A Hard Headed Woman

Its going to be alright Amber just take deep breaths. You are a Spanish tourist coming to France to see the Eiffel Tower and experience life. Emit the carefree yet innocent spirit and attract his dark aura towards you. As I made my way down the stairs I received stares from anyone in the bar including the Basterds. They obviously were unsure why I was there and I merely looked over them and shot a cheerful smile at everyone.

I headed to the tables hidden by the record player where Hellstrom was sitting drinking a beer. For a moment I locked my eyes on his sitting figure and he looked up cueing me to look away with a sheepish smile. I sat down at the table next to his and Eric the bartender came up asking what I wanted in French. Well that’s what I assumed he asked.

“Whiskey, por favor,” I answer lightly giving the illusion of a Spanish accent. The man didn’t speak Spanish but he knew whiskey so he left to get it for me. He came back with a glass and poured the contents of whiskey into it. I felt Hellstrom’s stare on me but kept calm even though my heart was racing.

“Gracias,” I smile looking at the bartender. He just nodded and left the area leaving me all alone with Hellstrom staring at me. I took a drink of the whiskey letting the warm spiced liquid burn as it slid down my throat. My small hand played with the glass whilst my other hand tucked a tendril of hair behind my ear. The whole time I felt his stare. I looked up at him with my big green eyes that peeked from under my overgrown fringe. A smile fluttered to my lips and I held his gaze with mine.

Major Hellstrom let a smirk form on his overly pout lips. I rose my glass slightly as to give toast and he followed in suit lifting his glass. Bringing the glass to my lips I took another swig of the whiskey. He wasted no time to get up and move to my table holding his large boot of beer. Speaking in German he asked me something but I shook my head at him.

“No sé lo que está diciendo (I do not know what you are saying),” I respond in Spanish.
“English?”
“Si, yes, I speak a English,” I answer with a small embarrassed smile.
“Might I join you then Miss-” Hellstrom says waiting for me to tell my name.
“Rose call me Rose,” I smile at him.

“A pleasure Rose,” he smirks as he kissed the top of my hand. It took a lot for me not to flinch considering I wasn’t a fan of this gesture. Instead I let out a nervous laugh. He sat down in the chair across from me and stared.

“So what brings you to France, Rose?”
“The Eiffel Tower,” I answer softly.
“And you come alone?” he presses.
“Its foolish I know,” I mutter then I looked up at him again, “Just wanted to see if I could make it there from Barcelona on my own.”

“Where are you staying?”
“I just arrived, and do not know the area too well. Perhaps you have some idea--” I reply looking at him with slight vulnerability.
“There is a small hotel down the road, would you like me to take you there?” he smirks seeing an opportunity.
“I don‘t know, I wouldn‘t want to be a bother.”

“You are no bother,” Hellstrom states as his Cheshire grin grew.
“I don‘t even know your name, you must be muy valiente you have so many medals,” I say unsure as I assessed his appearance.

“Major Deiter Hellstrom, at your service,” he answers bowing his head slightly then looked at me curiously. “What is this valiente?”
“Spanish for how you say? Oh---um I believe they call it brave,” I respond trying to look like I was putting much thought into the whole ordeal. “Lo siento, I sound so stupid when I try to speak English sometimes.”

“That‘s alright,” Hellstrom laughs, “Do not strain yourself, you are far too lovely to worry.”
“Gracias.”

It was quiet for a moment I decided to speed things up and looked up at him then looked back down with an embarrassed smile. Words could not describe how fast my heart was beating because I could see the look in his eyes, the look of hunger.

“Its getting late,” I comment sheepishly.
“Well lets not keep you here Fraulein, I‘ll show you the way to a warm bed.”
“Danke,” I say then gazed at him, “That‘s Thank you in your language right?”
“Yes.”

He smiled at me and led me out of the bar with his hand on the small of my back. I saw Hugo look at me with discomfort and slight worry. It was obvious Hugo had seen the look in Hellstrom’s eyes. Admittedly I was slightly terrified. Major Hellstrom didn’t come off as someone I‘d want to be messing with. We walked up the steps and out of the bar, strangely enough Hellstrom led me across the straight into the dark alley. Honestly I should have seen that coming, especially when his hand slid dangerously low on my back. I could feel his hot breath on my bare neck.

