murphy's five (work in progress)

7/30/2019 Murphy's Five (work in progress)

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Singapore, February 2 nd, 1942

Rising and handing the sniper scope back to Jin Li, the wiry, shave-headed little Englishmannamed Reggie Scott blinked hard and wiped sweat from his forehead. Looking around at theimmense sprawl of the city laid out before him, giving his vision a break, he was drawn to anairborne object, a speck on the green jungle horizon that seemed to be coming their way. Usinghis hand for a shade, he waited, watching it approach, and wished absently that he was back inLondon. Or, for that matter, just about anywhere else.

They were on the roof of an apartment building overlooking Orchard Road, the local red-light district, and directly across from the Malay Palace, a sort of all-in-one den of iniquity that

provided gambling, prostitution, liquor, drugs, and, according to rumor, practically anything else.The man they were after was inside.

The speck had grown now and Reggie could see and hear that it was an airplane, as hedassumed, but it was still too far away to tell whether it was RAF or Japanese. Then a nearby air-raid siren began to wail, starting low and winding up to a scream, and decided the matter.Japanese it was. In confirmation, the ack-ack guns down along the front lines opened fire. Dullthumps came to him through the thick air and the enemy plane was soon flying through small

black clouds of exploding metal. None of these seemed to do it the least damage, though, letalone impede its progress, and the plane came buzzing along, steady and level.

Finally it came to the city itself, past the hills and forests and mainly residential outlyingareas, and then, over what looked like an industrial part of town, maybe a train yard, let loose itsload. Six bombs came tumbling out and slowly--absurdly so, it seemed to Reggie--fell to earth.Down, down, until he lost sight of them and then a great cloud of earth, dust, smoke, and chunksof debris suddenly flew up and into the air. A moment later, there was a series of deep, window-rattling booms and then the building beneath their feet shook, very slightly, but certainly enoughto be noticed.

What was that ? asked Jin, glancing up.Never you mind, love, said Reggie. And keep your eyes on that door.Jin scowled, glancing again at the plume of smoke, dust and debris left by the retreating

bomber, and then went back to the scope.

Good girl, Reggie said. And for the record, it was a Nip bomber. Just the one, for some reason. Mustve got separated from his mates. Anyway, he dropped off a little birthday

present for the boys over in that train yard, looks likeJin swore, something in Mandarin that Reggie didnt recognize, but kept her eye to the

scope.Aw, dont worry, love, said Reggie, stretching his arms and back. The Japs will never

take this place. Not Singapore. Might mess it up a bit, but theyll never take it. Not the Gibraltar of the East!

What makes you so sure?Why, just look around! Reggie said, sweeping an arm at the hundreds and hundreds of

buildings, large and small, and the rolling hills and fields of the rest of the island beyond. Thereare over 70,000 soldiers stationed here, just waitin for the chance to get at them Jap bastards, and

that dont even take into account the Air Force! Hell, there are batteries of fifteen inch guns downthere! Do you have any idea how bleedin huge a fifteen inch gun is? And theres the AA guns,more artillery, machine guns and landmines and line after line of barbed wire and bunkers,trenches Naw, them rotten Japs are in for a damn good thrashing if they try it!

I notice, said Jin tersely, that you do not mention the vaunted British Navy. Or therecent, shall we say, reversals of the Army.

Reggie scowled and kicked a stray pebble across the roof. She was right, of course. Justa week earlier the Japanese had sunk some of the Royal Navys finest big ships. En route to

protect Singapore and its garrison, the Repulse and the Hood, full-blown battleships, plus a


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number of destroyers, had been sent to the bottom. Thousands of seamen had died, and all donefor by a few measly Jap planes. Needless to say, a disaster, and what was more, it had leftSingapore without its biggest, best weapons.

On top of that, the Japanese had, over the past month or so, marched steadily down theMalay Peninsula, defeating one force of British and Colonial troops after another like aninexorable wave. And just a week ago, they were told, the last link from Singapore Island to themainland, a great causeway bridge, had been destroyed by the engineers to deny the Japanese acrossing.

No, I did not mention the setbacks, Reg finally said. But that dont change a thing.With or without them big guns of His Majestys Navy, no matter how the fighting has gone so far,theres still no way the Japs will take this place.

I hope you are right, said Jin dubiously. But then, I am sure that the Americans feltmuch the same way, before Pearl Harbor. Whats more, the enemy had not been stopped so far.

Not in Manchuria, or the Philippines, Indonesia But at any rate, we shall just have to wait andsee what happens, wont we?

Reggie shrugged. Maybe. Depends, dont it? He paused and glared up at the sun. Is italways like this here? So bleedin hot?

Yes, said Jin. And it also rains a lot. Even more in early winter, as that is the monsoonseason.

Just then there was a scraping noise behind them and Reggie turned to see someonecoming up from downstairs. First a head appeared, rectangular in shape, with closely-shorn

brown hair that stuck out at odd angles on the top. Then the face, which was strong, with a long but pronouncedly crooked nose, a wide, dimpled jaw, and a thin, cruel mouth, all framed by ascruffy, three-day beard. Next came the shoulders, broad and set a bit forward, and then the barrelchest, narrow waist, and thick legs, about six feet tall, clad in a suit of anonymous gray coveralls.

Reggie straightened to his full height--all five foot six of it--as his best friend and their undisputed leader approached

Hullo, Murph! he said with a grin. Warm enough?Murphy smiled his slanted smile and shrugged. Seen worse, he said. Then he nodded at

Jin, who was still glued to the scope, and raised an eyebrow.

Reggie slapped himself on the forehead. Thats right, youve not met! Going over tothe roofs edge, he tapped Jin lightly on the leg with his toe and then, once shed gotten to her feet, took her place with the scope.

Miss Jin Li, he said, over his shoulder, meet Mr. Thomas Murphy. Mr. Murphy, this isMiss Jin Li.

Hullo, said Murphy, avuncular as ever.Yes, hello, said Jin. It is a pleasure to finally meet you.Murphy grunted. Then: Are you sure hes in there?Yes, said Jin. If the man you seek is Corporal Bartholomew T. Sanderson, you need

look no further. I saw him enter the place myself, not an hour ago.Murphy grunted again. Hed better be. he said sternly. And it had better be him.

Because if I dont miss my guess, this whole place is about to become one bloody unpleasant

place to be. Once the Japs get through the jungle, theyll have artillery in range. And bombers,lots of em. And after that, infantry, regular hordes. No, wouldnt want to be one of these poor

bloody Tommies.Your friend here, said Jin, does not share your pessimism. He says that the Japanese

will never take Singapore.Huh, well, Murphy said, Reg has a lot higher opinion of British Arms than I do. Ask

him, the Armys somewhere close to the right hand of God. And the RAF is closer.And why not? asked Reggie, still over his shoulder. If it werent for these bleedin

treacherous sneak attacks, the Japs wouldnt have stood a chance! And just look what our boys


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are doin to the Krauts in the skies over London!Eh, whats it matter? said Murphy peremptorily. Soon as were done with what we

came for, were going to get the hell out of here, fast as we can. So keep your mind on your work and your eyes on that whorehouse. Hear me?

Yeah. OK, Murph, said Reggie. Dont worry: If he comes out, Ill be on the radio before you can say Jack Robinson.

Good, Murphy said. Me and Simon will take care of the rest.Still dont know why you want Simon for that, Reggie frowned. Hes no good in a

fight.Maybe not. But hes the best driver.Im a good driver! Hell, Im a great driver!Murphy paused and Reggie could almost feel the glare he was being given. Finally

Murphy replied. Simon does the driving, he said flatly.OK, OK, Reggie conceded. I got it. Should know better than to argue with you

anywayJust keep your eyes open. And then get to the airport. Like in the plan. Alright?Right-ho, mate, said Reggie brightly. And Ill tell you plain: I will be more than happy

to put this bloody awful heat behind us!Murphy just grunted. Reggie heard the sound of the man walking away and then going

down the stairs. When the last of his footfalls had died away, Jin, coming to his side, cleared her throat.

Yes? said Reggie, blinking away a bit of dust. Something on your mind, love?Well, er, she said awkwardly. No, I suppose not.Oh, come on now, he cajoled. You can tell old Reggie. Is it about him? Murphy?Yes.And you want to know why. Is that right? Why he does what he does?Well, yes. I have much curiosity. But then, if it is too personal a matterNo, I wouldnt say that, said Reggie. More along the lines of common knowledge, by

now, I should think. Sort of a living legend he is, you might say, at least in some circles.And? Jin prompted. Why does he do the things he does? Why come all the way across

the world, and during a war, just to find one man?Well, let me ask you this, by way of an answer: What if that one man had raped and

murdered your kid sister? What would you do?Find him, she said, at once. And kill him. The world would not be a large enough

place for him in which to hide.Precisely. And youve answered your own question.So this man, Sanderson, she said. He did this? To Murphys sister?Yup, Reggie said. He and four of his mates. See, Murphs mum and dad used to run a

pub, back in London. In Hammersmith. Nothin too fancy, just your average corner pub. And onenight this gang comes in. Started bustin up the place. Murphs dad, he tried gettin em to stop,

but all he got for his efforts was a shiv in the ribs. Same for Murphs mom. With his sister,though Well, they took their time.

What about Murphy? asked Jin weakly. They did not harm him?I didnt say that, Reggie replied. And maybe, compared to his family, they didnt hurt

him so bad. Just slapped him around some. How he got that crooked nose. But what they did tohis family? Id call that harming him alright.

