Читать книгу Emory's Story - Paul Holleran - Страница 11

Chapter 5

The Long Winter

My dearest Emory,

I find myself waking up every morning with no other thoughts but the ones I have of you. I will not wait until the end of this letter to tell you how much I love you. I wake up and start to worry. I reread your letters time and time again. It is so hard to understand what is happening. The news reports promise us day in and day out that the war is winding down. Ever since the invasion in France, the reports indicate that we are advancing toward Germany very quickly. I try to read every newspaper that I can get my hands on. It is agonizing when I do not hear from you. I know that you write every chance that you get. I talked to your mother. She says that you are doing just fine and for me not to worry. I can see that she is hiding her real feelings, but the comfort that she offers is genuine. I am trying to understand that this job of yours is important and necessary. However, when the only news I hear from you is vague and misleading, I wonder just how important it is. This Colonel Roth is obviously a very able man. I know he chose you because of your level head. I hope that he is satisfied with his choice. If I ever get to meet him, I will tell him that he is lucky to have you. You must remember that your most important mission is the one where you come home to me.

I cannot believe that it has been a year since you and Corby boarded that train. Even though it has only been a year, in some ways, it feels like an eternity. There are several more men leaving on the train next week. I cannot bear to watch them leave. I assume that you are aware of the ones we have lost. If you are not, then I have to tell you that the Cummins family lost both of their sons. The D-Day invasion may have been a monumental military success, but the loss of life seems pointless. Most of those young men had no idea where in the world they were. Now they will never make it home. At church last week, their mother spoke, and her strength overflowed to each person in attendance. The tears could have filled a swimming pool. I could not even approach her afterward. All I could think of was you, and it made me feel so selfish that I was ashamed of myself. Is that wrong? My life would be so incomplete without you. I realize that we are young, but this war has a way of maturing even the most immature. I wonder if you are in contact with Corby. You do know that he is in France. He and his friend, Larry, have remained together. When I read Corby’s letters, I can see how much he has grown up. I hardly recognize his words. If it were not for his recognizable penmanship, I could not tell it was really him. His sister lets me read all his letters. He asks about you in every one. I will enclose his address in case you want to write to him.

He has been working on the bombers that fly the missions over Germany. He says some of them should not be in the air. His frustration is apparent. He talks of his friend Larry like he is talking about a child. I feel that Corby is taking care of him. Corby also says that he is anticipating his homecoming. He wants the girls around here to know that he is available. I honestly never thought that he gave them much thought. I do know that he will surely be appreciated a little more.

It has been over a month again since I have received a letter from you. I am used to getting them sporadically. I hope that some of your words are finding their way to me now. In the last letter you wrote, I learned about so many things. I know that you cannot tell me everything; however, I do not feel that any secrets will be revealed by me knowing where you are. Some of the things that you do reveal to me are interesting, but I am failing to see the importance of these missions. Colonel Roth promised that you would be an important part of this team, but from your letters, it seems that he has a trust issue. You and Jack are often in the dark about what exactly you are doing. I know you don’t say so, but you forget how well I know you. I can read between the lines. Your frustration comes through loud and clear. He promised you almost a year ago that he would trust you completely because that is the way he was training you. How is it that you and Jack are always the last ones to know exactly what your mission is? I hope that things are different now. Tomorrow is May 2, and I have not heard from you since the end of March. I will not pressure you because I know that you are writing, and I know that you are thinking of me. I love you, Emory Story. I will be here waiting for you upon your return. You and Corby get home and build me that house that you have promised. I can’t wait to be Mrs. Emory Story.

Emory, it is now ten o’clock in the evening, and I will try and finish this letter. I have been to the courthouse, and the news around town is that Hitler is dead. Everyone is so excited! I know that this means that this blasted war will finally be over. Mussolini is gone, and Hitler and his SS are gone. Now all we have to do is finish things in the Pacific, and you can come home. I will end this with a feeling of certainty that you are coming home. Your last letter said that you were no longer in the Pacific realm. With things in Europe ending, I know that Colonel Roth will send you home. There cannot be anything else for you to do. Please do not volunteer for anything new. You must come home to me and your mother. You and Corby will be back here soon, and life can begin again. I see my life with you in my dreams every night. You are the love of my life. Our family will grow with that love. Getting to grow old with you is my mission! Come home to me, Emory. I love you with all my heart and pledge to love you till death do us part.

