Blood of Honour

‘Glad you did,’ said Sykes. ‘I thought we were making it up as we went along.’

‘Improvising, Stan, we were improvising.’ Tanner chuckled. ‘But we knew we were going to set off some pretty big bangs. Now Jerry hadn’t really got a clue what we were up to. Someone had got a scent of something, but they were looking for Cretans and they certainly weren’t expecting loads of bloody great explosions. It’s amazing what you can get away with if you’re prepared to brazen it out. By the way, Stan, what were you doing with that truck as it passed? I saw you crouch down beside it.’

Sykes grinned. ‘I was quite pleased about that one,’ he said. ‘I saw the store box hatch was open so I put in a block of TNT with a black time pencil on. It was barely moving so it was quite easy. Ten minutes after I done it – boom!’

‘You sly old bugger,’ said Tanner, taking out a cigarette. ‘How’s Captain Vaughan this morning?’

‘He should be all right,’ said Sykes. ‘The bullet broke his arm, though.’

‘Have they got it out?’

Sykes nodded. ‘He’s been stitched up and dressed, thanks to that Jerry first-aid kit. Mr Liddell’s still not so good, though.’

Tanner looked at him. Oh, yes?

‘His fever’s gone but he’s still pretty ill. Seems to be asleep most of the time.’

‘Should pull through now, though,’ said Tanner. ‘Bastard better had.’ He took out his oiler, phial of gin, rag and pull-through.

‘I’ll tell you one thing, though, sir,’ said McAllister. ‘That Alopex. He’s not as tough as he likes to make out, sir, is he? A grown man like that and he was blubbing like a baby.’

‘It’s these Mediterranean types,’ said Sykes. ‘They’re an emotional bunch.’

‘I’d rather have him blubbing than knocking ten rounds out of me,’ muttered Tanner, and felt the scab above his eye. ‘He’s got a hell of a fist on him.’

‘Talk of the devil,’ said Sykes. ‘Here he is now.’

Alopex climbed up towards them, black beret on his head, bandolier around his waist, wearing his supple black leather boots and pantaloons. ‘I need to speak to you alone, Tanner,’ he said.

Tanner clicked his tongue, and stood up. ‘Give us a moment, will you, lads?’

When they had gone, Alopex embraced him. ‘What you did – I cannot thank you enough. How could we have ever been enemies? I misjudged you.’

‘Forget it,’ said Tanner.

Alopex now drew out his knife, and Tanner took a step backwards, alarm on his face. But Alopex laughed, held out his palm and drew a small cut across it. He then took Tanner’s hand and did the same. Tanner flinched, but Alopex took both their hands and clasped them together. ‘Once enemies,’ said Alopex, his face solemn, ‘but now blood brothers. This,’ he said, releasing his grip and holding up his hand, ‘is the blood of honour.’

Tanner nodded. ‘And your wife and son – they were not harmed?’

‘My son, no. But those sons of whores struck Nerita and Alexis. What kind of a coward does that?’

Tanner said nothing.

‘His name is Balthasar,’ said Alopex. ‘Oberleutnant Balthasar.’

‘The women told you this?’

Alopex nodded. ‘They heard his men say it. Balthasar and his men are camped in the valley to the south of Gazi.’

‘Don’t go after him there,’ said Tanner. ‘It’s like I said. He captured your family to lure you out. I’m sure of it. But you’ve got them back now, so don’t ruin it by falling into the trap. He’ll be expecting you.’

Alopex wiped his moustache, then put his hands on his hips. ‘At night, though, maybe we could go down.’

Tanner shook his head. ‘You might kill some of his men, but you won’t get him. Be patient, Alopex.’

The Cretan smiled and clapped him on the back. ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘you are right. And we must try to get you off the island. Hanford has gone to Yerakari. He’ll be back here tomorrow, hopefully with news. Much as we could do with you and your men, you are not Cretans. This is our battle now.’ He turned to leave, but Tanner called him back.

‘I’m sorry about Mandoukis’s wife.’

Alopex took off his beret and rubbed his brow. ‘I am sorry too,’ he said. ‘I feel his pain.’

‘Don’t take this the wrong way,’ said Tanner, ‘but you will watch him carefully, won’t you?’

Alopex sighed and sat down beside him. ‘I have known Mandoukis all my life. His younger brother is one of my oldest friends – he was with the Cretan Division as well. Both our brothers are now prisoners of the Germans. I still do not understand why they were abandoned – but there it is. I understand what you are saying, Jack, and if I were you and did not know him, I would wonder the same. But I cannot believe he would betray us. I simply cannot. You should have seen him fight at Heraklion.’

‘Then I’m sure I’m wrong about him,’ said Tanner. ‘But keep your eye on him, eh?’

‘Of course,’ said Alopex, standing up and leaving Tanner to clean his weapons. Tanner watched him go, then began stripping his Enfield and rubbing it down with oil. Blood dripped from his cut hand into the breech and he cursed. Alopex had paid him a great compliment, but he wished the Cretan had not made such a dramatic gesture. With the gash over his eye, the nick on his arm and the bruising to his face and back, he felt quite knocked about as it was without the need to lose any more blood.

Tanner had kept his own close watch on Mandoukis. The man had seemed quite broken, keeping away from the others, and barely speaking a word. In the evening he had hardly touched any food, instead retreating to a corner of the cave where he had remained. Later, Tanner had glanced at him before heading off to his hollow in the ground. Mandoukis had not moved all evening.

Tanner had lain awake for a long time, thinking. At some point, however, he had drifted off to sleep, but now, as someone shook his shoulder, he was suddenly awake.

‘Tanner!’

It was Alopex.

‘What?’ whispered Tanner. ‘What the hell is it?’ He was sitting up now, feeling for his rifle.

‘Mandoukis,’ said Alopex. ‘He is leaving.’

‘We should follow him.’

‘I agree. I have two of my men ready. Quick, we must go now before we lose him.’

Grabbing his rifle, Tanner quietly followed Alopex to the track that led back down through the ravine where his two men were waiting. The three Cretans spoke in whispers, then Alopex said, ‘He’s a hundred metres or so ahead. We must hurry.’

They moved as quietly as they could but the night air was still and it seemed to Tanner as though every step would alert Mandoukis to their presence. It was dark, but the great canopy of stars and a quarter-moon gave a faint, creamy glow. It was enough for them to see where they were going – and to reveal Mandoukis as the track led him around a spur and silhouetted him against the sky.

‘I warned the sentries,’ Alopex whispered to Tanner. ‘They pretended to be asleep. I think it is better to follow him.’

‘I’m sorry, Alopex,’ said Tanner. ‘I had hoped I was wrong.’

‘Maybe we still are. This way we will know.’

A couple of times Mandoukis paused, seeming to listen, then continued. He emerged from the end of the ravine, but instead of walking down past the monastery and into Krousonas, he cut across country, through the olive groves above the village. Now that their eyes had become more accustomed to the night light Tanner, Alopex and the andartes followed him easily.

Having skirted Krousonas, Mandoukis rejoined the track, but instead of following the path to the mountain villages of Korfes and Tilisos, he took the road that led to the valley below.

The German camp, thought Tanner. Briefly they lost sight of him as the road curved, but then they saw him again, and then at last, a few hundred yards further on as they neared the base of the valley, they saw, glowing dimly, the pale cream canvas of the German tents nestling between the olives.

‘Mandoukis,’ whispered Alopex, ‘I can hardly bear to believe it.’

‘We need to be careful,’ said Tanner. He unslung his rifle, gripping it in his hand.

Moments later they heard a sharp German voice cry, ‘Halt!’ ahead. Pressing