect. "Take the bottle and needle with you," Danko advised Feke as the man made to put the drug back, "we've a long way to go." He didn't finished the sentence - he didn't need to; they still had to get out of the castle with their precious burden.
Feke paled at the other's words but carefully did as he was bid, helping Vern to gently lift Lebec up and place him over his shoulder. It would be easier to carry the demolition expert in this manner, thus allowing Vern to keep one hand free for his weapon.
"Okay, let's get the hell out of here," Danko said. Moving carefully to the door and peering out, he motioned for Leeds and Feke to precede him; Roy and Cutter were already speeding ahead to clear their path. He was surprised that the sound of gunfire had not attracted anyone, but then again the walls of the castle had to be at least four feet thick, and he realised the other occupants of the citadel might be used to hearing gunfire from the room that Schwarz used for torture.
***
Lebec awoke with a gasp of raw pain and fought against the wave of agony this action caused. He realised briefly that he was lying under some trees and looking up at the night sky. He blinked, totally confused, and bit back another whimper as the pain flared again.
A motion by his side caused him to turn his head, an action he swiftly regretted as the world tilted and spun sickeningly about him. "He's awake, Lieutenant," an accented voice called out to an unseen person. Lebec recognised the voice as Feke's.
"Feke?" he gasped, surprised to find that he was back with his companions, and also shocked at how weak he sounded. "What... happened?" he managed to gasp between dry swallows.
The Hungarian reached out and gently rested a hand upon Lebec's cheek, cautioning softly, "Don't move." Then, turning, he reached for a flask of water and carefully held it up to the injured man's lips. Lebec drunk greedily as the cool water trickled into his parched throat. He coughed as the flask was removed and groaned as his entire body protested.
Danko squatted down beside his injured man and asked, his voice full of concern, "How are you doing there, Lebec?"
The other man looked up at his commander, a man he had never hoped to see again, and managed to pull a whisper of a smile from his wounded soul. "Not too bad," he mumbled, before he added with genuine feeling, "but glad you managed to come back for me."
"I don't like leaving men behind, Lebec... you should have realised that by now," stated Danko firmly, his eyes taking in the others of his group. He had only held their respect for a short while, but it had come to mean a lot to him and he could feel the level rising even as he spoke. He suddenly realised that his small band of cut-throats and criminals had become a very tight-knit and effective unit - all, that was, except for Albright, who was standing, scowling at them as he leant up against a tree across the small clearing. Danko swallowed hard at the feeling of belonging and, reaching out, gently rested his hand upon Lebec's arm, taking care not to cause the man any further pain. "Try to get some rest... we're just waiting for pick-up," he explained, "then it's a short hop across the Channel and hospital for you. Just think of all those pretty nurses waiting to be swept off their feet."
"I think... it'll be a little while... before I'm sweeping anything... off its feet, sir," Lebec stated, but the effect was lost by the weakness of his voice.
"Don't worry," Leeds said, moving into Lebec's line of vision. "You just point out the one you want swept, and I'll sweep her for you."
Lebec gave him a cold, hard glare that lasted only a second as he saw that he was being joked with. He pulled a long-suffering face instead and answered firmly, with growing dignity, "No thanks... I think I can manage... to sweep for myself... if it really becomes necessary." The others laughed at his tone, and he realised that it was a welcome sound.
It was interrupted by the distant rumble of a plane approaching. Danko stood up and made his way over to the partisan member who had guided them to this pick-up point. "You and your people will be all right?" he asked of the small man, who stood no taller than his shoulder.
"We know who betrayed us; after this night we will have no need to fear his loose tongue again." The man's stature might be small, but his determination to set his country free of Nazi dominance was large. "Will your man be all right?"
Danko looked at the man in question. He was still surrounded by the rest of the unit, who were unconsciously forming a barrier about him against the harsh reality of the world. "He'll make it," he stated with some feeling of relief.
"It was a very foolhardy thing to do, you know... going in after him... you could have got your entire unit killed," the man spoke around the burning cigarette that hung from his bottom lip.
Danko considered the other's statement before he answered slowly, "If I'd left him in there, I don't think the unit would have survived, anyway."
The man before him nodded his head, understanding the meaning behind the words. He settled his rifle more comfortably upon his back as he took another drag of his cigarette and then, dropping it to the floor, he ground it out, saying, "I'll get my people to start lighting the lanterns. You'd better get your men ready." He moved off into the darkness, and Danko knew that soon the field would be alight with beacons and the plane would be landing to take them home.
Moving back to Lebec's side, he motioned Feke away from the group with a tilt of his head. As he approached, Danko advised, "The plane will be here shortly; it might be an idea to give Lebec another shot before we move him."
Feke nodded his head. "I'll see to it," he said in a low tone before he made his way back to the group. Upon reaching his former position beside his friend, he reached a hand into his pocket and slowly withdrew the needle and morphine.
Lebec saw the needle, was mesmerised by it as a flash of memory returned in full force, and he was unable to suppress the shudder of pure fear that rippled through his body.
"The plane's coming..." Feke explained, not moving a muscle as he noticed Lebec's reaction, "it'll be easier for you...."
The injured man looked at the worried group of faces that surrounded him, drawing strength from their obvious concern. Slowly he drew a smile from the warm feeling that was seeping through his body. He swallowed hard, pushing aside the memory of Schwarz and the needles that he had used upon the captured American. Lebec finally gave his agreement, but he closed his eyes tight as the needle was filled, unable to watch what was about to happen to him.
Leeds, seeing the raw fear and remembering the condition that they had found Lebec in, could well understand the other man's feelings. Reaching out, he took hold of Lebec's hand, giving it a tight squeeze. It was a gesture of comfort and reassurance, and Lebec clung to his hand as the injection was administered.
As the morphine began to flow through Lebec's body, his fears abated and he opened his eyes. His pain was now a distant memory, and dreamily he smiled his thanks at the other members of the dirty dozen... his friends.
THE END
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