I love you,

Irene

Emory lay in his bunk reading her letter for at least the tenth time. He knew that he should be sleeping, but his tears kept him awake. He too felt like the past year had been an eternity. After he and the rest of his team got back to Hawaii, things began to move much too fast. The ride aboard the Indianapolis had only been the beginning. Looking back at that time now, he felt like it had been a lifetime ago. Jeff’s parents and grandmother were safely tucked away in Atlanta. Colonel Roth and Captain Murphy were now leading them all over Europe. They landed their plane on runways that were much too small for their C-47 Skytrain. When a bomber would crash, the pilots would eject, and Colonel Roth and his team would land on whatever surface they could find and rescue them. Em was now so used to flying that he could sleep through turbulence. Loading and unloading the plane had become as routine as brushing his teeth. The downed pilots were always so grateful. Em had sadly become so accustomed to their thankfulness that he no longer felt the emotion that he had felt on his first mission of this type. With so many missions being flown into enemy territory, Em had assumed that they would be a target. However, after more than two dozen rescue missions, they never encountered enemy fire. Em was certain that their luck would eventually run out. Now, even though he was still flying every day, he had not been over enemy territory in more than two months.

Jack had found out that something big was brewing. Jack had a knack for finding things out. His smooth demeanor was calming for anyone he was talking to. It seemed like everyone always wanted to impress him. He used people to gain knowledge. Em had been watching him for a long time now and would never underestimate him again.

Now, his only thoughts were of Irene and everything at home. He decided that he would write to Irene and tell her everything. After all, the war would definitely be over soon now that Hitler was dead. The secrecy that enveloped him seemed unimportant now. He would write to her and tell her everything. Then he would mail it whenever he got the opportunity. His journal was full. He wrote every day and kept a detailed account of every mission he had been on. To his knowledge, nothing they had done was top secret. As a matter of fact, some of the things they had done had been frivolous. When their plane was supposed to be moving troops, it somehow always came home loaded with crates and objects that did not have anything to do with war at all. He had never been tempted to look into the crates, but he could tell that their contents were important to someone. When they would land, officers would board the plane as soon as the ramp descended. Some of the crates would be unloaded into waiting jeeps and taken away immediately. To Em, it felt that greed accompanied the officers onto their plane. The smiles that were on the faces of the officers suggested personal gain. He never once questioned Colonel Roth or Sergeant Cannon. He just assumed that if they were risking their lives for the contents of the crates, then it must be important. The trust that Colonel Roth promised had finally been earned. The colonel had explained to them that he had always trusted their loyalty. He went on to explain that he had needed time to trust their capability. Just a week ago, he had promised that the two of them would be included in more of the planning from now on.

He retrieved his notebook from under his mattress and looked at the many pages filled with his own handwriting. Some of the pages were stained with oil, and some had blood on them. He read an entry from five months ago:

December 14, 1944

Today, Sergeant Cannon came to get Jack and me to get the plane ready for flight. He seemed rather despondent. Jack, of course, asked him what was wrong. After calmly turning and sitting on one of the bunks, he looked at Jack and said, “Turner. what makes you think that something is wrong?” Jack immediately stated that the sergeant’s uniform was not quite lined up straight, and to him, that was a sure sign that something was definitely wrong. Sergeant Cannon just laughed and slapped his knee. I knew that if he wanted Jack to know anything that he would tell him when it suited him best. Instead, he started to explain our next mission.

Tomorrow, December 15, we will fly to Antwerp and land on the only air strip. The port city in the Lowlands of northern Belgium has been important to the Allies since D-Day. The Germans want it back, and Hitler will surely be trying something desperate soon. All we need to do is land and retrieve and get the hell out of there. We will go in loaded with supplies and bring back intercepted stolen artifacts that are being transported to Berlin.

Sergeant Cannon briefly stopped talking and looked at me and Jack and got the sincerest look we had ever seen him display. He looked from Jack to me and said that these new German bombs were falling all over Antwerp, and the Allies could not stop them. There were mobile launchers hidden in the forest, and finding them had proven difficult. After we land, he said, we would be transported south toward the Wallonia region where we are to make contact with a certain monastery. He says that Colonel Roth will attempt to persuade the king of Belgium to remain in Belgium. For the past three years, he had been collaborating with Germany. He thought he was doing the right thing, but while he thought that he was saving Belgian lives, the Germans were using him to manipulate the Belgian people. To the Germans, those sympathetic to the ousted king would be more controllable if they believed their king was in Berlin. If Colonel Roth could persuade him to accompany us to Brussels, where the Belgian government was trying to reestablish control, Belgium would be well on her way to recovery. Sergeant Cannon does not seem to be totally on board with this one. As usual, this is all me and Jack will know until the mission is over. I am getting tired of being in the dark!

*****

December 15, 1944

We are on our way to Dinant near the German front lines. The country seems so peaceful at night. I can’t see any destruction from the inside of the truck, only the rolling hills and small mountain range. The Meuse River is below us and looks peaceful also. Sergeant Barnes looks a little tired. I think he has gained weight since we got to Europe. I don’t know where he gets the food. To his credit, he does share. The sausage he gave me and Jack yesterday was delicious. Jeff sat quietly, as he most always does. I can’t imagine how he feels most of the time. Being the only black man travelling with our group has to be intimidating. He has proved himself invaluable on more than one occasion. His considerable knowledge of the war and his extensive knowledge of geography are priceless. He says the monastery is close. We have been travelling without lights for more than half an hour. My eyes are finally adjusted. The snow cover on the ground has lightened the terrain a bit.

