Recovery

Chapter 1

The huge room hummed quietly with low voices as high-ranking officers spoke together about things that should probably not have been discussed in a non-military setting. The scattering of women throughout the large ballroom were just as quiet, mostly attending to the men they were with, whether they were husbands or lovers. Crystal chandeliers spread enough light to dispel any atmosphere of intimacy as patterns from the prisms played down the cream brocade covered walls. The floor was wood, waxed to a sheen conducive to formal dancing, though there was no music except the soft strains of German classical pieces played by a trio of violinists.

Dark eyes roved around the room, watching for trouble as the owner sipped at a glass of champagne. The skin and features were too dark to be pure German. It would have been hard to tell what his nationality was if anybody had taken an interest in the unobtrusive young man in tuxedo standing between the buffet table and the opening into the hall.

Those same dark eyes now followed an auburn-haired woman a few years older than him as she wove slowly around the small clusters of people on her way to the buffet. Her hair was coiffed atop her head with diamond pins. The sheer gauze overlay of her green dress picked up the light from the chandeliers and seemed to shimmer as she moved with an unconscious grace. Obviously of a higher social class than the young man, she ignored him as though he were merely a piece of furniture. The young man darted glances at her as he continued to peruse the occupants of the room.

The woman started at the far end of the table, picking up two plates and studying the foods available before adding different samples to each plate. She slowly worked her way past the wild boar, venison, and seafood, taking samples of each. Foie gras was placed on one plate only. As she reached the end closest to the dark man, a faint smile came to her lips. The other plate received three crackers with crème fraise and beluga caviar. As an afterthought, two more crackers with caviar were placed beside the goose liver, wild boar and liver pate. Satisfied, she picked up two napkins and forks. Eyes barely skimming over the younger man, she turned and made her way back to the older, tall, dark-haired aristocratic general she had arrived with.

A slight blond waiter stepped in front of the younger man, with a tray of fresh drinks. The dark one shook his head and the waiter moved on. A taller, blond tuxedoed man entered from the hall and stopped beside the man sipping champagne.

"She doing all right?" murmured the blond.

"So far," answered the dark haired one quietly. "She found the caviar."

"At least some things are normal."

The blue-green hazel eyes gazed slowly around the room until they found the tall man and auburn-haired woman. He watched the couple. The German general was taking bites of whatever had been piled on his plate and ignoring the woman who had brought him the treats. She seemed unconcerned and content to stand a little behind his right shoulder, showing no interest in the conversation between her partner, another general and a field marshal. Leave it to the confidence man to strike up a conversation with a field marshal.

"Get what you were after, Warden?" asked Chief in a quiet voice after people had moved out of hearing.

"Yes," said Garrison. "Casino should be back to the car by now. We'll have to give a heads up to Goniff to get out, then try to pry Actor and Terry away from their little group."

"Think he's getting anything good out of that field marshal?" asked Chief.

Garrison remained silent until a couple had approached, filled a plate with food from the table, and moved on. "He'd better be."

Goniff returned to the main salon from the kitchen, a tray with full glasses of champagne balanced on his upturned widely spread fingers. He seemed to catch sight of the Lieutenant, who wore the uniform of a Major. Garrison gave a slow nod.

The slight man moved around the room accepting empty glasses in return for full ones. He worked his way over to the auburn-haired girl and the tall general. She shook her head at the tray offering the champagne. Goniff tilted his head in a sign to her, and moved on.

After the 'waiter' had disappeared from the room, the girl casually placed a hand on the small of her general's back. The light double tap of her finger was not seen. There was not even the slightest pause in the man's speaking. The girl took another dainty bite of the remaining cracker with caviar. Five minutes later the general glanced at his watch and apologized to the other two German officers for having to leave. After all, it was one o'clock in the morning and he had to catch a train at five o'clock. With a brief partial bow to the field marshal, the tall man turned away and escorted the girl in the direction of the door. She took the empty plate from him, added it to her own, and placed them on a standing tray in passing.

When Garrison saw they were on a meandering path to the doorway, he and Chief moved into the hall and proceeded toward the door to the car park. The five met at the car. Casino already had the engine running. Chief and Goniff got into the front and the other three got into the back, with Terry between her brother and Actor.

The big car pulled slowly out and turned onto the road. Garrison and Actor turned in their seats, so they could see out the back window. Terry pulled her fox stole closer around herself and settled into her seat.

Actor glanced at Garrison. "I trust you obtained the information you were after from the safe."

Garrison nodded. "And then some. How about you? Learn anything of interest from the general and your friend the field marshal?"

