Chapter Twenty-Four
February 4 Evening Americans
After they had traveled far enough to be safe from Dane, at least for a few minutes, Zabronski ordered Fredericks to stop the truck, hopped out, and walked to the back. He lifted the flap and saw Webster’s shape. “Is the captain awake?”
Webster replied, “I think so, should I strike a light to see?”
“No, just push him out.”
As Webster was pulling the bound figure of the captain out, Fredericks arrived. “What do you think you were doing back there?” his voice shook. “You didn’t get him; he’ll be coming after us now!”
Zabronski glared at him, “Shut up! I said that I would shoot him and let him die.”
“But you didn’t kill him, you only wounded him! I tell you, he’ll be coming after us. We’ve got to keep going!”
“Shut up!” Zabronski roared at Fredericks as he raised his arm to strike at him. “He doesn’t have anything that can catch us.” He wouldn’t admit it, but he didn’t want to remain here for long just in case the corporal was hot on their trail. He felt a cold shudder of what would happen if Shaw did catch up with them.
Fredericks subsided, but plainly was not happy about the event. Drew and Angelique’s hearts rose; Dane was alive! Hurt obviously, but now there was a chance of rescue. Zabronski stood Drew up on his feet and removed his gag.
“I am in charge here,” Drew commanded. “I order you two men to cover Zabronski and free us!”
“No, I am in charge,” Zabronski sneered, “and you will do what I say.” He looked at his two followers. Webster grinned, thinking of all that money. Fredericks looked miserable, but did nothing. Satisfied, he turned back to the captain. “I say that you will tell us where you hid the halftrack.”
“Halftrack?” Drew’s mind was muddled; they had the truck, why want the halftrack too? “Why do you want…?” Suddenly his mind cleared. Zabronski didn’t want the halftrack, he was after the loot! And he didn’t know that they were hidden in different places! Suddenly, it was like the whole plan unfolded in his mind, a plan that could not have been devised by any mere human. Not by him, not by Dane, not even by the diabolical Major Lindisl. It could only have come from Someone greater than they, Someone all-powerful and all-knowing. He felt his blood chill as he realized the awesomeness of what had happened. This is why they had to abandon the halftrack; this is why it had seemed like a good idea to hide the treasure in a separate place. If they still had the halftrack, then he would not have been hit on the head, he would have had a bullet in it. He went cold at the next thought- Angelique would have been at Zabronski’s mercy.
His mind raced, if Dane was not shot too bad, if he would think of it, then he might head for where they had buried the cases. If he, Drew, could delay Zabronski and the others, then maybe there was hope for Angelique and himself yet. He knew that once Zabronski had the money, he would have no further use for the captain. He drew himself up as straight as he could and squared his jaw, “I am giving you a direct order, place Zabronski under arrest and free myself and Miss DuBois,” he ordered Webster and Fredericks, but didn’t get any better response than the last time.
Zabronski glared at the captain. He didn’t have time to play games with him. The Arabs were around somewhere, and despite his bravado, he definitely did not want to face that corporal again, wounded or not. “Tell me, where did you hide that halftrack!” he ordered right back.
“No,” and Drew braced himself for what he was sure would be physical retaliation. Instead Zabronski gave a mysterious smile. “Pull Miss Dubois out,” he ordered. As Webster helped slide her out of the truck, her skirt got caught up around her waist. Zabronski reached out and pulled it down, but as he did so he ran his hands down her legs. She shivered and tried to arch away while Drew bit his tongue to keep from saying something that would escalate the situation. Zabronski leered at her, and then told Webster, “Bring her up to the front of the truck.” He picked up Drew and carried him to the passenger side of the cab and put him in it. With his hands tied behind his back and his legs bound up, Drew was most uncomfortable. Zabronski turned to his two henchmen, “Get in the back of the truck.”
“What are you going to do?” Fredericks asked.
“I am going to find out where that halftrack is,” he glared at Fredericks. “Now get in the back of the truck!” Fredericks looked at Angelique but obeyed Webster’s tug on his arm and followed him into the truck. Zabronski bent down and untied her legs, tied one end of that rope to the rope which tied her hands together behind her back, and then tied the other end to the headlight on the truck so that Drew could see her. He turned back to Drew, “Now will you tell me where the halftrack is?” Drew shook his head. Zabronski shrugged, got in behind the wheel and started driving. As he went down the slope, he was going slowly enough that Angelique was able to keep up by jogging. When he drove up the next slope she was able to walk, but on the next slope down he sped up, and she was forced to run. He drove faster and she went off of her feet and started being dragged.
