Chapter Text
Crickets.
There was something eerie about crickets.
They weren't supposed to be eerie.
Back home at night, when the sun would lay low, far too late into the evening, they'd always hear crickets. And they had been comforting. Now, they were a welcome song of what could be predetermined as death. Or at least what would ultimately lead to it.
The Maquis member beside her was silent for the most part, save for the occasional readjustment so her legs didn't go numb from the awkward position she was currently sat in. Mildred could agree that sitting in silence, for the current length they had, was beginning to wear on them. Silence found a way to make your mind circulate its thoughts through more than you even wanted, making you second guess and rethink. It made you question and find deep-seeded and sudden regret that you didn't even know you had. It was degrading.
The duo had been staring out towards the darkness for only a few hours now, at least for the better part of the early morning (way too early of a morning); they'd arrived at the designated location late last night only to find that they were desperately alone in the Normandy wilderness - now they awaited movements, signs of gunfire or even light to signal they could prepare to move locations again.
"This is my first time in Normandy." the Maquis member whispered from beside Mildred, barely moving an inch of her body, perfectly poised in textbook form, blending into the tree that stuck up from the ground beside her, "This makes me hope that it is my last." A thin-lipped smirk perked up on the corner of Mildred's lips there in the darkness.
"It's my fourth." Mildred said quietly back, catching the Maquis member's peripheral vision move its way over towards her, "Makes me think the war is trying to tell me something." The Maquis member's chuckle against the leaves of the tree was worthwhile.
"It is not doing good job of telling you." the Maquis member whispered back, "It appears that for others, it did job well enough. For you? I am highly in doubt of such thing." Mildred felt goosebumps press against her skin as a chill ran up her spine, despite the thin layer of sweat that materialized on her forehead once she had jumped out of the transport and followed the Maquis member into the dark tree line to hide from sight.
"I think the prison sentence was enough." The Maquis member's eyes did not shy away from meeting her own as their gazes collided in the darkness, her dark brown eyes, searching Mildred's own green ones, flicking about before moving to hold her attention again. Speculating. Assessing.
"Prison sentence." the Maquis member said, "You do not appear to be the type to deal with such things." Mildred almost snorted at her words and shook her head.
"I don't appear to be a lot of things now, do I?" Mildred posed as the Maquis member continued to watch her. There was something the Maquis member didn't seem to trust about her; rightfully so. They'd been partnered only at the end of May and with their statuses and quite lengthy and damaged records of the war, they had rights to doubt the other. Which didn't bring any layer of protection to their current situation, but they were trusting of each other enough to the point they could sit beside one another there in the darkness and know at the first sound, they would have one another's backs.
"What could one possibly have done?" the Maquis member quipped quietly, leaning forward to meet Mildred's gaze, her voice falling to barely even a whisper, "OSS agent you might be, but your track record is one to keep eye on." Mildred side-eyed her and cleared her throat, the sweat building along her forehead and throughout the back of her neck.
"You've seen my name in the papers and are now questioning me incessantly, I can see that look on your face. You've seen it. You don't have to lie about that." Mildred muttered, tilting her head towards the Maquis member sharply, "I don't need any more information on you than I currently have to know; that's why you're nailing me down." The Maquis member sat back, pressing her left shoulder up against the rough bark of the tree that stuck up beside her. Nodding her head as she licked her lips, she readjusted her stance again and crossed her arms, a slight smart smirk growing on her lips.
"What if I have?" the Maquis member said, "Scared I'd rat you out to enemy? Blow what cover you have here on this peninsula?" Mildred watched her in the stilled silence - the crickets had stopped.
"I don't trust you enough to answer that." Mildred muttered.
"I am glad feeling appears mutual." the Maquis member said, a small, wry laugh leaving her lips, "You do not seem like the type to be put in situation where you do not have the reins." Mildred continued watching the Maquis member; sitting there, smile spread on her face like it were some sort of joke. But after what Mildred had done, what she and her tiny crew had managed in the walls of a prison in Berlin, Germany - the laughter would cease to exist as such.
"I've lost control of the reins before," Mildred managed, holding her fists in front of her in her criss-crossed lap, staring down the Maquis member there against the tree, "and I intend to not lose sight of them again."
"Ah, so it is sight we are to talk about, not control." the Maquis member said, "I find interest in this topic again." The Maquis member found her joke funny it appeared as she looked out to the darkness again. Mildred did not.
