Daniel Pov Prisoner Of Night And Fog

Chapter 12

Part 2- The Great Magician

Great liars are also great magicians
~Adolf Hitler

Stefan Dearstyne's apartment was in a narrow brick building on a side street by the central train station. The front door wasn't locked. The lobby, a depressing box whose walls might have been white once, years ago, was lit by a dying light fixture flickering off and on.
"Third floor," I told her, so she knows where to go. I felt her gaze on me, but it could just be because I spoke "We must be quick" I told her before rushing across the lobby, ancient linoleum-covered stairs.
I heard Fräulein Müller's footsteps rush after me, I heard her catch up to me, I heard our jagged breathing mixed with our rushed steps.
We reached his door, I pulled out a tool that can be used for picking locks.

I heard her stop a little behind me, I tried to pick the lock, but I haven't really picked locks before, I frowned slightly, why was this so hard? "Why won't it open?" I muttered angrily. I looked over to Fräulein Müller and saw she was further back than I thought, she looked like she was about to run "Going somewhere?" I asked, angry that I can't open the door, and that she is probably going to run any second now.
She seemed to have shortened breaths, like she was in a panic "I--I can't do this" she faltered.
I put the tool down in frustration before I surged to my feet "Neither can I" I said, referring to the lock "Maybe I can break the door down." I suggested.
Fräulein Müller seemed slightly horrified at it "Wait!" she said, grabbing my arm "Röhm and his men will certainly notice a destroyed door! And do you want to bring all the neighbours running because of the racket?" She said before she picked up the tool.
I was confused about why she did that, she put it into the lock. She moved it a little before I heard a small click. She opened the door, I let out a low whistle, I was not expecting her to be able to do that, more of the point, how? "Impressive. How'd you learn to do that?" I asked, trying to stop the smile from my face.
"My father taught me." She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
I knew she wasn't saying the complete reason, three bets it had something to do with growing up poor "Your father..." I said slightly amused, who knew? "What interesting lessons you National Socialist children are taught. My upbringing must seem boring to you-- my father only taught me more prosaic things, like how to read and tie my shoelaces." I noticed that she had shot me a deadly glare "Never mind" I added, if glares could kill, I would be six feet under.

We stepped into the room. Walking inside felt like walking into a black night unrelieved by stars. Shutters had been fastened across the solitary window, leaving only slivers of light showing. Fräulein Müller looked for a switch, but realised there wasn't one.
I opened the shutters to let some light in, there was no glass, and there were lots of noises from the streets, pigeons crying, shoes on the cobblestone, and schoolchildren shouting at one another.

I looked back to the room, the room was bare, there wasn't much in here, only the bare basics. A sofa that doubled as a bed, since there wasn't a mattress in here, a long countertop with a small stove. A bureau that had nothing on it, so most things he owned must be in it as there was no armoire. There were a few boxes filled with random things. I saw Fräulein Müller go to a photograph on the bureau while I looked through boxes.

After a minute or so I realised that she was staring at it, not really looking around "What are you doing?" I called, she needn't be wasting time when we have possibly dangerous men on our tails "Hurry! Röhm might be here any minute!" I reasoned.
She dropped the clippings and looked through the bureau. "Nothing!" I said lightly kicking the box due to frustration. "Do you see any other boxes, Fräulein Müller?" I asked, not wanting to waste time.
She turned to answer, but noticed something in the street, I went over to the window and saw what she was looking at, among the day labours was a bunch of brown. The SA and Röhm, I saw Fräulein Müller pale, "It's Röhm, he's on his way" she said panicked.
I let out a light curse, we are wasting time we don't have, but we need that dairy, if they find it, I don't want to imagine what could ensue "We can't leave without the dairy" I said sternly, making Fräulein Müller pale even more.
She looked around the room in desperation, some colour returning to her face, I noticed she had spotted something, she had a focused gaze, I looked where she was looking, my heart skipped a beat, a clean teapot, while the rest is dirty, in two strides I reached it and took it's lid off, there was a metal box, I grinned "Well done, Fräulein Müller." I praised as I pulled out the small box, barely the size of my hand, "Let's clean up this mess," I instructed, slipping the box into my pocket "Or else they'll know someone else was here first" I said.
She seemed taken aback "No, they won't," she said sternly "For all they know, Dearstyne was a lousy housekeeper-- let's go!" she said, almost frightened.

I was already neatening some of the room "Almost done" I said as I snatched up the pile of papers and threw them into the box. I could hear the rumble of voices outside.
I continued to have the room in a somewhat decent state "Forget the cushions!" she almost snapped as she snatched up my hand and pulled me to the door; I was rather shocked at her strength, she was stronger than she looked, she stopped at the door to open it, but due to the strength of her pull, I bumped into her. We rocketed into the hallway. We could hear the SA men's footsteps in the parlour, the back stairs were the only way out.
Fräulein Müller hadn't let go of my hand, her grip was like an iron trap, she probably is rather scared of being caught, she ran up the stairs, pulling me with her. I was able to catch up quickly enough. We reached the closed door at the end of the corridor, skidding to a stop, I opened the door, and we went down the back stairs in the darkness.

All the light bulbs must've burnt out. We had our hands on the rail, to help us move in this darkness, I felt my grip tighten on her hand when I had almost missed a step.
We shot off the bottom step, and we saw light shining through the back door, it clearly didn't fit very well. I had put my hand on the knob, and I felt her hand on mine as they tried to open it, but due to the running our hands were sweaty making it hard to open the door. At this point we had rather shuddered breathing, we managed to open the door and flung ourselves outside.

We found ourselves in a narrow ally, lined with brick. I hadn't noticed we were no longer holding hands, maybe when we were opening the door? I ran to where her bike was and unchained it.
I hopped astride, Fräulein Müller quickly followed suit and went into the handlebars, and we rode off into the night.