“Stop! Stop!” Drew yelled. Zabronski gave an evil grin and said, “I can’t hear you. Are you telling me the location of the halftrack?”
Drew shouted “Yes!” and slumped when Zabronski stopped the truck. “Where is it?” was the demand.
“It’s in a draw about a quarter mile east of the Kairouan-Sfax highway.”
“East of that highway?” Zabronski was amazed that they had hidden it so far away, but at the captain’s defeated nod, he got out, untied Angelique from the truck, and put her in the front seat between him and the captain. She was whimpering in pain behind her gag, and Drew could see one leg was scratched and bloody. For the first time in his life he felt hatred for another man, and glared at Zabronski, wishing for just one chance to kill him.
Zabronski drove north until they could see headlights on the Faid-Sfax highway. Then he waited for a break in the traffic and continued north, driving up and down the ridges. Drew was able to brace his feet with his back to the door, hoping that it wouldn’t fly open. Angelique was being bounced around, with occasional moans, until she too was able to brace her feet with her shoulder wedged behind Drew’s shoulder. Drew said softly to her in French, “Be brave, chéri.” Finally Zabronski slowed to a stop. “Is this the draw you drove on?” he asked. Drew looked around, “I don’t know, everything looks different at night.”
Zabronski cursed, “I think we’ve come far enough north, let’s try it.” He drove straight east until they came close to the highway. Ahead of them they could see the road going over the draw on a low bridge, too low for a vehicle to pass under. Zabronski cursed again, backed up the vehicle until he could drive over the ridge without being seen from the road, and drove to the next draw. They drove to the road, and with a sinking heart Drew saw the draw where they had stashed the halftrack before them.
“Is this the one?” Zabronski asked. Drew tried to stall for time, “I’m not sure, it doesn’t look quite right somehow.” Zabronski grabbed Angelique and said, “Time for another walk.”
“Wait,” Drew exclaimed. He took another look and wearily nodded, “It’s the right one.” Zabronski sneered and released her, and when the coast was clear drove across the highway. “It’s about a quarter mile ahead,” Drew volunteered. Zabronski grunted. When they saw the two bushes guarding the halftrack, they stopped. The three renegades got out and pulled the bushes out, but because of the way the vehicle was jammed in, they couldn’t see what was in the back. Zabronski got in, and after two tries got the halftrack out of the hole it was wedged into. Then the three of them dove into the back of the halftrack.
Drew looked at Angelique; her face was white and strained. “Courage my dear, we have to give Dane enough time to get to the cases.” Her eyes asked the question her gagged mouth couldn’t. “We hid the cases in a different location than the halftrack.” She closed her eyes and sagged in relief, knowing that they weren’t about to be killed in the next few minutes, as
three angry men got out of the halftrack and headed back to them. She knew, or thought she knew, that as soon as they had the loot that she and Drew would be killed.
Zabronski wrenched open the door and dragged Drew out. “Where are they?” he shouted as he shook the bound man like a rag doll. “It’s right there,” Drew managed to get out. “You were just in it.”
“Not the halftrack, the cases that were in it!” he roared.
Drew looked innocent, “You never asked me about them, only the halftrack.” Zabronski balled his fist and smashed the other man in the mouth. Completely helpless to break his fall, Drew fell on his face to the ground. He could taste the blood in his mouth, there was a ringing in his ears, and he felt the bite of the gravel in his face. Grimly he knew another blow like that would knock him out, and he tried to think of something to say to provoke that blow.
“You think you’re a big man,” he taunted his captor. “That corporal outsmarted you, he whipped you in a fistfight, and when you shot and wounded him, you ran like a scared rabbit.” Enraged, Zabronski yanked him to his feet and reared back to deliver another blow. “Anything to cause delay,” Drew thought to himself as he prepared to receive the blow as best he could.
Webster grabbed Zabronski’s arm with both hands, “Wait, we’ll never find the money if you kill him!” For a moment rage battled for reason within the Russian. Finally he dropped his arm and shook Webster off. He glared at the captain, “Where is the money?” Drew just stared back. Zabronski turned and reached into the cab of the truck and dragged Angelique out. He yanked down her gag, and before she could move, fastened his lips on hers. As she tried to pull her head away, he shifted his hold so he had a free hand, which disappeared under her clothing. She redoubled her efforts to writhe away, with as little success. Drew could hear her moans and finally yelled, “That’s enough! I’ll tell!” Still Zabronski ground on and more of her skin appeared. “Is he going to rape her right in front of me?” Drew thought frantically to himself. “If you don’t stop right now, I’ll never tell you!” he thundered at Zabronski.
