"But that means we'll be stuck in these dames' clothes for another day!" Casino exclaimed, ripping the scarf from his head and throwing it on the floor when Actor passed on the news.
"Yes, unless you want to walk all the way to Royan?" Actor informed him. "Personally, I prefer to wait and ride."
"Yeah, Actor, but you're not wearin' a skirt, are you?" Goniff contributed, "And you speak the lingo. You can fit right in, but we stick out like sore thumbs."
"Don't worry about it. You did fine this morning. No one gave you a second look," the conman assured them in his most persuasive voice. "That reminds me, we have something to check out, don't we?"
Goniff passed over the item he had been carrying under his shawl.
As Actor sorted through the contents of the wallet, he let out a low whistle. "Do you know what we've got here?" he asked quietly, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice.
"Yeah, that Jerry major's wallet," Goniff replied.
"It is much more than that!"
"How much money's in it then? I thought it felt fat enough for what we needed, but not THAT fat."
"There is money, yes, and more than enough for our requirements, but I was referring to these bits of paper in the back."
"So, what are they?" Casino growled, tired of Actor's games. "Obviously something interesting."
"Oh, very interesting," Actor replied, almost to himself. "What we have is almost as important as the information on we already have about the rocket base. HQ will be very interested in these." As he spread the pieces of paper on the table, the others could see writing on them.
"So, what are they?" the other two both yelled at him.
Actor looked at them and blinked - "You really don't know, do you?" he asked incredulously.
"Well, apart from the fact that you're the only one who's actually seen them close up, they're probably written in German, ain't they? Give us a clue."
"Well, it seems that Goniff picked the pocket of the Kommandant's aide, Major Dorff, and these bits of paper contain information regarding the factories that supply the components for the rockets," Actor explained. "And they also mention the fact that Kommandant Kessler will be paying a visit to the facility tomorrow. Now it seems to me that the Area Kommandant would have plenty of interesting information in his office regarding the plant, and, if he's going to be away tomorrow..."
"Oh, no!!" Casino objected, shaking his head. "You expect us to break into his office? You're gettin' as bad as the Warden."
"But, don't you see? As well as that, it's the perfect opportunity to see if we can find out any news of Garrison and Chief. If they were captured, there is bound to be something in the Kommandant's files, and with the Kommandant out at the rocket base, there should be far fewer guards than usual," the conman explained logically. "If we can create a small diversion..."
"Well, whatever that's gonna be, I'll bet money I won't like it," the pickpocket grumbled as he turned away.
Casino nodded in agreement as the pair walked back into the room they shared, and closed the door.
Actor gathered up the pieces of paper and replaced them in the wallet, a thoughtful look on his face. A plan was beginning to form in his devious mind, but he would need to check the afternoon's schedule for the festival before he could finalise it. The others weren't going to like it - but it was something he felt had to be done, and if they were going to be stuck here for another day... He felt he would be letting the Warden down if he didn't at least try. The thought of Garrison made him wonder again if the pair had managed to escape from the base, and, if so, where were they now?
~~8~~
A little later, Actor lured them back to the Festival with promises of lunch. In reality, he wanted them all to be on hand should the opportunity present itself to check out the Kommandant's office.
As they crossed the square, inhaling all the delicious odours of French cooking, they became aware of a hubbub behind the stalls on the village green - a crowd was gathering around a large vat filled with purple grapes. When Gerard spotted Actor and his companions, he called them over.
"What is happening here?" Actor enquired of their friend.
"It is a tradition here that the single women of marriageable age tread the first of the new season's crop - it is supposed to ensure a good vintage and bring luck to the village for the next year," Gerard explained.
"I have heard of something like that in other places," the Italian commented. "It seems to be a widespread belief amongst wine growers."
"Well, I don't know that anyone really believes it any more," Gerard confided, "but it provides a bit of fun for the ladies."
