Missing

Chapter Forty-Four

"Surrender was never an option, Sir. Besides, I heard a patrol being instructed to slit the throats of all the wounded enemy. They had too many of their own to care for."

"Outrageous! We must report this, it's in direct violation of the Geneva Conventions. What date was that, and where, exactly?"

"Just outside Saint-Julien, early morning of 26 April."

"So had you been involved in the gas attacks?"

"The first one took about half my company, Sir. I was just upwind of the clouds as they drifted over our trenches. During the attack two days later, we soaked our handkerchiefs in urine, and breathed through them."

"There seems too much of a story here for us to draw out piecemeal," Picot said. "Save us the questions and tell us the story, starting from your experiences with the first gas attack and take us through with all your observations as you moved through Germany. Tell us of your intelligence on the rail lines and on the border crossing through the vineyards. That one intrigues."

A few minutes to four, the Ambassador interrupted David. "Tea time shortly. Would you prefer something stronger than tea? Some Sercial or Amontillado? Perhaps a Cognac?"

"Your pleasure, Sir. We'll have what you choose."

Grant Duff got up and went to his desk to push the bell button, then instructed the woman who came in a few seconds later. He returned to his seat, looked at David and said, "Please resume. You've completely captivated me with your story."

David finished his recounting as they all sipped Amontillado and nibbled on almonds, olives and cubes of various cheeses. "Now the engineering drawings and the photographs are at Sonnenhang, less than a kilometre this side of the border. I'll need to have my leave allowance docked since I granted myself some after I had crossed into Switzerland."

"Balderdash!" Picot said "You deserved that time after what you had been through. Injuries affect more than just flesh and bone." He looked closely at David. "You speak very well, your writing is lucid and succinct, you're fluent in German, besides English, and you appear to have a broad awareness. What schooling have you?"

"I'm also fluent in French, Sir, I grew up speaking it. I attended a private preparatory school, and was about to begin my third year of university when war was declared."

"Why did you enrol as a private, rather than as an officer?"

"That's where I was placed, Sir. I was unaware of options."

"Now's the time to correct that. I'm in charge of the Canada desk, as well as being the Military Attaché here. I'll cable Ottawa to get the ball rolling. In the meantime, keep your transportation, lodging and dining receipts so you can submit an expense claim."

"The hotel is rather expensive. We're in the Emperor Suite at the Bernerhof. It was all they had available."

"Yes, there's been a steady stream of refugees from Eastern Europe as conditions decline. The extraordinary expense should be allowed because of the circumstances. We keep two rooms blocked in the Bernerhof in case we've a need. We can arrange to move you to one of them tomorrow."

"That would be good. Cut down on the expenses, leave more money for the war effort. With the transportation expenses — the only ones we've had are for the gasoline for the vehicle, but I have no receipts."

"There's a new mileage allowance now to cover a claimant's own vehicle use."

"You can have someone go over those details with him later, Henry," the Ambassador said. "Leave the technical things until then. Let's look at the personal side of this." He turned to David. "I've asked for a report on how your battalion fared. I thought you would want to know. It may not be a pretty picture; there were many casualties at Ypres."