Two Cardinals Press

Naked in a Coat of Armor

Selection from the book

"Lora, I want you to be my wife. Say you will. We can wait till after the war to get married, if you like."

"Yes," she said. "I love you too, Burt, very much." Burt's pass was illegal, he having borrowed it from someone else. It couldn't be turned in at the gate.

Having taken a taxi to within a safe distance of the entrance to the base, the plan that a lot of the guys knew about was to continue on foot along a hidden path to an oak tree against the fence. The trick was to locate the path in the first place—not easy at night. Burt paid the driver and began the search, walking towards the gate as far as he dared. Must have missed it, he thought, and turned to retrace his weary steps. Three men appeared out of the dark and approached him.

"Where are you going, soldier?" the tall one demanded with authority.

"Back to camp," he retorted with equal authority.

"Well, let's go." Something about those fellows made Burt feel they were on his side. "Look, he confessed, "I don't want to go through the gate."

"If you're coming with us, you won't."

Burt recognized this new voice, though he couldn't see the face. It was his friend Pete. "Pete, what the hell are you doing here?"

"You want three guesses, knucklehead?" a third voice chimed in. "He's doing the same thing you are."