Tuck Everlasting, The Continued Story.

Chapter 18

"Sir, we've found them." A young man said, after he clicked his heels together. Von Kliest, who had been studying a map, looked up at the man.

"You've found them?" he repeated. He looked at the man holding the map in front of him and waved him away. He took a few steps toward the young man, adjusting his cap.

"Where?" He asked. The young man's eyes darted about.

"By the river," his voice wavered, and Von Kliest paused to look at the man.

"What's the problem?" he asked. The young man licked his lips.

"They are with an American unit, that is stationed there." He said. Von Kliest squinted at the soldier, a smirk playing at the edge of his lips.

"So, why aren't we ambushing them right now?" he asked coyly. The man swallowed hard.

"Well," he stammered, "We are outnumbered 3 to 1, and they appear to have more weapons than we do...Plus Sir, if I may be so bold as to say," Von Kliest glared at the man, and the man gulped before continuing. "The men and I have been talking, and well, we don't see why we should continue risking our lives just to capture a couple of Americans."

Von Kliest's eyes darted to the man's face, and seemed to burn into him. He took a step toward the man, visibly fuming, and paused inches in front of the man's face. When he spoke, his voice was low and harsh.

"It just so happens, that those American's are critical to the continuation of the Third Reich." His eyebrows furrowed, and he seemed to bare his teeth. "It also, just so happens, that perhaps you have forgotten your place, soldier." The young man opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, Von Kliest pulled his pistol from his holder and aimed it at the man. The man's face turned pale, and tears welled up in his eyes.

He stammered, "Sir, what are you doing??" he put his hands in front of his face and began to step backwards, visibly shaking. "You are mad!" he said. Von Kliest smirked.

"No excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of madness." He said, quoting Aristotle. Von Kliest sighed, feeling a feeling of warmth sweep over his body before he pulled the trigger. The shot rang out, and the man's eyes rolled back into his head. He fell to the ground like a rag doll, the hole in his head staining the hardwood floor. His mouth hung open in a o shape, and Von Kliest almost laughed, thinking about how the man resembled a dead fish. He sniffed, and quickly went to work, pulling the man's gun from his holder and placing it in his cold left hand. He clicked his tongue, looking at the man as his blood ran in a stream toward the door. Such a handsome lad too, he thought. Too bad he was an idiot.

They had set up headquarters in Andre's living room, and Von Kliest paused in front of the desk. He set his gun on it, and then ran a hand through his hair, trying to appear agitated. He raised his hand to his mouth and yelled out, "Guards!"

Two soldiers immediately burst through the door and took in the sight of their dead comrade. Von Kliest wiped his face with his handkerchief, breathing heavily. "This man just tried to kill me!" he said. The soldiers immediately swooped upon the man, carrying his body out of the room. His puddle of blood still remained, but Von Kliest ignored it.

He paced in the room, waiting for the soldier's to return, and paused in front of a portrait of Henry. 

Touching the scar the ran down his face, Von Kliest closed his eyes, thinking back to his old life.

"Papa!" a young boy had called out to him. Opening his eyes, he was back in his Berlin apartment, his son sitting at his feet. He ruffled his hair fondly, enjoying the smell of his wife's baking sweeping in from the other room. "When I grow up, can I be a detective like you?" he asked. Von Kliest laughed, placing the last of his papers on the table beside him.

"I don't see why not, Hansen." He said. His son smiled, and went back to flipping through his book. Just then, a harsh knocking on the door caused Von Kliest and his son's heads to turn. Von Kliest stood to answer the door, when suddenly, the door was kicked open, and 5 soldiers burst their way in. Von Kliest approached the leader, shouting at him to leave, when the soldier lifted his rifle and slammed it down upon Von Kliest's face. He fell to the ground, holding his hand to his face. He looked at his hand and saw that he was bleeding. He placed his hand back on his face, when suddenly he heard the scream come from the kitchen.

He began to crawl toward the kitchen, when the soldier grabbed his arms and pulled him to his feet, tying his hands together behind his back. Von Kliest called out to his wife, when a rough sack was placed over his head. He heard Hansen call out to him, and he struggled to escape from the soldier holding him. Suddenly, a gunshot rang across the room, and orders were called out to leave. Von Kliest screamed his wife's name, and Hansen's name, trying to make sure they were both all right. He heard Hansen screaming for him, but he couldn't find his wife's voice.

"Antonia!" he screamed. He was pulled backwards, but still struggled to get away. Suddenly, something hard was brought down upon the back of his head, and he only saw blackness.

When he had woken hours later, Von Kliest learned that his wife had been giving secret information to British Intelligence, and therefore had been killed. His son had been taken into custody, and would be safe if Von Kliest agreed to work for them. Von Kliest's work as a detective made him the perfect candidate to be an officer, assigned with a special mission.

"Find the elixir of life, and your son will live." They had told him. 

Von Kliest smirked, remembering how he hadn't believed the story that there was such thing as a family who couldn't die. It had seemed like a fairy tale.

"Von Kliest?" a soldier asked. Von Kliest opened his eyes and scowled at the portrait of Henry. He turned toward the man, his hand resting on his black pistol.

"Call in some backup.' He ordered. "The Third Reich must have these people! It is of utmost importance!" The man clicked his heels, and ran out of the room to radio the other troops. Von Kliest sat down on the chair he had brought in and sighed. 

The Tucks had been lucky in the past, but this would be it. He would catch them today.