CHAPTER 7: crossroads of loyalty

Nathan's pulse raced as he crept through the shadows, his steps barely making a sound against the cobblestone streets. He followed Maria, keeping close enough to hear her whispered directions but far enough back to blend into the darkness. The night was colder than usual, with a biting wind slicing through his uniform. This mission, Maria had warned, was crucial to the Resistance. She hadn't gone into detail—she'd said it was safer that way—but she had hinted that if successful, it could throw off German supply lines across the region for weeks.

As they neared the edge of the city, Maria motioned for him to stop. She ducked into a narrow alley, and Nathan followed, pressing himself against the wall beside her. She whispered, "Just ahead. There's a small munitions depot. It's guarded, but tonight, during the shift change, there's a small window when the security weakens. We don't have much time."

Nathan glanced at her, taking in the intense look on her face. She seemed different from the woman he'd met on the bridge—a hardened determination in her eyes that struck him. "You're sure this will work?"

She nodded, her voice barely a murmur. "We've studied their patterns for weeks. If we're quick, we can plant the explosives and be gone before they know what hit them." She reached into her bag, pulling out a compact explosive device and placing it carefully in his hands. "You take the eastern wall. I'll take the west. We meet back here in ten minutes."

He held the device tightly, nodding. "Understood."

The two slipped out of the alley, each moving toward opposite ends of the depot's perimeter. Nathan took cover behind a low fence, observing the soldiers on guard. They moved sluggishly, seemingly unworried by the threat of any intruders. He crouched lower, inching closer until he was at the depot's eastern wall. Quickly and silently, he set the explosive against the wall, following the instructions Maria had shown him earlier.

His hands trembled as he activated the timer. This was real. If he was caught, there would be no hiding his betrayal. He was helping to cripple his own side. But he pushed those thoughts away, focusing on the mission. He hurried back to the meeting spot, crouching in the shadows, and waited for Maria.

A few moments later, she appeared, her face shadowed but eyes sharp. "Ready?" she whispered.

Nathan nodded, though his heart was pounding. "Let's go."

They slipped back into the streets, hurrying through narrow alleyways to put as much distance between them and the depot as possible. They were almost two blocks away when a muffled boom echoed through the night. Maria paused, a satisfied smile crossing her face.

"That's it," she whispered. "We did it."

The satisfaction in her voice stirred something in Nathan—a feeling of accomplishment, perhaps even pride. But it was tempered by the realization of what he'd just done. He had actively sabotaged his own army, become part of the Resistance in a way he hadn't intended.

They continued moving, following a twisting route to avoid German patrols. As they reached a quieter part of the city, Maria slowed, glancing at him. "Thank you, Nathan," she said quietly. "I know this… this was not an easy decision for you."

He didn't answer right away, struggling to find the right words. "It wasn't," he finally admitted. "But it was the right one."

They walked in silence, the weight of the night's events settling over them. As they approached a street lined with abandoned buildings, Maria motioned for them to stop. "We should wait here a moment. Make sure there's no one tailing us."

They ducked into a doorway, taking cover in the darkness. Nathan leaned against the wall, his mind racing. "How many times have you done this?" he asked softly, breaking the silence.

"Too many," she replied, her voice weary. "And each time, I wonder if it will be my last."

He looked at her, surprised by the vulnerability in her tone. "Why do you keep doing it?"

She paused, looking away for a moment before answering. "Because I have to. Because it's the only way to fight back against them. They took everything from me, Nathan—my family, my home. I can't just stand by and watch as they destroy everything I love."

Nathan felt a pang of guilt, knowing he had been part of that destruction, however unwillingly. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "For what we've done to your country."

She turned to him, her expression softening. "You're not the one who did this. You're just another victim of this war, caught in the crossfire like the rest of us."

They stood there in silence, the weight of her words settling over him. For the first time, he felt a strange sense of solidarity with her—a shared understanding of the pain and loss that this war had inflicted on both of them.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed down the street, breaking the moment. Maria tensed, her hand reaching for the small pistol hidden in her coat. Nathan peered around the edge of the doorway, spotting a pair of German soldiers making their way down the street.

"They're looking for us," Maria whispered, her voice barely audible. "We need to get out of here."

They slipped out of the doorway, moving quietly down a side street to avoid the approaching patrol. The sound of the soldiers' voices faded as they put more distance between themselves and the main road, but Nathan remained on edge, every sound and shadow sharpening his senses.

They wound their way through the deserted streets, finally emerging near the outskirts of the city. Maria led him to a hidden path that wound through a dense thicket of trees, eventually leading to a small, abandoned farmhouse. She gestured for him to follow her inside.

"This is one of our safe houses," she explained, lighting a small oil lamp. "We'll be safe here for the night."

Nathan glanced around the modest room, noting the sparse furnishings and the faint smell of smoke. He felt a strange sense of calm settling over him, a welcome contrast to the tension of the night's mission.

As they sat in the dim light, Maria studied him quietly. "You're different from the other soldiers," she said finally.

He looked at her, caught off guard by the comment. "What makes you say that?"

"Most of them… they follow orders blindly. They don't question, they don't hesitate. But you… you're not like that." She paused, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "You have a conscience. And in this war, that's a rare thing."

Nathan shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond. He had spent so much time trying to suppress his doubts, to fit into the role he'd been forced into, but Maria's words made him confront a truth he'd been avoiding.

"I never wanted any of this," he admitted, his voice barely a whisper. "I was a farmer. I lived a quiet life, far away from all of this madness. But the war… it took that life from me. And now… I don't know who I am anymore."

Maria reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "You're still that man, Nathan. A man who cares about others, who wants to do what's right. That's why you helped me tonight."

He looked at her, feeling a strange warmth spreading through him. For so long, he had felt alone, adrift in a world torn apart by violence and hatred. But here, in this dimly lit farmhouse, he felt a glimmer of hope—a reminder of the person he had once been.

"Thank you, Maria," he said softly. "For reminding me."

They sat in comfortable silence, the weight of the night's events settling over them. Nathan felt a sense of peace he hadn't known in months, a feeling of purpose that had been missing since he'd been torn from his old life.

As dawn approached, Maria finally stood, stretching tiredly. "We should get some rest. It'll be light soon, and we'll need to be cautious when we leave."

Nathan nodded, settling into a makeshift bed on the floor. He closed his eyes, the exhaustion of the night catching up with him. But despite the danger, despite the uncertainty of what lay ahead, he felt a quiet sense of contentment—a feeling that, perhaps, he had found a new purpose in this war.

As he drifted off to sleep, he thought of Maria, of her strength and determination, and he knew that whatever happened, he would stand by her side.