"Yes," replied the Italian. "Very interesting man, the field marshal. Graduated with honors from the University in Heidelberg . . ."

"Besides that," interrupted Garrison before the con man could really get started.

"They are still working on a jet engine that is supposed to outfly anything the Army Air Force and the RAF have," said Actor.

Garrison nodded. "That will go with the manufacturing plant plans that were in the safe." He looked at his sister with amusement. "I see you discovered the caviar. I could have just had Cinder send you a jar of salmon eggs."

The girl gave him a sour look. "Salmon eggs are fish bait, Brother Dear."

"Beluga is not in the same class as 'fish bait'," said Actor dryly.

Garrison watched his sister. "Did you hear anything we need to know?"

The girl shrugged, "Just what Actor heard."

Garrison did not press for more. He supposed it wasn't bad for her first mission since the skull fracture. Maybe when she became more comfortable with the role she was playing, she would venture to overhear more. At least they were going back by sub this time. The altitude in the plane had triggered her headache. That seemed to be gone now.

GGGGG

Once back to the Mansion at ten o'clock in the morning, Terry headed straight for the stairs.

"Breakfast is on the table, Lads," said the Sgt./Major perkily. "It's real eggs," he added.

With that, they all trooped into the dining room. Craig noticed his sister was not eating as much as she usually did. And it wasn't because she was making sure the men got the lion's share of the food. When they were finished eating, Craig led them toward his office.

"Quick debrief," he said.

He noticed Terry cast a longing glance up the stairs before following the men to the office. Craig stopped her. That caught the attention of the other men who wondered what was going on.

"You said you don't have anything to report?" said the officer questioningly.

She shook her head.

"You can go to bed," Garrison said. "No use sitting through this."

The girl turned on her heels and walked back to the stairs. When Garrison turned back to his office, there were four pair of eyes watching him. He closed the door behind him and walked silently to his spot at the head of the slightly scarred wooden conference table.

"What was that about, Warden?" asked Casino.

When Garrison didn't answer, Actor picked up the train of thought. "I would imagine she has another headache she is trying to hide and she is exhausted. Just like any of the rest of us after the first mission following an injury."

"Yeah," objected Casino. "But we still have to sit through this."

"She doesn't have anything to add to what was gathered by Actor," said the Lieutenant. "no reason for her to stay."

The expressions on three of the men's faces showed they did not like that explanation. The confidence man wore his usual non-committal expression, which could mean he didn't care or he did not like the explanation either.

Terry was the last one downstairs. Chief was at his usual window seat and the Bobbsey Twins were cheating at solitaire as always. The Indian looked at her first. She appeared a little pale and not her usual bubbly self.

Goniff looked up and took in her countenance. He grinned, "'Ello Love. 'Ow are you doing?"

"Fine," said the girl with a forced smile.

"You're beginning to sound like the Warden," said Casino, glancing at her.

She ignored that and walked into her brother's office. Craig was sitting at his desk and Actor was sitting at the conference table. Both men looked up at her entrance. They wondered when she closed the door behind her.

"Okay, so what did I screw up on?"

Both men stared at her at that.

"You didn't screw up anything," said Garrison flatly.

"Well, I woke up and realized I sit in on debriefings. Even for missions I'm not on," said the girl. "And I believe you asked me twice what information I had gathered. I'm sorry. Does being his," she gestured toward Actor, "pet whore entail wandering around the room eavesdropping on other conversations for information you and he aren't getting? I can do that." She turned in accusation toward Actor. "When were you going to tell me that? Or were you?"

"Teresa," said the con man patiently, "you are recovering from a severe head injury. I was trying to ease you back in and not overload you." He turned to Garrison. "It is entirely my fault, Lieutenant."

Craig watched his sister. Even that admission from the Italian seemed to set her off. She shook her head.

"No, it's my fault," she said. "I should have known that." She ignored Actor and looked at Garrison. "Is there anything else I'm not doing that I'm supposed to be doing?"

"We don't know yet," said Garrison with a sigh. "You say more is coming back to you. I wish we could give you more time, but I don't think the Army is going to stand for that. It's hard enough with any of us. You're different."

"Yeah," said Terry, "You'd look funny in a dress." She frowned. "You do look funny in a dress."

Actor barely managed to keep a straight face.

"Terry," said Craig in disgust, covering embarrassment, "Out!"

The girl flicked a two fingered sloppy salute at him, turned and left the room, shutting the door behind her again. There was a moment of silence behind her.

"I have only seen her salute Major Richards one time," mused the con man. "I will have to assume that was sarcasm."

