THE FÜHRER'S DAUGHTER

THE FÜHRER'S DAUGHTER (Episode 2 ) - Chapters 15 & 16

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

THE ALTERNATE PATH, according to Jack, added an extra forty-five minutes to the hike and took them through rocky terrain and muddy trails. It would have been nice if he’d at least given her a chance to get something to eat before abducting her for this little excursion.

Proof.

That was what he’d promised.

He was so assured of himself she almost believed him without any. But part of her wanted him to be wrong because her entire grasp of reality would be challenged—no, obliterated, otherwise.

Her stomach let out a formidable growl.

Not missing a step, Jack turned to her. “Hungry?”

“You heard that?”

“Don’t suppose you’d settle for an apple?” He took one from his jacket pocket, shined it on his sleeve, and handed it to her.

“Thank you.” She took it and was surprised at how quickly she bit into it. Still chewing and caring nothing for manners, she offered it to him. “What about you?

“Nah. I had some bacon and eggs before coming to get you.”

She was about to make a remark about his thoughtfulness, or lack thereof, when he suddenly stopped and held up a hand.

“We’re here.”

“What?” She took a final bite and tossed the core into the leaves at her feet. Looking around, she saw nothing of note. “I don’t see anything.”

He examined a tree trunk which seemed to have a small part of its bark carved out. Then, turning to the left, another one which had a similar marking. Dropping to his knee, he started digging through the leaves with his hands.

Then came fistfuls of wet dirt, which he tossed to the side.

After a minute of excavation, he stopped, grasped what looked like a rope, and pulled.

A wooden hatch came up, and along with it the musty odor of stale air.

“The original route would have been easier, if not for those drones. But this will do. Might be better in some ways.” From his back pocket, he pulled out a small black flashlight, clicked it on, then put it between his teeth. He looked to Grace. “You ready?”

“For what?”

Jack lowered himself partially into the hole, and then extended a hand to her.

“I’m not going down there,” Grace said, giving him and the hole a dubious once over.

He grabbed the flashlight from his mouth. “Then you’ll never know. Now quit your belly-aching, and let’s go.” Again, he put the flashlight between his teeth and stretched out his hand to her.

After a couple of seconds deliberating, she let out a huff. “Fine. But you’d better know what you’re doing.” Right. I’m going down into a hole in the ground with a man I just met last night.

Her curiosity was going to be the death of her one of these days—she just knew it.

By the time her feet found the cutouts in the wooden planks lining the opening of the hole, Jack was already about ten feet below her, if her estimation by his flashlight’s beam could be trusted.

“Come on, Princess. We’re burning day light.”

She peered into the gloom from which his voice emanated. “That doesn’t seem to be an issue down there.”