Jin was quiet for a moment, thinking. Reggie squinted through the scope, the heat makingrippled waves on the baking street below. Far off, he could hear the tinny clang of the fire brigadewagons on their way to the train yard. And still no sign of Sanderson.

But Jin said and then trailed off.But what, love? said Reggie, blinking away sweat.


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What about punishment for these men who did this? Were they not arrested?They were, indeed. Arrested, tried, and convicted. All but one of em got 30 years, and

he got 35!Not enough, said Jin icily. Where I come from, they would all have been hanged. But

that is beside the point. What I am wondering is, why is this man here, in Singapore, and not in a prison cell in England?

They were given the option by the judge. Go to prison or join the Army. And they alltook option two. See, love, dear old England is bloody short on manpower these days. Need allthe able-bodied we can get our hands on. Even thugs like Sandy and his mates. So, long storymade short, he escaped prison, so to speak, into His Majestys Army, and somehow got sent here,to the Jewel of the Malays. Where he was needed most, probably. Anyway, it dont matter why hes here. All we need to know is that he is. Now, for how long? Well, thats something elseentirely.

Not long, I think, said Jin grimly. I have seen the look on your Murphys face before,on the faces of other men. And it does not mean anything good for the enemies of one such asthat.

Ah, love, you got that dead right. Pun intended! he laughed. Yes, Murphy is one of akind, thats for certain. Why, you should have seen us in Norway! We were after this bastardSpickler, one of the others, you see, and--

But then Reggie stopped short and squinted harder. A man had just come out of the MalayPalace, in uniform, and he looked like--could it be? Tall, thin, rat-faced And then he wasgrabbing for the radio.

Not too close, said Murphy. Dont wanna scare him off.Simon nodded. I know, I know, he said testily. Wait until you give the word.Murphy just grunted and they crept forward, eyes glued to the junker taxi they were

tailing. Rolling along the streets of Singapore in a big, powerful auto, an Alvis 4.3 Litre Saloon(provided by some shady contacts and a sizable wad of cash), they stuck out among theinnumerable rickshaws, bicycles, horse carts, and smaller motorcars, but whatever anonymitythey sacrificed was more than made up for by the speed, power, and sheer weight of the vehicle.

No Chinese taxicab was going to outrun or out-muscle them in the Alvis.The trouble at the moment, though, was not one of speed or power, but rather in keeping

up to the taxi in the dense, chaotic mass of traffic clogging the streets. It seemed like everyone inthe city suddenly had somewhere to be, and between the horses, people, and vehicles, there was

barely room for them to maneuver. The air was thick with a miasma of human, animal, andvehicle fumes and the clangor of the throng was nearly deafening.

What the hells going on, anyway? Simon wondered aloud. What are all these peopledoing?

Runnin away, said Murphy. Tryin to get the hell out of this place before the Japs bomb it to rubble. Dont know where they think theyre goin, though. Maybe to the docks, Iguess. Or the airport. Sure as hell not gettin out any other way.

Sweet Christ, Simon shook his head. All these poor people. They didnt do anything

to the God-damned Japs to deserve this. They were just living their lives.Dont matter, Murphy said. This is a World War now, mate. Everywhere, all the time,

and it includes every last man, woman, and child on Earth. Its all up for grabs.Mad, is what it is! said Simon. The whole damn world, gone stark raving mad.Murphy said nothing to that and they crept along down the broad, crowded street, passing

all sorts of ground-level businesses--saloons, brothels, and restaurants, mostly, on this street--shuttered tight in most places and adding to the general air of panic and dissolution. All aroundthem, in rickshaws, carts, and a few autos, pulling wagons and toting bundles, running andwalking and some even crawling, their faces taut with anxiety, teemed the citizens of Singapore.


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And mixed in with them, heavily armed men in British Army khaki, some alone, some in groupsand some in formation, pushed and shoved and cursed their way through the throng. To Murphy,though, there was only the junker taxi and the man riding in the back.

They came presently to a large intersection, where Orchard Road ended and turned intoseveral smaller streets, and the taxi took a left, heading north.

Wheres he going? asked Simon, steering around an overturned horse cart. Why thatway?

Heading home, probably, said Murphy. Wherever--whatever--that is.They went on for a few city blocks and the traffic began to thin out; most of it seemed to

be headed east, for whatever reason, and after another few blocks they were suddenly motoringalong nearly deserted streets. Here and there small knots of people ran and walked and pushedtheir carts full of belongings, but the Alvis and the taxi were the only moving cars in sight.

Right, then! said Murphy suddenly. Lets go! Gun it and get up next to him.Simon nodded. He stomped the accelerator, the big sedan leapt ahead with an eager roar,

and they were soon closing on the taxi. Beside him in the left-side passenger seat, Murphy drewhis pistol, a hefty Webley Mark VI, from a shoulder rig and checked the chambers. Then heslouched down in the seat so that he could just see out the window, the pistol against his thigh,and gritted his teeth. Or was he smiling? Only glancing, Simon didnt bother to wonder.

They were almost level with the taxi, just another few yards, when out of nowhere therewas a flash of khaki and brown and then a tremendous crash, a terrible jarring impact, andsuddenly the car was skidding almost sideways in a shower of glass and the harsh scream of metal on metal. They had been broad-sided by a speeding truck.

Sweet Jesus! cursed Simon, bracing against the wheel. Hold on!They skidded for a few more yards, the cars tires shredding on the cobbled street, before

they finally ground to a stop amid the ticking and tinkling of stray bits of metal and glass. Firmlyembedded in the Alvis side, a truck bumper, painted khaki, stared Simon straight in the face,inches away, and his lap was littered with glass. He felt of his head and face and his hands cameaway spotted with blood.

He looked over at Murphy, but the other man was already struggling out of the car,kicking savagely at the warped door until it flew open. Then he was out and running, away from

the car and down the street. Dazed, it dawned on Simon that Murphy was actually trying to chasethe taxi. On foot.

For a moment he just sat there trying to figure out whether or not he was seriouslyinjured, but nothing hurt too badly, nothing was bleeding too much, and he couldnt see any

bones or organs, so he finally called it good enough and climbed out the passenger side.Blimey, mate, are you alright? came a loud voice, and Simon looked across the car to

see a whole group of men in uniform, all with their rifles and grenades and haversacks, and allstanding around the wreck for all the world like awestruck pedestrians at a roundabout prang.

Sorry about that, mate! said the one soldier. We was in an awful hurry, see, and wellAre you alright? Need the croakers?

Simon shook his head. No, I think Im OK, he said, not at all sure that he was. Just afew scrapes.

He looked away, down the street, and saw that Murphy had given up. The taxi was nowout of sight, having turned off or just driven away, and Murphy was walking back. He didnt look happy.

The soldier who been speaking came around the car. He was indeed an officer, a captain,according to the insignia on his collar, and he gave a jolly grin as he held out his hand to shake.His sewn-on name tag read R. A. Stevenson.

No hard feelings, eh, mate? he grinned, showing bad teeth beneath a thick mustache.Simon shook the mans hand and, despite his own relatively large size (topping out at six

three and weighing almost twenty stone), the others grip made him wince a little and draw away.


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The captain frowned contritely and shook his head.Well, these things happen I suppose, he said, eyeing the wreck. Specially in wartime,

eh?But then Murphy arrived, striding up with stiff, angry steps, and all eyes turned to him.

Captain Stevenson was about to greet him, his hand already out, but Murphy walked right pastand up to Simon and the remains of the Alvis. The look in his eye, combined with a thin trickle of

blood from his lower lip, told Simon that this was one of those times that it was best to just keephis mouth shut and wait to see what happened.

Are you alright? he asked Simon. Your heads bleeding some.Hard to tell, really, said Simon, gently feeling of his head and face. But from the

amount of blood, cant be too bad What about you?Fine, said Murphy. Just fine. He lowered his head and his shoulders slumped. He

got away , Simon, he said, his voice low and thick. He got away.Not necessarily, Simon said, wiping a drop of blood from his eyelashes. I mean, we

can try again, right?Murphy was silent, head down. Captain Stevenson had rejoined his comrades and they

now started to jerk and push at the conjoined vehicles, trying to free their truck from the half-crushed Alvis. Then Murphy looked up and smiled wickedly.

What about it, Simon? he asked. Dont you think these blokes owe us a small favor,after this? After wrecking our beautiful auto and all?

Such as?Such as, maybe the location of a certain unit of British Army soldiers? Say, a certain B

Company, maybe even Third Platoon?They just might, said Simon, smiling despite himself. They just might at that.

That is completely mad, said Reggie. You know that, right?Murphy nodded and gave a half-shrug. Cant be helped, he said. Not gonna let the

Japs get to him first.They were at a bar, one of the few left open, called the Rainbow. It wasnt a nice place,

even when the city around it wasnt in a high state of panic, but now, the electricity cut, airless,

and with the few patrons desperately guzzling beer and whiskey like it was their last day on earth,the place was downright grim. Still, it was out of the sun, and theyd needed somewhere to hashover their strategy, and so there they sat around a scarred wooden table, sipped warm beer, anddiscussed their next potential move. None of them seemed too promising so far, but this,Murphys latest, had brought actual moans from the others.

They were an odd-looking group; three cheaply-dressed, hard-looking Brits and one littleChinese woman in a spotless white ao dai. Even a casual observer would have given them asecond look, but then again, no one in Singapore much cared anymore about interesting-lookingstrangers. They were all too busy trying to get out.

