The soldier knelt down to inspect his comrade’s body. Phillip wasted no time and launched himself at the soldier. This man was bigger and stronger than the first. The two men struggled to the ground. There was no room for them to draw pistols; they were too close together. Phillip had dropped the knife with the force of the impact from the charging the soldier. The Russian tried to get his hands around Phillip’s neck, but he wiggled free. Phillip landed a blow to the Russian’s jaw and heard a crack. It was enough time to let him roll off and look for the knife. It was a few feet away, but as he lunged for it, the soldier struck him on the side of his ribcage. The wind was temporarily knocked out of him, and Phillip fell to his knees. The knife was still in view, so he crawled toward it.
The Russian caught Phillip by the left leg and dragged him away from the knife. Phillip’s hand landed on a chunk of wood. He grabbed it and hit the soldier’s knee, causing him to fall. The soldier loosened his grip on Phillip, who scurried back to get the knife. His hand firmly around the hilt, he stood, ready to strike. As he turned around, he saw his opponent charge him, jamming his shoulder into Phillip’s abdomen. Both men stumbled back.
Phillip landed an elbow to the man’s backside, causing his assailant to grunt in pain. This had to end, Phillip thought, time was running out. Charlotte was in danger. He stepped back a pace or two and shifted the knife to fit into his hand. It was now or never. Phillip charged the soldier, knife poised to strike. At the last moment, the soldier stepped aside, but Phillip had been ready. He made an about-face, grabbed the soldier’s head, and slit his throat. The lifeless body fell to the ground.
Chapter 13
Phillip stood for a moment to catch his breath. He checked to make sure he was alone before returning to the main road. He grabbed a horse to go after Charlotte. Just then, he heard hoofbeats coming from the opposite direction. Two riders approached from around the corner. As they neared, Phillip recognized Ethan Norris and Hugh Fitzsimmons. At last they had arrived. The two men reined in their horses and approached Phillip.
Hugh was the first to speak, “Where the bloody devil have you been? We got worried when you didn’t show up. Figured we’d come and see if anything was a miss.”
“Where is the informant?” asked Ethan. He noticed Phillip’s disheveled and blood-stained clothes. “What the hell happened to you?”
Phillip looked down at his attire. He must have painted a pretty picture for his friends. Upon inspection, he saw his jacket was torn, and blood stained the front of his once crisp, white shirt. Streaks of dirt tracked down his face and hands, and his trousers had holes from the scuffle.
He quickly filled his friends in on his encounter with the Russians. “I don’t know where they went, but we have to rescue Charlotte.” Phillip would find her at all costs, even if it meant his life.
Being unfamiliar with this area of France, he hoped the locals would help them. Surely, someone would have noticed a small company of men with a woman in their midst. If anything happened to Charlotte, he would never forgive himself. The only saving grace was the captain wanted to question her. They would need to find someplace private and quiet, away from prying eyes and ears. That might give Phillip and his friends the time they needed to find them.
“Charlotte?” Hugh said with a mild exclamation. “The informant is a woman? Damn, I wish the commander had assigned this mission to me.”
Phillip glared at his friend. “She’s not your type.”
Ethan and Hugh exchanged a glance and chuckled. Ethan replied, “Phillip, you know every woman is Hugh’s type.”
“Not Charlotte.” The look on Phillip’s face told them she was off-limits. It was a look his friends had never seen before. “We need to find out where they went. It would have to be someplace remote. I can’t imagine they would go too far or risk detection.”
“There is a small village about five miles from here. We can start there. I know a man there who might know of such a place.” As he spoke, Hugh placed his horse in the lead.
Phillip’s heartbeat matched the thunder of the horses’ hooves as they raced toward town. Just as Hugh had said, within five miles, they came upon a small town nestled in the hills. A perfect place for someone to hide. They made their way, cautiously, each man aware of his surroundings and alert for anything out of the ordinary.