Em closed his journal and sat up in his bunk. The memories of that night were etched on his mind. Just when he had been thinking how peaceful it was, he heard the rocket launch. He remembered tucking his journal under his seat in the truck and thinking that was the last time he would see it. Sergeant Cannon pulled the truck over, and everyone got out. The colonel looked strange with camouflage on his face. Everyone else looked normal. Captain Murphy made one of his racist jokes about Jeff not needing much camouflage. Jeff laughed like he always did but said nothing. Em never thought it eased the tension like Captain Murphy did. The colonel was looking to the south, the way in which they had been travelling.

“Jeffrey, that was close.” Colonel Roth pulled Sergeant Cannon to the side of the truck. They spoke rapidly to each other.

Jack and Jeff were behind the truck going through their ammunition supplies. Sergeant Barnes had climbed into the front of the truck and sat down. Captain Murphy made his way toward Sergeant Cannon and Colonel Roth. Em stood in the middle of the road and looked into the sky. He saw no other evidence of rockets being fired. Em knew that the rocket had been fired from somewhere close because, when they heard it accelerating, it had sounded extremely close. The colonel looked more worried than Em had ever seen him look before. He kept pointing in the direction of the fired rocket. Em was afraid of what his plan was going to be. As if on cue, Sergeant Cannon called for Jeff to join him and Colonel Roth.

Jack came to stand beside Em, and the first thing he said was “This shit’s going to stop. I want to know what they are thinking.” Then he walked directly toward the other three airmen.

Em quickly followed. The three of them were oblivious to their presence and kept on talking.

“We are too close not to do something,” Sergeant Cannon said.

Jeff uncharacteristically spoke without being prompted, “We have enough ammo to take this thing out. They obviously do not know we’re here, so surprise is on our side. That launcher has to be a hundred feet long, so I believe we can sniff them out. I bet they are pretty comfortable here in the forest. The whole German army invaded France through these woods, and still, no one defends this area. They are close enough to Antwerp here, and I know Hitler wants that port back. He will stop at nothing. The way I see it, if he drives a wedge through this corridor on his way back to Antwerp, he will split the British armies and the American division in half. Each side will be on their own, and the Germans will retake the port. This launcher is a big part of that plan.” Jeff stopped talking, and the others all looked in anticipation, waiting for him to continue. “There should be no more than a ten- or twelve-man crew per launch vehicle. If we could get our hands on that launcher, we could prevent a lot of unnecessary deaths.”

The decision was made without anyone uttering a word. All of them proceeded to make their way to the back of the truck to arm themselves. Sergeant Barnes remained inside the cab of the truck. Each of them knew that Sergeant Barnes would probably stay inside the truck. He had trouble climbing into the truck. It had become an unspoken agreement between him and the whole team that he was along for the repairs. None of them wanted to be responsible for him in the field.

Em felt his flesh begin to tingle with fear and anticipation. He looked at Jack and thought he saw a look of hunger in his eyes. Jack had yet to fire any weapon during any of their missions. He was more than ready to now. He was reapplying grease paint to his face and offered it to the rest of them. Colonel Roth and Sergeant Cannon were formulating a plan. Jeff was studying his maps. Em retrieved his journal and stuffed it inside his fatigues. With everything else happening so fast, he was astonished at himself for thinking of his journal first. He looked around for Captain Murphy and saw him inside the driver’s side of the vehicle talking to Sergeant Barnes. Em wondered what that was about.

Jeff was going to navigate them. He had studied his terrain maps. He was sure there were some hills and plateaus that would be the most likely places for the Germans to set up. Jeff estimated them to be close. The men were used to one another by now, so they lined up for travel in the usual order. Colonel Roth led the team with Jeff close behind him. Then Em and Jack in no particular order. Sergeant Cannon followed them, and Captain Murphy usually brought up the rear. Now and again, Sergeant Cannon would take that position. Jeff always accompanied Colonel Roth. He also handled all reconnaissance. He could disappear and reappear without making a sound. The six of them had been the action part of their squad since its inception. Sergeant Barnes sure was a damn good mechanic. Em did not think he minded at all when asked to stay with the vehicle. He sure was good at finding things in the black market too!

Noiselessly, the six of them followed Jeff’s lead and were confident he would lead them true. Before they had gone a mile, Jeff suddenly stopped and turned, putting his finger up to his lips. Em stopped and listened for any sound. The cold night was bright and silent. He heard nothing.

