The Heart Of A Gypsy (17 page)

The soft beat of the horses’ hooves could be heard as Christian and Ion entered the open field. It had been a narrow path that led them to the area, and now they were hidden on all sides by the thick brush of the trees. The two dismounted their horses and were greeted immediately. 

“Ion… Welcome… This is Christian, I presume?” the leader of the underground, a disheveled man with short, unruly dark hair patted Ion’s back.

“Yes, it is… He is the man who delivered the last group that you sent to the guide in the Alps, and without any problems, I might add,” Ion said proudly.

“I can see why… He looks like a German,” the unshaven Pole laughed heartily.

“He is also my brother now… He is married to my sister,” Ion smiled at Christian.

“Oh… So, a congratulations is in order, I see,” the hefty Pole said with a smile.

“Yes, thank you,” Ion nodded. Christian stood beside Ion, watching and listening.

“For this we must have a drink. Mick, bring the vodka.”

The alcohol was strong, but good, and it burned Christian’s throat as he took a hearty swig.

“We have a group of partisans that we need to get into the Ukraine. Their intention is to kidnap an SS officer from Janowska. It has come to our attention that this high-ranking official is stealing the gold teeth from dead prisoners. Then he is storing the gold in a bank in Switzerland. From what we hear, there is quite a sum to be had. Once we have him, we will promise him his life in trade for the account information.  After we have retrieved the gold, of course we will kill him.  The reason we need your help is that it is essential that we use someone who looks like he could really be an SS officer. The disguise must be very convincing.  And from what I can see, Christian would be perfect. You see we need Christian to be the one to go to Switzerland and bring back the money. He must go to the bank with the account information and act as this officer. This job will pay very well, both in currency and in weaponry. In other words, we will take good care of you. But as you can well imagine, it’s a dangerous job. If they should suspect him, he will surely be killed.”

“That is for sure,” Ion shook his head.

“Now that is only half of it,” the man continued, “There are Germans all around the border between the Ukraine and Poland. We have a safe house set up in the Ukraine that the men plan to use as their base; it is there that they will execute the plan for the kidnapping.  However, that part of the operation does not concern you. Here is exactly what we want of you. First, we will need your people to escort our men who will be doing the actual kidnapping across the border; you must get them safely into the Ukraine. Then, after we have done our part by kidnapping the Nazi and the SS officer is in our custody, Christian will go to Switzerland. He will impersonate the SS officer that we have captured. Christian will be using this German’s actual papers. We will use Shmul to change the pictures to match Christian’s face. Now, Christian will go to the bank in Switzerland, he will present the papers and ask for his safety deposit box. If all goes as planned, the bank will give him the box and he will take all of the gold and bring it back here. What do you say? Can you do it?”

Ion raised an eyebrow at Christian, and both of the men considered the possibilities.

“We would like to discuss this further,” Ion said as he motioned to Christian and they walked across the field to the other side where they could discuss the matter in private.

“What do you think?” Ion asked.

“I think it’s dangerous, Ion, but we need the ammunition in order to continue; we are very low since the attack on our camp. I say that we must do it,” Christian said.

“Very well, my brother; you do, of course, realize that once they have this Nazi officer…if they can get him at all without getting killed…the rest of the mission is on you. I am not sure if we should take that risk. I don’t like the idea of you going to Switzerland and posing as this SS man. It’s too risky. Perhaps we should agree only to the first part of the operation right now and tell them that we must discuss the second part further before we decide if we are willing to go through with it. If they are willing to accept that, then all right; if not, then we must decline the mission.”

“Yes, that is a good idea. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Right now all they need is for us to transport a group of men to the Ukraine. It would be safer to go by the back roads, but they are using us because they want to move quickly through the border patrols, and I guess they think that because of the way I look I can move us through.”

“I know; that’s what I gathered, because they could go on foot if they chose to. There must be a time element involved,” Ion lit a cigarette.

“We need the money and the ammunition if we are to continue to remain free. Without weapons we are just a waiting target. And I can’t see any other way to acquire them. I don’t mind putting myself at risk, but it is Nadya I am concerned about. I wish that we could send her up through the Alps into Switzerland…but I’m afraid the journey would be too much for her. After all, that’s rough terrain. I have thought of this often, but Ion, as you well know, many don’t make it through the Alps.  So the only way that I can see of keeping Nadya safe is to make sure we have enough weapons. I say that we do it,” Christian said.

“The whole mission?” Ion asked.

“Let’s try for just the first part, but I think that we will be forced to agree to the entire mission or they will abort it completely.”

“My sister would kill me if she knew what I was agreeing to.”

“I know, and believe me if there were any other way I would not risk my life, if only for her sake. But if we don’t accept this mission, we will soon be out of currency and weapons. That will leave us open targets the next time the Nazis find our camp,” Christian said as he took the cigarette from Ion and took a drag.

“If this is what you think we must do…”

“It is,” Christian nodded.

The two who’d become brothers in mind and soul returned to the man who awaited their decision.

“We have spoken to each other and we agree to the first part of the mission. We will deliver your men to the Ukraine. Then we will decide if we are going to take on the second half.”

“I’m sorry, but that will not be possible. Once we have this Nazi in our grasp, we must be sure that we have someone to retrieve the money from the Swiss bank. If Christian does not agree to that, then we must reconsider the entire mission,” the leader of the Underground said.

Christian and Ion looked at each other. Gravely Christian nodded. Wordlessly he mouthed to Ion “Tell him yes.”