Lighting a smelly Chinese cigarette, Reggie blew out and scratched his chin. Have toadmit, though, he said speculatively, it would be good cover. Perfect, in fact. Like in Norway,or in Russia, for that matter.

But this is war , pleaded Simon. And a no-fooling, kill-you-dead battle, for Christssake! And I dont know about you, but from what Ive already seen of war and battle, Id rather not go waltzing into the middle of one! Again!

Yeah, Murph, said Reggie. Thats the part Im worried about, too. Because, goodcover or no, Simons right: This here is a full-on battle coming on and them Jap bullets and

bombs and shells aint gonna discriminate. Aint gonna care whether they kill soldiers or civilians. Or us.

Feeling as if she should contribute, Jin nodded in agreement. They are right, Mr.Murphy, she said softly. This plan of yours would be most dangerous.


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I know that, said Murphy, scowling. And if you dont want to go, you dont have to.Ill do it myself.

Simon blew out a breath in exasperation and shook his head again while Reggie cursedunder his breath and glared at Murphy. After a long moment Reggie leaned over the table andspoke softly.

Dont you never say that again, he said, his voice tight. Hear me? After what we beenthrough, the four of us, you cant just say something like that. We are in this thing together , to theend . Right?

Yeah, Murph, said Simon, wounded, we would never let you do this yourself. Youknow we wouldnt, even if you told us to. Were with you. Its just he trailed off.

OK, I hear you, said Murphy, patting the air. And anyway, its just an idea, isnt it?They all fell quiet, into their own thoughts. From outside on the streets came various

noises of trouble and unrest; people yelling, sirens wailing, the occasional deep thump of artilleryor anti-aircraft guns. Heedless of it, they all sat for some time and smoked and drank warm beer.Finally Jin, just to get things moving again, if nothing else, spoke up.

What about your friend? she asked. Sir Ian? Can he not help you in this? After all, hewas the one who put me in contact with you; perhaps he could help you find this manSanderson.

Murphy shook his bullet head. No, thats out, he said. Ians already gone. Said he wasgonna fly out yesterday.

Speaking of flying out said Simon.Yeah? said Reggie, snapping to. What about it? Dont go tellin me theres some

trouble with that .Well, Simon said, its just I think that Duke isnt going to wait much longer. Talked to

him this morning, when I went over there for the car, and he was right bleeding nervous. Cantreally blame him, I suppose.

Hell wait, said Murphy. Dont worry.Why so sure? asked Reggie. What, buy him off, did you?In a way. But if you were to ask him, hed probably call it something like being held

hostage. Anyway, like I said: Hell wait.

My apologies, said Jin, but if I may ask, who is this Duke? And why must he wait?Simon smiled boyishly at her. Duke is a pilot, he said. The one who got us here. Has

his own airplane, you see--sort of a one-man, private airline.Ah hah, said Jin. Your escape route.Exactly, said Simon. He sighed. Yes, weve availed ourselves of Duke and his plane

for quite a while now. Hes flown us all over, all the way from Norway, this time. Which begs thequestion, he turned to Murphy, as to how youre forcing him to stay.

Yeah, Murph, said Reggie, grinning, whatd you do?Murphy smiled thinly. Just a little mechanical work, he said. And a few parts of both

engines. Nothing he cant put right with fifteen minutes and a spanner. When were ready toleave, that is.

Reggie smirked and chuckled, but Simon shook his head. Are you sure, he asked

Murphy, that you want to do that? What I mean is, do we want to risk losing him and the plane?What if he flies us out of here and then tells us to go take a flying leap? In other words: Is that a

bridge we want to burn?Murphy waved a hand in derision. Theres always more pilots. And anyway, Im sure

that were paying him more than enough to keep him interested. So dont worry about Duke.Hell be just fine, like always. And anyway, no matter how we go about it, I want to get out of here as much as anyone, soon as we can.

In other words, said Simon, as soon as Sandys gone, so are we.Murphy nodded slowly. So why dont we quit messing about and figure out a way to do


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it?They all nodded at this and frowned in renewed concentration, but none of them could

come up with anything better than Murphys idea. They hemmed and hawed and threw out oneridiculous scheme after the next, and then finally, grudgingly, agreed that it was, somemodifications included, the only way they were going to get their man. And then, once Simon andReggie had finally caved in, they wasted no more time and began in earnest to nail down thedetails and potential loose ends.

To Jin, who mainly just watched and listened, throwing in only when asked about variousSingaporean minutiae, it was plain that they had done this before. As to whether or not this wasan admirable thing, a practiced ease at planning murder, she was far less certain. In fact, she wasreally certain of only two things when it came to these three: One, she was glad theyd already

paid her and two, she was very glad that she was not going with them.If she had her way, though, it would not be the last time she would see them.

Something exploded not very far away from them and Reggie cringed, made himself into an eventighter human ball, and mumbled a hasty prayer to a God in which he didnt really believe.

They were in a trench, one of a whole warren of inter-connected ditches, and it wasmuddy, sweltering hot, and very, very loud. All around them, what Reggie supposed was called aBattle was going on. Then again, it was hard for him to tell. Maybe the soldiers knew what wasgoing on, maybe their officers knew, but to him it was just chaos and violence. Explosions,gunshots, fire, and flashes of blinding light and people running about to no discernable purpose.The only thing he could compare it to was every depiction of Hell hed ever seen or even heardof.

Risking a peek, he saw that Simon was also huddled at the bottom of the trench, like anysane human being, but that Murphy was peering over the lip of the filthy pit, past some rolls of

barbed wire and out over the flame-lit landscape. Then there was another explosion, this onemuch louder and deeper. His clothing flapped in the shock wave of the blast and his teeth rattledin his head like hed been punched by a champ. Dazedly, once he could see nearly straight again,he looked at himself and the others, but miraculously none of them seen injured in the least.

He was about to try to do something, maybe grab Murphy and pull him back down, or

maybe just run like hell, back the way theyd come, but then a trio of men rounded a corner of thetrench and, spotting Reggie and the others, skidded to a halt and snapped their weapons to a firing

position. There was a lot of smoke and it was dark, despite the intermittent glaring flashes of theguns and bombs, but he could see from their headgear, white turbans, that they were likely Sikhsand thus British Colonial troops.

Dont shoot, were British! called Murphy, standing between the huddled forms of hisfriends and the soldiers. English! OK?

Looking a tad perplexed (and why not? thought Reggie), the three men lowered their weapons, big Lee Enfield rifles with long, sharply-pointed bayonets fixed, and peered at them.After a quick confab, one of them strode forward and grinned, his white teeth and eyes in stark contrast to his dark, dirt-crusted features.

Sergeant Singh, at your service, he said in a rich tenor. And I am afraid that I must ask

you to return to the city. This is no place for civilians. It is not safe.Thanks, sergeant, said Murphy. And thats just what he intend to do. But right now, I

have to find B Company of the 54 th. You see, I have a message, from General Percival himself!Vitally important!

The tall Sikh looked Murphy up and down, his eyes lidded. Reggie couldnt seeMurphys face, but he knew from experience the look his friend was giving the sergeant that said:Just. Dont. He thought the sergeant was going to ask to see the message, just to make sure, butthen the man just nodded and turned to point back the way hed come.

Just follow this trench line! he said, having to shout over a sudden burst of machinegun


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fire. Theres a Headquarters bunker about a half-mile down, just past the big cement factory.They will know the whereabouts of the unit you are looking for.

Murphy was just saying starting to say something when, out of thin air, it seemed, aroundish object suddenly thudded into the mud, right at the feet of Sergeant Singh.

Grenade! yelled the sergeant, and dove, flat-out, away from the thing. His twocompanions did the same.

Reggie, frozen in place, still dazed from that last big explosion, thought to himself thatthis was it, his number was finally up and he was going to die in this horrid muddy ditch in someGod-forsaken country hed barely even heard of, but then something like a miracle happened. Inone fluid, incredibly quick movement, Murphy snatched the thing from the ground and whippedit back, out over the lip of the trench and into the night. A second later there was the bang-thumpof an explosion followed closely by a pronounced, keening wail of someone in severe pain. Thenthis was subsumed by the general din of gunfire and explosions and things were, if not back tonormal, at least back to the way theyd been before someone had tossed a grenade into their laps.

Everyone present, with the exception of Murphy, was prone, either curled into a ball likeReggie and Simon or flat on their faces in the mucky bottom of the trench. Looking around, thesoldiers realized what had happened and quickly got to their feet and started checking their rifles.Sergeant Singh came over to Murphy and, snapping to attention, gave a snappy salute.

I thank you, sir! he said, smiling. That was a very brave act! If you were one of mymen, I would see that you received a commendation!

Murphy shrugged and waved a hand. It was that or get blown up, he said. Not much of a decision, really. Just hope whoever it was that did get blown up out there wasnt one of ours.

It is possible, said Singh. That is sometimes an unfortunate part of war. But I do notthink it was. That scream

Murphy nodded slowly. Well, have to get going, he said, after a suitable pause. Vitallyimportant message and all.

Yes, of course, said the sergeant. And thank you! Thank you a thousand times!And, motioning his comrades to follow, he left, trotting off down the trench, around a

corner and gone, as if he and his men had never been there. Reggie gazed helplessly up atMurphy and shook his head.

What just happened? he asked. Did we almost just die?Aw, come on now, said Murphy holding out a hand. Its not that bad. Come on, get up

out of the mud. Simon? Come on, you, lets go!Reggie got to his feet, but somehow his body wouldnt let him stand up straight. Instead

he crouched, expecting any second some piece of hot metal to come hurtling along and kill him.He went over to Simon, but the big man had his hands over his ears and his eyes clamped shut.Suddenly, seeing how scared Simon was, Reggie felt a little better, just a teensy bit less petrifiedwith fear. He gave Simon a nudge with the tip of his boot.

