Ad Astra Per Aspera [2] - Band of Brothers

44 | the smiles of stars

" I not only have the right to stand up for myself, but I have the responsibility. I can't ask somebody else to stand up for me if I won't stand up for myself. And once you stand up for yourself, you'd be surprised that people say 'Can I be of help?'"

- Maya Angelou

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Lizzie watched Speirs knock on the fragile glass window of where the suspected German brain surgeon was. And Lizzie couldn't keep her narrowed eyes anywhere but from where the surgeon's eyes would soon be. She was revolted, taken in with utter disgust. She thought she'd be more upset, but now, she was purely angry for what had happened to Chuck, especially after the news of someone like Shifty or Janovec. Speirs went to knock again, but suddenly a soft luminous bulb came on in the other side and Speirs hand embarrassingly dropped.

The minute the curtain moved away, Speirs leaned against the window, banging the black pistol in his grasp against the window, his eyes like daggers at the brain surgeon on the other side. Lizzie's eyes narrowed, as she could feel blood continuing to seep through her fingers.

" Open up." Speirs said, as Lizzie heard the engine continue to rumble - she had never seen Speirs jump from the vehicle as fast as he had. The door slowly opened, and before the brain surgeon could open the door fully, Speirs was already in his face, weapon near the man's head.

" Come with me." Speirs said as Lizzie watched him.

" Why?" the brain surgeon asked. Lizzie's eyes narrowed and she swore she saw fire.

" Get in the jeep." Speirs said simply, giving a glance back to where Lizzie and Gene sat with Chuck's limp body. The brain surgeon stared at Speirs for a moment.

Contemplating in the darkness of the night.

There weren't stars out yet tonight.

The brain surgeon slowly pulled his coat from the peg and into his arms to pull it around himself.

" Where are we going?" he asked, as he pulled his coat around himself, Speirs slowly bringing the weapon up again, aimed at the surgeon.

" To the hospital. Get in." Speirs said shortly as Lizzie met the surgeon's eyes. The surgeon turned to look at Speirs and the weapon held up in front of his body.

" If you're going to shoot me, shoot me." the surgeon said, as the two took in an intense staring match between one another, " If you're not, put the gun away." Speirs gritted his teeth and pointed the pistol forward.

" Get in the jeep now." Speirs said, as if it were an angry plea. Lizzie could see the pure pain across the entirety of Speirs' face. This was one of his men, one of his men in the company, now hurt, pain inflicted by another of the same side.