The Last Command
Chapter 2
by
Tygerzeye
Author's Note: The story takes place in Germany during the last days of World War Two. I may have taken some liberties with places and dates but I've tried to stay as accurate as I can.
May 7th 1945 09.30 am
When Logan awoke he was alone, Hannah was gone. They had sat on the stoop until late into the night, when most of the camp had already retired for the evening. The air had cooled considerably but her body had remained warm and inviting, huddled against his as they had sipped their whiskey. He remembered how they had talked, mostly about the trivial and mundane aspects of life, Hannah seeming unwilling or unable to discuss the events that had led her into the world she now inhabited. He had longed to ask her about her past, to find out what had brought her to this place. Her accent, which was to him exotic and mysterious, was neither German nor French. It seemed to belong to a place and time far away from this little camp in the trees; to a land where wolves could still be heard baying at the moon and black bears wandered wild through the snow laden forests, where people young and old, still clung to the ancient superstitions, shunning those who were different for fear of damnation. He had wondered what terrible thing could have befallen her, what kind of loss she had suffered to force her from her homeland and into the middle of a war but he could not bring himself to ask, knowing that he would have been unable to answer, should she enquire the same thing of him.
The silver crescent of the new moon had been high in the sky when eventually they had moved inside. The interior of her cabin was warm and dark, the wooden slatted walls and floor were lined with animal pelts to keep out the draft. The cot which she normally slept on was too small to accommodate both of them so they had lain together on the floor, their naked bodies entwined beneath a covering of fur and sheepskins. He had longed to make love to her then, in the warm darkness, with only the sound of the wind in the trees disturbing the silence of the small room but her eyes had betrayed a weariness that seemed to overwhelm her almost immediately. She had drifted off in his arms, her head resting on his chest, her hair like a fine shawl around her shoulders. He had held her tightly; relishing the heat of her body, until eventually the soft sound of her contented breathing had rocked him to sleep.
Now she was no longer there, and he could feel the fresh air of morning raising goose bumps on his flesh. Quickly he dressed, curious to know where she was, and opened the cabin door to step outside. Daylight flooded into the small room. Instinctively he turned away, squinting at the unexpected assault on his eyes, and it was then that he saw the picture hanging on the wall.
Ruth edged her way gingerly along the gangway to Hannah's cabin, the basket of laundry balanced on one hip. Hannah had asked her at breakfast if she could do her washing while she was away and now that the clothes were clean, Ruth wanted to hang them up so that they would be dry in time for her return.
She could see the stranger sitting on the cabin stoop, his eyes cast downwards as if looking at the floor, but it was only when she got nearer that she realised he was staring at something he held in his hands, something she had seen so many times now, it was almost as familiar to her as her own face. It was Hannah's wedding photograph. Ruth put the laundry down on the platform and walked cautiously over to where he sat, seeing in his face the anguish and the confusion as he stared at the picture, his eyes riveted, his hands clutching the scrap of yellowing paper tightly, as if he hoped to choke something; some secret, some revelation, from its brittle aging fibres. He barely seemed to notice when she sat next to him. The pain in his eyes was almost overwhelming; the thoughts that were running through his mind were as obvious to her as words written on a page. Carefully she reached across and drew the picture out of his clenched fist.
"This was taken a long time ago." She whispered, smoothing out the edges of the crumpled paper. "Hannah was only sixteen when she got married."
"She ain't wearin' a ring." He replied, the dread in his voice tugged at her heart.
"She stopped wearing it even before I met her." Ruth explained. "She loved Johannes more than anyone, gave up everything for him, but he died a long time ago."
"Died?" he looked startled.
Ruth handed the picture back to him and got to her feet.
"They were living in Poland when the Germans invaded." She said. "They took Johannes away. He died in a Concentration Camp five years ago."
Logan stared at the photograph; at the young girl, so happy in her wedding dress and at the man who stood at her side, a giant figure with a long mane of blond hair framing a rugged face, the dark fire that burned in his eyes was so familiar to Logan; it was the passion of the wild beast that coursed through his own veins. Hannah's husband had been like him. The revelation hit him like a fist in his guts. She had known all along, had known what he was from the moment she had set eyes on him. She had never been afraid of him at all. What had scared her, he now realised, was the thought of caring again. He got to his feet and ducked back inside the cabin to replace the picture where he had found it. Ruth followed him to the doorway.