After a few more seconds Zabronski lifted his head. He leered at Angelique while he said to Drew, “You give up too easily.” He shot a fierce look at Drew while keeping his hold on the girl, “Where is it?”
“On down this draw,” Drew answered glumly. Zabronski weighed his options, hoisted the girl into his arms, and commanded the other two men, “Put him into the cab of the halftrack,” as he carried her over.
“Why the halftrack, why not stay with the truck?” asked Webster.
“Because the halftrack is better for cross country travel, and the truck is low on gas, and has a flat tire,” Zabronski snapped. When he reached the halftrack, he tossed Angelique into the cab and got in behind the wheel. Webster and Fredericks helped the captain in and then climbed into the back of the vehicle. Drew and Angelique braced themselves like they had been in the truck, and Angelique vigorously wiped her mouth on Drew’s shirt sleeve.
As Drew braced himself he wondered if he had bought Dane enough time to reach the hidden loot, if he was coming. As he thought of Dane, he thought of what Dane had told them from the Bible, and it was like scales dropping from his eyes. He understood what Dane had said about salvation. HE UNDERSTOOD! Just like he, Drew, was helpless to save himself and was totally relying on someone else to save him, so he could not save himself from his sins. He had to totally and completely rely on Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross to save him from the consequences of sin. Drew bowed his head, and in the bouncing vehicle with Angelique staring at him in amazement, he prayed to Jesus, “Jesus, I understand that I am a sinner, I know that there is nothing that I can do of my own self to wipe away my sins. But I know that you paid for my sins on the cross, and I accept your sacrifice and I ask you to forgive my sins and come into my heart.”
When Drew raised his head, he was a new creature. He had a look of wonderment on his face as, for the first time in his life, he was free of the burden of sin that he hadn’t even realized, until he had met Dane and heard the Word of God, that he was bearing. He felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in his heart, just like Dane had described. He knew that within an hour he could be dead, but he felt no panic because he knew that he would be with Jesus.
He turned his head towards Angelique with that look of wonder, “Angelique, I understand what Dane was telling us. I just accepted Jesus as my savior, and it is just like what Dane described. I am free from sin; I can feel Jesus in my heart.”
Before Angelique could answer, Zabronski roared, “Shaddup! I don’t want to hear anything about that Jesus! I had enough of that sermonizing!” They subsided, and Zabronski drove to the road. It was empty, and they drove across and continued on in the draw. They drove to where the cases were hidden. “Here they are,” Drew announced and Zabronski stopped the vehicle. As the three American’s jumped out, Zabronski held up his hand for quiet. In the distance they could hear the sound of vehicles.
“Germans,” shouted Fredericks, and started to jump back in.
“No,” Zabronski stopped him, “the cases first. Where are they?” he demanded from Drew.
“There,” he pointed with his chin. Zabronski growled, yanked him from the cab and cut his bonds. “Show me where!” he demanded again. Drew stumbled over to where they were hidden, “Here.” As the blood returned to his feet and hands, it was causing excruciating pain, but he tried to hide it from his captors. Zabronski pushed him to the ground, “Dig them out!” As Drew started to painfully unbury the first case, Webster and Fredericks started digging up the other two, Zabronski watching them work.
“Fredericks, you and the cap’n take the first one, Webster and I will take the second. Hurry!” he commanded when the cases were uncovered. Obediently Drew and Fredericks grabbed the first case and carried it over to the halftrack and shoved it in. Zabronski and Webster pushed their case in while the other two went back for the third case. They picked it up and started walking towards the vehicle. Drew prayed silently in his heart, “Lord, this is it. Please save us. Angelique isn’t saved yet, please give her the chance. God, where is Dane? Help him if you can.”
In the cab Angelique was sobbing. That awful man had kissed her! She could still taste him on her lips, and she tried to scrub them again on her shoulder, but to move her shoulder caused such pain! And where he had put his hand! She shuddered again at the remembrance of his touch. Mon Dieu, now she hoped that he would kill her since he had the treasure, and not keep her for a while. She broke down again, and then started praying, “God, if you are real, if what Dane and Drew said to me are real, then save us. If you prove to me that you are real, then I will believe.”
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