The Lost Princess [Hamliza Anastasia AU]

Chapter Twenty Five: Commissioner Howe's Got Troops On The Hunt For Beth

Thursday, March 10, 1927. Georgetown, New York. 

Deputy Commissioner John Andre heard his phone ring. He picked it up eagerly. Surely, that was Howe calling to congratulate him on his wonderful handling of the Elizabeth situation. "Hello?" he said into the phone.

"Deputy Commissioner Andre?" Came Howe's clipped reply. Something was wrong here, very wrong. Why did he sound so angry?

"Yes sir?" Andre replied tentatively.

"Whatever you told that street sweeper girl, it didn't work. One of my informants saw her and some other wanted men booking train tickets for Philadelphia."

"Oh," Andre said, feeling his heart drop. Bethany had seemed so sincere when he talked to her. Why would a girl who only seemed to want to belong go to such great lengths to leave the country? She had a place here, a chance to be a part of something larger than herself, and she was actively trying to throw all that away in favor of....what?

"There's more," Howe snapped. "The train crossed the New York border and they weren't on it. The compartment we knew they were in was empty."

There was really only one logical conclusion, and Andre stated it. "They must have jumped.We saw them at the station, we know they took the train. But how they came to vanish, we can not explain."

"She'll explain it," The commissioner declared. "When we catch her. The Princess Elizabeth, or whoever she really is, is running out of time. Now, let us talk about your report."

"Yes sir," he agreed. "Rumors about the princess have skyrocketed in the last twenty four hours. We don't know exactly what happened, but sources point to something Lafayette said before he was arrested."

Over the phone, Andre heard Howe sigh and could imagine the commissioner shaking his head. "Such a shame about that boy. His uncle is a fine man. Gilbert could have done so much for our army if he could just let go of his parent's antiquated ideals. Men with his genius are few and far between, and we might need them, with tensions in Europe building the way they are. We have allies in Russia, you know. A man called Joseph Stalin. He's hell bent on bringing Communism to Russia."

"Good," Andre smiled. "Our country has proved that the communist model works, and now others want to try it."

"Very good indeed," Howe agreed. "It seems like the whole of Europe is swinging toward dictatorships. Some still seem to prefer the Italians and their method over the glory of ours, but I'm sure that's temporary."

"I agree sir," Andre said. Truthfully, he didn't know much about what was going on in Europe. They didn't tell him that kind of thing, and the newspaper could only be trusted so much, since freedom of the press wasn't exactly a concept General Secretary Fredrick endorsed. "Would you like me continue with my report?" he asked. 

"Oh yes, go ahead," Howe told him. "Forgetfulness is one of my great faults. Continue."

"Lafayette said something as they were taking him off the train. We don't know exactly what, but the general consensus is that he acknowledged this girl as the true princess. People who were skeptical before, they're convinced by Lafayette. He knew the Schuyler girls before the revolution, so people think he would recognize one of them, even years later."

"We must put an end to these rumors once and for all," Howe declared, his voice sharp again. Apparently he had remembered to blame Andre for all of this. 

"No one could have escaped the palace, sir," Andre told Howe. "My father was a guard there. My family lived across the street. It's only petty rumors connecting all the dots. I heard the shots."

"Not everyone will be convinced by that!" Howe snapped. "To them, it's just another government lie. They'd rather be taken in by a traitor claiming royal blood." There was a brief pause, and then Howe said four words Andre didn't want to hear. "Follow her to Philadelphia." He could have stopped there, but no, it got worse. "If she's not Elizabeth, bring her back. We'll make an example of her. Your job depends on it."

Andre swallowed. Undercover work was not his forte, and he really didn't want to have to track down Bethany. What would she say when she learned he had told her they should be friends one day, then plotted her arrest the next? He didn't know why her opinion mattered to him, but it did. "Yes sir," He sighed, but then a thought occurred to him. It was utterly impossible, but it never hurt to be prepared. "And if she is Elizabeth?" 

"Finish the job for your father like a good son," Howe instructed. "Leave her floating in the Delaware. You are the sword and shield of the revolution now. It's a continuation of the work our ancestors did to free us from one monarchy, and the work our parents did to free us from another." In a patronizing tone, he continued. "It's really very simple. You merely point the gun, pull the trigger, and the job is done."

Andre found the way Howe spoke about killing somewhat chilling. He said those words as if he'd done it many times before and he didn't care. Andre found it hard to share his views. Regardless of how vital the cause, and no mistake, he was truly dedicated to this one, you were still taking human life. It wasn't something you could do so casually, especially when the person you were meant to kill would be staring at you with her big, beautiful eyes. 

He would be able to pull the trigger, of that, Andre was sure. It was his duty. But he could never speak of it as casually and nonchalantly as Howe. 

"I hope you enjoy your new position," Howe said, breaking through his thoughts with a subtle threat. "The telephone, the view. Remember. The Princess Elizabeth, alive or dead. It's up to you."

"Yes sir," Andre told him, then hung up. He had work to do, and his father's gun to fetch from the family home. Something told him he would need it for this. 

Author's Note: Did I add extra lines of dialogue to this chapter just so I could talk about the alternate history involved with this AU and foreshadow WWII? No, of course not. 

In all seriousness though, the Russian Revolution and Civil War hasn't happened yet. It will, from 1934-1939, and Stalin, not Lenin, will lead it. Lenin died in 1924, and that still holds true here. I'm sure this is going to have troubling effects on the future and spread of Communism worldwide, but I haven't done any research on that yet.