THE FÜHRER'S DAUGHTER

THE FÜHRER'S DAUGHTER (Episode 2 ) - Chapters 17 & 18

He jerked his head back, gagged, and blood poured out of his mouth, just missing Grace’s face.

Jack pushed him away, and left the blade in the guard’s neck as he took Grace into his arms and leapt down from the ladder.

Grace let out a cry, anticipating landing and breaking her legs in the fall.

But it was a surprisingly short fall to the tunnel’s floor.

Jack held her shoulders. “You okay?”

“I don’t kn—”

He shoved her behind him and pulled out his gun.

A deafening shot rang out.

Grace looked up over Jack’s shoulder.

A second guard lay dead on top of the one with the knife in his neck. Judging by the commotion outside of the chute’s access panel, more were coming.

Jack turned her around, and pointed his flashlight down the tunnel. “Run!”

Without hesitation, Grace complied.

Only a few seconds passed when Jack caught up.

He took her hand, slapped his flashlight into it, then urged her forward.

“Whatever you do, don’t stop. Keep running, you hear me?”

“But—”

“Just go! You’re putting us both in danger.” He turned back toward the ladder, popped out a magazine, and inserted a new one.

“But it’s pitch dark in here,” Grace said. “You won’t be able to see a thing.”

“Neither will they.” Even behind the veil of the gloom, she could sense his grin. “Now, hurry. I’ll join you as soon as I can.”

It felt wrong to just leave him alone in the utter darkness.

But she had to trust him.

The distant sound of rushed footfalls filled the tunnel.

They were coming.

“Be careful,” she said, fighting the emotion welling up within.

“See you soon, Princess.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

SHE KEPT RUNNING, as Jack had urged. Firsthand knowledge of the SS’s ruthless nature was sufficient motivation to continue without pause.

Until her legs and lungs refused to cooperate.

Doubled over and heaving for air, Grace tried to keep her breathing quiet.

She listened intently down the tunnel for any indication of how Jack was faring.

Nothing.

It was almost worse than hearing a struggle. There was no way to tell if he had prevailed, or in what kind of danger she herself might still be.

How much time had passed?

In all the frantic rush, she’d lost track.

But it seemed an eternity since she ran off, leaving Jack to face the armed SS guards alone.

She waited, her breathing and heart rate still not back to normal.

Then, in just a few seconds, there was a flurry of noise in the distance.