Lucilla--NaNoWriMo2014

'

In September of 1943, word came to Mark and Lucilla in the safe house that Italy had surrendered, German General Kesselring had succeeded in disarming the Italian Army, and that the Americans had landed soldiers at Salerno and the British Army had landed and was moving up the toe of Italy.

"My Nonno was able to get most of our family evacuated from Salerno, and many people managed to save their valued possessions before the Allied Landings."  He turned to Lucilla.  "We must warn General Mark Clark to move fast before General Kesselring completes disarming the Italians and rushes his forces to Salerno."

Mark had no trouble sending a Morse Code message to the Allies, saying that Italian Partisans were poised to intercept the German's expected counter attack at the crossroads and in the mountain passes.  But they would not have the strenght to hold out if the Allied Advance was too slow.

Once Mark had finished his message, he started to return to the safe house when he heard the Gestapo type sirens that he had head during OSS operations in Holland.  They altered between high and low pitches. When the  sirens was head in the distance, they struck terror in the hearts of citizens of Holland.  The SS men would round up Hollanders for no apparent reasons at all.  Since the Italians were no long in charge, and count not proect citizens, they were rounding up Jews for transport to the North and perhaps extermination.

Mark made swift contact with the Resistance, and he received permission to reach General Kesselring's Headquarters in Rome.  He took Lucilla with him to remind the general of how they met.  General Kesselring explained that he could give them five minutes because the Allies had invaded Italy--although he would not say what Mark and Lucilla already knew.

"General, I only need two minutes.  I have seen the SS men rounding up Jews for deportation."

With that General Kesselring thanked Mark and Lucilla and called his assistant, Oberst Honiker. The general then turned to Mark and Lucilla.

"My assistant will stop those SS men for the moment, but I appeal to you to seek an emergency audience with Pope Pius XII, who has annoyed Hitler but managed to save Jews in the past. Here."  General Kesselring took out his personal stationery from his desk drawer.  "The Pope will honor my request to save the lives of the innocent citizens of Italy.  Woe unto the enemies of Germany, however."

Mark and Lucilla felt a bit uneasy that they were interacting with an enemy general, whose military actions they were in opposition to, for the sake of innocent Italian Jewish civilians.

Mark and Lucilla made it a point to make their actions known and their reasons for those actions to the Italian Resistance.  Once they returned, they showed their communication to their associates.

"We had you observed the whole time you were in the German Headquarters.  We trust you. We will contact the Vatican and appeal to the Pope. It will take a day to get you clearance.  Beware, however, because you will be watched even within the holy refuge of Vatican City."

Mark and Lucilla sat at a sidewalk restaurant, having coffee and cake.  To their surprise, Petronius walked up alone, and asked to sit down with them. Mark was ready to snap his neck, but he held onto Lucilla's knee to provide her assurance that Petronius would not harm her.

"Lucilla, I see you again in Rome.  What is the business of your stay here?"

Mark knew well who Petronius was, but he preferred at that moment to stay in character.  "Who are you, Sejnore? By the way, this is my wife Helena.  You keep calling her Lucilla," Mark said in feigned ignorance.  "Why?"

"That is her name."  Petronius sat back.

"Here is her passport," Mark said with an agitated voice. "We met in Capri months ago,  it was love at first sight.  We married, and here we are."