Come on, Simon, he said, as gently as he could, under the circumstances, and thenknelt down next to his friend. Come on, mate, he said, shaking the other man by the shoulder.Its alright, were OK. Murphy just saved our lives! Again!

Gradually, they got Simon to his feet. Murphy clapped the bigger man on the shoulder

and then looked him in the eye.Are you going to make it? he asked seriously. You dont have to do this, you know.

Maybe you should head back.For a minute, Reggie saw doubt in the mans face, the animal urge to flee, but then

Simons face hardened and his eyes narrowed. He shook his head.No, he said, only flinching slightly at a flurry of nearby gunshots. Im alright now. Its

all just so I guess Id forgotten how terrible this--all this--can be. he trailed off, at a loss, andthrew up his hands.

Yeah, it aint Sunday in the park, said Murphy laconically. Then he clapped Simon on


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the shoulder again and motioned down the trench with his head. Shall we?

Considering that they were lost, frustrated, and nearly at the end of their rope when it happened,its fair to say that when they finally managed to find their man it was through nothing more than

blind luck.Dodging gunfire, grenades, and falling bombs, they had threaded their way through the

trench systems for what seemed like miles. To Reggie (and Simon, too, from the look of him) ithad been a nightmare of running and stopping, slipping in the mud, and ducking at every gunshotand bomb blast.

Then, after another long jog, theyd found themselves in a relatively quiet place among afew city blocks of industrial-looking, factory-type buildings, some in ruins and still smoldering,some actually on fire, where the trench system petered out. Here, for whatever reason, there wereno troops proper, no machine gunners or mortar men, no infantry lined up with rifles bangingaway, just some barbed wire and the buildings and streets. Oh, the fighting men were nearby;maybe a hundred yards away was a field howitzer, pumping hot steel into the night sky, but rightwhere they were, nothing was going on. To Reggie, this was a blessed respite, a wonderful lull inthe chaos and death, but Murphy had a much different reaction.

Bloody hell! he cursed, glaring about them. Damn it!Whats the matter, Murph? Reggie asked. What is it?Were fucking lost! Murphy. I have no bleedin idea where we are or where this

bleedin cement factory is. I think we mustve passed it Damn it!He cursed some more and stomped around angrily, starting off in one direction only to

turn about and try another. Still instinctually crouching against flying bits of mayhem, Reggiehuddled next to a splintered tree and called over to his friend.

Lets go back the way we came, he suggested. Or at worst, we can just head back intothe city, get our bearings, and start over again.

Murphy scowled, not seeming to hear him, and Reggie shrugged. Simon came trotting upand then dropped at the foot of the tree.

Whats wrong? he asked Reggie. Whats he on about now?Were lost, said Reggie.

Of course we are, said Simon hopelessly. But if you ask me, wherever we are at themoment is just fine. I mean it! I like this place, wherever it is Know what I mean?

Yeah. Cause theres nobody trying to kill us.Exactly.They were thus idly chatting and watching Murphy tear his hair out, figuratively

speaking, when there came, running full tilt down the street, a uniformed man, an Englishmanfrom the look of him, coming straight for them. He wasnt armed, his hands were empty, he hadneither the usual knapsack nor his doughboy helmet, and just from the way he was running--sprinting, with an occasional glance over his shoulder--it was obvious that he was running in stark fear.

Then another man appeared, running after the first, only more determinedly rather thanfrantically. This man was armed, with a pistol in one hand, and sported a white MP armband on

his right sleeve. Evidently the first man was being chased by the second; a soldier fleeing the battle pursued by the military police, those responsible for seeing that he didnt.

Niether man had yet seen Murphy and his friends and they came running on, alongsidewalks and weaving past burned-out cars and wagons and bomb craters, until the first man wasalmost on top of them.

Stop that man! yelled the second man, the pursuer. Stop him!Then the first man, head jerking up, saw Murphy and the others and veered off to their

right, heading toward the maze of partially-destroyed, smoking, rubble-strewn industrial buildings. Murphy looked over at Reggie and Simon, still behind their tree, and gave a bemused


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sort of shrug. Then he bolted off, leaping over a roll of barbed wire to cut the running man off before he could lose himself in the half-ruined factories and warehouses. Not sure at all why hewas doing so, Reggie leapt up and sprinted along after him.

Either the fleeing soldier was winded from the chase or he was just a slow runner, buteither way, Reggie and Murphy caught up to him in a matter of yards. Reggie, the faster of thetwo, small and quick, dove for the mans midriff, caught him in a hug around the waist, and,landing on top of him, tackled the soldier neatly to the ground. They rolled together for a littleways, the man thrashing in Reggies hug, but then Murphy came up and grabbed the man behindthe neck in a Full Nelson and ended the struggle in about three seconds. Going more or less limpin the crushing wrestling hold, the man hung there in Murphys arms. Reggie let go of the manswaist and stood up, dusted himself off, and waved to Simon, who was now jogging ponderouslyup.

Got him! called Reggie. He looked over to the other soldier, the MP whod been in pursuit and who was now walking quickly toward them, and waved. We got him!

My God, said Simon, in a strange, awed sort of voice. I dont believe it.What? said Reggie, turning back to his friend. Simon was staring at Murphy and the

man in his grip. What is it? What dont you-- and then he, too, stopped, struck dumb at what hesaw. He and Simon stood and gaped at the soldier until Murphy finally noticed and glared at themover the mans head.

What is it? he snarled. What are you staring at?Why, its-- Simon tried and failed.Murph, you wont believe it, said Reggie, shaking his head, but that soldier boy you

got there, well its none other than Mr. Bartholemew Sanderson, esquire.A stunned look came across Murphys face and he abruptly let go of the soldier like the

man was on fire. The man himself fell to his knees and then raised his face and there was nomistake; against all odds and laws of probability, they had just been delivered of the very manthey were after.

For a moment they all more or less froze there, staring at Sanderson, a small, thin manwith a narrow head, bad teeth, shifty, rat-like eyes, and lank, ginger-colored hair. Sweating badlyand breathing hard, he glowered up at them but kept his mouth shut. For the four of them, the

nearby mayhem and noise all was but forgotten. The man theyd come all this way to kill was onhis knees at their feet.

Reggie and Simon kept glancing at Murphy, but their friend just kept glaring down atSanderson. Then the little tableau was suddenly interrupted by the arrival of the army MP.Coming up with pistol in hand, breathing hard, the man was a strapping specimen, maybe six foottwo, with a moon-like, open face under the steel helmet belied only by the hard look in his wide,dark eyes.

Blimey! he said, bracing his hands on his knees. Thought Id never catch that bastard!So thank you chaps! Whoever you are.

Reggie and Simon glanced from the MP to Sanderson to Murphy and back again to theMP and didnt say anything. Murphy, still staring at Sanderson, rubbed the back of his neck. Thenhe straightened up and turned to the MP.

Whats your name? he asked the soldier.The man blinked and then frowned quizzically. Dwight, he finally said. Corporal

Michael Dwight. And you?Murphy, said the other. Thomas Murphy. And this is Reggie Scott and Simon Heathe.Reggie and Simon smiled at the man.Hullo, said Reggie. Pleased to meet you.Uh, yeah, said Simon, offering a half-hearted wave. Hullo.Now, Corporal Dwight, said Murphy, moving around so that Sanderson was between

himself and the MP. I am going to be perfectly honest with you. So please, hear me out. Its a


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long story, but what it comes down to is this: I have come all the way from London for just onereason: To kill this man, Bart Sanderson. And I am going to see him dead.

He paused. Dwight, suddenly well aware that he was alone out here with three armedstrangers talking murder, glanced around, a bit nervously, before Murphy went on.

But now, he said, it seems as if we have a little problem. A sort of conflict of interests,you might say.

Hows that? Dwight asked, eyes narrowing.Well, said Murphy, its like this: I fully intend to take out my gun and put a forty-five

slug into this bastards rotten head. But I have the suspicion that you wouldnt like it if I did. Takemy meaning?

I do, Dwight said firmly. And no, I would not like that. I assume that you have somereason for wanting to kill him, having traveled all this way and all, but whatever hes done, thisman is still a member of Her Majestys Armed Forces. As such, he falls under my jurisdiction.

The blighter was brave; Reggie had to give him that.Murphy nodded and heaved a sigh. I see. And I understand. But let me ask you this.

What will you charge him with?Desertion, said Dwight simply. Plain and simple.And whats the punishment for that?Death. By firing squad.Ah ha, said Murphy, grinning a nasty grin. So either way, hes a dead man.So it would seem, said Dwight. He looked down at Sanderson and scowled fiercely.

This man, hes well known in his unit. All the lads hate him. Hes a shirker, a liar and a thief.And tonight? Well, when the Japs came, a whole wave of em, screaming Banzai like bloodymurder, when we needed every man on the firing line? He dropped his rifle and ran away. Other men, good men, died because of him.

Dwight paused, blew out a ragged breath, and shook his head in disgust. Then he lookedover to Murphy. But why do you want to kill him? What did he do to you?

Not me, said Murphy, his voice flat and dead. My family. He murdered my mother and father and he raped and murdered my sister. And made me watch. I was fourteen years old.

