In The Blood Of The Greeks (Intertwined Souls Series Book 1)

by Mary D. Brooks

  Eva nodded. She knew Muller was keeping a watch on her movements. Ever since Kristallnacht her father had made certain he knew who she was seeing and when. Freedom, that’s what she craved, and yet Zoe’s words echoed in her mind. Australia was sounding like a perfect place, if only she survived the war.

  "They can easily turn and kill you where you sleep. I wouldn’t trust that maid either. Spending time with them is dangerous. They fill your young mind with ideas that are contrary to what we hold in our hearts," Rhimes said as he pulled out some papers from his briefcase. "I’m sure your Father Haralambos is a God-fearing man, but he is a Greek. He is prominent in the community and he is perfect for what I have in mind."

  "I will call him in tomorrow," Muller said, writing a note to himself.

  "There was another matter I had to discuss with you." Rhimes handed the papers over to Muller.

  "Identity papers?" Muller asked.

  "Do you see anything strange about them?"

  "Not really."

  "Well, we found these on two of the Resistance fighters. They appear to have originated from here."

  "Did you ask them?"

  "Unfortunately, we killed them before asking questions. They are good forgeries. Excellent in fact. Have you seen these before?" Rhimes asked Muller again, who was studying them.

  "Not that I would remember. Not unless Captain Reinhardt signed them on my behalf, but that’s my signature. I don’t understand it."

  "Well, then you have a forger in your little backwater. A minor problem, but an annoying one. If we hadn’t shot those two, you would never have known about this."

  Eva tried to keep calm and disinterested in the conversation. The identity papers she and Father Haralambos created were flawless, or so they thought. She had to get word to him and quickly, and then get him to safety. She barely heard the two men talking. Her thoughts were on Father Haralambos and the dire predicament he was going to be in shortly.

  Eva was brought out of her thoughts when Muller and Rhimes began to discuss the state of the war. She had heard that the Allies had landed in Normandy during the summer, but from all accounts she was led to believe that the Reich was beating back the Allied advance. She had hoped at the time that it was the propaganda machine in action again.

  "So we’ve lost Paris?" Muller exclaimed. "When did this happen?"

  "August," Rhimes said dejectedly.

  "You’re telling me that we lost Paris in August? Damn it! Why didn’t anyone tell us sooner?"

  "I think they had a lot more concerns on their minds, old friend, than telling us about Paris. We lost Bucharest, the Russian bastards have overrun Estonia, and the Americans...oh, dear God, the Americans. We are fighting on too many fronts."

  Muller and Rhimes sat smoking cigars, which filled the room with smoke. Eva found the smell comforting in an odd kind of way and it reminded her of home and her grandfather.

  "We are going to lose the war," Rhimes said and shook his head slowly as he watched the smoke rise from his cigar.

  "Never! I don’t believe that. We’ve had some losses but—"

  "Hans, the war is going badly. Very badly. If we are lucky, we will salvage some sort of agreement. The Russians are mauling us. Barbaric people."

  "What are we going to do here?"

  Rhimes pulled a piece of paper from his uniform pocket and gave it to Muller.

  Muller’s eyebrows rose into his hairline as he read the document "That’s why the train is important?" He queried.

  "Yes. General Kiefer and I are organizing a slow withdrawal of troops from Athens. We are leaving only a few there. Our Jewish problem will be eliminated. The Final Solution."

  "Maybe we were given wrong information—"

  "The Americans have crossed into the Fatherland."

  Both Muller and Eva gasped, although not for the same reasons.

  "When?" Muller whispered. "Are you sure?"

  "I wish I could say I was wrong, but I’m not wrong. On September 13 they marched into Germany," Rhimes said quietly.

  Getting up from his chair, Muller swore and began pacing around the room.

  "Excuse me, Father, General Rhimes," Eva said as she rose from her chair. "I see that you have important matters to discuss, so I will leave you."

  "Yes. Yes," Muller replied absently.

  Eva walked out of the office, her thoughts jumbled as the good news was replaced with the more pressing problem of getting Father Haralambos out of Greece. She walked into the kitchen, where Despina was busy preparing the noon meal. "Where is Zoe?"