As they watched, several young women were removing their shoes and hitching up their skirts before being helped to climb into the vat by willing bystanders. Amongst them, they noted Cecile Delage being assisted by someone who could only be Jean-Louis d'Aubigne. Gerard's face clouded, and it was with a visible effort that he pulled himself together. "Come, Mademoiselle Josette, you must also take part," he insisted, glancing over to where his rival was making the most of his opportunity with Cecile, making sure that they could both see him paying attention to another woman. "I will help you."
Goniff did not understand the words, but there was no mistaking the meaning of the accompanying gestures. 'Josette' flashed a look of pure desperation at her companions from under her shawl, but the conman's eyes had lit up with the beginnings of an idea.
"She is shy," he explained to Gerard, "but maybe I can coax her. Pardon us for a minute." He led the 'ladies' off the one side, and in a low voice told them of the plan he was working on - a plan that depended on Josette creating enough of a diversion to keep the Germans' attention on the festival and away from their headquarters for several vital minutes. Very unwillingly, Goniff acquiesced.
"So, what do you expect me to do, then?"
"I don't know, exactly," Actor admitted. "You'll just have to play it by ear."
"Well, thanks for the 'elp, mate!" he muttered under his breath as they returned to where Gerard was waiting.
With one last dagger-filled glare at his companions, Goniff followed the Frenchman across the grass to where the women were gathered. As he sat on the grass and slowly removed his footwear, Actor and Casino slipped away unnoticed on their errand. (Luckily it was not unusual for peasant women to be wearing men's boots - sometimes it was the only footwear available to them.) He fastened his skirt up as he had seen the women doing, pulling it between his legs and tucking the hem into the front of his waistband, then pulled his shawl tight around him and knotted the ends. When he was ready, and could put it off no longer, he allowed Gerard to assist him into the vat.
The Limey grimaced at the feel of the cold grapes on his warm feet and legs as he waded up to his knees through the fruit. Hoping to make himself inconspicuous in the middle of the group of women, he gingerly he made his way through the slippery contents to the centre of the vat, feeling the purple juice ooze between his toes at every step. After a while, he realised that it didn't feel so bad after all. In fact, he was beginning to think that, in other circumstances, it might be quite good fun squelching around treading the grapes, but that thought came to an abrupt end as he almost lost his footing, and it took all his innate balance to stay upright. It might present the diversion required, but the last thing he wanted was to get more intimately acquainted with this squishy fruit - he was quite willing to wait for the finished product to come his way in a bottle! And he REALLY didn't feel like getting soaked to the skin with grape juice and having to get changed again - Lord knows what he'd end up wearing next time!
As he mulled on these prospects, he became aware of a commotion in the crowd behind him. Turning around, very carefully, he saw a solid wall of women forming over at the side of the vat. The women were cheering and shouting comments, but he couldn't see the cause of all the fuss. When at last he managed to get himself back over to the edge and peer between them, he beheld the sight of Gerard and another man trading punches. Goniff's eyes searched the crowd for his companions. When he failed to see them there, he decided that they must have embarked on their mission. At first he thought that Gerard was helping to create the diversion Actor had requested, but that thought was short-lived when he realised that the two were really slugging it out - this was no put-on show. Goniff could not understand the shouted comments that flew from Gerard, but no one could fail to recognise the venom behind them. At this point he realised that Gerard's opponent could be none other than Jean-Louis d'Aubigne - his rival in love.
The German soldiers made no effort to break up the fight, but instead held back the crowd to allow the combatants enough room to continue unimpeded. In fact, they seemed to be enjoying the spectacle of the two Frenchmen trying to beat the living daylights out of each other every bit as much as the villagers were. The activity in the vat had come to a halt as the battle royal continued. At one point, Gerard tripped trying to evade a punch and as he fell to the ground the other threw himself on top of him. Gerard rolled out of the way just in time but Jean-Louis quickly recovered and again went on the attack. As they rolled around on the ground, Goniff quietly and unobtrusively climbed out over the other side of the vat and, retrieving his shoes, made his way back to the hotel unnoticed by the crowd.
Actor and Casino rejoined the fringes of the crowd as if they had been watching the fight all the time, hovering on the edge of the milling villagers as the fight continued. It seemed that Gerard was coming off worst - there was a streak of blood coming from the corner of his mouth, and a split over his left eyebrow. The other man was not in much better condition, and both were covered in mud and dirt.