A localized sort of silence fell over the group as Dwight, head down in contemplation,

took this in. The nearby cannon fell quiet, its crew pausing for whatever reason, but from not toofar away a series of small explosions made up for it. Above them, tracer bullets streamed into thethick night air and around them was the acrid reek of cordite and burning metal.

Finally Dwight looked up, into the streaked night sky, and there was a hard cast to hisround face. Then he looked down at Sanderson, who still just knelt there and glared, and shook his head.

God save you, Sanderson, he said, almost sadly. Because nothing else will.And with that, he pointed his pistol, the twin of Murphys own Webley, at the mans head

and pulled the trigger. Sanderson had been about to say something, and his mouth was wide open,as were his eyes, but before he could utter a syllable, there was a very loud bang, a stab of flameand a puff of smoke, and a perfectly round hole appeared in his forehead, just above his right eye.The rear his skull was not so neat; a ragged chunk the size of a fist was blown out, and blood,

brain, and skull splatted onto the ground. Sanderson wobbled on his knees and then fell onto hisface with a meaty, wet thud. He twitched for a while, his hands and feet jerking, but then gave agreat heaving sigh before flattening, sort of collapsed into himself, and finally dying.

For a moment no one said anything, stunned by this sudden, casual, yet outrageouslylethal violence. Corporal Dwight holstered his pistol and straightened his uniform coat. He lookedover at Murphy and gave a sickly smile.

Problem solved, he said. Right ho?Murphy nodded. Right ho, he said, turning from the corpse. Bastard was dead anyway.

Just didnt have the sense to know it.


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Not a little snozzled on Simons twelve-year old scotch, Reggie laughed his odd, high-pitchedcackle and lit up a smoke. It was time to celebrate, no matter how much Murphy skulked back inthe cargo hold, and he was damned well going to enjoy himself.

They were in the Night Lady, Dukes airplane, somewhere out over the Bay of Bengaland well away from Singapore and its heat, humidity, and the all-out madness and mayhem of killing and war. The Lady was a civilian model of the Douglas DC-3, a great big twin-engined

plane made for hauling men and equipment. Duke had installed a heated, pressurized passenger cabin, which seated twelve, and a small galley with a table, benches, and a miniature kitchen. Alavatory occupied a tiny space behind this, while the rest of the plane was devoted to cargo.

At the moment, his feet propped up on the table, a glass of scotch in one hand and asmoke in the other, Reggie laughed again and slapped his knee.

And then, he said, going on with one of his rambling stories, Uncle Ted comes in withhis crate of brown ale and dont you know it but hes got the monkey! Little bastard followed himhome!

Simon chuckled and shook his head. Hed heard this one maybe a dozen times, but,seeing as they were now safe (or relatively so) and away from the hell of Singapore, he relaxed,indulged his friend, and even prompted him for more. Or he was about to; before he could ask about the monkey, there was a sudden scuffling noise at the hatch leading to the cargo hold. Thenthe hatch itself sprang open and suddenly the diminutive form of none other than Jin Li camestaggering into the cabin. Close behind, the cause of her sudden entrance, Murphy, stared into thecabin for a moment, frowning, and then scowled viciously, withdrew back into the hold, and wasgone.

Sheepishly, but with a hard gleam to her dark eyes, Jin Li looked at Reggie and Simon,smoothed out a wrinkle in her dress, and gave a mute shrug.

Well, well, well, said Reggie, getting to his feet. What do we have here? Astowaway?

A refugee, said Jin Li. I had to get out.Reggie nodded empathetically. Well, I can understand that, he said. And I certainly

cant blame you!

Simon waved at Jin Li and gave a lopsided grin. Welcome aboard, he said. Care to getstuck in? Fancy a drink?

Jin Li shook her head. No thank you, she said. She looked around at the cabin and then back to Reggie and Simon. If I may ask: Where are we going?

Next stop? said Reggie, retaking his seat. Malta! And its going to be a bloody longtrip, so you might as well make yourself comfortable.

Frowning slightly, she took this in and then came to the table and took a seat. Reggie andSimon sipped their scotch and the plane droned on into the night. After a few minutes Jin finallyspoke up.

Why Malta? she asked.Just a stop for fuel, love, said Reggie. Maybe some other necessitiesAnd then?

Simon and Reggie looked at each other and then at her.Not sure we can tell you that, said Reggie, stubbing out his cigarette in an ashtray built

into the table. No offense, but most likely, when we leave Malta, you will not be with us.What? said Jin Li, aghast. She wasnt even all that sure where exactly Malta was or

anything about it other than that it was an island in the Mediterranean. She looked at the men pleadingly. But you cant just strand me there! What would I do in Malta?

The men both shrugged and Simon gave a sad smile. Afraid thats your problem, hesaid. He jerked his head toward the cargo hold. Hell never let you tag along.

Not his style, added Reggie.


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Jin Li sat back and let this sink in. When shed sneaked onto the plane, shed known thatshe might end up somewhere unexpected, but Malta? Well, she thought resignedly, after not muchthought, it had to be better than Singapore. And with her talents and abilities, shed managesomehow or another. Resolved, at least for the time being, she sat back, looked around the cabinagain, and gave a sigh.

Lighting another cigarette, Reggie looked at her over the lip of his glass of scotch. Simonhad produced a magazine (some pulp rag with the usual lurid cover art called Weird Tales) fromsomewhere and was now slumped back in his chair behind it. Jin looked blandly back at Reggie,who now smiled and raised his glass in a one-man toast.

Heres to you, love, he said with a nod. Without you, we might never have found our man back there.

Simon emerged briefly from behind the magazine and echoed the sentiment with a nod of his own. Yeah, he said, before going back to reading, thanks, miss.

I was paid, said Jin simply. No thanks are necessary.Well, said Reggie, I thank you anyway, paid or not.Jin smiled and nodded. As you wish, she said. She paused, wondering how to phrase

the questions she had, but finally just started asking. These men, after all, were not given tosubtlety.

May I ask, she said, being polite, a few things? About your Mr. Murphy, that is.Ah, taken a shine to him have you? Reggie said. Most ladies do.What? No! she said quickly, blushing slightly. Nothing like that! I have no romantic

intentions, I assure you.So you say, said Reggie. But Ive seen more than one seemingly sane, level-headed

woman fall for Murph.Like Jane, said Simon from behind the magazine.Reggie shot an indecipherable glance his friends way, but Simon said nothing more,

hiding behind the magazine, and he looked back to Jin.Who is that? she asked. His wife? Or girlfriend?Not his wife, said Reggie. Not exactly his girlfriend, either.Jin waited until Reggie finally shifted in his seat, shot another glare at Simon, and then

shrugged. Its a bit complicated, he said. Things between Murph and Jane, I mean. See, shes part of our little gang. Sort of a vital part, actually.

I see, said Jin. But then, why is she not here?She was injured, Reggie said, his face clouding. On our last little adventure.And where was that?Norway, said Reggie, refilling his glass. Place called Midskoogan.Midtskogen, corrected Simon, still hiding.Reggie rolled his eyes. Fine, Midtskogen , he said. However you say it, thats where

Jane got hurt, right?What happened? Jin asked.Well now, Reggie said, sipping his drink, thats a whole great long story, isnt it? A

right corker, it is, too! But then again? I dont know

We seem, Jin prodded, to have plenty of time.That we do, said Reggie, but that dont mean I want to tell you the whole thing. Not

sure I should, anyway.Why not?Well, because not everything we did there was strictly legal. If you take my meaning.Ah, I see, said Jin. But I wouldnt tell anyone. Especially not the authorities. And

certainly not the Norwegian authorities!No, I suppose not, said Reggie, eyeing her. And its bloody unlikely youll ever get to

Norway, anyhow, now isnt it? Very well, then, Ill tell you about it. Simon? Care to help me with


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this?Simon lowered the magazine slowly, glanced once at the cargo hold, and then gave a

crooked smile and reached for his glass. Why not? he said. Theres precious little else to dothan drink up all my good scotch. So go ahead. Ill put in when you start boring her.

Reggie snorted. Me? Boring? Youre joking!Joking? said Simon. Ha! You have to admit, mate: When you tell a story, you have a

definite, even pronounced, tendency to ramble.Ramble? parroted Reggie. I ramble ? Me?They went back and forth good-naturedly in this way for some time, until Jin Li finally

grew frustrated and interrupted.It does not matter, she said, raising her voice, which of you tells the better tale. I am

sorry to interrupt, but I would rather simply hear the story than to hear the two of you argue aboutwho would tell it better!

After a look at each other, both men suddenly laughed, Reggie with his high cackle,Simon with a deep guffaw, and held up their hands in surrender.

Right you are, love, said Reggie. Right you are. Well, OK, then. Where to start? Well,the reason we were there in the first place was a man named Dean Spickler. In the end though?Well, one thing led to another and, to be brief, we ended up saving the King of Norway and thewhole royal family.

Jin Li gave Reggie a speculative look. Really, she said flatly. The King?Thats right, said Reggie, chin raised. His Royal Highness King Hakon the Seventh, to

be specific. And his family, like I said. The Queen, the Crown Prince, all that lot.Jin smirked. Of course you did.You dont believe me? Reggie said, turning to Simon. She dont believe us, mate.Simon shrugged bemusedly. Its true, he said. Odd and improbable as it sounds, and

although we were hardly alone, we did help save the Royal Family from the Nazis.Softening a little, Jin Li sat forward and stopped smirking. But how? she said. What

happened?Like I said, Reggie said, pouring another shot, we were after this bastard Spickler.Was he one of the men who did that to Murphys family?