  "That child will be the death of me!" Despina complained exasperatedly as she pushed back her hair from her eyes.

  "Do you know where she is?" Eva asked again, becoming annoyed.

  "No. She ran out of here like the devil was after her and, with that child, he probably was."

  Eva thanked Despina and walked up to her room to put on her cloak and hurriedly left the house, leaving her guards behind. She would have to go and tell Father Haralambos herself. She couldn’t delay it any longer.

  ***

  Light rain had begun to fall as Zoe headed out of the house. Despina’s words still echoed in her ears while she tried to avoid any patrols. The weather had changed so dramatically that she wondered if the weather and the state of the war matched. She shook her head as she made her way to Father Haralambos’ house. Avoiding the puddles that were beginning to form, she walked up to the door and tapped lightly. Adjusting her collar to keep the rain out, she impatiently wondered why Father Haralambos was so slow in answering.

  "Is everything alright?" Father Haralambos asked when he finally opened the door.

  "Well, we have General Rhimes here," Zoe stated as she entered through the open doorway.

  Thanasi entered the room again when Father Haralambos closed the door. "Big fat pig?"

  Zoe giggled at the description. He did look like an overstuffed pig. "That’s him. Big fat pig had a meeting with Muller. I don’t know why, but Eva was with them."

  "Who is Eva?" Thanasi asked as he leaned on the table.

  Zoe glanced at Father Haralambos before answering. "Eva is Major Muller’s daughter."

  "And this Eva is important?" Thanasi continued.

  "She is very important," Zoe exclaimed. She didn’t miss the surprised look on Father Haralambos’ face which quickly turned into a satisfied smile.

  "The important question is, why is Rhimes here?" Father Haralambos asked Thanasi.

  "I wish we had a way of finding out."

  "We do," Father Haralambos stated. "Eva."

  "I’m now confused. How is she going to help you?"

  "She is our contact."

  Thanasi stared incredulously at the priest. "She is your contact?" Father Haralambos nodded. "Dear God, man. Do you realize what you have done?" Thanasi threw up his hands in frustration. "And I suppose it was her idea to help you? Right?"

  "She did volunteer."

  "Great. This is just great! She has set you up, Father."

  "You don’t understand—"

  "What’s there to understand? You have been duped! I bet all those people you have helped are now dead. You don’t honestly believe this woman came to help you?"

  "You need to stop and listen. You’re getting ahead of yourself. This is not like you. You don’t panic. What’s the matter?"

  "You don’t understand." Thanasi sighed. "Does she know I’m here?"

  "No, I only told her that Father Haralambos had a visitor."

  "Good," Thanasi said, running his hand through his hair. "We can get you away. When you play with vipers, you get bitten. I’m not going to allow Father Haralambos to die because of this Eva," Thanasi spat out.

  "I know what it means to live with vipers," Zoe retorted. "I don’t want him to die either, but Eva is as honest as the day is long. She is no more a spy for the Germans than you are. She can’t help it if her stepfather is a kraut." Zoe stopped when she realized what she had blurted out.

  "What? Step
father? What in God’s name are you prattling about?"

  Father Haralambos gave Zoe an exasperated look. "Thanasi, you need to sit and calm down. Stop getting so excited. You’re going to get a nosebleed."

  "But, Father—"

  "Don’t ‘but Father’ me, young man. I know what I’m doing."

  "You don’t! You don’t know the first thing about the Resistance. You are a priest."

  Zoe snorted at Thanasi’s statement. "I think you don’t know what is going on here in Larissa."

  Thanasi scowled at her but Zoe ignored it. "You two, behave."

  "You don’t understand. I can’t let those pigs get you. You are responsible for who I am. I’m not going to sit by and watch them kill you."

  "Who said they will kill me, my son?" Father Haralambos asked.

  "I am saying it!" All three jerked their heads towards the door where Eva had just entered. Thanasi immediately cocked his gun, ready to protect the priest.

  "I wouldn’t fire that gun—they jam with her around," Zoe muttered more to herself thank to Thanasi.