As they watched, the second man managed to land a punch that sent Gerard sprawling on the grass, where he lay unmoving. Before they knew it, Cecile had climbed out of the vat and pushed her way through the crowd to reach his side. As she kneeled beside him, cradling his head in her lap and dabbing at the blood with the hem of her petticoat, she screamed at Jean-Louis that if he had hurt her Gerard she would never forgive him. She then turned her full attention to the man on the ground, trying to bring him round. Eventually, he groaned and opened his eyes. "Cecile?" he mumbled through his swollen lips.
~~8~~
When Actor and Casino returned to the hotel, they found Goniff sitting with a bucket of water, scrubbing furiously at his lower extremities. "Look at this!" he lamented, holding his right foot out for inspection. "It'll never come off. You've ruined me feet!"
"Hey, Babe, it suits you, Casino smirked. "They almost match your eyes." He ducked as Goniff threw the wet cloth at him.
"They'll match YOUR eyes if I get me 'ands on you!" Goniff snarled as he tried to rush at the American, forgetting for a moment not only the bucket of water but also about the long skirt he had tucked up on his lap. Only Actor's lightning-fast reflexes kept the Brit and the water from decorating the rug.
He sat the man back on the chair, flashing a warning look at Casino as he did so. Then, with an expression of distaste at the antics of his partners in crime, he threw a towel at Goniff, indicating that he should dry himself and get his boots on again. He picked up the newspaper he'd left on the table and stalked into his own room, shutting the door firmly behind him.
Casino looked at the closing door, then at his companion, raising his eyebrows. Goniff shrugged his shoulders and concentrated on drying his claret-coloured feet.
~~8~~
Later, when they were all together in the larger room, the Italian outlined what he had learnt from the Kommandant's office.
While Casino was opening the safe, Actor had investigated the Kommandant's desk, and between them they had found information on the rocket base and the location of the factories supplying the components of the rockets being tested, as well as the schedule for deliveries. Best of all, he could find no mention of Garrison and Chief anywhere in the files, even though there was a report on the events at the base - apparently it had all just been an exercise.
Actor had left the office with a feeling of hope he had not known for the past two days.
On the strength of this, he decided that they should accept Gerard Maupin's invitation to meet him in the tavern for a farewell drink that evening. Goniff and Casino were not really happy with the idea, but they agreed on the proviso that they would have one quick drink with Gerard and then they would leave, before anything could happen.
~~8~~
When they arrived at the tavern that evening, Actor led the way to an empty table at the rear. Although it was early, there were already quite a few customers celebrating the end of the wine festival, so they did not stand out. Leaving the others to get settled, Actor went to the bar, returning a few minutes later with a bottle of wine, three glasses and a pack of Gauloises Bleu. He poured a small glass of wine for each of the 'ladies' and a somewhat larger one for himself, ignoring the glares from the other side of the table, then he lit a cigarette and leaned back in his chair, blowing clouds of smoke into the already murky atmosphere. Casino reached for the pack, but a look from the conman froze his hand in mid-air.
"Ladies do not smoke in public," Actor hissed. "Remember your cover."
Casino and Goniff both stared at him in disbelief. "But..."
"No arguments!" He removed temptation by dropping the cigarettes into his pocket as he rose to greet Gerard Maupin, who had just entered the bar. The Frenchman sported a triumphant air, along with the black eye and several pieces of sticking plaster that he wore like a badge of honour. He exultantly announced that Cecile had finally accepted his proposal, and had told Jean-Louis that she never wanted to see him again. He insisted that they celebrate the occasion, and refused to take 'No' for an answer. Signalling the landlord, he ordered four cognacs.
"Will the mademoiselle be joining us?" Actor enquired.
"Unfortunately, no. Even though the Wine Festival is finished, she still has a lot of things to take care of," Gerard replied, rather wistfully Actor thought. "Maybe tomorrow you will get to meet her."
"Unfortunately, we need to leave early tomorrow," Actor reminded him. "We have to be in Royan by tomorrow evening."