"I think you're right," agreed Garrison. "She's expecting too much of herself and she's mad because she can't do it."

Actor took a deep inhalation of his pipe to keep it from going out. "Just like someone else in the family," he muttered.

Garrison had to listen hard to register the words the Italian quietly spoke. He gave a snort. "Are you done with that report yet?"

"Another minute or two," said Actor, turning back to the paper he was writing on. His head was bent to hide the smile on his face.

Terry ignored the men in the common room and headed for the kitchen.

"Hey, Babe, you gonna cook tonight?"

All Casino got in response were two hands raised palms up. It could have meant anything from don't I always to I'll see.

"She ain't happy," remarked the cracksman.

Goniff looked up at him. "You weren't no bundle of joy yourself there when you 'ad your last concussion."

"Cut her some slack," said Chief. "At least she's trying."

After supper which she had saved from the sometimes-inept cooking by Sgt./Major Rawlins, Terry went into Garrison's office and shut the door again. She turned a table chair around and straddled it facing her brother. Her face was a show of puzzlement and frustration.

"Dang it Craig, how much longer is this going to go on?" she asked.

"What?" There could be any number of things bothering her.

"This not knowing Actor, and yet knowing him. We're at a party. I go to get him the expected plate of food and suddenly I know what he likes and what he doesn't care much for. I could do without the foie gras. That stuff is nasty."

"I don't have an answer to that, Sis."

And Craig really didn't. Actor's memory of her had returned much sooner than hers was doing. Maybe it was the enforced confinement together that had moved it along. And for whatever reason, the con man seemed uninclined to help her move it along at a quick pace. Had something happened between them that Terry's mind was blocking off and Actor didn't want her to remember?

"Are you afraid of him?" probed Craig tentatively.

Terry's eyebrows rose at that. She thought about it. "No. I'm comfortable around him. But he seems kind of distant. Were we that close?"

Garrison knew he had to be careful here. "What's your definition of close?"

Terry shook her head. "It just seems like we should be easier around each other."

Craig decided to take a chance. "Do you remember Jaeger?"

Terry face closed. "Yes," she said stonily.

"Do you remember Actor saving you?"

Terry shook her head again. "I remember Jaeger up to when the door slammed open. Nothing after that."

"Actor pulled him off of you and killed him," Craig watched his sister's myriad of facial reactions to what he was saying. "You were afraid of Actor for a long time. From what Chief said, Actor was enraged at what Jaeger was attempting to do to you." Rape was not a word Craig wanted to use. "You seemed to think he was angry with you. He wasn't and you two straightened it out eventually."

Terry frowned. "I don't remember."

"I really don't know what to tell you, Sis," said Craig, and he truly did not know what to tell her.

With a sigh and a shrug, the girl stood up, put the chair back at the table and went out to the common room.

GGG

The next day, Actor began a different set of lessons with the young woman. Wanting to see what was remembered and what he would have to start over teaching her, he took two books from the Mansion's library and, thumbing through them, bookmarked certain pages. Satisfied, he stepped back into the common room. The girl was sitting at the game table, snapping beans from the garden, presumably for their supper tonight.

"Teresa," broached the confidence man, "could I interrupt you for a minute or two? I wish to show you something in the library."

Without much enthusiasm, Terry wiped her hands on a towel beside the bowl of beans and got up to follow him into the library. Actor motioned her to have a seat at the table. He brought the first book over to her along with a thin book. Opening to the first marker, he covered the identifying cut line beneath the picture of a painting. He lay the book in front of Terry.

"Can you name the artist of this work?" Actor asked.

Of course," said Terry. "That's a Caravaggio."

"Very good," said the con man.

He went through almost a dozen different photos of paintings. She was able to readily identify the famous artist of each painting. The last one brought a smile finally.

"Botticelli," she said with a wider smile. "Birth of Venus."

Actor nodded in satisfaction. At least she knew the famous artists. Later, he would try her on the less famous painters and sculptors. Reaching around her to close the book, he leaned nearer to her and kissed her cheek. That drew a of look of confusion from the girl.

"What was that for?" asked Terry.

"Practice."

Her eyebrows rose. "You don't need practice."

Actor shook his head. "Not for me, for you. You need to get used to and be comfortable with me doing that."

"Oh," said the girl.

She got up and went back to the common room. No, this was not going to be easy, thought Actor. She wasn't running from him like before, but she wasn't responding either.

A half hour later, Terry finished the beans. She stood up and glanced at Actor. He was sitting in his chair, book in one hand, pipe in the other. She ambled over to his chair, bent down and kissed his cheek.

