"Talk!" The word was cold and demanding as another powerful blow smashed into the Noncom's jaw, driving him to the ground. The sergeant's eyes were steady on his enemy ; his words were firm and more clear than ever before.
    "Saunders. Sergeant. 227-0622."
     The German turned. Saunders closed his eyes and waited for another strike but it did not come. Saunders slowly opened his eyes again to see the German with a huge smile on his face. His eyes looked wild, and his voice sounded as if he were Satan himself. The German threw back his head and sent out a laugh that would shake even the bravest of men.
     "So, you think that you have won the victory? Well, we shall wait and see how much you will talk when it is your friend sitting in that chair." The captain turned and snarled to his guards. "Take him away!"
     Hands roughly shoved Saunders' bleeding shoulder as he was pushed into the cellar where his lieutenant was being held. Silence returned to the musty room as the guards marched back to the main floor.
    "Lieutenant, I didn't tell them anything."
    "Yeah, I knew you wouldn't."
    "Lieutenant, he said that they're going to work on you next. I-I don't know if I can keep my mouth shut." For a brief moment the tough sergeant was gone and then he pulled himself together. "Did I find that pistol I told you about?"
     Hanley tossed the weapon across the floor, disgusted.
    "Yeah, one bullet. Only one lousy bullet against all of them."
    Saunders looked down at what would have been their last chance.
    "I'm sorry, Lieutenant. I guess I let us both down."
    Saunders, listen to me. I haven't let you down, and you haven't let me down. The only thing we are going to let down  is the United States Army if we talk. And if we have to give our lives for it, then we picked a heck of a thing to die for."
   Saunders smiled, but inside he was still unsure. Could he do it?
                                                       ******
    "Get up!" The sergeant moaned as the heel of a German boot kicked painfully into his side. Dragging Saunders to his feet, they carried him back up the stairs to the captain's interrogation room. Hanley watched his NCO from the bottom of the staircase. He was not ready. Hanley somehow knew that his companion would give them the information out of their deep friendship for each other. It was almost more than he could bare.
      Hanley let his eyes drift past the broken wine bottles to the small handgun that lay hidden behind the stairs.
   "One lousy bullet." He repeated.
     Making his way over to the dusty wooden staircase, Gil could hear the clomping of German boots coming for him.
   "This is for your honor, Saunders."
     Hanley closed his eyes and shoved the cold barrel of the .45 Colt to his head. Through the dark of the night a single shot echoed loudly and then everything grew quiet.