more. She has confessed,’ he shouted. ‘She is obviously a traitor. What is this achieving?’
A sadistic smirk came over Weissman’s face and he said to Vivi, ‘I suppose we could torture you. But if you’ve managed to get yourself into such deep cover, you’re obviously very smart, and we don’t have a lot of time. I am very busy right now because of this new information and I do not have time to interrogate you. So I think we shall just execute you. It will be tidier that way. You are a traitor to us, and you shall pay that price.’
‘I object,’ shouted Marcus. ‘She’s just a foolish girl. Maybe she changed a few notes, but we are still winning the war. I think we should hold her in a cell until we can decide what we need to do with her.’
Weissman spun on his heels and jeered at Marcus, ‘I’m sure that is precisely what you think we should do. It is unfortunate. You obviously have feelings for this woman. But I would like to know where your loyalties lie. Are they with the Führer or… this spy?’
‘I object to that grave insinuation. I have a spotless war record. I have done nothing but work tirelessly for the Reich to bring about the victories in this war.’
Major Weissman nodded his head. ‘I have reviewed your record. This lapse in judgement seems to be a momentary slip. It is fortunate that I found out now, but how can we be sure that you have not been working with this traitor?’
‘I can assure you I have not.’
‘I’m afraid assurance is not good enough. You need to prove yourself once again to the Reich. So at ten tomorrow morning you shall be the one to execute her, out here in the square.’
Vivi felt the air disappear from her body. Up until this point, she had been ready to die. She’d known the day she’d got on the boat pretending to be a Nazi that if she got caught she would have to die as one. But now, if Marcus was ordered to kill her, she didn’t think he could do it. And if he didn’t do it, they would kill him. The only hope was for him to take her life to show his loyalty.
Weissman continued, ‘So you have a choice: the Reich or this girl. You show us your loyalty, and we will believe you. She has been a traitor. She has hidden important information and no doubt altered messages. A most unfortunate choice of secretaries, sir. Take her back to her cell,’ he snapped, ‘and you shall prepare for her execution tomorrow morning.’
Marcus looked devasted. For the first time since they’d started working together, she feared that he would not do the right thing. And instead of just her life, many lives could be lost. He was such a high-ranking officer and his intelligence was imperative, especially once the offensive was in progress. Passing on false information and diverting the enemy away from the chosen beaches could make the difference for the Allied forces between a successful invasion and a mass slaughter.
They dragged Vivi back to her cell. That’s where he came to secretly visit her, two hours later. As the door closed behind Marcus, Vivi ran to him and put her arms around him and held him tightly.
‘Marcus. Marcus.’ She said his name over and over again. His whole body folded into hers.
When he looked up, there were tears in his eyes. ‘I didn’t know this would be so hard. When I was trained, they told me not to let my heart become softened by a woman. And look at me.’ The tears were streaming down his face.
She kissed him, passionately, until they both were spent and he pushed her gently back.
‘I have a plan, Vivi, for us to get away. It is going to be difficult. He wants me to shoot you outside in the courtyard, and he will probably watch. But I will make sure the side gate is unlocked. I’m sure there’ll be other soldiers. When I raise the gun to shoot you, I will turn and shoot them instead, and we will have a chance of escape.’
‘And what then?’ she said. ‘What about the work that we’ve done? And where would we go? Marcus, you’re not thinking clearly. We knew the danger when we came on this mission.’
‘Why did you say it? Why did you say it was you? I could’ve taken the blame.’