part 3
Casino had surprised the Warden by helping him out of his uniform, and checking the bandages. Actor had told him what to do, and he was damned if he'd given that big Italian know-it-all anything to gripe about. He, of course, was quiet as he went about it, but Garrison talked to him, well to 'Hans', while he was getting him out of his things, and checking him out. He thought he could understand some of what he was hearing. The Warden had said going in he'd be doin' a lot of talking, and for him to just listen, and, if he thought he knew what he was being told, or asked to do, to go ahead, and react. The same with the Krauts on the base. They figured that would be what any guy with a scrambled up brain like this guy had would do, and it would look and sound right to the people they were trying to con.Casino moved off to the alcove where they'd put up a cot for him, and started to get ready to sack out. "Officer gets the good bed," he thought, "Poor enlisted slob gets the cot!"
He'd never had to stick with any of this play acting stuff for very long. Not like Garrison or Actor, they could carry it off for days! He didn't know how he was going to get through it. And, Garrison had been right, having to keep his mouth shut was already driving him crazy. Actor had told him to 'Live the part.', whatever the hell that meant. Well, he was glad he didn't usually have to do this kinda thing, cause he didn't think he was gonna like it. Give him a lock, or a safe, something solid, something he could depend on knowing how to do.
He'd just stretched out when he heard Garrison mumble something from the other room. He sat up, and swung his feet down to the floor, to get up and find out what was up, when he saw the Warden pad across the floor towards the chairs they'd been sitting in earlier. The cot creaked as he pushed on the side, and stood up to go out into the other room, and drew Garrison's attention. He shook his head and motioned Casino back to bed, and then lowered himself carefully into the chair.
Casino climbed back on the cot, and pulled the blanket over his legs. He watched Garrison for a while. "The guy's ribs must be hurtin' him," he thought, remembering the time he had broken a few. "He probably can't get comfortable layin' out flat." He waited and then looked a little closer, and saw that the Warden's eyes were closed, and his breathing was kind of regular. That usually meant somebody was asleep. He got up quietly, and went into the bedroom, taking a blanket from the bed, he walked out to where the other man was sleeping, and draped it over his legs, and pulled it up over his shoulder. He stood there a moment, considering, "Guess that's all I can do for him," he figured. "He's too big throw over my shoulder and carry back to bed." And he went back to get some rest. He was going to need it tomorrow.
***
If it had ended he wasn't aware of when. He didn't recall spending any time in the darkened cell downstairs. He seemed just to find him self, sitting on a chair, looking at his tormentor. The man was speaking to him, it seemed from a great distance, and he struggled to hear him, to understand what he was saying. "Don't look so surprised." The Colonel was watching him from behind his desk as the straps were pulled tight. "The beatings would have killed you." He saw a man with a leather bag step towards him out of the corner by the door, and watched as he opened the bag to pull out a stethoscope, and settle the ends of it in his ears. The blindfold was pulled back over his eyes. "We could not allow that," he could hear the smile in the other man's voice, "Yet." And he felt the shock of cold as the bell of the scope was placed on his chest.
He'd managed to endure another day. He didn't know how. He hadn't been able to stop the screams after the third or fourth jolt of electricity had hit him. He never saw what they used on him, only heard the ominous hum of it, as they moved around him. He remembered the damn Colonel assuring him that his screaming would "Do the people good." His questioning would show them, "What happens to spies and traitors." He didn't know how long the session had lasted, he didn't remember being brought back down to this darkened hole. It was silent again, but the questions still ran over, and over, in his head. He didn't think he'd ever stop hearing them. He didn't know how much longer he'd be able to deny them. They hadn't even bothered with the bindings for his hands when they brought him down. It didn't matter, he couldn't even manage to raise them from the floor to wipe the sweat from his face.
***
Garrison woke with a start, sweating, pain burning along his nerves, words still echoing in his head. He struggled to control his breathing and clutched the blanket around him, trying to get warm and stop trembling.
***
The next morning their first stop was at the medical unit. Garrison explained as they walked slowly across the compound, that as men 'recovering' from injuries, they would be required to check in with the doctor, and hand over their medical files. He wasn't expecting such a thorough examination from the doctor, however. Casino had been checked out first and was waiting, quietly in the corner of the room as the doctor went over him. Listening to his lungs, looking in his eyes, testing his reflexes and asking questions. "Oberst Krueger, you seem to have re-injured yourself."