He was, said Reggie, sipping. And a particularly nasty one, at that. I wont go into the particulars, but suffice to say, he was a bad, bad man. Even before he and his mates did for Murphs family. Thievery, mostly. Stick-ups, robberies, and the like. But then, he would do justabout anything for money. Arson, illegal drugs, you name it, Spickler was game. Just a real hardcase, any way you looked at him.

I see, Jin said. But why was he in Norway, of all places?Where he was assigned, Reggie said. See, he was in the Army, same as Sandy back

there in Singapore, but instead of East, Spickler got sent North. Now, do you know about theinvasion of Norway?

Only the most basic facts, said Jin. The Germans invaded, the Norwegians fought for a while but were overwhelmed. Just like Poland. And France. And--

Yes, yes, said Reggie, cutting her off. We read the papers, too, love. But the important

point of our little story is that the British sent an expeditionary force. Supposed to help the Norwegians fight off the Nazis. Few thousand men, along with another few thousand alliedtroops. French and Polish, mostly. And it all ended, soon as France got invaded, anyway, and theyhad to pull out But the thing is, Spickler was part of the British contingent. His unit was--whatwas it again, Simon? The twenty-second?

Twenty-fourth, Simon emended. Twenty-fourth Infantry Brigade, that is. Part of thethird division, which was in turn part of--

The British Army, Reggie finished. The point being, Spickler was there, assigned tothis expeditionary force. OK?


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Yes, I understand, Jin said, smiling. But may I ask about something? I do not want tointerrupt your story, but I must know: Why does your British intelligence service provide thisinformation to Murphy? Surely they know that he means these men that he seeks no good. Sowhy do they tell him--or allow him to know--where the men are?

Reggie scowled and Simon looked vaguely uncomfortable. Both men took deep drinks before Reggie finally spoke up.

He does things for them, he said. Things they dont want to do themselves.Jins brow furrowed. What sort of things?He makes people go away , said Simon thinly. Permanently.Jin Li nodded. I see, she said softly. He is an assassin.Well, said Reggie, you might say that, but then, we dont know for certain. Do we,

Simon?Simon rolled his eyes. What else could it be? Its all hes good at!Pardon me, said Jin Li, but I am confused. Why do you not know?Both men paused before Simon frowned. He always does those sort of things alone, he

said finally, sadly. Goes off, who knows where, and does who knows what. But its obviouswhats hes up to. To me, anyway.

You dont know, said Reggie simply. Could be anything.There was a pause as the two men sipped and stared at each other. Evidently shed

touched on a sore spot. Finally she cleared her throat and sat back in her chair.I regret having asked, she said. Forgive my curiosity. But, what about Norway?They broke the staring match and relaxed. Reggie lit another smoke and waved it in the

air. Well, it took some doing, finding Spickler, he said. And I wont go into the boring detailsof that. But with a little help from Sir Ian, we caught up to him just after his ship landed and hisunit was put ashore. Spickler, by the way, was a radio man for his platoon. Supposed to carryaround this big, heavy wireless rig. But, thing was, and this tells you a lot about how poorly

planned and executed the whole bloody thing was, he never had a radio to lug about! They justforgot it at home, I suppose, same as other little niceties like winter clothes and enough ammo for more than a few firefights!

Simon leaned over and refilled Reggies glass. Now, it wasnt that bad, he said. And

besides, it was a spur-of-the-moment sort of operation. They had to get men there as soon as possible, wham-bang, and not a moment to lose.

Simon, said Reggie, eyeing the other, it was a complete and total cock-up and youknow it. I mean, what about that French unit, the Alpine soldiers, who never even got off their

bleedin boat! And why? All because of them bleedin straps!Straps? asked Jin Li.Yeah, snorted Reggie. They got like, special leather straps to keep their boots attached

to their skis, right? And somehow, nobody thought to pack em when they shipped out. And so the bloody Frogs, apparently because they couldnt use their precious skis, wouldnt even comeashore. Got bombed by the Luftwaffe and everything!

Jin Li shook her head in amazement. Simon, sitting back, did the same, but in a moresarcastic way, sort of diagonally.

Thats just the French, mate, he said. And those particular troops. Granted, there wereshortcomings on the part of the logistical arm, but still--

Eh, thats as may be, Reggie cut in. Lets just say it was a fair cock-up. The point Iwas tryin to make was that Corporal Dean Spickler never got his radio. Right?

Yes, said Jin Li. But how does that bear on this tale of yours of saving the King?Patience, love, said Reggie, smiling widely. Ill get to that. Now, we trailed Reggies

group, about five hundred men, all told. Through little towns, over rivers, hills. Not like they werehard to trail, right? And, well, to be brief, they walked right into a right bleedin holocaust. I think it was because they got lost, took the wrong turn somewhere, but however it came about, it was


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outside of a town called--what was it, Simon?Steinkjer, said Simon carefully. Way up to the north, not that far from Trondheim.Not important, anyway, waved Reggie, as Jin shook her head, bewildered with the

geography. Picture this, as far as Norways concerned: Snow and ice and dark, love. Lots of mountains and valleys, pine trees and them great fjords and all. Probably quite pretty, really, if you fancy such things. But cold as a whores heart and it gets dark at about three in the afternoonand more snow than youd believe could fall all in one place. Ask me, it was just awful. ColdHell, right? But damned if there wasnt a road, and the road would lead to a town, and thered befarms and buildings, and even a city or two. Rail yards, harbors, saw mills, warehouses andfactories. Few and far between, mind you, and mainly along the coastline, but human habitationnonetheless.

Which the Nazis wanted, said Simon.Jin Li scowled and shook her head. But why? she said, more wondering aloud than

asking. Why conquer such a far-flung and inhospitable place? What was there that the Naziswanted?

Reggie barked a laugh. Ha! Who knows? Why does Hitler want to take over everything?Tell you why: Hes mad as a bloody march hare! Thinks hes bleedin Genghis Khan! scowlingfiercely, he sat back and then drank off his glass of scotch in one big gulp.

Simon patted the air with one hand. Dont get excited, he said. We all hate Hitler andthe Nazis, alright? he turned to Jin Li. Norway has strategic importance to the Germans, heexplained, amid some further grumbling from Reggie. First, for its mines, which produce ironand lots of other things Germany needs, and second, because it would guard their gateway to theAtlantic Ocean. And, since they want to have a navy and dont have a whole lot of options whenit comes to seaports Well, lets just say it was a good spot to take. Strategically speaking.

Jin Li shrugged. If you say so, she said. But what about this--what did you call it?Holocaust? There was a fight?

Oh yeah, said Reggie, nodding, having recovered his composure, such as it was. See,the Nazis set up an ambush and the poor Tommies walked right into it. Sad, it was. We watchedthe whole thing, too, from about a mile away, from the hayloft of a barn on this high ridge. Had a

perfect view, really. And it was a nice day, too. Sunny, for once, not too cold Anyway, the

Germans had men on either side of the road, hidden in the trees and dug in among the rocks. Andwhen our lads came up, they opened up with rifles and machine guns. Mortars and grenades, too.And our lads, theyre on foot, mostly, but theres some trucks with em, too, and the Germans hitthose trucks with everything they had. Ka-blooey! Up they went, one after the next, and theresmen piling out of em on fire, and the rest of the men all scatter and take cover on either side of the road. And all this in about five minutes! Less than that!

It was a massacre, said Simon heavily. Lucky any of them survived.But some did, said Jin Li. This Speckler person included, I take it?Spickler, Reggie corrected. Dean Spickler. And yes indeed, he did survive the attack.

Without a scratch. Knowing him, he probably hid like a scared puppy the whole time and then ranaway soon as he could. Anyway, the survivors came running back, down the road toward us, andthe Germans, I suppose they were told to defend the town up ahead, they didnt come after em.

So whoever was left, some of em wounded--some real bad--most of em scared, and all of emcold and hungry, they gradually regrouped, and right there at the little farm where we werewatching from the barn.

Pure luck, really, Simon commented. But then, it was the nearest habitation, and thesun was going down.

Reggie nodded at his friend and then looked back to Jin. You see, love, he said, startingto slur on the S a little, if you werent somewhere indoors when night fell, or next to one bloody

big bonfire, you were as good as dead. Dropped to thirty below zero one night we were there!Jin Li shivered reflexively; to her, anything below about forty degrees seemed absolutely


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polar. I understand, she said. And so these soldiers, the survivors, they shared your barn?Just so, said Reggie, gesturing with his glass. Moved right in, they did. And there was

a farmhouse, a chicken coop, and a hog barn as well. Not exactly five star accommodations,mind, but when its that cold? Well, they couldnt be choosy. Scared the devil out of the poor farmer and his family, too! Cant speak for the livestock.

I can well imagine, said Jin Li. But didnt these soldiers wonder about you? And whyyou were there?

Reggie, reaching for the bottle, just snorted. Simon waved at her and smiled. We alwayshave a cover story, he explained. This time, we were intelligence agents from MI5. Had somefairly impressive-looking documents to back up the lie, as well. And in a war? People tend not toask too many questions.

Documents? Jin Li asked, intrigued. Such as?Oh, said Simon casually, we have all sorts of nice papers for such occasions. Badges

and certificates and such. Letters from various important sorts of people Really, its better youdont know.

Jin Li nodded politely, but still wondered. Forged or stolen identity papers and passportswere one of her specialties and anything that widened her circle of contacts was always welcome.And something like an illicit set of papers for an MI5 agent? That was the mother lode. She let itgo for the time being, though, and waited for more of the story. She didnt have long to wait;having refilled his glass, Reggie now lit another smoke and scratched his shaved head.

