closer and shook his head with a smile. “How in the hell do you keep surviving?” he asked, relief written all over his face.
After managing to lift his head and seeing that he was none the worse for wear, Ethan allowed himself a weak grin. He gulped in a deep breath and reached out for Markus’ hand.
“Can you walk?” his friend asked.
Ethan nodded and allowed himself to be pulled up. He gripped Markus’ shoulder while looking around for the man they had saved.
“We have to leave him,” said Markus.
Ethan shot him a fiercely determined look. Markus sighed with sheer exasperation. He knew his friend well.
“A bloody Boy Scout, that’s what you are,” he grumbled. “Come on then.”
They grabbed the man by the arms and continued to pull him down a nearby alley. At the end, immediately before reaching the next street, they spotted a small wooden shed. The roof was gone, but the walls were still intact.
From behind them, more orders in German were being shouted as soldiers began checking the area where they had last been seen. The dust was still very thick, making it almost impossible for the advancing men to have spotted them fleeing. Ethan hoped they would assume that their targets had been buried somewhere beneath the newly created mound of rubble.
The door to the shed was barely hanging by a single hinge. Taking care not to detach this completely, Markus eased it open sufficiently for them to drag the man through. Once inside, they lifted him into the corner. The shed was empty aside from a few crates and a broken broom, and was just large enough to accommodate all three of them.
“If they come looking, it won’t take long for the Krauts to figure out where we are,” Markus said. “And if this bloke doesn’t wake up….”
“If he’s not awake by nightfall, we’ll leave him here,” Ethan told him. “I promise.”
The next few minutes were spent tensely listening out for danger. Eventually though, the voices of the Nazi soldiers faded and the shelling doubled in intensity. The Germans were throwing everything they had at the Americans, and were obviously not prepared to give up Carentan without a fight.
As the setting sun began to fade, Ethan noticed a blue glow pulsating from beneath the man’s shirt.
“What the hell is that?” whispered Markus.
Ethan reached for the man’s collar, but just as his fingers were about to make contact, the stranger’s eyes popped open. He shrank back, a frightened and confused look on his face.
Ethan grabbed him firmly by the shoulders. “Take it easy, fella. We’re not going to hurt you.” But this did nothing to calm the startled man. He wrenched himself free and tried to crawl to the door.
Both Markus and Ethan grabbed him and pulled him back.
“Yemina et alhethra!” the man cried out.
Ethan clamped a hand firmly over the stranger’s mouth. “Quiet. You’re going to get us all killed.”
“I told you this was a bad idea,” remarked Markus angrily.
“Do you understand him?” Ethan asked. Markus spoke Spanish and French, and was in the process of trying to learn German.
Markus shook his head.
Ethan locked eyes with the man. “You need to calm down.” His voice was soothing and reassuring. “We’re not going to hurt you. Understand?”
Gradually, the stranger settled down. Cautiously, Ethan removed his hand.
“Yemina et el atheha?” His voice was much quieter now.
Ethan shook his head and touched his ear. “I don’t understand you.”
The light from within the man’s shirt grew brighter. He reached inside and withdrew a gold chain. Attached to this was a jewel about the size of Ethan’s thumb, set in what looked like a silver animal’s claw. Its pulsating blue light was accompanied by a low hum.
“Ena mote…” the man said in a half-whisper. Reaching up, he snatched Ethan’s hand and pulled it toward the jewel.
Ethan blinked in surprise. “What the hell are you doing?” He resisted the pull, but the stranger tugged even harder.
Markus joined in and grabbed the man around his chest, but there was nowhere to go. His back was already tight against the wall.
Ignoring both of their efforts, the stranger let out a heavy grunt and tried to lean forward. Then, suddenly changing tactics, he grabbed hold of the claw with his free hand. Thrusting that arm out toward their still locked hands, he touched the pulsating jewel onto Ethan’s flesh.
Ethan immediately went rigid, eyes wide. It was as though he’d been electrocuted. He fell back hard against the opposite wall, nearly collapsing it with the