"Well, perhaps you will be back this way sometime. You must be sure to visit us," Gerard invited.
Actor promised that he would - although, as he explained, it might not be for quite some time.
Just then, the ambience of the tavern was shattered when a group of rough looking men in work clothes entered and noisily took over a table near the bar. Their raucous behaviour attracted stares from the other patrons, but the rough attitude of the group discouraged actual complaints. Gerard explained that they were labourers from the next village who had come into town for the festival - and to look for trouble. If they weren't brawling amongst themselves, they were picking fights with anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path.
As the two chatted, Goniff and Casino, for once, sat quietly - both feeling far too conspicuous in their current situation. In his head, Casino was busily plotting the revenge he would exact on Actor should they ever get out of this mess. Goniff was just feeling miserable - he could not remember ever having to make one small drink last for so long.
Their thoughts were interrupted by Gerard pushing back his chair and getting to his feet. He shook hands with Actor and nodded to the 'ladies', apologising for having to leave so soon, but explaining that he wanted to say 'goodnight' to Cecile before she went home. Actor thanked him for the Cognac and reiterated his promise to visit next time he was in the area.
As Actor and his companions also made ready to leave, one of the newcomers made his way over to them. Goniff and Casino ducked their heads low and pulled their shawls close around them. The large burly Frenchman approached Actor, tapping him on the shoulder to gain his attention. Actor turned his head to look at the man: "Que desirez-vous?"
With his eyes roving over the two 'women', the man spoke in a guttural whisper. Actor shook his head. This was obviously not the response the man expected, and he spoke again, this time not troubling to keep it so quiet. "Je la souhaite pour venir avec moi. Elle est la femme la plus belle que j'ai jamais vue," he repeated, his eyes on 'Josette', who was trying to shrink back into the corner. "Il n'est pas juste que vous devriez avoir deux femmes quand nous n'en avons aucun."
Actor leapt to his feet, facing the man who was of almost equal height but of larger frame, and replied with uncharacteristic vehemence.
When the other answered with a torrent of invective, the Italian coolly faced him down, this time replying quietly but earnestly, in a tone that brooked no argument. "A point de jour. Je serai a l'heure. Ne soyez pas en retard."
He turned back to the 'ladies'. "Allons Mesdames! Nous sommes sortir d'ici." And, using gestures to cover up the fact that they did not understand one word he said to them, he shepherded the pair out of the tavern and back to their quarters.
~~8~~
"What was all that about, then?" Goniff asked as soon as they were safely inside their room.
"Oh, that large Frenchman rather fancies you - he just challenged me to a duel," the conman replied calmly, 'that's all."
"A DUEL?" Goniff was flabbergasted. "Over me?"
"Over you," the Italian agreed. "Well, over 'Josette'."
"You mean as in 'pistols for two - coffee for one'? That sort of duel?"
Actor nodded. He couldn't help wonder where the Brit picked up these colourful expressions, and, in spite of the seriousness of the situation, it was difficult to stifle a grin.
"It won't be pistols but, all the same, it will be a duel," he confirmed. "And, as he made the challenge, it is my choice of weapons, but I have not yet decided what my choice will be."
"But, you can't fight over me," Goniff insisted. "That would be crazy."
"You would rather I let him have you without a fight?" His eyebrow raised in a questioning arch.
"Don't be stupid, Actor," Casino put in his two-cents' worth. "Cousin Josette only has eyes for you, don't you, Josette?" he finished with a smirk.
Goniff looked daggers at him and hitched the shawl tighter round his shoulders. "You're just jealous cos he didn't fancy you," he sniped back.
"Will you two shut up!" Actor turned on them with barely concealed rage. "I have to figure a way out of this mess, and I can't think with you two carrying on like fishwives."
"Well, talk to 'im,' Goniff sniffed.
"I am talking to both of you!" the conman retorted. "Now, come over here and see what we can come up with." He turned away and dragged a chair over to the rickety table. The other two joined him, their bickering forgotten for the moment. When it was all said and done, they wanted the same thing - to get out of here in one piece and back to England with the information Garrison had entrusted to them, and in order to do that, they knew they had ignore their petty differences and work together.