Actor looked up out of the tops of his eyes with question.

"Practice," she said.

The kiss was more of a sisterly kiss than that of a lover. It would require more 'work' on his part apparently. And he wasn't the only one to notice that. The three other men were watching.

Casino got up from the table and blocked Terry as she was on the way back to get the beans. He stood, hands on hips, and shook his head.

"Gotta put more into it than that," he instructed.

"Really?" asked Terry eying him.

Casino nodded. "You're supposed to be his girlfriend or something. You need to show it. Like this."

He slid an arm around her, pulled her in closer and gave her a long kiss on the mouth. She pulled back but did not evade his arm around her. She did look back toward Actor.

"I kiss them too?" she asked.

"Oh, you kiss all of us, now don't you," said Goniff cheerfully. "Except maybe Chiefy. He isn't the kissing type."

The Indian turned his head to look at the back of Goniff's head with disgust before turning back to the view out of the window.

Terry looked back up at Casino's grinning face that seemed to dare her. She shrugged her eyebrows and stood on tiptoes to get a better angle. To the man's delighted surprise, she went in for a return kiss. And it was a good one.

"Better?" she asked.

"Just fine, Babe," grinned Casino, knowing Actor wasn't pleased. "Any time you want to practice, feel free."

Terry gave a chuckle. "He's the confidence man," she gestured with her head back towards the Italian. "Not you. I'm supposed to work with him."

"Yeah, well, he doesn't seem to be doing a good job uh teachin' you," said Casino smugly.

Terry backed away and flicked his stomach with the backs of her fingers. Shaking her head, she moved around him, got the bowl of beans and towel and walked toward the kitchen.

Casino looked at Actor, but the Italian already had his nose back into his book, seemingly unconcerned.

After lunch, the Sgt./Major called the men together. "It's time for a little target practice, Lads."

"Aw, come on," objected Casino. "We know how to shoot."

"Yes, but there's always room to improve," said the English non-com cheerfully. "Practice makes perfect."

Reluctantly, the men got up and headed for the door, except Actor. He made a quick run up the stairs and went to his room. In the top drawer of his desk, he retrieved the little Walther PPK, checked its clip, which was full, and strode back down the hall, depositing the handgun into his big jacket pocket. He stopped at Terry's open door. The girl was reclined on the bed reading a book.

"Come, Teresa," said the con man. "Target practice, and you haven't fired a gun in weeks. It would be good for you to practice with us."

Terry did not reply, but she did lay the book, open faced on the bed. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she shoved her feet into the boots on the rug beside her. She allowed the tall man to escort her down the stairs and out the front door.

At the bottom of the steps, Actor took the little gun out of his pocket and handed it to her. Terry looked it over, automatically ejected and checked the clip and snapped it back in place.

"It's yours," said Actor.

"Yes, I know. Took it off a dead officer." She looked up at him. "Took your time giving it back to me. Afraid I might shoot you?"

"Not at all," replied the man. "I merely forgot to return it to you." He didn't forget anything. He just wanted to be sure the girl had enough brain cells working before he trusted her with a firearm. Not that he would tell her that.

Four stands were set up in the car park and a line of paper silhouette targets hung from easels close to the stone wall. Sgt./Major Rawlins looked at the girl.

"I'm sorry, Miss," he apologized. "I didn't know you were going to come too."

"That's all right, Sgt./Major," smiled Terry. "I didn't know I was going to be coming either."

The men lined up and emptied their clips into their targets. The spread wasn't too wide on any of the targets. The men were improving over time.

Actor stepped back and motioned Terry to take her turn. She walked up to the stand and eyed the target. The heart had a nice compact hole in it. She raised the gun and emptied the clip into the forehead of the silhouette.

"Miss?" questioned Rawlins, dubiously. "We were shooting hearts."

Terry smiled politely. "He already shot it. I thought I would go a little higher."

"Can you do that with a nine mil?" The question came from the top of the steps. Garrison moved partway down the steps.

Terry laid the Walther on the stand, turned and took the bigger, heavy semiautomatic from Actor. She ejected the spent clip and slapped a full one from the stand into it, snapping the slide back to load the first round. Raising her arm, she fired almost all of the rounds into the forehead, tearing the paper apart. Deliberately, she dropped the gun a bit and fired the last round midline just below where the torso ended.

"A bit low, don't you think?" asked Garrison dryly.

"I guess that depends on the situation," shot back the girl.

She ejected the clip and laid the gun and the empty clip beside her gun on the stand.

Rawlins head swiveled back and forth between the girl and the target. "Yes, well, I'll just put some fresh targets up."

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