Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9 Mr. Leon looked equally stunned. Victor's voice broke the silence. "I'm Sergeant Victor Lopez," he said. "American army. And this boy here is—" Mr. Leon stepped forward and grabbed Paul into a crushing hug. And now it was Victor's turn to be shocked. Paul held his teacher tight, fighting back tears.

"We're old friends," Mr. Leon told Victor when he and Paul finally stepped apart. Mr. Leon took off his round glasses and wiped away his own tears. He put his glasses back on and held his hand out to Victor. "A pleasure to finally meet you, Sergeant Lopez," he said in that deep, cheerful voice that Paul knew so well. But wait. How did Mr. Leon know who Victor was? "Welcome to the headquarters of the Le Roc resistance," he said. Victor had been right! "I know why the Allies sent you," Mr. Leon continued. "We are ready to help you with this mission. We had our people out looking for you last night. But they couldn't find you." Paul turned to Victor. A mission? With the resistance? That's why Victor had come to Le Roc? It seemed so.

"I would have been captured," Victor said. "If it hadn't been for Paul." He told Mr. Leon how Paul had climbed the tree, how he'd helped Victor escape. "This kid is brave," he said. "I've always known that," Mr. Leon said proudly. But then his eyebrows pressed together with worry. "Paul, how did you possibly know to come here? Did you know that this was a resistance base? Did you have any idea that I—" "No, sir!" Paul exclaimed. "I thought nobody would be here. And, Mr. Leon, I was there when you got shot. I thought you…" He stared at his teacher, and it all came back — those three shots. The screams. The sight of Mr. Leon's lifeless body sinking into the river. Paul's throat tightened, and he looked down at the dusty stone floor. "I'm sorry, Paul," Mr. Leon said softly. "I wish I could have let you know that I was all right. But

only a few people know that I escaped. If the Nazis had caught me, it would have put the lives of many people in danger. It's far better that the Nazis believe I'm at the bottom of that river." Paul didn't doubt that. "Victor," Mr. Leon said, "let's get you settled so we can get to work." Mr. Leon led them out of the room. Someone was waiting for them. "Coo-roo." "She's my carrier pigeon," Victor told Mr. Leon. "Excellent!" Mr. Leon said. "She can send a message back that you've made it." Victor and Paul eyed each other. They'd tell Mr. Leon about Ellie later. That pigeon wasn't going anywhere. Mr. Leon introduced them to Pierre, the man who'd dragged them in here. He wasn't wearing his mask anymore. Paul recognized him. He was a policeman in town.

"Sorry for the rough welcome," Pierre said, giving Paul's shoulder a squeeze. Paul understood why Pierre had been so protective. But he also knew Pierre's old rifle wouldn't do much good if the Nazis raided this place. Hopefully the legend of the dragon would keep the Nazis away. And if that didn't do it, the story of the burned body should scare them off. Victor and the men disappeared down the winding hall, with Ellie fluttering behind. Now Mr. Leon and Paul were alone. "Paul," his teacher said. "It's not safe for you to leave here now. I know the Nazis are searching everywhere for Sergeant Lopez. And someone might have spotted you in that area. We need to find out exactly what the Nazis know. So I want you to stay here." Paul's skin tingled. He wanted to stay. But then he thought of Maman. "What about my mother?" Paul asked. He couldn't just not come home. She'd be frantic with

worry. "About your mother," Mr. Leon said. "She's due here in just a couple hours." He spoke slowly, like when he was explaining a math problem that wasn't as simple as it looked. It took a moment for the meaning of Mr. Leon's words to sink in. "Maman?" Paul said. "Is she… is she in the resistance?" How was that possible? Maman? Quiet, gentle Maman? Mr. Leon nodded. "She's one of many people in Le Roc who are a part of this fight. She's one of our best messengers." Paul thought of all those mornings when Maman left on her bicycle before dawn. When she got home late, her face flushed, peering out the curtains as she fixed supper. Paul felt that his world had suddenly cracked open. And inside was another world, a world filled