"What are you going to do?" she asked.
"Find her." He replied.
The older woman smiled.
"There's a stream that runs past the camp just to the north." She explained. "Follow it. She'll be there."
Hannah ducked her head under the cool water, running her fingers through her hair to rinse out the soap. She had wanted to forego her bath today, she had too much to do, a mission to plan for, but Ruth had insisted, explaining to her over breakfast the benefits of being in charge and the finer points of delegation. Besides, it was the camp rule that everyone had half a day off every week and today it was her name on the rota. It was also one of the camp rules that no-one went out alone. Two of the women on guard duty had gone with her. She couldn't see them but she knew they were nearby, watching the forest for potential threats, ready to give her the signal that danger was approaching.
She stood up, the last of the soap gone from her hair. The morning sun warmed her naked skin and she basked in it for a moment, savouring its light on her face. The pool in which she took her baths every week was on the edge of the forest, only a mile from the camp. It was surrounded on two sides by a low rocky cliff and was fed by a small, clear stream, which tumbled over the boulders at its western edge in an elegant waterfall. To the north the land opened up in vast, lush meadow, the grasses and flowers growing almost as tall as her. She had never tired of visiting this place. Even in winter it was like a paradise in the midst of a battlefield.
She lay back, letting the water take her weight as she sculled lazily in the direction of the waterfall. She planned to sit on the rocks and enjoy the sun for a while before returning to the camp. Logan had been asleep when she left and she wanted to make sure he was ok. Even though he seemed to have recovered quickly from his ordeal in the forest, she was worried about him, could no longer deny to herself the way he made her feel. It had been five painful years since Johannes died and she had never once wanted for company. The desire with which she craved it now had taken her completely by surprise.
She reached the edge of the pool and was about to pull herself onto a low-lying rock, when she heard the faint sound of a whistle, drifting through the air from the edge of the forest. She turned and saw one of the women who had accompanied her, crouching by the trunk of an oak. She signalled to her.
Someone coming.
Hannah felt her heart begin to thump in her chest.
How many?
The woman ducked out of sight for a moment, then reappeared standing in plain sight.
One man she signed, the mischievous smile on her face was evident even from this distance.
Logan.
Hannah marvelled for a moment at the efficiency of the camp grapevine. She signalled again, a single wave of her hand.
Go back to the camp.
The woman feigned a disappointed pout then smiled and vanished back into the trees. Hannah sank back into the water, her body floating just below its cool surface as she waited for him to arrive.
Logan had found the stream easily, a well trodden trail led to it's shores from the camp. The women obviously walked there every day to collect fresh supplies. Although there had been no sign of Hannah on either side of the water, he could detect her scent clinging to the lush undergrowth; it wafted around him like a faint perfume in the cool shady air. She must have passed this way not long before. He had turned and headed downstream, letting his acute sense of smell guide him through the semi darkness of the forest floor. The trees teamed with life all around him; there were birds singing in the canopy above his head and he could hear the gentle scuffling of woodland animals sheltering from predators on the forest floor but he took no real notice of them; his mind focussing only on the alluring scent that had been imprinted on his brain since the night before. That part of him that was human longed to be with her, knowing that in her arms he would find the acceptance and the understanding that he had been without for so long. The dark half of his soul, the feral animal, that rumbled and growled within his chest, craved her with a passion he had not experienced before. It was the wildest kind of lust, born in the touch of skin on skin and fuelled by the untamed wilderness they inhabited. The wolf had found its mate, and now it wanted to claim her.
Up ahead of him, the forest began to thin out, the sunlight became brighter and a new sound drifted up to his ears; the sound of water, tumbling over a precipice. Her scent had grown fainter but he knew she was not far away now. He pressed onwards.
