Tatiana and Alexander: A Novel(190)

"What happened to him? Ever catch him?"

"Yes," she said, walking between Alexander and Karolich and kneeling down. The three syrettes were in her right hand. "He was caught six months later living in New Jersey." She laughed. Her laugh sounded fake. "He wanted to escape to New Jersey."

"What is this New Jersey? And why are you using so many tubes on him? One is not enough?"

"He is too big a man," she said. "He needs an extra dose."

"Last thing we need around here is a morphine addict. Although, do you think it will make him pliant?"

At that moment, there was a loud thump from the corridor as if something heavy had fallen. Karolich turned his head toward the cell door and immediately reached for his machine gun.

"Now!" said Alexander.

Tatiana, without another breath, pushed the machine gun off Karolich's lap with her left hand and plunged the three syringes into his thigh with her right, puncturing his pants and his skin, squeezing the morphine through all the needles. He opened his mouth in a gasp, and struck out, hitting Tatiana with his forearm square across the jaw, and with his other arm grabbing for his falling machine gun. But Alexander was already up behind Tatiana, pushing her aside. He kicked the machine gun against the wall and struck Karolich violently on the head with the butt of the Colt. Karolich's head opened up like a dropped watermelon. It had all taken maybe four seconds.

"I'll show you f*cking pliant," said Alexander, kicking a convulsing Karolich with his bare foot.

"Take his clothes, Shura, quick, before he bleeds all over them."

Karolich was bleeding copiously.

Alexander ripped the lieutenant's uniform off Karolich's body and quickly undressed. Tatiana, a little wobbly from the blow, peered out of the doorway. Perdov had fallen off the chair and was unconscious on the floor.

Alexander threw his bloodied white shirt and brown slacks on Karolich and shackled the man's wrists and ankles. Then he put on the lieutenant's boots, his cap, took his Shpagin, and in Karolich's uniform appeared in the corridor. "He is just the right size," he said to Tatiana. "A little shorter and bigger, the fat f*cking bastard."

Walking over to Perdov, he lifted him and sat him back in the chair. Perdov kept falling. Finally they got him to sit straight, his head bent all the way forward. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

"That did not take twenty minutes," Alexander said.

"I know. I decided to give him a little, hmm, larger dose."

"Good. How much morphine did you give Karolich?" Alexander asked.

"One and a half grains, but I think it's going to be his open skull that will keep him quiet."

Alexander hoisted the machine gun over his shoulder. The cocked Colt was in his hand. "Where is the truck?"

"Fifty yards in front of you, as you walk out the door. When we get to the truck, look up at the sentry on the gatehouse and salute them. That's what he always does when we pass. He opens the gate himself with his master key. He's left-handed, though. You might..."

Alexander switched the jangling key from his right hand to his left. "Okay. Better for me. I shoot with my right. Are you ready? Does he walk in front of you or behind you?"

"Next to me. And he doesn't open any doors for me. He just salutes them and gets in the truck."

"Who drives?"

"I do."

Before she opened the door, he put the hand that held the pistol on her. "Listen," he said very quietly. "Get in the truck as fast as you can and start the engine. If something goes wrong, I will shoot the guards but I need you to be ready to drive."

She nodded.

"And Tania..."

"Yes?"

"I know you like to do as you please, but there can only be one person in charge--me. If we're both in charge, we both die. Understood?"

"Understood. You're in charge."

He pulled open the door. They were outside. It was dark and cool. Alexander walked quickly in long strides across the illuminated courtyard; Tatiana could barely keep up. As the sentries looked down and watched him, Alexander walked over to the gate, the one that said, "Work Makes You Free," unlocked it, pushed it open and walked back to the truck. Tatiana was already inside with the ignition on. In fact, the truck lurched before Alexander had a chance to get in.

He looked up at the sentries, smiled, and saluted them. They saluted him back.

He got in, and Tatiana drove him out of Sachsenhausen, down the leafy forested road to the commandant's house. In the dark of the trees, halfway between the gatehouse and the commandant's house, she stopped the jeep. They got out, ran to the back doors. Tatiana opened them, climbed in and Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

raised the hatch to the long compartment. Suddenly seeing Alexander next to her, she wondered if he would fit. She had forgotten how tall he was.

He himself seemed to wonder that, because he looked at the narrow space, looked at her and said, "It's a good thing I haven't eaten in six months."

"Yes," she breathed out, taking out the bags with the weapons. "Get in, quick. When we're on the road a little while, I'll give a knock and you do something."

"Tania, I don't forget. You don't have to repeat it. Are those your two packs?"