"I am afraid I missed my footing on the stairs and fell a few days ago."
"But you should have been relieved of this duty, sir. You require more care, more rest."
"Sometimes, Doctor, it is more restful to be at work. And Hans takes very good care of me once he has been shown what I require."
"Then we must show him how to assist you on the stairs so that you do not fall again," the young man said with a smile. "You appear to have suffered more than one injury recently."
Garrisons defenses heighten a notch, "Yes," he responded quietly, wondering where this was going to lead.
The doctor sat on a stool facing him, putting the chart on his knee, "Were you captured?"
He hesitated, and then looked away for a moment, before responding. "Why do you ask?"
"I have seen these marks before," the doctor spoke gently, and reached out to indicate a small scar on the inside of Garrison's upper arm, and then another on his chest. Then he stretched his hand over his right shoulder, tracing his finger around the knot that lingered in muscle there. "How did you come by these? Were you taken prisoner?"
Garrison continued to avoid the man's eyes while he considered his options. He finally took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and looked up, staring the man in the eye. "No, doctor, I was not captured."
"Then how did this happen to you? These are not the type of injures I would expect from a plane crash."
He let the silence stretch between them several moments as he studied the doctor. "We were questioned." When the physician turned his head and shot a quick look at Casino, he continued. "We survived a crash on take off, doctor. Two of my men were killed. Hans was injured. Knocked unconscious, I found out later, as I was. When I came to myself I had been separated from my men."
He let the memories wash over him, let himself feel the anger and fear, the pain again. His pulse was racing, the pace of his breathing quickening. A fine sheen of perspiration was breaking over his face and chest. Casino shifted in his corner but with a subtle shake of his head, Garrison warned him not to move. The doctor tried to place a comforting hand on his arm, but he pulled away, gazed straight ahead and continued. "We were 'questioned'. They wanted to know how we would respond if captured by the Allies. I was held in a place that appeared to be an American camp, but I knew that could not be true. I knew we hadn't gotten further than they end of our own runway. I asked them what they were doing. I demanded to see my men, my commander." He looked back in the other man's eyes, "All I got were 'questions'."
"How long did this go on?" the doctor asked quietly.
"I don't know. Three or four days." He sat straighter on the table, took another deep breath and continued. "I don't know what caused them to stop. I don't know what would have happened if they hadn't. I was taken to another base and hospitalized there. It was suggested to me, that it would not be in my 'best interest' to discuss my experience. I was assigned another plane and crew. The plane was strafed and shot down on our last mission." He looked down and lay his hand on the dressing covering his belly. "And I was sent back to that hospital." He looked over at Casino, who was staring intently at him from across the room. "I found Hans there, Doctor. He had been exposed to the same 'experiment' as I had. The doctors told me that he must have suffered from some sort of 'shock'." His voice had taken on a scornful, sarcastic tone. "Ironic, the use of that word, don't you think? They said that his brain had been damaged, and that they would send him to an asylum where he would be," he paused slightly, "'Taken care of.'" Garrison started to move off the exam table and Casino came to his side, to help him down. He smiled at the look of concern on his face and put his hand on Casino's shoulder and squeezed, reassuringly. "I couldn't allow that, Doctor."
Casino held his shirt open for him, and as he turned and slipped his arms into the sleeves he was facing the doctor again. "You have examined him. There's nothing physically wrong with him. His throat, his hearing." He let his voice grow forceful. "His brain is intact, Doctor, they damaged his mind with their 'questions!'" and then his tone softened "He is a good man. He was a fine, loyal, member of my crew." He moved over to the mirror on the wall and started to work the buttons on the front of the shirt. Casino grasped him by the arm and turned him back to face him, reaching up to complete the task. He frowned up at Garrison and then raised an eyebrow. "What in the hell is going on?" was telegraphed in that look and Garrison couldn't help but smile. When Casino had helped him on with his tunic, fastened, and smooth it down. Garrison looked back at the doctor. "One member of my crew died in that crash, doctor, another died in the hospital. I was told he died from his injuries. That may be true. I don't know what happened to the rest of them, they were 'reassigned.' I asked them to let me take responsibility for Hans. Like me, he has no other family. I found a doctor who is taking very good care of him." They had reached the door, Casino opened it and stood back to let him step through, but Garrison turned back towards the doctor for a moment. "I could not leave him there, Doctor. I couldn't let them destroy him."