Hannah felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She chewed her bottom lip, attempting to suppress the urge to laugh. She knew Logan was nearby somewhere; up on the rocks that surrounded the pool. She had heard his footsteps as he picked his way across the narrow opening at the top of the waterfall. Although she wasn't a mutant, her sense of hearing had been honed by years of living in the forest in constant fear of ambush, and she had sensed his presence as soon as he had left the soft ground of the forest floor. Now he was standing above her somewhere, watching the way the sunlight danced off her wet skin as she kicked her way to the shore. She wondered if he was waiting for something, surely he wasn't nervous, not after the way he had touched her the night before. She felt a moment of disappointment; perhaps he was waiting for her to get dressed. Then she heard the splash of a body entering the pool, felt its surface ripple and swell against her legs. She barely had time to react before she felt him on her, his hands gripping her waist as he pulled her to her feet in the shallow water.
"You shouldn't be out here alone" he whispered, his lips brushing against hers.
"I wasn't." she replied with a smile as his eyes flitted cautiously around the shores of the pool, checking for any sign they were being watched. "It's alright, they'll be halfway back to the camp by now." She drew him closer, running her hands over his body, feeling every contour, every hardened muscle, shivering with anticipation as she felt the gentle nudge of his erection pressing against the soft flesh of her belly. His lips were on hers again, kissing feverishly, his tongue exploring her mouth with the hard passion of an animal aroused. She let her hands wander beneath the water, savouring the rigid feel of his thighs for a moment before moving upwards again, between his legs; her fingers caressing the tight skin of his scrotum as his body quaked with the first tremors of pleasure. She continued onwards, sliding her palm along the underside of his stiffened penis, feeling its length, its heat in the coolness of the water, the way it seemed to swell, growing even harder with each stroke of her hand. She had almost forgotten what it was like to touch a man this way; now she longed to have him inside her, wanted to feel the sweet pain of that first thrust, experience the ecstasy as he came within her but he didn't want it to be over so quickly. After only a few moments he eased her hand away; his arms encircling her waist, his fingers gripping her buttocks as he coaxed her legs apart. His mouth drifted away from hers to explore the softness of her neck, his teeth nipping gently at her skin as her pulse pounded against his lips. His hair left wet trails on her flesh as he moved down her body; his tongue teasing her aching nipples for a moment before continuing its slow, sensuous descent. Then he was on his knees in front of her, lapping at the droplets of water that had pooled in her navel, his hands gliding up the insides of her thighs, driven on by the sound of her quickening breath. Hannah felt the air stall in her lungs as his fingers brushed her pubic hair; was faintly aware of the moan that rumbled in her throat as he parted her swollen, throbbing flesh, seeking out the moist heat that lay beyond. When his fingers slid inside her she could no longer hold back and her cry echoed off the rocks that surrounded the pool, surprising even Logan with its wild, animal like abandon. The spasms of pleasure that surged through her body made her legs rock and she clutched his shoulders to steady herself as his thumb stroked her most sensitive points, his fingers gliding into her then out again, matching perfectly the quickening pace of her own breath. His lips were hot against the skin of her belly and the feel of his mouth, so close to her only served to increase the intensity of her orgasm as it exploded from within her; fanned like a burning flame by the contractions of her muscles and the relentless movements of his hand. Her entire body shook so fiercely, she was incapable even of making a sound as her legs buckled beneath her. Logan felt her hair whip against his back as she slumped against him, but he bore her weight on his shoulder, his attention never faltering once as he continued his caresses until the last ripple of ecstasy passed through her and she fell, trembling and gasping, into his embrace.
Hannah wrapped her arms tightly around Logan's back as her knees sank into the soft sand. Her hands still tingled with the last, fading tremors of delight and her throat burned with the effort of breathing. She could barely believe the speed and ferocity of her own climax, could not recall a time when she had experienced such intensity before, or felt the kind of desire that was overwhelming her now; the desperate need to do it all again, for him to touch her once more and to return that touch, to feel him in her hands, taste him in her mouth, to have him deep inside her. The passion that coursed through her veins was swamping her mind, drowning out all thoughts of maps and tactics and reports; the gentle but insistent pressure of his swollen manhood, pushing against the inside of her thigh, was an enticing reminder that they were far from finished yet.
