The return home

It had been two days since Ruslan and Bastien had sent the couriers from Carentan to Albion headquarters on the Norman coast. Sergeant Major Arthur Doyle and Colonel McGregor of the Military Police were in the same jeep as Brigadier General Brigitte Taylor. General Taylor was the first woman to achieve such a high rank, but she had earned it through her strategic skills, which had earned her numerous victories on the battlefield. Her face still showed the energy of youth, despite multiple wrinkles that gave her face a stern look, her brown hair, already streaked with grey given her age, forty-five years old, also gave her a certain air of dour experience. They were five minutes away from Carentan.

When the couriers had arrived at the barracks, many were surprised by the news of the attack on Carentan, Taylor could not believe that among her people there were so many corrupt military men as to orchestrate such an act, but she contacted the Military Police command in London to verify the information. As soon as Taylor alerted McGregor about the contents of the message, both McGregor and Arthur Doyle had left for Galia with a full team of military policemen in McGregor's confidence. Upon arrival they had requested the support of Taylor and his troops to reach Carentan and rescue the population.

At last, they sighted the town. Several roofs were damaged, and the church was missing its steeple, with the wood blackened and splintered around the area where the shell that had brought it down had exploded. They had to avoid the wreckage of vehicles that had been stranded on the road, among them a tank with a gaping hole running through it from side to side. When they reached the entrance to the village they saw the remains of a barricade, along with two partisans who pointed their rifles at them, while a third ran towards a house in the village.

After a few minutes three figures, one of them easily recognizable because it was twice the height of the other two, came out of the house followed by two other people.

Arthur, McGregor and Taylor got out of the jeep and approached the entrance to the village. The two guards relaxed and lowered their rifles when they saw that they were unarmed. Arthur watched as his friends approached and relaxed when he saw that they were still in one piece. Ruslan had a bandage around his waist and gauze on his face, Gaile also had gauze covering the lower left side of her face, and Connie had a bandage around her head. But otherwise, they appeared to be in good health.

- Arth, you took your time, - Ruslan exclaimed when they were face to face.

- It just took us a while to recover from the surprise of your message - Arthur said and added with a pompous gesture quoting the message. - We found what you were looking for. But there are more people interested in getting their hands on the prize. Come and collect what's left of them so you can take them to the military court. What kind of request for reinforcements is that?

Arthur smiled as he spoke. McGregor and Taylor stood on the same level as Doyle.

- Well, I see you have complied, - said the head of the military police, seeming to remain sparing with words. - This is Brigadier General Brigitte Taylor, head of Albion's forces in Galia.

- I see that my subordinates have caused you trouble - Taylor said with determination. - I apologize.

- You should tell that to Mayor Bastien, who is here - Ruslan replied, giving his place to Philipe Bastien, who had his right arm in a sling.

- Mayor, my sincerest apologies on behalf of the Albion forces - Taylor said with conviction. - If there is anything we can do to make it up to you, please do not hesitate to let me know.

- We would appreciate it if you could judge the culprits harshly and help us with the treatment of the wounded, and with the reconstruction of the village - Bastien said.

- Of course - Taylor said and gesturing to his second-in-command she indicated. - Colonel Newman, call the medics and engineers. They have work to do.

Newman saluted correctly and turned with a heel strike to carry out the order. Meanwhile, Taylor turned to Ruslan and company.

- I see the rumours about you are true, Major, - Taylor said.

- Former major - corrected Ruslan. - I am now a civilian general Taylor.

- Then call me Taylor, there is no need for formalities between civilians and military - she replied smiling for the first time. - And where is the garbage we have to pick up?

Ruslan pointed to the church. McGregor ordered his Military Police platoon to follow him to arrest the suspected war criminals.

- So, you took out a company of two hundred men and a tank with the help of only thirty or so poorly armed partisans, - Taylor said with some veiled admiration in her tone.

- It was no big deal, - Ruslan downplayed. - Their leader was a real dunce, with no tactical ability. That worked in our favour.

Taylor smiled as he shook his head. She asked the mayor to show her the damage in town and take her to see the wounded. Meanwhile, McGregor had returned from the church.

- You have given them what they deserve, - he said evenly.

- I think you'll want to see Gregory, - Gaile said. - Apparently, he has proof that this rogue unit is just the tip of the iceberg.

Ruslan, Gaile, Connie, Arthur and McGregor started walking towards the doctor's house to meet the eldest of the Mackintosh brothers.

Gregory Mackintosh tried to stand up to salute as he saw Colonel McGregor enter his bedroom door, but he was still very weak.

- At ease, major, leave formalities when you are convalescent, - McGregor said, and shook hands with his subordinate. Turning to Dr. Morell, who had accompanied them to Gregory's room, he added. - Is it very serious, doctor?

- I'm afraid so, but he's out of danger now. The major damage is the severing of his spinal cord.

McGregor's countenance suddenly darkened as he shifted his gaze from Gregory to his sister Abygail. Greg must have noticed because he downplayed the matter.

- Don't worry, Colonel. It's a sacrifice I was willing to make to accomplish my mission.

- Still, Gregory, believe me I'm sorry, - McGregor said, as he put his hand on her shoulder.

Abygaile bit her lower lip hard as she held both arms crossed over her chest. Her brother's condition had affected her quite a bit. Ruslan put his hand on her shoulder, she turned her face towards him, thanking him for the gesture of support with a grateful gaze.

- I am told that you have evidence of corruption in the upper echelons of the Army, - McGregor inquired.

- I'm afraid that's true, Colonel, - Gregory corroborated. - I have in my possession several orders signed by high-ranking officers, which Bruce Hightower had on him when he was captured, and my sister and her friends have managed to recover.

