They all looked around for Anna, but she had slipped out. While everybody was arguing, she had decided to find a way to get to Souda Bay. There was a flame burning inside of her, a strong, inexplicable force. It gave her no peace. She had to reach Nikolas by all means.
Lieutenant Petros was waiting for her as she hurried back to the jeep. They drove away from the large compound of wooden barracks, which appeared to be of British or American design rather than Greek.
"Please take me to the main road to Souda Bay. I must get there tonight." Anna's chest was pounding as she spoke.
"Very ambitious decision, and a wish that will be difficult to accomplish. But, knowing you, even for a few hours, I must say I am happy to have you on my side when fighting the enemy!" said Petros as he looked at Anna admiringly. He managed to stay on the narrow and bumpy road as they talked.
"Thank you, Petros, I will never forget this." Anna took a deep breath. "My destiny is leading to an unknown course. So many times I wish it wasn't so." She gazed into the distance.
"Does your destiny realize the dangers ahead on the road to Souda Bay?"
"I don't think so, but that's not a very kind thing for you to say, Petros."
She turned her head to look at him as he turned to her. "Petros! Look out! Look out!"
Too late. Bales of hay had just fallen off a mule-drawn cart in the middle of the road. The brakes screeched and stopped the jeep but not before Anna and Petros were thrown forward on the dry hay and each other. Shaken but unhurt, Petros showed no signs of being in a hurry to abandon his position. He asked Anna if she was all right. She quietly replied yes and gave him a stern look to indicate there was no time for childish behavior.
A toothless old man with leathery skin, laughing out loud at their predicament, came by to give them a hand. As Anna thanked him, she asked if he had heard about the coming German parachute invasion.
"What are you saying, my children?" he asked astounded.
"It is true, go and notify your village," advised Petros.
The old man raised his pitchfork in the air. "I am ready!" he declared. Before he left, he shared his cheese, bread, and wine with Anna and Petros. Bidding them good-bye, the man gave a good whack on his mule's behind and hurried back to his village. Anna and Petros devoured hungrily the welcome meal. Anna noticed that since the war had started and she had been away from her parents, her habit of eating nervously had disappeared.