Logan watched, fascinated as Hannah rose out of the water before him, her skin glistening with moisture, her breasts flushed with excitement. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her as she coaxed him to his feet, her nipples pressing hard against his chest as she gripped his arms, easing his hands down to her legs. He lifted her up, his nails digging into the back of her thighs as she wrapped herself around him, nuzzling her cheek against his neck. Her scent was strong, he could smell it on his own skin; musky, earthy like the forest itself, it was the smell of an animal aroused. The pain that had overwhelmed her the night before had vanished from her eyes, her gaze burned instead with renewed passion as she rubbed her body against his chest and stomach, the brush of her pubic hair on the throbbing tip of his penis stirring his own desires. Carefully, he carried her to the shore, where the water met the lush vegetation of the meadow, and laid her down on the grass. Her hands cupped his massive shoulders as she coaxed him into her embrace, her lips warm and soft on his as her tongue played along the sharp edges of his teeth. The morning sun beat down on the back of his neck as he knelt over her, his hands entwined in her hair as they kissed. He had almost forgotten there was a war going in, could barely recall what had brought him to this land. His mind was focussed only on the moment, on the feel of her body pressed to his and on the hushed sound of her sighs mingling with the birdsong and the whispers of the breeze that blew around them. He slid an arm around her back and pulled her tighter to his chest, not wanting to let her go. A strange new sensation stirred within him, a feeling that he had found a part of his destiny, that this woman with her flame red hair, with all the frailties of a human and all the passions of a wild animal would become a part of his life that would prove difficult to live without. She had accepted him without question, knowing full well what he was and for the first time, Logan finally understood what it was to feel content. As long as she was with him, nothing else could possibly matter. He ran his hands along the length of her body, following their progress with his eyes, wanting to burn her image onto his memory, but the more he touched her the more aroused she became, squirming and moaning beneath him, her cries resonating deep within his body, stirring the beast that lay there. He felt her hands grasp his waist and he happily followed her lead, easing himself between her open legs. He gripped her knees and ground his hips against the inside of her thighs, feeling her moisten again as he teased her already throbbing clitoris with the length of his shaft, the drops of fluid that oozed from its tip, mingling with her own juices, adding to her wetness. Her breasts were warm and soft against his chest and he found himself unable to resist the urge to kiss them, flicking his tongue over each nipple in turn until they hardened into blushing buds, and he heard her voice, urging him onwards, begging him not to stop as her body arched beneath him, her words becoming nothing more than incoherent cries as she orgasmed again, her nails gouging the flesh of his shoulders, the pain only adding to the rising tide of his own pleasure. He was beginning to feel light headed, his vision blurred with lust as the animal within him struggled to break free. Hannah was lying in his arms, her eyes fixed on his, gazing at him expectantly and he longed to make love to her, to be inside her, but his feral self was coming awake, filling him with the kind of urges he wished he could deny. He felt her hand touch his face and shivered as a low growl escaped his throat.
Hannah had seen that expression hundreds of times in the past. The struggle between the man and the beast had been a part of Johannes too. She remembered their first years together when he would fight the urges that often disgusted him, afraid he would hurt her, drive her away. He would often leave her in the night after they had made love, thinking she was asleep, and she would lie alone in the darkness, listening to his howls of anguish echoing through the forest. Sometimes he would come back with blood on his hands, but she never asked him where he went. All that bothered her was that he was not happy but then as she grew older and spent more time with him she learned that there were occasions when the beast had to have precedence over the man. It had taken her a long time to convince Johannes that she was right, he had doubted his abilities to control his rage, but her trust in him had finally brought him round and even though his passion often left her exhausted and raw, she had never had to listen to his pain filled cries again, only the quiet sound of his breathing as he slept beside her. Now she faced the same situation with Logan but without the bond of marriage she wondered whether he would be willing to put his faith in her. Perhaps it would be better to let him suppress that darker part of him that was demanding it's share of her but she couldn't do that; she wanted to experience everything, to know every part of him and she couldn't bear to hear those tortured howls in the darkness again.