"It was rationality." Mildred said, picking at a blade of grass she'd picked up from her Welrod sat just next to her feet, "And lingering on either side of it appears faulty in all cases." The Maquis member watched her, chin tilted upwards a bit as her dark brown eyes watched her still - there was questioning and turmoil being dealt by the card dealer. An easy deal to take, but one Mildred wished to avoid.
"Tell me," the Maquis member said, drumming her fingers on top of her hands as they interlaced one another, "rationality got you in prison first. In certain situation? What got you out?"
"Luck." Mildred said quietly, her brow furrowing at the thought. The Maquis member sensed the discomfort towards the subject it seemed and grew quiet. It wasn't that Mildred found the Maquis member some sort of bother - far from it, it was almost a welcome distraction, a way to have a companion there to talk to and sort out your thoughts. Even if your thoughts were bullied around a bit, but only because the other was questioning and trying their hardest. It was more that, after everything, being allotted alone, only to be based on connections again, having a second voice around other than your own was plenty to get used to.
"You make valid point." the Maquis member answered and Mildred felt a smile grow on her face. The duo fell into silence again, their own brains thinking their own thoughts for the time being, as worry bit away and tore off what it could - just enough to solidify a bother, but not enough to make you sick to your stomach.
"The crickets stopped." the Maquis member said after a few moments bathed in eerie silence, listening to nothing but the wind rustling through the tree leaves that hung above them like stencils for what was to come; or already had. Mildred glanced at the Maquis member whose hand was lingering about the holster strapped to her waist and pulled her eyes forward again, searching the trees as her green eyes darted about.
"Crickets do not sing when they know what is near." the Maquis member whispered, "They know more than we know." Mildred swallowed quickly, her throat feeling dry suddenly as panic settled into her bones. Disturbances sent crickets quiet, just like how it sent birds flying through the air. They'd do anything to get away, to hide, to make their presence unknown to whatever was causing the disturbance. Her stomach lurched when she glanced towards the Maquis member and found her already staring at her with her piercing brown eyes, a gloved finger held to her chapped lips, sharp eyes dead-set on Mildred.
"There are voices." Mildred watched the Maquis member mouth in the darkness, "Just past large tree line." Her heart found a way to speed up, especially at words that had never even been spoken. And the lurching of her stomach sent a fear curling up her hunched up spine that was enough to freeze her just as she was. At first, it wasn't even voices. It was more that distant sound that signaled there was somebody close by, but not enough to make out words, or much of anything. But people were there. And voices carried - especially when silence was the only blanket. Silence made voices known. Mildred slowly reached down to pull her Welrod into her hands and a familiar comfort filled her system once her hand was clasped around the smooth exterior of the leather handle of the pistol.
"Enemy or ally?" Mildred managed out - if there was one thing her Maquis companion excelled in was her sense of hearing and distinguishability. The Maquis member watched Mildred as she concentrated on the voices, her eyes flicking about, but staying focused all at once.
"They speak English. It is not entirely clear, but it is no enemy tongue." the Maquis member whispered quietly. Mildred let out a shaky breath, glancing over her shoulder towards where she knew the road was; the road the duo had crossed before taking residence in this little bushed area of trees and underbrush along a little stream.
"What do you suppose we do?" the Maquis member said quietly, "Anything is better than staying sitting ducks." Mildred watched her.
"You hold rank, agent," the Maquis member said, attempting to sort out the panic she could see in Mildred's eyes, anything to help Mildred regain some sort of control that was forcing it away and allowing panic in, "what do you think we are to do?" Mildred licked her salty lips and glanced towards the road again.
"We see if we can join them, until they make it to their rendezvous point. Then we part ways." Mildred said, "And if they turn out to be assholes, we high tail it out of there." The Maquis member grinned under the moonlight. Mildred slowly drew herself to her feet, her Welrod locked in her grasp, shining under the clear sky above - the first clear sky in days - and glanced back to the Maquis member, nodding. Once the duo had their bearings and their feet settled on solid ground, they began moving together through the interweaving trees and bushes cluttered along the forest floor. The voices drew closer, she was able to hear them clearer now and by God they were American more than anything. The accents, the rigidness that sat on the edges, the rough-housing of the words all at once - the slew of curses that seemed to follow a bit more as well.
Ah, just like home, Mildred thought with a grimace. Mildred exchanged glances with the Maquis member, who pulled her own questionable expression at the words herself. All the sudden, a tiny clicking echoed through the trees, the wind picking up the light sound and carrying it along with the Normandy-coast breeze. Mildred held a finger up to her lips as the Maquis member slowly looked towards her with a downcast expression written across her eyes; the Maquis member tilted her head the slightest bit as the clicking sound followed again.
