human
Your fighter squadron will cross over the French coast here, at Cany, he began.
gpt
It will proceed as transport plane escort, as I said, as far as Salernes on the northern fringe of Rouen. There the Para-troops will bail out and float down to take and destroy an objective assigned to them. Incidentally, it happens to be one of the largest airplane fuel depots in all of Occupied France. Anyway, when the Para-troops have gone down, the transport planes will turn and start back to England, with Parkinson's squadron still acting as escort. You two, however, will pull out and head south across Rouen, and on over the river to Evaux, here.
human
One point I'd better mention, he said.
gpt
Squadron Leader Parkinson has no idea of what's been cooked up for you. Therefore you'll have to use your heads as to how you quit the squadron. You could go down as though shot, and keep radio silence in case he buzzes you as to what has happened. However, it'll still be pretty dark by then, so maybe you can just drop out, and that'll be that.
human
We'll manage that part okay, Dave grunted.
gpt
Don't worry about that.
human
I'm not, Major Barber said.
gpt
Too many other tricky things to worry about. Now, when you have crossed to the southern side of Evaux--here, where the Seine makes its biggest loop southward--you will both step out, and head down by parachute. Of course, searchlights may be probing around for you by then. And no doubt there'll be anti-aircraft stuff whizzing up at you. However, it'll be your job to get out of the searchlights and bail out. Before you leave, though, there'll be a little lever in each of your planes that you are to pull. Pulling that lever will touch off a fire bomb that will fire your plane exactly sixty seconds later.
human
I get it! Dave murmured.
gpt
So the anti-aircraft gunners will think they've made a couple of direct hits?
human
Right! Major Barber told him.
gpt
Also, that you two have been instantly killed. As soon as your planes burst into flame the searchlights will swing that way, of course. But no pilots bailing out by parachute will be seen. So they'll believe what we want them to believe. Now comes the tricky part, and look closely at this mosaic map. You two should touch ground fairly close together. Ditch your parachutes, of course, check your directions by the compass each of you will carry, and make your way to this cluster of shell-shattered farm barns that you can see right here.
human
That shouldn't be hard, I don't fancy, Freddy Farmer said.
gpt
They're right in the center of the U formed by the Seine.
human
That's it, Major Barber said with a nod. And then he continued,
gpt
When you meet, you will proceed due north for no more than two miles. At the end of two miles you will come to a dirt road. See it pictured there? And see that pile of rubble there? That was once a church until a Nazi Stuka came along in June of Nineteen Forty. There you will meet a German guard.
human
And give him the works!
gpt
No, don't! Major Barber caught him up sharply.
human
That German guard will be an American Intelligence officer posing as a Nazi. He's been in that area for over a month now. That's how long ago we started working out this little job for tomorrow night. He's your connecting link with all that happens from then on. Confound it! I skipped one of the most important items!