“Not here,” I say gently moving away from him. He paid no attention to my words or movements just turned me around by the wrists and pinned me against the nearby wall.
“Who do you work for?” he demands.
“I do not know what you are talking about.”

“Oh? Then show me your papers,” Hellstrom states still holding my arms up.
“How do you suppose I do that when my arms are pinned,” I sneer.
“Fine.”

He let my arms go and I bent over slightly slowly moving the dress up. My fingers grazed the gun strapped high on my thigh. I was quick to take it out and point the gun at Hellstrom’s head. Words couldn’t describe home happy I was that I took the gun with me. His cold blue eyes glared at me fiercely.

“Hands up and don‘t you even dare think about taking out that Walter gun of yours,” I warn as I stepped closer to him holding my gun steady.
“You‘re good,” he replies putting his hands up, “And why did you choose to attack me of all people?”

“Well for all you know Major, I may have actually been attracted to you and was going to sleep with you but you brought me to a dark dirty alley instead,” I counter with a condescending smile.

“Is that so?”
“No, just thought I‘d mess with ya a little bit, I‘m not attracted to you in any way,” I state cocking the gun back to get ready to fire.
“I beg to differ,” Hellstrom responds moving too quickly for me and unarmed me whilst slamming me against the wall. I growled in response and he grabbed my leg roughly pulling it up against his hip then slammed me into the wall once again.

“I rather like you, I don‘t know what you want but you have a certain allure to you.”
“I want nothing from you, you attacked me remember,” I snap.
“This is true,” he says getting far too close to my face for my comfort. His lips were about to graze mine but I opted to fling my head forward and hit him in the nose. Once his grip loosened I kicked him in the stomach, he then struck my shoulder. His face was twisted in fury as he pinned me once again against the wall. He was far too strong in his state of anger and just when I thought I was going to be shot I heard other guns shots in the bar.
Taking this chance I stole his gun and shot him in the chest. Hellstrom stumbled backwards one hand on his chest looking at me in disbelief. My hands shook and I began moving away from him trying to avoid any more interaction with him. I saw Aldo in the shadows in front of me and I felt relieved but then he lifted his gun and pointed to something behind me. He pulled the trigger and I turned to see Hellstrom ready to shoot me with a smaller gun he had hidden. My heart skipped a beat making me feel like I was falling off a cliff.

“Yew alright?” Aldo questions.
“Yeah, we have to see what happened to the others,” I mutter walking back towards the streetlights. He didn’t say anything and we just hurried across the street to see the others were already there with dubious looks on their faces. We went downstairs only to see the mayhem left behind. Nora ran to Wilhelm’s side and he seemed to be having troubles.

“They recognized Hugo,” Wilhelm breathes out as Nora applied pressure to his gunshot wound. My eyes landed on Hugo who’s eyes were closed as his bleeding body lied on the ground. I rushed to his side and put my hand to the side of his neck to check for a pulse.

“Hugo you are gonna have to wake up for us,” I say having found a very faint heartbeat. Hugo made a noise in form of a pained grunt and his eyes flicked open looking at me. I placed one hand applying pressure to his bleeding wound.
“Come on crazy man, you‘re not going to be dying tonight,” I smile softly at him.
“Fine,” Hugo mutters.

The rest of the survivors included Bridget Von Hammersmark, and Wilhelm but Archie was well barely even alive. Either way I ordered that we had to get them medical attention then be sent to base to be taken care of properly. Aldo seemed to agree. Miss Bridget on the other hand was good.

But I didn’t know what the plans for Operation Kino were going to be headed. Things in the Basterds’ tale had changed, they had changed a whole fucking lot.

Hopefully with my knowledge I could make sure there were no more causalities. Fuck this might mean I’d be the one going to that premiere to make sure shit didn’t get fucked up. To make sure certain Basterds got out safely.