  "Eva, what are you saying?" Father asked.

  "Eva? That’s Eva? Stand aside, Father, she means to kill you," Thanasi demanded.

  "Of course I don’t! What gave you that idea?" Eva retorted, but that only caused Thanasi to become bolder and more determined.

  "Oh, put that away," Father Haralambos said. He grabbed the gun from a very startled Thanasi and secured it in the chapel’s offering box that had been on the table. Zoe looked at Eva, who had a very confused look on her face. "You, SIT," Father Haralambos commanded and Thanasi slumped into a chair. "And you," he leveled his gaze on Zoe, "stop smirking and behave yourself." Zoe slapped her hand over her mouth, trying to comply. "And you, what are you talking about?" He directed his question at Eva.

  "Is Henry outside?" Zoe asked Eva, who shook her head. "Oh Eva! You know how he gets when you leave him behind."

  "Who is Henry?"

  "That doesn’t matter," Father Haralambos interrupted. "Eva, Zoe said something about General Rhimes being here?"

  "Well, it seems they found some of the identity papers."

  "I can’t believe you are trusting this kraut."

  "Who are you?" Eva asked the man glaring at her.

  "Athanasios Velouchiotis," Zoe said, with a laugh. "Ares to the Germans."

  "THE Athanasios Velouchiotis?" Eva asked.

  "You know me?" Thanasi said with some trepidation.

  Eva nodded. "I know of you," she replied.

  "Eva, what’s the problem with the identity papers?"

  Eva looked at Zoe and then back at Father Haralambos. "We have two problems actually. The first is that they shot two of our couriers. They had the papers with them."

  "Those poor souls. May they rest in peace," Father Haralambos said, crossing himself. "But they can’t link those back to us." He sat down across the table from Eva.

  "Eventually they will find out who forged them."

  "True." Father Haralambos scratched his bearded chin and sighed. "And what’s our other problem?"

  "There will be a train passing through here on its way from Athens to Thessaloniki, carrying troops. They are pulling out of Athens."

  Two stunned faces looked back at Eva; Thanasi merely scowled at her. "You mean they are actually pulling back?"

  "Yes, I heard General Rhimes telling my father that they are slowly withdrawing troops because the Allies have taken Paris and they have crossed into Germany."

  "Taken Paris? If they are in France, that means we are going to be liberated soon." Zoe’s face split into a huge smile. "Our liberation is soon!"

  "Hopefully soon, little sister, hopefully soon," Thanasi said with a reassuring smile.

  "When is the train going to get here?" Father Haralambos asked.

  "In a few days. It is how I understood it and they said something about The Final Solution—"

  "The Jews...they are moving out the remaining Jews from Athens and all the way back to Germany. That has to be it," Thanasi exclaimed.

  "They think the Resistance is going to blow up the train and the line."

  "They know?" Thanasi asked.

  "It seems so," Father Haralambos answered. "This is now a problem for us."

  "They want you to be on that train, Father. If you are on it, the Resistance will think twice about blowing it up."

  Shock registered on Zoe’s face, while Father Haralambos and Thanasi looked at each other. "You can’t go on that train!" Zoe said angrily.

  "If we blow up that train, many will die but—" Thanasi said quietly.

  "What utter rot! Fifty Greeks will die if you do blow it up. And what about the Jews?" Zoe spat out. "Father Haralambos is not bait. He is a living, breathing, kind man who you want to kill."

  "Zoe, calm down," Eva said placing her hand on Zoe’s shoulder. "That’s not going to happen." She looked at the priest. "She’s right."

  "No, she’s wrong," Father Haralambos said. The three of them looked at the priest in shock.

  "Have you been drinking?" Zoe asked angrily.

  "Zoe!" Eva swatted Zoe on the arm.

  "Will you three please calm down? If I don’t go on the train, then the Germans will know I’m in the Resistance, good people will die, and the line will be used to move the Germans out."

  "A good man will die that doesn’t need to die," Eva said. Father Haralambos stood and put his arm around her shoulders. "For everything there is a reason," he said quietly. "I’m going because it’s the right thing to do," he said, echoing Eva’s own words.