"Flash?" The words were uttered from past the tree line, along the road on the opposite side.
"What is flash?" mouthed the Maquis member as Mildred watched her, heart pounding in her throat, to the point she could hear it throbbing in her ears, making her head ache.
"Flash?" the person tried again and Mildred gritted her teeth, watching as the Maquis member continued to watch her.
"Light?" the Maquis member tried. Mildred felt her eyes widen, partially from the blister of confusion, but consequently, the annoyance at the same time - they should've stayed quiet and made a run for it. Forget they'd ever been there in the first place and high-tailed it to Omaha beach to meet up with the United States 1st Infantry Division - not relying on what sounded like English on the lips of supposed American soldiers. The silence that dwindled thereafter between them was enough to keep the crickets silent for the time being; Mildred swore she could hear the pounding of both her and the Maquis member's heart sinking as one. Hearing the clatter and rush of ammunition being set in weaponry, the adjustment of scopes or handles on weapons sent Mildred's green eyes through the bushes and forest floor of Normandy again.
"We're going to give you three seconds to come out from behind this here tree line, with your hands up, alright?" a new voice called - different from the voice who had called 'Flash' previously like they had been in a hurry. This voice was rough around the edges, a bit lower maybe. Mildred looked to the Maquis member who narrowed her brows.
"I say we make run for it." she mouthed, "No time for American soldier who have no clue how to act with ally." Mildred clenched her jaw and reached forward to place a hand on the Maquis member's shoulder, to stop her from turning away and moving back through the forest.
"They do not know we are allies." Mildred said, her voice firm, "We have a better chance of revealing ourselves to them, than waiting around for Nazi-scum to crawl up from behind and kill us in the process." The Maquis member watched her, searching her eyes as a harsh "One.", echoed from the opposite side of the tree line on the road.
"I thought you were not trusting of people whose face could not be put with voice!" the Maquis member said, her voice cold, "Whenever problem comes to surface, do you go to first thought that comes to mind? Without considering backup plan?" Mildred watched the Maquis member as a "Two." snaked through the trees, suffocating the duo that stared at one another, caught in a battle between eyes and mind.
"This is the backup plan." Mildred practically spat and grabbed the Maquis member's wrist and yanked her through the small patch of shrubbery and trees that separated forest from road and pushed onto the pebble street. Once the "Three." left the American's mouth, Mildred had pulled her hands up behind her head and watched slowly as a disgruntled Maquis member did much of the same - slower and clearly annoyed, but obeying all the same. Mildred slowly looked towards their company and found five American soldiers, stood in the center of the road in the middle of Normandy, their weapons aimed right at Mildred and the Maquis member's face, fingers preying on metallic triggers, frantic eyes looking between one another in a fair attempt to figure out what to do. And the silent stand off seemed to begin - the duo stood with their hands behind their heads and downturned gazes studying the Americans, who watched back, uneasy and quiet, not making a word leave their lips for anything.
"And I thought you Americans had no capability of shutting up." muttered the Maquis member and Mildred silently shut her eyes - maybe this would be how she left this world, "You Americans bring new surprise everyday."
"Shut up." muttered Mildred, keeping her eyes on the Americans who watched without saying a word - the Maquis member's glare was enough to send someone to the ground.
"State your name and your affiliation." one of the Americans said firmly, stood closer to the front with a rifle pointed upwards between Mildred's eyes, his dark orbs staring down Mildred and, seemingly, refusing to leave as well, all at once. She could see the sweat lining his cheeks and dripping from his head, the uneasy breathing and panic that seemed to spur across him as well. She wasn't some sort of mind-reader, but she could tell there was panic hidden in those dark eyes.
"Point your gun to ground and maybe we can talk." spat the Maquis member from beside Mildred, who had found herself strangely quiet and unable to open her mouth. It seems words like that from the Maquis member was enough to send the man who stood in the front, turning back to look towards the others, tilting his head from one soldier to the next in questioning.
"I say we keep 'em up, you ain't making yourself any more trustworthy with a statement like that." another called from a bit farther back and Mildred felt her jaw clench, "Just tell us who the hell ya are and then, maybe, we can drop our weapons."
"Julienne." Mildred said, meeting multiple sets of eyes that stared out at her from under large helmets, eyes that illuminated under the moonlight above them and shone like stars there in a large world. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had to utter her codename like that from her mouth, but she hoped it was convincing enough.
"And the little one with a mouth?" the same soldier asked.