Phillip knew it was imperative to find Charlotte as soon as possible. He promised to protect her. Now, when they had been so close to the end, they had been ambushed. Luckily, Phillip and his friends had the element of surprise on their side, if they could just find the Russians.
Hugh led them through the village, heading for a house on the outskirts of town. As they brought the horses to a stop, an older man approached them from the barn.
Hugh nodded his head in greeting. “Hello, Armand.”
The man waved his hand in reply. “It has been a while, Captain. What can I do for you?”
“Have you seen a small Russian patrol in this area?” Hugh asked his friend.
The Frenchman looked around and made sure nobody was listening. “Over the last day or two, I have seen some suspicious men. I heard them speaking; I think it was in Russian.”
“Do you know where they are? They took someone from my friend here.”
Armand pondered a moment, “I don’t know for certain, but if I was willing to wager, there is an abandoned farmhouse about three miles out on the other side of town. It is a little out of the way. Nice place if you want to be alone.” Armand told them where to find the house.
“Thank you, my friend. If we need anything further, we will be back.” Hugh turned his horse and led the group in the right direction.
Phillip knew now was the time to focus. He couldn’t let his feelings for Charlotte cloud his judgment; it could cost them their lives. He needed to shut down everything except the task at hand. For now, Charlotte would be nothing more than the target of their rescue. He would not think about their night of passion and the woman he held in his arms as she cried out in ecstasy. If he thought that way, he might misstep, and he couldn’t afford to make a mistake with Charlotte’s life on the line.
Phillip also had to think about his friends. They would all need to work together, supporting each other as they had on previous missions. Phillip took a few slow, calming breaths. He squelched his fear and apprehension and replaced them with resolve and determination.
After a mile or so, the men dismounted, not wanting to announce their presence too soon. They tied the horses to some trees and quietly made their way forward. Phillip knew it would be risky to fire his gun, so he kept it in his pocket. After a few yards, they came upon a small farmhouse and barn. Judging by its state of decay, the occupants had abandoned it years ago. The group paused and surveyed the area.
Movement from the barn caught Phillip’s eye, and he directed his friends to it. A Russian soldier had left the barn. The soldier circled the structure but didn’t return. Phillip assumed he was a guard. They needed to know how many Russians they were up against. Phillip motioned for Ethan and Hugh to follow him away from the barn until they were at a safe distance to talk.
“We need to see how many men there are,” Phillip said.
Phillip’s friends nodded in agreement.
“We have to assume Charlotte is in the barn.”
“What’s the plan?” Ethan asked. He knew it was important for Phillip to have control. It seemed there was more at stake than the mission for Phillip.
Phillip was silent as he thought. “Hugh, you go around to the far side and see how many men there are. If you can take them out quietly, then do it. Ethan, you take the east side, and I’ll take the west. You know the signal for the all-clear. Once the perimeter is clear, we will worry about getting Charlotte out.”
They split up, each taking their perspective sides. Phillip made his way to the west side of the barn. He gave a wide berth, not wanting to be discovered. When he got to the designated area, he crept closer to the barn. He withdrew his knife
and placed it at the ready. To save Charlotte, he had shut down his emotions. Now, all that remained was a cold rage.
As he inched closer, he heard talking a few yards to his right. He ducked behind a tree then peered around to see two soldiers. It would be difficult to take them both at the same time without causing too much noise. Phillip couldn’t risk giving up his position, so he waited.
After what seemed like an eternity, the two guards went their separate ways. Phillip followed the soldier who went to his right. Once the soldier stopped walking Phillip crept up behind the unsuspecting man, his knife in hand. He rushed the last few feet and grabbed the Russian, locking his arm around his throat to silence him. Phillip stabbed the soldier in the chest with his knife, and the man fell silently to the ground.
Phillip found the other soldier twenty yards from the first. He planned to kill this man similarly, but when he was about to strike, the Russian turned around. Phillip threw the knife at him, but the soldier side stepped at the last moment. The two men charged each other and landed on the ground in a heap.