~~8~~
In the pre-dawn darkness, two small groups of men gathered at opposite ends of the high-walled courtyard behind the tavern. In the dim light it was difficult to judge, but there seemed to be several men in one group and only two in the other. Actor surveyed his opponent through slightly narrowed eyes - a great burly bear of a man, obviously used to getting his own way by sheer virtue of his size, though how he would measure up in an actual fight was still unknown.
After giving the matter some careful thought, he had chosen to meet his opponent in hand to hand combat - no weapons allowed. He felt that his best hope lay in his speed and agility, and hoped that the other man's looks were not deceiving: He had known plenty of big men who were light and fast on their feet, but he felt that this man was not one of them.
He had asked Gerard Maupin to be his second, as he was the only man he in town knew well enough to ask to take on that duty, and in this capacity, Gerard had met with the other man's second to make the necessary arrangements. The Frenchman had turned up this morning with his black eye and bandaged knuckles, reminders of his own fight the day before, and tried every way he knew to dissuade his new friend from taking on the other man in combat. He failed.
From their upstairs window, 'Marie' and 'Josette' watched with interest. They had wanted to be on hand to assist their comrade, if needed, but local propriety did not allow ladies to be present, so they had to be content with their 'balcony' seats.
Actor had arranged for Pierre d'Aubigne to stay with them - ready to spirit them away should the fight go against him. As the only other living soul to share their secret, he was the obvious choice. Unfortunately, his opponent had insisted that one of his friends be present also, to prevent exactly that eventuality, which meant that Actor had to be doubly sure to win the bout. Nobody doubted for a minute that the bully would demand to claim his 'prize' immediately if he won, and those in the know did not want to see his reaction if he found he had been duped, and 'Josette' was not as she appeared.
The man took up a position by the door - thankfully on the other side of the room. He lit a pipe and began to blow out clouds of acrid smoke.
Down below, the Seconds conferred briefly with M. Ravel, the landlord, who had been designated as referee, before calling the protagonists to the centre of the courtyard. The other man, whom they now knew to be called Guy Lascaux, strode to the centre with all the swagger he could muster, while Actor merely walked slowly and deliberately, concentrating on his opponent, as if trying to read his possible reactions.
Standing next to Lascaux, Actor looked almost puny by comparison, but he hoped that his superior intellect would swing the odds in his favour against the bulkier man.
The men above watched as the challengers returned to their 'corners' and removed their jackets - Lascaux throwing his to the ground, while Actor took the time to fold his neatly and place it on a pile of boxes nearby.
The Frenchman shouted something Casino and Goniff could not understand, and Pierre explained quietly that he was just name-calling in an effort to unnerve his opponent. The two Gorillas nodded at each other, secure in the knowledge that such tactics would be unlikely to work on their friend.
Looking back at the scene below, they were not surprised to see the larger man attempt to hit Actor from behind while he seemed to be pre-occupied with folding his jacket. They watched with justifiable pride as the Italian sidestepped with apparent ease and pushed the ruffian into the boxes as he passed. Getting to his feet, Lascaux closed in again, all the while directing loud, disparaging comments at his opponent. He tried a left, but Actor ducked, catching the Frenchman with a jab to the chin as he did so.
They circled each other, trying to get close enough to land a telling blow.
Suddenly, Lascaux raised his hands toward his opponent, then, quickly bringing his elbows down and in to his sides, he leaned back and swung his right foot at Actor's shin. The conman was barely able to twist aside in time, raising his left knee as he did so. Lascaux tried the same manoeuvre again, but this time Actor countered by shooting out his left foot, catching his opponent on his foreleg and successfully blocking the attack.
"Aha, vous avez La Savate," Lascaux commented with an appraising look in his eye - this one might not be as easily disposed of as the local peasants. His method of attack immediately changed.