The doctor looked down at the file he had in his hand, and, rising, shook his head and asked quietly, "What kind of madmen have we set loose in the world?"
Garrison considered him briefly before turning to make his way out of the room. "I don't know, Doctor."
Casino gripped his arm and guided him out toward the open area behind the office. They'd be using this green lawn for their "exercise." He could talk and ask his questions as they paced away from the buildings and not have to worry about being observed, or overheard.
"What in the hell was that all about?" he shot a look along his shoulder at the Warden and didn't quite believe it when all he got was, "We were just discussing the state of the world today, Casino." And he knew it must have been way more than that when Garrison continued, grimly, "I don't think anyone will wonder why you're so quiet now." Garrison shrugged Casino's hand from his arm and turned back towards the compound. "Come on, 'Hans'. We have work to do."
***
"We must get him out of there," she insisted, giving the three Americans a hard stare.
"There's no way! You were in there! You saw all those Kraut guards. We'd all be killed!" The young soldier shot a panicked look at the people gathered around the table.
"But you cannot abandon him to this fate. We must at least try!"
"Come on. We got to go with this lady and get him outta there."
"No, way, Jeffries! They already got Baskins and Masterson! I'm not going back in there! We did our job!"
"Ma'am, our orders were to get that list, and get back to England. We've got the film they took. The Lieutenant gave up his chance to escape to give us a shot at getting it back. We can't risk getting caught with it. We have to get out of here." This was the one she had thought would be the leader, the one that would help her go back in.
Greta turned in disgust. "Then you will stay here, where you can keep your precious film safe, and we will go!" As she turned on her heel she looked at one of her men and jerked her thumb over her shoulder, ordering him to stay with these fools who could not find the courage to try and save the life of their leader. She didn't see the young one move from the corner, or hear as he quietly spoke to the others. "There's more 'n just orders gonna get us through this thing, Foster." She didn't notice as the slight young red head followed in her wake.
***
They'd spent the rest of the first day closed up in 'Krueger's' office. Garrison had been presented with a stack of reports and test data to wade through, and Casino had been left to sit, staring out the window. He watched the workings of the base carry on through the glass, and listened to the quiet rustle of paper as Garrison made his way down through the material. Occasionally they'd both be startled by a knock on the door, as a tech or clerk brought in more reports.
Late in the afternoon Major Hoffmann arrived to check on them, asking how the Colonel was feeling, and what he thought of the project. Garrison raised his eyes from the data he had been studying, "Very impressive, Major," he replied, letting the admiration for their work show on his face and in his voice. "This will make a great improvement in the accuracy of our bombers."
Hoffmann smiled and bowed his head quickly in recognition of the compliment.
"Have they started construction of manufacturing facilities yet?" he asked, and continued smoothly when the saw the guarded look flash in the other man's eyes. "But there are already many fine facilities in Oberkochen that would be able to handle this exacting work." Shoving his chair back away from the desk, he rose, stiffly to his feet and stretched as Casino handed him the cane and offered his arm for support. "I have a wonderful camera that was made there. It has given me many hours of pleasure." Looking at the German officer, he smiled, "I only wish I had the pictures here to show you."
They moved out of the office down the hallway, and out onto the landing before turning towards the stairs. Casino stepped down onto the first step and stopped, taking Garrison's hand from his arm and moving it to rest firmly on his shoulder, as the doctor had shown him, before they started moving carefully downward. When they reached the ground Casino again stepped to 'Krueger's' side and offered his arm. He glanced at the man next to him and frowned, not bothering with subtlety, tugging him firmly towards the quarters they had been assigned.
"Forgive me, Major. Apparently Hans believes it is time for me to rest."
They'd eaten another simple meal together in their quarters. Casino had gone into the bedroom to smooth the bed up. He wasn't taking 'No' for an answer. The Warden was shot, and he was gonna see to it that he stretched out and got some sleep. When he walked back into the common area he scowled down on the man, slumped over the table, forehead resting on crossed arms, asleep. He turned and walked back to the bedroom picking the blanket up he went back out to the table and draped it over Garrison's shoulders.
