~Earlier That Morning~
"I've been thinking on how to approach this... problem. It's been hard, but I think it's best if only high ranking officers know about Jane missing. I don't want sergeants or privates thinking they can do something by shooting her up."
"But Fuhrer-"
"No 'but's, colonel!" The Jew hating man reached over to his phone and pressed a button, "Kliest?"
"Yes, my Fuhrer?"
"I want this relayed to all the German high ranking officers in France: Jane is missing. If found, neutralise all threats and return her to me alive! Under no circumstances is she to be harmed! And nothing is to be said to anyone under their command!"
"Right away, my Fuhrer!"
~
"Understood." The German first class Lieutenant, named Vladof Hundchen, placed down the receiver and his icy blue eyes looked over to the door in thought. Picking up his cap, he strode to where he looked. "Sgt. Schultz?"
"Sir?"
"Place guards at the gates and have everyone alert for anything suspicious."
"Yes, sir." Sgt. Schultz, a middle aged man with a grey beard, nodded and strode out.
~ Back To The Basterds~
His brown eyes squinted in the sudden harsh light as he stepped off of the truck, arms raised above his head, unfaltering even at the large step down. He was the last out due to where he sat, and that meant he was the focus of everyone's gaze. Well, almost everyone. As he looked to his right, he was greeted with Nikita getting struck to the ground while Amber watched in complete shock and confusion.
"What are you doing?! She didn't do anything!" Amber protested.
"She didn't stop you from saying anything, and as a soldier, it's more appropriate to hit her instead of you."
"What?!"
"What in the hell did you do that for?!" Aldo asked defensively, genuinely enraged at the German who had just struck one of those under his command.
"Shut up and walk." Lt. Hundchen commanded, gun gesturing to in front of him.
Aldo bit his tongue and walked stopping as he was gestured to do so.
"Isn't this my luck? Jane HampBurg." Vladof grinned widely, practically seeing himself with Hitler already. "Come here."
The woman simply blinked at him, arms raised above her head as a way to show she meant no harm.
"I'll give you one more chance, Sergeant. Come. Here."
This time Jane waited a moment or two before flipping the double bird, wide smile spreading across her face as the captured Basterds laughed, Aldo included. Vladof smiled and nodded as he walked over, grabbing a fistful of her hair before striding back to infront of The Apache, shoving her forward.
"I apologise for my roughness, miss HampBurg. But I fear the worst for your safety."
"Can we cut the crap?" Aldo asked, glancing over to Nikita, who was staring down in order to hide the blossom of red at her nose.
Amber looked to Donny, who also looked to her, and in one look, they said the three words that they had never said in person. The fact that they were surrounded by Nazis, at their non-existant mercy with their reputation as The Basterds and most likely not getting out alive, had sunken in. At the same time, however, there was hope and a joint idea.
Hugo had tensed as he watched Vladof force Jane by the hair, the prospect of her getting hurt enraging him like nothing in a long while. Sure he gave her a hard time and vice versa, but she was still a Basterd; that meant she was part of his squad, and nobody hurts anyone that's part of his squad (whoops, feelings getting in the way).
"Shut the fuck up." Vladof growled at Aldo before looking back to Jane, moving a piece of hair from her face. In response he was just given a death sentence, and her intense gaze was the warrant. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Yes, sir."
"Does it hurt?"
"Does what hurt?"
"Aside from betraying the Reich, this," The German Lieutenant lunged forward and planted a punch to her jaw, powered gaze following her body as she stumbled to the floor, clearly unprepared for the strike. "A lot more painful than I remember."
Hugo almost instantly swung for Vladof, intention for the kill, clearly acting on the injury inflicted to The Two Toned German. Amber quickly stood, arm extended out to Hugo. In response to Amber standing, Donny stood so he could offer some protection, and in response to Donny standing, Omar stood, too.
"Stop! You'll get yourself killed!"
No attention was paid to Amber as Hugo went for it again. Upon seeing Vladof point his gun at Jane, Donny and Aldo also sprang into life.
"HUGO!" Donny yelled, "HE'LL KILL HER!"
That gained the attention of Nikita, who finally looked up, brows raising in confusion.
"Hugo GODDAMN Stiglitz! Back down! That is an order!" Aldo commanded, attempting to get a grip on the situation.
When Aldo spoke, the ex-Nazi paused his assault, shoulders still squared and refusing to back down further.
"That," Vladof inhaled, "Is what I thought." He looked down to Jane, who was eyeing his gun. "Get up, you'll get your uniform dirty."
She refused to stand, as hard as it was mentally for her. "I'm fine down here, thank you."
"That wasn't an offer, Jane."
A sudden static echoed from Aldo's coat, a faint 'sir' within.
With a smirk she stood, glancing over to Omar, Donny, and Amber gratefully as they were told to kneel once more. "You're not my superior officer anymore. Aldo is." A thumb was pointed his way.
"Have you forgotten who I am?"
"Can we please cut the bullshit?" This time it was Aldo, brown eyes once more alight with confidence.
Vladof looked to Aldo, eyes squinted in caution. "No. No we can NOT." He walked over to Amber and placed his gun to her temple.
"Leave her alone!" Donny demanded defensively, "She's done nothing to you!"
"Donny, baby-"
"Shut up, slut." A growl as he looked to Donny. "You're next, bat boy."
