A Medal For Mary by Rob Astor (best books to read for self improvement TXT) 📕

shared between the young men. The pair of women walked through the glass doors and stopped inside the reception area.
Alexis glanced back at the plaza. “I hope there isn’t something more to them being here.”
“You are worried,” Mary observed.
“Where ever there are Nazis, I am worried.”
“Marie, Alexis,” a deep male voice called from the seating area. A handsome middle aged man with dark brown hair and soft brown eyes dressed in an Italian tailored suit waved them over.
“Jeanclair,” Mary said, walking faster. She embraced him, kissing him passionately. “My love, it is good to be in your arms again.”
“I have missed you terribly,” Jeanclair replied with a grin. “I have long waited for the day when we can be together, even if only for a few minutes.”
“You could retire heroics.”
“I am needed.”
“I do not have to be happy about it.” Mary tried to remain pleasant.
“It was very nice of you to invite us here tonight,” Alexis said, catching up to the pair.
“Mademoiselle,” Jeanclair addressed Alexis. “You get lovelier every time I see you.” Alexis blushed as he the back of her right hand. “Let us go to the dining room,” Jeanclair said, sweeping his left arm to a pair of open doors.
Elegantly dressed people were either seated at tables, standing in small groups chatting, or dancing. Jeanclair, Mary, and Alexis took their places at a long table at the party’s head. “Resistance people?” Mary asked.
“Yes. All around Europe, their leaders come here and exchange information and ideas on how to undermine the enemy. But, we must be careful. This hotel has Nazi spies and informants crawling in every corner.”
“Why come here then?”
“Hide in plain sight tactic. If they do not suspect we are resistance, they will be less likely to turn us in.” Jeanclair cut himself off abruptly as a small group of well dressed men approached, offering greetings. They made quick introductions. Mary smiled cordially. She took a glass of wine from one of the many waiters serving hors de vours.
“I saw you in the attack today,” Mary said. “I was so afraid you would be killed.”
“The poor child,” Alexis chuckle. “She was ready to climb the walls.”
“You worry yourself too much on my account,” Jeanclair said.
“I don’t want to see you get killed.”
“We have discussed all this before.”
Mary leaned closer to him, keeping her voice low. “But an attack so close to a populated center?”
Jeanclair studied her face for a moment. He glanced around quickly. “The Nazis converted that building into a computer center. It was a major regional information hub. It was highly rumored Hitler had his top men cracking codes to missile installations in the United States.”
“Dear God,” Mary gasped. Alexis’ face paled. Mary sat back. “The news reports are true?” Mary asked. “Hitler will launch a nuclear strike against the United States?”
Jeanclair nodded. “As soon as he gets the codes, he plans to have American weapons attack American targets. Then, the world will be his. He will not even have to use any of his own resources.”
“This is madness,” Alexis mumbled.
Mary saw a young man walking from person to person with a frantic look on his face. “Do you recognize him?” she asked, nodding in the blonde’s direction.
“Non,” Jeanclair said, staring at him as he approached.
“Nazi soldiers are on their way,” he said quickly and walked on to the next group. Mary's mouth dropped. Alexis held a hand over her heart.
The distant sound of machine gun fire reached their ears. Glass shattering mixed with screams of panic prompted them to move. “Follow me,” Jeanclair said, pulling Mary away from the table. They took a rear exit to the a corridor at the back of the building. Jeanclair rounded a corner near elevators and stairs festooned with carpet. Expensive velvet drapes decorated the windows. The staircase tapered from bottom to top, splitting in two directions. “What are we going to do?” Mary asked. Gunshots sounded close. Screams reached them.
“We cannot go out the back. The building is sure to be surrounded by now.”
“The elevators,” someone else said.
“Non, they disable them first.” Gun fire echoed closer. “Up the stairs,” Jeanclair said. Mary followed, Alexis close behind.
“Where are we going?” Mary asked when they reached the top of the flight. They started up the case on the left.
“We will have to find a place to hide.” Jeanclair took two steps at a time. Machine gun fire exploded ever closer.
At the top of twenty flights, they were left with a corridor bisecting rooms. Jeanclair ran to the end of the passage. He found a maintenance room where some of the air conditioning systems were built. “In here,” he said.
Mary was shoved by some of the panicked followers. “Don’t make any noise,” Jeanclair’s instructions reached her. Ten or fifteen people piled into a storage room near the entrance and slammed the door. Mary squeezed between two of the huge box-shaped devices. A door closed. Mary strained to see Jeanclair and Alexis. The lights went out.
Footsteps echoed in the corridor. Mary’s heart raced. She heard muffled whispers and whimpers. Machine gun fire rang in her ears and she pulled her head into her stomach, tightly holding her hands on her temples, crying silently.
The storage room door opened. Screams arose before life ending gun shots sounded. Others screamed. Nazi soldiers walked around the room, searching. Mary bit her lip, holding her breath as footsteps thudded close to her hiding place. The German soldier walked past without a second glance.
