“Of course, I’ll inform you as soon as the Captain arrives.”
“Thank you, Sergeant.”
She was vague as she strode off with meaning past the Sergeant. Silva turned for a moment to see what the cause of her interest was. He instantly recognised Legrant. He watched for just a moment and held his breath, as he realised what Chandra might be getting into. He turned and strode away. He knew that the last thing he should do was interfere and smiled as he walked away, in the knowledge that Legrant was perhaps going to get some of the punishment that he deserved.
“Bastard,” Chandra muttered under her breath, and she rushed towards the French Mayor who had been the cause of Jones’ capture and Walker’s death. A look of dread overcame the man’s face as he saw her a moment too late. She swung a hard hook into his face that knocked the man off his feet. Legrant landed hard on the concrete floor and was almost unconscious.
Two French policemen who were with the Mayor tried to draw their pistols but were not quick enough. She wrenched her pistol from her thigh and trained it on the Mayor’s head.
“Don’t even think about it!”
Silence overcame the area as soldiers all around turned to marvel at the sight. Chandra’s uniform was heavily worn and covered in mud. Her face was filthy and dry blood still stained her jacket from the wound she’d received that very day. Despite it all, her rank was still visible and that alone stopped anyone from interfering. The two police officers stood frozen, not knowing what to do. They could see the crazy expression in her eyes and realised she was fully willing to kill them both where they stood.
Chandra finally looked down at the Mayor who was still flat on his back and wincing in pain. Blood trickled from his mouth, and the back of his head had landed hard on the ground. He wore a perfectly tailored suit and overcoat which was previously impeccable. She smiled in the knowledge that his coat would now be filthy and frayed.
“Do you remember me, you bastard?”
Legrant stopped writhing in pain and looked up at the barrel of the gun and then to the face of his attacker. He remembered her as his face went pale.
“I’m sorry, I had no idea…”
“No fucking idea?” she cried. “We were there to protect your town, and what did you do in return? A man died because of your stupidity. Another has been left as an emotional wreck after being left at the mercy of the enemy, and a further good man was killed while trying to rescue those who were captured because of you!”
Tears came to the man’s face as he broke down.
“I had no idea… you have to believe me. I thought I was doing the best thing for my people.”
“Why? Why!” she turned and paced up and down before him in anger, not knowing what else to do. She noticed one of the cops reaching for his gun and quickly lifted her pistol. She fired off a shot that narrowly missed his arm and struck the wall behind the man. He flinched and froze in astonishment.
“What have you given in this war? What have you sacrificed? We have been out there from the day this war began, fighting and dying to save your lives. Captain Jones, who you detained and left to die, he had been fighting in the defence of France since it all began. What possessed you to do something so stupid… so wicked?”
Sergeant Silva appeared at the scene, having heard the gunshot. Two military policemen were close behind, but he held up his hand to stop them.
“Major, this isn’t the way!” he yelled.
She spun around in shock to hear a friendly voice. It was almost enough to make her put the gun down, but then the memories flooded back into her mind.
“Do you know what this man did!” she cried.
Tears were coming from her eyes, and her cheeks were red. Silva had never seen Chandra in such an emotional state.
“I know. I was there, and I know exactly what he did. But that doesn’t give you the right to be the judge, just as he had no right to do so with Jones.”
She stumbled over the Mayor and knelt down beside him with the gun barrel resting on his chest.
“I could kill you, right now. I would if I could. Don’t you know the pain and suffering you have brought?”
Legrant nodded in panic.
“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t have known.”
“You knew what you were doing was wrong! You detained friendly forces in a time of war. That is treason, and you should hang for it!”
“Major, this is not for us to decide,” stated Silva.
“Why? He did!”
She broke down into tears but didn’t let the gun go. She could handle the pressure of her job, but she could not understand the betrayal of her own people.
“What can I do? Anything?” whispered Legrant.
She looked up with fiery red eyes and a hateful expression.
“I don’t want you to do anything. This isn’t about me. Can’t you understand that?”
The cop she had shot at spoke.
“Major… Chandra, is it?”
She peered up scornfully at the man.
“I am truly sorry for your loss. But you should know the reason for us being here.”
She stayed silent and continued to glare at the man with utter disgust. She remembered the town’s police and their role in it all. To her they were just as complicit as Legrant.
“We came here to volunteer…to fight.”
“What?” she muttered.
“The Mayor, Legrant, has organised many police forces from the eastern French provinces. We have volunteered to fight under his command.”
She looked down at the Mayor to study his response.
“Is this true?”
He nodded with sincerity.
“Why? Why would you do this now?” she asked.
He lifted his sleeves and whipped off his brown, sliding back so he could rest his aching back against the nearest wall. Chandra stayed on one knee with her pistol in one hand awaiting his response.
“I was wrong. I know that now, but you have to understand, I thought I had no choice. But I can see now that it was wrong, and I would do anything to make up for my mistakes.”
“You can’t bring soldiers back from the dead, and you can’t remove weeks of horror from a man’s mind.”
“No, but neither will I put a gun to my head and pull the trigger, for what would it achieve? I came here to offer up everything I have to give. We will fight alongside you and die if that is our destiny.”
Chandra lowered her gun and dropped her head into her left hand. Everyone watched and waited in anticipation. Nobody made a move against the Major. They already knew how quick her reactions were. Silva broke the silence.
“You are really doing this? You will fight beside us?” he asked.
Legrant nodded, and the other policeman spoke up.
“We know we have shamed ourselves, and that shame may never be taken away, but let us do something to help.”
Chandra lifted herself up onto her feet and holstered her pistol. The MPs didn’t move. They knew the reputation of the Immortals all too well. They also knew they couldn’t afford to detain a key officer before the imminent fight. Silva breathed a sigh of relief as the situation was cooled. The Major strode up and stopped a few centimetres before the Mayor’s face.
“I’ll never forgive, and I’ll never forget. God save you, if you lied about this. You have a debt to pay, and don’t forget it.”
She turned and strolled off towards the Sergeant. The MPs stood silently as she ignored them. They wanted to avoid trouble as much as Legrant did.
“You okay, Major?” asked Silva.
She strode past him without a word as she wiped the tears from her face.
