A Partisan's Fight - COMPLETED!

Chapter Seventy-Nine

Mina's time with Markus was coming to end. She could feel it; taste it in the way his mouth slowly cut her off. "Please." She whispered onto his lips, praying he wouldn't deny her.

"I love you, Mina." He pulled away from her just enough for Decker to wrap his hands around her shoulders and pull her up from the ground.

"Come on, baby girl. It is time to go." Decker's voice was level, even. Mina didn't like it. The lack of empathy didn't appeal to her.

"I cannot leave him." She tried to shrug out of his grip. Shifting her ankle sent waves of pain and nausea through her body. She fought the whimper sending more tears to her eyes.

She felt her control being ripped away. She'd finally begun to feel safe in spite of the danger, and now it was all being taken away from her. She ignored the lightheadedness wafting through her; this was no time to faint.

"You do not have a choice in this, Mina." He tugged her back. "Do not make me carry you to the truck."

Mina heard the warning in his voice. She knew he would follow through with the threat, but she couldn't just give up. Pinning Markus with desperation, she fought to get back to him. "I will not leave you!"

A pained look crossed Markus's face. She felt guilty for causing it, but she couldn't stop herself. She'd fight dirty to keep him with her. She'd do whatever it took.

Decker dragged her backwards. Even with her ankle throbbing and giving out on her, she fought him.

"No! I will not go! No! Decker... Let me go!" She screamed, ignoring Lotte giving Aldrik one final kiss goodbye. Ignoring the soldiers eyeing up the situation. Ignoring Wagner's cold-hearted glare.

"I am sorry, Mina." Decker picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, Armina following behind them, and Lotte behind her.

"No, Decker... please!" The hot tears spilled down her face. "They cannot do this!"

"Aldrik! Do not do this! Please!" She screamed at her friend, ignoring the coldness that had overtaken his features. He'd all ready prepped himself for what needed to be done. He wouldn't be any help to her.

Lotte's chin quivered, her face all ready tear stained. "They are doing this for us, Mina. Do not make it harder for them."

Trying to hiccup her sobs to a stop, Mina nodded her head. Her heart was all ready broken.

Lotte glanced back. She pulled her focus back on Mina, keeping her voice hushed. "Aldrik did not make much sense, but from what I could figure from his cryptic farewell I think Jyrgen is hurt."

Mina nodded, still trying to control her tears, and refusing to peel her gaze off of Markus. "We will get him."

They got to the truck too quickly. It wasn't enough time for Mina to lock away every detail about her love. Watching how strong Armina was with saying goodbye to the love of her life made her feel ashamed that she hadn't been stronger, but no judgment had been cast. It was a relief, yet it made her want to feel worse. She wanted them to be angry with her. She wanted the justification for tears, instead of for her own selfish desires. She wanted a reason to be angry with them for doing what needed to be done. Yet, she couldn't be angry with them. They didn't deserve it.

Facing her one last time, Decker stared her down stubbornly. "I do not trust them to hold up their end of the bargain, Mina. You get your friends and you get the hell out of Germany. I do not care what you have to do to get your feelings in check, but you do it."

Swallowing, Mina nodded. She hated these damn goodbyes. She'd had far too many of them in her life.

Hands gripping her shoulders, Decker's forehead wrinkled as he leaned in closer to her. "Armina risked everything for you. You make sure she stays safe. I am holding you to that, Mina."

Her emotions were still raw and unchecked, but she did what she could to focus. The man was right after all. She couldn't let him down with everything he was willing to sacrifice.

"I understand. I will keep her safe, Decker." She nodded again, fighting the onrush of tears again. The second he let go of her shoulders she wrapped her arms around his thick body. There were no words to say. What could she tell a man offering himself up for the sake of protecting the ones he cared about? There was nothing that could make it better. Nothing that could truly encourage him.

"Thank you." She whispered into his chest, feeling his warm embrace wrap itself around her after a brief hesitation.

"There is nothing to thank, kiddo. It is the right thing to do." With that he pulled out of her embrace. Giving Armina one last lingering look, he turned to walk back to his death.

Werner popped out of the truck, helping her to the passenger seat. "Come on, Mina. We have to get going."

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Short and... Sweet?...

That might be a stretch. Toxic. Frustrating. Heartbreaking. Yeah... that sounds more like it!

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