19. ~ The Hunt in the Forest ~

CHAPTER 19

The night advanced rapidly, squashing any hopes of a departure for Alex's flat and our honeymoon. In minutes, Forti Radici underwent a radical change. Hours ago, it had been filled with music, smiling guests, and excitement. But with the sudden appearance of Colonel Swinger, the atmosphere turned grim. Father asked the house staff and guests to leave, soldiers and guns replacing them.

Mrs. Allerton hastily helped me out of my dress and into my riding clothes. Before rushing out of my room, I glanced at the white fabric, now carelessly heaped on the floor. Hopefully, it wasn't a portent of what was to come.

A sense of urgency and tension filled the office as Father, Alex, and Colonel Swinger hovered over a map sprawled across the Victorian desk. Alex had changed into combat clothes, a pistol at his side. I joined their circle.

"Florence, we are under attack," Father said matter-of-factly. "You and Alex will leave Forti Radici at once."

"Under attack?"

Father threaded his fingers nervously through his mustache. "I want you and Alex out of the country."

"What are you saying?" I hadn't even processed his command to leave the house, and now I was to leave the country?

The telephone rang from the back of the room, stretching our nerves.

"I must answer. Colonel Swinger, go ahead." Father signaled for him to explain the situation.

"A while ago, a Belgian cargo ship docked at the Southampton port. Since they arrived later than scheduled, they had to wait until morning to unload." Colonel Swinger pointed to the spot on the map. "However, the Royal Navy's request for a routine check forced them to search the ship, which they found had been hijacked, the crew neutralized by German soldiers. Those aboard were arrested, but they aren't cooperating. The good news is I'm here with a few men, and reinforcements are coming."

"And why are you here? Why are reinforcements needed? What is the bad news?" I was utterly confused.

"A group of soldiers disembarked before the ship was searched, and our efforts to track them down suggest they are headed this way." Swinger tapped his finger on Breamore on the map.

The news, coupled with Father's voice booming as he argued with whomever he spoke to on the telephone sent my head spinning. "Coming here? Why? Why here?"

"General Contini helped mastermind last year's Treaty of London. The repercussions hit Germany hard," Alex explained. "And he possesses highly classified war documents. We could lose many battles and lives, even the war, if our enemies get hold of them. Your father was to deliver the documents to the upcoming Security Council in France."

The information hit me like a bolt of lightning. "Are these documents here at the manor?"

"Yes." Swinger ran the back of his hand across his forehead, wiping at the beads of sweat there. "Somehow, somewhere, information leaked, and the enemy knows."

"How long do we have?" I feared the answer.

"At most an hour," Swinger answered.

Father hung up and returned to us. "Our enemies don't want me to attend the council. They don't want the information delivered, so we must see that we do." From a secret compartment in his desk, he retrieved an envelope. "Gentlemen, these documents are more important than our lives. General Sterling, I fully trust you to carry out this mission." Father extended the envelope to Alex.

Alex's face filled with wariness. Suddenly, he looked twenty years older. "Florence, the fastest way to get the documents to safety is to bring them to Hurst Castle. For that, we'll have to cross the forest on horseback. The fortress is safe, and it's only a few hours of sailing to France."

"Yes. Yes." Swinger nodded reassuringly. "Even if you have to wait for a ship, you and the classified information will be safe there."

I understood: any other route meant suicide. Spies and assassins hid among our own, and they would stop at nothing to obtain the documents.

"We have tried to get a message to Hurst Castle without success. We'll keep trying. They'll be expecting you." Colonel Swinger sounded convincingly optimistic about the success of our mission.

"General Sterling, one last word before you leave," Father said.

Clearly wanting me out of earshot, the three men drew near the window. I pressed my finger to the map, tracing the distance between Breamore and the South Sea. It would be a long horseback ride.

All of a sudden, an earsplitting explosion rocked the house, windows shattering into a million pieces, fragments of glass catching the light as they scattered in all directions. I screamed. Colonel Swinger shrieked and collapsed to the floor, holding his leg as a quick succession of gunshots came from the grounds.

"Get down, Florence!" Alex sprinted toward me.

"Come on! Come on!" Father cried, dragging Colonel Swinger to the security of the wall.