So there we were, he said, blowing out a cloud of brownish-blue. About twenty of us,all in this barn. Up in the loft, though, was just us: Me and Simon and Murph and Jane. Whatever reason, the boys didnt come up. Probably, their commander told em not to, after talking toMurph. You know? Anyway, we had the loft to ourselves.

Which was grand, said Simon, because it was warmer up there. Heat rises. Not tomention less crowded. Lots of nice, cushion-y straw all about

Yeah, yeah, said Reggie. She gets the idea. Anyway, who do you suppose is there,right in the barn with us? You guessed it! Spickler himself. Since hes a radio man, hes supposedto stick close to his captain, the leader of his company, right? In this case, though, the captainsdead, so instead the man in charge was a lieutenant, a nice young lad named Connors. And even

though he doesnt have his radio, thats what Spickler does, sticks right close to him. And, sincethe lieutenant has set up whats passing for a headquarters in the barn, there we all were, nice andcozy-like. But not for long.

Oh, Harriet ! said Simon, rolling his eyes comically. He sat forward, looked at Reggie,and grinned slantwise. What is that, mate? Foreshadowing? Fancying yourself a poet, are you?

Reggie grinned back and raised his glass. And why not? You arent the only one aroundwith functioning gray matter, you know.

Just get on with it, said the other amiably, sitting back. And leave the literary devicesto the writers.

Eh, youre just jealous, Reggie said, because I tell a better story. Always have. See,its all in the timing, mate! seeing the glowering look on his large friends face, though, herelented and laughed.

Alright, alright, he said. Ill stick to the story, I promise. So where was I? Oh, right, inthe barn. And so, since it was the HQ, right, we got to overhear their plans and well, it didnt look too good for the poor sods. Theyd had about one-third of em killed outright in the ambush, andthen there was another dozen or so wounded, some critical-like, a few more just missing, not tomention their captain had been killed, along with some of the other officers, which left about twohundred men effective. He took a pull on his smoke and a sip of scotch. So needless to say, theold unit was in a bad way. Low on ammo and supplies (although they got water and fresh--realfresh, like just slaughtered--food from the farm) and with all those wounded who might diewithout help, well, they finally decided to retreat. More or less just run like hell, soon as it was


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light out, and back to--wherever, I dont remember. Safety, is the point. Out of there, as soon andas fast as possible.

But-- said Simon, holding up a finger.But, said Reggie, cutting him off, they never got the chance. At about two in the

morning, there was a general ruckus, all over the farm, and it soon transpires that there are some Norwegian soldiers there who want to talk to whoevers in charge. This being LieutenantConnors, we were privy to this little tete-a-tete. And it did not go so well, communication-wise.But, after a good deal of mucking about--it was like a game of Charades with a group of deaf

people, since the Norwegian chap didnt speak much English and Connors and everybody elsespoke absolutely no Norwegian--well, we finally got the story.

The Norwegian bloke was begging for help. Well, demanding would be more like it.See, he said that he and his outfit were holed up nearby, about fifty miles off, with none other than the King and his whole family, that the Nazis had found out where they were and were ontheir way, and that he insisted that the British troops come to help in preventing their capture.Kept calling it a National Mergency and telling Connors that he had to come, it was imperative,etcetera, and hollering in general that if the Brits werent there to protect the King and Queen,who the hell were they there to protect?

And a good point it was, said Simon. Even if the King and his family had no real,intrinsic value, other than for morale purposes.

Dont sell morale short, mate, said Reggie, squinting through smoke. After all, think what would happen if the Nazis captured our king. Jesus, Hitler wouldnt even have to invade!The entire kingdom would up and die of grief and shame! Just cry itself to death, it would.

True, said Simon, nodding. Thats why they have them all set, ready to move toCanada if they have to, at a moments notice. All the other kings and queens from the other conquered countries, as well, including Hakon and his family. Need be, theyll go into exile andfight the war from there.

Point is, said Reggie, it was a persuasive argument. For young Lt. Connors, that is.But it also put him in a kind of dilemma, since he didnt have any orders to go off into the woodssomewhere with this local militia type bloke. But the clincher was when the Norwegian chap--Gustav, we later learned--he told Connors that he had medical facilities, or something to that

effect, at their base. And on top of that, he--Connors, that is--had no way of asking his superiorswhat he should do.

No radio, said Jin Li. As noted. And so you went with this Norwegian soldier?Indeed, said Reggie. Personally? If Id been Lt. Connors, I would have told the chap

to go take a flying leap. Make a beeline for the nearest plane or boat out of there. But thats justme. Suppose he had that, whatchacallit?

Sense of duty? Simon offered. Honor? Integrity?Yeah, like that, said Reggie. He thought it was his duty, the poor, bloody sod. Anyway,

they got everything and everybody ready, best they could, and soon as it got light, they startedout. Now, the four of us had talked it over amongst ourselves and decided that wed better tagalong. Likely, wherever they were guarding the king would be heavily guarded and fairlyinaccessible, forged papers, MI5 and all. And so Murph went and had another little talk with Lt.

Connors and then, along with the other two hundred or so surviving troops, we headed off downthe road. And a cold and icy damned road it was--and sometimes not even a road!

Simon, refilling his glass, gave an exaggerated shiver. Simply brutal, he said. Never been so cold in my life. Utterly horrible.

Yeah, that first day was the worst, Reggie nodded. The wind was like a knife. Wentright through your clothes. Stung your face--or any exposed skin, really--like needles. Your fingers and toes were always more or less numb and youd get big icicles of vapor and snot onyour chin or in your beard, if you had one. Cold, cold, cold. We had good gear, too, stuff that we

paid dearly for in Switzerland, all made for climbing mountains!


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Unlike the troops, said Simon sadly. Poor blighters.Oh, God, said Reggie, one hand straying to his forehead. Those thin wool coats? And

remember the gloves? Like bleedin opera gloves they were!I remember, said Simon glumly. And I remember the black fingers and toes when we

finally got there. Sorry bastards.Yeah, said Reggie. Cold as we were, at least none of us lost any body parts. But it

took us two days to get there, long miles of just picking em up and putting em down, only onice and through snow. Wed rest for a little while sometimes, but that just made it worse andyoud want to be up and moving around, just to keep your circulation going. And at night, the onenight we had to rough it, we had to make fires. Great big bonfires, enough for twenty men tosleep around. But that wasnt so wonderful, either, as one side of you would get roasted while theother froze and you had to wake up and turn yourself over all the time before your bum caughtfire.

It sounds dreadful, said Jin Li. Like what I have read about Polar exploration. AdmiralByrd and such.

Close enough, said Simon. Certainly polar enough. But it wasnt all cold and snowand total misery, because the scenery, the terrain we were going through, well, that was nothingshort of magnificent! Mountains and pine forests, mainly, and great sweeping vistas of them, likeyou see in the travel books. All covered in perfect white and a million shades of blue and thegreen of the pine trees Anyway, I cant describe it, but it was really quite pretty.

Eh, you can have it, mate, said Reggie, scowling. Maybe Id go there in summer--if they even have one--but as far as Im concerned Norway in winter is off my list of traveldestinations. Permanently.

But you did make it to--where did you say? Jin Li asked. Mids-something?Yeah, Midtskogen, said Reggie. That was the name of the little town nearby, actually.

See, the king and his family had a sort of royal residence outside of town, this great chalet-typemanor house, suppose youd say.

It was more of a lodge than a chalet, Simon said. All made of rough-hewn logs. Lotsof knotty pine and dark paneling and mounted animal heads on the walls.

Lodge, chalet, log cabin, said Reggie, waving his glass, whats the difference? Lets

just say it was this bloody big mansion, out in the woods. Alright?I understand, said Jin Li, not at all sure that she did but unwilling to derail the story by

admitting it. And so you finally got there?Indeed, said Reggie. And none too soon! Why, some of those poor lads had--But here he was interrupted, as the hatch to the cockpit suddenly opened and a man Jin Li

had seen only once before (and then fleetingly, as she was sneaking aboard his plane) came intothe cabin. It was Duke the pilot, naturally, and, just as naturally, he was surprised to see her sittingthere at his galley table.

He was a tall, lanky man with long hair that came almost to his shoulders, a stringy beard,thin, narrow features, and small, close-set eyes like brown marbles. Holding a darkly stainedcoffee mug in one hand, he was dressed in dungaree pants, a checkered shirt under a sheepskin-lined flight jacket, and wore a pair of pointy-toed things that were what Jin Li believed were

called cowboy boots. Seeing her, he did a double take and his mouth fell open. Then his eyesnarrowed and he looked at Reggie and Simon.

All right you fellers, said the pilot, his American accent so thick that Jin Li had troublefollowing, what the Sam Hill is goin on here? Whats the racket? Yall smugglin Chinese girlsnow?

Reggie and Simon looked at each other for a moment and then laughed.Yeah, thats right, Duke, said Reggie, smirking. Were going to get rich, selling

Chinese girls in Malta, one at a time. Huge demand for em!Youd be surprised, said Simon, mock-seriously.


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Duke looked at each of them narrowly and then spat something brown into the mug. Ok,so that aint it. But would one of you tell me why there is a Chinese girl on my plane? Yall do

pay by the passenger, lessen you forgot.Reggie and Simon looked at Jin Li. She felt her face flush but swallowed her

embarrassment, stood up, and bowed to Duke from the waist.It is none of their doing, she said. I stowed away on your airplane. I admit it freely. I

had to leave Singapore, as you might well understand. But I can pay for my passage. What is thefee?