Jeff pointed to Sergeant Cannon. Sergeant Cannon walked up to meet him. Em could barely hear what they were whispering. “Just over that ridge. I heard some talking. They were kind of loud, so maybe we’ll get lucky. We need to get up on top of that ridge. We will be able to see them and see if there is more than one launcher. Don’t use the radio unless you absolutely have to.” Jeff was sure of their position. He indicated where the six of them should climb the embankment. He led the way, and soon, they were on top of the ridge.

Em still had not heard anything or seen anything except forest. He couldn’t believe there was going to be a place for a rocket launcher anywhere on this hillside. Em knew where he was and also knew that these ranges were called the Ardennes and were considered a mountain range, but he had seen hills in Kentucky that were just as big. Jack was so close to Sergeant Cannon that Em thought if Sergeant Cannon farted, Jack’s hair would blow back. He could not believe where his mind would wander at a time like this. He tried to concentrate on Jeff. He knew that when something was about to happen, Jeff would be the first one to react. He looked up the hill to see Jack and Sergeant Cannon. Beyond them was Colonel Roth, and then he saw…nothing but trees and moonlight. He did not panic. He inched a little closer to Jack and turned to see Captain Murphy close behind him. The look on the captain’s face was terrifying. The camouflage only seemed to brighten his other features. The moonlight was so bright that Em thought it might give them away.

Colonel Roth stopped and stooped low to the ground. He whispered to Sergeant Cannon. Then the whole column stopped and stooped. Jeff was gone. Em knew he would return with the information they needed to formulate an effective plan.

After fifteen minutes, which felt like five hours to Em, Jeff returned. He said the launchers were only a quarter mile ahead of them. All Em heard was launchers. How many were there, and what could the six of them do about it? Then he listened to Jeff finish. “I watched for a few minutes. It looks like the other one is being prepared for launch. One crew was celebrating. There were about seven soldiers clearly drinking alcohol of some sort. They had plenty of it. Each of them had their own bottle. The other crew was a couple hundred yards away. There was a crevice between them. The one crew definitely wanted the other crew to know that their rocket had successfully launched. I think we can take care of them quietly. The other crew is so busy that they will not notice. I only counted six on the second crew. There may be another, but if he is there, he must be asleep. Let’s take care of the first site, then see what we can do with those other Nazis.”

The plan was to stay hidden until one of them ventured into the forest to urinate. Hopefully, this would be the quietest way to eliminate them one at a time. Jeff convinced the rest of them that he could do more damage alone and quietly disappeared. Sergeant Cannon became the impromptu leader. Once again, Em’s thoughts went to the irony of the situation. It seemed the rank-and-file order of their team went from lowest ranking to higher ranking. Em knew that if Sergeant Cannon disappeared, then the captain would be in charge next. When they were on the ground, the two pilots knew who was the wisest. Colonel Roth listened and took orders as if he were the enlisted man.

Sergeant Cannon picked a spot above the roadway behind a giant rock. It was a good place to hide. They could retreat quickly and quietly if they needed to. The road below them was the only way through this particular part of the Ardennes. The road descended into the river valley and was the only way in and out of Dinant. The old province had not been disturbed by the Nazis yet. Since Belgium still held on to the belief that they were somewhat neutral in this war, some of the inhabitants were safe.

Em stared down the hill at the quiet landscape and once again thought about the absurdity of war. How could grown, educated men, century after century, fight the same nonwinnable wars? Would mankind ever wise up?

Em looked over the expanse and could just make out the other launcher through the evergreens. The crew below them were still celebrating. Em counted only five. He searched for the other two but could not see any movement, other than the five drinking comrades. Em could not believe it, but they had built a fire. They must feel so secure. Em had not felt secure since the last night in Hawaii, on the beach, talking to Katherine.

Em was about to poke Jack and ask where he thought Jeff was when one of the Germans threw his bottle into the fire. The noise echoed down the hillside. The Germans all reacted in different ways. Two of them just remained standing and drinking, and one of them stumbled into the fire. The other two began to fight. The one who still had a bottle seemed to be trying to save it while the other one was grabbing at it. The one with the bottle could be heard. Em did not speak German, but it was clear the fight was over the alcohol. The two who were still drinking were laughing. The one with the bottle was much smaller than the one trying to get the bottle. This amused the audience. The one who stumbled into the fire had recovered and was stamping at his boots with his left hand while the right hand held on to the liquor bottle. Not one of the five even wondered where their other two friends had gone.

Just then, Jeff reappeared as quietly as he had disappeared. He was not even breathing hard. “I got two of them, but we have to act fast, before they sober up and realize they are gone. Murph, you take Jack and get in front of the launcher. And, Jeffrey, you take Em and Philip. I am going under, so remember, fellas, quietly. They are still pretty busy, so we need to get this done quick. Then we will only have the element of surprise on them for a few brief minutes, so this is it. No turning back now.”

