A Partisan's Fight - COMPLETED!

Chapter Thirty

Markus moved fast. He maneuvered in between the pair, grabbing Aldrik's arm before he had a chance to smack Mina. He had anticipated it coming. No matter how much a man shouldn't hit a woman, he could see why Aldrik had wanted to. Even with that action being accepted in this country, Markus couldn't justify it and he wasn't about ready to see Aldrik make a mistake like that. A mistake that the man would have regretted as soon as he would have completed the action.

"At least he had the courage to try that." Mina spat back at the two. She pushed her way past the two men. It didn't take long to hear the front door open and slam closed.

"Get your hand off of me." Aldrik warned Markus, not moving until the fingers had been released.

"I wouldn't have had to put my hand on you if you wouldn't have tried to hit her. What were you thinking?" Markus took a few steps back in case he had to defend himself from the enraged being. He'd forgotten his place. Right now, being a protector and enforcer as well as a friend was more important than being a captured prisoner waiting to serve his sentence.

"She was being disrespectful." He didn't dare look straight at Markus, in fact, he seemed to be avoiding complete eye contact as much as possible.

"I have seen that woman disrespect you far deeper and more obviously then this. You have never tried to hurt her. I saw your face, Aldrik. You weren't in your right mind." Markus crossed his arms over his chest matter-of-factly.

"I strongly suggest that you stay out of this." The warning had depth to it, but Markus had yet to heed any warnings from these people. He was just as independent as they were.

"Honestly, it's not my business what you two argue about, but if you ever try to hurt her again I will stop you."

Aldrik finally pulled his gaze up to Markus. "And what will you do about it? Anything you choose to do, Mina will retaliate against it."

"Then I wouldn't let her find out, would I?" Markus knew that Aldrik caught on to his dangerous tone. The man nodded slowly and Markus returned the understanding. "The only reason she was on your case about her paperwork was because I told her that I had mine. I didn't realize that she didn't know that. I apologize for that." With that Markus left the room. He had no desire to be chewed out for saying something that he wasn't supposed to say. Not that Aldrik had bothered in telling him that to begin with.

"I found you a job." Aldrik's voice stopped him. He stood there, not turning around, waiting to hear more details.

"It is a guard position at one of the camps I had delivered to. It is not close so you are going to have to leave early and you will not be returning until late. The camp is called Buchenwald." Markus could feel Aldrik's gaze on him as he allowed the words to penetrate through him.

Markus turned around and approached his co-conspirator. He was eager to begin. It was time he was able to see some action. He wanted to be able to do something.

"You need to keep your protective nature in check, Markus." Aldrik paused talking about the camp only to remind him of something that they both knew was important.

"Look who's talking." The words slipped out, but he wasn't about to apologize for them either. Aldrik had proved his protective nature countless times, and both men needed to figure out how to keep that in check.

Aldrik ignored the words. "If you get caught helping someone, you will be in the same place they are in permanently. Or they will kill you. This is not a job that you retaliate in. There are consequences more severe than you are used to. Are you ready for it?"

The question lingered between them for a moment before an answer was given. "I am ready. Tell me more."

Aldrik nodded, slowly relaying the details of what was expected of him, who's spot he was taking over for, and what he needed to be careful of. There was no detail unimportant. Everything had to be remembered. If a concrete plan was to be formed they needed the Intel and the knowledge of what each camp they planned to conquer had in store for them. The secrets needed to be revealed in order to shed the necessary light upon them.

"The uniform will be supplied to you when you start. Watch how the other guards act and do likewise. Will you be able to understand everyone all right or will we have a language barrier with you?" Aldrik's eyes pierced through him. The unstableness had dissipated, but the intense uncertainty hadn't.

"I've got this. I know the language well." Markus didn't doubt his ability. He'd spent years here growing up and his family spoke it fluently and often after they moved. He had no doubt he'd be able to communicate well.

"Good. We will start in the next few days. I will be there for a little while before I get transferred to a camp a little bit further north. We will have to do things that are not humanly decent. Be prepared for the worst." Aldrik's words were a bit harsh, but at least he didn't pretend that everything was going to be easy.

"If in the end we save these people, I will do what I have to do." Markus hadn't realized his shoulders had squared more and his chest had puffed out. He was going to be a hero. If it meant dying to accomplish the feat then he was prepared for that too.

Shaking his head, Aldrik began to leave the room. "Not everyone can be saved. That hero mentality is what worries me."

"Don't lose sleep over that fear." A smile twitched the edge of his lip, but he sobered up quickly. Finally they were making some progress toward a realistic goal. He didn't mind being pulled from a jail cell, but to be in enemy territory with no plan didn't sit well with him. He needed work. He needed a way to metabolize his energy and give his mind something more to think about then whatever he read. He was sure Aldrik could relate to that, but he had yet to decide if he'd call the man a friend yet or not.