Duke slowly scratched his head, a quizzical look coming over his thin face, chewedsomething, and then spat brown into the cup again. He looked at Reggie.

She speaks English, he said.Reggie arched his eyebrows and gave a laugh. Yeah, mate, he said. And a hell of a lot

better than you do! You and that Tay-exas draaawl.Well, I jus didnt espect Duke said, looking back to Jin Li. Sorry, maam. I didnt

mean no offense or nothin. Its just, I never met any--that is, I uh Well, shoot. For you, the price of one ticket from Singapore to Malta will be, oh, lets say five American dollars. and hegave her a big smile, which did nothing for his looks but did somewhat put her mind at ease.

That sounds more than fair, she told the pilot. And I thank you for your hospitality.Aw shoot, aint nothin, he said. You gotta unnerstand, Im used to haulin these wild-

eyed roughnecks around. Dont get too many ladies. Cept for Miss Jane, of course, but thenshes, well he waved his arms in a helpless gesture, sputtering out.

Shes more lady than youll ever meet, bucko, said Reggie, pouring another scotch for himself. But thats completely beside the point. What are you doing back here?

Yeah, Duke, said Simon, now that weve squared away the stowaway issue, what are you doing back here? Shouldnt you be, you know, flying the plane ?

Duke shrugged and waved at the the cockpit. Aw, Ottos got it, he said. And Ill only be gone a few minutes. But heres the deal, fellers: Been a change of plans. We aint goin toMalta no more.

Oh? said Reggie, eyes narrowing. And whys that?Ill tell yall in a minute, he said, moving past them, toward the cargo hold. But first I

gotta tell you know who. An I got a fair idea he aint gonna like it too good.Fine, said Simon, waving the pilot on. Just tell us where we are going. And hurry up,

for Gods sake.Albania, said Duke. Place called Shkoder. And then he was through the hatch, into

the cargo hold, and gone, leaving the three of them to look at each other and ponder this turn of events.

Did he say Albania? said Reggie, setting down his glass.He did, said Simon. I heard it quite distinctly. Albania ?Yes, Albania, said Simon. Why? Something against Albania?No, said Reggie slowly. Its just one of those places youve heard of but never, you

know, thought youd ever actually visit. Know what I mean? Like Timbuktu or Katmandu or,

orSingapore? said Jin Li archly.Reggie blinked a couple of times and then threw back his head in a high cackle and

slapped the table with one hand.Absolutely right, he said. Spot on, Miss Li. And whats it matter anyway, right? Malta,

Albania, it was only a refueling stop to begin with.Jin Li shrugged, unsure if this was so, and Simon looked just as doubtful. Reggie looked

at them and shook his head.Dont worry about it, you two, he said. Wherever we land, were only going to fuel up


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and leave. No mess, no problems. Youll see. Malta ot Albania, well be fine.Hmm, frowned Simon. I hope youre right. But I know one thing: Murphs not going

to like it. Duke better have a damned good reason for changing the plan.Heh, thats a fact, nodded Reggie, reaching for the bottle. He does hate a change in

plan. Remember that Red Army Colonel who kept putting us off with that shite about the trains?Colonel Ustinov? Thought Murph was going to go loopy over that one.

Jin Li shook her head and raised a hand. Forgive my interruption, please, she said, butcould we return to the story at hand? Norway, the king, all of that?

Both men smiled and laughed. Fair enough, love, said Reggie. and back to the story,as you say. But where were we?

You had reached the royal residence, said Jin Li, sitting back. But first, I have onemore question, about something else.

Oh? said Simon. And whats that?This person, Otto, who the pilot mentioned, she said. Who is that? Because I was

unaware of there being a copilot, or any other crew.Oh, Otto? Reggie grinned wickedly. Thats just short for Automatic Pilot. What Duke

uses when he has to use the loo, get something to eat, like that.Indeed, said Jin Li, intrigued. Some mechanical or electronic device?Reggie grinned wider and jerked his head at the cockpit. Go see for yourself, he said.

Just dont touch anything.Simon rolled his eyes and one corner of his mouth turned down. Jin Li, now both

intrigued and puzzled, got up and walked up to the cockpit hatch. Here there was a small view- portal and she bent to it and peered in. The cockpit was busy with the tiny lights of all of the dialsand switches, and past that loomed the inky night and the silvery ocean beneath. There were threestations in the small compartment, two facing nose-ward and one off to the side, as denoted bythe heavy-looking, multi-cushioned seats before them. The problem was, none of them wasoccupied. There was no one at the controls at all.

A thin kinife edge of terror streaking down her spine, she was about to cry out , yell for help, perhaps, but then saw something and looked again. A broom, a common, everyday straw-headed sweeping broom, had been wedged at an angle under the flight yoke. Even as shewatched, it jerked a little, resisting the push of the heavy controls, before going still again.Tearing her eyes from this, she looked back at Reggie and Simon and pointed at the cockpit.

Its a broom, she said, hearing how fatuous it must sound and not caring. A broom isflying this airplane.

Right, first time! laughed Reggie. And that, love, is your mysterious Mr. Otto.Simon shook his head worriedly. Just leave it alone, he said. Dont even look at it.

Dont even think about it.Jin Li looked at them, looked back into the cockpit at the broom, the only thing keeping

them from plunging to their deaths in the ocean, and then back to them.But she struggled. Its a broom!Come on, love, said Reggie, waving. Dont you worry about it. Dyou think Duke

wants to crash his precious Night Lady? Hell be back, soon enough. Now come away from thereand sit down and well finish our story, alright?

Very reluctantly, she did, walking stiff-legged back to the table with several fearfulglances back at the cockpit. She resumed her seat at the galley table, frowned, and blinked a fewtimes.

Are you alright? asked Simon, leaning forward. You look a bit pale.Jin Li nodded woodenly. Yes, Im fine, she said, just as woodenly. It is just something

of a shock But before we proceed with your story, may I please, if it is not imposing, have adrink of that whiskey?

Reggie cackled and reached for the bottle. Thats the spirit! he crowed, and then


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cackled again. Ha! Get it? Spirit?Jin Li smiled politely at the pun; Simon just rolled his eyes again. Get on with it, he

told Reggie. And get the lady a clean glass.Reggie did so, retrieving a glass identical to theirs from a cabinet, and poured Jin Li

about three fingers worth of the brown liquid. He handed it across to her.Cheers, love, he said amiably. And happy landings.Ill drink to that! said Simon, and they all did.Unused to whiskey, Jin Li grimaced, first at the smoky, earthy smell and then at the

burning, foul taste. Her eyes teared up a little and she thought at first that she might vomit, butthen a sort of pleasant warm glow settled in her belly and began to seep outward and she gave adeep breath and relaxed a little, back into her seat.

Then she started a little in surprise as Duke came quickly out of the cargo hatch and back into the compartment. Securing the hatch behind him, he came over to the table shaking his headand gave a low whistle.

He did not take to the news, he said. No sir, not atall. Just an ornery cuss sometimes,aint he? After all, is it my fault theres a gull-durn war on?

Simon got up and motioned Duke toward the front of the plane. Duke, please , he saiddesperately. Go fly the plane. For the love of God!

Huh? said the pilot. Oh, yeah, Im a-comin.Unhurriedly, the lanky pilot passed them and then opened and went through the cockpit

hatch, leaving it open, before unceremoniously jerking out the broom and taking his seat at thecontrols. Simon and Reggie went to stand just outside the cockpit, leaning in, and Jin Li followed,crowding in enough to hear the conversation over the roar of the engines.

So whats the trouble? asked Reggie, nearly shouting. Why not Malta?God-damned Krauts! called Duke over his shoulder. Been bombin the place to rubble

for the last two weeks, hear tell! And where theres bombers, theres fighters to protect em. And Iaint goin head to head with none of them Looft-Waffa boys an their Messerschmitts! TheLadys built for love, not for fightin!

But why Albania? called Simon through cupped hands. And what was that other nameyou said? Shkoder? Is that a city?

Fair-sized town, called Duke with a shrug. Only been to the airfield, really. But Iknow a guy there. Good buddy from back home, set hisself up in business. Anyway, well be ableto get enough go-juice there to make it to--

OK, thanks, Duke! shouted Reggie, crudely cutting him off. But uh, how long untilwe get to Albania?

Duke cocked his head eased back into his seat. Bout twelve hours, he called back.Give or take. Got a bitch of a headwind.

With that, they left Duke to it and backed out of the cockpit, closed up the hatch, bringingthe quiet back to the sound-proofed cabin, and went back to the table. Retaking their seats, theyalso took up their glasses, secure in round indentations in the table, and all drank. Jin Li grimacedagain at the taste and smell of the vile liquor, but Reggie apparently mistook this for enjoyment.

Hits the spot, dont it, love? he grinned. Then he looked at Simon. And it seems like

Duke had a fairly good reason for the change of plan, dont it?Simon nodded gravely. Good enough for me, he said. And I suppose youre right. One

airfield with available fuel is as good as any other.Exactly, said Reggie, raising his glass. And now? Otto is back to being a broom, Duke

is at the controls, we are on our way to Albania--God help us--and so? On with the story! Right?Right! OK, so we arrived at the, as you say, royal residence, this great mansion, out in the woodsnear this little town. His jovial mien went serious, then sad, as he went on. And so we get themen who are the worst off into shelter, out of the cold, and they do have a doctor there, but justthe one and only two nurses, so it took a while Some of the lads I think died on the way. Just

7/30/2019 Murph