Alex pulled me behind the desk, shielding me with his body as the house shook with more explosions. I pressed my hands to my ears, struggling to process the chaos. A short while ago, I'd been dancing at my wedding. Now, the enemy attacked my home and all I held dear.

"We need to move Colonel Swinger to safety," Father shouted to Alex as the shooting momentarily subsided.

"Stay down," Alex ordered me and crawled to the men. He slipped his arms around the colonel's upper body while Father grabbed the man's feet, and they brought him to safety, a trail of blood left across the office floor. Swinger scooted up against the desk.

"Colonel, hold still." I yanked the scarf from my neck and tied it around his leg to stanch the bleeding.

"Thank you." Colonel Swinger managed a weak smile and turned to Father. "Sorry, General. I miscalculated their arrival."

"There's no way we could've known for sure, Colonel. But it sounds like your men are giving them a hell of a welcome. Now, you stay put. I'll be back for you. Alex, we must get Florence to safety."

We shuffled out of the office into the hallway, safe for the moment with no windows in sight.

Mrs. Allerton emerged from behind the staircase. "Goodness gracious, Florence. Are you all right?" She dropped the military bag in her hand to embrace me. "Oh my, you are shaking." She also shook with panic.

"Colonel Swinger is wounded."

"I'll see to him," Mrs. Allerton decided.

"No. It's not safe. The colonel will have to wait," Father objected, stopping her. "Mrs. Allerton, didn't I order you to leave?"

"I'm sorry, General. I couldn't do it while Florence remained here."

I reached for her hand. "You shouldn't have."

"We better get them out of here now," Alex growled. "But how? We can't expose them to the grounds."

We stood motionless for a moment while the severity of our predicament held us captive. Suddenly, the gunfire increased. Almost unconsciously, we moved farther back into the corridor.

In the gloom near a corner, a figure appeared. Alex shoved me behind him and drew his pistol. Father reacted next, pointing his gun at the man. Mrs. Allerton shrunk against the wall.

"Don't shoot! It's just me!"

"For heaven's sake, Mr. Leroy! What the devil are you still doing here?" Mrs. Allerton exclaimed disapprovingly, even though she was guilty of the same crime. "You should have gone with the rest."

Mr. Leroy smiled at Mrs. Allerton. "I won't leave without you."

"You foolish man!" She shook her head.

"I'll find a way out," Alex said. "Stay here. I'll scout the perimeter."

"No, Alex, wait! The tunnel!" Father exclaimed.

"What tunnel?" Alex looked perplexed.

"There's an underground passage that leads deep into the forest."

"The tunnel." I had forgotten about it, but it seemed like an answer to our prayers.

"Of course! That's the ticket!" Mrs. Allerton agreed.

Mr. Leroy grabbed the military bag off the floor. Father took point, and Alex brought up the rear, guarding us as we hastened to the kitchen. Father opened the door to the larder, and we stepped inside, Alex helping him to lift a rug out of the way. They then removed several boards with a little effort, revealing an opening just big enough for one person at a time. The top of a ladder was the only visible thing in the darkness below.

"An ancestor of ours in Cromwell's time built it as a precaution. I had a feeling it may come in handy someday," Father explained.

"Besides us, no one knows about it." Mrs. Allerton attested to its security.

"The tunnel travels roughly 150 yards and exits by the hedgerow past the south lawns. That should give you enough cover to get to the protection of the forest. When you come out, head south and don't stop until you are far away," Father instructed.

"The farther, the better," Mrs. Allerton emphasized.

"I'll contact London from Hurst Castle," Alex said.

"Florence, I trust Alex with your life. Do what he says," Father advised, almost pleading.

I nodded. "But you must promise me you'll stay alive." I searched my dear father's eyes for a spark of hope.

"I will most definitely try." He smiled, but it was a lifeless gesture.

"Don't you ever forget who you are and how much we love you," Mrs. Allerton pointed to the silver bracelet on my wrist. When Lucca and I were born, my mother had two identical bracelets engraved with our names to remind us that our family's love would live forever in our hearts.

"You aren't coming with us?" I choked on the words.

"Oh, my dear, I would only slow you down," Mrs. Allerton responded lovingly.

"They are leaving next," Father assured, referring to Mrs. Allerton and Mr. Leroy.

"Oui, oui, miss. I'll take care of Mrs. Allerton, don't you worry," assured Mr. Leroy.

