Work Text:
Berlin, June 1940
“How hard can this possibly be?” Hitler snapped, slamming a hand on the table, papers rattling. He stalked in a tight circle, voice sharp as a whip. “We even know her name, for crying out loud!”
The officer flinched under his gaze, glancing at the scattered maps on the walls. Hitler’s finger jabbed at one. “I don’t care if you have to arrest every single brown-haired woman in Paris. Find her!”
The officer swallowed hard, nodding mutely, while the room seemed to vibrate with fury.
Paris, June 1940
Paris roared under occupation. Smoke coiled from shattered windows, the air thick with dust, gunfire, and the scream of tram wheels over cracked cobblestones. Soldiers marched with mechanical precision, rifles clattering, shouting orders that barely cut through the chaos.
“Madam! We have to go, now!” a partisan yelled, dragging her from the alley.
She blinked through the dust, calm but alert. “Yes,” she said.
Hands grabbed at her coat and scarf, tucking her hair under rough fabric, covering her face. Debris clattered around their feet, and explosions punctuated the distant streets like a heartbeat. When they were ready, they slipped into the shadows, moving fast and low, weaving through the frenzied crowd, each step a gamble under the advancing German boots.