Lifting herself into a sitting position she allowed her lips to brush against his for a moment, relishing the moan that escaped him as she wet his skin with her tongue. His arms encircled her back as he pulled her onto his lap, a deep growl rumbling in his throat as he felt the welcoming heat of her sex on the head of his penis but she wasn't ready for him yet. Easing her body away from his stiffened manhood she continued to kiss him, biting and sucking at his lower lip as he moaned and raked at her with his nails. She grabbed his hand and guided it once more between her legs. He stroked her eagerly, running his fingers in and out of her until they were soaked with her own juices then he tore away from her kiss, raising his hand to his mouth to taste her fluids, his eyes now burning with a passion that wasn't human. He looked up at her for a moment, a wild snarl playing at the corners of his lips, then he was moving, so fast she barely had time to react. His arms snaked around her waist, his nails cutting her flesh as he pulled her down onto him. She felt herself being impaled on his massive shaft, crying out as he sank deep inside her. The feeling was exquisite but she wanted more of him, all of him.
Lust had overtaken him as he thrust inside her, his only concern was to make her his mate, to fill her with his seed, to mark her as his own but just as he felt his own pleasure beginning to build she pulled away from him, her body tumbling from his lap as she broke from his embrace. He felt a moment of confusion, a flash of anger, then he realised she was looking at him, lying beside him on her stomach, her eyes silently beckoning to the beast that now dominated his consciousness. With a delighted roar, he pounced on her. His hands gripped her hips hard as he pulled her onto all fours and thrust inside her, the tightness of her muscles making him gasp. She pushed herself back with her arms until her rump was pressed against his abdomen, holding him for a moment before slowly easing away, her muscles clenching even harder, ripping the breath from his lungs until he was sure he was going to pass out. He braced himself against her pelvis, sliding his hands over her sweat drenched back to grip her shoulders, holding her steady as he pushed into her once more, the smooth feel of her taught body, exciting his senses, her musky scent overwhelming him until he was forced to surrender to his own desire.
Hannah could feel new ripples of pleasure building within her stomach as Logan continued to thrust into her, filling her with himself. Her arms burned with the effort of supporting them both but she ignored the pain, her attention riveted to the way he felt inside her; hot and firm and so immense, when he had first plunged into her she had felt a momentary flush of panic, convinced that her body would tear, but despite his animal passions he was not violent and she revelled in the sensation of his increasing rhythm, the growls and whimpers that escaped his throat signalling the rush of his own orgasm. Hannah dug her fingers into the soft ground, as her own body began to tremble, Logan continuing to pound into her as his hand slid under her belly to stroke her aching clitoris. By the time she came for the third time, she could barely breathe, so intense were the waves of ecstasy that coursed through her, but when he exploded inside her moments later, she threw back her head and screamed his name; the searing sensation of his hot fluid spilling into her was almost too intense to bear.
Her aching arms began to finally give way, and as he eased out of her she slumped into the warm grass, stretching out on her side to catch her breath. Logan dropped down next to her, his eyes closed, his lips slightly parted as he drew in great lungfuls of air. She watched him in silence, aware of every line and contour of his handsome face as the beast began to slowly fade away to be replaced once more by the man she was rapidly falling in love with. She reached up and ran her finger along the strong line of his nose. He sighed contentedly, his eyes flickering open as he turned to look at her. She felt herself beginning to warm under his dark gaze, her passion giving way to a sensuous need to make love with him; the wild animal that he had fought against was sated and slumbering, now she could have the man. Hannah felt his arm move under her shoulder and she bent down to kiss him as he pulled her into his embrace.
Logan was unsure how long they had made love for but he had never experienced anything like it before. The conflict that had always raged within him was gone. Hannah had baited the wild animal that had been struggling within him and allowed it to take her. There had been nothing to distract him then as she had slowly seduced him, covering him with tender kisses, flicking her tongue over the most sensitive parts of his body until he ached with desire. Then she had lowered herself onto him, sitting astride his hips as she swayed to her own rhythm, her muscles clenching and relaxing around his swollen penis until he could no longer hold back. His hands had grasped her thighs as he orgasmed deep inside her, waves of ecstasy shaking his body as she clutched at him, her own climax making her tremble and groan. She lay in his arms now and he could feel her eyelashes fluttering against his skin, her fingers curling lazily in the hair that covered his chest. He felt a twinge of sadness then; regret that they couldn't stay there forever, that soon they would have to return to their lives, bound up as they were in a war. But he would not leave her, could not in that moment contemplate being somewhere without her. He sighed and pulled her closer, wanting to enjoy her embrace just a little longer. Like it or not darlin', he thought to himself, you're stuck with me.
