SWING
Chapter Twenty-One

It had been a long couple of days for Tommy Ryan. His friends weren’t talking to him. He was now a full fledged Hitler Youth, something he hated. And now Ursula had dumped him after learning he was a member. Could life get any worse?

Right at that moment, he was on his way to a meeting being held at the headquarters. He was passing by one of the offices when he heard the name DeWitt Bukater. Tommy frowned. That was Jack’s girlfriend’s last name. He peeked through the door to see Cal Hockley, who had recently been promoted to a full ranking officer, talking with Jack’s stepfather.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Cal? Auschwitz is the worst camp…" Hansel was saying, but Cal cut him off.

"Rose had her chance and she threw it away. Now she’ll have to pay the consequences. Have you found your woman’s boy yet?"

"No. I was hoping Rose would tell, but after the scene in the apartment, I should have known better. It’s a shame. Such a pretty girl."

"Well, this is what Rose wants. She wanted to be treated like any old Jew. She’s got it. Ruth even had me post guards outside the house to make sure she doesn’t go anywhere. Not until Saturday, when we ship her out anyway."

Tommy quickly left the officer behind and made his way down the hall. His mind was in turmoil. Rose, Jack’s Rose, was scheduled to be sent to a death camp on Saturday. He had to let Jack know. He at least owed him that much.

"Thomas Ryan!" A rough voice called out to him. He turned around to see his superior officer beckoning to him.

"Yes, sir?" Tommy asked, approaching the officer that held a package.

"Do you know a Jack Dawson?" the officer questioned.

"Yeah. We used to hang out."

"Can you deliver this package to him? It’s very important that he gets this." The officer handed the package to Tommy.

"What’s in it?"

"That’s not important. Just make sure that the package gets to Mr. Dawson."

"Yes, sir." Tommy nodded and headed for the exit. He knew exactly where to find Jack, not only to give him the package but to tell him what really happened to Rose.

*****

Fabrizio was entering the record store to visit Jack when Tommy arrived with his delivery. Suspicious, Fabrizio blocked the entrance.

"What are you doing here? Your kind’s not welcome here."

"I have a delivery and news for Jack," Tommy explained. "Fabrizio, please, don’t stand in my way. It’s a matter of life and death."

"Damn right it is." Fabrizio snorted. "If I tell you where Jack is, the SS will be here within minutes."

"Get over yourself, Fabrizio. Ever since Jack disappeared, I knew he was here. So if I was going to notify the SS, I would have done it already!"

"The boy’s right, Fabri." Frank came out of the storeroom. "It’s safe to let him up."

"But he’s one of them!"

"I’m Jack’s friend first. Plus…Rose’s life depends on me talking to Jack." Tommy swallowed.

"What was that about Rose?" Frank stared at Tommy in surprise.

"Rose is being held prisoner in her own house. They’re sending her to Auschwitz Saturday. Plus, I have this package to deliver," Tommy explained. "Please. For Rose’s sake, let me see Jack."

Frank looked at Tommy, and then at Fabrizio, who looked a bit pale. "Follow me."

He led the two young men up to Jack’s apartment. He stopped Tommy before allowing him entrance. "You better be telling the truth, boy. This better not be no trick."

"It’s not." Tommy gulped.

Frank just nodded, releasing the young man to open the door. They found Jack standing, staring into space, as he wondered about Rose’s whereabouts. He frowned when he saw Tommy.

"What are you doing here?"

Tommy swallowed. Hostility from Jack was what he had expected, but he hoped Jack would let go of some of that anger to listen.

"I have been asked to deliver this package to you." He handed the package to Jack. "I also have news about Rose."

Jack frowned, not liking the look in Tommy’s eyes. Whatever he had to say about Rose couldn’t be good.

"What about her?"

"They’re sending her to Auschwitz Saturday. Right now, Cal and her mother are keeping her under guard to make sure that she doesn’t escape."

"Oh, God. No." Jack gasped in horror. He knew it! He knew something terrible must have happened! Rose would be with him now if it hadn’t. "I have to go! I have to rescue her!" Jack headed for the door, just to find his way blocked by Fabrizio. "Out of my way, Fabri. Rose needs me."

"Did you not hear Tommy? They have guards! Going over there now is no use to Rose! They won’t let you near her! Plus, they’ll hand you over to that Nazi boyfriend of your mother’s."

"Fabrizio’s right, Jack. You need a plan first. What’s in that package?" Frank looked at the box in Jack’s hand. "Let’s open it up and see."

Swallowing back his fear for Rose, Jack opened the package to reveal a shoebox with a card attached to the top. He read the card.

"Lucas Dawson." Jack frowned, getting a bad feeling. Why would a box have his father’s name? Opening the box, Jack screamed in horror. Inside was his father’s glasses and wedding ring, sitting on top of the ashes.

"What is it, Jack?" Frank rushed to the young man’s side, who had sunk down to the floor.

"Dad. It’s my dad." Jack trembled, just staring at what had once been his father, the wedding ring gleaming in the overhead light.

Frank gasped. Hot anger lit up his eyes. "Those sick bastards!" Sorrow seemed to swallow him whole. Lucas Dawson wasn’t only a good man, he was his best friend. So strong and sure of himself. All that was left of Lucas now was a box of ashes held in his son’s hands. Jack, who looked so much like Lucas, it was scary…he knew then that helping the boy flee Germany was the right thing to do. It was what Lucas would have wanted done.

He wiped away the tears that had fallen and looked at Jack. "This is a sign from my old friend. Telling me to get his son out of here and to America. I know it is." Frank took out the tickets and passports. "You leave tonight."

"Not without Rose I’m not. I’m not leaving without her." Jack shook his head.

"Here’s one for her, too, Jack. We just need to rescue her first."

"Anyone got a plan?" Jack closed the box that contained his father’s remains.

Fabrizio smiled. "I do. It’s perfect."

"What is it?" Tommy asked, somehow knowing that he was part of the group again.

Fabrizio told them the plan, very proud to have come up with it himself.

Jack was the only one not very happy about it. "Fabri, no. You’ve risked your life one too many times for me already. I can’t ask you to do it again."

"I want to, Jack. You’re my best friend. This is what best friends do."

"It’s a good plan, Jack. It’ll get Rose free." Frank squeezed the young man’s shoulder.

"But…"

"No buts, Jack. I’m doing it. We better start now, since you depart tonight." Fabrizio headed for the door, when Jack stopped him.

"I know that after leaving this room, we will probably never see each other again. I just want to say that all these years you’ve been my brother and I love you for all you’ve done for me. Especially for this. No matter what anyone says, we are brothers." Jack grabbed a nearby knife and ran the blade across the palm of his hand. He handed the knife to Fabrizio, who did the same. The two young men clasped their bleeding hands together tightly, mixing their blood. "This makes it official."

"I’ll miss you, brother." Fabrizio wiped a tear from his eyes.

"I’ll miss you, too. Brother. I promise to keep in touch." Jack hugged Fabrizio tightly.

"We better go if you’re leaving tonight. Time’s moving fast." Frank hated to interrupt, but the plan must start immediately.

"Let’s get this over with." Jack sighed, suddenly tired. He was so sick of fighting the Nazis. He’d be happy when he and Rose were safely in America, and the Nazis a distant memory.

Chapter Twenty-Two
Stories