"Rolande Pelletier." the Maquis member said, her tone brittle - Mildred could see her shifting her fingers to get a better grip through the gloves on her Sten, supposedly which she had modified, Mildred wasn't sure.
"State your affiliation and business." the one at the front stated again, his eyes tracking between the two, "We don't got all day."
"It's 3 in the morning." muttered the Maquis member. The soldier's eyes said otherwise.
"We are both Maquis; we've been tasked with assisting with intelligence for Normandy invasion with allies." the Maquis membered stated, "We are no enemy to you, even as you continue to make it seem as such." The soldier at the front slowly lifted an arm and the duo watched as muzzles were dropped, fingers were taken off triggers and weapons were no longer pointed at heads but, instead, the ground. The duo slowly let their hands drop from behind their heads and took a glance between one another before looking towards the five soldiers again.
"You are horrible at interrogation," the Maquis member said, "at least remove the weapon from the unknown before letting them move on, armed." Mildred sent her a dark glare and the Maquis member watched her back.
"What? What I say is truth, agent and you know that." the Maquis member said, looking up at her, "Don't tell me you've never been through interrogation with your track record."
"I know plenty of what you mean." The Maquis member raised a brow.
"You two done?" a voice called and the duo looked away from one another towards the group of American soldiers again and found that they drew closer under the cover of darkness and looked between one another.
"I say we make run for it." the Maquis member muttered as Mildred elbowed her.
"Tell us your names." Mildred said quietly, "We know you are American, but we know nothing more." The man who stood at the front looked back at the group of soldiers behind him and she swore that a small chuckle left his lips as he did so. Looking back at Mildred, he stepped forward and held out a hand in front of her.
"Donald Malarkey." he said as Mildred looked between this American soldier and his hand outstretched in front of himself, "We're apart of the 101st Airborne. Easy Company." Mildred was trying hard not to be hypocritical, as these Americans were willing to not only put their weapons down at their request but introduce themselves without a heckling, but this was the first American Mildred had contact with for the first time in months and his last name meant bullshit. Donald Malarkey slowly lowered his hand where he stood when he realized he was not going to receive the intended handshake from this 'Maquis member' who was actually a full-fledged 'OSS agent' in front of him and rubbed a hand across his neck before looking back towards the group behind him.
"You wanna introduce yourselves?" he said taking a step back, meeting Mildred's gaze again, but she ignored it and looked again to the group that stood still in their spots.
"Sergeant Bill Guarnere." the man with the chippy and rough voice called, his arms crossed with protection over himself and his gun, "Pleasure to meet ya, just not the nicest circumstances." Mildred held his gaze for a moment before glancing back at the Maquis member whose own quizzical features were not one to ignore.
"Sergeant Joe Toye." the other one beside him said, a nod in their direction, "Nice to meet ya." Mildred managed a slight, half-quirked smile, but it seemed nothing more would emit. At least they seemed somewhat pleasant.
"Robert Wynn." the other said, standing just shorter than the rest of the group. All that's left stood the other soldier; his body angled away from the group, head glanced curiously in their direction, but still guarded. The shine of a pistol in his side holster sent Mildred's eyes narrowed.
"Esther Armstrong," the soldier spoke, his voice.....not entirely what the two had expected, "war correspondent." Mildred glanced at the Maquis member who took a step forward, confused.
"Only female war correspondent put with an Airborne Division." Donald Malarkey said, glancing at the two, as Esther Armstrong stepped forward a bit - in the moonlight, her features came out a bit more, and it was clear, her questioning was just as similar to the mens'. Mildred glanced towards the Maquis member again, with which she found was already looking up towards her with her own questioning gaze, that reflected what Mildred currently felt deep inside of her, but she wasn't entirely letting out. She noticed the Lieutenant bars hidden among her collar that reflected the ruddy glow of the moonlight through the trees. Mildred uncomfortably looked towards the Maquis member who made no show of looking towards her. She gathered herself for a moment and looked back towards the war correspondent who was also holding rank in this Airborne as a Lieutenant.
"We would like to be speak with the war correspondent." Mildred said, "Alone."
"No." Sergeant Guarnere said stepping forward as Sergeant Toye slowly brought his hand back to the trigger again, "We just got her back, we ain't losing her again." Mildred's gaze cut to Esther Armstrong's, who stood with her brow furrowed, favoring her one leg, arguably more than the other, and appeared withdrawn and quiet.
"I would like to speak with both of these women." Esther Armstrong said, glancing at Sergeant Guarnere, "Alone."