Hannah buried her head in the warmth of Logan's neck, clutching him tightly, not wanting to break from his embrace, though she knew she had to. She had to get back to the camp; she had so many things to do. The last hours of the war had arrived, of that she was sure. Germany faced defeat, Berlin was overrun with enemy forces and the War Cabinet had already moved to the temporary safety of another city, but it wouldn't be much longer before that fell too. Her little band of resistance fighters had braved death and torture to bring about the fall of the Third Reich, many, like her driven by the need for revenge. Deep down she knew that the Allied Forces and the Russians could do the job without any help from her or her comrades; they could walk away now and be certain that they had won, but she couldn't do that. She had promised to fight on, to keep going until Germany capitulated. She owed that much to Johannes, to all the other women who had stood with her in their shared grief. To turn her back on them now, even to be with Logan, would have been selfish. It was just one more mission, one more raid and then they would run, head for France like so many other refugees had already done. By this time tomorrow they would be safe behind Allied lines and within a few months her life might be ordinary again. Gazing down at Logan's tanned body as he lay at her side, she felt a twinge of regret. If only they could have met in circumstances other than this. She felt his fingers skim through her hair, his touch sending a shiver of pleasure down her spine.
"You have to go don't you." He whispered as if sensing her thoughts.
She looked at him and nodded.
"We have a mission to complete tonight, we have to get the children away before dark, I should be there to help."
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her on top of him, gazing at her for a moment with his dark eyes, his hands brushing the hair from her face.
"I want to come with you." He said.
"You don't have to do that." She replied. "This isn't your fight."
A flicker of anger passed across his face.
"They took away your husband and they killed him cos of what he was, cos he was like me, the same as me. They want to wipe us out. Don't tell me it's not my fight."
Hannah saw the fire that burned in his eyes and it frightened her. She pitied anyone who made an enemy of this man and she knew he was right. She of all people had to understand how he felt. This was as personal to him as it was to her.
"I'm sorry Logan." She whispered. "I just didn't want to get you involved."
The fury melted from his expression as he drew her down into a soft kiss, the caress of his lips setting off the butterflies in her stomach.
"You think I'd let you go off into a battle while I sat on my behind, hopin' you'd make it back?"
"No I guess not." She replied feeling her body tremble as his hands roamed over her back. He was seducing her to get his own way. She cursed at the unfairness of it but she wasn't going to complain. "I suppose you want a mission briefing too." She murmured.
He laughed softly.
"It might be an idea." He replied, nibbling at her neck.
"OK." She said with a resigned sigh. "But only as long as you don't spit coffee all over my maps, they're not water proof."
Ruth sat on her stoop darning her socks. The other occupants of the camp were crammed into the mess hut for lunch but she had already eaten. Her morning had been a busy one. Taking care of all the jobs that Hannah would normally do had given her a whole new sense of admiration for the young woman who had run their unit with such efficiency these past five years. Ruth didn't know how she had coped for this long; organising daily rotas, collating reports, planning missions, but as she watched the two figures making their way through the forest, their arms around each other, her head resting on his shoulder as they talked, she knew that if anyone deserved a second chance at happiness, it was Hannah. They had both seen their lives destroyed but widowhood was not something for the young. Putting the last stitch into her sock, she tied off the cotton and put the needle back into her sewing kit. She knew Hannah would head straight to the Radio Hut, eager to find out what had been going on during her absence. Ruth would meet her there, bring her up to date and try to keep her own curiosity in check.