Phillip was on top and wrapped his hands around his opponent’s throat. The Russian landed a hook to Phillip’s jaw, knocking him to the ground. The guard drew his knife and jumped on Phillip, but he saw the weapon out of the corner of his eye and brought his arm up in time to stop the killing blow. Pain lanced down his arm, where the soldier’s blade had hit. Phillip pushed the pain aside.
Whipping his head up, Phillip struck the Russian in the face, causing them both to be momentarily stunned. It was enough time to allow Phillip to push his assailant off him. Phillip grabbed for the knife that had fallen from the soldier’s hand. Taking aim, he threw the knife, and this time, it hit its mark and sunk into the Russian’s throat. The man’s body hit the ground with a thud.
Chest heaving from the fight and adrenaline rushing through his body, Phillip scanned the area for more surprises. He searched the remainder of the west side of the barn and didn’t see anyone. He made the signal, a bird call, and waited. There was a response from his left; it was Hugh. He headed in that direction. Hugh stood next to the body of another dead Russian.
“Did you have any trouble?” Phillip asked. Hugh was covered with blood, but Phillip didn’t notice any injuries.
“Nothing I couldn’t handle. This one was a handful, stronger than he looks. Two of his friends are back up there.” He pointed his thumb up the hill. “Should we check on Ethan?”
“No, we should wait.”
Five minutes passed when they heard the signal from the other side of the barn. It was Ethan. Hugh was the first to speak when they met, “We were about to come and give you a hand. You always are the slowest,” he chuckled.
“For your information, I took on two blokes at the same time. Damn soldiers wouldn’t stop talking, so I had to intervene.”
“Still took you long enough, old chap.” Hugh always had to have the last word.
“You’re both sure everyone was taken care of?” Phillip had to be certain before they focused their attention on the barn itself. Both men reassured him all was clear on their sides.
Phillip led the way to the nearest window and peeked inside. The interior was dark and dingy, hard to make out much from his angle. Ethan and Hugh scoped out the interior from the other sides. Phillip went to the front of the barn and looked in that window as well. A figure stood on the other side of the room. He wasn’t sure if it was the captain or not. Out of the corner of his vision, he saw the back of a chair, but couldn’t see if anyone was in it.
Ethan came back first. “I can see Charlotte. They have her tied to a chair, near the east end of the barn.”
That must be the chair Phillip saw. “Did you see anyone else?”
“Yes, one soldier standing in front of the chair, one by the east wall, and another by the door on the far side.”
Hugh returned and reported he had also seen Charlotte, as well as the man near her and one soldier by the opposite door. That meant that there were three Russians in the room. There was a door on the far side of the barn. Phillip sent Hugh to cover that exit and told him to wait for his signal. Then, he asked Ethan to hold back as well. Phillip didn’t want to show the captain all his cards. If Captain Dmitriev thought he was alone, he may get overly confident and allow Phillip’s friends to sneak in, unawares.
Ready to enter, Phillip stood at the barn entrance and steadied his breathing. He pushed open the doors, knowing this would be the most important moment of his life.
Chapter 14
The Russians had tied Charlotte’s hands to the pommel of the saddle, and they had ridden away from Phillip. She couldn’t believe their time together had come to this. They would kill Phillip, and who knew what fate awaited her in the hands of her captures. As they rode down the road, Charlotte heard a single gunshot. With that sound, her heart shattered into a million pieces. Phillip was gone. It didn’t matter what happened to her now, but she would do her best to make him proud.
They took Charlotte to a nearby town. There didn’t appear to be many inhabitants, or perhaps they hid when they saw the soldiers. She thought she glimpsed a few faces peek out from behind curtains. Charlotte wanted to scream for help, but knew it was useless. She was their prisoner. Perhaps, there would be an opportunity for her to escape if she stayed alert. She couldn’t give up all hope. Phillip had said they were close to the rendezvous point with his friends. If she could escape and find them, then maybe she would have a chance.