Em was behind Colonel Roth, and Sergeant Cannon was almost crawling toward the launcher. Em could now hear the fire as it crackled and sent embers into the sky. They reached the front of the launcher and looked under the axle and saw all five men now standing around the fire. The fight had subsided when one of the Germans had gotten another bottle from their truck. They were talking and not trying to be quiet. Em crouched lower and looked under the truck toward the front of the launcher. He could see the front axle and saw Jack’s and Captain Murphy’s shadows extending out from under the launcher. The moon was so low on the horizon that their shadows were stretching ten feet beyond the side of the truck. Jack’s shadow almost reached the circle of men standing around the fire. Both Jack and Captain seemed unaware of this disaster. One of the Germans threw another empty bottle into the fire, and the noise was piercing. The light from the erupting flames lit up the sky even brighter. Em felt exposed.

The bottle thrower turned and walked toward the front of the launcher. Em saw Jack and Captain Murphy instinctively retreat a couple of inches. Then he saw Jack’s shape transform and become pantherlike. The German walked right across the shadows without noticing a thing. He went around the front of the launcher and started to fumble around with a belt. He stumbled and laughed out loud at himself before tilting his head toward the sky and urinating. Em could hear the urine hit the ground. He saw Jack crawling out from under the launcher. He had his knife in his right hand. He was still low to the ground. The German kept on urinating. Em wanted to tell Jack to hurry up. He glanced back toward the fire and saw someone heading toward him and the rear of the launcher. Sergeant Cannon mirrored Jack’s movements. Em and Captain Murphy retreated to the other side of the launcher.

The German that was urinating in front of the launcher turned in Em’s direction, and just as he was about to scream, Jack pounced on him and sliced his neck in one swift movement. Em saw the German drop immediately. He never got to make a sound.

He turned to see Sergeant Cannon as he emerged from under the winch on the back of the launcher. The German reacted quicker than the one in the front of the launcher and got to make a sound before Sergeant Cannon broke his neck with the fastest hold and snap Em thought possible.

What am I doing here? Em’s mind was racing, but he told himself to calm down. After all, the three left at the fire were surely about to alert the other crew. When Em fell to his knees to look under the launcher toward the fire, he only saw Jeff dragging one body under the launcher. The other two unfortunates were lying lifeless beside the fire. The one who had stumbled earlier once again had his boot in the fire. Em reminded himself to never get on Christian Jefferson’s bad side. He had taken care of five out of seven of the unfortunate Germans.

“We only have a few minutes now, so nobody get squirrelly. Jeffrey, take Jack and Em and go over the top. Me, Philip, and Murph will go through the crevice. Don’t hesitate. Try to isolate them and show no mercy, fellas.” Jeff took off through the crevice with the colonel and the captain in tow.

“Start climbing, men.” Sergeant Cannon led them up the hill.

Em turned to see the fire still burning and the dead Germans surrounding the launcher. Em wished they could decommission it so it would never launch a death missile again.

The sergeant and the two airmen reached a vantage point high above the second launch site. They looked toward the crevice and were not surprised when they saw no movement coming from that area.

Em counted only six men. They were acting much different than the first group. It was all business over here. All six of them were continuously trading information. Em thought that none of them would be going to the bathroom until after the launch. The launcher was huge, but Em could not believe the size of the rocket. It had to be fifty feet long and five feet wide. It rose above the launcher and pointed toward the sky. The fins on the tail protruded beyond the sides of the launcher. They had to be twelve feet wide. Right away, Em did not want that rocket launched. The Germans seemed methodical. They seemed unaware of the destruction they were about to cause.

Em also knew that this was not going to be as easy as the first site. He looked once again toward the crevice and noticed at once the movement in the shadows at the far end toward the front of the launcher. He tried to make out the shapes but only saw slight movement among the evergreens. He knew right away that it was time to move. Jack and Sergeant Cannon were already descending the hillside. The six of them just might be going in guns blazing, Em thought.

When the Germans reacted to movement on the hillside, Em expected gunfire. He was astonished when it did not come. He could not believe how comfortable the Germans had let themselves become. When the six Germans were all looking toward the hillside, Jeff took care of one of them. He just happened to be the unlucky one in the back. When the others turned, Philip and Murphy pointed guns at them. When one of them screamed, Philip shot him. The shot rang louder than thunder. That’s when all hell broke loose.

The four other Germans raised their hands in the air, but when another one emerged from a tent that was just inside the forest, chaos erupted. Jeff was fighting one of the Germans, and Philip and Murphy had to retreat from the gunfire coming from the one who had come from the forest. Sergeant Cannon, Em, and Jack were running toward the rear of the launcher. Each of them held a gun in their hand now. Jack was running toward two of the Germans that headed behind the launcher. Em and Sergeant Cannon followed him. The lone German who stood near the fire was holding his stomach, and blood was dripping from his fingers. He had a look of shock on his face.