***
When the door opened, and the guards came in, he just lay on the floor. He didn't even open his eyes. "Maybe they'll think I'm dead," he mused. His head lolled to the side and then dropped forward, onto his chest as they hauled him up. He couldn't manage the strength to hold it up. "Damn It!" he thought. That wouldn't do! And he struggled to open his eyes and stiffen his spine, willing the power to walk into his back, and down into his legs. They still had to drag him up the stairs, but he managed a halting, stumbling walk by the time they entered the public corridor. There weren't as many civilians there this time. "Probably couldn't stand all the screaming," he thought, and surprised himself with a smile.
They'd gone about halfway down the hall when he heard a sharp 'pop' and then a hiss. The guard to his left let go of his arm, causing him to stumble forward, and twist to his right. He saw smoke, and heard the sound of small arms fire, and running feet. He struggled to maintain his footing, to use the diversion to get away, but he failed, and fell, landing on his back on the floor. The second guard planted a foot in the middle of his chest to keep him down, and then fired his pistol, sending a bullet tearing through the muscles of his right thigh. He screamed with pain and frustration, and tried to grab the wounded leg, but the guards boot kept him pinned to the floor. The man aimed a vicious kick at his chest, as he stepped over him and ran down the hall towards the fight.
***
He sat up with a jerk, hugging the pain that shot around his ribs to join the pain in his back, shoulders, head and gut. He took a shuddering breath, and tried to control his racing heart. Garrison flinched and pulled away as Casino reached out and grabbed his arm to shake him out of his dream. He clasped his hands tightly in front of him on the table as he pulled air deep into his lungs through his dry mouth. Casino stepped into the small kitchen and brought back a glass of water, and frowned down on him as he watched Garrison drain it.
***
"So what am I suppose to so while you're rooting through all that technical stuff?" They were taking their usual exercise, before starting the mornings work.
"I think it might be safe for you to just, kind of, wander around the base." Garrison cast his gaze around them. "Stories like ours are great subjects for the grapevine in a place like this. Everyone who works here probably already knows all about 'Hans'. He studied the other man's face closely, "You OK, doing something like that?"
Casino considered a moment, feeling the twinge of disquiet in his belly and mastering it. "Sure, but what am I s'pose to be looking for?"
"Anything else that's going on, baby. Anything at all."
So, after he took 'Krueger' over to the research offices every morning, and got him safely up the stairs, and settled behind the latest stack of test results, 'Hans' had started to make regular tours of the grounds. The first few encounters with the techs and military personnel were nerve wracking, and Casino had to struggle to keep up a calm appearance, and maintain a steady, unhurried gate, as he wandered around the area. But as he moved around the buildings he began to realize that the Warden's assessment had been correct. The people around here seemed to know about him. They even acted curious about him, motioning him over and trying to communicate with him. He'd gotten into a couple of the other buildings, and been shown models of engines, and propellers, and some stuff he hadn't been able to identify. Crazy, how people's guard dropped when they were convinced they were dealing with a dim wit, he thought. Some of the men had even enticed him into a game of soccer. He wasn't very good, and he'd been glad of the times Actor and Goniff had talked him into kicking the ball around with them. At least he sort of knew the rules. The physical activity helped to relieve some of the stress of carrying on this crazy game of charades. His heart still flew into his mouth when he heard a bark of "Halt!", if he got in to too sensitive an area, but he'd perfected the 'dumb guy' look and, amazingly, it got him through. He'd even been delivered back to Oberst Krueger's office once, and left there, with a friendly pat on the back.
After the second day they'd taken to eating in the mess, with the rest of the people on the project. The first meal they'd spent sitting quietly on their own, but by the next, people were coming up to exchange a word or two with 'Krueger', and smile down at 'Hans'. By dinner he'd been invited, by a firm hand on his arm, to join a table of men down the hall who were playing cards. Garrison nodded, and waved him away, with amusement. When he looked back, as he settled himself next to the dealer, he saw Major Hoffmann had taken his place and was already deep in conversation with 'Colonel Krueger'.
"Hoffmann have anything interesting to say?" Casino asked as they did their evening 'laps' between their quarters and the fence. The day had been hot and the evening breeze was just coming up, bringing the smell of warm grass and dirt with it.