McGregor turned to Abygail, Ruslan and Constance. Ruslan nodded quietly.

- This is going to be a hard blow, - McGregor stated. - But these gangrenous members of our military corps must be removed.

- Believe me, losing a limb is not as bad as it seems, there are always alternatives, - said Ruslan.

McGregor looked at him, and for the first time since they had known him, smiled, amused by Ruslan's sarcasm.

...

That same night, in London...

General Abernathy entered his office, which was in semi-darkness, among the shadows could be distinguished the fire and the smoke of a cigarette, someone was sitting smoking in his chair.

- Hightower, your protégé, has failed - the shadow announced from his desk.

- How did you find out? - Abernathy asked nervously.

- News travels fast, general. It was Ruslan Drake.

- It can't be, he's left the army - Abernathy's nervousness continued to grow.

- And you thought that would make him no longer a problem? - his interlocutor asked between amused and jaded. - I don't have to remind you of the failure to underestimate him in Sudan, do I?

- That was due to General Greyson's lack of judgment, anyway, no one expected him to survive such injuries.

- Yes, I must admit that his survival skills are infuriatingly outstanding.

The shadow rose from the desk and walked around it until he was face to face with Abernathy. The smell of tobacco permeated the air, the smoke and darkness of the room still obscured his face under his tall top hat.

- General, unfortunately, due to this mishap we will have to dissolve our association. I hope you will excuse me, - the shadow said pompously. - The evidence they have obtained from Hightower will lead them to you, and we cannot allow them to find evidence in this office that will lead them to our organization. I am counting on your discretion.

- Of course, of course, my lord, - Abernathy said, sweating like a pig, the trembling tone of his voice detracting from the confidence of his statement.

The shadow surrounded Abernathy and advanced towards the door. The general took a deep breath, finally beginning to calm down, when a clicking sound caught his attention, turning he found himself face first into the barrel of a pistol. The small calibre weapon barely made a sound as it fired, Abernathy fell back heavily, making a thud on the carpet. The shadowy assassin slipped the pistol back under the sleeve of his coat and picking up his cane by the door, he left the office unseen. Within minutes of the shadow leaving the building, an explosion rocked the army headquarters, Abernathy's office, along with his corpse and any possible evidence it contained, burned to ashes.

Two days after the rescue team showed up in Carentan, Ruslan and the others returned to London on an official Navy transport. General Taylor had placed Carentan under her protection, assigning an entire company to the town to maintain security while the engineers finished repairs. All the townspeople had sent their impromptu defenders off with great fanfare. Constance had cried her eyes out as she waved her arms in farewell as they drove away in a transport truck to the port from which they would depart back to Albion.

Once in London, Gregory was taken to the military hospital in the capital to undergo surgery for his wound. Abygaile wanted to accompany him, but he urged her to go to rest and visit him the next day. Arthur Doyle therefore sent the three rescuers to Drake Manor in a cab and instructed them that he would send an official car for them the next morning. Meanwhile, he and McGregor were to deal with the paperwork and make the necessary inquiries to follow up the leads they obtained in Carentan, and they were also to question the detainees in the military police quarters.

The car ride through the London streets took barely twenty minutes. The cab stopped in front of the well-known gate of the Drake estate. Ruslan got out and picked up the packages from the luggage rack, while Connie and Gaile got out of the vehicle.

When the thick walnut door opened to let them through, Stanley forced Ruslan to leave the luggage in the hall so that the old butler could take it up to the upstairs rooms.

The Drake matriarch appeared in the foyer to welcome them. Marion Drake hugged her son and stroked his face, over the new scar that ran perpendicularly across the older one.

- You're a mess again, - she said, scolding him warmly.

- I'm sorry, mother, I tried, but you know how clumsy I am, - he replied, playing it down.

Marion turned to young Constance and Gaile and put her hands to her face at the sight of them. Constance had a small scar on her forehead where the bullet had grazed her head. Gaile's face was more worrying, the cut on her face had not yet healed, so she still had the stitches that had been sewn in Carentan.

- Abygaile, but what happened to you, and to you Constance? - Marion's voice had a strong tinge of concern in it.

- Accidents at work, I'm afraid, - Connie answered jokingly.

Marion gently put her hand on Gaile's face.

- Poor thing, with the angelic face you have, - Marion said.

- It's all right, the important thing is that my brother is safe – Gaile replied.

- You two are so alike, - said Marion, looking from Ruslan to Gaile and back again. - As long as the rest of the world is safe, you don't care how you end up. You must take better care of yourselves.

Gaile felt a little embarrassed to see Marion so worried.

- Anyway, first things first, - Marion said, and ordered without reply. - Everyone take a bath, then we'll disinfect and heal those wounds again, which I'm sure are not the only ones, right?

Ruslan shuddered under the inquisitive gaze of his progenitor, which caused Connie and Gaile to laugh, until they also fell under Marion's intense gaze.

It was noon by the time they finished preening and re-bandaging their wounds. Marion had again scolded Ruslan as soon as she had seen his back and side. Her son had weathered the downpour, until Connie tried to mediate to save his friend. But what she got was Marion Drake expanding her repertoire, also giving her and Gaile the lecture on how a lady should take care of her complexion and avoid scars as much as possible. When the lecture was over, neither Ruslan nor his friends felt like getting hurt again, if only to avoid having to endure another such scolding.

In the evening the rest of the family returned, and Ruslan had to endure another scolding, this time from his sister to the amused gaze of his father and brother.

After a hearty supper, Ruslan, Connie and Gaile, overcome with fatigue, ended up asleep in the living room armchairs. Marion Drake and Stanley covered them with blankets to keep them from catching a cold, and the family retired to the kitchen to let them rest.