  "Not when I’ve just found you," Eva said and hugged him.

  Thanasi frowned. "We will find a way."

  Father Haralambos exhaled loudly. "What part don’t you understand? If I don’t go on the train, Greeks die, Jews die, and I die for Resistance activities. If I do go on the train, Greeks don’t die, Eva is not implicated and—"

  "And you still die, the Jews will die and I couldn’t give a damn about the krauts! I hope they burn in Hell!" Zoe’s voice rose along with her anger with the frustration she was feeling at being unable to see a solution to this situation that did not include Father Haralambos’ death.

  "Either way I die."

  "I don’t want you to die," Zoe said quietly.

  "We all die sometime, my child," Father Haralambos reiterated, just as quietly.

  "How can you be so final about this?" Eva asked, suppressing her tears.

  Father Haralambos looked at Eva, but he didn’t answer.

  "Father," Eva whispered. "Oh, Father..."

  "Don’t worry, Eva, everything will be all right."

  "I-I want to talk to you more about this, but I have to get back to the house. They will be wondering where I have gone," Eva said, burying her head in Father Haralambos’ robe. He held her closer until finally she broke away and walked to the door.

  "So, you’ve made up your mind then?" Thanasi asked.

  "I have to do what is best," the priest replied, still holding the sobbing Zoe.

  "I won’t let you," Zoe said, wiping away her tears. "Even if I have to kill every last German myself, you are not going to die."

  "Can’t you see that the train will take you out of Greece? You may end up where the Jews are headed. You will die, and damn it, I’m not going to allow that!" Thanasi yelled.

  "It is for the best. The Resistance will blow up the train. We can’t allow any more people to be sent to their deaths on that line."

  "Please, see reason. I wanted that train blown to kingdom come, but not with you on it. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself knowing I caused your death. Don’t you understand?" Thanasi pleaded with Father Haralambos.

  "Sometimes the burden of leading is very difficult. We all make decisions that are too hard to bear. This is your torture stake, my son. I have to do what is right."

  "Father, please, listen to me!" Thanasi begged. "The Resistance will blow up that train and I can’t stop it."

  "No!" Zoe screamed at h
im and ran out of the house into the steady rain.

  Chapter Thirty

  Zoe ran. She ran until her heart pounded and her lungs ached for air. She didn’t know for how long and she didn’t care—she just had to run until she could run no longer. Exhaustion finally slowed her down enough to bring her to a stop in front of the cemetery. Realizing where she was, she plodded through the mud to her mother’s grave.

  "Oh, Mama!" Zoe cried and collapsed to the ground, sobbing. "Why is everyone leaving me?" She asked as she tried to understand what was happening. Everyone she loved was gone, and now the man who was like a father to her was also going to die.

  She wiped away the tears. "This isn’t fair. Eva recently found her real papa, the Germans are leaving, and now this. It’s not fair."

  Zoe looked to the heavens. "Dear God, I know I don’t speak to you much and I know you don’t have to listen, but please, I beg you...please look after Father Haralambos. I know if you let him, he will organize Heaven for you." She wiped her eyes again.

  "He is a good man and I love him so much." Her voice broke as she looked down at the sodden ground. "I don’t have to tell you what he has done, how many people he has saved. Please make his death as painless as possible. Don’t let him suffer. I can’t bear to think of him in pain and alone."

  Zoe rocked back and forth in the mud as the rain continued to fall on her forlorn figure. She wasn’t sure exactly how long she sat there in the mud, but eventually she realized that the pelting rain had turned to drizzle and the sun had gone down.

  She was slowly making her way back to the house when she heard a soldier command her to stop. Zoe sighed and turned. She grimaced when she found herself face to face with the corporal who had manhandled her a few weeks previously.

  "So Fraulein, we meet again." The corporal grinned.

  Zoe gave him a wry grin in return. "So it would seem."

  "Where are you going?" He inquired.

  "To Major Muller’s residence," Zoe responded. She was wet, cold, and emotionally spent. She just didn’t have any energy left.