"General Sterling, don't fail. Bring her back home. That's an order," Father commanded, handing him the bag.

"Yes, sir. I swear on my life."

I hugged my father, Mrs. Allerton, and Mr. Leroy.

Mr. Leroy handed Alex an oil lamp, and Alex started down the ladder.

Before descending into the uncertain darkness, one last time, I looked up at the faces I so dearly loved.

One more minute in the tunnel, and I'd have fainted. The narrowness, stale air, and scuffling of unseen creatures felt suffocating. When we finally emerged into a maze of trees, I inhaled deeply. With the lamp left behind, the starry night was almost as dark as the underground. It was also eerily silent, magnifying our movements and heavy breathing as we struggled through the dense vegetation.

"Are you all right?" Alex asked.

"Never better," I joked breathlessly.

"At least no one would ever guess where the exit is." Alex looked back at the thick brush. "Come on, lady. We must move."

The relief of being in more favorable terrain didn't last. Aware of the enemy in our wake, Alex assumed a brutal pace. Amid our ordeal, he remained levelheaded. His serenity forced me to focus on the task ahead, to forget for now what I couldn't change or accept. Like hunted creatures under the dark canopy of the trees, we traveled south. Determined not to hinder our mission, I marched without complaint, although my muscles soon screamed and my side cramped.

With the first light of dawn, our arduous escape finally caught up with me. My head spun, and I staggered every few steps. To our right, I saw that we had been walking along a road but yards from it. Staying off the main path meant staying out of sight, but the uneven ground, thick grass, and dense foliage there obscured our vision and slowed our journey.

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine," I lied, the stitch in my side nearly undoing me.

We heard it simultaneously—a rumbling like thunder from the north. At the sound, my weariness became a burst of energy.

"Horses!" I cried.

Alex grabbed my hand, and we broke into a run. I struggled to keep up with his long strides, fearing my newfound energy wouldn't last. The sound of the horses' hooves became distinguishable, beating evenly, like the striking of drums. You must keep moving, I told myself, and just then, Alex yanked me to the ground on the steep side of the road.

"Shh." He pressed his finger to his lips reinforcing his command.

I lay flat in a sea of stocky grass, scared of my own breathing for what felt like ages.

When I fidgeted, he mouthed, "It's all right," placing a comforting hand on my back.

The clamor diminished, the horses having slowed. I raised my head just enough to see the road, where ten riders in dark combat clothing jumped off their horses and began to search the area. Their voices were rough, their words foreign.

Alex pushed my head to the ground. "German soldiers," he whispered.

The soldiers shouted to each other in apparent disagreement. Amid the chaos, I picked up two words—Contini and Sterling. There was no doubt. They were after us. And the longer they lingered, the more likely they'd find us. The desire to flee, to put distance between the threat and us, seized me. I wriggled, considering the idea.

Alex must have read my thoughts, for he warned, "No. Don't move."

I obeyed, and at length, one of the men barked something like an order. The horses huffed and nickered as our pursuers moved out. The stomping of the animals became distant, eventually fading altogether. I rolled onto my back and let out the breath stuck in my chest.

"Wait, Florence, wait." Alex stopped me from sitting up. A long, frightful moment passed as he intently studied the trees, his head barely above the ground. "We are being hunted."

My heart skipped a beat. "How do you know?"

"Three horses were riderless when they left. The riders are on foot. They know we are here. I think they are on the other side of the road. Listen, we have the advantage of the sloped terrain." Alex's fingers tightened on the bag he had carried since we left. "We'll slide down as far as we can, then run. All right?"

"All right."

"Florence, if we get caught, you run. Do you hear me? You don't wait for me. You run." Alex looked at me with a mix of love and desperation. We knew this could be the end of our journey.

With my heart pumping in my ears, we scooted down the slope through the boscage, branches and twigs mercilessly scratching my skin as we did so. Today, I wasn't fond of the woods.

Once we hit the bottom of the drop, we ran like mad. Three, four, five yards, and then Alex abruptly halted, dropped the bag off his shoulder, and changed direction. "They've found us," he hissed.