He closed the space between them and let loose a flurry of kicks and punches. Actor was able to avoid or deflect most of them, but one kick caught his hip and his grimace of pain was obvious to the watchers. However, he ignored it and returned to the attack. A feint to the left, which left the Frenchman's guard open, gave Actor the chance he had been waiting for. His fist lashed out, catching Lascaux on the nose, unleashing a torrent of scarlet, which did nothing to improve the man's temper.
Wiping his face on his shirt sleeve, the enraged Frenchman turned and charged, but when he reached the spot where Actor stood the conman again whirled aside. As the other man blundered past, Actor's foot flicked out in an almost balletic movement, catching his rival on the side of the head, and sending him staggering into the wall. Shaking his head to clear it, he stood weighing up his opponent like a bull with a matador, almost seeming to paw the ground as he glared at Actor.
The sparring continued for some time - with kicks, punches and counter-hits on both sides. They were obviously both skilled in this unusual form of combat and, as they battled, Goniff and Casino watched with interest, and not a little concern.
Although Actor's mind was working at high speed, trying to keep ahead of the Lascaux's possible actions and reactions, his face was as calm as if he'd been out for a Sunday stroll. As he had suspected, it seemed that the man was more brawn than brain, and, as long as he could keep out of reach of Lascaux's bone-snapping kicks or his flailing fists, he should maintain the upper hand.
Lascaux's supporters were shouting and egging him on. If they hoped that this would have an unsettling effect on Actor they would be disappointed. Apart from his frown of concentration, the calm fa�ade did not alter.
The Frenchman began to circle to his left, keeping his distance and a wary eye on Actor, ready to take advantage of any slip in his concentration. Actor turned, so as to keep facing him - his eyes flicking to the others, in case they presented any threat, but never leaving his opponent for more than a split second. He was glad that he had left d'Aubigne with his 'ladies' because, even if he won, he could see a chance that Lascaux's cronies would not accept the result and might still try to collect the spoils.
He also noticed that several other men had joined Gerard in his corner of the yard, lured from their warm beds by the possibility of seeing the bully brought down a peg or two.
Again, Actor's foot caught the big man on his left shin - the Frenchman staggered back but did not go down. Now limping visibly, and with anger fogging his brain, he launched an all out frontal attack. He aimed another kick, this time swinging his foot high and hard, but Actor caught and held the boot with both hands. Lascaux swung an awkward punch, but Actor dodged it easily and twisted Lascaux off his feet, leaving him sprawled on his face in the dirt.
"Your friend, he is good," d'Aubigne commented appreciatively in an undertone. "He has learned from a master Savatier, I can tell." Casino and Goniff found themselves in total agreement, and not a little surprised at a side of their comrade that they'd never seen before. Even though they did not understand the finer points of this style of fighting, they could admire Actor's execution of if.
Lascaux clambered to his feet again, seething with anger. Never had a fight gone this badly for him. Again he tried the cross kick. Again he ended up in the dust. It seemed that he did not learn from past mistakes. When next he rose from the ground, there was a look of pure hatred in his eye - and a knife in his hand. He circled around Actor - swapping the knife slowly from hand to hand, occasionally feinting a jab, but never getting close enough for the conman to reach him. Actor watched dispassionately. Lascaux's friends cheered this latest piece of showiness, and he made the mistake of looking their way to acknowledge their approbation.
As his attention wandered, Actor made his move. With his left hand he seized the wrist of the hand holding the knife, at the same time pulling the man towards him. Simultaneously he ducked forward, his right arm going between the other's legs and catching him around the right thigh. A swift pull and the Frenchman found himself lying across his opponent's shoulders, helpless to do anything other than vent his spleen.
Then, before he knew it, he was flat on his back in the middle of the yard. The knife was now in Actor's hand, and being pressed against its owner's throat. Even Chief would have been proud of the way his fellow Gorilla dealt with his rogue adversary
The large man momentarily struggled against his vanquisher, but when the knife bit deeper into the loose flesh of his neck he lay still.
"Do you concede?" Actor hissed at him in guttural French, as he lay there immobile.
"Oui. Je rends," he croaked out in reply.
"And you apologise for your comments?"
