Love Is A Battlefield

Paris 1941

 Evie could have been arm candy for some pathetic SS officer, but she made a vital decision right after her parents were forced to billet a Nazi officer in their home in the 17th district. Paris would return to the way Paris was, Evie planned on it, no matter what the cost. Head and eyes forward, smiling at the local men and ignoring the invaders, she headed to the Metro station to catch her train to work. Dark wavy shoulder-length hair and full red lips, she might be mistaken for Veronica Lake. As a features writer at Paris Match, Evie worked on fashion and film pieces and could often be found rubbing elbows with designers and actors most evenings. Her stories always had a subtle edge to them, subtle digs to the occupying forces without ever really saying anything.

Adam Fuchs exited Gare du Nord station carrying his worn leather satchel, blonde locks perfectly combed underneath his stiff SS officer's cap. Adam had a unique combination of common sense and street smarts. As a member of the '36 Olympic boxing team, he was wiry and scrappy and his size was deceiving. He could easily beat the snot out of anyone that got in his way. Ignoring the other passengers that just disembarked the train, he followed the flow out of the front doors toward the art deco Metro sign. Adam's orders were to come straightaway to SS headquarters for his permanent assignment and so he quickly purchased his ticket and grabbed the next metro train headed to the Champs Elysee. The car was filled with German officers, Parisians with bags of bread and cheese, and pensioners with carved wooden canes. Adam tried to catch their eyes so he could try and read them, but none of them even looked in his direction. The tension and hatred were like a thick fog emanating from an open sewer. He thought he saw one of the pensioners spit in his direction, but decided against any confrontation, for now. Exiting the train, he nearly ran over the most stunning woman he'd ever seen, knocking her purse and papers out of her hand.

"Mademoiselle, I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention." As he bent down to help her retrieve her items, he was mesmerized by the bird pin on her lapel. It had the most unique design and was the color of black volcanic glass, interspersed with shimmering blue highlights. 

"Thank you, lieutenant. I think I can manage from here. I'm late for work."

"Please. Allow me to escort you." 

"No. That's not necessary." As Evie started to walk toward the exit, Adam stopped her. "Please. I insist." 

"Or what? You'll arrest me? Go ahead. In front of all of these people, I'm sure that would make headlines back in Berlin. One more Parisian was taken down. No? I didn't think so. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get to my office."

Storming off toward the Paris Match building, Adam watched her with awe and trepidation and a burning desire to know more about her. His father had warned him about Parisian women before he left Berlin. Be cautious and selective because behind every pretty face could be a tiger ready to destroy you. 

"What happened to you?" Evie's friend Louisa remarked as she threw her purse and papers on her desk. 

" A dirty German happened." 

" Keep your voice down in here. You never know who's listening. You need to unwind tonight and I have the perfect solution. Andre has an old friend from university coming to town, you will love him. Smart, handsome. The new Merlot has just arrived and you could show him what real wine is."

"No. Remember the last time you both tried to set me up? With the slimy octopus from Reims? I don't think so. Besides, I have plans."

"No, you don't. I'm your friend and roommate and I know you have nothing to do so meet us at the Cafe du Tres Singe at 9. And wear the red dress, the one that makes you look like Marlena Deitrich." 

"Fine. I'll see you there at 9. Cover for me for a few minutes will you? I need to get some cigarettes."

Adam stood ramrod straight at Nazi HQ waiting for the CO to address him and give him his orders. General Lanzig appeared around the corner as everyone in the hall saluted him. Adam did the same.

"Fuchs, welcome to Paris. Please. Come in and shut the door." Grabbing a cigarette out of the canister on the desk, he offered one to Fuchs as well. Fuchs lit the general's first, then his, and inhaled deeply. Both men sat silently smoking until Lanzig passed a tan folder over the desk to Adam.

"It seems as though we have an underground resistance movement that has successfully ruptured our communication networks. All we know is in that folder and it's not much. The group is young, educated, and elusive and must be stopped at all costs. That is your assignment, Lieutenant. I want you to put an end to this. Am I clear? We need to bring these people to heel now or it will be chaos.

Adam left Nazi HQ committed to ending the row the insurgents were causing. He had a job to do and promised his father he would make him proud. Glancing at his watch, he realized he was late for an engagement and headed back to the Metro station. He thought he noticed the woman from the Metro in the distance next to a tobacco shop with another man. He felt a small pang of jealousy once she reached out to kiss and hug him, although he couldn't really discern the relationship. 

Red was definitely her color as she looked at her reflection in the store windows. Blind dates, Merlot, cafes, they all seemed like a waste of time when there was more important work to be done in Paris. Can these fools not see what's coming with all of these Germans crawling all over the city? Pushing open the heavy door to the Cafe du Tres Singe, she felt sick. Filling nearly every table and bar stool was a German officer enjoying the delights of their conquest, her Paris, the City of Lights. She turned to leave when Louisa waved at her from across the room. Flashing a fake smile, she made her way through the mob of green uniforms as Louisa ran forward to meet her and kissed both cheeks, just as her blind date turned his head to see her.

"No. Not him, Louisa. I'm sorry no." Evie pushed her way back through the crowd like a Sherman tank, while Adam jumped up from the table knocking over the bottle of Merlot to get to her before she could make her escape. Evie pushed open the door as Adam grabbed it. 

"Wait. Please. I just want to…" Evie turned to face Adam. "What, just want to what?"

"Learn about the Merlot. And your name of course." Evie smiled. "It Evie. And you're the rude German from this morning."

"Adam. Adam Fuchs. Now, can we try this again. Maybe inside the cafe?"

Raising their Merlot-filled wine glasses, Adam had tears in his eyes. "It was six months ago today I saw you, well, ran into you in the street and here we are. You wouldn't even sit down at the cafe when you found out who the blind dates were, I had to chase you down to come back in." 

Evie laughed " Oh yes, that's what I like to call perseverance. After that, you were relentless in your pursuit. You even called your father that day and told him all about me."

"Yes, and he still can't wait to meet you after the war is over. I'm just not sure how that will happen." Carefully placing his wine glass down on the table with a soft clink. "You see, the traits you described-perseverance, relentlessness is exactly what brought me to this moment today. I've observed and I've known for a while."

Smiling broadly, "Known what, darling?"

"It was right there the whole time, I just couldn't see it. Like a scent of perfume or lingering smoke that becomes a lost memory" Leaning into her so close he could see the lines in her lips, "The Resistance. You and all your writing friends wreaking havoc right under my nose. The articles with hidden meanings, the cigarette stops, the blackbird pins, notes missing out of my apartment. It took me months, but I finally put all of the pieces together."

Evie deftly reached for the wine glass and took a long sip. "You are insane. It's that German paranoia. I thought we had something, but I guess we don't." Evie reached for her purse to leave as Adam put his hand on top of it. 

"The only place you're going tonight is the back of my car to SS HQ for questioning," shaking his head in disgust. " You used me and now you will suffer the consequences." Taking a long sip of wine from her glass before speaking, Evie smiled. "Looks like we both got what we wanted Adam. Viva La France!!"