never be happy until heâs conquered all of Europe. Actually, I donât think even that would make him happy.â
âYouâre mistaken. The führer has promised that we will take no more action against our neighbors. There will be no more wars like this one.â
âDo you believe that?â
âOf course I believe it.â
âThen youâre a fool.â
Ritter flushed. âI suppose itâs only natural you should think so. Come. I have a vehicle waiting. The driver will take you to find your friend, then bring you back here.â
âAll right.â
âI hope things go well with you.â
âAnd I suppose I need to at least thank you for this.â Ritter shrugged. âYou are an honorable man, Lieutenant. Weâre both soldiers. We have both seen hard battle, but at least at this time we can call a truce. Come. The driverâs waiting.â
****
Streak shook his head. âI donât know how you did it. Itâs a miracle! You fall in a sewer and come up smelling like a rose, Luke.â
âI donât understand it myself.â
The two men were gathering their few belongings in Lukeâs room in the officersâ quarters. Luke had been relieved when he had found his friend alive and well the day before, and the man had readily agreed to Lukeâs plan. They had spent the night in the officersâ quarters, knowing the cook would feed them well. Ritter would be there momentarily to take them to the coast, about an hourâs drive away.
âRitterâs a strange man,â Luke said. âHeâs a cold-blooded killer when heâs in an airplane, but heâs treated me decently. More than decently, really.â
âStill, heâs part of the Condor Legion,â Streak said as the two men made their way outside. âYou know what terrible things theyâve done.â
âI know and I told him if I ever come across him in the air again, Iâll kill him. Of course, he feels the same way about me.â
The two men looked up as the car rounded the corner with Ritter in the front seat beside the driver.
âThis is it, old friend,â Luke told Streak. âItâs almost time to say good-bye to these Germans for good.â
****
Ritter stood in front of the ship, looking up at it. âIt may be a slow journey, but youâll get back to the States eventually.â
âI hope so, Major.â
âWhat will you do when you get back?â
âI have no idea.â
Ritter put out his hand. âI know you donât like it, Winslow, but I will never forget how you spared my life. I believe God is in these things.â
After a momentâs hesitation, Luke put his hand out. The Germanâs hand was hard, strong, and firm. âYou believe in God, then.â
âWhy, of course! Donât you?â
âMy people do.â He gripped the hand of the German hard and nodded. âIâll try to think of you charitably, Erich.â The majorâs first name was out of his mouth before he even gave it a thought.
âAnd I will always think of you charitably, Luke.â
Ritter got back in the car, and Luke watched him go.
âWell, Iâll say this for him,â Streak said as he approached from a short distance away. âHe went beyond the call of duty by arranging for our transportation home. Heâs not the kind of man I thought heâd be.â
âI canât help thinking sooner or later Iâll meet that man again and it wonât be as pleasant as this.â
Streak shrugged. âIâm going to forget it allâthis whole warâand you need to do the same.â
âIâll try.â
But Luke was sure he could not do the same.
****
The two men had suitable quarters on the ship, but Luke stayed to himself for the most part. Melosa was constantly on his mind. He remembered her touch and how she had said, âI love you,