“We will do it,” Ion agreed reluctantly.

“And now we need to make the arrangements.” The leader of the Polish Underground extended his hand, and Ion shook it. Then he shook Christian’s hand.

“Before we begin… I have a condition… Are your men able to get into town?” Christian asked. “My involvement in this mission is contingent on your cooperation with my request.”

“Some of us are able to go into the city. Others have faces that they recognize. But if it must be done in order for you to agree to this, we will find a way.”

“I would like one of you to purchase a gold ring for me… a small size… It is for my new bride. Only if you can acquire the ring will I accept the job.”

“When do you want it?” the Pole asked.

“Before we leave for the Ukraine,” Christian answered.

“It will be done.”

With the bargain agreed upon, Christian and Ion mounted their horses. They rode away into the darkness of the forest.

As they rode Christian and Ion made plans to carry out the assignment of delivering the men to the Ukraine.

“I will pose as an SS Officer… Our story, if we are caught, will be that we are taking these men on a work detail that has been requested by Himmler himself… They will be less likely to ask questions if we use the name of a high official,” Christian said.

“Good thinking, my brother. Am I to pose as a guard or a worker?’

“What do you think?”

“A worker… I look like a gypsy…” Ion laughed.

“But if you are not one of the Nazis and I’m driving, what is to stop the men from jumping out of the truck bed? Last time we handcuffed the group to the seat, and I didn’t feel that was as believable as it would have been if we’d had a guard with a gun sitting in the back of the truck with the prisoners. We were lucky that time; we weren’t stopped. But I think it would be best if you posed as the armed guard. I think you should sit in the back with a gun, so it looks as if you have these men at gun point,” Christian said.

“You’re right… So I must be a Nazi, too… One driving and one watching, yes?’

“Yes, I think that is the best way.”

C
hapter
37

When Ion and Christian returned to the gypsy camp, Nadya was waiting. She ran to the horses before the men could even dismount.

“I was worried,” she gazed up at Christian.

“I know, love, but I’m here now. I promised you that I would be back quickly…and see? I’m fine,” He raised his hands in a gesture to make light of the situation. As he and Ion got off their horses, another of the group came to retrieve the animals.

Before he could move a single step, Nadya wrapped her arms around Christian and buried her face in his chest. Looking down at her, Christian saw that she was crying.

“What’s this?” he raised her face gently with his fingers so that he could look into her eyes.

“I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you. I know it’s bad luck to talk like that, but I can’t help it, Christian. I’m so scared. I wish this war was over. I feel like I can’t stand it anymore.”

“Shhhh, it will be okay,” he spoke to her soothingly as he patted her hair. “I will take care of you….and before you know it….the Germans will be gone and we will be living like a boring old married couple.”

“Will we live in wagons the way the gypsies always did? Can you live that way?” she asked, smiling through her tears.

“With you I could live anywhere. You mean everything to me, Nadya, you tiny little angel. You have become my whole life. I live to make you happy and to protect you from harm. Trust me please… It brings me great distress to see you worry…all right? So don’t worry, please… Trust me. I know what I am doing.  I will make things right for us,” he nodded at her firmly.

“Will you tell me what the mission is?” she asked.

“Not now… I don’t want to talk about it just now. Please sweetheart…just trust me?”

“Yes, all right… I’ll try.”

C
hapter
38

The
Shera Rom
had instructed Ion to gather all of men into a circle in front of this tent on the following night.

“I have heard tell that there is
patrin
(signs on the trees) saying that there is an abandoned gypsy camp not far from here. The
patrin
tells us that a small
kumpania
, just a short way up the road, was taken by the Nazis.  I would like a group of volunteers to raid what is left of the campsite and bring back anything that might be of use to us,” the
Shera Rom
explained. “I know we don’t like to do this to our people, but I believe that they would want us to have their supplies rather than the Nazis.”

“I will go,” Ion stood up.  He knew it might be weeks before the Polish Underground returned to tell them that everything was in place and the time was right to start the mission.

“And I,” Christian stood beside him.

Then a group of men came forward, willing to join them in their work.

Frigid winds cast their icy fingers down from the north, and a light drifting snow had begun to fall as Ion and Christian, along with ten other men on horseback set out to investigate the abandoned site.  As it was a bright morning, the men were careful to stay away from the main roads.  They were unsure what they might find at the abandoned campsite, but any supplies would be put to good use over the cold months to come.

As they rode along, Ion showed Christian how to follow the
patrin
leading to the campsite. Once they arrived, Ion’s face turned dark. “I recognize some of these wagons,” Ion said. He looked around in disgust and anguish at the destruction and vandalism of the gypsy camp.
Vurduns
lay broken, their contents scattered all about in the snow-dusted ground. “These were people I knew. Our
kumpania
spent time with them over the summer just a couple of years ago.” He shook his head at the waste. “I wonder what has become of them.”

After inspecting all of the remaining wagons for necessities, the men found only four wagons that could be repaired; the others were far too damaged. But inside some of the
vurduns
they found thick eiderdowns and boots, as well as winter coats and dried foodstuffs. They loaded all of the supplies inside of the usable wagons and hitched them to the horses, then leaving the rest as the found it, the men turned to go back to their own encampment.

But after they left Ion rode back alone. He sat on horseback and looked out over the broken campsite.  Tears came to his eyes and he looked up to the heavens. “Why God?” he asked. “Why the Rom? What have we done to offend you that such wrath has fallen upon our people?”