This is War✔

Sixteen

Tom Brooks stood on the air strip that lay at the bottom of the sloping hill of Milton Hall. He was waiting for the arrival of the newest pilot to join their operation. He hadn't been told who exactly they were sending and he resented that. He also resented not being allowed to write to his wife.

   His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the sound of a spitfire overhead. The plane sped down the runway and came to a stop. The pilot inside flipped a few switches and then opened his hatch and jumped out. He was dressed in the usual pilot's garb.

   Then he walked toward Tom, hand extended. Tom smiled at him but that smile soon faded as he realized who stood before him. "Andrew?!"

   "Dad?!"

   "What in heaven's name are you doing here?"

   "I was assigned here. What are you doing here?"

   "I've been here since October." Tom sighed. No, no, no. Not Andrew. He couldn't bear the terrible thought that if something happened to both he and his son, Cora and Ellie would be left all alone.

   "Well, I guess you're the Group Captain who is to meet me?"

   "Yes."

   "Reporting for duty, sir." Tom nodded at him solemnly. "Also, Whitehall sent this for you, sir." He handed him a letter. "It's a list of names to be assigned to the April Mission. They said you would know what that meant."

   Ah, yes, the April Mission. Oh how he dreaded it. It was an extremely covert operation that would take place at midnight on March 31st. It would be dangerous and possibly deadly to the participants, but it was vital to England's war strategy. Tom had been briefed on it while he was in training.

   He dismissed Andrew and walked up to Milton, his mind swirling with thought. He passed his brother in the entryway and said, "Wait, Tony. Can I talk to you?"

   "Alright then. Let's go into my study, shall we?" Tony led the way into the dusty, oak-paneled room and took a seat in a leather chair. He motioned for his brother to join him. Tom sat down and his eyes met his brother's. Behind those large glasses, dark shadows rimmed Tony's eyes.

   "Are you all right? You look tired."

   "I'm fine, Thomas. It's just...Daisy running around with this lunatic Scot...I don't like him."

   "You should get to know him. He's a good kid."

   "I have no intention of--" he scoffed. "Forget my problems. What so you want talk about?"

   "My son, Andrew. He just arrived and I'm worried for his safety. I have a secret list of names for a dangerous mission and I'm afraid he might be on it.

   "I'm sorry about that, and I understand. I would do anything to protect my daughter. It's funny, you know. My brother and nephew being in the RAF and all when I so desperately hate England and her servicemen."

   "You never did explain about that."

   "I didn't, did I? I- it's hard for me to talk about. You never heard about what happened last time around, did you?"

   "What happened?"

   "No, that's right, would've hidden it wouldn't he? At the start of the last war, I applied for official conscientious objector status. Father was angry, but I felt conviction-- I could never kill a man. My request was denied and so it was prison or military service. I chose service and still, Father disowned me. I fought for a country who had made me violate my conscience but I did it faithfully."

   "Then, I was captured, I was tortured, and I was dropped out of a plane over the ocean, presumed dead. And not by the Germans. By the English. By my own brothers in arms. They tried to kill me because I had objected originally. They saw me as a traitor even though I had fought with them. I thought I was dead, but Victoria, my Victoria, found me. She was English, you know. We married not too long after she found me."

"You see, the difference between her and every other Englishman was that she didn't hate me for my convictions. She loved and respected me for them. So that's why I hate English servicemen. But," he rose from his chair and opened the study door as someone knocked, "I'm learning not to hate all of them." He gestured toward Tom.

   Tom nodded thoughtfully. There was a true depth to his brother's pain. He felt pity for the man he had become. It turned out that Daisy had been knocking on the door. She waltzed in with Andrew not far behind. She looked cross.

   "Uncle Tom, when were you going to tell me about my cousin?!"

   "I'm sorry, Daisy, I was busy."

   "Too busy for family? Now you're beginning to sound like Papa."

   Tony ignored Daisy and approached Andrew. "And are you my nephew?"

   Andrew raised an eyebrow at his father. "Dad? Why didn't you tell me?"

   "I'm sorry, I was distracted. Andrew, this is your Uncle Tony, my brother, and this is Daisy, your cousin."

   Daisy positively beamed. "And Papa said he didn't like servicemen! We have a whole family of them! Come, Andrew, you must meet Declan." And they left.

   Tony sighed. "Do you see what I'm dealing with?"

   Tom chuckled and patted his brother on the back. "Yes, I do."