Chapter 24
Brigitte stared in a confused awe at Tony who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by valves and pieces of the communication device Bernard gave him, and looked to be absorbed in what he was doing. She easily realized how smart Tony was. A genius even. She hears him talk to Sydney and she barley understood half what they say, which meant that Sydney was equally smart as him.
“What is he doing?” Brigitte asked in confusion.
“The device he is making will prevent Carl from calling Holdstein in any way.” Sydney answered while pulling on the military officer clothes.
“How’s that?” she asked with wide surprised eyes.
“When we place it on the building opposite the hospital, it will release signals that will ruin all communications in the area for a while.”
“How is that possible?”
“It is just a future technology, Brig.” Sydney said with a small smile.
Brigitte looked at her for a few seconds then smiled sweetly at her.
“No one ever shortened my name before.” she murmured gently.
“Uhm, sorry. It is a habit. I shorten names. That’s-that’s what I do.” Sydney blushed and looked down in embarrassment.
Brigitte brushed her hand against hers, which made Sydney look up again.
“I liked the sound of it coming from you.” Brigitte murmured, looking at her from under her lashes.
Sydney got lost in her wide blue eyes. Apparently, she inherited Tony and Dean’s fixation of blue eyes, since she couldn’t look away from Brigitte’s very blue, very pretty eyes.
Alain entered the room then and made his way towards them, breaking the moment.
“The car is here.” Alain announced. “We are hiding it in a hidden ally.”
“And the statement?” Sydney asked while turning to him.
“Here it is.” Alain pulled out a folded paper from his pocket and hand it to Sydney.
Sydney took it and checked it out in interest. “It looks very real.” She said with a smile. “Where did you get Holdstein’s signature?”
“From an old execution order.” He answered harshly, moving to stand purposefully between Sydney and Brigitte. “When will you start your plan?”
Sydney furrowed her brows at his behavior but answered anyway. “When we are sure that Holdstein is in his office.”
“What is your plan anyway?”
“It is pretty simple. In an exact moment, when Holdstein is in his office, we will put the device on the building opposite the hospital. Then, someone will go to meet Holdstein, claiming that he has very important information about an unknown aircraft he saw flying in the sky. That claim will catch Holdstein’s attention, and will meet the man himself. That man will try to keep Holdstein occupied for fifteen minutes in his office. At the same time, Tony and I will reach the hospital, driving the Gestapo car. I will go to Dean’s hospital room, pretending to be a German officer, and will give Carl the statement that states for him to give me Dean as soon as possible, because of a very important changes, and for Carl to remain with his men in the hospital until he receives other orders. Of course, Carl will doubt every word, and will want to make sure of it. I will then, suggest for him to try to call Holdstein directly, and to make it fast. When he will try, he will find out that all communications are down, that would make him to have no other choice but to give me Dean.”
Alain was silent for a few seconds then said harshly: “Do you think things will be that easy?”
“If we had two volunteers, everything will be alright.”
“Two volunteers?! We agreed that we will not-“
“We are not asking you to fight.” Tony interjected, looking up from his work. “We just need someone to turn on the device on time and another to go to Holdstein and keep him occupied for fifteen minutes.”
“No. you will not have-“
“What’s wrong with you, Alain?!” Brigitte cut him off sharply. “Why are you acting like this? Is it jealousy or something?”
“Jealousy?!” he exclaimed flinching back.
“I was told that you were the one who convinced the men to not help Tony and Sydney, and now you are treating them harshly while they are trying so hard to save their friend and save our future from an insane man, like what Castiel did.”
“Are you really believing their story?”
“Yes, Alain, I do. We both believed that story before with Castiel, or did you forget?”
He was quiet for a few seconds then looked away saying firmly: “Fine, Brigitte. Do whatever you want. But I will not risk my life for them or for their friend.”
“Fine. Suite yourself.” She shouted sharply then straightened herself. “But I will.”
Everyone turned to her in surprise.
“What are you doing?” Alain exclaimed incredulously.
“I will go to meet Holdstein and I will try to keep him in his office for as long as possible.”
Tony’s brows furrowed nervously while Sydney turned towards her sharply exclaiming: “No! Not you!”
Delight filled Brigitte and a smile appeared on her face as she looked up at Sydney: “Not me? Why?”
Alain didn’t give Sydney a chance to reply: “Are you out of your mind?! We will never let you do such risk!”
“This is my choice, Alain!” she exclaimed firmly. “You don’t believe their story, but I do. I know that our goals are the same. So, I will risk my life itself if I have to, to help them. Even if I had to turn on the device then go to meet Holdstein at the same time.”
“I will move the device and turn it on, ma’am.” One of the men announced excitedly.
“Great! And I will go-“
“I will not let you do this.” Sydney cut her off firmly.
“Listen, Sydney. I am the French resistance’s leader. I have to be a role model for them. We are both strong, fearless women so you must understand. I have faced hundreds of-“
“No, Brigitte.” Alain interjected sternly. When she turned to him sharply he continued. “I will go to Holdstein.” Everyone looked at him in surprise. “And this is unnegotiable.”
***
“Hail Hitler!”
Colonel Von Darke exclaimed strongly when he entered the office room in the hospital, which Holdstein was in.
“You are right on time, Von Darke.” The General turned towards him.
The colonel furrowed his brows in annoyance. The general didn’t greet him back. “I came as soon as I could, sir.”
Holdstein stood up and stared at him. “Are your men ready?”
“They are as ready as they can be, sir. But we still don’t know how we can find the Resistance’s men in the tunnels.”
Holdstein pulled out the folded map from his pocket and handed it to the colonel. “Here is the way.” The colonel unfolded the map and stared at it in surprise. “That’s a full map of the subway’s tunnels, and there’s marks that indicates their hideouts and-“
“Where did you get this map, sir?” Von Darke interjected in surprise.
The general looked at him angrily. “Are you interrupting me for such a stupid question? You know we have our ways to get information.”
“I am not talking about the information, sir. I meant the map itself. I never saw such paper and perfect printing like this.”
Holdstein furrowed his brows and cursed under his breath when he realized that he gave the colonel the map that the computer printed.
“It is one of the German’s brilliant inventions, which we keep it a secret, so the enemies won’t reach it.” Then he snatched the map from him. “That’s why you are going to copy it, and will not keep the original.”
“Of-of course, sir.”
“Now prepare your men to attack the resistance from three different directions to surround them in their hideout. Then wipe them all out completely.”
“All of them sir? Aren’t we going to keep one or two for interrogation?”
“All of them, Von Darke.” Then he turned to pour himself a glass of wine. “With that, we will write the first pages of the new history. My history.”