“The girl is to be taken alive at all cost!” She could clearly make that much out. Good. That meant she could take more risks without fear of being gunned down.

A scream shattered her thoughts. Jan turned to see a half-dressed, fat fraulein regarding her from an upstairs window and pointing frantically. Without thinking, she took a stone from the ground and flung it upwards. It struck true and the plump woman retreated, flailing her arms and screaming as the glass shattered around her. Jan allowed herself a smile and sprinted away.

An unflinching, red-faced Lieutenant stood at attention listening to a ballistic Colonel Weiss dress him down in raw language. Beside him stood an ordinary soldier more afraid than he had ever been in his life. “You are responsible for the actions of this man Lieutenant, had he killed that girl I won’t tell you what the consequences would have been. We must have her alive. I am taking control of this operation. Can I count on you to control your subordinates?”

“Yes, Mein Herr.”

“Good. Now what is the positioning of your men?” Weiss glared angrily at the soldier who had fired the shots before waving him out of his presence.

“We have approximately a one kilometer circle around the area of Liegnitzer Strasse and we are pinching in slowly towards a center.”

“Increase the circle to two kilometers immediately, a little time lost won’t matter as long as we get the girl. What is their spacing?”

“They are spaced forty meters apart which is the best we can do with the number…”

Weiss cut him off. “I have already called for more men; they will link up with yours at the designated two kilometer mark, their number will be sufficient to cut the spacing problem down to twenty meters.”

He looked at his watch and then at the sky. “It will be light soon, if we can keep our rabbit running scared until then she will have nowhere to hide. Her file tells me that she is quite capable for a young woman, tell your men to stay sharp, and do not underestimate her under any circumstances. We want her alive but no one says she has to play by the same rules…scared and alone she might prove lethal.”

Weiss glared at his subordinate for a moment then pulled him to the side and lowered his voice. “Lieutenant you are a good soldier, understand that in my position I must
 

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appear ruthless. That berating you took was more for the benefit of your men than yourself. If they hate me, they will at least have something in common. That draws men together and makes them more effective for some odd reason. I have every confidence in you so do not disappoint me.” He smiled wickedly. “If you were to do so, I have a much worse side…let’s avoid me having to let it rise to the surface, understood?”

“Clearly Colonel.”

Lying in the rubble of a bomb gutted home, Jan lay with her back pressed to the ground. The sounds of boot clad feet surrounded her along with the noise of vehicles, dogs and personnel. There was no advance; instead, a terrifying lull took place outside of her vision. It was not difficult to picture in her mind the throng of armed men with their dogs and their weapons waiting for their commander. That could be the only thing stopping them from rushing in and seizing her. The dogs had alerted them to her presence some time before, evidenced by their rabid barking. All that was left was to secure their prize and that bit of glory went to the ranking man. As she waited, she thought of many things. Home, her family, a life yet to be lived…torture and ultimately death.

A voice interrupted. It was much softer than she had imagined and it spoke English. “Jan Hollings, I am Colonel Weiss. I must apologize for my English it is not up to standards so if you will excuse me I will speak German, which I know you to be fluent in.” He made the switch and continued. “You have done well and provided us with a challenge but now it is time to come out of hiding, there are matters we need to discuss. We want you alive as you have probably surmised and it would be better for all of us, especially yourself, if we do not have to send the dogs in after you. I pride myself on being a gentleman; however do not test my patience too severely.”

Oddly, the last thing Jan thought of before deciding her fate was of Vince LaSalle flying like an ebony blur through the English countryside. If she could run the way he did, she might have made it.

Draped in clothing worn ragged from the chase, only thirty feet in front of the Colonel and his legions, a diminutive figure rose from the ruins.

A smile crossed Colonel Weiss’s face. He approached and offered a hand. “Please, I will not harm you, there are others better suited for those purposes. I personally have no stomach for that kind of war.”

Jan reached out, took the surprisingly warm and soft appendage, and walked beside the Colonel to his waiting car amidst a parting sea of men and animals that made not a sound, but stared at her as if she had walked on water.