"Oui, oui. Je suis vraiment d�sol�. Je vous prie de bien vouloir m'excuser."
Actor looked at the referee to confirm that he had heard. When M. Ravel acknowledged the victory, he rose to his feet, brushing himself down, leaving the other lying in the dust. Gerard passed his jacket, which he slipped on, pocketing the knife as he did so. Then, without a backward glance, he and Gerard left the yard.
~~8~~
Up in the room, Goniff and Casino were dancing around with glee. Lascaux's man had left as soon as the fight was lost, leaving them alone with Pierre - who was looking at them very strangely, and wondering, not for the first time, how these Americans thought they were winning the war.
He opened the door and stood back to allow them to exit ahead of him. "Venez donc!" he urged them. "We must leave - NOW!" Then he pulled the door closed and followed them down the hall toward the stairs.
In the foyer, Actor was settling the hotel bill, and trying to escape from the exuberant congratulations of the townsmen. He looked up with relief as Pierre escorted the 'ladies' down the stairs. He quickly took both 'ladies' by the arm, and they left the hotel together.
Outside the hotel they found a decrepit old truck. Pierre told Actor that its owner had agreed to take the three of them west toward Royan. Under their shawls, Casino and Goniff looked at each other with raised eyebrows and resignation, as they allowed themselves once again to be assisted onto the back of the truck - along with a dog, some chickens and a squealing piglet which was thrust into Josette's arms by Monsieur Clemenceau, their driver. Under cover of his wraps, the Englishman's eyes spoke volumes, and as soon as their driver had climbed into the cab of the truck he released the piglet which, after a brief exploration of its surroundings, made itself comfortable in the folds of Goniff's skirt and went to sleep. The Limey's expression dared Casino to comment.
Just before they pulled out, Pierre passed up two bundles for them to take care of, and then, with farewells all round, they made their departure.
All things considered, it was quite a pleasant ride through the French countryside. If nothing else, it beat walking.
~~8~~
It was late morning when they drew to a halt in a busy farmyard. The farmer's wife wanted them to stay for lunch, but when Actor convinced her that they had to be going, she presented him with a basket containing a selection of home made foodstuffs 'for the journey' and two bottles of wine to wash it down. Actor accepted it graciously and, giving the others one of Pierre's bundles each to carry, they set off on what they hoped would be the final stage of their journey.
About an hour later, Actor called a halt. They were on a small, forested hill overlooking a fertile valley patchworked with vineyards and small farms.
"About time, too!" Goniff remarked with feeling, sitting down on a rock. "I only got a couple of those crescent things for breakfast, and they didn't even fill the corners."
"For once I agree with you," Casino acknowledged, throwing his bundle onto the ground and collapsing on a soft patch of grass. "And when are we gonna get rid of these dresses, Actor? Surely one of those farms down there would have some clothes we could 'borrow'?"
"What do you think you have been carrying in those parcels?" the conman asked innocently.
Casino was on his feet again before the other had finished speaking - the light of battle in his eye until he remembered what he had seen of Actor's street-fighting skills that morning. "Why didn't you tell us?" he growled, grabbing his bundle and ripping it open.
"Well, you didn't ask, did you?" the Italian grinned back at him - fully aware of the reason for the back-down, and enjoying himself immensely.
"Hey, Actor," Goniff ventured, as he stripped the wrapping from his bundle. "Where'd you ever learn to fight like that, anyway? I never seen anything like it before."
"In Paris. I lived there for a while when I was younger. It's called 'Savate' - Parisian street fighting."
"You never used it before - and I've seen you fight plenty of times," Casino was curious.
"'You must fit your defence to the trouble you meet'," Actor quoted, "and today it seemed appropriate."
Casino raised his eyes to Heaven as he reached for the contents of his parcel - a pair of faded corduroy trousers, an old collarless shirt and a tatty jacket with patches on the elbows. "Full of little surprises, ain't ya?" he commented as he gathered his new garments together and walked over to the where Goniff was sitting unlacing his boots, just to make sure the Limey hadn't scored a better wardrobe.
