Code Red (WAYHAUGHT)

Chapter 16

Lucien entered the cellar. A small candle provided the only light in an otherwise dark void. Waverly was sitting on a barrel next to a chest, which doubled as a table. The owner of the café had given her bread, cheese and wine. They sat on the chest untouched. Lucien could see she had been crying. "Hey, dry your eyes. It's fine. You're safe."

Waverly looked up, attempting a smile, failing to make it look convincing. Lucien pulled up another barrel beside the chest, sitting to consider the situation. He had two tasks. He needed to get the information to SOE. He needed to get Waverly to safety. The question was, could he do both? He looked at her, pondering the options. She was about the same age as his sister, he being five years older. How could someone this young be doing what she was doing? Then again, how was he here? War had altered their paths. Kismet entwined their lives in this moment. "We need to get you and the folder out of here. The best time will be tonight. I will come for you. We walk to the next station, wait till it's light and get a train to the pick-up point. Your false papers should still be good once we're outside the village."

"I don't have my papers. I left them in the suitcase."

In her haste to get to the tunnels, Waverly had forgotten to take her identity documents with her. She had been instructed by SOE to keep them on her at all times. A small mistake now presented a big problem. Tears began to well in her eyes.

"Shit. The officers took your suitcase. Okay. Okay, we'll get round this. It means we can't travel by train, that's all. Too risky. I'll have to get you to a pick-up point on foot. It will be difficult, but it can be done." He stood up. He needed to make preparations with SOE. "You need to hide at the back behind those sacks. I will whistle twice to let you know it's me. Listen, I won't abandon you, I promise."

Smiling, he turned towards the stairs, knowing in his heart this might be a promise he couldn't keep.

Alan ended his call with SOE. He looked at Nicole, a grave expression on his face. "Waverly has the information, but she's in trouble. She's hidden. Her cover was blown. SOE are sending a plane to a pick-up point five miles from the village. Lucien will try to get her out of the village tonight."

"Get me on that plane." Nicole shouted.

"I can't. It would jeopardise the whole mission. I can't do that. You know I can't."

"Alan, please. Let me go to her. She's alone, she's scared." Tears welled in Nicole's eyes.

"If there was any way. It's too dangerous."

"Alan, please. You of all people must understand I can't abandon her. It would kill me. I'm begging you. Get me in there."

He paused. Weighing up the options available to him. "If I get you in, you're on your own, do you understand. There isn't enough time to get false papers ready for you. You will have to go in as yourself and take your chances. I can't protect you if anything happens. Do you understand?"

"Fully. Just get me there. I'll handle the rest."

Alan rang his counterpart at SOE. Completely against the rules, he pulled in a favour. "Thank you. Okay, fifty minutes, we'll be there."

Finishing the call, he moved to a small safe at the back of his office. Bending, he rotated the dial several times until its door opened. He removed several items. Returning to his desk, he laid out a pistol, bullets, a wallet and a small metal box. "This is all I can offer by way of protection. It's not much, but it's all I have."

Nicole picked up the wallet. Inside were several hundred French francs. "Alan, I can't."

"It may buy you out of a situation."