Captain Murphy and Colonel Roth had rolled under the launcher and come out the other side. The two Germans running from Jack ran straight toward the colonel and the captain. The Germans stopped and once again raised their hands. All of a sudden, it was quiet again. The Germans started talking. Philip poked one of them with his gun. The Germans got quiet.

Sergeant Cannon raised his gun and whacked one of the Germans over the head. He fell like a dead tree. Before the other could react, Jack whacked him. He too fell on the ground. Movement from under the launcher startled the five of them.

Then Jeff rolled to a stop at their feet. “I got two of them, and another was shot by his own guy. The other two got away. The one with the gun went up the hill. I am going after him. You need to track the other one down before he gets to a radio. What are your plans for these two?”

Without saying a word, Sergeant Cannon led all but Jeff away from the unconscious Germans. Em did not look back.

Sergeant Cannon said they had to disable this weapon and get its location to the Allies. The technology of one of these things was much more advanced than the Allies had thought, he said. Philip said he and Captain Murphy would get back to the truck and use the radio while Sergeant Cannon and Em and Jack took care of the Germans.

Two hours later, all six men were standing beside their truck with quite different looks on their faces. Jack was so full of adrenaline he could not calm down. Jeff was quiet and looked deep in thought. Captain Murphy was talking to Sergeant Barnes in the truck again, and Colonel Roth and Sergeant Cannon had their heads together discussing their situation. Em felt the overwhelming need to write but resisted. He knew when he got the chance to write, he would probably edit some of the things that had just happened.

When Sergeant Cannon had tracked down the frightened German who had fled the launch site, he never even tried to surrender. This made what they had to do a little easier. Em still had not had to fire his weapon or use his combat training against an enemy. He was not quite sure of how this made him feel.

Jeff did not even need to explain what had happened with him and the shooter. To all their amazement, no one else had showed up. Something else had to be happening. The Germans would not be so careless with their weapons unless they had something else going on.

The seven of them climbed back into the truck. Colonel Roth radioed their location. Em knew the launcher was still operational, but maybe the army could get to it and either destroy it or take the rocket and learn more about the technology.

Em was still sitting in his bunk thinking about that night and the following two days.

The truck made its way toward the monastery. They did not encounter any resistance. When the monastery opened its doors and the truck drove through, the monks began to work. One directed Sergeant Cannon to drive the truck into one of the large buildings while the others directed the airmen into the cathedral in the center of the compound. They were hurried into the back of the cathedral and through a long narrow passageway. To Em, it felt like he was descending. He could feel the temperature rising. The cathedral had felt cold and damp, but now he felt dry and cool. He was not uncomfortable.

Before he passed through the door, he smelled the bread. His stomach began to roar. The monks led them into a small room with one table and some books on one wall. The food was already on the table. The seven of them didn’t even wait to be asked. They just started grabbing food. Em did not hesitate. He had not had fresh bread in over two months.

The rear door opened, and a man walked in. Colonel Roth stood up and wiped his mouth with his right hand while his left held on to the turkey leg. He looked around at the rest of them and indicated that they should rise. Sergeant Cannon and Jeff were the first to arise, followed by Em and Jack. Sergeant Barnes and Captain Murphy were slow to get up.

The colonel wiped his hands and cleared his throat. “Gentlemen, King Leopold the Third.” The colonel looked uncomfortable. He did not hold his hand out to be shaken. He held it in an awkward position.

The king approached the colonel and held out his right hand. “Nice to meet you, Colonel Roth.”

Em swallowed the hunk of bread in his mouth and put down the fork he held in his hand. He looked around the room at the faces of his friends and realized that the team he was on was a good one. The other Americans all were standing politely as each of them waited to be introduced. Em looked at the king, and he saw the haggard look on his face. The war had certainly taken its toll on the young king, but Em could still feel a royal presence. The king looked tired, as if he had been on the go for an eternity. The king labored through the introductions and then immediately turned toward the door he had entered through. He quietly asked the colonel to join him. Colonel Roth walked through the door behind the king. No one else followed.

Sergeant Barnes sat back down and grabbed an entire turkey breast. “A king. He don’t look like no king.” The sergeant needed to wipe his face.

“Shut up, Barnes,” Captain Murphy said as he sat back down and resumed eating.

“I’m just saying, he sure as hell don’t look like no king. What the hell is a king for anyway?” Sergeant Barnes was still stuffing food into his mouth. Em thought that as long as there was food on the table, Sergeant Barnes would probably not get up again, king or no king.

The six of them ate until they were full and still. Colonel Roth had not come back through the door.

Sergeant Cannon stood up from the table and began to pace. “I got a bad feeling about this place.” He looked at Jeff, and the two of them exchanged a look.

“Everybody, up! Get your gear and get ready. It’s too quiet around here. Monastery or not, I don’t like it.”

