“Ah, good name. Strong name.” What was I even saying? “You hate him. Why?” Time froze. Had anyone heard him? “What?” “You obviously hate Hitler. Why? Don’t lie. I can always tell when someone is lying.” I doubted anyone had dared lie to him in his life. “You’re nervous.” The boy studied me like I was a specimen, then shrugged. “I can compromise. A secret for a secret.” He turned and started walking. “Who said I’d tell you anything?” “I did.” He didn’t even look over his shoulder. “Whatever lies you told to get in here, my father knows everyone personally. I doubt he knows you. Though I have a feeling that he’d be interested in your case.” I clenched my fists. Then I followed him. “Has anyone ever told you you’re intolerable?” “Big word for a girl with a patch in her coat.” “Some more big words are insufferable, impossible, and stupid.” “Stupid?” “You have a military haircut. You want to be a Nazi. Stupid.” “Would you think me more stupid if I told you my name isn’t Adolf?” We faced each other. “What?” “That’s my secret. My name is Louis. I like Adolf better.” “Yes.” I stared him down. “Yes, I do think you even more stupid.” “Figured. Now it’s your turn.” “I can’t.” The sounds of the party suffocated me. He seemed to read my mind. “Duck into this closet. No one can hear you from there.” “Except you.” “I keep secrets.” He promised with his words and his eyes. What was I supposed to do? “Fine.” We shut the door behind us. “Your secret.” He wasted no time. “My secret - I’m not German.” “Duh.” I glared. “I’m a Jew. I’m - I’m here to steal something. That’s what I do. I’m part of the Resistance. I’m…Operation Magpie.” “Steal what?” “A paper. It states the location of the new concentration camp.” “Oh.” He was silent for a moment. “Weird name. Magpies are stupid.” “Magpies are not stupid.” “They’re thieves.” “Exactly. Ever seen a stupid thief?” “Not yet, but you might help with that! You can’t pickpocket, do you know how hard that is?” “I’ll be fine. Just keep your mouth shut for ten minutes - if you can do that. And keep this.” I pressed his swastika pin into his hands. “It’s disgusting.” “How’d you get that?”
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