The troop of soldiers led her away from the town, and after a short distance, they came to an abandoned farmhouse. The palms of her hands started to sweat as they made their way closer. Here they would question her and do Lord knows what to get the answers they were seeking. Charlotte never thought of herself as courageous until this journey. Along the way, she had learned a lot about herself, and she would need to put all her knowledge to the test to get out of this mess.
Charlotte thought about Phillip. She should have told him she loved him. Now, it was too late, and she would never see him again. Never see his smiling face or feel his kisses. She would never again feel strong arms wrapped around her. No, she scolded herself, now was not the time for pity or regrets. Now was the time for grit and determination. Their party stopped, and the soldiers dismounted.
A soldier untied Charlotte’s hands and dragged her off the horse, but she wasn’t ready to stand. Her legs gave way when they hit the ground, but she regained her balance before falling. Don’t give up, she told herself. She would not give the Russians the satisfaction of seeing her falter.
The captain called for the men to bring Charlotte to the barn. They led her inside an old, dilapidated structure. It looked like a strong wind was all that was needed to knock it over. The interior smelled stale and dry, and cobwebs covered the corners of the walls. No one would know where she was. It was up to her to escape.
As if reading her mind, the Russians thwarted Charlotte’s plan to escape. They sat her in a chair and tied her arms to the armrests. The ropes were snug and cut into her arms when she moved too much. Now, there was no hope. She would have to be brave a little longer. It is what Phillip would have wanted.
The captain gave orders to his men. Some were dispatched to guard the perimeter outside. All but two soldiers remained, and they stayed with Captain Dmitriev. At last he turned his attention to Charlotte. She tried to intimidate him with a look of hatred, but fear was getting the better of her.
“So, now we have privacy. Plenty of time to talk.” Captain Dmitriev seemed pleased by the prospect. He leisurely strolled a few steps toward her.
“I won’t tell you anything, so you might as well kill me and be done with it.”
He chuckled, “My dear, I plan on getting the information out of you, no matter how long it takes.”
“Why? What’s the use? Phillip is dead, and soon, I will be too. Anything we know will die with us.” She trembled at the words.
“True, but how do I know you have not already shared your
information with others?”
“I haven’t, you must believe me.”
Captain Dmitriev leaned toward Charlotte. “Now, this is where I have a problem. I do not know if you are lying. It is my job to make sure you are not.”
“Please, Captain. I promise I haven’t told…” Before Charlotte could say anything further, the captain’s hand struck her face. Her head whipped back, and she was momentarily stunned. Her left cheek burned, and tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away, refusing to show weakness.
Charlotte kept her head down and took deep breaths.
“Enough of this. You will tell me every detail your cousin told you. Then, you will tell me the names of everyone you have had contact with and what you have told them.”
“And what if I don’t?” Charlotte lifted her head and met Captain Dmitriev’s gaze with steely determination. If he thought she would easily give him what he wanted, then he was mistaken.
Not breaking the stare, the Russian replied, “Then I will break you until you do. And when I’m finished, I will leave your corpse here to rot. You have a choice, my dear. We can do this the hard way or the easy way.”
Acting on pure impulse, Charlotte spit in the captain’s face. She was horrified by what she had done, but she would never apologize.
Captain Dmitriev wiped his face and grabbed Charlotte’s hair. He jerked her head so hard that she cried out in pain. She silenced herself as the captain looked her in the eyes. “That was foolish, and you will pay for that, you English whore.” He was about to say more when one of the soldiers came in and asked to speak with him.
They conversed in hushed tones. Charlotte took the time to examine her surroundings. It was a good-sized barn, most of it was empty from disuse. After the soldier left, the captain turned his attention back to Charlotte.
“Now, we will begin, or do you need another lesson?”
“Very well, I will tell you.” What else could she do? She would take her time while trying to figure out a plan. After she told the captain what Nikoli had told her, he asked her about their journey.
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