Keep moving. Keep moving. Pulled by Alex, I did my best to keep up, not daring to look anywhere but straight ahead. I blinked, and before I knew what happened, a soldier jumped into our path and hit Alex in the head with the butt of his rifle, knocking him to the ground. Alex scrambled to his knees, and our gazes connected. The assailant read Alex's concern for me in his eyes. In that moment of hesitation, Alex grabbed the soldier's weapon and threw himself backward using gravity to wrench it from his opponent's hands. Simultaneously, he kicked out with his legs, catching the soldier in the groin. With a hoarse cry, the latter buckled in agony.

"Run, Florence!" Alex ordered.

Without looking back, I sprinted away. Soon, I could hear Alex's boots crashing against the ground and knew he was catching up. In a flash, someone yanked me by the hair, jerking my head back, my scalp burning with the force. Then, arms wrapped around me. It had not been Alex.

"Stay still, and I won't hurt you," another soldier said in heavily accented English. "Make a fuss, and I'll kill you."

I stopped wrestling, though I growled a few not-so-pleasant words. I glanced sideways and spotted the first soldier moving stealthily through the trees. He must be hunting Alex. But where was Alex? Somewhere along our run, he must have hidden to get the advantage. If I was correct, I had to distract my captor despite his threat. Without another thought, I twisted and turned in his grasp, striking him with my heels even when I knew there was no chance of escape. He was far too strong. But every moment I could buy for Alex might make the difference.

When my captor's arms tightened viselike around my chest, I threw my head backward, hitting him in the face, blood splashing onto my hair. I'd injured his nose. He swore with a viciousness I'd never heard and smacked the side of my head, the blow sent me reeling to the ground. While I writhed in pain, the hunter materialized not too far from me. He crouched behind a clump of shrubs, his rifle aimed at a target I couldn't see. Alex. A gunshot echoed through the forest. The hunter let out a groan and fell dead. Alex had found him.

On shaky legs, I rose in a weak attempt to escape, but my captor quickly restrained me, his arm tightening around my neck. I gasped for air, my fingers digging into his skin to loosen his grip.

"The more you writhe, the faster you'll asphyxiate," he said coldly. And it happened as he spoke, my strength plunging as rapidly as the oxygen. I froze. "The game is over, Sterling. Come out!"

There was no sign of Alex.

"Come out, or she dies!" Using his free hand, the soldier drew the pistol from his holster. He shot twice into the air and then placed the muzzle on my temple. I jerked at the heat.

"Let her go!" Alex's voice sounded distant, yet his proximity must have startled the man, who flinched.

"Drop your weapon!" The soldier squeezed his arm around my neck. An immense amount of pressure rushed to my head, and I fought the darkness as my vision blackened around the edges. I had to stay conscious.

"Right, then." Alex came into view. "I think we are done here."

He lowered his rifle to the ground, never breaking eye contact with the enemy.

No, no, no. Don't give up. He'll kill us both.

My captor shoved me aside, and I scrambled over to a tree, my hands clutching my neck. I coughed and choked, the air burning as it entered my lungs.

Alex rushed to my side. "Are you all right?"

I nodded, unable to speak, as my thoughts spun in confusion. Why had the man let me go? Alex had only dropped the rifle. He'd tucked the pistol and other weapons inside his clothing. And why had Alex given up so quickly when surrendering wouldn't help us?

The explanation came soon enough. Like snakes slithering silently through the vegetation, soldiers emerged from every direction. They forced us into a clearing at gunpoint, giving way to a rider who broke through the tree line, maneuvering his horse with much dexterity. As he came to a hard stop, the look in his eyes chilled me. Although I knew nothing of this man, I felt the evil; he was a sadistic man who took pleasure in the suffering of others.

"Krause." Alex said the name as if it left a vile taste in his mouth. "What do you want with us?"

Krause dismounted with such roughness I held my breath in fear. "We have unfinished business, General," he said in a raspy voice, his English surprisingly clear.

Alex sidestepped, sheltering me from the man. "Very well, then. Let the girl go, and we can settle this like gentlemen."

Krause let out a terrifying laugh. "The famous General Sterling thinks he can fool me! Do you think I don't know who she is? She's more valuable to me than you are."

One of them said something in German, which I comprehended all too well in the unbridled excitement I saw in his eyes. The rest laughed.