As the other two bickered over their clothing, Actor decided to investigate the contents of the basket from Madame Clemenceau. Some home-baked bread, ham, cheese... His inventory came to an abrupt halt when he heard the sound of a shot nearby. This was followed by another - and another. Then a fusillade of automatic fire - and it seemed to be heading in their direction.
The picnic basket instantly forgotten, Actor dove to his left, taking cover behind a large tree. On the opposite side of the clearing, Goniff and Casino took refuge in the bushes. Casino stuck his head out to see what was happening, then quickly decided this was not a good idea and crawled hurriedly into the thicker cover provided by the undergrowth behind him. He found Goniff already there - trying to hurriedly re-tie his boots and getting the laces knotted up in his haste.
It soon became clear that the shots were not being fired at them, but seemed to be coming closer to their position. All three waited, guns in hand, waiting to see if their help was required or if they would need to protect themselves.
The shots grew deafeningly closer - until it seemed that the firefight was all around them. Suddenly, two figures rushed into the clearing, racing for the cover of the trees on the far side.
As the figures passed by his position, Actor could see the flashes from the weapons of their pursuers amongst the tree, and the sound of their return fire was deafening at such close quarters. Chips of wood and shredded leaves rained down as the bullets flew back and forth. (Funny how much louder other people's gunshots sounded than your own, he thought absently.)
As their quarry crashed into the undergrowth on the far side of the clearing, the grey uniforms of the pursuers became visible amongst the trees in their wake. There seemed to be about half a dozen men in the group.
As the pursuing Germans burst from the bushes at the edge of the small clearing, Actor took careful aim and dropped the leader. His fellows continued on - their momentum carrying them into the clearing before they could stop. A bullet from Casino on the other side of the clearing felled another of their number, closely followed by two more as the men who were being chased turned to add their firepower to that of their newfound allies. The final pair skidded to a halt, then turned tail and headed back the way they had come - a hail of bullets accompanying them as they disappeared into the forest.
As the echoes of the last shot died away in the still air, Actor left the cover of the tree trunk that had given him shelter during the fight and made his way to where the newcomers were still hiding. As he moved carefully toward their position, he was surprised to hear his name called.
"Actor?"
He stopped in his tracks.
"Lieutenant? Is that you?"
The dishevelled figures of Garrison and Chief emerged from the bushes in front of him. Although their clothes were torn and dirty, and they themselves looked somewhat worse for wear, it seemed that they were unhurt.
"What are you doing here?" the lieutenant had to ask.
"We were making our way to Royan - to the safehouse," the conman began, then tailed off as he realised that Chief was staring over his left shoulder with a puzzled frown on his face. He turned to follow the man's gaze and saw Casino and Goniff heading over from checking the bodies. They were still wearing their dresses.
"We had a bit of an adventure on the way here," he explained.
"I'd sure like to hear about it sometime," the Indian responded, "I reckon that'd be a real interesting story," he added as the others joined them, his black eyes twinkling with the humour of the situation.
Goniff and Casino suddenly realised that they hadn't yet changed out of their 'disguises' and hurriedly ducked back into the bushes to retrieve their change of clothing. Chief's face lit with a wicked grin as he visualised the mileage he could get out of this when they got back to the Mansion!
Garrison was watching the scene with interest, but forbore to comment. He'd already decided to wait until later to swap notes. There was no time right now.
When the pair emerged again, looking more like their old selves, the ever-hungry Goniff headed straight for the abandoned picnic basket. His look was one of pure disappointment when he found that the wine bottles had been shattered, soaking the food and covering it with broken glass. "I guess this means we don't eat," he observed morosely. "I don't know how you guys do it."
"You can eat when we get to the safehouse," Garrison told him. "Right now, we'd better be getting out of here before those Germans bring reinforcements."
~~8~~
And so, here he was, trudging along a dusty road in France. Starving.
He hitched up his too-large trousers and hoped that, when he heard about the stuff Actor had found in the Kommandant's office, the Warden wouldn't decide that they should personally take care of all those targets before they went home to England. But, if he knew the Warden, there would ALWAYS be another Jerry air base...
The End