Sergeant Cannon walked toward the rear door, and Jeff said, “Wait a minute. I hear someone coming.”

Em did not hear a thing. He looked around the room and saw that they were alone. None of the monks was still in the room. Sergeant Cannon tried the door. It was locked. He banged on it four or five times and did not hear anything on the other side. Jeff sprinted to the other door and opened it. The six of them assumed their usual positions and exited the room. The only possible way to go was the same way they had entered. The long tunnel-like hallway definitely was ascending. Em felt his muscles in his legs tighten. Jeff was leading the way. He did not even have his weapon out. He searched the long corridor for any other possible way to exit but never slowed down at all. Captain Murphy was practically walking backward as he watched over his shoulder for anyone following.

When they reached the rear door of the cathedral, Jeff put his ear next to the door. He once again held his finger up to his lips. Sergeant Cannon made his way around Sergeant Barnes, and Jack and squatted next to Jeff. “I think we ought to go back. We don’t know what’s on the other side, but we know which way the colonel went. I really don’t think the king is up to anything, but these monks, well, I don’t know. I know how to get through that door.”

Sergeant Cannon looked at Jeff and the rest and said, “I think he’s right. Philip won’t let them take him too far. Murph, let’s go.”

Before Em had turned completely around, Jeff passed him and was in front of Captain Murphy at once. He said, “Let me go in first, sir.” Captain Murphy stepped aside without making a sound. Jeff took off down the tunnel.

Em passed the captain, and so did Jack and Sergeant Barnes.

When Sergeant Cannon caught up to the captain, he said, “I got this, Murph. Why don’t you stay up front with Em and Jack? Somebody needs to keep an eye on Jack. That boy is capable of anything.”

Captain Murphy said, “No problem. I just wanted to tell you that the colonel don’t have his gun. He gave it to me when the king asked him to follow him.” The captain turned and went back to the front of the line.

Jeff was already at the door to the small dining room. When he entered, three monks were clearing the food from the table. They did not act startled. The other five followed Jeff into the room. All of them had a gun in their hand except for Jeff. The monks did not react to the guns either.

“Where did he take him?” Sergeant Cannon was speaking. All three monks stopped clearing the table and stood still.

“We are sorry,” the monk in the middle spoke slowly with a heavy accent. “The king must remain here. We have to keep him inside. We have no choice.”

“If he’s not going with us, then what the hell are we doing here?” Sergeant Cannon’s neck was beginning to show signs of bulging. “I don’t like being led around. Take me to him now. I don’t give a damn whether he goes with us or not. You tell me where the colonel is right now, or one of you is going to get hurt.”

The monks exchanged looks, and the one in the middle drew a key from his robe and went to the back door. He inserted the key and opened the door. He held the door open. Jeff went through.

The monk looked at Sergeant Cannon and told him, “The king has something very important to tell your colonel. He will only be a short time longer. Follow the corridor to the right. It will lead you to a stairway. Your colonel will be at the bottom. I promise you. He is in no danger. Our visitors will remain in the forest tonight. They have not paid us a visit for three days now.”

“What?” Sergeant Cannon looked at Murph and told him to get Jeff. “What the hell are you talking about now?” Sergeant Cannon wanted to grab the monk by the collar, but his robe never had one.

The monk still spoke slowly, “I thought you knew. The Germans brought the king here. They have his family. He really must do what they say. But do not worry. We trust the king. The colonel is in no danger.”

“Do they know we are here?” Sergeant Cannon needed answers now.

“I do not think so. They have been building their army for days now. The forest is crowded with them. They have left us alone. The men left the king with us a week ago and told us they would not destroy our home if we would cooperate. They know the king will meet his cabinet here in one more day. We have informed them of the danger, but the king assures us of their safety. His only request was to meet with your colonel. Has your colonel not informed you of this meeting?” The monk knew he was not going to get an answer. He seemed content with that.

Sergeant Cannon leaned into the doorway and looked down the corridor. He ducked back into the room when he saw a shadow coming their way. Then he heard Philip’s voice and saw Jeff leading the colonel back toward them. They were not wasting time.

Philip entered the room and closed the door behind him. “I’m sorry, men. The king swore me to secrecy. I owe his father.” When Em saw the look on the colonel’s face, he knew he would not need another explanation. “But right now, we need to get on our way. The king told me something that he suspects is happening as we speak. That son-of-a-bitch Hitler is at it again. When will he realize that it’s over? This plan is not going to work. If we’re lucky, we might be able to slow him down.”

Em sat straight up in his bunk. That night and so many others were embedded in his memory. He recalled how they had made their way back to Antwerp. The land mines they set on the road near the rocket launchers had surely slowed the Germans down, and later, after the battle had taken place, Em found out that Hitler’s army had been turned around right near Dinant. The two divisions of soldiers and tanks and artillery had been making their way through the mountain pass. and two tanks had exploded near Bayard’s Rock. The rock was reported to be a legendary landmark. The local inhabitants were sure their town of Dinant was saved by the legend of Bayard.