"I'll kill you if you touch her!" Alex charged at him only to be suppressed. They pinned his arms behind his back and patted him down, taking his pistol and knife, then dragged him away.

I attempted to near Alex, but one of the men interceded, keeping us apart.

Krause's face was inches from Alex's as he sputtered, "I don't think you understand the severity of your situation, General. Let me help put it into perspective." He slammed his fist into Alex's stomach, then his face. Alex struggled to stay upright as his head swung back and forth under the force of the blows. "Now, there must be a powerful reason for you to have fled into the woods. Otherwise, you wouldn't have abandoned a battle." He searched the inside of Alex's clothes, retrieved the classified information, and looked at it briefly before concealing it in his jacket. "As I suspected."

"You got the documents and me," Alex said between clenched teeth. "Let her go."

"Touching, but not convincing. Now, don't you worry. We'll take care of Miss Contini, all right. Oh, forgive me, it's Mrs. Sterling, isn't it? Death is too easy for an arrogant man. I'll break you first. Watching your wife enjoy our company will do just fine." Krause leered at me and caressed my cheek with the back of his hand.

"Don't you touch me!" I flung my head backward to pull away.

Krause seized me by the hair and forced a kiss on my lips. I spat at him, hoping to rid myself of the vile taste, but he laughed, unfazed by my retaliation.

"You bloody coward!" Alex growled. "Leave her alone."

With one swift movement, a soldier threw his elbow at Alex's ribs, the latter wailing in pain. The soldier lost no time and forced Alex to his knees.

"All right—enough," Krause decided. Sterling, I came here to kill you, and since your mission is over, let's get to it. I will then have my fun." He snatched a rifle from one of his men.

"Don't make her watch this evil," Alex said through gritted teeth.

"You wretched beast. My father will hang you!" I raged and cursed Krause in the foulest words the English language had to offer, words I had never uttered.

"Silence her!" Krause repositioned himself, aiming his rifle at Alex.

A soldier pulled me to his chest and covered my mouth with a gloved hand. Alex lowered his head, avoiding my gaze. I could almost hear his thoughts: the agony of failing to save me was worse than losing his life.

Don't! Please! Don't! I looked away. My heart stopped beating. I waited for the shot that would end Alex's life and the light in my soul.

The blast rang through the woods, followed by multiple shots, and I felt as if my heart had exploded into a million pieces. Then Krause collapsed to the ground, his eyes rolling back in his head, his body jerking before going still. A few of his men dropped like flies. The remainder ran for cover, including the ones who had restrained Alex and me. Alex. He was alive.

His gaze fixed on mine, and he darted in my direction. We took cover behind a fallen tree. Lying on his stomach, he reached for the rifle of a dead man and opened fire. I covered my ears with my hands and did the only thing I could—pray.

After what felt like forever but couldn't have been more than minutes, the shots grew sporadic, then stopped altogether.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"Stay down. It's almost over. They're surrendering," Alex answered.

"General Sterling! Where are you?" a familiar voice called.

"Over here, Captain Frankfort," Alex called back.

Thomas.

"Wait here." Alex walked into the open.

I sat up. In the center of the clearing, British soldiers had the surviving Germans on their knees. At once, the severity of what had just taken place hit me. I was horrified by the scene of death, stunned that Alex and I were alive, and grateful for our saviors. And though the assailants showed no mercy to us, I felt for them. Somewhere under the same heaven, they had families awaiting them. I feared I would never understand the atrocities of war.

"Frankfort, it's good to see you," Alex said.

I then spotted Thomas's red hair.

"Where is Florence?" He looked about.

"Right here." My voice was strangely calm.

"Florence, I was so worried." Thomas visually inspected me. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine."

"I'm sorry we took so long."

"You were right on time," Alex assured. "Have your men collect the scattered weapons and search the trees for our bag. We'll then interrogate the prisoners."

"Sir, if I may ask, do you know who he was?" Thomas motioned to the leader.

"Oskar Krause. He visited the New Forest before the war. He knew exactly who we were and where to find us."

"He is under General Richter's command, right?" Thomas noted.

"Yes. Richter's right-hand man." Alex spoke to me now. "Richter is one of the most powerful German leaders. This was a brazen move, and I fear it won't be over until we've neutralized Richter himself."

Alex took the envelope from the dead man's pocket. His mission wasn't over after all.