"Lieuten-" Donald Malarkey protested, but she held up a hand in his direction and slowly let herself limp forward - a limp that from far away wasn't noticeable, but one she was clearly trying to hide. She knew vulnerabilities could get a person killed. Once Esther Armstrong had approached just in front of the duo, she met both their gazes and pointed down to her holster where the pistol laid, before motioning to the green band that read 'War Correspondent' wrapped around her bicep.
"We will talk. Alone." Esther Armstrong said, before glancing over her shoulder towards the group and giving them a nod - Mildred couldn't quite read it, but it was enough to keep the group stopped in their tracks. She couldn't get a read on Esther Armstrong - Lieutenant and war correspondent - she didn't seem to want to be addressed as Lieutenant even if the men did as such and she was incredibly reserved and quiet. There was nothing about Esther Armstrong that gave way to strength or weakness, she wouldn't show either and in war, Mildred wasn't entirely surprised. She was impressed.
"We don't have much time I'm afraid." Esther Armstrong said as they moved themselves down the road a few meters, where they were still in sight with the other Americans, but far enough away that privacy could be kept. The Maquis member's silence was one that concerned Mildred for the time being, if she were being honest, and her gaze didn't leave Esther Armstrong's. She kept it steady and guarded.
"We have to make it to a rendezvous checkpoint by a specified time in a specified location. And I don't want to keep the men. But I wanted to talk with you at your request." Esther Armstrong explained, before nodding to them, "Shoot." Mildred glanced at the Maquis member before clearing her throat, thoughtfully.
"Let us join you, make it to your rendezvous point where you are needed. We'll exchange intelligence before we move on our merry way where ever we must go next. We've been here since last night," Mildred explained, "and feel that there is much more that we can do than sit in a wet trench filled with mud and rainwater. My counterpart, here, is incredibly talented with land navigation and can assist with mapping and I've been close enough to Nazi members to unfold their plans. We can help you in what you need, if you ensure that you can help us safely get to Omaha Beach." Esther Armstrong watched her for a moment, arms crossed and gaze skeptical, but it was clear she wasn't entirely turning the offer down.
"What is your importance of getting to Omaha Beach?" Esther Armstrong asked, glancing at the Maquis member again, who stood and stayed quiet still. Mildred felt herself freeze for a small moment as she glanced back at Esther Armstrong. Letting out a quiet sigh, she slowly reached into her pocket and pulled out a small slip of paper and held it out in front of her. The Maquis member looked ready to protest.
"What are you doing-"
"I know what I'm doing." Mildred muttered quietly and met Esther Armstrong's gaze, which resided slowly on the little slip of old and faded paper. Within a second of glancing at the paper, in a way that seemed like it were a joke, Esther Armstrong's eyes widened and she looked to Mildred quickly.
"Intelligence from you, if we can get you to Omaha." Esther Armstrong questioned, without a questioning tone in her voice. Mildred nodded.
"Intelligence for Omaha." Mildred echoed and Esther Armstrong bit back her lip.
"How much time do you have?" Esther Armstrong asked as the Maquis member let out a sigh.
"Two week window, give or take." The war correspondent slowly placed her hands on her hips and glanced back towards the group of Easy Company members still stood a distance away, sharing a cigarette, keeping point and looking towards the trio, stood there in the road.
"I can make a promise to do that." Esther Armstrong said, "Ally for ally."
"What will they say?" the Maquis member finally said, speaking up, her voice uncertain, "Will they be as willing to do such thing?" Esther Armstrong watched the duo, her bright gaze still holding both their attentions. Esther Armstrong stood at a tall height, Mildred felt it were almost the slightest bit intimidating, and from her stance, she could tell Esther Armstrong was not one to fear a challenge like this presented on a silver platter. She was a war correspondent and a female one at that; she had worked her way in just as she had needed. There was no doubt she had cut strings and wrapped ties together to make things work.
"It will be their only option." Esther Armstrong said, "I can promise that." Mildred met the war correspondent's blue eyes and nodded.
"Thank you." Mildred said and Esther Armstrong nodded.
"Come with me." Esther Armstrong said, nodding her head back towards the four soldiers stood back at their previous location, "We still have the tides of war upon is and I intend to make sure they touch none of us." Esther Armstrong didn't seem like the type of person to break a promise, even as the duo followed the war correspondent back towards the four soldiers still stood about; the final look Esther Armstrong delivered Mildred before moving forward towards Easy Company's rendezvous checkpoint solidified it.
Once their footfalls disappeared, only then did the crickets begin to sing their tune.