The next entry in his journal was four days later.

December 19, 1944, Antwerp, Belgium

A lot has happened in just a couple of days. The American lives lost in the battle for the Ardennes were extreme—one of the deadliest battles in the European war as of yet. We held Antwerp, and Hitler was stopped right near Dinant. At least now, I know that everything that happened was for a reason. We are making a difference.

Colonel Roth found out some information from the king. During his time in Berlin, he had been interrogated, and his family was held captive. The Germans reported him as being free to go as he pleased, but the photographs that were taken were all staged. He was ashamed to tell the colonel about what he had told the Germans. But the information he repeated to the colonel was interesting. He only wanted to tell the colonel because his father had told him that Colonel Roth was a good friend and he could be trusted. When the monks had contacted the Allies and sent for the colonel, they were under the impression that the king would be returning with the colonel. That is why they were under so much secrecy. The king’s protection was first and foremost. The king never knew about the assault that was following him through the forests of the Ardennes. The Germans were making a last-ditch effort to retake Antwerp Harbor. I never realized just how close we were to the front. I think we might have been behind the lines for a short time.

The king told the colonel a story. While he was in Berlin, one of Hitler’s SS officers had been ranting about the führer believing all these old legends. He had been drinking with the king and could not hold his tongue. He let the alcohol get the better of him and ran his mouth too long. The king said he had learned that anything said out loud made its way back to the führer. This officer did not wake up for reveille the next morning. While he was ranting, the king said the officer had told a story about something that had been hidden for centuries. The führer believed that this object was in Belgium. His SS had been searching for it since the initial invasion. The king told the colonel that Hitler was getting desperate and had sent this army to the Ardennes mainly to acquire ownership of this powerful object. Now the colonel will not rest until he finds out what and where this thing is. Tomorrow we will head to northern Belgium to investigate a story about an isolated SS troupe that are holding a monastery captive on the mountain. Everyone agreed that Sergeant Barnes would stay behind with the plane.

January 7, 1945, Antwerp, Belgium

We are still here. Happy New Year! They are calling it “the Battle of the Bulge.” The past three weeks have been agonizing. Hitler’s army was indeed turned around, and rumor has it that the road to Dinant was where they were halted. The Allies are most certainly pushing the Germans back across the border. I can feel that things are changing. Antwerp has ceased being bombed every night. Now, things are eerily silent at night. The winter has dug in. I feel like by the time spring arrives, the world is going to come alive again also. Flying the Skytrain has all but stopped. Colonel Roth is obsessed with finding whatever the king told him about. We have been scouting every monastery within the Belgian borders. All have been quiet and untouched since the war began. The colonel believes that each and every one of them are involved to some extent. We all wonder how the monasteries all seem to go untouched century after century. War after war go by, and secrets are hidden and passed through these mountaintop fortresses, yet none of them ever get ravaged by the atrocities of war. Another mystery.

Of all the things that have happened over the past six months, I am most disturbed by what I have learned about human nature. The things that I have seen men do to one another, without regard to basic human rights, have opened my eyes. I feel like I am no longer the shy, innocent boy from Kentucky who never really understood what war was. It has only been eight months since I graduated from high school. I have seen more than a lifetime’s worth of senseless killing. I have watched my friends take lives. I have not fired a weapon at another man. I think maybe I could, if I was faced with a do-or-die situation. Jeff seems to be the only one who can detach himself from the situation. I can see the effects on every other member of our team. Jack has changed. Captain Murphy was always quiet, but now he never says much of anything. He has even been absent from some of the scouting missions over the past couple of weeks. Sergeant Barnes stayed with the plane most of the time. If he was not tinkering with the plane, then he was eating something somewhere. He can still come up with food and supplies seemingly at any time. The colonel and Sergeant Cannon are always in meetings. We have found some interesting things. There is mounting interest in what we are doing. Everyone has underestimated Hitler since the beginning of this world conflict. He is not only killing on every front. He is also stealing everything he can get his hands on. The things we are finding are old. We have found artifacts dating from every century. Some are already packed into crates. Some are smaller and bound in leather. None of the things we have found so far is what the colonel is looking for.

Em was still restless, so he turned ahead a few pages and kept on reading in his journal. He knew that he would be alone for a while yet. Jack had met some French girl. Em knew that he would probably be gone the entire night. Sergeant Barnes had taken to hanging out in taverns close to the docks. The black market here in Antwerp was reasserting itself. The boats were coming in every day now. The sergeant was making deal after deal and becoming somewhat of an entrepreneur. Em thought that as long as the sergeant kept their plane in good condition, then he could do whatever he wanted. Jeff was the mystery that Jeff was. Even as a black man, he could disappear whenever he wanted.