Isolde let herself rest in the circle of Erlind’s arms, suddenly too tired to continue. Despair rested heavily on her as if losing this man on the examination table was the last straw in the  constant deprivation and deportation. She stiffened as his hand smoothed her hair and pushed against him. Her chin came up and she squared her shoulders as she stepped away from him.<br/><br/>With a frosty glare, she said,<br/>“I’m leaving this place and I’m going now. Don’t try to get in my way.” She declared, looking around at the soldiers with their glaring, offensive red arm bands. Isolde looked at the now blood soaked apron and untied the sash with an impatient tug. She wadded the offending garment in a ball and threw it to the nearest junior member of the group.<br/><br/>“Did you hear me, Erlind? Do not try to stop me. Command your men to stand down.” Her tone was imperious with a menace that was well marked.<br/><br/>To her surprise, Isolde was detained at the door and her bloody hands yanked hard behind her back. Handcuffs snapped into place and rough hands shoved her into a chair. The faceless man behind her stepped away and said<br/><br/>“We have come for answers and answers you will provide. You can decide if you want to do this the easy way or the hard way.”<br/><br/>Some of the police officers brought over a lamp that was used for examining wounds and snapped its light on in her eyes. Isolde squinted and turned her face to the side but she knew it was no use. Erlind did nothing to alleviate the rough treatment, but she didn’t expect him to, not really. She meant nothing to him.<br/><br/>Isolde wished for more bullets from the sniper. He had done her a favor by taking out one of the cursed Nazis. Now if only he would clean house of this scourge. She knew she would die in this time, if not today then some time soon. Death was only a portal to a new life in another time. If only it didn’t hurt so much.<br/><br/>A voice, for Isolde couldn’t see anything or anyone for the light, demanded to know where she was on a date,<br/><br/>“I was here working. Or home in my flat. I have little social life.”<br/><br/>A hand slapped her face. One cheek and a back hand, the other. Isolde’s head flew back and she tasted her own blood in her mouth.<br/><br/>“Wrong answer. Try again.”