"Listen, Mr. I'm in charge, she's not even a soldier. Come on, mate. She's not any threat to you." Nikita attempted to plead, voice much more calm and soft than those before her. That caught his attention for he tilted his head to the side. "Just back away from my friend, and if you want to pick on anyone, pick on me. I'm a woman, and I'm a soldier. I'm influential, and I'm sure as hell going to speak out against you."
Everything fell silent. It was an unnerving silent, one that made Amber's eyes close in expectation. "R.E (a nickname that means 'Royal Engineer'), don't do this." She eased as the metal was removed from her head.
The man walked over to Nikita, kneeling down on one knee beside her. "You're not American." More of a statement than a question.
"No, I'm not."
Something about her made him feel... calm. Un-threatened. The way his posture shifted when he approached spoke volumes. He gazed into her eyes for a moment longer before chuckling, placing a hand on her shoulder to which she slowly glared down to his hand.
"Fuck this. DOMINIC!" Aldo abruptly yelled.
Almost instantly a soldier fell to the ground, blood quickly pooling beside his corpse. A loud shot rung around them, and quickly following was another. And another. And another. And another. Bodies fell and hell broke out. The lined up Basterds scattered, except Nikita who stayed kneeling, picking up the German weapons. It was over in seconds, and by the time it was over, four Germans, including the Lieutenant, were left out of the (assumed) twenty.
Vladof was frantically looking around, backing up until he hit into someone. He froze, eyes unblinking in unseen fear. It took a moment before he turned, only to be greeted with a smirking Aldo.
"I think there's a few Nazis who need scalping." Aldo looked up to his men, who were now in control, guns in hand and living Nazis being forced to walk away from where they were.
Those who remained removed their knives from their sheaths and went to work on the closest bodies. In the distance approached figures, rifles in hand and the distant hum of a truck creating an overwhelming sense of dispare for the Nazi soldiers.
"Say, Jane, from the sound of it you know this Lieutenant."
"That's right, sir."
"What has he done?"
"Killed, abused, raped-"
"So you're a very bad man." Aldo's voice was low, though not quite a whisper, gruffness adding a keen sense of danger to it; if voices could show death, Aldo was sporting the entire outfit. Stated into Vladof's ear, brows furrowed in complete anger. "What I had in mind is too good for someone like you."
"Fuck you, Aldo."
Aldo simply held his gaze before lashing out, wrapping his hands around the other's throat. He followed him to the floor, straddling the German so he could add all of his body weight into the attack.
"Oh shit- go sir!" Utivich cheered, stopping mid scalp in order to watch.
Hugo watched Vladof's face closely, finding pleasure in his death even if he couldn't deliver the fatal blow. He found himself clapping, gaze shifting to Aldo as he yelled 'Aldo!' over the sudden growth in cheers.
"Go Aldo!" Amber jumped up and down, holding onto Donny's arm in excitement. Donny watched Amber with a smile for as long as he could before he abruptly pulled her to face him, planting a forceful yet loving kiss onto her lips. It had hints of desperation, practically displaying his earlier thoughts; he was glad she lived. So fucking glad.
"Jolly good show, sir." Nikita stated so he could just hear it, bordering a mutter as she looked on.
It seemed like hours before the man stopped thrashing, turning limp under Lt. Raine. He hesitantly loosened his grip, as if Vladof would spring back into life, and then sat back, running a hand through his hair to make sure it was still gelled neatly. Only a small clump had fallen, but was easily put back. He stood and turned to everyone, his smile returning.
"Jane, have a look around. I'm sure there's a radio place here."
She gave a small nod before turning on her heels and striding off. Everyone went back to what they were doing, albeit after a few more cheers, and Aldo diverted his gaze to Nikita. He walked over to her and reached into his pinstriped trouser pocket, pulling out a white handkerchief which he offered to her.
Wordlessly she glanced up to him, refusing the handkerchief as she looked back down to the ground. After a minute or so, Aldo knelt down. He moved her hair that was hanging down in front of her face and gently placed a hand to her cheek, guiding her face up. He took the handkerchief and began to gently clean the blood from her nose, doing his best to ignore her rather blank, 'I give up' gaze.
~
Jane was stood, turning various dials and switching various switches, a headset rested loosely on top of her head. She heard the footsteps approach and chose to ignore them until she finished doing what she was doing. Removing the headset, though keeping a hold of it, she partially turned.
"I didn't need your help."
"The situation looked otherwise."
"I didn't need your help." Repeated with far more force, anger flaring up. "I didn't need anyone's help. Not from him."
"He was going to injure you far worse than anyone else here."
With a display of rage she threw the headset onto the floor. There was so much force that it disconnected from the radio it was plugged into and hit the ground with a mighty 'THWACK'.
"Don't play hero, Hugo-!"
"'Play hero'?! I wasn't playing hero, I was making sure nobody died! That includes you!"
"Includes me?!" She walked closer to him as she continued, "I'm not part of this little group you've formed! I'm only here because America wants to know what I know! I'm not one of you! I don't need your help! I'm on my own, and that's how it's going to stay because I'm just The Two Toned German!"
Hugo stared down at her as she stood practically toe to toe with him, the two seemingly squaring up. "You were going to get turned in!"
"And you were going to get k-!"
She was cut off by Hugo. He suddenly leaned down, connecting his lips with hers in an angered exchange that was aimed to shut her up. However, within a few moments, it grew less angry and more soft yet forceful. He placed his hands on her waist, and she held onto the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer.
Clearly, Hugo didn't plan this.
---
A/N: I finally watched The Hateful Eight! Late, I know, but my God do I love it. I got that Reservoir Dogs vibe and Oswaldo is actually me it kinda hurts.