The Radio Hut was small, airless and only dimly lit. The single chair was currently occupied by the operator, who sat hunched over her equipment, headphones on, apparently oblivious to her visitors who stood around a small map table in the opposite corner. Logan listened intently as Ruth briefed Hannah on the events of the morning. The single reconnaissance team had left at first light and reported in at 10am to say they were in position and would hold there until a sniper unit arrived to back them up, probably just after dark. The incursion force, made up of the bulk of the remaining fighters, would be leaving the camp at 6.30pm, travelling by road to the target. They would start getting ready to leave after lunch. The sniper team would be travelling over land and had to be ready to go by 3pm at the latest. Those women with children had already packed and were preparing to be evacuated. They would not be going on this mission. Instead they were due to be picked up by another resistance unit that was pulling out of the area and heading west towards the Allied front line. Only three people would remain in the camp; Ruth and two of the older women. They would handle the radio operations and when they received the all clear from the incursion team they were to pull out and head for the rendezvous point 3 miles away to await transport. Everything was in place and ready to go. As soon as lunch was over with the incursion and sniper teams would start preparing to leave and the children would set off to the evacuation point. Logan was silently impressed. These women who came from all kinds of social backgrounds but had no military training seemed to know exactly what they were doing and had planned everything with such precision that he was quietly glad he was on their side. Hannah directed his attention to the map that was currently pinned out on the table before them. Pointing to a neat red cross near the top right hand corner she explained to him the nature of their target.
When it had become obvious to the German High Command that the Russians were going to make it pretty much unhindered into Berlin, they had begun to move several important operational units outside the city. One of these was their Logistics Corps, responsible for overseeing the movements of all troops, machinery and weaponry within the local area. The situation had become so desperate now that the Corps was also handling the bulk of all radio communications between the High Command and the few splintered groups of German soldiers still left in the surrounding countryside. Their base of operation was an old converted manor house roughly 13 miles east of the Resistance camp. It was well guarded with high fences and look out towers that were armed and constantly manned. The women planned to take the base and knock out the radio equipment, effectively rendering most of the remaining forces in that area deaf and blind. With the Russians closing on their rear and the Allies coming at them from the front it was hoped that most of the units would surrender, leaving a clear access corridor for the Allies to reach Berlin.
Logan looked at the map dubiously, mulling over Hannah's description of their target.
"How are you goin' to get a 20 strong incursion force in there?" he asked.
She smiled at him.
"The German army is low on numbers." She explained. "Most of the men have been on the same tour of duty for eight months some of them longer. If you were in that situation what's the one thing you'd be wanting more than anything else?" she waggled her eyebrows at him mischievously and he couldn't help but laugh.
"A woman." He replied.
She took his hand.
"Come and have a look." She said and led him to the door.
Outside the camp was teeming with life in the afternoon sun. Women passed by them on their way back from the mess hut and the first thing Logan noticed as he peered out through the blinding sunlight was that hardly any of them were dressed in fatigues anymore. Most of them were wearing summer dresses. They had all washed and combed their hair and he could see some women sat outside their tents in small groups, helping each other with their make up. He looked down at Hannah, shaking his head in disbelief.
"You're gonna walk right in the door."
"Yes we are." She smiled. "What could be more disarming than twenty beautiful women looking for a good time?"
A flicker of concern crossed his face and he reached out to draw her into his arms.
"You're not goin' in with them are ya?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"I'm on the sniper team." She replied. "And so are you. I don't think we have a dress in your size."
He laughed.
"So what are we goin' to be doin' then?"
"Causing as much confusion as possible." She said. "We rendezvous with the reconnaissance team, wait for the incursion force to get settled in, then we blow the perimeter lights, take out the guards and the sentries at the gate and go in. The incursion team will dismantle the communications equipment while we take care of anyone they may have missed."
He glanced again at the women in their cotton dresses.
"How are they goin' to get guns in in those clothes?"
"Oh they'll be armed." Hannah smiled. "Just not with guns."
She turned to Ruth who was still stood inside the gloom of the hut, silently studying the map.
"Are there any leftovers?" she asked.
The older woman nodded, glancing at her with a sly smile.
"I thought you would both be hungry so I left two trays in the stove."
Hannah decided to ignore the innuendo in her friend's remark. Taking Logan's hand once more she stepped outside into the warm sunlight.
"We have about 3 hours to get ready." She explained. "We'll have to stop by the stores and pick up some ammunition but I could do with something to eat first. You hungry?"
He nodded, sliding his arm round her waist.
"Ravenous." He replied.
They set off together down the gangway towards the mess hut and as the sound of Ruth's laughter drifted across the camp on the warm breeze, Hannah said a silent prayer of thanks that few men often had any clue what went on in a woman's mind.
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