Machine gun fire exploded a third time. There was more unearthly screaming. Mary squinted her eyes tight, trying to shut the deafening echoes from her mind. The gun fire finally stopped as an order was given in German. “That’s it. Move out!”
Footsteps faded into the distance. The lights flicked on. Jeanclair stood by the switch. Mary bolted to him, embracing him in tears. “I was so afraid you… you…” She couldn’t finish around her sobs.
“I was, too,” Jeanclair said. “How many are left?” he called out.
Alexis appeared, her jacket splattered with blood. Her face was a mask of terror, tears rolling down her cheeks. She stepped around the mutilated body of a man whose eyes were wild in death, a pool of his blood staining the wooden floor. Mary embraced her. “Are there any others with you?” Jeanclair asked.
“No,” Alexis cried. “I was behind so many. I was shielded. The rest are dead.”
Jeanclair pulled the door back to the storage room. He saw the bodies riddled with bullet holes. Blood stained the walls and floor. Mary cried in his arms. Alexis covered her eyes, turning her head away. Jeanclair slowly closed the door. He saw a shadow from the corridor. Mary felt his muscles contract.
“All those poor people,” Alexis said. Jeanclair motioned for her to be quiet.
A Nazi soldier opened the door, holding an Uzi out in front of him, gazing at the trio sternly. A shout came from the stairs. His head snapped to the side. Then he regarded them and Mary screamed. He quickly pointed the gun to the ceiling, firing. Jeanclair held his hand over Mary’s mouth, staring at the pale Alexis. The soldier closed the door and trotted back down the corridor. “Why didn’t he kill us?” Mary asked.
“There must be a fifth column in the Nazi ranks,” Jeanclair said. It’s the only solution. Mary slowly calmed in Jeanclair strong arms. “We have to go. But, first,” he turned to Alexis, “we must get you cleaned up.”
* * *
The sound of spraying water from within the shower comforted Mary. Jeanclair is home to stay. This is so much better. I won’t have to worry if he will be the next victim of the Nazis. Mary smiled. I’ll be safe in his arms. She arranged flowers in a vase. The feeling of content returned.
Alexis carefully watched Mary from her place at a coffee table near the windows over looking Paris. “You are feeling so much better now, non? It is good to see you return to yourself again.” The elder woman offered with a gentle smile.
The water in the shower stopped. Mary turned as the sight of the Special Bulletin on the television took her attention. Puzzled, she felt compelled to listen. Mary picked up the remote, touching the volume button. “…conflicting reports that earlier today, Adolph Hitler VII sent ambassadors to the United States,” the young woman said. “The exact purpose of this visit is not known, although many rumors have surfaced.”
Mary sat on the couch across the room from the large screen. “It has been highly publicized that if an agreement cannot be reached, Germany will indeed begin to systematically make nuclear strikes against America.”
Mary’s stomach lurched. Her heart sunk. She wasn’t even aware Jeanclair stood next to her until he spoke, causing her to jump. “Everything will be fine,” he said.
“This is impossible,” Mary whispered. “It feels wrong, like this shouldn’t be happening. Doesn’t it affect you that way?”
“I’m not sure what you mean,” Jeanclair said. “Affect me in what way?”
“World events. Aren't they perplexing to you?”
“We have so little control over politics. Ever since Germany won World War II, the world is slowly giving into the Nazi’s twisted ways.”
“What did you say?” Mary cut him short. She stood.
“The world is falling under the control of Nazi Germany.”
“No, before that.”
“Hitler won World War II.”
“The United States won that war,” Mary whispered.
“It would have been much better for us all if they had. But, America never got involved. The Axis powers turned against themselves. Hitler won. For over a hundred years, this planet has become the Hitlers’ dynasty.”
“The atom bomb,” Mary said staring blankly into space.
“Hitler had his V2 rocket men perfect the missile to carry the bomb. It destroyed much of Europe. Britain fell first, followed by many of the great powers.” Alexis was quiet. Mary noted her blank gaze.
“The meeting will take place in the United Nations Building in New York City,” words emitted from the television’s speakers.
“New York,” Mary repeated, almost silently. “That’s where we were when they came.”
A look of confusion crossed Jeanclair’s face. Alexis filled with interest. “Who came?” Jeanclair asked.
Mary faced him, searching his eyes. All she saw was honest question. “You don't remember?” Mary asked softly.
“Remember what?”
“No. Wait,” Mary shook her head, confused. “It can’t be. They’re not here.”
“Who are you talking about, dear child?” Alexis asked. She stood, standing next to Jeanclair, dwarfed by his well muscled form and height.
“The New Zimlliaans,” Mary whispered.
“The New Zimlliaans?” Alexis echoed.
“Who are these New Zimlliaans?” Jeanclair asked.
“They came from…” Mary’s words drifted off. She walked to the window, staring out at the streets below. Then she found her eyes gazing into the blue skies; searching. “There’s