"Just small talk. Can't push him too hard, or he'll get suspicious." Garrison looked over at him and smiled. "Not like good old 'Hans', who everyone can trust. You're getting to be quite popular, you know. I'm thinking of putting you up for base mascot." Casino cringed to think what Goniff and Chief would do with that bit of information. The talk had turned serious after the Warden had his laugh. They decided they had to take advantage of the situation, and as they paced back and forth across the grass, they worked out a plan for getting into the buildings at night, and getting film of as many of the projects as they could. When they had worked out all the details, and worried it from all the angles, they returned to quarters to get a few hours sleep before setting out. Casino crawled onto his cot and was out before his head hit the pillow.
***
He couldn't breath from the blow to his ribs, and he felt like his leg had been set on fire, but some how he'd managed to twist himself over onto his stomach, and he was dragging himself slowly along the floor of the corridor. He didn't know where he was going, just away, some where away from this. Shadows fell across him, and he cringed back, and tried to ward off the hands that reached out and grabbed at his arms, and shoulders. They wouldn't take him again! He'd make them kill him first! But then a soft voice spoke urgently in his ear. "Come! We must get away from here!" He felt himself hope again, and prayed it wasn't a trick.
She had two men with her and they helped haul him to his feet, one of them urging him along with a soft drawl, "Come on, Lieutenant, we gotta get outta here!" They pulled him along the hall to a doorway that opened on the back side of the building. Just as they made it through the door, into the alleyway, gunfire erupted around them. The man supporting him on his left dropped to the ground,. Garrison was hit and another burning pain fired its way across his belly. As he spun to his left and landed on his back in the street he thought, "It wasn't a trick." And as he lost consciousness, "It just didn't work."
***
Garrison sat in the chair and stared out the window into the darkness. He could feel his head start to shake with the effort of trying to hold it up, and then the muscles of his neck and back seize up in cramp, as pain spread from his leg and ribs, burning up his back and across his shoulders, leaving him breathless, and shaken. He shut his eyes tight against the sensation, and the memories that came with it.
***
When the doctor had come to his office the next afternoon, and explained what he wanted to do, and why, Garrison could hardly refuse. Not after the story he'd spun out to him that first morning. Casino had a wary look on his face when he motioned him over and said quietly, "Hans, the doctor has asked to examine you more completely." He had to smother a smile when Casino's eyebrows rose in questioning alarm. He'd understood 'doctor' and 'examination', alright. "He's interested in injuries like yours, and would like to do some special tests." It had been nearly impossible not to laugh when Casino had been led away by the doctor. He'd twisted in the man's grasp to look back on his commander with a scowl. The fire that flashed in his eye told Garrison that he was probably going to pay for this one. He chuckled to himself as he settled back down at the desk and pulled another set of test data over to review. He'd have to find a way to make it up to the guy.
They'd finished with him by dinner, and he'd come back into the office to collect the Oberst to take him back to their quarters. His face was black with displeasure when he stalked into the room. He'd gone to the rack and snatched the cap hanging there and thrown it across the desk at Garrison. When he moved around to help him up, he pulled him to his feet, and, keeping a hand firmly wrapped around each arm dropped his head down, looked out from under lowered brows, squinted his eyes, and hissed, softly, through clenched teeth. "Don't you ever pull that again!" Garrison put his hand on his shoulder and had to lean there awhile, while he laughed. It took him a long time to control himself, and that hadn't helped Casino's mood, at all!
***
"Colonel, of course I could not rely on the standard test, but, in my opinion, your man appears to show above average intelligence. His retention is excellent, but his mechanical skills are marvelous, quite beyond the norm. We rigged up complex sets of gears and, after we had shown him that we wanted him to indicate to us which way the end gear would move if the first gear was turned, he was correct in every one. We could not fool him even when we changed to diagrams! Any test of logic that we were able to devise, with solely visual clues, he was able to solve for us."
Garrison smiled at the man over his coffee, and reached out to take the offered report.
"I guess I passed?" Casino asked sarcastically and raised an eyebrow at Garrison as they reached the fence.
