Ultimatum

Hugo Stiglitz had his gun in his hand like the rest of the American men as they stood ready, waiting to see what Hirschberg and Utivich were bringing back to camp.

The possibilities were endless in Hugo's mind. But he really hoped for a wounded deer so that the he and the rest of the men might have a satisfying dinner for once.

The last thing he expected to see Hirschberg and Utivich carrying was a young woman in their arms.

"She's unconscious," Hirschberg said, out of breath.

"She also has pretty bad wounds on her back, with some minor cuts on her stomach," Utivich said as they carried her past Hugo.

Hugo looked at the woman's face, and it looked vaguely familiar to him. He knew he had seen it somewhere before but couldn't be sure with all the blood and dirt smeared on her face.

"Bring her into the tent," Lt. Aldo Raine said and then ordered Wilhelm Wicki to bring the first aid kid.

Hugo continued to watch, leaning his weapon against the stump he had been occupying most of the night, as the two youngest of the group carried her into the tent with Wicki and Lt. Raine following behind them.

"I wonder who she is," Donny Donowitz said, genuinely curious as he took a seat next to Hugo's stump, mixing the huge can of beans that would be his dinner.

Hugo took his seat, watching Donny poke at the beans. "I recognize her face. But if it's really who I think it is then we need to leave this place by morning."

Donny turned to look at Hugo. "Are you serious?"

"Yes." Hugo nodded.

"I think you should go tell that to Aldo, he would know where we should go next," Donny said.

Hugo stood again and walked into the tent to see every lantern flickering brightly. Aldo was standing next to Wicki who was hovering over the young woman.

"Aldo," Hugo said, "I believe we are in danger with this woman being here."

"Why?" Aldo said as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Do you know this woman, Hugo?" Wicki asked, looking away from the woman to Hugo.

Hugo moved closer to Wicki. "I need to see her face closer to be sure."

Hugo grabbed a warm wet towel and wiped her face clean. As he stroked her face gently, he could see her eyes beginning to flutter open and she was startled by Hugo staring at her.

She gasped, struggling to sit up. "Where am I!?"

"Shh, we're going to take care of you," Wicki spoke calmly, trying to comfort her.

"Water!" she demanded hoarsely. "Water, please."

Wicki turned to Aldo and ordered him to get someones canteen from outside. Hugo heard Aldo as he walked behind them and only heard him yell to Donny to bring his canteen to the tent.

"Daniela?" he whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Her intense pale blue eyes pierced him, and he knew at once that she was his best friend's sister.

"Hugo? What? How?" she said, but was interrupted when Aldo pressed Donny's water canteen in her hand and ordered her to drink.

She guzzled down the entire jug and asked if there was anymore.

"Yes, there's more, Daniela. But right now, you need to lay down for Wicki here and let him take care of you. Your wounds are very serious," Hugo told her.

Daniela nodded and laid back on her stomach.

Hugo stared at her mangled back and couldn't imagine what Daniela had done to deserve this sort of treatment. He had been rescued by the Basterds only four weeks ago and he remembered her as a happy young woman; happy as one could be living on a Nazi military base.

"Who did this to you?"

"Landa," she muttered, her head cradled by her arms as she laid on the cot.

"Why?" Hugo asked, watching Wicki take a rag and soak it in alcohol. Her answer had caught him entirely off guard; he knew Landa and Daniela's father to be good friends.

"This is going to sting," he muttered to Daniela.

Hugo saw her grit her teeth when he placed the rag onto her wounds, and he could tell she was holding tears back.

"I'm going to have to scrap the infection out..." Wicki said quietly.

"That's fine," Daniela said.

Hugo knelt down so that he and Daniela were eye level with each other. "You never answered my question."

"I really don't want to discuss it, Hugo. Another time, okay?"

Hugo nodded, and stroked her hair before leaving Wicki to attend to her wounds. When he took his seat next to Donny again he was offered the rest of the can of beans.

"So is that girl who you thought she was?" Donny asked.

"Yes," Hugo said and addressed Aldo who had began eating his own dinner. "We really need to pack up and leave, sir."

"That little lady is that important?" Aldo asked incredulously.

Hugo nodded again. "She is the daughter of a high-ranking SS officer, and I am positive that someone is going to come looking for her. Especially if Colonel Landa had a part in creating those wounds you saw on her back."

"She's a Nazi?" Aldo asked. Hugo could sense Aldo's temper rising.

"No," Hugo said, shaking his head. "She isn't, and neither is her father."

Aldo looked confused. "There ain't no way that an SS officer wasn't a damn Nazi. It's just plain illogical."

"Listen, it's not my story. It's hers, and she should tell it to you when she's ready. But tonight, we need to pack up and leave before they notice she's gone." Hugo told him sternly.

"Alright, then," Aldo said, setting his dinner down and lifting himself off the ground. "I'll tell Wicki about our plans."