Garrison shrugged a shoulder, they revered their direction. "Couple 'a A's and a gold star. You won't be able to play dumb with me any more! I know better now. And if you try and drop the 'I forgot' line on me, Casino" tapping the roll of papers against his palm, "I've got the proof, right here, that says you'll be lying. Herr Doktor was very impressed with you."
They made their 'about face.' "Yeah? Well then, maybe you'll pay more attention to me when I have an opinion from now on!"
"Opinions? Is that what they are?" Garrison grinned as his companion started to sputter. He slowed down some, so they'd have more time walking in this direction. He owed Casino a chance to blow off a little, especially after the stunt with the doctor.
"Yeah! Opinions! You and Actor ain't the only ones that have 'em, ya know!" Casino fumed. Garrison had to take his arm so that the firebrand wouldn't start waving his hands around as he warmed to his subject.
"I know that, Casino," he said quietly, as they reached the fence and turned back towards the buildings. "But you have to admit, you have a rather intense way of expressing your, ah, opinions most of the time. You ever consider a nice calm, quiet, discussion?"
Casino snorted as he set them walking back the other direction. "In a house with six other kids? You couldn't have a 'nice, calm, quiet discussion', " Garrison smiled as he went on, "Naw, you had to shout to be heard, and yank on people to get 'em to notice you. In my family everybody talks at once so you gotta be loud to get your point across."
"Straight forward as that, is it?" he laughed "Just a simple young man with something to say, trying to be heard?"
"Please! You heard the doctor. No simplicity here, babe. A young genius with something to say!" Taking Garrison by the arm he turned him back towards their quarters, "Come on, let's get you back. You need your beauty sleep, Oberst Krueger. You look like shit!"
"That one of your opinions, 'Hans'?" Garrison asked.
"Nope, just a natural fact." he said quietly, watching to see they weren't being observed. They walked up into their rooms and got ready to sack out. Just like all the other nights Garrison only spent a short time in his bed, before moving back out into the living room. Casino wondered how much longer the guy could go without sleep.
***
It was dark and cold where he was. He could hear them. They were just on the other side of the door, coming for him. They were going to take him back upstairs. He couldn't go back to that room. He knew he'd die if he went back inside that room. He had to find a way out. He had to find a way to fight back.
He was dreamin' again. Casino stepped forward quietly and laid a hand on his shoulder only to move back quickly in surprise as Garrison surged up out of the chair, issuing a warning "Lassen Sie mich allein!" in an almost primal growl. He had to move in again to keep him from falling, and found himself fighting to maintain his grip, as the Warden tried to throw him off. "Nehmen Sie ihre Hande weg von mir!" Casino managed to reach the lamp and switched on the light. He watched as Garrison struggled to focus on the room around him, to come back from wherever his nightmare had taken him.
***
They'd settled into a pretty dull routine. If anything could be routine about being in the wrong uniform, behind German lines. Up in the morning and off to the office for Garrison. Out on to the grounds for Casino to snoop into whatever offered. The Warden had even let him go off base with 'the guys' to get a beer, hoping that there would be someway he could make contact with the rest of the team. He'd seen Actor and Martin walk into the caf� where they were drinking, but he couldn't shake free of his new German 'friends' to speak to them. The Warden figured the guys he was with had probably been told to keep a special eye on him because of his 'handicap.' They needed to get in touch with the others. They needed to unload some of the information they'd been getting on the other projects in the works on the base. Casino was getting used to being inside, in deep, but it was beginning to get to him. Garrison wasn't the only one that was having trouble sleeping now.
***
"We've got to know what is going on in there!" Actor worried from their position on the crest over looking the installation.
"Can't we tap their phones, or pick up on the radio calls, or something?" Chief suggested, turning to their contact.
"Yes! I have a man that can arrange that. Come with me!" Martin grinned as he looked up at them above him, then he turned and started to scramble back down the hill. Actor and Chief slid down the incline after him, following him back to the farm where the group had been concealed, anxiously waiting for word or contact from the two inside men. They gathered the supplies they would need and set off into the forest to find a section of phone line that would meet their needs.
Everyone felt relieved when they started getting information over the phone tap that Martin's man, with Goniff's agile help, had managed to establish. It was just routine transmissions, nothing about the technical end of the project that was being run inside, but they hadn't expected that. When they intercepted the report of damage to the sewage line running out of the installation Actor's mind clicked into high gear. There had to be a way they could use that...